Youth feel sidelined in home ownership schemes
Pauline Dikuelo | Wednesday September 28, 2016 15:43
However despite these efforts, BusinessWeek Staff Writer PAULINE DIKUELO gathers that the youth still feel sidelined by the government in home ownership programmes
Different emotions were thrown following the recent re-launch of the Tenant Sitting Campaign as some embraced it while mostly the youth felt that the programme is still sidelining them.
One of those youth is a graphic designer who is also a government employee Sharkinah Lentle, who rubbished all these efforts by government noting that it is just a political stunt, as they are using these programmes to buy loyalty for the clientele. She said some of the schemes that they qualify for which include turnkey and SHAA, usually cater for people who already have plots.
“Most of these schemes cater for people who have plots or those who are already renting the Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) houses. Government is always giving an excuse that there is no land. I have been in the waiting list since 1994 and trying to get a BHC house to rent is also a process which takes years if one is lucky,” she said.
Another one, Phelelo Raserura shared the same sentiments noting that the reason why the BHC sitting tenants campaign is failing is because it targets the wrong people who are not interested in buying the houses. He however pinned his hopes on the recently re-launched Tenant Sitting campaign which aims to help those who do not qualify to get a mortgage.
Another youth, Tshiamo Keisang suggested that the government should start buying farms near urban areas and allocate plots there noting that it is the only solution.
However, the minister of lands and housing Prince Maele argued that the youth have not been locked out as they are trying to come up with schemes aimed at helping the youth acquire their own homes.
“They do have a point that most of our schemes do not cater for them, but the fact is that we cannot move people from their houses so that youth can buy them.
Hence the reason why we came up with an initiative named the Youth Housing, where we are building houses for youth to rent to buy,” he said.
However, he advised the youth to stop depending on government and consider other options of leasing plots, do some business, which will generate profits that will help them afford houses in the urban areas.
“They must also stop being choosy of the places where they want plots because the land will never be enough; it is a problem that is getting worse by the day,” he said.
Vantage Properties managing director, Sethebe Manake also differed with the youth noting that there are policies in the country that accord the youth an opportunity to own land and property.
“My take is a bit different from the general sentiment expressed as the youth perspective, possibly because I am aware of what other governments are not doing for their people let alone have specific programmes for youth. We must remember that the most important empowering responsibility a government has is policy,” Manake said.
She said one might have the misfortune of having applied for land ages ago and still not yet been allocated, noting that the youth are also selective on where they want to be allocated land rather than appreciating what is there and regarding it as an asset.
Manake said there is a service called Property On Call, which targets the youth and is aimed at assisting them with the planning and execution of strategies that put them in a position where they can own and perhaps even build wealth through real estate. According to Manake, as property experts they have experienced that youth are not interested in it.
“In as much a cliché as it is, the sad reality and truth is that a higher proportion of the youth at least the ones we have spoken to, attach very little value to owning property.
Be that as it may, there are some mostly above the age of 30 who simply want to own a home, and its not that they do not have the means that just do not how, and those ones we assist,” she said.
She advised the youth to stop crying and get serious noting that if they really want to own property, firstly they need to understand their affordability capacity, and accept that as a current reality then plan for their growth from that point.
“The illusion that your first house will be a three bed-roomed house, with a double garage in your favourite location must be dispelled. No one had that as their first attempt of ownership.
As a people sometimes we miss out on opportunities simply because we do not have enough knowledge to identify what is before us as an opportunity,” she added.