Martin Endjala
The landless People’s Movement Councillor Ryan Gordon has submitted a motion to the Management Committee of Walvis bay for the development of Farm 37 by developers by the name Harmony Future Development Project, seeking to build affordable houses for the residents.
The motion, reportedly aimed at addressing homelessness and assisting the housing challenges faced was submitted on the 23rd of January 2023.
In an interview with the Windhoek Observer yesterday, Gordon said that he did not table the motion to gain popularity or to be re-elected, but he is rather doing it so that those who are unable to afford houses in the range of N$97 000-800 000 are not left behind and also to ensure that they too live a dignified life in an independent Namibia.
“Motion passed to develop farm 37 in Wears and still have people who are unable to afford homes due to the systems put in place which make it almost impossible for any ordinary person to own a house. No, this is my job until I vacate my seat, to serve the people who voted for me to my utmost ability, by ensuring that they too, can own their own homes”, Gordon added.
The Councillor said he is referring to the people who have been residing at farm 37 for many years, living in make-shift structures under very deplorable conditions.
These houses, according to the Councillor will be worth N$40 000-N$ 70 000 and are expected to be built if the motion remains unopposed.The residents of farm 37 reportedly approached the municipality on numerous occasions to complain about their situation, to no avail.
In response, some Councilors raised concerns, saying that the motion is set to benefit only a portion of the farm.
“In light of the motion, the council should consider the developers to make proposals to the full council in order to set forward the development of the property. I also would like to emphasise that this motion proposal only includes a portion of land and not the whole farm 37 and for the council to consider that the planning hereof be done in consultation with the people it may potentially affect in order to address their interest as well as to garner buy-in in order to ensure facilitation of certain tasks”, the motion read.
Meanwhile, Gordon motivated his motion by stating that the motion was initiated by the previous council and the current council has undertaken to continue the initiative based on the community’s plight.
Moreover, in Narraville Extention 11, about 280 homes are said to have been envisaged and this is still on the cards given that council puts aside political agendas and puts the interests of the people.
