Concern over allocation of stands under high-voltage power lines

Residents have raised concern over the continued parcelling out of residential stands under high voltage Zesa power lines and sewer lines.

Already, residential stands have been parcelled out around Kuwadzana 6 under power lines and new ones were being dished out in Glen View 1. Combined Harare Residents Association programmes manager Mr Reuben Akili said they expect council to use the law and follow due process in ensuring that people do not endanger themselves.

“We are aware of houses built below 11kv power lines and this is dangerous. These structures emanated and were birthed by corrupt activities that have been happening in the housing and planning departments of council.

“We expect council to follow Section 74 of the Constitution,” he said.

Mr Akili said demolitions or removal of houses constructed under power lines without court orders fuels corruption as they cover up for underlying maladministration and corrupt activities that would have resulted in these settlements.

“In Tafara, residents raised issues over Volcano Housing Cooperative, which dished out stands under power lines and open spaces,” he said.

Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust chairman Mr Shalvar Chikomba said land barons were to blame for the houses built under power lines and sewer lines.

“It is dangerous. We do not want to lose lives over an issue that can be corrected before any danger happens. It is noble to investigate how that happened.

“Prevention is always better than to leave people at risk,” he said.

Harare Residents Trust director Mr Precious Shumba said illegal constructions on top of strategic public service infrastructure should be demolished while investigations are undertaken to establish who sold the land on top of sewer and power lines.

“The criminals who sold the land and the victims have to be both prosecuted for their illegal actions that have compromised public service delivery. Of course, the council has failed to service land for housing allocations.

“This has allowed the corrupt to take advantage and begin their own processes of allocating people land without town planning authority. Alternatively, the council should offer the people who have built on top of sewer and power lines alternative land for their housing constructions with the affected people paying for the servicing of the alternative land,” he said.

Harare Council spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme last Friday said council would respond after assessing the alleged areas to ascertain if they were suitable for stand allocations.-herald.cl.zw