Ester Mbathera
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has spent N$2.7 million to fence off the land for the construction of Windhoek District Hospital.
The ministry’s executive director, Ben Nangombe, said this in a statement on Thursday while outlining the activities that have been carried out thus far.
“In February 2024, the Ministry carried out a site clearance, marking the start of the work for the construction of the Windhoek District Hospital. This activity was carried out by the National Youth Service at a cost of N$581 900,” he said.
The City of Windhoek in 2017 resolved to allocate the said piece of land.
Nangombe did not explain how the statutory process was followed but he insists that the project is proceeding and is being implemented on an expedited basis.
“It meets regularly in line with its Terms of Reference (ToRs) in furtherance of the realisation of the project. We reiterate that the project is not in jeopardy and will proceed as planned. The advertisement by the City of Windhoek is part and parcel of the requirements for land allocation by local authorities by way of private treaty,” he said.
In May of this year, the vice president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, officiated at the ground-breaking ceremony, which Nangombe said was to signify the kick-off of the accelerated implementation of the project.
At the time, health minister Dr. Kalumbi Shangula said the construction of the Windhoek District Hospital would cost N$2.9 billion, with funding coming from a three-year budget.
According to the development budget for the 2024/2025-2026/2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) rolling budget, it only allocates N$170 million from internal resources, with no funds available from external sources towards the project.
The funds will go mainly toward feasibility studies, documentation, design, and construction.
According to the MTEF timetable, the feasibility study, documentation, and construction were to begin in the 2024–2025 financial year and the construction to continue for the next financial year.
Last week, the ministry advertised bids for the supply of bulk services, such as bulk water, bulk electricity, and access roads for the project.
The City of Windhoek also weighed in on the matter, saying that the article published by the Windhoek Observer was inaccurately suggesting that the City of Windhoek is selling land designated for the construction of a district hospital to a private entity or individual.
The Council also accused the publications of implying that the Ministry of Health and Social Services misled the public by holding a mock groundbreaking ceremony.
“Due to concerns about potential land invasions, the ministry was permitted to fence off the site while the necessary statutory processes, including public notices for objections, are being completed. The objection notice referenced in the article is a standard legal requirement under Section 63(2) of the Local Authorities Act, which mandates public notification and allows residents to raise concerns over land use or development proposals. This is a routine part of ensuring transparency and community involvement in urban development projects,” reads a statement from CoW.
CoW affirmed that the MoHSS still has the designated land, and they will continue to collaborate with the ministry to fulfil all statutory requirements for the hospital’s development.
Both the ministry and CoW did not explain the procedural nature of the land sale.
