Interview: Windhoek’s Harsh Reality: Gariseb Demands City Action

Social justice activist Shaun Gariseb has raised serious alarm about the dire conditions faced by residents in Windhoek’s informal settlements. Speaking exclusively ahead of a planned demonstration on 28 July in the city, Gariseb described the current situation as a crisis demanding immediate action from the city authorities.

“Those are not conditions people are supposed to live in,” Gariseb said, reflecting on the overcrowding and poor infrastructure. He highlighted that some households are squeezed two per 200 square meters, making proper formalization and ownership impossible. The cramped, unplanned layouts, he warns, echo mistakes made over 30 years ago when informal settlements were first allowed to take root.

The activist expressed grave concern for the safety and wellbeing of the many children living there, emphasizing that emergency services struggle to reach the area due to poor roads and lack of telephone reception. “If something had to happen to those children, it’s a health hazard,” he said.

Gariseb was particularly critical of the city’s short-term response following recent floods. “People rushed to take pictures and hand out blankets and food,” he said, but cautioned that these gestures do little to solve the deeper issues. “The people feel like they are dumped,” he explained. “It’s like a concentration camp — no jobs, no services, no taxis, no reception.”

Further aggravating the residents’ plight is the threat of forced relocation by the City of Windhoek, which Gariseb says is done without meaningful engagement or consultation. The people want to return to their original areas or be moved closer to available services.

Gariseb vowed that during the 28 July protest, the community will make its voice heard loud and clear: the city must address their demands or face organized action to reclaim their right to live in decent conditions near vital services. “If the city does not listen, we will mobilize these people to move back to where they were,” he warned.

The demonstration is set to spotlight the urgent need for sustainable solutions to Windhoek’s informal settlement crisis

The post Interview: Windhoek’s Harsh Reality: Gariseb Demands City Action first appeared on Future Media News.

The post Interview: Windhoek’s Harsh Reality: Gariseb Demands City Action appeared first on Future Media News.