The City of Windhoek says people living along the Havana four-way intersection must still relocate to Extensions 8 and 11 - even though servicing of Extension 11 only starts in September 2027.

This involves residents affected by the N$381-million Eneas Peter Nanyemba Road upgrade.

The 6.1km road project stretches from the B1 Western Bypass off the Matshitshi Street intersection, passing through the Havana four-way stop to Ongos Valley.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya says the municipality's land-servicing timetable does not mean affected residents can postpone their relocation.

"Yes, the residents at the Havana four-way are still expected to relocate," Amutenya says.

She says some are already living at Havana Extensions 8 and 11, where the municipality recently held a community engagement meeting on planned developments.

"It is important to clarify that people are living in these areas already, and that is where the meeting took place, and the land servicing schedule for Extension 11 does not postpone relocation," she says.

Her remarks follow a longstanding dispute between the municipality and residents who have resisted relocation, citing inadequate services, uncertainty over plot allocations, and concerns about leaving their current homes.

In August, The Namibian reported that the city had approached the High Court seeking an eviction order against about 50 households occupying land earmarked for a community market near the Havana four-way intersection.

The municipality says the relocation is necessary to clear space for traders operating within the road reserve and to allow remaining road construction to continue.

Some affected residents, however, say they will not move.

Havana resident Sakaria Johannes says he and his family have not agreed to relocate to Extension 11.

"We will not move, and no one agreed to move from this location to Extension 11," he says.

Johannes says the plots identified for his group have not been registered with the municipality in the same way as other plots where electricity infrastructure has already been installed.

According to him, the proposed relocation area [Extension 11] still has no toilets, taps or electricity poles.

Another resident, Sakaria Nambwele, says some residents are still uncertain about where they would be relocated to.

He says he has not been shown a plot allocated to him and says some households have been left without identified plots.

"The year has elapsed, so it's time for holiday; we can't afford for such" he says.

The latest tensions come as the municipality announced progress in formalising Havana Extensions 8 and 11.

During a community engagement on 17 October, the city informed residents that the informal settlements upgrading project would provide electricity, water, sewerage infrastructure and roads, while creating opportunities for secure land tenure and homeownership.

Land servicing at Extension 8 is expected to begin in March 2027 and be completed in 2028, while servicing at Extension 11 is scheduled to run from September 2027 to September 2028.

The city says housing development is expected to follow once the land has been serviced.

The project is being implemented in partnership with the National Housing Enterprise and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.

The municipality says residents will have the option of building their own houses or participating in an affordable housing programme.