eBusiness Weekly
Panashe Chikonyora
Exodus and Company has unveiled its plan to build 2 000 stands for its housing development project, which will sit on a 200-hectare piece of land availed to them by the government.
This is critical as it comes at a time when the country is experiencing a massive housing backlog of an estimated 1,3 million figure (as of early 2019), in which Harare is accounting for more than half.
Shortage of housing has left a substantial number of home seekers resorting to renting, spending generous amounts on rentals which is now required in foreign currency (by property owners) or equivalent hard cash.
Speaking on a tour at the Mabvazuva Housing Project on Monday, Exodus and Company board chairman, Exodus Makumbe said the land will have 1 809 residential stands were 1 528 will be 400 square metres while 272 will be 600 square metres covering 65 and 18 hectares respectively, and nine flats covering 18,68 hectares.
Also, he said they will build 24 industrial stands, four commercial stands (one commercial centre, one medical centre, one fuel station, and one shopping centre) and 27 institutional stands comprising of two primary schools and a secondary school, 3 crèches’, 3 churches, one private college, two clinics, police station and 14 open spaces.
In an interview with the Herald Finance and Business Exodus and Company chief executive officer, Progress Mambo said the housing development will play a pivotal role in reducing house shortages in the country.
“The housing development, when fully completed in the next 24 months, will provide housing to more than 3000 families, this will go a long way in addressing the massive housing backlog in the country.
“Currently, more than 300 families are at various stages of building their houses with the majority of them having completed and already staying in the new community,” Mr Mambo said.
Meanwhile, the tour saw the Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe applauding the Goromonzi Rural District Council in partnership with Exodus and Company’s move to give back 10 percent of the stands to government.
The move saw government receiving 180 stands out of the 2 200 from the 200 hectares of land it gave to the council and the said Company for the housing projects.
“We are also overly excited today that the developer is handing over 10 percent of the stands to government as commonage, every developer who is given land by government as a matter of requirement is expected to give government 10 percent of the developed stands.
“So of the 2 200 stands here, we have received 180 stands which we will sell to civil servants, they are not going to be given for free I want to clear that, we are going to create a database for houses and stands and the first priority is going to be given to civil servants followed by interested Zimbabweans,” the Minister said.
