Clemans Miyanicwe
Windhoek-Outjo Constituency Councillor Johannes Antsino and Chief David /Khamuxab of the Hai//Om Traditional Authority have both praised the government for the developments taking place at resettlement farms in and around Outjo.
/Khamuxab told New Era yesterday that the government has done much for the Hai//Om community in terms of development, as schools have been built, farms have been electrified and water is more accessible.
Other highlights that /Khamuxab noted are the dozens of Hai//Om youth who have been sent by the government to higher education institutions such as the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and University of Namibia (Unam), while others have become soldiers and police officers.
Resettlement farms where Hai//Om community members have been resettled are Seringkop (6,531 hectares) that was acquired in 2007 and handed over in 2008; Koppies (1,436 hectares) acquired in 2008 and handed over in 2009; Bellalaika (3,527 hectares) acquired in 2008 and handed over in 2009; Mooiplaas (6,538 hectares) acquired in 2009, handed over in 2010; Nuchas (6,538 hectares) acquired 2009 and handed over in 2011; Werda (6,361 hectares) acquired 2010 and handed over in 2011; and Toevlug (6,217 hectares) that was acquired in 2011 and handed over in 2012.
Last year at Werda, the government’s rural development programme began a cash-for-work project, which benefitted 21 people at a cost of N$47,000. Beneficiaries worked on a road, cutting down trees next to the road and closing ditches to the access road.
Under the same programme, a sewing project empowered 12 people at Seringkop costing N$37,000, and a poultry project for N$28,000 at Mooiplaas benefited seven youths. All these projects were budgeted for in the last financial year.
Councillor Antsino said that for this financial year his office has requested the same projects but at different farms so that more people can benefit.
“Let’s appreciate and make use of the golden opportunities our government has availed to us. Let’s come up with agricultural and other profit-making projects to provide jobs and produce food for ourselves and sell surplus,” he advised.
The Hai//Om community was also called upon to care for its facilities and to ensure future generations would benefit as well. “Let’s encourage our children to work hard and take their studies seriously to become doctors, engineers and teachers,” Antsino added.
Consumption of alcohol and drugs use must be discouraged at resettled farms so that it should not disturb communities from being productive, Antsino said as he called on the private sector and individuals to assist the government.
“Government has done a lot for our children. Now we are proud to have teachers, police officers, soldiers and nurses amongst our communities. We are happy,” /Khamuxab said.
The Hai//Om chief said his community has been fully accommodated by the government after independence, which they are “glad” about, but added that more needs to be done such as putting up network towers so that residents can also fully access the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation’s Damara/Nama station and also have better network coverage for mobile phones.
/Khamuxab said that although there are gardens at some farms in the area, he would like to see bigger gardening projects. “We want to sell vegetables and crops in bulk to get more income and we need assistance with agricultural projects.”
Farm Seringkop and others need a clinic. New Era was informed that the land was availed for the clinic but due to the recent financial crisis, it was not constructed.
“We need a clinic as we also have children who attend school. A clinic will be very important to us,” said the chief.
The Namibia-German Special Initiative Programme (NGSIP) donated 100 cows and a bull to beneficiaries at the resettlement farms.