THE Zanu PF-controlled Victoria Falls Council has set itself on a collision course with homeseekers after it roped in CBZ Bank to develop housing stands without consulting their owners.
BY Nokuthaba Dlamini
Council convened an urgent meeting with residents last Friday to discuss the project in Mkhosana high-density suburb after the President’s Office reportedly expressed reservation over how the local authority was allocating housing stands.
The affected stands were sold for $6 per square metre and are 500 square metres each.
Some residents said they were worried that CBZ would charge them a lot of money for financing the construction of the houses after they had already paid $406 each to council.
“I have been part of a co-operative since 2008 and we were told to pay $406 towards the purchase of the stands,” said one of the residents at the meeting.
“What we don’t understand is that we are now being asked to pay another $3 000 for the same stands under the CBZ project.”
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Another resident said most of the owners of the housing stands could not afford the bank’s lending rates, hence the houses would be too expensive for them.
“We don’t want to be beholden to the bank and it is wrong for council to just inform us when they have already made a decision to go into a partnership with CBZ,” the resident said.
“We don’t want a situation where we are lured into an agreement with the bank only to be left exposed.
“Your agreement is good, but $3 000 is too high. I propose that council should consult the people before CBZ starts constructing houses.”
Another resident, Trymore Ndolo said council should have consulted widely before signing the deal with CBZ.
“The decision was made by the council a long time ago and you’re only telling us about it now,” he charged.
“Now you’re saying after approval you will dump us and chances are high many will fail to pay the full amount of more than $20 000.”
However, town clerk Christopher Dube said those who did not want to be part of the project would be reimbursed.
Dube said council was not going back on the issue of housing stands in the BB7 section, adding only those with capacity to pay would be considered.
