SWAKOPMUND – “We are going to have Christmas in our own home,” said Sara Tsaes shortly after receiving her keys from President Hage Geingob in Swakopmund yesterday.
She is one of 89 residents who became proud homeowners through the Mass
Housing programme.
The mother of one, along with the rest of the recipients, could not hide their joy as it dawned upon them that they would finally have a place to call home.
Tsaes told New Era that she has been waiting for 10 years to get a house. She applied in 2013 for a house at the National Housing
Enterprise (NHE), and was not discouraged with the long wait. She started saving money since she was on the waiting list, hence could pay cash (N$90 000) for her house when the opportunity presented itself to own a home.
“I am an entrepreneur who sells meat, while also devoting my time to care for my son living with disability, Ditago. We are really happy that our dreams could finally be realised,” she said whilst standing in front of their new home.
Also speaking on behalf of the rest of the recipients, Tsaes said they are all happy, adding that they do not have enough words to describe how it feels to own a home.
“Today is a very special day… We are so delighted because we are going to have our first Christmas in our own places, which we call home. I foresee endless joy for our children. Thank you to our government for making housing a reality for even us who are unemployed or living with disability. You showed us that owning a house is not just a dream, but one that can be a reality,” she beamed.
President Geingob said the handing-over is a testimony of the government’s unwavering commitment towards the provision of decent and affordable houses and serviced land to Namibians. The Mass Housing Development Programme is one of the many initiatives conceived by the government as a means of addressing the housing backlog, he noted.
“To date, a total of 4 239 housing units have been built and already handed over since the inception of the programme in 2014 up to July 2023. Today, we are adding to that number an additional 89 recently completed houses,” the President said. Geingob furthermore indicated that the government uses other initiatives such as the Build Together housing revolving scheme administered by local authorities and regional councils, as well as the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN), while also fostering public-private partnerships between financial institutions, developers and local authorities to address the country’s housing needs.
The President stated that Cabinet on 7 November 2023 approved the revised National Housing Policy and Implementation Action Plan, which provides accelerated interventions and actions to scale up the upgrading of informal settlements across the country. This translates to the upgrading of at least 60% of the existing informal settlements, the servicing of an estimated 340 000 new plots, and the construction of an estimated 221 000 new houses within the next five years, starting from 2024.
“The realisation of the noble objective and targets set out in the National Housing Policy and Implementation Action Plan can only take place if we continue to embrace the concept of Harambee. Only through the holding of hands, enhanced collaborative action and unity of purpose involving all stakeholders, will we climb to the summit of national housing delivery. As Namibians, we have proven on multiple occasions that when we forge alliances across all social groups, across all sectors of our economy, across the entire spectrum, no challenge is insurmountable,” Geingob said.
– edeklerk@nepc.com.na