Karas Governor in water dispute

KARAS Governor Dawid Boois has apparently failed to pay the water bill for his Government house at Keetmanshoop’s Westdene suburb since 2004.

As a result, the water supply has been periodically suspended, a reliable source close to the municipality told The Namibian. According to the source, Boois allegedly used his “political muscle” to have the water supply reconnected.The source further claimed that the municipality had struggled to get the Governor to transfer the municipal account into his name since he moved into the house in 2004 .In turn, Boois claims he had unsuccessfully approached the municipality several times to resolve the water re-connection issue.The Government residence is assigned to the Ministry of Education, but the tenant is responsible for paying for water and is required to transfer the account to his or her name on moving into the house, a senior municipal official told The Namibian.The Keetmanshoop Municipality’s Chief Executive Officer, Jeremia Shangadi, on Friday acknowledged that the municipality had had problems in getting the water bill transferred to Boois’s name, and confirmed that the account was in arrears.Shangadi declined to elaborate on the matter.When approached for comment on Friday, Boois accused the reporter of waging a smear campaign against him.”You are witch-hunting me as your father did during the colonial era,” he said angrily.The reporter’s father served as a Police officer before Independence.”But, be assured that we are also working on a strategy to deal with you,” he threatened the reporter.”I will also start to write for newspapers, but definitely not in the newspaper you’re writing for,” he added.Boois later ascribed the unpaid bill to the delay in having the water supply connected in his name, saying: “I’m more than willing to pay for the water services”.He also denied that he had used his political influence to have the water supply to the Government house reconnected.”They [the municipality] reconnected the water without being ordered by me to do so,” he said.Boois claimed that some municipal officials were retaliating against him because he had put on hold the eviction of 27 debtors from the Build Together Houses in the Tseiblaagte residential area.Boois also complained about poor maintenance of the Government house.”Sewerage drains of the house are overflowing, and the house is not up to standard,” he said.Boois accused the Ministry of Education of dragging its feet in having the house transferred to the Works Ministry, saying this also contributed to the delay in payments.”I believed that the one who pays for rates and taxes is also responsible to cough up for the water bill,” he said.According to the source, Boois allegedly used his “political muscle” to have the water supply reconnected.The source further claimed that the municipality had struggled to get the Governor to transfer the municipal account into his name since he moved into the house in 2004 .In turn, Boois claims he had unsuccessfully approached the municipality several times to resolve the water re-connection issue.The Government residence is assigned to the Ministry of Education, but the tenant is responsible for paying for water and is required to transfer the account to his or her name on moving into the house, a senior municipal official told The Namibian.The Keetmanshoop Municipality’s Chief Executive Officer, Jeremia Shangadi, on Friday acknowledged that the municipality had had problems in getting the water bill transferred to Boois’s name, and confirmed that the account was in arrears.Shangadi declined to elaborate on the matter.When approached for comment on Friday, Boois accused the reporter of waging a smear campaign against him.”You are witch-hunting me as your father did during the colonial era,” he said angrily.The reporter’s father served as a Police officer before Independence.”But, be assured that we are also working on a strategy to deal with you,” he threatened the reporter.”I will also start to write for newspapers, but definitely not in the newspaper you’re writing for,” he added.Boois later ascribed the unpaid bill to the delay in having the water supply connected in his name, saying: “I’m more than willing to pay for the water services”.He also denied that he had used his political influence to have the water supply to the Government house reconnected.”They [the municipality] reconnected the water without being ordered by me to do so,” he said.Boois claimed that some municipal officials were retaliating against him because he had put on hold the eviction of 27 debtors from the Build Together Houses in the Tseiblaagte residential area.Boois also complained about poor maintenance of the Government house.”Sewerage drains of the house are overflowing, and the house is not up to standard,” he said.Boois accused the Ministry of Education of dragging its feet in having the house transferred to the Works Ministry, saying this also contributed to the delay in payments.”I believed that the one who pays for rates and taxes is also responsible to cough up for the water bill,” he said.