The municipality of Keetmanshoop is in the process of aggressively inviting private and public entities to stimulate its local economic development strategies towards the betterment of its residents. This is done through Poblic Private Partnership (PPPs).
During the 11th public private dialogue in Keetmanshoop on Tuesday, Jegg Christiaan, the manager of local economic development (LED) at the municipality said opportunities are now created through various projects for public and outside investors to partner with the town council to implement projects in the town.
“Our investment promotion policy’s objectives are clear that the municipality wants to promote industrial development, incentivise investors and provide employment,’’ he said, when explaining the document to those present.
In terms of the provision and facilitation of low-cost land and housing, he emphasised that council has identified two townships in the informal settlement areas namely Tseiblaagte extensions four and six, where erven have been fully serviced with water, sewerage and electricity for low income (earning less than N$3 000 per month) residents at a cost of N$16 900 each.
“Council also resolved to grant the respective beneficiaries a period of 14 months to pay off these erven whilst occupying it,” he indicated. Touching on the promotion of household food security, the official said two projects, namely that of urban poultry farming and backyard gardening have been piloted with inspections on progress after three months.
“We identified five households and provided them with chicken houses, free bird food for two months and 20 layers each with the idea that these beneficiaries should now use eggs derived from the project for own consumption,’’ said Christiaan.
He also said seven households have been identified to participate in backyard gardening projects and provided them with seeds and netting shade to grow produce for their own consumption.
Referring to the development of public-and-social amenities, Christiaan announced that both the Keetmanshoop swimming pool and Krӧnlein sports stadium would be opened for public usage during this year, as infrastructural challenges hampering the operation of these recreation facilities will be addressed accordingly.
“The municipality is in the process to outsource some of its waste collection and disposal services to interested investors as the town is growing at a considerable speed,” the manager announced at the meeting.
He added the Noordhoek and Westdene suburbs have been identified where services will be outsourced as most of its residents have plastic bins, thus reducing the possibility of waste heaps lying outside to be collected.
Christiaan continued that council is also in the process of closing the current dumpsite and opening a new one, far away from the residential area where it is located now.
“The idea is to move it approximately 10km away on the Aroab road and rather make it a landfill site where waste material will then be compressed and thus provide opportunities for partnerships in terms of recycling,” he added.
The manager also said the municipality has now consulted and has a twinning agreement with the City of Windhoek, in terms of implementing a traffic-and-municipal bylaws implementation system to improve on crime prevention.
“In the end, we want to issue tickets to offenders not complying with bylaws and then bring them before court for further action when refusing to pay such tickets,” he said.
– sklukowski@nepc.com.na