WALVIS BAY - Chaos erupted as tempers flared on Thursday afternoon when residents accused the Walvis Bay municipal council of running the town like a cuca shop and failing to deliver land for affordable housing.
Armed with placards, several residents protested from the public gallery in chambers and demanded that the councillors stop debating and focusing on the missing N$24 million from the Massive Urban Land Servicing project, and rather focus on land servicing.
The protestors shouted that thousands of residents are in need of land but the current council has not delivered anything, despite being in office for almost two years. They apparently debate on non-issues while the housing and land crises are not addressed.
Community activist Ephraim Nanghama, who was part of the protestors, said shacks are burning every day, yet no single stride has been made by the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC)-led council to solve the housing issue.
“When we voted for the IPC, we voted on expectations. What you are currently doing is childish. You are running Walvis Bay like a cuca shop while people want land. You are supposed to tackle important matters, but you are focusing on the N$24 million that got stolen during Swapo’s time.
Let them answer on that. You must focus on what you have been voted for. Take us seriously! We put you in power”, Nanghama stressed.
Calming the protestors down, Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes said they have heard them.
“We have heard you… now can we move on with the meeting?” Forbes said as the protestors stopped airing their grievances.
The protest comes days after Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani in a letter expressed his concern over the increasing number of shack fires at the town.
He said shack fires have been a concerning, regular occurrence in Walvis Bay, especially over the past three years.
“In fact, it has been reported that shack fires in the coastal town have left over 400 inhabitants homeless over the past three years. A three-year-old died, and over 100 people were displaced in a fire in March this year. This incident was one of many that laid bare the complexities undermining efforts to end these frequent disasters,” Venaani stated.
He added that it is evident that there exists a need for a more holistic approach to the prevention of shack fires that includes better planning of informal settlements and the enforcement of legislation that recommends houses to be built at least 10 metres from each other.
“The upgrading of all informal settlements is key to reducing the threat of shack fires. But those trying to tackle the issue face a web of problems linked to institutional capacity, financial constraints and access to land. Therefore, I impress upon you to address the issue of shack fires. I urge you to do so with the expediency and urgency this matter deserves. Shack fires are avoidable, and the Walvis Bay municipality ought to act before we are forced to deal with another tragedy that results in the loss of life and property,” the opposition leader appealed.
The IPC took over from Swapo after winning the 2020 local government elections. At the moment, both mayor Forbes and his deputy Saara Mutondoka are members of the IPC, while PDM councillor Richard Hoaeb, Landless People’s Movement (LPM) councillor Ryan Gordon, Roland Bramwell from the Joint Walvis Bay Residents Association (JWRA) and Leroy Victor of the IPC make up the management committee.
This committee is chaired by the PDM’s Hoaeb.
The IPC’s Olivia Andrews is an alternate member of the management committee.
Caption: (Cucashop)