BULAWAYO'S housing crisis continues to deepen, with more than 162 000 people now on the city’s housing waiting list, highlighting the widening gap between soaring demand and the local authority’s limited capacity to deliver new residential stands.
The ballooning register underscores the scale of Bulawayo's chronic housing shortage. Decades of slow land servicing, ageing infrastructure and delayed housing projects have left thousands of families waiting years — if not decades — for a place to call home, even as the council moves to digitise the allocation system to improve efficiency and transparency.
According to a report presented by the director of housing and community services, Dictor Khumalo, the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has continued updating and digitising its housing waiting register, with 162 836 housing applications captured into the AS400 computer system as of May 2026.
“A cumulative total of 162 836 housing application forms have now been captured into the system, reflecting continued updates from the waiting list database,” Khumalo said.
The report shows the waiting list continued to grow during the reporting period, increasing from 145 936 applicants in April to 146 526 in May, even as more historical records were digitised.
For years, Bulawayo’s housing register has remained above the 100 000 mark, reflecting persistent demand that continues to outstrip supply.
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The city is battling a housing backlog estimated at 125 000 units, while council targets delivering about 3 000 housing units annually—a pace widely viewed as insufficient to close the deficit.
During May, the council allocated 28 residential stands in Mahatshula East, with five allocated to youths aged between 15 and 35, while the remaining 23 went to older applicants.
BCC also processed 14 housing waiver applications, comprising three applications involving the sale of improvements and 11 waiver requests from housing offices in Mpopoma, Mzilikazi, Magwegwe, Cowdray Park and Nkulumane.
The report highlighted continued challenges under the Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle Housing Programme, where 24 cases of double allocation remain unresolved, with no cases finalised during the reporting period.
Launched in 2005 to provide rapid housing and curb illegal settlements, the Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle programme has instead been characterised by lengthy delays. In Cowdray Park, the flagship project has taken years longer than originally envisaged, while many residents continue to live without fully developed roads, sewer infrastructure or reliable water supplies.
Council also reported progress in converting rental properties into home ownership.
A total of 436 housing units have now been converted across several suburbs. The report shows 185 of 1 232 units in Iminyela have been converted, 211 of 1 815 in Mabutweni, and 41 of 167 in Emganwini.
In Makokoba and Mzilikazi, 1 567 of 2 283 units have been converted, leaving 716 still under council rental, while Pumula has recorded four conversions out of five eligible units.
BCC said ongoing regularisation programmes are encouraging residents to complete payments and formalise ownership, improving revenue collection.
Meanwhile, overcrowding remains a major concern in the city’s ageing social housing schemes.
At Burombo Flats, a complex originally designed to accommodate 159 people now houses close to 1 000 residents, placing severe strain on ageing infrastructure and basic services.
The report was received and noted by the council.