Zimbabweans squatters grabbing land in Namibia

WINDHOEK - Residents of Thlabanello 3 - a new informal settlement adjacent to Windhoek's Goreangab informal settlement â€" are threatening action against Zimbabwean squatters whom they claim have started "grabbing land" from Namibians.

Angry Thlabanello 3 residents accuse Zimbabweans of alleged land grabbing in shanty areas at the expense of Namibian shack dwellers, further aggravating the already acute lack of land and housing experienced by many poor Namibians.

Thlabanello 3 is a rapidly expanding new informal settlement that has been declared "illegal" by the City of Windhoek. The city recently marked the area's corrugated-zinc dwellings with red ink, which indicates that they are to be demolished.

But despite the looming demolitions, residents of this new squatter location are not deterred as they continue to erect new shacks almost on a daily basis.

During a visit to the settlement, this reporter learned that residents have been informed by their Councillor during a community meeting to continue building shacks, as long as they do it in a proper and orderly manner to allow for the delivery of essential municipal services like ambulances and other emergency services.

"The problem is that our Zimbabwean counterparts are also building shacks here. I know of someone who was fighting over a plot with a Zimbabwean," said one of the residents, who declined to be named for fear of reprisals.

The resident specifically wanted to avoid accusations that he is instigating xenophobia. Another resident wanted to know the status of Zimbabweans living in Namibia.

"If they are foreigners, they should go and rent, and if they are refugees they should go to Osire which is a refugee camp."

"They (Zimbabweans) have taken their land from the British by force back in their country, now they are taking ours. Something should be done before we take the law into our own hands," warned another shack dweller.

Another resident who makes a living by selling pieces of roasted meat popularly known as "Kapana", did not mince words referring to incidents that precipitated deadly xenophobic attacks in neighbouring South Africa.

He said "Otatu kufa omipini" which is Oshiwambo for "we will take up knobkierries".

However, other shack-dwellers such as Jeremiah Kamberipa were levelheaded saying though it is unfair to fight and share land with "foreigners", he does not propagate the use of force as an option.  

"We are not saying people should be chased away, but something should be done to recognise us (Namibian) first," he appealed.

Another man who spoke on condition of anonymity said there is no need to chase away Zimbabweans because "they are our friends".

Residents say they wanted to express their discontent on this issue with their constituency councillor at a community meeting where they were told to organize themselves into groups for proper housing, but they did not get a chance.

The claim their questions and inputs were limited to the topic officials from the City of Windhoek and police had addressed them about.

Samora Machel constituency councillor Abisai Angula, confirmed that a meeting took place recently, where a number of issues were raised by the residents of the Tlhabanello 3 settlement.

He also confirmed that the issue of foreign squatters was not brooked at all because of time constraints.

He said the issue of foreigners squatting in his constituency comes as complete news to him, adding that if people did not get a chance to bring it to his attention during the last meeting, they should have approached his office with their complaints.

In May 2008, South Africans descended on informal settlements and shantytowns attacking foreigners from African countries, including Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. The South Africans accused them of taking jobs away from them.

Over the course of two weeks, over 60 foreigners from other African countries were killed and several hundreds were injured.