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Abigail Mawonde Herald Reporter
THE National Social Security Authority is temporarily converting space that was once Ximex Mall into a car park while it mobilises resources for the construction of an upmarket building.

When The Herald visited the site once called Ximex Mall before the structure was demolished earlier this year, men were busy demarcating parking lots and erecting shades.

A source on site said 75 parking bays would be created.

NSSA general manager Mr James Matiza confirmed the development in an interview yesterday.

“We will start with a smaller building with capacity to expand. Actual construction will start once we have put money aside.

“With the current cash squeeze, it is difficult,” he said.

“Instead of leaving the place lying idle, we said ‘let us convert it into something that generates income’. Our managing agent suggested we put up a car park.”

Added Mr Matiza: “We will demarcate parking lots and people will pay for parking there. That is the plan for now until we put together enough resources. You cannot just leave the place lying idle.”

He said at the moment NSSA had managed to mobilise resources to start a housing programme in Masvingo and a shopping mall in Chipinge.

Mr Matiza said later the authority would focus on its Ximex Mall project.

Formerly a showroom for Duly’s Cars, Ximex Mall was owned for many years by business mogul Sam Levy who converted it first into a departmental store and then into a shopping mall.

The building was then sold to NSSA.

NSSA intends to build a 12-storey shopping and office complex which will be linked to the adjacent up-market Joina City through a footbridge.