By Helen Kadirire
Buhera South legislator Joseph Chinotimba could soon acquire a Harare City Council (HCC) house in Belvedere, as the local authority is considering selling it to him.
According to HCC housing committee minutes circulated during a full council meeting, Chinotimba has been renting the house for the past 11 years, after leaving the council’s employ.
“Part of the conditions of disposal of rented accommodation to a sitting tenant were that rentals must be up to date….Chinotimba was a former council employee after working over 20 years…He had been in occupation of the council rented accommodation for 11 years,” read the minutes.
“The committee resolved to recommend that council approves the sale of house number 4242 Belvedere Township also known as 56 Cardiff Road to … Chinotimba for $130 000.”
Chinotimba told the Daily News that it was a welcome development which had taken too long to be implemented.
He said despite the delay in selling him the house, he had no problems with everything that had occurred over the years.
“This is not a new resolution. It was supposed to have happened years ago. All the other council employees who were renting municipal homes had bought them a long time ago except me.
“I even went to the courts with the matter some time back and I am glad it had been finalised. I was beginning to think that the matter had become political but nonetheless I have no problems with council,” Chinotimba said.
The city had around 9 000 houses in Mbare, Mabvuku, Highfield, Tafara, Kambuzuma, Dzivaresekwa, Glen Norah, Belvedere, Milton park and Borrowdale.
Properties that will be disposed of will have reduced prices of discounts ranging from 20 to 50 percent, with first preference being given to sitting tenants.
According to council, properties in areas such as Milton Park, Borrowdale, Belvedere and Eastlea will be excluded from the sale including those in Norton linked to Morton Jaffray water works.
Spouses of deceased lease holders with HCC were also given first preference to purchase the properties in a 2016 resolution only if they had been staying at the house for more than 20 years.
According to December 2016 committee minutes widows of deceased lease holders who fell short of the 20-year threshold to quality for purchase of the property would not benefit from the scheme. Daily News
