Africa-Press – Namibia. Walvis Bay council management committee has recommended the creation of several new positions to be included in the proposed 2025/2026 budget.
The estimated cost for the new positions is N$15 million.
However, the positions will be gradually filled.
The recommendation was tabled by the chairperson of the management committee, councillor Richard Hoaeb, during a special council meeting to table the budget this week.
The proposed staffing plan reveals that at least 23 new positions are expected to be created across several municipal divisions. These include roles in procurement, information and communication technology (ICT), fleet management, building inspection and electrical services.
The procurement division alone is set to receive two procurement officers focused on contracts and administration, along with an assistant procurement officer.
Together, these posts will cost the council an estimated N$3.3 million annually.
In the ICT division, the municipality intends to hire a senior IT technician and two assistant IT technicians at a projected yearly cost of N$2.7 million.
In addition, the council plans to boost its division with a fleet manager or superintendent as well as three mechanics, costing roughly N$3.6 million per year.
The building inspection division is expected to employ two building inspectors, one clerk for building plans, and one administration clerk, which will amount to around N$3.1 million annually.
Meanwhile, the electrical division has been allocated two electrical artisans, two assistant artisans or factotums and one labourer, with an estimated cost of N$2.1 million per year.
Hoaeb said the positions were identified as critical for improving municipal operations and service delivery.
“We are facing serious pressure in key departments. The creation of these positions is long-overdue. If we want to deliver services effectively and professionally, we must invest in the right skills,” he said.
Hoaeb noted that the positions will be filled in phases – not at once.
“This is after the job descriptions of the positions are finalised and submitted for grading. The final cost will be submitted to the management committee for consideration and final approval,” he said.
Salaries
Meanwhile, councillor Ronald Bramwell from the Joint Walvis Bay Residents’ Association questioned the remuneration of staff amid poor service delivery.
Walvis Bay ratepayers raised serious concerns over the municipality’s increasing staff remuneration, despite ongoing challenges with basic service delivery.
Speaking on behalf of the association, Bramwell pointed out that employee-related costs are set to increase from N$306.3 million in 2025 to N$365.1 million in 2026.
The budget includes N$13.5 million allocated for 13th cheque bonuses.
“That’s a 19% increase. The question must be asked, are these bonuses performance-based, or are they automatically awarded, regardless of output? In the current state of affairs, where municipal services are falling short and the town is visibly struggling, performance bonuses should be justified by measurable improvement, not issued as a default entitlement,” he stated.
Bramwell said staff remuneration, when judged against service delivery, leaves much to be desired.
There is a clear disconnect between what residents are paying for and the services they receive, he said.
He criticised the fact that the remuneration budget has consistently been 100% spent, even in the absence of a performance management system.
“For over 30 years, there has been no system in place to measure efficiency, yet the cost-of-service delivery keeps climbing,” he stated.
He added that vacancies are often used as a tool to make the budget appear feasible, without addressing the underlying inefficiencies.
“It’s time to appoint an internal auditor. We’ve been operating without one for over 20 years. It reflects poorly on the financial department,” Bramwell stated.
He stressed that remuneration should not be embedded within the budget, but rather guided by performance and departmental accountability.
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