Members of the Walvis Bay Backyard Tenants Association celebrated councils' approval to grant a large portion of land at Farm 37 to its members.

Farm 37 is an area on the outskirts of the harbour town, identified in 2015 as a solution to the towns' land and housing demands.

The members who were overwhelmed by happiness have been allocated land at portion 19 of Farm 37 to build low-cost housing.

The residents will purchase the unserviced land at a cost of N$2,3 million.

Urban and Rural Development Minister Erastus Uutoni has reiterated the need for communities and their traditional leaders to use the correct traditional titles when referring to traditional leaders.

According to the minister, the increased usage of the terms “king” and “queen” in reference to traditional leaders is constitutionally and legally incorrect, according to Section 11 of the Traditional Authorities Act, 2000 (Act 25 of 2000).

Urban and Rural Development Minister Erastus Uutoni believes the government should also be commended when it does good and not just be permanently criticised.

Uutoni says it is unfair to accuse the government of not doing anything to develop Namibia since independence.

Making the remarks at the inauguration of a N$1,8-million government office at Wlotzkasbaken settlement, Uutoni believes the government is doing great work in some areas.

The Minister of Urban and Rural Development (MURD), Erastus Uutoni, has responded to concerns regarding the delay in the presentation of the Rent Control Bill.

Uutoni was responding to Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) MP Maximalliant Katjimune, who sought answers as to why this piece of legislation had not yet been tabled in Parliament.

Uutoni stated that the ministry is diligently scrutinising the draft bill and assured the house that there was no reason for further delays.

The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Utoni, has urged local authority leaders to avoid political affiliation when carrying out their duties.

He made the call during a joint signing ceremony of the renewal and new cooperation agreements between the City of Windhoek and 16 other local authorities.

The areas of cooperation entail solid waste and sewerage management, human resources and capacity building, economic development, as well as land and housing.

The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, says contractors who delay national projects must be blacklisted because they fail to honour their obligations with the government.

Despite receiving payment from the government, 319 houses under the mass housing programme at Matutura were not completed because of payment disputes between the main contractor and subcontractors.