Govt undecided over future of Swakop hostel

THREE years after the education ministry indicated it wanted to close down Hofmeyr hostel in Swakopmund due to its dilapidated state, about 100 Namib Primary School children are still accommodated there amid fears the building might collapse.

Apart from issues of broken roofs, leaking taps and toilets, a recent pipe burst has resulted in the flooding of the children’s rooms, bathrooms, store rooms and study rooms, since last month.

The kitchen’s two cold rooms have been out of order for the past year.

In 2017, following public concerns over the safety of the hostel and the estimated high costs it would take to repair it, former education director of Erongo John /Awaseb said pupils would not be allowed to return the following year.

However, the children returned to the hostel despite it being deemed unsafe.

Erongo education director Erenfriede Stephanus inherited the dilapidated structure when she took office in 2018. Although she is determined to find solutions, she says she was informed that there was no funds for repairs by the head office.

According to her, there are no concrete decisions with regards to the future of the hostel.

“Until all stakeholders have done their homework and determined whether the hostel can be renovated and maintained, the issue on the ground is that it needs fixing – at least to make it safe and liveable for the children,” she told The Namibian this week.

She said that decisions to close it down and sell it is also something that requires clarity.

“These children are not just from Swakopmund, they are also from other towns in the region. We cannot just close it down without providing an alternative accommodation for them,” she explained, adding that previously there were talks of a business wanting to buy the hostel from government and demolishing it to make way for an additional business complex.

“The deal was that they make accommodation for the boarders and build more classrooms, but we have not heard from them,” she said.

A business person at Swakopmund told The Namibian on condition of anonymity that the Hofmeyr hostel was offered to them for N$25 million – which they turned down. Stephanus could not comment on this.

“The budget needs to include some sort of renovations until we decide on the future of the hostel, which will be a multi-stakeholder decision. It will cost millions,” she said.

The most recent issue of the broken pipe has resulted in water being rationed three times a day for about half-an-hour for washing, cleaning and cooking. The rationing minimises the daily flooding and a soaring water-bill.

Some senior administrators at the Namib Primary School, who spoke to The Namibian on condition of anonymity said no serious renovations have taken place over the past 20 years. Over the years, some attempts to give the hostel a makeover fell flat after the project was left hanging, specifically on the roof and replacement of water pipes.

Cleaners have to push water out the front door daily and mop up the rooms on the ground floor, and part of the second floor due to the pipe burst.

“Water is gushing out everywhere, and soaking everything. Ten years ago, there was supposed to be some sort of inspection to evaluate the damage and come up with a plan, but to date, nothing has materialised,” said a worker, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals.

“The structure is weakening, and it might collapse, and that will be tragic,” the worker added.

Other concerns are that people may slip on the wet floors and get injured, and that the damp musky atmosphere inside may cause others to fall sick.

According to the regional office, the pipe burst only came to the director’s attention about two weeks ago. Stephanus submitted a report through the works ministry for a quotation. It was too expensive, so a private plumber was given the job – but it is turning out to be complicated.

After a pipe was repaired on the bottom floor, it was found that water was also coming from the second floor, and to attend to this, two sewage pipes have to be removed – all inside the hostel wall. This means breaking down walls and replacing rusty pipes with plastic pipes to reduce corrosion.

Until this materialises, the flooding will continue.

Further inspection by The Namibian revealed that little had been done about the roof and ceiling to ensure the hostel is not flooded from the top floor during rains. Education executive director Sanet Steenkamp when contacted for comment referred The Namibian to the Erongo education director.

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