The Erongo Governor called for urgent intervention and dignified living conditions after a devastating shack fire in Walvis Bay claimed the lives of two family members a week ago.
Governor Natalia |Goagoses visited the grieving family, which lost a 20-year-old aunt and her 2-year-old niece, as well as displaced residents.

While offering support to the survivors, she urged them to formally register with the municipality to access housing opportunities.

"You might be traumatised because you have suffered a loss. We thank God that we did not lose more lives here. But we do not know how long we will stay here before this disaster comes our way again. So go to the municipality if you want a house here in Walvis Bay. Take your ID, go and register yourselves, and tell the municipality why and what type of house you can afford so that your name is added to the long list. I am told thousands of people are already on that list."

The governor further encouraged residents to approach their local constituency office to be profiled for housing, training, or agricultural opportunities.
She warned that the land where the shacks are erected is not designated for a large number of dwellings, and residents may be relocated to a reception area for safety.

"Maybe they will say, 'Let us decongest; let us remove the shacks,' because in any case this is an erf that is supposed to have a cement house. So please, when the municipality says, 'Let us take you to a reception area or wherever,' let us cooperate."

Meanwhile, concerns have emerged over alleged fundraising scams circulating on social media.
The survivors told the governor and the police that an individual is soliciting donations for funeral expenses without the family's consent.

Commissioner Nikolaus Kupembona is the police regional commander for Erongo.

"We should not encourage those kinds of platforms. Every donation should be given to the responsible family members who can take care of the affairs. Therefore, be open with us so we can identify this person and reprimand her so that she deletes the post from her account, whatever the case might be, to stop this message from continuing to circulate."

The family, who did not have funeral cover, say they are grateful for the government's assistance and are planning a small but dignified funeral for their loved ones on the 28th of February.