4th POST INDEPENDENCE COUNCIL SWORN-IN

The 4th post independence Council was sworn into office on 02 December 2010 by Magistrate Benhard Tjatjara. The three women and seven men Council will decide on the activities of Council for the next 5 years and chart the roadmap which will spearhead Swakopmund’s development agenda.  After the swearing-in Council went to the serious business of electing the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and the four members of the Management Committee who will hold office for the next twelve months.

Councillor Rosina //Hoabes was elected Mayor whilst Councillor Juuso Kambueshe will be her deputy.  The Management Committee will be headed by Councillor Nehemiah Ndara Salomon as Chairperson and Councillor Rosalia Ndahafa Andreas-Noabes as the Alternate-Chairperson. Councillor Louise Madi and Councillor Anthony Nicolaus Bessinger will serve on the Management Committee as ordinary members.

Other members who will serve as ordinary members of Council are Councillor Uahimisa Kaapehi, Councillor Ferdinand Hamukwaya, Councillor Peter Volkmar Steinkopff and Councillor Elifas //Khoaseb. Only three out of the ten Councillors served on Council before and the remaining seven will be new members to the business of Council. The new crop of Councillors have brought along a wealth of experience in all spheres of life such as business, tourism, administration, culture and religion. The swearing-in of Councillors was a momentous occasion which heralded the beginning of a new era for the local authority of Swakopmund.

The electorates should be in the forefront of the town’s development agenda by participating in Council’s matters and get first-hand information by attending Council meetings which are held on the last Thursday of the month at 19h00. Council meetings are public meetings and everybody is welcome to attend.

ANNUAL CULTURAL FESTIVAL HELD IN SWAKOPMUND

Swakopmund continue to attract high level international and national events. One such event is the Annual Cultural Festival which was held here from 07-10 December 2010. The festival attracted participants from the thirteen political regions of Namibia. Young and old from the length and breath of Namibia converged at the Vineta Central Sportfield to showcase their traditions. The keynote speaker was the Deputy Minister of Youth National Service, Sport and Culture, Honourable Pohamba Shitefa who encouraged Namibians to embrace culture and to accept cultural diversity.

Speaking at the same occasion, which was her maiden public engagement since she took office, was Her Worship the Mayor, Councillor Rosina //Hoabes who urged participants to preserve and promote cultural diversity. She stated that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines culture as “the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society or a social group and that it encompasses in addition to art and literation, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs”. In order to contextualize the UNESCO definition of culture the Mayor stated that anthropologists, social theorists and regular citizens have reached common ground that culture is learned, shared and integral to an individual or group’s senses of identity.

Namibia is blessed with a rich cultural tradition, with talented artistic individuals and communities living across the length and breath of this country. In many parts of the country, communities have access to natural and material resources, human resources, cultural assets, indigenous knowledge, traditions and customs that can be key agents for social and economic development, stated the First Citizen of Swakopmund.

The Mayor requested stakeholders to invest in people and things that are important to the people.

The festival was celebrated under the theme “Our Quality of Life” which relates to the structure of society, cultural norms and the interaction between various groups.

MAYORAL LUNCH FOR THE ELDERS

The Mayoral Lunch for the Senior citizens of Swakopmund was hosted at the Vierkantsklip on the 20th November 2010. Four hundred (400) Senior citizens were invited and they all had a wonderful day.

Christmas season is that special time of the year when friends and families get together to celebrate. Christmas is a time of joy and a reflection of what happened during the past months.
  
The Former Mayor, Councilor G N Shitaleni said that it is sadly her  last Mayoral Lunch for the Elders and it breaks her heart but at the same time brings joy because she leaves knowing more than she arrived in office.

During her speech she also said: “Thank you so much for your prayers, advice and for reprimanding us when the need arose. Much of our success is because of the work and efforts of people like you, our local senior citizens. You, the seniors of our community, know our past. None of you should ever discount the vital role you have played in the growth of our town and you will continue to play that role. On behalf of all our residents we wish you and your own families the very best for Christmas and the New Year.”

