Government has set up an audit committee, which has already started investigating the illegal allocation of stands given to co-operatives in Harare in a bid to curb corruption and ensure that the land is developed and accommodation shortages are eased.

The committee includes members from the uniformed forces such as Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army and council officials.

This follows several instances in which some co-operatives and individuals were taking advantage and selling stands illegally to desperate home seekers in Harare where accommodation is a major problem.

Harare has more than 500 000 people on its housing waiting list and Government has allocated co-operatives vast pieces of land to develop and ease accommodation problems.

In an interview yesterday, chairman of the audit committee Cde Eric Pfumvuti said the team has already started work and a report would be out in the next few weeks.

"We have started our work, which is to look at the illegal allocation of stands and allegations of corruption in the allocation of stands. Investigations have started and a detailed report will be compiled by next week," Cde Pfumvuti said.

He said the audit team would also check if the co-operatives are complying with the set rules. The committee is looking at all housing co-operatives at Caledonia Farm, Hatcliffe, Snake Park and Hopley, among others where Government availed free State land to build houses.

Last week the High Court ordered the eviction of 1 000 families from Hatcliffe who had bought stands from Mr Justine Zvandasara.

This came after the High Court declared Cde Nyasha Chikwinya the legitimate occupant of the residential stands.

Justice Chinembiri Bhunu ruled that Mr Zvandasara, chairman of Harare North Housing Co-operative Union, was illegally occupying the 84-hactare land. The land was duly allocated to Cde Nyasha Chikwinya who is a Zanu-PF Central Committee member.

In Hatcliffe police arrested people who were selling stands for prices ranging between US$100 and US$1 000.

The two were released as further investigations are being made to establish the total number of individuals duped