June 2016 Is on AffordaBle Housing, for Which We Have Availed an Additional N$300 Million for the Purposes of Land Servicing

Media Monitoring on Urban Development in Namibia

Media Monitoring on Urban Development in Namibia is a service provided by Development Workshop Namibia (DWN), a newly registered Namibian NGO with a focus on sustainable urban development and poverty reduction. DWN is part of a world-wide network of Development Workshop (DW) organisations with centres in Canada, Angola and France, and offices in Vietnam and Burkino Faso. It was founded in the 1970s by three architect students in the UK and has been funded by non- governmental organisations, private citizens, and national and international development organisations.

In Namibia, DWN’s activities focus on urban related research, effective urban planning for the urban poor, solutions to informal settlements, water & sanitation, and projects specifically targeting disadvantaged segments of the urban youth. Through 40 years of engagement on urban issues mainly in Africa and Asia, the DW network of organisations has acquired significant institutional knowledge and capacity and is well integrated in regional and international networks.

The Namibian media provide an important source of information on urban development processes in the country, highlighting current events, opportunities and challenges. The media further provide insight into the different views and perceptions of a variety of actors, be it from government, non- government, private sector, and individuals that reside in Namibia’s towns and settlements.

It is therefore hoped that DWN’s Media Monitoring service will provide insights into those different views, with potential use for a variety of institutions and decision-makers that work in the urban environment in Namibia.

The Media Monitoring service is currently provided on a monthly basis and monitors the following newspapers: The Namibian, Republikein, Namibian Sun, New Era, Windhoek Observer, Confidente, and Informante. Compiled by: The articles are grouped into following categories: Esleen Guriras & Alina Nambuli 1. Urban Planning, Land & Housing Edited by: Beat Weber 2. Urban Infrastructure and Services Produced by: 3. Livelihoods and Urban Economy Development Workshop Namibia 4. Environment & Human Health Address: The text of the news articles has not been altered and thus 18 Nachtigal Street PO Box 40723, Ausspannplatz reflects the opinion of the respective media outlets, and not Windhoek, Namibia that of DWN. We hope you find this service useful and 081 627 92 53 interesting. DWN is keen to improve the service and [email protected] welcomes suggestions and comments.

Yours sincerely,

With support from: Development Workshop Namibia Namibian Chamber of Environment

Index

1 URBAN PLANNING, LAND AND HOUSING ...... 4 1.1 Govt reviews housing report ...... 4 1.2 Big developments coming ...... 5 1.3 Understanding NDP5 ... Ambitiously pragmatic or wishful thinking? ...... 5 1.4 GIPF tackles Harambee housing, land delivery...... 7 1.5 2 000 houses unoccupied...... 8 1.6 Eerste huise op Osona oorhandig ...... 9 1.7 Wrong date delays demolition of illegal shack ...... 9 1.8 Swakop tables N$115m budget ...... 10 1.9 Eenhana to develop 6 500 plots by 2020 ...... 10 1.10 Power Oyeno proposes low-cost houses for Swakop ...... 11 1.11 The homeless illegally occupy govt houses ...... 12 1.12 SDFN to pay N$8.7 million for erven ...... 13 1.13 N$100m to pay out farmers ...... 13 1.14 City halts N$200m projects ...... 14 1.15 Teiken régte armes: Miljarde kan beter benut word ...... 15 1.16 200 try to grab Otjomuise land ...... 16 1.17 Oshakati humiliates Windhoek on land delivery ...... 16 1.18 No place to call home ...... 17 1.19 Windhoek CBD picks up ...... 18 1.20 Mayor wants land sale moratorium lifted ...... 18 1.21 McLeod-Katjirua warns of land, housing instability ...... 19 1.22 Usakos dreams big ...... 19 1.23 Approval sought for Farm 37 to be fast-tracked ...... 20 1.24 Corruption and Rent Control – Killing the Private Sector… slowly ...... 21 1.25 Hardap governor focuses on achievements, challenges ...... 22 1.26 Shacks proliferate among Keetmanshoop mass houses ...... 23 1.27 Omaruru savings scheme starts constructing houses ...... 24 1.28 Only 1 800 mass houses delivered ...... 24 1.29 !Goab.com settlement draws a crowd ...... 25

2 URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES ...... 26 2.1 Walvis sewage over-burdened ...... 26 2.2 Ondangwa loses planned hospital ...... 27 2.3 Electricity unreliability worries Keetmans residents ...... 27 2.4 Oshakati contracts Nexus to divert water ...... 28 2.5 Shaningwa vows to enhance service delivery ...... 28 2.6 Zambezi on point with service delivery ...... 29 2.7 Karasburg faces water cut-off ...... 29 2.8 Oshikoto tackling water problems ...... 30 2.9 Keetmanshoop left with N$15m NamPower debt ...... 30 2.10 Ondangwa prevails ...... 31

3 LIVELIHOODS AND URBAN ECONOMY ...... 33 3.1 Councillor pleads for the poor ...... 33 3.2 Windhoek to upgrade existing markets – Governor ...... 34 3.3 Northern meat vendors congest roadside ...... 34 3.4 City plans to help poor manage debts ...... 35

4 ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH ...... 37 4.1 Windhoekers should be careful with fires – CoW ...... 37

1 Urban Planning, Land and Housing

1.1 Govt reviews housing report The Namibian|05/06/2017 Government is reviewing a report compiled by experts who have suggested the setting up of a national housing fund and transferring state-owned houses to the National Housing Enterprise. The experts from the Integrated Land Management Institute at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) made the recommendations in a draft report dated 7 April 2017. Nust vice chancellor Tjama Tjivikua last week said the report had been submitted to the urban development ministry. Urban development permanent secretary Nghidinua Daniel confirmed receiving the report, and said the ministry was reviewing it. “The ministry has already received the draft (report). We are busy reviewing it, and will provide comments to Nust,” Daniel told The Namibian last week. He also confirmed that the report had reviewed the mass housing programme launched by former President Hifikepunye Pohamba in 2013, and recommended a strategy for its proper implementation. According to the report, the government should create the National Housing Development Fund, which was proposed in the initial plan of the mass housing project, but not implemented. The fund, which is proposed to be based at the urban development ministry, is set to become the main vehicle to distribute money meant for the mass housing programme. It is unclear how the fund will be financed, or if it will depend on taxpayers. The NUST report said apart from creating a national fund, the government should also seek contributions from international parties to tackle the housing crisis. “International parties are also unlikely to contribute to a sector that is neglected by public local funds, in order to avoid creating dependencies and unsustainable intervention,” the report said. The experts cited examples of how the French Cooperation Agency assisted in the development of Ombili, and the German bank KfW with the development of Okuryangava in Windhoek. The report also proposed that government should beef up the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) in order to address the shortages of houses. The houses built under the first phase of the mass housing programme are not listed under the NHE's loan book, limiting its capital base and thus its ability to finance housing development on a revolving basis, the report stated. “Government houses, administered by the Ministry of Works and Transport, could also be transferred to the NHE as a way to recapitalise in kind, and allow for the redevelopment of such undervalued state properties for social rent at lesser cost than new construction,” the experts reasoned. The report estimates that government needs about N$16 billion to service over 100 000 plots and upgrade 130 000 housing units in informal settlements. The Nust report said the new mass housing programme should be implemented by an independent project coordination unit, which would be run by the National Planning Commission and the urban development ministry, in partnership with ministries such as finance, works, land reform and health. The unit, according to the report, will implement all aspects of the programme for three years, and an additional two years if needed. “It is proposed that this body be responsible for the research, development and ongoing evaluation of pilot projects, law reform, and to develop platforms for permanent public engagement on housing, as well as on urban and rural development in Namibia,” the document said. The unit would be advised by several bodies such as academic institutions, civil society organisations and private experts with technical skills, the report suggested. The first phase of the mass housing programme was hit by delays a few months after it was launched in 2013 because of the shortage of funds. The Namibian reported in 2014 how the finance ministry refused to provide a guarantee for the NHE to pay builders on this mass housjng initiative. Pohamba intervened, and forced the finance ministry to pay the outstanding money for the initiative that has so far built over 4 000 houses – one of the biggest bulk housing outputs since independence. The then finance minister, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, questioned the mass housing programme, and ordered an investigation to determine whether the contractors did not overcharge the government. That investigation led to the derailment of the mass housing programme in 2015 when the housing backlog was close to 130 000, and still growing.

1.2 Big developments coming The Namibian Sun|06/06/2017 A five-year road map that will act as a guiding tool to Windhoek officials and councillors in the delivery of municipal and public services will be made public to residents in the coming months. Windhoek Mayor Muesee Kazapua announced at May’s council meeting that the 2017-2022 five-year strategic plan will be submitted to council this month and he expects it will be operational as from the beginning of the current 2017/18 financial year. Kazapua said the strategic five-year plan will outline the city’s “desired development initiatives” and was conceived in “the spirit of national development plans, Vision 2030 and the Harambee Prosperity Plan.” He explained that it will “serve as a road map and a guiding tool” to the city’s officials and councillors. At the council meeting at the end of May, Kazapua also urged the city’s councillors and management teams to finalise the budgeting process for the upcoming year in order to give residents and other stakeholders a chance to have their say. “I have no doubt that by giving our residents and other stakeholders a voice in the formulation of our capital budget, we will ensure that we do not misrepresent their developmental needs with what we, as councillors and officials, may think are their priorities,” Kazapua said at the opening of May’s council meeting last week. The mayor highlighted the ground-breaking ceremony this month, for the commencement of the construction of 79 houses by the Oluzizi-Amibex joint venture, which forms part of the council’s pilot housing project. “This is a notable undertaking from the council, which if proved to be successful after completion of the initial 79 houses, should be intensified so that all the informal settlements are formalised, and new plots are serviced for our people,” he said. He further praised the handover of a donated house by Oluzizi-Amibex joint venture this month to Ndinoita Shimoshili and her family as part of a good will gesture and to assist the vulnerable family with a home. Kazapua also attended the opening of what the Namibia Tourism Expo 2017 last week. He underlined the important role of tourism in the country, noting that tourism has a multiplier factor, which contributes to many sectors in the country. “To us at the City of Windhoek, tourism means jobs, business opportunities for small- and medium-enterprises, and, if properly managed, the preservation and promotion of natural resources and cultural heritage,” he said. He said the City remains committed to welcoming visitors to the city and to the country.

1.3 Understanding NDP5 ... Ambitiously pragmatic or wishful thinking? The Namibian|09/06/2017 On 31 May 2017, President Hage Geingob launched Namibia's fifth National Development Plan (NDP5), and in the prevailing climate, many have probably been saying: so what? However, it is important to understand what NDP5 is. For at its core, NDP5 is a commitment by the state to ensure, facilitate, enhance and maintain continuous improvements in the socio-economic well-being of all Namibians, and especially those on the margins. Basically, NDP5 is supposed to elevate Namibia to a higher growth trajectory, and in the process uplift all. From the NDP5 document, it becomes clear that the aim of the plan is to achieve five things, namely: accelerated economic growth, rapid and large-scale employment creation, drastic poverty and inequality reduction, socio-economic transformation and the remaking of the Namibian economy into a high-performance, inclusive and sustainable economy. The thinking seems to be that if the groundwork is properly laid between now and 2022, then the ultimate goal, in keeping with the intent of Vision 2030, of Namibia becoming a “high income”, developed country by 2030 could be achievable. In order to build this bridge to 2030, NDP5 identifies five “game changers” (simply put, critical state inputs or interventions), which need to transpire over the next five years for the ultimate goal to be achieved. These five “game changers” are: 1. Increased investment in infrastructure development; 2. Increased agricultural productivity; 3. Investment in quality technical skills development; 4. Improved value addition in natural resources; 5. Achieve industrial development through local procurement. 5

The NDP5 document clusters the plan's ambitions into four pillars, namely economic progression; social transformation; environmental sustainability; and, good governance. In these aspects, NDP5 mirrors the approaches and intentions of President Geingob's signature Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP), and it seems clear that NDP5 borrows significantly from the HPP. Both NDP5 and HPP bear more than a passing resemblance to South Africa's National Development Plan, unveiled in 2013.

ECONOMIC PROGRESSION According to the NDP5 document, Namibia aspires to achieve the following over the next five years: structural transformation through industrialisation; the expansion and modernisation of physical infrastructure; strengthened export capacity, and greater regional integration; and supportive financial infrastructure for greater inclusion. Basically, NDP5 foresees that by the end of the next five years, Namibia will have an average annual economic growth rate of 5%, while agriculture and mining activities and productivity will have increased, and the two sectors would be responsible for more than 50% of jobs growth over the period. Namibian exports will have increased; roads, railways, ports and communication networks, and other backbone infrastructure would have undergone extensive upgrades and considerable expansion; more manufacturing will be taking place in the country; and tourism would be booming. By 2022, this should have translated into unemployment dropping to 24%, and GDP per capita should have increased by N$9 000 to N$56 000. In all, between 2017 and 2022, a staggering 200 000 jobs are to be created.

SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION Under the social transformation pillar, two broad ambitions are grouped, namely human capital development and social development. Basically, under this pillar, poverty should have fallen to 10%, while the levels of wealth and income distribution should have improved markedly. By 2022, there should be better access to various life improvement opportunities for many more Namibians. Under human capital development, NDP5 foresees that by 2022, overall health and nutritional intake will have improved; with better educational outcomes, at all levels; more children would be passing through basic education; more young people would be seeking a technical or vocational education and training qualification; and the completion rates at tertiary level would have improved considerably. Under social development, by 2022, the incidence of gender-based violence would have decreased, and women would have more access to life improvement opportunities; the number of people living in shacks would have gone down to about 1 in 5 households; more than 40% of households will have access to modern toilets and potable water; and youth unemployment will stand at 1 in 3.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Under this pillar, government basically commits to protecting the environment and strengthening wildlife and habitat conservation efforts, while at the same time trying to stimulate the unlocking of the green economy. The bottom line is that by “2022, Namibia is sustainably managing her natural resources, environment” and is “climate-resilient”.

