The rising demand for owning a proper house has resulted in an increase in demand for serviced land in most local authorities, and Opuwo is no exception.

In an interview with nbc News, Opuwo Mayor Rosa Tjeundo said residents in her town are in dire need of land, as there is insufficient land for housing development.

Tjeundo said they consulted the community during the drafting of the five-year strategic plan, and the majority of them indicated that they needed land to build houses.

In response, the council donated 250 plots to people who were relocated to Katutura Extension 2, which was fully serviced.

The council has also handed over 300 plots to the residents of Otuzemba VIP, where some of them acquired land unprocedurally.

At the same time, the council has completed the project of electrifying houses.

Tjeundo further explained that the Opuwo Shack Dwellers Federation received over 500 plots, of which more than 200 have already been surveyed and planned. 

The town council has also started a new extension called Opuwo Youth Estate to be serviced so that young people can be settled there.

"Opuwo is overpopulated because currently we are over 20,000 people, and when you look at the town, you see how small it is. Even though not 50% of the people have land and the town is very small, Opuwo is only 2.5 kilometres from all the sites. With my engagement with traditional authorities, we have also requested an extension."

She called on Opuwo residents to refrain from occupying land illegally and building unauthorised structures to avoid unnecessary confrontations.