ENVIRONMENTAL protection organisations have called on the City of Harare to address illegal land allocations in the capital as it is critical for environmental sustainability.
In a joint statement, Cleveland Action Alliance, Network for Environmental and Climate Justice and Residents Against Land Degradation made a clarion call for duty bearers to investigate the spate of corrupt land allocations in Harare and bring the culprits to book.
"We are concerned that illegal land allocations, including on wetlands, has negatively impacted on environmental sustainability in Harare," reads the statement.
"It is unfortunate that despite a legal framework that guarantees protection of the environment, Harare, like many other cities and towns, continues to witness illegal land allocations that continue to compromise environmental sustainability. We feel that the Harare City Council is not dealing decisively with the real cause of the mushrooming of illegal settlements in Harare.
"We are concerned that the Harare City Council has been turning a blind eye to houses being built illegally."
The organisations said they urgently demand the City of Harare to urgently carry out an inquiry into the mushrooming of illegal structures in the capital and a forensic investigation at council in order to identify the culprits and bring them to book.
They also demanded that council finds alternative land for families affected by demolitions as provided by the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
