Namibia Minute.
Monday, 11 May 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Monday, 11 May 2026
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Organization

Municipality of Walvis Bay

Also known as: Walvis Bay municipality

Local authority in Walvis Bay managing municipal services, land use approvals, water supply, beach safety, and housing provision across the coastal town.

2023-09-262026-05-11

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. May 2025
  2. BUDGET DONE … Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes hands over the town’s budget to town council management committee chairperson Richard Hoaeb.Photo: Walvis Bay Municipality The Walvis Bay Town Council has identified the urgent repair of infrastructure, particularly road maintenance a

    The Namibian

    Walvis Bay prioritises road repairs in budget
  3. October 2024
  4. Last, but not least, a petition was submitted to the Municipality of Walvis Bay, which was supposed to be on the agenda of the ordinary council meeting on Tuesday 7 May 2024, but it was never tabled during the meeting.

    The Namibian

    Community vs RedForce
  5. September 2024
  6. December 2023
  7. September 2023
Society

Walvis Bay housing shortage drives soaring electricity consumption

The News

Rapid population growth and proliferation of informal backyard housing in Walvis Bay have driven electricity consumption to record levels, with the suburb of Kuisebmond alone consuming 54% of Swakopmund's total power use. The municipality faces increasing pressure to provide affordable housing and land, with approximately 23 000 backyard shacks housing 42 000 people and thousands more on waiting lists.

13 April 2026 · New Era

Monday 13 April

  1. Walvis Bay housing shortage drives soaring electricity consumption

    Rapid population growth and proliferation of informal backyard housing in Walvis Bay have driven electricity consumption to record levels, with the suburb of Kuisebmond alone consuming 54% of Swakopmund's total power use. The municipality faces increasing pressure to provide affordable housing and land, with approximately 23 000 backyard shacks housing 42 000 people and thousands more on waiting lists.

    13 April 2026 · New Era

Friday 10 April

  1. Ministry de-proclaiming landfill area to boost municipal oversight

    The Ministry of Environment and Tourism will remove part of the Walvis Bay landfill from Dorob National Park to allow the municipality full management authority and ability to enforce bylaws. The ministry has issued a compliance order against illegal tyre burning at the site, which residents report creates toxic smoke affecting the town, and has flagged health risks from living near the landfill.

    10 April 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 29 March

  1. Walvis Bay gains planning authority powers for local development

    The Municipality of Walvis Bay has been declared an Authorised Planning Authority, enabling it to oversee land use approvals and development applications such as rezoning and township establishment previously handled at national level. The municipality expects the status to reduce processing delays and improve service delivery through local decision-making.

    29 March 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 19 March

  1. Walvis Bay Municipality plagued by seventeen years of governance failures

    Walvis Bay Municipality has been without an internal audit, performance management system, or general manager for 17 years, with further gaps including poorly designed job descriptions, a recently established procurement unit, and reports of staff conducting business with the municipality. Mayor Johannes Shimbilinga revealed these systemic governance failures to residents and called for reforms to address deep-rooted institutional problems affecting service delivery.

    19 March 2026 · New Era

Wednesday 18 March

  1. Walvis Bay areas face three-day water supply interruption

    The Walvis Bay municipality announced that Langstrand and Kuisebmond will experience a temporary water interruption from 17 to 19 March due to a supply disruption from the Swakopmund supply line. Residents are urged to use water sparingly and make preparations.

    18 March 2026 · The Namibian

Friday 13 March

  1. Heatwave drives beach crowds; lifeguards warn of drowning risks

    Lifeguards in Walvis Bay are warning of increased drowning risk as coastal heatwaves with temperatures between 35–36°C drive large crowds to beaches and swimming areas without adequate safety precautions. Monarch Lifeguard Services founder Marthin Muyenga urges close supervision of children, warns against improvised flotation devices, and advises against swimming under the influence of alcohol, while the Municipality of Walvis Bay has deployed certified lifeguards at Independence Beach and temporarily opened Dolphin Park swimming pool during weekdays.

    13 March 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 28 January

  1. Parliamentary committee consults on housing and land delivery

    A parliamentary standing committee is holding consultative meetings in Rundu this week with five major local authorities to assess land delivery and housing provision. The consultations aim to give Parliament an evidence-based understanding of how housing is planned and delivered at local level, identify constraints, and propose solutions to Namibia's estimated 300,000 to 700,000-unit housing backlog.

    28 January 2026 · New Era

Tuesday 27 January

  1. Parliamentary committee consults municipalities on housing provision challenges

    A parliamentary standing committee on urban and rural development is holding consultative meetings at Rundu with five major local authorities to assess land delivery and housing provision. The consultations aim to gather evidence on how housing is planned and delivered, identify constraints, and propose practical measures to address Namibia's estimated housing backlog of 300,000 to 700,000 units.

    27 January 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 22 January

  1. Minister warns government bodies to pay outstanding municipal debts

    The Minister of Urban and Rural Development has warned ministries and councillors to settle outstanding municipal debts or face disconnections and sanctions. As of March 2025, local authorities and councils owed the Namibia Water Corporation N$2.4 billion, with the City of Windhoek reporting residents, businesses, and government combined owe the municipality N$1.2 billion.

    22 January 2026 · The Namibian

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