By 
The City of Harare has issued a stern warning against illegal constructions mushrooming across the city and vowed to demolish the unauthorised developments.
The rise of informal businesses has led to an increase in new constructions and the conversion of old buildings into retail spaces. Large commercial properties are being repurposed into shopping malls with subdivided units for multiple operators.
By Gamuchirai Mapako
While this has proven profitable for property owners, concerns about the legality of these developments are growing, with some lacking approval from city authorities.
Stanley Gama, the Harare City spokesperson established that lawlessness will not be tolerated and confirmed affirmative action would be taken against the unregulated infrastructures and unlicensed operators.
“New malls or structures have to be approved and licensed by the City of Harare. Illegal structures will be demolished, while those operating without licenses will have their businesses closed”, said Gama.
Harare residents are not new to demolitions. In the previous years there have been several illegal structures that have been taken down. According to city regulations any changes in business use must comply with section 26 of the Regional Town and Country Planning Act (Chapter 29:12) of 1996.
If implemented the threats to demolishes such buildings could prove devastating for owner and business operators. However, the desperation to survive trumps the fear of having business closed down. As a result malls continue to boom day by day.
The abrupt change in the commercial landscape of the Central Business District (CBD) has prompted fears over urban congestion and safety hazards. Formal businesses have been displaced as they fail to compete with the informal sector because they operate under tax obligations, licensing fees while the latter sector can successfully bypass such regulations.
The city’s planning policies will need to adapt in order to keep up with the rapid growth to avoid straining the city’s infrastructure.
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