Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development, Erastus Negonga.

By: ELMA ROBBERTS at KARIBIB

THE Municipality of Swakopmund is to step in to curb the deterioration of municipal service delivery at Karibib.

This was disclosed on Thursday at a community meeting at Karibib

led by the Permanent Secretary of

"This is a consultative meeting to explore ways to address the

town's degeneration," Negonga told the town councillors, mayor,

visiting ministerial officials, Erongo-RED representatives and some

20 concerned residents, school principals and business people.

 

"The Swakopmund Municipality has indicated its willingness to

assist in reorganising the local authority in Karibib."

 

The small town, about halfway between Windhoek and Swakopmund,

made headlines recently when sewerage services disintegrated to the

extent that sewage collected in puddles along the roads and on

playgrounds at schools.

 

During last week the town's sewerage truck, which has apparently

been in poor condition for years, was repaired and put into service

to clean up the most apparent sewage.

 

But there have been many complaints that the poor municipal

service delivery is turning the town into an unhygienic swamp.

 

Negonga said he was shocked to learn about the situation through

the media.

 

Referring to the previous meeting where reporters were refused

entry by Mayor Adelheid Hamukonda, the Permanent Secretary said he

decided to invite the media because they had reported on the facts

of the matter.

 

"It was implied that media reports are chasing investors away,

but it is not so.

 

It is true that the town is currently unlikely to attract

investors, but it is not because of bad media reports.

 

Conditions like these hamper investments," he said.

 

The administrator of the Cornerstone Academy, Peter Dirks, told

the gathering that problems with service delivery were not solved

but simply carried forward from year to year.

 

Workshops suggested by the Erongo Regional Governor Samuel

Nuuyoma were not attended by the Council and detailed proposals

from the community for the betterment of municipal functions and

infrastructure were ignored.

 

"The councillors claim that we run to the media and are not

willing to assist them, but they don't accept our input.

 

We can't force them to listen to us," Dirks said.

 

"The sewerage truck hasn't been working for weeks now and sewage

is running through the schoolyard.

 

With the polio outbreak in the country, it is nothing but

criminal negligence."

 

Headmaster Van Rooyen of the Karibib Private School agreed.

 

"Business people and residents have invested valuable time,

money and resources in the town.

 

We don't want to leave, but the same problems occur year after

year.

 

Our school recruits children from all over the country, but

parents don't want to send their children back to this town.

 

"We've held meetings and workshops, but council doesn't want to

be assisted.

 

Residents are losing patience; they don't even attend meetings

any more, because they know nothing will be done.

 

It all boils down to a total disregard for input and our

standards of living.

 

Why can't they accept an advisory committee? "We have the

resources and experts in management and finance count among our

residents.

 

But resources aren't being managed and the council doesn't come

up with initiatives of its own."

 

He said the only solution would be to accept that Karibib has no

town council.

 

"Services can be outsourced and a community council can be

appointed to assist with development issues," he suggested.

 

An elderly man complained that people from elsewhere in the

country were appointed to the few jobs that became available in

Karibib.

 

"They give the jobs away and we, the residents, can't afford

services.

 

I have proposed that I could fix a dilapidated fence for them so

that they can deduct the labour fee from my municipal account, but

they weren't interested.

 

They are hiding things and we want to know the real facts."

 

An elderly woman complained that municipal fees were constantly

increasing while no services were rendered.

 

"My rubbish bin is overflowing and no one comes around to empty

it.

 

I'm a pensioner and can't afford to pay for something I don't

get."

 

Referring to three senior municipal officers who were suspended

in March last year due to alleged financial irregularities, a woman

wanted to know how long Council planned to pay salaries to people

who were no longer working for the Municipality.

 

Negonga said it seems that information was not adequately shared

with the public.

 

Public-private partnerships had been tried and tested across the

world and proved to be an effective tool for development, he

said.

 

"Karibib is ideal for such partnerships.

 

The town is situated on the road to the coast and with current

developments at Namport in Walvis Bay, new opportunities are

arising.

 

Land in Windhoek, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay is becoming too

expensive, therefore offering clearly demarcated erven in an

industrial area can attract investors to Karibib.

 

Council can convene with the local chapter of the NCCI to

discuss employment creation and economic issues, because residents

without jobs cannot sustain the town council."

 

Moses Pakote from the Ministry of Trade and Industry said the

Ministry was developing plans to establish a facility for the

cutting and polishing of gems in Karibib.

 

Negonga encouraged home and business owners to have their

properties connected to the main sewerage system.

 

He appealed for mutual understanding and support between

residents and the Town Council.

