By Andrew Muvishi
Marondera Municipality plans to deliver 1,523 residential stands between 2027 and 2030 to ease housing demand, even as home seekers who paid for stands under the disputed Elmswood Farm development remain in limbo.
Decade-Long Elmswood Dispute
The Elmswood saga dates back to 2015, with the municipality and Swandev Private Limited locked in a protracted legal battle over the 866-hectare property.
The dispute has left hundreds of buyers uncertain whether they will ever get their stands.
As council sets new housing targets, pressure is mounting for it to account for those outstanding commitments and provide regular updates on the court process.
New Housing Targets
According to council’s strategic plan, it will deliver 800 stands in 2027, 250 in 2028, 240 in 2029 and 233 in 2030.
Municipal spokesperson Kudakwashe Tapfumaneyi said the targets will be pursued through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to address funding gaps.
“Council is encountering funding shortfalls in fully servicing land, as well as in the renovation and renewal of social housing infrastructure and sporting facilities,” he said.
Enforcing Offer Conditions
He said council is also enforcing development conditions tied to offer letters.
“The timeframes stated in the offer letters are legally binding, as they form part of the conditions associated with the land offer,” Tapfumaneyi said.
But for Elmswood home seekers, the enforcement of conditions offers little comfort while the underlying ownership dispute remains unresolved before the courts.
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