Okahandja to relocate dumpsite 

Okahandja to relocate dumpsite 

Mulisa Simiyasa

OKAHANDJA – The Okahandja municipality on Monday unveiled to the public the area its current dumping site would be relocated to before the end of November.

Okahandja mayor Beatrice Kotungondo in an interview with Nampa said the current dumpsite situated southwest of town is a disturbance to the political leadership of Okahandja, as it is now surrounded by the houses of the newly-created Ekunde Extension 4 and 5 residential areas along the M87 tarred road.

Kotungondo said due to the fast-growing population of Okahandja standing at 24 000 residents now, the current dumpsite will form part of the Ekunde Extension 4 and 5 residential areas with more than 1 000 households.

“Actually, the decommissioning of this dumpsite started in 2022 and the municipality now has a plan to rehabilitate it and revive the natural look to this dumpsite where grass and trees can grow again,” she said.

The municipality needs to generate about N$1.2 million in order to rehabilitate the current dumpsite to its natural state, as well as for the creation of the new one on a 20-hectare piece of land situated about 10 kilometres west of Okahandja between the A1 and B2 national roads.

The Okahandja municipality so far has set aside N$800 000 towards the dumpsite- creation and other services related to the hygiene of the town, Kotungondo said.

A private road leading to the new dumpsite is being created by the municipality from the new A1 dual-carriage road.
Several residents of Ekunde Extension 4 and 5 who spoke to Nampa called on the municipality to speedily relocate the current dumpsite, saying it poses serious health hazards to them and their children.

Ben Mutota said plastics from the dumpsite are flying into his yard on a nearly daily basis.

“We thank the municipality for its efforts, but this dumpsite must go away as soon as possible. You can see people, we live here now, literally surrounding the dumpsite,” said Seun Jacobs, a resident of Ekunde Extension 5 at the town.

-Nampa