Power cuts loom at southern villages

NAMPOWER’S threat to pull the plug on five southern villages today was only averted through hasty negotiations on Friday.

Last week, NamPower warned the village councils of Bethanie, Gibeon, Tses, Maltahoehe and Koës of power cuts because they hadn’t paid their bills. According to a source close to NamPower, the councils of Bethanie, Gibeon and Maltahoehe negotiated for a late payment this week, while the Koës Village Council made an eleventh-hour payment on Friday.The Tses Village Council had failed to reach an agreement with NamPower by Friday, and is facing a power cut today.Since the suspension of Government subsidies to village councils, the southern villages have struggled to make ends meet.The Ministry of Local Government withdrew the subsidies for capital projects, claiming village councils had failed to use the subsidies for the intended purpose.A delegation of village councillors from the South recently met with the Minister of Local Government to plead for the resumption of the subsidies, but they failed.The Bethanie Taxpayers’ Association (BTA) said in a press statement issued on Friday that the village’s residents planned to stage a peaceful demonstration today.The BTA demands the immediate resignation of the entire Village Council because of the likely power cut, which would be the second in less than two months.The Namibian has it on good authority that the Bethanie Council had to pay N$105 934 to avert the power cut.This amount includes the October power bill of N$73 016 and an additional instalment of N$32 000 to pay off arrears.The two parties agreed on the instalment plan during the last power cut.According to a source close to NamPower, the councils of Bethanie, Gibeon and Maltahoehe negotiated for a late payment this week, while the Koës Village Council made an eleventh-hour payment on Friday.The Tses Village Council had failed to reach an agreement with NamPower by Friday, and is facing a power cut today.Since the suspension of Government subsidies to village councils, the southern villages have struggled to make ends meet.The Ministry of Local Government withdrew the subsidies for capital projects, claiming village councils had failed to use the subsidies for the intended purpose.A delegation of village councillors from the South recently met with the Minister of Local Government to plead for the resumption of the subsidies, but they failed.The Bethanie Taxpayers’ Association (BTA) said in a press statement issued on Friday that the village’s residents planned to stage a peaceful demonstration today.The BTA demands the immediate resignation of the entire Village Council because of the likely power cut, which would be the second in less than two months.The Namibian has it on good authority that the Bethanie Council had to pay N$105 934 to avert the power cut.This amount includes the October power bill of N$73 016 and an additional instalment of N$32 000 to pay off arrears.The two parties agreed on the instalment plan during the last power cut.