www.theengineer.com.na
The VOL 3/NO.02 • SEPT-OCT 2017
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NAMIBIA’S PULSE OF TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
Dredging & Reclamation at Namport An engineering view through Dr Sam Nujoma’s lenses
Gottfried Mootu: Civil Engineering Entrepreneur behind Moza Investment
Benefits of Namibian EPA Certification
KAHORONGO’S JOURNEY TO DAIMLER AG: As the world & trends in technological advancement move on, Himeezembi Kahorongo is a name for the future.
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The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
CONTENTS PAGE
7 Editor Marketing Grace Mahamba-Dube Etty-Doria Kilembe editor@theengineer.com.na marketing@theengineer.com.na Executive Editor GM: Marketing Confidence Musariri Kenneth Karamata 081 122 6850 business@municipalpillars.com
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Mr EN Ikela
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PrEng), B.Eng Honours-Civil (UNN Nigeria), MBA (MsM) 12 Managing Director
Admin & Accounts Distribution Marizaan Bock distribution@targetnam.com ENI Consulting Engineers Services was founded by Mr Erastus Ndatoolewe Ikela. Mr Ikela is a proffessional admin@targetnam.com 081 368 2352
engineer and graduated with a bchelor of engineering (B.Eng-Honours) degree from the University of Nigeria, NSUKKA in 1994. He was attached to Weder, Meyer & louw Consulting Engineers, BICON Namibia and Burmeister and Partners for practical purpose for registration as a proffessional engineer.
Production Manager & Graphic Designer Keith M. Tuwelo
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He worked for the Department of Works as an engineerin Training from January 1995 to 1999. He was dually registered as a Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of Namibia. He had a stint of one and a half years from june 2001 to December 2002 with the Namibia Water Corporation LTD (NamWater) where he was involved with a number of Projects.
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He was appointed as Deputy Director in the Ministry of Work and Transpport in January 2003 where he commenced working as a Deputy Director - Railway Infrastructure Management . He remained in this position until he was appointed the
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maintenance of the infrastructure on the entire road network in Namibia. He also oversaw the construction of more than 400km of both gravel and bituminious roads Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Namibia (UNAM), in conjunction with the Maastricht School of Management (MsM), The Netherlands.
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Cover opportunity The Engineer is a magazine published once a month and circulated to 10 000 senior engineering decision makers in Namibia. Subscription Rate: N$20 per copy. In each issue, The Engineer offers advertisers the opportunity to get to the front of the line by placing a company, product or service on the front cover of the journal. Buying this position will afford the advertiser the cover story and maximum exposure. For more information on cover bookings contact us on: Tel: +264 61 254 005/081 122 6850
04 Certification: Element Consulting Engineers receive EPA Certification.
12 Profile: Kahorongo’s journey to Daimler AG
06 Company Profile: D&P Engineers and Environmental Consultants.
14 Civil Engineering: Entrepreneur behind Moza Investment: Gottfried Mootu
07 Engineer of the Month: Lwazi Mlomo.
15 Company Profile: Moza Investment
08 Lead Story: Déjà vu: As Former President realizes dream port in Walvis Bay.
16 Consulting Engineers: Lund Consulting’s 50-year progression
11 Company Profile: ENI Consulting Engineers
18 Construction: The future is Omusati Construction
The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
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CERTIFICATION
Element Consulting Engineers receive EPA Certification Sixteen engineers from Element Consulting have this month received certification as corporate members of the Engineering Professionals Association (EPA) of Namibia. EPA members benefit from their participation through workshops, networking with their engineering colleagues and by learning from the pool of knowledge sustained by the various members who continuously bring new ideas forth.
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ualified engineers in Namibia can become a part of the EPA by notifying the organisation and making due arrangements for the certification to take place. The Managing Director of Element Consulting Engineers Arthur Loftie-Eaton also spoke on the necessity of EPA membership for their engineers and how beneficial it is for both the company and the sector as a whole. He said, “We are constantly looking at ways in which we can play our part in the promoting of engineering in Namibia. For instance, for foreign investors to come on board with engagements with our country, they are particularly interested in our economic stability and also infrastructural development. Engineering is an important aspect of infrastructural development therefor, us the engineers and our companies we have to ensure that we are in the forefront of contributing to it. Having our engineers as members of EPA is one of the ways in which we can together and collectively move towards a bigger goal.” Element is a multi-disciplinary company with many departments comprising engineers with many years of experience.
Over the past 10 years, the team has grown and has established synergy amongst themselves especially through new engineers who have come up from the company’s bursary programmes. For 2017, Element managed to navigate successfully through the economic downturn the country faced and completed sustainable projects and engaged new private clients. Loftie-Eaton also reiterated the company’s continuous drive to be a service provider that tackles all problems presented to them and meets all the client’s needs. “We currently have a lot of projects on hold because of the economic situation but we always complete whatever job we commit to. For the long and short-term period our goals are to
remain competent players in the engineering sector and to maintain good relations with our clients,” he stated. EPA President Frederick Muketi welcomed the group saying, “The future of the country is with the young minds and we are always open to nurturing and working with them as best we can... ...It is beneficial to the whole of Namibia if members of respective fields and sectors work together for the greater good of their professions. We at EPA, know this and strive to continually engage more and more engineers to identify under our umbrella so that we can harness the immense wealth of experience and knowledge that are among our members.”
EPA Certified Engineers
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Iyaloo LM Ndevahoma
Jan-Harm van Niekerk
Francois Muller
Mathew Mouton
• Bachelor of Technology: Electrical Engineering, Namibia University of Science and Technology. Her work at Element Consulting Engineers focuses on preliminary and detail electrical designs and simultaneously ensuring that the required national standards are complied to.
• Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences (Electrical Science), University of Northwest, 2008
• Bachelor of Engineering Mechanical, North-West University of Potchefstroom, 2016
• Bachelor in Civil Engineering, Namibia University of Science and Technology,2016
He specialises in Lightning and Earthing Protection, MV Distribution Networks, LV Distribution Networks and Building Electrical and Electronic Services.
His current responsibilities as a Mechanical Engineer include Engineering Designs, CAD Draughting, Tender Documentation, Construction Supervision, Contract Administration and Costing.
The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
His current responsibilities as a graduate engineer are to design and draught structural projects, both in public and private sector. He is capable of supervising construction projects and ensuring that it is done according to the specifications as per designs.
