THE Popular Democratic Movement today said the fire which destroyed the shacks and belongings of the people of Twaloloka informal settlement on Sunday evening, could have been avoided if the council provided them with housing.
At a press conference held today, the party’s secretary general Manuel Ngaringombe noted that in 2016, the municipality of Walvis Bay took a resolution to develop a new suburb called Green Valley at Farm 37 in the north east of Walvis Bay opposite Dune 7.
This new area was earmarked to relocate people in informal settlements such as Twaloloka and Tutaleni to better adequate housing facilities.
However Ngaringombe said because of bureaucracy and incompetency that is prevalent in the municipality, this never materialised and the people of Twaloloka and Tutaleni were never relocated.
“It is not surprising that the Twaloloka informal settlement burned down. The people have for too long been lied to and abandoned by government,” he said.
PDM called on for the implementation of the party’s policy of the “One Namibia – One Plot” with immediate effect.
“Namibians cannot continue to live in abject poverty and homelessness 30 years after independence. The urban housing crisis has now totally spiraled out of control under the Swapo led government and the burning down of the Twaloloka informal settlement is just the product of this massive urban housing crisis,” he said.
He added that it is about time that each Namibian is given a plot to call home.
Ngaringombe said party members will be on the ground during the coming days assisting the people of Twaloloka with donations of mattresses and blankets.
“We also call upon the municipality of Walvis Bay to fast track the relocation of residents of Twaloloka informal settlement to adequate housing facilities especially in the face of the looming Covid-19 crisis in Walvis Bay,” he said.
