Govt to partner property developers

Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Manicaland Bureau
GOVERNMENT is willing to partner with private property developers on the $30 million urban renewal project in Mutare’s Sakubva high density suburb and ensure people get good quality accommodation, a senior official has said. Speaking at the belated World Habitat Day Celebrations held in Mutare last week, Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister, Cde Mandi Chimene said Government could not do all the work alone.

The United Nations designated the first Monday of October of every year as World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter.

“We sit here in Zimbabwe and do the same things we have been doing since long ago. Nothing has changed in Sakubva since colonial times so we need to change this because we are not doing the next generation any favours.

“We are no longer building for ourselves, but for them. We need to modernize our people and match the housing standards of developed nations. But we cannot do it on our own. We need the help from developers and private partners to be able to achieve all this,” she said. Civil works on the project started in August this year and Government has already put in $2 million, as seed capital to kick start the building of new and modern flats in Sakubva.

The project would also see the demolition of old and dilapidated houses and flats in Sakubva to pave way for high rise modern apartments. Minister Chimene said property developers engaged to take part in the urban renewal project would have to prove their worth by setting acceptable standards in the houses they build.

“I want to make sure that the service being brought to Manicaland is good. Let us do things that are above standard. I want developers to travel to developed countries and see how they are doing it. As Manicaland, we want to see those standards in our new buildings,” she added.

She said two thirds of people in Manicaland did not own the homes they stay in, a trend that does not bode well with the ZimAsset objective of infrastructure development and provision of decent accommodation for all citizens.

“And once those apartments are built, residents have to learn to pay rent for the houses they stay in. Residents have developed a culture of accumulating debt. A person fails to pay $20 every month for two years only to come crying to us that the City council now wants to attach his property over that debt.

“You should learn to pay your bills. There is no free lunch. Take care of yourself first and Government will assist you on issues to do with policy that will ensure that you are not cheated,” she said. Under the urban renewal project, Government is going to provide funding while the City of Mutare has engaged financial institutions under a public-private-partnership to raise the balance.