Source: Byo contractor still to deliver 1 000 houses, 8 years later – NewsDay Zimbabwe
BY SILAS NKALA
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is still waiting for the handover of about 1 000 houses, nearly eight years after the contractor, Rent a Roof Private Limited, was supposed to have completed them.
BCC availed 1 000 housing stands in Cowdray Park which were meant for low-income earners to a private land developer, Rent a Roof in order to ease its housing backlog which stood at 100 000 in 2014.
Bulawayo deputy mayor Mlandu Ncube confirmed to Southern Eye that Rent a Roof was yet to deliver the houses to council.
“Rent a Roof houses have not been commissioned.
“The contractor has not yet handed over the houses to council.
“The stands are being managed by Rent a Roof company and the council does not know the agreement between the developer and the beneficiaries,” Ncube said.
In the initial application to council, Rent a Rood said it would invest US$70 million in the construction of 4 000 houses.
However, a council report indicated that the developer could only be allocated 1 000 stands.
Efforts to get a comment from the company were fruitless as the contact number given was continuously on voice mail.
