Govt targets 1 million more new homes under NDS2

Rumbidzayi Zinyuke

Senior Reporter

GOVERNMENT has set a target to deliver an additional one million housing units under the National Development Strategy 2, building on gains recorded during the first phase of the country’s economic blueprint.

Speaking after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting in Harare, the Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, Professor Paul Mavima, expressed confidence that the target was achievable, citing the successful delivery of a similar goal under NDS1.

“Our target for NDS2 is one million housing units. I am very glad to say that we had a similar target for NDS1 and we managed to achieve that. So we are very confident that we will also achieve this new target and maybe even surpass it,” said Prof Mavima.

Under NDS 1, an initial target of 200 000 had been set but this was surpassed, pushing the Government to increase the target to 1 million units by 2025.

In 2020, the National Human Settlements Policy pegged the housing backlog at around 2 million housing units. However, the Government has said this was a moving target, given the population growth being experienced.

Prof Mavima said the housing programme under the NDS2 would not be driven by Government alone, but would rely on a broad-based multisectoral approach that brought together the public sector, private players and individual home builders.

He said the one million housing target would be achieved by harnessing participation from the private sector, as well as individuals constructing their own homes, with the Government focusing on creating an enabling environment.

“As for the one million target, we are going to harness the participation of the private sector, but also the participation of individuals as they provide their own housing units,” Prof Mavima said.

He noted that the Government’s role would include facilitating access to affordable and sustainable housing finance, particularly for individuals seeking to build their own homes, while pushing for partnerships with private developers to accelerate delivery.

“For individuals, we need to work on financing models that will provide viable, sustainable mortgages that people can tap into as they build their own housing units. For the private sector, working together, we can roll out programmes where the Government comes up, for example, with the necessary land where development can take place, and these arrangements can be negotiated,” Prof Mavima said.

He also revealed that Cabinet had extensively discussed the need to review building by-laws to promote the adoption of modern construction technologies that can speed up housing delivery.

“We will make sure that our building by-laws are made such that they promote the adoption of new technologies, new building technologies that will make the whole process more efficient, so that we can expedite the delivery of housing units that we need,” Prof Mavima said.

He said the review would also ensure that housing developments were climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable, while preserving land for future generations. Among the housing projects presented by Prof Mavima to Cabinet on Tuesday, were construction works at the Marondera Dombotombo Flats housing project and the Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe Mutawatawa waiting mothers shelter in Mashonaland East Province, which are almost complete.

In Matabeleland South Province, works under Phase 1 of the Beitbridge Redevelopment Housing Project, as well as the refurbishment of 34 houses near the venue of the 46th Independence Day Anniversary celebrations, are also nearing completion.

Additionally, construction is currently underway at the Makonde Heights Housing Development project in Mashonaland West Province.

The NDS2 housing target is expected to play a key role in addressing Zimbabwe’s backlog, while improving living standards and stimulating economic growth through increased activity in the construction sector.