ELIASER NDEYANALE and SAKEUS IIKELATHE government plans to build about 200 low-cost houses in Windhoek’s informal settlements before the end of this financial year.
This is part of the joint plan to upgrade the city’s informal settlements between the Windhoek municipality, the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, the Khomas Regional Council and the National Housing Enterprise (NHE).
The project, which aims to deliver over 1 200 housing units, will address the housing shortage in the capital – specifically for first-time buyers.
This was revealed by minister of urban and rural development Erastus Uutoni at a press conference yesterday.
He said phase one of the project, which is expected to deliver 200 houses, will be launched this week and the houses are expected to be completed by 30 November this year.
Another 400 houses to be built under the same phase will be completed by 30 June next year. Uutoni said this would cost the partners an amount of N$64 million.
The total cost of this project is estimated at N$138 million, according to council documents.
This includes N$40 million from the central government through the ministry, N$17 million from the Windhoek municipality, N$30 million from the NHE and N$3,5 million from the Khomas Regional Council.
The targeted areas for the implementation of this project include the informal settlements of Havana, Onyika, Goreangab, Greenwell Matongo, Otjomuise and Freedom Land.
Documents submitted to the Windhoek municipality last week show the beneficiaries of this project are people who earn between N$3 000 and N$15 000 per month, including domestic workers, vendors, construction workers, security guards and cleaners.
Teachers, police officers, nurses, bank clerks, municipal employees and other government officials will also be catered for.
The council documents furthermore state that beneficiaries will qualify for housing bonds from different banks, ranging from N$91 000 to N$166 000, depending on their income.
More than 63% of those on the Windhoek municipality’s waiting list earn below N$3 000 per month.
The project will be divided into three types of housing – ultra-ultra-low, ultra-low and low-cost houses.
Ultra-low-cost houses will be built in Otjomuise, while low-cost houses will be built in Otjomuise and Khomasdal.
The ultra-ultra-low-cost houses will be constructed on Farm 508 in Havana as high-density residential homes “where multiple beneficiaries share one erf to cut servicing costs”.
Uutoni said the basic units, measuring 22 square metres, would be built at a cost of N$91 000, including land, labour and construction expenses.
A one-bedroom house, measuring 32 square metres, will cost N$103 000, all-inclusive.
A two-bedroom house, measuring 45 square metres, will cost N$166 000 in total.
Uutoni said the amounts are reasonable and also affordable to those who sell on the markets.
He said beneficiaries of the project would include people who currently live in informal settlements, and who would receive title deeds for the land on which they reside.
The minister said the municipality is currently registering those without title deeds to be issued with certificates of occupation that would eventually lead to ownership.
“I am excited to announce phase two… is expected to yield 600 houses.
“What is key to mention is that these houses will be affordable for ultra-ultra-low-income residents earning just over N$3 000 per month, with a repayment amount of between N$682 and N$1 223 over 25 years,” he said.
Uutoni urged suppliers of building materials not to inflate their prices.
“Don’t escalate the price of the building material. Let’s help the nation together. If we give you houses to construct, abide by our conditions,” he said.
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