MUNICIPAL PILLARS Leaders in Local Government, Business Intelligence and Development
www.municipalpillars.com | Vol. 3 - No: 12 | Aug-Sept 2017 N
"The poorest 20% are 20 times more likely to defecate in the open than the richest 20%.
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Erongo CRO Leaves Office
Sanitation SOS: Sanlam to the rescue More hands needed for Namibia's 50 000 rural toilets target by 2020.
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How RFLAUN'S1300 members have benefited from the Fund's home loans facility.
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The discipline of municipal fleet management for optimum life-cycle costing
Outapi hosts Investors Conference
CONTENTS PAGE 16
4 Engineering
Henties Investment
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6 Fleet Management
RFLAUN
8 Water
Executive Editor Confidence Musariri editor@municipalpillars.com 081 122 6850 General Marketing Manager Kenneth Karamata
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Marketing Executive Monica Risuro
Sanitation
Accounts and Admin Marizaan Bock admin@municipalpillars.com
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Graphic Designer Wilson Ziunye
Lindah Vengesai info@municipalpillars.com
Outapi Investor's Conference
Distribution distribution@targetnam.com 0813682352 Printer Royal Printing Published by: Fortune Group of Companies
Roll of Honour
Partners: • Association of Local Authorities in Namibia (ALAN)
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• Ministry of Urban and Rural Development
Oshikuku Plans Growth
• Namibian Association of Local Authority Officers (NALAO) • Southern Africa and
Netherlands Camber of Commerce (SANEC) A monthly independent publication, published in interest of good municipal governance. Subscription Rate: N$20 per copy per month/N$200 per year (Discount on multiple copies and multiple years) Contact: marketing@municipalpillars.com Tel.: 061 245 005 Cell: 0811226850 Address: Corner Sam Nujoma/Mandume Ndemufayo 5th Floor, Atlas House
LIGHTNING YOUR WAY TO A BRIGHT FUTURE
Y
ou woke up this morning, brushed your teeth, ate breakfast, drank a glass of water and most probably climbed in a car. While on your way to school or work, you probably drove on a paved or gravel road, stopped at a traffic signal and filled your motor vehicle with fuel before arriving at your location.
ENGINEERING
The more fortunate most probably climbed in an elevator to the fifth floor to sit in an airconditioned office, or sang the school anthem with the words projected on a screen in front of the school hall. What does all of the above have in common? If you guessed engineering, you are 100% correct! Let’s first start at what an engineer is. The oxford dictionary defines an engineer as "a person whose job is to design or build machines, engines or electrical equipment, or things such as roads, railways or bridges, using scientific principles."
Lithon NamibBou a large housing development in Ondangwa With Namibia being a developing country, the demand for the employment of engineers is high. Jobs are offered at different institutions within the public and private sector, like for example Private Consulting Practices, Municipalities, Government Departments, Contracting Firms and Educational and Research Institutions just to name a few. Within Namibia, there are four common disciplines of engineering, namely Civil, Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical. Other fields of engineering not so common in Namibia but also practiced are Industrial and Chemical engineering. So, by looking at these engineering fields, what are the day-to-day responsibilities of each?
You may also be wondering at this stage what the difference between engineers and scientists are. Perhaps Albert Einstein put it best when he said, Scientists investigate that which already is; engineers create that which has never been." The above is a mouthful, so let’s rather look at how we link engineering to the above story?
Civil Engineering is a broad spectrum of
engineering which can be sub-divided into 3 branches, namely Transportation, Water and Structural.
Transportation Engineers are responsible
for the design of the roads we drive on every day, which involves the geometrical and structural design of rural and urban roads. The curves, slopes, crests and troughs in a road alignment are all calculated by a Transportation engineer, which greatly depends on the function of a road. The road pavement is the layers of the specially selected materials below the roads surface.
The story of civilization is, in a sense, the story of engineering - that long and arduous struggle to make the forces of nature work for man’s good."
We first start with a Chemical engineer responsible for the design of toothpaste, serving of breakfast and composing the fuel for the motor vehicle. Mechanical engineers, assisted by Electronic engineers are responsible for the design of motor vehicles, elevators and air conditioners. The availability of fresh water, paved and gravel roads is the responsibility of Civil engineers.
Structural engineers design the structural
components of the buildings occupied. The electrification of the traffic signal and elevator is the baby of Electrical engineers. Without engineering, the above story would definitely have taken different routes, which would have included more walking, more frequent stops and definitely more smelly breaths.
