New temporary municipal offices for Groot Aub
The City of Windhoek is advancing its drive to deliver essential municipal services to the heart of the Groot Aub community.In a step towards decentralising service delivery, the City has procured 11 fully equipped containers to serve as temporary municipal offices while a permanent facility is built.
So far, eight of the containers have already been delivered to Groot Aub, with the remaining three expected by the end of the month. Once operational, these offices will allow residents to access vital services without the need for lengthy and expensive trips to Windhoek.
Although the offices are not yet functional pending final service connections, preparations are underway for their official opening.
Speaking at the site, Ivan Skrywer, chairperson of the Formalisation of Informal Settlements and Integration Committee, expressed his enthusiasm for the project. “A few months ago, we promised that we would be putting up City of Windhoek offices with temporary building material in Groot Aub. Now, as promised, we are delivering,” he said.
He explained that the temporary facilities are a practical solution to meet the community’s immediate needs while awaiting permanent infrastructure. “We cannot wait for the permanent building structures. We brought the temporary structures so that our officials can move to Groot Aub. No more calling to Windhoek for service, no more officials commuting up and down. It will be here, on-site.”
Inside the air-conditioned offices, workstations have been set up to accommodate officials from various departments. “All departments of the City of Windhoek will be represented at this site,” Skrywer noted, adding that the initiative not only saves time and costs but also ensures a more efficient and responsive service delivery.
While acknowledging that formalisation processes can be lengthy, he assured residents that progress is being made. “Formalisation takes place on paper first before implementation. That’s why sometimes things take long, but eventually, we are here,” he said.