Walvis Bay
Tension surrounding land is once again rising in Walvis Bay as more than 20 households that settled on a piece of land that belongs to the Ministry of Works and Transport in Tutaleni face eviction by the ministry.
Most of the illegal squatters were born and bred in Walvis Bay, but are homeless.
Despite the area being demarcated for the construction of a police station, the illegal squatters have been occupying the land since March last year. The squatters are mainly women who live with their school-going children.
Most of them have been evicted from elsewhere and have no other accommodation.
When New Era visited the area located in front of Tutaleni Primary School, some of the residents had already removed their belongings that were left scattered in the open space. Members of the Namibian Police were also at the scene and informed the squatters they had to remove their shacks latest by last night.
According to Olga Birisamus, they were allegedly given permission by the office of the mayor to occupy the land until construction of the police station started.
She told New Era that most of them were left homeless after the owners of the land they were renting told them they could no longer stay there because they wanted to start building flats on the property.
“All that we want is a place to stay. We don’t have anywhere else to go. At least they must give us a month so that we can see what to do. We as mothers have to provide for our kids, which include accommodation but we don’t even have work, but from our side, some of us sell food on the street, but do not earn enough to buy expensive houses,” she said.
The 28-year-old Desiree Hoses, who also occupies a shack on the land, says she is worried about where her children will sleep.
“We are homeless but we were born in Walvis Bay. I have never lived in another place. I just know Walvis Bay as my home, though I do not have a house,” a very emotional Hoses told New Era yesterday.
She previously lived with her mother who owns a house in Walvis Bay.
“My mother got married and there was always tension in the house between me and her husband. When I saw people last year building shacks here, I decided to build also and we had been happy here,” she explained.
Hoses is a mother of four. She is unemployed and survives from the little she makes from selling cosmetic products and running her own cuca shop.
The residents were served with an eviction notice that states they must evacuate the land by March 24.
When contacted for comment the Community Affairs Unit Commander, Sergeant Iileni Shapumba, told New Era he was locked in a meeting and could not comment on the issue.
Meanwhile, the police told the squatters that they will be evicted by yesterday evening.
Contacted for comment, Julius Ngweda the Chief Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Works and Transport was unable to comment immediately at the time of going to press.