Social activist Michael Amushelelo yesterday launched the Amushelelo Hosea Kutako Airport Estate, a 10 528-plot private housing development about 30 kilometres east of Windhoek.
Amushelelo says the project aims to make land ownership accessible to ordinary Namibians who have long been priced out of the property market.
The development, being undertaken in partnership with murder-accused businessman Harvey Boulter and lawyer Kadhila Amoomo, is planned on approximately 686 hectares of land on Portion 124 of farm Ondekaremba No 78, between the A1 and B6 airport corridors.
The current master plan provides for 10 528 residential plots, although the final number could be reduced following surveys, engineering work and statutory approvals.
Three plot sizes will be offered, with 300-square-metre plots priced at N$40 000, 400-square-metre plots at N$50 000 and 500-square-metre plots at N$60 000.
According to a joint statement issued by Amushelelo, Boulter and Amoomo, monthly payments are expected to start from about N$1 500, depending on the selected category and final agreement.
Speaking at the launch yesterday, Amushelelo said the estate was created in response to Namibia’s deepening housing crisis, saying “the project is designed for working Namibians who are currently excluded from realistic formal ownership pathways.”
Amushelelo said ‘the project is privately promoted.
‘‘It should not be described as Government-funded, government-guaranteed or already fully approved.”
He said the project’s success would depend on land and legal completion, statutory planning, survey work, engineering design, authority engagement, procurement and phased infrastructure implementation.
Boulter at the launch said he became involved because the project offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on housing affordability.
He said that many developments marketed as affordable remain beyond the reach of ordinary Namibians once deposits, bank lending requirements and interest costs are taken into account.
“The purpose of staging is to avoid forcing a household to finance land, infrastructure and a completed house on day one,” he said, adding that many buyers spend decades repaying debt instead of building wealth for their families.
Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa welcomes private sector initiatives such as these that support the government’s objective of expanding access to affordable serviced land and enabling more Namibians to enter the property market.
“From the presentation provided, the Amushelelo-led project appears to align strongly with the national priority of accelerating the delivery of low-cost and affordable housing, particularly for low- and middle-income earners,” Sankwasa says.
Two years ago, homeowners in the Save Namibia housing project, also led by Amushelelo, demanded refunds of their deposits on plots after long delays on delivering promises.
Applicants were asked to pay deposits of N$60 000 in monthly instalments at the time, media reports indicate.
