Windhoek mayor Fransina Kahungu says she will launch an investigation after a water tank used by the Goreangab informal settlement was stolen last week Monday.
Kahungu made the discovery last week Wednesday, prompting the City to urgently replace the tank with a new one the following day. “Even though the tank is missing, I had instructed for another tank to be installed, which was already installed successfully on Thursday last week,” Kahungu told New Era. The City of Windhoek in collaboration with the Khomas Regional Council has been providing water to local residents as part of efforts to encourage regular washing of hands and promote hygiene during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Local residents are, however, furious over the missing water tank and appear to blame City officials, whom they say, have been frequenting the tank, for its disappearance.
Community activist Josias Samuel said they were sent from pillar to post when they enquired about the missing water tank from the City. However, another resident who resides near the water tank, alleged she saw two trucks that belonged to the City loaded with two water tanks a week ago. She told New Era she saw a lot of municipal officials with overalls removing the tank but could not give them attention.
“It only came to click in my mind when another truck that came the next day to fill up the tank and start asking us questions about who took the tank and why,” she said. According to Kahungu, she had enquired from all departments in an effort to determine on whose instruction the tank was removed, but to no avail. When New Era visited the area on Sunday, the newly installed tank was not yet filled with water.
The mayor had to intervene and instructed officials to fill it up. However, the water that was brought for the tank was not fit for human consumption, according to the mayor. “I am not convinced that the water from the firefighter truck is fit for human consumption, therefore try to get fresh water. That water is sometimes kept in a tank for sometimes waiting for a fire emergency.
That is why I am not comfortable that it can be used for human consumption,” she said while turning the truck away. There are 19 water points installed at Goreangab since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March.
– ljason@nepc.com.na