Peet Bezuidenhout
Oswald Amolo
Junias D Set
• Bachelor of Engineering (Civil), Stellenbosch University, 2012,
• Bachelor of Engineering (Civil), University of Pretoria, 2003
• Bachelor of Engineering – Civil, Polytechnic of Namibia 2012
• Bachelor of Engineering (Civil)
• Master of Engineering (Civil) Cum Laude, Stellenbosch University, 2014 He joined Element Consulting Engineers in 2014, working in the structural department. His experience includes design and detailing of concrete- and steel structures. He is also responsible for the construction supervision of his projects. The projects that he was involved in consisted of residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
Peet has 13 years’ experience in contract administration, design and supervision of mainly road infrastructure projects. Peet worked in South Africa for 10 years, but over the past 3 years Peet has been Project Engineer on a number of large scale projects in Namibia, including the upgrading of TR14/2 Phase 1 and 2 between Otjinene and Grootfontein, MR121, DR3603, DR3615, DR3668 and the projects for the reseal of the Namibian surfaced road network.
He is specialized in structural engineering with expertise in concrete, steel, and composite structures.
Kassie Coetzee
Herman Mostert
Salomon Hangula
Paulus H Shalongo
• National Diploma in Civil Agriculture, Technical University of Tshwane, 1999
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Science: Transportation Planning – Pavement Engineering
• National Diploma in Civil Engineering and Project Management, Polytechnic of Namibia, 2009
• Bachelor of Engineering, Namibian University of Science and Technology, 2012
• Master of Engineering Civil: Pavement and Geotechnical Engineering – In Progress
He has done material investigations for related road projects and conducted route determination for various road projects and compiled route determination reports, inception reports, community liaison and reports and design reports.
Kassie Coetzee a professional incorporated engineer with 18 years design and supervision and project management experience.
His current responsibilities as Transportation Engineer are to manage Transportation projects, both in public and private sector. His duties include Integration of engineering design for construction, Preparation of procurement documents, tender evaluation and appointment of suitable contractors and managing construction contracts, preparing payment certificates, adjudication of claims, monitoring of construction works.
His expertise is enhanced by Surveying, Geotechnical investigation on foundation trenches and site conditions, Welding and structural steel fabrication inspections, using of advanced structural design packages such as Revit and Prokon for optimization of structural design.
Experience were acquired in both the Namibian and South African built environment with exposure to the Structural, Civil and Agricultural engineering as well as Project management disciplines.
His experience ranges from project management, client liaison, contract administration, supervision, laboratory testing and managing of equipment and personnel.
Kenny Britz
His design experience includes material designs required in road construction. His core focus is on the field of road building materials, site supervision, pavement design and project management.
He has skills in geometric design for roads as well as quantifying quantities for schedule of quantities for roads and has also supervised many construction works including managing projects and contract administration.
SP Jansen van Vuuren
Ndeutala Selma Iita
• Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronics), Stellenbosch, 2009
• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, 2012
• National Diploma (Civil Engineering), Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007 CPUT (SA) • Certificate in Project Management, Cape Peninsula University of Technology • Baccalaureus Technologiae (Civil Engineering), Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2015 Kenneth Britz is a professional technician registered at the Namibian Engineering Council. He gained his Baccalaureus Technologiae degree in Civil Engineering in 2015, through further studies. He has over 10 years’ experience in the field of Civil and Structural Engineering and specializes in multi-storey structural steel and reinforced concrete building design. He was appointed as Associate for Element Consulting Engineers in November 2016.
S.P. Jansen van Vuuren is Electrical Engineer in Training. His fascination with engineering started with taking apart broken electronic devices and hasn’t abated since. He specialises in Lightning and Earthing Protection, LV Distribution Networks and Building Electrical and Electronic Services.
CERTIFICATION
Ryno Barnard
Being one of the first students to receive a bursary from Element (2008) and also one of the first to enter into their very well structured mentorship program has given him the special skill of always being able to think on my toes. He has also learned to master the special art of successfully applying my technical skills to positively influence the social environment around himself.
Louwrens Muller • National Diploma in Civil Engineering, Central University of Technology, Free State, 2008 • Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering, Central University of Technology, Free State, 2010
She specializes in HVAC Systems, Internal/External Water Reticulation Systems, Water Heating (Solar, Heat Pumps, Conventional, and Hybrid Systems), Borehole Drilling, and Borehole Pumping Systems, Laboratory Equipment, Industrial Kitchen Equipment, Mortuary, Fire Engineering, Incineration Systems, Medical & Laboratory Gas Reticulation Systems, Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computation Fluid Dynamics Modelling.
His key qualifications are in hydrological, water and sanitation systems design and he completed numerous projects of this nature in the past. He was for most of his professional career involved and responsible for various projects where multiple civil engineering fields were applicable, from drainage to water supply as well as sanitation and bulk earthworks. He has been extensively involved in the compilation of planning documents, master planning, modelling and analysis of existing municipal water, sewer and stormwater networks for various towns/cities in South Africa and Namibia.
The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
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D&P Engineers and Environmental Consultants PROFILE
D&P is one of Namibia’s top consulting engineering, project and construction management firms that provide clients with civil engineering, structural engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, environmental engineering and management, engineering project management, engineering programme management, infrastructure investment planning and infrastructure assets management.
• Highway/road design • Solid waste and storm water management • Tunneling • Building Services : HVAC, Fire Protection, Hot and Cold Water Reticulation • Mechanical Equipment Design • Plant Layout Environmental Engineering and Management Capability to perform: • Environmental Impact Assessments • Socil Impact Assessments • Strategic Environmental Assessments • Land use planning • Development and maintenance of integrated environmental managemnt programmes • Management systems • Environmental and health risks assessments • Mine and industrial environmental closure cost assessments • Water use license applications • Environmental Rehabilation and closure plans • Ecological assessments • Environmental monitoring programmes • Environmental auditing • Complete GIS services
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part from engineering and environmental management, the qualifications of D&P Engineers and Environmental Consultant management specialists encompass industrial engineering, business administration, statistics, computer modelling and the full spectrum of management science and other social disciplines. One attribute of the Consultancy is its unique ability to marry technology and expertise from a wide range of disciplines to its management consultancy services. D&P Engineers is based in Windhoek and also has an associate firm in Oshakati. Services D&P Engineers offers civil, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering services with the capacity too conceptualise, plan, design, detail and supervise as well as project management in civil, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering. Capabilities • Construction contract administration • Detailed engineering and design of maintake sub-stations, distribution substations, motor control centres, distribution networks, underground distribution networks and underground substations
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The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
• System studies and single line development • Marine structures • Detailed engineering and design of electrical elements for processing plants, smelting furnaces, refineries, decline mining shafts, vertical shafts, pump stations, surface ventilation fans, compressors for mining, refrigeration plants, winders and mining infrastructure • Retaining walls and ground structures
Social Responsibility The D&P Social Unit ensures informed decision-making through effective stakeholder engagement and communication. Sustainability is promoted through capacity building and training programs. Geo-environmental and other projects have significant impacts on communities and the social unit seeks to address and facilitate these and other socio-economic effects. Services of D and P Social Unit Feasibility Studies • Research and material development • Conduct social studies • Assessments (impact, needs etc) • Baseline surveys (community profiles) Training and Capacity Building • Mentorship • Engineers and technician training program • Bursary scheme Monitoring and Evaluation • Monthly progress meeting
“The main thing I strive to do whenever I am implementing a project is to have every stakeholder benefit from all jobs that we do.
