Otjiwarongo Mayor Gottlieb Shivute on Wednesday promised to launch an in-depth investigation into allegations levelled against his council officials for reportedly conducting job interviews for cleaner positions Tuesday night.

Shivute, upon inquiry on Wednesday, told Nampa that he received complaints that 41 candidates were interviewed for 17 vacant cleaner positions at the municipality.

"I am now out of town, but once I return, I will definitely look into that allegation and establish for myself whether the matter is real or whether it is a mere rumour," he said.

After the 2021 elections, opposition parties gained control of a number of local and regional authorities, forming coalitions in the absence of an outright majority.

However, service delivery at many of these local authorities has since slowed down. This includes the City of Windhoek, the biggest municipality in the country.

Since independence, the City of Windhoek has always been under the control of the Swapo Party.

For years, opposition parties in the council were in the minority and could not stop any council decision taken by Swapo.

Erongo Regional Council has reiterated its commitment to service delivery.

Its Chairperson Benitha Imbamba said they have rated the best regional council in terms of customer service charter development and implementation by the office of the Prime Minister.

Imbamba said this during the region's annual opening meeting at Swakopmund.

Erongo scooped first place among the regional councils and third place in the overall government agencies ratings.

The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni has given the Municipal Council of Windhoek until March to sort out their differences and complete the process of electing members of the Management Committee.

Uutoni held a meeting with the Councillors on Thursday, after which they agreed to convene on the 9th of February.

But, the Minister says he is cautious with their deadline as he observed that the Councillors are still divided over who should serve on the Management Committee.

Alleged disagreement among members of the Landless People's Movement has forced the abrupt adjournment of the ||Kharas Regional Council's last ordinary meeting for the year.

Most office-bearers in the Otjiwarongo Municipality and Otavi Town Council retained their positions.

Kandiwapa Shivute and Isaac !Hoaeb retained their positions as mayors of Otjiwarongo and Otavi, respectively.

Otjiwarongo council, with seven seats, is led by Swapo councillors, followed by opposition parties with one seat each.
 
Shivute is to be deputized by Julienda Kampungu. While Gothard Hoko was elected Chairperson of the Management Committee.

A group of Keetmanshoop Municipality workers is accusing the council of giving preferential treatment to some employees.

They staged a demonstration in the town, led by the Namibia Public Workers Union (NAPWU).

The protestors singled out the municipality's acting CEO, Hansina Isaacks, as one of those favored by the council, as well as members affiliated with the Namibia Local Authorities Workers Union.

Hundreds of employees of the Walvis Bay municipality staged a demonstration to express their dismay over the alleged bullying and mismanagement of public funds by the municipal council.

The employees marched through the streets of Walvis Bay holding up colourful posters with messages such as "No to Worker Victimization and Respect the Recognition Agreement".

This is to show their dissatisfaction with how the council is running the town's affairs. 

The staff alleges that the council bullies workers and has spent more than N$600,000 on unnecessary legal bills.