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Operation Murambatsvina - Countrywide evictions of urban poor - Index of articles
Report
on verification exercise to Newpark and Goodhope extension settlements
carried out on 29th May 2005
Crisis in Zimbabwe
Secretariat
May 31, 2005
The exercise was carried out
to verify that the people settled at New Park and Goodhope settlements
on the North-western outskirts of Harare had been forcibly rendered homeless
and were in the processes of being displaced from their area of residence,
by the Government of Zimbabwe. These two settlements were established
as housing co-operatives in 2000. The land on which the two co-operatives
are situated was officially given to the two by the then minister of Local
Government Mr. John Nkomo sometime in 2002. An official document detailing
this handover, signed by the minister is said to exist. The housing co-operatives
are all officially registered with the ministry responsible for co-operatives.
Certificates of registration proving this exist.
In the last five years several
Government officials have visited and commended the co-operatives on their
housing initiatives and pledged Government support for their efforts.
Roads had been constructed at the site and plans to lay a reticulation
system were being mooted. Buses from the Zupco bus company had begun to
service the area.
The demolition of the residents'
houses was carried out from Saturday 28th May from three o'clock in the
afternoon and it continued through out the night until Sunday evening.
The police supervising the demolition have warned the residents that by
Tuesday everyone ought to have vacated the site whether or not they would
have finished removing their belongings. Those who fail to comply for
whatever reason would be forcibly taken to New Caledonia farm, which is
on the outskirts of Harare, next to Tafara Township. At New Caledonia
the people would be accommodated only for a week while they look for alternative
accommodation. If they fail to find it, they would be forcibly taken to
Mbare Musika to board buses to their rural homes.
As of Sunday afternoon many
families were still at New Park and Goodhope still trying to salvage what
remained of their property after the Government bulldozer had destroyed
their houses. The affected population is about 4 000 people.
Reasons for removing the residents
are that they are alleged to have settled themselves illegally by the
Harare city Council. However it is interesting to note that Goodhope and
New Park do not fall within the boundaries of Harare, but are under the
jurisdiction of the Zvimba rural district Council. At New Park there is
an unconfirmed rumour that the residents were being evicted because the
land had allegedly been sold to two Chinese companies by a Government
Minister, for four billion dollars. One of the companies that is supposed
to have purchased the land is currently involved in brick making at a
nearby site.
Assistance
that can be rendered
Any assistance that can be rendered to the affected people can only be
rendered after they have been relocated to New Caledonia farm. It is unclear
at the moment how many will end up being taken to the site as some of
them were relocating to other areas in Harare.
New Caledonia is not a vacant
place. It has of late become the dumping ground of all people displaced
by the Government in Harare. There are no facilities there and it is doubtful
if the older occupants will accept the new arrivals as they can cause
them discomfort as they did to the Porter farm people when the Government
in September 2004 dumped them there.
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