Media Monitoring on Urban Development in Namibia

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2 Media Monitoring on Urban Development in Namibia Media Monitoring on Urban Development in Namibia is a service provided by Development Workshop Namibia (DWN), a Namibian NGO with a focus on sustainable urban development and poverty reduction. DWN is part of a world-wide network of Development Workshop (DW) organisations with centres in Canada, Angola and France, and offices in Vietnam and Burkino Faso. It was founded in the 1970s by three architect students in the UK and has been funded by nongovernmental organisations, private citizens, and national and international development organisations. In Namibia, DWN s activities focus on urban related research, effective urban planning for the urban poor, solutions to informal settlements, water & sanitation, and projects specifically targeting disadvantaged segments of the urban youth. Through 40 years of engagement on urban issues mainly in Africa and Asia, the DW network of organisations has acquired significant institutional knowledge and capacity and is well integrated in regional and international networks. The Namibian media provide an important source of information on urban development processes in the country, highlighting current events, opportunities and challenges. The media further provide insight into the different views and perceptions of a variety of actors, be it from government, nongovernment, private sector, and individuals that reside in Namibia s towns and settlements. It is therefore hoped that DWN s Media Monitoring service will provide insights into those different views, with potential use for a variety of institutions and decision-makers that work in the urban environment in Namibia. The Media Monitoring service is currently provided on a monthly basis and monitors the following newspapers: The Namibian, Republikein, Namibian Sun, New Era, Windhoek Observer, Confidente, and Informante. The articles are grouped into following categories: 1. Urban Planning, Land & Housing 2. Urban Infrastructure and Services 3. Livelihoods and Urban Economy 4. Environment & Human Health The text of the news articles has not been altered and thus reflects the opinion of the respective media outlets, and not that of DWN. We hope you find this service useful and interesting. DWN is keen to improve the service and welcomes suggestions and comments. Yours sincerely, Compiled by: Esleen Guriras & Alina Nambuli Edited by: Ester Veiko & Beat Weber Produced by: Development Workshop Namibia Address: 18 Nachtigal Street PO Box 40723, Ausspannplatz Windhoek, Namibia b.weber@dw-namibia.org Development Workshop Namibia With support from: Namibian Chamber of Environment 1

3 Index 1 URBAN PLANNING, LAND AND HOUSING City looking for street to name after Winnie Environment gets N$4,7m city land Tjivikua, wife get rocky township Rocky Crest plots ready in 18 months Klazen disappointed that mass houses still empty Poor planning costs taxpayer millions Woman in suicide bid after shack demolition Average house-building costs up 4% Klazen rebukes Swakop, Henties over empty mass houses One brick at a time Shikongo's dream home 'halfway' Rent board: AR issues another threat Shack dwellers get new houses AR gives Tweya ultimatum over rent control Nkurenkuru gets housing developments N$87m for Eenhana Government outsourcing of flats sparks panic Landless residents feel like refugees Housing initiative for poor 'inspires' Mushelenga AR turns up pressure Otjinene receives 47 new houses Henties landless set ultimatum Rent battle intensifies n Huis vir Helena houses to be built at Rocky Crest Otjinene Buy-a-Brick homes handed over Namibians deem land, housing delivery provisions insufficient Geduld met grondnood op Kazapua Development in Rocky Crest URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES City halts township's sewerage plans Meesterplan vir Windhoek se water Waterpype lek in Windhoek Erongostreeksraad beplan ontsoutingsaanleg Kragpale veroorsaak moles Master plan for WHK water Katima residents to protest against town council Clean-up of Opuwo to become mandatory Hotel donates N$5 000 towards repair of Dias bridge Rain catches Walvis Bay unaware Vivo Energy and Hangala Properties break ground on N$136 million building In sak en as ná brand Innosun s Namibian Wind Farm Lifted by Johnson Renew Strangers become friends here Temporary upgrades for Hosea Kutako airport

4 2.16 Mixed bag for service delivery DBN releases additional N$150 million for ErongoRED LIVELIHOODS AND URBAN ECONOMY Stricter rules for food bank recipients Usakos oil storage facility to create new jobs Lüderitz street vendors face eviction Flood, shack fire victims get construction materials Help keep the capital warm NTY voting begins on Monday Slaughterhouse gets N$ facelift Opuwo trade fair to market town to investors Oshikuku signs MoU with trade association Informal employment comprises 70% women NTY2018: Wie gaan die kroon dra? Mushelenga wants more visitors at Oshakati Totem Expo Financial boost for Karibib Travel & Tourism Fair Omuthiya Youth Parliament aims to address unemployment SME evictions halted for now Tricks for small-town tourism boom unveiled ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH Land gerat vir Operasie Skoonmaak Ongwediva launches clean-up campaign Rehoboth maak skoon Stormweer gooi kusdorpe met modder Opuwo initiates post clean-up campaign Aanloop tot die groot skoonmaak Call to hold clean-up campaigns bi-monthly Geingob leads national clean-up Hospital spotless after clean-up Residents asked to dispose of waste properly

