MINISTRY OF NATIONAL HOUSING AND SOCIAL AMENITIES
Telephone 0242 799125 3rd Floor Zimre Centre
The Office of the Secretary Private Bag 7780
Causeway,
HARARE
The Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities (MNHSA) travelled to Cameroon on Government business on 17/6/21 and he remains out of the country.
In his absence, His Excellency The President, Cde ED Mnangagwa, appointed an acting Minister to run the affairs of the Ministry.
Any issues concerning the business of the Ministry should therefore be directed to the Acting Minister and not conducted on Social media platforms.
The Melfort land in question was occupied by a company called Eastwinds Properties represented by Rodger Pote in 2018. In an attempt to develop the land, the company parcelled out pieces of land at a premium whilst not providing the requisite offsite and onsite infrastructure.
On 1 December 2019, the then Chairman of Mashonaland East and Minister of Transport, the late Hon J B Matiza called for a Melfort stakeholder's meeting to find a solution for the mushrooming settlement. In that meeting, the Ministry of National
Housing and Social Amenities was requested to include Melfort in its Regularisation agenda. This decision was arrived at based on the understanding that the Developer was a holder of a genuine and legitimate offer letter or Development Permit from Government.
After the meeting, The Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities commenced its Melfort Regularization program.
As plans progressed, the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities received numerous adverse reports from various stakeholders including reports of an ongoing legal battle between the Developer and Goromonzi Rural District Council. The legal battle revolved around 1. The ownership of the land between the Developer and Goromonzi Rural District Council (GRDC) which falls under The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works. 2. The GRDC disputed the authenticity of the Developer's permit.
Upon weighing the above facts, the MNHSA, wrote to the Developer on 22 September 2020, instructing him, with immediate effect to stop selling any further land to home-seekers and to discontinue all developments until all legal matters were
resolved.
The legal matters between the two parties have since been settled and a judgement was handed down by Goromonzi Magistrate Court on the 4th of December 2020. The court ordered that; 1. The Defendants and all those claiming rights of occupation of stands at, and/or within Melfort Township, Goromonzi be forthwith ejected from the stands. 2. The Plaintiff or the Messenger of Court and if necessary with the assistance of the Zimbabwe Republic Police is/are authorised to demolish all illegal structures built by the Defendants and all those claiming rights of occupation through them at within Melfort Township,
Goromonzi, and 3. The Defendants shall jointly and severally pay the costs of the legal action on an attorney and client scale.
The Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities though not a party to the legal suit has respected the judgement of the
courts and has not interfered in its process. The Ministry respects the separation of powers between the Judiciary, Legislature and the Executive. It is in terms of this clear position that from the time when a matter is before the courts, the Executive is not expected to interfere, which is the stance the Ministry took. Court proceedings were instituted against Eastwinds as far back as
March 2020 and ever since then, the Ministry has never interfered with Melfort issues.
The statements being peddled on the social media by one Rodgers Pote accusing the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities for having ordered the demolitions are part of fake news intended to maliciously tarnish the image of the Hon. Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities and also divert attention from the real issues of fraud. The statements are contemptuous and must be dismissed accordingly.