15 000 Harare South houses to be electrified

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
More than 15 000 homes in Harare South are set to be electrified by year end as Government moves to take over administration of residential stands from housing cooperatives that have been under fire for fleecing residents.

This comes as residents in the district had been directed to stop making any payment to more than 40 housing cooperatives in the area as the United Development Corporation (Udcorp) had already started registering homeowners last week as preparatory work for the migration of management of the land from housing cooperatives to the parastatal.

This followed a decision early this year banning all housing cooperatives from managing State land as that responsibility had been taken over by Udcorp.

Energy and Power Development Minister Samuel Undenge told more than 2 000 residents in Stoneridge Park, Waterfalls in Harare, at the weekend that all residential areas would be electrified.

“My target is to ensure that by year end you will be accessing electricity. I am now going to sit down with officials from Zesa Holdings, a parastatal under my portfolio, to ensure that everyone receive electricity. This is in fulfilment with the expectation of Zim-Asset, Government’s economic blueprint,” said Minister Undenge to wild applause from residents.

“In a few days to come, you will see officials Zesa doing work to ensure that you have electricity. By Christmas all the homes should have been electrified. I will return here to commission this project.”

He said it was an entitlement of everyone to get utility services like electricity and Harare South should not be an exception.

Minister Undenge warned residents to be wary of fly-by-night political parties saying it was only Zanu-PF that had the capacity to deliver real service, adding that the revolutionary party’s track record was self-explanatory.

Harare South MP Cde Shadreck Mashayamombe (Zanu-PF) urged residents to stop making payments to housing cooperatives saying they should wait for guidance from Government through Udcorp.