NEWS - NAMIBIA
| 2013-08-01Windhoek water and electricity tariffs to stay
Nomhle Kangootui
WINDHOEK residents will feel the pinch of the recent tariff hikes, come end of August, when the first bills after increases will be enforced.
The City of Windhoek said that, although the Khomas Regional Council (KRC) has attempted to recall the hikes, they weren’t able to stop municipality from implementing the new tariffs.
Spokesperson of the municipality Joshua Amukugo said residents will be paying the new increases.
“Like we said, there is nothing the KRC can do. So far we are still waiting for the consultative meeting and nothing has come off that,” Amukugo said.
The Deputy Mayor of Windhoek, Muezee Kazapua, said they won’t give in to the recall of the budget.
“We did the consultation, unless people don’t understand what consultation means. On the 27 March this year we wrote a letter [requesting] for a meeting with the Khomas Regional Council but they did not attend until it was time for us to table our budget. What could we have done if the council was not available,” Kazapua said.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of the KRC, Zulu Shitongeni, said he is currently in the north and therefore cannot comment on any recent developments. “Talk to the chief regional officer Ben Mulongeni. He will shed more light on that issue,” he said.
However, Mulongeni told The Namibian that he had not been present in the meeting.
“I think the best people to assist you will be the councillors, not me. I have no idea how far that meeting and the recalling of the budget is,” Mulongeni said.
When contacted for comment, councillor for the Khomasdal-North constituency Margaret Mensah-Williams referred The Namibian back to Shitongeni. “Please talk to the chairperson. He has the result of the meeting,” she said.
If a resident was previously paying N$200 per month for water usage, he/she will now be paying N$230.00, as 15% of the initial price make up the additional N$30. The calculation depends on the average usage per day. Electricity Prepaid N$ 100 will get the consumer 63.69 units.
The City of Windhoek said that, although the Khomas Regional Council (KRC) has attempted to recall the hikes, they weren’t able to stop municipality from implementing the new tariffs.
Spokesperson of the municipality Joshua Amukugo said residents will be paying the new increases.
“Like we said, there is nothing the KRC can do. So far we are still waiting for the consultative meeting and nothing has come off that,” Amukugo said.
The Deputy Mayor of Windhoek, Muezee Kazapua, said they won’t give in to the recall of the budget.
“We did the consultation, unless people don’t understand what consultation means. On the 27 March this year we wrote a letter [requesting] for a meeting with the Khomas Regional Council but they did not attend until it was time for us to table our budget. What could we have done if the council was not available,” Kazapua said.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of the KRC, Zulu Shitongeni, said he is currently in the north and therefore cannot comment on any recent developments. “Talk to the chief regional officer Ben Mulongeni. He will shed more light on that issue,” he said.
However, Mulongeni told The Namibian that he had not been present in the meeting.
“I think the best people to assist you will be the councillors, not me. I have no idea how far that meeting and the recalling of the budget is,” Mulongeni said.
When contacted for comment, councillor for the Khomasdal-North constituency Margaret Mensah-Williams referred The Namibian back to Shitongeni. “Please talk to the chairperson. He has the result of the meeting,” she said.
If a resident was previously paying N$200 per month for water usage, he/she will now be paying N$230.00, as 15% of the initial price make up the additional N$30. The calculation depends on the average usage per day. Electricity Prepaid N$ 100 will get the consumer 63.69 units.
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