WALVIS BAY – A former taxi driver and truck driver have defied the odds by not only growing a friendship but also turning it into a growing construction company.
The former taxi driver, Johannes Mbago, and truck driver Petrus Fillemon are steadily making their mark in the construction industry.
The two are currently tasked with building 185 houses in Walvis Bay. At least 16 of those houses have been completed and handed over to their owners.
The duo’s paths crossed at Namport in Walvis Bay, where Mbago owned a bakkie and provided transport to employees, while Fillemon had secured temporary driving work.
The beginning
Mbago, from Etilyasa village near Okahao, moved to Walvis Bay in 1995 where he started selling tomatoes and onions. In 1997, he obtained his driving licence and became a taxi driver. He eventually saved up and bought his own taxi, expanding later to five taxis. While running his taxi business, he also worked as a contractor at Rössing before joining
Namport in 2009. Fillemon, also from the north, moved and secured a truck-driving job in Oranjemund in 2008. He was retrenched but soon found a temporary driving job at Namport, where he met Mbago.
Their friendship developed into business conversations and led to a business partnership. They began pooling their resources and started buying, renovating and selling houses and registered Fillemon Mbago Investment CC in 2013. “We realised that we could do more if we worked together. We started with what we had and gradually built the business instead of waiting for opportunities to come to us,” Fillemon said.
Third partner
They told New Era that they added a third partner, Dawid Cloete, in 2017.
“He brought building experience and technical expertise that strengthened our construction operations.” According to them, Cloete’s contribution became a crucial part of the company’s growth. Sadly, Cloete died from Covid-19 in 2021, leaving behind his wife and two sons. Despite his passing, the relationship between the company and the Cloete family has continued.
“His wife remains involved, providing advice and assistance with financial applications,” they said.
From small builders to developers
The partners initially operated as small builders and subcontractors for larger construction companies. This gave them practical experience in construction.
According to Mbago, their major opportunity came in 2018 through the Municipality of Walvis Bay’s public-private partnership housing pilot project.“We secured funding and built 40 houses for the municipality. We decided to reinvest the profit by buying residential erven and building 22 additional houses in Walvis Bay,” he explained.
Their work later expanded to Okahao, Omuthiya, Ondangwa, Otjiwarongo and Karibib. In Okahao, they undertook their first direct land development project, subdividing land into 11 plots and providing roads, water, sewerage, and electricity services.
He says the project prepared them to take on larger developments and eventually move beyond building houses for other developers.
“We used our profits to acquire PAM Tree Investment (Pty) Ltd, which holds the land for the Kuisebmond Extension 16 development.”
However, purchasing the land was only the first step. They still needed financing for roads, water, sewerage, electricity, and house construction.After approaching several potential financiers, they secured an opportunity through the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) and its fund manager, Königstein Capital.
Mbago, who leads strategy, business development and stakeholder engagement, said building the company requires patience, financial discipline and a willingness to reinvest rather than spending profits prematurely.
“We learnt that business growth does not happen overnight. You have to control your spending, reinvest in the business and be prepared to put the company first if you want it to grow,” Mbago said.
Building homes and creating opportunities
Fillemon says the Kuisebmond Extension 16 is one of their biggest projects.
According to him, the project not only provides houses but also created employment opportunities for more than 300 people including builders, plumbers, electricians, painters, tilers, drivers and other contractors.
They also, through their social arm, will donate 20 fully serviced residential plots to the Municipality of Walvis Bay.
According to him, it demonstrates how a business that started with limited resources can grow while creating employment and opportunities for other small enterprises.
“We understand what it means to start small and wait for someone to give you an opportunity. We were once in that position, so we want our projects to create opportunities for other small contractors and businesses,” Fillemon said.
Why housing?
He says the decision to focus on housing was driven by the need for affordable homes that offer families stability without compromising quality. Apart from their Walvis Bay project, the company aims to work towards delivering 600 houses over the next two years, followed by a further 1 000 homes over the subsequent three years. They also hope to reach lower-income households and expand their operations to more towns across Namibia.
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