New State House to absorb prime land

GOVERNMENT has moved to repossess a large tract of prime land near the Windhoek city centre, which had been set aside for a posh residential area, in order to extend the security zone for the new State House complex, an organisation representing ratepayers claims.

“The area in question is 206 hectares stretching just east of Robert Mugabe Avenue behind the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) eastwards over several hills right to the railway line in the southern part of Avis, where the rail­way tracks wind through the townhouse complexes,” said Peter Knoch, chairperson of the Windhoek Ratepayers’ Association, yesterday. “We have it on good authority from officials in the municipality, who are worried about this valuable property going to the State, probably without a single cent being paid for it.”Knoch took reporters up to the Wasserberg, a mountain at Auasblick, where a signal tower of Telecom Namibia is situated.”The Wasserberg with the tower and a huge water reservoir close to Ceres and Tiefencastel Streets will also become part of the huge security zone for the new State House,” Knoch claimed.This would also mean the cluster of houses at the corner of Ceres and Tiefencastel streets (see picture) would also be bought up and vacated.”Quite a lot of the area is already divided into residential plots, with some constructed, tarred access roads and basic services like sewers and electricity laid out by the municipality.The costs of these basic services are enormous and were actually paid by the Windhoek residents through municipal bills, rates and property taxes,” according to Knoch.”There is also a recreational value that will be lost once this area of 206 hectares is off limits for the public.”Knoch said many residents use the area to jog and climb, since it was right in the heart of the city.”Windhoek is lucky to have such an area, which also has a large tourism potential.Ratepayers have rights too and we must fight against this land dispossession,” Knoch stated.The Windhoek Ratepayers’ Association (WRA) will hold a public meeting on May 22 at 18h00 to discuss the issue.Knoch said a delegation went to see the Secretary to Cabinet, Frans Kapofi, recently about the issue.”He only told us that negotiations were under way.”The municipality’s Strategic Executive of Corporate Communications, Ndangi Katoma, confirmed to The Namibian yesterday that Government requested to have the security zone around the new State House extended.”The Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication sent a letter to the municipality to this regard,” Katoma told The Namibian.”It was either early this year or at the end of 2006,” he added.”I cannot confirm if the size requested is 206 hectares, since I don’t have the details before me.”Kapofi was out of town yesterday, but the Permanent Secretary to Cabinet, Steve Katjiuanjo, told this reporter via his office secretary to “contact State House.”When State House was phoned, it was established that the Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr Albert Kawana, had “gone to the doctor.”The Permanent Secretary in the office of the President, Dr Ndeutala Angolo, was in a meeting.Government had already repossessed 20 hectares to build the new N$500 million State House complex.The property was valued at N$24 million, but the money has not been paid to the City of Windhoek yet.”We have it on good authority from officials in the municipality, who are worried about this valuable property going to the State, probably without a single cent being paid for it.”Knoch took reporters up to the Wasserberg, a mountain at Auasblick, where a signal tower of Telecom Namibia is situated. “The Wasserberg with the tower and a huge water reservoir close to Ceres and Tiefencastel Streets will also become part of the huge security zone for the new State House,” Knoch claimed.This would also mean the cluster of houses at the corner of Ceres and Tiefencastel streets (see picture) would also be bought up and vacated.”Quite a lot of the area is already divided into residential plots, with some constructed, tarred access roads and basic services like sewers and electricity laid out by the municipality.The costs of these basic services are enormous and were actually paid by the Windhoek residents through municipal bills, rates and property taxes,” according to Knoch.”There is also a recreational value that will be lost once this area of 206 hectares is off limits for the public.”Knoch said many residents use the area to jog and climb, since it was right in the heart of the city.”Windhoek is lucky to have such an area, which also has a large tourism potential.Ratepayers have rights too and we must fight against this land dispossession,” Knoch stated.The Windhoek Ratepayers’ Association (WRA) will hold a public meeting on May 22 at 18h00 to discuss the issue.Knoch said a delegation went to see the Secretary to Cabinet, Frans Kapofi, recently about the issue.”He only told us that negotiations were under way.”The municipality’s Strategic Executive of Corporate Communications, Ndangi Katoma, confirmed to The Namibian yesterday that Government requested to have the security zone around the new State House extended.”The Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication sent a letter to the municipality to this regard,” Katoma told The Namibian.”It was either early this year or at the end of 2006,” he added.”I cannot confirm if the size requested is 206 hectares, since I don’t have the details before me.”Kapofi was out of town yesterday, but the Permanent Secretary to Cabinet, Steve Katjiuanjo, told this reporter via his office secretary to “contact State House.”When State House was phoned, it was established that the Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr Albert Kawana, had “gone to the doctor.”The Permanent Secretary in the office of the President, Dr Ndeutala Angolo, was in a meeting.Government had already repossessed 20 hectares to build the new N$500 million State House complex.The property was valued at N$24 million, but the money has not been paid to the City of Windhoek yet.