GOOD GOVERNANCE Government here commits to improve governance across the board. The NDP5 document specifically places government in the spotlight to reduce crime and corruption; to improve the performance of the public service significantly; and to inject the state's administrative and bureaucratic processes with much greater transparency and accountability. On the whole, the state is supposed to be considerably more responsive to citizens.

NAMIBIA NOW On the whole, NDP5 is an extremely ambitious plan. However, at the time of NDP5's unveiling, Namibian conditions were less than conducive for such an auspicious launch. Government was and is struggling to meet its financial obligations, and the private sector economy has by all accounts become characterised by shrinking activity and heavy job losses in key sectors, while the general business climate has deteriorated and the country's economic outlook, while stable, has been pegged as negative. Namibia's vulnerability to external shocks, compounded by internal governance shortfalls, has well and truly been exposed. How this impacts on NDP5 shows in that government has and is cutting wherever it can, and austerity has set in. This is especially concerning around education and training, which speak directly to “human capital development” under the social transformation pillar, and ripples across the other pillars. If training and human resources development experience deep cuts (as is already the case), then it affects all other activities across state and society. Government has always said that implementation and efficient governance have been severely hampered by a lack of capacity. The same goes for planning, monitoring and evaluation. Indications thus are that NDP5 could suffer from a lack of proper management, and that its implementation could be significantly retarded, which might exacerbate already skewed developmental outcomes, and could still leave many on the outside looking in, come 2022. Here, a questioning statement from 2013 by South Africa's Trade Law Centre (Tralac) about that country's national development plan, seems appropriate, with a minor change: “At a more theoretical level is the issue of a lack of consideration as to whether the growth trajectory envisaged in the plan transmits itself into an inclusive and dramatic improvement in standards of living for the majority of [Namibia's] population.” In the final analysis, with conditions being what they are and arguably set to prolong, NDP5 looks to be off to a slow and lurching start.

1.4 GIPF tackles Harambee housing, land delivery The Confidente|01-07/06/2017 The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) has committed itself to assuming 30 percent of the delivera•bles located in the Social Progression Pillar of the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP), which relates to sanitation, land delivery and housing. GIPF Board of Trustees Chairman, Goms Menette, confirmed this during a stakeholders’ consultative meeting this week. While announcing recorded assets for the fund of N$99 billion, as at March this year, Menette said GIPF has developed a three- pronged strategy to addressing the housing challenge, which is through land servicing, the construction of units and housing finance. “Our first approach is through the provision of housing loans, managed by the First Capital Real Estate Finance Fund, a trust fund that has been established by GIPF, through its Unlisted Investment Portfolio,” Menette said. “First Capital is tasked to handle the man•agement and administration of, amongst others, the housing scheme, which received an allocation of N$1 billion, an amount which is fully invested.” Menette stressed that with this amount, First Capital assisted close to 2 000 members, by providing finance to acquire houses, and is able to accommodate around 25 to 30 members, on a monthly basis. In the process, they collect repayments from the existing book, for new loans, depending on the amount to be financed. GIPF is, however, reviewing the progress made through this intervention, with a view of determining how to deal with the matter in the long-run. “Secondly, the fund serviced 2 142 plots across the country. These comprised of plots for houses, townhouses and flats, targeting low to middle-income households. “Our focus since June 2016 is on affordable housing, for which we have availed an additional N$300 million for the purposes of land servicing. To date we have serviced 391 stands, at a selling price of N$120 000 each.” The fund also oversaw the construction of 735 general and single residential housing units across the country, while approving the servicing of 327 single residential plots, as well as the construction of 180 housing units in the affordable housing segment. Menette also announced that the fund has awarded a total of eight new private equity mandates, destined for local investment, as part of an amount of N$2 billion committed to fund managers.

The investments would be made in the ar•eas of venture capital, debt funds, infrastruc•ture funds and general private equity. GIPF has also established an internal treasury unit, which will directly manage a portion of its assets in-house. “Great progress has been realised, and at the end of April 2017, a total of N$10 billion was managed by this unit. Of this amount, in excess of N$8 billion was invested in government bonds,” Menette said. “A further N$5.9 billion in assets were swapped with the Bank of Namibia, so as to support the international reserves of the country. “Further sales of this portfolio will, over time, be invested in local government instruments,” Menette said. He further noted that the fund has heard the cries of its members, and has pledged to increase its efforts toward customer-centric innovations. This will include enhancing its organisa•tional footprint, decentralising services to the regions, improving member communi•cation and administration systems and pro•cesses. Menette added that that the fund plans on implementing an online self- service portal. “It is for this reason that we purposefully selected this year’s theme as, ‘Collaboration – the winning formula’, with a specific focus on service delivery. “The trustees took a deliberate decision, and directed management to devise a strat•egy on how the fund will enhance customer satisfaction and improve service delivery,” he said. According to Menette, GIPF has already opened its revamped client services and re•ception area, and has introduced a compre•hensive contact centre system that manages all customer experience elements.

1.5 2 000 houses unoccupied The Namibian|07/06/2017 Over 2 000 completed houses built under the mass housing programme are currently standing empty, amid concerns that government is too slow in allocating them to beneficiaries. The Namibian understands that between 3 000 and 4 000 houses have been built across the country since 2014, and that just 850 have been handed over to beneficiaries. National Housing Enterprises spokesperson Mutonga Matali yesterday said the urban development ministry should provide the figures on how many houses have been completed so far. Matali, however, confirmed that as of 28 April 2017, 850 houses have been handed over to beneficiaries, while about 1 500 houses have been allocated to beneficiaries, but are yet to be occupied. “These figures have increased over the past month, and the latest report will be available soon,” he said. Government's pace of allocating mass houses continues to be slow, as it emerged that up to 360 houses in Windhoek are standing empty because of a dispute over the provision of basic services. The 850 houses handed to beneficiaries so far are part of the housing units handed over by former President Hifikepunye Pohamba a few weeks before the national elections in 2014. The urban development ministry's permanent secretary, Nghidinua Daniel, told The Namibian yesterday that he requested his office to provide him with the latest figures and an explanation on whether the allocation and handing over of houses was slow. Windhoek has been one of the areas which has not seen a single mass housing unit handed to beneficiaries. Attorney general Sacky Shanghala said in the National Assembly this year that there was a stand-off over the Windhoek mass housing project at Otjomuise. He said the urban development ministry invited the attorney general's office to resolve “an impasse which is delaying the handover of the mass housing development programme houses at Otjomuise”. Shanghala was tasked with renegotiating the mass housing contracts in 2015, but his involvement was mainly to wind down the project that was seen as an answer to low-cost housing. Windhoek's N$350 million project was awarded to a company called CalgroKuumba, which was owned by Titus Naakumba. CalgroKuumba was given the contract to build over 1 000 houses in Otjomuise – the biggest mass housing recipient in 2013 – in Windhoek, where Pohamba launched the project, and pleaded with government officials to implement it. Pohamba's dream was diminished a year after leaving office when President Hage Geingob's administration reduced that number of houses in Windhoek from 1 000 to 360 houses. South African firm Calgro, which teamed up with the Namibian, yesterday said 362 houses have been completed at the Windhoek site. “The houses were completed in terms of the construction period allowed for in the contract.

The alignment of service connections for the occupation of the units is problematic, and we have made a proposal to the client to resolve the delay,” Calgro's project manager, Gerhard Botha, told The Namibian yesterday. He said the delay in handing over the houses was because the new contract did not make provision for the service connections and the revised layout of the new township. There have been reports of mass houses being vandalised at Walvis Bay, Bukalo, Keetmanshoop and Rehoboth. The Namibian reported last year that the vandalised houses at Walvis Bay were without water and electricity services, some without window frames and the panes removed in most cases, while some doors were broken or stolen, and kitchen and bathroom sinks were missing and others smashed to pieces. New Era reported in March this year that about 90 houses built at Swakopmund under the mass housing programme were demolished because of poor quality work. The delay in the allocation and handing over of houses is also affected by government bureaucracy in transferring land. Sources said some local authorities such as Bukalo and Eenhana allocated land they did not own to the state for the mass housing project. Jordaan Oosthuysen Nangolo Quantity Surveyors, who were tasked with investigating the troubled mass housing programme, said in 2015 that the main culprits in delaying the land proclamation process were local authorities, and the Department of the Surveyor General in the lands ministry. “It is clear that the (land proclamation) process is long and laborious. Getting land ready for development is taking up to 40 months at the earliest, and 82 months in the latest case,” said the report.

1.6 Eerste huise op Osona oorhandig The Namibia|07/06/2017 Mnr. Martin Brian Diergaardt en sy vrou, Belinda, staan met hul agt maande dogtertjie, Anabella- Rose, op die stoep van hul splinternuwe huis by Osona Village buite Okahandja. Die eerste tien huise is vandag (Woensdag) aan die eienaars oorhandig. Die bekostigbare behuisingsontwikkeling word deur die staatsdiens se pensioenfonds, GIPF, ondersteun en gee voorkeur aan staatsdiensamptenare in uniform, maar verwelkom ook privaat kopers soos die Diergaardts.

1.7 Wrong date delays demolition of illegal shack The Namibian|08/06/2017 A wrong date on an eviction notice has temporarily delayed the Oshakati Town Council's attempt to evict a resident and demolish a shack which was erected illegally in the Okaku-Kiipupu area of the town and had to be removed before 22 May. She refused to comply, and on 22 May, a team of council employees accompanied by police officers arrived to demolish the shack. Only then was it discovered that the written notice gave the deadline to remove the shack as “22 May 2019”. This temporarily put a stop to the demolition attempt, sending the council back to the drawing board. A second eviction letter was issued on 23 May, this time giving 29 May 2017 as deadline, but the date came and went without any action from the town council. Naingwendja said it was really unfair for the town council to evict her while there is a dispute, while a council meeting to address the issue is still pending. The disputed land belonged to Naingwendja's father, Tomas, who passed away in 1998. She said the land was legally inherited by her elderly mother, Lahja, but was allegedly sold under dubious circumstances to a certain Stefanus Fillemon. She added that the deceased's children and their elderly mother took up the matter with the Uukwambi Traditional Authority, and addressed a letter to the town council's chief executive officer, Werner Iita, informing him about the dispute and requesting his intervention. She then decided to erect a shack on the land in the hope of escalating the dispute to a point where the town council would intervene. Two council officials visited her on 15 May, and allegedly informed her that the dispute would be on the agenda of a town council meeting shortly. The officials also advised her not to make any improvements on the land until the matter is resolved. But four days later, on 19 May, Naingwendja was served with an eviction notice. “If the council has yet to meet and address the issue, then the eviction notice was premature,” she stressed.

However, the town council's planning and properties manager, Ores Shilunga, has a totally different version about what transpired. He said the late Tomas Naingwendja was the occupant of the land before he relocated to the Ohangwena region, leaving his nephew Stefanus Fillemon as the new legal occupant. “When the council started relocating people to pave the way for the town's development, the Okaku-Kiipupu village headman confirmed to us that Fillemon is the legal occupant of the land. We were about to compensate him when the widow and her children made their appearance and claimed that the land belonged to them. We put the compensation on hold to allow the Uukwambi Traditional Authority to investigate the matter, and they eventually told us that Fillemon is indeed the legal occupant of the land. So, we compensated him,” Shilunga said. He stressed that Naingwendja's shack will definitely be removed. “It is illegal to erect any building within the townland without the permission of the owner, which is the Oshakati Town Council,” he added.

1.8 Swakop tables N$115m budget The Namibian|08/06/2017 THE Swakopmund municipal council last week tabled a N$115 million budget for the 2017/2018 financial year. According to Swakopmund council management committee chairperson Erkkie Shitana, this is made up of a N$87 million capital budget and an operational budget of N$27, 7 million. Shitana said the operational budget reflects a deficit that must be balanced through an increase in tariffs, including a 10% hike in rates and taxes, refuse removal, sewerage services and basic water, while bungalow rates will be increased by between 2% and 10%. Other water tariffs for non-general services such as agriculture and industrial use will be increased by between 5, 5% and 7, 5%. Shitana said implementing these hikes will result in the municipality recording a surplus of just over N$500 000. Senior citizens will be exempt from any hikes in tariffs for the financial year. He said of the total N$87 million capital budget, an amount of N$68 million is available. Of the N$ 87 million, N$37, 3 million has been earmarked for ongoing projects, while N$49, 6 million is earmarked for new projects. The municipality hopes to make up the N$19 million shortfall from an increase in land sale transactions. Some of the ongoing capital projects include the formalisation of the DRC informal settlement, which is mainly being funded by central government. Other capital projects are the relocation of sewerage blocks at Mondesa and Tamariskia (N$6, 7 million), the future planning of serviced land for town development (N$7 million), street upgrades and maintenance (N$13, 6 million), the completion of the multi-purpose centre (N$11, 2 million), refuse removal improvements (N$5, 9 million), sewerage plant maintenance (N$7, 8 million), the completion of the SME industrial park (N$8, 2 million) and water-related services, which include a new reservoir for the Swakop River smallholdings (N$15 million). “Efficient service delivery to the residents of Swakopmund has become a challenging task to manage effectively as it has to be supported by sufficient financial resources. First and foremost, it is required from our council to provide quality services, and then to maintain them at an acceptable standard,” said Shitana.

1.9 Eenhana to develop 6 500 plots by 2020 Confidante|08-14/06/2017 The Eenhana Town Council is planning to develop another 6 500 formal plots by 2020. This was confirmed by Mayor Amos Nangolo at the Eenhana Trade and Business Expo gala dinner, which was held last Friday at the town. More than N$1 million was raised during the gala dinner, in pledges and sponsorships. The expo will take place from 31 July to 5 August at the new Eenhana Convention City. Nangolo said that the decision to develop the extra 6 500 formal plots was among the resolutions taken when the council embarked on a mass land planning program during the 2015/16 financial year. When Eenhana was proclaimed as a town in 1999, it only had about 626 plots, of which 70 were business erven. Nangolo said during the gala dinner that the town currently has about 4 200 occupied plots, of which 1 900 are informal plots and 2 300 are formal, serviced plots.

