The Chief Regional Officer of the Otjozondjupa Region, Agatha Mweti, has rubbished as false the claim that the council has not demarcated land to build houses since 2018.

At a media briefing, Mweti says the council is currently busy with informal settlement upgrades there.

Mweti explained that the land demarcation project aims to ensure that plots are numbered before they are allocated to residents.

Council is also in the process of entering into an agreement with the National Housing Enterprise to construct low-cost housing at the settlement.

"This came about after a Lands Need Analysis exercise that the Regional Council conducted to determine the demand for land based on affordability. The project involves demarcation in order to ensure that plots, roads, and other servitudes are clearly marked and numbered before an allocation can be done."

Mweti added that the settlement's upgrading project is expected to be completed by the end of March.

"It is worth mentioning that the criteria for plot allocation in the informal settlement project were crafted together with the community members who attended the meeting in January 2023. The informal settlement project has started and is expected to finish in a month's time. The process of applying for informal plots started in January, and the next step will be to assess the applications based on the criteria."

Some of the initiatives aimed at changing the face of the settlement include the Kalkfeld youth brickmaking project, financed at N$82,000, as well as the Zariua Welding Project, the fencing off of a graveyard, and renovations of a community hall and sports field.

Upgrades valued at one million dollars were completed at the oxidation ponds.

Kalkfeld, which was downgraded from village status in 1996, is home to about 5,000 residents.