Windhoek – Moses Matyayi, the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Windhoek, has confirmed the availability of adequate land in Windhoek to support low-cost housing projects. This initiative is part of a broader effort to formalize informal settlements within the nation’s capital.

According to Namibian Press Agency (NAMPA), Matyayi’s statement came during a ceremony for the handover of 58 houses in the Greenwell Matongo informal settlement. The Informal Settlement Upgrading Project (ISUP), launched in August 2020, is a collaborative effort between the Windhoek municipality, the National Housing Enterprise (NHE), and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development. This project has enabled numerous low-income earners to acquire formal housing.

Matyayi highlighted the adequacy of existing land resources to substantially address the needs of residents in informal settlements. He emphasized the integrated approach of the project, which begins with land servicing followed by construction of housing. The initiative receives financial support from the Government through the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.

The NHE, serving as the implementation agency for the ISUP, has developed 652 houses under the project at a cost of N.dollars 124 million. Toska Sem, the chairperson of the housing enterprise, reported that the cost of building and processing each unit was below N.dollars 200,000. Sem reaffirmed the NHE’s commitment to providing quality, affordable housing for Namibians.

Further progress includes plans to launch a new project in Otjomuise, Windhoek, aiming to develop over 600 housing units at an estimated cost of N.dollars 150 million.