Source: Court order sees over 300 illegal structures demolished in Whitecliff – herald
Roselyne Sachiti
MORE than 300 illegal structures were razed in the Whitecliff commercial area after the Messenger of Court, acting on a court order, evicted their owners from the servitude along Bulawayo Road and Ordlands Road.
The eviction order — granted by Harare magistrate Talent Mutasa after an application by Whitecliff owner Eddies Pfugari Properties Private Limited against Rodgewene Mubaiwa and his six accomplices — had not been executed since January last year.
The accomplices are Alois Mafadzakupa, Tinashe Chatambudza, Brian Hera, Never Machando, Saymore Xhabela and Estrodge Mubaiwa. Through their lawyers Nyikadzino Masango and Associates, Eddies Pfugari Properties argued that they are the lawful owners of stand number 10139, Whitecliff.
They also claimed that the defendants took occupation of the property in 2020 after obtaining permission from the Ministry of Transport.
“The permission was, however, allegedly withdrawn through a letter dated November 8, 2024,” the court papers read.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail after Thursday’s evictions, Eddies Pfugari Properties general manager Mr Percy Chitima said the structures were built illegally overnight in 2020 by Mubaiwa and his accomplices. He said the eviction order was successfully implemented by the Messenger of Court on Thursday.
“They had invaded the commercial area — the stretch along Bulawayo Road and Ordlands Road. Over 300 structures had been built and were controlled by a few people who were collecting rentals from every stall, purporting to have been given authority by the Ministry of Transport just to tarnish the image of the Government,” said Mr Chitima.
Some of the illegal structures had created a blind spot and a hazard obstructing traffic.
The land barons, he said, were charging monthly rentals for the land occupied by the entrepreneurs.
“Yesterday (Thursday), we spoke to a few individuals, and they were saying they were paying as much as US$250 to US$300 per month to the land barons. The land stretches over five hectares.
“It is very unfortunate how those guys managed to scam people with no paperwork, yet you see structures erected. The Government has been making efforts to fight land barons, but the people sometimes slip through and go to those guys without any paper — no lease agreement whatsoever,” he said.
He added that dialogue with the affected people had already begun.
“We have to come together, sit down and come up with a proper structure. As you know, we have always been supporting the President’s Vision 2030. We support the empowerment of everyone — that is how our nation grows. We are happy with the Government’s intervention so that things can be done in an orderly manner,” he said.
“We trust and believe there is a convergence of entrepreneurs and those with start-ups, and it can be done properly in an orderly manner. We can arrange something for them, and we are happy to do that.”
He said they had land with proper facilities for home industries for empowerment programmes, which affected people can lease legally.
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