TSUMEB – Founded in 1905, the Municipality of Tsumeb was once a mecca of excellence, where green and neatness greeted visitors and residents alike. 

Today, many say the town has become a shadow of its former self, where poor service delivery is the standard, with zero accountability from those at its helm. 

Now, residents of Tsumeb are crying out for the return of their town’s glory days, a time when streets were clean, water was safe to drink and leadership was responsive. At the centre of this call is Elizabeth Claasen, a respected community leader. She said Tsumeb was once a “paradise”. 

Claasen is a community leader, who represents the majority of the informal settlements within the town. New Era visited Tsumeb last week to assess developmental projects and gather community stories. 

Paradise 

“Tsumeb was one of the paradise towns. But just look at it now. We are just going down. People are drinking dirty water. There is no communication. 

The town is dirty, and the municipality is not listening,” Claasen said. 

She was chosen by her community to take up leadership after residents held their meeting and arrived at her doorstep, desperate for help. 

She also led a development project called the Chumamadan Development Project Association. Since then, she has organised community clean-up campaigns with over 200 volunteers and spearheaded development projects – all without government funding. 

“They came to my gate and said, ‘Madam Classen, you are a believer. We are tired. We need serious help from you,” she said. 

She described how she and over 200 volunteers started cleaning the town without any money, even digging out weeds. 

A local sponsor offered N$1 300 for compost, but bigger problems remained unresolved. 

“Our water is very dirty. Last week, there was no water in different areas. The dam is dry. The machines that were bought to fix it are just standing idle. They say they don’t have qualified people to repair the dam. We are suffering,” she said. 

Claasen added that the municipality has ignored repeated efforts to sit around the table. 

“They are not engaging us. The mayor and his team never communicate. I am the one holding meetings. People are tired,” the disgruntled community leader asserted. 

Corruption 

Claasen also spoke about growing tribalism, corruption and alleged mismanagement. 

“There is total tribalism giving us problems… We have taken our concerns to the Ombudsman – to the anti-corruption office. We have confidential documents. But nothing changes,” she lamented. One of her deepest concerns is the health threat from arsenic released by the old copper smelters. “We are dying here. The dust from the mines is affecting us. People were in hospitals. Some researchers from Switzerland even came to investigate. But the results are hidden,” she said. Claasen lamented the lost opportunity to make Tsumeb shine again. 

She said past projects like the AgriHub, which were meant to bring jobs and development, were abandoned despite receiving about N$4 million. “We de-bushed five hectares ourselves. I took 600 people to work there. We walked seven kilometres on foot. We just asked for bread – just lunch for people. But still, nothing,” she argued. 

Her message to the town’s leaders is simple: stop the political games and bring back the town’s dignity. 

“I don’t belong to any political party. I just want our town back to how it used to be,” Claasen said. 

Response 

In a candid interview, Tsumeb mayor Mathews Angula did not deny that the town had lost its shine. 

He was the first to acknowledge it. 

“Yes, people are saying the glory of Tsumeb is gone, and I understand where that comes from. But we must also understand where we come from as a town. Tsumeb was strictly a mining town. Everything was provided by the mine. People lived comfortably, jobs were there, and services were paid for. That’s the context,” he said. He described how the closure of Tsumeb Corporation Limited (TCL) in 1997 marked the beginning of the decline. 

“That mine sustained this town. When it shut down, Tsumeb nearly became a ghost town,” he said. 

“Then Ongopolo came, and they didn’t last. Wetherly came, then Dandee. Each came with hopes, but the mining sector is unstable, and that affected everything,” the mayor said. 

Angula pointed out that the municipality’s main customers are the residents, but many are now unemployed. “If people owe the municipality N$200 million, how do we fix water systems, upgrade roads or build new infrastructure?” he questioned. He added: “We have an ageing infrastructure. We don’t deny it. But we also don’t have the money”. He said the current challenges – like dirty water, unemployment and informal settlements – are not unique to Tsumeb. 

The shortage of serviced land and money makes things worse. 

“Our area is rocky. To service one plot here costs three times more than in other towns like Oshakati. Government funding is not enough. “We’re all sharing the same cake,” he said. 

The mayor added that unemployment is around 40%, worsened by retrenchments at local mines. He said this weakens the town’s economic base and reduces residents’ ability to pay for services. “We want to fix things, but we need the money to do it,” Angula stated. 

Progress 

In the face of challenges, Angula highlighted progress made during his term, including major roads, a new water treatment plant, and efforts to formalise informal settlements. 

He admitted that due to the town’s rocky terrain, basic services like land development cost more than in most other towns. 

“It costs three times more to service a plot here than in Oshakati. And when the cake from the government is small, it’s shared among all local authorities,” he said. 

Despite the challenges, the mayor listed key developments during his term: roads repaired to bitumen standard, a new N$40 million water treatment plant in Geneva and progress on formalising informal settlements. 

“That treatment plant is complete. It will solve many of the water complaints. We also serviced land for people from Ndobo, and we’re working on interlocking roads in the locations,” he said. 

But even with these accomplishments, the mayor admitted that regaining Tsumeb’s past image is difficult. 

“The truth is, the milk and honey that people are yearning for is no longer available. It’s not that we are not trying. But we need financial support and community cooperation,” Angula said. 

Asked what his proudest achievement as mayor has been, he listed infrastructure and dignified ownership. 

“We’re formalising informal settlements because when people own their land, they take care of it. That brings dignity,” he said. 

Arsenic 

On the arsenic concerns raised by Classen and others, Angula confirmed that the problem exists, and corrective measures have been taken. 

“Yes, the smelter had high arsenic emissions, especially from imported copper concentrates. The mine was ordered to install emission control technology. Today, they have monitors that detect leaks,” he stated. The mayor responded by saying the municipality is looking at new bylaws and education campaigns. He acknowledged that the informal settlements now pose serious challenges. “Tsumeb was one of the few towns without informal settlements. But now, we have them. We need help. We cannot provide basic services without capital,” he said. 

On the issue of dirty streets and poor public hygiene, especially in market areas, the mayor blamed a lack of public discipline. 

Angula encouraged education rather than blame. “People do not want to pay to use toilets. Yet, they expect clean and working facilities,” he said. “It’s about mindset. We will continue with public education,” he added. 

-ljason@nepc.com.na