LüDERITZ – Construction activity on phase 2 of the Lüderitz Waterfront Development Project is on track, while the renovation and upgrading of the old Nampower Station is progressing well, according to Manuel Fidalgo, the Contract Manager of the Nexus Group. Fidalgo said construction may be delayed by unforeseen circumstances during demolition, because no old building plans of the old Lüderitz Nampower Station are currently available. “There are no plans and we are not prepared on what we may find during demolition. We may be delayed by unforeseen structures,” he said.
Fidalgo also pointed out that the existing steel structures of the old Nampower Station are still in a very good condition and once cleaned and sandblasted they could be used to cut costs significantly. Another cost-cutting exercise is to use rope technicians, which are faster and clutter-free instead of traditional scaffolding. Fidalgo said they are looking at employing 135 workers at the peak of the project. So far 85 are in employment. Meanwhile, a group of workers were found working without wearing hardhats at the project site.
“They only started working this week and we ran out of stock, we are waiting for stock to arrive from Windhoek,” said Fidalgo, who had two hardhats available for visiting journalists. The waterfront will house a satellite campus of the Polytechnic of Namibia, a maritime museum, an amphitheatre, a gym and various entertainment facilities.
By Jemima Beukes