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Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
Harare City Council is set to dispose land for cluster houses and construction of flats as it seeks to reduce the city’s housing backlog which currently stands at more than 500 000.

Under the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset)programme, Harare Province is expected to deliver 105 935 houses by 2018.

City spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme said pieces of land could only be of economic value if they are being utilised.

“We are disposing of various pieces of land across the city. They can only be of economic value if they are being utilised. We are also looking at value addition.

“Through disposing the land it also means that we are going to create employment. We are going in the direction of densification so as to increase the number of housing units,” he said.

Harare recently resolved to convert vacant public open spaces to residential, commercial and industrial stands, among other uses in a bid to raise money for service delivery and offset salary arrears.

The city has already advertised to sell three of its properties in the Central Business District through public tender in a bid to raise over $20 million in the next 30 days.

Harare is struggling to pay workers’ salaries and provide basic services owing to low revenue and recently it announced that it would set aside $275 000 daily towards salaries in a bid to reduce arrears of six months.

The finance and development committee resolved at its meeting to sell various pieces of land and Acting Mayor Christopher Mbanga sanctioned the sale.

“The committee considered a report by the acting finance director regarding an application to dispose of vacant municipal land and buildings.

“The acting finance director advised that the vacant public open spaces would be converted to residential, commercial, industrial and other uses and that relevant town planning formalities would be done concurrently with the sale of the properties,” reads the minutes.

A special committee made up of city officials has been put in place to expedite the sales.

The majority of the commercial, industrial and church stands were on lease by various individuals and church organisations.

Concerned with the state of the city’s finances, councillors have urged officials to implement drastic measures on revenue collec- tion.

Mrs Ncube said emphasis was being put on revenue collection and heads of departments were putting together various strategies to ensure success in this regard.