HARARE – Under intense pressure from Zanu PF land barons, the government is set to investigate recent demolitions of homes in Harare’s Ridgeview area, a move reportedly taken by the opposition-led City Council without a court order.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi announced on Tuesday that this probe follows questions raised by MPs about the council’s decision to tear down structures in Belvedere, where unauthorized developments were underway.
Ziyambi clarified that the government was not involved in the demolitions and that no court order had sanctioned the actions taken by the City of Harare. “In fact, in this particular case, it is the Municipality of Harare that demolished the houses without a court order. Everything that the honourable member has said falls squarely into the hands of the city authorities,” Ziyambi said, adding that “they were demolished without even a court order, and we have also requested that this be investigated.”
Ziyambi also expressed frustration with the council’s approach, stating that authorities should prevent illegal construction before completion rather than allowing residents to invest in homes only to see them later destroyed. “Why wait until a house has been built and then send bulldozers to destroy it?” he asked, sympathizing with affected residents and criticizing what he suggested was a lack of humanity from “local authorities largely controlled by the opposition.”
The statement from the City of Harare, released on Wednesday, shed further light on the rationale behind the demolitions. According to the council, these actions targeted illegal land allocations in Belvedere, specifically in Ridgeview, which has seen unauthorized construction on city-owned land. The council maintained that it was forced to intervene to curb land barons, some of whom are alleged to have ties to the ruling party Zanu PF, who illegally parcel out city land to unsuspecting residents.
The council stated that the land in Ridgeview is designated for residential use and had been approved for development in 2002, though it remains unserviced and lacks essential infrastructure such as water, sewerage, roads, and drainage. Valuations for 52 stands were approved by the council in 2021; however, the land was subsequently invaded by a private company, Brickstone Builders and Contractors Pvt Ltd, which occupied 15 of the stands and began constructing structures.
In 2022, the council met with representatives of Brickstone Builders to inform them of the need to follow proper channels for land acquisition. Despite this, the illegal developments continued, with construction resuming in July 2023, prompting health concerns among nearby residents. Brickstone Builders attempted to validate their occupation through a letter purportedly from the Ministry of Local Government, later deemed fraudulent by the Ministry.
The council took initial action by issuing a 48-hour notice to halt construction, yet Brickstone Builders obtained a court interdict based on the allegedly forged Ministry letter. Although the interdict temporarily paused council actions, Brickstone Builders proceeded with construction in defiance of the order. Consequently, the City of Harare demolished 30 of the unauthorized structures, though the remaining three, protected by the interdict, are pending further legal review.
The government’s investigation into the City Council’s handling of the situation underscores mounting political tensions surrounding land allocation, especially as it affects home seekers and exposes the influence of alleged land barons connected to Zanu PF.