By: Nghiinomenwa Erastus
- Govt spent N$9,9m on 131 houses
- Shackdwellers spent N$2,6m on 32 houses
In a space of less than a year, the government, assisted by Shack Dwellers Federation and Standard Bank were able to build around 174 houses for less than N$40 million.
According to the estimated value, since both the government and Shack Dwellers of Namibia used the same building plan, on average the constructed houses can cost an individual around N$55 000.
This is according to the information gathered by The Villager after the president handed over the 121 houses handed to the Twaloloka fire victims last week.
The delivery of the Twaloloka houses has also indicated that the government in partnership can deliver enough volume to the low segment of the housing sector in a shorter period.
The governor of Erongo, Neville Andre, indicated that the government was able to escalate its informal settlement decongestion after more than 174 individuals lost their possessions in a fire last year in July.
Secondly, the delivery of the 174 houses in less than a year has revealed efficient ways to deliver houses affordably and reduced the housing backlog given the volume pushed out by SDFN in partnership with Standard Bank Buy-A-Brick initiative.
According to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development last year’s revelation, the country has a housing backlog of about 300 000 housing units and would require N$76 billion for land servicing and housing construction.
The Erongo governor has also highlighted that the fire-rush has led to them demarcating 225 erven of which 215 were single residential erven.
The Villager has spoken both to the SFDN coordinator Heinrich Amushila and Standard Bank on Monday regarding their partnership on delivering 32 houses to the fire victims.
The information received from the partnership indicated that the Standard Bank through its Buy a Brick initiative has provided N$1, 8 million to the SFDN to assist in constructing houses for the fire victims.
Standard Bank revealed that the SDFN managed to build 32 houses with the N$1, 8 million investment.
Shack Dwellers Federation co-coordinator Heinrich Amushila, has also added that they have also used an extra N$800 000 from their annual allocation from the government to build an extra 11 houses.
This brings the total houses built by the federation to 43 for the victims, at the cost of N$2, 6 million.
Amushila also updated that their houses aren’t going to be given for free because the federation relies on a revolving funding strategy- where the current beneficiaries’ payment will be used to construct houses for the next group of beneficiaries.
In the same period, the government responded to the fire victims’ cries by building 131 houses.
According to the statement released by governor Neville, who corrected the president’s figures during the handover, indicated that the government spent N$9, 9 million on the construction of the houses.
Together with the preparation of the virgin land, provision of the bulk services, electrification, and supervision of the construction, it brings the cost to the government for making the construction possible to N$39, 5 million.
The chunk of the money went to the electrification of the houses that took up N$15,3 million, according to the governor’s statement.
The land preparation, building, and installation of bulk services, and gravel roads took up N$14, 3 million.
Electrification is being done by Rubytech Engineering Investment joint venture while bulk services were done by Strydo Construction CC.
The housing units consist of one bedroom for now however, they come with an approved plan for the construction of further two bedrooms by the owners.
The municipality of Walvis Bay came through with the land that was used by both the government and SDFN for the houses.
The governor’s statement also indicated the government’s 131 houses will not be given for free.
Neville explained in his statement that the administration and modalities for the provision of land and houses for the Twaloloka/Otweya beneficiaries will be based on the loan/cost recovery plan principles.
This is the same as the old and first government housing scheme Build Together programme.
The governor’s office, the Erongo Regional office, the Walvis Bay municipality, and the ministry of urban and rural development are working on the modalities, which will be communicated.
Email: erastus@thevillager.com.na