BCC converts transit camp houses to home ownership

THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has resolved to convert long-occupied transit camp houses into home ownership, allowing eligible sitting tenants to purchase the properties under a discounted scheme after decades of occupation.

The decision is expected to benefit mostly retired council employees, widows of former workers and other qualifying long-term occupants who have lived in the houses for many years.

According to the latest council report, the transit camp houses were originally built to provide temporary accommodation for residents from Mabutweni and Iminyela while their homes were being upgraded from one-roomed to three-roomed units.

Director of housing and community services Mr Dictor Khumalo said the original purpose of the houses changed after years of vandalism and inadequate funding delayed the completion of the housing programme.

“The above-mentioned premises were used to accommodate tenants from Mabutweni and Iminyela when their properties were being extended from one room to three rooms. Due to vandalism, after a long period of non-availability of funds, the properties temporarily accommodated council staff,” reads part of the report.

Council said that over time, some employees who had occupied the houses acquired their own homes through the Nkulumane Housing Scheme and vacated the properties.

“As a result, a few non-council employees who were in desperate situations were also accommodated at the time. The occupants had applied for home ownership over their properties. Tenants had been encouraged to clear arrears, though most of them had accrued large amounts,” the report states.

The report identifies 12 occupants, the majority of whom are retired council workers, widows of deceased employees and former public servants.

Among the beneficiaries are retired council employees Messrs Alberto Ncube, Freddy Msunduza Ngulube, Steven Nene Tshuma, Bigboy Obert Gumede and Reuben Ncube.

Also listed are Ms Mercy Tadyanemhandu Masimba and Ms Dorcas Gumede, widows of former council employees, while another property is occupied by the estate of the late Ernest Vundla.

Council employee, Mr Cream Muleya, who was temporarily accommodated while constructing his house in Emganwini, was excluded from the proposed home ownership programme.

Council also recommended the eviction of occupants at one of the transit houses after investigations established that the beneficiaries had already acquired another property in Mpopoma through the pension benefits of the late Agrippa Tshabangu.

The report further noted that the transit house was now being sublet.

“Illegal occupant to be evicted in terms of law. Then the property be allocated to a needy family of council staff and converted thereafter,” reads the report.

To make the programme affordable, the city valuer and estate manager proposed a discounted pricing model based on the number of years each tenant has occupied the property.

Under the proposal, discounts on improvements will be calculated at 2 percent per year for the first five years of occupation, 3 percent annually for the next 10 years and 4 percent annually for the final 15 years.

“As a result of the discount, a tenant who had occupied the house for 30 years and above would get the improvements for free. However, tenants would still pay the standard price, including survey costs, while those with fewer years of occupation would pay the residual value of the improvements,” the report states.

Council also resolved that beneficiaries unable to pay the purchase price upfront would be allowed to repay the loans over a period of up to 10 years.

Councillors recommended that the transit camp houses be converted to home ownership for qualifying sitting tenants, subject to the fulfilment of council’s conditions, while also approving the valuation schedule prepared by the city valuer and estate manager and directing the finance director to calculate repayment plans for eligible beneficiaries.