MORE details continue to emerge on the Harare City Council housing stands scandal as the Registrar of Deeds office cannot find title deeds to the allocated stands.
The council in May this year appointed a seven-member sub-committee to investigate circumstances leading to the occupation of stands 154 to 166 in Amby Township, Greendale, where cluster houses have since been built.
The scandal resulted in the municipality losing more than US$2 million in the murky land deal.
On July 1, 2024 suspended town clerk Hosiah Chisango wrote to Registrar of Deeds office requesting for title deeds of the stands.
“Request for authentication of title deeds for stands 154 to 156 Amby township, Greendale, on the remaining stretch of Bingley, Salisbury district,” Chisango wrote.
“The City of Harare is investigating the residential developments at the above-mentioned stands in Greendale Township through the subcommittee that was established by the works and town planning committee.
“Preliminary findings have established that some of the stands have been issued without the title deeds. In order to conclude the investigations, it is to the best interest of the council to seek authentication of the title deeds for the respective stands.”
He added: “May you assist the city with the following establishment of the parent title deed for the land and original owners thereof to establish the history relating to subsequent transfer of ownership of land to authenticate the respective title deeds and the above information is urgently required to enable the sub-committee to conclude investigations.”
- Harare cancels Pomona waste deal
- Devolution gains remain a mirage
- Harare cancels Pomona waste deal
- Pomona saga: Harare handed shock US$750k ‘garbage’ bill
Keep Reading
One L Mukupe from the Registrar of Deeds responded to Chisango on July 15, 2024 saying they could not find information regarding the stands except for only two.
“Unfortunately, we could not find the information with regards to the parent title deed of the remaining extent of Bingley,” Mukupe said.
“In relation to the above-mentioned stands, the only information that we currently have in our records is for stands 162 and 165.
Council chairperson of the sub-committee, Denford Ngadziore, yesterday confirmed the scandal.
“We are just hoping that the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission will complete the investigation because the Registrar of Deeds office failed to find the title deeds,” Ngadziore said.
The seven-member committee has recommended an investigation by police and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.
“It is being recommended that council takes necessary action to cover the cumulative amount of US$2 262 074 being revenue owed to council for property taxes and other council taxes for stands 154 to 166 Township Greendale,” the report read.
“It is, therefore, recommended that all transactions and development of these stands be declared illegal forthwith and the matter be referred to Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission for further investigations.”
The report also indicated that the land has been classified as derelict.