5 1 Urban Planning, Land and Housing 1.1 City looking for street to name after Winnie The Namibian 02/05/2018 The City of Windhoek said it is urgently looking at naming a street after the late South African political icon, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. The city's spokesperson, Scheifert Shigwedha, confirmed this last week during a media briefing. The city council leadership is considering, as a matter of urgency, to rename a street in Windhoek in honour of the late liberation stalwart, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, he said. This comes after The Namibian reported last month when President Hage Geingob told the crowd of mourners in South Africa at her funeral service that a street has already been named after the late political hero. I also, not me alone, but Namibian people also named a street in her honour, he said at the service. The urgent attention by the city comes 12 years after former Swapo Party Youth League secretary Elijah Ngurare asked the municipality to name a street after Madikizela-Mandela. City councillor Fransina Kahungu told The Namibian yesterday that the street renaming committee is looking for an appropriate street to name after the struggle heroine. Windhoek mayor Muesee Kazapua also said yesterday that Madikizela-Mandela deserves a street to be named after her. Meanwhile, the City of Windhoek announced the renaming of several streets in Windhoek after fallen heroes and heroines. According to council documents made public last week, Bach Street in Windhoek West is to be renamed after the late Herero paramount chief Kuaima Riruako. The request for the street renaming came from Nudo's representative in the council, Joseph Kauandenge, whose initial request for Shanghai Street was turned down as the name reminds the Namibian people of the role the Chinese government (people) played during the liberation struggle. After a thorough investigation done by the street and place naming/ renaming secretariat on the subject matter in collaboration with the proponent and family members, Bach Street in Windhoek West was chosen as an appropriate street, the documents stated. Riruako was also involved in the reparation discussions on the genocide of the Ovaherero and Nama people between 1904 and Klaagliedere and Kronieke Streets in Katutura will be merged and renamed after Bishop Asaria Kamburona, or a short version of his name. The request was made by the vice chairperson of the Protestant Unity Church, Abel Kazondunge, who stated that bishop Kamburona made contributions that stretch across pre- and post-independent Namibia. Bishop showed steadfast commitment towards the liberation struggle of the Namibian nation, he stated. Klaagliedere Street comes from the Bible, and it has a negative connotation, referring to the fall of Jerusalem and the sins committed by those people. The late bishop was a resident of the identified Kronieke Street, and the name proposed will easily be associated with him and stay by the inhabitants of that area, the documents stated. The council approved that a street in Academia Extension 2 that was left without a name be named after the late Nicodemus Kavikunua. Kavikunua, who is recognised as a national hero, fought against the German colonisation and genocide. The late Anna Mungunda was initially chosen for the street, but she already had a street named after her in Katutura. She was a protester against the forced eviction from Windhoek's Old Location in 1959, where she set the high-ranking administrator's car on fire and was shot in response. Among other streets to be renamed is Feld Street in honour of the late Seretse Khama, who was the first president of Botswana from 1966 to Additional streets which will be renamed are Bismarck Street in honour of the late Simeon Shixungileni, and Delfos Street for the late Fillemon Nduvu Nangolo. Tuin Street in Shandumbala will be named after the late Juuso Katangolo. According to the street and place naming/renaming committee, the naming and renaming of streets and places after persons who made an impact on the development of the city is a way of etching the country's history, both pleasant and not so pleasant, in the memories of the people. 4

6 1.2 Environment gets N$4,7m city land The Namibian 02/05/2018 The City of Windhoek has approved the sale of land to the environment ministry for N$4, 7 million, despite outstanding technical issues. The land in question is Erf 87 in the Lafrenz Industrial area in northern Windhoek, measuring square metres, which the ministry applied for in The plot was initially zoned as a 'public open space', and is currently occupied by vendors. According to minutes of last month's council meeting seen by The Namibian, the environment ministry wants to build the Khomas regional office, offices for the game capture unit, and storage facilities for trucks and heavy equipment for the scientific services directorate there. Despite approving the sale, the minutes said the plot does not have any stormwater system crossing and municipal sewer connections. Therefore, the ministry would be required to construct sewer lines, and accommodate a surface stormwater runoff line. The minutes further state that the land was subdivided into two portions, and would now be closed off to the public after it was rezoned. Portion A measuring 640 square metres would be developed into a market to accommodate vendors, while the remainder of the land, measuring 3 800m2, would be sold to the environment ministry. The council then approved the sale of the land for N$4, 7 million, or N$1 200 per square metre. The council documents show that approval was granted to avoid further delays because the ministry was in an urgent need of office space. According to the documents, the scientific services directorate within the ministry is currently accommodated at rented offices that are too expensive. The vendors' market would be constructed with a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the land to the ministry, the minutes showed. 