WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, as the residents and ratepayers of the Town of Rehoboth, DRAW the attention of the Hon. Minister of Urban and Rural Development to the following matters for urgent address.

On 14 March 2026, during a community meeting held in Rehoboth, the Honourable Minister James Sankwasa (MP) publicly assured the community that a forensic audit into the affairs of the Rehoboth Town Council would take place. Since that undertaking, there has been no meaningful communication, progress report, or visible action regarding the promised forensic investigation.

The silence surrounding this matter has deepened public distrust and intensified concerns regarding financial management, governance failures, accountability, maladministration, and possible abuse of public resources within the Rehoboth Town Council.

THAT, the residents, ratepayers and broader community of Rehoboth deserve transparency. Ratepayers deserve accountability. Public institutions exist to serve the community, not to operate beyond scrutiny. The Rehoboth Town Council have continuously claimed to be transparent and accountable yet lack public access to documentary proof of such claims, whichever is allowed for public record within the legal and policy frameworks of the local authority.

THAT, the following critical matters have given birth to the prayers contained herein:

1. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND OUTSTANDING AUDITS

The Finance Department reportedly only submitted outstanding audits covering approximately four years to The Office of The Auditor General during October/November 2025.

This raises serious concerns regarding:

- Compliance with statutory financial obligations;

- The integrity and accuracy of municipal financial records;

- Internal financial controls and oversight mechanisms;

- Possible irregular, unauthorized, fruitless, or wasteful expenditure;

- Payments allegedly made without adequate supporting documentation.

The community demands clarity regarding:

- Why these audits remained outstanding for such an extended period;

 - Who was responsible for the delays;

- Whether disciplinary or corrective measures were implemented;

- Whether public funds were mismanaged during this period.

2. DEBT OWED TO NAMWATER AND NAMPOWER

The ballooning debt owed by the Rehoboth Town Council to NamWater and NamPower requires urgent forensic scrutiny. Residents continue to pay for municipal services, yet the debt continues to escalate to alarming levels.

The forensic audit must establish:

- How these debts accumulated to their current amounts;

- How revenue collected from residents was allocated;

- Whether collected funds were diverted to non-essential expenditure;

 - Who authorized expenditure decisions while these debts escalated.

Of particular concern is the reported failure by the Rehoboth Town Council to pay NamWater between April 2025 and January 2026, despite residents paying the council for water consumption during that same period.

This matter requires immediate investigation and explanation.

3. EXCESSIVE S&T EXPENDITURE DURING A FINANCIAL CRISIS

The continued expenditure on travel, conferences, and subsistence and travel (S&T) allowances while the council faces severe financial distress is deeply troubling. Reports of frequent trips, both domestic and international, have created widespread public concern that public funds are being prioritized for personal benefit instead of service delivery and debt reduction.

The forensic audit must determine:

- The total amount spent on S&T over the past five years;

- Whether such travel was necessary, authorized, and compliant with policy;

- Whether procurement and travel approval processes were properly followed;

- Whether the expenditure constituted value for money.

4. RATE INCREASES DESPITE POOR SERVICE DELIVERY

Residents are continuously burdened with increasing municipal tariffs while service delivery continues to deteriorate, community continues to experience:

- Poor road conditions;

- Water interruptions and concerns regarding water quality;

- Electrical infrastructure failures and power disruptions;

- Delays in maintenance and repairs;

- General deterioration of municipal infrastructure.

The public deserves transparency regarding:

- Why tariff increases continue despite worsening service delivery;

- How revenue from tariff increases has been utilized;

- Why basic municipal infrastructure continues to decline.

5. LAND APPLICATION BACKLOGS AND ALLEGATIONS OF PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT

There are widespread complaints regarding prolonged delays in the processing of land applications submitted by ordinary residents, while certain applications allegedly receive expedited treatment.

The forensic investigation must establish:

- Whether municipal land allocation policies are being applied fairly and consistently;

- Whether favouritism, political influence, or corruption influenced land allocation processes;

- Whether officials or councillors improperly interfered in administrative procedures.

6. ALLEGATIONS OF NEPOTISM AND IRREGULAR APPOINTMENTS

Serious concerns have been raised regarding alleged nepotism and irregular appointments within the Rehoboth Town Council and the Rehoboth Fire Brigade.

The forensic investigation must determine:

- Whether recruitment and appointment procedures complied with applicable laws and policies;

- Whether conflicts of interest were properly declared;

- Whether appointments were made on merit and fairness;

- Whether political or personal relationships improperly influenced hiring decisions.

