News / Local
Harare families evacuated from flooded areas
30 Dec 2023 at 03:31hrs | Views
More than 100 families have been relocated to temporary shelters due to flash floods displacing residents in the Budiriro and Kuwadzana suburbs of Harare.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has urged the implementation of emergency measures and a comprehensive strategy to tackle the city's housing crisis.
Speaking to the media in Harare on Friday, Mafume disclosed that approximately 100 families sought refuge at Budiriro 3 Primary School, while six to seven families found shelter at Kuwadzana 2 Primary School.
"They are going to Budiriro 3 Primary School. We are collaborating with the Civil Protection Unit. The directors there have provided dry food. We now have about 100 families in Budiriro 3," stated Mafume.
"We plan to relocate them to a vocational center once we address the sanitation issues because schools are set to open very soon. At Kuwadzana 2 Primary School, we have about six to seven families," he added.
Mafume encouraged families in affected areas to utilize the provided temporary shelters. He mentioned plans to work with the Civil Protection Unit to identify suitable places for relocation if flooding occurs in other areas.
"Some of the flooded areas were recently allocated council residential stands. For those allocated legally, we promise to compensate them and allocate new, safer land," assured Mafume.
He acknowledged the challenge posed by illegal land invasions and emphasized the need for a robust plan to address regularization processes. Mafume proposed the establishment of a housing ministry to tackle the national housing crisis.
Calling for a multi-stakeholder approach, the Mayor emphasized the necessity of reducing the cost of building houses. He advocated for research into more affordable construction materials, aiming to lower the cost of building a house to $5,000 for low-income housing on a large scale.
"Our building standards currently resemble those of an earthquake zone. I believe we can create decent accommodation with less stringent standards so that people can live in quality homes," concluded Mafume.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has urged the implementation of emergency measures and a comprehensive strategy to tackle the city's housing crisis.
Speaking to the media in Harare on Friday, Mafume disclosed that approximately 100 families sought refuge at Budiriro 3 Primary School, while six to seven families found shelter at Kuwadzana 2 Primary School.
"They are going to Budiriro 3 Primary School. We are collaborating with the Civil Protection Unit. The directors there have provided dry food. We now have about 100 families in Budiriro 3," stated Mafume.
"We plan to relocate them to a vocational center once we address the sanitation issues because schools are set to open very soon. At Kuwadzana 2 Primary School, we have about six to seven families," he added.
Mafume encouraged families in affected areas to utilize the provided temporary shelters. He mentioned plans to work with the Civil Protection Unit to identify suitable places for relocation if flooding occurs in other areas.
"Some of the flooded areas were recently allocated council residential stands. For those allocated legally, we promise to compensate them and allocate new, safer land," assured Mafume.
He acknowledged the challenge posed by illegal land invasions and emphasized the need for a robust plan to address regularization processes. Mafume proposed the establishment of a housing ministry to tackle the national housing crisis.
Calling for a multi-stakeholder approach, the Mayor emphasized the necessity of reducing the cost of building houses. He advocated for research into more affordable construction materials, aiming to lower the cost of building a house to $5,000 for low-income housing on a large scale.
"Our building standards currently resemble those of an earthquake zone. I believe we can create decent accommodation with less stringent standards so that people can live in quality homes," concluded Mafume.
Source - newzimbabwe
