President Emmerson Mnangagwa was yesterday forced to cancel two official events due to an unspecified “state of emergency”.
Mnangagwa canceled the swearing-in of newly appointed deputy ministers Musa Ncube (National Housing and Social Facilities) and Chief Moyo (Liberation Struggle Veterans Affairs) at State House.
Mnangagwa was also supposed to officiate at the groundbreaking ceremony for WestProp’s Hills Golf Estate in Mapilerene, Harare.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony, National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Zemo Suda said the state of emergency had forced Mnangagwa not to attend.
“We postponed due to some emergencies that he (Mnangagwa) had to attend to out of town and we are not sure (whether) he will be able to join us. As such, the nationwide event has been postponed, but the special event can go ahead.
Speaking at the same event, WestProp CEO Ken Sharp said the company has officially begun development on the $300 million Hills Luxury Golf Estate, a project that will deliver a world-class golf course and luxury lifestyle community.
He said that the project went beyond the golf course, to include the construction of villas, apartments, townhouses, a country club, a hotel, a tennis and swimming academy, and a shopping mall.
The golf course itself will be modeled after the 18-hole championship course used in PGA Tour events.
“Today’s launch marks the beginning of the development of the rebranded Hills Luxury Estate, formerly known as Warren Hills Golf Club, into a mixed live, work, shop and play luxury lifestyle precinct,” he said.
Sharp said the project was a contribution to the government’s urban renewal initiatives, emphasizing the project’s value creation of more than US$300 million.
He expressed confidence that the value of the investment would increase significantly upon completion.
Sharp says the project has a broader goal of changing Zimbabwe’s international image.
WestProp has secured the involvement of renowned golf course designer Peter Matkovich and architect Joan Balagué Capdet on the project.
Sharp recognized Capdet’s design expertise.
“He is the man who designed this beautiful property that we are unveiling today,” Sharp said.
“He came up with a conceptual plan…he designed the houses himself.”
Matkovich’s desire was to create a lasting impression in the design world, Sharp said.
“He told me, ‘Not only have I designed the best golf courses in Africa and won the most awards for the best golf courses, but I am also a man of Zimbabwean soil,’” Sharp said.
The Hills Luxury Golf Estate joins WestProp’s portfolio of ongoing and completed projects, including Millennium Heights, Pokugara Residential Estate, Pomona City, The Mall of Zimbabwe and Millennium Heights Office Park. Newsday