All the senior citizens received a two meal course and parcels with goodies. They were so overjoyed and expressed their gratitude and blessings to the Councilors, Junior Town Council and everybody who helped make this event a success.  The Office of the Mayor and Council would like to give thanks to the sponsors and all that have contributed to the success of the event.

REFUND FOR WATER LEAKAGES

Council provides leeway to consumers in the event of water leakages of which the consumption exceeds 60m³. It appears that only a few consumers are aware of this policy and are benefiting from the policy. Consumers whose water consumption is in excess of 60m³ as a result of a leakage should claim their credit from the Finance Department.

The credit will only be allocated if the repair was done by a registered plumber. It is important for consumers to use registered plumbers for the repair of water leakages in order to benefit from the policy.

 Water Leakage Policy

1) A special tariff per kl will become applicable where proven water leakage has been experienced (over 60 kl of water).

2) A credit will be issued in respect of additional sewerage, based on the average water consumption for the past 6 (six) months.

3) However, no credit will be allowed where the leakage was experienced in the house or on the premises which have gone through the sewerage system.

4) The applicable tariff in cases of leakage is N$9.45.

5) A credit is only granted upon proof of invoice from a registered plumber.

MAYORAL DINNER A HUGE SUCCESS

The Mayor announced during the October Council meeting that this year’s Mayoral dinner netted a whopping N$262 596.85. The Mayoral dinner is an annual event to raise funds for the Mayoral Development Fund(MDF).

The Mayor stated that the main aim of the MDF is to create significant and sustainable improvements in the levels of both educational opportunity and achievement to provide increased access to economic self-advancement by impoverished rural communities.

An amount of N$140 000.00 was donated to local schools from the MDF.  “Tonight, we are honored to witness a donation of N$140 000.00 to the 14 schools in Swakopmund, averaging N$10 000.00 per school” announced the Mayor.

A needs assessment was done by every school and they submitted these to our offices after which Council resolved to settle all the invoices obtained regarding quotations received. “We realize that Central Government is not able to cater for all the educational needs of everyone and our support in this regard is vital” stated the Mayor.

She expressed gratitute towards individuals and institutions which contributed towards the Mayoral Development Fund.

Speaking on behalf of all the schools, Mr A Britz thanked Council for the generous donation. He stated that education plays a pivotal role in the development of the country and futher assured Council that the donation will be put to good use.

COUNCIL TO REGULATE SHACKS

Insufficient and inadequate housing among the urban poor is a common feature in many towns and cities in the developing world. Swakopmund is no exception as evidenced by the existence of numerous informal dwellings in our town. While most poor people live in the DRC informal settlement, a significant proportion have erected informal structures in the backyard of houses.

To address this inefficiency Council is in the process of drafting a policy that would regulate shacks in Swakopmund. With the approval of the Swakopmund Housing Policy a committee, called the Working Group Committee on shacks, was established and tasked with the responsibility to develop policy guidelines for the gradual phasing out and or control of shacks in Mondesa.

The problems associated with backyard shacks include; overcrowding, fire hazards, lack of personal security (theft), inadequate access to sanitation facilities etc.

The draft policy guidelines propose that the Swakopmund municipality pioneers a new approach to shacks whereby backyard shack dwellers may be allowed to occupy and use land, subject to certain conditions which can be provided for in the amendment to the Town Planning Scheme. The envisaged policy is expected to address aspects related to building materials, spacing between shacks, density of dwellings, electricity connections etc.

NEW LEADERSHIP OF THE JUNIOR TOWN COUNCIL

The new leadership of the Junior Town Council (JTC) was announced at the recent Council meeting by Her Worship the Mayor Germina Shitaleni.

The new JTC leadership hails from all local schools with Grade 10 including private schools. In the past only public schools were considered. “I am glad to announce that all schools that have Grade tens are now represented and new on board are Swakopmund Private School, Swakopmund Christian Academy and Pro-Ed Academy, the Mayor announced.

