Windhoek addresses petition over pensioner debt, housing and billing

The City of Windhoek has officially responded to a strongly worded petition handed over by the Khomas Ratepayers and Residents Association at the end of July, in which residents demanded urgent intervention in ongoing service delivery failures, pensioner debt and stalled housing schemes.The petition, signed by hundreds of Windhoek residents, including informal settlement dwellers from Remote Control, gave the City 48 hours to respond or face community-led action, including the relocation of displaced residents still waiting for permanent housing.In a statement issued by the Office of the Chief Executive Officer, the City last week confirmed receipt of the petition and assured residents that their concerns are being reviewed with urgency.“We appreciate the feedback received through the petition and assure all residents that their concerns are being taken seriously. Our shared goal is to foster inclusive urban development and efficient service delivery," the statement read.No blanket write-offA key demand was the unconditional cancellation of pensioners’ municipal debts. However, the municipality said this is not financially viable.“While targeted debt relief measures have been implemented in the past, many pensioners continue to fall back into arrears,” the response noted.“This cycle is unsustainable and affects our ability to pay bulk service providers like NamPower and NamWater.”Instead, pensioners were encouraged to switch to prepaid meters to better manage consumption and avoid future debt.The City also confirmed it is reviewing cases involving Built Together housing schemes, where shared accounts and unclear ownership complicate billing.Housing headachesThe municipality addressed complaints around the Built Together and Savings Group housing models, particularly delays in granting individual land ownership.It acknowledged that many groups informally subdivided land acquired under group loans, complicating legal transfers.Affected residents are encouraged to apply for ownership through either the Flexible Land Tenure System or by seeking ministerial exemption for non-compliant plots.“Only once a group loan is fully repaid and the group formally dissolved can land be transferred from the City to the group and then to individuals,” the statement clarified.It also reiterated that the Built Together programme has been phased out and replaced by the Informal Settlement Upgrading Programme, which does not offer loans but aims to make land and services more accessible.Relocation progress at Farm 508The City confirmed that more than 300 households have been relocated to Farm 508, following displacement from flood-prone areas like 8ste Laan and Otjomuise. Basic services – water, sanitation and roads – have been provided, with electricity and lighting projects awaiting funding.Land has been allocated for a school, police station and clinic at Farm 508, but implementation will depend on other government ministries.The municipality acknowledged that prepaid token shops are not yet operational in the area but said tokens can be purchased at nearby cash halls.Residents struggling with overcrowding on 200 m² plots are encouraged to approach the City for possible relocation to available land.Demands for billing reformAnother key demand was better coordination between the electricity and debt management departments to prevent disconnections of customers with legacy debt, especially vulnerable groups.The statement confirmed that internal discussions are underway to explore viable solutions but issued a warning against illegal connections and meter tampering, calling it “a criminal offence that will be prosecuted".

Windhoek addresses petition over pensioner debt, housing and billing

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-09-29

Please login to leave a comment

Windhoek addresses petition over pensioner debt, housing and billing

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-09-29

Please login to leave a comment

Login