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NewsDay

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Bogus co-operatives parcelling out municipal land in St Martins

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HUNDREDS of home-seekers are set to lose out after bogus co-operatives parcelled out municipal land in the St Martins area in Harare to unsuspecting individuals.

HUNDREDS of home-seekers are set to lose out after bogus co-operatives parcelled out municipal land in the St Martins area in Harare to unsuspecting individuals.

BY Staff reporter

Council yesterday urged people who bought stands in the area to report the matter to the police.

This came after reports that two unregistered housing co-operatives, Rakadeuka and Landmark, were allegedly illegally parcelling out land at the open space along Seke Road opposite Sunningdale 2, between St Martins and the Catholic University.

Council spokesperson Michael Chideme said the land in question, though earmarked for housing development, did not belong to the two co-operatives.

“The land belongs to council. It’s for housing, but not for these people. Those people selling the land are doing so illegally. We have identified them and we want them to stop,” he said. In a statement yesterday, the local authority said the two organisations were not on council records.

“The two organisations have not been allocated the piece of land for housing development. They are not even in our records as housing co-operatives or trusts. The land they are selling has already been procedurally allocated to other beneficiaries on the City of Harare housing waiting list,” said the local authority.

“Residents who have bought land at the site are urged to report the matter to the police for them to recover their money. Harare City Council will not be held responsible for any loss of investments by people who were cheated.”

Harare has witnessed a rise in illegal settlements, but council has moved in to start demolitions of illegal structures.

Some influential and well-connected people were using their political muscle to grab open spaces and dishing out illegal stands to unsuspecting home-seekers.

But the ruling Zanu PF and new Minister of Local Government Saviour Kasukuwere have threatened to come hard on such elements. MDC-T councillors have also pledged to act on the matter.