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NewsDay

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Children allotted flats — probe reveals

News
Beneficiaries of the Willowvale Flats housing scheme yesterday told Parliament they paid up to $10 000 to be allocated units meant for civil servants and underprivileged people. The Ministry of Housing and Social Amenities is in the eye of a storm after revelations that it allocated flats to undeserving people, including children, under the Willovale […]

Beneficiaries of the Willowvale Flats housing scheme yesterday told Parliament they paid up to $10 000 to be allocated units meant for civil servants and underprivileged people.

The Ministry of Housing and Social Amenities is in the eye of a storm after revelations that it allocated flats to undeserving people, including children, under the Willovale Phase 2 scheme.

Members of Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Works and National Housing chaired by Mutasa North MP David Chimhini were told that some of the beneficiaries already owned multiple properties in the capital.

Three of the beneficiaries were below 18. They are Tapiwa Simbarashe Zengeya, who was born in 1998, Karen Nothando Masukusa (2003) and Tinashe Chipungu (1991). Tapiwa’s father, Steven Zengeya told the committee he already had a house in Zimre Park and was now acquiring houses for his children.

“When I heard of the scheme, I went to the Infrastructural Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) and they told me I had to pay $10 000 to benefit and instalments of $290 per month once I got the keys to the flat, ” he told the MPs.

“I was given the offer form and I decided to give the flat to my son,” he said.

According to the allocation rules, 20% of the flats were supposed to be allocated to civil servants and the rest should have gone to vulnerable groups.

But during a visit by the committee, it was discovered that no underprivileged people were allocated flats.

It was also revealed that while civil servants were supposed to pay $3 600 deposit, there were some who were made to pay $10 000.

Three members of one family, which reportedly owns other houses in Harare, also benefited.

They were identified as Joylyn Magobeya and her two children Anesu Cheryl Ndoro and Shingisai Ndoro.

IDBZ employees also benefited from the scheme and one of them, Jane Gwiza, told the committee she already owned other properties in Budiriro and Greendale.

Some of the beneficiaries were not on the Harare City Council waiting list.