Arandis to be ‘fueled’ soon

ARANDIS will soon have a service station again after the last one closed due to low demand caused by a slump in economic activity at the mining town.

The new service station is seen as an important element for development at the town – and a welcoming sign for motorists driving on ’empty’ to Swakopmund.According to Arandis CEO, Florida Husselmann, the previous service station closed due to the bleak outlook for Rössing Uranium at the time, which inevitably affected the economy of the town.However, the entry of international mining companies in Namibia’s lucrative uranium deposits has given Arandis a new lease on life and has contributed to an upswing in economic activity at the town.’We had many proposals for a service station and a truck port, but they never materialised,’ said Husselmann.She said a special development committee was formed, consisting of the Arandis Town Council, the Erongo Regional Council, Rössing Uranium and the Rössing Foundation, to discuss the importance of a service station at the town, of about 6 000 residents.’The local economy is a bucket full of holes, and one of those is the lack of a service station. Who would want to invest in a town without a service station?’ she told The Namibian.The Rössing Foundation, BP and the Arandis Town Council are in the process of finalising the venture, which will be situated next to the recently completed Arandis Trade Complex.