The City of Windhoek's plan to relocate informal traders from the Havana Four-Way has been questioned by Namibian members of parliament (MPs). The dispute centers on the proposed relocation site and the municipality's engagement with affected traders. The relocation is necessary for the N$381 million Eneas Peter Nanyemba Road upgrade.
According to Moses Matyayi, the City of Windhoek's chief executive officer, the municipality has secured a court order to remove people refusing to relocate. The order targets traders operating along the road reserve or households occupying the land earmarked for the new market. Initially, the market was designed for 88 traders, but the number has grown to about 350.
The municipality has identified alternative trading areas in Havana Extensions 8 and 10. However, some traders have accepted relocation while others refuse to leave their trading areas. Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) MP Abed Hishoono urged the municipality not to rush into court action, citing concerns over the suitability of the proposed relocation site.
Hishoono argued that the proposed site lacks basic services, including proper roads, water, electricity, a police station, and a clinic. He urged Matyayi to visit the area and engage directly with the affected people. Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader and MP Job Amupanda also called for court action to be treated as a last resort, citing economic pressures facing the people affected.
Amupanda urged the municipality to involve elected political representatives in finding a workable solution. He also questioned spending money on legal proceedings when funds could instead support development. SWAPO MP Hilma Iita advised the municipality to change its negotiation strategy, recommending individual meetings with traders rather than group addresses.
The committee's chairperson, Iipumbu Shiimi, raised the broader challenge of informal settlements and housing. He noted that 29,000 people had received certificates of occupation and encouraged the municipality to expand this number. Shiimi's comments placed the Havana dispute within the wider pressure on Windhoek to provide housing and services as its population grows.
Matyayi told the committee that Windhoek's population is about 540,000, with around 12,000 new residents arriving each year. He maintained that the municipality has a legal responsibility to regulate informal trading and ensure vendors operate in designated areas. The N$381 million road project aims to upgrade Eneas Peter Nanyemba Road from a single carriageway to a dual carriageway.
Key points
- The Namibian government is under pressure to provide housing and services to its growing population.
- The proposed relocation site for informal traders lacks basic services.
- Court action has been taken as a last resort to resolve the relocation dispute.
