Sections of Windhoek’s newly constructed N$381-million Eneas Peter Nanyemba Road have begun to deteriorate before the project has been handed over to the City of Windhoek.
The 6.1-kilometre dual carriageway road upgrade stretches from the western off-ramp from the A1 highway to the Matshitshi Street intersection in Havana.
According to a media report by Windhoek Observer, the project broke ground in April 2023, and was expected to take 20 months to complete.
City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya told The Namibian last week that responsibility for maintaining the road remains with the developer, as the project has not yet been handed over to the municipality.
“Until that process is concluded, the developer for Ongos Valley Development township and the appointed engineer remain accountable for the design, construction and rectification of any identified defects,” she said
Amutenya said the city approved the designs and specifications before construction and continues to exercise oversight through its quality assurance processes.
She confirmed that the city is aware of the deterioration at some intersections along the route.
She said these concerns have been brought to the attention of both the developer and the project engineer, who are investigating the cause of the defects.
On when repairs will begin, the city said the rectification of defects forms part of the ongoing engagement between the developer and the project engineer.
It said the timing of repair work will be determined through that process and that the municipality is monitoring progress to ensure all identified defects are addressed before accepting the road.
“Any technical deficiencies that may be identified, whether related to design, workmanship, drainage or other factors, remain the responsibility of the developer and the engineer to investigate and rectify prior to handover of the road,” she said.
The road upgrade includes dual carriageways, traffic signals, street lighting, pavements and provision for a future public transport bus lane.
It also forms part of the infrastructure supporting the Ongos Valley residential and commercial development.
The project was intended to improve access to the Ongos Valley development and ease traffic congestion in the northwestern parts of the capital.
Ongos Valley Development spokesperson Abed Erastus told The Namibian on Friday that the company is aware of the deterioration of the two intersections of the Eneas Peter Nanyemba Road.
“At this stage, a series of remedial/rehabilitative works have been proposed and submitted for approval and these will begin once approved by the necessary authorities,” he said.
Shadow minister of works and transport Nelson Kalangula told The Namibian last week he conducted an inspection at the road and observed that the early deterioration stems from trucks driving to and from the Windhoek Northern Industrial area.
“Those intersections ought to have been designed with that in mind, to place interlocks or concrete from the inception stages,” he said.
Kalangula said the condition of the intersections near the A1 bridge interchange, Natis, the Van Eck Power Station and the Lafrenz area, despite the N$381 million public infrastructure project, is unacceptable and that road users deserve answers.
“When a multimillion-dollar road shows signs of structural distress, cracking, or surface failure shortly after handover or partial opening, taxpayers are certainly not receiving value for money,” he said.
Kalangula attributed the deterioration of the road to sub-standard asphalt/base material mix or inadequate work on designs.
“Accountability must be absolute in this regard, before the road is handed over to the municipality,” he said.
