INTERVIEW: Gobabis Community to Stage Mass Demonstration Against Municipal Injustices

The Gobabis community is set to stage a mass protest, driven by longstanding grievances over social and economic injustices perpetuated by the local municipality. The protest, spearheaded by Veronia Mokaleng-Kuzeeko, a regional activist, will see community members gather to demand accountability and improved services from the Gobabis municipality.

During a conversation, the activist outlined the issues prompting the demonstration. “The water infrastructure in Gobabis is severely compromised, with regular underground pipe bursts affecting water supply, especially in informal settlements like Kanaan A, B, C, D, E, and F,” she stated. She highlighted the lack of water points in these areas and the municipality’s failure to address the problem despite numerous petitions.

The protest will also address the dilapidated state of the town’s electricity infrastructure, with street lights either non-functional or dangerously exposed electrical cables posing a threat to residents. Mokaleng-Kuzeeko pointed out that the Gobabis municipality has seen multiple incidents of electrocution due to these hazards.

In addition to the infrastructure concerns, she emphasized the financial mismanagement and corruption within the municipality. “The town management is in total chaos, with council meetings not taking place and technocrats spending resources on unnecessary things,” she remarked.

The protest will include an information session where the community can engage with councillors, a press release, and the submission of a petition outlining their demands. The activists have made it clear that this is their final internal remedy before taking legal action against the council.

The demonstration will begin at 9:00 AM and is expected to run until 2:00 PM. The event will be covered by Future Media and broadcast on several commercial radio stations, reaching an audience of over a million people. An article detailing the protest will also be published on Future Media’s website.