Don’t waste time – Minister urges contractors for prototype mass houses

At a recent groundbreaking ceremony, handing over erven to contractors to construct prototype mass housing units, Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Sophia Shaningwa, urged to contractors to keep on track and not waste time.

“I have no doubt that the process that has been set in motion will accelerate housing delivery and assist to increase the number of formal housing units, and to decrease the number of backyard shacks. Even though the local and global economies have slowed down, we cannot afford to slow down progress. Walvis Bay’s forward thrust in terms of industrialisation and development is not something we can afford to halt temporarily. Government, as well as the regional and local authorities have to do their part in facilitating this growth,” Shaningwa said in her speech.
Shaningwa continued by announcing that the Ministry of Urban and Rural development along with the Ministry of Finance have developed a Public-Private Partnership concept specifically for affordable housing, allowing 2000 housing units to be constructed under the project in Walvis Bay.
Several contractors were selected by the Municipality of Walvis Bay, who will each be allocated two plots on which they will build units in accordance with the building plans and specifications provided by the Municipality. The contractors will do so at their own cost and at own risk. The prototype houses are expected to be of high quality and affordable. After an evaluation process, contractors with the capacity to deliver will proceed to the next phase, which is to construct housing units on more than 900 erven.