Jwaneng housing needs a headache for authorities

Lebogang Baingapi | Tuesday October 10, 2017 15:44

The population stood at 18,008 in the 2011 population census and it is expected to increase to 21,000 by end of the country;s 11th development plan.

The challenge lies with providing accommodation to civil servants, job seekers and contractors.

Speaking during the world habitant day here on Thursday, the town clerk, Dick Kalantle noted that Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) is currently constructing 72 houses to ease shortage of accommodation, though there is still a challenge of institutional housing.

He said most government employees are on a sharing basis while the local authorities are doing all they can to call companies to invest in Jwaneng. He also noted that there is shortage of serviced land.

“This year’s theme of ‘Housing policies, affordable home’ gives the governments an opportunity to introspect and address challenges in housing and see what is lacking in their policy that hinders smooth acquisition of shelter. Upgrading of infrastructure is not easy as most of the time we focus on new developments,” Kalantle said.

The mayor, Obed Monkge also added that shortage of accommodation has resulted in illegal squatting, congestion in the town and high rentals. He challenged the government to closely monitor housing policies for the attainment of prosperity for all by 2036.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development Nonofo Molefhi expressed worry that there was no progress in residential plot allocations. He also noted that government waste money in access roads and other services because the population is scattered.

He called on the nation to consider new technologies of fair distribution of housing to answer for affordability. Molefhi also noted that policies need to be reviewed to allow for easy acquiring of housing.

“We should advocate for sustainable development to ensure safe urban housing, employability in projects, poverty eradication to avoid squatting. SHHA has improved its loans and we should consider modern infrastructure, especially flats to save land. It’s our collective responsibility to ensure affordable homes for all,” Molefhi said.