Source: Govt secures 20 000 housing stands for civil servants – herald
Golden Sibanda and Martin Kadzere
Government has secured at least 20 000 residential stands for civil servants at Tantallon Estate in Manyame under the Presidential Housing Programme, which is being administered by businessman Philip Chiyangwa’s Pinnacle Holdings.
The housing project is aimed at providing affordable accommodation for State employees — mainly security personnel, lawmakers and parliamentary staff — Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said yesterday.
He made the remarks during a tour of the project site, where senior security personnel inspected the area to appreciate the scope and progress of the development.
Tantallon Estate forms part of Pinnacle’s Nyore Nyore Housing Scheme, a project comprising five mixed‑use residential developments, including Edinburgh Estate, Chegutu City, Somerby Estate and Kilworth Estate. Collectively, the scheme is targeting the delivery of 250 000 residential stands.
Minister Garwe said the project, located about 20 kilometres south of Harare’s central business district in Mashonaland East Province, was an initiative directed by President Mnangagwa as part of a nationwide drive to increase housing supply.
It is being implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works in partnership with Pinnacle, a property development vehicle owned by Dr Chiyangwa.
The housing development features fully serviced land supported by regulated water, sewer and electrical networks. This ensures that housing infrastructure is constructed only once essential services are fully in place, in line with the National Human Settlements Policy.
Beyond basic utilities, the scheme is envisioned as a “smart city”, incorporating technologically advanced social amenities, including shopping centres, a police station, a football stadium, healthcare facilities as well as a full range of primary and secondary schools.
Critical infrastructure development is already under way, with major road networks completed and construction now progressing towards sewer reticulation and drainage systems.
Although a segment of the project caters for high‑income earners, the bulk of the development is earmarked for low‑income households, with strict adherence to modern infrastructure standards.
The scheme will employ a densification strategy, incorporating high‑rise units to optimise land use, in line with the Government’s Urban State Land Management Policy (2025), which seeks to promote sustainable urban development, eliminate land barons, curb urban sprawl and ensure orderly, legal land administration.
To ensure long‑term affordability, the housing stands will be supported by mortgage facilities with repayment terms of up to 15 years.
Minister Garwe said while the initiative targets civil servants broadly, priority is being given to members of the security sector, Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff.
“This is a Presidential initiative. It is important for us to understand that the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works is the implementing agent directed by His Excellency,” said Minister Garwe.
“The President said by 2030, no one must be crying for accommodation. We must have cured the accommodation disease.”
Zimbabwe’s national housing backlog is estimated at between 1,25 million and 2 million units, driven by rapid urbanisation, population growth and limited access to financing. Major urban centres, particularly Harare and Bulawayo, account for about 70 percent of the shortfall.
The Government is actively pursuing private‑sector partnerships to bridge the deficit, which has fuelled rising property prices, informal settlements and land baronism.
Under President Mnangagwa’s Second Republic, an aggressive drive is under way to provide decent and affordable accommodation for all citizens, with housing identified as a key pillar in achieving an upper‑middle‑income economy by 2030.
Minister Garwe said Government was working closely with Treasury to streamline mortgage facilities to ensure affordability for workers. He explained that the long‑term financing model had been made viable by the shift from a fixed 2030 deadline for the mono‑currency transition to a conditions‑based approach.
Under the new framework, the multi‑currency system will remain in place until authorities are satisfied that the ZiG currency has achieved sufficient stability to operate independently.
“Where they are staying now, they are paying a ‘mortgage’ which they will not realise anything from because it is rental. We want people to move here and kill the disease called rental. Instead of paying rent, you will now be paying towards your own mortgage,” said Minister Garwe.
The minister said the Tantallon project was the first of several partnerships with Pinnacle, noting that a similar but larger development is planned for Chinhoyi in Mashonaland West, where Government has already secured land to replicate the smart city model.
He underscored the strategic importance of Tantallon’s location along the Harare–Masvingo Highway, a major regional artery linking Zimbabwe north and south, stressing that developments along the corridor must reflect progress towards an upper‑middle‑income economy.
Speaking after the tour, Mashonaland East Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Itayi Ndudzo, said the progress demonstrated that Zimbabwe remained on course to attain an “inclusive, empowered and prosperous upper‑middle‑income economy by 2030”.
Pinnacle chairman Dr Chiyangwa said his company owns vast tracts of land across the country and confirmed that the Presidential Housing Programme would be rolled out to other provinces.
“We all want to see this succeed; we are ready to deliver,” he said.
Representatives from the security services expressed satisfaction with the pace of developments, noting that such structured housing schemes provide a viable path to affordable home ownership. They also commended the long‑term financing model, which offers sustainable repayment terms suited to the financial profiles of security personnel.
The massive infrastructure rollout is expected not only to ease the housing backlog, but also to act as a key economic stimulus by creating thousands of jobs.
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