The long-promised development of residential stands at Judds Farm in Gwanda has stalled indefinitely, leaving hundreds of applicants who paid up to US$11 000 a decade ago in despair.
The project, spearheaded by Harare-based developer Forit Contracting (Pvt) Limited since 2015, has failed to materialise, with work completely halted until a disputed contract with the Gwanda Town Council is renewed.
The ongoing deadlock was the central issue at a crisis meeting on November 7 between the home seekers and Forit director, Itai Madziyire.
The meeting, held in the Gwanda Town Council boardroom, revealed that the local authority had previously passed a resolution to terminate its deal with Forit and find a new contractor.
According to minutes of the meeting, Madziyire claimed this resolution was being reversed because his company was not consulted.
He assured applicants that the council was now working to renew the contract by the end of 2025.
“Madziyire indicated that this was the main issue discussed as they cannot commence work at Judds Farm unless they renew their contract with council,” the minutes stated.
“Madziyire indicated that this was the main issue discussed as they cannot commence work at Judds farm unless they renew their contract with council.
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“He further assured the beneficiaries that the council promised to work flat out in making sure that the contract is renewed.”
Frustrated applicants, who have heard similar promises for years, questioned what would be different this time.
According to the minutes, Madziyire said t a renewed contract would “guarantee that he will honour his promises.”
“The director’s response was that if the contract is renewed by council this then guarantees that he will honour his promises and hence he shall push council so that the contract be renewed on time,” read the minutes.
He reportedly claimed that once all obstacles were cleared, it would take only four months to complete the servicing of the stands.
Applicants objected to a new demand for full payment before receiving title deeds, citing their original “agreement of sale”, which allowed them to start building after an initial payment.
A proposed solution was a joint bank account between the council and Forit for future payments, but only after a new contract is signed.
In a significant revelation, Madziyire acknowledged that some stands overlapped with mining claims.
He said affected individuals would be compensated with alternative stands.
The home seekers also cited a chronic lack of communication from Forit, which they said was fuelling anxiety.
Madziyire promised improvements and provided new contact details for his team.
Residents revealed they paid between US$3 000 and US$11 000 for stands in low, medium, and high-density areas as far back as 2015.
The deal, which involved lawyers and stamped paperwork, promised serviced stands where people could build homes.
However, no visible progress has been made since.
The meeting resolved that the applicants meet directly with the Gwanda Town Council leadership to seek clarity on the contract renewal process and to write formal letters to the housing director, mayor, and town clerk.
For now, the Judds Farm development remains at a standstill, a stark reminder of a broken promise that has left a community in limbo for nearly 10 years.
