Job extends olive branch to traffic offenders

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

Windhoek mayor Dr Job Amupanda yesterday announced that first-time traffic offenders will be granted an option to perform six hours of community service in the city instead of paying a fine.

Amupanda said in his inaugural mayoral address that this initiative was a means to respond to the overcrowded police holding cells in Windhoek. “Through the [Windhoek] City Police thousands of traffic fines which culminate in warrants of arrest are issued to residents. Taxi drivers are the hardest hit by these traffic fines. “The City has invested very little in taxi ranks and we know some of these fines are because people have parked in areas they are not allowed to,” he said.





He added that a traffic strike system may be introduced by the City Police, which allows for offenders not to be punished for the first offence.



Relief for elderly

He also announced that the municipality will reconnect the water and electricity services of the elderly and has put in measures to guard against abuse of this provision.

“This relief measure is not applicable to the economically able elderly, such as an elderly minister. It is not applicable to senior citizens who do not reside in the city. To this end, effective and efficient mechanisms will be implemented to make sure this measure is not abused or captured for opportunism,” he said.

He added that the City will set up a sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) task force which will work towards a responsive blueprint.

According to Amupanda, the City will immediately assess all unnecessary tenders, to remove the middleman and build internal capacity to deliver the services itself.

One such tender he has in sight is for outsourcing the washing of municipal buses while the City has 600 cleaners on contract.



Squatters

Amupanda, who has been the biggest critic of the demolition of illegal shacks, said the City was working on a procedure that will deal with the removal of illegal structures.

According to him, this should be done in a humane manner and only after all avenues have been exhausted in constant engagement with the affected settlers.

“Our residents in informal settlements live in fear of their homes being demolished. Notwithstanding the Squatter's Proclamation, which is an apartheid proclamation used to remove people's homes. The City police have been brutal and notorious for its treatment of affected persons, some of whom have likened it to the brutality experienced under the previous Apartheid regime. The policy direction is that this dehumanising and degrading conduct should stop,” he said.



Housing

Amupanda added that he has engaged the City's legal advisors on the Housing Fund and Scheme provided for by law.

“The City is authorised to establish housing schemes and a Housing Fund which will enable the City to construct housing and offer housing bonds to residents to make sure they are not left to the mercy of banks,” he said.

The City also plans to actively play a supervisory role in all housing development projects in Windhoek, to make sure these programmes are expedited and realised in time.

The City is also mulling the introduction of short-term housing for migrant workers and students who will leave the City after a few years.

The City will also rescind its earlier decision to grant land for the construction of houses for police officers and other uniformed forces.

“The City will take direct responsibility to build houses for the police, soldiers and members of the correctional service,” he said.

In an effort to bring about transparency, the city council meetings will be livestreamed, Amupanda promised.

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