Staff Reporter
RESIDENTS of Katutura Central this morning gave an unpleasant welcome to workers of the City of Windhoek after dumping sewage as well as other refuse at the City of Windhoek’s building in the capital, citing non-response to years of sewage complaints.
Sean Gariseb, an activist, explained that residents in Clemence Kapuuo have for years complained about the sewage problems, but their complaints have fallen on deaf ears.
“The City of Windhoek has allocated significant budget resources toward major wastewater development projects, including the N$1.7 billion water reclamation and wastewater upgrade. Smaller-scale sanitation projects are also supposed to be implemented in informal settlements and other areas of Windhoek. Why is this decade-long issue ignored? It’s causing the whole of Katutura to stink,” Gariseb said.
In response, Harold Akwenye, the City’s spokesperson, said that the City of Windhoek is aware of the incident that took place this morning, where sewage waste was dumped at the City’s offices.
“The matter was brought to our attention promptly, and a cleaning team has already been dispatched to restore the affected area. The City strongly condemns such actions and will review CCTV footage and other available evidence to establish what transpired and identify those responsible. Appropriate action will be taken in accordance with the law.
Regarding the concerns raised by residents of Dolam about sewage leaks, the City can confirm that our technical teams continuously monitor and attend to reported sewer blockages and overflows across the city, including in Dolam. We encourage residents to report such incidents through the City’s official communication channels to ensure timely response and resolution,” Akwenye said.
He concluded by saying that the City remains committed to maintaining public health, safety, and environmental hygiene, and urged residents to engage with the City Council constructively as they work together to address service delivery challenges.
