Windhoek CEO absence cripples service delivery

Landless People’s Movement (LPM) councillor for the Windhoek Rural constituency Piet Adams is not impressed with the service delivery levels of the City of Windhoek (CoW), saying it has left citizens destitute.The situation prompted him to issue a stern warning to the City to shape up or ship out during a community meeting held at Groot-Aub over the weekend.Adams said the municipality has failed to deliver land to the constituency residents and blamed the City for failing to provide basic sanitation and water services to Mix and Groot-Aub settlements, despite residents being part of the city.“I have moved a motion in the Regional Council in January, calling for interventions to address the plight of generational farm workers as well as the plight of evicted people from commercial farms who now live in road reserves. In the meantime, my office relocated evicted farmers from Tsatsaxas in the road reserve, towards Dordabis to Farm !Areb,” he said.City mayor Sade Gawanas said she does not disagree, and it is obvious that Adams is frustrated. She admitted that there is a real predicament, because of the lack of thorough consultations around the extension of boundaries and how it would impact Groot Aub and Mix settlements.“I cannot disagree that I feel the same way. I honestly feel that we could provide land for our residents, and especially those that are landless and in the corridors. It is disheartening and so discouraging to see people dying on the streets of the capital city,” the mayor said.“It is very painful to know that our people are begging and pleading, but I cannot deny the fact that challenges are there, either imaginary or realistic, but challenges are there and we need more authenticity in order to deal with the issues of landlessness within the City,” she said.Gawanas said the City is in need of a serious “administrative clean up” and desperately needs a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as well as a “working council”.“Just look at all the resolutions that have been taken - how many have been implemented, how many have delivered results? The City needs to wake up and realise the immense responsibility it carries, and so must central government, in order to assist with the growing demands of the informal settlements and residents, we must all shape up and work together. The time for blame games are over.”Act nowAdams stressed: “This matter is hampering our development, frankly speaking. My appeal to the municipality of Windhoek is to provide residents of the two settlements with decent basic services in the shortest time possible. It is about time that they pull up their socks or move out.”In the meantime, a think tank has been appointed, comprised of residents who will be in charge of development including youth and sport, job creation and education, crime prevention and addressing social ills as well as addressing the health provision challenges.“We are in the process to convert the Windhoek rural constituency office, to issue national documents to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), who has pledged to assist with the gadgets to enable us to provide the services needed. Our future plan is to have a one-stop-shop where we can access all government services,” he said.Adams also promised that for the remainder of his tenure as councillor, he will ensure the existing clinic at Groot-Aub is transformed into a 24-hour medical health centre.“Some of this will not be seen immediately, but we will make it possible in these three years. We have already started with the process. I recently met with visitors from Germany to discuss some matters. Things may not work out the way we envision but we will certainly have a permanent doctor and ambulance,” he said.jemima@namibiansun.com

Windhoek CEO absence cripples service delivery

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-17

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Windhoek CEO absence cripples service delivery

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-17

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