Africa-Press – Namibia. MEMBERS of the Concerned Group of Okahandja protested the lack of municipal services and ownership of land at the town on Monday, and the leadership later handed over a petition to the minister of urban and rural development, Erastus Uutoni, at his office in Windhoek.
The group expressed their dissatisfaction with the way the Okahandja municipality has treated their concerns and demanded to know why land is not free and why municipal services are unaffordable.
“We have sent letters and handed over petitions, but it seems that the council does not take you (minister) seriously as they don’t carry out the instructions,” the petition reads.
Members of the group have raised concern over the town council’s reported negligence towards the informal settlements.
Sethy Gariseb, chairperson of the group, said after three mayors and consistent protesting, nothing has changed.
Gariseb said there is no water and electricity in the RCC camp at Okahandja.
He also highlighted crimes such as rape and theft that take place.
“Our people are being raped and killed, thrown with stones. Until when?”
Uutoni assured protesters that all letters and concerns have been received by the ministry and the local authority of Okahandja. He referenced a letter from the Okahandja municipality chief executive officer to Gariseb dated 22 February 2022
The letter stated that 20 erven have been reserved for RCC camp residents, and the Ekundo area is where the residents are being relocated to.
Ekundo is also where the town’s landfill is located and its residents of Okahandja’s settlement previously also called on Uutoni for assistance.
In July, a group travelled to Windhoek in a rented bus and walked to the ministry’s head office to hand over a complaint.
In October, they marched to the prime minister’s office which also yielded no positive outcome.
Another march was also held last week, to no avail.
Okahandja chief executive officer Alphons Tjitombo says land allocated for the relocation of RCC residents was proclaimed and surveyed in 2021.
He says although funds allocated to Okahandja was reduced for the 2022/23 financial year, the municipality is in the process of acquiring material to begin implementing municipal services.
Tjitombo says the municipality, in collaboration with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust), has set up a programme allowing students to collect information on the land’s condition.
“We have signed a memorandum of understanding with Nust to have students come and collect information that will determine the nature of the condition of the land,” he says.
Tjitombo says up to three houses at RCC camp are located on one erf, and the municipality plans to place each house on a single erf.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
