Windhoek:The City of Windhoek has issued a warning to residents regarding investments in unauthorized residential land developments and paying private entities to reserve plots.

According to Namibia Press Agency , this warning comes amid allegations that private entities are offering residential erven without obtaining necessary legal approvals from the city. Lydia Amutenya, the city's spokesperson, advised residents to verify the planning and approval status of any property with municipal authorities before making financial commitments, as private transactions do not grant legal development rights.

Amutenya emphasized caution around unapproved and heavily promoted land development projects, which currently lack official status and municipal support. She stated that no formal applications have been submitted for these projects, and the city does not have sufficient information to comment on the nature, extent, or layout of the proposed developments.

The city will not predict the outcome of any application that has not been submitted, as decisions on township establishments require consideration of various factors such as engineering services, road capacity, public transport, social facilities, water, sewerage, and electricity. Payments to private developers for plot reservations or priority lists lack legal significance in town planning, and financial commitments to unapproved projects do not grant any land or development rights.

The municipality will continue to monitor development growth and implement planning measures to address unauthorized activities within its jurisdiction.