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Delivering his speech during the handover of the Hlalani Kuhle/Garikai project to the city council at Cowdray Park, the Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, Dr Ignatius Chombo, said the Government was aware of the “inconsistencies” that have dogged the project since its inception and challenged the city council to resolve all the outstanding issues amicably.
“The handing over of this project is consistent with the spirit of decentralisation, which seeks to ensure that the project succeeds under local management. Council should accept this project and work out modalities of restoring order in this place,” said Dr Chombo.
“They should make it a priority to expedite the provision of necessary sewer, water and road infrastructure for the benefit of residents.
“The issue of repossession of stands and double allocations should be rectified.
“No erected structures should be demolished in this area. Elsewhere in the city those who build structures on unplanned areas should have them demolished.
“The issue of double allocation of stands and the tensions between the city council and other organisations here should come to an end.”
Dr Chombo said Bulawayo was one of the cleanest cities and commended the council staff for maintaining quality health standards.
He, however, challenged the councillors and council staff to provide housing stands to home seekers in order to reduce the ballooning housing waiting list, which is
now more than 100 000.
“All people should be given housing stands and this should be done without charging exorbitant fees. Give people the stands and enough time to develop them.
“Those that have been renting council properties for more than 15 years should be allowed to buy them and obtain title deeds for them,” said Dr Chombo.
He warned local authorities to desist from the habit of turning open spaces that were reserved for other uses into residential stands.
“All open spaces in the cities should not be converted into business or residential stands. Approved land uses should be respected and that should stop with immediate effect.
“Those places were meant to cater for social facilities such as schools, playgrounds, swimming pools and clinics,” said Dr Chombo.
Speaking at the same occasion, the Minister of Housing and Social Amenities, Giles Mutsekwa, said the Hlalani Kuhle/Garikai project had progressed well in other cities.
He said in Bulawayo 700 houses were built under phase one while about 7 000 housing stands were allocated to beneficiaries under phase two.
Minister Mutsekwa said the city council was mandated to provide the requisite services and to collect service charges.
He said phase one beneficiaries would continue paying to the Government for the loan funds used in building their houses.
Minister Mutsekwa said the council should not process title deeds for the beneficiaries that have not fully paid their dues to the Government.
He said the building material left by the Government should be taken over by the council and used in completing other structures such as vending marts.
Minister Mutsekwa pledged continued Government support to the council in completing outstanding works under the project.
He also said all beneficiaries that were disadvantaged during the controversies over stands should be allocated other stands.
“Council must resolve the issue of double allocation of stands without prejudicing the beneficiaries who need shelter. In this case priority should be given to those that have already set up some structures and those that have fully paid.
“From now on no stands allocation will be administered without council approval,” said Minister Mutsekwa.
Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Thaba Moyo said the council had a huge job at hand of providing roads and bridges, water and sewer reticulation service.
“We applaud the handing over of the project while taking cognisance of the challenge of servicing the stands. A total of $18 million is required towards this exercise.
Urgent funding is needed to provide off site infrastructure and ensure the project is completed,” said Clr Moyo.
Bulawayo Governor and Resident Minister Cain Mathema applauded the handing over of the project saying the move was going to enhance provision of adequate service delivery to beneficiaries.
He also challenged the council to allocate more housing stands to home seekers to develop them on their own.
The handing over of the housing scheme is in keeping with the May 2009 Cabinet resolution to have councils complete the projects.
This was after the Government initiated Operation Restore Order, popularly known as Murambatsvina.
The operation culminated in the Hlalani Kuhle/Garikai scheme, which sought to provide decent accommodation to low-income earners.
In the past years beneficiaries have locked horns with the officials from the Hlalani Kuhle/Garikai project and the Bulawayo Home Seekers Consortium Trust, accusing them of double allocation of stands, poor administration and failure to provide adequate service.
At some point the squabbles turned ugly and saw Hlalani Kuhle/Garikai officials repossessing more than 2 000 stands from the beneficiaries.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made, heads of Government departments, senior council staff and residents attended the ceremony.
Online Reporter