06 Dec 2016

President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama says adequate and affordable housing continues to be a core government priority.

“We are continuing our implementation of the Social Housing Programme that includes the Low-Income Housing Programme, Instalment Purchase Scheme and Youth Housing Programme, which together provide for low income and less privileged groups,” President Khama said in his State-of-the-Nation Address, Monday (December 5).

Since November last year, he said government funded a total of 1 546 projects through SHHA Home Improvement loans and 725 of the units had been completed, while 821 were ongoing.

On the other hand, he said the Turnkey Development Scheme funded a total of 2 867 houses, out of which 1 043 units had been completed and 1 824 were ongoing.

He indicated that the Integrated Poverty Alleviation and Housing Scheme targeted people below the SHHA threshold.

“Through it beneficiaries among the less privileged throughout the country are enrolled into the brick-moulding projects and encouraged to save on a monthly basis towards building their own houses,” he said.

He also noted that construction of housing units under the Instalment Purchase Scheme and Youth Housing Programme and Public Officer’s Housing initiatives was ongoing, adding over 600 of the planned 750 housing units under the schemes were being constructed in Gaborone.

Again, he said government had further accelerated social housing through ESP, which was to deliver 4 481 units.

The total, he said, comprised 1 500 SHHA Turkey units; 540 Public Officers’ Housing Initiative houses; 904 BHC Third Party Housing units; 787 SHHA Home Improvement projects as well as 750 Instalment Purchase and Youth  housing scheme units.

“Since the inception of ESP, construction of 3 092 units has commenced with 508 having been completed.”

Another programme, the Public Officers Housing Initiative, he said, was also underway to provide 540 units countrywide.

“These units are being constructed in various remote areas and villages. So far 465 units have been started on site with some 103 now complete.”

In addition, he said the Destitution Housing Programme complimented other social welfare programmes providing decent shelter for the needy.

He added that in order to make a bigger impact, the budget provision for this financial year was doubled from P45million to P90 million.

Also, he indicated that the total number of houses to be constructed was 1 000, where 322 houses would be for beneficiaries in Remote Area Communities while 678 would be spread across different villages in the country.

“Construction of these houses has started and they will be completed by the end of the 2016/2017 financial year.”

Further, he said government’s efforts to provide shelter for those in need was further supplemented by non-government institutions and individuals.

“In this context, I am pleased to report that as of last month, 685 houses have been completed through the President’s Housing Appeal, thus exceeded its original target of 600 houses.  

Let me take this opportunity to once more thank all of those who have generously devoted their time as well as money to this initiative,” he said.

Moving forward, he added, the Housing Needs Assessment to determine the nationwide demand for affordable housing is underway and should be completed by April next year and would provide a basis for future housing strategies and goals. ENDS