Local builders panicked and flooded city offices with paperwork before the new rules dropped. Bulawayo City Council greenlit over eight million dollars in construction projects during November 2025 as developers scrambled to beat a regulatory deadline. Nearly fifteen hundred applications clogged the system, signaling a massive rebound for the property sector.
This sudden rush happened because everyone feared Statutory Instrument 56, which tweaked the Architects Act. Starting December first, only registered pros can draft specific blueprints. The Building Control Section report confirms that submissions spiked forty-three percent to nearly sixteen million dollars in value simply to dodge that requirement.
Housing director Dictor Khumalo noted that while his team processed almost fifteen hundred files, many got rejected. About four hundred eighty drafts were kicked back for corrections, while two hundred eighty-six actually passed inspection. Those approved designs cover retail spots downtown and a fancy art gallery over in the suburbs.
Municipal coffers raked in over one hundred fifty-eight grand from submission fees alone. Inspectors managed to check nearly sixteen hundred sites, issuing certificates for eighteen public structures. Staffing slightly improved with two new hires, though five spots remain empty after a receptionist got promoted elsewhere.
This sudden rush happened because everyone feared Statutory Instrument 56, which tweaked the Architects Act. Starting December first, only registered pros can draft specific blueprints. The Building Control Section report confirms that submissions spiked forty-three percent to nearly sixteen million dollars in value simply to dodge that requirement.
Housing director Dictor Khumalo noted that while his team processed almost fifteen hundred files, many got rejected. About four hundred eighty drafts were kicked back for corrections, while two hundred eighty-six actually passed inspection. Those approved designs cover retail spots downtown and a fancy art gallery over in the suburbs.
Municipal coffers raked in over one hundred fifty-eight grand from submission fees alone. Inspectors managed to check nearly sixteen hundred sites, issuing certificates for eighteen public structures. Staffing slightly improved with two new hires, though five spots remain empty after a receptionist got promoted elsewhere.
