Martin Endjala
Residents of Divundu town in the Mukwe Constituency have raised concerns over precariously low-hanging power lines across Kasoma Street in the Divundu proper area.
A resident recently took to social media, urging the Divundu Village Council to address the situation, which poses a significant danger to the community.
The power lines have also been erected alarmingly close to houses, raising further concerns, as regulations discourage the installation of power lines near residential properties.
Attempts to reach the Divundu Village Council chief executive officer, Ndjamba Maghumbo for comment were unsuccessful.
Martin Maghano, a resident of the Ndongo area in Divundu, confirmed the issue to the Windhoek Observer on Wednesday, stating that the power lines have been in their current state since November last year.
“These power lines have been hanging like this since last November. It’s scary to walk or drive in the area because, at any moment, one of the poles could fall onto the road. We’ve also experienced nonstop power outages because of this,” Maghano said.
Northern Regional Electricity Distributor (NORED) spokesperson, Simon Lukas downplayed the situation, suggesting that residents sometimes exaggerate issues.
“There is no way the power lines could have been in this state without NORED knowing. A team is already on the ground addressing the matter,” Lukas said.
He explained that heavy rainfall is causing challenges with electricity transformers and power lines, resulting in frequent outages.
“It’s mother nature. There isn’t much one can do. Power outages will be a frequent occurrence during the rainy season,” he noted, acknowledging the undesirable situation while emphasising NORED’s commitment to providing reliable services and maintaining infrastructure.
However, Lukas pointed out that many of NORED’s cables are exposed due to the open-air design, which he described as the most cost-effective way to supply electricity.
“People need to understand that installing underground cables isn’t feasible here. Imagine digging trenches in areas that flood annually. It’s dangerous,” he stressed.
Lukas highlighted the high costs involved, citing that a single trench for fitting power cables could cost up to N$250 000—money that NORED currently lacks.
Meanwhile, Judea Lyaboloma Constituency Councillor in the Zambezi region, Humphrey Divai shared similar frustrations, saying the area also suffers from frequent power outages.
“With power outages, there’s no network to call or text, which is far from ideal in emergencies. NORED really needs to up its game because we cannot continue living like this,” Divai said
