Staff reporter

Last week Budiriro residents woke up to the realisty of having their homes razed to the ground by the Harare Municipality. It was a sad sight for those who witnessed this inhumane episode.

Residents groups managed to get a court order to have the demolitions stopped as these demolitions are against the spirit of the new constitution which protects citizens rights to shelter.

In the same surburb where this carnage took place is the Council-CABS housing scheme that has not found many takers. Why have homeseekers been shunning such housing schemes and going for bogus housing cooperatives.

The shunning of these relatively safe housing options in favour of volatile,non-transparent housing cooperatives shows how much Zimbabwe
has descended.

“We can’t afford the $5000 demanded upfront by CABS” said Chenai Makamure a resident of Budiriro 4

“Worse still,one has to pay $280 a month for 10 years. We are notreceiving salaries and you can lose your job any time” she added.

People are opting for housing cooperatives because hey appear a cheaper option despite standing a higher chance to be duped or to have
their homes demolished.

“The economy does not allow us to take up legitimate housing schemes. We cannot afford to pay the monthly instalments and there is a big risk we might default”

Residents also lamented that formal housing schemes only favour those who are formally employed as there are monthly instalments involved.

Until the government solves the decaying economic situation, more home seekers will be duped by land barons as they seek cheaper housing alternatives