BERSEBA – Berseba village council CEO Ivan Vries says despite being in office for only four months, he is optimistic about the potential of the local authority.
“Although funds are limited, council envisaged to launch and implement various projects aiming at improving the livelihood of our residents,” Vries said in an interview with New Era last week.
He added one such initiative is the abandoned sewerage and sanitation project that will be revived very soon.
“This project will be carried out in our Brukaros and Palmlaagte suburbs, employing locals as general workers on a three-month contract basis,” said the CEO.
Another project, according to Vries that will provide much needed employment to locals as general workers, will be the Road Fund Administration-funded repair and maintenance tender for the road in front of the local clinic.
“Council is also in the final stages of the proclamation of the Berseba township establishment with the end result of providing serviced erven at a bilateral and agreed tariff to approximately 1 300 residents in the long run,” he said.
Vries continued that his office, in collaboration with the political leadership in the village, will very soon implement its own water supply system which will be much more affordable compared to the current NamWater supply tariffs for residents.
“We will drill boreholes and in addition set up water purification ponds in order to draw water from the village’s rich underground water resources, in the end connecting it to the existing networks for residents,” he
said.
The CEO also said council realised that not all residents have access to basic services namely water, electricity and sanitation.
“As part of its mandate, council is planning to provide these services to all residents during the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years respectively,” he said.
He also said another upcoming project is that of upgrading the sports stadium in the village, constructing dressing rooms, another pavilion, athletics tracks and netball as well as volleyball courts, in the process creating more employment and addressing poverty.
“As a means to ensure the maintenance of law and order and also protecting citizens and properties, plans are in an advance stage of constructing a police station in Berseba,” he highlighted.
Vries continued that this project, which will be fully funded by diamond mining giant Namdeb, will cater for a charge office, administration offices, police holding cells and accommodation for law enforcement officers to be stationed there.
In terms of projects increasing council’s revenue streams, he mentioned the public transport initiative that allows residents to travel to the nearest biggest town, Keetmanshoop, for shopping and other errands at an affordable price. “In addition, we have a livestock breeding programme whereby we sell the animals at auctions as another way of boosting council’s coffers,” he said.
He also said the greatest challenges they are experiencing are unemployment, poverty, crime and substance abuse.
“Having a population of closed to 3 000 residents, a very small percentage of them gained permanent employment at government institutions in Berseba whilst stock theft is one crime which is a thorn in the flesh, in addition, our youngsters roaming the streets are at times, out of boredom turning to substance abuse,” he said worryingly.