Okahandja deputy mayor Akser Aupindi says N$1.2 million is required to complete the relocation of the town’s dumpsite.
This comes as residents living around the current site at Ekunde extensions 4 and 5 have been complaining about the health hazard the site poses.
In 2023, residents living around the dumpsite said they had been promised that the site would be relocated since before 2020.
Aupindi yesterday told Desert FM the council is in the process of creating a long-term plan to ensure a sustainable waste management area.
“The road to where the site will be constructed needs to be mapped out. Because you need a way to go there so that when this money is secured, we will not struggle again to start with our own machinery,” Aupindi said.
He said the council is currently busy clearing a road to the new dumpsite.
The town needs to apply for an environmental impact assessment at the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Aupindi said.
The council had to identify prospective areas for the relocation of the dumpsite.
“As we speak, the process is 85% complete,” the deputy mayor said.
Aupindi added the council has met with various stakeholders to secure the N$1.2 million needed for the process to be complete.
He said the council will be receiving aid from experts from Cape Town, South Africa, set to arrive in Namibia on 19 February.
“So we are optimistic that the N$1.2 million will be available,” he said.
Apart from health concerns, the area around the site is not electrified.
However, the Central North Regional Electricity Distributor (Cenored) has started electrifying houses at Ekunde extensions 4 and 5.
Cenored spokesperson Chali Matengu on Tuesday said more than 200 households have benefited from the programme at a cost of over N$2.4 million since January.
He said Cenored is committed to improving the reliability of electricity supply and will therefore continue to enhance services at Okahandja.
“We can assure our customers of our dedication to providing a stable and reliable power supply through continuous investment in infrastructure, swift responses to faults and collaboration with our stakeholders in addressing all supply challenges related to electricity distribution,” Matengu said.
He said the company is excited to be part of the electrification programme as Okahandja’s municipality is a proud shareholder in Cenored.
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