Good afternoon. Mozambique’s next big human tragedy is to be found in the blocks of flats in its major cities. These buildings, many of which date back to the colonial period, were quickly nationalised after Mozambique became independent in 1975. With the introduction of market reforms in the 1990s, people gained the ability to buy their homes from the state, or to buy flats and displace their existing tenants.
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Since then, the cost of maintaining and renewing property has increased, and the housing stock has got older, driving up its maintenance bill. Blocks of flats need redecorating, new wiring, plumbing repairs, light fittings replaced, new lifts and so on. All this costs a lot of money, money which the residents mostly do not have. And so the condition of the buildings steadily deteriorates, as has been highlighted by a new report from the housing ministry (see below). Water infiltration is a particularly worrying problem, as it threatens the structural integrity of buildings and residents can be unwilling to agree on who is responsible. It is only a matter of time before a building collapses.
