The Minister of Urban and Rural Development (MURD), James Sankwasa, has received the Best Exceptional Achievement in Southern Africa in Housing and Urban Development, 2025, from the Africa Housing Awards.
He received the award in Abuja, Nigeria, on Friday.
There is progress in the implementation of the National Informal Settlement Upgrading Project at Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.
This is according to the National Housing Enterprise (NHE), which has appointed a pool of contractors to speed up the construction of houses.
Some shack dwellers of Grunau Settlement in the ||Kharas Region have expressed joy as the long wait of becoming mortar and brick homeowners draws closer.
Some have been waiting for decent housing for 20 years.
Miss Namibia, Johanna Swartbooi, will be allowed to choose the location and design of her new two-bedroom house courtesy of the National Housing Enterprise (NHE).
NHE met with the Miss Namibia Organisation to deliberate on the location of her choice.
The National Housing Enterprise (NHE) has called on local authorities to make land available at an affordable price to help ease the country's housing backlog.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has commissioned three taskforces, namely on health, land and housing, and economic recovery.
She urged members to maintain unity of purpose and embrace fresh approaches to national challenges.
The newly elected Swapo Party councillors for the Walvis Bay Municipal Council and the urban and rural constituencies will prioritise the provision of land and housing, road repairs, and improved waste removal.
The Keetmanshoop Municipality handed over 23 Build Together houses to families in the Tseiblaagte residential area of Keetmanshoop.
The Mayor of Keetmanshoop, Annelize Knaus, stated that the programme continues to reduce the town's housing backlog each year, and she congratulated the new homeowners.
The Cuvelai Special Housing Project, which was launched on Friday, will build 2,000 affordable houses in Keetmanshoop.
The project, a nationwide initiative, aims to tackle Namibia's critical housing shortage.
Many residents in Aranos hope that the new political leadership will help address some of the challenges they continue to face, particularly access to land, proper housing, and reliable food support.
While the challenges vary, many are optimistic about improved living conditions.
