Zimpapers Logo

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
GOVERNMENT is targeting to construct 220 000 housing units under the National Development Strategy 1, 20 000 of them in Matabeleland South Province.

Speaking yesterday in Gwanda during a meeting with stakeholders from Matabeleland South Province and BancABC officials, the Deputy Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities Yeukai Simbanegavi said the nation had a housing backlog of over 1,3 million.

She said there was need for partnerships in order to clear the backlog.

Deputy Minister Simbanegavi said Shelter Afrique had availed $60 million to the country towards construction of housing units. She said the money was divided among various institutions among them BancABC which received $11 million which will go towards developing housing units in Matabeleland South Province. The Deputy Minister said the purpose of the meeting was to identify suitable land for low-cost housing and social amenities development.

Deputy Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities Yeukai Simbanegavi

“Under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) (2021-2025) housing delivery priority area we are looking at delivering 220 000 housing units and Matabeleland South Province has a provincial target of 20 000 units. In the 2021 treasury allocated $1 billion towards several housing projects,” she said.

“The ultimate aim is to accord ample opportunities to ordinary citizens to have access to decent, functional and modern housing. Provision of affordable accommodation is important.”

Deputy Minister Simbanegavi said Cabinet approved the Zimbabwe Human Settlements Policy last year and before that Ministry had been operating without a clear policy.

She said the new policy restricts sale of stands or construction of permanent structures before full services are in place.

The policy also bans construction of houses in wetlands banned.

“Provision of off-site infrastructure is now a responsibility of Central Government while provision of on-site infrastructure is now responsibility of local authorities. We will not allow unauthorised and irregular building of houses in areas which are not designated such as wetlands,” she said.

“As for areas that are designated the new policy will not allow the construction of houses before services are put in place such as sewer and water reticulation and assurance of sources of energy such as electricity or green energy. We also want to ensure that there will be roads, schools, hospitals, parking spaces, pre-schools, police stations, churches and other social amenities that have to be available in a human settlement to ensure it becomes a fully functional human settlement.”

Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs Minister, Cde Abednico Ncube said the province was experiencing an acute shortage of accommodation which was not only affecting civil servants but the entire community. He said the challenge needs to be addressed urgently as it was an infringement on the rights of people.

Plumtree Town Council Secretary, Mr Davis Dumezweni Luthe said 10 hectares of land was available for construction of flats and there was also space for 500 low density stands. Beitbridge Mayor, Cllr Munyaradzi Chitsunge said they were yet to meet as a local authority and ascertain the amount of land which could be availed. Gwanda Municipality Engineer, Phakamile Ndebele said they had exhausted available land but they had sent a request to Government be allocated more land. – @DubeMatutu