Windhoek:Local authorities, regional councils, and government institutions in southern Namibia owe NamPower hundreds of millions in unpaid electricity bills, according to the utility's managing director, Kahenge Haulofu. He has accused some of these bodies of collecting payments from consumers while neglecting to pay the power supplier.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Haulofu highlighted that the problem is particularly severe in areas south of Windhoek towards the South African border, where there is no regional electricity distributor (RED). He noted that despite Namibians paying for electricity, the local authorities in these regions are not remitting payments to NamPower.

Haulofu, speaking at the launch of NamPower's Integrated Strategic Business Plan 2026-2030, described the situation as a "very serious issue," with debts reaching hundreds of millions of dollars. He expressed NamPower's determination to recover the outstanding amounts, despite the challenges.

Efforts to recover the debt have included sending letters, reminders, and visits to local authorities, but these have resulted in minimal payments. Haulofu also mentioned that NamPower has offered assistance to address technical and operational problems in the affected areas, including system losses and illegal connections.

The absence of a RED in the affected areas is part of the problem, according to Haulofu, and discussions are underway to establish one. Additionally, NamPower has engaged with the government over the outstanding debts, including political interventions that are still being discussed.

Haulofu emphasized that NamPower cannot sustain arrangements where some customers are excused from paying, as it impacts both the economy and the sustainability of the company.