Lüderitz
//Karas Region on Wednesday entered into a joint action plan as part of the twinning agreement between //Karas Regional Council and the Northern Cape provincial government in South Africa.
The agreement was signed by the chairperson of the //Karas Regional Council, Jan Scholtz, and the Premier of the Northern Cape Province, Sylvia Lucas, while the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by //Karas CEO Saul Kahuika and the Head of Department of Environment and Nature Conservation of the Northern Cape, Gladys Botha, on behalf of Director-General Justice Bekebeke.
The aims of the twinning agreement are to provide mutual support in terms of education, sport, arts and culture, environment and tourism, agriculture, safety and liaison, as well as local government.
In the education sector, the agreement will create education opportunities for //Karas students to go and study at Urban and Rural FET colleges in the Northern Cape and will also upgrade the skills of selected Northern Cape province officials.
//Karas teachers will benefit through mentoring programme offered at the University of Free State to upgrade the skills of teachers, especially in their understanding and practice of multi-grade teaching.
This agreement will create training opportunities for Grade 12 learners from the region, who are interested in the cutting and polishing of precious and semi-precious stones at the Kimberley Diamond and Jewellery Academy.
//Karas Region will in turn assist the Northern Cape with the development of a
Khoikhoi syllabus. The agreement will also promote cross border relations as it relates to art, culture and sport. It will promote Nama-Damara through radio programme interaction and will investigate the possibility of joint craft industry between the Namaqwa District and the //Karas Region. In agriculture, it will promote cooperation and liaison between farmers in both regions to enhance and promote research, improved breeding and marketing of animals and Karakul products.
In safety and liaison, it will promote and enhance cross-border traffic and police services on the N7 and N14 through the maintenance of coordinating structures and meetings. The reference is not only to the movement of vehicles in the border areas, but also to drug trafficking and smuggling.
The agreement will create joint border operations with the South African Police Services, Home Affairs and other stakeholders. It will allow both parties to participate in the Border Control Coordinating Committee meetings and will also tackle the issue of illegal fishing along the Orange River. The //Karas Regional Council and the Northern Cape provincial government of the South Africa entered into the twinning agreement in 1999. Changes in representation took place due to elections, retiring officials, promotions and/or career changes, while others were called to higher duty.