| SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT
Crime
in the City has remained comparatively low partly due to measures,
which have been put in place to involve the community in
safeguarding their residential areas in addition to other official
security measures.
There has been a steady increase in the levels of poverty in the
City with about 70%reportedly below the poverty datum line despite
measures which have been put in place to reduce the impact of
structural adjustment programmes.
The status of women continues to lag behind not so much because of
lack of enabling policies, but because of, among other things lack
of training and awareness of their rights. There are also cultural
traits and considerations especially amongst the African population,
which militates against women achieving their r full potential in
such areas as political participation and economic development.
SHELTER
Prior
to independence the majority African population was considered to be
transient in so far as urban housing was concerned. Africans were
expected to retire to their communal/rural areas at the expiry of
their working lives. Migration into and settling in urban areas was
highly regulated. After independence, controls on rural-urban
migration fell away: concomitantly, there was an influx of migrants
from the rural areas and surrounding small urban and peri-urban
settlements.
All urban housing meant for Africans in the urban areas, which was
prior to independence exclusively for rent purposes given the
transient nature of African presence in the urban areas, was
converted to home ownership and sitting tenants benefited
accordingly. Most new housing schemes were built with this form of
tenure. Incentives for land developers to develop rented
accommodation declined because of introduction of rent controls and
lack of security, as all units had to be owner occupied.
The cost of shelter has continued to rise partly because of the
foregoing reasons and partly because of the cost of building
materials, stringent building by-laws and general economic
conditions
Access to basic sevices continues to be there in most if not all
planned and approved settlements as it is requirement that basic
services should be made available prior to occupation of the land
ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT
The
City is struggling to contend with the provision of services to an
ever growing population leading to an increasingly degenerating
environment even in existing built up areas as more people share
services meant for a limited population (e.g. water and sewerage
reticulation)
The congestion of men and machine has witnessed an increase in air
pollution. Lack of resources to provide adequate services coupled
with lack of technology and know-how to monitor and control
pollution means both men and d the environment will continue to
suffer. The management of solid waste disposal sites has proved to
be a real challenge for the City.
The City remains relatively well prepared for both manmade and
natural disasters in its planning and development control
mechanisms. However existing infrastructure needs to be upgraded to
keep up with changes.
The City’s transport systems have been found wanting by the
liberalisation of the public transport system. There are
insufficient parking facilities and controls and there is need to
introduce other modes of transport (e.g.rails) for mass transit
especially given the urban sprawl which has accompanied the City’s
growth.
There is an adequate policy framework in Planning and Agenda 21.
What are lacking are resources to fully realize the dictates of this
Policy
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
Informal
employment has become the City’s mainstay in terms of
employment. Because of the economic structural adjustment programmes
many enterprises have found it necessary either to downsize or to
close entirely. Many people have therefore found it necessary to
seek survival in the informal sector. The City has therefore tried
to provide support to this sector by providing workspace and in some
case shelter. Many of the rules and regulations which militated
against the use of residential accommodation for small scale
commercial and industrial operations have been repealed or modified
to suit the requirements of this sector. The City is also working
with other organisations to provide backward and forward linkages
micro-enterprises.
Private Public Enterprises - The City has realised that it
does not have sufficient resources to continue to provide goods and
services alone especially given the continued decentralisation of
activities from the Centre without matching resources. One such area
which the City has sought partnerships is solid waste removal and
management. The success of this programme is being evaluated for
possible replication in other areas of municipal operations.
GOVERNANCE
Governance
- In recent years, the City’s citizens have taken a keen interest
in the way the City is run. Many residents’ associations have been
formed and these, together with other bodies representing commerce
and industry are now consulted regularly on major issues including
the budget.
Center-Local Relations - The City of Harare in terms of the
Law is run by an Executive Mayor elected on the basis of universal
suffrage and a Council made up of representatives elected on a Ward
(Constituency) based system. The Ministry of Local Government has
regulatory functions in relation to certain aspects of policy and
management of the City. In this regard Central Government can
suspend and dismiss elected Councilors for maladministration or for
conduct inconsistent with the law and appoint a Commission instead.
Taxation - The City Council is at liberty to impose such taxes and
charges as it deems fit and in this connection derives most of its
revenue from land and property based taxation .The only exception is
in relation to taxes and charges levied upon the low income-high
density residential areas. With respect to these areas, the Mayor
has to certify that the local communities have been consulted
through their councilors on the proposed taxes and charges.
Secondly, the Minister responsible for local government has to
approve the taxes and charges in the form of By-laws.
Borrowing of Funds - The process of Borrowing money from the open
market is clearly laid out in the Urban Councils Act This is the
main source of funds for major capital projects. Ministerial
approval is necessary for this purpose. However there are other
internal borrowing arrangements, which are provided for.
Awarding of Contracts - It is the prerogative of the Council
to award contracts as it deems fit and in accordance with the law
and other laid down procedures.
Central Government Funding - Central Government funding to the City
for the provision of certain services used to be available,
especially Health related services. Such funding has since declined,
and has become inconsistent in recent years and invariably is not
known in advance of the City’s Budget.
Decentralisation - Major responsibilities, policy management and
decision –making has been decentralised to the Council without the
necessary resources in two major areas: education and health. A
National Policy on decentralisation exists. Decentralization has
improved governance to the extent that decision making has been
brought closer to the consumers of particular services.
Citizen involvement in major planning decisions - The City’s
citizens have taken a keen interest in the way the City is run. Many
residents’ associations have been formed and these, together with
other bodies representing commerce and industry are now consulted
regularly on major issues. Involvement is at two levels:
The Budget - At the beginning of the budgetary process, councilors
are duty bound to consult their Wards on those developments and
services they wish included in the succeeding year. Secondly,
Budgetary proposals are advertised in the Newspaper prior to
implementation and it is a legal requirement that should there be
objections from a specified percentage of the community, the Council
shall consider such objections in relation to the budgetary
proposals.
Physical Planning - In the process of preparing local plans, the
affected communities are consulted at the research stage is surveys
and through their elected representatives. Secondly, Council’s
intentions are advertised, as a legal requirement in the Paper
widely circulating in the communities. Similarly, consultations are
held with persons most likely to be affected by a particular
development prior to the granting of specified town planning
permits.
Auditing - This is a legal requirement and is done annually. This
together with the publishing of municipal Accounts are a
prerequisite for Government funding and funding through Central
government by international agencies.
Tenders - It is a legal requirement that contracts pertaining to
projects or the supply of goods exceeding a certain sum prescribed
from time to time by Central government should be published.
Disclosure - It is a legal requirement that a councilor or officer
discloses any interest of a pecuniary nature reposed in any matter
on which Council will decide upon. The law imposes sanctions for
non-disclosure.
International
Cooperation
Engagement
in international cooperation.
The Council is affiliated to the following organisations:
Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe;
International Union of Local Authorities;
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives;
The Council is twinned with the following Cities:
Cincinati, U.S.A.;
Nottingham, U.K.;
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CITY
PROFILE :Harare