The Mayor of Otjiwarongo, Gotlieb Shivute, has stressed the importance of development, asserting that the municipality is undertaking several key projects to effectively deliver essential services to the community.

Shivute, who was speaking at the commissioning of the electrification project in the Ombili informal settlement, said the council entered into an agreement with the Development Workshop of Namibia for the provision of bulk services to extensions 24 and 25.

The Council signed a Consultancy Services Agreement with Windhoek Consulting Engineers to increase water pressure to Otjiwarongo's informal settlements, funded by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development to the tune of N$1.6 million.

"The informal settlements within our jurisdiction have experienced rapid population growth, leading to increased demand for basic sanitation services. Currently, these areas are reliant on inadequate or unsafe sanitation systems such as pit latrines, open defecation, and unregulated wastewater disposal, posing serious health hazards, environmental pollution, and possible groundwater contamination."

The proposed provision of new bulk sewer services will connect an estimated 483 new erven and will directly and indirectly benefit over 6,000 additional erven. 

The project is funded by the government at a cost of N$17.5 million.

The project has already started and is currently in the design phase, with completion anticipated by March of next year.

Shivute also mentioned the planned upgrades to access roads in the informal settlements.

"This project proposes the upgrading of main internal roads to the informal settlement to the bitumen standard. This will improve safety, service delivery efficiency, and economic activity, while reducing vehicle maintenance costs for residents and service providers." 

The project cost N$9.5 million and is expected to be completed by March next year.

The Council is at an advanced stage with the Land Delivery Programme, which will enable landless residents to secure land rights through the Flexible Land Tenure System.

The FLTS has been implemented in Tsaraxa-Aibes, DRC, and the Old Ombili informal settlement. 

Under Phase 12 of the Build Together Programme, 25 of the 41 planned houses have been completed, and the council has also completed the installation of sewer infrastructure for nine erven allocated to beneficiaries.