Rundu: Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa on Thursday inspected Rundu's Tutungeni area, where severe soil erosion is occurring, and urged regional and local leaders to act urgently to prevent land collapse and infrastructure damage along the Kavango River.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Sankwasa was accompanied by officials from the Rundu Town Council and the Kavango East Regional Council as he observed extensive damage caused by uncontrolled stormwater, which has led to ground collapse and the formation of large sinkholes. The minister instructed the authorities to obtain three quotations and submit an emergency procurement request to the Ministry of Finance for approval by Monday.
Sankwasa, who visited the same site last year, expressed concern that the situation had significantly worsened. He emphasized the need for immediate action, stating, 'Today is Thursday; I want the three quotations submitted by Monday.' The minister underscored the regional council's responsibility to support the town council in its mandate, stressing that funds should not be returned to the treasury while critical issues remain unresolved.
The minister expressed disappointment over the poor management of the erosion problem over the years, pointing out that the damage could have been mitigated through phased and timely interventions. He questioned the slow pace at which the matter is being addressed and urged leaders to treat it as an emergency.
Sankwasa further cautioned against renewing contracts for non-performing contractors, attributing delays and poor service delivery to this practice. He also questioned the renewal of the current Rundu Town Council chief executive officer's contract, citing failures in developing essential infrastructure such as stormwater drainage systems in residential areas.
The minister stressed that the construction of drainage systems falls under the responsibility of the technical department and criticized some officials for occupying positions without delivering results. At one point, he questioned Rundu Town Council CEO Olavi Nathanael about his achievements in road management during his five-year tenure. In response, Nathanael stated that the council had constructed numerous gravel roads and resurfaced several kilometres of roads but acknowledged financial constraints had limited the council's ability to address multiple challenges simultaneously.