WINDHOEK – Although mostly sub-contracting work from big companies at this stage, L.W. Awaseb Engineering cc is striving to become a leader in the construction and engineering industry in the near future. New Era spoke to the owner Leonard Walter Awaseb on why he believes this vision can be realized.
New Era (NE): How long has L.W. Awaseb Engineering cc been in existence and how big is the company workforce? If possible please tell us about the gender composition in your workforce.
Leonard Walter Awaseb (LWA): L.W. Awaseb Engineering cc was established during January 2009 and employs only three men at this stage.
NE: Tell us about the shareholding or ownership of the business?
LWA: I am the sole owner.
NE: What business is your company involved in?
LWA: L.W. Awaseb Engineering cc. specializes in construction and road maintenance.
NE: What challenges are you experiencing when applying for standard mandatory, good standing certificates at Inland Revenue, Social Security, Trade and Industry, etc.?
LWA: The process of obtaining these mandatory documents is a very cumbersome one and some of them, such as tax, social security and company registration-certificates, expire in a short period of time.
NE: What is your view with regard to the frequent reporting about ‘tenderpreneurship’ and the association of the phrase with corruption in the tender process and what can be done to address it?
LWA: The tender awarding process in general should be expedited and also be done in a more transparent way. Small, upcoming companies should furthermore also be considered for tender awards as opposed to big, experienced and financially stable companies being awarded these big tenders most of the time.
NE: Some Namibian companies are increasingly entering into joint ventures with foreign companies. How, in your view, can Namibians benefit out of these joint ventures in terms of employment opportunities and sharing of wealth?
LWA: Namibian companies should have the majority shares (51-plus percentage) in these joint ventures in order to create more jobs and also boost our country’s economy.
NE: What programmes are in place in terms of skills development and capacity building of employees at your company?
LWA: I successfully completed a training programme for small and medium enterprises with the Roads Authority of Namibia and will send my employees for the same training once awarded a tender by the Roads Authority of Namibia.
NE: What is your company’s view on giving back to the community?
LWA: I will invest in community projects once awarded some tenders.
NE: What is the rate of success of your company’s output with regard to tenders being awarded to you?
LWA: My company has not been awarded any tenders up to now, we are only sub-contracting work from bigger companies at this stage but remains positive to secure awards sooner than later.
NE: Do your employees belong to a pension fund and medical aid scheme, and if not in which way are they assisted in this regard?
LWA: All employees are registered with the Social Security Commission and will be provided with medical aid and pension benefits at a later stage.
NE: How well equipped are your employees when it comes to occupational health and safety at the workplace?
LWA: My employees are covered under the Workman’s Compensation Act for injuries on duty.