Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
DEVELOPMENTS in the tourism industry in Victoria Falls should be matched by housing expansion to enable the resort town to provide decent accommodation to its residents.
Speaking during a visit to the town by Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe recently, Victoria Falls mayor Councillor Somvelo Dlamini said Government should provide more land for the town’s housing development.
Clr Dlamini said there was high demand for accommodation as a result of the growth of the tourism industry hence the need to build more houses.
He said the town had more than 15 000 homeseekers on its housing waiting list and most of those seeking accommodation were workers in the tourism industry.
Clr Dlamini said he expected demand to shoot up post-Covid-19 given that Government and the tourism industry were already working on reviving and expanding the industry.
“This local authority is a proud participant in the delivery of housing settlements in line with Government’s vision towards attaining an upper middle-income economy by 2030. In pursuit of sustainable development goals, we are committed to providing shelter to our people from all walks of life in the interest of creating a sustainable city.
“The development of industry, in our case the tourism industry, has resulted in high demand for accommodation from both employers and employees. It is therefore my plea to you Honourable Minister to help us in terms of availing land for housing development,” said Clr Dlamini.
The resort town has a population of more than 35 000 people according to the 2012 census and is on 1 900ha bordered by Chamabondo, Victoria Falls and Zambezi National Park, Zambezi River and Hwange Rural District Council.
According to environmental statutes guiding Victoria Falls as a world heritage site, there should be no high rise flats going above the height of vegetation because the town is located within a game park.
Some portions of land are to be maintained as barfour zones and wildlife corridors.
The town plans to demolish some old structures and replace them with modern houses that match a world tourism destination.
Areas targeted for refurbishment are parts of Chinotimba especially Railways, Emadonkini, Durawall and Esikhwahleni, but can only be demolished once new land is availed to relocate people.
“We are alive to Government’s pursuit of the urban regeneration programme which is going to increase sustainability of our town as a prime destination in the region and continent at large. The task is to do away with dilapidated infrastructure and sprucing up the image of the town, its residential and commercial properties thereby creating a quality standard of infrastructure,” said Clr Dlamini.
Minister Garwe said Government is working on an urban renewal programme which will see a new town being built at Masue Estate outside Victoria Falls town to ease the town’s housing backlog. — @ncubeleon
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