Govt's housing projects take shape

Nearly a dozen Government-funded housing projects involving the construction of high-rise residential flats and servicing of land for thousands of residential stands are currently underway countrywide in a development expected to expeditiously facilitate affordable housing delivery.

The projects, which are part of a broad plan to cut the 1,5 million national housing backlog, also include regularisation of informal settlements and an expansive urban renewal drive.

A project implementation update from the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities availed to The Sunday Mail shows that in Dzivarasekwa, Government is funding the construction of four blocks of two-bedroomed flats. The project is currently 60 percent complete.

At Senga Messengers Camp in Gweru, authorities are funding development of four blocks of four-storey flats, which are 25 percent complete.

Government is also servicing over 700 high-density residential stands, 133 medium-density and 165 low-density stands in Kasese Township, Kariba, while an additional 400 high-density stands are being developed in Kasese Extension.

In Beitbridge, development of two blocks of garden flats and an equal number of double-storey duplex flats is underway. In Chinhoyi, close to 1 000 residential stands are being serviced, with preliminary works ongoing.

National Housing and Social Amenities Permanent Secretary Engineer Joy Makumbe said the projects were at various stages of implementation.

"In Dzivarasekwa, we are constructing four blocks of flats which are at 57,9 percent completion, while in Dzivarasekwa Extension construction of roads and sewer reticulation is now at 75 percent and 100 percent, respectively," she said.

"In Midlands Province, Government has facilitated the construction of four blocks of flats which are at 25 percent completion, while we are working on resuming servicing 1 232 stands in Mashonaland West Province.

"We are also developing the Dombotombo Walk-Up Flats in Marondera, where the scope of work entails the construction of four blocks of four-storey flats.

"As of May 2022, overall progress for the four blocks is currently estimated at 26,4 percent completion." In Binga, she said, Government was funding the construction of 37 core houses for victims of floods in the area, with 53 percent of the work having already been completed.

Furthermore, the Lupane Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle settlement is presently being regularised through funding the development of roads, stormwater drains and sewer reticulation. Separately, Government is also bankrolling the construction of 19 houses for civil servants in the same district.

"We also have the Crownlands Housing Development Project in Chinhoyi, a project entailing the servicing of 999 medium-density stands.

"Preliminary works are ongoing.

"In Empumalanga Township in Hwange, we have a project that entails the construction of approximately 13 km of internal streets, complete with stormwater drainage infrastructure, 18 km of water supply network and 18 km of sewer reticulation network.

"Water and sewer works are at 80 percent, while roads and stormwater drainage are at 66 percent."

Housing delivery is one of the 14 national priority areas under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

Eng Makumbe said the projects are geared to provide affordable housing.

"NDS1 posits that the focus will be on the construction of new housing units and upgrading of informal settlements, equipped with the necessary basic and social services infrastructure and amenities to improve the quality of life," she said.

"To deliver the 220 000 housing units targeted under NDS1, the Government is working in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders who include local authorities, financial institutions, developers, real estate entities and the collated figures from individual efforts."