Businesses and residents of Okahandja are unhappy about the frequent power blackouts, saying the constant electricity interruptions hurt their businesses and livelihoods.

The residents say interruptions sometimes last between eight hours and two full days.

The manager of a local supermarket in the town, Gerhard Shimuk, says products get spoiled when the power goes off. 

Computers also get damaged, forcing the business to spend money on repairs. 

"There are times two to three times a week, and there are times that per day you experience it three to four or five times even. A lot of products are getting rotten because most of the products we have here depend on the fridges. And when those fridges are not working for 2, 3, 4, or 5 hours, it is a big loss."

Self-employed Hans Kawazunda has been operating his business for 15 years and has emphasised that power cuts are bad for business.

"We end up giving customers money back. We end up losing business because there's no other choice. You have to close and deal with angry customers. Deal with people, payback, and it is affecting us very, very badly because it's our source of income; we don't have other employment."

A resident of Nau Aib, Rhonda Shihepo, says that sometimes, when there is a power interruption, she doesn't have money to buy candles, leaving her family in the dark.

"We always don't get notifications from CENORED that we will cut the power, or maybe even fix something. So, we don't know when or how they are cutting or switching off the electricity at the main switch. While we are busy cooking or maybe the kids are doing their homework, it's very difficult to manoeuvre because, with candles, it's a bit difficult to see or to help the kids with homework. And we are also losing signal on the cell phones when the power is off. So, you'd be having difficulties communicating with someone."

A local learner, Xavier Soreseb, adds that "when the power goes off, you can't cook, you can't study, and you can't do anything in the dark. The problem with people in the community is that they go into places and steal people's things, and all things happening in the dark and power in Okahandja is a very big problem."

When contacted for comment, CENORED's Public Relations Officer, Charlie Matengu, attributed power cuts to copper wire theft.