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Lithon
to develop equipment such as steam turbines, aircrafts, ships, motor vehicles, heart-lung machines and tractors.
Chemical engineers are responsible for
making small-scale chemical test tube reactions into large-scale market driven products. Examples of these products are food, petroleum, mining and minerals, fertilizers, paper, glass and pharmaceutical products.
Mining engineers evaluates, plans, and
Lithon Bridge over River Khan, Husab Mine Access Road These layers has to meet the requirements of the road, which in turn depends on the traffic volume, the number of heavy vehicles and required design life of the road.
Water Engineering. Since water is a source of life for all living organisms, the supply and delivery of water within rural and urban areas are of utmost importance. Water engineers, in association with electrical, mechanical and chemical engineers, are responsible for the supply and delivery of this life commodity. There are different water sources, such as underground water sources, dams and purifications plants, which are utilized to supply water to the population. Pipelines, canals, reservoirs, wells, pump stations and water towers are all man-made devices which are used to collect, store and deliver water. The water engineer is responsible for calculating the sizes of these man-made structures for efficient water delivery.
Structural Engineering is a well-known
branch to Civil engineering. To say the truth, they hold the life’s of many people in their hands. Structural engineers are responsible for the design of the structural components of buildings, bridges and other man-made structures.
Electrical and Electronic Engineers work with electrical energy and information systems. Electrical Engineers are mainly responsible for the generation of electricity from natural resources (eg. Coal, nuclear and hydroenergy) to electrical energy. This electrical energy is distributed through an extensive infrastructure to reach homes and industry for the purpose of heating and lighting. The design, monitoring and supervising of these electrical infrastructures is the responsibility of the electrical engineer.
Electronic Engineers are mainly responsible for the processing and control of information in all forms. Typical products of these engineers include radio and television systems, computers, electronic games, radar systems and electronic and control systems for aircrafts just to name a few. The availability of electrical energy is a key factor for the designing of these systems.
Mechanical Engineers design, construct,
maintain and install various mechanical equipment in various fields of application. Mining is one of these fields of application where drilling machines, ventilation fans, underground railways, conveyor belts and pumping plants necessitates the input of mechanical engineers. Other fields of applications are power generation, transport, agriculture and biomedical engineering, where the mechanical engineer work in close partnership with other engineering disciplines
Last but not least is Industrial Engineering. Industrial engineers are mainly responsible for the design of effective processes for maximum financial gain from minimum effort. A typical process is the production line for manufacturing of motor vehicles, which may include automated processes like a manufacturing robot. Systems within banks are also for instance designed by Industrial Engineers. Lyon Sprague De Camp said of engineers, The story of civilization is, in a sense, the story of engineering - that long and arduous struggle to make the forces of nature work for man’s good."
Scientists investigate that which already is; engineers create that which has never been. Article by: Gert Maritz (Pr Eng) M Eng (Civil) B Eng (Stellenbosch) Lithon Project Consultants (Pty Ltd Project Managers and Multi Disciplinary Consulting Engineers www.lithon. com
GERT MARITZ
Municipal Pillars | Aug-Sept 2017
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ENGINEERING
Part of the responsibilities of a transportation engineer is to look at the accommodation of the storm water. Roads are constructed in the run-off catchments of storm water courses and therefore needs to be accommodated by the construction of storm water structures. The sizing of these structures is done by engineers, and depends on the volume of storm water to accommodate. Bridges are generally required where roads cross large rivers, and culverts are used to cross other water courses.
By using and applying the forces of nature, such as soil conditions, wind, rain and snow together with the principles of science, structural engineers calculate the size of footings, beams, columns, slabs, amount of reinforced steel within concrete structures and sizing of steel structures. This is to ensure that a structure is safe. An Architect will design a nice-looking building, while a structural engineer will make the building a reality.
oversees the construction of a mine. However, it’s not really that simple. A mining engineer will be involved in a project through all phases of mining operations – from exploration and discovery of the mineral resource, through feasibility studies, mine design, development of plans and production, scheduling, operations, processing and even marketing. They are still involved at the mine closure stages including final land restoration and rehabilitation
Fleet replacement planning needs to be quantified
FLEET MANAGEMENT
The discipline and practice of municipal fleet management for optimum life-cycle costing.
option replacement timing. Yet these are the very issues that enable a municipality to maximise service delivery and reduce costs. Assuming that our municipality has an old fleet and a range of vehicles that do not fully satisfy service delivery needs, what process should be applied?
