Minister Ziyambi Condemns Harare House Demolitions

Zim Now Writer

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has condemned the recent house demolitions in Harare, accusing the opposition-led City Council of carrying out the demolitions without a court order.

Responding to parliamentary inquiries, Ziyambi clarified that the government had no involvement in the demolitions, which have sparked widespread criticism due to their impact on residents.

“It is the Municipality of Harare that demolished the houses without a court order,” Ziyambi stated, stressing that the responsibility lies solely with city authorities.

He urged the council to investigate the situation and emphasized that local authorities should prevent unauthorized construction from the outset, rather than allowing homes to be built and later demolished. “Why wait until a house has been built and then send bulldozers to destroy it?” he asked, pointing out that some of the demolished houses were well-built structures.

The demolitions took place in Harare’s Ridgeview area, where the council alleged illegal land allocations by certain land developers. According to the City of Harare, the land is designated for residential use and includes 52 unserviced stands approved for development in 2002. Despite warnings, a company named Brickstone Builders and Contractors allegedly continued building illegally, presenting an allocation letter from the Ministry of Local Government, which was later confirmed to be fraudulent.

After ignoring multiple stop-work orders, the council proceeded with demolishing 30 structures. The remaining buildings, protected by a court interdict obtained by Brickstone Builders, will be addressed through legal proceedings.

Minister Ziyambi urged the council to adopt a more humane approach in future cases, stating, “Our local authorities must have a humane face and handle these issues from a human rights perspective.”