Loraine Phiri
The City of Bulawayo says servicing of the long-delayed Magwegwe West residential stands will resume after it won an arbitration case that had stalled the project.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Town Clerk Christopher Dube said the city had updated beneficiaries on progress during a meeting held on Monday with the residents’ committee.
“The City of Bulawayo on Monday, 3 August 2026 held a positive engagement with the Resident’s Committee representatives for the beneficiaries of the Magwegwe West residential stands,” Dube said. “The meeting sought to give an update on the arbitration process and the servicing of the area.”
Dube said the city had secured a favourable arbitration award last month, clearing the way for work to restart.
“The City of Bulawayo on the 23rd of July 2026 received the arbitration award for the servicing of the Magwegwe West residential stands in favour of the City,” he said. “The resolution of the arbitration case allows for the resumption of the servicing works in the area.”
He said residents’ leaders met a city delegation led by Mayor Senator David Coltart and Acting Town Clerk Sikhangele Zhou, who explained that “the development of the stands had been stalled by the court arbitration case.”
According to Dube, the Magwegwe West housing stands “are part of the presell projects which were affected by macro-economic developments leading to the project stalling and the arbitration process.”
Dube said the meeting resolved that beneficiaries would continue paying a top-up contribution to fund essential infrastructure.
“The continued payment of US$794 per beneficiary top up” will finance “the servicing of water and sewer,” Dube said.
He added that residents were being encouraged to settle outstanding balances, saying that “172 beneficiaries have fully paid, 124 have not made any payments with 94 having partially paid.”
Dube noted that work on the site would resume next month.
“The City of Bulawayo will move to the project site on Tuesday, 1 September 2026 with project completion expected by the 31st July 2027,” Dube said.
He added that beneficiaries who have settled their accounts would be able to move forward with ownership documentation.
“Fully paid-up residents have access to agreements of sale and the processing of building plans,” he said.
The city said the stands would be handed over once basic infrastructure had been completed.
“When habitable (provision of water and sewer and provision of roads to gravel standard with storm drainage) – the stands be handed over for the beneficiaries to start construction following all other due processes,” Dube said.
Dube appealed to beneficiaries with outstanding balances to make their payments.
“The City of Bulawayo would like to encourage the stands beneficiaries with outstanding top-up balances to clear them as this will ensure that the project is completed within the shortest period possible to allow for the construction of their houses,” he said.
