Windhoek
After many years of waiting for services, the City of Windhoek has announced it will upgrade the status of Mix informal settlement so that it will have all the services accorded to proper settlements.
The settlement, situated 20 km north of Windhoek, has been in the news regarding lack of municipal and government services such as no school, electricity, clinic or police station. To access some of these services inhabitants have to travel to Windhoek.
Mix, which has a population of about 3 000 people and home to 700 households, is located on five farm portions – 7, 8, 35, 36 and remainder of farm Emmarentia No. 380.
City spokesperson Joshua Amukugo said the envisaged township extension will have residential, general residential, business, institutional, public open space and municipal land. The settlement will also have land for a cemetery, agriculture, offices, government, conservation, private open space and streets.
Amukugo said in March 2016, they submitted the need and desirability application motivating the development to the Namibia Planning Advisory Board (NAMPAB) for consideration.
Amukugo said they are awaiting a response from NAMPAB on the application.
He further stated that upon the approval of the proposed development by NAMPAB and the townships board, the City will undertake detailed engineering designs.
“It is at that stage that the cost estimate of the area will be known, and this includes land surveying costs.”
He added that as part of the town planning procedure, five earlier mentioned portions will be consolidated into a single farm portion that will be subdivided into three portions. Mix proper and Mix Extension 1 will be established on the two portions.
Amukugo said that sewer reticulation will be designed and implemented to ensure that all residents have adequate access.
Current water supply is in the form of communal standpipes. Amukugo said prepaid water provision is recommended in the interim while the formalization process in ongoing.
He said the water reticulation network will be designed and implemented to ensure individual connection.
“There is currently no electricity connection in the area. The City of Windhoek will liaise closely with NamPower to ensure electrical connection,” added Amukugo.
Environmental clearance for the development was obtained from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (office of the Environmental Commissioner in January 2014).