Walvis threatens to sell off unoccupied homes
WALVIS BAY – The Walvis Bay municipality has threatened to sell houses built under the Mass Urban Land Servicing Project (MUSLP) if those pre-allocated units are unable to claim and pay for them.
The houses are located in extensions 5, 6 & 7 in Kuisebmond and extension 7 in Narraville.
Interestingly, the same houses were identified in June last year by Cabinet as part of the decongestion plan of Walvis Bay that would have seen some families being temporarily moved following the devastating Covid-19 outbreak at the town.
Suspended municipal CEO Muronga Haingura told New Era in June last year that 60 houses were still left and that they were only waiting on approvals from financial institutions for beneficiaries to claim the property.
Haingura was suspended in December last year, along with general manager Agostinho Victor, properties and housing manager Jack Manale and properties clerk Constance Summers to allow the AntiCorruption Commission (ACC) to investigate alleged missing funds.
The four were sent on forced leave to pave the way for investigations into an unaccounted N$24 million in relation to the MULSP under which 980 houses were built amid allegations of irregularities around the sale of the houses.
It is not yet exactly clear how many houses are still unoccupied.
Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes during an earlier interview told the media the council resolved to sell the houses if those pre-allocated these houses do not show up with the pre-allocation letters and backing of financial institutions to pay for them.
“The people working in the housing department were suspended pending investigation, so it leaves us with a lot of work to trace those that were pre-allocated. Hence, we want all those that were pre-allocated to bring proof and financial backing; otherwise, we will have to sell them if no one comes forward and claim the houses,” Forbes said earlier.
“They need to submit proof of financial approval from any commercial bank or proof of funding on or before 19 March 2021. Any person without proof of financial approval and/or proof of funding will not be considered.”
Forbes also indicated that council is busy strategising on how they can address the housing needs at the town, including drawing up a new housing list.
“Housing lists are a major problem in Walvis Bay. Our plan as council is to start fresh with a new list. We did a survey on backyard shacks last year and will use the previous lists to come up with a new list,” he said.
According to Forbes, council wants to address the housing issue as soon as possible, based on the needs of the town’s residents.