ASAB settlement residents on Monday blocked a Chinese contractor and its local partner from doing rehabilitation work from the Gochas/Gibeon intersection to Tses in the //Kharas region.
The disgruntled residents gathered at the gate of China Henan International Cooperation Group basecamp at Asab complaining about the recruitment process, and accused Hardap governor Solomon April of reserving jobs for Swapo members, and sidelining Landless People’s Movement members.
The tender was awarded to Chinese state-owned construction company, China Henan International Cooperation Group, and Chico International Cooperation as the local partners.
“We can see that the majority of people employed already are not from this area. There are only six people from the Asab community,” a spokesperson for the group said.
The road construction project is worth N$550 million and involves the rehabilitation and widening of the B1 road between Mariental and Keetmanshoop from the Gochas/Gibeon intersection to Tses.
The project is expected to create about 800 jobs for locals over three phases. These jobs are to be shared on a 50/50 basis between the Hardap and //Kharas regions.
April and Hardap Regional Council chairperson Gershon Dausab were at loggerheads yesterday, with the governor pleading for the community to move from the company gates to allow them to start work while their grievances are addressed at a separate venue.
Dausab would not have that and accused April of sidestepping regional councillors in the recruitment process.
“The governor does not have the mandate to interfere in the developmental affairs of the region. That is the mandate of the regional council … His mandate starts and stops at the instructions he receives from the president,” said Dausab.
April has dismissed the allegations, saying he has no vested interest in the recruitment processes and only wants to see substantive development taking place in the communities they serve. April said he had requested for names from constituency offices and gave them a deadline for submissions.
He said Dausab blatantly disregarded the deadline and went on the NBC Damara/Nama radio and told the people to continue submitting names after the deadline.
According to April, the demonstration was instigated by LPM leaders who have to work with a Swapo governor.
“This is more about flexing muscles than it’s about progress. And unfortunately, according to the structure of government, I am the political head appointed to champion the development agenda with them,” said April.
//Kharas governor Aletha Frederik said for inclusiveness, they drew candidates from village level and received names from constituency offices from which they created a database for interviews, which will start on Monday.
Frederik said the project is over three phases and stretches up to Grünau, therefore not everyone will be employed at the same time, but workers will be drawn from places nearest to where the construction is taking place at any given time.
A large number of prospective candidates for different job categories are expected to be interviewed, while 200 locals were shortlisted as heavy machinery drivers and will be interviewed over the next few days, while the shortlisting for general workers is also under way.
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