Gobabis junior school left without water and power

GOBABIS – The Gobabis municipality on Thursday cut the Epako Junior Secondary School’s water and electricity supply because of non-payment of debts totalling N$600 000.

School principal Victor Makgone said the water and electricity were cut at lunchtime on Thursday. Classes continued as usual, but the hostel staff were unable to cook for the pupils.The principal said the Ministry of Education and the municipality held a meeting later on Thursday to discuss repaying the debt.Makgone told Nampa that the Regional Education Director, Theophilus Kamupingene, promised that the municipality would be paid on Friday.The municipality’s Chief Executive Officer, Sinclair Aspara, said the municipality had to take the drastic step to force the Government to pay its bills.He said Government ministries were the worst defaulters, and their non-payment resulted in bulk water and electricity suppliers cutting their services to towns.This was not fair to other ratepayers, he said.Aspara said the Wennie Du Plessis high school at the town had also owed the municipality half a million dollars, but the ministry settled this debt in February.He urged school principals to forward their municipal bills to the ministry on time and to follow up whether payment had in fact been made.- NampaClasses continued as usual, but the hostel staff were unable to cook for the pupils.The principal said the Ministry of Education and the municipality held a meeting later on Thursday to discuss repaying the debt.Makgone told Nampa that the Regional Education Director, Theophilus Kamupingene, promised that the municipality would be paid on Friday.The municipality’s Chief Executive Officer, Sinclair Aspara, said the municipality had to take the drastic step to force the Government to pay its bills.He said Government ministries were the worst defaulters, and their non-payment resulted in bulk water and electricity suppliers cutting their services to towns.This was not fair to other ratepayers, he said.Aspara said the Wennie Du Plessis high school at the town had also owed the municipality half a million dollars, but the ministry settled this debt in February.He urged school principals to forward their municipal bills to the ministry on time and to follow up whether payment had in fact been made.- Nampa