Guiding the process First, a quality fleet register for wheeled vehicles, specialised, earthming and static equipment needs to be
created. A fleet audit will enable you to identify active vehicles, their mechanical and body condition, current age, last known and monthly kilometre usage, and “fit for purpose� status. This will also identify out-of-service vehicles that should be disposed of at the first opportunity. Thereafter, the balance of their useful life needs to be determined. To do this, you require a policy that will guide you on the recommended placement timing for each category of vehicle. This will usually be based on age, kilometres and/or hours.
BY NIGEL WEBB, LATITUDE FLEET SERVICES
T
he selection of vehicles in the public the public arena is largely is largely driven by tender pricing (least cost). Frequently this does not give recognition to criteria such as total cost of ownership, fit for purpose and
Keetmanshoop Municipality Fleet
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(e.g. five years for a light commercial vehicle and/or 180 000km ; and 10 years and /or 500 000 km for a heavy truck). Importantly, it will not be based on the municipality’s current financial capability and should be used as a guide only, because the final replacement decision will be based on budget, condition, historical cost and the benefits of transfer within departments.
Second, the ideal replacement vehicle needs to be identified. It may not necessarily be a
In instance where vehicles are in adequate, there will be a need to upgrade. Importantly, this replacement plan will also identify the correct quantities of vehicles. The selected finance method, specifically rentals, may enable you to increase your new vehicle purchased, but remember that they have strict condition and usage requirements, exposure to future termination penalties. A conservative new vehicle cost estimate should be used and inflation applied to identify the future capex requirement for each point of replacement and consolidate annually. No doubt this will exceed the available budget, which results in the need to prioritise. Although price will be the main selection criterion, the following should be considered: • Vehicles and equipment available from dealers within your municipality • Fuel consumption comparisons • Maintenance and/or service plan costs • Expected future resale value • Fit for purpose
Operational expenditure budgets This replacement plan will also facilitate the development of an apex forecast for the fleet. You will be replacing a number of vehicles, so your maintenance and fuel costs should decrease. Furthermore, new vehicles have to be serviced at dealers to validate warranties, which will test the viability of current workshop facilities. Your opex budget should be developed around fuel and maintenance costs, and fuel consumption and maintenance CPK (cents per kilometre) benchmark need to be developed for each category of vehicle, with adjustments for new and old. Monthly usage projections will identify a cost –
1500 km per month at a consumption of 11 litres/100 km, at N$13.00 per litre, equals a cost of N$2 145pm, plus inflation. This methodology is certainly more accurate than a flat increasing on last year’s cost. The calculations are only complex because of volumes, but they are enormously beneficial.
City of Windhoek officials inspect their fleet
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FLEET MANAGEMENT
The replacement policy should be used to identify the suggested replacement timing for each and every vehicle. By analysing current age/kilometres and recommended replacement timing, it is possible to calculate the balance of useful life for each vehicle.
“like for like” replacement. As an example, how many 4x4 LDVs are really needed; can a 4x2 be used or even a 0.5 tonne pickup?
DEVELOPING A NATIONAL LEAK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY The South African experience
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ater Conservation and Water Demand-side Management (WC/WDM) have never been more tropical, given Southern Africa’s ongoing drought, growing urban population density and El Nino. But it’s not about quick fixes or easy answers- it’s about a long-term vision and investing in people.
WRP Consulting Engineers
Presenting His Paper at the Sixth Regional African Water Leakage Summit recently in Midrand, Willem Wegelin, director, WRP Consulting Engineers, noted that many of the papers presented at the two-day event highlighted the fact that WC/WDM is not being implemented at an adequate rate in Africa.
WATER
“I’ve travelled around the continent for many years finding out what works and what doesn’t and I believe one of our key shortfalls is that there’s no strategy in place. What follows are some of myobservations in the field and I will make some recommendations based on those observations,” he explained.
Field issues Despite the current drought, water shortages and intermittent supply, some of the issues that Wegelin discussed include community standpipes running at 11 bars of pressure (and these being left open), toilet leaks, leaks resulting in the creation of bogs, and only 51% of South Africa’s water services authorities (WSAs) having proper or partial WC/WDM strategies and plans in place.
