Capital Projects of N$756 million planned for Walvis Bay

namib times 10 July 2015

Journalist – Leandrea Louw

 

The Municipality of Walvis Bay plans to spend close to a billion Namibian dollars on capital projects in the harbour town over the next three years. That was the message from Councillor Tony Raw, the acting Chairperson of the Management Committee, when he tabled the budget for 2015/2016 on Tuesday afternoon at the Walvis Bay Council Chambers.

He gave a synopsis of the budget expenditures for the current financial year, which amounts to N$336 million, including an expected deficit of N$2,6 million. Land development and service delivery–related projects are high on the agenda – and rate payers will have to steel themselves for tariff hikes.

The combined projects provided for in this ca-pital budget is summarised as follows:

For land development projects, N$171 million has been allocated.

The land delivery projects run over more than one financial year, thus between 2015 and 2017 an excess of 1 500 erven will be delivered in all suburbs of Walvis Bay. Provisions has also been made for 74 industrial erven.

For community and social projects – N$27 million. Projects under this budget include the construction of the Community hall in Narraville, Satellite Fire Station and municipal account payments offices in Tutaleni Area, Industrial Stalls in Kuisebmond and the development of new campsite facilities at Dolphin Park and the upgrading of the Sport facilities in Kuisebmond. For infrastructure related projects – N$39 million.

These projects are mainly made up of the resealing of streets and sidewalks in all the suburbs in our town, surfacing of sidewalks, tarring of streets, garages and structural maintenance to the Civic Centre.

N$14 million has been allocated for service delivery – related projects, and projects in this cate-gory include implementation, upgrading and replacement of water and sewer infrastructure, including the capacity increase of the Long Beach Reservoir Pump Station, construction of a new reservoir at Mile 7, upgrading of current sewerage treatment plant, planning of new sewerage plant and fencing of the landfill site.

N$11 million has also been allocated for vehicle replacements and additions and the main components under this category are for traffic patrol, roads and sewer system maintenance and refuse removal vehicles. Projects below N$500 000 will total N$38 million.

For the operating budget, expected revenue for the new financial year is estimated at about N$351,3 million, while the expected expenditure has been recorded at N$353,9 million. Thus the expected deficit of about N$2,6 million.

“About 80% of total revenue is obtained from water and related services, property rates and taxes, refuse removal services and sewage services. With the fast growth of the city, large extensions in infrastructure are necessary which have to be recovered from tariffs. It becomes more difficult each year to balance the operating account. Some of these projects are: N$25 million for 600 dia mm link line for water, N$25 million for 20 Mega liter reservoir, N$10 million for two pump station for sewerage and N$120 million for a new sewerage treatment plant which is currently in the planning phase”, Mr Tony Raw said.

Average tariff adjustments on these items have been proposed as follows: water supply services:12%, property rates and taxes: 12% on site values and 12% on improvements, refuse removal services: 10% and sewage servi-

ces:10%.  “On the tariffs though, I should mention that all residents pay the same amount for the first 15 kl of water used, which amounts to N$11,10 per kl. This is in line with the distribution costs incurred by Council.”

He described the bud-get as ‘well-thought-through for Council and all stakeholders.’

He also described the budget as ‘‘Council’s policy of being transparent at all times and contributing constructively to the wellbeing of all our residents and most of all, progressively eliminating hardship and poverty.’’

“The seriousness of your Council to work towards the improvement of our city, is to accommodate everyone’s needs in the best possible balance – as well as facilitating high and sustainable economic growth and provide increased income equality and employment creation.”

Once the tariff adjustments for all services have been gazetted, it will be made available to the public through the Municipal offices and through the media.