More Than 300 Illegal Structures Demolished in Whitecliff Following Court-Ordered Eviction

HARARE, Zimbabwe – More than 300 illegal structures were demolished in the Whitecliff commercial area on the western outskirts of Harare after the Messenger of Court executed a long-standing eviction order issued by the Harare Magistrates' Court.

The operation targeted structures erected on land situated along Bulawayo Road and Ordlands Road, bringing to an end a protracted land dispute between property owners and occupants accused of illegally settling on the site. The eviction was carried out on Thursday following a court order granted by Harare Magistrate Talent Mutasa in favour of Eddie Pfugaris Properties, the registered owner of the land.

Court records show that Eddie Pfugaris Properties successfully applied for the eviction of Rodgewene Mubaiwa and six other respondents identified as Alois Mafadzakupa, Tinashe Chatambudza, Brian Hera, Never Machando, Saymore Xhabela, and Estrodge Mubaiwa. The order, initially granted in January 2025, had not been enforced until this week. Through their legal representatives, Nyikadzino Masango and Associates, Eddie Pfugaris Properties argued that it is the lawful owner of Stand Number 10139, Whitecliff, and that the occupants no longer had legal authority to remain on the property.

According to court submissions, the respondents initially occupied the land in 2020 after receiving temporary permission from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development. However, that permission was formally withdrawn through a letter dated November 8, 2024, effectively ending any legal basis for continued occupation. The property owner subsequently approached the courts seeking the removal of the occupants and the demolition of structures erected on the land.

Speaking after the operation, Eddie Pfugaris Properties General Manager Percy Chitima said the structures had been erected unlawfully and without the consent of the property's registered owners. Chitima alleged that the occupants constructed the buildings overnight after moving onto the land in 2020.

"The Messenger of Court executed the eviction order on Thursday, resulting in the removal of more than 300 illegal structures that had been erected on the property," he said.

The demolition exercise attracted attention from residents and businesses in the area as machinery moved in to clear the structures.

The Whitecliff demolition highlights ongoing challenges surrounding land occupation, informal developments, and property rights in and around Harare. Urban planning experts have repeatedly warned against the proliferation of unauthorised structures, saying they often emerge without approved development plans, proper infrastructure, or compliance with municipal regulations. Authorities have, in recent years, intensified efforts to regularise land use and remove illegal settlements and commercial developments established on privately owned or State-controlled land.

The latest operation underscores the importance of securing proper land tenure and development approvals before undertaking construction projects, particularly in rapidly expanding urban and peri-urban areas.

Whitecliff illegal structures demolition