“Of concern is that 62% of our WSAs do not have their WC/WDM strategy contained within their integrated development plans, and if we’re not budgeting for WC/ WDM, how can we hope to implement it correctly?” asked Wegelin. Among those WDM business plans that have been compiled, many include a large amount of superfluous information without including the basic and essential facts necessary for financial organizations to grant the necessary funding for WC/WDM implementation. “I’ve been doing water loss benchmarking for the past eight years; as a result of that work, I can say that there is a lot of assumptions made. Investment banks such as Southern and European Investment Bank cannot be expected to invest millions
Willem Wegelin of Rands to assist WSAs with repairing their leaking infrastructure based on assumptions,” he added.
Implementation barriers There are a variety of reasons for unsuccessful Implantation or interventions that are not sustainable. These include: pressure management installations that are not properly operated and maintained; slavish adherence to textbook procedures (without looking at the unique conditions of a situation); check meters not being used properly and poor community involvement. “Pressure management is not as easy as installing a few pressure reducing valves (PRVs) and then walking away. It’s a full-time job. A thorough knowledge of the boundary conditions in a district metered area is an important start. Then there is the installation of check meters. “In this country,
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we spend millions of Rands on check meters each year but I have only seen one municipality that keeps a spreadsheet comparing its bulk water service provider’s readings with its own. So, we’re spending money on this technology but we’re not using it as intended,” explained Wegelin. Moreover, community involvement is crucial for getting people to pay for services. “If we can take anything away from the FeesMustFall movement, it’s that it’s important to get communities involved from the beginning. Communities need to be partnered with from the start, with the right attitude; otherwise it will not work,” he adds.
When the basic go wrong Apart from bizarre installations in the field, simple inefficiencies like leaking standpipes creating ponds, not cleaning chambers, not replacing broken air-valves, not doing basic maintenance and intermittent supply add to non-revenue water (NRW) losses. “I mention intermittent supply because, when people don’t get water they leave taps on waiting for it and then forget to close the taps,” explained Wgelin.
Hope in sight In a study undertaken in Tokyo, Japan, it was found that leakages had been brought down from levels higher than those currently experienced in South Africa to just 3.6%. “If I look at a graph charting this course, the two things that standout are that it’s a gradual process, taking 50 years, and a consistent lowering of NRW over that time,” said Wegelin. When Wegelin spoke to the Tokyo experts who conducted the study, they said that controlling NRW is not dependent on the economic development but on business strategy. It’s people who develop the services, not the machines or the technology.
and when, as well as maintenance schedules, pipeline installation, and other granular information useful for making informed decisions. Tshwane’s secret to success it that its WC/WDM programme is integrated into every aspect of what the rest of the municipality is doing, meaning that a lot can be achieved with only a small budget.
Keep it simple “We need to start with the basics, such as the IWA Water Balance, get that information pinned down and then move from there. This won’t result in overnight results but it stets the foundation for long-term and sustainable NRW loss management,” concluded Wegelin.
“They invested more in their people than they invested in the infrastructure; building universities and sending their staff there to learn about operating water distribution systems, he added. Wegelin then proceeded to cite some of the best performing NRW municipalities in South Africa saying that Drakenstein, Baviaans and Tshwane each stand out for different reasons. Drakenstein sticks to the basics, installing PRVs and promoting community awareness. What it does that’s different is that the relevant person at the municipality keeps a spreadsheet detailing how many valves have been replaced
Municipal Pillars | Aug-Sept 2017
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When the right policies are effectively implemented, they can catalyse private and publicsector participation in wastewater management and sanitation provision in Africa, with positive transformation of peoples’ lives.
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anlam Namibia recently handed over an amount of two hundred and fifty thousand (N$250 000.00) to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development (MURD) towards the government’s initiative to eliminate the bucket toilet system. This follows recent calls by President Hage Geingob, in line with the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP) for the abolishment of the bucket toilet system in Namibia. Speaking at the handover of the donation, Sanlam Group CEO, Mr Tertius Stears, commended government on the initiative which he says has far-reaching implications to the lives, health and well-being of many Namibians adding that “despite the fact that good sanitation is a vital for health and the development of any nation, it remains a major challenged faced by many people in our country”. He further commended the government for identifying poor sanitation as problem and addressing it as a priority of the Government of the Republic of Namibia.
