Windhoek
Mile 14, which has been closed for the past nine years, will be open to the public from December 9 this year and will boast a host of new facilities, including hot showers, flush toilets, a pub and grill restaurant, as well as electrified campsites.
This is according to the managing director of the Prosperity Group, Kobus Struwig, who through their hospitality arm, San Karros, entered into a public-private partnership joint venture with Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR).
“We made the decision to approach NWR after the announcement that several campsites along the coast will be closed during the festive season,” said Struwig.
He added that San Karros is in the process of investing between N$1.2 million and N$1.5 million into Mile 14 to make the once popular campsite an attractive coastal destination for holiday-makers again.
Struwig continued that the revamped Mile 14 will offer 24 campsites with electricity and another 20 to 30 campsites without. When asked about the affordability of the refurbished facility, Struwig said charges will be N$150 per campsite per day, as well as an additional N$80 per person per day.
NWR’s spokesperson, Mufaro Nesongano, recently confirmed that San Karros will also take over the management of Mile 14, but was unable to specify the duration of the management agreement.
Meanwhile, the Prosperity Group’s financial director, told New Era that about 10 positions would be created at Mile 14 during the initial period, with the possibility of increasing in due time. Prosperity’s San Karros also holds a 30-year contract for the popular Daan Viljoen Resort outside Windhoek, where the company invested over N$50 million to refurbish the resort. New Era recently reported that a number of campsites along the coast, including Jakkalsputz, Mile 14, Mile 72 and Mile 108 would be closed to the public during this holiday period.
This unexpected move is expected to have serious consequences for the coastal economy, specifically for the town of Henties Bay, which relies heavily on the influx of visitors during the festive season to boost the local economy.