Source: Kasukuwere descends on Bulawayo | The Herald April 21, 2016
Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere will descend on Bulawayo City Council to inspect land identified for 20 000 residential stands for youths and to rein in the authority for failing to make provision for housing projects.
In an interview, Minister Kasukuwere said Government had to intervene because the authorities had failed to set aside land for that purpose, but were instead allocating themselves land for self enrichment.
The minister attacked Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo for allegedly resisting Government moves to provide land for ordinary people.
This was after Clr Moyo was quoted in the media saying council did not have the capacity to service 20 000 residential stands on 300 hectares.
Bulawayo’s housing waiting list stands at 100 000.
Clr Moyo was quoted as saying the ministry should instead provide funds to service the stands if they were to issue such a directive.
“Besides, I believe as a local authority, we are already on a positive in terms of availing stands to our residents.
“Our housing backlog is just over 100 000, and this is not a crisis figure considering that according to the ZimStat census, we are just above 600 000 in terms of population. I doubt whether there is a need to panic,” said the mayor.
Minister Kasukuwere said Bulawayo city councillors were parcelling out council land to land barons and to themselves, at the expense of ordinary people.
He said Government had moved in and was working with the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Eunice Sandi-Moyo to provide low-cost housing schemes.
“We will visit Bulawayo very soon, to inspect the land that has been made available and monitor the progress that the Minister of State in the province Amai Sandi-Moyo has made to date with regards to the land we have set aside for the young people. The same will be done in Harare and other areas. We have to make land available to people for them to build and own homes,” said Minister Kasukuwere.
Responding to Cllr Moyo said, “I am surprised that the mayor of Bulawayo said we don’t need more land. I thought he was not being serious. The policy of Government is that if we can, let’s provide shelter and housing to all our people. But to boast and say we have a 100 000 housing waiting list, but it’s not an issue, I think it kind of sends a message of a mayor who is not serious about the expectation of the majority. Because, as Government, we are emphasising the need to house all our people. We need to eliminate the challenge facing our people, which is of lodging where they get abused,” said Minister Kasukuwere.
Minister Kasukuwere said it was imperative that people own houses consistent with Government’s economic blue-print, Zim-Asset.
He said: “They (local authorities) have failed to build houses, and we have to intervene as the State. What do we do? They were allocating land to land barons, with chaos all over the city. Right now, there are serious cases of corruption involving almost all the town councillors. Each time a councillor saw a piece of land which is on the market, it would be meant for that councillor.”
COMMENTS
Local authorities have failed to build houses…really??? It is Zanu PF that has failed cities like Bulawayo. The City I lived in and worked for in the 1980s was progressive, dynamic and delivering on its housing mandate. Then this failed regime of Zanu PF came along and destroyed the base as they have consistently done since they came to power. These idiots have left behind pain and sorrow for the masses. Bulawayo is now a city of vendors….all big employers destroyed by the failed policies of this Zanu government.
After leaving Bulawayo, the Minister WILL BE KINDLY REQUESTED to pass-by Ntabazinduna township to solve a three year stand-off btwn Umguza dISTRICTand NHS victims. Though am not a victim of the stand-off, I feel touched by the treatment and developmental backtracking tactics done by Umguza district pertaining housing allocation stands.Please come and help and dry the tears of Ntabazinduna resident. THANK YOU.
had failed to set aside land for that purpose, but were instead allocating themselves land for self enrichment.
Isn’t this the Zanu mantra…..hokoyo Matablelland this disgusting, racist colonial mboro will take from you anything he likes.
Right on
Do not position yourself to campaign using sovereign land.
we want to have industries that employs those 20000 youth.
The young Turks in government are concerned about youth numbers on their electoral side but without employment it will backfire
Before I go any further, please Minister specify which land has been allocated to youths. I mean if its a farm near Byo tell us that you have allocated Lot 30 of Umguza or Lot 16 Upper rangemore or State land within Byo township land or Stand xxxxxx Byo Township.
In the case that land was genuinly given to BCC, remember that it may take at least 3 months to draw the layout plans for those stands and at least 4 months to do designs for sewer water considering the workforce that the BCC has. Remember we are planning for township that should exist and remain sustainable and attractive for the next 200years. Lets not politicise development fellow comrades coz political parties will collapse in less than 20 years but our towns should last for more than 300 yrs.
Us the residents of BCC are very happy with the services of BCC, so please lets not confuse the council workers especially if you are not from Byo. We are the only ones who receive clean water on a daily basis, proper waste disposal etc.
In hre you cant drink water straight from the tap. First solve the Hre issue and go to Chitungwiza funny sprouting townships. At the moment we as byo residents are happy.
Also note that houses development should be directlty propotional to the growth of the industries so that people will manage to pay for the services to the local authority. In our cases industies are collapsing those so where will we get money to build.
Abnomal growth of cells in the body causes cancer. In urban areas abnomal growth of townships (in relation to water supply and sewer disposal etc) results in dieses like cholera, typhoid, etc
Why do we say we are high literate when we are failing to just make simple decisions. Mayor and Minister dont mix politics and development.