Nuusita Ashipala
Ongwediva
Helao Nafidi Town Council has successfully relocated 500 business people from the Okatwitwi informal settlement to Extension 7, despite initial refusal by some community members.
The popular Okatwitwi settlement is earmarked for business plots and shall be developed accordingly, the re-elected mayor at Helao Nafidi, Eliaser Nghipangelwa has said. He further said council will now look into conducting business workshops and seminars to ensure the people trade legally at their new premises.
He said council is also in a process of checking the required permits needed to conduct various types of business. He maintained that the exercise was not easy, because after holding meetings with the public some community members would hold meetings with the same people to instigate them not to move.
He thus appealed to the residents of Helao Nafidi to unite towards the common goal of developing the town, adding that while there is a clarion call from President Hage Geingob for the nation to pull together and build a Namibian house, there are still members of society who want to see people shoved out of their premises by the police and houses being dismantled by local authorities.
“The one thing I am not happy about is the manner in which opposition groups were instigating people by telling them lies and trying to cause disunity and unrest at the town,” said Nghipangelwa. He said such tendencies should end, as the council would continue to negotiate and strive to reach amicable agreement with the residents.
“We are not here to clash with our people. Our mandate is to deliver services to our people amicably and develop the town and not to enforce development on our people,” said Nghipangelwa.
Earlier this year, the council relocated all its vendors from the Okwatwitwi informal market, as well as those who traded in the town’s streets to the new open market. Nghipangelwa said the council will continue to work to create a conducive trading for its residents.
The infamous Okatwitwi was one of the booming informal settlements, especially for Angolan nationals. But despite its booming business, it was filthy and flooded during the rainy season.
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