High Court Orders Brickstone’s Eviction from Belvedere Land in Landmark Ruling

Harare, Zimbabwe – Brickstone Builders and Contractors (Pvt) Ltd has been ordered to vacate a disputed plot in Belvedere following a High Court judgment that found the company had no lawful claim to the property and had proceeded with construction without municipal approval.

Justice Regis Dembure delivered the ruling in favor of the City of Harare, confirming that Brickstone was illegally occupying Stand 19156 Salisbury Township Lands—commonly referred to as stands 18991–19042 Belvedere.

The court determined that Brickstone lacked all required documentation to justify its activities on the site, including a valid lease agreement, an allocation letter, or a resolution from the council—all mandatory under Section 152(2) of the City of Harare Act.

City officials testified that any party seeking to develop council-owned land must adhere to official procedures, which include obtaining formal permission. These protocols, the court found, were completely ignored by the company.

Although Brickstone claimed its operations were sanctioned by a letter from the Ministry of Local Government, that document was later exposed as fraudulent. Senior ministry figures, including Chief Director Mr. Mushamba and Mr. Madzivire—whose signature appeared on the letter—publicly denied authorizing or signing it.

Justice Dembure also criticized Brickstone’s legal representation for failing to contest the city’s evidence during cross-examination, a silence the court interpreted as implicit acceptance of the municipality’s claims.

“The defendant, along with any individuals occupying the land through its authority, is to vacate the premises within seven (7) days of this ruling,” read the judgment. Should the company fail to comply, the Sheriff of Zimbabwe has been instructed to enforce the eviction.

The court’s decision comes after a protracted legal battle that began the previous year. Brickstone had secured a temporary interdict on the strength of the now-invalidated letter. Despite an initial court order to stop all development, the company allegedly continued to build, prompting the city to demolish 30 unauthorized structures—leaving only those protected under the original interdict.

Legal troubles for the company extend beyond the civil case.

Brickstone directors Lilian Chitanga and Spencer Mabheka are currently facing criminal charges, having been accused of fraud and document forgery. The charges stem from allegations that they used falsified paperwork to sell 52 residential stands to at least 45 buyers at prices ranging from US$25,000 to US$40,000 each.

Many of these home seekers had already begun construction before the city moved in with demolitions, leaving them with significant losses.

As the eviction takes effect, attention now shifts to the potential prosecution of Brickstone’s leadership and the fate of those caught in the fallout of a fraudulent land scheme.