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Peeing in public now costs you N$1 000

Placido Hilukilwa

NORTHERN towns have had enough of people urinating in public. It is not only disgusting, but is also contrary to the respective town councils' attempts to promote public hygiene.

Law enforcement agents and town council officials have now launched an education campaign discouraging public urination in towns.
From now on anyone caught doing it will be fined N$1 000.

Higinus Kaya, an Oshakati-based opposition activist, welcomed the move "as far as it concerns decency and cleanliness", but questioned the "excessive fine" and lamented the apparent lack of public toilets in the towns.

He said: "That is a good move, but the fine is excessive ... by the way, where are the public toilets that people can use when nature calls? The only facilities that are there are available only upon paying a certain amount and people do not always have money."

Oshakati town council spokesperson Katarina Kamari said that the council faces a dilemma. It has constructed public toilets in the past and continues doing so, but such facilities are rendered unusable within a short period of time.

"In some cases the facilities are simply vandalized, but there was also at least one case whereby a toilet bowl was stolen," she said.
She said that ablution facilities are available at shopping malls and other businesses in town and residents and visitors are encouraged to make use of those facilities.

According to her, the small fee that is demanded -- normally N$2 per use per person -- is meant for the upkeep of the facilities.
She is of the view that even the N$1 000 fine is not to be seen as a punishment but rather as part of educating and encouraging people to stop peeing in public.

Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: File

Today, Information Minister Dr Peya Mushelenga and Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi will at 14h00 talk about public servants’ salary increment negotiations in relation to the current financial year at the GIC. Follow on this page as well as that of the national broadcaster, NBC.