2006-05-17Staff Report 2 "By Kuvee Kangueehi Windhoek Tension is high at the Sunflower Court in Katutura where the tenants and the landlord are at loggerheads over rental payments. Close to 20 tenants on Monday evening claimed that they had paid their rental fees totalling more than N$60 000 to a certain Jeffery Katjiuanjo, whom they believed was the landlord's agent. The tenants said they paid the monthly rental fees of N$2 100 plus the deposit since November last year to Katjiuanjo and were given receipts for the payments. However, the tenants claim that recently, another person named Henry Ludwig came claiming to be the owner of the complex. Ludwig demanded payment from them and threatened to kick them out or take legal action against them in order to recover his money. The tenants say Ludwig told them that the receipts they got from Katjiuanjo were fake. They now realise that they were not supposed to pay the money to Katjiuanjo, as he had no authority to collect the money. ""We are surprised by Ludwig's behaviour and remarks because Katjiuanjo was the only person we knew and he gave us the keys and the lease agreements."" The tenants said that the entire business at the complex is sinister. They suspect there is a scheme going on. ""We do not even know what the real name of the complex is because the stamp on our receipts has a different name every time."" The tenants also wanted to know why the keys to the doors of the different flats were the same. ""Why is it that one key can open all the door locks? Our belongings are no longer safe,"" remarked one tenant. The tenants also complained that things are falling apart despite the complex being new. ""The lights are not working properly, walls are cracking, and toilet pots and wardrobes are broken."" The tenants noted that the way things were organised at the flats is very poor. They said the fact that there is no corporate body for the complex was proof of this. They said no meetings were being held and their complaints are not addressed. The tenants called on the City of Windhoek to inspect the flats because there is no emergency equipment in case a fire starts at the complex. Contacted for comment yesterday afternoon, Ludwig admitted that he faced some problems in that tenants have not paid rent. He noted that the tenants also informed him that they paid the money to Katjiuanjo, something they were not supposed to do. ""The contract clearly states that the money should be paid into my bank account and not to Jeffery."" Ludwig added that some of the tenants were claiming that they paid the money to Katjiuanjo but did not receive any receipts. This made it difficult for him to determine who was telling the truth. He said Katjiuanjo informed him that he took some of the money from the tenants and spent it. He promised to pay back the money almost three months ago. ""I am planning to lay a charge with the police about the behaviour of Katjiuanjo because he has made a mess at the complex."" Ludwig also promised that a corporate body, which would solve most of the problems at the complex, would be set up in the next four weeks." 2006-05-17Staff Report 2
