Regional Council wants City to recall “illegal” budget

The increase in utility rates is one of the underlying reasons why the Khomas Regional Council argues the City of Windhoek approved a budget outside its authority. The Khomas Regional Council has resolved at its ordinary council meeting held last week Friday that the City of Windhoek has to recall the budget it approved at its last monthly council meeting.
According to the chairperson of the Khomas Regional Council, Councillor Zulu Shitongeni, the City approved the budget before presenting it to them at short notice, which makes the City of Windhoek’s budget illegal.
He said that the Khomas Regional Council learned from the local media that the City of Windhoek has approved the budget without consulting the regional council as required and stipulated in the Local Authority Act No.23 of 1992, 83 (1).
“This makes the City of Windhoek’s budget illegal as proper procedures were not followed as required by law. The Council is further disturbed to learn that electricity tariffs and other services were increased,” he said.
The City approved its budget two weeks ago and sewerage, water basic, water consumption, property tax, household refuse removal, solid waste management all had tariffs increases of 15%. Electricity tariffs, however, will increase by 13% as approved by the Electricity Control Board (ECB).
The tariff increase by the City of Windhoek was not well received by the City’s residents either.
The Local Authority Act No.23 of 1992, 83 (1) stipulates that every management committee and every village council shall in each financial year cause to be prepared, after consultation with regional council in whose area the local authority in question is situated, a statement of its estimated income and expenditure during the following financial year.