Auleria Wakudumo
The Roads Contractor Company (RCC) and the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) signed a five-year memorandum of understanding aimed at accelerating land servicing and affordable housing delivery across Namibia.
The agreement was done in line with government’s national development priorities under the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6).
At the signing ceremony, NHE Chief Executive Officer, Gisbertus Mukulu, stressed that housing delivery remains a pressing national need. “We, therefore, appreciate the opportunity to assist one another and leverage on each other’s expertise. The RCC can excel better at constructing services while the NHE has mastered the art of housing construction,” Mukulu said.
Under the agreement, RCC will provide civil engineering and infrastructure expertise in areas such as road construction, stormwater drainage, water and sewer reticulation and electrification. NHE will focus on the construction of top structures, particularly within the informal settlement upgrading programme.
RCC interim Chief Executive Officer, Dasius Nelumbu, emphasised that the partnership reflects the companies’ renewed relevance in Namibia’s development landscape.
He noted that affordable housing cannot exist without proper infrastructure.
“Our role is to provide the backbone: the roads, the water, the sewer and the power networks that make housing viable. This partnership allows us to contribute directly to commodities by creating serviced land that enables decent housing, social upliftment and economic growth,” Nelumbu stated.
The memorandum of understanding also establishes a joint steering committee and technical committee to plan and oversee projects.
Both CEOs agreed that State-owned enterprises must align their efforts to maximise impact, reduce the housing backlog and support inclusive growth.
Namibia’s housing backlog stood at around 300 000 by last year and NHE provided close to 22 000 houses countrywide since its inception in 1993. The country needs at least 30 000 housing units to meet the country’s housing needs.