Har­are's 'pseudo malls' spark safety fears

Harare is witnessing a rapid and largely unregulated surge in makeshift multi-storey shopping structures, commonly referred to as "pseudo malls," a trend that city authorities and residents warn is increasingly posing serious public safety risks while undermining formal urban planning. While these buildings resemble modern commercial complexes, most lack basic infrastructure, regulatory approvals, and fire-prevention systems, creating a potential disaster waiting to happen.

Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume noted that only a handful of buildings in the capital, such as Joina City, Eastgate, Westgate, and High Glen, qualify as genuine malls. In contrast, hundreds of other buildings have been transformed into congested "vertical markets" without planning approval. The dangers of such conversions became evident following several fires, including incidents at an unofficial mall at Julius Nyerere and Speke Avenue in January 2024 and the XGX Mall downtown six months later.

Mafume described the majority of these structures as "specialised compartment shops" rather than true malls, as they were originally designed for low-traffic commercial use. Genuine malls, he explained, require engineered infrastructure, elevators, parking areas, air conditioning, certified safety systems, and a full ecosystem of services that these makeshift complexes lack.

Urban planning expert Tinovimba Manhanga warned that the trend represents a "creeping planning crisis," noting that in the event of a major fire, safe evacuation would be virtually impossible. Ruben Akili, director of the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA), echoed these concerns, highlighting weak enforcement and poor compliance monitoring as key contributors to the problem. He cited buildings such as Zimpost Post Office, Orange Star, Kwame, Galaxy, Island, and Dubai "malls" as examples of pseudo malls operating without proper certification.

Many of these structures were originally office blocks or low-traffic commercial buildings, and their aggressive subdivision into dozens or even hundreds of small shops has placed unprecedented strain on plumbing, sewage, water reticulation, and sanitation facilities. Blocked corridors, exposed wiring, obstructed fire escapes, and overcrowded spaces are now common inside these buildings, posing health and fire hazards to tenants and shoppers alike.

In 2024, more than 500 buildings in and around Harare's Central Business District were classified as unsafe for human occupation after inspections revealed regulatory violations such as poor ventilation, blocked emergency exits, and dilapidation. Abatement orders were issued to compel landlords to remedy the issues or face closure. Fourteen properties, including Robin House, Bush House, Roslin House, Daventry House, Mahachi Building, Vivandelphi Court, Steward and Lloyds, Dublin House, and Msasa House, were condemned entirely for conditions ranging from overcrowding and blocked exits to lack of firefighting equipment and exposure to flammable materials.

Council records showed that many of these buildings, some dating back to the colonial era, had never been reassessed to determine whether their infrastructure could accommodate the new density of occupants. In several cases, exits were blocked, fire safety equipment was absent or non-functional, and sanitation facilities were overwhelmed. Mahachi Building, home to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission headquarters, was flagged for having no emergency exit doors and dysfunctional fire hoses, while Dublin House contained portions made from flammable materials and locked exit doors.

Residents and experts warn that the city is at risk of a disaster akin to major fires in Kampala and Nairobi, where hundreds of vendors were wiped out. They point to a governance failure, as Harare City Council often benefits financially from businesses it is tasked with regulating, creating conflicts of interest that hinder proper enforcement of building and safety standards.

As Harare continues to experience unplanned vertical commercial growth, officials and residents are calling for urgent action to enforce safety standards, re-evaluate building usage, and prevent further risks to public health and life.