Walvis Bay – The possible sale of at least two blocks of land to Tunacor Limited and Seaworks to provide housing for their employees, caused mixed feelings at the monthly meeting of Walvis Bay Town Council, residents and some councilors s being opposed to the recommendations.
The recommendations were tabled by the chairman of the management committee, Richard Hoaeb, during the monthly meeting held at the municipal chamber of Kuisebmond on Tuesday evening.
According to the council, the two fishing companies applied for land last year to build more than 1,000 houses for their employees.
These two islets have been provisionally identified, but local residents strongly opposed them from the public gallery when the recommendations were submitted.
They are of the opinion that the land cannot be sold to fishing companies while other residents are also claiming land.
As recommended, the single unserviced/unsurveyed residential erven on erf 8635 Kuisebmond with an area of 36,238 square meters will be reserved for Tunacor Limited.
The recommendations further state that Tunacor Limited has over 3,000 employees and wants to start a housing project that will develop at least 1,000 houses in the first phase.
“However, the Technical Departments had a meeting with Tunacor Limited to discuss land availability and how best to assist them in starting the first phase of their project. Therefore, it was agreed after consultation with Tunacor Limited that the The planning section is completing the planning process for the creation of a township, and a full recommendation report is to be submitted to council for review and final approval,” Hoaeb read from the recommendations.
This did not sit well with Councilor Ephraim Shozi, who opposed the recommendation saying the council cannot sell such blocks of land to fishing companies but should instead sell land to them at Farm 37.
“We can’t give away land while our people are suffering here. I will never vote for this. These companies need to be given land on Farm 37 because they have the financial means to develop it. Let’s keep the land serviced for our people,” he said.
However, Councilor Sara Mutondoka said the last block of land had been sold in Namport and the current two blocks being considered for Seaworks and Tunacor are the only ones available in Kuisebmond. “We only have a few plots available, and the council are able to develop it themselves. We also have to take into consideration that the people employed in the fishing industry are our people who live in huts. Therefore, we must give them the land to develop it for our people.
Hoaeb then explained that discussions are still ongoing and that Farm 37 has not been excluded from these discussions.
“We have not made a final decision as we still want a comprehensive plan before we can make that decision. However, we call on all stakeholders to join us as we discuss and resolve the housing issue in Walvis Bay “, he added. .