Allexer Namundjembo
Windhoek West Constituency councillor Emma Muteka wants public parks in her constituency to be safe, clean and accessible.
She met Windhoek mayor Sakarias Uunona on Wednesday to discuss park safety, student transport, informal trading and proposed changes to municipal by-laws.
Muteka said conditions in some parks have declined and called for better maintenance and oversight.
Both sides agreed to improve cooperation between the city and the constituency office to address the issue.
Student transport was also discussed. Muteka said university students who rely on public buses face daily challenges, especially those attending the University of Namibia (Unam) and the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust).
City of Windhoek strategic executive for urban and transport planning Pierre van Rensburg said the municipality continues to subsidise public transport to keep fares affordable but faces financial limits.
“While the City currently subsidises public bus services to keep them affordable, we do not have sufficient resources to introduce a student-specific service at this stage,” Van Rensburg said.
He requested that the constituency, in collaboration with Unam and Nust, submit the transport schedule for assessment.
Van Rensburg said the municipality will continue engaging national authorities.
“We will continue engaging the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development regarding public transport subsidies, similar to models implemented in other cities globally,” he said.
Informal trading was another issue on the agenda. Strategic executive for economic development and community services Zurilea Steenkamp said vendors must operate within designated trading areas under municipal by-laws.
“Municipal by-laws require vendors to operate within designated trading areas. However, vendors have increasingly expanded beyond these zones,” Steenkamp said.
She said enforcement alone will not solve the problem.
“We need a holistic approach, and the City will continue working with the constituency office to sensitise and engage vendors on compliance with the by-laws governing informal trading,” she added.
Uunona welcomed the visit and said Muteka was the first of the city’s ten constituency councillors to pay him a courtesy call since his election.
“Councillor Muteka is the first among the ten constituency councillors to pay a courtesy visit since my election,” Uunona said.
He encouraged continued engagement between the municipality and constituency offices and invited residents to submit input through Muteka’s office.
“Submit the proposed by-law amendments from residents to my office for consideration and further consultation,” he said.
