Placido Hilukilwa
THE relocation of about 500 families from Oshakati’s Sky informal settlement to Onawa, on the border with the neighbouring Ongwediva town, was successfully completed in June last year, but some complaints still linger.
It is mostly people who owned bricks houses who are still not happy about “insufficient” compensation and also alleging that they were not given enough time to salvage some bricks and whatever else was still usable from their demolished houses.
Sky location consisted mostly of shacks, with a scattered number of brick houses and shebeens.
MOVE: The Oshakati town council has started clearing the area that used to be the Sky location, removing the debris to pave the way for the new owner of the erf. Photos: Placido Hilukilwa 
MOVE: The Oshakati town council has started clearing the area that used to be the Sky location, removing the debris to pave the way for the new owner of the erf. Photos: Placido Hilukilwa
The town council dismantled the shacks and provided transport to Onawa.
That was not the case with the owners of brick houses. They were compensated each according to the estimated value of his house and were then given time to remove from the structure whatever they needed before the structure was demolished.
They are now alleging that the town council has started clearing the area even though they have not yet finished the process of collecting some valuables from their old buildings.
“They did not give us enough time and did not provide us with transport. Some of us do not have own transport. So, we needed more time,” said one of the former Sky residents.
Speaking on behalf of others but preferring anonymity, he said that a week ago two of them went to the site to collect some old bricks from their demolished houses.
“We salvaged many bricks and transported them to Onawa, but when we returned the next day to collect some more, we found the Council’s earth-moving machines already clearing the area,” he said.
The Council is aware of the complaints and has already responded in writing.
“Kindly be informed that the relocation of the Sky location came to an end in July 2021 and you were given ample time to remove your structure. Council informed you that the owner of the erf intends to take occupation of the erf upon completion of relocation and that Council will not be held responsible for any belongings left within the subject area subsequent to the finalization of the relocation procedure,” said Oshakati CEO Timoteus Namwandi in a response letter to the dissatisfied former Sky residents.
However, they pleaded ignorance of any deadline within which to salvage whatever was still useful to them.
“I am hearing that for the first time. As far as I can recall, we were never given any time frame,” one said.
