Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa on Thursday inspected Rundu’s Tutungeni area, where severe soil erosion is occurring.
He urged regional and local leaders to act urgently to prevent land collapse and infrastructure damage along the Kavango River.
Accompanied by officials from the Rundu Town Council and the Kavango East Regional Council, Sankwasa observed extensive damage caused by uncontrolled stormwater, which has led to ground collapse and the formation of large sinkholes.
The minister instructed authorities to obtain three quotations and submit an emergency procurement request to the Ministry of Finance for approval by today.
“Today is Thursday; I want the three quotations submitted by Monday,” he said.
Sankwasa, who visited the same site last year, expressed concern that the situation had significantly worsened.
The minister emphasised that the regional council has a responsibility to support the town council in carrying out its mandate, adding that he does not want to see funds returned to the treasury while critical issues remain unresolved.
He expressed disappointment over the poor management of the erosion problem over the years, stating that the damage could have been mitigated through phased and timely interventions.
He also questioned the slow pace at which the matter is being addressed and urged leaders to treat it as an emergency.
The minister further cautioned against the renewal of contracts for non-performing contractors, saying this contributes to delays and poor service delivery.
He also questioned the renewal of the current Rundu Town Council chief executive’s contract, citing failures in developing essential infrastructure such as stormwater drainage systems in residential areas. Sankwasa stressed that the construction of drainage systems falls under the responsibility of the technical department and said some officials occupy positions without delivering results.
At one point, he questioned Rundu Town Council chief executive Olavi Nathanael on his achievements in road management during his five-year tenure.
In response, Nathanael said the council had constructed numerous gravel roads and resurfaced several kilometres of roads, but acknowledged that financial constraints had limited the council’s ability to address multiple challenges simultaneously.
– Nampa
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