Mkoba 21 home seekers finally get their stands

GWERU City Council (GCC) has finally commenced the process of showing beneficiaries of the Mkoba 21 suburb their stands about nine years after the home seekers purchased the residential stands.

The beneficiaries bought the stands in 2014, but in 2018, they threatened to pull out of the scheme owing to the slow pace in the servicing of the area.

The local authority sold housing stands to 3 300 home seekers of which 2 000 stands were availed to the general public while 1 300 stands were sold to council employees.

The frustrated home seekers have over the years been putting pressure on council to complete the servicing of the stands.

During the tenure of the then acting town clerk, Mr Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe, the local authority engaged local companies, Sheasham, Wackdrive and Casas to service the stands, a development that has led to council showing the home seekers their stands.

In a notice to the beneficiaries, GCC said: “Gweru Land Surveying Section is inviting owners of the above stand numbers to be shown their stands. For requirements, bring five tags clearly written your stand number, bring your national identity document. If you are representing someone, bring a clear picture of their ID and your ID.”

Gweru mayor, Councillor Martin Chivoko, confirmed that stand owners are being shown their stands.

“Yes, its true, stand owners are being shown their stands in Mkoba 21. We have developers who are currently servicing the stands,” he said.

Clr Chivoko indicated that in the next few months some stand owners with developed stands will start building their houses.

“They are being shown the stands but they are not allowed to develop before full servicing of the stands, which entails accessibility to roads, sewer and water reticulation. The stands will be ready to build,” he said.

Clr Chivoko said the completion of Mkoba 21 housing project will significantly reduce the housing backlog, which is at more than 34 000.

“The demand for housing has continued to rise with 34 568 home seekers on the council’s housing waiting list,” he said.

Clr Chivoko said council was also selling infill stands in Shamrock suburb where 367 stands have been identified.

“Council is fully committed to expediting the servicing of these stands to allow beneficiaries to build their houses.

Council is also seeking additional land to address the city’s housing backlog,” he said.

In 2018, the Government announced an ambitious programme that will see the rehabilitation and development of some of Zimbabwe’s oldest residential suburbs to world-class status by 2030.

High-density suburbs such as Mtapa in Gweru, Mbare in Harare, Makokoba in Bulawayo and Sakubva in Mutare have been earmarked for upgrading under this programme.