Grootfontein
The Grootfontein Municipality will soon start demolishing the country’s only remaining single quarters, the pre-independence living quarters for labourers.
The municipality says it will demolish the living quarters as soon as it has secured enough serviced land to accommodate those to be evicted.
The single quarters complex has 400 rooms and more than 800 people are believed to be residing there.
According to the municipality’s public relations officer Luke Salomo the situation and living conditions at the complex have become unbearable “as it is now in a dilapidated state which is not conducive for the people”.
“The hygiene in this place is horrible, that’s why we want to demolish the single quarters and put up something new. But we will only do this after we have secured enough land to accommodate the people, otherwise we might create another problem. It will also depend on the funding because we are talking about millions of dollars to be invested, and it’s money we just don’t have at the moment,” said Salomo.
He added that crimes and alcohol consumption are high at the single quarters. “All sorts of evil can happen here, so its no longer safe and conducive,” said Salomo.
He said that once demolished the land could be turned either into an industrial area or where housing complexes can be built. “However, council will take the decision but I can assure that it will be done to benefit the community such as bringing a shopping mall or office space so that we can bring services closer to the people.”
The single quarters have electricity and water supply.
The residents pay N$400 monthly to the municipality, although water is not covered in the payment.
Meanwhile, over 100 people have already been relocated from the singles quarters and have now acquired plots at a reasonable price, ranging from N$15 000 to N$40 000.
However, Salomo said that despite the strides that have been made by municipality there are still many challenges, such as some people renting out their houses and later returning to the single quarters.
“After they get their house they rent out the home and return to the single quarters, because they want to evade paying for simple basic services. So we are on their tail to make sure no one goes back,” assured Salomo. Speaking to one of the beneficiaries of the relocation, Paulina Frans, she confirmed the unconducive state of the single quarters and wished never to go back.
Frans now runs a small business at her new place, which she said she never had a chance to do at the single quarters because of a lack of space.