Africa-Press – Namibia. Katutura residents have called on the City of Windhoek to unconditionally write off debts owed by pensioners and residents under the municipality’s Build Together housing scheme.
The residents took to the streets yesterday morning to demonstrate against what they call a “debt trap” rather than a solution to housing challenges.
The group handed over a petition to the city council listing several long-standing grievances, including the failure to implement a 2023 council resolution to write off pensioner debts.
According to the spokesperson of Khomas ratepayers and residents, Shaun Gariseb, in November last year, the council passed Resolution 29/11/2023, which approved the cancellation of pensioners’ municipal debts on condition they applied for water and electricity meters.
However, the association says the city has failed to supply the necessary infrastructure to qualifying pensioners, leaving nearly 90% of them still trapped in debt.
“We warned that these conditions would render the debt relief ineffective. Pensioners who applied for meters in February this year are still waiting, while their debts continue to escalate. Some are being told to simply keep up with current bills, but skipping even one payment results in service suspension,” Gariseb said.
The association also called for urgent reform of the Build Together housing model, under which 43 community groups in Windhoek were established to build homes with the assistance of the municipality.
Gariseb said the model has become outdated and is burdening residents with unsustainable debts that hinder their ability to obtain title deeds.
“Most of the people have paid off the land a long time ago. But because of ballooning interest and poor coordination, they are stuck. These debts make it impossible for residents to apply for sectional titles from the township board,” he said.
The association is now lobbying for a one-off national solution, aligning with the government’s current N$700 million allocation toward formalising informal settlements.
“We demand that the City of Windhoek gives written commitment to help liberate the estimated 10 000 residents stuck in the Build Together model,” the petition reads.
The group also raised complaints about poor communication between the city’s electricity and debt management departments.
“There is no coordination between departments. People are paying large sums, only to be told later they owe fines imposed on them without proper communication,” Gariseb said. “This system is pushing ratepayers into deeper debt.”
The petition further proposed the establishment of a system that cross-checks outstanding penalties before large payments are accepted.
According to a human-rights activist Rosa Namises, Katutura residents have been subjected to “degrading” and “disrespectful” treatment by city officials and the Electricity Control Board (ECB).
The group claims they have written several letters to both the ECB and the City of Windhoek pleading for intervention over electricity disconnections, allegedly carried out without adequate communication or consideration for vulnerable residents.
The group also raised concerns over the city’s silence regarding its contract with RedForce Debt Management, which is set to expire at the end of the month.
“The city was supposed to tell us whether they are renewing or not. Why are they afraid?” she questioned.
City of Windhoek acting chief executive O’Brien Hekandjo received the petition on behalf of the City of Windhoek.
“I am asking that you please give me an opportunity. You have to take the petition, read it to me, then I can take it to my people, and then we can come back to you. I just came here, because I don’t want to come here without meeting anyone,” he said.
“Although, unfortunately, I have no answers. But I want to hear from you,” Hekandjo said.
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