Okakarara officials water, power cut

OKAKARARA Mayor, Tjatjitirani Kandukira, his deputy Muvi Tjiho, at least three other councillors and some top municipal officials were among the first residents to have their water and electricity disconnected for non-payment last week.

The head of a Government team dispatched to help the cash-strapped town bring its administration back on track confirmed that drastic steps had to be taken against the town’s leaders “as they are supposed to lead by example. “That [the leaders’ failure to pay] created a very bad precedent.How can you deal with the public if the owners of the town themselves are in a similar situation,” said Gabes Shivolo, the Deputy Director of Traditional Authority Co-ordination in the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing.Shivolo declined to name the culprits but was disappointed that some councillors and senior municipal employees’ unpaid bills had soared to N$11 000.Sources at Okakarara in the Otjozondjupa Region told The Namibian that two attempts by the Mayor to have his services reconnected “illegally” were foiled.”Yes, that unfortunately happened last week but we have already dealt with it,” Shivolo responded when asked about the alleged incident.Kandukira apparently owes the municipality about N$1 600 and is expected to pay at least N$700 to have his supplies reconnected.Part of the ministerial delegation’s mandate is to help the Town Council devise strategies to recover the more than N$6,1 million owed to it by residents.This has resulted in the disconnection of water and electricity supply of all consumers owing more than N$1 000.A debt settlement arrangement has been put in place for debtors whose services have been cut off to pay 50 per cent of their debts to have them reconnected and then negotiate how they would pay off the rest.According to Shivolo, about 90 houses and “a number of businesses” have been cut off since Thursday afternoon when the campaign started.”We expect to have disconnected up to 75 per cent of the debtors by the time we finish this exercise because only 10 per cent have so far responded to our arrangement,” he said.When it arrived at Okakarara, the Government team apparently discovered that only 15 per cent of residents had paid for services rendered to them by the Town Council.According to the 2001 Population and Housing Census, the total number of people in Okakarara stood at 3 296.Residents have been refusing to settle their bills, alleging that the town authorities were mismanaging funds.In July, Okakarara’s water and electricity supply was cut because of its failure to pay NamWater and NamPower.The Town Council owes the two State-owned bulk utility suppliers around N$3 million.The ministerial team will spend at least another week at the town training staff and adjusting current management systems.”That [the leaders’ failure to pay] created a very bad precedent.How can you deal with the public if the owners of the town themselves are in a similar situation,” said Gabes Shivolo, the Deputy Director of Traditional Authority Co-ordination in the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing.Shivolo declined to name the culprits but was disappointed that some councillors and senior municipal employees’ unpaid bills had soared to N$11 000.Sources at Okakarara in the Otjozondjupa Region told The Namibian that two attempts by the Mayor to have his services reconnected “illegally” were foiled.”Yes, that unfortunately happened last week but we have already dealt with it,” Shivolo responded when asked about the alleged incident.Kandukira apparently owes the municipality about N$1 600 and is expected to pay at least N$700 to have his supplies reconnected.Part of the ministerial delegation’s mandate is to help the Town Council devise strategies to recover the more than N$6,1 million owed to it by residents.This has resulted in the disconnection of water and electricity supply of all consumers owing more than N$1 000.A debt settlement arrangement has been put in place for debtors whose services have been cut off to pay 50 per cent of their debts to have them reconnected and then negotiate how they would pay off the rest.According to Shivolo, about 90 houses and “a number of businesses” have been cut off since Thursday afternoon when the campaign started.”We expect to have disconnected up to 75 per cent of the debtors by the time we finish this exercise because only 10 per cent have so far responded to our arrangement,” he said.When it arrived at Okakarara, the Government team apparently discovered that only 15 per cent of residents had paid for services rendered to them by the Town Council.According to the 2001 Population and Housing Census, the total number of people in Okakarara stood at 3 296.Residents have been refusing to settle their bills, alleging that the town authorities were mismanaging funds.In July, Okakarara’s water and electricity supply was cut because of its failure to pay NamWater and NamPower.The Town Council owes the two State-owned bulk utility suppliers around N$3 million.The ministerial team will spend at least another week at the town training staff and adjusting current management systems.