Steven Klukowski
AROAB - Elias !Kharuxab, Keetmanshoop Rural Constituency Councillor for the //Kharas Region has revealed in an interview with New Era that the regional council has made provision for the construction of 240 toilets at Köes of which 100 have been completed at a cost of N$1,5 million.
!Kharuxab was candid and he spoke on a wide variety of developmental issues.
The councillor furthermore highlighted the housing needs for Köes, as one of his main challenges and that he is looking forward to the day that Köes can also become part of the Build Together Programme. In addition, he promised to look into reasons why the residents of Köes cannot be granted loans under the Build Together Programme since he feels “if we are in the same constituency, things should be done concurrently.”
He emphasized the completion of the fire station in Aroab handed over to the village council was another capital project completed under Keetmanshoop Rural Constituency capital projects. In terms of Krönlein in Keetmanshoop, !Kharuxab informed New Era a lot of buildings has been constructed, but were not handed over yet to the respective beneficiaries. He further indicated one of the ongoing projects planned for this year is to renovate and upgrade the Krönlein stadium that is currently in a deplorable state. “This stadium lays dormant for nearly 20 years whereby my office did all the groundwork and are currently busy in talks with stakeholders (Anglo American) to come on board in order to complement the funds budgeted for by my office in order to renovate and upgrade the stadium before the end of this year,” he added. He further explained his office has bought 15 ablution toilets for Klein-Karas which need to be inaugurated very soon.
The councillor in addition regarded the unavailability of ablution facilities for 10 Aroab households as a matter of concern and that he is still working on that in order to see what can be done. In terms of small projects needing micro-finance !Kharuxab explained these projects are very important in their society since people can benefit from this through council. “It deals mainly with food/cash for work programmes, rural employment projects and support for poor farmers,” he added. He further elaborated people identified by his office applied for these projects through the Constituency Development Committee for approval.
As chairperson of the Constituency Development Committee !Kharuxab informed New Era that they have funded amongst others a welding project in Aroab (N$15 000), designing project in Köes (N$10 000), a project in Krönlein (N$10 00) for the erection of a shade net for a pre-primary school, a small project in Aroab (N$6000) and the gardening project in Köes for N$17 000.
He explained that in terms of assisting poor small farmers, his constituency donated 280 small stock to 22 families, allowing them to farm on land donated by Aroab Village Council with the condition that they should return five small stock back yearly in order to assist the next families as a means of poverty alleviation.
“We received plots from Aroab Village Council, but in the absence of communal land and a traditional authority, it became a challenge for us to decide on a resettlement programme,” said !Kharuxab
The councillor in conclusion said he identified the need for a community hall in 2015 for Krönlein whereby his office has been instrumental in the construction of a community hall on the premises of Krönlein Primary School, adding its construction is in the final phase and that once it is completed, it will accommodate over 1 000 people.