By NQOBANI NDLOVU THE Affirmative Action Group (AAG) has hit out at the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) for over-pricing repossessed stands beyond the reach of many, some of whom have been on the housing waiting list for several years. The BCC last week issued a notice to sell housing stands it repossessed after the owners failed to develop them within the stipulated timeframe as guided by the Titles Registration and Derelict Lands Act. Under the Act, council is empowered to repossess and sell undeveloped housing stands. In a notice, town clerk Christopher Dube said repossessed stands would be sold on a first come-first-served basis for US$4 000 or the Zimbabwean dollar equivalent. In response, AAG said this would be serious disempowerment of those that have been on the waiting list for years and could not afford to pay the current full price for the stands. “If this continues, it renders the waiting list useless and a platform to discriminate against the haves and the have nots. “There are also reports of councillors receiving bribes to facilitate for other people to jump the queue and get stands.” Council periodically repossesses undeveloped stands five years from the date of issue. Bulawayo has a housing waiting list of over 100 000, according to council, with less than 30 000 housing stands availed in the past decade despite a growing number of people in need of houses. Council once sought a partnership deal with the Local Government ministry for the construction of residential flats in the sprawling Cowdray Park and Emganwini high-density suburbs to ease the city’s housing backlog. The BCC has also lifted the suspension of the sale of housing stands on pre-sale to prevent desperate home-seekers from setting up illegal settlements. Under the pre-sell model, beneficiaries provided funds for servicing of their stands after entering into a payment plan with council in which an initial deposit of 25% to 35% is paid. The balance is paid on completion of servicing of the stands. Follow Nqobani on Twitter @NqobaniNdlovu
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