The People Can Wait No Longer
Windhoek faces a severe housing crisis with a backlog of 60,000 units and a rapidly growing population living in informal settlements. The article calls on the government to prioritize infrastructure and land servicing to meet the needs of citizens rather than just announcing policies.
Why it matters
It highlights the disconnect between government promises and the lived reality of urban poverty in Namibia, emphasizing the urgent need for effective public policy.
Every election, we are told the government is for the people. But for thousands of families in Windhoek, that promise feels distant.
Consider the numbers. The City of Windhoek has a housing backlog of 60 000 units. To close it, the city says it needs N$1 billion per year over the next four years. This year it received less than a third of that: N$290 million. City officials have already warned that the 2030 target may not be achieved at this pace.
Now consider the people behind the numbers. Windhoek has 150 informal settlements out of 419 countrywide. That’s 213 000 people living in over 67 000 households, without secure tenure or proper services. Nationally, urban migration is driving this pressure.
Windhoek’s population has grown from 325 858 in 2011 to an estimated 519 670 in 2025, and many arrive seeking opportunity but find unemployment instead.
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