Government houses cheap as chips

A SENIOR government official bought a N$1,8 million house in Windhoek from the state for N$336 000, despite a directive by the finance ministry not to sell the government houses for peanuts.

This transaction is one of five property deals that appear to be a scheme tailored to use taxpayers’ money to build million-dollar houses and then sell them to officials for a song.

The five houses, mainly in leafy areas like Suiderhof, Academia and Pioniers­park, were constructed for more than a million dollars each, and are now being sold at an average discount price of N$250 000.

Works minister John Mutorwa wants to know why the houses are being sold for next to nothing, but his top administrator, executive secretary Willem Goeiemann, appears to be ignoring him.

These transactions date back to close to a decade.

Cabinet secretary George Simataa – then works permanent secretary – wrote to Cabinet on 12 December 2010, asking the state to build houses for five civil servants who were set to vacate government houses in Windhoek.

“Cabinet approved that eight houses be constructed on available vacant government plots to accommodate the affected eight tenants at a maximum cost of N$7,5 million,” he stated.

He said this money would come from the sale of government houses.

“That Cabinet authorises that the affected tenants be given the opportunity to buy these houses at the same price and conditions as their allocated houses in the central business district area,” Simataa wrote.

The works ministry relocated several civil servants who lived in government houses in Windhoek’s Southern Industrial Area to pave the way for the construction of the Roads Authority’s offices about five years ago.

In return, the works ministry promised to build them new houses elsewhere.

Documents seen by show that the works ministry — under the then minister Alpheus !Naruseb — got Tender Board approval in July 2015 to construct those five houses.

One of the tenders was given to Eramu Trading CC – to build a house for around N$2 million on erf 1459 in Pionierspark.

In a 2016 internal circular by the works executive secretary, Goeiemann said the N$2 million house would be sold for N$240 000 to Mazinza Muhinda from the land reform ministry.

Muhinda said yesterday she moved into the house last month, but she had not yet received the offer to buy the house.

“Should we be crucified for the slow pace of the works ministry? This is not the first time that civil servants are buying houses. Others bought new houses in Olympia,” she observed.

Another tender beneficiary was Nepando Trading CC. They were asked to build a house for N$1,8 million on erf 1558 in Pionierspark. Simon Shivute from the safety ministry was set to buy that property for N$205 000.

Shivute told The Namibian yesterday that the government promised them new houses. He said he did not get the offer to buy the house, but got the keys to continue renting it. He did not move into the house because the contractor left an outstanding N$40 000 water bill.

Mandino Construction CC was awarded a tender of around N$3,7 million to construct two houses – on erf 4439 and erf 4416 in Suiderhof. The cost of each house was put at around N$1,8 million.

Esandel Properties CC was given a N$1,6 million tender for erf 397 in Academia. This house was set to be sold to Patricia Sinchembe from the works ministry.

Erf 4439 was set to be sold for N$336 000 to Gilbert Mutwa from the justice ministry, while erf 4416 was sold to Eunice Tongo in March this year for N$336 000.

Mutwa told yesterday that he is still waiting to buy the house.

“Some of our colleagues bought houses cheaply in areas like Klein Windhoek and Suiderhof. They sold the houses, and are now living large,” he said.

Mutwa worked as a legal drafter in the justice ministry until 2017 when he retired from the public service.

“The doors fall when you open them. My dear, to have a hot bath, I have to boil the water,” he explained yesterday.

Tongo – an official in the finance ministry – bought the house on the 2 000 square metre state land in March this year, despite a treasury directive in 2017 that the government houses should not be sold without the ministry’s permission, as outlined by the law.

She told The Namibian yesterday that she is not to blame for buying a N$1,8 million house for N$336 000.

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