News / National
Chitungwiza dismisses demolitions claims
18 Jan 2021 at 06:36hrs | Views
Chitungwiza town clerk Tonderai Kasu said the municipality has no imminent plans to demolish illegal settlements following a complaint from the Chitungwiza Residents Trust (Chitrest).
This comes after the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights on behalf of Chitrest wrote to the municipality seeking clarity regarding proposed demolitions in the town.
A leaked internal memo stated that the municipality would soon demolish 11 000 properties illegally constructed on wetlands, sewer lines and areas reserved for railway lines.
Meanwhile, people that built houses and businesses on wetlands must expect demolitions after the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) ordered them to vacate the land before it institutes prosecutions or demolitions of the buildings once a new law on preservation of wetlands is gazetted.
Some of the places that could be affected by the mass demolitions are Harare and Chitungwiza.
EMA is mandated through the Environmental Management Act (Chapter 20:27) section 113 to prosecute anyone found carrying out any activity that is likely to cause degradation of a wetland without authority from the agency.
This comes after the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights on behalf of Chitrest wrote to the municipality seeking clarity regarding proposed demolitions in the town.
A leaked internal memo stated that the municipality would soon demolish 11 000 properties illegally constructed on wetlands, sewer lines and areas reserved for railway lines.
Some of the places that could be affected by the mass demolitions are Harare and Chitungwiza.
EMA is mandated through the Environmental Management Act (Chapter 20:27) section 113 to prosecute anyone found carrying out any activity that is likely to cause degradation of a wetland without authority from the agency.
Source - Daily News