“In essence, these statistics present an unprecedented growth of about 1 500 percent, meaning that the town has expanded by 16-fold within a period of 18 years,” he said. According to Nangolo, at proclamation, and until late 2004, the council had to fight tooth and nail, in order to convince investors to set up businesses in the town, as there were no commercial facilities of any kind in the area. “With the inception of the expo in 2008, the town has found its way into the minds and hearts of investors; and today, the statistics I have mentioned are a clear indication of the rapid growth, expansion and development that the town has experienced, within a short span of time, making it one of the fastest-growing towns in Namibia,” said Nangolo. Speaking at the same event, Minister of Economic Planning and the Director-General of the National Planning Commission, Tom Alweendo, commended the Eenhana Town Council, saying that economic planning is good for development. “Sometimes people are afraid of failure, not knowing that with everything you start planning, there is a risk to fail, but let us not be deterred by those people, who keep on telling us that we will not make it. Plan ahead, because good planning is good for development,” said Alweendo. The Eenhana Town Council is committed to ensuring that the town is developed, not only into a fully-fledged local authority, but as the functional regional capital of the Ohangwena region. The gala dinner was hosted in preparation for the 10th successive instalment of the Eenhana expo, which will be hosted under the theme ‘Celebrating a decade of entrepreneurship and exhibition excellence’.

1.10 Power Oyeno proposes low-cost houses for Swakop Windhoek Observer|09-15/06/2017 Power-Oyeno Construction (POC) Namibia has been offered 150 erven to start with the development of much needed low-cost houses in the coastal town of Swakopmund, council minutes of a 31 May meeting have revealed. In the proposal to council for the construction of low-cost housing units, Albert Antonius-Paulus - who is the sole shareholder of POC - revealed that his company is capable of constructing up to 1,000 units a year. According to the minutes, Swakopmund Municipality has agreed, in principle, to sell 150 erven that were left undeveloped after the Mass Housing Development Programme came to a grinding halt. Power-Oyeno Namibia, which won a N$800 million tender for the Swakopmund mass housing project in 2013, is expected to build two show houses in the DRC informal settlement valued at N$120,000 and N$150,000 under the new arrangement. After the suspension of the programme by Government, POC signed a new contract with the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development decreasing their initial number of units, leaving a total 1,151 erven vacant. They have proposed to develop these erven, as they are currently doing with the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, and will be responsible for the construction of houses under the existing layout and specifications. POC will be responsible for planning, design, financing, marketing and construction of 35 square-metre houses, with a selling price estimated at N$418,000 per house. POC’s proposal is aimed at helping council ensure effective housing delivery on a large scale for low- and middle-income groups. At least 3,000 houses were initially earmarked to be built under the mass housing project in the DRC, but only 76 houses have been handed over to recipients since 2015. About 2,000 units are currently vacant as they have not been connected to municipal services because of a lack of funds and inability to pay contractors, as well as the suspension of the programme by Government in 2015. The Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia is completing a further 36 houses, costing N$45,000 each, in Mondesa. Meanwhile, the Swakopmund Municipality has heeded the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development’s directive to add people with disabilities and special needs on its mass housing waiting list. About 9,000 applicants have already submitted their names to the municipality’s Community Development Services division to be considered for houses built under the Mass Housing Development Programme. In addition to people with disabilities and special needs, the revised master mass housing waiting list will also incorporate applicants from the Benguela Low Cost Housing Association, NHE waiting list, as well as men and women in uniform. “We are first going to advertise our intentions to the public so that the relevant parties can apply, because currently we don’t know who the disabled people are living among us,” an official from the Community Development Services, who did not want to be named, said.

“The process is only just starting and the new list is in its initial stage, so we will only be able to make adjustments when we have the list of the applicants, and execute our plans further.” The council meeting noted that houses should be affordable, especially to unemployed residents, who do not have the means to pay for their own housing. “These are the people that are creating the shacks, and the more pressure there is to provide houses that the people can afford, the better it will be for everyone concerned,” the official from the Community Development Services said.

1.11 The homeless illegally occupy govt houses New Era|09/06/2017 Government’s failure to make use of all its unoccupied houses in Windhoek has attracted homeless people, some of whom were found selling drugs during a police operation this week. The police inspected several houses around Windhoek, some of which are privately owned, but the majority of which are government property and are being used as shelter by the homeless. Wornout beds, pots, baby cots and piles of blankets and clothes had been moved by the illegal tenants into these properties. One particular house along Robert Mugabe Avenue shelters about 20 adults, who illegally occupy the property. Most of them come from rural parts of the country and have an array of stories to share as to why they ended up living there. The dilapidated large house is in close proximity to a school and offices and accommodates, amongst others, a 59-year-old man, who said he was homeless. During a police operation at the house in question, the police arrested one 26-year-old and a 34-year-old man after they were found in possession of 15 mandrax tablets. One tablet has a street value of N$60. Police Inspector Christina van Dunem Fonsech wants government to do something about the situation, as these occupants could create a much bigger problem if left unchecked. “If they don’t want to use it they must give it to people. Let people buy, or rent it out to people, because these unoccupied houses are bringing problems in town. You have seen how people are scattered in that house and sell drugs,” remarked a concerned Fonsech. The police on their part have tried to address the problem by evicting and chasing the squatters away, but to no avail, as the homeless keep coming back. Fonsech said the Ministry of Works and Transport must either fence off the houses or deploy security guards. An illegal occupant at one of the houses along Robert Mugabe Avenue, 59-year-old John-Hendrik Cloete, said had been living on the streets since he was released from prison in 1999. With nowhere to go Cloete and his son decided to occupy one of the vacant houses. He said he was in prison for various crimes, such as housebreaking, shoplifting and attempted murder. “When I came out of prison my people (both parents) had passed on and I had nowhere to go. I was in and out of prison since 1976 until 1999,” stated Cloete, who has also been unable to obtain the necessary national identity documents. After his release from prison, Cloete said, he developed a drinking problem, but he kicked the habit after he became epileptic. “I go to church every Sunday at Pastor Kisting’s church. I also get food there,” he responded when asked where he gets food to eat. He said he also gets food from a fellow housemate, who goes to collect food from dustbins and shares it with Cloete and his son. “I didn’t expect my life to turn out this way. I have no other way. I try not to think about it,” he said. While the police were searching the house they chanced upon one Adriaano William Diergaardt, aged 37, in the company of his girlfriend, Charlene van Wyk, who were apparently smoking a cannabis joint, which the two hastily discarded when they saw the police approach them where they sat in a secluded area with a strong stench of dirt and human waste enveloping them. When asked why they lived there, Diergaardt said: “It’s life that pushes us to these boundaries. We have family. We don’t deny that, but we can’t cope (living with them). They have other perceptions of us, which doesn’t go with the life we live,” replied Diergaardt, who left school in Grade 11. He has been living on the streets for 16 years and said he dropped out of school because every other month he was in prison. He now goes to a nearby mall every morning to collect fruit and clothing that he sells in town. He then uses the money for his sustenance. Van Wyk, who hails from Keetmanshoop, told New Era she came to Windhoek in search of employment after her contract at a restaurant at the southern town ended.

She found domestic work for two days in Khomasdal and was paid N$100 per day. Van Wyk rewrote her Grade 10 exams through Namcol and obtained 24 points, but could not continue her studies, as no one would pay her school fees. Diergaardt and van Wyk both said they did not want to live there forever: “We want to move out, but don’t know how or where to go.” Ministry of Works and Transport permanent secretary Willem Goeiemann said he was aware of unused government property being illegally occupied by the city’s homeless and jobless. Goeiemann said they have no mandate to evict illegal occupants, but there a plan was developed with the assistance of the attorney general’s office and the police to address the issue. He said sometimes they call directly on the police to evict illegal occupants. Regarding the house along Robert Mugabe Avenue, Goeiemann said that particular house had been reported to him, adding that the house was due for demolition as the premises were earmarked for new offices for former president Hifikepunye Pohamba.

1.12 SDFN to pay N$8.7 million for erven New Era|12/06/2017 The council during an ordinary council meeting held last Tuesday at the town confirmed it would offer 100 erven by means of private transaction to the federation. The said erven are in Extension7 in Kuisebmond. According to the council the federation initially applied for 350 erven from the 1,020 erven that were serviced under the mass urban and rural land servicing programme rolled out in Walvis Bay, Oshakati and Windhoek. However, the municipality of Walvis Bay already under the programme has allocated extensions 5, 6 and 7 in Kuisebmond and Extension 7 in Narraville to the ministry. The council added the extensions have already been provided with infrastructure and 1 020 serviced erven were made available. A show house project was also launched by the ministry to enable local contractors to build prototype houses, which is currently still underway. The shack dwellers are required to pay 5 percent of the purchase price when they sign the sale agreement and the remaining balance be paid over a period of 180 months as per ministerial approval. The shack dwellers are also expected to advertise the terms and conditions at their own coast. They are furthermore required to develop the plots within 12 months from date of transfer in the deeds office. Failing to comply would result in the undeveloped erven reverting back to the council at the expense of the federation. According to the council no informal structures such as shebeens, bars or any illegal structure will be allowed on any of the erven.

1.13 N$100m to pay out farmers The Namibian Sun|13/06/2017 The expanding town of Helao Nafidi in its recent council-approved 2017/18 budget indicated that they will need roughly N$100 million to compensate crop farmers. The costly financial exercise will be funded by the capital development fund which has secured financial resources as government only approved an amount of close to N$11 million towards Helao Nafidi for capital projects this year. Ever since it was proclaimed a town in 2004 it has been one of the local authorities faced with many challenges pertaining to the expansion of its boundaries to acquire land for development projects in the three districts of Oshikango, Engela and Ohangwena. This is reason for budgeting N$100 million from the capital development fund of just over N$110 million for compensation to crop farmers while N$8 million has been budgeted for the construction of services and infrastructure at Engela and Omafo. Further to this, council also budgeted N$1.4 million for the maintenance of roads, N$1 million for electrified street lights on the main road and N$250 000 for the upgrading of the business expo centre. For the year 2017/18 council has approved a budgeted amount of close to N$55 million, including the source of funding for capital projects. This however, still needs to be sent to the urban and rural development ministry for approval. Council has also increased some of its tariffs to meet inflationary costs which is said to be in line with ministerial directives of 2017.

Water, sewage, removal of sewerage water, renting of council's immovable and movable property and the approval of building plans have been increased by 10% while sanitation services and issuing of fitness certificates have increased with 8 and 20% respectively. With over N$15 million budgeted for salaries, a N$2 million increase from that of approved last year, salary increments have been restricted to the new standardised salary structure where staff members who were at middle level will be upgraded while those who were at lower level have been moved to middle level. An estimated amount of N$110 000 has been budgeted for travelling and subsistence (S&T) which is N$10 000 more than what was approved in the 2016/17 budget.

1.14 City halts N$200m projects The Namibian|14/06/2017 THE municipality of Windhoek stopped two housing developments worth over N$200 million at a time when the construction sector is on its knees because of a lack of projects. The halted projects are the brainchild of Madeleine Groenewald Mbutu (MGM) Properties, who want to construct 323 apartments in Khomasdal and Windhoek West. MGM Properties is owned by real estate dealer Pieter Mbutu and his wife Madeleine. Mbutu bought land to build houses in Windhoek, but his plans have been put on hold by the city for over a year. One of the projects is named the Harambee Village, which will consist of three sections: Hadago, Omake and Harambee Park. The project is to be constructed on erf 1448, measuring 48 300 square metres, in Khomasdal. Mbutu said he plans to sell over 320 houses for between N$600 000 and N$800 000 each. He bought the plot for N$37 million from the municipality through public auction, and also paid N$1, 8 million in reservation fees. Mbutu told The Namibian last month that his troubles with the municipality on the Harambee Village started in 2015 when the city's urban planning and property management executive, Ludwig Narib, refused to sign a reservation letter for erf 1448. A reservation letter involves a fee paid to the municipality confirming that a developer won a tender and can work on the project. According to Mbutu, the City of Windhoek blocked the continuation of construction on the Khomasdal erf because the two parties are yet to sign a memorandum of agreement stating that the services the developer is providing, such as street lights, will be to the specification of the city's standards and rules. The city also accused Mbutu of not complying with their construction rules. He disputed that version, claiming that the City is hell-bent on stopping the project. The municipality's chief executive, Robert Kahimise, told The Namibian last month that the project is delayed because there are outstanding issues. “The developer needs to make adjustments in his current layout to ensure that they fall within the contemplated development rights imposed on erf 1448 Khomasdal,” he said. Kahimise said the municipality realised that the proposed policy area was not discussed with the residents in the area, and therefore the enactment was withheld until public consultations are done. A policy area refers to what type of zoning can be done in an area. “In the meantime, the City of Windhoek also became aware of infrastructural shortcomings in this area, which necessitated further investigations. The policy area was, therefore, not concluded and not approved, and the developer is aware of this development,” he stated. Mbutu insisted that the city never told him in writing that the project layout needed changes. His second headache is a development on erf 6068 in Windhoek West, which is valued at N$14 million. The developer claims that the municipality deliberately delayed the finalisation of the city's new policy area that affected the development of erf 6068. This, according to him, resulted in the development being excluded from the town plan. Mbutu said the city never informed him about the town plan change. He said the private developers who sold him the Windhoek West plot gave up on it after the municipality kept delaying their project. According to him, the former owners submitted building application plans in July 2013, but only received approval three years later. Mbutu said the stoppage of the projects gave him no choice but to let go of some of his workers, and cut the salaries of those earning more than N$7 000 per month by 30%. He said this is not the first time that he has experienced problems with the municipality after going through similar problems in 2014 when he constructed flats at Rocky Crest.

