Harare City Council Extends Lifeline To Shops With Illegal Partitions In The CBD

The Harare City Council has extended a lifeline to shops that have illegal partitions in the CBD.

City authorities have ramped up enforcement efforts this week as part of a sweeping compliance operation, resulting in the immediate closure of 121 commercial establishments and identifying 50 additional businesses operating with unauthorised partitions.

Widespread Violations Uncovered During Inspection Blitz

The municipal task force conducted rigorous inspections of 295 business premises across the central business district, uncovering multiple regulatory violations.

Edgar Dzehonye, chairperson of the enforcement task force, revealed that 79 operations were shuttered for operating without any business licenses, while 27 others were found with expired permits.

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“We encountered situations where up to 20 separate operators were conducting business within a single building without proper authorization,” Dzehonye stated. “Our team took immediate action to close these non-compliant operations.”

Harare City Council Extends Lifeline To Shops With Illegal Partitions In The CBD

Illegal partitions in CBD — Harare City Council Extends Lifeline To Shops With Illegal Partitions In The CBD -Image Source@herald

Authorities discovered that 60% of inspected buildings contained illegally subdivided spaces. While 30 properties had proper partitioning permits, 50 were operating with unauthorised structural modifications.

“Rather than imposing immediate closures across the board, we’ve granted a three-day window for property owners to rectify partition violations,” Dzehonye explained. “Owners must collaborate with city planners to restore buildings to their approved layouts or face mandatory demolition of non-compliant structures.”

Comprehensive Compliance Requirements Enforced

The operation, officially named “CBD Order Restoration,” focuses on multiple regulatory requirements. These include valid business licenses and operation certificates, approved building plans and partition permits, current fire safety compliance documentation and up-to-date municipal rate payments.

City spokesperson Stanley Gama emphasized zero tolerance for violations:

“We’ve already disconnected water services to 18 non-compliant businesses in Rezende Street alone. All operators must ensure their documentation is current and their premises meet all safety standards.”

Strict Penalties for Ongoing Non-Compliance

The council outlined escalating consequences for violations. These include immediate work stoppage orders for construction without permits. Hefty fines will be charged for illegal subdivisions with enforced correction timelines. There will be a mandatory closure for businesses lacking Certificates of Occupation.

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Harare City will Service disconnection for accounts overdue by 30+ days and Emergency closures for fire safety violations.

Business owners seeking compliance information are urged to visit City of Harare offices for complete by-law details and regularisation procedures. The cleanup operation continues as authorities work to restore order and safety standards throughout the capital’s commercial districts.