Also known as: Keetmans municipality · Keetmanshoop municipal council
Local authority in //Kharas region facing investigations into procurement irregularities, water debt, and management disputes.
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Windhoek Observer
Keetmanshoop municipality was ordered to pay applicants' legal costs on attorney-and-own-client and party-and-party scales
“The municipality of Keetmanshoop was ordered to pay the applicants' legal costs on an attorney-and-own-client scale for the urgent application and on a party-and-party scale for the review application.”
High Court declares Keetmanshoop council’s no-confidence vote unlawfulWindhoek Observer
Keetmanshoop municipality experienced tensions on Wednesday after workers threatened to escalate grievances against acting CEO Boois to minister Sankwasa
“Tensions at the Keetmanshoop municipality escalated on Wednesday after workers threatened to take their grievances against acting chief executive officer Desiree Boois to urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa if their demands are not addressed.”
Keetmanshoop workers threaten to escalate CEO dispute to SankwasaNew Era
Keetmanshoop Municipality achieved full utilisation of its N$4.07 million RFA allocation
“Breaking down the utilisation of the funding, he said the Keetmanshoop Municipality achieved full utilisation of its N$4.07 million allocation, whilst the Oranjemund Town Council reached 67.6%, with //Kharas settlements spending 57.2% of it.”
Unutilised RFA funds irk //KharasInformanté
Keetmanshoop Municipality achieved full utilisation of its N$4.07 million allocation
“The Governor revealed that the Keetmanshoop Municipality achieved full utilisation of its N$4.07 million allocation, while Oranjemund only spent 67.6% of its allocation, and the //Kharas Settlement recorded 57.2%.”
Gertze slams local authorities in //Kharas Region over low RFA fund utilisationThe Namibian
Keetmanshoop municipality pays N$391,000 monthly on renting 26 vehicles from Avis Fleet
“The Keetmanshoop municipality is paying N$391 000 a month on renting 26 vehicles, including a Mercedes-Benz for the mayor, despite struggling financially.”
Keetmans under fire over N$391 000 monthly vehicle rentalsThe Namibian
Keetmanshoop municipality planned to disconnect water supply to residents in debt on Wednesday
“Residents who are in debt with the Keetmanshoop municipality is set to have their water supply disconnected on Wednesday.”
Keetmanshoop to disconnect defaulters' water supplyThe Namibian
Keetmanshoop municipality faces bulk water supply disruption by NamWater
“The municipality further faces a bulk water supply disruption by NamWater.”
Keetmanshoop to disconnect defaulters' water supplyThe Namibian
Keetmanshoop municipality owes N$31.6 million to NamWater
“It is now racing to pay N$31.6 million, following non-payments for the past nine months.”
Keetmanshoop to disconnect defaulters' water supplyThe Namibian
Keetmanshoop municipality will host The Namibian Newspaper Cup from 3 to 6 April at Westdene Stadium
“The 24th edition of The Namibian Newspaper Cup will be hosted at Westdene Stadium at Keetmanshoop from 3 to 6 April, and ||Kharas football region chairperson Emrico Blaauw says it was a long time coming.”
||Kharas aims to host spectacular showNew Era
Keetmanshoop municipality is hosting the 24th Nedbank/Namibian Newspaper Cup from 3 to 6 April
“The 24th edition of the prestigious Nedbank/Namibian Newspaper Cup will be hosted this year in Keetmanshoop, from 3 to 6 April.”
Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup headed to KeetmansNamibians report that expenses are rising faster than wages, forcing many to rely on side hustles and cash loans to survive. The squeeze is intensifying as electricity and municipal tariffs increase while workers' salaries remain stagnant.
27 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibians report that expenses are rising faster than wages, forcing many to rely on side hustles and cash loans to survive. The squeeze is intensifying as electricity and municipal tariffs increase while workers' salaries remain stagnant.
27 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The Keetmanshoop municipal council has elected Swapo councillor Emrico Blaauw as the town's new mayor, with Beata Set as deputy mayor. The election follows the recall of LPM mayor Melody Swartbooi in June.
18 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Emrico Blaauw has resigned as ||Kharas Football Region chairman, citing that his simultaneous service as a Keetmanshoop Municipality councillor contravenes the Namibia Sports Act and NFA statutes. He recommends the vice chairperson assume the role until the next elections.
10 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The High Court declared that Keetmanshoop municipal council meetings held on 7 May and 4 June 2026, at which councillors Easter Isaak and Anneliza Knaus were removed from the management committee, violated the law, standing rules, and the Constitution. The court ruled the no-confidence motion procedurally defective and ordered that Isaak and Knaus be restored to their positions.
10 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The High Court overturned the Keetmanshoop Municipal Council's removal of two LPM management committee members through no-confidence votes, ruling that council meetings convened on 7 May and 4 June breached the Local Authorities Act, standing rules, and the Constitution. The court reinstated Easter Isaack and Annelize Knaus and declared all resolutions from those meetings null and void.
