Windhoek Outlines Infrastructure and Transport Challenges During Prime Minister’s Visit

Windhoek Outlines Infrastructure and Transport Challenges During Prime Minister’s VVisit. Prime Minister Dr. Elijah Ngurare spent Thursday at the City of Windhoek, where municipal leaders presented key development priorities and outlined challenges they say require closer cooperation between local and central government.

The visit included a series of departmental briefings led by City of Windhoek Chief Executive Officer Moses Matyayi, focusing on infrastructure, transport, housing, and public services.City officials identified the need for a sustainable funding model as one of their top priorities. They also called for increased central government support to improve public transport and develop alternative transport systems.

Strategic Executive for Urban and Transport Planning Pierre van Rensburg said expanding road infrastructure alone would not be enough to address growing traffic congestion. He emphasized that investment in efficient alternative transport options will become increasingly important as Windhoek’s population continues to expand.

The City’s ageing infrastructure also emerged as a major concern. Acting Strategic Executive for Infrastructure, Water and Technical Services David Adams said much of Windhoek’s water pipeline network is more than 35 years old, contributing to frequent pipe bursts. He estimated that replacing the ageing pipeline system would cost about N$600 million.

Adams also highlighted the deteriorating condition of the city’s roads, attributing the problem to years of insufficient maintenance funding. According to a 2023 assessment, approximately N$2.6 billion is needed to address the current rehabilitation backlog, while a further N$15.4 billion would be required to fully reconstruct ageing road infrastructure.

Electricity infrastructure was another area of concern. Strategic Executive for Electricity Obrien Hekandjo said copper cable theft has resulted in losses of about N$1.44 million over the past six months. While acknowledging the City Police’s efforts to arrest suspects, he called for stronger penalties, saying current fines have not been sufficient to discourage vandalism of critical infrastructure.

Strategic Executive for Housing, Property Management and Human Settlement Faniel Maanda said rapid urbanisation has placed increasing pressure on infrastructure originally designed for a much smaller population. He called for coordinated national funding and stronger alignment between all levels of government.