New council must overhaul Windhoek

GERT H MAASDORP WRITES:

Let there be no illusion – the City of Windhoek is in a drastic need of a comprehensive overhaul in order to turn it around to the exclusive benefit of its citizens.

We are in dire and urgent need of strong willed, high powered technocrats who are experts in their fields.

The officials of Windhoek municipality should be apolitical.

This CoW belongs to the people of Windhoek and is not supposed to be a profit driven entity.

We need to establish a very strong pressure group to keep the CoW constantly and persistently in check.

The oppressed will always be oppressed if we are too complacent, do not show spine and grid and challenge these people with all the means at our disposal. We should not be deterred by arrogance and bureaucracy.

My hope is that the new, incoming officials shall embrace and implement change. The focus should rather be “when” instead of “if”.

For a long time now there exist persistent reports in the media of alleged corruption at the CoW. Usually where there is smoke there is fire.

They must explain the rate increases and huge salaries of officials to the people.

I want to appeal to the incoming officials, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and the government in general to establish a competent commission of enquiry to investigate allegations of corruption and to set up a fixed, reasonable and transparent salary structure.

Exempt all pensioners from municipal fees and do not exempt politicians. Subsidize all poor consumers in both the informal and formal settlements with at least eighty percent on all essential services.

The CoW should give free, serviced plots to all severely affected vulnerable (disabled, bedridden, mentally challenged, etc.) irrespective of colour, creed, etc.

This should be done in close collaboration with judges accompanied by a very special, solid and watertight law. Any violation should face the full wrath of the law.

It is high time that the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development seriously, aggressively and firmly intervene whenever consumers are negatively affected and exploited. No protectionism for officials anymore.

Before appointing top officials they should be thoroughly screened and scrutinized in terms of competency. After that they need to go on a comprehensive and intensive induction course to make them familiar with what is expected from them. They should be appointed on a contractual basis of three years.

Please address the root causes of all social ills instead of the symptoms, like unregulated and unorganized urbanization, birth control and sex education to curb baby dumping. There is a serious need of establishing a special desk within the CoW who will work in conjunction with the relevant ministries on these issues.

No new vehicles should be bought any time soon.

Rather share vehicles among each other and use it for essential services. Fix all the damaged vehicles.

Central government should without any further delay also support the CoW financially.

I propose that the CoW also get a fishing quota to manage to the benefit of citizens. It should be transparently reflected in the budget and be open for public scrutiny at all times.

A more consumer friendly approach will restore the credibility of this municipality.

A special fund should be established to assist citizens struck by natural disasters and dangerous diseases.

CoW must get a 24/7 toll free number.

A reward system should be created to give discounts to those consumers who punctually settle their accounts over a certain number of years. This will also send the right signal to defaulters.

To the new, incoming politicians and administrators of the CoW: I wish you good luck and strength. Remember to always be humble, helpful and highly professional.