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Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter—
Harare City Council is set to rake in more than $3,7 million from the sale of 299 houses in Highfield to sitting tenants who have occupied them since independence. The majority of the houses are in a deplorable state of repair and according to the city, once disposed of, the new owners will be able to renovate the properties.

In 2015, Government ordered all local authorities to immediately transfer into home ownership houses built for rental occupation, as it moved to reduce the housing backlog presently hovering around 1,5 million countrywide.

According to the recent minutes of the Finance and Development Committee, councillors resolved to recommend that the open market selling for properties in Highfield Township be approved.

A valuation was done to determine the open market value of the various residential properties in Highfield.

The houses were classified into different categories in accordance with the design of each unit.

Three-roomed terraced houses with granolithic floors, brick under asbestos roof, sitting on 210 square meters or 150 square meters of land and are 55 years old were sold for $16 000.

The second type, one-bedroomed semi-detached houses sitting on 125 square metres of land, were sold for $9 000, while three-roomed terraced houses on 130 square meters were sold for $11 000.

Two-bedroomed houses on 390 square meters were sold for $20 000.

According to a valuation report prepared by acting city valuer and estates manager Mr Emmanuel Mutambirwa, a physical inspection of the properties was done.

“An analysis of the collated information was done by applying the gross replacement cost,” reads the report. “The gross replacement cost is the estimated cost of erecting the building or a modern substitute building having the same gross internal area as that existing at prices at the relevant valuation date.

“Net replacement cost is the gross replacement cost reduced to reflect the physical and functional obsolescence and environmental factors, so as to arrive at the value of the building at the relevant date.

“The majority of the houses are in a deplorable state of repair and maintenance. This has a bearing on the values ascribed to the various properties.”