Accepting the handover on behalf of the Ministry, Minister of Urban and Regional Development, Sophia Shaningwa said,
“Sanlam assured the Ministry of their commitment and active support of the Harambee Prosperity Plan by recognising that good sanitation lies at the core of human dignity”. “The company regards it as a basic right for every Namibian, and is therefore entrusting the ministry with the funds. Its wish is to see the targeted communities where the project is being implemented, living in humane conditions with access to the basics like water and clean sanitary environment.” She added. The initiative coincides with the new project which has been launched to improve wastewater management and sanitation provision in Africa led by the African Development Bank, UN Environment and GRID-Arendal. The three-year project will improve knowledge on wastewater management and sanitation provision, by assessing management of wastewater, including its impact on human health and the environment.
Sanlam Group CEO. Tertius Stears
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SANITATION
Sanlam spearheads war on wastewater management and sanitation
The Abidjan-headquartered African Development Bank is supporting infrastructure development in Africa through its Partnership for Infrastructure Development in Africa. Some of the initiatives that the bank is supporting include the Africa Water Facility and the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative, which are having some positive impacts on human health and the ‘environment.
Sanlam Group Chief Executive Officer, Tertius Stears, despite 2017 being a tough economic year, pledged the company’s’ commitment to assisting government in making living conditions better by offering conducive sanitation in Namibia. “Sanlam has been an outstanding example of how a financial services company can play a significant part in building a nation. Since its establishment in Namibia, Sanlam has blazed a trail as a catalyst and a solid partner for development. The company has been and remains in the forefront of growth and development. We have been supporting many projects from education, training, health and welfare, entrepreneurship, sports development and the promotion of Namibian culture”, he said. Stears also encouraged other private institutions to get involved and assist government to ensure that they reach the set target of fifty thousand (50 000) rural toilets by the year 2020 by eliminating the bucket toilet system by December 2017.
SANITATION
Effect of poor wastewater management and sanitation facilities The lack of wastewater management and sanitation facilities are challenges for many countries in Africa. As a result, some countries on the continent are witnessing the re-emergence of fatal and yet preventable water-borne diseases such as typhoid and cholera.
Osward Mulenga Chanda The African Development Bank project is expected to spearheads shift towards good practices while also pointing to the vast opportunities for private and public-sector investment in wastewater management and sanitation provision in Africa.
“When the right policies are effectively implemented, they can catalyse private and public-sector participation in wastewater management and sanitation provision in Africa, with positive transformation of peoples’ lives,” Osward Mulenga Chanda, manager of the African Development Bank’s water and sanitation department said. “Sharing proven best practices on wastewater management and sanitation provision will inform policy dialogue and engender change. “The three project partners bring together complementary in-depth expertise on water resources management,” he added.
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households currently using the bucket system These are in Hardap, Kharas, Kunene, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa regions. “I would like to assure the company that we have a plan and its money will be used for the intended purpose, and will make a visible difference to the needy communities who are lining in regions where we plan to expand our bucket toilet elimination programme,” said Shaningwa.
Hon. Sophia Shaningwa
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Investors Conference comes to Outapi
that are waiting for investors to discover them,” he said. There are also investment opportunities in tourism and a need for Olufuko centre to be improved which will add to the town’s landmarks putting in considerations its proximity to Ruacana waterfalls, the Mighty Kunene as well as Etosha National park. The Olufuko Annual Festival is scheduled for 25 August - 05 September 2017, Olufuko centre in Outapi.
(PRO). Fillipus Shililifa As the third most populated region in Namibia at 250 000, Shililifa has highlighted that the buying power of the residents in region, of which Outapi is the capital. “the investment opportunities in Outapi are endless. The strategic location of the Angolan border means that we have shopping tourist from across the border. Our Agro – economy is also very strong and it has a lot of untapped opportunities
Given the town’s rapid growth, housing and accommodation are having a high demand. Shililifa explained that given the serviced land and housing challenge in the country, the registration of Oukwa WaNanyanga (extension 13) and Okakwa kaNakale (extension 14) are some of this year’s achievements as the community of these settlements will have now the opportunity to build their conventional houses. “The planning of (7) seven Nakayale new townships is progressing well, the surveying and entering into a Public Private Partnership to develop extension
19 were some of the achievement to tackle the housing shortage in the country,” he said. Other development in the town this year include construction of the solar powered plant that will have an impact in the town and region, looking into the energy crisis in the country. The construction of the traffic lights to regulate vehicles at the Oshakati – Ruacan T-junction is also one of the highlights as the vehicle population in the region has increased significantly. On the Local Economic front, the construction of Anamulenge Open Market is also one of the developmental milestones as many of our SME’s will be accommodated in this centre. The launching of EPONA Project, which will see the water from the oxidation ponds being recycled and used for agriculture purpose, is also one of the highlight. This will benefit the town as the recycled water will be put to good use unlike now when the water is just waiting in the evaporation ponds to dry up.
