Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza, Sunday News Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has issued a warning to three property developers accused of selling unserviced stands in Umganin Phase IV, saying the practice violates council regulations and puts desperate home seekers at risk of losing money.
In a public notice, BCC named the contractors — Veluntina Investments (Pvt) Ltd, Cabin Lock Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd t/a Cabin Lock Construction, and Heavenview Properties (Pvt) Ltd — as parties that signed service agreements with the city for the development of residential stands in the area.
Under the agreements, the companies are required to fully fund the servicing of the stands before offering them for sale. Council said it had received reports that some stands were being sold before roads, sewerage, water, and other services were completed and officially commissioned.
“The City of Bulawayo would like to advise residents and stakeholders that the city signed service agreements with the three property development companies being Veluntina Investments (Pvt) Ltd, Cabin Lock Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd t/a Cabin lock Construction and Heavenview Properties (Pvt) Ltd for the servicing of residential stands on Lots 1 to 4 in Umganin Phase IV,” said BCC.
“This is a direct breach of the terms and conditions of the service agreements. The developers are precluded from selling the stands before the project is complete and commissioned. Any violation could result in the cancellation of the agreements.”
The local authority also warned members of the public to exercise extreme caution when buying residential stands, saying those who pay for land under illegal arrangements risk losing their investments if service agreements are cancelled.
The warning comes at a time when Bulawayo faces high demand for residential land.
Bulawayo has a housing waiting list of more than 120 000 applicants, a backlog that has persisted for decades due to limited serviced land and slow housing development.
The crisis has created fertile ground for land barons and unscrupulous developers who exploit desperate home seekers by selling unserviced or illegally acquired stands.
In recent years, council has had to clamp down on such practices, warning that unregulated sales not only prejudice residents but also stall proper urban planning and service delivery.
