Walvis Bay tackles illegal land occupations

The Walvis Bay municipal council has approved a relocation and land management intervention aimed at addressing illegal land occupation in the town.

Last week the municipality explained that the decision forms part of council’s broader efforts to restore order in affected areas, improve living conditions, and ensure lawful and structured land administration.

Portions of land at Farm 37 will be set aside for the temporary relocation of qualifying beneficiaries.

“This includes persons currently occupying land illegally within Kuisebmond, occupants on Build-Together designated land, residents on National Housing Enterprise land, as well as selected backyard residents from Kuisebmond and 50 households from Narraville backyard areas," council said.

The municipality underlined that individuals who are relocated through this intervention “do not bypass those already on the official housing waiting list. This process does not constitute land allocation or confer ownership rights, but rather serves as a temporary relocation and settlement stabilisation measure aimed at addressing urgent humanitarian and spatial management challenges.”

Orderly process

An area at Farm 37 has been earmarked to serve as a reception area to support and manage the relocation process.

“Beneficiaries approved for relocation will be required to sign ‘permission to occupy’ (PTO) certificates, which will regulate their temporary occupation of the allocated land. Additionally, only individuals physically residing in the identified structures will qualify for relocation," the council explained.

Affected residents will be given the opportunity to voluntarily dismantle their structures, or, failing to do so, the project team will carry out the process.

Furthermore, beneficiaries, shack owners, or property owners will not be permitted to erect any additional illegal structures, and all building regulations will apply.

The municipality explained that 80 temporary workers will be appointed to support monitoring and enforcement activities in collaboration with municipal law enforcement and the Namibian Police Force reservist structures.

Toward the end of last year, about 50 people were evicted from privately owned land in Kuisebmond after the landowner secured a court order.

Structures were demolished during the operation, with officials stating the occupants had been living on the land unlawfully since around 2020.

The eviction sparked backlash from residents and political actors, with some describing the process as inhumane. A petition was handed over to Erongo governor Nathalia Goagoses.