Council Meeting Update - 28 April 2026 | Walvis Bay
- May 7
- 7 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Disclaimer: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of our analysis, all information contained in this article is provided without warranty and it remains every person's responsibility to fact-check details. This is especially the case if the OCM Minutes have not yet been published.
This Ordinary Council Meeting covered some admin issues, sponsorship requests, housing and land matters and the usual rezoning and subdivision applications. Notably on this agenda were the monthly municipal reports for January and February 2026 and questions submitted by JWBRA Councillor Sharon Roodt.
Some things are moving along: The Mayor in his speech addressed the landfill situation. Council was asked to approve the transfer of funds so that basic services can be installed on Portion 13 of Farm 37. This is where the people identified during the decongestion of Kuisebmond and Narraville (see Council Meeting Update - 08 April 2026 | Walvis Bay) will be relocated to. However, our submitted questions were referred to Management Committee for discussion, which means a two-month delay since their submission on 2 April 2026.
Below is a short breakdown of what this means for Walvis Bay residents.
Walvis Bay Council Video Update
Key Decisions at a Glance
Moving Ahead: | Nalitungwe Housing Initiative (Portion 12 of Farm 37 - Greenvalley Extension 8) Committees needed for the Authorised Planning Authority (APA) Proposed SME Park on Erf 9533, Kuisebmond (Karee Investments) |
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Delayed: | Some rezoning applications where the dwelling density was too high. |
Needs Follow-Up: | Questions submitted by JWBRA Councillor Sharon Roodt |
What This Means for Residents
The Landfill
A critical reading of the mayor’s recent remarks ↗ on the Walvis Bay landfill suggests a continuation of long-standing narratives rather than a decisive shift in action. While the speech highlights illegal dumping, tyre burning, and jurisdictional constraints, it largely repeats issues that have been raised for years - without any clear evidence of improved enforcement on the ground.
Despite negative media coverage, petitions by residents and health concerns, the response remains focused on future administrative solutions, particularly the transfer of control over the landfill, rather than immediate solutions, such as law enforcement.
It is clear that even the new Council is now hijacked by the common practice of deflecting concerns: "Yes, it's a problem, but our hands are tied." By using structural reasons (like not owning half of the landfill), they distract from their failure to implement decisive short-term enforcement. We will keep pushing this issue until it is solved.
Land Matters
It is interesting to see that rezoning applications with a dwelling density of 1:150 or 1:250 were rejected at this Council Meeting. One would think that town planners know the allowed densities for each neighbourhood.
The Nalitungwe and Karee projects will provide low-cost housing in Greenvalley and elsewhere, and the proposed SME Park on Erf 9533 will bring businesses to a new area of Kuisebmond.
Rezoning & Sale Applications
Erf No. | Township | Application |
|---|---|---|
260 & 261 | Walvis Bay | Consolidation into one erf, rezoning to General Residential 2 (1:250m2) |
599 | Portion 12 of Farm 37, Green Valley | Application to purchase |
55 | Walvis Bay | Rezoning to General Residential 2 (1:150m2) |
3171 | Walvis Bay | Rezoning to General Business (Bulk 1) |
920 | Walvis Bay | Subdivision into new Portion A and Remainder |
Questions Submitted by Cllr Roodt
All questions were referred to Management Committee for discussion. Answers were received on 12 May 2026 and are summarised below.
Plans to Address Past Adverse Audit Reports
Walvis Bay has been receiving (as many other local authorites) adverse audit reports from the Auditor-General's office for years now. We asked what steps have been taken to avoid another one and ensure the complete and accurate recording and reconciliation of the financial statements. We also wanted to know how the AG was being engaged to address the dispute on various recording methods (see Council Minutes of 24 June 2025, Addendum 2).
Issues highlighted in 2023 were, for example, that although corrective measures were implemented, the Financial Statements were tabled to parliament "prior to consideration" thereof. However, the 2024 AFS received another adverse opinion.
The Municipality stated that "the disclosure of items [...] is accurate and complete", maintaing that the adverse opinion is not "a result of inaccuracies, omissions, or unreconciled items." They further urged members of the public to clearly understand the basis for the adverse opinion and reiterated that corrective actions had been agreed on, implemented and shared with the minister. Since the Audit Reports are quite hefty documents, let us enlighten you a little:
Five of the issues identified in the 2024 Report were due to the auditors not being able to verify the accuracy of claims due to missing information (read: omissions). Some of the issues identified in 2022 and 2023 (audited together) came up again in 2024 - despite the Walvis Bay Municipality's documents showing they took note and fixed it for 2024. Some of the discrepancies are due to the auditing firms not appyling the auditing standards properly, according to the finance department.
