The Namibian Sun reports.
The presidency says it is virtually impossible for average Namibians to acquire land and buy propety in Windhoek and several other towns. Government says it will push ahead with promulgating a law that will prevent foreign nationals from acquiring urban land in Namibia.
The presidency has also issued a stern warning to local authorities not to auction off any land, as this leads to prices sky-rocketing, culminating in the average Namibian not being able to purchase land.
The Government push follows President Hifikepunye Pohamba telling international news channel Aljazeera late last year that Namibia will face a revolution by the landless masses, if something is not done to amend the constitution so that Government is allowed to buy the land for the people.
Last year, Government availed N$320 million as part of the Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (Tipeeg) programme to address the need for serviced land.
More than 1 000 residential erven were planned for Otjomuise Extension 10 and for the western outskirts of Windhoek.
Just short of 150 jobs were to be created by this initiative. Other areas where serviced plots were to be release included the informal settlements of Okahandja Park, Havana and Ongulumbashe.
A list of questions with regard to progress of the Tipeeg project was sent to City of Windhoek, but they had not responded at the time of going to print.
Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr Albert Kawana, who is also the country’s attorney-general, said housing and the availability of land, is a genuine problem across the country. He said the situation is most acute in Windhoek, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Henties Bay.
Kawana added that it is virtually impossible for average Namibians to acquire land and buy houses in these areas.
“This is why Government is prompted to say no foreigner must own urban land. That law is still coming.
“Only Namibian citizens should be allowed to own land, foreigners will only be allowed to lease.â€
He lamented that most buyers who purchase land at auctions are rich developers. They develop the land and sell it to other rich people, who are mostly foreigners. Therefore, the new law will include a clause that will ensure that no municipal land is auctioned off.
Kawana said Government will increase the housing subsidies of civil servants by 100%, to ensure that State employees have a better chance of buying houses.
“This was part of our struggle that our citizens have a piece of land and a roof over their heads. If we fail to deliver in those areas, it will mean we have betrayed those who sacrificed in that struggle.â€
He advised Namibians who want to enter into joint ventures with foreigners in order to get the best out of the land to do so and empower themselves economically.
Meanwhile, the Old Mutual Managing Infrastructure Development in Namibia (MIDINA) Fund last year invested N$250 million in the servicing of land at Otjomuise Extension 4 and the project is nearing completion. It was created to narrow the gap between the demand for serviced land and the economic status of those in need.
The initiative is a private/public partnership venture between the Windhoek Municipality, the MIDINA Fund and Acacia Investment. It is targeted at middle- income earners.
Although there is traditionally a perception that private investors drive purchase prices up in order to recover their costs and make a profit, Patrick Kauta of Acacia Investment maintained that their erven will be affordable to the middle-income group.
Kauta said that a total of 298 serviced residential erven, which are not less than 400 square kilometres each, will be completed by the end of February this year.
According to him, the erven will all have access to municipal services, such as tarred roads, water, electricity and sewage works.
“The price per erven has not been set yet, as we are meeting next week to determine the price.â€
They will not be less than N$400 000 per erven. It is difficult to get erven that are big and serviced for that price anywhere,†said Kauta.
The land delivery issue has been a bone of contention for the past few years and has witnessed violent confrontations between residents in urban areas and local authorities.
The presidency says it is virtually impossible for average Namibians to acquire land and buy propety in Windhoek and several other towns. Government says it will push ahead with promulgating a law that will prevent foreign nationals from acquiring urban land in Namibia.
The presidency has also issued a stern warning to local authorities not to auction off any land, as this leads to prices sky-rocketing, culminating in the average Namibian not being able to purchase land.
The Government push follows President Hifikepunye Pohamba telling international news channel Aljazeera late last year that Namibia will face a revolution by the landless masses, if something is not done to amend the constitution so that Government is allowed to buy the land for the people.
Last year, Government availed N$320 million as part of the Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (Tipeeg) programme to address the need for serviced land.
More than 1 000 residential erven were planned for Otjomuise Extension 10 and for the western outskirts of Windhoek.
Just short of 150 jobs were to be created by this initiative. Other areas where serviced plots were to be release included the informal settlements of Okahandja Park, Havana and Ongulumbashe.
A list of questions with regard to progress of the Tipeeg project was sent to City of Windhoek, but they had not responded at the time of going to print.
Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr Albert Kawana, who is also the country’s attorney-general, said housing and the availability of land, is a genuine problem across the country. He said the situation is most acute in Windhoek, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Henties Bay.
Kawana added that it is virtually impossible for average Namibians to acquire land and buy houses in these areas.
“This is why Government is prompted to say no foreigner must own urban land. That law is still coming.
“Only Namibian citizens should be allowed to own land, foreigners will only be allowed to lease.â€
He lamented that most buyers who purchase land at auctions are rich developers. They develop the land and sell it to other rich people, who are mostly foreigners. Therefore, the new law will include a clause that will ensure that no municipal land is auctioned off.
Kawana said Government will increase the housing subsidies of civil servants by 100%, to ensure that State employees have a better chance of buying houses.
“This was part of our struggle that our citizens have a piece of land and a roof over their heads. If we fail to deliver in those areas, it will mean we have betrayed those who sacrificed in that struggle.â€
He advised Namibians who want to enter into joint ventures with foreigners in order to get the best out of the land to do so and empower themselves economically.
Meanwhile, the Old Mutual Managing Infrastructure Development in Namibia (MIDINA) Fund last year invested N$250 million in the servicing of land at Otjomuise Extension 4 and the project is nearing completion. It was created to narrow the gap between the demand for serviced land and the economic status of those in need.
The initiative is a private/public partnership venture between the Windhoek Municipality, the MIDINA Fund and Acacia Investment. It is targeted at middle- income earners.
Although there is traditionally a perception that private investors drive purchase prices up in order to recover their costs and make a profit, Patrick Kauta of Acacia Investment maintained that their erven will be affordable to the middle-income group.
Kauta said that a total of 298 serviced residential erven, which are not less than 400 square kilometres each, will be completed by the end of February this year.
According to him, the erven will all have access to municipal services, such as tarred roads, water, electricity and sewage works.
“The price per erven has not been set yet, as we are meeting next week to determine the price.â€
They will not be less than N$400 000 per erven. It is difficult to get erven that are big and serviced for that price anywhere,†said Kauta.
The land delivery issue has been a bone of contention for the past few years and has witnessed violent confrontations between residents in urban areas and local authorities.
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