Aletta Shikololo
Eba Kandovazu
For weeks now, despair loomed over families displaced by floods in Windhoek’s informal settlements.
Lives were uprooted, homes washed away, and possessions destroyed.
But amidst the misfortune, a glimmer of hope has emerged at Farm 508 in the Goreangab informal settlement – a relocation site currently taking shape.
The site is a mountainous terrain on the outskirts of the city. Despite the development challenges, authorities see it as a foundation for rebuilding lives, and affirmed it will offer much-needed safety and higher ground for displaced families.
The City of Windhoek, in partnership with the Khomas Regional Council and the Office of the Prime Minister, is spearheading efforts to transform the site into a community.
Shelter
Temporary shelters have already been erected, and plans for crucial infrastructure, including a prefab police station, a clinic and school plots, are in motion.
This will benefit over 1 000 people – primarily from the Otjomuise area – whose homes were washed away, as well as other Windhoek residents in flood-prone areas and nearby communities.
“We are creating a community where families can rebuild their lives with dignity and access essential services. For those still in the riverbeds, I urge you to take this opportunity to relocate to Farm 508 for your safety,” said Clement Mafwila, Chief Regional Officer for Khomas during the relocation of some of the victims recently.
He also urged donors to refrain from giving assistance to residents who are still resistant to moving.
Last week alone, 13 families were relocated to Farm 508, bringing the total to 29 households. Of these, 12 families have already erected their home structures, while others are being accommodated in tents provided at the site.
Mafwila highlighted plans for a police station to ensure security at the site.
The council is equally focused on education.
“For immediate intervention, we are identifying the closest schools, and prioritising placement for children who are affected. We are also registering children who lost their school documents, and working to replace essential items like school bags and reports through the back-to-school programme within the council,” he added.
In the same vein, the director of planning for the Khomas Regional Council Petrus Ashipala said the handover of the site to the contractor has already taken place, and the project is expected to be completed within three months.
This alone will cost around N$1.6 million.
Growing pain
New resident Selma Nakale described the daily struggle to access public water facilities located far from the settlement.
“Unlike the flooded area, this area is far from everything. One must walk a very long distance to access the main road for public transport; the taps are very far; and there are no ablution facilities,” she lamented.
Spokesperson for the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) Imms Nashinge echoed these concerns, and criticised the inadequate equipment being used to prepare the site.
“Even the equipment being used to clear the site is not sufficient. The Roads Contractor Company, for example, has a lot of equipment that doesn’t require request letters or bureaucratic delays. Deploy them here to provide sufficient manpower so that these people can find a place to call home,” he stressed.
Nashinge likewise pointed out the lack of proper roads connecting the area to Ongos, calling it a longstanding issue stemming from poor urban planning.
“If you check the master plan for the development of the City of Windhoek, roads to Ongos were planned in the 1990s. This should have been prioritised long ago, considering the city’s growing population. Their priorities are skewed, and their vision is limited,” he added.
Hope
For families like that of Iiyambo Festus, who lost everything in the floods, the relocation site offers a lifeline.
“We are now ready to start over, and appreciate the efforts from the government in ensuring that our plight is addressed swiftly,” he said.
His main worries were the national documents that went with the flood. However, Mafwila assured that a list will be sent to the home affairs ministry to replace the documents of those who lost theirs.
Similarly, father-of-two Silas Imene expressed gratitude for the ongoing efforts. “My children lost their school certificates and documents, but knowing that these will be replaced means a lot to us,” he shared.
Nightmare
While sleeping on a recent Saturday afternoon, 12-year-old Jonatha Eiseb woke up to waist-deep water in his mother’s single-room shack.
He described it as a terrifying experience.
Eiseb, one of the survivors of a flash flood in Otjomuise’s 8ste Laan informal settlement last weekend, narrated the events preceding the washing away of his mother’s shack following strong rainfall.
He was home alone when it started raining.
Trapped in the wreckage, Eiseb reminisced about how hopeless he was before tearing up and screaming for help.
“It was so bad, I started screaming. The water was so strong that I had even forgotten where the house keys were. Luckily, our neighbour heard my cries, and he came to my rescue. I was trapped inside, and the walls started falling. It was a very traumatising experience,” the youngster recalled.
Job loss
To add salt to their wounds, his mother, 46-year-old Katrina Eises, who was at work during the tragedy, has since lost her job.
The mother of three was employed as a domestic worker for four years, and moved to the area in 2020.
“How can she [employer] expect me to go to work when I am dealing with such a matter? My house is wrecked, my pots, dishes, beds and furniture are gone, and I must now worry about my children’s uniforms and renewing their national documents. I have asked my boss to come over and observe the situation, but she refuses,” Eises said.
Another flood victim, 32-year-old Joshua Nakalemo, owned a tuck shop in the affected area, but lost N$14 000 when his small business was washed away.
“It was a normal Saturday for us. I was sitting outside with my customers while it rained. We observed the rainwater in the riverbed, but we didn’t think much of it. We underestimated the rain, but water slowly started moving towards us, and before I knew it, I was knee-deep. The water levels started rising, and the waves became stronger. I immediately picked up my one-year-old baby and rushed to our bedroom. Soon afterwards, everyone followed us, and we held onto the rails. It was a harrowing experience,” he emphasised.
Nakalemo said he lost all his stock, and his refrigerator and television are damaged. He has been left with only the clothes he wore on that Saturday, and similarly lost his national documents.
“With the government’s planned relocation for us, recovering will be difficult because all my friends and customers are in Otjomuise. I do not know anyone in Goreangab where they plan to relocate us to, so business might be slow that side,” he told Nampa.
Another victim, Sackie Nambuli (32), said he was forced to pay mechanics to fix his BMW, which was submerged. He was at home with other family members when it started raining.
“My car is severely damaged. The exhaust was full of water, and I watched hopelessly as it filled up with water. Yesterday, I managed to get it fixed because I’m starting work on Monday (yesterday). My seats are still wet, though. We lost everything as our things were washed away; our electronics are broken,” he decried the situation.
City of Windhoek spokesperson Lydia Amutenya said no fatalities or injuries have luckily been reported.
“The natural water flow in Otjomuise was obstructed by discarded tyres, causing water to stagnate and flood the area. Additionally, blocked culverts along Eneas Peter Nanyemba Street in road construction zones led to flooding in nearby houses,” she added.
-Nampa
-ashikololo@nepc.com.na