Eveline de Klerk
Walvis Bay-Walvis Bay residents should brace themselves for a municipal tariff increase of 15 percent for basic services, such as water and refuse removal.
Chairperson of the Walvis Bay management committee Tobias Nambala during the tabling of the N$286 million 2017/2018 budget this month said that a 15 percent tariff adjustment can be expected for water supply services.
Similarly, property rates and taxes, refuse removal services, as well as sanitation services are expected to be adjusted upward by 10 percent.
Nambala said the 15 percent rise in water tariffs was necessitated by the 16 percent increase imposed by NamWater, which took the price of 1 cubic metre of water from 9.10 cents to 10.60 cents.
“The adjustments are necessary in order to maintain the same standards we have become used to in terms of service delivery and to be in line with the tariff adjustments from the bulk service provider,” he said.
With regard to property rates and taxes, Nambala said the proposed increase includes the 5 percent increase in contributions to Erongo Regional Council, as per the Local Authorities Act.
Once gazetted, the list of annual tariff adjustments for other services will be made available to the public at municipal offices and through the media.
Prior to the tabling of the budget, Mayor Wilfred Immanuel called upon Walvis Bay residents to continue paying for services rendered by the municipality.
“The community must support us at all times, which means paying for municipal services on time every month. Even during tough times, one’s municipal bills should always enjoy priority. That is the only way our city will be able to sustain itself,” he said.