Only N$30m available for City’s N$324m pothole nightmare
The City of Windhoek has clarified that the widely cited N$324 million needed for pothole repairs is a projected cost to fully restore rain-damaged roads - not money currently available for use. To date, only N$30 million has been committed to road repairs.
Months after the rehabilitation programme was announced, many of the capital’s streets remain riddled with potholes, posing risks of vehicle damage and accidents.
City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya said the N$324 million figure reflects the estimated extent of damage. “The N$324 million referred to in May was the projected cost of road infrastructure damage assessed after the rainy season, not the amount of funds currently available to the City. This figure represents what the City requires to comprehensively rehabilitate damaged road infrastructure across Windhoek,” she explained.
Thus far, two contractors have been engaged at a combined value of N$15 million, with their contracts recently extended for another three months at the same cost. Work under the renewed agreement began two weeks ago.
Amutenya noted that while repairs have taken place across all suburbs since May, many roads remain in poor condition. In the CBD, Kasch, Schuster, Wecke, Posts, Vogel Sangs, Kelvin and Marconi streets have been attended to. Hochland Park saw work on Sandpiper, Oriole, Kasteel, Quail, Raben and Albatross, while in Eros, Toermalyn, Atlas, Etjo, Outeniqua, Robert Mugabe, Sinclair, Schanzen and Gusinde streets were rehabilitated. Other suburbs, including Auasblick, Dorado Valley, Klein Kuppe and parts of the Eastern Suburbs, have also received attention.
She added that high-traffic and hazardous routes remain the top priority. “The City remains committed to completing the remaining repairs within the available funding and continues to mobilise additional resources to fully address the estimated N$324 million backlog,” Amutenya said.
Residents are encouraged to report potholes through official channels to help the City plan and prioritise repairs more effectively.
Months after the rehabilitation programme was announced, many of the capital’s streets remain riddled with potholes, posing risks of vehicle damage and accidents.
City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya said the N$324 million figure reflects the estimated extent of damage. “The N$324 million referred to in May was the projected cost of road infrastructure damage assessed after the rainy season, not the amount of funds currently available to the City. This figure represents what the City requires to comprehensively rehabilitate damaged road infrastructure across Windhoek,” she explained.
Thus far, two contractors have been engaged at a combined value of N$15 million, with their contracts recently extended for another three months at the same cost. Work under the renewed agreement began two weeks ago.
Amutenya noted that while repairs have taken place across all suburbs since May, many roads remain in poor condition. In the CBD, Kasch, Schuster, Wecke, Posts, Vogel Sangs, Kelvin and Marconi streets have been attended to. Hochland Park saw work on Sandpiper, Oriole, Kasteel, Quail, Raben and Albatross, while in Eros, Toermalyn, Atlas, Etjo, Outeniqua, Robert Mugabe, Sinclair, Schanzen and Gusinde streets were rehabilitated. Other suburbs, including Auasblick, Dorado Valley, Klein Kuppe and parts of the Eastern Suburbs, have also received attention.
She added that high-traffic and hazardous routes remain the top priority. “The City remains committed to completing the remaining repairs within the available funding and continues to mobilise additional resources to fully address the estimated N$324 million backlog,” Amutenya said.
Residents are encouraged to report potholes through official channels to help the City plan and prioritise repairs more effectively.
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