He is not the first developer to complain about the municipality's delays on projects. Developers have over the years complained that some city officials continuously indirectly ask for kickbacks to fast-track property projects. Meanwhile, The Namibian understands that urban development minister Sophia Shaningwa wrote to the city to intervene in the delay. Although the minister denied writing any letter, city spokesperson Lydia Amutenya confirmed receiving a letter regarding the delays from Shaningwa. “I can confirm that the City of Windhoek received the letter, but we cannot share the contents with the media,” Amutenya said.

1.15 Teiken régte armes: Miljarde kan beter benut word Republikein|14/06/2017 Jo-Maré Duddy - Sonder die kontant wat Namibiërs maandeliks as toelae van die regering ontvang, sou die getal armes in die land 45, 8% méér gewees het. Die regering se hulp in die vorm van water- en behuisingsubsidies, asook reusebesteding aan gesondheid en onderwys, beveg voorts armoede. Sonder dit én kontanttoelae saam sou die •armoedesyfer 58, 4% hoër gewees het. Die regering se “mildelike” begrotingsbeleid het 118 000 mense uit armoede gelig en die koers van brandarmes met amper 25% verlaag, luidens 'n gesamentlike verslag van die Namibië Statistiekagentskap (NSA) en die Wêreldbank wat gister vrygestel is. Nietemin bly armoede in die land hoog. Volgens die Wêreldbank moes 16, 9% van die land se bevolking – ongeveer 385 441 mense – in 2015 op minder as US$1, 90 of sowat N$24, 30 per dag oorleef. Word die internasionale broodlyn van US$3, 10 (sowat N$39, 65) per dag gebruik, was 42, 8% van Namibiërs in 2015 in armoede gedompel. Die drievoudige uitdaging van armoede, ongelykheid en werkloosheid duur hardnekkig voort ondanks die groot somme staatsgeld waarmee dit bestry word, sê mnr. Paul Noumba Um, die Wêreldbank se verteenwoordiger in Namibië. As sulks moet in diepte vasgestel word of die regering die beste van sy begrotingsbeleid vir die bekamping van armoede en ongelykheid gebruik maak, sê hy. Noudat die regering sy bestedingsrieme moet dun sny, is dit veral belangrik. Die NSA/Wêreldbank-verslag heet gepas “Does Fiscal Policy Benefit the Poor and Reduce Inequality in Namibia?” Om dit te bepaal, is na die impak van direkte kontanttoelae gekyk, asook na indirekte subsidies vir watergeriewe op die platteland, die Build Together-behuisingsinisiatief en die program van die Nasionale Behuisingsonderneming (NHE). Die uitwerking van gesubsidieerde gesondheid en onderwys is ook in ag geneem. Die vernaamste swakplek van die regering se maatskaplike welsynprogramme – wat die afgelope 25 jaar byna die helfte van die begroting opgeslurp het – is dat dit nie geteiken is nie, aldus die verslag. Pensioen: Bykans 17, 2% van alle Namibiërs – ongeag hul finansiële vermoë – ontvang 'n staatspensioen. Uit die vyfde van Namibiërs wat die armste is, ontvang 22, 2% 'n staatspensioen. Uit die vyfde wat die rykste is, ontvang 6, 8% egter dieselfde bedrag. Dieselfde geld vir toelae vir wees- en weerlose kinders. Sowat 6, 6% van die armste segment word geraak, maar ook ongeveer 2, 6% van die rykste. Met indirekte subsidies verlig net watervoorsiening op die platteland armes se lot wesenlik. Die Built Together (BTP)- en NHE-programme is hoofsaaklik op stedelike gebiede van toepassing. 'n Skrale een persent van die armste van arm huishoudings trek voordeel uit die BTP, terwyl niemand in dié groep by die NHE baat nie, lui die verslag. Die impak van primêre staatskole is “absoluut progressief en pro- armes”, bevind die verslag. Op sekondêre skoolvlak is die uitwerking egter minder en op tersiêre vlak bykans niks. Die 70% van die bevolking wat die armste is, “ontvang” net 10% van die begrotingsgeld wat hiervoor opsy gesit is. Teiken: Begunstigdes van regeringstoelae en –subsidies word “losweg” geteiken. Gevolglik word minder as die helfte van dié uitgawes vir die werklike bestryding van armoede gebruik. Om armoede doeltreffend te takel, is 'n goeie teikenstelsel (“proxy means tested” of PMT) noodsaaklik wat armes identifiseer en geld na hulle kanaliseer, sê die verslag. Om PMT's te bedryf, is egter ingewikkeld, vereis 'n beduidende belegging én institusionele kapasiteit, aldus die verslag. Die NSA se statistikus-generaal, mnr. Alex Shimuafeni, het tydens die bekendstelling van die verslag gesê dis duidelik dat die doeltreffendheid en dekking van maat•skaplike veiligheidsnette verbeter kan word om meer mense te bereik. “Nou vra ons onsself: Waarheen nou?” het hy gesê.

1.16 200 try to grab Otjomuise land The Namibian|15/06/2017 Windhoek City Police officers had their hands full when landless people gathered at an open field from across the Otjomuise clinic in Windhoek yesterday to clear land. At least 200 people gathered at the site around 12h00 with sho•vels, rakes and other land clearing implements to measure out and clear plots for themselves. One of the prospective land grabbers, who preferred to remain anonymous, said she and her two children live in a single bedroom rented shack, which was also erected illegally. When The Namibian arrived on the scene, people had already been warned by the City Police to stop their land clearing activities. City Police senior superintendent Nathaniel Nendongo said a N$1 000 fine would be issued to anyone found clearing city land unlawfully. He said people would be fined or arrested if they attempted to erect any shacks. Despite the warning, people proceeded to set some areas of the field on fire, while others set up tents. One of the land grabbers, Jonas Jonas, said he wouldn't be moved as he was only doing what others had done before him. “All those shacks down the street were illegally set up. So, why do they have to remove ours?” he asked.

1.17 Oshakati humiliates Windhoek on land delivery The Namibian|19/06/2017 Oshakati, with an estimated population of around 36 500, serviced 2 210 plots in the last three years, while the City of Windhoek with around 325 800 people, had 371 plots serviced during the same period. These figures are contained in the statistics provided by urban development minister Sophia Shaningwa last week in the National Assembly on the number of plots serviced in 11 towns across the country since 2014. She revealed the statistics while responding to DTA Member of Parliament Nico Smit, who had asked several questions regarding the provision of serviced land. Serviced land is an area where services such as roads, water supply and sewerage are installed. The list by the minister shows that since 2014, local authorities serviced around 10 900 plots countrywide. Oshakati topped the list with around 2 210 plots, while the coastal town of Swakopmund with an estimated population of about 44 700 came second with 2 084, and Katima Mulilo with around 28 300 people was third with 2 024 erven. Keetmanshoop produced 1 009 plots, Walvis Bay had 920 erven, Grootfontein had 593, Otjiwarongo with 531 and Ondangwa in eighth position with 420 plots. The others include the Windhoek municipality in ninth position with 371 plots, Gobabis with 357 and lastly Rundu with 92 plots. Shaningwa said in total, 26 730 plots were serviced countrywide in the past three years, including the 10 900 erven. Although she did not say who serviced the rest, it appears that they were done by private developers. Windhoek's 371 plots include those in Academia and Otjomuise, which are but a drop in the ocean, considering the high number of people migrating to the city. Earlier this year, Shaningwa told the National Assembly that government had serviced around 7 700 erven since last year. “A large percentage of these numbers have been brought about through government-sponsored initiatives such as the massive urban land servicing project, and related capital funding provided to regional councils and local authorities,” she stated. Oshakati is one of the few towns which appears to have fully implemented that pilot project. Shaningwa said the latest figures confirm that the 6 500 land service delivery targets set in the Harambee Prosperity Plan had been reached. What the minister did not say is that the targets are set so low that they do not match the 10 000 increase of new housing applications per year. Namibia's housing waiting list is estimated by government officials to be over 130 000. Shaningwa furthermore cited figures by the Namibia Statistics Agency, which found in 2011 that Windhoek's population grows by 3, 1% per year, while the Erongo region, which included towns like Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, recorded a population growth of 3, 4% per year. The figures also explain how the Windhoek municipality is struggling to keep up with the high demand for land in the city. The Namibian reported last year that the NHE's waiting list in Windhoek had around 6 000 people, while the City of Windhoek had close to 40 000. Some of the applicants date back as far as 2003. The Windhoek City council has over the years relied on private developers to service land, while also dishing out plots to well- connected individuals who are currently 'sitting' on erven. 16

Windhoek's land distribution to the well-off is nothing new. The Namibian reported last year that since 2006, the City of Windhoek has only serviced 63 residential plots in Katutura, while over 2 000 residential plots were serviced in affluent neighbourhoods. Meanwhile, the minister said the ban on the auctioning off of land still remains. “The ministry has issued a moratorium on the auctioning of immovable properties to curb, amongst others, land speculation, and also to allow the low to middle- income-earners to acquire land. The moratorium was specifically issued on residential erven,” she stressed. The minister added that the advantages of using auctions as a way to sell plots includes competition among private developers, and increases money for local authorities. However, that system has its disadvantages, including the fact that it encourages speculation with land, and locks out the low to middle-income-earners from the land market. “It necessarily pushes up land prices, and thus creates a distorted land market. It is also seen by those who are in dire need of land as a discriminatory method against them,” she noted. Shaningwa said further investigations need to be done to determine if the auctioning of land should be totally phased out, or if it should be used only in extraordinary cases.

1.18 No place to call home The Namibian Sun|19/06/2017 On an abandoned government property in Robert Mugabe Avenue, some 25 homeless have made their home, babies and children in tow. The house is run-down and has suffered severe fire damage and there is running water, but no toilets or electricity. Cynthia Goagus, 27, a long-time resident, shares her small space and mattress with her six-month-old baby. She told Namibian Sun she is tired of living on the streets. Goagus, who was preparing herself for church on Sunday morning, said she lived a normal life before her mother died in 2004. “Life was good before my mother died. I had everything I needed but my life changed in a few seconds after she passed away,” said Goagus. She said she continued to stay at her mother's house with her aunt but they used to argue a lot. She said she was forced to leave. “After my mother died, my aunt and I used to argue about a lot of things, one day I just had enough and I just opted to go to the streets. My aunt then sold my mother's house so there was no place for me to go back to,” she said. She says she fends for her baby by begging for money on the streets or by doing house work for people who employ her on an ad hoc basis. “I struggle a lot, but I am not ashamed because I have a baby at home I need to feed him. I beg in front of shops for money and sometimes I clean houses so I can make money to feed my baby,” shared Goagus. She admits the place is not ideal or safe but she has no place to go. “It is not really a safe place, but I stay here because there is no other place for me.” It gets very cold at night and people sometimes fight here but I have nowhere to go,” shared Goagus. The father of the baby, who said his name is Foudenu Fudario says although it was Father's Day there was nothing for him to celebrate. “My heart bleeds. I bleed for my son because I am not happy. There is nothing to be happy about here. We've been complaining for years and years and our complaints fall on deaf ears. The government only gives help to the struggle kids but we also are struggle kids and we need help as well,” he said. He added he has been on the streets for 27 years and has since lived from one place to another. “Independence found me here on the streets. I voted for our government but I haven't seen change. I lived under the bridge and I was moved from there. Everywhere I go I've been moved. The government has wronged us,” said Fudario. Goagus adds she is constantly in fear of being thrown out of the house they now call home. “We are not really sure how long we are going to stay here until the City Police officials throw us out. You don't sleep comfortably because you are worried about what is going to happen next,” said Goagus. The mother says she does not ask for much from the government but just a place she can call her own and for any Good Samaritan who can give her a job so she can take care of her baby. “The government should provide us with a piece of land where we can stay since they always move us from the places we stay. And I plead to anyone out there to give me a job so I can take care of my baby,” implored Goagus.

The City Police is aware of the squatters and on Friday evening during the Copps radio show on Kosmos 94.1, discovered the two babies in the house. Superintendent Kolokwe, from the City Police, confirmed that she would attend to the matter today with officials from the gender ministry. “We need to get those babies to safety,” she said.

1.19 Windhoek CBD picks up The Namibian|21/06/2017 Upmarket development in Windhoek's central business district (CBD) is on the rise and has boosted the revival of this inner-city area. This comes amidst plans to transform the city into a trendy leisure destination after dark which has seen an increase in the numbers of cafés, festivals and night markets to appeal to professionals who work within the CBD to spend more time in the city after work hours, Karina van den Heever, the spokesperson for Gustav Voigts, said in a statement yesterday. “There's also a growing trend of CBD living.” Windhoek mayor Muesee Kazapua noted that despite numerous challenges, Windhoek has seen significant developments over the past few years, including the construction of FNB's head office and the Hilton Hotel. Whilst addressing a business forum in September last year, the mayor was quoted as saying: “These mixed developments in our central business district area are clear testimony that our business community is positively responding to the City's call to revitalise the CBD area.” Other key developments in the capital's CBD area are the mixed-use 77 on Independence Avenue and the multimillion-dollar phased refurbishment of Gustav Voigts shopping centre, Van den Heever said yesterday. 77 on Independence, which offers a combination of retail, residential and office space, links Independence Avenue to the Old Breweries Craft Market, a precinct that already boasts some high-quality retailers, businesses and service providers, a gym and an art gallery, she said. According to some residents, one disadvantage of living in that complex however, is that they struggle to sleep because of the noise generated by watering holes in the area that remain open until the early hours of the morning. Meanwhile, Carel Fourie, CEO of Oryx Properties, the owner of the Gustav Voigts Centre, says: “We've undertaken this refurbishment partly as a result of the growing demand for upscale inner-city shopping, driven by the professionals in the surrounding offices, banks and government buildings.” A fourth generation Voigts family member and Wecke&Voigts store manager and buyer Adriane Jandrell says that there's been an increase in the number of professionals frequenting the department store, which opened its doors 125 years ago and is the oldest in the country. Noting that the store's inventory caters for both tourists and locals, Jandrell says: “Because of the rich history and reputation our store holds in Windhoek, we have experienced visits from clients from around the world.”