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INVESTOR'S CONFERENCE
A new Investors Conference will be held in Outapi early next year to explore the investment opportunities within the Omusati region, reveals Outapi Public Realtions Officer (PRO) Fillipus Shililifa.
B
ringing lasting impact is about more than just making changes when you are there, it is about leaving change that will be felt long after you have gone.Four years after taking up role as the chief regional officer of Erongo, Nathalie Gôagoses is retiring, and she has made sure the ship has and will continue to sail unbothered.
I made a conscience decision that I would tackle it with both the legal and technical team. We went back to the High Court and a win-win situation was reached. The outcome was that erven was sold to the occupants as per court order, good revenue was collected from the transaction.This income was earmarked to be reinvested in the settlement.
As she steps down, many projects were successfully implemented from construction of services, sewer, and rural sanitation to infrastructure development within the region’s settlement areas. Perhaps the most memorable undertaking, or rather challenge of her tenure was the resolution of the Wlotzkasbaken which had dragged for over a decade.
ROLL OF HONOUR
Since the year 2000, the regional council and regional government ministry wanted to expand and develop the holiday settlement about 35 kilometres north of Swakopmund by allocating additional plots of land for new houses to be built there. The Wlotzkasbaken Home Owners’ Association agreed to accept a proposed layout but on conditions to which the regional council did not agree. This led to a series of legal actions which saw the parties in and out of courts for several years. To date, the association has had rulings in its favour which led to appeals by the regional council. ERONGO governor Cleophas Mutjavikua had said Wlotzkasbaken and the court case around it remained a serious bottleneck in the process of development. The settlement is in and out of courts, which hampers any development programme of the regional council. While the regional council sees a prestige suburb development, others see that there must be a bottleneck, had said Mutjavikua that time. Gôagoses was able to see a court settlement being reached between the Erongo Regional Council and the Wlotzkasbaken Home OwNers’ Association. I made a conscience decision that I would tackle it with both the legal and technical team. We went back to the High Court and a win-win situation was reached. The outcome was that erven was
Former CRO. Nathalie Gôagoses
Nathalie Gôagoses steps down as Erongo CRO sold to the occupants as per court order, good revenue was collected from the transaction. This income was earmarked to be reinvested in the settlement. Gôagoses adds, “Unfortunately, due to undue interests I am leaving the Council without executing the much-needed development at Wlotskasbaken. However, I am sure the technocrats will continue without fear or favour with the development of the settlement. That is my legacy.” After years of bringing change to the educational sector in the Omaheke region as the Director of Education, she brought to the role of CRO of Erongo over 25 years of managerial experience. When Gôagoses took office in on 1 January 2013, her priority was to review the Strategic plan 2012-2017.
The aim was to ensure the full implementation of the strategic objectives. And with the compilation of an annual plan she ensured the full implementation of the lawful resolutions taken by Council and established sound relationships with core stakeholders and created a work culture where each staff member’s contribution was crucial. And besides that, her role in the just ended droughts which was so severe has seen much livestock and other animals undoubtedly saved. Gôagoses’ relentless efforts in going out to seek assistance yielded positive results thanks to Clara Bohitile, chairperson of FNB foundation. The foundation assisted the farmers with fodder worth N$1m and many animals were saved as a result. “My biggest lessons learnt during my tenure is stay put to what is right and beneficial to the community you serve rather than to please an individual with dubious and corrupt mentality because of fear of intimidation. In my time here I have been faced with challenges of interference by some political office bearers in administration which had negative trend or standstill of development programmes,” she regales.
The settlement is in and out of courts, which hampers any development programme of the regional council. While the regional council sees a prestige suburb development, others see that there must be a bottleneck, had said Mutjavikua that time.
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Oshikuku plans growth We have a PPP venture with a developer to develop Extension 7, and we have Extension 8 that we are going to survey in this Financial Year (2017/18). And we have already started with the planning of another new Extension, which will be known as Extension 9, adds the Acting CEO.
