Harare demolitions leave families homeless after years of building
Summary
Demolitions in Harare’s St Martins Extension have left residents homeless, including people who say they bought land through council-linked processes and spent years building homes. The city says it is enforcing planning rules against unauthorised construction, while residents dispute how the operation relates to their land documents and court orders.Key Facts
- Methro Masunga said she began paying for her residential stand in 2015, received an allocation in 2019 and obtained official documents through a city council process in 2020.
- Masunga and Memory Chengeta said their homes in St Martins Extension were demolished, and both have since lived in makeshift shelters there.
- Joachim Nhete said he used his retirement package to buy land and build a home, investing more than $10,000, before losing the house.
- The City of Harare says the demolitions target structures built without required approvals or on land not designated for housing.
- City council records reviewed by Al Jazeera list more than 5,000 houses facing demolition under 37 outstanding High Court orders; the article says these figures do not count only homes already demolished.
- A council task force separately inspected 22,255 sites to identify structures on prohibited or unauthorised land.
- A consent order issued on October 29, 2025, set aside demolition notices for named applicants in St Martins Extension and barred the city from evicting them or demolishing their homes without a valid court order.
- The consent order did not automatically protect every property in St Martins, and the article does not establish whether Masunga, Chengeta or their properties were covered.
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