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Shocking! City rates up between 10 and 15%
WINDHOEKERS should brace themselves for a shock when they open their municipal bills at the end of the month, after the City of Windhoek on Tuesday announced its new annual budget.
At midnight on Tuesday, electricity, water and sewerage tariffs all went up, with whatever blame not placed on the recession going to increased pressure on the City from all sides.
According to municipal figures, rural–urban migration continues to increase the population of Windhoek at a rate of 4 per cent a year, while unemployment in the city is currently estimated at 37 per cent.
Add to this expected increases in the amounts charged by the municipality’s bulk suppliers NamPower and NamWater this year, at 15 and 8 per cent respectively.
Middle-income households are hardest hit with regard to rates and taxes, seeing an increase of 12,04 per cent, or N$101,42 per month.
Rates and taxes for low- and high-income households both increase by 11,85 per cent, resulting in a practical increase of N$49,59 a month for the low-income category,
and N$206.62 a month for the high-income group.
The City’s basic charges for water and sewerage were both increased by 10 per cent, while the basic electricity charge and the tariff for electricity consumption both rose by 14,8 per cent.
Water consumption has risen by eight per cent, pre-paid electricity by 13,5 per cent, and the City’s refuse removal service has gone up by five per cent.
City Management Committee Chairperson Elaine Trepper, when tabling the budget on Tuesday night, stressed that while the increases are heavy, various tariffs were left unchanged to try and balance the situation.
“These include bus fares, which will remain at N$6 per trip, while exempting disabled and registered pensioners,” she said. She said rental fees in the informal settlement areas also have not been increased.
