GROOTFONTEIN – Peeling walls, an excruciating stench of urine, broken taps, crumbling buildings, overflowing toilets, scattered rubbish, and hopelessness best describe the situation of squatters at Grootfontein’s Single Quarters.

The living conditions at the town’s apartheid-era compounds are appalling.

Over 400 families live at the decaying one-room dwellings. They were constructed by the repugnant South African apartheid regime in the early 50s to accommodate and control the movement of male contract labourers.

The compounds have since deteriorated to a point where they have now become an eyesore and health hazard.

New Era visited the town’s Single Quarters to witness how the residents live.

Survival of the fittest 

What this publication could deduce from different interactions with them is a
situation far detached from the mainstream economic opportunities and realities that an independent Namibia offers.

“This is our life, and we have nowhere to go; our children grew up here. Well, I agree that our living conditions are not the best at the Single Quarters, but this is the only home I have known since 1997. Of course, we have

many problems here because even now, we are over six households using one toilet. Most of the time, the pipes block and start to overflow. The showers have been broken for a while now, but we use plastic basins for the children and ourselves to bathe,” said 53-year-old Petrus Namwandi.

He sells meat not so far from one of the overflowing toilets within the compound. Another resident, young Panduleni Ithete, is a self-employed plumber and barber. He said the compound is the only home he and his brothers know, but quickly admitted that the quality of life there is not desirable.

“Nobody wants to live in such conditions; I agree with that, but where can we go? This is the only place we call home. I survive by doing odd jobs as a plumber and cutting hair on weekends. Most of my customers are from here, and they know where to find me when in need of my services. I can’t move from here. The municipality must just improve our living conditions by fixing the drains and water taps. The toilets need to be flushed, and refuse collected,” stated Ithete. Like Ithete and Namwandi, most of the residents that this publication spoke to are not happy with the deteriorating state of their living conditions, and are calling on the town’s leadership to address their grievances.

Housing solutions 

Contrary to the residents’ complaints, Grootfontein Municipality spokesperson Luke Salomo said the town’s leadership has not been sitting on the fence with their arms folded. He said they are in the process of addressing the Single Quarters, debacle by constructing housing units.

At the moment, the municipality is busy with the construction of 100 houses.

That process is nearing completion, with each house set to feature an open-plan kitchen, inside toilet and bathroom, as well as a specific bedroom. The houses are earmarked for Single Quarters residents, and will be sold to them at affordable prices, while serviced plots will be availed to
those who may not be able to buy the new houses, he said.

Salomo added that the new houses are aimed at enhancing the residents’ quality of life, and giving them a fresh start.

“As we speak now, over 80 houses are already complete, and will soon be ready for occupation. The remaining 20 houses should also be done by the end of this year, and the municipality has continuously demonstrated its readiness to address the issues of Single Quarters’ residents through this housing project. The problem that we have is that some of the residents don’t want to move to the new houses because they are used to not paying anything at the compounds where they currently are.”

“Obviously, at the new houses, they will be expected to pay a small fee towards their water and electricity, but they don’t want that. They are used to riding for free on the municipality’s tab,” said Salomo.

Objections 

Despite the squalid conditions they find themselves in, residents are refusing to move to the new houses, with many telling New Era that they were not properly consulted. “What is the difference between here and where they want to take us? They want us to go pay more for our water and electricity at the new houses, and that is part of the reason why we are refusing. Also, those new houses are not two-bedroom houses, but just one bedroom and an inside toilet. We wanted two-bedroom houses, not those ones. Look around you; do you really think all these people will go out of their way to buy those houses?” vented Rosalia Amadhila, a mother of three.

She also sells meat and traditional brew at the compounds.

No changes 

Efraim Thomas, a father of three who has been a resident of the Single Quarters for the past 16 years, agreed with Rosalia that the newly-constructed houses will not solve their overcrowding problem, as his children will still be sleeping next to their bed.

“Here, my children currently sleep next to our bed, and even if we move to the new houses, they will still be sleeping next to our bed because the new houses have one bedroom. So, it is just the same as here. What is the difference?” he asked.

On the opposing end was Salomo, who refuted their claims, maintaining that the municipality is alive to the economic realities of the residents.

He added that it was communicated to them that special provisions, would be made for those who cannot afford the new houses.  “We have also said that for those that will not be able to afford the new houses, they will be allocated serviced plots, where they can build houses of their liking with their own time. These are over 2 000 plots targeting specifically low-income residents. We are not forcing the houses on them.That’s why we have the options of plots and building the house as per their preference. Under the current housing project, no resident of Single Quarters and others will be left out, as we continue to address the current housing backlog,” Salomo said.

Hopelessness 

Meanwhile, not far from the two main adjacent overflowing toilets at the compounds was a group of young men playing dominos to slay some time and keep themselves away from destructive behaviours. One of the youngsters, who only goes by the name of Junior, said they initiated to play dominos and cards in groups to stay away from crime and keep off the streets. “Since many of us left school, we have not been able to find jobs here in Grootfontein.  Some of our friends are now working in other towns such as Tsumeb and Otavi, while a few others have left for Windhoek in search of opportunities. We are hoping for the best next year, especially in terms of finding jobs. But for now, we will keep ourselves busy with our dominos and cards. We are young and need jobs,” said Junior.