Sara Mutondoka, who serves as deputy mayor of Walvis Bay, told people at recent public meetings about new plans for the town. The council wants to make yard owners pay money when they let people build shacks behind their houses. She talked about this idea at meetings held across town suburbs throughout March. She said these payments would work like a fine. The more shacks you keep in your yard, the more cash you must hand over.
The deputy mayor explained why they needed this money. Many shack fires happen often, burning multiple homes at once. After these fires, victims need help right away - tents, mattresses, blankets, and food. People from all over the country send help, but those who create these risky situations should share responsibility. The council hopes to build up a special fund that can jump into action when disasters strike homes in their town.
Mutondoka mentioned that they have not decided exactly how much these new fees will cost. She asked for ideas from residents before they set final amounts. The news sparked different feelings among people living there. Some agreed with the plan. Lea Healao said the problems facing the town come from many sources, not just the municipality. She pointed out health dangers and fire risks when twenty shacks crowd into one yard. She believes these situations put heavy pressure on city services.
Other residents feel attacked by the proposed fees. Nameya Lotto argued that many landowners depend on rent money from these shacks just to feed their families. Even people with jobs struggle to make ends meet. Lotto sees renting yard space as an honest way to earn income. She thinks it unfair for the municipality to charge extra just because they cannot manage town problems better.
Most fires start from candles left burning overnight or bad wiring jobs. Some house owners connect faulty electrical cables that power over twenty shacks at once. The fire department warns parents not to leave children alone, as kids playing with matches cause many blazes. Other fires begin when drunk shack dwellers try cooking late at night. Despite many safety lessons from local officials, these dangerous habits continue across the town.
Fire spreads quickly because Walvis Bay usually faces windy weather, and people build shacks right next to each other. Several people have died in these fires, leaving families with funeral costs on top of lost homes. Last June, a mother and daughter named Lineekela Ndeumyema and Linea Kombada died when fire swept through Kuisebmond. That same blaze destroyed six more shacks nearby. Back in August 2022, twenty families moved into tents after losing everything in another big fire. That disaster killed Ermelinda Dausas and her little boy Cristian, just two years old.
The deputy mayor explained why they needed this money. Many shack fires happen often, burning multiple homes at once. After these fires, victims need help right away - tents, mattresses, blankets, and food. People from all over the country send help, but those who create these risky situations should share responsibility. The council hopes to build up a special fund that can jump into action when disasters strike homes in their town.
Mutondoka mentioned that they have not decided exactly how much these new fees will cost. She asked for ideas from residents before they set final amounts. The news sparked different feelings among people living there. Some agreed with the plan. Lea Healao said the problems facing the town come from many sources, not just the municipality. She pointed out health dangers and fire risks when twenty shacks crowd into one yard. She believes these situations put heavy pressure on city services.
Other residents feel attacked by the proposed fees. Nameya Lotto argued that many landowners depend on rent money from these shacks just to feed their families. Even people with jobs struggle to make ends meet. Lotto sees renting yard space as an honest way to earn income. She thinks it unfair for the municipality to charge extra just because they cannot manage town problems better.
Most fires start from candles left burning overnight or bad wiring jobs. Some house owners connect faulty electrical cables that power over twenty shacks at once. The fire department warns parents not to leave children alone, as kids playing with matches cause many blazes. Other fires begin when drunk shack dwellers try cooking late at night. Despite many safety lessons from local officials, these dangerous habits continue across the town.
Fire spreads quickly because Walvis Bay usually faces windy weather, and people build shacks right next to each other. Several people have died in these fires, leaving families with funeral costs on top of lost homes. Last June, a mother and daughter named Lineekela Ndeumyema and Linea Kombada died when fire swept through Kuisebmond. That same blaze destroyed six more shacks nearby. Back in August 2022, twenty families moved into tents after losing everything in another big fire. That disaster killed Ermelinda Dausas and her little boy Cristian, just two years old.
