New suburb for Esigodini

UMZINGWANE Rural District Council is in the process of getting suitable contractors for its new suburb in Esigodini, which is set to help ease accommodation problems in the mining town at an affordable cost.

The suburb, Mlanjeni is the council's brainchild and is aimed at providing housing stands to the low income earners.

Umzingwane Rural District Council (RDC) chief executive officer Mr Ndumiso Mpofu said they were looking at servicing about 600 stands and were going to offer 30 stands for each company that was willing to help in the construction of the houses.

"We are looking for viable construction companies that will deliver the stands. Currently we are at the negotiation stage and the construction has not yet started and so far three companies have offered to help in the construction of these houses," said Mr Mpofu.

Mr Mpofu added that they have realised that it took a long time for people to build houses so they needed companies that would sell stands to people at affordable prices. One of the councillors for the area, Clr Patson Sibanda said:

"National Building Society is offering loans to those with active accounts with them, but there are some who are doing the construction on their own.

"Stands are sold by council to low income earners at terms and conditions tailor-made for the less privileged, but there are some companies that claim to offer low cost housing to those who have stands."

This housing programme is part of their contribution to the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset).

Esigodini residents expressed gratitude at the development saying the new suburb will go a long way in addressing their housing needs as there was a shortage of houses for the area's growing population.

Miss Buhlebenkosi Nkala, a resident said: "This new suburb will address the problem of overpopulation and also create employment for residents."