The Mayor of Swakopmund, Dina Namubes, has emphasized that electricity serves as a catalyst for economic development and should be equitably distributed and supplied to all consumers within their respective regions.

Namubes said nine households were provided with electricity by the collaborative efforts of Swakopmund Municipality and Erongo Red.

After spending 24 years in darkness since the establishment of the DRC informal settlement on the outskirts of Swakopmund, residents now have access to electricity.

Beneficiaries who can afford it have the option to fully pay the electrical supply connection fee of N$2500 either all at once or in installments.

Erongo Red has secured a contribution of over N$100,000 to serve 200 beneficiaries in the initial phase of the project within the DRC. "It is imperative to note that the council is working towards its vision to provide and maintain safe, sufficient, and affordable services for residents and to promote future developments to the benefit of the community. We thus remain dedicated to making sure that our people have access to land, water, sanitation facilities, and electricity. We should serve the community because they will pick us up when we fall."

Also speaking at the event were the Governor of Erongo Region, Neville Andre, and Tino !Hanabeb the Chief Executive Officer of Erongo RED.

"Our government has always been committed to bringing essential services to every corner of our country because we believe that every citizen should have the opportunity to have access to basic needs such as electricity."

Alma Tsowases, a 37-year-old mother of five children, says the risk of her shelter catching fire has decreased.

"When we prepared for our day, we made a fire and put our pots on. When we did not have electricity, we used candles. However, we also used lights that work with batteries."

Just a stone's throw away lives Linda Nowotes, who relocated to the DRC settlement 20 years ago.

"I am very grateful that I received electricity. Now I will be selling my donkey meat and ice and moving my business forward. I really want to let this giving of electricity not get a natural death. Let others also get electricity, those that have been waiting for many years."

An additional 805 homes are set to receive electricity in the near future as part of this collaboration. DRC is a settlement community with around 20,000 residents, encompassing various ethnic Namibians, the majority of whom lack access to electricity, private toilets, or running water.