The Mayor commended the organisors for ensuring that the JTC is all-inclusive since it is the mouthpiece of all school going youth of Swakopmund.

 The first citizen of Swakopmund further thanked the outgoing committee for their dedication and hard work. “Your commitment especially during Council events did not go unnoticed. We wish you all success with your exams, concluded the Mayor.

New Leadership of the JTC:
Junior Mayor - Ziana Louw
Junior Deputy Mayor - Tiffany Claasen
Treasurer - Lavinia Thomas
Secretary - Linden Groenewald
PRO - Ellenor Gertz

MUNICIPAL GOLF TEAM   EXCEL IN TZANEEN

The SAIMSA games held in Greater Tzaneen, South Africa came to an end on 02 October 2010. A total of forty one (41) Municipalities participated in the SAIMSA games this year.  The Swakopmund Municipality was represented in four different sporting codes namely; golf, darts, pool and volleyball (male and mixed team).

Our golf team performed very well and retained the trophy. The golf team has for the past two consecutive years been crowned the champions at the SAIMSA games. The volleyball and darts teams managed to reach the quarter finals amid tough competition.

The Chairperson of the club, Mr Benneth Khaibeb was elected as a member of the Technical and Disciplinary Committee of the events.

Apart from taking part in sport activities the SAIMSA games provides fertile grounds for networking amongst participants of the various Municipalities and club members exploited these opportunities to establish and strengthen bilateral relations between our Municipality and Greater Tzaneen Municipality at the Gala dinner.  The gala dinner was attended by Councillor Abilas //Gaseb and the Chairperson of the Municipal Sports and Social Club.

This networking resulted in the Chairperson of the club being invited to accompany the Mayor of Greater Tzaneen Municipality on a tour around the town.

The Mayor of Swakopmund congratulated the golf team for winning the gold prize and for retaining the cup. “We are really proud of your achievement. Keep up the good work and the team spirit. We thank you for flying our flag high”, said the Mayor.

The participation of the Municipal Sports and Social Club in this year’s SAIMSA games was made possible by a contribution of N$100 000.00 which was made available by Council. Only N$69 640.00 of the contribution made by Council was spent which resulted in a saving of N$30 360.00. The saving will remain in Council’s coffers.

The Municipal Sports and Social Club privately collected N$57 000.00 from donors and only N$37 996.00 was spent. The savings of N$19 004.00 will cater for future needs of the club.  The Chairperson, Mr Benneth Khaibeb on behalf of the Swakopmund Municipal Sports and Social Club thanked Council and all the sponsors for their support and for making the trip a reality.

TAXI RANK UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

The management of the Long Distance Taxi rank in Mondesa has been transferred to the new company, Ginger Spice Trading Enterprises cc which is under the leadership of Mr Jonah Leevi a local entrepreneur currently based in Windhoek. Nine companies responded to the invitation for proposals and only four of them met the requirements.

The taxi rank caters for the following destinations: Swakopmund and Windhoek; Swakopmund and Northern Namibia; Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. The five available kiosks will be rented out to the public and will provide the following services: Food and Beverages, Courier Services, internet cafe, salon and a general store. The provision of security services and repair and maintenance work are expected to be outsourced to local entrepreneurs. Taxi operators will be required to pay a monthly fee for the usage of the taxi rank. Ginger Spice Trading Enterprises cc will lease the Taxi Rank for a trial period of one year.

Once fully operational, the taxi rank is expected to ease existing public transportation challenges and ensure better service to the commuters. The current situation of bag-grabbing by the multiple ‘loading masters’ affecting the commuters destined for Walvis Bay will be addressed by the taxi rank’s new management.

The Swakopmund Municipality was credited by the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (NABTA) for investing in the public transportation infrastructure. Swakopmund is one of the few local authorities which have invested in public transportation infrastructure.  

