OTJIWARONGO – Members of the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN) in Otjiwarongo have officially commenced land servicing activities in Extension 14 in Orwetoveni.
This marks a significant step towards addressing the town’s housing needs.
Stella Kakumai, treasurer of the SDFN Otjiwarongo group, expressed excitement about the project, which began with the digging of trenches for water and sewage pipelines on Wednesday.
An excavator has been hired from a local businessman to speed up the process.
“We received a huge portion of unserviced land from the municipality this year. Now it is our turn to bring drinking water, connect sewage lines, create formal streets and allocate the 104 plots to our members,” said Kakumai.
She stated that the land-servicing in Extension 14 Orwetoveni is expected to be completed in June or July this year – thanks to the use of machinery.
She said SDFN’s activities offer a practical solution to the national housing crisis, as their approach is inclusive and does not discriminate based on socio-economic status or age.
The group’s members range from 34 to 64 years old, with many working in the informal sector, security services or facing unemployment.
Nancy Tjimbaka, the group’s bookkeeper, stated that members will either construct their homes themselves, or engage skilled builders.
She added that members have opted to purchase quality bricks and building materials, instead of manufacturing their own.
The first phase of construction will see the building of 39 one-bedroom houses, each featuring a kitchen, lounge and toilet at a cost of less than N$45 000 per unit.
The remaining 65 houses will be built in the second phase.
Federation members are required to contribute between N$350 and N$500 monthly to the fund, in addition to a once-off registration fee of N$3 500.
Otjiwarongo mayor Gottlieb Shivute commended the SDFN’s efforts on Friday.
He acknowledged the municipality’s awareness of their land development activities, and praised the group for the impressive work in building their own houses.
-Nampa