Candidates for the Swakopmund Residents Association (SRA) in the upcoming Regional Councils and Local Authorities elections have promised to prioritise the interests and concerns of Swakopmunders.

The SRA has been around for three decades and will participate in local authorities elections in Swakopmund on 26 November.

It currently holds two seats on the municipal council.

This year, the association has endorsed an independent candidate, Sidney Halupe, for the regional council seat in the Swakopmund Constituency.

The association introduced six candidates for the local authority during a star rally that took the form of a meet and greet with community members.

Horst-Uwe Weimann, Charlene Hartung, Clementine Nowases, Rudi Deck, Brandt van der Westhuizen, and Lynette van Niekerk are the candidates.

Sidney Halupe, a lifelong Swakopmund resident and activist from Mondesa, highlighted ongoing unemployment challenges and his commitment to addressing these issues through community support initiatives and sports development.

Brandt van der Westhuizen pointed to a housing backlog affecting about 15,000 people and the high cost of accessing serviced land, which impedes development. 

Charlene Hartung expressed gratitude for the experience of current councillors and acknowledged bureaucratic hurdles needing attention.

Clementine Nowases emphasised her dedication to fighting for community needs based on firsthand understanding.

The candidates say they will advocate for issues such as service delivery, housing, sanitation infrastructure, and job opportunities for locals.