Over a hundred residents of Katutura in the capital, through a committee, are demanding from the City of Windhoek that they write off their water and electricity debts.
The committee also wants the removal of Red Force as a debt collector.
Speaking at a media briefing, the Chairperson of the Committee, Benistus Kandundu, said the City of Windhoek's account estimation policy is old-fashioned and needs to be abolished.
Kandundu said Katutura residents were severely affected by COVID-19, and many of them lost their jobs, making it impossible for them to pay their arrears.
They are appealing to the municipality to relax its debt policy to allow economic recovery.
"The Katutura residents are further calling for the total removal of Red Force as a debt collection agency deployed by the City of Windhoek. This is in light of the fact that the use of Red Force in debt collection matters worsens the debt burden on the people, the residents. As this debt collection agency adds its profits to the residents' accounts."
The City of Windhoek's Public Relations Officer, Lydia Amutenya, reminded the residents of their obligation to pay for what they consume.
Amuntenya emphasised that the directive from the ministry to relax and give water access to the residents during COVID-19 was not for free.
Apart from the informal settlements that received free pre-paid taps and water tanks, she stated that many residents misunderstood the directive and ended up not paying their water bills, which just accumulated over a period of time.
"Red Force only came into the picture a few years ago. We didn't have debt collection for as long as I can remember. The city has been dealing with the clients themselves in terms of collecting the money owed to it. For services consumed by the residents. So Red Force came into the picture to help the council collect the money owed to it by its clients. And the reason is that even though there are procedures put in place that will enable a client if you have challenges or problems that month and you are struggling to bring your account up to date, you need to come to the City of Windhoek and meet our debt management team. You have come up with the payment agreement that you will put in place, and you need to honour it. I think since then some people have utilised that platform and it has worked; others even went further to default more."
Amutenya further said the residents who would like to register for the prepaid water system should visit the city's offices to be in control of what they consume or their debts.