Niël Terblanché
Walvis Bay residents are growing increasingly frustrated as waste piles up in the streets due to the near-collapse of the municipality’s refuse removal services.
With only one operational refuse truck and four aging vehicles frequently out of service, the town’s waste management division is struggling to cope, prompting calls for urgent intervention.
Kaleinasho Maxuilili wrote a letter this week to the municipality expressing her concern about the environmental and sanitary conditions at the town.
“It is disheartening to see the increasing litter and sewage issues, which not only tarnish our town’s beauty but also pose serious health risks. As a coastal community, we need to address the refuse and pollution affecting both residents and visitors. The unpleasant odors are not just unattractive; they are alarming from a public health perspective. I urge those in authority to prioritize these issues for the sake of our community,” she said.
She said the town needs dedicated individuals who can tackle these challenges.
“As I reflect on my late father’s values of integrity and community care, I feel compelled to advocate for a clean and thriving environment,” she said.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) representative at the town, Harold Davids, on Monday also complained that dustbins were not emptied for three days.
“It’s illnesses, flies and mosquitoes. This is while the municipality fines residents up to N$2000 for dumping rubbish at open spaces,” he said.
Since December, complaints about uncollected rubbish, overflowing bins, and litter scattered by animals and vagrants have escalated.
On 20 January, the Windhoek Observer reported that the breakdown of refuse trucks was the primary cause of the delays.
One frustrated resident at the time voiced concerns on a local community forum.
“All the refuse removal trucks are broken. People are complaining about overflowing bins, and rubbish is being strewn all over by dogs and people. It feels like nothing is happening,” the resident said.
In an effort to manage the crisis, the municipality deployed teams of workers using skips and pick-up trucks to collect waste.
However, this measure has failed to make a significant impact, as it takes up to two days to empty bins in some areas.
In January, municipal spokesperson Anita Kahiva acknowledged the severity of the problem, admitting that mechanical failures have left the town’s waste removal services in disarray.
“Refuse removal trucks are mostly unavailable, and the two currently deployed are unreliable, constantly needing repairs. We are behind with refuse collection across Walvis Bay,” she said.
The municipality has urged residents to adjust their waste disposal practices, advising them to place bins outside only after 17:00 on designated collection days.
Kahiva warned that delays are inevitable.
The council also said that it plans to acquire five new refuse trucks in the 2025/2026 financial year to improve waste management.
A delegation led by the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) in coalition with the Joint Walvis Bay Residents Association (JWBRA), launched measures to exert pressure on the municipal management to investigate the leadership of the environmental and waste management division and hold officials accountable for the ongoing crisis.
The newly formed coalition accused the municipal leadership of failure to execute its four-year fleet replacement programme launched in 2021.
According to the coalition, the first truck acquired met specifications, but a baffling decision to change bin sizes from 210 litres to 110 litres—despite Walvis Bay only using 210-litre bins—led to the cancellation of a tender for two additional trucks in 2022.
In 2023, further procurement setbacks arose due to cost-cutting measures and insufficient budget allocation.
With only one new truck acquired since 2021 and an uncertain timeline for further replacements, the newly formed coalition is demanding accountability.
