City street renaming a menace

THE City of Windhoek has failed to internalise street renaming into their system, leading to some residents having similar erf numbers, and bills being issued under old street names.

City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya last week confirmed that this has happened, but added that they are working on synchronising the street renaming into their system.

Some residents have shared their concerns with The Namibian that although street names have been changed, they still receive their municipal bills under the old street names. Others also claimed that in the case of street mergers, they have had to share erven numbers.

This issue came up when veteran lawyer Andreas Vaatz recently complained about street renaming, and the inconvenience it brings when the renaming is not harmonised with the operations of the municipality.

The lawyer is one of the residents whose street in Windhoek’s Ludwigsdorf was changed from Gloudina Street to Joseph Mukwayu Ithana Street back in 2011.

Vaatz had resisted the street renaming but failed in court twice. However, eight years later, he still receives his municipal bills under the Gloudina Street reference.

“This fact is important because whenever one wants to open a new account at a bank, the bank wants proof of one’s private address, and they always demand a copy not older than three months […] Thus, I tell the bank manager that I stay in Joseph Mukwayu Ithana Street, and he asks me for proof of where I stay. I then hand him a copy of the municipal account, which is still under the old name Gloudina Street, and he thinks I am lying,” said Vaatz.

The Namibian’s mini-survey revealed that some houses in former Mission Road and Gewers Street, which were merged to become Kwame Nkrumah Street, share the same erf numbers.

Additionally, Uhland Street, which was renamed to Kenneth Kaunda Street back in 2013, still shows up on internet searches as Uhland Street, and not under the new name.

So far, there have been over 60 street renamings in Windhoek.

The Namibian visited the controversial street this week and realised that the city had failed to rename the playground after Ithana as it still uses Gloudina, the old street name. Amutenya said the city’s secretariat to the street and place naming/renaming committee is aware of other similar cases.

“However, the responsible unit is working on the updating of the system. The secretariat will once more use this enlightenment to ensure action by the respective unit,” she promised.

“We acknowledge that there is a need for the synchronisation and reallocation of gate numbers/house numbers, especially in instances where streets were merged. However, it should be noted that the street renaming or merging of streets does not affect the erf number, neither does it contribute to the mix-up or duplication of erf numbers in a township.”

Vaatz wrote an objection letter to the latest proposed street renaming of Bismarck Street to Simeon Lineekela Shixungileni.

“It is thus not understood why this street must now be renamed to Simeon Lineekela Shixungileni, a name I have never heard of in my life,” he stated.

According to the lawyer, this will affect his business, as his clients will not be able to find him under this lengthy and challenging name.

“More practical is not to use persons’ names for street names, but instead names one can easily remember, such as names after plants, stones or Christian names such as Anna or Katerina, etc. I hereby wish to call on all interested members of this city to express objections to the continued changes of street names in Namibia,” said Vaatz.

He said his firm spends over N$50 000 on letterheads, stamps and cover cases, which he will now have to change at the same cost.

The lawyer stated that the constitution of the country calls for fairness, and asked whether it was fair for the street to be renamed by those who do not have offices there.

Some businesses in Bismarck Street such as EuropCar, Wes Architects, Bits & IT Solutions supported Vaatz in rejecting the street renaming as it would affect operations.

Amutenya said the city got Vaatz’s objection letter, and that consideration of the specific application was done following the street and place naming guidelines, which make provision for public consultation after the council had pronounced itself on the matter.

“Procedurally, the appeal needs to be further considered by the committee and ultimately by the council, which will take the final decision,” she explained.

According to her, the decision taken by the council on any lodged appeal (reconsideration of an appealed application) will be final, and no further objections will be entertained.

“At this stage, and with the current prevailing appeal(s), the decision taken by the municipal council to rename Bismarck Street is not final, as such appeals need to be given the deserving consideration by the council,” said Amutenya.

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