Keetmans council in the red

THE Keetmanshoop Municipality still owes NamWater N$3,9 million.

This was revealed at a Town Council meeting held at the end of last week. The town is now paying in advance for its water, after NamWater threatened to cut the water supply in July 2005 because of a N$5,1 million debt.The Council last week approved a plan to outsource the maintenance of water and sewerage services to cut down on overtime payments.The contract was awarded to a former municipal employee, K Swartbooi, at a monthly cost of N$13 500.No job losses are expected, because the contractor will only render services after normal working hours.Chief Executive Officer Jeremia Shangadhi said the Council had tried in vain to stay within its overtime budget limit.It also emerged at the meeting that the Council’s tender board has decided to allow municipal plot leaseholders, whose lease agreements expired last year, to stay on until new leasing tenders are given.At an earlier tender board meeting, some leaseholders, including the Council’s Management Chairman Basil Brown, were served with eviction notices.They were notified to vacate their plots on or before September 30.The town is now paying in advance for its water, after NamWater threatened to cut the water supply in July 2005 because of a N$5,1 million debt.The Council last week approved a plan to outsource the maintenance of water and sewerage services to cut down on overtime payments.The contract was awarded to a former municipal employee, K Swartbooi, at a monthly cost of N$13 500.No job losses are expected, because the contractor will only render services after normal working hours.Chief Executive Officer Jeremia Shangadhi said the Council had tried in vain to stay within its overtime budget limit.It also emerged at the meeting that the Council’s tender board has decided to allow municipal plot leaseholders, whose lease agreements expired last year, to stay on until new leasing tenders are given.At an earlier tender board meeting, some leaseholders, including the Council’s Management Chairman Basil Brown, were served with eviction notices.They were notified to vacate their plots on or before September 30.