By: Annakleta Haikera
Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa has called on NamWater officials and the Rundu Town Council to take urgent action to address the ongoing water crisis in Rundu.
He said the two entities ought to utilise local skills and available resources effectively.
Sankwasa made these remarks during a tense engagement with NamWater officials, the Rundu Town Council, and other stakeholders on Monday.
The minister expressed concern over the growing number of unemployed youth in Rundu, particularly graduates from the Rundu Vocational Training Centre who are skilled in plumbing. He urged authorities to employ them to help fix possible leakages and restore the water supply to affected areas.
“We have so many unemployed youth from the Rundu Vocational Training Centre who have completed plumbing courses. Employ them to help address this crisis if there are any leakages. I don’t want us to hold Namibians in such a situation,” he said.
Sankwasa warned that when such situations persist, public frustration is often directed at the government, even when resources are available.
“The government is employing you and paying your salary, yet you are not doing your best,” he remarked, urging officials to double their efforts to ensure reliable water supply to the people of Rundu.
He added that the situation had not been treated with the required urgency and demanded a clear, short-term solution for relief to affected communities.
“Because I’m interested in a solution where people must get water,” he said.
“We all agree there’s a problem, but I need a solution; short-term and long-term. The construction up to next year is long-term. What is the short-term that can get water to Rundu now?” he queried.
Sankwasa also questioned NamWater’s operational capacity, challenging the utility to prove it can deliver on its mandate by refilling the non-leaking water towers expeditiously.
“There’s one tower leaking, yes, but how do we get water to those towers that are not leaking? I want to see that capacity within today and tomorrow. Fill up the towers,” he demanded.
The minister raised concerns about poor communication and coordination between NamWater, the Rundu Town Council, and residents.
“Before you embarked on rationing, were the residents informed? Or was it just a decision from one side that caught them by surprise?” he probed.
Sankwasa emphasised that the people of Rundu deserve access to basic services and warned that excuses would no longer be tolerated.
“I don’t need stories. I’m interested in a solution. Provide a solution here for people to have water,” he said.
The minister instructed NamWater’s management, including its chief operating officer and board chairperson, to take urgent action to demonstrate the company’s ability to deliver on government expectations.
The Rundu water crisis has persisted for weeks, leaving many residents without reliable access to clean water.
During the same meeting, NamWater officials acknowledged that one of the pump lines was leaking, which contributed to water losses. They further confirmed that the new Rundu water treatment plant – currently under construction – is expected to be completed next year.
Despite these efforts, officials revealed that the Rundu Town Council is struggling with a debt of N$333 million as of February 2025 owed to NamWater, a figure that has grown from N$250 million in July 2024, according to NamWater spokesperson Lot Ndamanomhata.
Meanwhile, Rundu mayor Gabriel Kanyanga explained that while NamWater remains the main supplier, the council has made concerted efforts to alleviate the crisis by delivering bottled water to residents in urgent need.
“The Act allows the local authority to supply water to residents, and as a council, we have been trying to see to it that we deliver where we can,” said Kanyanga.
He added that Rundu’s water challenges were predicted years ago, citing a previous development report that projected water shortages by 2020 due to rapid population growth and aging infrastructure.
“When we came into office, we found this report already on record,” he stated.
Kanyanga indicated that the only long-term solution lies in the new water treatment plant being developed by NamWater, as the current pumping system drawing from the river is no longer sufficient to meet the town’s growing demand.
Rundu, the capital of the Kavango East Region, has been grappling with water shortages for several years. The town’s rapid population growth, coupled with aging infrastructure, high water demand, and rising debt owed to NamWater has strained its ability to provide a consistent water supply.
The crisis has been exacerbated by frequent electricity outages that disrupt water pumping operations and leakages in the town’s main supply lines. Residents in several suburbs have gone weeks without running water, forcing the local council to distribute bottled water.