Lwazi Mlomo | Polytech of Namibia Civil Engineering (Project Management)
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s a team player of D & P Engineers and Environmental Consultants, Mlomo has set out to fully exploit his skills in Structural Engineering and Project Management to grow the company, empower many capable Namibians and realise the benefit of all in construction. Mlomo says that the economic development of Namibia can be effectively stimulated by building the technical capacity of the workforce, through quality engineering education programs such as the one he studied at the then Polytech of Namibia. “A competent technical workforce base can provide several paths to economic development such as the attraction of technically oriented multi-national companies, who can invest effectively in developing Namibia once there is a cadre of qualified local employees available. Furthermore, the effective utilization of foreign aid funds and providing a legacy of appropriate infrastructure projects and technically competent people to operate and maintain them as well as empowering small business start-ups by technically competent entrepreneurs such as D and P Engineering. Namibia will go forward if engineers take part in the development processes such as the ones I have set out to follow,” he says. Mlomo’s engineering history started at Windhoek Consulting Engineering and is at D&P Engineers so far. He specialises in structural engineering which is a subdivision of civil engineering in which he was trained to understand, predict, and calculate the stability, strength and rigidity of built structures for buildings and non-building structures, to develop designs and integrate their design with that of other designers, and to supervise construction of projects on site. Mlomo has always had a fascination with how things come to be especially programs like the Mega Structures on National Geographic and from the challenges that he witnessed it was clear that these were the same he was also interested in overcoming.
“As an engineer my role in national development refers to the application of the knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences, gained by study, experience, and practice”
Think about a building. You have the structure, the plumbing, the electrics, the aesthetics, the interior design so there is no way one person could take care of this on their own. As a result I work as part of a design team with all the different people involved in designing a building, including architects, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers. This way I can make sure that my structure doesn’t ruin the layout of a room or get in the way of pipes, avoiding problems during construction. It is also a great way to haul in benefits of all players in the line industry such as architects and quantity surveyors. As a Namibian, I put first the benefits of the country and its people at the forefront in all my engineering projects and always encourage the participation of local engineers and technicians in major developmental projects over foreign ones because we have interests that surpass personal ones,” he says. Having spent a sizable portion of his formative years in South Africa, Mlomo witnessed the rise of sophisticated structures in that country, so when he moved to Walvis Bay, an interest in developing infrastructure in Namibia was sparked. “As an engineer my role in national development refers to the application of the knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences, gained by study, experience, and practice in the provision of social amenities like good education, infrastructure, medical care and social services. Through what I witnessed as a young child in South Africa, I am still motivated to contribute to our country’s development by exploiting all of my knowledge. It is a feasible dream to see areas like Maltahohe and Kongola having state-of-the-art facilities and offering a good standard of living.” The great amount of satisfaction in looking at a final product and knowing that you designed it from the foundation up until the end is one of the reasons why Mlomo excels in his field. Also, project management side of his work so far has also shaped him into a more capable team player and D&P because he has been part of the processes from lobbying for a project, doing its feasibility studies, designing it all through to its construction process.
towns and areas out of the capital city. Because of the centralisation of goods and services in our country, the situation is that most people are flocking to Windhoek in the hopes of finding employment. The end result is very small productive populations in smaller towns and many unemployed people roaming the streets of Windhoek. This breeds many societal problems that add to the already existing problems that government is facing. As a structural engineer, I am here to bring development to other less-to-do places than Windhoek to ease congestion in Windhoek. That way, more people can opt to stay in these places because of the opportunities and quality of living that can be offered there,” he says.
ENGINEER OF THE MONTH
Born to a South African and a Namibian mother and father in the year that Namibia attained its independence, Lwazi Mlomo is a perceptive civil engineer specialising in Project Management, and is one of the young crop of the country’s skilled labour force that has the development of the country at heart.
His very devoted stance on the development of the country however is with challenges as Mlomo moans the obstacle of working in harmony with ‘old-school’ engineers who are alien to the tech savvy techniques of current year engineering. The most challenging project that he says worked on to date was in 2012 to 2013 when he worked on renovations on Maerua Mall. “There were four different locations of renovations being carried out in the mall at the same time and I had to supervise all of them. All four different areas where at different levels of renovations and I was accountable for all the efficiency of structural engineering involved. There I learn the virtues of attention to detail, concentration and multitasking in structural engineering. However, for every challenge there is always a solution and I always find a way around them. The aim is to do well in all that you do and get the results of your finished project attest to your expertise,” says Mlomo. Notable Projects with D&P Engineers and Environmental Consultants • Namwater Hot Dipped Galvanized Reservoirs • Oranjemund Business Park • Oranjemund Health Facility • Ministry of Finance-Upgrades of the existing Fiscas building. • Vaalgras Primary School • Rundu Regional Training Health Centre • Khaan-Lithpos 1 • Osona TRFR • Doring SS Commissioning • Maltahohe Village Council offices • Noordoewer Sewer Treatment Plant • Grootfontein Municipality Civil Services • Gobabis District Forestry Offices • Olushanda Irrigation Scheme • Stampriet Civil Infrastructure • Otavi Civil Infrastructure • Katima Mulilo Infrastructure
“Besides implementing the mandated main functions of a structural engineer, my personal goals are to improve Namibia’s infrastructure. The nature of my job entails so much travel that I have been to many parts of Namibia and have identified the need to develop small
The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
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By Confidence Musariri
PORTS
Déjà vu: As Former President realizes dream port in Walvis Bay
It was the mid-nineties when President of Namibia Dr. Sam Nujoma, the country’s first Head of State fermented discussions around the initial Master Plans of the unimaginable R8 billion twin projects at the port town of Walvis Bay.
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ast-forward two decades later, an air of urgency has gripped the Namibia Port Authority (Namport), and the western part of Walvis Bay. There is some sense of anxiety as Namport Chief Executive Officer Bisey /Uirab and port Engineer Elzevir Gelderbloem, wait to receive their guest. At 88, the visitor to the port still looks sharp, a bit shorter than he did during the liberation struggle as he led the country towards independence in 1990. What is still the same is his signature infectious smile, broad and welcoming. You would mistake him to be the host.
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The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
Dr. Sam Nujoma is in town to visit the site of the New Container Terminal in the Port of Walvis Bay and the New National Oil Storage facility at the Port of Walvis Bay, North Port. “There is no way Tate Sam will walk all these projects unless he has some superhuman strength,” one employee ad libs Oshiwambo, going through his paces. It is very rare that the Founding Father of the Namibian Nation makes public appearances. A seasoned maverick Nujoma has as age catches up with him, reclined his appearances to national events and seldom makes a public speech. But on this very day, Namibia’s First President was like a kid on a playground, beating the frail dignity of his old age without the huge entourage that many of his hosts are used to. It appears a private visit but has national consequences.
