Ratepayers gives city 48 hours to meet demands

The Katutura Residents Committee (KRC) took to the streets of Windhoek yesterday to ask the municipality to meet its demands.

KRC spokesperson Shaun Gariseb said the committee is giving the municipality 48 hours to adhere to its requests.

“We are giving you 48 hours to stop this illegal practice and unblock all blocked meters. Failure to do so we will encourage ratepayers to bypass all blocked meters, using unemployed electricians,” he said.

Gariseb said the committee wants the municipality to connect all disconnected prepaid electricity meters and implement the council resolution on writing off debt, as well as complete an audit on the city’s alleged irregular billing system.

“Away with the 1992 Build Together model to benefit our people and the rental erven in 7de Laan and Agstelaan,” he said.
Gariseb in a letter dated 29 June said the Electricity Control Board said a proposed hike was illegal and agreed with the recommendation 19 July.

“On 3 June, in accordance with Electricity Act 4 of 2007, opposing the proposed electricity hikes, we gave in a complaint about your illegal practice of blocking electricity meters for arrears on water bills, rates and taxes,” he said.

“Despite this directive you continue to block meters illegally. This affects households, businesses and churches that want to make money through different modes to pay and honour their municipal obligations. The ratepayers say electricians registered with the municipality will be encouraged to do undercover business with the residents.

No resident would be penalised for standing up to an “illegal practice” of the City of Windhoek, Gariseb said.

“If nothing is done, we will mobilise legal action against such penalisation collectively. We are therefore warning you to take this seriously,” he said.

He said the committee would not allow meter readers near their electricity meters without their permission.

Gariseb said a complete audit of the billing system would result in the escalation of most debts for residents.

“Unfortunately for the City of Windhoek, this is no more a secret as you wanted to keep it.

“We want you [the chief executive] to undertake and commit to sanctioning a complete audit on the system,” he said.

Gariseb said the system has been faulty for three years.

“ . . . and you knew it. It’s confirmed in the documents we have seen and even when you detected irregularities you went ahead, you did not stop and you continuously demanded money from residents, knowing it may be inaccurate . . .”

The way forward with regards to residents opening criminal cases would be communicated today, Gariseb said.