Skyscrapers go up in Waterfalls

CONSTRUCTION of 10 high-rise residential flats in Prospect, Waterfalls in Harare will begin early next year after the Government invited bids from private developers interested in undertaking the project last week.

The Government tendered for the construction of 10-by- 10-storey skyscrapers under the first phase of a massive housing construction project, which is set to be replicated countrywide.

Thousands of medium-cost units will now be constructed in Prospect after the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities flighted an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting developers with funding to come on board.

In an interview, National Housing Minister Daniel Garwe said construction work will start next year after securing a developer.

"At the moment, it is still a tender process," said Minister Garwe.

"We are looking at developers who have money and are willing to take up the project.

"The blocks of flats are for medium-cost accommodation. Construction will commence early next year after agreeing with the selected developer on the designs."

He said the project will be done speedily and diligently to expedite housing provision.

"We are going to build these vertical structures nationwide and this is Phase One of the programme.

"Very soon we will be moving to other towns and cities building these structures to save land as espoused in the recently launched Zimbabwe National Human Settlements Policy (ZNHSP)," Minister Garwe said.

The national housing backlog is estimated at 1,3 million housing units in urban areas.

Reads the EOI: "The Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities of the Republic of Zimbabwe is requesting from interested and potential bidders for Expression of Interest (EOI) for the construction of 10-by-10-storey blocks of flats in Prospect, Waterfalls in Harare.

"Bidders must be registered with the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) and must also be registered with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the Construction Industry Federation of Zimbabwe (CIFOZ) and or the Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association (ZBCA) under category A and B of the Building Contractors."

The Government has committed itself to delivering 220 000 housing units by 2025, as prescribed under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

President Mnangagwa launched the ZNHSP last month.

The policy, said Minister Garwe, recognises that sustainable human settlements development is an engine for economic growth through various avenues such as employment creation in the construction industry.