Left in the dark with no toilets at Samora Machel

Resident of Brenden Simbwaye informal settlement in Windhoek say poor sanitation, broken taps and a lack of power expose them to crime, health risks and neglect.

They are in desperate need of toilets, fearing robberies and snake bites when they have to relieve themselves in the open.

Abner Kotokeni, a community leader in the Samora Machel constituency, says residents want the area formalised and upgraded for better access to services like electricity, toilets, and taps.

He says residents have been calling for toilets to be installed for years, but this has fallen on deaf ears.

“What we are proposing is for the municipality to build for us even the traditional toilets we make in the north for the time being. Our people are being robbed and bitten by snakes.

“And almost every day you hear a woman screaming and running while being robbed,” he says.

Kotokeni says residents are forced to relieve themselves at the area’s dumpsite, which is not safe or healthy.

He says the lack of street lights contributes to crime and is urging municipalities to resolve the situation.

Kotokeni has expressed frustration over the City of Windhoek’s slow response in fixing broken taps in the area.

He says in the past it took days before one tap was fixed, resulting in residents being without water for extended periods.

The other tap has been broken for some years now, meaning residents all use only one tap.

Kotokeni says he has reported this matter both to the municipality and constituency councillor Nestor Kalola, but is yet to receive a response.

The City of Windhoek’s feedback report of public meetings held in September/October 2023 states that a groundbreaking ceremony for a high-mast lights project was held on 28 May last year, marking the start of installation of high-mast lights in various constituencies.

The report says a high-mast light is being erected at the Havana satellite site (the dumpsite), which is a few metres away from a school.

In terms of formalisation of the area, the report says all informal settlements in the Samora Machel constituency are scheduled for planning through the city’s ongoing massive planning efforts.

According to plans, 12 000 erven should be planned and made available at Brendan Simbwaye B and surrounds.

Kalola says service delivery is not his responsibility, but rather that of municipality.

“It’s a pity that residents seem to continue expecting me to do something about it, while unfortunately I can’t help them.

“All I can do is write letters of concern to the City of Windhoek to alert them of the situation,” he says.

Kalola says the construction of clinics and hospitals, and drought relief, are his responsibilities as a constituency councillor.

He advises community leaders to rather approach the municipality.

Kalola says community meetings have been held to explain the process, but he believes more engagement is needed to educate the public.

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