Blantyre City Council warns encroachers to demolish their structures

Blantyre City Council (BCC) has warned illegal settlers around Soche, Bangwe, Ndirande and Mpingwe hills to demolish their structures within 60 days.

The warning comes barely a month after the Vice President Dr Saulos Chilima  ordered Blantyre City Council (BCC) to vacate an injunction obtained by people who encroached Soche Hill “with immediate effect” to reduce occurrence of accidents caused by floods.

Chilima ordered BCC to vacate the injunction when he visited flood prone areas in Soche and Ndirande townships in Blantyre following the onset of the rains.

BCC has since vacated the injunction.

According to a notice of enforcement exercise issued by BCC’s Chief Executive Officer, Alfred Chanza, the residents developed their structures without the approval the council and in contravention of the Forestry Act.

“You are hereby informed that the structures that you built on and around Soche, Bangwe, Ndirande and Mpingwe Hills were developed by you without the grant of development permission [from the council] and in contravention of the Forestry Act.

“You are required to demolish the structures within a period of 60 days from the date of this notice or such extended period as the Blantyre City Council may in writing allow,” Chanza indicated in the notice.

The CEO said the council would take necessary action in respect of the unauthorised development to all those who fail to comply with the notice within the prescribed period.

“Failure to comply with this [official] notice may cause the Council with all necessary workmen and other officers, to enter or authorize any other person to demolish the structures,” he warned.

During the by the vice president, BCC’s Deputy Director for Town Planning, Matthews Mwadzaangati indicated that the council was doing all it could to remove the injunction and hoped shortly the matter would be water under the bridge.