The Harare City Council has demolished an unauthorised wall erected on a railway siding at 44 Tilbury Road in Willowvale.
The structure had been built without the required planning approval, and the company behind the development, owned by Chinese national Ms. Li, did not secure permission from the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) to build on the railway land.
The issue came to light after an image of the brick wall, seemingly constructed along a railway line, circulated widely on social media, raising public alarm over the potential obstruction of rail operations. This prompted a surge of enquiries directed at NRZ.
In response, NRZ dispatched a team to inspect the site. Their investigation revealed that the wall had been built on an old, inactive railway siding, which is privately owned and no longer part of NRZ’s active rail network. The siding previously serviced a now-closed industrial facility.
Ms. Li explained to NRZ officials that the wall was intended to enhance the security of the property, which has been undergoing redevelopment. She noted that break-ins had been a persistent issue, and the barrier was meant to safeguard ongoing investments.
The site was acquired by a Chinese-owned enterprise in 2024, and the process of dismantling the obsolete infrastructure is currently underway. Historically, sidings like this one were used by private companies to facilitate freight deliveries from NRZ depots.
