Govt to issue 15k title deeds

Nokuthula Dube

CLOSE to 15 000 homeowners will be issued with title deeds this year under the Presidential Title Deeds and Settlement Regularisation Programme, which was launched in April last year.

More than 1,5 million homeowners are expected to benefit from the exercise, which has since been rolled out countrywide following the opening of a regional office in Bulawayo last year.

Provincial offices in other parts of the country are set to be opened this year.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities Acting Permanent Secretary Mrs Kudzai Rimai said: “Following launch of the title deeds programme by His Excellency (President Mnangagwa) in 2023, the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities has been facilitating the issuance of title deeds on projects implemented by the ministry, working together with the State land department and local authorities concerned.

“The ministry has a total of 14 979 properties from its projects across the country which are due for issuance of title deeds and it is working with beneficiaries concerned to process the title deeds.”

Meanwhile, Mrs Rimai said the Government was targeting the development of more than 200 000 houses this year.

“The sector target on housing units is 53 000 and for residential stands is 164 000,” she said.

Overall, the Government plans to facilitate the development of more than one million houses by 2025.

This year, the programme is expected to cover suburbs in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Marondera, Bindura, Chinhoyi, Kwekwe, Kadoma and Masvingo.

Before issuance of title deeds, settlements undergo geospatial mapping by the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency.

Suburbs mapped under the first phase include Epworth, Eyecourt, Retreat, Caledonia, Hopley in Harare, Gimboki Farm (Mutare), Cowdray Park (Bulawayo) and Victoria Range (Masvingo).