CITY OF WINDHOEK DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, URBANIZATION AND ENVIRONMENT

CITY OF WINDHOEK DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, URBANIZATION AND ENVIRONMENT

Geographical Location Namibia is a developing country located on the south-western coast of Africa. It is an immensely semi-arid and sparsely populated country. Namibia has total surface area of 824,269km² with an estimated population of 1, 8 million inhabitants. Namibia gained its Independence from South Africa on 21 March 1990 after decades of foreign rule.

INTRODUCTION WINDHOEK, the Republic of Namibia s capital city, like most other African cities has experienced unprecedented growth after attaining Independence. According to the National Population Census of 2001, Windhoek s total population was estimated at 233 529 people which accounts for almost 7.8 % of Namibia s urban population. Windhoek is experiencing a population growth rate of 4.44% in excess of the natural population growth of the country of 2.6%. According to the 2001 Census informal houses or shacks in 2001 housed 13,541 households with a total of 48,183 people.

PLANNING IN WINDHOEK Planning and Development within Windhoek generally takes place in an orderly planned manner. Development is guided by the Windhoek Structure Plan which is a non-statutory document; it is only a policy document. The Local Authority is however required to have a Town Planning Scheme that facilitates land use in an appropriate manner. The Local Authority is answerable to it s line Ministry of Local and Regional Government and Rural Development which lays down National Policies to which the City of Windhoek must adhere to. All major planning applications and amendments to the Town Planning Scheme is reviewed by the Namibia Planning Advisory Board. Another statutory body in place is the Townships Board which deliberates on cadastral changes.

URBANIZATION CHALLENGES FACING WINDHOEK The rapid urbanization rate are proving to be very taxing as such challenging issues like the demand for land and housing, water and sanitation provision, transportation and employment creation accompany it. The local authority is struggling to keep the pace with regard to the provision of land for houses and services and thus large percentages of the urban populace live in informal settlements.

Living Conditions in the Informal Settlements Relatively low availability of developable land Low density sprawling informal settlement growth Environmental degradation High unemployment and poverty levels HIV/AIDS levels of infection are rising Negligent levels of service provision Ineffective social service provision and Rising levels of crime.

The City s Response to Urbanization Challenges The City has adopted the Development and Upgrading Strategy (DUS) to address the management of urban development and informal settlement upgrading. This strategy aims at establishing guidelines by proposing different development options based on affordability of the client and also proposes guidelines for informal settlement upgrading and management.

INFORMAL SETTLEMENT UPGRADING STRATEGY The strategy is based on the following objectives and principles Objectives To strive towards providing all lower income target groups of the city with a range of land development options in accordance with their levels of affordability. To set parameters for orderly incremental upgrading. To facilitate self-help development. Principles Services in all development options, especially lower levels, should be based on reasonable health standards. All development levels should be technically appropriate. Reasonable social acceptance and understanding of the development options should be ensured. Community initiative shall be encouraged for gradual improvement of own living conditions All low and ultra low-income land development should be aimed at financial, social and environmental sustainability.

Development and Upgrading Strategy Given the extreme poverty levels of the informal settlement households, the majority of them opt for a combination of services provided in Development Level 1 2 and 3 of the Strategy. These levels are fully upgradeable to higher levels of service provision.

PROVIDE THE POOR WITH BASIC LEVEL OF SERVICES PROVIDE SERVICES WITH REASONABLE HEALTH STANDARDS LOWER CONVINIENCE LEVELS INFORMAL BLOCK LAYOUT/2H.H PER ERF LEASEHOLD TENURESHIP/PURCHASE OF ENTIRE BLOCK POSSIBLE SAVING IS GENERALLY ENCOURAGED REFUSE REMOVAL THROUGH SELF - CONTAINMENT OR PRIVATE CONTRACTOR AD HOC OPEN - SPACE CLEANING INTENSIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT UPGRADEABILITY PARAMETERS BE CONVEYED TO THE COMMUNITY ORGANISED NEIGHBOURHOOD COMMITTEES PROMOTE SELF-HELP GROUP SCHEMES PROMOTE NGO INVOLVEMENT

BETTER COMMUNAL SERVICES UPGRADEABLE TO FULL RANGE OF SERVICES - DEPENDING ON SITE-SPECIFIC CONDITIONS CONVINIENCE LEVELS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED LEASE PURCHASE POSSIBLE BY ENTIRE BLOCK/ PURCHASE TO INDIVIDUAL POSSIBLE SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING: 1. PURCHASER AGREES THAT, WATER AND SEWER CANNOT BE PROVIDED UNLESS THE ENTIRE BLOCK IS PURCHASED 2. THE PURCHASER SPONSORS THE ENTIRE INSTALLATION OF THE WATER AND SEWER LINE TO THE ERF 3. PRE-PURCHASE SAVING ENCOURAGED REFUSE REMOVAL THROUGH SELF CONTAINMENT OR PRIVATE CONTRACTOR AD HOC OPEN -SPACE CLEANING AS IN DL1

INDIVIDUAL ERVEN PROVIDE AFFORDABLE MINIMUM SERVICE LEVEL FOR THOSE WISHING TO PURCHASE CONVINIENCE LEVELS (Walking distances) SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FULLY UPGRADEABLE, BUT DEPENDING ON SITE -SPECIFIC ------ CONDITIONS, SUCH AS AVAILABILITY OF BULK SERVICES SALE PRE-PURCHASE SAVINGS ENCOURAGED REFUSE REMOVAL THROUGH SELF -- CONTAINMENT OR PRIVATE CONTRACTOR AD HOC OPEN -SPACE CLEANING INTENSIVE COMMUNITY COMMITEES

Challenges still prevalent after adoption of Development and Upgrading Strategy Urban Sprawl through low density residential development for the urban poor. Strategy s only succeeds in providing physical service delivery and this is not accompanied by social service delivery, employment creation schemes, etc. Leasehold tenants may not put up permanent structures as such a large number of people will have to stay in inadequate housing structures. Slow Land Delivery Process as all processes must be approved by Central Government. Capacity building initiatives are very weak. No availability of land in close proximity to employment zones forces peripheral development.

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