Residents of the Havana informal settlements have raised concerns over stormwater flooding their homes as a result of the ongoing Peter Nanyemba Road project. Those living near the road bear the brunt of the stormwater.

However, the construction company says it is working strictly according to the plan provided by the engineers.

One affected resident, Maria Kamati, stated that during rain, they have no choice but to flee their homes for fear of flooding. Their household contents are often damaged by the floodwaters.

Kamati has lived in Havana for thirteen years but says she has never experienced flooding at this scale before. She now blames the road construction for the problem.

“Firstly, we approached Mr. George at the municipality, but he could not provide an answer. Then we went to Mr. Ashipala, who said the report had only recently arrived at his office. When the rain started, we called them, and they came to assess the water situation. After that, they left, and we have not heard from them since,” Kamati said.

Another resident, Martha Niinkoti, echoed the concerns: “These trenches are really not safe, especially for children. Kids passing by can fall in and injure themselves.”

In his defence, Project Manager of Octagon Construction, Ewald Ileka, stressed that vandalism is delaying project completion. He said community members are removing kerbs from the roadside, dumping waste on the constructed road, and vendors at the Havana 4-way are obstructing construction work.

Ileka called on the City of Windhoek to address the vendors’ situation.

“The community is complaining about water flooding their houses, partly because some homes are located in the riverbed. This is an issue the municipality must address with the communities. However, we have implemented the instructions based on drawings approved by engineers from the City of Windhoek,” Ileka explained.

City of Windhoek spokesperson Harold Akwenye told NBC News that he was not aware of the issue but promised to follow up.