WALVIS BAY – The Independent Patriots for Change must take responsibility and address Walvis Bay’s mountain of challenges instead of blaming Swapo, resident Kobus van Schalkwyk said.
Van Schalkwyk rejected accusations by the IPC suggesting their recent public engagement with Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa was politically motivated.
His response comes after IPC issued a statement shortly after the meeting on Friday, claiming the gathering was a political stunt. The meeting, held on Saturday, was attended by Shaningwa and the Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Evelyn Nawases-Taeyele.
“This sham ‘public meeting’ is nothing but a dictatorial manoeuvre by Swapo to fabricate dissent and justify an illegal takeover of a municipality, they lost fair and square at the polls in 2020. The IPC will not tolerate this blatant abuse of State power to reverse the democratic will of Walvis Bay voters,” IPC spokesperson and official opposition leader in Parliament, Imms Nashinge, said over the weekend.
The event was organised by Van Schalkwyk and a group of residents to address what they describe as the town’s worsening state.
Van Schalkwyk said the engagement was necessary, as the IPC-led municipality has repeatedly shifted blame to Swapo for Walvis Bay’s deteriorating infrastructure.
“As Namibian citizens, we have every constitutional right to call and engage any national leadership. IPC leaders, including the mayor, keep shifting the blame, claiming the government is withholding funds. The reality is that under IPC leadership, waste collection and disposal worsened, roads deteriorated, and water and sewage services reached alarming crisis levels,” he said on Monday.
He accused IPC of lacking both the capacity and the political will to address the town’s challenges.
According to Van Schalwyk, the Walvis Bay leadership is often unavailable and, when present, offers no solutions – only excuses.
“IPC must stop playing political games when they clearly cannot fix Walvis Bay’s problems, even in the next 10 years,” the resident added.
He continued that the meeting was non-political and had nothing to do with the Walvis Bay Joint Residents Association.
“We condemn IPC’s attempt to politicise and hijack the gathering they had no part in organising. If they wish to engage residents, they should organise their own meetings and take responsibility for their failures,” he said.
Van Schalkwyk also indicated that they are petitioning the Walvis Bay council.
He said the petition with 3 027 verified signatures is circulating and calling for urgent municipal reform.
The petition demands the restoration of regular street cleaning and rubbish removal, the end of burning rubbish at dumpsites, safe waste management practices, more toilet facilities in townships, urgent road repairs and increased transparency in municipal planning and budgeting.
Meanwhile, former Walvis Bay councillor Romeo Goseb said he is concerned residents of Walvis Bay are within their rights to call a meeting to air their frustrations over the town.
He said promises were made and broken.
“The coalition that was formed by IPC at the genesis of their term had no blueprint other than shouldering Swapo members out of key positions,” Goseb said.
“Stone throwing and blame shifting won’t rescue Walvis Bay out of this quagmire; thus, I urge political parties to field empathetic candidates for the coming elections so they can drag us out of this never-ending mess created by those who had the chance to take us to a satisfactory level of service delivery,” he appealed.