WALVIS BAY - The harsh realities and dangers some residents of Walvis Bay are finding themselves in due to a lack of housing and land were once again highlighted when 13 families were left homeless by yet another shack fire in Tutaleni on Wednesday evening.
The fire occurred on an overcrowded plot in Khomashocland Street in Tutaleni, where over 50 people, including school children, had been accommodated for years. Its cause is not yet known.
Most families did not have the opportunity to grab anything from their shacks when the fire broke out around 23h30 on Wednesday evening.
Sadness and desperation could be felt as the families had to face the aftermath of the devastating shack fire. When New Era arrived yesterday morning at the scene, women with babies on their backs helped the men gather the ashes of what were once their homes.
Some managed to remove some items, while others were lucky to escape unharmed with only their sleeping clothes on their bodies.
No one was injured, but people lost their homes, documents, school books, food and even money during the devastating fire in the town which is currently facing a housing backlog of over 30 000 units.
More than 50 000 residents either rent or live in backyard shacks, without access to basic sanitation.
“We are devastated. We lost everything last night. We do not even know how to send our children to school next week, let alone what they would eat today. We are at the mercy of good Samaritans,” fire victim Naemi Amakali said while scavenging through the rubble, hoping to find something that survived the fire. She observed that they are overcrowded, as more than 300 people live on the erf due to a lack of affordable land.
Another fire victim, Kakuva Uarireso, said he has been living in Walvis Bay for the past seven years, and has been promised land by the council. He now feels these are all empty promises, as they are still living in the same deplorable conditions.
“We won’t vote unless they improve our living conditions. They need to make water and electricity accessible to us,” a frustrated Uarireso said. Diana Murumbua is appealing on behalf of the group for assistance so that they too can be relocated to a safer place. “We are not given any land, even when we are burning now, and that is how we end up with 300 squatting at one place,” she said, adding that it is difficult to avoid shack fires as they find themselves in shacks due to a shortage of land and high rental costs.
“We need assistance; we slept outside with our children last night, and still don’t know where we will sleep tonight. This is the life we have been subjected to, and yet people want us to vote,” she stated.
Walvis Bay deputy mayor Sara Mutondoka visited the group, and said shack fires are indeed a concern for Walvis Bay as the town is struggling to address the housing backlog currently. However, she added that progress has been made with Farm 37, whereby at least four landless groups have been allocated land there.
She indicated that council is coordinating resources to assist the families while they are busy rebuilding their homes.
“We know what our people are going through, and will assist the current victims by cleaning up the area and making sure that they are assisted with basics such as food.
Council is struggling to get blankets and tents, but is engaging stakeholders to get at least three tents to accommodate the victims. She also urged them to organise themselves as a group and approach the council for land at Farm 37.
“We cannot deny them land as it’s their right to have decent accommodation and living conditions. Hence, we urge them to approach council so that we see how we can accommodate them,” Mutondoka noted.