Audit Report for 2024
Considering that the Audit Report for 2024 was published in October 2025, we wanted to know when it was received by the Municipality and submitted to Council. If it hadn't, when was it scheduled to be done?
You can read the Report on the AG's website ↗. As mentioned above, it received another adverse opinion, some because of different International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) than in the years before. For example, the Municipality of Walvis Bay was engaging the AG's office on IPSAS 3 and 33 and claimed they had addressed all other shortcomings. Yet in 2024, they got flagged for violating IPSAS 9, 36 and other best practices.
Possibly the most shocking here is the fact that the AG was not given any proof that the 5% salary hike agreed by NAPWU (the union) was approved by the Minister of Urban and Rural Development (MURD).
According to the Muncipality, they are not informed when the AG publishes their report. They also have to still sort some undetermined things out with the AG's office before presenting the latest report to Council.
Repairs of Roads & Potholes
By submitting these questions, we are forcing the Municipality to have a public record of their plans (or delay / lack thereof). We asked for the action plan and timeline for the repairs of roads and potholes:
Which roads are up for rehabilitation?
What steps are being taken to ensure pothole repairs (from procurement to quality assurance)?
Which roads will be repaired in what order?
How are roads being mapped to ensure the most urgent repairs are carried out first?
The Muncipality shared a preliminary list with some rough timelines, although plans may change and delays may occur:
The pothole repair contractor bid is currently under objection & review, while the first resealing contract was scheduled to start by 5 May. The speed calming & sidewalks contractor is already appointed and planned to start on 5 May. The second resealing contract is awaiting the new budget.
Road Rehabilitation
Planned by the RA | Planned by the RA but not on the municipal list | WVBM - Engineering designs complete | WVBM - Engineering designs planned |
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Pothole Repairs, Sidewalks & Speed Calming
Pothole Repairs & Resealing
Kuisebmond
Agaat Street
Kabeljou Street
Johanna Benson
Katharina Ihulu
Springbok Street
CBD
John Muafengejo
Tom Swemmer
Meersig
Mandume Ndemufayo
6th Road
Narraville
Namib Street
Lagoon
Esplanade
Bramwell Road
Fritz Lange
Speed Calming & Pothole Repairs
Langstrand Ext 1
1st Road
2nd Road
Other areas
Ongulumbashe Street
Kormorant STreet
Corris Street
Sam Nujoma Avenue
Cesar Martin Str
Kruis Street
Tamarisk STreet
Hage Geingob
Esplanade Park Bungalows
Firefish Street
Sidewalks
Rikumbi Kadanga
Kabeljou Street
Authorised Planning Authority (APA) Committees
Walvis Bay was recently granted the status of Authorised Planning Authority (APA).
To make this work, Council needs to establish two bodies, namely a Hearing Committee and a Spatial Planning and Development Committee.
The Hearing Committee deals with objections, making recommendations to Council / the APA. The Spatial Planning and Development Committee generally checks applications, ensures compliance and corresponds with municipal departments before preparing reports to be considered by the APA.
Other Matters: Donations & Municipal Reports
Two sports clubs applied for sponsorship from the Municipality. The MC recommended to approve N$20,000 each - there are over N$400,000 still available in the donations budget for this year. If you're looking for sponsorship, you have two more Council Meetings to put in a request (financial year ends 30 June 2026).
The Municipal Reports showing department performance for January and February 2026 were tabled, but not included in the public agenda. The Management Committee only recommended that Council "take note" of them. We presume this means they were in order, which is a bit at odds with the service we see on the ground.
Official Documents
Find the agenda and minutes (when available) for Walvis Bay's Council Meeting of 28 April 2026 below.
The minutes have not yet been published. Please check back after the subsequent Council Meeting.
What Happens Next?
Our questions are likely to be discussed at the next Management Committee Meeting - these aren't open to the public, but we should hear back at the next Council Meeting on 26 May 2026.
Next Walvis Bay Council Meeting In
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