Zoo Park’s decay is a test of Windhoek’s leadership

The deterioration of one of the capital’s most recognisable public spaces demands more than another tender. It requires accountability, a credible rehabilitation plan and a commitment to making the city liveable for all its residents.

Zoo Park should be one of Windhoek’s most treasured public assets. Situated in the heart of the capital, it ought to be a place where families gather, workers take a break, children play and visitors experience the city’s civic character. Instead, its deteriorating condition has become a troubling reflection of the challenges confronting urban management in Namibia’s capital.

The recent questioning of the City of Windhoek by members of parliament has therefore come at an appropriate time. The revelation by chief executive officer Moses Matyayi that the municipality can no longer guarantee safety in certain areas of the park raises questions that extend beyond landscaping and maintenance. They concern public accountability, municipal priorities and the responsibility of local authorities to preserve spaces intended for the common good.

If a public park in the capital cannot be considered safe, residents are entitled to ask how matters reached this point and what the municipality intends to do about it.

Matyayi’s warning that injuries could expose the council to legal claims should be taken seriously. Public authorities have a duty to identify hazards, communicate risks and take reasonable measures to protect visitors. Where safety cannot be guaranteed, immediate precautions are necessary. But restricting access or warning residents about unsafe areas cannot become a substitute for rehabilitation.

The challenge is to address immediate risks while developing a sustainable solution to the park’s broader deterioration.

The municipality has advertised a procurement process to prequalify service providers for horticultural landscaping, greenery enhancement and irrigation improvements over six months. This is a potentially useful step. Well-maintained vegetation, functioning irrigation and attractive public spaces contribute to the quality of urban life.

However, landscaping alone cannot be confused with comprehensive rehabilitation. The public needs clarity on the scope of the proposed work, its anticipated cost, the condition of existing infrastructure and the improvements residents can realistically expect. Without that information, it is difficult to judge whether the intervention represents a meaningful revival or simply another temporary response to a long-standing problem.

The condition of the park’s amphitheatre makes the issue particularly difficult to ignore. MP Vaino Angula questioned why a facility that once hosted performances and television launches had reportedly remained unused for more than 15 years.

An amphitheatre should not be regarded merely as a structure requiring maintenance. It represents an opportunity for cultural expression, community gatherings, tourism and economic activity. Its prolonged disuse suggests that Windhoek has lost more than a venue: it has lost an opportunity to make its public spaces productive and socially relevant.

The municipality must explain what has prevented the facility from being restored to useful service and whether rehabilitation remains part of its plans.

There is also a question of institutional continuity. In November 2023, the council decided to enter into a memorandum of agreement with Innovate Group to coordinate private-sector financial or technical support for the park’s renovation. The proposed arrangement included a maintenance component intended to reduce municipal maintenance and security costs over ten years.

Yet publicly available information does not establish whether the agreement was implemented, how much funding was secured or what work, if any, was completed under the proposed partnership.

This uncertainty deserves clarification. It would be unfair to conclude that the arrangement failed without establishing its status. Equally, the municipality cannot expect residents to accept successive rehabilitation proposals without accounting for earlier decisions.

The City of Windhoek should disclose what became of the agreement, what obligations were undertaken and whether any private-sector commitments remain available. If the arrangement did not proceed, the public deserves an explanation of why and what lessons were learnt.

Historical financial figures underline the need for a viable operating model. In 2023, the park reportedly generated less than N$15,000 in annual revenue, against monthly security costs of approximately N$12,000 and horticultural maintenance costs of N$25,700.

These figures do not establish the park’s current finances, but they illustrate the challenge of maintaining a public space whose direct income may be limited. They also demonstrate why rehabilitation cannot be separated from long-term operational planning.

The municipality should consider carefully structured partnerships with businesses and other stakeholders, provided the public interest remains paramount. Private-sector participation could bring investment, expertise and additional activities. However, any arrangement must be transparent, protect public access and establish clear responsibilities for maintenance, security and financial reporting.

Zoo Park must not become a space where commercial interests displace the very residents it was created to serve.

Windhoek’s wider parks and recreation strategy also deserves attention. The municipality advertised an expression of interest in July for feasibility studies examining parks and recreational business opportunities across the city. That process, which closed in September, is separate from the latest Zoo Park landscaping procurement.

The two initiatives should nevertheless contribute to a coherent approach to public recreation. Windhoek needs a clear inventory of its recreational assets, an assessment of their condition and a prioritised programme of investment based on safety, public need and available resources.

The council should publish a realistic rehabilitation plan for Zoo Park, including costs, funding arrangements, implementation milestones and measurable outcomes. It should also report regularly on progress and explain delays. Parliament’s scrutiny should help secure these commitments rather than end with a single hearing.

Ultimately, the value of a city is measured not only by its roads, buildings and commercial developments, but also by the quality of the spaces it provides for ordinary people. Parks are essential social infrastructure. They offer relief from crowded streets, create opportunities for recreation and help make urban life more humane.

Zoo Park’s revival will not solve all of Windhoek’s challenges. But allowing a prominent public space to remain unsafe and underused would send the wrong message about the city’s priorities.

The municipality has an opportunity to demonstrate that it can move from procurement announcements to visible results. Residents should expect nothing less than a safe, accessible and properly maintained park, supported by a credible plan and transparent public reporting.

Windhoek deserves a Zoo Park that serves its people again. The responsibility now rests with the city’s leadership to show, through action rather than promises, that this public asset matters.