Walvis Bay residents are mobilising themselves to legally fight the municipality over the Red Force contract.

The Red Force debt collection contract was reinstated last week after the matter between the Walvis Bay municipality and the debt collectors was settled in the High Court last week.

The parties agreed to reverse the decision taken on 23 April 2024 to terminate the services of the debt collector.

The court further ordered the municipality to retract false and damaging statements that were made against the Red Force and further apologise.

Walvis Bay resident Elvis Goseb, who frequently led the community protests against Red Force, is unhappy with the result.

"As residents, we have decided to mobilise ourselves so that we can do mass applications for legal aid so that the state can also help us in this because, as residents, we are also pressed economically, and we cannot pay this 12% that they are forcing us to pay. There were many missteps from the council's side when this Red Force was appointed. So we will challenge this in the high court. We want all the councillors to go to the high court and all administration to explain to us the legality of this contract." 

Goseb encouraged residents at the harbour town not to lose hope as a result of the High Court decision.

"We shouldn't lose hope; yes, it's a fight; it's a back-and-forth fight, and we know that people inside are also fighting to keep Red Force, and people from the Red Force company are also trying to keep Red Force in force as their name is stating, but we will not give up; we will fight and make sure Red Force does not see the term that they have signed for because of the irregularities that are in place, as was stated by the investigation from Mr. Metcalfe."

Former Municipality lawyer Richard Metcalfe said the problem in the scenario is not Red Force but the local authority councillors who did not follow the law. 

Advocate Metcalfe indicated in a statement that the settlement agreements disregard the extortion of illegal levies and fees from residents, tailored tender documents, and the municipality's credit control policy.

The advocate blamed the councillors and described them as dishonourable politicians who impose illegal levies on residents and refuse to obey their own policies and procedures.

Metcalfe, who carried out an investigation, added that facts were presented, but the leaders decided to take the ostrich with its head in the sand approach.

The lawyer urged residents to resort to mass action to get rid of what he termed "disrespectful politicians who refuse to observe the law."