The Opuwo Town Council says it made great strides in housing development and service delivery in 2024. 

The Council Support Officer for the Opuwo Town Council, Gebhardt Makono, said the council has so far allocated over 300 housing plots to the Shack Dweller Federation. 

I October last year, the council, together with the Build Together programme handed over 30 houses to residents while also assisting the Shack Dwellers Federation to get land for its beneficiaries. 

"So, the council assists them to get the land. As we speak, currently there are more than 150 houses for low-income earners; these are people working in shops and service stations earning a minimum salary of less than N$6,000. So the council has made strides in that, and we are working hand in hand with the development workshop, where we have also allocated 300 erven on the side of Etati. With the money that these people are buying plots with, that's the money we are using to service even, and then with their subsidies or loans, they can construct their own houses. Apart from that, we have private developers that are also building in town. You can see on top of the mountains that some houses are contributing to the housing need."

He also added that they have made significant strides in terms of water supply in the town, adding that currently, the council has a tender out for the drilling of two extra boreholes as a way to improve water supply.

"Yes, we have been challenged and are challenged due to an increase in the population, and the current supply reservoir has a very minimal amount, and people have surpassed it, and the demand has now surpassed the supply, but as the councillor on our side, we have decided to drill additional boreholes. We drilled two additional boreholes as well as the tender to supply bulk water storage facilities. Names have also been awarded to the contractors, and the completion is expected by March 2025."

A lack of funding, however, hampers the council's ability to achieve all its goals.