THE Windhoek City Council has agreed to advance N$1,9 million to start the long-overdue process of dealing with waste water from the Ramatex Textile Factory, which has been contaminating the City’s water sources.
The City and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development have known for two years that water sources are being contaminated by factory effluent and that waste water is being sprayed indiscriminately into the veld and water streams behind the factory. Ramatex uses about 2 000 kilolitres of water a day.However, the N$1,9 million plan did not pass without opposition councillors raising concerns about the lack of guarantees on the factory’s future in Namibia, or whether Government will repay the money spent on upgrading the recycling plant.Although Government has pledged to repay the City for the money spent during the first phase of the project, no agreement has yet been signed and it is expected that this will take a month or two to finalise.Government already owes the City in the region of N$30 million for infrastructure provided to Ramatex since 2001.Investigations by the City revealed that effluent is being discharged directly into the sewer leading to the Gammams Wastewater Care Works, affecting the operation of the treatment plant and raising the salt content of reclaimed drinking water.The City now plans to divert the effluent to the Otjomuise Wastewater Treatment Plant.In December, the then Minister of Trade and Industry Jesaya Nyamu, as the head of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Development and Parastatals, gave the go-ahead to the Technical Committee for the necessary changes at a total cost of N$12 million to start at the beginning of this year.But finding the money for the project has stalled.In April, Cabinet ordered that the Ministry of Trade and Industry release N$1,8 million to kick-start the necessary changes.Last month, Prime Minister Nahas Angula met with the Ministries of Trade and Industry, Finance and Agriculture and told them it was in the “national interest” to deal with the water situation at Ramatex as soon as possible.The Ministry of Finance said N$13 million would be made available for the project.The Technical Committee decided earlier this month that the City would lead the implementation of the project and operate the reclamation plant.It plans to sell the recycled water and the recovered brine to Ramatex and negotiate a contract with the factory to this effect.At Wednesday’s meeting, the DTA’s Ilme Schneider said Government owed the City more than N$30 million as its share of what the City had spent to date in providing Ramatex with infrastructure.Since 2001, Council has ploughed around N$87 million into providing infrastructure to Ramatex.Government has only paid around N$12 million of its half share.”We are concerned about the mess.I am pleased that the new Minister of Trade and Industry and the Prime Minister share our concerns about the environment, because it is a disaster.It’s not a joy to talk about Ramatex; it’s an embarrassment.But we have to talk to the Ministry of Trade for clarity.It’s easy for a textile company to leave because it’s all mobile,” said Schneider.The Republican Party’s Nico Smit also expressed reservations.Smit said neither Government nor the factory could provide the City with an assurance that it was not wasting millions in public money on the factory, which could pack up and leave with little or no notice.”What is going on? Is Ramatex going to stay here? What if we spend N$6 – N$7 million and they pack up and go?” said Smit.”Whether it comes from Government or us, it is still public money.”Deputy Mayor Elaine Trepper said it was the City’s duty to provide land and services to the factory.”Should Ramatex not continue to operate in this country, we won’t really lose out.We are still the owners of the land, the buildings are ours and we can utilise what facilities they leave behind,” said Trepper.Smit reminded her that even the buildings at Ramatex were pre-fabricated and could be packed up as quickly as it took a textile factory to pack up its equipment, leaving behind only the concrete floor.Mayor Matheus Shikongo said the councillors’ concerns were valid.He agreed that the council be provided with a full breakdown of what had been spent on the factory.The City’s CEO, Niilo Taapopi, assured councillors that the City’s agreement with Government would need to take into consideration that the factory could cease operations at any time.He also vowed to provide councillors with the full financial costs and implications of Ramatex to the City.Council will also be approached soon to waive tender regulations to speed up the procurement of the necessary services and materials, Council documents state.Ramatex uses about 2 000 kilolitres of water a day.However, the N$1,9 million plan did not pass without opposition councillors raising concerns about the lack of guarantees on the factory’s future in Namibia, or whether Government will repay the money spent on upgrading the recycling plant.Although Government has pledged to repay the City for the money spent during the first phase of the project, no agreement has yet been signed and it is expected that this will take a month or two to finalise.Government already owes the City in the region of N$30 million for infrastructure provided to Ramatex since 2001. Investigations by the City revealed that effluent is being discharged directly into the sewer leading to the Gammams Wastewater Care Works, affecting the operation of the treatment plant and raising the salt content of reclaimed drinking water.The City now plans to divert the effluent to the Otjomuise Wastewater Treatment Plant.In December, the then Minister of Trade and Industry Jesaya Nyamu, as the head of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Development and Parastatals, gave the go-ahead to the Technical Committee for the necessary changes at a total cost of N$12 million to start at the beginning of this year.But finding the money for the project has stalled.In April, Cabinet ordered that the Ministry of Trade and Industry release N$1,8 million to kick-start the necessary changes.Last month, Prime Minister Nahas Angula met with the Ministries of Trade and Industry, Finance and Agriculture and told them it was in the “national interest” to deal with the water situation at Ramatex as soon as possible.The Ministry of Finance said N$13 million would be made available for the project.The Technical Committee decided earlier this month that the City would lead the implementation of the project and operate the reclamation plant.It plans to sell the recycled water and the recovered brine to Ramatex and negotiate a contract with the factory to this effect.At Wednesday’s meeting, the DTA’s Ilme Schneider said Government owed the City more than N$30 million as its share of what the City had spent to date in providing Ramatex with infrastructure.Since 2001, Council has ploughed around N$87 million into providing infrastructure to Ramatex.Government has only paid around N$12 million of its half share.”We are concerned about the mess.I am pleased that the new Minister of Trade and Industry and the Prime Minister share our concerns about the environment, because it is a disaster.It’s not a joy to talk about Ramatex; it’s an embarrassment.But we have to talk to the Ministry of Trade for clarity.It’s easy for a textile company to leave because it’s all mobile,” said Schneider.The Republican Party’s Nico Smit also expressed reservations.Smit said neither Government nor the factory could provide the City with an assurance that it was not wasting millions in public money on the factory, which could pack up and leave with little or no notice.”What is going on? Is Ramatex going to stay here? What if we spend N$6 – N$7 million and they pack up and go?” said Smit.”Whether it comes from Government or us, it is still public money.”Deputy Mayor Elaine Trepper said it was the City’s duty to provide land and services to the factory.”Should Ramatex not continue to operate in this country, we won’t really lose out.We are still the owners of the land, th
e buildings are ours and we can utilise what facilities they leave behind,” said Trepper.Smit reminded her that even the buildings at Ramatex were pre-fabricated and could be packed up as quickly as it took a textile factory to pack up its equipment, leaving behind only the concrete floor.Mayor Matheus Shikongo said the councillors’ concerns were valid.He agreed that the council be provided with a full breakdown of what had been spent on the factory.The City’s CEO, Niilo Taapopi, assured councillors that the City’s agreement with Government would need to take into consideration that the factory could cease operations at any time.He also vowed to provide councillors with the full financial costs and implications of Ramatex to the City.Council will also be approached soon to waive tender regulations to speed up the procurement of the necessary services and materials, Council documents state.
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