NamPower to pull plug today

Power utility NamPower says it is still owed over N$40 million by village councils and settlements in the South, further confirming it will go ahead with its decision to cut power supply from 10:00 this morning.NamPower managing director Simson Haulofu told Namibian Sun that some councils have managed to settle their accounts, while others have made the necessary arrangements to settle their outstanding debts.The energy minister, Obeth Kandjoze, yesterday said that although the ministry is deeply concerned about the situation there have been several attempts to address it through both the ministries of urban and rural development and energy as well as other stakeholders.According to him, NamPower has been consistently in contact with the energy ministry on how to resolve the matter. A resolution between the ministry and NamPower was therefore taken to discontinue services to those towns and villages with outstanding debts, because the clients were not forthcoming. “It is unbecoming and unacceptable that local authorities have allowed electricity bills to reach these amounts,” he said.Kandjoze said that as a ministry they have done what they could, but the lack of forthright assistance from the urban and rural development ministry as well as regional authorities was concerning. He added that revenue collected through the Electricity Control Board will be directed to regional and local councils for other needs. Initially, NamPower announced last week that it will cut the power supply to at least eight towns and villages, and a further 40 smaller settlements by 10:00 today. The towns and villages are Maltahöhe, Bethanie, Koës, Gibeon, Kalkrand, Berseba, Tses, Mariental and Rehoboth.The settlements include Noordoewer, Blouwes, Kosis, Vaalgras, Gainachas, Driehoek/Gabis, Ubib, Aubgaus, Bloedvlei, Wortel, Nomexas, Constantia, Warmbad, Aus, Satco, Ariamsvlei, Ganigobus and Khomnarib, as well as settlements in the Khomas Region, namely Bloukrans, Hatsamas, Kanubeb and Groot Aub.Haulofu yesterday said that the affected towns and settlements initially owed NamPower a combined amount of N$46.5 million for the bulk supply of electricity.He, however, said with many towns and settlements settling their debts the outstanding amount by yesterday afternoon the debt stood at N$40.6 million.“Yes, the decision still stands. However, some of the village councils have come in to pay their accounts and to make the necessary arrangements to settle their outstanding debts. Those that have not still have until Wednesday morning [today] to do so,” said Haulofu.NamPower refused to divulge which towns or villages did make arrangements or settled their debts. “The affected customers are busy paying their accounts and making the necessary arrangements to settle their outstanding debts. We do not want to leave out any of the village councils or municipalities that would have paid later today [Tuesday] or early tomorrow morning [Wednesday] from the list of those that have paid,” he said.Mariental Town Council CEO Paul Nghiwilepo said that they agreed to pay an amount of about N$5.3 million to NamPower for debts outstanding. According to him, there is still a small amount owed to NamPower.Nghiwilepo explained that the problem why the town council cannot settle the full amount is because government institutions only pay part of their bills to the municipality due to financial pressure. “Therefore payments are coming in slowly, but we will not allow our electricity to be cut off.”Gibeon Village Council CEO Desire Theunissen said that they are busy making arrangements with NamPower to avoid the shutdown of power supply. According to her, it has been agreed that they will make payments to NamPower but by yesterday afternoon they had not yet received feedback on whether this will be enough to prevent a cut off. The town owes N$1.15 million.“As funds are coming in we are paying.” CEO of Koës Willie Humphries also said that they have managed to pay N$400 000 of the N$1.5 million that they owe to NamPower. He added NamPower required 50% of the outstanding amount to be paid and that they are still scrambling to get the money together. At Maltahöhe, the acting village secretary, Marianna Pieters said the council owes NamPower N$4 million. According to her, the former acting village secretary Otto Richards allegedly failed to settle electricity bills for nearly a year, resulting in the huge debt.Pieters said this money was apparently used for other purposes. She said that they agreed with NamPower to settle half of the N$4 million bill, but the village council was only able to pay N$300 000 at the moment.Tses owes N$1.6 million to NamPower. Its CEO Fritz Christiaan was out of office until today and could not give feedback on the matter. Electricity bills of settlements in the //Karas Region listed as defaulters were cleared after the regional council paid N$800 000 to the power utility, clearing debt that accumulated over about three months at the settlements.The settlements include Noordoewer, Ariamsvlei, Vaalgras, Kosis, Blouwes, Wortel, Warmbad, Gainachas and Aus. ELLANIE SMIT

NamPower to pull plug today

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-11

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NamPower to pull plug today

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-11

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