OTAVI—The Otavi Town Council has announced a strategic plan to improve service delivery and living standards in four of its rapidly growing informal settlements. This initiative, in collaboration with various stakeholders, aims to provide better housing and essential services to the increasing population, which has nearly doubled since 2011.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Otavi Chief Executive Officer Wodibo Sakaria Haulofu outlined the council's efforts to address the challenges posed by the town's significant population growth, which has surged from 5,224 in 2011 to 10,756. The focus of the upgrade will be on the informal settlements of Kap n Bou, !Naruseb, New Cairo, and Harambee. The council's plan includes accelerating the provision of basic infrastructure, such as water and sewerage systems, and promoting affordable rental housing options for low-income families.

The council has embarked on a comprehensive project to formalize all its informal settlements, with New Cairo already making substantial progress; all erven in the area have been surveyed and are awaiting registration. In partnership with the Central North Regional Electricity Distributor (Cenored), the council has managed to supply electricity to all residents of New Cairo, and 75% of the erven now have access to water and sewerage.

For the 2024/2025 fiscal year, the Otavi Town Council has allocated N. dollars 6.5 million to support these development projects. Additionally, to aid residents in informal areas without direct water access, the council provides 10 strategically placed standpipes where residents can use purchased tokens to access water.

Addressing the affordability of land and housing, Haulofu noted that while the council offers 700 serviced erven affordable for medium and upper-income earners, most inhabitants struggle with unemployment and cannot afford to buy land. To combat this, the council has initiated the Decentralised Build Together Programme and has engaged with stakeholders such as B2Gold Namibia, the Development Workshop, the Namibia Housing Action Group, and the Shack-Dwellers Federation of Namibia. These partnerships focus on land servicing for ultra-low income earners and subsequent house construction, aiming to make housing more accessible to all income levels in Otavi.