1.20 Mayor wants land sale moratorium lifted The Namibian Sun|21/06/2017 The mayor of Okahandja, Johannes Hindjou, has called on the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development to fast-track the lifting of the moratorium on selling and leasing land in the town. Speaking to Nampa on the sidelines of the 121st commemoration of the OvaMbanderu Traditional Authority and observation of the death of Chief Kahimenua Nguvauva, Hindjou said the town council is losing out on revenue due to the moratorium. He said town councils depend on the sale and lease of land for survival. Hindjou noted that even the OvaMbanderu Traditional Authority has applied for land in Okahandja, but their application could not be processed until the directive from the ministry is received. The OvaMbanderu traditional authority has applied for the open space called OvaMbanderu Commando on the outskirts of Okahandja. “If we could process their application, by now they would have been paying rates and taxes. The council makes money from rates and taxes, which will be then used for funding developmental projects and provide quality services to residents,” he said. In 2015, the Minister of Urban and Rural Development Sophia Shaningwa placed a moratorium on selling and leasing land in Okahandja due to irregularities that were detected.

The irregularities include the double allocation of land and people being allocated land without applying for it. Hindjou, however, idicated that they have to respect the decision of the ministry because of these irregularities. “An investigative team was sent to Okahandja some time ago by the ministry and we hope the moratorium will be lifted soon,” he said.

1.21 McLeod-Katjirua warns of land, housing instability The Confidente|22/06/2017 The growing demand for land and affordable, quality housing is threatening to destabilise the Khomas region, if not correctly handled. These were the words of Khomas Regional Governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua, during her State of the Region Address this week. The Khomas region has seen increasing incidents of land grabbing, especially in the Havana, Goreangab and 8ste Laan areas, leading to clashes with the City of Windhoek, while some cases have headed to the courts. McLeod- Katjirua stressed that due to the influx into Windhoek, the population in the region is growing drastically, day by day, and this has put a strain on the regional police, in terms of manpower, as well as on infrastructure and general resources, to meet basic requirements. “The recent outcry for land and housing is a cause for concern, and might destabilise the region, if not addressed early, as there are sporadic reports of land grabbing in Windhoek,” McLeod Katjirua explained. “All these are challenges need to be tackled head-on, for the security situation in our region to be sustainable,” she said. The land question has been a bone of contention, and has led to birth of many movements pioneered by land activists, who have been frequently demanding effective delivery. The situation inten•sified, as the demand for a Second National Land Conference took centre stage, which the government has agreed to host. “Our region will help in organising and hosting the Second National Land Conference, which will aim to address the challenges of land reform in the country,” McLeod Katjirua said. “President Hage Geingob, in his 2017 New Year’s message, informed the nation that the government will forge ahead with the hosting of the conference in September.” McLeod Katjirua noted that the confer•ence will review the resolutions of the 1991 Land Conference, and chart the way forward. “I shall also keep urging our people of Khomas, and the rest of Namibia, to be very patient while the government, through the Ministry of Land Reform, is organising the hosting of the conference that will deliberate and pass resolutions on some of the pertinent issues on land reform in the Khomas region and the country.” According to the governor, the scarcity of agricultural farmland in Khomas, and beyond, is one of the challenges that the country’s Land Reform Programme will continue to be faced with. “There is growing demands for resettlement in the region; hence the competition becomes high in the process, (amid fears) that only a few could make it to the allotment.” On other issues, McLeod-Kat•jirua said that despite enormous investment initiatives, levels of unemployment continue to grow, especially among the labour active youth in the region. She remarked that, in general, there was very effective and efficient performance by the public and private sectors during the 2016/17 financial year, in her region. Capacity building efforts, she said, are paying off, while poverty and inequality levels are being reduced in the region. “However, we still have unfinished business, and issues of serious concern, which are not insurmountable. “They just require a bit of more hard work, despite economic challenges and hardships. Youth unemployment will continue to be our priority number one, on the regional agenda, for the 2017/18 financial year,” McLeod-Katjirua added.

1.22 Usakos dreams big The Confidente|22/06/2017 An oil storage facility, massive industrial developments, increased office space for retailers and wholesalers, a vehicle assembly plant, solar farms, a steel manufacturing factory, as well close to 400 residential plots, are some of developments mooted for the railway town of Usakos, in the Erongo region.

The Usakos Municipality confirmed to Confidente this week that it has leased a two hectare piece of land to private company, MDL, for N$2 000 a month, with the option to buy the plot for an oil storage facility. Prominent Namibian retailer and wholesaler, Woermann & Brock, is also set to open a shopping centre at the town. Usakos Mayor Akser Mwafangeyo said this week that the perception that the town is growing at a snail’s pace was wrong, while stressing that this was far from the reality on the ground. “A lot has been happening here. Developers have been approaching the town for development. There is a shortage of serviced land, but we are in a process of entering into public private partnerships (PPPs) with developers,” explained Mwafangeyo. “Through these PPPs, our partners will provide plans and designs, and service residential plots, before developing housing. This will allow people to buy plans and land.” The municipality is negotiating with TransNamib, which owns huge tracks of virgin land in Usakos, there since the establishment of the town in the 1900s. The town has since independence seen minimal development and is often treated as a drive through, on the way to the coast. “The olden day Usakos was a workshop and watering station for locomotives and a certain percentage of land is still owned by TransNamib, in an area now called Bo Dorp. The council does not have any open land there,” Mwafangeyo said. “We are currently engaged in negotiations with TransNamib for the council to acquire this land for residential purposes.” He added that the municipality has also identified another area called Extension 2, where 120 residential plots have been earmarked for planning, surveying and servicing, through PPPs. “At the Old Location, we have built our new administrative block, and the area will be used for mixed development, which includes upmarket residential and business developments, also through PPPs. “At the Erongosig township, we have serviced residential land; some of it has already been allocated to people. There are about 16 plots that are serviced, and are ready to be allocated for occupation,” Mwafangeyo said. “With all these initiatives, we are looking at providing close to 400 residential plots, including those through the PPPs.” The mayor stressed that currently, residential plots range in price between N$9 000 and N$25 000, which is the municipality’s way of meeting residents halfway. On other developments at the town, Mwafangeyo noted that Usakos only houses “pockets” of shops, which do not cater for all the residents and their needs. “Most of the residents go to Swakopmund, Karibib and Windhoek to do their shopping. The council has availed land to Woermann & Brock, to put up a shopping centre on a prime piece of land, close to the road and next to our administrative block. “The area is further reserved for businesses and offices. The land was bought by the Ministry of Urban and Rural development from a private person for N$2 million last year. “On this 15 hectares piece of land, we are expecting Erongo RED to set•up a customer care centre; there are also other interested parties,” Mwafangeyo said. “We are planning on attracting building material suppliers, because the residents have to travel very far, and it is expensive to get building materials from outside of town.” Commenting on the industrial land availed to MDL, the mayor said, “They have already fenced off the area, and put up temporary structures for the storage of fuel. According to 3D presentations, they showed the council, they will park their oil tankers there, refill them and distribute the fuel across the country. “In fact, MDL has already started the process of buying that plot. We will put it out for public objections and ministerial approval, before we sell it to them for between N$2 million to N$3 million.” Mwafangeyo said that other proposals on the table include a vehicle assembly plant, a plant that will produce PVC pipes, solar farms, a steel manufacturing factory and another oil storage facility and truck port. The council has also outsourced its abattoir and a swimming pool, and a plot on which a recreational facility will be constructed. Usakos will soon advertise for a new chief executive officer and a technical manager.

1.23 Approval sought for Farm 37 to be fast-tracked The Namibian|23/06/2017 The Walvis Bay municipality is appealing to the urban development ministry for permission to start groundwork for low-cost housing on Farm 37. Walvis Bay chief executive officer Muronga Haingura told The Namibian that the municipality's intention was to start groundwork as soon as the end of this year or beginning 2018.

However, this was dependent on whether the ministry accepted the municipality's proposal to manage the Farm 37 project concurrently with other capital projects. “We are hoping for the best, considering the need for land and housing. We are grateful that Nampab [Namibia Planning Advisory Board] has approved our application, which already is a big step in the right direction,” Haingura noted. Walvis Bay mayor Immanuel Wilfred told this newspaper that the initial aim was to start off with the development of up to 3 000 erven on Farm 37 (measuring almost 2 000 hectares), but also emphasised that such a plan depended on the ministry's agreement to allow the development to happen alongside other projects. Last week, at a public meeting at Walvis Bay, over a thousand Walvis Bay residents, mainly low-income earners, collectively gave a sigh of relief when they heard of the Nampab decision. Wilfred told the meeting that residents would soon be approached by municipal officials going house to house to collect information about all potential housing beneficiaries, and to register them for possible land allocations. “In the end, we want this to be a town for all. It will be the first new town in an independent Namibia”, he added. Walvis Bay receives a constant inflow of migrants from other parts of the country, and the mayor said property owners have exploited this by making money out of the newcomers through high rents. High residential rental costs, especially in backyard accommodation, has already stoked attempted land grabs and conflicts between community members and the police. Wilfred said those who do not own homes will now have an opportunity to make their dreams come true. “Let us build this town together,” he added.

1.24 Corruption and Rent Control – Killing the Private Sector… slowly The Namibian|23/06/2017 President Hage Geingob has long said that he is not opposed to the private sector, quite the opposite, as he says he wants to see the development of a vibrant and healthy private sector which includes a large number of Namibians. If the President wishes to develop the private sector, then the first principle that should guide policy is 'do no harm'. Regrettably, the announcements in April that government will introduce new rent control legislation as a means of protecting low-income groups is not only misguided, it could not possibly come at a worse time for an already embattled construction industry, which is one of the main employers of unskilled and semi-skilled Namibians. In fact, rents are already on their way down throughout the residential market, and so are prices of that type of accommodation. According to several real estate agents, rents in the middle end of the market have declined by 10-20% over the last two years, and the private sector is doing precisely as it should – expanding supply to the extent that it is possible in response to what were for many years very high rents. This policy could not come at a worse time for the Namibian economy, with rising unemployment (34% in 2016, up from 27% the previous year), and an economy that is in rapid decline (-3, 1% GDP growth) due in large measure to the 'fiscal consolidation'-like austerity programme that government has had to introduce to rebalance its budget. The obvious thing to do is to defer rent control until the economy recovers. The government needs to provide housing for low- income individuals, and as long as any rent control system is created to prevent the gouging of tenants, then it should be a positive development. But governments rarely do just this, and they proceed with rent control to keep rents below what the market would otherwise determine. This is the wrong approach, as it will simply stop the private sector from doing what it is meant to do, making money from increasing the supply of housing, and even though much of the construction effort is geared to middle income housing, the supply situation will certainly mean lower rents further down the market as well. The largest segment of Namibia's private sector is construction, and it has taken a big hit over the last two years, with the government failing to honour or postponing some of its infrastructure commitments. You can see the results in terms of the statistics. Construction was and remains the biggest sector in the Namibian economy, but the contraction has been so severe over the last two years, with the construction sector declining by almost 40% by January 2017 from its peak in January 2016. Rent control, if it is effective, lowers rents and often leads to or worsens shortages in the housing market.

At lower prices, consumers want more, and businesses will supply less. The shortages often give rise to strange and bizarre responses. In New York, one of the classic evasion responses by landlords to rent control and the chronic shortages of rental accommodation that is available on the island of Manhattan was the practice of charging fabulous sums for acquiring the keys to the property, which was not controlled. But that is Manhattan, and this is Namibia. Manhattan has a fixed supply of land and apartments, and that is the exact opposite of the situation here in Namibia. Namibia has the second-lowest population density in the world (after Mongolia), and yet there is little land available for building, especially in the urban areas, and in particular housing appropriate for low-income groups. If one is willing and able to supply land to the private sector for development, there is really no good reason why rents would not decrease even further from the sheer force of market pressure. But just recently, the figures came out on the availability of land for building in Windhoek as once again proof that something is painfully wrong with the land allocation policy in the country. According to recent reports, only some 371 serviced plots were allocated in Windhoek since 2014. Last year, as the financial crisis was beginning, I made a presentation on its implications to the Construction Industries Federation. I made reference to one of the ubiquitous features of building which exists almost everywhere in the world: the need to pay bribes to get land and building permits. The bribe is commonly referred to as '10%' in the industry, being the ratio of the bribe to the value of the development. At the end of my presentation, one of the larger contractors came up to me and laughed. 'You are from the 20th century, it is 20-25% in Windhoek'. If that is anywhere near accurate, then it is fairly obvious that restricting land supply increases the bribes that have to be paid to public officials to obtain land. This has always been the case, and it is time for government to intervene to assure an adequate supply of land in the large urban areas. If the government wants to create jobs, provide housing for the poor and stimulate the most important part of Namibia's private sector, then rent control which sets universal limits on rent increases will only worsen matters. There is one aphorism that is worth remembering. 'If creating social justice could simply be achieved by good men writing good laws, then it would have been done long ago.' If government wants to eliminate the most visible vestiges of apartheid and colonialism in Namibia, which are the informal settlements, then it can only do so with money, land and resources, not by passing easy laws that solve nothing and make it more difficult for business to operate.

