Tsumeb: The Tsumeb Municipality has completed the relocation of all residents affected by the Endobo evictions, bringing to an end a year-long process to provide permanent land to families displaced from the area.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the municipality's spokesperson, Stella Imalwa, informed that the final group of beneficiaries has received plots at a newly established settlement on Portion 49-761. This action follows a directive from Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa to identify and allocate land to the affected residents.
'A total of 35 beneficiaries were allocated plots measuring 300 square metres and above at the new settlement. The land, which initially belonged to a mining company, was identified and surveyed to accommodate the relocation programme,' said Imalwa.
She stated that the latest allocation follows a previous initiative where 47 beneficiaries, also evicted from Endobo, received serviced plots that were subsequently sold to them.
Imalwa noted that the completion of this phase ensures all residents affected by the Endobo evictions now have land. The municipality invested approximately N.dollars 300,000 in the relocation exercise, viewing it as a long-term solution to the housing challenges faced by the affected residents.
Although the settlement was developed under urgent circumstances and lacks full planning, efforts are underway to improve living conditions and expand access to essential services. Residents currently access water through two prepaid water meters, with plans to introduce sewerage services. The municipality has also requested the Central Northern Regional Electricity Distributor (Cenored) to install electricity infrastructure.
Imalwa encouraged residents to form savings groups as they await further infrastructure development. She highlighted that such initiatives could help prepare for future housing projects and contribute to the orderly growth of the settlement.
Beneficiaries are currently paying N.dollars 50 per month for their plots, while the municipality seeks funding opportunities to support further infrastructure development in the new settlement, she added.
The Endobo evictions involved a lengthy legal dispute between tenants and property owner Christoph Groenewald. Residents stopped paying rent in 2017, leading to major evictions in September 2022 following a High Court ruling, resulting in the relocation and temporary placement of residents.