City to explore water point

City to explore water pointResidents chose the location The City of Windhoek says a group of women - who on Monday complained about the treacherous trek they make daily to fetch water - knew what they were getting into. JANA-MARI SMITH







WINDHOEK

Informal settlement residents relocated to higher ground this year due to flooding were warned about the lack of nearby water points.

This according to City of Windhoek spokesperson Lydia Amutenya, who was responding to questions raised after a group of women this week appealed to the municipality and mayor Job Amupanda to install a closer water point.

“The group in question was advised that the land opted for does not have access [to a water point], but they were adamant that they cannot move from their locality, citing school-going children and their livelihoods. They, therefore, opted to move to that specific site so that their livelihoods and social structures/cohesion are not disrupted.”

She added that the City has heard their pleas and said “the provision of a water point will be explored”.

On Monday, a dozen or more women now living on the far outskirts of the Tobias Hainyeko constituency at Nyanyakweni new location in One Nation pleaded for help, saying the nearest water point was too far away.

The women said apart from the treacherous trek to fetch water every day in buckets, the path is dangerous to navigate at night and they fear being attacked or falling down the steep declines adjacent to the footpath.

The area also has no electricity or toilets, forcing residents to use the nearby Omuramba riverbed.

They said when the river flows, they are completely cut off from the water point.

They knew

Amutenya on Monday afternoon said the group was moved to higher ground due to the heavy rains earlier this year.

“Their houses were flooded, causing damage to properties and fear of loss of lives as it has happened in previous years. They, therefore, approached our office through their community leaders to report that their houses have been flooded and they need urgent assistance from the City.”

The municipality, which does not have enough planned land to relocate all the flood victims, asked residents to identify a piece of land on higher ground in their area.

“It should be noted that the City did not relocate any of the affected houses in any constituency. The movement of the houses from one area to another was done by the people themselves. Nonetheless, the City facilitated the informal demarcation of sites to ensure that the five-metre distance between structures is adhered to so that accidents such as fire can be avoided.”

Amutenya said around 26 families were identified as critical when City officials visited affected areas, but only 11 moved to the site in question.