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Dr Ignatius Chombo

Prosper Ndlovu Business Editor
URBAN local authorities will soon be given more land for housing as part of the government’s robust national housing delivery programme aimed at reducing the ballooning demand for accommodation, a Cabinet minister has said.

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo acknowledged last Friday in Bulawayo that inadequate provision of housing services had led to the sprouting of illegal settlements, especially in major cities.

He said the situation had been worsened by “uncontrolled urban sprawl”, which has seen resurgent land barons indiscriminately parcelling out land for personal benefit.

“The government has embarked on a robust housing delivery programme that shall see large tracts of land being availed for housing development across the country,” said Dr Chombo.

“My ministry is working with the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement towards acquiring land for urban housing development in all your areas.”

He said the bulk of the land will be allocated to local authorities for the necessary planning, servicing and allocation for the needy.

“There’s therefore no reason why unscrupulous persons should be allowed to turn our urban centres into a jungle in the name of redressing housing shortages.

“Unsanctioned housing developments should be halted while those who are championing such activities must be reported to the police for prosecution,” said the minister.

Dr Chombo said the country had enough land for housing and urged councils to approach his office should they need support in acquiring more housing space.

He challenged local authorities to play their leading role in development control in their respective localities and revealed that several lead actors in illegal land sales had been arrested.

Provision of housing is at the heart of the government’s development blueprint — Zim-Asset — under the social services and poverty eradication cluster.

Under this category the government has set a target of building 125,000 housing units countrywide by 2018 by facilitating provision of serviced land, strengthening public private partnerships, adoption and adaptation of new building technology, strengthen community based housing organisations and micro-housing finance institutions.

The government has also expressed commitment to adopt densification (vertical expansion) strategy of developing flats and recapitalising the National Housing and National Guarantee Fund to meet the set target.

Some cities like Bulawayo have more than 100,000 people on the housing waiting list.

A majority of local authorities are incapacitated to provide housing services, which is presently dominated by private developers who sell stands at a higher price.