The Sunday Mail
Government has built over 100 000 houses while 252 000 units are at various stages of construction as efforts to provide decent accommodation gather pace.
Under Zim-Asset, Government is targeting 313 368 housing units and serviced stands by 2018.
Secretary for Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Engineer George Mlilo said the 300 000 housing units target was likely to be surpassed given the high number of construction projects on the cards.
“We have a backlog of over one million and that is what we are aiming to achieve even after 2018,” he said.
Statistics from the Local Government Ministry show that the 2018 housing target will be achieved. Government has joined hands with local authorities and financial institutions to service 86 882 residential stands and 41 873 housing units while 252 514 housing projects are still in progress.
Harare province targets to construct 105 935 housing units by 2018 with 72 379 stands having been serviced while 7 012 houses are being constructed.
The city council, CABS, FBC Building Society and the Infrastructure Development Bank are providing low-cost housing in the capital.
In Bulawayo, 14 293 housing units have been built while 9 852 residential stands are being serviced and Matabeleland South and Mashonaland Central have also surpassed their targets by 2 716 and 6 743 houses, respectively. Government is also targeting to provide 500 000 housing units to civil servants in the next 18 months. So far, about 250 000 stands have been identified.
Urban Planning expert Mr Percy Toriro commended Government’s efforts in providing decent accommodation.
“Whilst the accelerated housing development is welcome, authorities should be reminded to equally prioritise employment areas so that we give those new house owners opportunities for productivity.
“Otherwise we risk coming up with dormitory towns that do not have economic activities to sustain themselves,” he said.
Government is also planning to build four new towns in Harare and Bulawayo to decongest the central business districts.
The new satellite towns will see Hunyani/Manyame near Chitungwiza area having 21 000 stands serviced, Shawasha (10 000), Norton (4 000) and Umvutsha near Bulawayo (4 800) stands.
