Stefanus Nashama
The government, through the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development yesterday launched the construction of 113 houses in Extension 4 of Goreangab in Windhoek.
The houses will range from two-bedroom, one-bedroom and two-bedroom flats.
The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, NHE and Windhoek Municipality are collaborating to bring the project to fruition.
Speaking at the launch event, the Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Evelyn !Nawases-Taeyele said the project aims to eliminate shacks in informal settlements in the country.
According to her, the program has delivered a total of 694 affordable houses to residents of Windhoek informal settlement areas since its inception in 2021.
“The popularity of the houses built under the project has increased dramatically, and the demand has skyrocketed, prompting the two institutions to look at their priority areas and devise measures to increase the housing stock under the project,” she said.
Adding that to address the issue, 503 plots serviced under the Mass Urban Land Servicing Project are now available but not yet finalised.
!Nawases-Taeyele also revealed that there are 224 erven in the same area where the installation of all required services has still to be finalised. The plots are expected to be ready in 2025, which will result in the construction of another 400 housing units.
The Deputy Minister further said that local authorities and regional councils must follow the same principles in addressing informal settlement eradication.
She stated that the project has directed special preference to men and women in uniform.
According to !Nawases-Taeyele, over 400 applications have been submitted by individuals who want to benefit from the project, and the identification and application process was executed transparently via an advert placed on most print media platforms.
!Nawases-Taeyele expressed optimism that the reduction of shacks in the country’s informal settlements will be evident for all to see.
“To ensure that this project is sustainable, all proceeds generated through the sale of these new houses will be deposited in the Housing Revolving Fund, currently utilised for the funding of houses under the Informal Settlement Upgrading Affordable Housing Pilot Project which will allow us to accelerate the construction of more houses for other ultra-low and low-income bracket and other beneficiaries residing in other informal settlements,” she concluded.
