SWAKOPMUND – The Swakopmund council has availed N$850 000 towards the construction of a shelter to assist displaced fire victims at the town.
Council already identified the need for such a shelter in 2016, following devastating fires that left hundreds of Swakopmund residents, especially those living in shacks, homeless for years now.
Most of those residents live either in Mondesa or DRC informal settlement in shacks made out of flammable material.
The shelter will now be council’s immediate response in case of shack fires that leave residents homeless, while at the same time allow them to rebuild their lives while having temporary shelter.
Alternate chairperson of the Swakopmund council’s management committee, Councillor Kleopas Ngwena, during the tabling of the budget indicated that council availed the funds in the 2019/2020 budget for the construction of the emergency shelter.
According to Ngwena, the shelter will serve as a short-term accommodation facility for destitute families affected by fires and will consist of dormitories, a dining hall, common kitchen, storeroom, ablution facilities and an administration office.
The facility will be able to accommodate up to 1 000 people and will also be used to host large public meetings, corporate gatherings, private functions as well as educational retreats, while the hall will be equipped with conference facilities, a stage with changing rooms and a kitchen.
The Swakopmund council last year already indicated that Erf 6788 in Mondesa has been identified for this purpose by the community development services department of the Swakopmund municipality due to its easy access from both the informal settlement and Mondesa.
The plot is about 16 173 square metres in size and will host the emergency shelter as well as a community hall, to serve residents in and around Mondesa and Matutura extensions as well as the DRC.
Council’s management committee earlier also said the aim of the emergency shelter is to bring much needed services closer to the people.
NamClay Bricks and Pavers already on 30 August 2016 donated 36 288 bricks to the Swakopmund municipality to assist fire victims who lost their belongings during a fire incident in July 2016. These bricks will now be used to aid the construction of the emergency centre.