Today Nujoma sees first hand for the first time, the Container Terminal on Reclaimed Land in the Port of Walvis Bay Project where Chinese company CHEC is building a container terminal which can handle up to 750,000 TEU’s annually with berthing facilities for large cargo vessels inside the Port of Walvis Bay. Later, he will tour the Oil Storage Project, a Joint Venture Project between Namibian companies managed by the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
From left, Dr Sam Nujoma, Namport Chief Executive Officer Bisey /Uirab, port Engineer Elzevir Gelderbloem and Feng Yanfei, the CHEC Project Manager.
And for the Namport employees, the old adage that extreme old age brings wisdom and should be venerated, explains the attentiveness of the Namport crew as he speaks.
The construction of this project is As of July 2017, the new container terminal progress in terms of construction time is 64% complete. being managed by a Joint Venture “All the bore piles construction work which between Chinese State-Owned CHEC, is one of the most difficult jobs is nearly Namibian government owned Roads completed. The dredging and reclamation Contractor Company and local black owned work is also completed. Nearly all the other Babyface Civils, with Ministry of Mines and works needed to complete the project have Energy as the managing client. already commenced. We are in the final stages,” says Feng Yanfei, the CHEC Project Manager. The national oil storage terminal is but one phase of the huge new North Port program. This first phase consists of the construction of two new jetties each capable of accommodating a 60,000 DWT tanker with the associated supporting infrastructure to convey the refined oil products to the new tank farm. The north port sits on 1330 hectares of land, and five times that much in the water area, whereas the existing South Port only has access to 150 hectares of land which includes the newly reclaimed 40 hectares. Subsequent phases of the North Port program include terminals for handling LNG, LPG, dry bulk, ship repair yards, multi-purpose terminals and much more, all to cater for port capacity demand over the next 50 to 100 years. For Nujoma, there is eerie of déjà vu. The project was started in 2005 when he stepped down but Namport only started with implementation almost a decade later in 2014.
As of July 2017, the new container terminal progress in terms of construction time is 64%. The following picture summarizes the various activities and their respective progress. As can be seen from the picture above, dredging and reclamation are so to say completed at 97%, what is now ongoing is mostly civil and building works. These will all be completed by end of 2018 after which testing and commissioning will start. “If you invite me for the inauguration, I will definitely come,” says Dr. Nujoma, further expressing satisfaction with what he was witnessing, adding, “what you are doing is key to the sustainability of our nation.”
Says Yanfei, “Namibia has a very conducive political environment for investment. CHEC’s biggest lesson is that with the right environment, international companies will always be interested in doing business with Namibia, in Namibia. Namibia has a very diverse population and for any organization to work here, it must understand the dynamics of the local political, economic and social landscape.
PORTS
This project will see the construction of an Oil Storage Facility including berthing, docking area for oil tankers, a pipeline to transfer the imported oil to a storage area, a tank farm with oil storage capacity of 75,000 cubic meters.
It took us a while to understand and develop these relationships, but we believe that we have now formed very long-lasting friendships on all levels of Namibian society, including the media.” Namport chief executive officer Bisey /Uirab is determined to making the Walvis Bay port the preferred African west coast port and logistics corridor for southern and central African logistics operations. Already Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe consider Walvis Bay Port the nearest and fastest trade gateway to global markets, especially Europe, China and South America, Nujoma is informed. Namport is expected to handle more copper from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo “and the two markets have responded positively”. The two countries are among the top 10 copper producers in the world. The new container terminal will be well equipped to handle anticipated increases in cargo volumes.
He has lived to see the success of the blood that was shed during the liberation struggle as he led the fight for freedom before embarking on the economic emancipation of his nation. Somewhat on this day, his sense of fidelity is legendary, having become over the years, the development vector for progress while preserving Namibia’s history, an aura often equated with his statesmanship. He is visiting a project which is now nearing completion having employed 2100 Namibians since 2014 and currently employs 600 locals on site, /Uirab tells him.
Namibian employees making final touches at the port project in Walvis Bay
The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
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PORTS
Once the New Container Terminal comes on stream, the current container terminal will be utilized for multi-purpose cargo which will create the opportunity for increased bulk and break-bulk business in that larger cargo vessels can be accommodated at the existing container terminal berths. The most prolific development in terms of increasing capacity and expanding Port of Walvis Bay footprint is undoubtedly the SADC Gateway development which is situated further north from the current port area.
“As of June 2016, four superpost Panamax ship-to-shore quay cranes were under construction in Shanghai, China,” /Uirab said. The expectations of Namport customers, which are predominantly major shipping lines like Maersk and CMA CGM, continue to focus on productivity, reliability, efficiency, and cost effectiveness. In addition, the trend to mega ships is here to stay resulting in larger vessels being cascaded to other trade routes, especially along the Europe-South Africa trade route, Nujoma is briefed. Adds /Uirab, “This is a burden on our ports as they have to heavily invest in infrastructure to accommodate such larger vessels with no guaranteed return on investment nor increase in volumes. In addition, larger vessels equate to fewer vessel calls resulting in business peaks. The challenge is to mitigate the risk of reduced cash flows arising from inflexible labour costs incurred due to the continuous shift system operating during business troughs. Currently, the average container vessel size is 8,000 TEUs, however, 89% of the world order book is in respect of vessels of more than 8,000 TEUs.”
especially the oil reliant economy of Angola which has been seriously affected by the drop in the oil price resulting in a drastic reduction in imports through the Port of Walvis Bay to Angola,” he furthers. Southern African ports continue to aggressively drive port expansion and transport corridor development, as Namibian ports are competing for the same hinterland business as neighbouring ports – cargo to and from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and the DRC – and to remain relevant in the SADC Region. This according to /Uirab has led to Namport ensuring that its port infrastructure is on par, if not better, than the competition. He continued, “In this stressful time of a marked downturn in business, our dilemma is to strike a balance between satisfying the expectations of the various stakeholders and ensuring we sustain a healthy balance sheet and cash flows. More importantly, we must strive to maintain and improve our port of call status in Southern Africa and continue to provide a strong foundation for the establishment of the Namibia Logistics Hub.”
There is a growing demand for the import and export of bulk commodities in SADC and this port area will be ideally suited for this purpose. The 1330-hectare development will be the key spoke in the Namibia Logistics Hub and will be a major port gateway serving the “shopping mall” of SADC countries. /Uirab impressed upon the Founding Father that Namport had initiated the feasibility study process for the establishment of a Multipurpose Bulk Terminal accommodating under 10 million tonnes per annum at the SADC Gateway. Weighs in Xu Yuqing, the Chec deputy project manager for the Walvis Bay New Container Terminal and the National Oil Storage Facilities Project, “We believe that the Container Terminal on Reclaimed Land project will change the way the country does business with its southern African neighbors. It will greatly increase the throughput capacity of the Port of Walvis Bay, which is already rated as one of the most efficient ports in Africa. This will greatly benefit the economies of the landlocked countries of Southern Africa and in turn that of Namibia. Secondly, we are excited about the number of new skills we were able to impart to the Namibians working on this project. Although this is a highly technical project, many Namibians obtained for the first time, experience in Marine Engineering of any kind and this is a legacy we leave Namibia after the project is completed.”