1.3 Tjivikua, wife get rocky township The Namibian 09/05/2018 The Windhoek municipality approved a plan by academic-cum-property developer Tjama Tjivikua to build a township that will accommodate 307 plots in Rocky Crest, despite environmental concerns. Tjivikua, the vice chancellor at the Namibia University of Science and Technology, received land through what is called public-private partnership deals with the municipality in which they get the land free from the city, put up services such as water, and then sell it. This type of deal has been criticised in the past by city executives for enriching property developers. Tjivikua is into this public-private partnership through Waterberg Investment, a company he co-owns with his wife Neveara Olivier and Angela Katjimune. The land, measuring 43 hectares (around 43 average football fields), is in Rocky Crest along the Western Bypass buffer, west of Pionierspark Extension 1. Council documents show that Tjivikua's company wants to service 307 plots. Of these plots, 254 will be for residential purposes. It also shows that there will be two business plots, three plots for a pre-primary school, church or kindergarten, and a community hall. There are concerns at the municipality, however, that Tjivikua's township will have a potential negative environmental impact. The municipality's strategic executive for water and technical services, Ludwig Narib, said Rocky Crest Extension 5 the area where Tjivikua wants to build his township falls within the Pionierspark reservoir pressure zone. The municipality rang the alarm bells in 2015 when it announced that pollution in the area where underground water reservoirs are located could be life-threatening to the residents of Windhoek. In fact, the municipality admitted that the city would be struggling with supplying water to the proposed new townships. The environmental commissioner, Teofilus Nghitila, however, approved Tjivikua's township. Regular environmental monitoring and evaluations on the environmental performance should be conducted. Targets for improvement should be established and monitored throughout the process, he stated. Nghitila is infamously known for approving the controversial marine phosphate mining process in Namibia, just to be told to back off later after a public outcry over the project. The township was approved to reduce pressure from the municipality due to the continued increase in the urban population, the document said. Due to its [Rocky Crest] interface with Pionierspark, and the fact that it is the most visible of the Rocky Crest Extensions on the Western Bypass, the approach taken is to 5

7 raise its profile to upper-middle-class status, the council documents said. According to the Namibia Statistics Agency, Windhoek's population was more than in According to the council documents, the new township is one way in which the city will go ahead with plans to make Windhoek a 'Smart and Caring City' as envisioned by the new transformational strategic plan. Tjivikua's company is also required to provide municipal services within the township. The company is furthermore required to sign a development agreement following approval through the town planning process. It is unclear whether Tjivikua and his team have changed the project's other targets. The Namibian in 2015 quoted a document which showed the project would cost N$112 million, while the estimated income from selling the plots was N$175 million. At the time, profit was estimated at N$60 million, which means that Tjivikua and his partners stood to make over N$20 million from the deal. The other N$20 million profit would go to the municipality, while Old Mutual (the financier) will also get N$20 million as equal joint venture partners entitled to 33% of the profits each. The Namibian reported in 2015 how well-connected Namibians were scrambling for land in Rocky Crest. An opinion of the city's legal department in 2014 said: It has become evident that various applications are received for PPPs because developers have realised that it is the easiest way to obtain super-profits by contributing only a lender's agreement provided by a third party (bank or another financier). Tjivikua's deal is among 12 public-private partnerships across Windhoek that were mostly dished out to well-connected Namibians. Previous beneficiaries of these types of transactions include Acacia Investments, headed by lawyer Patrick Kauta, and Sinco Investment Sixty One, which is owned by businessman Leake Hangala. 1.4 Rocky Crest plots ready in 18 months The Namibian Sun 09/05/2018 New plots that the City of Windhoek is servicing for middle-income buyers should be available within 18 months' time. The municipality is currently servicing a piece of land in the Rocky Crest suburb to the south west of the city. City spokesperson Scheifert Shigwedha said residential and business plots would be available. Two-hundred-and-fifty-six are for single residential in Extension 5 Rocky Crest but in total the erven for Extension 5 are 307, including institutional and businesses. Extension 7 residential are 175, with the total being 190 for institutional and business purposes, said Shigwedha. Rocky Crest Extension 5 is located west of Pionierspark Extension 1 along the Western Bypass and measures 43 hectares. A private financier would help the City service a large portion of land in Rocky Crest in a public-private partnership, he said. Take note that Extension 7 is not to be serviced through the PPP, he added. The completion of the proclamation process will eventually determine... how soon our PPP partner and the City can commence with servicing... said Shigwedha. Rocky Crest Extension 7 measures about 21 hectares. The City recently said that there was a backlog in residential plots for all income groups, and the residential land to be developed in Rocky Crest extensions 5 and 7 would cater for the middle-income group. 1.5 Klazen disappointed that mass houses still empty The Namibian Sun 09/05/2018 The absence of a coordination framework between local authorities and the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) continues to delay the allocation of mass housing units across the country. The Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development Derek Klazen at a meeting yesterday made this revelation and berated local authorities and the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) for failing to synchronise their functions in dealing with mass housing. He was adamant that the central government long ago issued clear guidelines to local authorities on how to deal with the transfer of land on which the mass housing units are built. The houses were built through the NHE, which was allocated land for that specific purpose, and when the house goes to the owner, that land must be transferred to the 6

