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Municipal Reporter

The Mbudzi People’s Market at the Mbudzi Roundabout, which is a partnership between Harare City Council and Augur Investments, is bearing fruit with the city having so far received US$90 000, and now getting US$10 000 monthly.

Harare City and Augur Investments, owned by Mr Ken Sharpe, entered into a land and development joint venture in 2007 in which Augur Investments was allocated 70 percent of the shares with council getting 30 percent in the joint-venture company called Sunshine Development (Pvt) Ltd.

The deal has Mbudzi People’s Market, Warren Hills Golf Course and Mukuvisi Development Project.

Acting Harare City Council spokesperson Mr Innocent Ruwende yesterday said that the Harare was receiving decent dividends.

“We are receiving US$10 000 a month from the project,” he said.

However, the local authority is delaying the upgrading and redesigning of Warren Hills Golf Course into a world class facility in line with global trends by holding up approval of  change of land use.

During the last full council meeting, CCC councillors referred back for an unprecedented sixth time to committee a recommendation of change of land use from the Environmental Management and Business committee minutes of a joint meeting on August 23, 2022.

The committee had recommended a change of reservation of portions of stands 8112, 8113, 8118 Warren Park Township and 812 Mabelreign Township from open space and recreation (Golf Course) to mixed use development (residential, commercial and community facilities).

“That the application for Change of Reservation of Stands 8112, 8113, 8118 Warren Park Township and 812 Mabelreign Township from Public Open Space to a Mixed Use be deferred Development (Residential, Commercial and Community Facilities) use pending negotiations with the partner and resolution of the dispute over proof of payment of partner’s contribution to the Joint Venture. That Council comes up with the Terms of Reference for City of Harare Board Members,” reads the minutes.

A state-of-the-art tourism and hospitality resort is being constructed at the Golf Course including middle-income houses and a hotel.

The resort is being billed to provide world class services that Zimbabwe has never experienced.

Also attached to the imposing golf course will be a clubhouse, high-class houses and holiday homes.

World-acclaimed designer and former golfer, Peter Matkovich, has since been roped in to develop the multi-million-dollar                                                    infrastructure.

Also, experts from France, Spain, Dubai and South Africa that contributed to planning of the designs of the new project have since visited the city and completed mapping.

The proposed upgrade of Warren Hills Golf Course is set to increase the market value of the estate and its surrounding locations due to its world class status.