Mozambican Ministry of Combatants opens house factory in Dondo, Sofala

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Mozambican Ministry of Combatants opens house factory in Dondo, Sofala

5:00 CAT | 22 Mar 2016

Smart House, a firm with exclusive rights to German technology and materials for social housing projects in Africa, signed a contract with the government of Mozambique, through the Ministry of Combatants, in November 2015 for the construction of 15,000 combatants’ housing units, AIM reports.

This was revealed by the Minister of Combatants, Eusebio Lambo, in Dondo on Monday, at the foundation stone laying ceremony for the first of the 1,500 units to be built In Sofala province – 300 in Dondo municipality itself.

Dondo was chosen due to its location, since the supply of materials, either to the north or south, will be easier from Sofala, and, according to the AIM report, this choice also intends to reduce import costs.

“Instead of being imported, the German-designed steel profile panels will be manufactured in Dondo and distributed from here to the rest of the country, ensuring that the work will go smoothly,” said Albino Mocha, director of social integration at the Ministry of Combatants.

Quoted in Diario de Mozambique, Mocha said that the 300 Dondo dwellings will be built within nine months, while country-wide the project will be completed over the five years 2015-2019.

“Mozambican workers, mainly combatants, will be involved in the project, as a means of giving them employment and boosting their income as well transferring the technology,” Mocha said.

According to the Minister of Combatants, the project will benefit veterans of the national liberation struggle and civil war, as well as combatants with disabilities and surviving spouses.

The Type 3 houses will have a useful life of between 50 and 100 years, are resistant to cracks, leaks and fire, and can withstand earthquakes up to magnitude seven on the Richter scale. Units can be assembled in 15 days and have mechanisms for generating passive solar energy and a 5,000-litre water tank.

“The actual unit price is 850,140 meticais (US$16,620 ), but for this project our partner Smart House Africa agreed to a subsidized unit cost of 469,800 meticais (US$9,184) to be repaid by the beneficiary over 15 years at a monthly payment of 2,610 meticais (about US$51). Fifteen thousand houses will be built across the country, with 500 to 2500 units in each province depending on the number of fighters,” indicated Eusebio Lambo.

Source: AIM