By Etuhole Amutenja

Grootfontein residents in the Otjozondjupa region are fuming over the growing and eyesore presence of a sea of uncollected garbage flooding the streets in certain suburbs which is further causing a health panic.

This, the Grootfontein Municipality maintains, is due to a complete breakdown of the town’s only two municipal refuse compactor trucks. In affected areas such as Omulunga, Kalenga, and parts of the town centre, bins are overflowing for than three weeks now, attracting flies, stray dogs and creating an unbearable.

Anna Ndilimeke, a mother of three from Omulunga location, described the situation as dire.
“The bins are overflowing and no one has come [to collect the rubbish] for days. The smell is horrible and children are playing near rotten garbage. We understand things break down, but where is the backup? The municipality must be better prepared,” Ndilimeke said. Other residents echoed her concerns, warning that the garbage accumulation could soon lead to a health emergency.
Small business owners operating food stalls and salons in central Grootfontein also complained of the impact the situation has on their operations. Some say customers are avoiding their premises due to the strong smells and flies around the uncollected rubbish. 
⁠“We pay rates every month but the services do not match. You cannot run a business with garbage piling up outside,” explained entrepreneur Leonard Tjizu. The municipality issued a public notice last month acknowledging the disruption in the garbage collection services and advised residents to temporarily store their refuse in plastic bags or boxes. However, many say this is not a sustainable solution and are calling for quicker intervention.

When contacted for comment this week, acting chief executive officer of the Grootfontein Municipality, Indileni Lungameni, confirmed the breakdown refuse compactor trucks and appealed for public patience.
⁠“We have two refuse compactors and both are not functioning, but they are receiving urgent attention. We issued a public notice to residents and stakeholders explaining the cause of the delay,” Lungameni said.

⁠“I would like to assure the public that we are working around the clock to get the trucks back on the ground to resume services.”
According to Lungameni, the municipality is also taking steps to prevent future disruptions by mobilising standby equipment.
This is not the first time the municipality has faced equipment challenges. In April last year, Lungameni told residents that a mechanical fault with the council’s front-end loader had delayed garden refuse collection for weeks. 
At the time, he indicated that repairs would take four to six months and that the municipality would procure private machines to resume operations. Last year, it was reported that the municipality is owed more than N$215 million by residents, with unpaid rates and taxes forming the bulk of the debt. 

Lungameni has previously said that the town’s financial constraints are a major barrier to service delivery.