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Yeukai Karengezeka Municipal Correspondent
Harare City Council has resolved to reopen an offer to sell its residential properties to sitting tenants across the city.

This comes after less than five percent of the tenants failed to take up the offer last year due to outstanding bills.

Last year, a total of 1 780 houses and 82 flats had been offered for sale to sitting tenants in Mabvuku, Glen Norah, Kuwadzana, Mbare, Dzivarasekwa, Mufakose,Tafara, Sunningdale, Highfield, Central Business District and Warren Park.

According to recent minutes of the Education, health, housing and community services and licensing committee on the status of the sale of rented accommodation to sitting tenants, only 77 people as at December 31 last year, benefited out of over 1 700.

Housing and Community services manager Mr Fanny Machipisa said majority of the tenants could not benefit because they were in huge bill arrears.

“The manager of community services reported that a total of 1 870 houses and 82 flats had been offered for sale to sitting tenants,” he said. “Only 77 offers had been taken up by the sitting tenants. He further reported that offers were stopped on December 31 2018 as per council resolution (item 12 of the minutes of the Education, health, housing and community services and licensing committee dated 26 October 2018).”

Mr Machipisa requested that value of the houses be reviewed in light of the current charges.