Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke
Herald Correspondent
GOVERNMENT will no longer tolerate substandard housing developments, warning that developers must prioritise quality infrastructure that meets the country’s minimum service delivery standards (MSDS) before any settlement can be occupied.
This was said by Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe at the handover of plant, equipment and vehicles by land developers under the Munhumutapa National Youth Housing and Presidential Veterans Programmes, in Harare on Wednesday.
Minister Garwe said the era of half-baked developments had come to an end.
He said that the Government was not merely interested in the number of houses built, but in ensuring that every development meets the required standards as set out in Statutory Instrument 170 of 2025.
“Let me remind you that we are not just looking for quantity, but quality that meets our minimum service delivery standards (MSDS) as gazetted under Statutory Instrument 170 of 2025,” said Minister Garwe.
“This Ministry will no longer tolerate half-baked developments. Our technical inspections will strictly enforce MSDS deliverables before any certificate of occupancy is issued.”
In November 2025, Government set minimum service delivery standards which urban and rural local authorities have to meet by 2030, when the country expects to have achieved an upper middle-income economy.
The standards were gazetted by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works under Statutory Instrument 170 of 2025, cited as the minimum service delivery standards Indicators for Local Authorities Regulations, 2025.
Under the standards, developers are required to provide essential infrastructure, including water reticulation systems, integrated sewer networks, tarred roads with stormwater drainage, street lighting and designated recreational spaces before residents can occupy the properties.
Minister Garwe said every property must have direct access to water, with services accessible within a 100-metre walking distance in urban areas, while proper sanitation and waste management systems are now mandatory.
“All road networks must be standardised, tarred and equipped with functional stormwater drainage systems,” he said.
“Public safety infrastructure, such as street lighting and designated open spaces for recreation, must also form part of approved development plans.”
The minister said the enforcement of the standards was part of broader Government efforts to modernise urban settlements and ensure orderly development across the country.
He said the equipment handed over by developers, including front-end loaders, graders, tipper trucks and pickup vehicles, would enhance infrastructure development in new housing areas.
Minister Garwe commended developers who had complied with contractual obligations, saying their contribution demonstrated commitment to national development.
“By providing this top-of-the-range equipment, you are proving that you are not just developers, but partners in national development,” he said.
Minister Garwe warned developers who were lagging behind in implementing projects that the Government would not hesitate to take action.
“We have crossed the halfway mark of our contract durations. To the swift developers, we see your work. To those still limbering up in the locker room, the clock is ticking,” he said.
“The era of holding on to land without tangible development is over.”
Construction Industry Federation of Zimbabwe (CIFZ) President, Ms Elina Shoko, said the private sector fully supports Government initiatives aimed at strengthening the country’s infrastructure base.
“For every nation, wealth is also measured through the number of pieces of equipment that it has. Land and equipment form the foundation of infrastructural development,” she said.
“That is why we are here today supporting these opportunities being given to us by the ministries and the Government at large.”
She said the newly acquired machinery would help address challenges affecting road infrastructure, particularly those caused by poor drainage systems and ageing infrastructure.
Junior Construction managing director, Dr Noah Marima, said his company had donated key equipment as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration between the private sector and the Government.
“As Junior Construction, we have donated a wheel loader and a water tanker to the Ministry of Local Government, mainly to support local authorities through public-private partnerships,” he said.
“This is a very important and noble initiative where we are working together with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to enhance service delivery.”
Dr Marima said Government alone could not swiftly address all infrastructure gaps, particularly those affecting roads, hence the need for private sector participation.
