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Government’s US$25 million revolving fund.
The flats will accommodate 80 families.

Speaking at the ceremony, the President urged employers to take a key role in providing decent accommodation for their workers to reduce the national housing backlog which stands at 1,25 million.
He said there had not been enough contribution by employers in providing housing for their workers.
“Employers should take a leading role in providing accommodation. Mining entities should, as deliberate corporate social responsibility, effectively plough back into the community by conveniently engaging in massive construction of workers’ housing.

“Exemplary cases in this regard include diamond mining companies at Chiadzwa that have constructed houses for families displaced from Chiadzwa Arda Transau in Odzi, Ngezi Platinum Mine in Ngezi and Mimosa Mines in Zvishavane.”
He said mining conglomerates like Anglo America and Lonrho had benefited from the country’s resources, but had done little in social development.

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Some of these companies, the President said, were ironically owned by citizens of countries that imposed illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe.
An additional 10 blocks are under construction and would be ready for occupation soon.
The commissioned units cost US$36 000 each and will be paid for over 25 years.

President Mugabe said organisations like the National Social Security Authority should champion housing delivery by providing loans to people who contribute to its fund.
He urged Housing and Social Amenities Minister Giles Mutsekwa to liaise with the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Paurina Mpariwa to ensure NSSA contributes to housing delivery.
NSSA has in the past been accused of not doing enough to assist workers who contribute their hard-earned money to the authority.

The President said while the ministry should assist in the construction of houses, individuals with capacity to do so should be provided with land.
“This housing scheme underlines Government’s enduring priorities, namely, the provision of decent and affordable housing to the people,” he said.
Government, he said, noted with pride that the development of housing projects was in line with the Habitat Agenda.
‘‘The Habitat Agenda signed at (the Habitat 11 Conference) in Istanbul Turkey in 1996, is a global strategy and plan of action focused on improving human settlement development.

“It recognises housing as a basic need and a human right and consequently appeals to national governments to make housing accessible to the people, especially the most vulnerable,” President Mugabe said.

He said research had proven the role of housing as a critical factor in the socio-economic development of nations.
“Sustained construction activity contributes to increased revenue inflows to the fiscus through corporate and other applicable taxation,” he said.
Housing delivery, he added, gave impetus to sustained economic growth with enhanced economic capacity utilisation of related downstream industries such as cement manufacturing, tile and glass making, glazing, timber processing, sanitary and electrical fittings.

President Mugabe chronicled the various housing schemes that have been implemented since independence and urged the ministry and housing stakeholders to copy the best practices from them.
He said in its efforts to boost housing delivery, Government adopted the policy of incremental or parallel development.
The policy requires local authorities to allocate unserviced land to deserving homeless people who are expected to pool resources to service the land and build houses.

“The policy was enhanced by the revision of minimum housing standards from 1995 to 2000 where farm bricks, stabilised soil blocks, prefabricated window and door frames became permissible for the construction of single storey housing,” he said.
President Mugabe, who owns a house in Highfield, narrated the history of the suburb and how the colonial regime prevented men from staying with their families in urban areas.

He said this practice caused disintegration of families and a rise in prostitution and other social vices.
Minister Mutsekwa said lack of funding was hampering provision of decent houses and said co-operatives were important in assisting Government.
He, criticised bogus land developers who were swindling people of their money.

“In a bid to curb this insurgency, the Ministry in consultation with local authorities and developers, is in the process of crafting a Developers Bill, which once it becomes an Act of Parliament, will regulate the operations of these developers and trusts,” he said.

Acting Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister, Dr Joseph Made, said his ministry would strive to provide land for housing development.
“My ministry has the responsibility to avail suitable land for urban development, and we are working closely with the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement, to ensure that such land is available,” he said.

The ceremony was attended by scores of residents from Highfield and senior Government officials.