Oshakati Town Council is at loggerheads with a resident of Ekuku village, Justina Thomas Tshoopara, after the local authority allocated a portion of her land to individual business people without her consent.

The long-drawn out battle for the land started in 2007 when a certain “Cascades” Negumbo, a well-known businessman in Oshana and Omusati regions, put up a warehouse on the land of Tshoopara. He was followed by a certain Shiyagaya, said to be the owner of the Forever Electrical and Construction Company located at ERF 1383.
“The Municipality just bulldozed their way through my land without talking to me. After intruders were already settled on my land, officials from the municipality, among them Pius Shikongo, a certain Steenkamp, the building inspector and Heimo Namweya used to visit me at my workplace in order to induce me into signing their document. The so-called property registration form in which some of my personal details are entered, has only my first name, no surname, no postal address and no identification number. Besides, they have made their calculations for payment in that document. I don’t know on which basis it was determined, because they never consulted me to show them the boundaries of my land and other properties on it,” Tshoopara tells.
She said the officials have been forcing her to sign the document, allegedly as acceptance of the total compensation of N$172 790 which she flatly rejected. According to Tshoopara (48), she wants the local authority to pay for the entire land currently allocated to the strangers and leave the rest of it to her and her children.
Ekuku Headman, Leevi Shipepe, said he is aware that the land previously belonged to the late Thomas Tshoopara , the father of Justina, but he has no idea  about the dispute between  her and the local authority. He said the municipality started occupying that land before he became headman, hence the matter is completely out of his hands.
Oshakati Town Council spokesperson, Jackson Muma, declined to comment on the issue, but advised Tshoopara to visit his office in order to sort out any outstanding issue on the matter.