8 local authority. Local authorities are responsible for allocating the mass housing units, according to the list of people who need houses in each local authority. I am very disappointed to learn that the Deeds of Donation is still cited as one of the reasons why the potential beneficiaries cannot occupy the houses, said Klazen. Therefore, I am puzzled that we are still talking today about houses not yet allocated because the transfer of land has not yet taken place, he said. There are delays in Keetmanshoop, Mariental, Karasburg, Henties Bay and Khorixas, because of those deeds. In the meantime winter is again upon us and the houses are empty with government forking our millions to guard the houses, money that could have been used to build other houses. In the meantime, those with the responsibility to see that these houses get allocated ignore clear directives, Klazen said. Many local authorities are yet to complete the transfer of land from NHE to town councils books. Klazen says this is despite the clear directives issued to all local authority councils. He mentioned a meeting that sat sometime in April 2016 as the last meeting where guidelines were issued as to how councils should speed up the transfer of land that was allocated to the NHE for the construction of houses in the country. An agitated Klazen was speaking at a consultative meeting with Swakopmund s local authority leaders and regional NHE branch officials. Klazen added that local authorities when experiencing problems with the directives should have consulted with the ministry instead of ignoring it. He specifically singled out the Swakopmund Municipality and NHE, urging them to foster closer relations. It s imperative that these houses are allocated. The municipality must make sure that the transfer of land to beneficiaries is completed within 30 days from today. NHE must then make sure that it is registered in the names of the beneficiaries within seven days and submit a report to the ministry in this regard, Klazen said. NHE was to construct 1,500 houses in Swakopmund of which 670 were already handed over and 137 should already have been completed, while the rest are under construction. 1.6 Poor planning costs taxpayer millions The Namibian 11/05/2018 Because of poor planning, two constituency offices in the Oshana Region have to be replaced with new buildings. Oshana governor Clemens Kashuupulwa confirmed to Namibian Sun that there had been technical errors in identifying suitable sites for constituency offices about ten years ago. This lack of planning and site inspection is now costing the taxpayer millions, because new offices must be built for the Oshakati East and Oshakati West constituencies. Construction of a new office for the Oshakati East constituency office is nearing completion, while the regional council is still discussing plans to build a new constituency office for the Oshakati West constituency. During the construction of the Oshakati East constituency office at Omege in 2008, the regional council failed to do a proper technical assessment of the site and the building is now collapsing. In Oshakati West, the regional council failed to consult the public as to the most suitable place for the constituency office, which resulted in the office not being used by people. In his State of the Region Address (SORA), Kashuupulwa announced that construction of the new Oshakati East constituency at Ompundja was nearing completion. There is a serious problem at the constituency office at Omege. The office is situated over a shallow underground water area. This was not noticed during the construction. After the office was completed it started developing cracks and sinking into the ground. After a team of technicians inspected it, they found out that the building was built over shallow underground water, Kashuupulwa said. Kashuupulwa said the technicians recommended relocating the office because it could not be renovated and was hazardous to those working there. He said three years ago they presented a report to the urban and rural development ministry, which approved N$5.6 million for building a new office. Members of the public have criticised the location of the new building, saying that it is situated in the Ompundja constituency. Kashuupulwa responded that many people do not understand that the office is situated within the constituency s demarcated boundaries. On 12 August 2016, Oshakati West regional councillor Andreas Johannes requested to the regional council to relocate his office from Uukwangula Settlement to Oniimwandi Village, claiming that his office was situated in Okatana 7

9 constituency and was inaccessible to the people of the constituency. Uukwangula Settlement houses two constituency offices, for Oshakati West and Okatana constituency, a situation that is not welcomed by members of the public and some of the regional councillors. Kashuupulwa said he was aware of the situation at the Oshakati West constituency office and the request for a new office by the councillor, however he said it is likely not to be approved as the constituency already had an office and building a new one would waste public money. These are challenges of leadership change. This office was proposed by the previous councillor Aram Martin, however the new councillor is not happy with it saying that it is situated far away from people. The main question is what the current office will be used for? The regional council is busy deliberating on the issue, but I don t think it will succeed due to the current financial situation, he said. He said he would wait for the outcome of the regional council talks and a recommendation by the council s management committee before making a presentation to the urban and rural development ministry. 