No "bogodu" in delivery of 100 000 houses

The Bonno National Housing Scheme will sell houses to Batswana for no more than P700,000.The Minister of Water and Human Settlements, Onneetse Ramogapi announced on Monday during the Bonno Stakeholder Consultative Forum, a high-level gathering held by the Ministry of Water and Human Settlements to discuss the Bonno National Housing Programme.He fired his ministry’s boldest shot yet in the war against poverty, homelessness, and overcrowding with a promise to deliver 100,000 homes, each costing no more than P700,000.Key stakeholders, including councillors, land boards and district councils, attended the event. Ramogapi, who officiated the forum, said the programme will restore dignity to every Motswana.“We are not just constructing houses; we are building futures. This is about decent, affordable shelter that empowers our people.”He announced that the income eligibility brackets have been widened, allowing even low-income earners to qualify for the new housing schemes. The threshold for “low-income” earners has increasedfrom P52,000 to P95,000 per annum, while those earning up to P282,120 now fall under the newly expanded D4 scale and below.“This means your gardener, your cleaner, or that security guard at the gate may soon be a homeowner,” Ramogapi said.All loans will be interest-free, with 20-year repayment plans. Even pensioners, self-employed individuals, and contract workers are catered for.Deputy Permanent Secretary Nchidzi Mmolawa revealed that the ground-breaking for the first 61,000 homes will begin in June. President Duma Boko is expected to officially launch the project in Palapye, while government officials will officiate in other constituencies.To speed up the rollout, Mmolawa called on land boards and councils to submit available land that does not require servicing by 23 May.“When a piece of land is identified, it must not sit in files,” Mmolawa said. “We need approvals fast so that building can begin immediately.”Mmolawa warned that illegal sand mining will not be tolerated. Only licensed or quarry-sourced sand will be used in the Bonno projects.“There will be no ‘bogodu’ here. We are building the future, not digging illegal pits,” he warned.Assistant Minister Motsamai Motsamai called Bonno a direct weapon against poverty. “We are giving people homes so they can restore their dignity. No one should raise children in a one-room house. That ends now.”

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No "bogodu" in delivery of 100 000 houses