The Poor Need Land

THE Windhoek municipality’s greed is responsible for increase in illegal squatting.

A case a point is the continuous delay in the allocation of plots to homeless Namibians who applied for land at the municipality over seven years ago, while the selling and auctioning of lands to rich property developers is expedited at a fast speed.
I am part of several thousands of Windhoek residents who applied to purchase land from the municipality of Windhoek since 2005 and until now have been on the waiting list for seven years while new property developers have acquired several hundred thousands of plots to build flats that are sold or rented out at exorbitant prices.
In this country the poor are deliberately ignored as outcasts by fellow human beings who climbed unto the ladder of management and leadership on the backs of the poor. The inhuman attitude of the municipal officials towards the squatters is encouraged by the politicians’ inaction or silent consent.
It is very crucial that the government look seriously into this issue as the NDPs are doomed to fail if citizens are unable to acquire land to build shelters for our families at reasonable prices and period.
If politicians ignore the plight of the people because they live in luxury and contentment, they must learn from history that unhappy citizens can bring down uncaring governments and the municipality management should understand that their own security and wellbeing is intertwined with the security and the wellbeing of the majority poor.
I have joined the illegal squatting hoping one day I will be able to acquire my own land from the municipality of Windhoek and relocate to build a proper shelter for my family.

Concerned Squatter
Windhoek

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