CHAMWE KAIRA
The Ongos Valley project is expected to deliver 28 000 housing units over the next 15 to 20 years, providing accommodation for about 114 800 people as Windhoek grapples with a growing housing shortage and expanding informal settlements.
The project, situated at Farm Ongos No. 38, is one of two City of Windhoek monitoring projects under development agreements, covering a combined 1 743 hectares.
According to a report by the parliamentary standing committee on urban and rural development and land reform, the Ongos Valley development is intended to alleviate the capital’s housing shortage and forms part of efforts to address a national housing backlog estimated at approximately 300 000 units.
Windhoek’s population stood at 486 186 in the 2023 National Population and Housing Census and was projected to reach 519 670 in 2025.
The population living in informal settlements was projected at 262 418 in 2025, with the number of households reaching 55 126.
By November 2025, there were 55 957 informal structures in Windhoek’s informal settlements.
The national target is to construct 50 000 houses, with half of the target, or 25 000 houses, allocated to Windhoek. The capital is expected to deliver 5 000 houses a year between 2025 and 2030.
However, the City of Windhoek’s housing and land-servicing targets have been affected by funding constraints.
For the 2025/26 financial year, the city planned to service 700 erven in greenfield developments at an approved budget of N$227 million, but only N$86.5 million was allocated. The allocation reduced the target to 267 erven.
In brownfield developments, the city targeted 3 150 erven at a budget of N$745 million, but received N$141 million.
The city also planned to construct 500 houses through its Council Affordable Housing Programme at a budget of N$275 million, but received N$34.6 million.
Under its Informal Settlement Affordable Housing Programme, it planned 300 houses at a budget of N$90 million, but was allocated N$42 million.
The housing pressure is also evident in other major urban centres. Oshakati had a population of 58 696 in the 2023 Census and an annual growth rate of 4.369%.
The town covers 56.3 square kilometres and has about 10 685 properties on its valuation roll, while its informal settlement has about 5 956 households or properties.
The Oshakati Town Council revived its Decentralised Build Together Programme in 2021 to assist applicants earning less than N$6 000 a month. In October that year, 100 residential plots in Onawa Extension 8 were allocated under the programme.
In Walvis Bay, the 2023 census estimated the population at about 145 000, growing by 4.9% annually, with the population projected to reach about 165 000 by 2028. The town had about 23 000 informal structures or backyard shacks.
Between 2019 and 2024, Walvis Bay implemented low-cost housing projects involving 4 211 erven and 6,918 selected beneficiaries.
Of 2470 erven approved for allocation, 2 317 applicants submitted proof of income. Only 57% of the erven made available for allocation were fully allocated, leaving 43% unallocated.
According to the census, Swakopmund’s population in 2023 stood at 75 000 with a growth of +- 4.4% per annum.
During the period of 2019-2024, the council implemented various projects to address housing needs under the low-cost housing project and a number of people were selected to benefit.
The total number of erven were 4 211 and the number of people selected were 6 918. Another 2 470 erven were approved to be allocated, but only 2 317 people have submitted their proof of income.
Rundu’s population stood at 118 625, with a rapid population growth driven by urbanization rate of 5% per annum.
A total of 2 214 erven were developed in 10 extensions for the period 2012 to 2025. The town council also formalised 3 424 erven from 2017 to 2024.
