Rundu AR councillor blames previous councils for Ngwangwa water crisis

Rundu town councillor and Affirmative Repositioning (AR) member Patrick Kafuna has accused previous town councils of neglecting residents of Ngwangwa.

His comments come after public outrage over a video showing the community relying on a contaminated pond for drinking water.

Produced by Namibian Sun, the video circulated widely on social media this month, exposing the challenging reality of around 400 people who depend on the unsafe water source every day.

Kafuna, the youngest councillor ever to serve on the Rundu Town Council, visited Ngwangwa on Thursday and expressed deep concern over what he described as long-standing neglect.

“This is not a location outside town. This place is part of Rundu,” Kafuna said, standing near the pond. “For me as a councillor, I really felt bad when I saw the video of residents struggling with water here.”

During his visit, Kafuna met with community members to hear first-hand about their grievances.

He directly blamed previous councils for failing to provide basic services, describing the neglect as both systemic and long-term.

“I have observed that the previous councils that have been there failed our people,” Kafuna said. “Even growing up, I have seen them doing a lot of things that did not make us happy.”

He pledged to take residents’ concerns to the town council and warned he would publicly expose any resistance within the council to addressing the crisis.

“I will table every single problem that I get from the community. If it is not supported by my fellow councillors, I will call a press conference and inform the people that I tried, but their concerns were not taken into consideration,” he said.

Kafuna also emphasised the importance of public accountability and community mobilisation, noting that these strategies could compel decision-makers to act.

“As a youth, I will make sure that every person is represented,” he vowed.

Tired of waiting

Residents described the pond water as hazardous to health, highlighting both the physical and political challenges of the crisis. Matunga Festus, a village development committee member, explained the dangers and ongoing neglect:

“The whole area in Ngwangwa depends on this pond water. We have been complaining for years, but nothing has been done," he said.

He underlined that the water is not only dirty but also inundated with insects and other creatures, noting that it leads to health problems such as diarrhoea and other illnesses.

"On top of that, sewage from a nearby housing development flows directly into this pond, yet we have no choice but to drink from it."

He added: "Ngwangwa is in town, but we are left with this water, while some rural communities have clean water. Our aim is for this issue to reach the president so that action can finally be taken. We are tired of waiting.”

Festus also expressed frustration over repeated political promises that have gone unfulfilled.

He highlighted that councillors frequently campaign in Ngwangwa during elections, promising solutions, but once elected, fail to follow through.

While some rural areas reportedly have access to clean water, urban residents in Ngwangwa remain forced to rely on contaminated sources, raising serious concerns over equity, accountability and public health.