Sostenus Wilherm
The City of Windhoek has outlined major infrastructure and service delivery investments for the John Pandeni constituency, including more than N$1.9 billion in planned upgrades to water reclamation facilities.
The developments were presented during a public meeting with residents of the John Pandeni constituency held on Sunday under Section 88 of the Local Authorities Act, providing a platform for communities to raise concerns and engage directly with municipal leadership on service delivery.
A major focus was the council’s plans to strengthen Windhoek’s water infrastructure. The Gammams Water Reclamation Facility is expected to undergo an upgrade estimated at N$1.1 billion, while the Otjomuise Reclamation Plant upgrade is projected to cost approximately N$800 million.
The two projects form part of the council’s broader efforts to improve water infrastructure and strengthen Windhoek’s long-term water security as demand for water continues to grow.
Beyond water infrastructure, the City of Windhoek also highlighted investments aimed at improving emergency response services.
Raymond Kapiya, chief of emergency and disaster risk management, said the Council had budgeted N$10 million for the procurement of fire engines and heavy-duty rescue vehicles.
A further N$400 000 has been allocated for additional emergency equipment, with the investments expected to strengthen the city’s ability to respond to fires, accidents and other emergencies across Windhoek.
Road infrastructure was another key issue raised during the engagement. Several roads within the constituency are earmarked for upgrading from gravel to bitumen, which is expected to improve accessibility and road conditions for residents.
Residents were also encouraged to report potholes and riverbeds requiring cleaning to enable the City of Windhoek to identify and address maintenance needs more effectively.
The meeting also introduced residents to the Windhoek Solar Centre, an information and innovation hub providing advice on solar technologies, suppliers, financing options and the integration of solar systems with the municipal electricity grid.
On municipal cleanliness, residents were urged to report overflowing skip containers and areas requiring street cleaning, while potholes and other service delivery problems can also be reported to the City of Windhoek.
The City Police further encouraged residents to identify safety hotspots in their communities where CCTV cameras could potentially be installed to strengthen crime prevention and monitoring.
John Pandeni constituency councillor John Moonde called on residents to participate openly and constructively in discussions concerning service delivery.
City councillor Ndeshihafela Larandja stressed the importance of cooperation between local and regional leadership, acknowledging that not every concern raised by residents could be resolved immediately.
Larandja said the issues raised would nevertheless be recorded by city officials and referred to the relevant municipal departments for follow-up.
The engagement forms part of the City of Windhoek’s efforts to strengthen public participation and provide residents with a direct platform to raise concerns about infrastructure and municipal services.
The City of Windhoek has encouraged residents to continue reporting service delivery challenges and participating in public consultations as it works to improve infrastructure and services across Windhoek.
