Windhoek electricity tariff talks completed

WINDHOEK residents might have to wait until the end of this week to hear about the outcome of talks between the Windhoek municipality and the Electricity Control Board on the City’s overcharging for electricity since July.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy gave the two organisations two weeks to complete the talks, which ended last Friday. “The discussions between the ECB and the City of Windhoek were completed but we now wait for a report on the talks from the ECB,” a source in the Ministry of Mines and Energy told The Namibian yesterday.”We expect the report by Wednesday,” the source said.The City is reportedly overcharging private and business consumers between seven and ten per cent and is also charging a higher levy than stipulated by the ECB, for which the regulator has publicly criticised the municipality.The City of Windhoek has hit back by denying that it is overcharging customers and saying that the ECB has no jurisdiction over it.”We expect the ECB will issue a statement later in the week to inform the public on the results of the talks with the City of Windhoek,” the Ministry source said yesterday.”The discussions between the ECB and the City of Windhoek were completed but we now wait for a report on the talks from the ECB,” a source in the Ministry of Mines and Energy told The Namibian yesterday.”We expect the report by Wednesday,” the source said.The City is reportedly overcharging private and business consumers between seven and ten per cent and is also charging a higher levy than stipulated by the ECB, for which the regulator has publicly criticised the municipality.The City of Windhoek has hit back by denying that it is overcharging customers and saying that the ECB has no jurisdiction over it.”We expect the ECB will issue a statement later in the week to inform the public on the results of the talks with the City of Windhoek,” the Ministry source said yesterday.