Pothole Country

Only N$2.5 million allocated to urban roads amid N$658 million’s rain damage

The Road Fund Administration (RFA) says only N$2.5 million has been allocated for flood repairs to local authority roads in the 2025/26 financial year.

This is despite flood-related damage rising to approximately N$658 million nationwide.

N$43 million has been allocated for repairing national roads, with N$2.5 million for local authorities, leaving an estimated funding gap of roughly N$655.5 million.

Deteriorating road conditions have been exacerbated by recent heavy rains, with road users saying the damage is crippling livelihoods.

Taxi drivers are saying they are spending almost every cent they earn on vehicle repairs.

The RFA says Windhoek has suffered the most extensive rain damage (at N$324 million), including N$62.1 million’s damage to roads.

Oshakati’s road damage stands at N$230 million, Otjiwarongo’s at N$89 million, Katima Mulilo’s at N$84 million, Rundu’s at N$35 million, and Keetmanshoop’s roads at N$2.0 million.

When damage to local authority drainage systems is added, the total rises to about N$1.29 billion countrywide.

Road Fund Administration chief executive Ali Ipinge says the allocation is far below what is needed.

“Although the RFA Business Plan makes provision for about N$381.8 million over five years (2027 to 2031) for flood-repair programmes, this remains insufficient to fully restore damaged infrastructure,” he says.

The Roads Authority (RA) on Tuesday announced the temporary closure of several roads damaged by heavy rains in the ||Kharas region, affecting areas such as Tses, Aroab, Karasburg and Grünau.

Namibian Association of Local Authority Officials president Moses Matyayi says local authorities need to relook alternative methods of revenue collection.

“If you look at the figures of what the business plan confirms, it’s not even close to what is required to repair the damage that natural disasters or natural disturbances have actually caused,” he says.

“N$2.5 million is quite a good number, but unfortunately it’s not a good enough number that can convince anyone to make a dent.”

The Eenhana Town Council says it needs N$5 million for annual road maintenance, however, fund allocation for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years amount to only N$1.32 million and N$1.38 million, respectively.

“These allocations remain substantially below actual maintenance needs and are insufficient to address routine upkeep and climate-related damage.

“Previous funding submissions aligned to an annual requirement of about N$4.74 million were similarly underfunded,” the town council says.

It says it is currently engaging the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and the RFA to secure about N$11 million for the acquisition of a grader and bulldozer needed for sustainable road maintenance.

Motorists, traders and schoolchildren are among those hardest hit by the deteriorating road network.

Eenhana taxi driver Tommy Eliphas says he has been forced to limit his trips to avoid damaging his vehicle.

“I am losing money because I cannot go to the location. I only stop where the road is tarred.

“I cannot risk damage to my car because in the end I will have to pay for repairs,” he says.

Gift Simasiku, from Katima Mulilo who transports schoolchildren and local passengers, says his car often needs repairs.

“I’ve lost many school trips because I cannot collect the children,” he says.

Another driver, Junior Matengu, says his car has been at a repair shop for more than a week.

“I am waiting for month-end money to fix it. We cannot repair cars every day. These roads must be fixed.”
– Additional reporting Lugeretzia Kooper

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