Adolf Kaure
Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa has issued a stern warning to councillors against running councils in a cuca shop-like fashion but to deploy the highest governance standards or face the chop.
Speaking at the 2026 Local Authority and Regional Council staff induction workshop on Monday in Mariental, he said any individual councillor or official found wanting will be personally held liable.
“I will not idle around and let people who are expected to execute their jobs in a dignified manner run the government institutions like a cuca shop. This is my promise to you all,” he said.
The sixth cluster workshop is being attended by newly elected regional councillors, chief regional officers, and administrators from the//Kharas, Omaheke and Hardap regional councils.
Also participating are local authority councillors, CEOs and administrators from the Mariental Municipality, Karasburg and Oranjemund town councils, as well as the Gochas, Gibeon, Kalkrand, Maltahöhe and Stampriet village councils.
The five-day induction workshop aims to equip newly elected councillors with essential knowledge on legal frameworks, governance policies, and leadership skills necessary to effectively execute their mandates.
Sankwasa also called on councillors who have outstanding local authority bills to settle them or face disconnections.
“Some newly elected councillors owing their local authorities will have such debts deducted from their allowances until such time that such outstanding municipality bills are fully settled. CEOs must act now without fail in ensuring that all outstanding bills are fully settled,” he said.
He added, “Let us lead by example. Local authorities need this money for development projects and improved service delivery to the residents of the towns or villages. It cannot be business as usual.”
Sankwasa then called on all institutions of government that have outstanding municipal services accounts to settle such accounts during the 2026/2027 financial year.
“Even through monthly deductions from the allowances until such bills are fully settled,” he stated.
The minister further urged all councillors to put aside party politics and work collectively to avoid stifling progressive service delivery for all citizens.
“We are not political party functionaries in the regional councils or local authorities, but individuals who entered the doors of the councils through political parties but took an oath to serve as leaders in government. We must therefore leave our party politics outside when we enter the councils’ doors and perform government duties and functions for which we took an oath of office. We must perform our obligations as a collective with a different approach. Therefore, changing what and how we do things and perform our national duties is inevitable,” he said.
– akaure@nepc.com.na