1.7 Woman in suicide bid after shack demolition The Namibian 11/05/2018 See you in heaven or hell This was the text message sent to the neighbour of Gracia Beukes (25) after she attempted to end her life on Wednesday when Windhoek City Police officers demolished her shack in Otjomuise's 8ste Laan informal area. Lying in her hospital bed yesterday, Beukes admitted to The Namibian that she had swallowed about 20 tablets because City Police officers had demolished the shack in which she and her children lived. City Police spokesperson Fabian Amukwelele yesterday confirmed the demolition of shacks, but declined to comment further. Two shacks were demolished in the area, including that of Wilhemina David (33), who is now squatting at a neighbour's shack with her belongings. Beukes, a mother of two, was rushed to the Katutura Intermediate Hospital after she texted her neighbour Basilius Haakurua, indicating that she was going to commit suicide. It was nice meeting you...please stay close to my kids, and never allow for them to get hurt the way I did. See you in heaven or hell, reads the text message she sent. Haakuria immediately called for an ambulance. Beukes yesterday was apologetic on behalf of her children. I was not thinking about my children when I attempted to end my life. I will not do it again, she said during this interview. Beukes said it all started towards the end of February when City Police demolished her shack at the illegal plot in 8ste Laan. In February, police took down my shack while I was picking up my daughter from a daycare centre, she explained. Beukes said she informed the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM)'s president McHenry Venaani about her situation. He helped me get a lawyer, and I applied for a court interdict to prevent the municipality from destroying my shack, she said. However, the court informed Beukes that it could not deliver a judgement because she had illegally set up the shack. On 21 March, she set up another structure on the same plot, and her neighbours informed the City Police about it. Beukes said on Wednesday, members of the City Police demolished her shack again. After they left, she promptly decided to take an overdose of some tablets. I left my children alone. I texted my estranged husband, and told him to come and pick up his children. I also texted my neighbour [Haakuria], and told him to take care of my children, she said. Haakuria, who is a pastor, told The Namibian yesterday that he arrived on time to call the ambulance and take the children to his home while their mother was being hospitalised. He said he had witnessed how the woman and her children cried as their shack was being demolished. Haakuria added that he called the officer who had ordered the demolition, and informed him of what happened to the woman. He told me it was not his problem if she committed suicide. I told him he should be the one calling the ambulance because it was the City Police who created this mess, he said. Haakurua said he wants President Hage Geingob, First Lady Monica Geingos and City of Windhoek mayor Muesee Kazapua to hear the plight of the landless. People are suicidal because they are landless, while the rich are acquiring land for themselves, he stressed. PDM's Secretary General Manuel Ngaringombe said that although the City has a mandate to remove illegal shacks, they should not treat the landless as less than humans. The ministry of urban development and City of Windhoek should fast-track the land allocation process in order to house more people, he said. 8

10 1.8 Average house-building costs up 4% Republikein 11/05/2018 The cost of building a standard three-bedroom house on a 375 square metres erf rose by 4.3% from March 2017 to March 2018, with the cost of land recording the highest increase. According to the latest First Capital House Building Cost Report, released on Wednesday, the average price tag for such a house in Windhoek and Swakopmund was N$ In the rest of the country, the average cost was N$ The breakdown for Windhoek and Swakopmund is: Land (N$95 000), labour (N$ ), building materials (N$ ) and indirect costs (N$13 700). In the rest of Namibia, the average picture looks like this: Land (N$23 000), labour (N$97 028), building materials (N$ ) and indirect costs (N$13 700). For Namibia as a whole, the various components of buildings cost recorded average annual increases as follow: Land (4.8%), labour (4.4%) and building materials (4.1%). Cement First Capital (FC) says most of the cement consumed in Namibia is manufactured locally, and its price is subject to mainly domestic factors that have an impact on cement production. The domestic slowdown in the economy that started in 2016 have impacted negatively on the construction sector which is a key demand sector for cement. In line with the trend of slowing construction activities in the country, domestic cement output has also been slowing over two years since At the back of slowing demand, prices of cement were barely stable in 2017, which in our view was also supported by weak demand, FC says. According to FC, the continued consolidation of the country s fiscal position and the prolonged slowdown in the economy remains major downside factors to the construction sector which continues to weaken demand for cement. With the new entrant of a cement producing company in the market that is set to begin supplying the market with the prolonged weak demand in consumption of cement, we hold a view that prices will remain flat throughout 2018, FC says. Bricks, sand FC says the price of super bricks increased by 4% in March 2018 compared to March The price of bricks is influenced by the price of cement and transport cost of transporting sand from the extraction site to the site of producing bricks. The price increase of 4% in bricks is in line with price increase of sand and transport costs. In 2018, we do not expect major price shock to the price of bricks, as slow demand should be limiting factor for the motive by producers to increase prices. Competition among brick suppliers will also be key in keeping prices stable as of recent in the market of supplying bricks has picked up, FC says. Annual figures show an increase of 4.8% in March 2018 compared to the price of sand in March 2017, FC continues. Unlike for bricks, suppliers of sand remain few and this have always supported increases in the price of sand. The recent move towards regulating sand mining given the environmental impact it poses in areas where sand is mined could be another factor which we believe will further limit reduce suppliers in the market. This however, could mean a marginal increase in the price of sand, FC says. Electrical goods According to the report, the prices of electrical goods surged went up by 4.8% on an annual basis in March The input commodities of the manufacturing of these electrical goods is base metals like copper, aluminium and steel. Given that Namibia imports most of electrical materials goods, the local exchange rate and prices of base metals which are production inputs will be key to the outlook of electrical building materials, FC says. In line with the World Bank and International Monetray Fund s outlook of slow recovery in the prices of base metals, we expect domestic prices of electrical goods will remain stable throughout 2018, supported by the continued exchange rate resilience of the local currency against the US dollar. 9

