'Fix it yourselves'

Tenants of government flats at Rundu have made an impassioned plea to the works ministry to do major renovations to the premises, which is falling apart and reeks of sewage. However, ministry spokesperson Julius Ngweda said tenants living in government properties around the country have done so for many years and pay very little for rent. He said they should take responsibility for minor repairs.It was reported earlier this year that the government owns an estimated 270 houses and 1 000 flats in Windhoek, 75 houses in Oshakati and 39 houses in Walvis Bay. Ngweda was quoted by The Namibian as saying that some of these houses had since been sold. He added at the time - in May - that the flats dated back to the early 1990s. The four blocks of government flats at Rundu, which consist of 16 two-bedroom flats, were built during the apartheid era. Namibian Sun recently visited the buildings that house public servants and their families and observed that the infrastructure is in dire need of repair. Ceilings are in an atrocious state, while electrical wires are exposed.Doors are damaged and the smell of sewage permeates the air.Ngweda said the ministry was doing its best with a limited budget. According to the 2018/19 budget tabled by finance minister Calle Schlettwein earlier this year, N$10.6 million was allocated to the works ministry for construction, renovations and improvements, which is N$1.8 million less than the previous year. In the 2019/20 financial year, this amount will be reduced to N$5.3 million Ngweda said if one divides the N$10.6 million between the 14 regions, it amounts to about N$800 000 per region, which makes it difficult for the ministry to fulfil its obligations. He called on tenants to assist the ministry by taking care of minor renovations, adding that they should not expect everything to be done for them. “If your bulb is not working or your tap is damaged, what is stopping you from replacing it? These people are in fact not paying a lot for those flats. “People should also have a sense of responsibility; it does not mean that if it belongs to the government, you should not maintain it; that's the wrong mentality,” Ngweda added.Some of the Rundu government flat tenants say they have to place buckets around their flats because of water leaks. The tenants are responsible for their water and electricity bills, while the ministry is supposed to provide maintenance services. Some of the tenants who spoke to Namibian Sun on condition of anonymity expressed disappointment with the ministry for neglecting its responsibilities. “Why can the ministry not just fulfil their responsibilities like we do when we pay our monthly instalments? This is totally unacceptable because the more time passes, the challenges pile up and we are forced to accept this nonsense. “It is not that we are ungrateful for being housed here, but we deserve to live in a conducive environment,” a tenant said. Some of the tenants have resorted to doing their own repairs, because whenever gripes are reported ministry officials, no action is taken. “I have lived here for more than ten years and no major renovations ever took place. Some of us have opted to renovate the government property with our own funds, but this is supposed to be the duty of the ministry,” another tenant said. “About six months ago we were visited by officials from the ministry of works, who came from Windhoek. They took pictures and promised that something would be done. We are still waiting. These buildings are old and they need to be repaired urgently,” said one tenant who allowed Namibian Sun to inspect his flat. Safety concerns were also raised. Tenants said the fence around the premises had been vandalised, allowing easy access to intruders.KENYA KAMBOWE

'Fix it yourselves'

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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'Fix it yourselves'

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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