Update on Katutura, Khomasdal home exchange
Extended to Feb ’25
The City of Windhoek shared an update on the Voluntary Exchange of the 1959 – 1960s Katutura and Khomasdal Houses Programme.This initiative seeks to celebrate Windhoek’s history by recognising, protecting and conserving the city’s heritage for the benefit of current and future generations.
Council invited homeowners of houses built between 1959 and the 1960s in the townships of Katutura (Herero, Damara, Nama, Ovambo, Donkerhoek, Gemengde) and Khomasdal to participate in the voluntary exchange, offering them modern homes through the Council’s Affordable Housing Project. The public call for participation ran from 8 April to 30 September 2024.
Of the 102 applications distributed, only 23 completed applications have been received. These submissions represent a variety of locations, including Damara, Herero Ovambo, and other areas in Katutura. However, there are still gaps in applications from certain locations and townships.
To be considered for the project, houses must be older than 50 years, built between 1959 and 1960s, and they should be in their original state with minimal or no renovations/additions.
Applications must be submitted on the prescribed application form, and selected houses that meet the set criteria may be considered for designation as city heritage resources.
To give more people the chance to participate, the application deadline has been extended to 28 February 2025 to encourage submissions from areas that have not yet been represented. However, this extension only applies to homeowners who missed the original deadline and does not affect those who have already submitted their applications.
In the next phase, additional public consultations will be held in areas where no applications have been received and research on the historical significance of the houses will be undertaken.