Niël Terblanché
The mayor of Walvis Bay, Trevino Forbes, has appealed to the public and members of the municipal council and management to abandon what he described as a “blame game” and concentrate on resolving the town’s challenges through cooperation and accountability.
Speaking during a special briefing on Tuesday, Forbes addressed recent tensions that arose following his earlier statements alleging sabotage of municipal functions by certain staff and councillors.
His remarks were met with resistance, particularly from the current chief executive officer, Victoria Kapenda, prompting the need for the mayor to publicly explain his position.
During a meeting of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) on 3 May, he suggested that elements within the municipality were deliberately failing in their service delivery mandate.
“We did not just say the things we said out of the blue. The fact that there has been no permanent appointment of a chief executive officer means that for almost four years, decisions that were taken were not implemented,” he said
He, however, clarified that his comments were not directed at the Walvis Bay administration specifically.
He referenced specific examples to illustrate operational failures, including a situation where a refuse truck could not operate due to a worn tyre, followed by a revelation that its licence had expired.
“These are issues that are simple to solve if everyone works together,” Forbes said.
The mayor was also critical of the tendency to personalise municipal criticism, noting that attacks directed at individuals on social media detract from collective progress.
He defended Kapenda by saying that since she came to this council and municipal leadership, the issues such as the dilapidated state of the streets in town, waste removal and sewerage issues have been systematically improved.
Forbes acknowledged improvements within some departments, including human resources, and noted a shift towards greater transparency and accountability.
“Because no one was permanently employed in the CEO and other positions, we didn’t have people to hold accountable from the council. That is why you saw so much confusion,” he said.
He also touched on broader administrative concerns, including delays attributed to procurement regulations.
“The procurement act is hindering our progress. It’s a difficult one to overcome, but we have now appointed a person to manage the procurement issues we have encountered,” he said.
He, nonetheless, urged management to work around these limitations where possible and maintain momentum on planned projects.
He stressed that residents expect more than promises.
“People are tired of hearing that things will be done. They want to see action on the ground,” he said.
Forbes also called on the community to refrain from targeting and criticising municipal workers unfairly.
Addressing ongoing water supply issues in the harbour town, Forbes pointed out that NamWater needs to improve its response to the current supply challenges.
“Walvis Bay is one of the few Namibian local authorities that is paid up with NamWater. We have seen fish processing plants losing productivity because of the low water pressure. It is only fair that NamWater prioritise rectifying the situation because the town’s as well as the national economy will suffer serious consequences if the supply issue continues much longer,” he said.
