VICTORIA Falls City Council on Monday postponed the sale of unserviced high-density and medium-density stands after residents expressed displeasure at the cost of stands and the process which they said lacks transparency.
Council had advertised calling on home seekers to visit its housing offices in Chinotimba for vetting between Monday and Friday and hundreds thronged the place.
Beneficiaries are expected to pay US$3 000 and US$5 000 deposit for high-density and medium-density stands respectively with the remaining balance payable over a period of 18 months.
The stands are pegged at US$9 500 and US$12 500 respectively.
Residents complained that the cost of the stands was too high and the deposit beyond the reach of ordinary citizens, who risk being sidelined.
Victoria Falls Watchdog, a new pressure group formed in the city in March with the objective of fighting corruption and representing residents, approached the High Court in Bulawayo and made an urgent chamber application for an interdict.
As council officials distributed application forms to home seekers to complete in preparation for vetting, the Victoria Falls Watchdog served the council with the application for an interdict forcing the process to stop, although no order has been granted by the High Court.
The case number is HC (UCA) 62/2023 and was made through Mhaka Attorneys.
In the meantime, some residents, mostly Zanu-PF members, were singing revolutionary songs within council grounds denouncing the process.
The council then announced to home seekers that the process had been postponed until further notice.
Victoria Falls mayor Somvelo Dlamini said a special council meeting had been organised for Tuesday to discuss the way forward.
“We have postponed the exercise and we will sit in a special council meeting to deliberate on the issue,” he said.
The council housing backlog has over the years been hovering above 15 000 and lately the council said it is estimated to have risen to more than 20 000.
The new stands will be along Kazungula road
