At least 4 000 families residing at Spitzkop Farm in Zvimba, Mashonaland West have survived a plot by a Zanu PF-linked housing cooperative to evict them from their plots.
This emerged last week when High Court judge Justice Neville Wamambo issued an interim relief stopping their eviction.
The Greater Spitzkop Residents Association had cited the housing cooperative, Vevhu Resources, Local Government minister July Moyo and Zvimba Rural District Council (RDC) respectively as respondents in their court challenge.
“The respondents be and are hereby interdicted from carrying out activities such as re-pegging the residential stands of the applicant and its members and any other activities pursuant to the implementation of the proposed subdivision of Lot 14 of Spitzkop until the determination of this urgent chamber application is finalised,” Wamambo said.
“The respondents be and are hereby interdicted from collecting any money from the applicant and its members in pursuance of the implementation of the proposed subdivision of Lot 14 of Spitzkop until the determination of the proposed subdivision of Lot 14 of Spitzkop until the determination of this urgent chamber application is finalised.”
The judge also interdicted the respondents from threatening members of the cooperative into signing new contracts or demanding any rentals from the residents until the final determination of the matter,
“The respondents are hereby stopped from carrying on such activities until the determination of this urgent chamber application,” read part of the ruling.
The said property is located within Lot 12 and 14 of Spitzkop Farm in Zvimba district measuring 348.68 hectares.
Vevhu and its subsidiary companies had started the process of re-pegging the plots and readjusting the boundaries.
This process commenced in August 2022.
This was likely to result in the displacement of various members, the residents said.
The association complained that its members will lose out on both the land they purchased and the money they used to pay for the stands.
The Local Government minister had insisted that the land in question is state land and that the respondents held no title deeds.
However, the residents argued it was Vevhu who created various companies to act as its agents to advertise and sell the land in question.
The judge said it was clear the association had a direct and substantial interest in the subject and outcome of this application.
“I find that the ingredients of an interdict were established,” the judge said.
“The threat of homelessness on the face of it was established.
“I also note that the allegations of threats and inducements as raised by the applicant were not rebutted or impugned in any way.
“It is in light of potential loss to housing stands and financial prejudice where the process as carried out by first respondent and its agent are prima facie irregular.”