City of Windhoek Mayor Queen Kamati addressed several pressing concerns at a media briefing. These include the controversial practice of blocking prepaid electricity metres due to outstanding municipal accounts.

The Electricity Control Board (ECB) a month ago declared in a media release that it is against the law for local authorities to block pre-paid metres due to arrears.

Despite the outcry from the community regarding the illegal blocking of prepaid electricity metres as well as the directives from the ECB, activist Sean Gariseb asserts that the city continues to disregard the board's orders.

Mayor Kamati clarified that the City of Windhoek is not in violation of any laws by blocking prepaid electricity metres when residents have outstanding accounts for water, rates, or taxes. 

The city will continue to use this method as a complementary measure alongside other debt collection strategies. 

Kamati explained that it is necessary to maintain the financial sustainability of the city's services and ensure that residents are encouraged to make timely payments.

"The City's Credit Control Policy empowers the use of innovative, cost-effective, efficient, and appropriate methods to collect debts owed to the council. However, some clients do not adhere to this agreement, making it challenging for the Council to collect outstanding debts through other means. As a result, blocking prepaid electricity metres has been employed as a last resort to encourage clients in arrears to settle their outstanding accounts. It is important to note that the inability of clients to pay for services adversely affects the Council's operations, impeding its ability to provide services to other residents."