Villager threatens to take Council to court

A RESIDENT of Helao Nafidi, Hilta Shikongo, claims that the Town Council seized her land without compensating her fully.

She says she owned a large mahangu field at Oshikango village, which was incorporated into the town of Helao Nafidi and now forms part of that town’s Oshikango Industrial Area. When the surrounding villages were incorporated into the town, villagers were told to surrender their fields and that they would be compensated by the Town Council.At the time, Shikongo claims, a local businessman offered her N$520 000 for her land, but the Town Council said he had to buy a plot from the Council and not directly from Shikongo.Shikongo said her land was subdivided into four plots, of which the Town Council sold three to private businesses.She said she was paid N$120 000 for the three plots and kept the fourth for herself.After that, she claims, the Town Council ordered her to vacate the fourth plot too, because it was included in the N$120 000 compensation package.Helao Nafidi Mayor Medusalem Handjaba and the Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Christian Shivolo, could not be reached for comment at the time of going to press.However a source in the Town Council told The Namibian that Shikongo was under the wrong impression, and that the N$120 000 was the full compensation package for all her land.When the surrounding villages were incorporated into the town, villagers were told to surrender their fields and that they would be compensated by the Town Council.At the time, Shikongo claims, a local businessman offered her N$520 000 for her land, but the Town Council said he had to buy a plot from the Council and not directly from Shikongo.Shikongo said her land was subdivided into four plots, of which the Town Council sold three to private businesses.She said she was paid N$120 000 for the three plots and kept the fourth for herself.After that, she claims, the Town Council ordered her to vacate the fourth plot too, because it was included in the N$120 000 compensation package.Helao Nafidi Mayor Medusalem Handjaba and the Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Christian Shivolo, could not be reached for comment at the time of going to press.However a source in the Town Council told The Namibian that Shikongo was under the wrong impression, and that the N$120 000 was the full compensation package for all her land.