Businessman urges Oshakati to come clean

A BUSINESSMAN from Oshakati is up in arms over people who urinate and even defecate in the alley next to his business.

Willie Brits, the Manager of Quality Products Hartliefs Butchery at Oshakati West, is also concerned that the Oshakati Municipality is not doing enough combat such unhealthy practices. On May 17, Brits wrote to the Municipality on these and other issues.He also pointed out that the rubbish removal he paid for was not done on a weekly basis, while the cold room at a neighbouring business was leaking blood and water, constituting a health risk.Brits told The Namibian that he had been burgled twice from the alley at a loss of over N$12 000.Further, rubbish was constantly dumped at the back of his premises and blew onto his premises.He said he had to spend a lot of money to have it cleaned regularly.Although he had had the whole area around his business cleaned, he was stunned to see it was messed up a few hours later by hawkers throwing rubbish and fruit and vegetable leftovers in front of the business.In the same letter, Brits told the Oshakati Town Council that this was creating a health risk.He asked why he had to spend a lot of money complying with health regulations if others were allowed to get away with unhealthy practices.Brits also wrote warnings on his walls that nobody should urinate there.In the Council’s response, Chief Executive Officer, John Nghihepa, told Brits that his request would receive the necessary attention.However, the Municipality rejected Brits’s request that the alley be closed on both sides.Brits also told The Namibian that Municipal Liaison Officer, Loth Nehemia, had told him that he could not write on the wall warning people not to urinate there.”What can I do now? I think that we have to comply with the health regulations, especially we business people who are selling food, meat and so on and we need the support of our municipalities in this connection,” a worried Brits told The Namibian.He added that the bad smells even penetrated inside his butchery.When approached by The Namibian, the Mayor, Engelbert Atshipara, said he was not aware of problem and that he would approach Brits himself to hear about his problems.Atshipara said the municipality was drafting by-laws to manage certain health problems such as cleanliness, people urinating everywhere and other issues.”We are busy, very busy, cleaning the town at the moment and if you go around the town you will see the difference.I am sure that within months Oshakati will be another town when it comes to cleanliness, so, the problem of Brits will also be taken into consideration,” said Atshipara.On May 17, Brits wrote to the Municipality on these and other issues.He also pointed out that the rubbish removal he paid for was not done on a weekly basis, while the cold room at a neighbouring business was leaking blood and water, constituting a health risk.Brits told The Namibian that he had been burgled twice from the alley at a loss of over N$12 000.Further, rubbish was constantly dumped at the back of his premises and blew onto his premises.He said he had to spend a lot of money to have it cleaned regularly.Although he had had the whole area around his business cleaned, he was stunned to see it was messed up a few hours later by hawkers throwing rubbish and fruit and vegetable leftovers in front of the business.In the same letter, Brits told the Oshakati Town Council that this was creating a health risk.He asked why he had to spend a lot of money complying with health regulations if others were allowed to get away with unhealthy practices.Brits also wrote warnings on his walls that nobody should urinate there.In the Council’s response, Chief Executive Officer, John Nghihepa, told Brits that his request would receive the necessary attention.However, the Municipality rejected Brits’s request that the alley be closed on both sides.Brits also told The Namibian that Municipal Liaison Officer, Loth Nehemia, had told him that he could not write on the wall warning people not to urinate there.”What can I do now? I think that we have to comply with the health regulations, especially we business people who are selling food, meat and so on and we need the support of our municipalities in this connection,” a worried Brits told The Namibian.He added that the bad smells even penetrated inside his butchery.When approached by The Namibian, the Mayor, Engelbert Atshipara, said he was not aware of problem and that he would approach Brits himself to hear about his problems.Atshipara said the municipality was drafting by-laws to manage certain health problems such as cleanliness, people urinating everywhere and other issues.”We are busy, very busy, cleaning the town at the moment and if you go around the town you will see the difference.I am sure that within months Oshakati will be another town when it comes to cleanliness, so, the problem of Brits will also be taken into consideration,” said Atshipara.