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shikuku’s long term plans of setting itself apart as the premier alternate residential town to Oshakati and Ongwediva is taking firm ground with a new Strategic Plan to be launched this month. Leading the charge is its Acting CEO, George Hipondoka, who has stressed that the developing urban agriculture and availing land for institutional development will remain key.
Acting CEO. George Hipondoka
To this regard, and boasting the burial place of the late King of the UUkwambi, King Iipumbu Ya Tshilongo, the town has exhibited itself at festivals and events such as Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF), Olufuko Festival, as well as the construction of the Oshikuku Cultural Heritage Centre. Oshikuku holds great potential for growth in various areas such as infrastructural development, cultural heritage development, tourism development and others. With this, Hipondoka hopes investment in the town will grow exponentially in the years to come. Oshikuku lies between various towns/ settlements, such as, Outapi, Okalongo, Elim, Oshakati as well as growth points which surrounds its peripheries. There is a constant flow of traffic and movement of people between these points. “Oshikuku is between these centres, and we would like to be the commercial centres of these settlements and growth points that lies on our peripheries. We have a dedicated and committed team that is ready to assist our potential investors to settle and business in Oshikuku. We have space for business opportunities and development. For an investor that is looking for growth and expansion, Oshikuku is the Best Option. Our Town is small, thus offering proximity to other services as advantage,” Hipondoka says.
A drive around the town informs you activity is on the buzz. Currently the Council is busy with Phase 2 of the Cultural Heritage Centre, which is the construction of the gravel access road, Ablution Building, office building, Guardhouse, swimming pool, as well as Bungalows and braai facilities. In addition to that, Council has also budgeted for the surveying of Extension 8, a Mixed Land Use Development and they have finished servicing Ext 3, with water, electricity, sewer and gravel roads. “We have a PPP venture with a developer to develop Extension 7, and we have Extension 8 that we are going to survey in this Financial Year (2017/18). And we have already started with the planning of another new Extension, which will be known as Extension 9,” adds the Acting CEO. A good rapport with our community has been gained through Council engaging with the Oshikuku residents on various topics. Of course, challenges remain. “Lack of adequate financial resources to carry out our mandate fully such as provision of serviced and developed Erven Provision of Water and electricity services, parks and other services. The attraction of potential investors is also a challenge,” says Hipondoka.
OSHIKUKU DEVELOPMENT
“We are just 30-40 km from both Oshakati and Ongwediva towns respectively and we would like to achieve our goal by forging ahead with the provision
of serviced land. We also intend to attract more investors to Oshikuku in the areas of Tourism, Multi Storage Facilities and retail markets.”
“Our purpose is to make a signi icant impact in the lives of people” We have a great family of well quali ied and highly experienced people that shares our purpose, values and beliefs. We are a Namibian engineering irm that serves our clients with professional project management and multi-disciplinary engineering services comprising: Ÿ Building and Structures Ÿ Project Management Ÿ Industrial Engineering Ÿ Mining Consulting Ÿ Feasibility Studies Ÿ Services Master Plans Ÿ Water Resources and Supply Ÿ Agriculture Ÿ Electrical / Mechanical Ÿ Transportation Ÿ Civil and Development Services Ÿ Arranging Project Funding
Building People. Building Communities. Building Nations. Municipal Pillars | Aug-Sept 2017
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HENTIES INVESTMENT
We are going to have the expo down at the beach, which hasn’t been done at other expos in the region before. We want the residents of Henties Bay to own this expo as their own and be involved because this expo will boost SMEs within Henties Bay, Noarises narrates.
Henties Bay, hidden treasure continually seeking to discover itself
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fter unlocking the potential of the coastal town with the first Henties Bay expo last year, discovering the hidden treasures is set to be the priority at this year’s gatherings. So goes the theme for this year’s expo which will build on last’s year inaugural expo, reveals Henties Bay Public Relations Officer and expo organiser, Priscilla Grace Noarises. After aiming to dispel the idea that Henties Bay is a ghost town with little to offer, in comparison to surrounding towns in the Erongo regions, 2016 proved to the organisers that a lot was yet to be discovered. “We are going to have the expo down at the beach, which hasn’t been done at other expos in the region before. We want the residents of Henties Bay to own this expo as their own and be involved because this expo will boost SMEs within Henties Bay,” Noarises narrates. With about 10 000 residents in Henties Bay, the town has quietly worked to attract investors to its shores over the years and the expo is soon becoming a staple platform to showcase what it has on offer. The founding father, Sam Nujoma was the patron of last year’s event. This year, Noarises
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is lobbying for service providers such as Natis and Home Affairs to come and bring the service closer to the people because, Henties Bay residents would often have to travel to surrounding towns like Swakopmund and Walvis Bay to get those services. “The experience of last year taught us a lot. I am proud of the support we have gotten from stakeholders and the office of the founding father, the leadership of the town and the media.” The Henties Bay expo takes place from November 29 to December 2, the idea, Noarises is to have patrons kick-start the expo and have it lead directly into a holiday in the town.
