Thursday, February 2, 2017 - 11:30
THE unusual and innovative approach along with innovative solutions to address the backlog in affordable housing for every Namibian is starting to pay dividends with some prototype houses almost ready for delivery to some of the poorest residents of Walvis Bay.
In this regard, the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Sophia Shaningwa visited Walvis Bay to determine for herself what the progress of a new low cost housing project being piloted in the harbour town was.
The project saw 22 contractors each receiving the opportunity to construct two prototype low-cost houses each. Barely a month after the project was launched most of the building work has been completed.
At the launch of the project, Shaningwa referred to the International Investors Conference in Windhoek and said in terms of the Harambee Prosperity Plan the Government of Namibia need to deliver at least 6 500 serviced residential plots and 5 000 houses per annum to ensure that all Namibians can live in their own decent housing units.
“Walvis Bay was one of the selected pilot sites for the Massive Urban Land Servicing Project and the momentum has been particularly impressive. We are here to witness the process of completion of a ground-breaking project in the construction of innovative prototype housing units which will ultimately pave the way for the eventual construction of about 2 000 new houses,” she said.
The project entailed that each contractor appointed by the Municipality of Walvis Bay had the opportunity to construct houses on two erven at their own cost and risk.
According to the minister a process of evaluation will follow and if the local authority and ministry are satisfied with the product, the contractors with the capacity to proceed will construct housing units on more than 900 remaining erven.
In the end people on the various waiting lists will then have the choice from a variety of house types and price ranges to suit their budgets. Prices for the prototype houses will vary between N$500 000 and N$300 000.
The minister repeated her call on financial institutions to assist potential beneficiaries with the necessary credit facilities to obtain the property once it becomes available for occupation in June.
“Even though the local and global economies have slowed down, we cannot afford to slow down progress. Government, as well as the regional and local authorities will have to do their part in facilitating this growth,” the minister said.