Ondangwa man loses plot ‘dubiously’

The Ondangwa town council says it legally reallocated a portion of land that was occupied by 45-year-old Hango Petrus Iiyambo and his family.

Iiyambo, who resides with his family at Okagwena in Ondangwa at his brother’s house, received a plot at Onatsi through the town council in early 2020 and constructed a toilet, fence, shack and a gate.

According to Iiyambo, who has all his proof-of-ownership documents, seen by Namibian Sun, he visited the plot often and on one unfaithful day found nothing on the land.

“I thought that my structure that I had put up was perhaps stolen, hence I did not follow up at the town council, because I still used to pay for it,” he said.

A devastated Iiyambo said he used to go and still clean around his plot even though his structure was removed, but things changed around July when he found another structure on his land.

“I immediately went to the town council to enquire if the plot is still on my name. The lady at the cashier counter said yes, it is,” he narrated.

Handcuffed

What started like a normal day ended in unemployed Iiyambo coming home in handcuffs on Wednesday, 19 October.

Upon realising that his plot has a new owner, he went to enquire at the town council why someone else is occupying his land, he said, but could not an answer and was asked to leave the office, which he refused.

“Town council officials called security guards to kick me out of the office. I was manhandled and handcuffed for merely seeking an answer to something I rightfully own,” he said.

He added that he spent about five hours in handcuffs waiting for the police. They did not show up and he ended up having to go home in handcuffs, an experience he describes as traumatising for him and his family.

Iiyambo was only freed from the handcuffs at around 19:00 when the security guards came to his home.

New owner

Namibian Sun visited the plot owned by Iiyambo and found a certain Linda Haiyambo, who is the sister of Letty Haiyambo, the apparent new owner of the plot.

Quizzed on how the family got the land, Linda said the town council allocated it to them as her sister applied for a plot a few years ago.

“My sister received a call from Ondangwa town council while she was in Walvis Bay that she got a plot at Onatsi and that she needs to sign ownership documents. However, she did not have transport money so I signed on her behalf,” she said.

Linda, who has lived on the plot for more than a month, said they did not find any structures on the land, but could not provide Namibian Sun with proof of ownership.

Removed structures

Insiders confirmed that Iiyambo put up structures on the plot in 2020, and that these structures were removed by Ondangwa town council employees. Iiyambo’s structures were not the only ones removed, they said.

Mayor Paavo Amwele said he is not aware of the situation.

“I don’t know about it, maybe the office will inform me one day because up to now they did not inform me,’’ he said.

He added that Iiyambo can approach his office for advice.

Council response

Ondangwa CEO Ismael Namgongo said Iiyambo had failed to put up a structure within three months, as per the allocation letter.

“When the town council’s officials went into the field, they did not find anything, hence the erf was given to someone else,” he said.

Namgongo flatly denied allegations that council officials removed structures, saying that is impossible.

He added that Iiyambo should file a complaint and the council will look into it.

“If there is clear evidence that his structure was illegally removed, we will look into it."

Namgono insisted that Iiyambo knew that he did not have rights to the plot, even though he was paying for it. “If he wants a refund on the payments done, we can do so.”