Windhoek informal settlers in desperate plea for land

DESPERATE residents of informal settlements in Windhoek have made a passionate plea to the Windhoek municipality to allow them to put up their housing structures on some of the city’s unserviced land.

The residents, mostly from the Havana informal settlement, have cleared a portion of land on the outskirts of that settlement, which they hope the authorities would allow them to settle on.

Chairperson of a committee formed by the Moses Garoëb constituency community members, Moses Mwandingi and his adviser Joseph Joseph, submitted a petition to a representative of the Moses Garoëb constituency, Foibe Silvanus, after a peaceful march on Friday morning.

“We appeal to you, councillor Martin David, with your partnership with the City of Windhoek, to allow us to go and put up our shacks on that piece of land,” said Mwandingi in the petition.

Mwandingi further stated that approximately 400 people looking for land are living in overcrowded conditions.

This robs them of the right to living in a safe environment, the right to health, the right to culture and the right to protection.

According to Mwandingi, mayor Francina Kahungu visited the area, cleared by the residents themselves, and asked them not to put up shacks as well as to wait until the land is serviced.

Mwandingi said the community has been patiently waiting for the municipality to come back to them, but this has not been forthcoming.

“The government is always saying be patient when it comes to the poor people. Why?” asked Mwandingi.

Another resident also looking for land, Anna Haipumbu, told The Namibian that she is frustrated by the waiting.

“I am tired of renting; I want my own land,” stated Haipumbu.

She elaborated that she is also tired of rich Namibians and foreigners being given land, but not the Namibians who need it.

In the petition, Mwandingi raised concerns about a kindergarten that was opened on unserviced land owned by Korean nationals.

He demanded that David let community members know who approved the building of the kindergarten, while the land is unserviced.

“Give us feedback before 22 February 2020, because from 22 February 2020, we are going to put up our shacks like those Koreans and rich people did,” stated Mwandingi in the petition. Ruben Foibe, who also participated in the march, claimed that she needs land as she is living with seven other people in one shack.

She stated that she is angry that foreigners are getting land while locals are ignored. She also maintained that “all of Havana has unserviced land”, yet there are people living and owning businesses on that unserviced land.

Another resident in search of land is Primus Itope, who also forms part of the committee chaired by Mwandingi. Itope revealed that, even as a Namibian, he feels unwelcome in Namibia.

Contacted for comment, Kahungu said the petition listing the residents’ demands is yet to reach her office.

“I am not aware of such demands. I can only look into it once I see the petition,” she said.