Nearly 150 residents of Okakarara in the Otjozondjupa Region allegedly started grabbing townland this week at a rapid speed.
Okakarara Mayor, Asnath Jazukuka in an interview with Nampa on Friday said the portion of land being occupied illegally is situated opposite the Kambazembi Royal Traditional Authority, where members of the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia are also building houses.
Jazukuka condemned the action, saying it is illegal and allegedly politically motivated by those who lost to her during the previous regional and local authority elections.
“We are not going tolerate their behaviour,” she said.
Jazakuka then announced a decision by the town council which was taken Friday morning, of relocating the alleged land grabbers.
She said the suspected land grabbers will be relocated to a portion of land situated between Okakango informal settlement and Pamwe residential area at the town.
She further said the same meeting agreed to charge those who accept the relocation offers N.dollars 5 000.
“The money as a contribution fee towards the local authority’s emergency fund that will be used to channel water and create street roads for the new location, is not negotiable,” she said.
Those who refuse to move will be dealt with individually and forced out using all legal means, said Jazukuka.
Okakarara Town Council management committee chairperson, Golden Katjatako said the local authority councillors are united on the issue and are against any land grabbing.
“We will make sure the decision taken Friday at the meeting is implemented by next week, as some of the suspected land grabbers also attended it,” said Katjatako.
He further stated that the activity which started last week is getting out of control as now a total of 50 temporary structures have been erected by some of the 150 residents on-site.
Katjatako added that some land grabbers who erected structures Thursday night and Friday morning allegedly travelled from as far as Windhoek, Outjo, Okondjatu, Walvis Bay and Okamatapati.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
