The Keetmanshoop Municipality recently conducted a survey on land ownership in the |Gereres residential area in its efforts to improve the living conditions of residents. 

The initiative aims to secure land rights for underprivileged residents and enhance their access to services, such as sanitation, water, and electricity.

Speaking to nbc News, the municipality's property officer, Jacques Strauss, said findings from the survey will be used to enhance sustainable urban development and ensure equitable service delivery. 

The data from the 226 households captured show that 60 households have no access to sanitation. while 20 lack water provision services. 

"The goal of the survey was to ensure that the erven are offered for purchase to the occupants there. Because the majority have been renting the erven, and they are not owners. Therefore, we understand that property ownership is influenced by socio-economic factors. That's good for you because you have equity now. You can approach the bank and request N$50,000, as you now have equity to use as collateral. And sometimes to obtain a building loan."

Strauss revealed that the municipality updated the Namibia Housing Information System—a centralised web-based system—with the available land stock as well as the housing waiting list for more than 6,000 applicants. 

"I think the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and NSA identified that we need to automate processes because a lot of local authorities don't have enough human capital to meet the administrative demand this land delivery application requires. And sometimes that makes you prone to errors, you know. So, if you automate it, it's going to make it more transparent, it's going to be more acceptable as well, and it's going to be faster." 

The property officer explained that as part of its efforts to address the housing backlog, the municipality establishes what they call 'reception areas' where landless residents are settled and permitted to set up temporary structures. 

He added that these reception areas are later formalised in partnership with NGOs, such as the Namibian Shack Dwellers Federation, a community network housing savings scheme, aiming to improve living standards of the urban and rural poor.