Nuusita Ashipala
Oniipa-Residents at Oniipa have been accused of uttering death threats against council staff for allegedly not executing their duties and conforming to regulations aimed at steering development at the town.
But apart from the death threats made against staff, the chief executive officer at Oniipa, Junias Jakob, said residents are failing to comply with the council’s policy, which hinders the town council’s operations.
Jakob, however, maintained that the council will not entertain threats and continue to execute its duties as mandated.
In the wake of the threats, the council had disconnected the water of residents who are refusing to submit documents required by the council to administer the water billing, following the transfer of accounts from NamWater to the council.
Residents are required to submit a clearance certificate from NamWater to show their accounts have been settled, a copy of their identification document as well as a deposit of N$750 for a residential plot and N$900 for a business plot, payable over six months.
“We are not saying that their water accounts are in areas. Cutting of their water supply was a measure of bringing them to the table to comply because we have been appealing with them to come forth but they have failed to do so,” said Jakob.
Oniipa Mayor Mannetjies Kambode appealed to the dissatisfied residents to use the available channels to launch their complaints.
“Threatening the staff, using abusive language and acting violently will not bring about development and it is not acceptable. Launch formal complaints and we will attend to your plight,” said Kambode.
Meanwhile, the council has not had a favourable response since it opened a case of assault by threat against Timotteus Ikel, who threatened to shoot anyone who demolished his house valued at over N$300 000 at the town.