– Govt advises illegal settlers in Mindolo North to vacate

Govt advises illegal settlers in Mindolo North to vacate

Kitwe , June 12  th, 2014, ZANIS —- Government has ordered the illegal settlers whose houses were last week demolished in Mindolo North to vacate the area as it was private land.

Local Government and Housing Minister Emmanuel Chenda also ordered the police to firmly deal with the culprits involved in the illegal allocation of plots in Mindolo North whether they are PF cadres, councilors or council workers.

He said government is not going to support the illegal allocation of land which he said was rampant not only in Kitwe but countrywide.

ZANIS reports that the minister made the order today in Kitwe when he interacted with the victims who complained to him that they were not allocated the pieces of land by the Council.

He stated that government currently had no alternative piece of land to give the people that have been left in the cold but if the council could find some piece of land, they can be allocated.

However Mr Chenda said he was not happy with the council for allowing the illegal squatters to build the houses up to the level they had reached and only move on to demolish when the houses were complete which he said was a waste of resources for the poor victims.

He said the council should have warned the people adequately so that they desist from commencing the construction works.

The Minister further urged the Kitwe City Council to step up its inspections in the communities to prevent construction of illegal structures.

The Kitwe city council has demolished over 600 houses that had been built on private land belonging to Mopani Copper Mine, Phoenix Contractors and the Kitwe City council.

Over 1000 people have been left in the cold as a result of the demolition exercise.