The recently concluded land conference in Rehoboth has ignited a platform to solve issues of land and housing delivery in the town.

Rehoboth is endowed with a vast land area of over 60,000 hectares, which is deemed sufficient to cater for all its inhabitants.

However, servicing land remains a challenge due to exorbitant costs.

Rehoboth Mayor Amanda Groenewald revealed that three informal settlements will soon be formalised.

"To make land affordable for our people, we offer services to the people for only N$10,500, a very low deposit, and you can also pay it off for 48 months. And then we are also busy in Baarnhof, where we gave land to 162 entrepreneurs, low-cost people, and those who register themselves, we call them Saamstaan, so we give land there that is also affordable and pay it off over four years."

A lack of basic infrastructure such as taps, sewerage systems, electricity, and sanitation facilities is a challenge.

This is the reality for some of the residents at Burgershoek who are still waiting for the allocation of erven.

Frustrated residents highlighted that the town council has done its part in speeding up the process; however, the delay lies with the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, which needs to finalise the environmental assessment certificate.

In her response, Groenewaldt indicated that the 1,600-hectare settlement will have to be patient as there are procedures to be followed.

Groenewaldt further indicates that the conference has paved the way for stakeholders and sparked a sense of hope in resolving persisting land and housing challenges as investors have availed themselves to assist the town.