Online Reporter
Diana Nherera
HARARE Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume has requested the Education, Health, Housing and Community Services Committee to look into the issue of council properties that are being disposed of and not being replaced.
Ward 16 Mabelreign Councillor Denford Ngadziore told the 1935th Ordinary Council meeting at Townhouse this week that he has been seeing reports of council houses being sold, but without a replacement plan.
He said in the past few years, the city has been selling houses to sitting tenants, which is a good idea because they are dilapidated.
“But my only challenge is when we do sell, the money is getting into a pool account. But every week, we have areas that we are developing. It is better that after selling the stands, we use that money to develop new houses on council land,” he said.
“We cannot just sell the houses because they are dilapidated without a plan for their replacement.”
Clr Mafume requested the committee to look into the issue of council constructing flats, houses and trying to use the money or coming up with partnerships to determine how it can rebuild its real estate.
“Let us not concentrate on selling, selling. So during your next meeting, can you consider what he’s talking about in greater detail or probably get a report from the department of works and the director of housing on how we can come up with an innovative way of constructing houses,” said Mayor Mafume.
“Maybe instead of just giving away stands, why don’t we say to these developers, we reduce our percentage and say instead 60/40, we get 10 percent provided you build houses on the 10 percent that we would have taken.
“So I think you can come up with a viable proposition. We now have the business committee and yourselves. You can come up with a proposal on how we go back into construction,” he said.
