ZBCA urges government to adopt national building code

AUTHORITIES have been challenged to adopt a national building code, a development that will ensure sanity prevail in the country’s construction industry.

In a presentation on the Building and Construction Sector’s Role in Creating Resilient and Sustainable Cities at the Africa Infrastructure and Built Environment Confex (AfriConfex) 2024 Conference and Official Opening in Bulawayo recently, Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association (ZBCA) president Tinashe Manzungu said there was an urgent need to create the country’s national building code.

“We advocate for continuous improvement of regulations that support innovation, timely approvals for building permits and as well incentives. Only Harare has approved building codes that were done in 1977.

Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association president Tinashe Manzungu

“Meanwhile, the rest of the country does not have those building codes. So, if someone is going to build in a wetland or anywhere undesignated what then makes us say this person is wrong or is building an illegal structure yet we do not have a guiding ruler of a building code,” he said.

Manzungu added that master plans would also help in ensuring citizens build proper infrastructure. “We have an issue of the master plans as well. Master plans are not yet approved, but we are looking forward to 2025 hoping that most of the local authorities must have approved master plans.

In the meantime, how do you define an illegal settler when there is no approved master plan? “We have seen demolitions taking place, but whilst these demolitions take place what really is causing all that? I want to implore our policy makers to really move along with us in building resilient cities. It’s not about policy makers alone, but it’s about us as well,” said Manzungu.

He commended President Emmerson Mnangagwa for pushing for master plans. “We all know that very soon we are going to be having approved master plans and that means there will be no more chancers building in undesignated areas. “After the master plans are approved, we need building codes for our local authorities on national building standards,” he said.

In most countries, a national building code is a national instrument providing guidelines for regulating construction activities across the country.