Farm 37 has divided the Walvis Bay Council, with Swapo councillors slamming the decision to relocate people to the area, which has limited services installed.

Seven of the nine councillors present at a council meeting on Thursday voted in favour of moving residents to Farm 37, a location identified to decongest Walvis Bay. 

Last month, the mayor said the Council is ready to relocate the first 50 people to Farm 37, on the outskirts of Walvis Bay. 

But this topic did not sit well with Swapo councillors who at Thursday's council meeting accused IPC Councillors of using people's plight to campaign politically. 


"We can't even help ourselves to drain this water, the sewage water that is laying in the, in Kuisebmond, now we are relocating people there, yes, we don't have to campaign, use our campaign, political campaigns with the peoples lives, their health, said Swapo Councillor, Albertina Nkoshi.

IPC Councillor Saara Mutondoka also accused the Swapo councillors of using residents' problems to win votes while others expressed their views on the matter. 

She added that everyone, says it is IPC preventing people to go to farm 37, so if it has to go, to resort to a vote, I will actually prefer that, so we can hear and the public gets to see who is against Farm 37. Now only certain individuals are blamed for not taking the people there whereas it is the same individuals that have been pushing for this thing all along. So I'm not gonna gamble with people's lives and Farm 37 is voluntary. No one will be forced to go there. If you feel like you can live there you are welcome to say "I'm ready to go to the farm".


LPM Councilor, Ryan Gordan said the saddest part is that people are suffering while we want to see who is gonna benefit. If it is the case that this is a campaign tool, in other words, whoever does not win, will just turn away and say my duty is finished I don't care anymore. If that is the mentality that we have as Councillors, where does our dignity lie at the end of the day? 

Although two councillors did not vote in favour, the decision to move the first 50 people will go ahead. 

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Renate Rengura