Residents of Nile Street in Windhoek's Wanaheda area have been waiting for answers over delays in the completion of a road upgrade that has left them living with dust and concerns about damaged water pipelines and electricity cables.

The road is gravel before being earmarked for paving under the City of Windhoek's road upgrading programme.

It has been eight months since the upgrade of the tarred road on Nile Road. Residents claimed that the delays have caused damage to infrastructure, leaving some households without water and electricity for extended periods of time.

Residents also said the unfinished road continues to generate dust that enters their homes, and the dust, they say, negatively affects their health.

Another resident, Josefina Naresese, said she is unhappy with changes made to her yard during the construction. She claimed that part of her yard was reduced because it was designated as falling within the road reserve.

Residents have also raised concerns about safety at night, saying poor visibility near the riverbed makes the area difficult to navigate.

Approached for comment, City of Windhoek spokesperson Lydia Amutenya stated that the roadworks are part of Phase 8 of the City's infrastructure programme, which includes upgrading gravel roads to paved surfaces in Wanaheda Extensions 2, 3 and 4.

Amutenya did not reveal who the contractor is but confirmed that the contractor is behind schedule, adding that the city is addressing the delays in terms of the construction contract to ensure the project gets back on track.