Keetmanshoop
The Keetmanshoop Municipality will soon start hunting down debtors as it aims to collect about N$52 million collectively owed by residents.
This was revealed by the Keetmanshoop Municipality Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Desmond Basson at a media briefing on Tuesday.
He said residents owed millions of dollars for municipal services, adding that these amounts have to be collected if municipal operations are to run smoothly.
“There is a serious need to recover this outstanding debt as the municipality is experiencing cash flow problems,” Basson said.
He explained that the municipality would use the services of an independent debt collecting company, which will be paid on a commission basis.
While the municipality will collect its debt from some residents, there’s good news for owners of the alienation scheme houses as their combined debt in excess of N$2 million will be written off, pending approval from the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.
Basson also revealed that the municipality has received numerous requests to write off this debt, because the original owners have passed on and relatives or family members who inherited the houses are unable to pay the debt, which has prevented the municipality from transferring ownership of the homes into their names.
He also revealed that 2 000 people on a waiting list for serviced erven at the town and the municipality will continue to service more land in accordance with the availability of funds.
With regard to sewerage and other maintenance, Basson revealed that from the beginning of the year to March, about 189 faults were reported by residents of which 42 percent were drain blockages, while some were water pipe bursts and leakages.
He said the municipality is trying to upgrade the sewerage system with the construction of water and reticulation services to the tune of N$4 million in Westdene, and the construction of a new sewer line in Tseiblaagte at a cost of almost N$2 million.
He however cautioned residents that all these upgrades will be in vain if they do not bring their side and refrain from causing blockages to these lines.
“Residents are requested to please refrain from dropping foreign objects down the toilet or in the manhole,” he urged.