Unki Mines launches homes project

The three-phase project will create 3,500 homes, schools, clinics and shopping centres as part of the company’s social responsibility programme.

When completed, the project is expected to lead to major growth in Shurugwi, an old mining and farming hamlet. Documents seen by The Zimbabwean indicate that the project will be conducted at the nearby 1,105-hectare Impali Source Farm. The land was bought by the mine from Shurugwi Town Council.

Three construction companies – Bitcon, Tarcon and R. Davis and Company – have been contracted to undertake preliminary work to develop the residential plots.

Unki Mines general manager Walter Nemasasi confirmed that construction and services for the first batch of 1,200 houses had already begun.

“We are looking forward to having completed 200 houses by December this year. The houses will then be handed over to beneficiaries. The remaining ones will be speedily constructed and serviced,” he said.

The mine is also building a 33kV electricity sub-station for the new project and water will come from the Impali Source and Gwenhoro dams.

“We are going to be recycling 40 per cent of water by first redirecting it back into the dam before necessary treatment measures are undertaken,” said Nemasasi.

Top officials at the platinum mine also told The Zimbabwean that househunters from outside Shurugwi would benefit in the second and third phases of the project.

Unki has already renovated four clinics belonging to Gweru City Council at a cost of $105,000 as part of its social responsibility programme. A group of doctors based in Geneva later donated fridges, stoves and washing machines worth $58,000 to the clinics.