1.25 Hardap governor focuses on achievements, challenges The Namibian|26/06/2017 Hardap governor Esme Isaack on Friday delivered her state of the region address, in which she focused on the region's achievements and challenges. Reading from her 33-page speech, Isaack reflected on progress made and the challenges the regional government faced, saying the region “is moving in a progressive direction”. This was evidenced by the region continuously receiving delegated functions from the central government, despite the slow decentralisation process; the involvement of the majority of citizens in decision making concerning their livelihoods; the provision of services and fundamental commodities to rural communities; and the creation of opportunities for entrepreneurship for the betterment of the locals. Isaack said millions of dollars had been pumped into schools' infrastructural development, which resulted mainly in the renovation of hostels and the construction of additional classrooms. Government had acquired land in the region for resettlement purposes during the 2016-17 financial year, and four out of the 17 families who had been resettled on this land, which was sub-divided into 17 farming units, hail from the Hardap region. In addition, the governor said 175 land rights, 135 customary rights for residential purposes, and two leasehold rights were also issued during the 2016/2017 financial year. Isaack thus urged the new farmers to diversify farming with the objective of ensuring food security. According to her, government also acquired an additional 800 hectares adjacent to the Schlip settlement with the aim of expanding the settlement so that it qualifies for village status in the near future. Her office has also granted a total of N$327 364 to fund micro projects in the region, and 19 964 bags of maize meal were distributed throughout the region as part of government's drought relief food programme.

She also focused on land delivery, and reminded local and regional authorities of their responsibility to make land available to locals in view of the high demand. Figures released by the governor show that Rehoboth had produced 144 serviced plots; Mariental 80, which are earmarked for social housing under the Shack Dwellers' Federation; Maltahöhe 62; and Klein Aub 60. The governor said the Gibeon village sold 15 hectares to First Capital for the construction of houses, and another 15 hectares to private investors for housing and commercial developments. The governor said 128 toilets were under construction as part of the Harambee Prosperity Plan's rural toilet project in the region. These are expected to be completed by the end of July. Isaack furthermore highlighted the unavailability of serviced land, councils' huge bulk water and electricity bills; the slow implementation of decentralisation; school drop-outs; and vendetta-driven fights among political office-bearers which stifle development, as challenges the region faces. “We must at all times and in all respects avoid political and/or personal vendettas from negatively affecting development service delivery,” she warned. The governor thus urged Hardap citizens to collectively redouble their efforts to tackle the challenges the region is facing.

1.26 Shacks proliferate among Keetmanshoop mass houses New Era|28/06/2017 Despite impassioned appeals by Minister of Urban and Rural Development Sophia Shaningwa that shacks not be erected in the backyards of houses built under the government’s mass housing scheme, corrugated-zinc huts have become commonplace in the yards of such houses at Keetmanshoop. The ministry and the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) have clearly given instructions to the beneficiaries of what has become known as ‘mass houses’ not to erect shacks once they receive their house, but all this seems to have fallen on deaf ears as more and more shacks are being erected at the mass houses, day by day. NHE’s senior communication and marketing officer Mutonga Matali derided the fact that the beneficiaries of the mass houses are cashing in on the shortage of housing by setting up shacks in their backyards, despite crystal-clear instructions to the contrary. Matali said NHE’s stance against the setting up of backyard shacks remained unchanged because the government wants to put an end to the mushrooming of shacks that have become part of the urban landscape. “That is still our position – we highly discourage any recipient of these houses to erect shacks. The government is trying hard to eliminate shacks but it seems our clients are countering those efforts,” he said. But Matali, who was in Keetmanshoop on Monday to hand over another batch of completed houses, indicated he is happy with the overall progress of the mass housing programme, and that 75 houses would be handed to their owners by Friday. He further said NHE is committed to ensure that all completed houses are occupied as soon as possible and called on new homeowners to do their part in paying their monthly instalments, to ensure more revenue is generated and subsequently more houses are built. “We urge recipients to do their part and honour the commitment to their home loans, so that we can build more houses.” Speaking to some of the recipients who have set up shacks in their yards, they indicated they are left with no choice but to accommodate family members who want access to clean water and electricity, while some indicated they had to set up shacks as the houses are too small to shelter all their family members. David Nakambale, who received a two-room house last year, has four shacks in his yard. He said that due to the limited space in the main house, other family members had to erect shacks, noting that three of the shacks are used for accommodation, while one serves as a tuck shop. “The space is limited and all my family members cannot fit into the house, so some had to erect shacks outside,” he said. The 75 houses to be handed over this week will bring the total number to 150 out of the 320 houses to be built at Keetmanshoop.

1.27 Omaruru savings scheme starts constructing houses The Namibian Sun|29/06/2017 'River C', a Shack Dwellers Federation housing scheme in Omaruru, this weekend commenced with the construction of 26 houses after years of technical and natural delays. When completed, it will bring the total number of houses constructed under the federation here to 117. The 26 River C beneficiaries qualified for housing loans from the federation in 2013 after saving at least N$3 000 for land, N$2 800 for building materials and N$800 for insurance. They received land the following year but construction was delayed after the Omaruru Town Council was suspended, and then again last year because of a water shortage due to drought.“I feel very lucky given all the challenges we experienced since we joined the federation in 2010,” recipient Elizabeth Goses said. Goses, a domestic worker, said the process was slow but she is happy that construction has started. Kathira Ekandjo, who just finished making 915 building blocks for his house, said he will fast-track the construction by assisting the builder, and believes it should be done in 30 days. “It's a joy really; I am looking forward to having my own house,” Ekandjo said. Johanson Masina, who had been saving through the group since 2013, was also delighted by the prospect of owning a house. He said the federation is a lifeline for his family, who had been renting for decades. Regional facilitator of the federation's Community Land Information Programme, Lisias Lazarus told this agency on Monday that five other saving schemes with a combined 178 members are retaining funds and should start constructing their houses as soon as a number of technical hiccups with the municipality are solved.

1.28 Only 1 800 mass houses delivered The Namibian Sun|30/06/2017 Government appears to have failed dismally as far as the successful implementation of the mass housing project is concerned. The minister of urban and rural development, Sophia Shaningwa, has announced that only 1 804 houses have been delivered, in stark contrast to the target of 8 800 set for the first phase of the ambitious project when it was launched by former president Hifikepunye Pohamba in 2013. Government revised the initial target to 3 958, a presentation to President Hage Geingob showed. This was revealed in a presentation made by Shaningwa at State House. No indication of the number of plots serviced was given by Shaningwa. Her presentation to Geingob also lacked detail pertaining to the money spent on the project thus far. The plan was to build 185 000 affordable houses by the year 2030, which was to be implemented in phases at a projected cost of N$45 billion. The first phase was meant to run for two years and target all 14 regional capital centres by building an approximate 8 800 housing units, while 10 200 plots were to be serviced at an estimated cost of N$2.7 billion. According to Shaningwa, the challenges that affected the successful implementation of the project included banks' reluctance to lend money to would-be homeowners because some local authorities were declared non-lending zones. Affordability was also an issue, while contractors also failed to meet deadlines. She said there were plans to aggressively sell the houses built under the programme through the NHE, that they were looking at means to penalise non-performing contractors and that they would expedite the servicing of land and the proclamation of townships. The mandate for the project was removed from the NHE and given to Shaningwa's ministry because of the parastatal's non-delivery on key objectives. Selling his vision at the launch, Pohamba said many Namibians did not have access to basic amenities. “For far too long, many families have lived in difficult conditions, without basic services such as clean drinking water, electricity and ablution facilities,” he said, adding that now Namibians would not only get affordable housing, but have access to better sanitation. “This is an important national initiative. Housing is one of the basic needs for dignified human existence.” The programme was aligned to the implementation of the Fourth National Development Plan.

1.29 !Goab.com settlement draws a crowd The Namibian|30/06/2017 The sprawling informal settlement at Mariental is not only a haven for locals tired of living in overcrowded family homes, but also for former farm workers who became destitute after leaving their jobs. This is how !Goab.com informal settlement, about one kilometre from Mariental's central business district, has grown beyond expectations. Here, residents use anything they can lay their hands on to build shacks, dump rubbish on any open spaces, and use the bush as toilets. Emma Engelbrecht, who is unemployed, stays in !Goab.com with her four sons aged between two months and 11 years. Her one-room shack is made of discarded material. She moved onto a vacant piece of land, and erected her shack because her family house at Aimablaagte is overcrowded. Despite having no potable water, Engelbrecht is happy that she now has a place to call home. “When it rains, we are forced to stand in corners because our roof is only covered with plastics,” she explained. Engelbrecht fetches water from a communal tap, about 500 metres from her shack, in plastic buckets every morning. Her family survives on social grants, and her older sons also collect empty bottles which they exchange for money at shebeens. Another resident, Simon Andreas, who lives with his wife and son, said the area is “very safe”, despite the lack of basic services. Abraham Lampert (44), a casual farm worker, said !Goab.com residents only get “good promises” from council. He said he had no choice but to build his shack on a vacant stand when the informal settlement sprang up a few years back, adding that many of the residents are former farmworkers. Complaining about the lack of basic services, Lampert said “there is no life” if there is no water, sanitation and electricity. “We have a rich country, but I don't know why money meant for socio-economic development does not reach the poor,” he said, adding that he has lost trust in the government's mass housing scheme. “They say houses built under this scheme are for low-income earners, but the people cannot afford them,” he stressed. According to Lampert, it does not surprise him that some prison wardens and police officers live in shacks at the informal settlement. Mariental council chief executive officer Paul Nghiwilepo yesterday said council was forced to buy the land after it was occupied illegally. Council recently conducted a survey to determine how many people stay in the area before the settlement is formalised. However, he reminded the residents that they will be expected to pay for municipal services when they are provided with these.

2 Urban Infrastructure and Services

2.1 Walvis sewage over-burdened The Namibian Sun|19/06/2017 Densification seems to be the real reason behind the unprecedented occurrences of blocked sewage lines and overflowing drains in Walvis Bay. Concerned residents allege the lagoon area is being turned into a ghetto due to the growth in illegal structures being erected in Walvis Bay and say this has led to the problem worsening considerably since November 2016. John Esterhuizen, the GM for solid waste, water and environmental management at the municipality, acknowledged that planning did not keep up with development at the town and said a sharp increase in building extensions led to more residents as well as toilets being constructed in areas such as Meersig, Kuisebmond, Narraville and Fairways. This in turn has resulted in additional pressure on the sewage system. Many erven have also been converted from residential to business properties and this culminated in a pressure spike on the systems of the harbour town. “The sharp rise in the number of people living in Walvis Bay, coupled by an acute shortage of building inspectors and limited capacity with only two pump trucks being operational, also worsens the situation. One pump truck costs approximately N$500 000. There are talks to privatise the cleaning of the sewage system. Council simply does not have enough machines and is looking to involve or appoint a private contractor to ensure the system operates efficiently.” Esterhuizen said blocked sewage lines and flooding drains were a definite nuisance factor and that he could not put an estimate figure in terms of the cost of the problem. He also told residents during a visit to the Jan Wilken pump station and the problem area that it would take approximately 10 years and considerable funding to catch up and ultimately bring the system in line with the demands of the town's increasing residential population. Esterhuizen pointed out that the municipality was monitoring the situation in order to determine the magnitude of the problem. “The sewage levels are extremely high and pumping capacity needs to be upgraded urgently. The municipality is considering constructing an additional pump station between Jan Wilken and the lagoon, or possibly adding an additional pipeline to bypass the problem area in order to relieve the current situation,” he explained. Money has been budgeted with the tendering process expected to be issued in 2018. Residents, however, do not want such facilities in their areas due to the smell and noise factor which accompanies them. According to Esterhuizen, additional pumping commenced in April to determine the cause of the current sewage levels and why the system constantly clogs and overflows in certain areas. For the time being (short-term) regular clean-ups of the existing system are done. Fat traps also need to be maintained and policed by health inspectors since another contributing factor to the problem is businesses who dump fatty waste and people who discard foreign substances into the system. “Restaurants as well as certain businesses located in the central and southern part of the town should look at and maintain their fat and oil traps properly. We recently discovered and removed over 500 litres of used engine oil from the sewage system in 5th Street. This shows the enormity of the problem we have to deal with. The policing aspect admittedly lacks. Society must exercise self-regulation and we need more awareness and training on the issue of dumping illegal substances into the sewage system.” Concerned residents welcomed the fact that the municipality took time to listen to their concerns and also explained what was being done to resolve them. “At least we now know that something is being done to solve the problem and that the situation will eventually change,” said Petrus Germishuys.

2.2 Ondangwa loses planned hospital The Namibian|20/06/2017 Health minister Bernard Haufiku said the referral hospital that had been planned for Ondangwa will not be built there because the town is not geographically well located for such a project. Speaking at the Windhoek Central Hospital last week, Haufiku said the hospital should be within a 60-kilometre radius of the Ondangwa Airport, but not necessarily in the town. The state-of-the-art 1 000-bed academic hospital will have an oncology centre, a maternity block and a cardiac unit. Haufiku spoke about the planned hospital when MultiChoice Namibia donated six nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) units for premature babies to the health ministry. The minister's stance has not been received well by the Ondangwa Town Council, whose management visited President Hage Geingob to discuss the issue about two weeks ago. Ondangwa chief executive officer Ismael Namgongo said it was clear that Haufiku had already chosen his preferred town for the hospital. Namgongo provided documents to show that the health ministry had spent more than N$4 million on plans and surveys for the hospital. He said if the initial plans are abandoned, the health ministry would have wasted public funds. “The town can always provide additional space if the previously chosen site is too small,” Namgongo said, while questioning why Haufiku bypassed a decision made by all 11 constituency councillors in Oshana in favour of building the hospital at Ondangwa. Haufiku admitted that the ministry spent money on plans and surveys, and that regional councillors had chosen Ondangwa for the hospital. However, he said the money was not wasted because the same 'masterplan' could be used at the new site. “Whether it is the previous site or a new site, it remains the ministry's job to decide,” Haufiku said, adding that surveys will be done again for the referral hospital. According to the minister, the construction of the hospital cannot be rushed since there are other issues that need careful consideration. “The ministry is currently engaging private companies who have the knowledge, expertise and resources to build the hospital,” he added. Haufiku labelled the town council's meeting with Geingob as an attempt to manipulate the process. Addressing the meeting at State House, Haufiku said Ongwediva also offered a site. “What if according to science, their area is [preferable]?” he asked. “I will not deviate from scientific evidence. We cannot just say it must be in Ondangwa. Why? What scientific reasons do we have?”

