Beira council demolishes homes of 65 families
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Opais
Beira Municipal Council demolished the homes of at least 65 families in the Marrocanhe neighbourhood, leaving residents homeless for five days. The municipality says the plots were sold illegally and announces resizing to rehouse the families, according to Opais.
The Beira Municipal Council in Mozambique demolished the homes of at least 65 families in the Marrocanhe neighbourhood, leaving their residents homeless for five days. The operation began on Tuesday, shortly after 10am, in the neighbourhood’s expansion area, according to Opais.
Residents say they bought their plots for between 15,000 and 25,000 meticais and received no prior warning. The municipality maintains that the land was sold illegally by a man who pretended to be its owner. It has announced that the plots will be resized to accommodate the families.
The demolitions destroyed houses made of reeds and corrugated iron, as well as block-built homes constructed over the years. Residents report losing their belongings and say they remain without tents or tarpaulins, as the rains have begun. The Municipal Council says the master plan for the Marrocanhe expansion area, drawn up in 2020, provided for spaces reserved in particular for a school, a health post and a market.
