Roads, electricity for Harare South

In a bid to improve people’s livelihoods, Government has embarked on a multi-million dollar infrastructure development programme to avail basic amenities in newly established residential areas in Harare.
The Sunday Mail has established that the Infrastructural Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) is finalising paperwork to pave way for the provision of funds to construct on-site basic infrastructure in Harare South.
The development, which is part of the implementation of objectives under infrastructure and utilities cluster in the country’s economic blueprint —ZimAsset — will see the establishment of roads, electricity, water and sewerage infrastructure in areas such as Hopley, Ordar, Eyecourt, Arlington, and Saturday Retreat.
Information gathered show that Harare South Cooperative Union, a representation of 18 cooperatives, is set to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the bank in the coming weeks with construction expected to commence early next year.
The funds will be serviced through monthly monetary contributions by members of the cooperatives.
Government has also engaged Harare City Council to reorganise settlements, provide off site infrastructure and administer the areas. The programme will also extend to the northern settlements such as the Sally Mugabe Heights, Mama Mafuyana and Hatcliffe Extension. National Housing and Social Amenities Director, Mr Lexton Kuwanda said the infrastructure programme is in line with Government’s effort to provide basic infrastructure. The country inherited most of its infrastructure from the colonial era and has not been able to upgrade most of it, thereby resulting in a strain due to increased population.
Mr Kuwanda said: “We have been negotiating with IDBZ and at the moment the bank is dealing with the internal processes with the housing cooperatives.
“The process includes documentation of the beneficiaries and opening of cooperative and individual accounts for repayment purposes.
“We have engaged the (Harare) city council and their technical experts are working with the bank’s engineers to map out the area. “Where there is settlement, we put necessary infrastructure and we have already engaged the Harare City Council to provide off site infrastructure for the whole area.
“We came with the small team of technical experts from the Ministry, the bank and Harare City to map out the area.”
Urban planning expert Mr Nyasha Mutsidikwa commended the idea saying Government intervention is necessary to guarantee provision of reliable infrastructure.
“The way the exercise is to be carried out is very critical because it has to address challenges currently hindering development in most areas,” he said.
“The idea will ensure that institutions such as the IDBZ and local authorities that have the mandate to provide infrastructural development play their roles effectively.
“Government should also manage the areas even after handing over the land to council and other institutions for supervision purposes.” In April this year, the Government handed over Caledonia farm to Harare City Council for administration after some housing cooperatives failed to develop the area for years.
The intervention was after reports that at least 30 000 residents had been duped of about $57 million since 2010 by some bogus land developers who had failed to service the area and provide decent accommodation.
Housing delivery is one of Zim-Asset’s key objectives, with authorities targeting 318 000 housing units. Harare Province is expected to build 105 935 units by 2018.