WINDHOEK – A family of three was kicked out of their own home yesterday after their house was sold by the Windhoek Municipality allegedly without the family’s knowledge – purportedly because of outstanding water and electricity bills.
The offspring of the late Monica Haoses who passed away some 30 years ago are saying the two-bedroom house their mother bequeathed them was secretly sold overnight for less than N$60 000
The house was reportedly sold in 2009 to Starlight Wholesale Prepaid, a company that sells wholesale prepaid airtime, but the late Monica Haoses’ sons were allegedly only informed about the sale on Monday.
Barlomuis Haoseb, 37, and his two brothers Ambrosius Haoseb and Timoteus Haoseb who suffer mental illnesses watched helplessly as their furniture was forcefully removed from their home in Tebernakel Street, Dolam in Katutura, leaving them without a roof over their heads.
According to Barlomuis Haoseb, although they did not have water and electricity for the past 20 years the municipality still charged them N$1 600 each month.
“We only realised today after the messenger of the court came with an eviction order to tell us that the house was sold in 2009 to a company we had never heard of,” he said.
“If the house was auctioned in 2009 why are they just coming now, why were we not informed – these people are taking advantage of us,” he said about the suspect transaction that occurred five years ago.
He said on Monday the messenger of the court and the police arrived with the representative of the company who said she bought the house.
Haoseb said they could not believe what they were told.
“This is the only home we have known, our mother passed away a very long time ago, this is the only thing she left us,” said a despondent looking Haoseb.
When New Era arrived on the scene Windhoek Deputy Major Muesee Kazapua told this newspaper that as a city councillor and a community leader he would consult all relevant authorities to come to an amicable solution. “I even called representatives of the company but was told by a certain Anna Marie that the manager was out of town but will be back next week,” he said, adding all he wants is for the family to be taken back in their home so that they can get all parties involved to sit around the table.
Ben Ngairorue, the manager for debt management at the municipality said Windhoek adopted a policy in 2011 for houses not to be sold in that manner but since the house was sold in 2009, they are still trying to find an amicable solution.
“Only if it comes to the worst of the worst do we hand over accounts to our lawyers,” he said
When Starlight Wholesale Prepaid was contacted for comment yesterday, a woman who introduced herself as Anna Marie declined to comment on the issue and said her bosses were out of town.
“Go and talk to those people who told you the story, I have got nothing to say at this moment,” he said.
Windhoek Municipality spokesperson Joshua Amukugo could however not believe that “something like this is still happening”.
“I don’t actually believe that this is happening but this is very rare,” he said, adding that what they do in such a situation is to approach the owners to agree on how the debt would be paid off.
“If you count how many houses were sold in that manner in the last two years, it will be less than ten,” he responded to a New Era enquiry.