Stand-off at Sauyemwa
The squatters have blamed the Rundu town council for making the situation worse, saying it has a habit of dishing out land to developers and not residents.
Illegal squatters at Rundu's Sauyemwa Extension 1 say they will only pave way for the development of the area if they are relocated to a place with basic services.
“We are not against relocation and paving the way for development to take place; all that we are asking for is that we want to be relocated to a place where there are basic services, such as water, electricity and roads.
“Going to the village is not an option because we have jobs in Rundu and our children school here,” the group who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
“My brother, there is no difference between being taken to a place where there are no services and the bush. We are Namibians too and we deserve to have a place to call home. Why is it that when it comes to elections, we are all equal but when it comes to land it's about who has money?”
Namibian Sun spoke to some of the squatters last week, who are refusing to move after they were served with an eviction court order earlier in the week by a developer.
The residents say they want access to land and basic services, adding their refusal to move from the area is based on the fact that they have nowhere else to go.
Last Tuesday ACEMAC Construction, which has been allocated 50 residential erven at Sauyemwa Extension 1, attempted to execute an eviction order, but was unsuccessful because the illegal squatters refused to leave, even in the presence of law-enforcement officers.
Namibian Sun observed about 17 houses being constructed by ACEMAC, which are adjacent to the illegal squatters' shacks just metres away.
The squatters blamed the Rundu town council for making the situation worse, saying it has a habit of dishing out land to developers, and not residents.
“The council does not consider us poor people. We also need land, just like they need money.”
They further alleged that the council had refused to sell the erven to those living in the area for over a decade, adding they were supposed to be given the first option to buy the land.
“The council should have just surveyed the area and sold the land to us. Some of us are employed and we could have bought the plots and developed them,” the group said.
Meanwhile, the town council is of the opinion that once you give undeveloped land to individuals, they do not have the means to develop it properly, compared to developers that have the financial means to service the land and install the necessary services in an orderly manner.
Town council acting CEO, Sikongo Haihambo, said the issue at Sauyemwa is currently being addressed and they are in the process of finding an area the affected squatters can be relocated to.
Haihambo said it was agreed that ACEMAC's court order be put on hold while the issue is being addressed.
Namibian Sun understands that ACEMAC agreed to put the court order on hold for about two weeks.
When asked whether council is in a position to service land and sell it to individuals, Haihambo said this involves money.
He said that if the council had the necessary funds to service land nothing would stop it from doing so, but unfortunately it does not have the means and developers do.
KENYA KAMBOWE
“We are not against relocation and paving the way for development to take place; all that we are asking for is that we want to be relocated to a place where there are basic services, such as water, electricity and roads.
“Going to the village is not an option because we have jobs in Rundu and our children school here,” the group who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
“My brother, there is no difference between being taken to a place where there are no services and the bush. We are Namibians too and we deserve to have a place to call home. Why is it that when it comes to elections, we are all equal but when it comes to land it's about who has money?”
Namibian Sun spoke to some of the squatters last week, who are refusing to move after they were served with an eviction court order earlier in the week by a developer.
The residents say they want access to land and basic services, adding their refusal to move from the area is based on the fact that they have nowhere else to go.
Last Tuesday ACEMAC Construction, which has been allocated 50 residential erven at Sauyemwa Extension 1, attempted to execute an eviction order, but was unsuccessful because the illegal squatters refused to leave, even in the presence of law-enforcement officers.
Namibian Sun observed about 17 houses being constructed by ACEMAC, which are adjacent to the illegal squatters' shacks just metres away.
The squatters blamed the Rundu town council for making the situation worse, saying it has a habit of dishing out land to developers, and not residents.
“The council does not consider us poor people. We also need land, just like they need money.”
They further alleged that the council had refused to sell the erven to those living in the area for over a decade, adding they were supposed to be given the first option to buy the land.
“The council should have just surveyed the area and sold the land to us. Some of us are employed and we could have bought the plots and developed them,” the group said.
Meanwhile, the town council is of the opinion that once you give undeveloped land to individuals, they do not have the means to develop it properly, compared to developers that have the financial means to service the land and install the necessary services in an orderly manner.
Town council acting CEO, Sikongo Haihambo, said the issue at Sauyemwa is currently being addressed and they are in the process of finding an area the affected squatters can be relocated to.
Haihambo said it was agreed that ACEMAC's court order be put on hold while the issue is being addressed.
Namibian Sun understands that ACEMAC agreed to put the court order on hold for about two weeks.
When asked whether council is in a position to service land and sell it to individuals, Haihambo said this involves money.
He said that if the council had the necessary funds to service land nothing would stop it from doing so, but unfortunately it does not have the means and developers do.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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