SWAKOPMUND MUNICIPALITY TO CUT OFF WATER SUPPLY FOR GOVT. AGENCIES IN NAMIBIA
The Swakopmund municipality has started cutting off the water supply of some government agencies after several warnings and deadlines to settle accounts have been ignored.
Helao !Naruseb, general finance manager of the Swakopmund municipality said: “They just shrug their shoulders and claim cash-flow problems, but we have no money either.”
Government agencies at the coastal town owe the municipality a total of N$10,8 million.
These agencies include the offices of the president and prime minister, the ministries of works, education, health, security and justice, the Erongo Regional Council, and TransNamib.
TransNamib’s debt is nearly half (N$3,2 million) of that of all the other agencies combined (N$7,6 million).
!Narusab said these debts have been calculated from the start of this year, and the agencies have been informed of the amount they owe.
He said the agencies have been given extensions to settle their debts, and have been warned of the consequences if they fail to do so.
Agencies which have not made attempts to settle their debts were visited by him to inform them of their account status, !Naruseb said.
Agencies were given until September to settle their debts, but, as part of the Municipality of Swakopmund’s debt recovery plan, it was resolved last month to resume the disconnection of water supply to ministerial accounts due to non-payment.
Apart from government agencies’ debts, the coastal town’s community owes the municipality about N$104 million.
Local authorities have sunken into debt over the last two years after the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development issued a directive in 2020 that all residents should have free access to water.
This was a relief measure during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Naruseb said the pandemic has created hardships for many, making it difficult to recover the outstanding debt.
To further assist ratepayers and businesses, the municipality has not increased rates, taxes and tariffs for municipal services during the last two financial years.
The urban and rural ministry has indicated that local authorities are responsible for recovering their own debts.
SOURCE: Namibian