Court stops BCC from demolishing houses

Malawi’s High Court in Blantyre has stopped Blantyre City Council (BCC) from demolishing “illegal structures” in Soche Hill.

BCC director of administration Alfred Chanza confirmed in an interview on Monday that the council was served with the injunction which stopped them from continuing with the demolition exercise which started last week.

The injunction, Chanza said, stopped BCC from demolishing the illegal structures and also stopped development of structures on Soche Hill until the matter is heard and determined.

High Court Judge Dunstain Mwaungulu granted the injunction.

But Chanza, who described the people concerned as encroachers, said the council was surprised that after they obtained an injunction which also restrained them from continuing with the construction projects, they have continued building illegal structures.

He said: “The injuction stopped both of us not to do anything at Soche Hill, but we have information that some people have continued developing the area. We have despatched an enforcement team this morning (yesterday) to monitor the situation.”

Chanza said they were going to challenge the injunction and fight to have it set aside.

The Soche Hill encroachers issue is long outstanding and BCC and Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC) have on several occasions ordered the encroachers to move out but they have defied the orders and continued with structures, going up the hill.

Last week, BCC officials accompanied by heavily armed police officers started demolishing the illegal structures, forcing the occupants of the area to rush to court where they obtained the injunction.

A visit to the site by The Nation crew found BCC officials and police monitoring developments.