Ziyambi taken to task over promised title deeds

JUSTICE minister Ziyambi Ziyambi was yesterday grilled by legislators over delays in the issuance of title deeds to thousands of informal settlers in areas around Harare and other parts of the country.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa told Zanu-PF supporters in Epworth ahead of the March by-elections that illegally constructed houses in the area would be formalised through the issuance of title deeds.

In Parliament yesterday, legislators wanted to know why government had not started issuing the title deeds.

"At first we thought it was easy to say people let us go and give title deeds but there are other things that need to be done so that we don't give the wrong people title deeds," Ziyambi said.

"So the committee (inter-ministerial) is moving forward. We said let's start with Epworth where we identified 6000 houses. They (teams) are moving door to door checking if what they have and what is captured at the local board is similar before we issue the title deeds.

"It is work in progress. W When we finish with Epworth, we will now have experience on how it is done and we go to other areas where people have no title deeds,"

Harare has several illegal settlements created by land barons, most of them affiliated to the ruling Zanu-PF party. The land barons have been illegally parcelling out land with impunity