Eveline de Klerk

KARIBIB – QKR 
Navachab Gold mine has come to the rescue of the Karibib Town Council by rehabilitating some of the frequently used roads at the Erongo town. 

The town’s mayor Petrus Nabot claimed the Roads Authority (RA) had threatened council it would move its 
services to neighbouring Omaruru due to the dilapidated state of the roads at Karibib. 

“Due to this threat, the town council had to seek assistance from the mine to assist us in rehabilitating a 1.8-kilometre road stretch within the town’s boundaries,” Nabot said yesterday during the official launch of the road rehabilitation project.  RA is only responsible for maintaining national roads, while local authorities are tasked with the responsibility of maintaining roads within their respective town boundaries. As a result, Navachab provided N$600 000 to kick start the road rehabilitation project at the town. 

A local company was immediately roped in and has already started with the rehabilitation of the road, which is expected to be completed within the next two months. Navachab managing director George Botshiwe yesterday said an effective and well-functioning road network is a critical element for the development of any country, region or town. 

“Hence, we recognised this and decided to invest into the rehabilitation of our town’s road network,” he said. 
He added Navachab mine has a moral duty and responsibility to ensure communities they operate in are also benefiting. 

“Perhaps the condition of the town’s road network is the first point of contact any visitor has with the town and is, therefore, an attraction to investors. We also take note of the fact that Karibib is the gateway between the interior and coastal areas of Namibia and its appearance, hospitality and services will determine whether visitors will stop over or drive away,” he said. 

The town’s CEO, Lesley Goreseb, explained they will inject a further N$1.5 million to rehabilitate all roads at the town. 
“This will be in town, location and newly-established townships. People should not think we are servicing the roads in town,” he said. 
He added that they will go out on tender soon, planning to complete the rehabilitation project before the start of the next financial year.
- edeklerk@nepc.com.na