Harare City Council warns illegal Crowborough sett...

Harare City Council warns illegal Crowborough settlers against using political affiliation to build residential structures on wastewater farm

Zanu PF Throws Members' Housing Cooperatives Under The Bus – Pindula News — Crowborough Farm

Bridget Mabanda

The City of Harare, in a statement, has issued a warning to persons who have illegally settled themselves on Crowborough Farm purporting to have been given permission by political parties they are affiliated to.

“It would be unfair not to mention that some of the land invasions are ‘politically’ motivated, with the leadership of the invasions falsely aligning their actions with political parties.

“Council has done its research and established that no political party wants to tarnish their images by engaging in illegal activities when they can use the law to obtain residential land for the people,” said a statement from the local authority.

The invasion is taking place on the city’s income-generating project which also doubles as a waste water treatment facility.

Due to the fact that the area serves as a wastewater treatment zone, fears are that the settlers risk an outbreak of diseases which include cholera, typhoid, dysentery and other water borne ailments.

“We are therefore advising home seekers not to be coerced into buying land at undesignated residential plots. Buying such pieces of land is self-defeating and a waste of resources because council will not authenticate illegalities,” council said, adding that while notices had occasionally been served, people still took advantage of its humane approach.

“They still decide to entrench their illegal activities in the mistaken belief or hope that such settlements will be regularised. For the record, council will not consider regularisation of illegal settlements on wetlands, institutional sites or farms particularly Crowborough farm which is designated for wastewater management purposes,” the statement read.