Otweya residents facing eviction after three years in houses allocated after Twaloloka fire

A group of Otweya residents at Walvis Bay, who were allocated houses after the 2020 Twaloloka fire, are facing eviction over claims of illegal occupation.

Group spokesperson Maria Ishunga says 27 members have been told in a meeting in 2023 that they were occupying their houses illegally.

She says after receiving another eviction letter from the Office of the Government Attorney on Monday, the group wants to know how they were allocated the houses illegally.

“Our names were put on a list after the incident. After occupying the houses for over three years now, other residents just decided to tell the governor we are here illegally. We need the governor to explain whether the houses belong to the victims, or to those who rented and sold the structures to us.

“The governor keeps avoiding us. We’ve been at his office numerous times,” Ishunga says.

Erongo governor Neville Andre on Monday said investigations were conducted after it was detected that some houses were allocated illegally.

“The case was submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission. Last year, they were notified that they were there illegally. Those who were supposed to be there legally were also notified.

“The matter was handed over to the attorney general and then to the sheriff. The case is not in my hands,” he said.

Andre said some homeowners were in relationships with committee members, and others had disputes with family members about who the burnt structures belonged to.

He said that some residents confirmed under oath that they were ready to hand over the houses.
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DISAPPOINTED … Maria Ishunga says she was the first recipient of an Otweya house after the Twaloloka fire in 2020. The house was handed over to her by former president Hage Geingob, she says. Ishunga is now facing eviction as she was alledgely allocated the house illegally. Video: Taati Niilenge