A BULAWAYO councillor has proposed plans to convert some flats to home ownership to reduce the city’s housing backlog.
This came out on Wednesday during a full council meeting at the council chambers.
Bulawayo’s housing waiting backlog currently stands at over 150 000.
Ward 13 councillor Lovewell Mwinde said the housing waiting list kept ballooning.
“Iminyela and Mabutweni flats were constructed in 1948. Occupation began in 1952. By then, these houses were on a rented accommodation scheme,” Mwinde said.
“After independence in 1980, a number of properties were turned into home ownership schemes.
“Iminyela and Mabutweni need to be turned into home ownership as well.
“Vundu Flats should be renovated and be turned into tied accommodation.”
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Ward 7 councillor Thandiwe Moyo said residents in his area petitioned council recently requesting the municipality to renovate the decommissioned Vundu Flats.
Mayor David Coltart expressed concern over the skyrocketing housing waiting list.
“A system should be developed for applications to be done online as well as monitoring,” he said.
“Council need to update information on home seekers in the city.”
Ward 23 councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo said council had been failing to meet its target of delivering 3 000 residential stands annually.
“Most council workers have no accommodation. A lot of council workers cannot afford a residential stand,” Khumalo said.
Bulawayo has over the years recorded a decline in housing development necessary to ease the city’s backlog.
As a result, the housing backlog keeps surging with housing development initiatives not showing signs of improving the situation.
Council once entered into a partnership with the Local Government ministry for the construction of residential flats in the sprawling Cowdray Park and Emganwini high-density suburbs to ease the city’s housing backlog.
Council has lifted suspension on the sale of housing stands on pre-sale to prevent desperate home-seekers from setting up illegal settlements.
