Selma Ikela
WINDHOEK- The City of Windhoek (CoW) is concerned about the growing trend of persons with disabilities being used by property developers in applying for land. City of Windhoek councilor Hileni Ulumbu, without availing the exact reported cases, said such developers use persons with disabilities as fronts in applying for land. The concept presented is that such projects are aimed at providing employment and uplifting the living standards for people with disabilities.
Ulumbu, who is disabled herself, said once the people are used to get the land application through, they are later abandoned once the land has been approved. She cautioned people with disabilities and public not to be used in applying for land on behalf on property developers.
“It is an undeniable fact that Council is faced with an immense challenge of providing serviced land as per demand, however people with disabilities should be cautious not to fall victim to such fraudulent intensions,” she warned.
Ulumbu stated that this insensitive practice by some members of the society is unacceptable and should come to an end as a matter of urgency.
“There are property developers who get public members with disabilities, front them in applying for land with a notion that such projects are aimed at providing employment and uplifting the living standards of people with disabilities. Yet when one goes an extra mile into investigations of the ownership of companies, these people being fronted do not even appear as members of the companies they are purported to belong to,” remarked Ulumbu.
She also urged members of the public to refrain from engaging in criminal activities of forging documentations purporting to be supporting documents for considerations of allocation of land as persons with disabilities. “The public must know that if one is found in this act, this act amount to criminal acts and will be dealt with accordingly,” stated Ulumbu.
She said the public can approached her for guidance on the subject matter. Her office is situated at City of Windhoek head office on the East wing of the new building, Ground Floor, room EG03 or they can approach any councilors.
Ulumbu acknowledge the city is burdened with backlog of land for residential housing due to limited available serviced land for housing, and therefore urges all resident to follow the set procedures in order to obtain land.
She added that there are also standard allocation procedure for people with disabilities and such procedures are governed by policies that are set by the council. “Therefore, if there is any person with disability who would like to apply for land he/she must apply through the applicable process and must meet,” she said.
Ulumbu said the applicant must submit a written proof from a medical practitioner that indicated that the applicant is physically disabled and have particular land requirement and needs for the specific property.
She said the applicant must submit written proof from the disability association where they affiliate and the registration should indicate that the disability is permanent.
She called on persons with disabilities who wish to apply to do so through the applicable process, saying they would be granted land according to the requirements put in place.
“Members of the public are cautioned to refrain from engaging in criminal activities of forging documentations purporting to be supporting documents of allocation of land as persons with disabilities,” Ulumbu cautioned.
At the same occasion, municipality Public Relations Officer Lydia Amutenya said currently there are more than 170 applications for residential land for persons with disabilities. She added that there are three methods of land application through private treaty which is through the waiting list at Katutura Customer Care Centre, offer to purchase and tender. – Additional reporting by Nampa.