Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Sonja Smith
Published on 2024-03-27 17:00:00
The widow of former housing minister John Pandeni, Julia, is being gifted a newly renovated house by the government. The Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs defended their decision to transfer the house from the Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture to Julia, citing her status as a veteran of the Namibian liberation struggle. The house, valued at N$3 million, is located in an upscale area of Windhoek and sits on a 550 square meter plot. It features two bedrooms, one bathroom, a garage, kitchen, living room, storeroom, two verandas, and two visitor’s areas. The property is part of a larger state-owned plot that includes six other houses, estimated to have a market value between N$8.5 million and N$10 million.
The transfer of the house to Julia has sparked concerns about transparency and criteria used in the privatization of state property. Documents revealed that the transfer process began in 2022, with the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs taking over the property. The late John Pandeni, who served as the minister of local and regional government, tragically passed away in a government vehicle accident in 2008. He left behind his wife, Julia, and four children, who previously lived in rented accommodation. The family had reportedly used government housing during Pandeni’s tenure as the governor of the Khomas region.
The decision to allocate the house to Julia came after the Ministry of Works and Transport deemed the property in poor condition and revoked its assignment to the education ministry. The house underwent renovation and rehabilitation by the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs before being allocated to Julia, who is in need of accommodation. Despite objections and appeals from the education ministry, the property was transferred to Julia, who is responsible for utilities such as water and electricity.
Julia, a veteran of the Namibian liberation struggle, was identified as an eligible beneficiary of the veteran housing program. The Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs defended the renovation of the house as a cost-saving measure, stating that Julia does not own a house or hold a title deed in Namibia, making her eligible for the housing program. The ministry emphasized that the decision was based on Julia’s eligibility and not her relationship with the late minister.
The market value of the property remains unclear, with experts estimating it to be at least N$3 million. The property’s municipal value is reported to be N$7.6 million, with the market value estimated to be between N$8.5 million and N$10 million. The lack of transparency in the allocation of government housing has drawn criticism, with concerns about the opaque process of assigning properties to government officials and their relatives.
Read the original article on The Namibian
