Vusumuzi Dube, Deputy Radar Editor
NEW property values have been set for houses in Bulawayo, which have, in most cases, seen a significant surge in their worth following the completion of the city’s valuation roll.
The General Valuation Roll is a list/register of properties situated within the boundaries of a given local authority compiled for rating purposes.
The lifespan of a Valuation Roll is between three and ten years. However, the period can be extended by a further five years, subject to Ministerial consent by a statutory instrument.
All properties within Council are ratable except property owned by the state, property owned by Council, and property exempt from paying rates under Section 270 of the Urban Councils Act.
The city’s new valuation roll was certified and signed by the mayor, Councillor David Coltart, as per the council resolution of 2 July 2025.
The value of the property does not just cater for the land but also takes into consideration the improvements made on the property.
According to some of the figures contained in the valuation roll, a property in Queens Park East which was previously valued at US$35 000 is now pegged at US$40 000, in Burnside, from the previous value of US$115 000, the properties are now valued at US$150 000, in Kumalo and Woodlands the properties have rose from US$100 000 to US$130 000, while in Luveve and Emganwini, properties that were previously valued at US$17 500 are now valued at US$27 500.
Nketa houses, according to the previous valuation roll, were pegged at US$12 500, are now valued at US$17 500, Thorngrove houses have increased in value from US$17 500 to US$20 000 and Cowdray Park houses have risen in value from US$12 500 to US$22 500 in property value.
Giving further clarification on the new valuation roll, the local authority’s corporate communications officer, Miss Bongiwe Ngwenya said when evaluating residential properties, the process involves a full assessment of everything it looks at the land size and property sales.
“It’s a complete property evaluation, which means it’s not just about the land. Previously, the evaluation only considered land and did not take into account improvements made on the property.
“For residential properties, evaluation is an assessment of the area looking at the average land size. For example, in Burnside, they look at an average land stand and say it is 1000 square meters. If you have four thousand square meters, you’re then charged at the tariff of 1 000 multiplied by four.
This is why some residents face higher charges,” said Miss Ngwenya.
The council spokesperson however pointed out that not all values have increased.
“You will note some changes with certain values decreasing. It’s not automatic that all values increase. Particularly in areas like Makokoba and Iminyela, values have been reduced. Initially, properties there were placed in the 0–7 value band, but residents felt their properties were overvalued. For example, in Makokoba, there are many one-bedroom houses, so residents felt their valuations were too high. That is why you see some decreases,” she said.
Turning to the impact of these change in values on the rates paid to the local authority, Miss Ngwenya revealed that they had adopted a deliberate policy where in the current proposed budget, the new values will not be taken into consideration.
“Currently, the new valuation roll will take effect in January 2026. However, when it comes to the budget, the council strives to maintain the current tariff without recalculating. If you look closely, the tariff may be $16 now, but with the new valuation roll, it could have gone up to $24. So, what the council has done is moderate the impact, hence the standstill budget.”
Miss Ngwenya said the new valuation roll aims to reflect current property market conditions more accurately and ensure fairer assessments for all property owners across Bulawayo.
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