By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
FIVE people in Beitbridge have been identified and reported for allegedly participating in illegal communal land transactions, popularly known as “Sabhuku deals.
The announcement was made by Administration Officer Jaison Mugodzwa during a presentation under the Regional Development and Inclusivity through Devolution and Decentralisation Sub-Committee at the Rural District Development Committee (RDDC) meeting held at the Beitbridge Rural District Council offices on Wednesday.
Mugodzwa said the matter had recently been reported and investigations are underway.
He did not mention any names.
“Five people have been identified in connection with these illegal land dealings, we cannot disclose names at this stage,” he said.
The reports emerge amid growing concern over the rise of illegal communal land sales in various parts of Zimbabwe, where desperate home seekers are increasingly turning to unofficial and cheaper land arrangements offered through village heads, commonly referred to as “Sabhuku deals.”
Authorities say many buyers are attracted by the low costs and fewer administrative procedures involved, often overlooking the legal implications attached to such transactions.
However, officials warn that these arrangements frequently result in unlawful settlements, land disputes and demolitions, leaving many families vulnerable to losing both property and money invested in the land.
The Government has since intensified a nationwide crackdown on land barons and illegal settlement schemes.
Addressing journalists in Harare earlier this week, Presidential Affairs and Devolution Permanent Secretary Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti said communal land was not for sale under any circumstances.
He said the Office of the President and Cabinet, in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, was determined to protect rural communities from exploitation by corrupt individuals abusing traditional leadership systems.
“Communal land belongs to the people and cannot be sold,” said Eng Muguti. “Traditional leaders are prohibited from selling communal land or accepting bribes in terms of the Communal Lands Act.”
He urged members of the public to report suspicious land transactions to the police and responsible authorities.
The crackdown comes as illegal settlements continue to spread in some rural and peri-urban communities, threatening orderly development and undermining Government planning efforts under the devolution agenda.
Authorities have warned that people who buy land illegally risk losing their investments, as structures erected on unlawfully acquired land may be demolished without compensation.