Windhoek owes N$932.7 million in unpaid bills
The City of Windhoek is conducting mass disconnections to recover N$932.7 million in overdue municipal accounts.
The City of Windhoek is owed N$932.7 million in outstanding municipal bills and has begun a mass disconnection exercise for accounts in arrears for over 30 days. This action is part of the municipality’s credit control policy to recover revenue needed for operations and essential services.
City officials stated the disconnection exercise is a lawful credit control measure, not a punishment or governance failure, aimed at recovering the N$932.7 million debt. Revenue collected funds bulk water and electricity purchases, refuse removal, and infrastructure maintenance, with widespread non-payment risking delays in repairs and service reliability.
The City Council approved N$724 million in debt relief measures between 2023 and 2025, with N$383.9 million already written off, and residents can still apply for assistance. The municipality also rejected claims of a defective billing system, stating a 2024 anomaly affected few accounts and was corrected.
Why it mattersResidents of Windhoek face service disconnections and potential legal action if they do not settle their municipal bills, which total N$932.7 million.