Ek was geskok, maar nie verbaas nie. Windhoek staar nie net ‘n waternood in die gesig nie, maar veral die gevestigde inwoner en eienaar sal moet opdok.

Ek was verbaas omdat ek nie kan voorsien dat dit so gou gaan gebeur nie. Bykans twee jaar gelede het ek die volgende artikel geskryf wat ek nou weer net so gaan herhaal. By ‘n volgende geleentheid gaan ek dan verder kommentaar lewer. Die artikel het soos volg gelui:

Om instromingsbeheer in Windhoek en dorpe in Namibië in te stel, is teen die grondwet.  Dit is soos ons regering redeneer.  Ek verskil egter hiermee.

Baie jare gelede toe dr. Libertine Amadilha nog Minister van Streek en Plaaslike Owerhede en Behuising was, en die plakkerprobleem onhanteerbare afmetings begin aanneem het, het ek dié vraag aan haar in die Nasionale Vergadering gestel, waarom die regering nie dink aan instromingsbeheer nie.  Sy het nie ongeneë geklink oor die gedagte nie, maar haar skouers opgetrek.  Dit is teen die grondwet, het sy gesê.

Veral na aanleiding van die fabriek, Ramatex, en sy beoogde 5000 werkers(?) stel ek toe weer die vraag in die Nasionale Vergadering naamlik, “Whether the availability of water justifies any further expansion in Windhoek and for how long.”

Prof. Totemeyer, Adjunk-Minister van Streeks en Plaaslike Owerhede en Behuising antwoord my toe soos volg:

“Hon. Pretorius, it is not a matter whether sufficient water is available to terminate further expansion and, thus, further influx op people to the City of Windhoek.  Before Independence, during colonial times, strict influx control measures were applied, violating the fundamental human right of free movement.  This right is now guaranteed through our Constitution and will not be violated by this government.  The right to free movement has significantly contributed to an influx of people to the capital.  Presently, 150% more people live in Windhoek than in the year 1990.  This, I agree, has put a particular burden on the city, especially pertaining to the provision of water, which is always a scarce commodity in our country.

Your concern, Hon. Pretorius, is justified but it is competently addressed.  The City of Windhoek must be complimented for inventive and proactive efforts to provide sufficient water for both the private consumer and the industrial sector.  My Ministry, Hon. Pretorius, is involved in several efforts to assist the city in keeping up with the ever-increasing demand for water and other commodities.  One of them is to support the establishment of towns (up to now 13) in rural areas, as well as present endeavours to identify potential growth points in rural areas which can help to stem the tide of migration to the capital.

Hon. Pretorius, you might be interested that the introduction of the prepaid water meter system has already significantly reduced water consumption and also the waste of water.  We have to use water sparely.

My Ministry, in cooperation with the City of Windhoek, will constantly be involved in providing adequately the services this town needs, including water provision.  We cannot prevent anybody to move to Windhoek.  Population expansion has its own dynamics, while we are also obliged to efficiently address the causes of expansion and this involves many stakeholders.  I thank you, Hon. Speaker.

HON PRETORIUS:  In the first place I want to thank the Hon. Deputy Minister.  My question is whether the Hon. Deputy Minister, if he is still alive in the year 2030, will think about my question then?

DEPUTY MINISTER OF REGIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND HOUSING:  Against the background of what I said, I can assure Hon. Pretorius that plans are ahead to make sure that the City of Windhoek by the Year 2030 will have sufficient water resources.  Thank you.”

Skaars ‘n maand nadat ek die antwoord gekry het, kondig Windhoek se Munisipaliteit (Die Republikein, 16/11/2001) aan dat Windhoek se waterverbruik die rekordhoogte in geskiet het en dat water spaarsaam gebruik moet word.  Hulle beweer dat NamWater nie meer as 2,5 miljoen liters water per dag uit die Von Bachdam kan voorsien nie en dat hulle nou verplig is om ook van boorgatwater gebrujik te maak – ‘n baie twyfelagtige faktor.

Dit is korrek, Namibië se grondwet sê dit baie duidelik in Art. 21(1)(h), “All perons shall have the right to reside and settle in any part of Namibia,”  MAAR Art 21 gaan oor Fundamentele Vryhede en nie oor regte nie.  Buitendien is geen vryheid of reg absoluut nie.  My regte begin waar jou regte eindig.

Net die volgende sub-artikel, naamlik Artikel 21 (2) lees baie duidelik,

“The fundamental freedoms referred to in Sub-Article (1) hereof shall be exercised subject to the law of Namibia, in so far as such law imposes reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the rights and freedoms conferred by the said Sub-Article, which are necessary in a democratic society and are required in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of Namibia, national security, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence.”

Art. 22 handel dan ook spesifiek oor “Limitation upon Fundamental Rights and Freedom.”

“Whenever or wherever in terms of this Constitution the limitation of any fundamental rights or freedoms contemplated by this Chapter is authorised, any law providing for such limitation shall:

(a)              be of general application, shall not negate the essential content thereof, and shall not be aimed at a particular individual;

(b)              specify the ascertainable extent of such limitation and identify the Article or Articles hereof on which authority to enact such limitation is claimed to rest.”

Een van die grootste tekortkominge in Namibië se grondwet is dat dit niks oor verpligtinge sê nie.  Hieroor het ek alleen gestaan toe ons dié grondwet geskryf het.  Gelukkig ondersteun selfs President Sam Nujoma my nou oor die belangrikheid van ‘n balans tussen regte en verpligtinge.  Hy kon beswaarlik anders want op 10 Desember van elke jaar gee hy hoog op oor die “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” (1948).

Artikel 29 van bogenoemde Handves lees soos volg:

“Art. 29(1)          Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.”

“Art. 29(2)          In the exercise of his rights and freedom, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing the recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic state.”

Tydens die verrigtinge met die viering van die dag van die Kind op 28 September 2001 word hy onder meer soos volge gerapporteer in The Namibian van 1 Oktober 2001, naamlik:

“However, the Constitutional clause that most people consciously prefer to ignore is Article 21(2), which spells out the responsibilities that go hand in hand with freedoms. ‘Nujoma said.”

Prof. Totemeyer is dus korrek.  Water kan aan Windhoek voorsien word.  Oor hoe lank dit gaan neem en of die regering in die finansiële vermoeë gaan wees om dit te kan doen, is ‘n ander vraag.  DIE REGTE VAN DIE GEVESTIGDE INWONERS IN WINDHOEK GAAN DUS ERNSTIG AANGETAS WORD EN VAN HULLE GAAN VERWAG WORD OM DIE PRYS TE BETAAL.

In Nasionale belang, dit wil sê in belang van Windhoek (met 50 000 plakkers) en alle ander dorpe is dit dus dringend noodsaaklik dat die regering aan een of ander vorm van instromingsbeheer begin dink.

Wetlik rus daar geen verpligting op die regering om water te voorsien aan mense waar hulle woon nie..  Eerder oortree die regering om in die Noorde mense toe te laat om kinders – van so jonk as ses jaar oud – te verplig om water elke dag kilometres ver aan te dra!

 

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