Council Meeting Update - 08 April 2026 | Walvis Bay
Updated: May 13
Disclaimer: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of our analysis, all information contained in this article is provided without warranty and it remains every person's responsibility to fact-check details. This is especially the case if the OCM Minutes have not yet been published.
This Ordinary Council Meeting covered a large number of land matters, some administrative items, one consent use and the Opuwo Trade Fair. There was also a proposal by Development Workshop Namibia (DWN) for joint affordable land servicing.
Notable was an item concerned with the decongestion and relocation of illegal occupants. Remember that most issues first pass through the Management Committee (MC), who then provides a report and recommendations at the next Council meeting.
Walvis Bay Council Video Update
Decisions That Matter Most
At a Glance
Moving Ahead: | Some effort is being made at decongesting Kuisebmond and Narraville by temporarily relocating illegal occupants to a part of Farm 37. |
Delayed: | We submitted questions regarding the roads and landfill, which have been deferred to the next Council meeting. |
Needs Follow-Up: | Our above-mentioned questions, as well as compliance with the disputed consent use. |
Administrative Issues
Internal Committees & External Institutions 2026-2030
Management Committee (MC) recommended to reduce the number of Councillors on the Suburb and Street Naming Committee from 5 to 2, leaving more space for residents from the different neighbourhoods. In addition to the Suburb and Street Naming Committee, the following were filled:
Local Authority Development Committee
Walvis Bay Environmental Management Advisory Forum (WEMAF)
Community Safety and Security Liaison Committee
Audit Committee
4 seats on the Board of Directors for the Waterfront Development Company (Pty) Ltd (in individual capacities)
Erongo RED Consumer Liaison Committee
Interesting to note is that the seat on the Audit Committee is temporary until the Internal Auditor is appointed; at which time the Audit Policy and committee composition is to be reviewed.
Department Shuffle
It was recommended that the "Department of Human Resources, Corporate Services and Public Relations" be renamed to "Human Resources, Corporate and Communication Services". Atrocious grammar on that aside, we hope they have some budget to remake their signs and business cards.
Additionally, the Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) functions are to be transferred from HR to Finance. It is unclear which functions this entails.
Association for Local Authorities in Namibian (ALAN) Congress
Council is set to co-host the ALAN Congress in May, provided that the Association accepts the limited facilities at the Narraville Community Hall.
Land Matters
New Location for Ministry of Home Affairs
With 16 items for leases, land sale, rezoning and other town plan issues, we took note of the proposed land swap with government, which will see Erf 9524 in Kuisebmond (next to the fire brigade towards Namport) handed over to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Ocean Keys Development
There may also be some movement in the Ocean Keys Development in Long Beach. This development started in 2012 and lay dormant for years. In 2023, Council resolved to sell a portion of the land next to it (on which the VIP Chalets stand) to the developer. This Council meeting now saw the name of the purchaser changed, and the sale (and development) should go ahead once the consumer account has been settled.
Disputed AirBnB in Long Beach
Besides all of the rezoning, leases and purchases being approved, consent was also granted to a previously disputed AirBnB in Long Beach - this under stringent conditions.
Relocation of Illegal Settlers
The Council plans to move a number of squatters to Farm 37 - from NHE land, the Build Together Program and backyard shacks in Kuisebmond and Narraville. This temporary relocation is planned to result in the demolition of the illegal shacks but aims to give the illegal occupants a chance to get back on their feet.
Budget-Related Items
NALASRA Games: 2026 Grootfontein
95 municipal employees will participate in the 2026 Namibia Local Authority Sports and Recreation Association Games in Grootfontein from 25-29 May 2026. To make this N$545,000.00 trip possible, some funds have to be defrayed from underutilised budget items.
Opuwo Gala Dinner
The MC recommended that a table at the gala dinner be purchased with some of the available funds from the donations budget, and three Councillors attend the dinner and trade fair.
Below is a short breakdown of what these decisions mean for Walvis Bay residents.
What This Means for Residents
There is a consistently high number of land leases, purchases and rezoning applications, which shows that development is happening - despite all the difficulties. More development should mean more business, which also means more people. It's important that residents keep Council on their toes and focused on providing the necessary infrastructure.
While it's a small drop, the attempt to relocate illegal squatters (not to be mixed up with shack dwellers who are waiting for their allocated land!) and insistence on following building regulations in future (at least on paper) is a start.
The large-scale issues of the roads, sewerage and landfill seem to be progressing behind the scenes, although they most certainly hampered by government delays and years of mismanagement in the Municipality.
Our Councillor's View
"It's quite something to be dropped into," says Councillor Roodt. "We feel like all we're doing is putting out (metaphorical) fires." With just over four months on the job, she is still confident that this Council can turn things around.
But there seems to be a rapid decline in the situation, almost like our town is now at a tipping point. It's important that residents support the JWBRA in their efforts to hold the Municipality accountable, and that they stay properly informed. At least the Municipality now has a lot of the Council Minutes and Agendas from past years available on their website!
Official Documents
Find the agenda and minutes (when available) for Walvis Bay's Council Meeting of 8 April 2026 below.
What Happens Next?
The budget is likely to be discussed at the next Management Committee Meeting, as it's due to be submitted in May. These aren't open to the public, but we should hear back at the next Council Meeting.
We at the JWBRA are going to make sure our submitted questions are answered then as well, and hopefully there will be more information on the landfill and roads issues.
Next Walvis Bay Council Meeting On: 28 April 2026
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