Harare — Chegutu Municipality has received US$40 000 from a non governmental organisation -- Concern -- to repair the town's collapsed sewer in the oldest suburbs of Chegutu and Pfupajena.

The rehabilitation of the sewer system is expected to spur housing development, which was almost at a standstill.

The town has earmarked 5 600 housing stands with indications that it has enough land for housing development.

Chegutu, which is home to more than 120 000 people, received the help following the cholera outbreak that killed 149 people. Town clerk Mr Alex Mandingo confirmed receipt of the grant and said the funds were enough to rehabilitate 3 km of collapsed sewer.

"Concern sourced US$40 000 to rehabilitate 3km of sewer piping. We had collapsed sewer pipes in Chegutu and Pfupajena suburbs. The replacement is now 90 percent complete," he said.

He said the general state of the city's sewer reticulation system was very bad especially in the oldest sections of the city. He said part of the funds were used to replace 172 metres of a collapsed trunk sewer in Kaguvi Infil complete with its intake works.

Mr Mandingo said Chegutu has in the past few months been assisted by UN agencies and NGOs who drilled 20 boreholes to provide clean water.

"We got assistance to drill boreholes to supplement water supplies. Unicef drilled 18 boreholes and Concern two," he said.

In a wide ranging interview Mr Mandingo disclosed that Chegutu had 5 600 residential stands that are ready for sale.

"We have enough land for housing. We have 3 600 planned high density stands and 2 000 for the low density," he said.

The high-density stands are on Umvovo Farm while the low-density stands are located at Hartley Township Reserve.

Mr Mandingo said Chegutu has a total of 8 200 houses, 6 200 in the high-density suburbs and 2 000 in the low-density areas.