City accused of dereliction of duty

Hochland Park residents living on Osprey and Barbet streets are up in arms about the failure of the Windhoek municipality and City Police to close down businesses operating illegally from residential properties.
They say sufficient audio-visual material has been provided to the municipality and City Police as proof of the illegal activities.
Horizonte Guesthouse Import & Export, which also traded as Horizonte Commercial (Pty) Limited, on 22 Osprey Street, was ordered to cease operation on 24 September 2015, but remained in operation.
At 44 Barbet Street the Hoperise College is still being run after the municipality instructed it to stop operating on 30 March.
Residents who prefer anonymity say they have objected, petitioned, begged and pleaded with the municipal authorities to have the Horizonte Guesthouse shut down.
They say what was once a peaceful and quiet neighbourhood was transformed as a result of the loud noise and music emanating from the guesthouse.
They complain about the cars, including diplomatic and City Police vehicles and taxis, parked outside the establishment, whose patrons urinate on the pavement and hoot in front of the gate at any hour of the night.
The City of Windhoek granted consent to Horizonte to operate as a bed-and-breakfast in August 2011 and it was given a special liquor licence which allowed on-site drinking.
One of the conditions of consent was that only staff and other individuals employed by the guesthouse, as well as guests paying for accommodation, were allowed to be served meals and liquor.
Residents say the bar is open to any member of the public and the premises are used as a “place of amusement”.
Another condition of the consent was that none of the buildings on the property may be used as an entertainment hall or an amusement area.
According to the residents the owner of the premises, Paul ‘Shorty’ Tjiueza, has repeatedly rented out the pool and lapa area for parties.
After numerous complaints from the residents the municipality ordered Horizonte to cease “at once” all activities pertaining to the bed-and-breakfast, including the bar. The business was also advised to submit a new application if it wanted to continue with resident occupation, which required comments from neighbours.
The municipality specifically instructed that Tjiueza should seek an alternative venue if he wanted to continue running a place of amusement.
Notwithstanding, Tjiueza has reportedly continued to advertise the place as a guesthouse on Facebook and on a billboard outside the property. He also allowed another business, Fusion Wellness, to operate from the property, allegedly without the municipality’s consent.
Horizonte’s liquor licence expired on 31 March 2015 and has not been renewed but residents say Tjiueza continues to serve the public, including members of the City Police, with food and drinks.
Some residents even expressed suspicion that the place, frequented by Angolan nationals doing business in Namibia, might be a front to conceal illegal activities such as money laundering and animal trafficking.
“It is so disempowering that I cannot provide a stable and peaceful environment in which I can provide for my family,” one resident lamented.
The owner of Fusion Wellness, Nancy Zauana, says she has full authorisation from the municipality to operate from the premises.
Tjiueza denied that a guesthouse is still being operated from the premises and complained that he is “getting tired” of his troublesome neighbours who are always complaining to the municipality and City Police.

Hoperise College

Ritta Khiba Planning Consultants, on behalf of the owners of Hoperise College, has applied to the City for rezoning from “residential” to “institutional” and to operate as a “place of instruction” for about 60 children in Grades 10 and 12 while the rezoning is being processed.
Residents have collectively objected to the rezoning and claim that a certain Rosa Nandago fraudulently deceived them into signing a consent form because she misrepresented the institution as an “examination centre” and not a college.
The college, which caters primarily to Angolan students, runs three shifts, including an after-school programme.
Residents have repeatedly complained to the municipality over disruption, discomfort, lack of privacy, noise and other pollution, as well as a dangerous increase in traffic on the street while students are dropped off or collected.
The director of Hoperise College, Wellington Vembe, says Nandago acts as a “rezoning consultant” on behalf of two Namibian owners of the institution and was asked to “sensitise” the neighbours that the premises would be changed from a rehabilitation centre to an examination centre.
Vembe says the institution has, however, decided to provide tuition as “value addition” to help learners pass examinations.
“Look at the failure rate in the country. How can you put up an examination centre without coaching learners?” Vembe said. “One must look at an examination centre versus the dynamics of preparing for examinations.”
He denies that the City has ordered the college to close down, saying it merely received a warning “to address certain issues”.
Since then, he says, the college has implemented corrective measures like the installation of an electric gate to control the flow of the learners, and parking cones were placed on the neighbour’s kerb to stop cars from parking there.
The municipality and City Police have yet to respond to questions sent more than a week ago.

CATHERINE SASMAN