Serviced land for citizens, not developers, Sankwasa orders

Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa has ordered local authorities not to allocate serviced land to private developers and mandated that audits be completed by the end of May.

“I have already issued directives for audits,” he said. “If your books are not audited by the end of May, you will not receive any funding,” Sankwasa warned on Monday.

He was speaking during an induction workshop for regional and local authority leaders from the Khomas and Otjozondjupa regions, which took place in Otjiwarongo.

He also warned councils to improve accountability or face serious consequences.

The minister underlined that serviced land must primarily benefit ordinary citizens, particularly low- and middle-income groups, rather than commercial developers.

“No local authority should give serviced land to a private developer,” he said, stressing that government-funded land servicing is intended to support citizens in need of affordable housing.

The directive comes amid growing concerns over housing shortages and the perceived prioritisation of private interests over public needs.

The minister also accused local authorities of failing to carry out key responsibilities, including supporting community institutions.

"... local authorities have neglected that part,” he said.

Restore trust in your books

Sankwasa warned that continued mismanagement in local authorities erodes public trust and contributes to political instability. “The mismanagement of local authorities and government entities has led to the formation of other political parties,” he said. “People are losing confidence.”

In an effort to restore accountability, the minister announced that all local authorities must have their financial records audited by the end of May.

He emphasised that future financial disbursements will depend on compliance, warning that councils that fail to account for public funds risk losing government support.

Pull up your socks

Councils failing to perform their duties risk intervention under Section 94 of the Local Authorities Act, which empowers the minister to act when councils cannot fulfil their mandate.

Sankwasa also criticised excessive travel spending by some local authorities, adding that he had already rejected some requests.

“Others say they are independent; we will see how far that independence will go,” he cautioned.

He further criticised the failure of some councils to implement prepaid meter systems, despite government funding support.

The system was designed to improve revenue collection and allow councils to retain part of the payments to settle debts with bulk suppliers. “They failed to implement it,” Sankwasa said.

“In some cases, they even bought meters that lasted only three months because they were the cheapest.”

Sankwasa concluded by urging local leaders to shift focus from administration to service delivery, stressing that governance must be centred on the needs of citizens.

He called for greater transparency, financial discipline and improved service delivery across Namibian local authorities.