Karibib facing total black-out

KARIBIB could face a total power cut at midday today over unpaid debts to power utility, NamPower.

Town Clerk Lourens Hoiseb said last night that it was likely that the town would be unable to pay an instalment due today despite an earlier agreement reached with NamPower to settle its arrears. “I can’t guarantee that.It depends on the debtors.We tried here and there, but the answers are not good,” he said.Hoiseb was reluctant to confirm that the town had promised to pay NamPower an amount of N$300 000 today.Following discussions with the power utility last month, the town council had agreed to pay two instalments this month.The town council managed to meet its first obligation to NamPower two weeks ago.Hoiseb said a power cut would have a “devastating effect” on the town.NamPower officials could not be reached for comment on whether it would follow through on its threat to cut the power supply to the town.”The main culprits are the debtors,” maintained Hoiseb, who said they owed the town “millions”.”It’s a longstanding problem.The municipality has been too lenient with the people.We have been too good to them, they should realise this and come settle their amounts,” he added.Hoiseb said the situation was unfair on businesses and better-off residents who paid their bills on time.In his opinion, should the town be without a power, it would be worse than being without water.Unconfirmed reports have it that its neighbour, Usakos, could soon suffer the same fate.Approached for comment, Town Clerk Sebastian !Gobs referred The Namibian to the Chairperson of the Management Committee, Daniel Stramis, who said that at this stage the cut was “merely hearsay”.He said the town suspected that such a move could be in the offing, but had not received formal communications from the power utility to that end.Stramis did, however, add that a notice could have been faxed to the town, but as their fax machine was out of order, this could explain why it had not been received.He maintained that the town was not hugely indebted to NamPower claiming that “financially, we are in a good position”.”I can’t guarantee that.It depends on the debtors.We tried here and there, but the answers are not good,” he said.Hoiseb was reluctant to confirm that the town had promised to pay NamPower an amount of N$300 000 today.Following discussions with the power utility last month, the town council had agreed to pay two instalments this month.The town council managed to meet its first obligation to NamPower two weeks ago.Hoiseb said a power cut would have a “devastating effect” on the town.NamPower officials could not be reached for comment on whether it would follow through on its threat to cut the power supply to the town.”The main culprits are the debtors,” maintained Hoiseb, who said they owed the town “millions”.”It’s a longstanding problem.The municipality has been too lenient with the people.We have been too good to them, they should realise this and come settle their amounts,” he added.Hoiseb said the situation was unfair on businesses and better-off residents who paid their bills on time.In his opinion, should the town be without a power, it would be worse than being without water.Unconfirmed reports have it that its neighbour, Usakos, could soon suffer the same fate.Approached for comment, Town Clerk Sebastian !Gobs referred The Namibian to the Chairperson of the Management Committee, Daniel Stramis, who said that at this stage the cut was “merely hearsay”.He said the town suspected that such a move could be in the offing, but had not received formal communications from the power utility to that end.Stramis did, however, add that a notice could have been faxed to the town, but as their fax machine was out of order, this could explain why it had not been received.He maintained that the town was not hugely indebted to NamPower claiming that “financially, we are in a good position”.