By Martin Negumbo |

Oshikuku town is one of the smallest towns of Omusati region. A place which for decades was of little to no significance except for being known for the Oshikuku District Hospital.

Oshikuku District Hospital, (formally known as the St. Martin’s Roman Catholic Hospital), has for many years provided quality health services to the people of villages around Oshikuku and nearby towns.

Apart from public schools, the hospital has for years since its establishment in 1924 stood as the only significant physical infrastructure standing in Oshikuku.

But since Oshikuku graduated from being a local authority with a village council to become a town council, so much developmental infrastructures have become visible.

In recent years the town council has worked very hard to develop and improve the town’s infrastructures, such as building roads and bringing in land and property developers, so that a few shopping complexes have risen from the ground, likewise houses.

While other towns are working towards becoming commercial centres or industrial hubs of the north, Oshikuku Town Council’s vision is to make Oshikuku a residential haven for professionals across the northern regions.

The town is located some 30 kilometres from Oshakati on the way to Outapi, just before Ogongo. It is thus strategically located between the main towns of the Oshana and Omusati regions for it to attract those people looking for a home that is affordable although they may be working in another town.

As a small town the town council has faced some challenges from its residents who are seeking for land to build houses. While looking at attracting professionals who are looking for a home, the town council does not want to neglect its local residents.

In the past some people were helped by the town council financially to build their houses through the Build Together programme, while the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia also received serviced plots to allocate to its members.

Those who were funded by the town council will refund the money so that the same money can be used to help others who are homeless for them to be able to build their houses in the same town.

With urbanisation coming at a fast pace as people move from villages to urban areas in search of a better life, the increase in shack dwellings in Oshikuku has become a challenge for the town council.

These shacks, which are housing structures made out of corrugated iron sheets, have become the easiest way for anyone to put a roof over his head.

The spokesperson of Oshikuku Town Council, Mr John Siloiso, said that Oshikuku has two informal settlements. Oshiku informal settlement is the biggest, and the one full of shack dwellings.

The other informal settlement is at Extension 4 which is located on the right side of the town when you are coming from Oshakati facing Outapi.

This settlement has been serviced already and the town council built public toilets and tap water and electricity has been made available to the dwellings.

There are streets, and sewage pipes have been connected to these houses because they are arranged well in neat rows, and only few people are now still living in shacks.

Oshiku informal settlement is the one which is still an eyesore for the town council, and visitors alike. It is located behind the police station and it is next to the hospital.

This location does not have streets and there is lack of both water and proper electrical connections.

Even though this location has not yet been serviced, the town council has planned and promised to work out an effective way to service it in the near future.

“All the shacks will be put in order so that there will be streets in this location,” Siloiso said.

“Water, electricity and public toilets will be delivered there soon.

“This settlement will be developed next year because this year the town council was busy with Extension 7.”

Siloiso also told Omutumwa that most of the residents at Oshiku settlement have been given their Erf numbers by the town council and those who are not given Erf numbers they will be relocated to the town’s Extension 9.

Mr Stefanus Gerhard who is 32 years old has been living at Oshiku for three years now and he has not received an Erf number yet, and he is not happy about this.

The father of four children said they are surviving like birds due to the situation here because they don’t have a proper supply of water for household consumption, let alone electricity.

“We have to fetch water daily from neighbours, and there are no shops here to buy our daily foodstuff. We are used to travelling long distances to the shopping centres.”

Ms Emilia Nyemba who is 38 years old said that she has stayed here for 17 years, and she was given an Erf number a few years ago.

“Yes, I was given this ‘Erf number 09’, but I am sick and tired of waiting for the town council to fulfil their promises,” Nyemba said.

“Although I am working in the town council as a general worker my salary is not enough to bring in the electricity to my shack, as [with the small salary] I have to take care of my five children.”

She stated further that they do not feel safe at home at night. “It is always dark here and we are scared of gangs of criminals because they always try to come and hide here.”

Mr Thoma Andile, 55 years old, also lives in a shack at this informal settlement, but he has potable water at his place. He said he has lived here for 22 years, and he is unemployed.

He depends on his small shebeen which is close to his sleeping room.

“The bad thing is that the price of brown sugar [used for making locally brewed alcoholic drinks] increased and we are no longer making profit in what we sell,” he said.

“We do not have enough lights here; people have to live with whatever happens.

“This is a really sad situation, and the town council is not doing anything.”

Residents are yearning for change to their living conditions, and they are getting impatient. But Siloiso stated that change will come, as Rome was not built in a day.

In the photo: Mr Stefanus Gerhard at home in the Oshiku informal settlement of Oshikuku. In another image is Mr John Siloiso, who promised that shack dwellings will soon be a thing of the past in Oshikuku.

[NB. This article was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Omutumwa and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.]