The Port of Walvis Bay currently handles 5,700 TEU vessels at its container terminal, bearing in mind that larger vessels also place pressure on the hinterland logistics of rail and road with congestion being a very unwelcome and costly side effect. Namport cargo volumes have sharply declined with the concomitant decrease in revenue, but at the same time operating costs are increasing. The global container market is growing at a slow pace with a modest growth of 3.3% worldwide, and 3.8% in Africa, in 2016. “As a port, we deal with a lot of economies along the West Coast of Africa, more
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The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
Dr. Sam Nujoma and his successor Dr Hifikepunye Pohamba during the groundbreaking of NamPort’s port expansion project in the port of Walvis Bay in 2014
ENDS//cm
Mr EN Ikela | Managing Director PrEng • B.Eng Honours-Civil (UNN Nigeria) • MBA (MsM)
ENI Consulting Engineers Cc (ECE) was established on 24 March 2010 and is a multi-disciplinary engineering firm specializing in civil, structural, electrical and mechanical engineering.
COMPANY PROFILE
ENI Consulting Engineers
The company was founded by Erastus Ndatoolewe Ikela, a professional engineer with 20 years of experience. It is a 100% wholly owned Namibian company, which employs professionals from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.
T
he staff compliment of the company comprises professional engineers, technologists, technicians and administrative officers who strive to provide world class Engineering and Project Management services in an effective and efficient manner using modern engineering and project management techniques. Managing Director of ENI Consulting Engineers Services was founded by Erastus Ndatoolewe Ikela who is a professional engineer and graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng-Honours) Degree from the University of Nigeria, NSUKKA in 1994. He was attached to Weder, Meyer & Louw Consulting Engineers, BICON Namibia and Burmeister and Partners for practical purpose for registration as a professional engineer. He worked for the Department of Works as an engineer-in-training from January 1995 to 1999 and was dually registered as a Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of Namibia. Ikela had a stint of one and a half years from June 2001 to December 2002 with the Namibia Water Corporation LTD (NamWater) where he was involved with was appointed as Deputy Director in the Ministry of Work and Transport in January 2003 where he commenced working as a Deputy Director - Railway Infrastructure Management . He remained in this position until he was appointed the maintenance of the infrastructure on the entire road network in Namibia and also oversaw the construction of more than 400km of both gravel and bituminous roads throughout Namibia.
Ikela also holds a Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Namibia (UNAM), in conjunction with the Maastricht School of Management (MsM), The Netherlands. Capabilities and Expertise ENI Consulting Engineers offers a wide range of professional and technical services. We have the strategic partners whom we work with when the necessary skills are not found within the company. Our professional capacity, capability and expertise are but not limited to: • Planning and Preliminary Investigation • Concept and Detailed design • Contract Documentation and Administration • Construction Management • Project Management • Civil Engineering and Services • Structural Engineering • Transportation Engineering • Electrical Engineering • Mechanical Engineering Project Portfolio The following are the projects that have been successfully carried out by ENI Consulting Engineers since its inception: Civil Upgrading • Sewer reticulation at Punyu Village – Ondangwa • Sewerage Service - Outio - Kunene Region • Sewerage Service - Outio Mariental - Hardap Region • Water Sewerage Service - Outio Mariental - Hardap Region
• Sewerage Reticulation for Gochas Village • Water Reticulation for Mariental Municipality • Sewerage Reticulation for Mariental Municipality • Sewerage Reticulation for Aranos Town Council
• Barracks at Babylon Okuryangava - Windhoek • Renovation and upgrading of the Government Garage - Windhoek • Road to Bitumen standard Okahao Town • Road to Bitumen standard Okahao Town
Civil Structural Engineering
Electrical, Mechanical, Construction and Upgrading
• Urban Roads and Water Reticulation, Nomtsoub - Tsumeb • Regional Office - Ministry of Information & Communication Technology, Omuthiya • Traditional Office at MashiZambezi Region • Traditional Office at Toaxudaman Erongo Region • Traditional Office at Kambizembi Otjoxondjupa Region • Sewerage Services at Gochas Hardap Region • Water and Sewer Reticualtion Aranos • Access Roads at Okongo Settlement - Ohangwena Region • Access Roads at Ogongo Settlement - Omusati Region • Oxidation ponds at Tsandi Settlement - Omusati Region • Access roads at Okalongo Settlement • Access roads, sewer and water at Ogongo Settlement Feasibility Study • Renovation of the Magistrate Court at Ondangwa • Renovation and Upgrading of the Regional Office of the Min. of Veterans Affairs at Otjiwarongo Police station
• Electrical Reticulation Omungwelume Settlements • Upgrading of the Sewer Pump Station, Tsandi Settlement Omusati Region • Construction Sewer Pump Sattion, Tsandi Settlement - Omusati Region • Construction sewer pump station,Gochas, Hardap Region • Construction of sewer pump station, Ogongo - Omusati Region • Head office of the Ministry of Youth Nat. Service Sport & Culture, Katutura Windhoek • Regional Management Team Office of the Ministry of Health and social Services Otjivarongo Otjozondjupa Region • Regional office for MICT at Omuthiya • Regional office for MoVA at Otjiwarongo, Oshakati & Eenhana • Mureti Secondary School, Opuwo Kunene Region • National Botanical Research Institute, Windhoek Khomas
The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
11
PROFILE
Tel.: +264-61-207-9111 | Fax: +264-61-207-2444 13 Storch Street Windhoek, Namibia Private Bag 13388 Windhoek, Namibia
Kahorongo’s journey to Daimler AG “I am honoured and delighted to be part of this prestigious programme especially because it means that Namibia has potential and talents and the world have seen that. From this programme I intend to get a PhD and work for Daimler AG in Germany and to eventually start-up a company of Innovation and Research although I have already started working on that... ...When I return from Germany I would like to contribute to the Namibian economy through business in automation, manufacturing, consulting services and to pass on the valuable resources I will gain from my time in Germany,” he says. The Mercedes-Benz Cars (MBC) Organisation Development Department is responsible for providing the best possible consulting and strategic support services to their MBC Executives. Their goal is to strengthen organisational development for Mercedes-Benz along the entire value chain through research and radical innovation in the fields of trend scouting, product and business model development.
• Bachelor of Technology in Business Computing • National Diploma in Software Engineering • Masters in Computer Science (University of Nebraska, USA) • Project Leader and Initiator of Solar Electrical Taxi Prototype 1(Namibia University of Science and Technology)
As the world and trends in technological advancement move towards sustainable systems of running machines and systems, Himeezembi Kahorongo is a name for the future. He has just attracted interest of renowned vehicle creator Daimler AG in Germany.