11 1.9 Klazen rebukes Swakop, Henties over empty mass houses The Namibian 14/05/2018 Deputy Minister of urban and rural development Derek Klazen on Wednesday rebuked the municipalities of Swakopmund and Henties Bay for the many unoccupied mass houses at these towns. Klazen had meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday with officials of the two towns and the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) at Swakopmund over the allocation of houses constructed under the Mass Housing Development Programme (MHDP). He said the two municipalities and the NHE had failed to synchronise their roles in the programme, while praising Walvis Bay for having ensured that all completed mass houses were occupied. Since the MHDP was launched five years ago, about 400 of the planned houses at Swakopmund have been completed, of which about 200 have been occupied. At Henties Bay, 53 houses were completed, and 22 occupied. Some houses were handed over to the beneficiaries by former urban and rural development minister Sophia Shaningwa earlier this year. Klazen reminded Swakopmund and Henties Bay officials of the objective of the mass housing programme, which was to reduce the housing backlog, particularly in the ultra-low and low income groups. I am not happy with the status quo of these houses that were completed but not yet allocated to beneficiaries. We are denying potential homeowners an opportunity to enjoy the comfort of their houses during the cold season that is approaching, he stated. Klazen said the ministry has issued several directives to local authorities and the NHE to speed up the allocation of houses. It is our conviction that these houses should have been allocated and occupied by now, but here we are today with unoccupied houses, he stressed. According to information disclosed at the meeting with Henties Bay officials, the housing backlog at the town stands at about 400. Attempts to get comment from either the mayor or CEO of Henties Bay were unsuccessful yesterday. It is displeasing to note that we still have such a huge backlog here, while we have houses that are already completed, but not occupied. We cannot rest until all the houses are allocated, and potential beneficiaries have moved in, Klazen reiterated. He also complained about completed, unoccupied houses being vandalised, and the ministry having to spend millions on security to prevent such vandalism. Some local authorities do not adhere to directives, and this is a serious offence, Klazen warned, adding that the minister's directive was clear about how local authorities should facilitate the transfer of land to beneficiaries. I am, therefore, puzzled that today we are still talking about houses not being occupied because the transfer of land has not taken place. I want this process to be expedited, he said. Swakopmund CEO Marco Swartz yesterday said the handing over of houses was delayed due to the existence of more than one housing list which could have resulted in the duplication of some names. According to Swartz, the NHE list has names, while the municipality's list has names. There could be the same applicants on the two lists. We need to do proper background checks on the applicants, and ensure the lists are merged to avoid duplicating, and to streamline the process, he said. The NHE's senior finance manager, Jeremiah Ntinda, said Klazen's rebuke was noted, and that all completed houses should be occupied before the end of the year. This is not just for the coast, but the whole country. We will iron out the discrepancies in the waiting lists to ensure that when we combine them into a merged master list, there will be no duplications. We are also waiting for municipalities to conclude their deed of donation of the land so that we can finalise the transfer of the land to the beneficiaries. This is just a legal process, but it must be done, Ntinda added One brick at a time The Namibian Sun 14/05/2018 The unveiling of 20 low-income houses over the weekend built by the Mariental Shack Dwellers Federation s team of which more than 80% were women, highlighted the federation s countrywide achievements of a total output of homes built nationally through the dedication and hard work 10

12 of members belonging to 747 groups. Frederika Fredericks of the Mariental team on Saturday pointed out that in total, the groups across the country had saved over N$25 million with the help of their members, in addition to funds from private sponsors and government. Ultimately however, the homes, including the 20 new ones, are a result of the dedication and hard work of members, she said. The Mariental group was launched in 2014, and members were encouraged to save every cent they could spare, and manage the funds accordingly, to enable them to achieve their goals. While we were waiting for availability of land from the council, we raised money by doing activities to boost our savings, including braais and concerts, she said. In 2017, the group was provided with a plot, which could accommodate 20 members. We actually learned a lot in the process and one of that was to have patience and to stand together as one, to focus on team work. The building of the houses, undertaken by the members of the group themselves, included the making of bricks and acquiring construction skills. Brickmaking was not easy, as 80% of the members