Nationwide housing project takes shape

A NATIONWIDE housing programme that involves constructing affordable houses and modern residential flats has begun, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Pilot projects for the construction of blocks of flats in Goromonzi and Murewa have since been unveiled.

The Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities is working with corporates as well as local and international financiers to fund construction of modern accommodation. The project also involves constructing shopping malls to encourage the development of rural towns.

National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe recently indicated that the creation of a fully fledged housing ministry in November last year showed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s commitment to housing delivery.

“The President saw it fit to create a fully fledged ministry to deal with issues that are affecting our economy,” said Minister Garwe.

“The term housing is a generic term. We are looking at housing with respect to residential accommodation, institutional accommodation, industrial accommodation and any building that you can see under the sun. So, it is not just residential houses alone.

“The shopping amenities refer to shopping malls, schools, clinics and hospitals. We want to create industrial hubs in our growth centres. We are happy to announce that POSB, CABS and FBC banks are already on board. We have pilot projects in Goromonzi and Murewa. We are going to put up 20 flats there and another 20 flats in Melfort. We are looking at developing RDCs (Rural District Councils) by building shopping malls there.”

He said private sector players were ready to bankroll the programme.

“We have held several meetings with pension funds, the corporate world, members of the regional community and Pan-African banks. They have agreed to come on board. We are in the process of developing construction models like Built, Operate and Transfer (BOT), as well as Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).”

Many corporates are reportedly keen to form partnerships with Government and get land to build houses for their workers.

“These houses can then be availed for the mortgage that applies for social housing and institutional accommodation,” he said.

Do it yourself: Top and above Residents at Bulawayo’s Sunninghill suburb yesterday mobilised themselves to repair roads in the area. The chairman of the Residents’ Association in the area, Mr Patrick Changunda, said they approached the council which provided them with the soil to patch up potholes. He said it was up to residents to repair roads in their areas, and not to wait for the city council which appears to be short of resources to repair all the roads in the city