Steven Klukowski
WARMBAD - Not only can the Bondelswarts community benefit from a revamped Warmbad Hot Springs facility, but also their future generations can equally reap the fruits from such initiative.
These remarks were made by gender equality deputy minister Lucia Witbooi during a consultative meeting between community members and members of the //Kharas regional leadership in Warmbad earlier this week.
“We are not here to decide for you, we are only here to assist and guide you to take the best workable solution,” she emphasised.
Witbooi furthermore informed them of having the best fountain nature scenes, hence the need to take ownership of it.
She further urged the community members to prove to government how they can benefit optimally from this facility as a means of income since it is a government social investment at the end.
Referring to the transfer of ownership of the facility to the community, the politician raised the concern that documentary proof should be obtained as a matter of urgency since it came to light during the meeting that there was some confusion regarding the ownership of Warmbad Hot Springs. She then urged members of the youth to become actively involved in income-generating projects in their area in order to improve their living conditions.
The deputy minister called on the two factions within the Bondelswarts Traditional Authority to sort out their differences, unite and work together for the betterment of their living conditions and that of the community at large.
Speaking at the same event, Karasburg East constituency councillor Dennis Coetzee said this was one of many meetings discussing the same issue.
“It is my sincere hope that we will walk out of this meeting today with an amicable solution on how to make this facility operating again for the benefit of you (community),” he added.
He then explained that the facility has been rented out to a private company, but that members of the Bondelswarts Traditional Authority suspended the rental agreement in 2017, whereas it stands idle since then. “It is really painful to see how this beautiful place has deteriorated over time,” the constituency councillor remarked with concern.
Berseba constituency councillor David Boois during the meeting informed the audience that the twinning agreement between Warmbad settlement and the Northern Cape Province is still in progress, whereby they are busy drafting advertorials to promote it.
“This will in the end create many opportunities for the youth of the Warmbad community, like access to further studies,” he said.
The politician then raised the concern that their ancestors will be upset if this facility is not restored to its rightful place, benefiting the community by means of attracting tourism and patients due to the medicinal value of its hot spring water.
At the end of the meeting, all parties agreed as the way forward that the Bondelswarts Traditional Authority should go back to the drawing board and sort out all differences and technical issues first.