Staff Writer
The City of Windhoek has revealed that residents, government ministries and businesses collectively owe the council N$1.2 billion.
According to City spokesperson Harold Akwenye, the city has handed over defaulters to Redforce Debt Management for collection.
“Residents, businesses and governments owe N$1.2 billion in total, of which N$460 million has
been handed over to Redforce for debt collection,” confirm Akweenye.
Earlier this year the government asked local authorities to charge those who can pay while it tries to find the funds to settle the debt for water supplied during the Covid-19 state of emergency from local authorities, who made water available in informal settlements during that period.
Local authorities plummeted into debt in 2020 after the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development issued a directive not to interrupt water supply and ensure that people have access to water.
Akwenye said ministry has paid only N$12 million towards free water since April 2020.
It was reported last year that the city wrote off residents’ debts worth N$400 million in the last 5 years.
However, in the same year the city also announced that it handed over rate payers in Windhoek, who owe the municipality about N$235 million to debt collectors.
In addition, last year the municipality managed to clear its debt with NamPower, which stood at N$268 million, and planned to make a timely payments to NamWater, as well.