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The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
K
ahorongo, a Computer Science lecturer at NUST and alumnus of the institution, was recently selected by Daimler AG in Germany to undertake a PhD degree in Computer Science through the “Mission to Mars” project and he is the only candidate from Africa, having been selected in the top five among 23 scholars from around the world.
This will be done by building up a new InnoLab team comprised of trend scouts, change architects and business astronauts. Prior to the selection, Kahorongo spent a week in Germany where he was tested on a variety of topics such as an innovative mind, leadership and creativity and also had workshops and pitched ideas. “Our team won second prize for the ‘pitch of ideas’ event. MBC was looking for only five PhD candidates who shared their vision to focus their theses on the following up-andcoming megatrends: Digitalisation, Ubiquitous Intelligence, Co-Creation and Sharing Economy, Mass Individualisation, Startup Spirit, Agility and Rapid Innovation,” Kahorongo says.
He is the creator of Namibia’s Solar Taxi.
His task will involve scientifically examining the research gaps within the aforementioned topics from an organisational development perspective and to conclude with a doctoral degree.
He will be conducting research on “mega-trends and their implications for future organisational development” with the Mercedes-Benz Cars (MBC) Organisation Development Department.
As a member of the InnoLab, he will be responsible for the development of concepts, products and services for organizational development and will advise MBC managers on national and international contexts.
Academic and Professional Proficiency Kahorongo’s recent selection is one of many exceptional accomplishments he has bagged since embarking on his illustrious journey in computer science. His history and accolades speak of a brilliant mind whose selection to be part of a globally revered company attest to his vast potential to bring new innovation in sustainable motoring. No stranger to winning international awards, after completing high school he worked as an IT technician volunteer at the Franco Namibia Cultural Centre in Windhoek in 2001 where he was awarded a scholarship by the French government to study at the then Polytechnic of Namibia. In 2006 he graduated with a four year Bachelor of Information Technology (Business Computing) degree. During his studies at the Polytechnic, he was awarded the Best Student prize in Software Engineering in 2004 and in 2005 he spent a year studying as an exchange student at the University of Applied Sciences, Flensburg in Germany. The exchange was funded by Namdeb and De Beers Marine Namibia. As part of his studies during his sojourn at Flensburg he was required to complete a research project on the shortest path (roads and streets) for trucks to collect skip containers within the Municipality of Windhoek. He completed the project with distinction and part of his research was implemented by the Municipality’s Solid Waste Department. Kahorongo has also assisted with research work on renewable energy concepts at NUST. In 2006, Kahorongo was nominated for the DAAD Good Governance Programme and selected as one of the eight best students in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) to serve a six-month internship at Daimler AG in Germany. As an intern at Daimler in 2007 he led a team that successfully developed a middleware application needed to solve an interface problem between two systems for Daimler Company affiliates around the world.
While he was an intern at De Beers Marine Namibia he developed a web board application that was used in different operational units and also supported the SAP ‘Ukumwe Project’ team as a trainee. His next achievement was a Fulbright scholarship he received to pursue a Master’s Degree in Computer Science at University of Nebraska in the United States. The research project there was on a “Mobile Healthcare Application” which was implemented in the rural areas of Namibia. Upon finishing his master’s degree he was awarded the “Best International Student” and this distinction earned him a research and development traineeship in the Hybrid Car Technology Department at Daimler AGMercedes-Benz in Germany in 2011. Commenting on Kahorongo’s success, Dean of the School of Information Technology at the Polytechnic, Dr. Heike Winschiers Theophilus said, “The School of IT is proud to have played a significant role in the life of this talented young Namibian. Kahorongo’s success is the result of a combination of factors-his own talent, drive and commitment; the generous funding support
and an M-Health System aimed to facilitate access to information and feedback between public health service providers and the public, and can be accessed using a mobile phone. He says, “The electronic health record system enhances the records of the Health Ministry by allowing members of the public to update personal information on their medical records. The National Pregnancy SMS Notification System was developed to allow pregnant women living in rural areas to gain access to medical advice as well as receive notifications on checkups. The M-Health System is an information portal that allows the Health Ministry to communicate directly with the public, and is designed to inform and educate the public in cases of disease outbreaks. The public can also use the M-Health System to log comments and queries about health related issues.” Kahorongo’s achievements are sure to inspire Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students and others alike. He says, “To all aspiring innovators and STEM students I urge you to never let anyone say your dreams are too crazy or too big. Continue to create, make and innovate. Learn and adapt to your challenges. I overcame major challenges, such as when I went to Germany as an exchange
Upon finishing his master’s degree he was awarded the “Best International Student” and this distinction earned him a research and development traineeship in the Hybrid Car Technology Department at Daimler AGMercedes-Benz in Germany in 2011.
of different governments (France, Namibia, Germany and USA), the internship opportunities extended to him by industry partners (Namdeb, De Beers and Daimler AG) who recognised his potential and the knowledge development opportunities made available to him by the University of Applied Sciences FH-Flensburg in Germany, Nebraska University in the USA and, of course, the Polytechnic of Namibia. His story demonstrates that the world is now aware of the depth of talent in Namibia, and is willing to support its development. Hopefully, Kahorongo’s success will inspire many other talented Namibian students to seize such opportunities to follow their dream.” Kahorongo, was also involved in the development of an electronic health records system, a National Pregnancy Notification System
student for one year. I was told my courses will be in Germany and my exams as well so I had a week to decide if I have to back to Namibia or stay. However, Namdeb and De Beers Marine Namibia (Debmarine) paid for everything so the thought of returning after a week after getting a scholarship and telling them that I quit because everything was in German was unthinkable. I had to find an innovative way to solve my problems. So through recording every lesson, staying up late most of times till 3 or 4 am and taking up part time jobs as a product promotor to learn the language faster in the end I was selected as top international student at FH Flensburg and also taught Mathematics in German to the German students. Indeed, commitment is key in achieving all goals no matter how great they are.”
