KEETMANSHOOP: The Keetmanshoop Municipality has started to disconnect water and electricity to local government offices, businesses and institutions over unpaid municipal accounts.
In an interview with Nampa on Wednesday, the municipality’s acting chief executive officer, Lee Mwemba said the disconnections started on Monday and a progress report will be issued on Friday.
According to Mwemba the municipality has suspended water and electricity to 83 different offices, which include government offices, businesses and institutions.
“The process is ongoing and so far we have collected over N.dollars 13 million. I believe we will have collected more by Friday,” he said.
Towards the end of October, the municipality gave government offices, businesses and institutions until 03 November to settle their debt or have their water and electricity disconnected.
At that time Keetmanshoop Mayor, McDonald Hanse, said suspensions will be carried out in three phases starting with the suspension of unpaid municipal accounts for businesses, government entities, and institutions.
The second phase, set to start on 04 December 2023, will target municipal staff and councillors, while the third phase, beginning in January next year, will focus on residents.
Residents, government institutions and businesses owe the municipality over N.dollars 212 million in water, rates and taxes, electricity, land sales and other utilities.
The suspension of unpaid accounts is designed to address the critical issue of unpaid municipal accounts, secure resources and ensure that the municipality can continue to provide essential services to all its clients.
Among the clients that had their water disconnected by Wednesday were the ||Kharas Regional Council, Directorate of Education, Namibian Police Force regional headquarters, governor’s office, and the government building that houses the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Home Affairs.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency