Windhoek warns defaulters of court action over N$900m debt

Windhoek residents owe the City of Windhoek more than N$900 million in unpaid municipal bills.

This has prompted the municipality to disconnect services to recover the money.

City chief executive Moses Matyayi on Friday said the municipality would continue taking action against residents who fail to pay their accounts.

This follows a call by social justice activist and Khomas Residents and Ratepayers Association chairperson Shaun Gariseb for residents to boycott municipal payments for three months.

On Tuesday, Gariseb called for the boycott in protest against the city’s decision to disconnect water and electricity services over unpaid accounts.

He said disconnections would not solve the municipality’s debt problem.

Gariseb accused the city of poor financial management and questioned whether incorrect billing and estimated charges were contributing to unpaid accounts.

He also referred to a High Court ruling preventing the municipality from disconnecting electricity to recover debts unrelated to electricity consumption.

Gariseb said water is a basic need for households, hospitals, schools and businesses.

He questioned how the city spends its N$4.9-billion budget, saying N$1.5 billion, or 32%, goes towards employee costs.

Gariseb called for a national policy to guide municipal debt management and payments for water and electricity.

He said the policy should include debt limits, better record-keeping and measures to hold municipalities accountable.

However, Matyayi rejected the boycott call, saying residents have a legal responsibility to pay for services.

“The city unequivocally rejects and condemns the call for a payment boycott. Payment for municipal services is not a voluntary undertaking,” the city says in a statement.

Matyayi on Friday said the disconnections target accounts that have remained unpaid for 30 days or more.

He warned that residents who refuse to pay could face additional charges, disconnections and legal action.

Property owners remain responsible for unpaid bills linked to their properties, even when tenants fail to pay, he said.

Matyayi also warned against tampering with electricity meters or illegally reconnecting services, saying offenders could face criminal charges.

He said a payment boycott could affect the city’s ability to provide water, electricity, refuse removal and infrastructure maintenance.

Meanwhile, the municipality says it has approved N$724 million in debt relief between 2023 and 2025.

Of this amount, N$383.9 million has already been written off to assist pensioners, orphan-led households and other qualifying residents.

The programme remains open. The city also rejects claims that its billing system is defective.

It acknowledges a billing problem affecting some accounts in 2024, but says it has corrected the issue.

“We ask residents to do their part by paying for the services they use, and we will not hesitate to enforce the law against those who would undermine that partnership,” Matyayi says.