Harare seeks to evict 185 families

The Harare City Council has approached the High Court seeking an order to evict over 185 families illegally settled on a piece of land in Budiriro, with a view to survey and service the area before handing it over to the affected families.

Council recently filed a court application citing Events Housing Co-operative Society Limited, its chairperson and the Sheriff of the High Court as respondents in the matter.

"This is an application for eviction of the first respondent's (Events Housing Co-operative Society Limited) members from the applicant's (City of Harare) land depicted on Plan Number TYP/WR/01/14 Budiriro to enable the applicant to service and survey the land for the first respondent," town clerk Hosiah Abraham Chisango said in his founding affidavit.

Chisango said despite the co-operative being a registered entity in terms of the laws of the country, it was, however, occupying a piece of land which it illegally invaded.

"However, despite the illegal invasion, the applicant on March 29, 2017 resolved to regularise the first respondent's settlement by allocating 185 stands depicted on Plan Number TYP/WR/01/14. The said regularisation was subject to procedural planning processes and other conditions outlined therein," he said.

Chisango further said in June 2017, the allocation was published in a local newspaper, but there was an objection raised against the allocation.

According to Chisango, the said objection was not considered because it had been raised by an illegal settler who was a member of a co-operative called Tembwe Housing Co-operative.

Chisango said following a series of meetings by the city fathers, it was resolved to approach the court for recourse because the co-operative members were refusing to vacate the land in order to have it surveyed and serviced for its benefit.

The matter is pending.