Zimbabwe declared today its controversial demolitions of shantytowns had ended.
The announcement by Vice President Joyce Mujuru was not the first time a government official pronounced an end to the campaign to "clean up" urban areas by bulldozing thousands of illegal structures.
President Robert Mugabe and some of his ministers have said recently the crackdown was over, but police continued demolitions amid rising international outcry over the campaign.
Mr Mujuru, who is acting president while Mr Mugabe is in China, told state media the campaign was finished and asked the international community including the United Nations to help Harare build new housing for thousands of homeless.
"The national operation is now complete. We have achieved what we intended," Mr Mujuru was quoted as saying.
The government in May sent police and bulldozers to destroy illegal structures, arguing this was meant to rid cities of crime and illegal trading in foreign currency and basic commodities.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change accuses the government of targeting the party's urban strongholds.
UN-Habitat director Anna Tibaijuka, sent by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to assess the crackdown, said in a report made public last Friday the campaign had destroyed the homes or jobs of at least 700,000 people and affected the lives of another 2.4 million.