BY SETHABILE MYENI
MBABANE – Eswatini Housing Board (EHB) has introduced zero deposit to assist emaSwati who want own a home and other tidbits.
The good news was shared by EHB’s Head of Corporate Services Khulile Dlamini on a video that was posted on the company’s Facebook page. Dlamini said they are excited about this campaign because of the value added by other partners that are part of the campaign.
Dlamini mentioned that they are seeking to manage and develop relationships with their clients or tenants through proper communication.
“We set up a number of communication platforms including WhatsApp group and other social media platforms. You can call, you can walk in, and also the campaigns that we run over and above just expecting the clients to pay rentals and comply with lease agreement”, she said.
She continued to explain that they are not only focusing on their clients but also to contribute to society and they have aligned themselves with the common saying that ‘charity begins at home’, hence they have internal programs that address issues like financial wellness and mental health issues.
“We also do a lot of environmental stewardship through our S.H.E.Q business unit. For instance, we have participated in the Phatsa Sakho campaign in terms of distribution of the reusable shopping bags. We gave that to our tenants and the shoppers at Woolands Shopping Center. We also support a local NGO, Women Run based in Msunduza in a waste management program. We do waste management and then on a weekly basis we deliver the recyclable waste to the center”, she added.
Dlamini stated that despite all the good projects they had going they have also faced challenges in the market which is the high rate of turnover from their rental estates which according to her, was caused by the negative effect people had on their financial status and therefore the high vacancy rate.
“The good news is that we were able to overcome that challenge through our creative, innovative marketing initiatives. We run campaigns like tenant reward program for those who pay on time and we have been able to attract new customers and retain old ones through this”, she said.
