Residents of Swakopmund, especially the lower-income groups, were invited to a Build Together applicants’ meeting outside Tamariskia Hall on Sunday  8 July by Swapo’s councilors Nehemia Salomo and Anthony Bessinger.

The meeting was packed with interested residents and aimed to familiarise the locals with the application process and procedures of the Swakopmund Town Council. Many people had applied for houses in the past, but to date no positive outcome could alleviate the plight of the concerned groups.

The concerned groups were mostly those who applied for housing between 2004 and 2011. Salomo told the assembled residents to be patient as Council is working hard to make sure that service-delivery reaches all people. He explained that early last year they issued information regarding their strategic plan; Council considered it, pointing out that as councilors they did not relax in their offices, but worked hard. “I also heard of people saying that some councilors or officials are giving preference to their friends or relatives as beneficiaries, but that was not the case, so to solve this problem we got people from Windhoek to do the job so that such allegations do not occur.”

Salomo also strongly advised beneficiaries of the Build-Together scheme to adhere to rules and condition set by the stakeholders, once the  new houses are completed and handed over to their rightful owners. “You will pay back that money! Don’t wait for the Council to come and look for you, please.”

Bessinger talked to and about those who are entitled to benefit from the project, explaining that it caters specifically for those earning less than N$3 000 per month; he also cautioned committee members sitting on the Build-Together project to be transparent and fair when selecting eligible residents.

“Please don’t chase people away when they come to you for help. We need to follow the law… It is basically for people earning lower incomes. Look, why must someone earning N$6 000 per month be a beneficiary? It won’t be good, because these are people who can even bid for erven worth N$200 000 dollars,” said Bessinger.

Just before the two councilors concluded their statements some residents stood up and left the meeting, saying that the two councilors did not respond to their questions, such as when the houses will be built and how much the installments will be.

The Build-Together project involves a group of people who come together to raise funds to build homes for the needy, especially low-income earners, with government contributing a portion of funds to the building.