2.3 Electricity unreliability worries Keetmans residents The Namibian|20/06/2017 Keetmanshoop residents are concerned over the unreliability of electricity supply at the town, following a notice by council informing them to buy adequate pre-paid electricity. The notice comes as the Southern Electricity Company (SELCo) which has managed the electricity distribution function at the town for the past 15 years will cease operations today. Council spokesperson Dawn Kruger yesterday allayed fears of unstable electricity supply at the town, and assured residents that pre-paid electricity services will be available as usual. “We're not in a tight spot. Residents don't have to panic. This is just a precautionary measure to avoid any inconveniences during the vending system's transition,” she stated last week. Kruger said SELCo had requested vendors not to sell pre-paid electricity. When asked why council was doing the pre-paid electricity vending system's transition at the eleventh hour, she replied that a “lot of agreements had to be reached”, without going into detail. ErongoRED and council were recently holding talks to form a joint venture partnership for the supply and management of electricity at the town. Kruger said the negotiations still remain “inconclusive” between the parties, adding that council will take back the electricity distribution function from SELCo today. An announcement regarding the electricity supply and management partnership deal is expected today. In the past, residents frequently staged protest actions against SELCo's skyrocketing electricity tariffs, demanding that council should terminate the power deal which the parties had signed. Council, however, was not ready to take back the electricity distribution function from SELCo when the power deal finally expired in August 2015.

Since then the company had been operating on an interim agreement entered into by the previous council management. In November 2016, the new council management signed another six-month agreement with SELCo.

2.4 Oshakati contracts Nexus to divert water The Namibian Sun|21/06/2017 The Oshakati Town Council has appointed the Nexus Group to construct storm water channels and culverts along the roads in the Ekuku residential area to divert water and prevent flooding. The water needs to be redirected into the nearby floodplain. “As a result of heavy rainfall this year, six houses in the Ekuku area were flooded,” said the town's spokesperson Katarina Kamari. Kamari said the Nexus Group was appointed to complete the job as they are already contracted to construct roads in Ekuku. “The work is done at a cost of N$700 000,” Kamari pointed out, adding the project began in March and is expected to be completed by the end of August. She said it is about 80% complete. The council also announced in September last year the rehabilitation of the Kwame Nkrumah and Immanuel Shifidi roads. These roads are since June 2016 being rehabilitated by a Chinese company, Zhong Mei Engineering Group, at the cost of N$24.1 million and are expected to be completed by the end of this month. Kamari said the project is 90% complete, with outstanding minor construction works of speed humps, road signs and interlocked sidewalks. “The 4.5 kilometres road is within established developments, therefore road users are still urged to adhere to warning signs that are erected while finishing up the remaining work,” Kamari concluded.

2.5 Shaningwa vows to enhance service delivery The New Era|21/06/2017 In her quest for operational efficiency and excellent service delivery to the public the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Sophia Shaningwa, has launched the customer service charter of the ministry and individual charters for each operational unit or directorate. The main objective of the charter is to provide a framework for defining service delivery standards, the rights of customers and how complaints from customers, if any, will be handled. Therefore, Shaningwa cautioned staff that the charter is a “serious commitment and undertaking and not a mere document or publicity stunt”. And she urged her team to demonstrate their resolve to service excellence and live up to what they are committing in the charter. “We must pull together in the same direction on this, and anyone of us who does not play his or her part will be held accountable,” she threatened. The launch of the charter follows a directive to all ministries, offices and agencies of the government to develop strategic and annual plans as well as a customer service charter. Shaningwa thus took the lead last Thursday to launch the customer service charter with the aim of transforming the Namibian public service at all levels into a performance and result-oriented organisation. She said the ministry’s charter has been developed along some guiding principles. “Specifically our charter sets out who we are and what we do, who our customers are, our commitment and service promise to our customers, the rights and obligations of our customers,” she noted. Further, she said, the charter includes guidelines on how complaints received by the ministry from customers will be handled and the importance of customer feedback – whether positive or negative. As a ministry, she said, they are committed to render quality and timely service to their customers at all times. The ministry is mandated to scale up the provision of housing and other basic infrastructure and services and meet the general developmental needs of people in both urban and rural areas. Therefore, she said, the charter is a re-affirmation of their pledge of unwavering commitment and rededication to provide the people of Namibia the service that meets their expectations and to the best of their ability. Additionally, she urged her staff to acquaint themselves with the content of the charter and use it as their guide and everyday reference document in their work. “By launching and displaying the charter we are re-affirming the rights of the public, our clients, to hold us accountable and assess the quality and level of the services they are receiving from us against

28 the specific commitment, delivery levels and standards that we set out in the charter,” she said. Since the launched charter is only for the ministry, as the sector minister of regional councils and local authorities she implored the councils, which are the government structures that are closest and directly involved in the provision of services to the public, to have in place their individual customer service charters. She revealed the charter has been uploaded on the ministry’s website. There will also be suggestion boxes on each floor of the ministry’s building for members of public to deposit any queries or complaints that they may have on services provided by the ministry.

2.6 Zambezi on point with service delivery The Namibian|22/06/2017 Zambezi regional governor Lawrence Sampofu says the region continues to roll out services to the people, despite the limited human, financial and material resources at their disposal. He made these remarks on Monday during his state of the region address at the Katima Mulilo Town Council's chambers. “The Zambezi region has been rated the best during the previous financial years when it comes to implementing projects and service delivery to our people. “On infrastructure development, the construction of the Zambezi Regional Council office park as well as the Kabbe South and Linyanti constituency offices are ongoing, so are renovations at various schools and classrooms,” Sampofu said. The Katima Mulilo Town Council spent over N$4 million in electrifying extensions 17 and 18 at New Cowboy. Furthermore, rural water supply projects have been completed, and people now have access to water in rural areas. “We are happy to report that government is working hard to provide potable water to our communities. The Kongola-Makanga water pipeline is now complete and running. With further funds made available, we are going to start laying the Kongola-Sangwali- Maunga pipeline, and continue the Katima-Ngoma pipeline,” the governor stated. He said several road projects had been completed though the Roads Authority in the 2016/2017 financial year. The absorption of the Natis registration centre by the Roads Authority from the Katima Mulilo town council, the revamping of the Katima Mulilo weighbridge and the maintenance of the gravel and all tarred roads in the region were the other achievements,” he beamed. He added that for the next financial year, the Roads Authority will continue the construction of tarred road DR3508 from Namalubi via Isize to Luhonono, and also complete several other roads in the region. Sampofu also applauded the efforts of the health ministry to bring services closer to the people by assigning six specialists from Cuba to the region. Sampofu said the region still faces several challenges, such as transforming it into a tourism hub which will generate income. The governor then urged people to do away with tribalism in the region as it is hampering development. Speaking at the same event, Katima Mulilo mayor Georgina Mwiya-Simataa expressed concern that patients are still being referred to Rundu or Windhoek for specialist medical treatment because the local hospital cannot provide certain services.

2.7 Karasburg faces water cut-off The Namibian|23/06/2017 NAMWATER has threatened to cut Karasburg's water over an unpaid bill of N$5 million. Karasburg mayor Annamarie Vries yesterday confirmed that NamWater on Tuesday issued a notice to the town council to pay 50% of the outstanding water bill on or before today, or face disconnection. She said council was negotiating with NamWater to avert the cut-off. Council sources said a delegation headed by the town's chief executive officer, Eberhardt Kaitjindi, travelled to Windhoek yesterday to meet with NamWater management. Vries admitted that Karasburg was struggling to honour its obligations to Namwater because residents and government agencies were failing to pay their municipal bills on time. According to Vries, council this week started disconnecting the water of residents and government agencies which had large outstanding water bills. “We hope to collect enough money to pay up the 50% of the outstanding debt as required by NamWater,” she stated. Meanwhile, The Namibian understands that the Swapo representative on

29 the town council, Marcelino Sarles, landed himself in hot water over the use of a council vehicle without authorisation for a trip to Keetmanshoop. Sources said Sarles apparently instructed a council driver to transport people to Keetmanshoop without obtaining authorisation for the trip. Vries yesterday confirmed the incident, adding that council would meet next Tuesday to discuss the incident and Sarles' actions. Sarles could not be reached for comment yesterday.

2.8 Oshikoto tackling water problems The Namibian|28/06/2017 The Oshikoto regional council has in the 2016/2017 financial year made N$528 846 available for the food and cash for work programme, which was shared equally among the region's eleven constituencies in order to address water woes. This was revealed by Oshikoto governor Henock Kankoshi on Thursday last week when he spoke to residents of the region at Omuthiya during his state of the region address. He enlightened the residents on the various developmental projects currently underway in the region, as well as the challenges they are facing. According to Kankoshi, the allocation was made towards the implementation of projects which address the shortage of potable water in various rural constituencies. “In the quest to address the water crisis in the region, the council completed the installation of seven water pipelines in various constituencies,” he stated. The money and the food are used to pay those digging the pipeline trenches, as well as to buy pipelines in the constituencies. Kankoshi said new water pipelines have been installed in the Onyaanya, Omuntele, Onayena, Olukonda, Nehale lya Mpingana, Okankolo, Omuthiya and Oniipa constituencies. Twelve boreholes were also drilled at the Nehale lya Mpingana, Okankolo, Eengodi and Omuthiya constituencies by the agriculture ministry as part of their capital projects in the region. These four constituencies are the most affected in the region when it comes to water scarcity. More often, residents and their livestock had to go for prolonged periods without water. Some depend on muddy or dirty water, which is not fit for human consumption. They also travel tens of kilometres in donkey carts to access clean water. Some residents have told The Namibian in the past that the pressure in the already established pipelines is so low that it does not reach faraway places, especially those in the Okankolo and Eengodi constituencies.

2.9 Keetmanshoop left with N$15m NamPower debt The Namibia|28/06/2017 A Gentleman’s agreement between the Keetmanshoop Town Council and the Southern Electricity Company (SELCo) has left the authority with a N$15 million debt to NamPower. SELCo has been managing electricity supply at the town for 15 years until August 2015. The power distributor has had an interim agreement since July last year. This expired in November 2016. NamPower has already written to the Keetmanshoop Town Council, informing them that if the debt is not paid by Monday, power will be disconnected. The letter from NamPower dated 22 June and copied to Keetmanshoop chief executive officer Desmond Basson and SELCo managing director Chris Bosch requested that the debt be settled to avoid any inconveniences. However, NamPower has not yet carried out its threat, while the Electricity Control Board (ECB) has assured Keetmanshoop residents that they should not panic over power disruptions. Although Bosch confirmed the notice of power supply suspensions issued by NamPower over default payments, he said it should have been sent to the council which has a contractual agreement with the bulk electricity supplier. “SELCo was simply a service provider to council,” he said, adding that SELCo paid NamPower on behalf of the council for the 16 years without fail. Bosch also said that for the last few months, SELCo has been paying the money meant for NamPower into an attorney's trust account to ensure that there were sufficient funds for reconciliation purposes. “All the proof of payments for money so deposited by SELCo was forwarded to NamPower,” he stated. According to Bosch, SELCo frequently advised council that they must have sufficient working capital to commence electricity service delivery. “One does not simply start a business and then the

30 money comes without one having to first spend money. This also holds for the electricity business,” he remarked. Bosch added that SELCo also provided Keetmanshoop with options on how to render services directly to locals without any negative financial impact. Unfortunately, council rejected all the advice, and chose to bring in new service providers. “SELCo is watching this space to see if council is now going to reduce tariffs in the absence of SELCo, or increase tariffs immediately,” Bosch said. He stated that electricity takeovers at both Aranos and Karasburg were concluded “without a hitch”, along the same lines as what was done at Keetmanshoop. “No issues were registered,” he stressed. NamPower spokesperson Gladwin Groenewaldt yesterday said SELCo is not party to the power supply agreement for the bulk electricity supply, and therefore Keetmanshoop should settle the debt. He said NamPower is not at liberty to provide information about the agreement with Keetmanshoop because of confidentiality. Basson could not be drawn into commenting on the matter. “I am not ready to divulge information on SELCo as we are caught up in discussions,” he said. In March, Basson said council was experiencing a cash crunch caused by the non-payment of tariffs and other municipal bills. Council sources said Basson and other senior council managers and management committee chairperson Gabriel Freyer travelled to Windhoek on Monday to sign a new power deal with ErongoRed. The sources also said that the officials met NamPower management in a bid to stave off the power disconnection at the town. In an advert placed in New Era on Tuesday, the ECB said there were arrangements in place regarding the supply of power to Keetmanshoop and other towns. They said Keetmanshoop would be distributing power with effect from 1 July this year with the help of Erongo Red. “Arrangements are in place for a smooth continuation of customer billing, while vending stations for purchasing prepaid electricity have been increased from two to six across the town,” the ECB said in the advertisement. In addition, the ECB said SELCo employees who were working with the billing system and network operations will be transferred to council.

