TWO HUNDRED houses were built in a graveyard, with Chitungwiza Municipality listing over 11 200 illegal houses for demolition.
Nyatsime suburbs tops the list with 9 500 houses listed for demolition, while part of Nyatsime’s graveyard has seen the mushrooming of residential stands.
The proposed demolition could leave thousands homeless. Council awaits approval from the full council meeting and accompanying legal documents from local courts.
Reasons for the demolitions range from the sites being either reserved as wetlands, stadium expansions, commercial expansion or cemetery among others.
In a letter addressed to the acting town clerk dated January 12, 2021, the council’s Chief Security Officer Godwin Mvere wrote:
“This memo serves to submit the list of proposed demolition sites derived from a meeting held on December 21, 2020 at 14:15hrs in the council chamber and chaired by Mr Mvere the CSO.
“I cross checked this list with the one earlier submitted by the housing department and they are similar in most respects.
“I have noted the absence of commercial sites on this list.
“This list may now be forwarded to the legal department to ensure that none of the structures herein are protected by the Justice Amy Tsanga ruling in October-November 2020 …any other High Court ruling and is under litigation,” reads the letter.
Sites up for demolition include stands in Unit A, Unit G, Unit J, Unit K, St Mary’s and Zengeza 5. Last year, the council again listed more than 30 settlements for demolitions before a High Court order was issued to halt its action.
