Maltah¶he: Residents of Maltah¶he's Khaibasen Shack Dwellers Federation (SDFN) group are finally set to receive a functioning sewage network, five years after their houses were completed. The 24 households were built through the SDFN and have been without basic services, including sewage and electricity, since moving in in 2019, despite years of appeals to the Maltah¶he Village Council.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the houses were constructed after residents made an upfront payment of N.dollars 2 600 and committed to monthly instalments of N.dollars 300 over 11 years to repay a N.dollars 34 000 loan from the federation. While the council allocated the land, it remained unserviced. Khaibasen group secretary Bianca Swartbooi recently mentioned that members, many of whom are women and parents, are forced to use makeshift solutions for sanitation.

'We have been paying our loans every month, but we are still living without basic services,' Swartbooi said. She noted that repeated attempts to engage the village council had gone without a formal response until recently.

Resident Katrina Lukas, who has lived in the settlement since 2019, described the situation as affecting the dignity and safety of her household. Lukas confirmed that residents have been relieving themselves in the bush and at the dumpsite while waiting for formal connections.

Maltah¶he Village Council Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Saghill-lee Kinda, informed Nampa that he met with the Khaibasen group earlier this year after becoming aware of their predicament. Kinda confirmed that the council has approved the purchase of sewage materials costing approximately N.dollars 35 000, with payment made to a supplier last week.

'Some of the pipes will only arrive this week, but the material has been purchased, and we will supervise the installation to ensure it proceeds,' he said. The acting CEO added that electricity connections will be addressed once the sewage system is operational. The council is currently in discussions with the Keetmanshoop Electricity Business Unit regarding support for the electrical infrastructure.

'There is a possibility of electrifying the area in phases, but we must complete sewage first,' Kinda stated. He attributed service delivery delays in Maltah¶he partly to long-standing administrative and governance issues, stressing the need for leadership to prioritise the core functions of local government. Kinda also mentioned that the council is seeking ways to re-initiate stalled electrification efforts in Blikkiesdorp, where some infrastructure installed over a decade ago was never activated.