were female. We made our own bricks with the assistance of group members and their families. We also excavated the foundation of the 20 houses, and each beneficiary had to be a handyman. The unveiling on Saturday signified the conclusion of a lengthy process, Fredericks said. We all reached the finish line and as you see today we have our houses, with electricity and sanitation. We can call this home and provide a proper shelter for our children. Johan de Lange of the Mariental municipality, on Saturday said the federation is a key partner in the construction of low-income homes in the town. De Lange noted that in support of their efforts, the musicality not only provided land, but the erven were fully serviced with electricity and sewer services and sold to the beneficiaries at a minimal price. The total cost of the houses was N$32 000, Fredericks said, and added that in the Hardap Region alone, more than 30 Shack Dwellers Federation groups have been established, consisting of 875 members who together have saved N$ The groups have constructed a total of 292 houses in Hardap, including in Maltahöhe (10), Schlip (4), Rehoboth (84), Aranos (12), Stampriet (27), Hoachanass (40), Gochas (58) and other small towns and villages. Thirty-five houses have been constructed din Mariental to date, Fredericks said. The next step is the construction of 12 houses in Aranos and 11 in Amprebo. Derek Klazen, the deputy minister of urban and rural development, at the occasion praised the Shack Dwellers Federation members for their efforts to improve the living conditions of poor communities. Their activities offer hope and meaning to the lives of women, men and children who share the same hopes that we all have for better, safer and more promising lives. He underlined that the federation s members, in Mariental and across the country, has shown that there can be solutions to problems that we are struggling with every day, noting that inequality and poverty are harsh realities in Namibia. He said government alone cannot solve the housing shortage in Namibia, and is relying on team effort from all sectors, including civic society and the private sector, to work together to find solutions. The Shack Dwellers Federation s solution is unique and worth supporting, in that it is a case of the community itself taking action to address its own developmental needs. This is a clear testimony of sustainable and people-centred development. He said government s trust in the federation s work is reflected in the financial support to the groups, which has to date amounted to N$44.6 million that was used to construct 1863 houses. Fredericks took the opportunity on Saturday to thank sponsors who assisted with the new homes, including the Namibia Housing Action Group (NHAG), First National Bank, the Pupkewitz Foundation, Ohorongo Cement and Neo Paints for their support, in addition to government and local leadership Shikongo's dream home 'halfway' The Namibian Sun 15/05/2018 Paralympic T11 200m sprinter Ananias Shikongo's dream of having a place to call home will soon come true, with contractors having now reached the halfway stage, as they work towards finalising his house. Standard Bank, in partnership with the National Housing Enterprise (NHE), donated a house to the value of N$ to the Paralympic athlete, after he won three medals at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. The bank collaborated with NHE to secure a plot and construct the home for the athlete, which is situated behind Eveline Street in Katutura. The groundbreaking ceremony took place in February this 11

13 year. We donated the house to Ananias because we believe that it is imperative to give recognition to sport as an enabling contributor that fosters unity, national reconciliation and regional and international cooperation. It is also important to celebrate achievements, because it not only motivates you to continue on the path of success, but it also positions you as a winner and attracts more success, Standard Bank communication's manager Surihe Gaomas-Guchu said this week. Although it has been a long journey to this point, she said she was elated because they were almost at the finish line and the Paralympic athlete would soon have a decent place to call home. Shikongo proved to the entire nation that disability is not inability and has emerged victorious against all odds. It was only fitting that we reward him in an equally fitting manner, she explained. Shikongo has also been a key figure, raising awareness for the bank's flagship Buy-a-Brick initiative over the past few years. He signed an agreement to that effect with the bank in early The Paralympian's story is demonstrative of the significant importance of choice and the unlimited opportunities it opens up for people, when they just stop focusing on the obstacles they face. In a few short months all his hard work will pay off when he moves into his brand new house and we would like to urge all youth to follow in his footsteps, Gaomas-Guchu added. Shikongo said he visited the house a few days ago and was happy with the positive results. It's nearly done. I waited for a long time, but I'm so happy because by August I will be sleeping in my own house, he said. Shikongo said he will not be living in his house alone, as he will be sharing it with some of his friends, who are also disabled athletes Rent board: AR issues another threat The Namibian Sun 15/05/2018 The Affirmative Repositioning Movement has issued another legal threat against the authorities over the slow implementation of resolutions taken during a meeting with President Hage Geingob three years ago, which included the introduction of a rent control board. AR leading figure Job Amupanda, in a strongly worded letter to industrialisation minister Tjekero Tweya, demanded to know why the government had not implemented the resolutions as agreed at the State House meeting three years ago. Amupanda also demanded that the minister explain before Friday, 18 May at 16:00 why the youth should not approach the court to compel him and the government to implement a rent control board and to prescribe tariffs as stipulated by the Estate Agents