Last warning for illegal car washes
Last warning for illegal car washes

Last warning for illegal car washes

The Windhoek municipality has issued a final warning to illegal car washes operating in public spaces, as well as those who enable them.
Jana-Mari Smith
JANA-MARI SMITH



A police sweep targeting illegal car-wash operations in public spaces will start in Windhoek next Tuesday.

The City of Windhoek has warned illegal car washes to close down now rather than risk a forced shutdown, stiff fines and equipment seizures.

A spokesperson yesterday confirmed that an estimated 300 illegal car wash businesses operate in Windhoek, and only about 20 legal operations exist.

In a public notice issued yesterday, the City of Windhoek announced a zero-tolerance policy towards all illegal car-wash operations and unregistered fleet washing facilities. It will be enforced as from next week.

A City of Windhoek spokesperson said the municipality hoped that the five-day notice would motivate illegal car-wash operators to close shop before the City Police sweep begins.

The zero-tolerance campaign will be executed in two stages.

The first step targets businesses operating illegally from open public spaces, many with the help of nearby property owners who supply water and electricity.

In addition to the immediate closure of these operations, the City Police will issue fines of up to N$1 000 and confiscate equipment.

Property owners who supply water and electricity to car-wash operators will be fined too.

The water and electricity supply to such properties will be suspended immediately. The owners will have to pay reconnection fees and fines of more than N$2 000.

The municipality warned that all business owners must ensure they operate on private property and not on public land - a misunderstanding that has reportedly landed several owners in hot water.

Dieter Tolke, a technician in the municipality’s department for water demand management, explained that the zero-policy drive against illegal car-wash operations was based on various factors.

These included the costly damage caused to infrastructure by uncontrolled and inefficient water run-off systems, the impact of these businesses on surrounding communities, the legitimate concerns of legal car-wash operators and water demand management in the city.

“The goal of the City of Windhoek is to uplift the quality of life within all areas of the city,” he said.

The social aspects of illegal operations were a primary concern, he said. Pedestrians were inconvenienced by the mushrooming of car-wash operations on pavements, while blocked and damaged sewers and storm-water drains posed significant health risks.

The high cost of street and pavement repairs was carried by ratepayers and the pollution of riverbeds and dams had raised serious environmental concerns.

Tolke said although negative responses could be expected from some in the community, it was hoped that overall the exercise would be seen “as more beneficial than negative”.

The second phase of the operation is scheduled for the end of February, when every illegal and unregistered fleet washing facility will be closed down.

Such businesses would be closed immediately if they didn’t comply with building regulations or water efficiency regulations, the municipality warned.

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Namibian Sun 2024-03-28

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Katima Mulilo: 19° | 37° Rundu: 17° | 33° Eenhana: 18° | 33° Oshakati: 20° | 31° Ruacana: 19° | 33° Tsumeb: 17° | 29° Otjiwarongo: 16° | 28° Omaruru: 18° | 31° Windhoek: 17° | 28° Gobabis: 17° | 28° Henties Bay: 16° | 19° Wind speed: 24km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 10:54, High tide: 04:57, Low Tide: 22:58, High tide: 17:16 Swakopmund: 15° | 17° Wind speed: 29km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:52, High tide: 04:55, Low Tide: 22:56, High tide: 17:14 Walvis Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 33km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:52, High tide: 04:54, Low Tide: 22:56, High tide: 17:13 Rehoboth: 18° | 29° Mariental: 22° | 32° Keetmanshoop: 21° | 34° Aranos: 21° | 31° Lüderitz: 15° | 29° Ariamsvlei: 23° | 34° Oranjemund: 15° | 21° Luanda: 27° | 30° Gaborone: 20° | 32° Lubumbashi: 17° | 24° Mbabane: 15° | 23° Maseru: 12° | 28° Antananarivo: 16° | 27° Lilongwe: 17° | 29° Maputo: 20° | 28° Windhoek: 17° | 28° Cape Town: 17° | 23° Durban: 21° | 25° Johannesburg: 18° | 28° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 32° Lusaka: 18° | 30° Harare: 15° | 31° Currency: GBP to NAD 23.97 | EUR to NAD 20.54 | CNY to NAD 2.63 | USD to NAD 19.05 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.33 | EGP to NAD 0.39 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.74 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.8 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.23 | USD to DZD 134.45 | USD to AOA 832.63 | USD to BWP 13.71 | USD to EGP 47.27 | USD to KES 130.98 | USD to NGN 1415.13 | USD to ZAR 19.05 | USD to ZMW 24.97 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 73909.5 Up +0.41% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1516.02 Down -0.13% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 12981.98 Up +0.34% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 28224.37 Down -2.87% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - 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Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 211.28/OZ UP +0.94% | Copper US$ 3.98/lb DOWN -0.0011 | Zinc US$ 2 445.60/T DOWN -0.44% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 86.75/BBP UP +0.42% | Platinum US$ 901.03/OZ UP +0.69%