2-year land freeze hits Bulawayo housing delivery

The Bulawayo City Council has confirmed that it has failed to allocate land to private developers over the past two years, with attempts to conclude the tendering process collapsing on three separate occasions.

Council officials attributed the delays to non-compliance by bidders, inadequate technical and financial capacity, and repeated procurement failures that necessitated re-tendering.

"Several bidders who responded to previous Expressions of Interest (EOIs) failed to meet stipulated requirements. Some participants, although compliant on paper, were subsequently assessed to lack the requisite financial strength, technical expertise, or implementation capacity to undertake large-scale housing developments," said BCC corporate communications officer Bongiwe Ngwenya.

Ngwenya added that procurement regulations guided the process, with the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) recommending re-tendering in cases where previous attempts failed.

The prolonged delays have sparked concerns because some developers repeatedly disqualified in the EOIs are already implementing major housing projects in partnership with the council, raising questions about the consistency of evaluation criteria.

"The allocation and servicing of land has been delayed despite the city having identified and made several land parcels available," Ngwenya said. "Once the procurement process is successfully concluded and a developer is appointed, the pace of project implementation is largely under the control of the developer, rather than the City."

The council also noted that private developers are encouraged to source land independently, with the City supplementing its land bank by purchasing plots from private owners to expand housing opportunities.

Ngwenya highlighted that land is only released when it is near essential services such as water and sewer infrastructure, ensuring sustainable and fully serviced developments.

The city uses the EOI framework to engage developers, protecting beneficiaries from financial loss and improving delivery certainty. This contrasts with earlier prepaid schemes, where residents made advance payments before land servicing, a system that proved vulnerable to currency transitions and funding shortfalls.

No definitive timeline has been provided for when the next tender process will be concluded, leaving prospective developers and home seekers waiting as Bulawayo's housing deficit continues to grow.