16 Feb 2017

Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development says his ministry has put in place a number of measures to ensure increased access to affordable housing for Batswana.
Minister Nonofo Molefhi said this when responding to a question in Parliament from Specially Elected MP, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo. The National Policy on Housing of 2000, Mr Molefhi said emphasised government’s commitment to increase access to housing, especially in lower and middle income households.
Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing Development, he said contributed to affordable housing through implementation of Turkey Development Scheme which affords Batswana completed houses under the scheme, and Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) which assists Batswana to complete their houses to livable condition.
Additionally, he said his ministry also contributed to affordable housing through Integrated Poverty Alleviation and Housing Scheme (IPAHS) which is an income generating programme towards building one’s own house, targeting those who fall below the SHHA income bracket, as well as Instalment Purchase Scheme (IPS) and Youth Housing which targets people earning between P3000 to P7000 per month, who are currently neither served by SHHA nor Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC).
“Part of these housing units will be reserved for the young people under Youth Housing,” he added.
Furthermore, Mr Molefhi said other housing programmes included; a revised and revamped Tenant Purchase Scheme which is to be implemented by the BHC, Public Officers Housing which provides public officers in rural and urban areas with subsidised rented accommodation, subsidised serviced land in urban areas and free subsided plots in major villages.
“The update from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development on this matter is that the amendment to exempt first time home owners from payment of transfer duty, when they acquire immovable property, is one of the amendments to the Transfer Duty Act that the MFED is finalising,” revealed Mr Molefhi.
He also added that Cabinet had already approved the Bill with some refinements, adding that “the Bill will soon be published and may be tabled before the House during the current session of Parliament, if the businesses of the House allows or during the July 2017 session of Parliament.”
Ms Kenewendo had asked Mr Molefhi to state measures in place to ensure increased access to affordable housing for Batswana and progress made in removing transfer duty for first time home owners. ENDS