Residents of Aus Settlement in the ||Kharas Region are frustrated with a malfunctioning electricity vending machine that often leaves them without power.

The residents stated that the vending machine has been out of service for about six months.

Those who spoke to nbc News explained that the local settlement office now has to record their names and contact details and forward this information to the ||Kharas Regional Council to process their electricity unit purchases.

They are now demanding a replacement for the non-functional vending machine.

"Sometimes, the token number issued for the electricity you purchase is rejected by your meter box. When you follow up with the local office, they claim they are not responsible for printing the token number. This situation is frustrating not only for us as residents but also for the administrative processes involved.

"We are facing a major issue in Aus since the vending machine stopped working—we have been sleeping in the dark. As mentioned, some people don't own cellphones, and without one, they are forced to go without electricity and sleep in the dark at night."

Expressing concern over Aus's electricity challenges, the regional councillor for !Nami#Nus Constituency, Suzan Ndjaleka, urges those responsible to address the matter without delay.

Aus Settlement is administered by the ||Kharas Regional Council and falls under the !Nami#Nus Constituency.

The ||Kharas Regional Council CRO, Ralph Sachika, acknowledged Aus's electricity issue, stating that steps are being taken to address the residents' concerns.

"The issue we are looking at is not just to solve the problem by repairing broken machines. We are now looking to acquire two vending machines for Aus. The procurement process for acquiring those machines is ongoing as we speak."

When asked about the expected installation date for the new vending machines in Aus, Sachika said, "We are now approaching the festive season, which pushes us to ensure that people have electricity in their households during this time. We can say within the week or so we should be able to provide those services, if not earlier."

He added that the council has been addressing the electricity issue by processing electricity token purchases for Aus residents through the council office, as many residents were not initially affected. 

However, he noted that the number of affected residents has increased, prompting the council to prioritize and resolve the issue.