Chronicle Editor
Zvamaida Murwira, Harare Bureau
GOVERNMENT will not accept haphazard and chaotic human settlement but wants orderly and systematic housing developments driven by both the Government and private sector initiatives that will create employment, wealth and deliver a higher quality of life for people, President Mnangagwa has said.
He said the Second Republic was determined to create synergies with the private sector to close housing gaps and construct modern accommodation with high speed internet, consistent with efforts to mainstream science, technology and innovation in line with the desire to attain an upper middle income economy by 2030 anchored by the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
The Head of State and Government said this yesterday while commissioning the Aspindale Park and Aspire Heights Development, a private sector housing project with modern houses and high-end residential apartments.
The project, being spearheaded by Oxford Properties, comprises 1 200 developed residential stands and commercial centre.
A 152 high-end residential apartments project was also ongoing and had since seen the transfer of title to residents.
In his keynote address, President Mnangagwa said Government’s trajectory was systematic housing growth that was orderly and free from land barons who settled people without due regard to the law and town planning policies.
“We asked the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities to design a national housing policy. They promised me that by 2025, they would have constructed 220 000 houses.
“This is where we are going. Going forward, we do not want people to build haphazardly, like what I have observed where there are settlements with no ablution facilities, no road infrastructure.
“I do not think they have residential addresses. People use their memories to remember features leading to their homesteads. We want orderly settlement, this is what my Government is doing and is going to achieve,” said the President.
On land barons, President Mnangagwa drew laughter from the audience when he said he noted that some of the people he sent to deal with the scourge were the culprits.
He challenged real estate investors, developers, banks, corporates, insurance and provident funds to unlock resources for provision of modern infrastructure.
“This project is also an eye-opener to many and a testimony of how the private sector is complementing my administration’s efforts to ensure that we use land sparingly through the adoption of new technologies and building vertically to maximise space,” he said.
The President commended Oxford Properties for adopting a holistic approach on its work as they have also provided backbone infrastructure such as roads, water, piped gas lines, high speed internet connections, solar street lights and security fence among others.
“Furthermore, it is my expectation that collaborations between Government and the private sector will help build capabilities and capacities, particularly ensuring skills transfer and training opportunities as well as strengthening effective procurement and supply systems within the housing industry,” said President Mnangagwa.
He challenged Harare City Council to play its part by collecting garbage and rehabilitating road infrastructure to ensure that the national goals are achieved.
Government, said the President, will continue on its development trajectory as it also sets its eyes on Harare-Kanyemba Road rehabilitation where they have secured
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter