Ondangwa land deal raises eyebrowsThe town council had initially promised to sell over 200 plots to desperate first-time buyers. Chinese bought 206 plots for N$8 million Questions are being asked after the Ondangwa Town Council sold an almost 14-hectare piece of land - which cost them N$20 million to service - to a Chinese property developer for N$8 million. The deal has put an enormous strain on the coffers of the town council which was hoping to recover its land servicing costs through land sales.
In 2013 the council serviced 13.9 hectares in Extension 13 and the plots were earmarked to be sold to first-time buyers. However, the town council ended up selling the piece of land to Combo Investment cc for N$8 million.
Ondangwa chief executive officer Ismael Namgongo confirmed to Namibian Sun that the Chinese developer is currently on site and building houses, with two-bedroom houses going for as much as N$750 000.
He, however, declined to provide detailed information regarding the deal. “It is true that the developer is on site building for us beautiful houses, but unfortunately I cannot provide you with additional information because when that deal was done I was not the CEO,” he said.
Ondangwa spokesperson Petrina Shitalangaho confirmed that council records are showing that only N$8 million was paid by the Chinese for the 13.9 hectares in Extension 13. Sources from the town council are alleging that the former Ondangwa town planner resigned after council approved the Chinese land deal.
Sources also say the council has no land to service at the moment and has embarked on a strategy to reclaim land from residents who have failed to pay for plots allocated to them.
In September, the council appealed to those with allocated plots to pay for the land or risk forfeiting it to the town council.
“The town council is spending a lot of money in an effort to service land and make it available, but those who are allocated land are failing to buy it. I am appealing to people that they must apply for land when they are ready to build and not to for the purpose of speculating with it. We want people who are allocated land to pay it off so that we can continue servicing land and make it available to others, Namgongo was quoted as saying.
ILENI NANDJATO