Steven Klukowski

AUS - A recent approval by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development will provide for the alienation of 26 houses in Aus settlement.

The houses will be transferred into ownership of local beneficiaries. A list availed to New Era indicates that most of the beneficiaries under the alienation scheme are elderly residents of the settlement.

Aus is located in the Aus Mountains above the plains of the Namib Desert. The climate is usually hot and arid, but snow has been recorded many years ago. The settlement furthermore recorded some of the coldest winters in Namibia at times.

An 83-year-old resident at Aus, Sophia Witbooi, could not hold back her tears when New Era recently visited her soon to be home.

According to granny Witbooi, she has been staying in the same house since 1968 with her physically challenged daughter. 

“I moved into this house during the times of the old South West Africa government and used to monthly rent accordingly,” she explained. 

Granny Witbooi further emphasized that it was always her dream in life to have a home of her own. “We, especially the elder people, waited for a long time, struggling to get these houses on our name,” Witbooi elaborated.

The elderly woman in addition expressed her gratefulness towards !Nami#Nüs Constituency Councillor Jan Scholtz, //Kharas Regional Council and government as a whole for making it possible for her to be a homeowner at last. 

“I am very glad for it, it is really a nice feeling to know you will have your own house very soon,” she concluded.