10| INFORMANTÉ
14 November - 20 November 2013
Municipality of Keetmanshoop
Hampie Plichta Avenue
Private Bag 2125
Keetmanshoop
Tel: 063 - 2212211
Municipality tackles housing shortage
MILLIONS are to be spent on developmental projects at Keetmanshoop during this financial year,
with emphasis on the servicing
of erven to be made available for
residential and business purposes.
According to the Acting Strategic
Executive Infrastructure and Technical Services, André Blaauw, about 1
200 erven are on the table to be serviced during the next few years.
“We will receive N$161 million
for the mass housing project, of
which N$60 million have to be used
to build houses, and the remaining
amount for the servicing of the erven
over a period of 17 years. Apart from
that money, we have also received
N$8 million this year as part of the
Targeted Intervention Programme
for Employment and Economic
Growth (TIPEEG) to service erven,”
said Blaauw.
He said Old Mutual also showed
interest to buy 259 erven in the
Westdene residential area, and the
company will be responsible to service the land.
The Namibia Training Authority
(NTA) is also looking for space to
construct a vocational training centre at the town.
“We are busy with the servicing of 141 erven in Extension 1 in
Krönlein, as well as another 90 erven
north-east of the hospital in that same
residential area. This project will be
Acting Strategic Executive Infrastructure and Technical Services, André Blaauw
The !Homs Ai Community Market
completed soon,” said Blaauw.
The municipality is also busy with
the servicing of another 306 erven in
Extension 6 in the Tseiblaagte residential area.
The !Homs Ai Community Market
was also completed recently, and an
amount of N$21 million was spent
on this project. The market will
serve as an outlet for home-based
manufactured products and tourism
activities.
With regard to the tarring of roads
at Keetmanshoop, Blaauw said that
an amount of N$4 million was made
available. The council will also, in
co-operation with the local Chamber
of Commerce and Industry, reseal
Steen- and Ferow Streets.
“We also had to enlarge the road
around the circle on the southern
part of the town to enable trucks
with abnormal cargo to use the
Keetmanshoop-Noordoewer road to
off load in the Northern Cape.”
With regard to the water supply
at Keetmanshoop, the municipality
recently replaced a valve at the OxPass reservoir which cost the council more than N$40 000. “We also
want to curb the
water losses at the
town, which currently
stand at about N$300 000
per month. The council, in cooperation with the European Union, want to replace some of the
water pipes, and we also want
to bypass the Donkiedraai reservoir where many leakages
are found. The EU already
provided us with a bakkie,
and will also assist with the
appointment of a consultant to
help with the curbing of the water losses,” said Blaauw.
In the meantime, an amount of
N$300 000 has been set aside
to upgrade the town’s
Central Park, while
the council is also
in the process
to upgrade the
traffic islands
at Keetmanshoop,
and
started planting date trees
at the entrance
to the town.