 

He said a council should be a think tank and that a council

without initiative cannot be a council.

 

He urged the councillors to pull up their socks and make a

success of the clean-up campaign planned for late July.

 

Negonga arranged a further meeting where the residents'

proposals will be discussed in detail and resubmitted for the

Ministry's scrutiny.

 

"This is a consultative meeting to explore ways to address the

town's degeneration," Negonga told the town councillors, mayor,

visiting ministerial officials, Erongo-RED representatives and some

20 concerned residents, school principals and business people."The

Swakopmund Municipality has indicated its willingness to assist in

reorganising the local authority in Karibib."The small town, about

halfway between Windhoek and Swakopmund, made headlines recently

when sewerage services disintegrated to the extent that sewage

collected in puddles along the roads and on playgrounds at

schools.During last week the town's sewerage truck, which has

apparently been in poor condition for years, was repaired and put

into service to clean up the most apparent sewage.But there have

been many complaints that the poor municipal service delivery is

turning the town into an unhygienic swamp.Negonga said he was

shocked to learn about the situation through the media.Referring to

the previous meeting where reporters were refused entry by Mayor

Adelheid Hamukonda, the Permanent Secretary said he decided to

invite the media because they had reported on the facts of the

matter."It was implied that media reports are chasing investors

away, but it is not so.It is true that the town is currently

unlikely to attract investors, but it is not because of bad media

reports.Conditions like these hamper investments," he said.The

administrator of the Cornerstone Academy, Peter Dirks, told the

gathering that problems with service delivery were not solved but

simply carried forward from year to year.Workshops suggested by the

Erongo Regional Governor Samuel Nuuyoma were not attended by the

Council and detailed proposals from the community for the

betterment of municipal functions and infrastructure were

ignored."The councillors claim that we run to the media and are not

willing to assist them, but they don't accept our input.We can't

force them to listen to us," Dirks said."The sewerage truck hasn't

been working for weeks now and sewage is running through the

schoolyard.With the polio outbreak in the country, it is nothing

but criminal negligence."Headmaster Van Rooyen of the Karibib

Private School agreed."Business people and residents have invested

valuable time, money and resources in the town.We don't want to

leave, but the same problems occur year after year.Our school

recruits children from all over the country, but parents don't want

to send their children back to this town."We've held meetings and

workshops, but council doesn't want to be assisted.Residents are

losing patience; they don't even attend meetings any more, because

they know nothing will be done.It all boils down to a total

disregard for input and our standards of living.Why can't they

accept an advisory committee? "We have the resources and experts in

management and finance count among our residents.But resources

aren't being managed and the council doesn't come up with

initiatives of its own."He said the only solution would be to

accept that Karibib has no town council."Services can be outsourced

and a community council can be appointed to assist with development

issues," he suggested.An elderly man complained that people from

elsewhere in the country were appointed to the few jobs that became

available in Karibib."They give the jobs away and we, the

residents, can't afford services.I have proposed that I could fix a

dilapidated fence for them so that they can deduct the labour fee

from my municipal account, but they weren't interested.They are

hiding things and we want to know the real facts."An elderly woman

complained that municipal fees were constantly increasing while no

services were rendered."My rubbish bin is overflowing and no one

comes around to empty it.I'm a pensioner and can't afford to pay

for something I don't get."Referring to three senior municipal

officers who were suspended in March last year due to alleged

financial irregularities, a woman wanted to know how long Council

planned to pay salaries to people who were no longer working for

the Municipality.Negonga said it seems that information was not

adequately shared with the public.Public-private partnerships had

been tried and tested across the world and proved to be an

effective tool for development, he said."Karibib is ideal for such

partnerships.The town is situated on the road to the coast and with

current developments at Namport in Walvis Bay, new opportunities

are arising.Land in Windhoek, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay is becoming

too expensive, therefore offering clearly demarcated erven in an

industrial area can attract investors to Karibib.Council can

convene with the local chapter of the NCCI to discuss employment

creation and economic issues, because residents without jobs cannot

sustain the town council."Moses Pakote from the Ministry of Trade

and Industry said the Ministry was developing plans to establish a

facility for the cutting and polishing of gems in Karibib.Negonga

encouraged home and business owners to have their properties

connected to the main sewerage system.He appealed for mutual

understanding and support between residents and the Town Council.He

said a council should be a think tank and that a council without

initiative cannot be a council.He urged the councillors to pull up

their socks and make a success of the clean-up campaign planned for

late July.Negonga arranged a further meeting where the residents'

proposals will be discussed in detail and resubmitted for the

Ministry's scrutiny.

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