Mufakose will have 764 more brick houses

The Rhodesia Herald,

16 January 1970

THE building of 764 new brick houses in the fast-growing Mufakose African Township has begun. Twenty-four of the houses (which will cost a total of £253,422 12s) have reached roof height, the Director of African Administration, Mr RC Briggs, said yesterday.

Mr Briggs said considerable progress had been made on another 516 housing units which were in various building stages.

The houses would be completed in July and would reduce the housing backlog in municipal African townships from a waiting list of 8 814 married applicants, he added.

He said the City Council had called for open tenders in September of last year and the tenderers were allowed to quote for either conventional brick-type houses or for prefabricated ones.

When the matter came before the Council there was little difference in cost between the two types and although the tender accepted was a little more expensive than the one for prefabricated housing units, the Council decided on brick houses.

Supporting the building of brick houses, Mr Briggs said experience proved that this was a wise policy. He said brick house as lasted longer and were more comfortable to live in.

He cited the case of brick houses in the Old Bricks section of Harari. These had been erected about 50 years ago but had withstood the wear and tear of time.