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SERVING THE COASTAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1958 NO 7129 FRIDAY 15 AUGUST 2025 Tel: +264 64 - 205854 / +264 64 - 461866 /Fax: +264 64 - 204813 / 064 - 461824 / Website: www.namibtimes.net
Young Beach Heroes Lead the Way in Lagoon Clean-Up
ERC Faces Choice: Appeal Court Ruling or Reinstate Imbamba Sharlien Tjambari
The Erongo Regional Council (ERC) convened a Special Ordinary meeting on Tuesday to address the High Court ruling that reinstated Honourable Benitha Imbamba as council chairperson, overturning a contentious vote of no confidence earlier this year.
Read full article on page 2 Photo by Kelly in the Wild
Residents Seek Higher-Level Support for Walvis Bay preparations for a petition to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Service Improvements Development and other higher government offices empowered · Residents Stress Non-Political Intent
by law to intervene when local authorities are unable to meet their service mandates. On 9 August, a public meeting was convened by local resident Kobus van Schalkwyk, supported by a Eileen van der Schyff group of Walvis Bay residents. The meeting invited SWAPO Concerned residents of Walvis Bay recently con- Secretary General Sophia Shaningwa and Deputy Minister of vened a meeting with national leadership to seek Urban and Rural Development Evelyn Mwases-Taeyele, both officials whose roles extend beyond the municipality's jurisurgent intervention on municipal service delivery diction. “We wanted to speak to decision-makers who could challenges. Organisers stress that the meeting's actually help address the challenges the municipality has been purpose was strictly to address the town's dete- facing,” van Schalkwyk said. Residents highlighted concerns riorating infrastructure and governance issues, not including - Inconsistent waste removal and waste management issues; Poorly maintained and hazardous roads; Ongoing water driven by political motives. supply and sewage difficulties; Health risks from burning The residents aimed to engage with officials holding authority waste at the dump; Perceived lack of transparency and acbeyond the municipality to explore solutions, as frustrations grow countability from the IPC-led municipal council. The petition over ongoing service delivery failures. This effort accompanies Continues on page 2
On 1 August, the Windhoek High Court ordered the ERC to return Imbamba to her position with immediate effect. The judgment, delivered by Justice Sibeya, declared the March decision to remove her “unlawful, unfair and invalid” and set aside the subsequent election of Hon. Florian Donatus as chairperson. The ruling further instructed the second respondent to restore Imbamba's salary and benefits, including back pay from the date of her removal. Imbamba had been removed on 24 March following a motion of no confidence, with Donatus elected on 15 April as her replacement. Speaking at the
time, Imbamba said she opposed the motion, along with Hon. Ernst Wetha. “From here it was a very difficult situation, the teamwork was not there, I was bullied,” she told council. Imbamba said the events prompted her to study the Namibian Constitution and the ERC Act before instructing her lawyer to issue a letter of demand to the council. At Tuesday's meeting, councillors expressed frustration over how the matter was handled. Hon. Kennedy Haoseb criticised Chief Regional Officer Mpenzeni for not convening a special meeting to address the letter of Continues on page 2