City approves 275 erven for Hadino Hishongwa
The Municipal Council of Windhoek has approved the establishment of a township on the remainder of Farm 1007 to formalise parts of the Hadino Hishongwa C, D, and E informal settlements, paving the way for 275 erven and 347 dwelling units expected to accommodate about 1 118 people.
The approval formed part of a broader package of township establishment and informal settlement upgrading projects endorsed during the City’s ordinary council meeting held last week.
Speaking during the meeting, Windhoek mayor Sakarias Uunona said the council remained committed to improving the quality of life of residents through sustainable urban development and expanded service delivery. “Allow me to express sincere appreciation to the residents of the City of Windhoek, particularly those who continue to honour their municipal obligations and those making a determined effort to reduce outstanding arrears.
Your commitment is not only supporting service delivery, but also contributing directly to the economic stability and future development of our capital city. At a time when municipalities across the region are under increasing financial pressure, responsible civic participation remains essential to sustaining local governance and public confidence,” Uunona said.
He added that the city’s financial position had remained resilient despite difficult economic conditions facing households and businesses. “Council remains one of the largest drivers of economic activity and employment within the local economy, and stable revenue collection is fundamental to fulfilling this responsibility. In this regard, I am encouraged to report that the city’s financial position has shown resilience since the beginning of the financial year, despite prevailing economic challenges affecting households and businesses alike,” he said.
According to the council highlights statement, the Farm 1007 township development will include 256 single residential erven, four general residential erven, public open spaces, institutional and municipal erven, as well as supporting road and municipal infrastructure.
The development forms part of a wider initiative that will see more than 1 108 erven created across Otjomuise and Hadino Hishongwa through a series of formalisation and township establishment projects approved by council.
Council also approved the subdivision of Farm 1007 into Portion A and the remainder, alongside a separate township establishment on Portion A. That development is expected to deliver 333 erven and about 457 dwelling units for an estimated population of more than 1 500 residents.
The approved layout for Portion A includes 304 single residential erven, six general residential erven, three business erven, public open spaces, institutional erven for schools, churches and kindergartens, as well as municipal erven and supporting infrastructure.
On Farm 1008, council approved the formalisation of portions of the Hadino Hishongwa C informal settlement and the accommodation of households relocated following the January 2025 flash floods in Otjomuise.
That project will comprise 234 erven expected to accommodate around 1 053 people and includes residential plots, business erven, institutional land, public open spaces, and municipal land for an open market and community services.
Uunona said the municipality was continuing to invest in service delivery and infrastructure development despite mounting budgetary pressures. “As reported on previous occasions in this August House, the city requires approximately N$384 million annually for road maintenance, for which no revenue is collected from the road users by means of tariffs or levies.
In addition to this annual maintenance requirement, the rain damage as a result of the 2024-2025 rainy season escalated the maintenance cost requirements with an additional N$353 million,” he said.
“Not forgoing the above budgetary challenges, the City has made great strides in routine maintenance by attempting to permanently fix potholes with bitumen. To date, more than seventy six thousand potholes have been repaired, covering in excess of fifty seven thousand square metres of road deformities.”
He further said the city had continued expanding access to electricity and lighting infrastructure in informal settlements. “During this financial year, the City connected a total of three hundred and 83 informal houses to electricity. Similarly, fifteen high mast lights were erected across Windhoek’s informal areas and constituencies,” Uunona said.
The council meeting also approved the City of Windhoek Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy for 2026 to 2030, aimed at strengthening preparedness against climate-related disasters and emergencies, particularly in informal settlements vulnerable to flash floods and fires.
