Samantha Chigogo Herald Reporter
More than 6 000 houses at Hopley Farm, Harare South constituency, have been electrified as Government moves to meet some of the targets outlined in its economic blue print, Zim-Asset.
The constituency is targeting to light up another 7 000 houses before year end.
Harare South National Assembly representative Cde Shadreck Mashayamombe, said they were working with ZESA Holdings to ensure every household received electricity.
“We are on a mission to ensure that this electrification project covers 13 000 families,” he said.
“Some parts of Hopley, numbering 6 000 have been completed and we are now covering the outstanding families. ZESA Holdings has been really cooperative and it has since supplied poles and technical materials for this process.”
The electrification programme is also covering houses, which were allocated to people by Government under Operation Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle.
Cde Mashayamombe said people at Hopley were living in “squalid conditions” and they needed great improvement.
“Hopley neither had electricity, running water nor sewerage reticulation, roads and most residents were living haphazardly so we have a target to bring life to this cooperative,” he said
Mashambanzou Care Trust, a voluntary organisation, has also been working together with constituency officials in the area to construct a primary school.
“Efforts on that stage are at an advanced stage because some of the children here are walking for long distances to access the nearest primary school,” Cde Mashayamombe said.
“If all goes well, the school will be opened in the next few months.”
With the majority of residents depending on informal trading, Government has also partnered another private company to construct an industrial site near the farm to assist people in their entrepreneurial activities.