A group of families from Harare’s Dzivarasekwa high density suburb have been issued with eviction orders by the Harare City Council.
According to the eviction letters, the families must vacate their residencies by end of day today (August 31, 2017).
The HCC claims the residents, who are residing in council rented houses have not been paying their dues with some of them in arrears amounting to $3 000.00.
However, the residents claim they were never issued with summons or final warning letters.
“I was surprised when I received an eviction notice yet there was not even a letter of final demand or summon from the council. Council should have first afforded us an opportunity to explain our circumstances after which we would have made payment plans,” said a resident from Dzivarasekwa.
CHRA POSITION: “CHRA notes with concern the failure by the council to issue the residents with the letters of final demand or even summons before issuing out the eviction letters. We therefore implore the Harare City Council to consider all the relevant circumstances before effecting the eviction of the residents.
“CHRA is on record urging residents who owe council to approach the local authority and make payment plans but we are certainly against any form of arbitrary evictions that are effected without following proper procedure.”
Source: Combined Harare Residents Association
