Hertta-Maria Amutenja
The residents of Gobabis are threatening to take the municipality to court if their petition, which has been ignored for more than ten years, is not addressed.
Community activist Veronia Mokaleng-Kuzeeko said the residents are growing frustrated with the lack of response from the municipality to several petitions submitted over the years.
“We plan to take them to court because it’s been over ten years now that they are refusing to respond to our petitions. The municipality doesn’t even give us basic services. All that is there are issues of corruption. We cannot continue to organise demonstrations, and we are not bluffing,” Mokaleng-Kuzeeko said.
The petition, which was prepared for submission to the mayor and chairperson of the Gobabis municipality, Melba Tjozongoro, on 2 September outlines several grievances, including allegations of corruption, maladministration, and a lack of basic service delivery.
The town’s “unlawful and unprocedural signing of contracts” worth millions of dollars, as well as dilapidated water and electricity networks, are among the complaints.
“We never received any feedback on any petitions we have given to the municipality of Gobabis in the last four years. We demand those answers now,” the petition reads.
Residents also raised concerns about housing delivery under the Community Build Together Program, where 250 serviced plots are laying idle while the community is in urgent need of land. The petition further demands an investigation into the alleged illegal selling of land in informal settlements by municipal staff.
In response, Tjozongoro denied the accusations and said that she did not refuse to accept the petition.
“The accusations levelled against me are not true. The activist refused to meet me halfway in front of the TV camera that was there. They attempted to hand me the petition at the Gobabis 062, and I did not refuse to accept it,” Tjozongoro said.
The petition has been signed by 3 500 Gobabis residents and has been forwarded to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.
The community has given the municipality seven days to respond, threatening legal action if no action is taken.
