Zimpapers Logo

Business Reporter
Private land developers and Kadoma City Council have agreed to join hands in the construction of sewer ponds that will connect more than 10 000 new stands to the city’s waste management system.

The programme had been stalled for close to 10 years following allegations that officials from the City of Kadoma were reluctant to provide land for off-site infrastructure of sewer, in the process delaying development of low cost housing in the town.

There are 18 private land developers who are currently developing residential areas in Kadoma.

According to minutes from the meeting chaired by City of Kadoma acting director of housing and social service Mr Aaron  Masembura, council had raised concern that housing developers had not submitted updated accurate information for their schemes to enable proper planning of the project.

Acting director of works Engineer Blessing Musasira, also told the meeting that land measuring 50ha was identified for purposes of constructing off-site infrastructure.

“The site enables centralisation of waste management. A total of 7 843 stands are to be catered for. An estimated budget of US$1,1 million was reportedly anticipated for the project.

“A 15 percent of other issues such as blasting, if need arises, was added.  In addition, the cost is to cover ponds only, that is, the designs, construction and supervision costs.  Designs are yet to be worked on.”

Housing developers had raised concern that delays in the provision of offsite infrastructure for sewer ponds had delayed completion of many projects in the city.

According to sources in Kadoma, efforts by housing developers to engage council officials were in vain since 2013 with no response from the local authority who indicated that their sewage treatment works could not accommodate new projects as it was already overwhelmed.

“Council even recommended to the housing developers to construct their own sewer ponds but never showed them any site.

“Failure to get the land for sewer ponds had stopped the excavation and laying of drains for sewer without knowing the exact site were the sewer ponds will be located.

“Excavation of sewer trenches involves levels and taking into account proper gradient for the natural flow of the sewer. This has been the main reason that has delayed the progress of the project,” the sources said.

City of Kadoma officials were also accused of prioritising the council’s own high density project at Victory Park although council got their land well after all private developers.

However, it was agreed at the meeting that each stand would be charged US$137 for the sewer pond project while housing developer, Alluta, pledged to provide equipment to be used in the construction of the sewer ponds.

The meeting, which was attended by several council officials, also included representatives of the various private housing developers including Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services, Berina Housing Developer, Craft Property Pvt Ltd, Destiny of Africa, Zimbabwe Defence Forces Benefit Fund, MACSHERP, Alluta among others.

The ZPCS is developing stands in two phases with the first phase of the project, which has 852 stands, having road and sewer completed of site level, while the same is at 75 percent completion in other sites.

There are 876 stands being implemented in two phases at Belina with roads opening, septic tanks construction and laying of water pipes in Phase 1 at 90 percent complete, Craft Properties Pvt Ltd has 1 573 stands of which laying of water pipes and opening of road is in progress.

The Destiny of Africa has 1 620 stands inclusive of high and low density suburbs with 90 percent of the roads having been opened and gravelled while 40 percent of sewer pipes have been laid.

There are also 2 755 stands for Zimbabwe Defence Forces Benefit Fund, ZRP and Office of the President and Cabinet with a layout plan already approved although the developer is in the process of getting designs from the local authority.

At MACSHERP, there are 1 500 stands being developed in two phases with the first phase currently involved roads opening, sewer and water trenching, while at Alluta where there are 1 005 stands a town planning permit has been applied for.