Zim govt to update the national housing database

The Zimbabwen govt will next year embark on a programme to update the national housing database as it emerged that the current national housing waiting backlog stands at two million, The Herald reported on Thursday.

On Wednesday the Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, Mr Giles Mutsekwa, confirmed that the housing backlog could have ballooned since the last official survey.

"The backlog could have reached such proportions due to the slump in housing development during the last 10-years.

"Currently, we've no credible data on the national housing backlog. However, a study undertaken in 2004 indicated that the backlog would increase to 1,2 million by 2008," Minister Mutsekwa said.
Another study done in 2007 from secondary data supplied by local authorities put the housing backlog for the 28 major urban centres at 660 000.

Minister Mutsekwa said his ministry had adopted a number of strategies that maximise the mobilisation of resources for housing development.

"The strategies include promoting housing co-operatives and other community based organisations, which is working very well.

"What is needed for Government is to provide capital to local authorities to undertake construction of off-site services, which require huge financial outlay," said Minister Mutsekwa.

He said Government had also started mobilising employers and private developers, encouraging them to provide housing for their employees.

Mining concerns such as Mimosa Platinum, Zimplats and those involved in the Chiadzwa diamond fields have responded well to the call.

"Our new National Housing Policy is recommending incentives to employers who expend their monies on workers accommodation.

"Private land developers are also increasing their participation in the housing development, while my ministry is now submitting a bill to Cabinet aimed at regulating land developers," Minister Mutsekwa said.

He said Government's goal was to come up with a strong indigenous base of land developers to make housing development sustainable.

"The Government's National Housing Fund was not spared by the economic challenges witnessed during the last 10 years.

"The challenges have also eroded the financial base of Housing Finance institutions such as Building Societies and Pension Funds," said Mr Mutsekwa.

He singled out Shelter-Afrique, an organisation that responded favourably and started advancing loans to financial institutions.

Apart from revising the National Housing Policy, the Government has since last year invested more than US$25 million in housing development through joint ventures with land developers and local authorities.

This has seen the development of flats in Willowvale in Harare and servicing of stands in Dzivaresekwa Extension, Sunway City along Mutare Road, Lower Paradise in Marondera, Chikanga in Mutare, Mbizo 22 in Kwekwe and Parklands in Bulawayo.

New projects are planned for Spitskop in Gwanda, Marimba in Harare, Checheche in Chipinge, Nemamwa in Masvingo, Chiredzi and Magwegwe North in Bulawayo among others.

Civil servants are going to get a vote of 20 percent of the houses or stands financed from the fiscus. Government has also created a Civil Service Housing Loan Facility to provide loans to Civil Servants at subsidised interest rates.

The Ministry of National Housing is bidding for US$4,4 million under the 2012 budget to construct rented accommodation for civil servants.

However, this is not enough to fully cater for the waiting list of the Government workers which currently stands above 27 000.