GROWING up to see how my home town Rundu is rapidly expanding I want to stress two disturbing or sad issues that are rather disappointing and frustrating for those of us who are trying our best to promote the tourism industry in Kavango East and Kavango West.
Tourism is second only to mining in terms of foreign revenue earned and this industry offers tremendous potential for growth. Players involved in tourism include investors, private lodge owners, parastatals such as Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) and government represented by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) and communities, mainly through Community-Based Natural Resource Management programmes.
Tourism comes in numerous facets with hospitality, sightseeing, hunting and trophy hunting all offering lucrative business for all and sundry.
But the Rundu Town Council seems disinterested and doesn’t seem to understand the sensitivity of the tourism industry despite numerous advice given. Rundu Beach in particular which the Rundu Town Council on a yearly basis tenders out during the festive season of December for 22 days is one of the places council fails to manage and understand its natural sensitive position environmental-wise, in terms of as a tourist attraction or investors in that field.
I am one of the local investors involved in the hospitality industry. Rundu Beach is surrounded by the wetland area, five lodges and the residents of Rundu. During December holidays the Rundu Town Council tenders out the beach to local business people to sell alcohol, play loud music, braai and whatever business a person would like to engage in.
But alas this place is ill equipped to deal with the business activities being tendered out by the Rundu Town Council that seems only interested in short-term benefits and does not look at the bigger picture – that of promoting tourism that has long-term benefits.
Rundu Beach and its wetland area is the only place left in Rundu and if is is well protected it could generate alot of revenue for the Rundu Town Council, the local tour guides, craftsman and attract tourists from all over the world.
Let me share with you how Rundu is losing tourists and income based on 2013 data.
Only 12.2 percent of tourists visiting Namibia come to Kavango (2013 MCA Tourist Exit Survey) – this is around 50 000 per year (2013 KRC LED study). On top of this, those coming only stay for one night and those coming to Rundu are only half of those. Meaning only six percent stop in Rundu for a day. In comparison Lüderitz gets 16.6 percent of tourists visiting Namibia and the Zambezi Region receives 15.8 percent and Etosha receives 53 percent.
Rundu has one of the highest unemployment rates while alcoholism is extremely high. The town council only makes N$7 920 from the 22 days it rents out the beach at N$360 a day, hardly enough to pay for the salaries of its workforce. See the kind of leaders we have here.
As investors in the hospitality industry we try our best to advise the Rundu Town Council on these economical issues, but to our disappointment the town council continues renting out the beach resulting in uncontrolled noise pollution, the selling of alcohol to the youth, the racing of cars, fighting among the youth, rape, bottles being thrown everywhere and people stabbing each other.
Despite our requests from the tourism sector together with the community to beautify and manage Rundu Beach and protect its wetland area on behalf of the Rundu Town Council for the benefit of both council and the local communities, this has fallen on deaf ears.
One asks oneself whether we have the right people managing and running the town council.
It shows a lack of quality leadership and a lack of understanding on how to develop our town.
There are too many questions one could ask. The uncontrolled noise at such public spaces is even against the Rundu Town Council Local Authority Act, No 265 and the Noise Control Regulations under the Local Authority Act, 1992.
Not to talk about the issuing of liquor licences for such public spaces which are in a natural environment ill equipped to contain the sound, as provided for by the current Liquor Act.
I have on record comments from tourists expressing their views on Rundu Beach and believe me these are not good comments. Tourists see a huge potential not seen by our town council which is only interested in short-term gains. It pains me that the council does not want to listen.
If you don’t agree with me, let me tell you sometimes when I convince investors to come and open their business in Rundu they say the market is there and that they could have good returns on their investments but they often say where are they going to spend quality time with their families and this is when the issue of the noise at Rundu Beach springs to mind.
Not to mention the reckless dumping of rubbish everywhere including in the wetland area of the Kavango River. What does Rundu have for me during my spare time or how does my family socialise? Where do I take my children to spend a day in the park? And that is where our discussions of investing in Rundu will stop, because I cannot continue arguing because these people have been to Rundu and they know the realities on the ground.
Another issue that puts off investors is the proliferation of ungazetted vegetable and air-time vendors at each and every corner of Rundu. Uncontrolled movements of taxis who park on each and every available space is another serious concern that should be addressed.
Let me take this opportunity to honour and congratulate the municipality of Swakopmund for the decision taken about the festive season when they rejected applications to use the Swakopmund swimming pool area for a Christmas party similar to the one entertained here.
I watched it on the news and followed their reasoning why they decided to reject the applications. They said they received numerous complaints from residents and the hospitality industry was not amused about the ruckus and the chaos created during the last Christmas party.
They said the last Christmas party was characterised by the uncontrolled sale of alcohol to youth who in turn caused a public nuisance fighting on the streets and at the beach and playing very loud music as if there was no tomorrow and littering all over the place.
To me, I honour and salute such pragmatic leadership taking into consideration the complaints of residents and business people and doing something about it because sometimes as a leader one has to take unpopular decisions and that is what leadership is about.
This shows the good team work between the municipality, the residents and investors.
The Rundu Town Council should also emulate this good leadership exibited by Swakopmund and it should forthwith act and stop the counterproductive activities at Rundu Beach in the best interests of our beatiful town and in the interest of protecting our environment. We expect our council to have regular meetings with business and implement some of the good suggestions. Good leaders listen and use good counsel to make wise decisions. Act now.
My last advice to the Rundu Town Council is when tourists visit Rundu they leave money in the pockets of local business, this is be the hospitality business, craft business, open markets, local traditional performances, living museum, restaurants specialising in traditional food and local tour operators. Rundu Beach parties take out money from locals’ pockets, create noise pollution, invite fighting among the youth, provide opportunities to rape drunken young girls and cause unnecessary accidents among drivers driving while heavily inebriated.
• Elizabeth Hilger, the author of this opinion piece was born at Musese in Kavango West and she grew up in her beloved home town of Rundu. She is a wife, a mother and currently operates a lodge near the Kavango River.