17 Jun 2019

Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) will in the near future build more houses in Tutume.

Addressing the Tutume sub-council session recently, the corporation’s regional director north, Ms Bridget Ntonga said they had successfully built 50 housing units in the village, which different government departments had already shown interest to purchase.

Ms Ntonga explained that prior to building the houses, BHC did a survey, which indicated that there was need for accommodation in the area.

She said the success of the project and intention to purchase by government departments, gave the corporation reason to contemplate building more houses in the near future, adding there are plots on which they can build 50-100 more houses.

Ms Ntonga added that of the 50 units, 25 are two bedroomed and the other 25 are three bedroomed, with prices ranging between P536 000 and P622 000, excluding VAT.

She said negotiations with government departments for purchasing arrangements, do not leave out individual buyers who may be interested, saying depending on completion of negotiations with those that have shown interest, BHC may re-advertise the houses. She stated that BHC’s main aim is not to rake in high profits, but rather to help Batswana own property and have permanent accommodation, hence their prices have very little margins as returns.

The regional director added that though construction costs rise annually, the corporation always affords Batswana the opportunity to own accommodation through avenues such as the Tenant Purchase Scheme.

She said the houses will be officially handed over to the district next month.

A BHC official dealing with the Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) project, Mr Tefo Gaogane highlighted that for 2017-2018 financial year, they were tasked to construct 25 houses and almost all had been completed, except for the one in Zoroga which was on the water path area, hence the need to relocate it.

 Furthermore, Mr Gaogane said for the 2018-2019, they had 46 houses and 19 have already been handed over to beneficiaries, with the remaining ones at various completion stages.

He said this financial year, they have a target of 25 houses, expressing the hope that they will call beneficiaries for orientation shortly, begin construction in July and achieve the September 2019 handover target. ENDs