Kamati outlines City's plans to regulate informal trading
Billing anomalies addressed
The City of Windhoek plans to develop 20 additional sites as open markets to regulate the informal trading sector.
Windhoek mayor Queen Kamati and municipality CEO Moses Matyayi addressed several pressing issues affecting the city's residents yesterday.
During a media briefing, the pair highlighted the City’s plans to regulate informal trading, while addressing challenges in municipal service delivery. Speaking at the council chambers, Kamati acknowledged the busy nature of the past month, marked by media reports, public activism and a series of 17 public meetings across all 10 constituencies of Windhoek.
Another of the key issues addressed was the ongoing controversy surrounding the blocking of prepaid electricity meters for residents with outstanding accounts for water or rates and taxes. Kamati said the City would continue employing this measure, citing the legal provisions under the Electricity Act.
“Blocking prepaid electricity meters has been employed as a last resort to encourage clients in arrears to settle their outstanding accounts. Recognising that the City of Windhoek is not violating any laws by employing this method, we will continue to use prepaid meter blocking as a complementary measure alongside other debt-collection methods," she said. She emphasised that this approach is essential for the financial sustainability of the municipality. “Failure to pay for services can lead to significant financial shortfalls, impeding our ability to provide essential services to other residents,” she added.
Billing anomalies
Kamati also addressed anomalies detected in the City's billing system, assuring residents that the issue is being handled with the utmost professionalism. The City has engaged Deloitte as an external investigator to conduct a forensic investigation into the matter. "Due to the nature of the investigation, we cannot disclose further details at this time to preserve the integrity and quality of the process," she stated, urging residents to report any irregularities with their accounts to the City's customer contact centre.
Meanwhile, on the regulation of informal trading, Kamati outlined the municipality's efforts to manage the rapidly growing sector. She highlighted the ongoing review of informal trading regulations, which aim to create an enabling environment for informal traders while maintaining order and safety within the city.
The mayor then announced that the City council has initiated an open market development programme, with 18 markets currently operational across Windhoek. In response to the increasing number of informal traders operating in unapproved sites, the City has approved a market development master plan that will see the identification of 20 additional sites for market development.
"This project aims to allocate suitable sites within the city, providing basic services such as running water and ablution facilities, depending on available funds," Kamati explained.
During a media briefing, the pair highlighted the City’s plans to regulate informal trading, while addressing challenges in municipal service delivery. Speaking at the council chambers, Kamati acknowledged the busy nature of the past month, marked by media reports, public activism and a series of 17 public meetings across all 10 constituencies of Windhoek.
Another of the key issues addressed was the ongoing controversy surrounding the blocking of prepaid electricity meters for residents with outstanding accounts for water or rates and taxes. Kamati said the City would continue employing this measure, citing the legal provisions under the Electricity Act.
“Blocking prepaid electricity meters has been employed as a last resort to encourage clients in arrears to settle their outstanding accounts. Recognising that the City of Windhoek is not violating any laws by employing this method, we will continue to use prepaid meter blocking as a complementary measure alongside other debt-collection methods," she said. She emphasised that this approach is essential for the financial sustainability of the municipality. “Failure to pay for services can lead to significant financial shortfalls, impeding our ability to provide essential services to other residents,” she added.
Billing anomalies
Kamati also addressed anomalies detected in the City's billing system, assuring residents that the issue is being handled with the utmost professionalism. The City has engaged Deloitte as an external investigator to conduct a forensic investigation into the matter. "Due to the nature of the investigation, we cannot disclose further details at this time to preserve the integrity and quality of the process," she stated, urging residents to report any irregularities with their accounts to the City's customer contact centre.
Meanwhile, on the regulation of informal trading, Kamati outlined the municipality's efforts to manage the rapidly growing sector. She highlighted the ongoing review of informal trading regulations, which aim to create an enabling environment for informal traders while maintaining order and safety within the city.
The mayor then announced that the City council has initiated an open market development programme, with 18 markets currently operational across Windhoek. In response to the increasing number of informal traders operating in unapproved sites, the City has approved a market development master plan that will see the identification of 20 additional sites for market development.
"This project aims to allocate suitable sites within the city, providing basic services such as running water and ablution facilities, depending on available funds," Kamati explained.
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