Africa-Press – Botswana. Adequate housing is essential for fundamental human rights such as health, education and work, while providing security of tenure and allowing living in dignity.
Speaking at a consultative kgotla meeting in Mahalapye on Saturday, Minister of Water and Human Settlement, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi said housing was not just a human right but also a basic need.
On the importance of housing, the minister said government was on a mission to build 100 000 affordable houses over a period of two years through Bonno National Housing Programme.
Minister Ramogapi explained that the initiative to come up with the housing threshold was crafted from United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 11 that aimed to ensure access to adequate, safe and affordable housing, while ensuring individuals including vulnerable populations had access to housing that met basic standards of safety, privacy and habitability along with essential services like water and sanitation.
He said the project aimed at creating employment opportunities for Batswana and ultimately turn the economy around.
“Bonno National Housing Programme consists of five key schemes; the Bonno Home Loan Improvement Scheme, the Bonno D4 Equivalent and Below scheme, Rent to Buy scheme, District and Institutional Housing, and Bonno Turn Key housing scheme,” he said.
Unpacking the scheme that aimed to provide affordable housing options to citizens across various income brackets and needs, he said Bonno Home Loan Improvement Scheme targeted individuals within income range of P4 400 to P95 000 and focused also on assisting with improvements to existing homes.
As for Bonno D4 Equivalent and Below, he said the scheme was designed for those earning between P95 001 and P282 120 annually, targeting individuals in the D4 salary scale and below.
While the Rent to Buy Scheme is a collaboration with Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) and private developers that allowed tenants to eventually own their homes through a rent-to-buy arrangement.
The District and Institutional Housing component addresses housing needs in specific districts and for institutional purposes, with ongoing efforts to explore ownership opportunities for individuals in these sectors.
Additionally, he said Bonno Turn Key Housing Scheme targeted those earning between P4 400 and P95 000, providing a comprehensive package for building new homes.
He said Batswana aged 18 years and above were eligible for Bonno housing programme that aimed to address housing shortage and provide access to affordable and decent housing for a wide range of citizens.
Mr Ramogapi toured Bonno National Housing Programme site in Mahalapye West at Mowana Ward where 1 000 houses would be constructed and appreciated the lay-out plan for the project.
He also toured Bonno national housing site in Palapye’s Extension 11.
On other issues, he said the ministry was considering the extension of Water Utilities Corporation’s debt amnesty campaign that sought to address the high level of domestic water arrears, which had reached P833 million given the pouring scores of people on the 11th hour.
However, the campaign offered a 50 per cent discount on eligible debts for accounts overdue by more than 90 days, requiring customers to pay half their outstanding amount and settle the remainder over three months.
Mahalapye West MP Mr David Tshere appreciated the development in his area pointing out that it would add an impetus into the economic landscape of the area.
He thanked the minister for unpacking the national housing programme for more Batswana to understand and access it.
Mr Tshere thanked the minister for the Water Utilities Corporation’s debt amnesty campaign,which ended on Monday. However he noted that some eligible Batswana were still lagging behind thus he pleaded for extension.
On other issues, the MP decried leakages of water utilities reticulation system in his costituency, saying there was need to find a long lasting solution to the problem.
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