Tent camp raises eyebrows

Three letters and a petition signed by 29 Omaruru residents protesting the alleged misuse of a residential plot for tented staff housing and storage of building materials and construction vehicles were submitted to the municipality this week. The complaints are related to an undeveloped property, Erf 536, where at least 18 employees of a contractor appointed by the government to rehabilitate railways have lived in tents since November. Moreover, construction vehicles are being parked on or near the property and building materials are stored there. “Please be advised that the residents in the residential area around Erf 536 are very disturbed that no action has been taken by the Omaruru municipality with regard to the working and camping on an industrial scale that is taking place on that erf,” one of the letters stated. Residents have questioned whether the use of the property for informal staff housing and storage was in line with the town's by-laws. Moreover, questions regarding the health implications of the crowded living conditions and sanitation have also been raised. Frequent noise and dust pollution by large trucks are also mentioned in the letters and petition sent to the municipality. In addition to these disruptions, residents are concerned about the impact on their property values.“We wish, with immediate effect, to have measures enforced that comply with the zoning of this area, which is residential,” a letter by the Omaruru Residents Association demands. It is alleged that the contractor signed a 12-month agreement with the property owner to house staff and building materials and equipment on the property. One of the construction firm's supervisors, known only as Toivo to Namibian Sun, declined to comment on the complaints, except to say it was a private matter between the property owner and the contractor.The municipality's CEO, Alfons Tjitombo, yesterday confirmed he had previously told the concerned residents that the deal did not require permission or zoning amendment from the municipality. “According to our research we established that only if it is any permanent change in terms of usage then it needs council consent to be changed. But the temporary usage for storage of material doesn't need consent from council.” He would not comment on regulations related to zoning or health, pertaining to the number of people living on the property, or the conditions in which they are living. He referred Namibian Sun to the property department of the municipality, where a response was not forthcoming on the matter. Tjitombo said his hands were tied for now and he could only acknowledge receipt of the petition but could not act until the council met again in January. The Residents Association further argued that an industrial plot should be provided to the contractor and warned that allowing the situation to continue could set a precedent that “will embolden other individuals to follow suit and misuse residential areas for monetary gains.” A brief visit to the site earlier this month by Namibian Sun showed that the contractors had installed water supply to at least two showers and installed flush toilets. An employee at the site claimed that the next step was the installation of an electrical connection. A truck parked next to the property displayed a logo of MK Capital Investment cc, a Namibian general contractor. A respected town planner, who declined to be named, said a crucial issue to investigate was the public health implications of so many people living in tents on an undeveloped residential property. He said the overcrowding of people and availability of services on the plot raised questions of whether health and safety regulations were being complied with to ensure the wellbeing of the staff and people living in the surrounding area.JANA-MARI SMITH

Tent camp raises eyebrows

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-07

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Tent camp raises eyebrows

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-07

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