Grootfontein to revoke 180 unpaid plots and properties

Terwyl desperate inwoners Grootfontein van Grootfontein oor die jare munisipale grond beset het en informele nedersettings soos &#039;Kap en Bou&#039; gevestig het, sit die plaaslike owerheid op byna 200 vakante plotte en plase wat tien jaar gelede geallokeer is, maar nog nie ten volle betaal of ontwikkel is nie. Hierdie volg die Grootfontein munisipaliteit se aankondiging dat hulle sal voortgaan met die proses om plotte wat nie betaal is nie terug te vat en dat planne om huurooreenkomste tot niet te verklaar met diegene wat verniet land beset goed op dreef is. In ’n onlangse verklaring aan die media, het die plaaslike owerheid sy standpunt ingeneem oor hoe dit van plan is om te werk te gaan rakende diegene wat plotte toegeken is, maar nie daarvoor betaal het nie en die raad se grond gratis beset. "Dit is die raad se voorneme om rekeninge te versoen vir grond wat geallokeer is, maar nie betaal is nie, volgens die verkoopsooreenkomste sowel as die huur van munisipale grond wat geen inkomste vir die raad inbring nie," lui die verklaring. Grootfontein se waarnemende uitvoerende hoofGrootfontein acting CEO, Indileni Lungameni yesterday told this reporter that the preliminary reconciliation of the land books show that there are 153 unpaid plots of which some date back as far 10 years ago.Lungameni further explained that around 29 properties consisting of portions of farmland that were leased out but the leases are not paying for them, open spaces awarded for trading, informal trading stalls and shops as well as halls that are being used yet are not generating income for council, which will be revoked.He said this 182 plots and properties figures is likely to increase as council is not yet done reconciling its books.“This is just those who did not pay for the land. The actual number of plots that are going to be revoked I cannot tell yet as there are still a lot that needs to be determined,”Lungameni said that the plots and properties will be re-advertised for potential new buyers.PlotrotMeanwhile Namibian Sun in 2021 reported on how a damning ministerial forensic report into the affairs of the municipality unearthed how the municipality was struggling to collect rent from tenants who rent townlands, with some paying monthly rent as little as N$820 for a 600-hectare farm.The farms - commonly referred to as camps - are situated in the country’s breadbasket known as the Maize Triangle.The Grootfontein council owns four farms measuring a combined 2 451 hectares, which it leases to third parties.The local authority also leases part of Townlands 754, which measures approximately 600 hectares.The lease agreements are valid for a year, with the option of renewal.It was further reported at the time that the audit - conducted by the urban and rural development ministry - unveiled how resources were misused for self-gratification by politicians and municipal staff.A source, who has seen the report, said the probe uncovered that there are council employees who are the direct beneficiaries of monies received from farms owned by the local authority which are leased to third parties.“Some of the staff at the local authority managed to lease these council farms to third parties and instead of the money being paid to the local authority, they actually keep these funds,” the source charged.The report also found that council staff have revoked land rights from people failing to pay and, without informing the defaulting client, employees would take this land.This, the source said, is why the local authority has been failing to deliver services to Grootfontein residents who, over the years, have seen their land being grabbed by outsiders and basic services like water and waste collection becoming massive challenges.However Namibian Sun has uncovered that the implementation of the report has resulted to former Grootfontein CEO, Kisco Sinvula’s relationship with those colleagues implicated in the report allegedly souring which part.When asked yesterday if the recommendations of the report will still be implemented, Lungameni said that the matter has been a topic of discussion lately at the council.“It is not done yet, it is still pending. It was just partially implement and then parked. The discussions around it has begun and the implementation will continue where it stopped,” he said. kenya@namibiansun.com

Grootfontein to revoke 180 unpaid plots and properties

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Republikein 2025-04-28

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Grootfontein to revoke 180 unpaid plots and properties

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