Project offers low income housing
One of the houses built by Cheetah Capital under construction in Otjimuise.
Houses constructed under the project meet the minimum standards of 50 square meters set by commercial banks. They consists of two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, bathroom including a shower. Houses are sold according to the clients’ income category with people earning N$1000 and less qualifying for houses worth N$120 000.
According to Silvester Shipanga, Chairperson of the Cheetah Capital Community Resettlement, the project was started when he and his team realised that it was difficult for a number of people to access loans from banks.
“We do not build houses with loans from commercial banks, we build houses with our resources and contributions from self mobilised groups to insure that these houses are un-bonded. When you go to the bank you can put up your house as collateral because it is un-bonded” he said.
Shipanga appealed for government’s assistance to make it possible for them to build houses that are in line with the standards and criteria set by banks.
The Human Resource Director at C.C.C.R Pieter Roman added that the project provides funding for the building of the house and the client is expected to repay the project in 20 years.
Shipanga further said that C.C.C.R does not compromise on quality and that the project welcome competition because it is health.
“We are guided by our modules and business plans, we are confident that we can face any challenges in our way. We are ready for competition, as far as I know we are here to satisfy the need of the market, to serve the previously disadvantaged. We do not refer them to the bank,” he said.
Reginald Stumpfe, CEO of C.C.C.R challenged government as well as private institutions through their social responsibility programmes to get involved and help the project in its efforts to help solve the lack of housing in the country.
“We want to remind Government about Vision 2030, to remind Government about the poor housing conditions.
“We want to motivate and challenge them to become involved to supply us with land.
“Vision 2030 talks about the poor living conditions of our people that needs to be improved. This initiative is simply based on that – helping with the housing needs of our people,” he said.
The Cheetah Capital Community Resettlement project has been constructing houses since 2009. The project has since constructed 22 houses in various towns including Okondjatu, Otjiwarongo Tsumeb as well as in Windhoek. The project was launched in 2010 by the Governor of the Otjozondjupa region.
