Zim Cyber City raises redflag against antiquated legislation
PHILLIMON MHLANGA
Tendayi Hlupo-Mamvura, the CEO of Zim Cyber City, has raised the redflag against the Rural-Urban Town Planning Act, a piece of antiquated legislation that was passed in 1977 to govern the real estate sector in the country.
She said this is impeding the country’s efforts to modernise infrastructure and land development in the country.
Zim Cyber City is developing a multi-million dollar project in Mt Hampden, Mashonaland West Province.
Work on the cyber city, which is funded by United Arab Emirates-based Mulk International, was launched in July 2022 by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
However, Hlupo-Mamvura, who spoke at the CEO Africa Roundtable in Victoria Falls last week, said the antiquated legislation was the reason why construction was not progressing as quickly as anticipated.
She said there was a need to review the 1977 Rural-Urban Town Planning Act, which is still governing real estate in Zimbabwe.
She also said there were no incentives under the old legislation to encourage modernization in the country.
“Real estate in Zimbabwe is governed by the 1977 Rural -Urban Town Planning Act and this old law is hindering the modernization of infrastructure and land development in the country,” Hlupo-Mamvura said.
She added: “To build a sustainable city is a revolutionary idea that requires a new approach to legislation as traditional methods of upgrading laws and legislation are no longer effective, as they cannot keep pace with new technologies and sustainability demands.
“In Zimbabwe, special economic zones are defined as export processing zones, which smart cities do not qualify for. Furthermore, facilitators responsible for legislative change lack understanding of the requirements.
“(Therefore) trying to build a smart city with new technologies is difficult because the legislation does not provide for it — that is a big worry. Legislation needs to align as this has become the most single problem in the real estate sector.
“We need legislation that supports innovation and digital businesses. But currently, we are stuck between the desire to move forward and outdated legislation that holds us back. We need a new approach to legislation that enables us to build a sustainable and innovative future.”
WestProp CEO, Ken Sharpe, concurred, stating that it was essential to update laws and modernize infrastructure.
“It’s critical that the current legislation is updated. The process of getting approvals takes a very long time. For us it was 15 years to get approval for the multimillion dollar project that we are implementing now as West Properties,” Sharpe said.
