Stalemate over conflicting engineers’ flood reports

THE Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) has once again asked the City of Windhoek to provide them with the reports of two engineers on what caused the flooding of 14 homes in Katutura’s Dolam location in January.

The LAC’s Evelyn Zimba-Naris said yesterday that they were “amazed” by the City’s claims that the two engineers found nothing wrong with the design of the storm-water structures at the Sam Nujoma Stadium. “We have been asking them to give us their reports and they refused.We have asked them [again] to give us their reports,” said Zimba-Naris, adding that the LAC would, in turn, hand over its own report compiled by Windhoek Consulting Engineers (WCE).She said the municipality was a public institution and the reports were of public interest.According to the WCE report done for the LAC, “serious design flaws” at the football stadium were to blame for the flood.The City is disputing the findings of the report.It said it was in possession of two other engineers’ reports which stated that the storm-water drainage at the stadium was designed “in accordance with generally acceptable engineering practices”.Municipal spokesman Ndangi Katoma said the two reports would be discussed at this month’s City Council meeting, which is scheduled for tomorrow.The LAC is giving legal advice to the Dolam homeowners whose houses were flooded in January.The residents blame the construction of the football stadium for channelling floodwater to their homes and say they expect more floods unless the City rectifies the situation.According to the LAC, the City has offered to buy the houses in the affected area, and threatened to expropriate them if the owners did not accept its offer.”We have been asking them to give us their reports and they refused.We have asked them [again] to give us their reports,” said Zimba-Naris, adding that the LAC would, in turn, hand over its own report compiled by Windhoek Consulting Engineers (WCE).She said the municipality was a public institution and the reports were of public interest.According to the WCE report done for the LAC, “serious design flaws” at the football stadium were to blame for the flood.The City is disputing the findings of the report.It said it was in possession of two other engineers’ reports which stated that the storm-water drainage at the stadium was designed “in accordance with generally acceptable engineering practices”.Municipal spokesman Ndangi Katoma said the two reports would be discussed at this month’s City Council meeting, which is scheduled for tomorrow.The LAC is giving legal advice to the Dolam homeowners whose houses were flooded in January.The residents blame the construction of the football stadium for channelling floodwater to their homes and say they expect more floods unless the City rectifies the situation.According to the LAC, the City has offered to buy the houses in the affected area, and threatened to expropriate them if the owners did not accept its offer.