KEETMANSHOOP – The Regional Coordinator of the Swapo Party in the //Karas Region, Matheus Mumbala, wants local authority councillors to ensure that services are delivered to every resident in their towns and villages.
Mumbala blamed councillors for the fact that people living in informal settlements cannot register to vote, because they do not have the required documentation such as municipal utility bills. “You are supposed to provide services to those people. You are the ones who are supposed to give them services so that they can have municipal bills. You were supposed to give them erven so that they can have a municipal bill. The informal settlements are part and parcel of your towns. You are saying you do not have revenue, but you are not collecting the revenue,” he charged. He also urged local councillors to assume responsibility for the quality of education in their towns and villages and to communicate with their regional directors. “Are we visiting schools in our towns? Education is not only the responsibility of the Ministry of Education. Some of you should one day sit with your regional directors. You must visit your schools to see what is going on,” he said.
Mumbala further called on local authority councillors to submit their council meeting minutes to the constituency councillors so that development can be monitored. “These challenges that we face and they will remain challenges for generations to come if we do not act energetically, therefore councillors you need to take stock and be self-critical. Let us therefore examine issues as a team emphasising the areas that need our urgent attention. Therefore, comrade councillors you need to take certain actions to ensure that the plight of destitute communities living in informal settlements within your towns and villages are addressed.”
According to Mumbala councillors should learn and understand their roles in the party and to implement the party’s election manifesto.
By Jemima Beukes