The City of Windhoek requires N$5 billion to fully implement its Sustainable Urban Transport Master Plan (SUTMP), aimed at easing congestion and improving access to affordable, environmentally friendly public transport over the next 20 years.
Prisca Mayumbelo, the city’s Business Development Officer for Urban and Transport Planning, said the plan was developed in 2012 with support from GIZ and adopted by Cabinet in 2014.
It focuses on four areas: infrastructure development, improved bus services, institutional and regulatory reform, and better integration between land use and transport.
“The total cost to implement the Sustainable Urban Transport Master Plan is estimated at N$5 billion over a 20-year period,” Mayumbelo said.
“While that figure may seem daunting, especially when misread as N$500 billion, it is both realistic and achievable when approached in clearly defined funding phases.”
She said nearly 87% of Windhoek’s population are low-income earners who cannot afford private vehicles, and over half of them struggle to pay for public transport. On average, they spend 24% of their disposable income on mobility. Taxis account for 46.2% of trips, 26% of residents walk, and just 1.7% use municipal buses.
The plan promotes walking, cycling, and a better public transport system, including express bus routes and cashless ticketing. Without intervention, average car commute times could increase from 9 minutes in 2012 to 54 minutes by 2032. With the plan in place, this could drop to 23 minutes. Public transport commute times could fall from a projected 76 minutes to 11.
“If we implement this plan, we could see approximately N$4.3 billion in annual benefits due to reduced vehicle operating costs, time savings, and lower external costs,” she said.
The plan could also create 12,000 jobs and reduce road fatalities by 122 per year. It’s expected to lower serious injuries by 520 and minor injuries by 930 annually.
Mayumbelo said carbon emissions could more than double by 2032 without action. A shift to sustainable transport could reduce emissions by 150,000 tonnes annually and save poor households up to N$38,000 (US$2,000) a year.
Progress so far includes 26 new buses, a low-carbon public transport pilot, and a smart ticketing system, but only 10% of operational costs are currently recovered.
“The future of the Sustainable Urban Transport Master Plan depends on developing a sustainable funding strategy, primarily through subsidies and grants from the national government,” she said.
