Kuzeeko Tjitemisa
Windhoek-Urban and Rural Development Minister Sophia Shaningwa continues to occupy two full-time jobs, more than six weeks after the Swapo party elected her as its new secretary-general in November 2017.
Responding to questions about the appointment of a new minister, press secretary in the presidency Albertus Aochamub gave a curt reply. “He [Geingob] will do so when he is ready,” he told New Era.
The Swapo secretary-general’s position has become a full-time post since the party made amendments to its constitution in 2013.
Shaningwa currently serves in two capacities – as minister of urban and rural development and as secretary general of Swapo. She is also a member of parliament.
Shaningwa recently told New Era that she was busy putting everything in order so that the incoming minister would have a clear understanding of what she did during her tenure at the ministry.
The minister not so long ago thanked staff members at the ministry for their commitment towards meeting the Harambee Prosperity Plan targets, which included the provision of 6,500 erven.
“I would like to thank them very much for having contributed immensely to the decisions that have been taken in our ministry.
“These decisions have brought positive implementation of [what] was assigned to us, and also to the Harambee Prosperity Plan, where our target was to provide 6,500 erven and build houses in within a certain price range. They really pulled [up] their socks and we have worked as a team,” Shaningwa said.
Shaningwa said the staff at the ministry contributed immensely to the decision taken by the ministry that culminated in the implementation of the plan.
The minister also thanked staff at town councils that adhered to the directives of the minister, singling out the Oshakati and Walvis Bay town councils.
She said both town councils had done a great deal in terms of adhering to the price ceiling she had set.
“With my team – the two deputy ministers – we said no local authority should build houses for more than N$500,000 and both Oshakati and Walvis Bay adhered to this ceiling,” she said.