Keetmanshoop entrepreneurs are concerned about their relationship with the local council and the level of service delivery.

John de Beer, spokesperson for the Keetmanshoop business community, said during a stakeholders engagement meeting yesterday that relations between them and the municipality disappeared somewhere along the road. 

“There is no communication between us and the town council. Hence, all of us are pulling the wagon in different directions,” he stressed.

De Beer said there is no platform to address their concerns, and that a business forum should be established as a matter of urgency. He also questioned the high bills from the municipality for service delivery, and asked the entity to provide them with detailed calculation formulas to explain how council arrives at these charges. 

“Why are we charged for ‘historical debt’ on land/property tax, and penalised if using more than 50 units of water monthly, on top of high rates for water and electricity consumption?’’ he asked.

Another concern raised by those present was that of entrepreneurs still being charged at higher rates and taxes if developing a vacant erf lying idle for many years, as this system of charging 100% more for basic services only applies when you are having a vacant erf, and not when it is developed. Business owners furthermore wanted to know whether ministries/offices/agencies are also facing demands to pay arrear accounts for basic services, or face it being disconnected. 

Responding to the group, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Keetmanshoop municipality Desmond Basson said all questions have been noted, and will now be forwarded to the respective departments in council to address them accordingly. 

“A feedback meeting will be scheduled, which you will be invited to,’’ he added.

In terms of charges for water consumption, the CEO explained that council is not supplying the commodity as a profit-making measure, but rather just to cover for operational charges involved in the process. 

“On top of the tariff that NamWater is charging council for water supply, we are only adding an amount of N$2.00 per cubic meter,” he explained.

In his contribution, Khoetage Dax, acting head of the Keetmanshoop electricity business unit (KEBU), said ‘’KEBU is a cost-recovery instead of profit-making institution and is fully autonomous, whereby we sustain our operations and pay over royalties to the Keetmanshoop municipality”. 

- sklukowaki@nepc.com.na