SWAKOPMUND – The Swakopmund municipality says it remains committed to addressing the housing challenges faced by the town.
The municipality on Friday handed over 49 social houses that were constructed under the 40/40 housing scheme to identified owners from the Democratic Resettlement Community (DRC).
The DRC settlement is home to more than 20 000 residents that live in shacks built of highly flammable materials due to the unavailability of affordable houses and serviced land.
This time around, the council spent at least N$5.2 million to construct the 49 houses through a partnership with local contractors in their quest to provide affordable housing to residents.
Speaking at the handover ceremony on Friday, Swakopmund mayor Louisa Kativa said the council’s long-term development plan is to transform the entire DRC into a flagship suburb.
She added council awarded Power Oyeno 24 erven and Kashona Construction 39, to construct the houses. “Initially, our land ministry availed funds for the servicing of 1 596 erven in the DRC Proper to construct low-cost houses for our residents. Therefore, we wasted no time and entered into partnerships with local contractors to build 958 social houses for DRC Proper and 638 credit-linked houses in Matutura.
The 49 houses are part of that project,” she explained. According to Kativa, the local authority acknowledges housing is at the forefront of the council’s agenda, as the right to affordable housing and decent shelter with access to amenities and social services is a basic right.
“Owning a house should not be something associated with pensioners or those who are economically well off, we would do well to demystify homeownership and make it accessible to all, to women, to the youth, to the lower-income families, to the residents of the DRC and every Namibian,” Kativa said.
Kativa added their task, as a council is to create a conducive environment for private enterprises as they play a vital part in the provision of housing in the country.
evedeklerk@nepc.com.na