Residents take on City over debts

SIXTEEN families living in Windhoek’s Otjomuise residential area are set to become the latest target in the Windhoek municipality’s ongoing crackdown on defaulters.

The residents of 57 Tokyo Street, a low-income housing scheme, are crying foul after being informed that the City of Windhoek has lodged a civil case against them for falling into arrears with their instalments. They owe the City N$12 123.While each family lives in a separate housing unit, all 16 houses are legally situated on one plot, and therefore the municipal bill is shared among them at the end of the month.The group argue that this state of affairs, something that they have taken up with the City on numerous occasions, has led to the entire group suffering because of the inability of a few to honour this monthly commitment.”(Our treasurer) usually picks up the bill from the municipality building, and the group then divides the total amount payable between us.But sometimes when you go to collect the money, some people tell you that they’ve had a death in the family, or for some or other reason they’re struggling to come up with the money,” Tokyo Street 57 Committee chairperson Erwin Goagoseb told The Namibian.”So what can we do? We take whatever money we manage to collect and go and pay that,” he said.The group have on various occasions written letters to the municipality requesting to separate the account, as well as to complain about the conditions of the “containers” in which they live.The City, they say, promised to look into the matter, but to no avail.City of Windhoek spokesperson Elizabeth Sibindi confirmed this week that a case had been lodged against the group.She said each of the housing units was equipped with its own water meter.Residents there do not have electricity meters, and in the last few weeks the municipality has been busy setting up pre-paid meters for the various houses.”That’s fine.We don’t have a problem with the municipal bills.The problem is the homes themselves.It’s the plot that needs to be separated,” Goagoseb said yesterday in reply to the City’s comments.They owe the City N$12 123.While each family lives in a separate housing unit, all 16 houses are legally situated on one plot, and therefore the municipal bill is shared among them at the end of the month.The group argue that this state of affairs, something that they have taken up with the City on numerous occasions, has led to the entire group suffering because of the inability of a few to honour this monthly commitment.”(Our treasurer) usually picks up the bill from the municipality building, and the group then divides the total amount payable between us.But sometimes when you go to collect the money, some people tell you that they’ve had a death in the family, or for some or other reason they’re struggling to come up with the money,” Tokyo Street 57 Committee chairperson Erwin Goagoseb told The Namibian.”So what can we do? We take whatever money we manage to collect and go and pay that,” he said.The group have on various occasions written letters to the municipality requesting to separate the account, as well as to complain about the conditions of the “containers” in which they live. The City, they say, promised to look into the matter, but to no avail.City of Windhoek spokesperson Elizabeth Sibindi confirmed this week that a case had been lodged against the group.She said each of the housing units was equipped with its own water meter.Residents there do not have electricity meters, and in the last few weeks the municipality has been busy setting up pre-paid meters for the various houses.”That’s fine.We don’t have a problem with the municipal bills.The problem is the homes themselves.It’s the plot that needs to be separated,” Goagoseb said yesterday in reply to the City’s comments.