WINDHOEK – Only 6 457 and not the projected 10 200 plots will be serviced in towns around the country during the first phase of mass housing construction project.
The National Housing Enterprise (NHE) did not provide reasons for this development when approached for comment yesterday, but promised to provide a comprehensive report about the programme at a press conference slated for tomorrow. When President Hifikepunye Pohamba launched the programme last year, he announced that 10 200 plots would be serviced, but a document seen by New Era indicate that only 6457 plots will be serviced.
NHE CEO, Vinson Hailulu declined to comment when approached yesterday. “We will have a press conference tomorrow [Friday] where we will give a comprehensive report about the mass housing programme,” said Hailulu. It will cost the government around N$484.3 million to service the 6 457 plots and about 18 companies have been contracted to service the plots under the mass housing programme, according to the document seen by New Era. Phase 1 of the programme will run for two years and cost just under N$3 billion. The companies that will service the plots are 7 Sir’s Group (1 363), Afrina Chinese Co (70), Homenet Properties (264), Oruhapo (79), Green Cycle (350), Dibana/July Eight (400), Calgrow M3 (673), Hadago Investments (45), RCC (592), Jumcorp (330), China Jiangxi (180), Groenewaldt Construction (468), NCCS (658), Ehanda Investment Cc (412), Dolly Investment (310), Sinyhydro (290), MCC Nineteenth (486) and Zhong Mei Engineering (229). During the first phase, the highest number of plots, 1 363, will be serviced in the Erongo Region, while only 45 plots will be serviced in the Kunene Region. Over 11 000 housing units must be build yearly if government is to meet its objective of building 185 000 houses by 2030.
Sources indicate most of the purported local companies are mere smokescreens for foreign-owned concerns.
By Mathias Haufiku