Act. He also demanded that the minister explain why he should not be held personally liable for the failure to faithfully obey, execute the Rent Ordinance of 1977 and the Estate Agents Act. Tweya's predecessor, Immanuel Ngatjizeko, said in 2016 that a cabinet meeting had approved the establishment of a rent control board. All in the interest of capitalist objectives of amassing untaxed wealth and profit from rent. An existing law cannot be placed under the carpet for the purpose of convenience, imaginary or future plans of officials. It may actually be an offence on the part of the government, Amupanda wrote. He also pointed out that the Estate Agents Act's Section 33 (1) (B) provides for the government to prescribe tariffs for estate agents. However, said Amupanda, government negotiations to implement this provision, which should in fact be regarded as an obligation and non-negotiable, had been fruitless. The results of government and your ministry's refusal and zigzagging on the implementation of existing laws have had devastating consequences on us as a renting population. This pro-elite rental environment has become unbearable to us with the ever-increasing price of rent, exploitation of tenants by landlords and a plethora of problems which the ordinance was unable or unwilling to solve this matter through engagements that took four years to date, he wrote. In February last year, the AR also threatened legal action against the government, which put on hold the appointment of a rent control board until the tabling of a new bill. Tweya, as information minister, then announced a sudden turnabout on appointing a rent control board by saying the 1977 law had become obsolete and would render the work of the rent board of no force or effect. He announced that a new rent bill was on the cards which would replace the current legislation. Until that time, it would be impractical to implement a rent control board, he said. The rent bill has not yet been discussed in parliament. Tweya was not reachable for comment yesterday as his phone went unanswered. 12

14 1.13 Shack dwellers get new houses The Namibian 15/05/2018 Twenty houses were handed over to members of the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN) at Mariental on Saturday during a ceremony officiated by rural and urban development deputy minister Derek Klazen. The houses were constructed through a smart partnership between the SDFN and the Namibia Housing Action Group (NHAG), Ohorongo Cement, the First National Bank Foundation, and the Pupkewitz Foundation. SDFN member Frederika Fredericks said at the handing-over ceremony that the federation has so far constructed 292 houses across the Hardap region. These houses are at Stampriet (27), Hoachanas (40), Gochas (58), Aranos (12), MaltahÖhe (10), Amper-Bo (4), Gibeon (10), Uibes (6), Schlip (4) and Rehoboth (84). She said at Mariental, there are nine housing groups with 328 members. The process to build the 20 houses at Mariental started with members, 80% of whom are women, making bricks themselves. We had to make our own bricks with the assistance of group members and their families. We, the beneficiaries, also excavated the foundations of the 20 houses. The best part of all is that we all got to the finishing line to realise our dream today to have a place we can call home, she added. According to Fredericks, the houses cost about N$ each to build. The beneficiaries will pay off their N$ loan over a period of years, at a 5% interest rate. She also revealed that the SDFN would build another 12 houses at Aranos and 11 at Amper-Bo, still in the Hardap region. Klazen said when handing over the houses that the federation offered hope to many people for better, safer and more promising lives. More importantly, through your efforts, you have shown that there can be solutions to problems that we are struggling with every day, he stressed, adding that inequality and poverty were undeniable features of Namibia. He encouraged the SDFN to expand its housing programme for shack dwellers, and to share the benefits with all other disadvantaged communities countrywide. Our nation is undergoing rapid urbanisation, and the demand for urban housing is set to increase, especially in the area of low-income groups, he noted. The government alone could not address the housing shortage in the country, Klazen said, adding that partnerships were commendable, as was the case in the alliance between the government, the SDFN and the private sector, which has delivered housing to low-income earners. To date, the politician said, government's financial support to the SDFN has amounted to N$44,6 million that was used to build houses countrywide AR gives Tweya ultimatum over rent control The Namibian 16/05/2018 The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement has threatened to take the government to court if it fails to provide reasons for not implementing the Rent Control Ordinance and the Estate Agents Act before Friday. AR leader Job Amupanda, in a letter to trade and industrialisation minister Tjekero Tweya dated 14 May 2018, stated that government delays in implementing the Rent Control Ordinance of 1977 and the Estate Agents Act of 1976 had devastating consequences on us as a renting population. This pro-elite rental environment has become unbearable to us, with the ever-increasing price of rent, the exploitation of tenants by landlords, and the plethora of problems which the ordinance was established to avoid or deal with, he stated. Amupanda said they want reasons why the renting youth should not approach the court to compel the government and Cabinet to implement the Rent Control Ordinance, as well as prescribe tariffs at which estate agents may act. Amupanda's letter comes nearly three years after AR and government reached an agreement, in 2015, to speed up the process of implementing housing-related laws, and other issues related to land and housing matters. According to the activist, former trade and industrialisation minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko had requested AR to nominate members to serve on the Rent Control Board, but nothing happened after that. It is 13