Zimplats builds 1 000 houses in Ngezi

in a housing construction boom in the area.
Zimplats has so far constructed nearly 1 000 houses for its employees in the Ngezi area.
In an interview with the Herald Business, Zimplats head of corporate affairs Mrs Busi Chindove said the company was set to ramp up the housing project within the next two years.
“So far Zimplats has constructed more than 920 houses in Turf Village. Another 2 000 houses will be constructed in 2011 and 2012,” she said.
Zimplats says it has set aside around US$2,5 million for the housing projects as well as other community development projects.
“The figure available for this current financial year is US$2,5 million. This includes the funding for the agricultural projects.
“The community development budget is not derived as a percentage of capital expenditure.
“At the time that budgets are set every year a specific figure is set aside for community development projects,” Mrs Chindove explained.
She said the company has already applied to the relevant authorities for the Turf Village to be granted town status.
“The current position is that the application has been submitted and is awaiting approval.
“We do not anticipate any problems in terms of that application because the local community and its leaders are in support of the plan,” she said.
A number of construction projects have been lined up by Zimplats for the current financial year, which include a new secondary school at Turf, a new primary school at Turf, Turf Primary School expansion, Wanganui Secondary School expansion, Turf Club House, Turf Clinic and creche.
Turf Growth Point power stations upgrade and Turf Sewer Ponds expansion are all with a targeted total expenditure of US$10,5 million.
The sudden increase in housing and allied construction in Ngezi is comparable to developments in respect of construction that has been taking place in Mutare following the discovery and mining of diamonds in the Chiadzwa fields.
The housing development project has also generated related downstream projects that have been empowering the surrounding communities.
For instance, a second commercial bank opened a branch at Turf in the year improving the banking services for the Ngezi community. The construction of the new US$25 million 330-kVa power sub-station at Selous for the national power utility, Zesa, was completed earlier last year.
Commissioning and official handover of the sub-station is scheduled for later this year.
Zimplats is working in conjunction with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Co-operative Development on a brick-moulding project that involves a women’s co-operative. The co-operative is expected to supply most of the bricks that will be used for the construction of more that 1 100 houses as part of the second phase of the growth project.
This project involved the formation of a women’s co-operative that will operate as a small-to-medium enterprise, and the women have received training in brickmaking.
Mrs Chindove said the women would also receive training in business skills so that they can continue moulding bricks beyond the Zimplats housing project.
Once the company houses are complete, the women’s co-operative will receive the brick-moulding equipment as a donation so that they can continue in business beyond the Zimplats project.
The company has also sunk several boreholes within the community and at schools such as Ngezi High School and is soon embarking on a project to sink a further 15 boreholes within the Mhondoro-Ngezi and Chegutu rural districts.
In respect of the health sector, the company has also invested in the refurbishment of the local clinic at Turf for the benefit of not only Zimplats employees, but the local community.
The refurbishment of the clinic included all the wards, offices and staff houses. The refurbishment/upgrade of Turf Primary and Wanganui High schools in Turf Village has since been completed. The project scope included construction of new classroom blocks, teachers’ housing and a library at the high school.