Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
GOVERNMENT has started preparatory work to construct a block of flats that will have 164 units in Victoria Falls as the Second Republic continues to fulfil its promises.
The block of flats is part of a US$25 million sovereign credit facility secured from the pan-African housing development financier Shelter Afrique towards the construction of 3 000 housing units countrywide.
At least 300 units will be developed in each of the 10 provinces under the fund.
In Matabeleland North, the housing units will be in Victoria Falls and Lupane, the provincial capital where Government is constructing houses for civil servants, National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe said recently.
A news crew observed that more land had been cleared at the site east of Mkhosana’s Hlalani Kuhle section where Vice President General (Retired) Constantino Chiwenga officiated at a ground-breaking ceremony three months ago.
Mounds of river sand and pit sand as well as piles of bricks have been delivered on site.
While there were no workmen on site yesterday morning, there were indications that the building material was delivered recently.
President Mnangagwa launched the Zimbabwe National Human Settlement Policy in September last year and the Ministry of National Housing is operationalising the policy in partnership with the private sector in line with Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
Delivering affordable and quality settlements in urban and rural areas is one of Government’s core targets to improve access to affordable and quality housing and social amenities under the economic blueprint.
The Victoria Falls walk-up flats will be a model that will be replicated countrywide, Government has said.
The flats will be built in phases and the first stage will comprise three blocks with three storeys each.
The new properties will have security of tenure and owners will get title deeds.
In an interview yesterday, Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo said the Second Republic was walking the talk and fulfilling its promises.
“We are excited as a province that something has started happening on the ground showing that what we have been promised is happening. Delivering housing for all is one of the key target areas for Government and for our province this is very critical,” said Minister Moyo.
He said work happening on site marked the effective start of the project.
Minister Moyo implored the National Housing Ministry to speed up the process of decentralising its offices to provinces. National Housing Ministry is relatively new and had not established provincial and district offices as is the case with other Government Ministries and departments.
Zimbabwe is a shareholder of Shelter Afrique, a pan-African banking institution that exclusively supports the development of affordable housing and real estate sector growth in Africa.
The organisation held its 41st symposium here three months ago.
Government has said construction will run concurrently with other initiatives being implemented. Zimbabwe has a national housing backlog of around 1,5 million units and targets to deliver 1,2 units by 2030 and part of the vision is to change the face of Zimbabwe by building modern houses that are sustainable and environment friendly through NDS1.
Victoria Falls has a backlog of about 15 000 units. Two other housing projects are underway in the city where blocks of flats with 94 units and another with 26 units are being constructed.
Government also plans to develop Masue City that will also have more housing projects in Victoria Falls and authorities believe this will entirely eradicate housing problems in the city. -@ncubeleon
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