Windhoek, Namibia — Families recently relocated to Farm 508 (Okapale) are raising serious concerns about the lack of basic services at the new site. In a strongly worded petition, 387 households have warned the City of Windhoek that unless urgent improvements are made by 31 July, they will begin moving back to Otjomuise starting 1 September 2025.
Community Speaks Out: “We Were Better Off in Otjomuise”
The petition, delivered to the City Council, Mayor, and CEO, accuses the City of failing to provide essential infrastructure such as:
Functional police presence
- Accessible roads for emergency vehicles
- Street lighting
- Mobile network coverage
- Nearby shops or public services
- “There is a mobile police unit, but no officers. It takes days to get a response. Someone has already lost their life waiting for emergency help,” the petition states.
Petition Demands Transparency and Action Before 31 July
Residents say the City’s plan to move additional households into the area on 31 July 2025 is irresponsible given the current state of services. The group demands written commitments from the City before that date—or they’ll begin relocating themselves back to their former settlement.
Key Complaints:
Only 2 water taps serve over 300 families
No street lighting or accessible roads
- Overcrowding on plots as small as 200 square meters per household
No active law enforcement presence
- Insufficient healthcare and education facilities
- Relocation After January Floods
The move to Farm 508 came after January 2025 floods forced hundreds from flood-prone areas of Otjomuise and 8ste Laan. While the City and its partners claim they’ve provided prepaid water points, dry toilets, a prefab clinic, and a new school, residents say the measures are too little, too late.
“Why Expand When Existing Settlements Are Still Struggling?”
The petition also questions the City's priorities. Communities like Havana,
Okuryangava, and Ongulumbashe still lack proper services. Petitioners also suggest Groot Aub be removed from the City’s jurisdiction so it can operate independently.
The N$700 million reportedly allocated for upgrading informal settlements, they argue, must be matched by real, visible change on the ground.
Unless the City of Windhoek responds with concrete action before the end of July, community leaders say they will begin relocating residents back to Otjomuise from 1 September 2025—whether the City agrees or not.
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