Mix squatters face eviction, want plot to be expropriated

THE 3 000 residents of the Mix squatter camp at Brakwater have asked Government to expropriate a privately owned plot after the High Court granted its owners permission on Friday to evict them.

They have been given one and a half months to prepare to move out. Eluwa Lya Tenda Property, owned by Cabinet Secretary Frans Kapofi, approached the High Court to make final an eviction order it applied for in December, and the order was granted.As a result the 3 000 squatters at ‘Mix Camp’, an informal settlement at Brakwater north of Windhoek, will now have to move out.The residents immediately wrote to the Minister of Local Government, John Pandeni, and the City of Windhoek.They urged the two institutions to expropriate the plot in the public interest.Through the Legal Assistance Centre, the community claimed that they had tried to buy the plot from Eluwa Lya Tenda Property since March 2004, but claimed that their offer had never been considered.Recently, in February 2007 and May 2007, that offer was repeated, but without any response.”It is in light of the above that we are instructed to approach the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development and the Council of the Municipality of Windhoek with a demand, as we hereby do, that the Municipality and or the Ministry purchase the said property for the benefit of the residents residing on the said property.From past experience, it appears that the owner is not willing to sell the property in any event, and expropriation in the public interest might have to be considered,” LAC said in a letter.”This is indeed a drastic measure and our clients are fully aware of that, but under these circumstances, it appears it is the only remedy available to the community.”The LAC said evicting the people would result in serious social and economic hardship and, at this stage, no suitable alternative accommodation could be arranged for them on short notice.Many of the community members had lived on the property for 20 years, while others had been born there.”The majority of the residents are poor, unemployed and are without the financial means to purchase or rent any sort of suitable or adequate shelter.Many of the residents are small children, old and frail people, who desperately need the shelter in which they currently reside,” the LAC said.The previous plot owner, Heiner Mix, allowed the residents to live on the property since 1980 in return for a nominal rent.He died in 1999 and the property, a 50-hectare plot on Portion 8 of Farm Emmarentia, was then sold to the current owner, Eluwa Lya Tenda Property.The owners of Eluwa Lya Tenda Property informed the residents that any rent agreement was terminable by “reasonable notice” and that the month and a half they were given to pack up was enough.The order was made final on Friday by Judge Sylvester Mainga.Eluwa Lya Tenda Property, owned by Cabinet Secretary Frans Kapofi, approached the High Court to make final an eviction order it applied for in December, and the order was granted.As a result the 3 000 squatters at ‘Mix Camp’, an informal settlement at Brakwater north of Windhoek, will now have to move out.The residents immediately wrote to the Minister of Local Government, John Pandeni, and the City of Windhoek.They urged the two institutions to expropriate the plot in the public interest.Through the Legal Assistance Centre, the community claimed that they had tried to buy the plot from Eluwa Lya Tenda Property since March 2004, but claimed that their offer had never been considered.Recently, in February 2007 and May 2007, that offer was repeated, but without any response.”It is in light of the above that we are instructed to approach the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development and the Council of the Municipality of Windhoek with a demand, as we hereby do, that the Municipality and or the Ministry purchase the said property for the benefit of the residents residing on the said property.From past experience, it appears that the owner is not willing to sell the property in any event, and expropriation in the public interest might have to be considered,” LAC said in a letter.”This is indeed a drastic measure and our clients are fully aware of that, but under these circumstances, it appears it is the only remedy available to the community.”The LAC said evicting the people would result in serious social and economic hardship and, at this stage, no suitable alternative accommodation could be arranged for them on short notice.Many of the community members had lived on the property for 20 years, while others had been born there.”The majority of the residents are poor, unemployed and are without the financial means to purchase or rent any sort of suitable or adequate shelter.Many of the residents are small children, old and frail people, who desperately need the shelter in which they currently reside,” the LAC said.The previous plot owner, Heiner Mix, allowed the residents to live on the property since 1980 in return for a nominal rent.He died in 1999 and the property, a 50-hectare plot on Portion 8 of Farm Emmarentia, was then sold to the current owner, Eluwa Lya Tenda Property.The owners of Eluwa Lya Tenda Property informed the residents that any rent agreement was terminable by “reasonable notice” and that the month and a half they were given to pack up was enough.The order was made final on Friday by Judge Sylvester Mainga.