CHAMWE KAIRA
The Municipality of Swakopmund is advancing a series of housing, land servicing and infrastructure projects aimed at accommodating the town’s rapid growth, while creating new investment opportunities and addressing housing needs in informal settlements.
Swakopmund Municipality chief executive officer Alfeus Benjamin outlined progress on the town’s long-term development agenda under the 20-Year Structure Plan (2020-2040), which was approved by the National Planning Board (NPB) and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development (MURD) in October 2022.
Portions of land were identified in October 2024. The parcels, ranging between 20 and 40 hectares, have been earmarked for low-income, middle-income and high-income residential developments, as well as business and industrial activities.
The proposal has been submitted to the NPB and MURD, with approval expected in 2026.
Swakopmund is also progressing plans for the development of Hage Geingob Square, a commercial township approved by council in 2019.
The project received approval from the Regional and Planning Board in 2023 and is currently at the design and consulting stage.
In addition, consultants have completed reports and development concepts for the Airport and Hage Geingob precinct development.
The municipality continues to invest heavily in servicing land for housing developments. Servicing of DRC Extensions 41 and 42 has commenced, while Extension 41 is nearing completion.
Occupants have already received occupation certificates, allowing them to take possession of their plots pending formal transfer once servicing is completed.
Council has also approved and allocated erven in Extensions 182 and 183 to housing groups, including Harambee, Build Together and the Shack Dwellers Federation. Resettlement will commence once basic services are in place.
Further expansion is planned east of Kramersdorf through the Dunes development, covering Extensions 32, 33 and 34.
Land servicing at Rossmund is expected to begin during the 2026/27 financial period, with the area earmarked for high-income residential development.
Significant progress has also been recorded in the upgrading of the Democratic Resettlement Community (DRC).
In Extension 31, servicing has been completed, and 112 beneficiaries from DRC Proper and DRC Seaside have received offers to purchase erven and build their own homes.
Construction of 73 houses is nearing completion under the municipality’s informal settlement upgrading programme.
Private sector developments are also contributing to housing delivery. Quintessential (Pty) Ltd has completed bulk infrastructure and Phase 1 land servicing in Matutura, where 214 houses have already been completed. Additional land servicing continues.
Meanwhile, the Eddy Angula Trust development in Tamariskia aims to provide 87 residential erven, although the project is currently on hold.
At Elize Investment’s development, 111 apartments and 52 houses have been completed, while additional erven are being serviced and developed in subsequent phases.
In Atlantis, the Ombundu Development in Extension 2 at Mile 4 is nearing completion of bulk services and Phase 1 land servicing, with housing construction expected to begin after Phase 2 is completed.
Swakopmund has further intensified efforts to formalise land ownership in the DRC.
Council has donated 805 erven in DRC Extensions 27, 28 and 30 to residents who were previously relocated there.
The erven are fully serviced and are being transferred to beneficiaries, subject to ministerial approval.
An additional 207 erven have been donated in Extension 37, while 204 residential erven in Extension 38 are also set to be transferred to long-standing beneficiaries.
Since 2021, the municipality has relocated 561 residents to serviced plots in Extensions 40, 41 and 42 as part of its decongestion programme.
Land servicing in these areas is continuing with support from central government funding.
