Havana residents get timelines for services, homes

Residents of Havana Extensions 8 and 11 now have dates for when services will reach their neighbourhoods and a route to owning the land they live on.

At a community engagement on Saturday, residents were informed about the Informal Settlements Upgrading Project, which aims to provide electricity, water, sewerage and roads to both areas. It is also intended to pave the way for secure land tenure and homeownership. More than 100 residents could be affected. One resident welcomed the plans as a step in the right direction, particularly because they will bring crucial services such as electricity. Costa Mayanga, a resident of Havanna who spoke to New Era, said he is happy with the recent development and the announcement made by the city.

“We in the informal settlement welcome the new details we heard at the engagement. It’s hard to live without basic needs like water and electricity, and by bringing those services to us, they will make it easier for us,” he said.

Some of the work has begun. Electrical infrastructure has already been installed in parts of Extension 8, which was presented to residents as a significant milestone.

Housing development will proceed once the land has been serviced. Residents will then be able to either build their own homes or take part in an affordable housing programme.

The project is a partnership between the City of Windhoek, the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development (MURD). It is also expected to create jobs for community members during its implementation.

The engagement gave residents the opportunity to gain clarity on the planned developments and timelines. It also reaffirmed a shared commitment to building sustainable, serviced communities and formalising informal settlements in line with the goals of NDP6.

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