PUBLIC Service Commission chairperson Dr Vincent Hungwe has said servants who are set to benefit from the Government’s $60 million non-monetary incentive scheme should move into their new houses by April next year.
Dr Hungwe said this after touring the three sites for the housing units: Knockmalloch along Harare-Bulawayo Road in Norton; the second one is Glaudina, and the third is Dzivaresekwa, both in Harare.
The Knockmalloch site will have 260 houses out of 600 units, Dzivaresekwa (262) and Glaudina (270).
“This is where we are starting as the Public Service Commission and we expect that this will become a national programme, which continues to demonstrate Government’s commitment to ensuring its employees have access to accommodation,” said Dr Hungwe.
He said land had also been serviced in Norton for the same purpose.
“The land in Norton has been serviced and the beneficiaries have been identified. It is expected that come the end of the first quarter of 2019, the beneficiaries will be moving into their properties,” said Dr Hungwe.
The first 500 civil servants have so far been profiled by the National Building Society to benefit from the programme and have been given offer letters to access mortgage loans.
“The second project here in Harare is the Glaudina one. The units are being built and there are about 270 for civil servants. Here in Dzivarasekwa, we have been informed that there are 600 units and 220 of them will accommodate civil servants.”
Dr Hungwe said the programme would deliver affordable, low cost but decent housing for low-income earners.
He emphasised the project would also accommodate Zimbabweans who are not civil servants.
“In terms of affordability, it all depends on what you would want and what you can afford. I am told they are single bedroom units here that are $18 000; there are two-roomed units and three-bedroomed units. The units still leave room for someone to extend depending on their capacity,” he said.
“Although this project is open to civil servants, there are units that are available to non-civil servants. For example, out of the 600 units in Kuwadzana, only 220 will be allocated to civil servants.
“We are not trying to create an environment where civil servants live alone; they are part and parcel of a society so we are not going to cordon them off in their own camps where they do not interact with other members of society. However, wherever there is an estate, we are saying let us take action to ensure that civil servants are accommodated into those estates.”
— State Media