News from Council Chambers
Below are highlights from the most recent City Council meeting that took place on 1 April,.• Infrastructure and equipment for Farm Okukuna from AfriFoodLinks
The City of Windhoek (CoW) is set to receive a donation from AfriFoodLinks, an EU-funded project, to enhance urban agriculture. Valued at approximately N$750 000, this donation will support the growth and development of Farm Okukuna, an urban agriculture initiative located in Goreangab, Windhoek. Farm Okukuna aims to address food poverty, empower small-scale farmers, and promote sustainable urban agriculture. The farm currently features 13 greenhouse plots, irrigation systems, and water tanks, all designed to help beneficiaries grow a wide variety of crops.
• E-solar motorcycles for Okukuna
The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform has also undertaken to donate three e-solar motorcycles to support the Farm Okukuna. The e-solar motorcycles are expected to improve the mobility of farmers and facilitate the transportation of goods, contributing to the farm’s efficiency and its ability to market surplus produce.
• Partnership for new science, technology and innovation centre
The CoW has approved a proposal for a partnership with the Namibia Centre for Research, Science, and Technology (NCRST) to establish a Science, Technology, and Innovation Centre (STIC) at the UN Plaza Community Complex. Located at the corner of Independence Avenue and Penning Street in Katutura, the UN Plaza Community Complex is set for renovations estimated at N$2.3 million. The partnership agreement grants NCRST the rights to renovate the restaurant building at the complex and lease the space for five years. The centre is expected to provide city residents with innovative educational resources, acting as a hub for fostering creative thinking, advancing scientific and technological projects, and inspiring students, educators, innovators, entrepreneurs, and particularly youth.
• Amendment to Institutional Land Policy
Amendments to the Institutional Land Policy, which regulates the use and transfer of institutional land and sports grounds, were approved. Under the new policy, land can only be used for the purposes for which it was originally intended. Purchasers of land, as well as their successors, are prohibited from changing the property's use, selling, leasing, or donating it without the Municipal Council's consent for 30 years from the date of transfer.
• General valuation starting May 2025
The City of Windhoek will begin a general valuation of all rateable properties within the municipal area on 1 May 2025. This crucial process will involve the collection and analysis of data to determine updated property values, which will be used to establish a new base for rates and taxes for the next five years.
Council last conducted a general valuation in February 2015.
The entire valuation exercise is expected to cost N$4.7 million and is expected to take approximately twelve months to complete.
• Revival of low-carbon public transport initiative
Approval was granted for the revitalization of the Low-Carbon Public Transport Initiative under the Move Windhoek Project. This initiative will allow council to procure low-carbon electric buses and conduct a feasibility study to evaluate potential routes for integrating these electric buses into the city's public transport system.
The Move Windhoek Project is funded by the Green Climate Fund.