IT’S lights out for village

NAMPOWER yesterday pulled the plug on Bethanie village in the South after the Village Council was unable to settle its debt in full by noon.

NamPower’s Manager of Marketing and Corporate Communications, John Kaimu, yesterday confirmed that the power supply to the village had been suspended. According to Kaimu, the Village Council failed to honour its agreement with the power utility.In a statement late yesterday, the Bethanie Taxpayers’ Association (BTA) said the move could deal a devastating blow to the village.The statement, signed by Chaiperson Willie le Roux, said that the BTA took exception to the way NamPower had handled the situation.In an earlier interview, Village Secretary Willie Humphries said Bethanie owed NamPower N$294 000.He said a payment of N$80 000 was made on Friday in terms of an agreement with NamPower to avert a power cut.Humphries claimed that NamPower then changed its mind at the eleventh hour and told the council to settle the debt in full by Friday.Kaimu said he was not aware of any such agreement.According to Kaimu, the bulk electricity supplier had no choice but to act after “several reminders fell flat”.He declined to disclose the amount owed by the council.Humphries could not be reached for comment yesterday, as he was in a Council meeting.Local businessman Dries van Greunen, owner of Bethanie Uitrusters, yesterday expressed shock over the power cut.He blamed the council for the chaotic situation, claiming that it had refused to accept any advice from the business community.”When we come up with proposals aimed at resolving the council’s weak financial position, we are accused of being racist,” he said.He said the local business community had pleaded with NamPower to reconsider the power cut, but nothing had come of it.”We haven’t received any reply to the letter until now,” he said.Van Greunen said the power cut would just worsen the council’s financial position.”The Council would not be able to generate any income to honour the agreement with NamPower,” he said.According to Kaimu, the Village Council failed to honour its agreement with the power utility.In a statement late yesterday, the Bethanie Taxpayers’ Association (BTA) said the move could deal a devastating blow to the village.The statement, signed by Chaiperson Willie le Roux, said that the BTA took exception to the way NamPower had handled the situation.In an earlier interview, Village Secretary Willie Humphries said Bethanie owed NamPower N$294 000.He said a payment of N$80 000 was made on Friday in terms of an agreement with NamPower to avert a power cut.Humphries claimed that NamPower then changed its mind at the eleventh hour and told the council to settle the debt in full by Friday.Kaimu said he was not aware of any such agreement.According to Kaimu, the bulk electricity supplier had no choice but to act after “several reminders fell flat”.He declined to disclose the amount owed by the council.Humphries could not be reached for comment yesterday, as he was in a Council meeting.Local businessman Dries van Greunen, owner of Bethanie Uitrusters, yesterday expressed shock over the power cut.He blamed the council for the chaotic situation, claiming that it had refused to accept any advice from the business community.”When we come up with proposals aimed at resolving the council’s weak financial position, we are accused of being racist,” he said.He said the local business community had pleaded with NamPower to reconsider the power cut, but nothing had come of it.”We haven’t received any reply to the letter until now,” he said.Van Greunen said the power cut would just worsen the council’s financial position.”The Council would not be able to generate any income to honour the agreement with NamPower,” he said.