Housing project opens doors for local timber
RUNDU – Two local businesses have come up with a solution to utilise locally harvested timber which cannot be exported.
The forestry ministry in July this year resumed the transportation of timber for local supply and processing.
The harvesting of new timber is however still prohibited and no export permits are issued for unprocessed timber and timber logs and blocks.
Keller Zabel Investment has entered into an agreement with the developers of the Ongos Valley housing project in Windhoek to supply the doors, stairs and cupboards for the properties to be developed for the next 20 years.
These will be made from timber harvested in the two Kavango regions.
Principal contractor Welwitschia Construction plans to build 28 000 housing units over the next 15 to 20 years to address Windhoek’s housing shortfall.
“Astimbertraders,weapproached this project and told them since they are building over 20 000 houses, we have timber stuck in the bush that we are no longer allowed to export, and we need to create value with that timber locally,” Keller Zabel Investment’s George Shikongo told Nampa on Monday.
Shikongo said they proposed to Ongos Valley that they supply the doors, stairs and cupboards for the entire project, which he said Ongos Valley welcomed wholeheartedly as they equally did not want to see the harvested timber go to waste.
“We got the appointment letter from Ongos Valley last Friday to supply them for the next 20 years,” he noted.
The appointment letter seen by this news agency from Welwitschia Construction indicates that Keller
Zabel Investment is required to supply finished hardboard doors and stair treads.
He further explained that they will source the timber from farms in the Kavango regions and transport it to Windhoek for the manufacturing process.
Approached for comment, Jacques Connan from Welwitschia Construction said they were going to source their items from a different supplier but opted to make use of Keller Zabel instead in order to assist in growing the local timber industry.
Forestry ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said they encourage these types of partnerships in order for the local timber sector to grow and contribute to the economy. – Nampa