Council Advisory Committee Assesses Land and Water Challenges in Groot-Aub. The Council Advisory Committee on the Formalization of Informal Settlements and Integration of Groot-Aub conducted a familiarization visit yesterday to evaluate critical issues affecting the community, including water supply shortages, land-grabbing incidents, and illegal land fencing.
The visit was prompted by a briefing held two weeks ago between the Committee Chairperson, Councillor Ivan Skrywer, and technical staff from various municipal departments. Reports from City Police and municipal teams highlighted growing concerns over unauthorized land occupation and infrastructure challenges, leading to this on-site assessment.
Councillor Skrywer emphasized the importance of firsthand evaluation to understand the severity of the issues. “The purpose of this visit was to conduct an on-site inspection and gain first-hand insight into the prevailing challenges,” he stated.
A major concern discussed was the water shortage in Groot-Aub. The City recently increased water supply from 50 to 70 cubic meters per day to meet the growing demand. However, unauthorized water connections—primarily linked to large-scale farming and gardening activities—have significantly reduced availability for residential use, exacerbating the problem.
Additionally, disputes over land ownership persist, with multiple parties claiming rights to the land. Strategic Executive for Housing, Property Management & Human Settlement, Faniel Maanda, clarified that only 23 registered title deeds exist for Groot-Aub, underscoring the need for proper land management.
Other Advisory Committee members present during the visit included Councillors Magdalena Lombardt, Dr. Ottilie Uukule, Austin Kwenani, and Sade Gawanas. Their observations and findings will contribute to the Committee’s forthcoming recommendations on addressing these pressing concerns in Groot-Aub.