TIRI MASAWI
Namibia has 563 undeclared settlements, while the Khomas region has the highest number of undeclared settlements at 150 or 35.8%.
Nationally, there are 563 settlements with informality, of which only 144 (25.6%) are declared and 419 OR 74.4% are undeclared
This is according to the Namibia Informal Settlement Baseline report released by the Namibia Statistics Agency on Wednesday shows.
Additionally the 2023 National Population and Housing Census shows that 28.7 percent of households in Namibia live in informal dwellings or shacks, of which 40.2 percent are in urban areas.
“Other regions with high shares of undeclared settlements included Otjozondjupa (42; 10.0%), Oshana (32; 7.6%), Hardap (31; 7.4%), and Kunene (27; 6.4%), highlighting widespread but unformalised urban informality outside the capital,” the report said.
The report further shows that Windhoek alone accounts for 213,234 residents, Rundu 67,411, Walvis Bay 31,822, Swakopmund 29,961, Katima Mulilo 22,175, Oshakati 21,141, and Okahandja 20,409 completing the bulk of Namibia’s informal urban population.
“By contrast, Kavango East dominated the declared category with 49 settlements (34.0%), followed by Erongo (21; 14.6%), Zambezi (18; 12.5%), and Oshana (17; 11.8%), showing where government effort to officially recognise and manage informal settlements was recorded,” the report said..
Figure 4.3 shows the distribution of assessed settlements by declaration status by the three urban categories.
The Baseline report said the undeclared settlements are classified as informal settlements while the declared settlements are established townships with some levels of informality.
“Overall, the data highlights a dual reality; while declaration is occurring in selected regions like Kavango East,Erongo, Zambezi, Oshana, and Omusati, most settlements with informality across Namibia remain undeclared, especially in Khomas and Otjozondjupa. This suggests that informality is widespread but largely unmanaged, raising critical concerns for housing policy, service delivery, and long-term urban development,” the report said.
Commenting on the report Statistician General Alex Shimuafeni said persistent challenges, including a significant urban housing deficit continues despite Namibia prioritising adequate shelter and sustainable urban development since independence.
“Other challenges include fragmented data and inconsistent reporting, which hinder planning and execution. Recognising these challenges, the National Development Plan 5 (NDP5) mandated the creation of a centralised housing database,” Shimuafeni said.
COMMENTS