Lahja Nashuuta
Residents of Kaxumba Kandola A in Goreangab in Windhoek’s Samora Machel Constituency, are demanding answers from the City of Windhoek after waiting more than a decade for houses they paid for.
Community spokesperson Sem David said, the residents, many of whom were relocated from the Single Quarters in 1999 under the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia programme, have not received the promised land or homes, despite making payments to the municipality from as far back as 2005.
“People paid money. They did everything required of them. But all we have to show for it are empty promises and continued suffering,” said a resident who preferred to be known only as David.
Two community savings groups, Step by Step and Uulalelo Aushe Wokonguloshi, paid a total of N$344 033 to the City of Windhoek between 2005 and 2013.
These payments were made with the understanding that the city would allocate them land, and facilitate the construction of low-cost housing.
However, more than 10 years later, no plans have been shared, no title deeds issued, and no houses have been built. “We are still living in shacks,” David said. “Some of us are nearing retirement age. We’ve contributed to the city’s development, paid rates and taxes all these years, and yet we still don’t have what we paid for. This is more than disappointing, it’s an injustice,” he said.
Residents claim that despite multiple attempts to engage City officials, including CEO Moses Matyayi and Strategic Executive for Urban Planning and Property Management Fanuel Maanda, they had received no meaningful feedback or resolution.
“The City of Windhoek has failed to be transparent or accountable,” said David. “We fear that our money is gone and that this housing project was never real to start with.”
In the letter to the Municipality, the community is demanding clear status updates on land transfers and ownership, assurance of title deeds, a timeline for the construction and access to layout and building plans.
They have also requested an urgent meeting with Maanda, representatives of the Town Planning Department, and legal advisors to address what they describe as a ‘betrayal of trust’.
“It is imperative that we find solutions, and ensure these long-awaited promises are fulfilled for the benefit of the community, who have waited patiently for more than 10 years,” the letter reads.
City of Windhoek spokesperson Lydia Amutenya confirmed that agreements were concluded for the sale of various single residential erven to the Step-by-Step and Uulalelo Aushe Wokonguloshi groups. According to the agreements, the purchase price was to be paid over 96 equal monthly instalments.
“Both groups have since completed their payments in full. Transfer instructions were issued to the appointed conveyancing attorneys in 2014 and 2015 to facilitate the registration of the erven in the names of the respective groups,” she said.
However, she noted that the transfers have not yet been finalised. “It has come to our attention that the transfers remain outstanding. We are currently following up this as a matter of urgency with the lawyers involved to determine the cause of the delay, and to expedite the registration process,” she added.
Amutenya also clarified that the reference to the amount of N$344 033 mentioned by the concerned group pertains solely to the Uulalelo Aushe Wokonguloshi group. “The purchase price for the Step-by-Step group was N$339 506,” she said.