Shurugwi to earn $30m from Unki houses

SHURUGWI Town Council is set to realise more than $30 million in revenue through services and commonage stands from Unki Mine housing project in the next two years, an official has said.

In an interview last week, Unki Mine human resources manager Mr Antony Chadhliwa said Shurugwi Town Council was set to generate more than $30 million from the housing project.

Unki Mine has so far serviced 1 400 stands and handed over 141 serviced stands to Shurugwi Town Council as part of the 10 percent commonage.

The Shurugwi-based Anglo-American Platinum Mine has already completed 365 houses that have been connected to water as well as drainage systems.

Mr Chadhliwa said the mining company had also constructed a sewer treatment plant that would be handed over to the local authority.

“Shurugwi Town Council is set to benefit from this project. The projected revenue for the next two years is more than $30 million.

‘‘This means from the services that the local authority is going to provide us as well as the stands that we have handed to them as commonage will generate $30 million. The council has already started selling the stands to individuals,” he said.

The mining town of Shurugwi was slowly turning into a ghost town following the closure of Zimasco Mine which was its backbone and growth had slowed in the past few years.

The coming of Unki Mine has rekindled hope for Shurugwi which was now a hub to illegal gold panners.

The platinum mining company has so far spent more than $151 million on the housing project.

Mr Chadhliwa said the company was targeting constructing 956 houses that would be completed under different phases.

“The company has so far used $151 million on the housing project since its commencement in 2011,” he said.

Shurugwi Town Council has also started constructing a $10 million shopping mall in its central business district.