The Keetmanshoop Municipality has applied for an N$11.9 million loan from the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) to upgrade its electricity infrastructure. 

This transpired at the presentation of the municipality's ministerial-approved N$296.8 million operational budget to residents on Tuesday.

Khoetage Dax, Keetmanshoop Electricity Business Unit manager, revealed that DBN has approved the loan pending ministerial approval. 

He says the loan will be repaid over a period of ten years. 

The Keetmanshoop Municipality has sent a warning to panel beaters and mechanical workshops not to repair vehicles belonging to the council without an official order.

The reminder comes after a council vehicle was found being repaired without authorisation by a local panel beater last week. 

The council vehicle was allegedly taken by a municipal employee to the panel beater after it was involved in an accident. 

Keetmanshoop Town Council is embarking on an aggressive campaign to recover outstanding municipal water debt, running into millions of dollars.

Residents, government institutions, and businesses owe the town council a combined total of N$212 million in unpaid water bills.

Keetmanshoop acting CEO Lee Mwembe revealed that residents have racked up water bills of N$127 million, while government institutions and businesses owe N$85 million.

Figures also show that, of the more than N$9,000 active customers, only N$2,257 are currently paying their monthly water bills.

The Keetmanshoop Municipality has opted to outsource the operations and management of its Oxpass Tower to PowerCom, a subsidiary of Telecom Namibia Limited.

The tower infrastructure operations and management three-year outsourcing deal was sealed with the signing of a partnership agreement by the parties, which is effective next month.

In terms of the partnership, the Keetmanshoop Municipality will receive 60% of the annual net profits, while the mobile telecommunications company will retain the remaining 40%.

A Swedish couple who is in Namibia on vacation has donated food items and toiletries for distribution among vulnerable households at Keetmanshoop's |Gereres Informal Settlement.

The couple decided to lend a helping hand after witnessing the plight of informal settlers living close to the B1 highway, on which they were travelling.

The Police Women Network, in conjunction with officials from the Keetmanshoop Municipality, will identify specific beneficiaries for distribution.

A strike is looming at the Keetmanshoop Municipality after wage negotiations reached a deadlock. 

Regional Coordinator for the Namibia Public Workers Union (NAPWU) in ||Kharas Region, Kleophas Katuuo told nbc News that municipal workers voted in favor of industrial action. 

This follows after the Labor Arbitrator issued a certificate of an unresolved dispute on January 30.

He accused the Keetmanshoop Municipality's management of having snubbed conciliatory meetings aimed at ending the wage dispute, leaving workers with no choice but to strike.