adminPamela Shumba Senior Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council, which is grappling with a housing backlog of more than 100,000, has been overwhelmed by home-seekers after advertising for just over 1,000 housing stands in three suburbs.
The council’s senior public relations officer, Nesisa Mpofu, said 1,306 housing stands were on offer with more expected to be availed soon, as the local authority moves to address accommodation woes in the city.
“The city council availed 391 stands in Magwegwe West, 494 in Magwegwe North and 366 in Emganwini. In Tshabalala we availed 44 housing stands and 11 in Southwold giving us a total of 1,306. The response has been overwhelming,” said Mpofu.
“The city is planning to avail more stands in Woodville, the remaining extension of Emganwini, Bellevue, Mahatshula East, Killarney East, Highmount, Magwegwe Extention and Pumula South Phase three.”
According to council, applicants should be active on the housing waiting list as at end of October 2015 and applicants for high density stands should not own a residential property anywhere in the city.
Mpofu said negotiations with a land developer were underway to make Emhlangeni Phase two available to home-seekers.
However, most potential home-owners in Bulawayo say they cannot afford to buy the stands as the money required is beyond their reach.
Housing stands in the city’s high density suburbs are going for between $5,175 and $6,037 with council demanding $3,000 for deposit.
The Southwold stands are going for $12,650 and the council wants $7,000 deposit.
About 85 percent of people on Bulawayo’s housing waiting list can only afford low-cost housing, with the remainder affording houses meant for medium-to-high income earners.
Challenges in getting stands have seen thousands of aspiring home owners across the country being duped of their hard earned cash by dubious housing schemes.
Online Reporter