INFORMANTÉ |5
14 November - 20 November 2013
Main partner of Oranjemund Town Council
NCCI NAMDEB MOU AGREEMENT
NAMDEB’s rich history goes as far back
as 1920 when diamond-mining companies along the Orange River were
amalgamated to form Consolidated
Diamond Mines (CDM).
The town of Oranjemund was
established in 1936 to support the
mining activities of Namdeb.
Following Namibia’s independence, CDM became Namdeb in
1994.
In an effort to ensure the existence of the Oranjemund town beyond mining, Namdeb was one of the
key stakeholders driving the proclamation process. It was therefore a historical
milestone and a joyous occasion for Namdeb when Oranjemund was proclaimed as a
town in March 2012. “Namdeb continues to
support the newly-established Town Council, and regular meetings are held to ensure
sustainability through a smooth transition.
Namdeb still continues to render municipal
services and maintains the infrastructure of
Oranjemund Town,” said Pauline Thomas,
brand manager of Namdeb..
She added that Namdeb owns and operates a 37-bed private hospital, which provides associated health services for the benefit of its employees, their dependents, other
Oranjemund residents, and the wider community in the south-western corner of Namibia. The company is also the sole owner
of Oranjemund Private School, which currently offers pre-primary, primary, junior,
and senior secondary education to the Oranjemund community. Oranjemund Private
School currently has 835 learners, of which
280 are at the secondary education level.
“Following the proclamation of Oranjemund Town, a need was identified to improve communications, so as to advance
social development. This led to the commissioning of the Oranjemund Community
Radio (O-FM) project. As a key stakeholder, Namdeb sponsored and invested approximately N$400 000 towards the realisation
of the establishment of O-FM which was
officially launched on 8 February 2013.”
Oryx
Oranjemund's first-ever Mayor,
His Worship Henry Coetzee at
the Launch of the Oranjemund
Community Radio station
According to Thomas the company continues to engage the Oranjemund Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(NCCI) branch in effort to enhance services provided to the Oranjemund business
community. In April 2013, a memorandum
of understanding (MoU) was signed between Namdeb and the NCCI to promote
harmonious relationships between the two
parties.
The annual Oranjemund Diamond Festival is centred on celebrating the key aspects
of the town, namely, diamonds, people, and
the environment. “This event is one of the
highlights of Namdeb’s annual social calendar. Over the years, Namdeb has been
a key sponsor and provides the necessary
support to the Town Council in ensuring
that the event delivers its objectives of
uniting the Oranjemund community,” said
Thomas.
Namdeb’s mission statement states “We
produce diamonds profitably, sustainably and responsibly for the benefit of our
shareholders and other stakeholders, whilst
making a lasting contribution to Namibia”
Naftal Negongo Jnr Oranjemund: station manager Community Radio 91.0 MHz FM's
– This, statement, according to Thomas
underpins Namdeb’s commitment to leave
a lasting positive legacy for the town of Or-
Oranjemund Private School
anjemund and other communities impacted
directly by its operations, through socioeconomic development.