To the rubbish dump for RCC Camp's residents
Municipality can’t get hold of owner
A dark cloud hangs over residents of Okahandja's settlements, specifically the families in the RCC Camp. This comes after they were surprised with eviction letters in mid-February.Attorney letters drawn up as far back as 2022 were delivered on 15 February this year to notify residents that they have 30 days to vacate George Gariseb's property.
The RCC sold the land in question to a Gariseb in 2011 according to information on record that the chief executive of the town council, Alfonso Tjitombo, previously shared.
The town council's minutes from June 2011 indicate that Gariseb acquired nine plots of land totalling approximately 6 000 square metres.
Tjitombo said on Thursday that the municipality's efforts have so far been unsuccessful in getting hold of Gariseb to discuss the residents' dilemma.
According to Tjitombo, the municipality already has 20 plots in Ekunde no. 4 for RCC residents, although Tjitombo admits the area is not yet serviced.
Ekunde no. 4 is also where the town's landfill is located, which Tjitombo says has yet to be moved.
Nevertheless, the Okahandja municipality is willing to help the residents of the RCC Camp to move their property there, and to pour concrete slabs on which the residents can erect their houses, the municipal head said.
The residents made their opposition to this move clear in December last year. They also refused to accept the eviction letters in November.
Since 1995, Else Kehinana has lived in one of the houses that the state-owned Road Contractors Company (RCC) initially built. "They say someone bought the place ‘kamma’ for N$100 000, but what about us who have lived here for years? What about our children who were born here?" she wanted to know.
Tjitombo said on Thursday that the municipality is trying to get hold of Gariseb to discuss, among other things, the possibility that he might consider another piece of land in exchange for the RCC Camp.
He says the municipality is also waiting for feedback from the line ministry after an appeals team visited the settlement and must submit a report on the situation.
The residents of Okahandja's settlement previously also called on the minister of urban and rural development, Erastus Uutoni, for help. In July 2022, a group travelled to Windhoek in a rented bus and walked to the ministry's head office, handing over a complaint. There were dates from the protest action.
In October last year, they held a march to the prime minister's office, also with no positive outcome.
One of the activists supporting the residents is Sethy Gariseb and according to him, they plan to bring their pleas to the capital again on 16 March. – [email protected]