The residents of Ekunde 4 and 5 in Okahandja are unhappy with a hazardous landfill that is in close proximity to the settlement amid fears that it may pose life-threatening health risks.
Okahandja Municipality has set its sights on developing 295 plots with new roads, electricity, water, and sewerage networks in the area at a cost of roughly N$24 million in the near future.
Alphons Tjitombo, CEO of the Okahandja Municipality, spoke with nbc News about his ambitious plans to develop the town during his tenure, including issues such as jobs for youths, land, and housing, among others, particularly in informal areas such as Ekunde, Five Rand, and Oshetu.
However, a community activist in Okahandja says the landfill at Ekunde has no mechanism to protect the community from harmful gas emissions, children coming into contact with medical waste, or a fence to curb trespassers to avoid any prospects of harm.
|Gerub |Gaseb told nbc News that they are opposed to the development of Ekunde, claiming that Okahandja has enough land to relocate residents while avoiding long-term health consequences.
The municipality, Tjitombo, will also develop over 3000 new plots for residential, commercial, and industrial use in the next few years if they eventually secure funds.
He says they've approached entities such as the Namibian Institute of Public Administration and Management to draft a proposal, which they will use as bait to secure resources to fund the growth agenda of the town.
The regional electricity distributor, CENORED, has also pledged N$1.3 million to erect lights in areas without electricity and street lights.
There are also plans to construct new taxi ranks, a community hall in the Nau Aib residential area, and a clinic in the Five Rand informal settlement, Tjitombo added.
When quizzed on the concerns with the landfill at Ekunde, Tjitombo says they will engage all relevant authorities to gain consensus on the way forward.
Okahandja has been dragging its feet in emerging from historic allegations of infighting, corruption, and nepotism in recent years, which has derailed the provision of services and caused anguish among residents.