Bulawayo families face eviction risk in Rangemore land scandal

Bulawayo families face eviction risk in Rangemore land scandal

BULAWAYO — More than 180 families in Rangemore, Bulawayo, are at risk of losing their homes after allegedly purchasing residential stands that were subsequently used as collateral for private loans, raising concerns over land administration and buyer protection.

In an article published in the *Bulawayo Citizen* for October 16–22, 2026, social and community development analyst Iphithule Thembani Maphosa said the alleged transactions exposed weaknesses in the systems governing land sales, subdivision approvals, title registration and mortgage disclosure.

Maphosa said the affected families had bought stands, built homes and raised children on the properties, only to discover that the land had allegedly been used by the seller as collateral for private borrowing.

He argued that if the allegations were substantiated, the matter would extend beyond a land dispute to questions of possible fraud and institutional accountability.

“Rangemore is what happens when Zimbabwe’s land market is allowed to operate as a hunting ground for land barons,” Maphosa wrote, calling for an investigation into the transactions and the institutions responsible for overseeing them.

He said buyers should not be left to independently verify every aspect of a land transaction while public authorities and professional bodies tasked with preventing irregularities failed to intervene.

Maphosa called on the Bulawayo City Council, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, and the Deeds Registry to establish whether the land had been properly subdivided, who approved the subdivision, when the mortgage was registered and what due diligence had been conducted before the transactions were completed.

He also urged the authorities to investigate whether officials involved in approving or registering the transactions had ignored irregularities or benefited from the alleged misconduct.

The analyst called for an audit of land transactions in Rangemore, including the examination of sale agreements, receipts, allocation letters, survey records and mortgage documents.

He further urged the Law Society, Estate Agents Council and Surveyors’ Institute to investigate the conduct of professionals who may have facilitated the transactions.

Maphosa said any evidence of unlawful sales, professional misconduct or fraudulent dealings should result in disciplinary proceedings and possible criminal prosecution.

He also called for measures to protect affected families from eviction while investigations are conducted, arguing that buyers who acquired properties in good faith should not automatically bear the financial consequences of alleged wrongdoing by sellers or other parties.

Among the proposed remedies are temporary protection against eviction, legal assistance and compensation recovered from those found responsible for the alleged misconduct.

Maphosa said authorities should establish a public verification system enabling prospective buyers to check subdivision approvals, ownership details and existing mortgage encumbrances before paying for residential stands.

He argued that the proposed system would help prevent the same property from being sold to multiple buyers or being pledged as security without purchasers being made aware of existing claims.

The allegations raise broader questions about the effectiveness of land-sale oversight in Bulawayo and the safeguards available to homebuyers.

However, the claims and proposed remedies require verification by the relevant authorities. The available article does not include responses from the Bulawayo City Council, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the Deeds Registry or the parties allegedly involved in the transactions.

For the affected families, the immediate concern is whether they can retain their homes and obtain legal protection while the circumstances surrounding the alleged land transactions are investigated.

Editorial note: Before publication, seek comment from the Bulawayo City Council, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the Deeds Registry, the seller and the mortgage lender. The original article presents allegations and recommendations; these should not be reported as independently established facts without corroboration.