WINDHOEK – The City of Windhoek has confirmed asking some residents in the Goreangab area to shift their structures out of the way for a planned multi-million dual carriageway planned in the area.
But City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya denied this amounted to evictions.
At a meeting with the affected residents, which New Era attended, City officials said there was no plan to relocate the affected residents because they occupied the current land illegally.
But Amutenya, in response to the New Era report, said residents in the development’s way would be moved to an area yet to be identified with the help of community leaders and City officials.
In the meeting, residents were up in arms over the development, saying they have not been allocated an alternative area to move to.
Residents’ protests followed a meeting in the area by the constituency councillor for Samora Machel, Fanuel Shivute, together with City officials.
The dual road forms part of the allocated funds to the tune of N$50 million to the City of Windhoek during the 2019/2020-2021-2022 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for improving living conditions in the informal settlements by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.
The objective of the project, said City authorities, is to improve the level of access to basic services such as potable water, toilets, roads and electricity within 10 months.
New Era further reported that municipal officials have already started earmarking the shacks for demolition.
Amuntenya responded that the structures marked are those on the road and residents were informed that those affected will receive letters as an official communication so that they can start shifting their structures to pave way for the project.
She stated the open space, where the affected will shift or move to, will be identified in the same area.
“There is no planned demolishing of shacks under this project,” remarked Amutenya.
She added that this a joint project between the City, Khomas Regional Council (Samora Machel constituency office) and the CDC members.
Amutenya added that prior to the meeting with the community, numerous consultative meetings were held with the constituency councillor, CDC members as well as community leaders of the areas concerned.