8 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Workers at Keetmanshoop municipality, represented by NAPWU, handed over a petition calling for the removal of acting CEO Desiree Boois, accusing her of poor management, intimidation, and financial mismanagement. They have threatened to escalate their grievances to urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa if their demands are not addressed.
25 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
//Kharas Governor Dawid Gertze has raised concern over sluggish procurement processes in local authorities that are locking up millions of dollars in Road Fund Administration monies, with several municipalities and village councils returning a combined N$11.4 million and only 16.7% of N$857,100 allocated for traffic law enforcement being utilised.
22 June 2026 · New Era →
The High Court of Namibia has ordered the reinstatement of two Keetmanshoop municipality management committee members—Easter Isaak and Anneliza Knaus—who were removed through votes of no confidence in May and June, and has interdicted the municipality from implementing those resolutions pending the finalisation of the main application.
18 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Former Keetmanshoop Mayor Melody Swartbooi, removed from office by the Landless People's Movement, has disputed claims of being a SWAPO infiltrator and alleged she suffered intimidation, control, and bullying from LPM leadership. She argued that mayors must work with councillors from different parties for development and questioned why LPM applies coalition standards inconsistently, noting the party works with SWAPO in Gobabis.
16 June 2026 · Informanté →
The Governor of the //Kharas Region, Dawid Gertze, has criticised local authorities for failing to utilise allocated Road Fund Administration funds, noting that out of N$29.66 million earmarked for road maintenance, only N$12.36 million was spent, resulting in an expenditure rate of below 50%. He called on underperforming municipalities and village councils to streamline their procurement processes, pointing out that several authorities including Lüderitz, Karasburg, and all village councils spent none of their combined N$11.4 million allocation.
16 June 2026 · Informanté →
The Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating the Keetmanshoop Municipality over alleged irregularities in a N$3.4-million service level agreement awarded to JJF Investments and Bellatrix SME Finance for the supply of prepaid electricity meters. The Ministry of Finance also launched an investigation after receiving information alleging non-compliance with the Public Procurement Act.
14 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Bellatrix SME Finance has stated that its role in a N$3.4-million service level agreement involving Keetmanshoop Municipality and JJF Investments CC was limited to financing JJF after the municipality had already awarded it a purchase order, and that it did not participate in municipal procurement processes or receive a direct contract from the municipality.
13 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Keetmanshoop municipality pays N$391,000 a month to rent 26 vehicles from Avis Fleet, including a Mercedes-Benz for the mayor, prompting criticism from councillors who call the expenditure wasteful given the municipality's financial constraints.
28 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Erongo ended their 14-year trophy drought by winning the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup 2026, defeating defending champions Kunene 2–1 in extra time at Keetmanshoop. Centre-back Shahid Naoebeb scored twice in the match and was named player of the tournament.
7 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia inaugurated the N$107 million Keetmanshoop Vocational Training Centre (KVTC) on 19 March 2026, a facility designed to train youth in green hydrogen, oil and gas, solar installation, and water sanitation to support the country's southern energy corridor development. The centre welcomed 253 inaugural trainees, including 101 women, and aims to provide international-standard technical certification to build a home-grown workforce for the region's emerging energy industries.
31 March 2026 · New Era →
Keetmanshoop municipality risks bulk water supply disruption after nine months of non-payment to NamWater, with N$31.6 million owed representing 33.3% of its total N$95-million outstanding debt. The municipality has begun disconnecting defaulting residents to collect payments before the NamWater deadline.
25 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The Keetmanshoop municipality plans to disconnect water supply to residents with outstanding bills dating before 31 January, with reconnection requiring upfront payments ranging from 10% for general consumers to 100% for government and business. The municipality itself faces disruption of bulk water supply from NamWater due to N$31.6 million in unpaid bills accumulated over nine months.
24 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The ||Kharas region will host the 24th edition of The Namibian Newspaper Cup at Westdene Stadium in Keetmanshoop from 3 to 6 April after winning hosting rights on their third bid attempt. The region has completed stadium renovations including new lighting and resurfaced fields, and aims to replicate the success of their previous 2012 hosting while competing to win the tournament for the second time since 2019.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The 24th edition of the Nedbank/Namibian Newspaper Cup will be hosted in Keetmanshoop from 3 to 6 April, with U/20 football and netball teams from each of Namibia's 14 regions competing. The NFA says local infrastructure will be upgraded to standard and the event will be officially launched in Windhoek on 9 March.
27 February 2026 · New Era →
The Namibia Industrial Development Agency says it cannot pay its N$3.9 million water and electricity debt to Keetmanshoop municipality because tenants have failed to pay rent, creating cash flow problems. The municipality offered Nida a 100% interest waiver if it settled N$3.1 million in capital debt over three months, but Nida declined, citing inability to pay N$1 million monthly and is now requesting treasury assistance through its line ministry.
19 February 2026 · The Namibian →