Steven Klukowski
KEETMANSHOOP – Nexus fishing company, as a means of contributing towards addressing the plight of drought stricken //Kharas region residents earlier this week donated tinned fish worth over N$200 000, that will benefit residents of Berseba and Karasburg East constituencies.
Speaking during the handover //Kharas regional governor Lucia Basson said her region is one of those heavily affected by the current drought in the country. “Berseba and Karasburg constituencies have the biggest and vastest rural areas,” she stated.
Basson furthermore applauded Nexus for identifying the two constituencies as intended beneficiaries when donating the fish.
“We, as a region heartily appreciated your good gesture of patronising our most vulnerable people and hope this is the beginning of many more such contributions in kind to follow,” said the governor.
She equally challenged other businesses in //Kharas region to emulate the example set by the fishing company and to assist government in its intentions to eradicate poverty.
//Kharas regional council chairperson Jan Scholtz at the event said when the benefactor approached his office to assist them identify two constituencies most affected by the drought, he did not hesitate to recommend Berseba and Karasburg East.
“As a chairperson, I need to consider the region as a whole and not necessarily my constituency first,” he explained. Scholtz went on that the regional council will in future consider the other constituencies should more donations be received.
“It is my hope that other companies will follow your example so that government and the private sector can work hand-in-hand to address the plight of the less fortunate residents in //Kharas, but also Namibia as a whole.”
Receiving the donation on behalf of Karasburg East constituency, Dennis Coetzee the respective councillor promised that those residents who will not benefit from the existing government drought relief programme would now also be considered when the consignment of tinned fish is distributed.
He furthermore pledged that he and Berseba constituency councillor David Boois would ensure the donation reaches its intended beneficiaries.
Timo Kalongo, one of the directors of Nexus fishing said they feel honoured to make a difference by donating 13 704 tins of fish to the disadvantaged communities of the two constituencies.
“We would therefore wish to echo praises for the good relationship that we have continued to enjoy between our company and the office of the chairperson of //Kharas regional council,” he said.
Kalongo continued that, without the faith existing between the two parties, this donation could have been delayed or even deferred indefinitely. “This donation of fish has attached the pillars required in attaining the Harambee Prosperity Plan,” the director said.
He called upon the //Kharas regional management team to ensure the donation is used strictly for its intended purpose.