2.10 Ondangwa prevails The Namibian Sun|30/06/2017 The Oshana Regional Council has approved the construction of a referral hospital at Ondangwa, Namibian Sun has learned. The location of the state-of-the-art 1 000-bed hospital has divided opinion in recent months. Town councils such as Ongwediva and Ondangwa have been lobbying the government to establish the planned hospital in their towns. A delegation from the Ondangwa council even succeeded in having a meeting at State House with President Hage Geingob and health minister Bernard Haufiku to discuss the matter. The matter appears to have been put to rest now after the Oshana political leadership unanimously agreed to have the referral hospital built at Ondangwa ahead of Ongwediva and Oshakati. The decision was made a resolution of the regional council. The council's management committee chairperson, Gerson Hanu Kapenda, confirmed yesterday that it had been decided earlier this month to build the hospital at Ondangwa. Oshana chief regional officer Martin Elago confirmed that the council had passed a resolution to this effect on 8 June. According to Kapenda, the decision was based on the development needs of the region, and was supported by all eleven regional councillors. “Ondangwa needs a hospital and the cabinet had already approved a district hospital that had to be cancelled because of the referral hospital plans. Our resolution has already reached State House and it will reach the minister of health very soon,” Kapenda said. The hospital will house among others an oncology centre, a maternity block and a cardiac unit. The proposed hospital will serve all the northern regions, including the Kavango regions, Zambezi and Kunene. It will also admit patients from southern Angola. Initially, the government had planned to construct a C-class district hospital by 2021. However, this plan was shelved after a consultative meeting concluded that a much bigger hospital should rather be constructed in Oshana instead of the much smaller district hospital, which comes with an estimated 300-bed capacity. Oshakati, which already has an intermediate hospital, was considered to be flood prone, and fell out of the bidding race. At the moment Ondangwa has a private hospital and a state clinic. The town's spokesperson, Petrina Shitalangaho, said the council had allocated land to the ministry of health in

2007, but engineers advised that the land was unsuitable for a hospital. A new piece of land was then identified in Extension 4, behind the Ondangwa Industrial Park. “Burmeister and partners presented the hospital design to the councillors on 20 May last year and the council, together with the ministry's representative, was impressed with the design. Construction was set to start in May 2017 and was expected to be completed by 2021,” Shitalangaho said. “As a council we were excited about the district hospital as it would have added value to the town. Currently, town residents who cannot afford the services of the private hospital in town have to go to Onandjokwe and Oshakati.” In a recent interview with New Era, Haufiku said the region was asked to propose two sites in either Ongwediva or Ondangwa to enable experts to assess the feasibility of building a referral hospital. “Overwhelmingly, and we have the data, more than 60% of referrals come from the north. We need a referral hospital in the north, central north. We consulted with town councils on where to put it. We agreed it should be in Oshana,” he was quoted as saying.

3 Livelihoods and Urban Economy

3.1 Councillor pleads for the poor The New Era|16/06/2017 A Windhoek councillor is fighting to find a permanent solution for pensioners and vulnerable Windhoek residents who face homelessness because of unpaid municipal debts. National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) representative Joseph Kauandenge told Namibian Sun that he intervened on behalf of a 60-year-old Katutura resident last month who was facing eviction because she owed the city nearly N$95 000 in unpaid municipal bills. The eviction has been put on hold for now, after he tabled a motion at last month’s council meeting. In it he is asking the City council to help devise a strategy to address the “burning issue” affecting vulnerable Windhoekers. Kauandenge yesterday said he is aware of 10 to 15 families who could be homeless soon in low-income areas, due to unpaid bills, but that the problem is likely much bigger. He said there is an increasing trend “of our pensioners and vulnerable residents’ houses being sold by our City of Windhoek legal department, because they are in arrears of water and electricity, including other municipal services.” He questioned the “moral justification” of evicting poor and vulnerable residents. “Should we always find the easy option of selling people’s houses because they are in arrears? How justifiable is this action in the eyes of our people?” Kauandenge said it is “high time” to tackle the prolonged problem faced by many cash-strapped and vulnerable residents, and to create a concrete policy to regulate the process of how to deal such cases. He said the issue has been a continuous problem for many years, but instead of resolving it there has only been “talk, talk, talk and no action”. Kauandenge also warned that evicting residents worsens Windhoek’s illegal shacks and land occupation challenges. “When the municipality sells their houses, they are left on the street and have to fend for themselves. That must stop. We are putting them outside of their homes, and then they are forced to build shacks somewhere else. There is no plan B.” In May, City officials confirmed that unpaid total debt of residents and government agencies is crippling the municipality, with more than N$500 million accumulated through unpaid rates and taxes, as well as municipal bills for sewerage and water services. The City has attributed N$12 million to pensioners and vulnerable people, while more than N$105 million was owed by various government intuitions. City of Windhoek CEO Robert Kahimise told reporters recently that one of the solutions the city was considering was to install pre- paid meters in the homes of low-income residents struggling to pay their municipal bills. Kauandenge told Namibian Sun this week that it was unfair to target the pensioners and vulnerable residents to recuperate costs, when the vast majority of unpaid bills could be linked to state institutions and other entities. “We can’t just pick on the most vulnerable, and ignore those like government institutions who have money but do nothing about it. It’s called selective morality.” Kauandenge said he is not advocating for non-payment of municipal fees nor does he want to provide ammunition to those who make excuses for non-payment. “What this motion is attempting to do is to make us aware of the acute and dire situation in which some of our residents find themselves, and to devise strategies that must mitigate this shortcoming to propose water-tight alternatives.” The Nudo politician said his motion, asking the City to stop auctioning off the houses of poor and the elderly, received overwhelming support and he is hopeful that a solution can be found.

3.2 Windhoek to upgrade existing markets – Governor The Namibian|22/06/2017 Eight informal markets in the capital will be considered for upgrading during the 2017/2018 financial year to offer better facilities for vendors and customers. Presenting her state of the region address on Tuesday, Khomas regional governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua said the renovation has been grouped into two phases, of which the first covers the Caesar Street market in Wanaheda, the Lyeeta market in Okuryangava, the Okahandja Park market, and Post Street Mall in Windhoek's central business district. “The upgrading needs at the various markets include the provision of shelter against the sun and rain at the stands, the provision of electricity where there is no power, and the fencing off of some markets, amongst other things,” she noted. McLeod-Katjirua said tenders have been allocated, and the revamps have begun at some places. The regional council had also approved the development and completion of the Windhoek Flea Market along Post Street Mall through a public- private partnership with the Wernhil Park Mall in 2016, which is valued at over N$3 million. The City of Windhoek furthermore finalized the youth entrepreneurship development strategy during the beginning of 2016, and it has been approved for implementation in 2017. The governor said this strategy is a response action plan to the Harambee Prosperity Plan, which calls for, amongst others, the development and empowerment of young people to start their own businesses. “The strategy would also be aimed at assisting young people in developing business ideas, registering businesses and building their entrepreneurial skills.”

3.3 Northern meat vendors congest roadside The Namibian|23/06/2017 It is very unlikely that one would travel across the north, especially on the Ondangwa-Ongwediva main road, without noticing makeshift stalls where vendors sell meat. People slaughter cattle at these stalls and sell the meat to motorists, who often stop to either buy kapana for immediate consumption, or meat to take home. All locations along this main road such as Akuna, Omaalala, Adolf, Opoto and Akwaanyenga are now teeming with meat stalls, and at times a first-time traveller might mistake the many vehicles parked on the roadside for people snooping on an accident. Alfre 'Soondaha' Shivolo is a meat vendor at Adolf, and has been in the industry for eleven years. He claims that he was the first person to open the meat vending business in the area. “I was the first to start selling kapana along the road in 2006,” he stated. Shivolo said when he started his business, he sold cooked cattle heads. “I did not have enough money to buy the whole beast for slaughter. But after saving, I bought one, and from there the real business started,” he noted. Shivolo said after a while, some people, many of them now his competitors, came to him, first pretending to be customers who wanted to know for how much he was selling the meat. “Before I realised it, the whole roadside was full of people selling meat,” he told The Namibian on Wednesday. Asked how much each animal costs, he said it depends on the size, and would range between N$7 500 and N$8 500. If the whole carcass is sold, he can make between N$1 000 and N$2 000 profit. However, during a 'dry period' when customers become scarce, he can make as little as N$500 profit. “We buy wood, cooking oil and spices. So, if no meat is sold, all that money goes to waste.” He said he and other meat sellers make good profits at month-ends, public holidays and during trade fairs. Another vendor along the Ondangwa-Ongwediva main road is Eva Kuunasha, who sells meat at Akweenyanga, a few kilometres from Ongwediva. She has been in the industry for more than 10 years. She buys cattle from farms in the Otjiwarongo and Grootfontein areas due to a shortage of livestock on sale in the north. “There are no good cattle here anymore. Vendors have become too many, and good fat cattle are hard to find, especially after last year's drought,” she added. According to her, she buys the cattle for between N$8 000 and N$10 000 each, and can make upwards of N$ 2 000 in profit. According to Shivolo and Kuunasha, business has started recovering after a slump caused by the abundant fish brought by the efundja floods which hit the north earlier this year.

“Do not mention efundja to me. That thing ruined my business. People were not buying meat anymore because of the fish they caught freely. But anyway, now they are coming back. The fish is finished, and we are together now,” Kuunasha joked. On advice to anyone wanting to join the industry, she said “There is no guarantee of a good profit, but it all depends on how hard you work, and how you treat your customers.” Shivolo then warned those wanting to venture into business. “There are friends and family members who just come and want to eat meat for free, or they promise to pay later, but never do,” he said. Both Shivolo and Kuunasha employ a number of youths to skin, cut and help in selling the meat.

3.4 City plans to help poor manage debts Namibian Sun|26/06/2017 A Windhoek politician argues there was no moral justification for putting people on the street, because of municipal debts. The Windhoek municipality has refuted accusations by a Windhoek councillor and others that it employs a cost-recovery strategy by selling the homes of the city's most vulnerable people, in order to recover unpaid municipal debts. “As per our credit control policy, employs all alternative methods to recover debts owed to it. It is only when all credit control measures are exhausted, that the City of Windhoek hands over the process for legal collection,” the City of Windhoek said. The city recently announced that non-payment of bills in the region of N$500 million was a burden the city is forced to shoulder on its own, and said it is important to note that the city operates on a cost-recovery basis and was severely challenged by unpaid bills. “It is important to understand that the City of Windhoek can only sustainably render services if it is equitably compensated for by the end-users,” spokesperson Lydia Amutenya told Namibian Sun. In a May interview, city officials said that around N$12 million of that amount was owed by pensioners and vulnerable people, while more than N$105 million was owed by government institutions. Amutenya said while the city does not categorise the unpaid bills by suburbs “per se, most challenges are in the north-western suburbs of the city”, where the majority of informal and poorer neighbourhoods are situated. She said the city recognises that several factors contribute to the inability to pay bills, including “unemployment and high cost bulk supply”. However, she said it is important to note that while “some elderly and other vulnerable members of our society can be genuinely challenged to afford municipal services, there are also those with different priorities who have the means to pay for these services, but first pay all other bills and the municipal account is the last item budgeted for – to be paid if and when there is money left over.” Overall, the city's operations are based on a cost-recovery basis and “thus no lenience or free municipal services can be provided, except the municipal buses where provision is made for senior citizens and residents with disabilities.” In response to queries of how the city could assist the most vulnerable members of Windhoek whose unpaid debts could lead to evictions, the city has proposed plans to install pre- payment services for water and electricity to be implemented in the 2017/2018 financial year. “Those are the most contributing factors to debts, especially for our senior and vulnerable citizens, and this will enable them to manage their consumption optimally.” Emphasising a statement made by Windhoek mayor Muesee Kazapua last week, she said that the city urges all stakeholders to “contribute to the plight of the elderly and other vulnerable people” and step up to share the load that the municipality currently carries on its own. The issue of home losses due to unpaid debts was spotlighted recently when Windhoek councillor Joseph Kauandenge intervened on behalf of a 60- year-old Katutura pensioner, who was facing eviction because of N$90 000 unpaid municipal bill. Subsequently, the eviction was put on hold after Kauandenge tabled a motion at the council meeting last month, in which he asked that a strategy be created and implemented to address the “burning issue” of evictions in order to prevent pushing more people onto the streets, and forcing them to illegally occupy land in a desperate bid for a home. Kauandenge claimed that he knew of 10 to 15 vulnerable families who were facing homelessness in low-income areas after the city began legal recovery processes. He claimed there was no “moral justification” for putting people on the street, because of these debts.

He added that while millions are outstanding by cash-strapped and vulnerable residents, the outstanding debts by government institutions were higher. “We can't just pick on the most vulnerable, and ignore those institutions that have money, but do nothing about it. It's called selective morality.”

4 Environment and Human Health

4.1 Windhoekers should be careful with fires – CoW New Era|28/06/2017 The Windhoek Municipality has cautioned residents to be careful not to set the environment on fire, as such blazes have an impact on natural ecosystems and cause damage to infrastructure and properties, among others. A press statement issued by the municipality’s spokesperson, Lydia Amutenya, said the city experiences a lot of wildfires at this time of the year and human activities are almost entirely responsible for the fires. Amutenya said they recorded about 36 fires in the informal settlements between January and June this year. “These statistics therefore call for concerted efforts from our residents to take precautionary measures when handling fire,” said Amutenya. She explained that the impact of wildfires on the environment includes the destruction of flora, fauna, infrastructure and properties, as well as affecting the quality of the air and can cause loss of life. She pointed out that Windhoek has a lot of open spaces and is surrounded by mountain ecosystems and commonage farms. Therefore, she said, the open spaces serve many functions, such as preserving ecosystems, wildlife habitat, aesthetic, cultural, historical and archaeological areas, outdoor recreation, walkways and trails. The City of Windhoek (CoW) therefore urged all residents to refrain from intentionally setting fires and throwing cigarette butts and any other items that can easily ignite the dry biomass, into the bush. Residents were also urged to remove vegetation and any flammable material near their properties, four metres from the boundary wall, to help reduce the spread of wildfire and protect properties and human lives. Residents may contact emergency services on 211 111 for any emergencies.

June 2016 Is on Afforda­Ble Housing, for Which We Have Availed an Additional N$300 Million for the Purposes of Land Servicing

June 2016 Is on AffordaBle Housing, for Which We Have Availed an Additional N$300 Million for the Purposes of Land Servicing