Govt tightens screw on housing cooperatives

The government has given all housing cooperatives up to the 30th of September this year to finalise auditing their accounts.

Housing cooperatives have contributed immensely to reducing accommodation shortages in the country but some beneficiaries are still not happy by the way the cooperatives are being administered.

Mr Antony Muchato of Apex Housing Cooperative said some of the people who oppose development are members who want to take over as leaders of the housing cooperatives, while Mr Never Kowo of Nehanda Housing Cooperative said some beneficiaries are destabilising their efforts by avoiding paying monthly instalments.

The Deputy Minister of Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Co-operative Development, Noveti Muponora admitted that all is not well in some of the cooperatives and said they gave the 30th of this month as the deadline for cooperatives to audit their books.

After independence, the government spearheaded the development of housing cooperatives to ensure that the black majority could be able to access housing, a right that they did not have under white minority rule.