The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
13
CIVIL ENGINEERING
Civil Engineering Entrepreneur behind Moza Investment: Gottfried Mootu With Namibia’s increasing technical and engineering based business world, engineers are needed for their expertise in the fields of STEM because of their creativity and innovation, hence the success of Gottfried Mootu’s as a civil engineer running a company. “I learned very early on in my journey with Moza Investment that to sustain a profitable company and good workmanship, one has to be disciplined, committed and consistent in all projects and tasks. I am very good in coordinating and managing projects and also my leadership qualities has played a great role in the growth and successes of Moza,” says Mootu. His journey in engineering started at Rehoboth High School and later on, took proceeded at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) for tertiary education. After his 2nd year at NUST, he did his practical course with Krineker LTA on the Okahandja and Otjiwarongo. He went on to complete the course at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and thereafter started his Civil Engineering career at Road Contractor Company (RCC). In 2005, RCC had a very strong influence in the construction sector, and Mootu gained a great deal of experience and knowledge because of being a part of it for five years. He garnered experience in irrigation projects,
oxidation dams/ponds, surface roads and gravel roads. In 2009, the next chapter of his journey found him at Nexus, where he headed a N$17 million project which involved a sewer pump station, storm water services, water reticulation, sewer reticulation, gravel roads and earth work. “At the end of 2009, I realized that I had the potential to start my own construction company and this was after the successful handover of the Extension 14 Ongwediva Project. I then started partaking in tendering the Floods Rehabilitation Project in the North with Roads Authority That was when Moza Investment came to be,” says Mootu. From there, he started doing tenders with different town councils such as Ongwediva, Ondangwa, Okahao and Helao Nafidi as well as various projects with Namwater.
Roads Authority then started a course for upcoming SME’s titled Developing Program where they offered different courses for certification to tender their projects. The course was and is still very helpful with the knowledge Mootu uses on how to run a successful construction business. It entailed road maintenance programmes, concrete works and road construction which he had good experience, and he continued with courses from SME to Emerging SME which was coordinated by Rhudi Pulzin from Roads Authority. In 2015 he completed all courses and embarked successfully on the Access Road Construction in Oshandi, Omusati Region. He then went on to complete sewer reticulation and pump station sewer for Okahao Town Council as well as FNB FNB Ondangwa Upgrade
• National Diploma in Civil Engineering (2004): Cape Technikon (South Africa)
Date 04 March 2016
FNB Ondangwa Upgrade: Installed storm water drainage, sewer pump station and interlocking.
• Civil Designer 6 • SME Contractor Training Course :2010 • Project Management - Stellenbosch Business School: 2013
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The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
Before upgrades (07 July 2015) Photo 1: Before Upgrade (07 July 2015)
“Looking back from the early days of Moza Investment, I am satisfied at how I have overcome the many challenges that have come our way. Moza started with just a shovel, pick rake and a bakkie growing to owning equipment and having a processing team. The biggest challenge was to maintain a strong financial background with any financial institution and we have managed to do that. I believe that can be a measure of the success of any company.” Running a business such as his, demands that one learns and maneuvers their way around challenges. Mootu says his most challenging project was the Okahao Project in which he encountered an unexpected water level, whereby it was shallow but the excavations done were deeper that was required. The ground became loose and so they had to dig wider and broader which resulted in massive costs and prolonged project duration. However they improvised by getting bigger suction pumps and replacing the mud with building sand to suck out the water. For the trenches they had to excavate a V-form type and not the normal straight one so as to prevent sand from breaking down on the trenches.
Mootu concludes, “ FNB Ondangwa Upgrade
It is importantDate to04have March 2016 a vision of your life and your business so that when challenges come in the way, the motivation to continue is always higher.
I always tell aspiring engineers in my trade that the secret that has worked for me so far is to be disciplined financially as well as in daily activities of the running the company. It is always also very wise to invest the profits back into the business Photo 1: Before Upgrade (07 July 2015) rather than to spend.”
After the upgrades (29 February 2016)
Photo 2: After Upgrade (29 February 2016)
Moza Investment Moza Investment was founded in by managing member Gottfried Mootu in 2009 and started operating in 2010, specializing in construction and renovation, water and sewer reticulation, storm water channel, branding of office building, investments in properties, general trading, transport and consulting services.
The company strives to be the best and preferred company for potential clients and stakeholders and to be a dynamic and accountable company in our engagements.
COMPANY PROFILE
Ondangwa where he installed storm water drainage, sewer pump station and interlocking.
Projects Completed PROJECT DESCRIPTION
COMPLETION DATE
1
Provision of water Reticulation to sky phase 2,Ongwediva
June 2012
2
Construction of Roads, Sewer, and water for Extension 2, ongwediva
August 2012
3
Provision of interlocked-parking at Ongwediva Town concil
4
VALUE N$ 1.5 Million 1 451 245.95
June 2011
600 000.00
Construction of Concrete Lined Channel and Interlocks in ondangwa
January 2013
825 700.00
5
Construction of Bitumen Road in Okahandja
July 2015
4.2 Million
6
Provision of Water and Sewer ReticulationIndustial Area in Ongwediva under BMZ INVESTMENTS CC Extension
November 2011
1.4 Million
7
Construction of Ablution Block at Bravo and Erecting of Razor Mesh Fence
July 2012
800 000.00
8
Construction of Ablution Facility at Mpungu Okatope
September 2013
563 000.00
9
Construction of Curvets
December 2013
5.6 Million
For MR-120 Okatana-Endola-Onhuno 10
Labour based Construction of 12 Barrel CulvertsOkalongo
February 2010
11
Construction of 5 in-situ Culverts-Ompundja – Eheke Road
12
Nampower Housing Renovation
13
Provision of Water Retuculation to Sky Phase 3-Ongwediva
14
Provision of Sewer Infrastructure for Extension 3 in Okahao
0ctober 2014
4.5 million
15
Post Flood Rehabilitation of Roads in Northern Namibia9NA/FED/023-492)-LOT 1
October 2015
5.6 million
16
Maintenance Refurbishment work on the ENWC Canal from Grootfontein to Omatako Section 2.
August 2015
2 071 802.00
17
Construction Of Bridge at Okarui
18 19
March 2012 December 2011 June 2014
2 300 000.00 3 million 600 000.00 1 489 972.28
February 2016
1.3 million
Supply and Installation of 80mm Interlocks for an Area of 1960m² at Namwater Oshakati Plant.
March 2016
942 660.00
Construction of Civil Electrical and Mechanical Service(sewer, storm water, parking area and boundary wall at FNB Ondangwa
February 2016
4 206 580.40
The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
15
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
Lund Consulting’s 50-year progression Lund Consulting Engineers CC (LCE) are consulting water, civil, structural and mechanical engineers, as well as project managers of a wide variety of engineering project across Namibia. In addition to these services, the firm offers a wide range of related services, depending on the client’s requirements. Situated in Windhoek, the firm was established in 1966 and therefore has over 50 years of experience to draw on. Below the firm takes us through its 50 year-progression.
Outline LCE’s contributions to Namibia’s development to date. Over a period of time, LCE has been involved with the feasibility studies, design and construction supervision of rural water supply projects which have brought potable water to within walking distance of many thousands of people and their animals in the rural areas of the Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa Regions. These projects have included boreholes, pump stations, various sizes, types and configurations of reservoirs, over one thousand community water points, nearly four thousand private connections and well over two thousand kilometres of pipelines. One of the first projects tackled by the precursor firm to LCE was the design and construction supervision of the Ruacana hydro-electric power scheme, which was successfully completed in 1978 and which still provides electrical power to Namibia today. LCE undertook the design and construction supervision of the abstraction tower in the Omdel Dam, which was completed in 1991. Design and construction supervision of the structural and civil components of what is now NamWater’s head office building in Windhoek, completed in 1987, was undertaken by LCE.