7. USE OF COUNCIL VEHICLES

The use and management of council vehicles must be thoroughly investigated.

The community demands clarity regarding:

- Whether council vehicles are being used strictly in accordance with council policies;

- Whether fuel usage, maintenance costs, and travel logs are properly recorded;

- Whether municipal assets are being used for unauthorized private purposes.

8. REHO SPA RENOVATION PROJECT

The status of the Reho Spa renovation project remains unclear despite the project being repeatedly presented as an important economic and tourism initiative for Rehoboth.

Forensic audit must investigate:

- The total funds allocated and spent on the project;

- The procurement and appointment processes for contractors;

- Whether proper tender procedures were followed;

- Why the project stalled or halted;

- Whether public funds were mismanaged or improperly utilized;

The community further seeks clarity regarding reports that approximately N$4.3 million was received for the project and demands full accountability regarding how those funds were utilized.

COLLAPSE OF PUBLIC TRUST

THAT, Public trust in the Rehoboth Town Council has deteriorated significantly.

Residents increasingly believe that transparency, accountability, and proper governance have been replaced by secrecy, poor oversight, financial mismanagement, and disregard for the struggles faced by ordinary ratepayers.

The current situation is unsustainable.

A forensic audit is not merely necessary. It is essential to restore public confidence, protect public funds, identify governance failures, and ensure accountability where wrongdoing is uncovered.

THAT, the matters to be addressed by this petition is not pending before any Court of Law and or subject to any motion tabled by any member of the Rehoboth Town Council, as per the Standing Rules for convening of a meeting of a Local Authority and the provisions thereof.

THAT, We, the Residents and Ratepayers of Rehoboth, PRAY FOR / THAT;

A. Instruction be issued by the Office of the Minister of Urban and Rural Development for the immediate appointment of an RTC Independent Forensic Audit Committee (RTC-IFAC) in compliance with Section 26(1) of the Local Authorities Act, including;

∙ The composition of the RTC-IFAC shall be the nomination and appointment of ten (10) community members (voluntary), two (2) nominations by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and three (3) nominations by the office of the Auditor General.

∙ The mandate of the RTC-IFAC shall be (1) to plan and execute the identification of all structural and capacity divisions and sub-divisions that will be obligated to subject the department to participate in the full forensic audit, (2) to compile a recommendation for the appointment of an experienced audit and risk compliance management entity to conduct the forensic audit and compile a comprehensive report on the investigative findings and recommendations thereon to the RTC-IFAC and (3) to submit such findings andrecommendations, with its own recommendations to theMinister of Urban and Rural Development and the Rehoboth Town Council.

∙ The members of the RTC-IFAC shall have the right to represent the interest of the Rehoboth residents and ratepayers and make recommendations that will reflect the desires of the Rehoboth residents and ratepayers on the investigative findings.

∙ The members and the RTC-IFAC shall further have the mandate to hold all institutions of government accountable for any conflict which may arise following any and all engagements that may hinder the completion of the forensic investigative audit and findings.

∙ The RTC-IFAC shall further have the right to make public disclosure of any and all findings of the forensic audit, the investigative processes and the recommendations thereon, including regular public engagements for progress updates and inputs from the community to validate community participation.

∙ The RTC-IFAC shall, in conclusion, have the full mandate to instruct the Management Committee to take the necessary disciplinary, civil, or criminal action should default/defect befoundtohave takenplacein theadministrationof theRehoboth Town Council, as per the final report of the expert audit investigation. The actions shall be taken in compliance with all applicable legal frameworks and under the supervision of the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and the Auditor General.

∙ Further aims and objectives, duties and responsibilities, breaches and members code of conduct be established following the establishment of the RTC-IFAC and the composition of the RTC-IFAC

∙ The Investigative Forensic Audit shall include a minimum period of ten (10) years.

∙ The cost for the appointment of an experienced audit entity and any allowances deemed necessary for the RTC-IFAC shall be carried by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.

B. Instruction be issued by the Office of the Minister of Urban and Rural Development to the Chairperson of the Management Committee of the Rehoboth Town Council for the establishment and appointment of the RTC Independent Forensic Audit Committee (RTC-IFAC) by the Chief Executive Officer of Rehoboth Town Council.

∙ The Chief Executive Officer is the accounting officer of the Rehoboth Town Council, as per Section 81 of the Local Authorities Act (23 of 1992).

∙ Failure to establish the RTC-IFAC and appoint such members shall be accepted as misleading of Rehoboth community and promotion of disunity and public mistrust in the principles of accountability and transparency of government.