HARARE Mayor Jacob Mafume says the City Council is losing money due to a chaotic billing system and has failed to collect rates from over 100,000 houses illegally built in the capital.

Despite government pressure, Harare City Council has been struggling to address the billing system.

Posting on his X account Mafume said the City Council is failing to account for 100,000 illegal households.

"The irregular settlements number over 100 000 houses in and around Harare. The illegal houses will soon outnumber the legal rate-paying houses of Harare. The 322 000 legal households will foot the bill for everyone," said Mafume.

Harare City Council is under fire for a proposed demolition of households that are built on illegal land. The demolitions were halted by the government.

Mafume said the illegal settlements are situated in areas where amenities such as schools should be built.

"These are built on schools, clinics, open spaces and sports grounds. We stopped because of elections and the SADC.

"Children are forced to move 8kms to school. Clinics are non-existent. Houses are flooding. It has to be corrected, we are leaving out 100000 that pay nothing to anyone," he said.

Land barons linked to politicians have been implicated in the syndicate that has been parcelling out land in the City.

Mafume said the land invasion has been rampant in Harare.

"They do not own the land. They seek no approval from anyone from start to finish. They just build at will and with no due care and regard," he said.