‘Unsafe’ pre-colonial Swakopmund post office sparks dispute

A developer has raised safety concerns over a historic building at the centre of a redevelopment dispute at Swakopmund, warning that the structure is unsafe for occupation and could endanger lives if left as is.

The building at the centre of the dispute is the old post office built in 1907 and designed by German trained architect and engineer Gottlieb Redecker, who was born at Otjimbingwe in 1871.

Other significant buildings from his pen are the Christuskirche and the Tintenpalast (now parliament building) in Windhoek.

After the first World War, Redecker was sent to South African internment camps, released, and was soon repatriated to Germany.

The building, located on Erf 989 along Daniel Tjongarero Street, housed a post office until around 1960.

It then became the Swakopomund Municipality’s head office for the next 50 years (until 2010), when the present municipal buildings were inaugurated.

The building’s fate is uncertain thereafter.

It has since been a protected structure under the National Heritage Council of Namibia. In a letter dated 21 August 2025 the council prohibited the demolition of the original historic structure and directed that it be preserved in full.

Development partner Quintin Simon says the current condition of the building makes it unsuitable for use.

“The building has not been maintained for the past two decades and does not meet current health and safety standards. In its current state, it is not safe to accommodate people,” he says. Simon adds that failure to act could have serious consequences.

“If the building collapses, people could die inside,” he says.

He also questions the role of the heritage authority in ensuring the upkeep of protected properties.

“Where has the heritage council been over the past 20 years to ensure that the building was properly maintained?” he asks. The dispute centres on plans to redevelop the property into a boutique hotel, which would involve retaining the historic façade while upgrading the internal structure.

In its 21 August 2025 determination, the heritage council states that the building has “one of the highest levels of heritage significance” and warned that demolition of most of the structure would result in the loss of authentic historic material.

The council further notes that the building retains “high structural integrity” and directs that all original elements, including internal features, be preserved.

The developer, through its legal representatives, lodged an appeal against the position on 2 October 2025, arguing that the restrictions prevent viable redevelopment.

However, in a response dated 16 December 2025, the heritage council says no final decision had been taken and instead called for a revised application to be submitted.

More recently, support for the redevelopment has grown.

In a submission dated 11 March, the Swakopmund municipal council has expressed “strong support” for the project, stating that adaptive reuse is necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of historic buildings.

The municipality says the current layout of the building does not meet modern requirements and warned that without redevelopment, “the building would struggle to accommodate contemporary commercial use,” which could place its preservation at risk.

Similarly, the Swakopmund Residents Association, in a letter dated 12 March, backs the project, stating that historic buildings must remain “practically usable and economically sustainable” to survive.

The association adds that redevelopment into a boutique hotel could “ensure the long-term preservation of the historic structure” while supporting tourism and investment in the town.

The Namibian sought comment from the heritage council, however, its director referred questions to the chief executive.

Efforts to obtain comment from the chief executive were unsuccessful by the time of publication.

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