The City of Windhoek has accumulated a road maintenance backlog of N$2.67 billion between 2020 and 2025 due to chronic underfunding, according to Acting Strategic Executive for Infrastructure, Water and Technical Services, Rowan Adams.
Adams said the city requires N$384 million each year to keep its road network in a functional condition, but actual annual allocations have fallen far short.
“The asset replacement value of Windhoek’s road network is N$15.4 billion,” he said. “However, maintaining this infrastructure at a functional standard requires N$384 million per year. In contrast, the actual annual budget has been far below this amount, contributing to a growing backlog of road maintenance, now estimated at N$2.67 billion.”
Adams said recent rains had worsened the situation, with damage reported on 650 streets across the city. He confirmed that the municipality had brought in private contractors to assist internal teams.
“To address rain-related damages, contractors were appointed to assist internal teams,” he said. “From February to the time of reporting, the city had repaired over 26,000 potholes, although the overall damage backlog remains significant.”
He said the estimated cost of rain-related repairs stood at N$353 million.
Adams noted that Windhoek manages 853 kilometres of bitumen roads, 92 kilometres of gravel roads and 23 kilometres of paved roads. These are supported by 263 kilometres of underground stormwater pipelines and two dams.
He added that the city had received an increased maintenance allocation from the Road Fund Administration, which rose from N$15 million to N$45 million. However, he said this remained a fraction of what is needed.
“Our road teams are skilled but are mainly geared towards routine maintenance and not large-scale rehabilitation,” Adams said. “This is why contractor support has become essential.”
Major projects currently underway include upgrades to Peter Nanyemba Road, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Road, Auas Road and several intersections in the central business district, aimed at easing traffic congestion.
The update comes as the City of Windhoek provided an overview of its operations during the 2020–2025 council term.
Strategic Executive for Urban and Transport Planning, Pierre Van Rensburg, said the city’s public transport division had carried 1.6 million passengers over the last five years across 30 bus routes. He also confirmed the introduction of a new ticketing system and the development of a strategy to regulate taxi and shuttle services.
“We are developing a public transport operator strategy to regulate taxis, shuttles, and other transport providers,” he said. “Recently, we established 16 to 17 new taxi stops, with 46 more planned to improve coverage and reduce fare disputes.”
Van Rensburg also outlined the department’s broader work, which includes digitalising the building plan submission process, approving 28 major land developments and 52 new road projects, and conducting 431 flood mitigation studies.
“Major road upgrades are underway on Peter Nanyemba, Winnie Mandela and other key routes, funded through national cooperation,” he said.
However, he acknowledged ongoing difficulties such as limited public visibility of urban planning efforts, contractor delays and the challenge of accommodating rapid urban growth without overstretching infrastructure.
“Our department’s long-term goal is to ensure Windhoek remains sustainable, safe, and accessible for current and future generations,” Van Rensburg said.
