Rehoboth residents raise service delivery concerns
The Rehoboth Town Council has engaged residents of Blocks D and A on service delivery challenges, ageing infrastructure, water quality and municipal finances as part of efforts to improve public participation and address community concerns. The consultative meetings, led by Mayor Jacky ≠Khariseb last week, provided a platform for residents to raise concerns, propose solutions and receive feedback on the council’s ongoing initiatives and the financial and administrative constraints affecting municipal operations.
Discussions focused on water and electricity supply, prepaid metering, road maintenance, land administration, public safety and the council’s efforts to reduce its debt to bulk suppliers while maintaining essential services.
The council acknowledged that ageing underground water infrastructure, illegal bypassing and other losses contribute to water losses estimated at almost 40%. The bulk water supplier has outlined short-, medium- and long-term interventions to address the challenges experienced by residents.
Residents were also given an opportunity to express their views on the replacement of prepaid water and electricity meters, as well as infrastructure improvements and investments undertaken since January 2026 to strengthen service reliability. The slow proclamation of townships was identified as a major obstacle to development, with lengthy bureaucratic processes involving the line ministry delaying the formalisation of land and limiting the council’s ability to generate revenue through land sales.
Residents proposed that occupants of unproclaimed townships and other areas should, where legally permissible, pay a monthly fee through a Permission to Occupy arrangement while awaiting formalisation. The proposal was presented as a possible way to broaden the municipal revenue base and ensure that more areas contribute towards service delivery and development. The discussions highlighted the link between land administration, revenue collection and the council’s capacity to finance municipal services and respond to residents’ needs.
Residents also raised concerns about public safety and proposed installing closed-circuit television cameras at strategic locations around Rehoboth to help deter crime. Another proposal was the establishment of advisory committees made up of people with professional and technical expertise to assist the council with planning, decision-making and the development of practical solutions to local challenges. Other issues discussed included Lake Oanob Resort, progress at Reho-Spa, road grading, vacant erven and the installation of high-mast lights.
Residents further suggested prioritising the vending of water to enable households to access supplies through third-party providers where necessary.
The council welcomed the feedback, noting the importance of direct engagement in understanding the specific challenges facing different communities and identifying possible solutions. The council encouraged residents to participate in future engagements, saying public participation remained essential to building a responsive and accountable local authority and advancing Rehoboth’s development.
