Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Housing sector gets N$8.3 billion

Home Development Housing sector gets N$8.3 billion

WINDHOEK – With the housing backlog set to hit the 200 000 mark by 2030 if nothing radical is done to address the housing shortage, the N$8.3 billion appropriation to the housing sector in the national budget could not have come at a better time.

Of the amount allocated by the Minister of Finance, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, N$2.6 billion will fund the ambitious Mass Housing Development Programme to construct 10 137 houses and service 6 457 plots around the country during its first phase.

“A total of N$8.3 billion is made to the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development for the provision of residential housing in various towns and cities,” said the minister on Wednesday when delivering the 2014/2015 budget statement in parliament.

Manager of Research and Competitor Intelligence at FNB Namibia, Namene Kalili, said it will take time to address the housing crisis because the groundwork is yet to be addressed but he was optimistic that the target to construct 185 000 houses by 2030 is attainable.

Kalili also said the environment in which houses are to be delivered is not conducive for accelerated delivery. “Our municipalities and deeds office, especially here in Windhoek need to be capacitated if the crisis is to be addressed. It takes the deeds office a year to complete 7 000 house transfers, while it takes the municipality a month to approve 40 house plans. These are all things that will delay the programme if not addressed,” Kalili said.

Aspects like water and electricity must also be addressed because of the increase in residents that the programme will bring, he said.

“The groundwork needs to be sorted out. Delivering houses takes time because you do not just build a house in a month, therefore the programme will not have an immediate impact,” he said.

Although he said the 185 000 target can be attained he warned that, if the programme is not well implemented, it could end up being another TIPEEG.

“You saw what happened with TIPEEG, when the targets were missed in the first year people started to abandon it. But in this case housing is too important, so we cannot risk doing the same,” cautioned Kalili.

 

By Mathias Haufiku