SOME land barons in Westgate have invaded wetlands in the suburb in a strategy to move ahead of the Government which has just completed a National Wetlands Master Plan, which will inform the crafting of the National Wetlands Policy.
Ivan Zhakata Suburban Reporter
The barons appear in a hurry to parcel out stands on the wetlands in the hope that their developments will be regularised by Government and the City of Harare.
This week Cabinet was told that the verification of the number of people living on irregular and dysfunctional settlements including in flood prone areas was continuing.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who chairs the Enhanced Cabinet Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management, presented the Committee’s Sixth Consolidated Report during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting covering among other issues the identification and quantification of all irregular and dysfunctional settlements including in flood-prone areas as well as the National Wetlands Masterplan.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told a post Cabinet media briefing that the inspection of housing cooperatives was ongoing with five provinces covered so far.
“On the regularisation and deregistration of errant housing cooperatives, it is advised that the inspection of cooperatives is ongoing, with five provinces having been covered so far,” she said.
Westgate residents have expressed great concern over the continued developments on the wetlands in the suburb saying the destruction of the wetlands has reached unprecedented levels.
The residents said the wetlands in the suburb were under siege and urgent action needs to be taken before they are all depleted.
A resident Mrs Barbra Mukahanana said the invasion of wetlands in the suburb was happening right under the eyes of the responsible authorities who seem disinterested in taking action.
Mrs Mukahanana said there was a lot of building taking place on most wetlands in Westgate but the City of Harare was not bothered as the developments continue to happen under its watch.
“We have seen the proliferation of houses in Westgate of late. Most of these houses are being built and some are still under construction on wetland areas that were reserved for recreational purposes. Our properties are slowly losing value and this is of great concern to us as local residents.
“Our wetlands are under siege and something has to be done before they are all depleted. The whole of Westgate is under siege. As residents we are pleading with Government to do something before Harare runs out of water,” she said.
She said some houses and wooden cabins on wetlands sunk into the ground during the rainy season but people were continuing with building on the wetlands despite the hazards they face when it rains and the areas flood.
Some of the stands pegged on the wetlands.
When Suburban visited the suburb on Tuesday, there were numerous developments taking place on open spaces located in the wetlands and on river beds in the area, with residents expressing concern over the situation.
Along Brumble Road, there were cabins and bricks on several residential stands pegged on wetlands with some builders clearing up the land in preparation to start construction.
Behind Brumble Road, there is a small stream that flows to the Westgate Area D from where it links to other streams in the suburb.
The area on Brumble Road, according to the residents, was reserved as a recreation park for the residents by the developer who sold them the stands which are located on non-wetland areas.
As if that was not enough there are also developments taking place on wetlands along Mukwa and Sugar Bush Roads which were preserved as open breathing spaces for the neigbourhood. The situation was worse along Flame Lily Road where houses were built on the riverbed of a stream that flows to Madokero residential area.
Builders could be seen pumping out water from the ground using a water pump in order to dig the foundation of a house.
Contacted for comment City of Harare corporate communications manager Mr Michael Chideme said council does not tolerate developments on wetlands.
“Council promotes preservation of wetlands,” he said.
The City of Harare’s head of the Environmental Management Unit Engineer Lisben Chipfunde said the developments on the wetlands did not follow the layout plan.
“There was supposed to be an ecological assessment before the permits were issued. Before any development takes place, we must be consulted to do an environmental and ecological assessment. No development should be done on a wetland without following the due process,” he said.
The builders who were building at the stands referred questions to the owners and developers who were not available for comment.