Govt company needs E50m for ‘Ghetto’ flats revamp
MBABANE – The Eswatini National Housing Board (ENHB) needs E50 million to develop dilapidated ‘Ghetto’ flats.
The flats have been lying idle for over a decade now.
The flats are estimated to be valued at E3.3 million. They are situated next to the OK Supermarket in Msunduza, Mbabane.
Asked what has stopped them from renovating and developing the flats so that they could be used for accommodation purposes and revenue for the public enterprise, ENHB’s Communications Officer Zamancele Mavuso said the project could not take off because of fnancial constraints.
She said their plan was to develop the flats into three-storey one-bed units.
However, she said, it was a challenge to undertake this massive project because of the shortage of funds.
BEAR THOSE COSTS
She said the public enterprise needed E50 million to build the three-storey one-bed units, adding that the organisation did not afford to bear those costs at the moment.
Even if they could afford to finance the project, she said the units could be priced out of the market.
Asked on the circulating reports that a local businessman has made an offer to buy the flats, Mavuso did not rule out the possibility of selling the property.
She was, however, quick to point out that the public enterprise has not yet received any offers to purchase the land.
“A professional valuer would assist in determining the value of the property, but it is estimated to be around
E3.3 million,” Mavuso said.
Information gathered is that the ‘Ghetto’ flats were last used before the 2010 World Cup, which was hosted in South Africa.
There were concerns from some residents that the abandoned ‘Ghetto flats’ have been turned into a haven for criminal activities.
A resident, who stays next to the
‘‘Unfortunately, we have not received offers from outside the borders either,” she said. Mavuso explained that the decision to sell the land in question was informed by the need to raise more funds for the government entity.
flats, said they witnessed a number of illegal activities taking place in the flats’ premises.
“We know of criminals who would commit crimes and then used the ‘Ghetto’ flats to hide the stolen items.
This was made easy by the fact that at night, the place is completely dark.
Some people have been illegally staying at these flats for free without the Board (ENHB) noticing. The sooner this property is developed or sold to an interested buyer, the better for everyone,” she said.
Another resident noted that the need to develop the ‘Ghetto’ flats has been necessitated by the fact that there was now OK Supermarket nearby.
The communication officer further pointed out that the lack of sufficient funds for other projects forced them to put up its land along the Malangwane Hill on the market, selling at E14 million. Mavuso confirmed that there had been interests in this particular land.
In the meantime, the officer clarified that there was no firm offer that had been put on the table.
USED TO BE OWNED
That place used to be owned by the late sugar tycoon and hotelier, Dumisa Dlamini. He operated Swazi Inn there.
“We received enquiries on the property from numerous interested buyers, but no firm offers or agreements of sale have been signed yet. The property is still on the market,” she added. Further asked if they had not received an offer for the land from outside the borders of this country, Mavuso’s response was to the negative.
“Unfortunately, we have not received offers from outside the borders either,” she said. Mavuso explained that the decision to sell the land in question was informed by the need to raise more funds for the government entity.
“EHB decided to sell the property as an attempt to raise funds to finance other planned projects,” Mavuso said.