WINDHOEK – Fifty-two-year-old Paulina Shipena, a resident of the Mix settlement for the past twenty years, says it is about time government looks at the problems haunting residents.
Mix settlement is in the Khomas Rural Constituency and is situated about 20 kilometres from Windhoek.
Basic services such as electricity, health care, schools, household taps, toilets and recreational facilities remain a pipe dream for Mix residents, said Shipena who spoke to New Era on Friday.
The water at the three communal taps in the settlement, which according to Shipena is expanding rapidly, is sold at N$1 for big containers and 20 cents for small containers.
Shipena is not entirely happy that residents have to pay for water. “Sometimes a person does not even have a N$1.00 to buy water especially those people who do not work,” she says.
Shipena further explained that once every month Mix residents have the services of a mobile clinic.
“The problem is that people here only benefit from the mobile clinic services once a month. Windhoek is far. Pregnant women have to go to Windhoek for antenatal care services,” she says.
There are no taxis in Mix and residents who do not have cars of their own pay up to N$40 to go to Windhoek to access services such as health care, education and even to work, explains Shipena.
“If someone falls ill during the night they know that they will pay at least N$40 to go to the hospital in Windhoek. If N$1.00 is too much for a person who does not have money to buy water you can imagine how much N$40 is,” she says.
Parents pay between N$300 and N$400 for transport to send their children to school. “I sell tomatoes and onions which I buy in Windhoek as well as wood that I collect so that I can help my husband to take care of our children,” says the mother of six, who stressed that government should develop the settlement.
“The settlement has expanded greatly compared to twenty years ago when I first moved here. I heard that this is no longer a private settlement as the municipality took it over and I urge them to bring us services as soon as possible,” she said.