Chiyangwa's 250,000 Housing Stands Project Under Scrutiny
A think tank based in Harare is questioning the feasibility of a project to create 250,000 residential stands by Pinnacle Property Holdings, owned by businessman Phillip Chiyangwa.
The Coalition for Market and Liberal Solutions (COMALISO) raised concerns about whether there is enough funding for infrastructure and whether the land has been properly surveyed by the Surveyor General’s office.
COMALISO warned that if the Registrar of Deeds does not manage the project carefully, it could lead to legal problems.
In a report analysing the significance of the 250,000 plots and title deeds, COMALISO said that the issues surrounding title deeds and housing need to be handled carefully. It said:
When a private developer claims that they can supply 250 000 stands, questions have to be answered on the nature of ownership of that land so that when prospective homeowners subscribe, issuance of title deeds does not escalate into abrasive and extended litigation.
Government must do due diligence to eliminate chances of future disputed stands ownership and related conflicts in this project.
When contacted by NewsDay for comment on the legality and viability of the project, Chiyangwa said the situation is under control. He said:
I bought the land and I do not have the answers to the rest of the questions you are asking me.
COMALISO reiterated the importance of title deeds, saying President Emmerson Mnangagwa has consistently stressed the need for both current and prospective low-income homeowners to possess them. The organisation said:
In addition to our 10-year-old advocacy on this subject, the central government has unleashed several such campaigns, the most popular of which is the Kwangu-Kwami Trust.
We hope the Registrar of Deeds, through the Kwangu-Kwami Trust, can handle this project.
Moreover, it will be a tragedy of heinous proportions if, 5-10 years from now, 250,000 homeowners have to approach the courts to compel the property developer to process title deeds.
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