Amupanda makes land allocation a priority
His Worship Dr. Job Amupanda, Mayor of Windhoek recently announced that the City Council approved the pre-allocation of land to households on the waiting list in informal settlement upgrading areas.
Amupanda at his first ordinary Council meeting said they resolved that pre-allocation of land is an initial allocation of land based on the proposed layout plan, meaning the layout that is supported by Council and obtained Environment Clearance but did not yet clear the statutory planning process.
“The allocation will be done in line with the Council Development and Upgrading Policy which was approved in 2019, on the allocation of land in the low income area, therefore, it is worth noting that for nearly a decade, the delivery of serviced land in informal settlements almost ground to halt, mainly due to a lack of funding and a protracted land development value chain,” he added.
He further explained that the residents residing in informal settlements and those on the waiting list are frustrated with a slow land delivery process that stands in their way of securing land tenure and its associated benefits.
“Therefore to turn the situation around, land in informal settlement areas that has undergone initial planning stages, shall be pre-allocated to prospective purchaser, tenants, or members of a saving group in line with the Development and Upgrading Policy,” he added.
Amupanda said they shall endeavour, through a mass planning exercise to add projects on the pre-allocation list on a continuous basis, which is targeting to reach 5000 pre-allocations in informal settlements within three years from the date of this council resolution.
In addition to the pre-allocation, Amupanda said all leases in informal settlements that have undergone an upgrading intervention will be kept up-to-date and the remaining statutory town planning process finalised to pave way for lease with an option to buy or a sales agreement.
“The pre-allocation approach is expected to restore confidence in the system and give hope to people living in informal settlements or those on the waiting list who are unable to participate in the formal land market,” he said.
Council also recommended that the waiting list be validated and digitalised, where after it will be submitted to the management committee for consideration and once approved the list will then be made available on the City of Windhoek website for public access.
