City of Windhoek budget

The City of Windhoek’s N$4.9 billion budget for the coming financial year must cater for the needs of the poorest segments in the capital, mainly the mushrooming informal settlements.

While the struggle to provide affordable land and housing continues to move at snail’s pace, we should not forget the pressing needs such as proper sanitation, water provision and access to basic municipal services.

All these are essential to ensure that every resident in the capital lives a dignified life.

Informal settlements continue to be neglected, a situation which has provided fertile ground for many societal ills to thrive. We cannot allow a situation where abject poverty and escalating crime rates are the order of the day.

It is worrying to see that only N$104 million is budgeted to upgrade informal settlements where more than 300 000 people are squeezed in shacks like pilchards in a can.

The City Police must conduct more strenuous patrols in those areas where crime thrives, we cannot have municipal police that is better known for traffic fines instead of fighting crime.

City bosses must also devise economic schemes to help support informal traders and ensure that they have formalised platforms to trade from.

There has been an increase in the number of people hogging traffic lights begging motorists for money, this is certainly an indicator that the poverty levels in Windhoek are on the rise, we must curb it before it spirals out of control.