Regional council must account for vandalised buildings

AUSSENKEHR – The //Kharas Regional Council must account for government buildings that are vandalised and left to become white elephants, the minister of urban and rural development, Peya Mushelenga, said Friday.

Mushelenga was visiting the water purification system plant constructed at the Aussenkehr settlement at a cost of N$8.8 million by the regional council.

The system is however not yet operational as the houses it has to supply water to, have not yet been constructed.

The building includes four rooms that will serve as accommodation for employees. The rooms have all been vandalised and windows and doors removed.

The police said they have reported the damage to the council, but there was allegedly no response.

Mushelenga said lack of regular inspections lead to buildings being neglected, adding that someone must be held accountable.

Accountability

“This means somewhere, somehow, someone at the regional council has not been doing his or her job, because this person is not inspecting this building,” he said.

The minister said depending on their agreement with the council, the security company given the contract to guard the building should also be expected to do the repairs.

“This year is the year of accountability, meaning someone should account for this damage. We pay so much money to these companies for them to guard such a place. If they fail, they should pay,” he said.

Mushelenga further said the police should forward all reports they gave to the regional council to the ministry for investigation.

“Forward all those report to my office so we can investigate why the council has ignored your reports or why they have not reacted,” he said.

Two sample houses built for workers at Aussenkehr by the regional council for N$400 000 have also been vandalised.

As with the water purification structure, the windows and doors of the buildings have been removed. - Nampa