No Resources, No Money For Local Authorities

DURING the past 12 calendar months we have read a lot about the disconnection of electricity and water services by NamPower and NamWater recently.

This left many poor rural settlements, villages and towns without these basic services, to which everyone in Namibia is entitled but still do not have access. It is my humble view that the Ministries of Mines and Energy, and other stakeholders be informed that the creation of the regional electricity distributors have robbed many local authorities of the much-needed income derived from the sale of electricity.In fact, in many instances, it was the only sustainable source of income.Hence, the President and the Cabinet must take note that the so-called local authorities politicians, irrespective of political party, are unable to deliver services because they do not have the resources.Looking at it from a different level, it is very convenient for the Windhoek-based national leaders to criticise the non-delivery of service on local and regional levels, whilst the Regional and Local Councils do not receive meaningful subsidies.Yet these national leaders when they visit our areas talk about service delivery.What nonsense is that? During the liberation struggle, the ANC and Swapo talked about the Freedom Charter and other political programmes in which we were promised free housing, free water, free electricity, free education, et cetera.What happened to all that? The only thing we are told is to be thankful for the peace and unity we enjoy, whereas the national and regional leaders enjoy endless benefits of luxury houses, free vehicles, free petrol, free phones including cellphones, free this and free that! The national leaders are fooling us, but they can’t fool us forever! Many of our national leaders do not care.They simply just do not care.Look at the way water and electricity are discontinued at poor people’s houses.Look at children who go hungry for days without end.Look at the slow pace of resettlement and people losing their small numbers of livestock because they do not have grazing land and/or water.Our nation is getting poorer and the leaders are fooled because they encircle themselves with their well-to-do middle class civil servants.Government, inclusive of Parliament, must look at ways of strengthening the financial base of the local authorities.Without that, Minister Pandeni can just close shop.Hannes Karools KeetmanshoopIt is my humble view that the Ministries of Mines and Energy, and other stakeholders be informed that the creation of the regional electricity distributors have robbed many local authorities of the much-needed income derived from the sale of electricity.In fact, in many instances, it was the only sustainable source of income.Hence, the President and the Cabinet must take note that the so-called local authorities politicians, irrespective of political party, are unable to deliver services because they do not have the resources.Looking at it from a different level, it is very convenient for the Windhoek-based national leaders to criticise the non-delivery of service on local and regional levels, whilst the Regional and Local Councils do not receive meaningful subsidies.Yet these national leaders when they visit our areas talk about service delivery.What nonsense is that? During the liberation struggle, the ANC and Swapo talked about the Freedom Charter and other political programmes in which we were promised free housing, free water, free electricity, free education, et cetera.What happened to all that? The only thing we are told is to be thankful for the peace and unity we enjoy, whereas the national and regional leaders enjoy endless benefits of luxury houses, free vehicles, free petrol, free phones including cellphones, free this and free that! The national leaders are fooling us, but they can’t fool us forever! Many of our national leaders do not care.They simply just do not care.Look at the way water and electricity are discontinued at poor people’s houses.Look at children who go hungry for days without end.Look at the slow pace of resettlement and people losing their small numbers of livestock because they do not have grazing land and/or water.Our nation is getting poorer and the leaders are fooled because they encircle themselves with their well-to-do middle class civil servants.Government, inclusive of Parliament, must look at ways of strengthening the financial base of the local authorities.Without that, Minister Pandeni can just close shop.Hannes Karools Keetmanshoop