Saamstaan settlement runs dry

RESIDENTS of the Saamstaan informal settlement in Katutura have been without water since last Friday after the Windhoek Municipality cut off the water supply to the area.

The Saamstaan settlement, next to Club Thriller and mainly inhabited by Nama/Damara-speaking people, owes the City about N$68 000 for water. According to resident Sarah Eickmeyer, the arrears have mounted for years because some residents cannot afford to pay for water, as they do not have jobs.The residents have a communal water meter and each house contributes N$160 a month towards paying the water bill.Eickmeyer said the community would meet to discuss how the problem could be solved.”We need to collect at least N$20 000 just to have our water supply reconnected,” Eickmeyer told The Namibian.”It is now about five days that we have been suffering.The toilets are smelling terribly,” she added.Eickmeyer said it would be good if the Municipality could provide them with a pre-paid water system.In the meantime, she said, residents were begging for water from neighbouring sections, she said.On Wednesday, some Saamstaan residents equipped with containers were seen heading to nearby locations to collect water.One of them alleged that there were those among the people who collected the community’s monthly contributions who had misappropriated some of the money, and this was the reason why the community had run up such large debts.Hilda Keysler, who The Namibian was informed was allegedly one of the people responsible for paying the municipal bills, refused to comment.”You will not get anything from me.It is our own problem,” she said.According to resident Sarah Eickmeyer, the arrears have mounted for years because some residents cannot afford to pay for water, as they do not have jobs.The residents have a communal water meter and each house contributes N$160 a month towards paying the water bill.Eickmeyer said the community would meet to discuss how the problem could be solved.”We need to collect at least N$20 000 just to have our water supply reconnected,” Eickmeyer told The Namibian.”It is now about five days that we have been suffering.The toilets are smelling terribly,” she added.Eickmeyer said it would be good if the Municipality could provide them with a pre-paid water system.In the meantime, she said, residents were begging for water from neighbouring sections, she said.On Wednesday, some Saamstaan residents equipped with containers were seen heading to nearby locations to collect water.One of them alleged that there were those among the people who collected the community’s monthly contributions who had misappropriated some of the money, and this was the reason why the community had run up such large debts.Hilda Keysler, who The Namibian was informed was allegedly one of the people responsible for paying the municipal bills, refused to comment.”You will not get anything from me.It is our own problem,” she said.