By: Kandjengo kaMkwaanyoka
Windhoek has one of the highest economic disparities; from my assessment, almost everything is distributed unequally, or access is limited to a certain group of income levels.
After the rainy season, an equaliser emerged which did not discriminate based on income or status, and those are the potholes.
I made a deliberate effort to enter Windhoek from every entrance: from the airport, from Rehoboth, and Okahandja, and as soon as you enter the city, you will be greeted by potholes.
All suburb roads have potholes, with all drivers turning and twisting in the roads to avoid them.
Normally it is not something worth celebrating, but the irony is here – most of the bad or substandard lack of infrastructure is mostly experienced by those from Katutura and those deeper in the informal sector.
It was a kind of relief that all economic classes were exposed to the same social or infrastructural issues.
Making the city potholes the greatest economic equaliser.
Now the key question is which suburbs are going to be prioritised in fixing these massive potholes which are distributed almost equally across the city, and why them?
I am not privy to CoW infrastructure planning or maintenance, but as a resident, I would want to know which suburbs will be prioritised in the road maintenance after the rainy season.
I ask because from the Katutura, Hakahana, Ombili, and Havana side, where I spend most of my time, our streetlights can go off for a while, trash can pile up at Havana 4-way, and road damage can go unfinished for years.
The road in Havana that goes to U Save from the 4-way has been in a deplorable situation even before the rainy season, and there is a manhole at the edge of the road that is not covered, and it is so dangerous to humans and vehicles.
I go to work at 5h30 every morning from Hkahana, and as I go to meet my taxi, I meet young kids in primary grades heading to the road in the dark morning hours because there are no streetlights on my street.
The distribution of streetlights is one of the critical social empowerments in Katutura and informal settlements, as it can solve many criminal activities that school-going kids, women and early workers face.
Those who wake up early to catch the city buses from Katutura to Klein Windhoek or Klein Kupe walk in groups to avoid being attacked due to the lack of streetlights.
The distribution of basic infrastructures such as streetlights and bus stops equally across the city can unlock the potential of many city dwellers and reduce crimes.
Many taxi drivers are now avoiding going to certain places in Katutura not because of traffic congestion but due to massive potholes and bad roads.
Thus, the key question stands: who is going to be the priority in the CoW Road maintenance after the rainy season as planned?
Everyone in Windhoek is affected equally by potholes and road damage, and it will be a great test to see who/which suburbs will get the priority from the CoW management.
The high inequality, as it comes in various forms, has been perpetuated by various local authorities in their expenditure and investment across their localities.
Those who get proper infrastructure get to exercise their economic duties at the lowest cost and with less inconvenience.
While those with limited access to basic infrastructures remain in survival mode and face all sorts of hurdles in exercising their economic potential.
Economic building and reducing inequality are centred on the equal distribution of basic enabling economic infrastructures across the city.
In fixing and maintaining the roads, the city management should ensure all roads are prioritised regardless of where they are, on time and with the same sense of urgency.
This column does not reflect the opinion of the editorial board or The Villager and its owners. To contact the author of this piece, you may email him here: gerastus16@gmail.com
