Katutura residents give 48-hour ultimatum to City
The Katutura Residents Committee (KRC) staged another peaceful protest against the City of Windhoek yesterday morning, voicing their grievances over the city's utility management and billing practices.The demonstrators presented three demands with strict ultimatums, emphasising the need for immediate action from municipal authorities.
The residents’ demands include the unblocking of electricity meters within 48 hours, a comprehensive audit of the City's billing system, the abolition of the 1992 Build Together programme and the provision of title deeds for rental erven in 7de and 8ste Laan.
Shaun Gariseb, spokesperson for the KRC, said: “We are giving you 48 hours to stop this illegal practice and unblock all blocked meters. Failure to do so will lead to ratepayers bypassing all blocked meters with the help of unemployed electricians. Even registered electricians will be encouraged to work undercover with residents. No resident shall be penalised for standing up to an illegal practice by the City of Windhoek. If any punitive actions are taken, we will mobilise legal action against such penalisation collectively.”
'Inhumane' treatment
Despite the City’s call for pensioners to participate in a debt write-off programme, numerous issues have arisen, particularly for those part of the Build Together groups.
Maria Ferris, a 63-year-old resident, said yesterday: “I have been without water and electricity for six years, saving and contributing to a Build Together group. My friend, who is 80 years old and on her deathbed, was instructed to pay N$8 555 by the City of Windhoek. She must pay N$3 000 first for her debt write-off to be considered. This is inhumane. Her pension is not even half of that, and she cannot have her debt written off because of a title deed they refuse to give us."
Lack of title deeds
Rieta Shipanga, a 41-year-old resident of 7de Laan, said she has spent 25 years attempting to secure a title deed to develop her home.
Documents show that Shipanga has written to the municipality, the ministry of urban and rural development and the Office of the Prime Minister, but no action has been taken.
“People renting on these erven cannot transfer them to their children or relatives, yet they must continue paying. Year in, year out, we complain about this matter, yet no one is held accountable. Now they want us to vote? What are we voting for?” Shipanga questioned.
She said the lack of title deeds continues to compound their living situation as 50 households are subjected to using one constructed lavatory. "Almost ten people stay in one house, and fifty households use one toilet in 7de and 8ste Laan. It is very unsanitary, and we aren't allowed to build toilets because we don't own the land."
Large sums
The City of Windhoek’s CEO Moses Matyayi said last week that of the N$1.2 billion owed by residents, N$200 million was written off in the previous financial year, while N$500 million has been declared irrecoverable.
Matyayi informally addressed issues regarding the billing system at a sensitisation meeting late last week, describing it as just another operational issue.
“What do you do when they make a mistake at the store? You just return it. These are operational issues that occur in any business,” he said.
Residents also plan to file criminal cases against key municipal officials.
The intention is to file individual criminal cases against the heads of the debt management, finance, ICT departments and the acting CEO from 2022 to 2023.
The officials are accused of allowing a defective billing system to escalate charges unduly and refusing to cooperate with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Competition Commission.
Audit underway
City of Windhoek spokesperson Harold Akwenye said: "Given the complexity and importance of the issues raised by the Katutura Residents Committee, the City of Windhoek is committed to a thorough and objective examination of the concerns."
Akwenye said immediate steps to be taken include assembling a task force of experts to assess the issues related to blocked electricity meters and engaging in transparent communication with the community and the KRC.
He said while an immediate resolution within 48 hours may not be feasible, the city prioritises ongoing engagement and updates.
He also confirmed the initiation of an independent audit.
"We have engaged an independent and reputable auditing firm to conduct a comprehensive review of the billing system."