By Staff Reporter
WALVIS BAY, March 20 — Walvis Bay Mayor Trevino Forbes and members of the municipal council held a meeting with backyard tenants to discuss the town’s land allocation plans. During the meeting, the tenants were informed that the municipality will be conducting a two-week registration process for backyard tenants starting in April. The registration process will take place in the Kuisebmond and Narraville areas and will help the officials determine the number of backyard tenants who require land.
According to Forbes, the registration process will be divided into different sectors, and officials will visit homes to write down house numbers and determine the number of people renting shacks in each house. Forbes also assured the tenants that the land allocation process will be fair and that the council will not give land to groups from the same location or all members who are relatives. He emphasized that the council and central government have a responsibility to provide basic needs and called on everyone to work together.
The first 50 residents will soon be relocated to farm 37 outside Walvis Bay. Some residents have questioned why only this number of people was selected. Forbes explained that this group was already issued occupation certificates by the central government in 2020, at the same time as 50 residents of the Otweya informal settlement. The council will use this group as a model to determine how to proceed with the relocation of the next groups.
Forbes emphasized that any relocation project needs to be approached with caution. While there are only basic services at farm 37, more will be added gradually. Moving a big group now would cause problems, but people will be relocated continuously, and there is enough land available.
Tenants who attended the meeting expressed satisfaction with the information received. They appreciated being informed about the plans and said it would help avoid demonstrations. They also emphasized that many people have been living in backyards for years and are eagerly waiting to benefit from the land allocation plan.
– Namibia Daily News
