Title deeds mapping underway

The Government has enlisted the services of two local companies to develop basic infrastructure in informal settlements currently undergoing geospatial mapping, a process that will expedite the issuance of title deeds to homeowners in the targeted areas.

The unplanned settlements, which sprouted on the margins of major cities and towns in the last two decades, do not have amenities such as running water, sewer reticulation and roads.

National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe told The Sunday Mail that the development of infrastructure in the settlements will facilitate the long-awaited issuance of title deeds.

"We have made significant progress in terms of issuance of title deeds from the directive we got from the President," said Minister Garwe.

"We are going to do it in two parts, with the first phase targeting areas that were properly planned, including Highfield and Mufakose.

"Residents in these areas have been paying rates to local authorities.

"That is why the President said they must own the houses because they have already completed paying for their homes."

The second phase, he said, entails regularising informal settlements.

"The other issue relates to informal settlements like Epworth, Caledonia, Harare South, Gimboki in Manicaland and many other areas in the country.

"We are currently mapping and preparing the settlements' layouts and masterplans.

"We have concluded tenders on companies that are going to do the servicing."

Minister Garwe said Caledonia, parts of Harare South, Hatcliffe and Gimboki will be regularised first.

"The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works will prepare the masterplans and layouts which demarcate specific residential stands.

"Once that process is done, the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities will come in with engineering designs for servicing the land.

"The local authority will then come and issue a certificate of compliance," said Minister Garwe.

The certificate will then be submitted to the Deeds Office for preparation of the actual title deed, which will be watermarked for security reasons.

The mapping is targeting dysfunctional and irregular settlements.

"We have now invited the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, through the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency, which is mapping the settlements.

"Those who are properly settled will be issued with title deeds.

"Those who are illegally settled will be relocated," he added.

A title deed is a legal document constituting evidence of the right to ownership of property.

President Mnangagwa has set up a high-level committee comprising the Ministries of National Housing and Social Amenities; Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs; Local Government and Public Works; Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development; and Finance and Economic Development to oversee the exercise.