Windhoek City officials outline urban development and market plans to Parliament - nbc скачать в хорошем качестве

Windhoek City officials outline urban development and market plans to Parliament - nbc

Administrators of the City of Windhoek briefed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economy, Industry, Public Administration and Planning on urban development, infrastructure, and market plans. Committee Chairperson Iipumbu Shiimi explained that the committee is keen to support initiatives that foster sustainable growth and improve the quality of life for residents.  "There are several overlapping issues, and we may need to consider merging these two committees to address them effectively. Urban housing and urban infrastructure development are some of the issues that are coming up here, and they also fall under the mandate of the other committees. But because we are also responsible for planning, it overlaps with the mandate of our committee. So, I think that is a specific conversation that we need to have." The city currently operates 18 formal markets and 24 undeveloped markets, accommodating about 3,000 traders, benefiting an estimated 40,000 households.  The number of unofficial traders is not confirmed, but the city estimates them to be around 7,000.  Officials said the city plans to focus on infrastructure development, provision of land, capacity building, and financing to support traders and attract investors. A steady flow of serviced land is needed to facilitate investment. Zoo Park in the Central Business District is among the priority areas identified for renovation, and the city intends to submit a plan to the council soon.  Administrators also recommended opening Parliament Gardens to the public to attract tourism. Windhoek's population stands at 486,000, with 224,000 people living in informal settlements, representing 46% of the population. Moses Maryai, the City CEO, clarified that their role as a local authority entails governing within a specific jurisdiction. "We then receive an authority, a council, which is responsible for making decisions. Within that authority, we are then given laws and regulations that need to be complied with, and we become a de facto regulator. For you to do business, for example, and you want to open a butchery, we must first come and see whether that place is actually suitable for a butchery. We must inspect whether the fittings in the butchery are appropriate for that specific business, and we must then determine if you are qualified to operate the butchery to protect the health of our community." The City estimates that providing housing and municipal services for 55,000 households will cost about N$27 billion, with N$17 billion earmarked for municipal services and N$10 billion for constructing 25,000 houses. City officials described the Havana four-way intersection as a challenge for traffic flow.  They said the issue could be resolved after constructing a market for informal traders and completing road works. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp