Grootfontein services 9 000 plots
With an estimated population of over 25 000, many living in informal settlements, Grootfontein municipality is addressing the town's housing crisis by servicing land.
As part of addressing the national housing shortage, the Grootfontein municipality is servicing over 9 000 plots.
The local authority also plans to formalise some of its informal settlements.
The municipality's new chief executive officer Kisco Sinvula said the plots in the town's extensions six, seven and eight will be serviced through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
For years, the Grootfontein municipality has been unable to keep up with the high demand for land, leading to land grabs and the mushrooming of informal settlements. Grootfontein has an estimated population of over 25 000, many living in informal settlements.
Areas like Blikkiesdorp have expanded over the years and illegal settlers desperate to own a plot have grabbed and cleared land in a new area known as 'Kap en Bou', which means 'Chop and Build'. Residents of these areas have also been demanding toilets.
Sinvula said once the council has allocated plots to Blikkiesdorp residents, they will be able to build their own toilets there. He said Blikkiesdorp will be formalised in conjunction with the Namibia Housing Action Group (NHAG), a non-governmental organisation formed in 1992 to assist low-income groups.
Grootfontein also has a serious waste-removal problem.
Sinvula acknowledged that some parts of the town are filthy because the council does not collect waste there every day, but pointed out that other areas such as the town centre are dirty because of littering by street vendors.
“The council collects waste on a daily basis from Monday to Friday in the entire municipal area. The council does acknowledge the state of affairs of waste in various parts of the town as well as the CBD due to informal traders. Awareness campaigns and town clean-up campaigns will be the order of the day in order to keep the town clean and attractive to investors,” Sinvula said.
KENYA KAMBOWE
The local authority also plans to formalise some of its informal settlements.
The municipality's new chief executive officer Kisco Sinvula said the plots in the town's extensions six, seven and eight will be serviced through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
For years, the Grootfontein municipality has been unable to keep up with the high demand for land, leading to land grabs and the mushrooming of informal settlements. Grootfontein has an estimated population of over 25 000, many living in informal settlements.
Areas like Blikkiesdorp have expanded over the years and illegal settlers desperate to own a plot have grabbed and cleared land in a new area known as 'Kap en Bou', which means 'Chop and Build'. Residents of these areas have also been demanding toilets.
Sinvula said once the council has allocated plots to Blikkiesdorp residents, they will be able to build their own toilets there. He said Blikkiesdorp will be formalised in conjunction with the Namibia Housing Action Group (NHAG), a non-governmental organisation formed in 1992 to assist low-income groups.
Grootfontein also has a serious waste-removal problem.
Sinvula acknowledged that some parts of the town are filthy because the council does not collect waste there every day, but pointed out that other areas such as the town centre are dirty because of littering by street vendors.
“The council collects waste on a daily basis from Monday to Friday in the entire municipal area. The council does acknowledge the state of affairs of waste in various parts of the town as well as the CBD due to informal traders. Awareness campaigns and town clean-up campaigns will be the order of the day in order to keep the town clean and attractive to investors,” Sinvula said.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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