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Harare City Council gets ultimatum
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Harare City Council (HCC) is under mounting pressure from the government to submit a comprehensive master plan, with a stern ultimatum set by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works. In a letter addressed to Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume, Minister Daniel Garwe emphasized that failure to submit a complete draft of the city's master plan by November 20, 2024, would result in disciplinary action against all council members and senior officials involved in the delay.
Minister Garwe expressed his dissatisfaction with the council's progress, noting that while Harare had submitted a placeholder master plan, it did not meet the required standards under the Regional Town and Country Planning Act. The placeholder was submitted after a promise from the city to provide an acceptable master plan by October 2024 for public exhibition. However, Garwe has since been informed that the plan is advancing slowly and may not be ready by the end of the fiscal year.
"It has come to my attention that the City of Harare submitted a placeholder master plan document that did not meet the standards required under the Regional Town and Country Planning Act," Garwe wrote. "Harare City promised to turn in an acceptable master plan within the shortest time possible to allow for public exhibition in October 2024. However, I am now informed that the master plan is progressing at a snail's pace and may not be concluded within the current fiscal year."
The minister made it clear that the deadline was non-negotiable, citing President Emmerson Mnangagwa's directive for all local authorities to meet service delivery standards for Vision 2030. The government has granted leniency on the placeholder submission, but Garwe warned that such leniency would not be extended again. The letter also stated that failure to meet the deadline would be considered a failure to fulfill a statutory obligation, which could lead to severe consequences for the council and the officials responsible for the delay.
"If the Harare Master Plan is not completed and placed on public display by November 20, 2024, my office will consider this a gross failure of a statutory obligation," Minister Garwe warned. "Failure to meet the deadline will leave my office with no other option but to take stern action against the council and the officials involved."
In response, Mayor Mafume acknowledged the urgency of the matter and confirmed that Harare City Council had requested approval from the Ministry to make an overdue payment of over US$1 million to Development Studio Africa Pvt Ltd, the planning contractor responsible for the master plan. The payment is necessary to initiate detailed studies, data collection, and other preparatory work needed for the master plan.
"Authority is hereby sought to process an advance payment of US$1,142,357.53 to Development Studio Africa Pvt Ltd… to facilitate the start of work, data collection, and commissioning of studies for the Harare Master Plan," reads the council's letter to the Ministry.
The situation highlights ongoing issues with Harare's urban planning. Despite the national deadline for all local authorities to complete updated master plans by June 30, 2024, Harare only awarded the tender for the project in June 2023, less than a month before the original deadline. While other municipalities had begun their planning efforts earlier in 2023, Harare was slow to engage a contractor, leaving the capital city at a disadvantage in terms of addressing unregulated settlements and infrastructure challenges.
Harare's current master plan, last revised in 1993, has been criticized for contributing to unplanned urban sprawl, deteriorating infrastructure, and inadequate service delivery. With the November 20 deadline now looming, HCC faces an uphill battle to meet the government's expectations and deliver a modern, cohesive plan for the future of Zimbabwe's capital.
As the city council scrambles to meet the deadline, all eyes will be on the government's next steps, which may have significant implications for the future of urban planning in Harare.
Minister Garwe expressed his dissatisfaction with the council's progress, noting that while Harare had submitted a placeholder master plan, it did not meet the required standards under the Regional Town and Country Planning Act. The placeholder was submitted after a promise from the city to provide an acceptable master plan by October 2024 for public exhibition. However, Garwe has since been informed that the plan is advancing slowly and may not be ready by the end of the fiscal year.
"It has come to my attention that the City of Harare submitted a placeholder master plan document that did not meet the standards required under the Regional Town and Country Planning Act," Garwe wrote. "Harare City promised to turn in an acceptable master plan within the shortest time possible to allow for public exhibition in October 2024. However, I am now informed that the master plan is progressing at a snail's pace and may not be concluded within the current fiscal year."
The minister made it clear that the deadline was non-negotiable, citing President Emmerson Mnangagwa's directive for all local authorities to meet service delivery standards for Vision 2030. The government has granted leniency on the placeholder submission, but Garwe warned that such leniency would not be extended again. The letter also stated that failure to meet the deadline would be considered a failure to fulfill a statutory obligation, which could lead to severe consequences for the council and the officials responsible for the delay.
"If the Harare Master Plan is not completed and placed on public display by November 20, 2024, my office will consider this a gross failure of a statutory obligation," Minister Garwe warned. "Failure to meet the deadline will leave my office with no other option but to take stern action against the council and the officials involved."
In response, Mayor Mafume acknowledged the urgency of the matter and confirmed that Harare City Council had requested approval from the Ministry to make an overdue payment of over US$1 million to Development Studio Africa Pvt Ltd, the planning contractor responsible for the master plan. The payment is necessary to initiate detailed studies, data collection, and other preparatory work needed for the master plan.
"Authority is hereby sought to process an advance payment of US$1,142,357.53 to Development Studio Africa Pvt Ltd… to facilitate the start of work, data collection, and commissioning of studies for the Harare Master Plan," reads the council's letter to the Ministry.
The situation highlights ongoing issues with Harare's urban planning. Despite the national deadline for all local authorities to complete updated master plans by June 30, 2024, Harare only awarded the tender for the project in June 2023, less than a month before the original deadline. While other municipalities had begun their planning efforts earlier in 2023, Harare was slow to engage a contractor, leaving the capital city at a disadvantage in terms of addressing unregulated settlements and infrastructure challenges.
Harare's current master plan, last revised in 1993, has been criticized for contributing to unplanned urban sprawl, deteriorating infrastructure, and inadequate service delivery. With the November 20 deadline now looming, HCC faces an uphill battle to meet the government's expectations and deliver a modern, cohesive plan for the future of Zimbabwe's capital.
As the city council scrambles to meet the deadline, all eyes will be on the government's next steps, which may have significant implications for the future of urban planning in Harare.
Source - the herald
