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George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
MASVINGO City Council and National Social Security Authority are engaged in talks to develop 600 residential stands in Runyararo West suburb, which should significantly reduce the housing backlog. The NSSA stands are expected to whittle down the city’s housing backlog to less than 10 000.

Masvingo mayor Councillor Hubert Fidze confirmed that council was in talks with NSSA for the development of housing stands.

“We are engaged in talks with NSSA which has expressed an interest to develop residential stands in the Jairos Jiri area under Runyararo West. Council is excited by the development as it will further reduce the city’s backlog,” he said.

Clr Fidze said besides developing residential stands in Runyararo West, NSSA had also expressed willingness to loan council funds required to complete the stalled sewer trunk line project.

About $1,7 million is required to complete the trunk line which is still incomplete after work on the project started about five years ago.

“We have been negotiating with NSSA over funding to complete the trunk line because the authority’s planned housing project at Jairos Jiri will also benefit from the completion of that sewer project,” he said.

Installation of a sewer reticulation system in the houses built in Runyararo West is predicated on the completion of the trunk line project that will be connected to the Rujeko Sewer pump station.

Council figures show that the city’s housing backlog has been on a steady decline over the past half-a-decade with 10 000 new housing units and residential stands having been developed.

Most of the major developments are taking place at Victoria Ranch, to the West of the city, where council was allocated a peri-urban farm by Government after a surge in demand for housing.

Recently, more than 700 housing stands were unveiled at Klipsham Views along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road.

Government has already indicated its readiness to acquire more land at Klipsham for housing development.

Masvingo city’s population has ballooned to more than 100 000 people on the backdrop of rising rural to urban migration.