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The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
This included two 5-storey reinforced concrete office blocks, a double storey reinforced concrete parking garage, a heavy equipment workshop with a 20 ton travelling crane, two warehouses and stores, a water meter testing installation and building, soils laboratory, ablution facilities, spray painting and sand blasting workshops,... ....a 200 m3 underground reinforced concrete reservoir, a 200 m3 steel elevated reservoir, undercover parking garages, paved road works, sewage and water reticulation networks, retaining walls and general site works.
More recently, LCE was involved with the implementation of the first Membrane Bio Reactor waste water treatment plant in Namibia and a 5 MW biomass boiler at the Namibia Breweries Ltd. factory in Windhoek, which is also the first of its kind in the country.
What are the current projects in progress? We are currently involved with a number of interesting projects: ɱɱ The design and construction supervision of infrastructure to supply water to the land reform initiatives of the Ministry of Land Reform
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
ɱɱ The pre-feasibility study into the Augmentation of Water Supply to the Central and Cuvelai Areas of Namibia ɱɱ Upgrading and extension of the pipeline infrastructure linking the boreholes in the Windhoek Aquifer with the City of Windhoek’s reservoirs and pump stations for both water supply (abstraction) and water banking (recharge) ɱɱ The design of a ventilation system for a new tunnel for the Aus – Lüderitz Railway Line
What are the short and long-term plans of the company with regards to construction and infrastructural development in Namibia? Over the short-term, LCE aims to survive the downturn in the engineering and construction industries. In the medium and longer term, LCE wishes to continue contributing to the implementation of modern and reliable infrastructure which is critical for high and sustained economic growth, in a manner which is sustainable, cost-effective and which maintains the integrity of the environment. In the medium-term, we are involved with some of the key infrastructure and development aspects of the Harambee Prosperity Plan, including: ɱɱ Long-term planning to secure water supply to the Central Area of Namibia, ɱɱ Long-term planning to secure water supply to the Cuvelai Area of Namibia, ɱɱ Planning, designing and overseeing some of the infrastructure for the implementation of the Windhoek Managed Aquifer Recharge Scheme. In the longer-term we aim to remain as key role players in the water sector and to continue providing innovative solutions to what are likely to become increasingly complex water supply and demand problems, and so doing, contribute towards securing Namibia’s future water supply and hence towards Vision 2030 for Namibia.
What unique features are offered by the company in regards to products and/or services offered? LCE is very client-focussed and aims to provide innovative and cost-effective solutions which meet the needs of client organisations, be they in the public or private sector. We offer the full spectrum of engineering and project management services “from the cradle to the grave” or any portion thereof which a client may require.
We are among the foremost water experts in Namibia, both in terms of bulk and rural water supply, in terms of water transfer, storage and distribution, and in terms of planning, design and implementation.
What other sectors are directly or indirectly benefitting from the products/and or services offered by the company? Many communities and individuals and their animals have been provided with a reliable supply of potable water close to their place of residence by the various projects we have been involved in. This has really made a tangible difference to the quality of life for many people. Those who have been involved in and have benefited from our various services are foremost our clients.
Our employees have been involved and have benefitted, as have fellow engineering consultants, others in the built environment (architects, quantity surveyors), environmental consultants, drilling and construction contractors and others.
What are the milestones that have been reached by the company so far, from its inception of operations to date? We are proud of the fact that LCE, which can trace its roots back to 1966, has been an important and successful role player in the Namibian water sector for over 50 years. Equally, that over a long period of time, LCE has provided innovative, cost-effective, sustainable and environmentally responsible engineering solutions to our clients without compromising on business ethics or engineering standards.
From a global perspective, what does the company bring to Namibia’s construction sector? Through our strategic alliances, we are able to offer regional and international expertise to complement what we are able to offer locally. We are also committed to implementing national, regional and international standards to ensure that whatever we do locally, is comparable with the best practice globally.
The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
17
CONSTRUCTION
For the past 10 years, Omusati Construction, a 100% Namibian company, has delivered excellent buildings, roads and civil works to the country’s infrastructure, and has been moved by the perseverance of its skilled team.
The future is Omusati Construction “Having a skilled workforce is key in structuring a company so that it fulfills its goals of providing excellent services to the sector. We have also always had the youth in mind, providing employment opportunities, capacity building and skills transfer to them, ensuring that the excellent jobs we do will transcend time,” says Olavi Iita the Managing Director. upgrading of road to bitumen standard of the N$60 million stretch from Opuwo to Omakange. “After that I worked for United Nation: FAO as Director of Administration and Finance where I did enhance the skills which I currently possess that have helped me steer the successful boat that is Omusati Construction... ...I have always envisioned that from these beginnings will come property and infrastructure diversification, which are on the cards for the expansion of the company. With the very competent and skilled team that we are, these future plans will indeed come to fruition,” Iita says.
Olavi Iita the Managing Director.
I
ita possesses a Bachelor of Technology Degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Science and Technology in Namibia, a Certificate in Project Management and is currently studying towards ACCA qualification through the University of London, United Kingdom. He has extensive experience in the finance field and project management, which he amassed during his time with the Ministry of Safety and Security as an Accountant, the National Council, the Ministry of Finance, Roads Contractor Company and United Nations. Of key note is his stint with the Roads Contractor Company where he was the Project Management Accountant 2003 to 2008, where he was responsible for the project funds management for the construction of the N$45 million road from Outapi to Tsandi and the
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The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017
The team is made up of civil engineers, electrical engineers, quantity surveyors, building foremen and engineers-in-training with decades of experience combined, making up a staff of 50 people in total. “We have persevered and done well so far in finishing our projects in the specified amount of time and with the quality we had set out. In spite of the challenge of access to funding and limited collateral, with the means we have we have sailed through... ...We still set out to empower the communities we work with and to later on diversify into logistics. With our focused team, these plans will be implemented,” Iita concludes.
Current Projects Projects profile Client
Projects
Status
Project Value
Offshore Development Company
Omahenene Business Park phase One Completed March 2017
N$9,300,147
Offshore Development Company
Omahenene Business Park phase Two Completion by November 2017
N$14,000,000
Completed Projects Projects profile Client
Projects
Status
Project Value
City of Windhoek
Alterations and Additions to the park division office
completed April 2012)
N$1,668,277
Rundu Town Council
Construction of houses
Completed 2009
N$6,000,000
Ministry of Youth $ Sport
Construction sport Complex at Eenhana
Completed on 30 August 2013
N$17,323,000
Ministry of Finance
Construction of Omahenene Boarder Post
Completed November 2016
N$23,000,178
The Engineer | SEPT-OCT 2017