Africa-Press – Namibia. A TOTAL of 143 families at the Otweya (formely known as Twaloloka) informal settlement at Walvis Bay will finally have access to electricity at home, as well as ownership of the houses they are currently occupying.
The families who lost their shelter on 26 July 2020 in a devastating fire at the then Twaloloka informal settlement have moved into onebedroom houses with no access to electricity at Otweya on 1 November 2021.
Walvis Bay Urban constituency councillor Donatus Tegako says despite the absence of electricity, residents were accommodated in the houses as soon as possible to avoid them staying in tents.
The electrification process could, however, not be completed, since a land ownership dispute between the government and the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) prevented this.
Tegako says the substation for the area, which is located on the land in question, had to be registered under Erongored to avoid the power utility operating on property it does not own.
“There was a misunderstanding between the NHE, which owns the land, and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, which built the house.
“The NHE was offered new land, but declined due to many reasons. The enterprise demanded another plot in exchange for the one on which we built the Otweya houses. We then gave them a counter-proposal so we could end the project. “The NHE was paid N$2,9 million for that land.
“Hence they have given consent to Erongored to own the substation, as the portion on which it is built will be transferred to Erongored. The remaining land will be registered in the government’s name and we will then proceed with property deeds to the owners of the houses. Transfers will be made from the NHE to the government, and then from the government to individuals,” Tegako says.
Erongored was given the mandate to connect each house’s electricity meter to the substation, after which the Walvis Bay municipality will conduct an inspection and will finally award each house with a completion certificate and deed of property.
Tegako says housing contracts are ready to be signed and submitted to the deeds office as soon as electrical work and inspection are completed.
Residents have also been informed of the process of registering a house, which included a rule that there must be no makeshift structure in the backyard.
“I told them to find a way to remove illegal structures. It will prevent them from registering their houses in their names. However, the residents said they have erected the structures as their families could not all fit into the one-bedroom houses.
“They wanted to extend their houses but could not proceed as the houses are not in their names yet. It is understandable, and they will be able to extend their houses soon,” he says.
Otweya residents are excited about the news. “We have schoolchildren who are roaming the streets after school. They want to watch television and stay at home.
“We can now use our fridges and operate businesses. I am currently using a gas stove, which is dangerous for the children,” resident Natasha Muheuha says.
“We are happy. We need electricity. It is hard to live without electricity,” Festus Shikongo says.
Connecting electricity meters to the substation will commence today, Tegako says.
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