“Council has aside million-dollar capital projects to be utilised for the development of the town in infrastructure and services. We have realised that the town is growing and an expo for us is an opportunity for us to offer investors willing to come to Henties Bay space and showcase what we have,” she added.
According to Noarises, the town has been experiencing rapid growth of the population because of an influx of inhabitants from Uis after the closure of the mine but that has not deterred Henties Bay from attracting both local and international investors to the small coastal town in a bid to steer rapid development and curb unemployment. Over the years, the town has created a conducive and attractive investment environment for potential investors to settle in while at the same time improving the infrastructure in the area to make it accessible, says Noarises.
Municipal Pillars | Aug-Sept 2017
Priscilla Grace Noarises
Municipal Pillars | August 2017
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@ 25, New-Look RFLAUN buoyant
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he Retirement Fund for Local Authorities and Utility Services in Namibia (RFLAUN) this year celebrates 25 years of existence, having amassed 5000 members with a loan book valued at N$116m.
The rebranding exercise signifies the status and progression of this Fund and is a definite indicator that RFLAUN is living up to its values of accountability, integrity, security, growth and service excellence- Minister Shaningwa.
RFLAUN
RFLAUN through its housing benefit provides a Pension Backed Home Loan Scheme to its members which covers up to one third of a member’s pension fund credit allowing them to access a home loan. Coinciding with RFLAUN’s new corporate rebranding, line Minister Sophia Shaningwa has underscored the success of the Fund, having grown from a total market value of N$54m in 1992 to over N$4b. The Fund is an umbrella fund
established for the Employees of Local Authorities and Utility Services distributors in Namibia. The Fund provides retirement and other benefits for Employees and former employees of Participating Employers in the event of death or disablement.
1300
members have benefited from the Fund's home loans facility. “There is no doubt that this Fund has gone through many transformations in terms of strategic direction, leadership, and position in the market. Coincidentally, 25 years of service inspired the rebranding and change of corporate look for the Fund. The need to attract and prompt awareness led to the new design and look as Principle Executive Officer of RFLAUN, Dorian J. Amwaandangi narrated, “The inevitable question is why? Do we really
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need a rebrand? But the answer is simply, absolutely. This wasn’t a decision made lightly, but rather guided by the Board of Trustees who after careful consideration initiated the process via Management to re-evaluate the brand."
2000
the number of the Fund's listed pensioners. The rebranding exercise signifies the status and progression of this Fund and is a definite indicator that RFLAUN is living up to its values of accountability, integrity, security, growth and service excellence- Minister Shaningwa.
"We embarked on the process of conducting a brand audit to aid in crafting our new identity.This followed a brand audit, where an extensive assessment of stakeholders’ perception was undertaken." Amwaandangi states. A further highlight for the Fund was when we built and moved into our own office block, after being housed by
Municipal Pillars | Aug-Sept 2017
the City of Windhoek for many years since RFLAUN’s establishment. We have also witnessed a continues growth in the Funds’ membership and consequently we have increased our staff count to be able to attend to the needs of our members and stakeholders.-Amwaandangi.
Principle Executive Officer of RFLAUN. Dorian J. Amwaandangi
Municipal Pillars | Aug-Sept 2017
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RFLAUN
design & advertising
design & advertising
Retirement Fund for Local Authorities and Utility Services in Namibia
With groWth comes change Visit our new social pages OLD
NEW
http://www.rflaun.com.na https://www.facebook.com/RFLAUN/ https://twitter.com/rflaun
Retirement Fund For Local Authorities and Utility Services in Namibia (RFLAUN)
RFLAUN
Retirement Fund for Local Authorities and Utility Services in Namibia