30 Oct 2016

 Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development, Mr Nonofo Molefhi, has told Parliament that there are 159 vacant units in Gaborone.

He said of these, 71 had been offered for sale to individuals, 38 were due to be demolished where BHC was to build multi-storey units under densification programme.

He said the remaining 50 units had been allocated for rental, some of which still remained unoccupied as they await water connection by Water Utilities Corporation.

Mr Molefhi said in Francistown there are 128 vacant houses of which 34 have undergone maintenance and are part of the sales stock to the ministry of education, while 14 are still undergoing maintenance.

He said tenders to repair 80 houses were opened on October 25.
The minister further said there were 61 vacant BHC houses in Palapye, of which 20 have been offered to BIUST for rental, 18 to the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology and 23 for sale to individuals.

Mr Molefhi said BHC vacant houses in Mahalapye were 23, of which 19 have been offered for sale to Auditor General and Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, while the four remaining units are on offer to public.
Lobatse has 17 vacant BHC houses of which have been offered to Ministry of Tertiary Education Research, Science and Technology.

He said Ghanzi has 40 vacant houses, of which 38 have been offered to Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology and one to an individual citizen and the last one yet to be taken.

Mr Molefhi was answering Francistown West MP, Mr Ignitious Moswaane who wanted to know if the minister was aware that there were some BHC houses which were unoccupied and wanted the minister to state the reasons why those houses have not been rented out to public officers at affordable prices. ENDS