Rundu residents raise concern over continued sewer leaks

Residents of Rundu’s Hilka Park have raised concern over continued sewer leaks in their area which expose them to potential diseases.

Residents’ representative Prince Muha has said sewerage blockages, unsanitary conditions and an unpleasant smell have been neglected for a long time.

Muha says the situation has been aggravated by bureaucratic deflections between the Rundu Town Council and Armstrong Property Developers which have left the community feeling abandoned and desperate for resolution.

“As taxpayers, we urge the Armstrong Property Developers and Rundu Town Council to take immediate action to address this issue and resolve the blockage,” Muha stresses.

He says the unbearable odour and unsightly sewage spillage have turned life in the neighborhood into a daily battle for dignity and safety.

“Despite numerous complaints and pleas, we are caught in a frustrating back-and-forth between the local council and the developer,” Muha says. He adds that the council claims sole responsibility lies with the developer, while the developer is reportedly dragging its feet in addressing the problem.

“This lack of accountability has left us with no clear path forward, [causing] frustration and feelings of neglect,” Muha says.

Muha questions how a location that generates revenue for the council can be left in such dire circumstances, and says residents are seeking “clarity and transparency about the ownership of the issue”.

Sakaria Shopati, a town engineer at the council, says the council assembled a team to investigate the matter on the ground.

“The team investigated the situation [and] they are busy compiling the report for the head of technical and the chief executive’s office to give directives,” Shopati says, adding that more details will be shared once the council has make a decision.

He said more details will be made once the decision is made and the way forward.

Matthews Hungamo, the owner of Armstrong Property Developers, has told The Namibian claims that sewerage pumps have not functioned for two years are untrue.

“Since Hilka Park existed up to date, we replaced four machine pumps. As the developer we are always trying our best to fix the pump,” Hungamo states.

Hungamo claims Hilka Park residents bear responsibility for disposing of unsuitable materials (such as pantyliners, plastic or stones) in the main sewer line.

“The new pump is functioning very well, and it was replaced last week,” Hungamo says.