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Home / Oshakati relocates 697 residents

Oshakati relocates 697 residents

2022-04-27  Aletta Shikololo

Oshakati relocates 697 residents

As part of its five-year strategic plan to eliminate informal settlements, the Oshakati Town Council has once more resumed with the relocation of its residents to newly-serviced locations.

 Yesterday, the council began with the relocation of about 800 residents of Kalaula, Oshimbangu-Solar plant, and Oshoopala Phase 1. The residents are being relocated to the new Onawa. 

Oshakati mayor Leonard Hango said Oshoopala location is one of the most populated areas in town. For this reason, the council plans to move residents of this location in phases, every financial year.

“There is a high need to relocate residents from the unconducive living environment to well-demarcated, planned, surveyed and serviced erven areas,” he stated at a media briefing.

 Hango said the council has already held meetings with those residents who are being relocated to brief them about the relocation process, and to allow council to address the various concerns raised concerning basic services at Onawa. The mayor added that residents are unable to receive basic services as their areas are densely populated, which is hindering the council’s efforts to provide residents with access roads, water, sewer services and electricity.

Furthermore, the council will construct six temporary public toilets in Onawa to be used by the relocated residents.

At the moment, Onawa is semi-serviced, with no sewerage lines. However, Hango gave the assurance that council is in the process of securing funds for constructing a sewer treatment plant and sewerage lines.

“We, however, informed residents to make the necessary temporary arrangements for sanitation,” he noted.

Among some of the benefits of the relocation is that residents will receive planned, surveyed and properly demarcated erven, and will be given certificates of ownership of their land.

The households have already been informed of their erf numbers at the Onawa location, and they are only required to pay a minimum of N$500 water connection and N$300 water deposit fees, which is a discounted amount from the normal connection fee of N$2 820.

The provision of electrical lines with prepaid electricity boxes are also accessible at each erf.

The council has likewise temporarily recruited 64 casual workers from those locations to enable the residents to acquire income for them to be able to afford the fees required of them.

In addition to those benefits, the roads infrastructure to Onawa will be upgraded.

One of the residents of Okalaula, Meriam Martin, said she is over the moon as she will finally have ownership of the land, and basic services will be provided to her.

“Previously, we used to go and fetch water very far, and we didn’t have electricity, which made the location quite risky at night. But now, all those services are brought closer. I am thankful to the council for such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she beamed.

The residents of Okalaula, Oshimbangu-Solar plant and Oshoopala locations are the third priority area for the Oshakati relocation move after residents of the Eemwandi location were relocated to the same location in 2019 and the Sky location in 2021, respectively.

Onawa residents condemn relocation

It is alleged that residents of Onawa are objecting to the council’s decision of relocating people to that area, with many saying it will cause congestion in the area and increase the already high crime rate.

The residents are, therefore, said to be planning a demonstration to dispute the decision. “We are aware that Onawa residents are unhappy with the relocation, but we want to inform the public that Onawa is quite a big area, and there is enough space for those who are being relocated. We would like to inform them to remain calm, and those who want to take illegal action against the council’s decision will be apprehended”, Hango responded.

- ashikololo@nepc.com.na


2022-04-27  Aletta Shikololo

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