UPDATE - NEW MUNICIPAL OFFICE COMPLEX

The New Municipal Office Complex is located more centrally in respect to all suburbs. The entire complex is divided into six functional wings or blocks. It is a double storey structure with an archive and server room in the basement. These blocks are self-contained in their function, but linked to other areas / departments through both internal and public passage ways.

The architect managed to de-emphasize the “double storey complex” image by drawing the roof structure 2/3 down the top floor. This floor thus is partially “in the roof”. Inside it gives a bit of the “attic atmosphere” which exists in some of the historic buildings. However, this is done in a modern way which does not reduce the functional office space. It uses a clever thermal isolation layers with internal air flow. Most of the offices are created with glass partitions, which allow good ventilation and natural light to even illumine the passages. Both design elements make the building more energy efficient and environmental friendly by reducing the power consumption for air-conditioning and lighting.

There is a clear functional separation between the administrative part and the policy making / political section of the new complex. The Council Chambers will be positioned in their own block, which can be closed off against the administrative blocks, providing better control and safety, when the public is attending Council meetings or public functions in the evenings.

During office hours the cashiers and enquiry desks can be reached by the public / municipal clients immediately from the main entrance. This reduces the need for members of the public to wander in the passages looking for assistance.

Onsite parking has been created for both official and staff vehicles/transport. The entire design aims at replicating the feel of the “old Swakopmund” while offering the functionality of the computer age.

Bringing the various satellite offices together under one roof, improves communication and reduces the time files “spend in transit”. A watch tower, which can be open for the public will serve as an architectural feature and landmark. It will also offer a new viewing point for tourist.

The modern design utilizes space much more efficiently, providing not necessarily more space but more functional space. This becomes evident when comparing just office or room space with the common areas, like passages and foyers. In the new complex “unallocated (wasted) space” is half of that in the existing buildings.

Five of the blocks and most of the public areas have been essentially completed. The project is almost on time and within budget at this point of time.

The contractor has been working hard to make up for lost time due to the difficult blasting operation for the construction of the basement structure. The “carpenters” will carry on during the builder’s holiday to make up even more time.

Block F, housing the Council Chamber, the offices of the Mayor and Chief Executive Officer has undergone redesign and refinement, to make the Council Chamber in particular more multi-purpose / multi-functional for better utilization.

Part of the wider landscaping of the site will be done by the Municipal Parks & Gardens Section to save costs.

PHILIPUS NAMALEMO FIRE STATION INAUGURATED

The Philipus Namalemo Fire Station was officially opened on 20 August 2010 by the Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development, Honorable Jerry Ekandjo who was the keynote speaker at the event. The minister pointed out that fire fighting is one of the most important services that local authorities provide to ensure the safety and security of the residents. “The Government of the Republic of Namibia and indeed the Ministry of Regional and Local Government , Housing and Rural Development , value highly those essential services aimed at protecting the lives and property of the citizens”, said the Minister. Honorable Ekandjo commended Council for building the Philipus Namalemo Fire Station within reach of the residential areas which will enable a timely response by the Fire Brigade to fire incidents. 

Currently the Fire Brigade has two permanent employees and twenty voluntary fire fighters of which one of the volunteers is a lady.  Council envisages a fire fighting force of seventeen permanent fire fighters at the Fire Station by 2012 and the recruitment of five fire fighters annually starting from this financial year has been approved.

The N$8 million Fire Station will provide sleeping quarters for fire fighters and will also be used as a training centre to equip fire fighters with the necessary skills.

This historic event was witnessed by a number of dignitaries amongst other the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Honorable Benhard Esau, Erongo Regional Governor Samuel Nuuyoma, Councillors of the Swakopmund Town Council, The Mayor of Walvis Bay, Members of the Swakopmund Fire Brigade and Mr Philipus Namalemo accompanied by members of his family.

BLUE BOYS FC MADE HISTORY

Traffic was brought to a standstill and sounds of celebration could be heard all over Swakopmund when Blue Boys Sport Club, the oldest soccer team in Swakopmund, defeated the Keetmanshoop based Fedics United to gain promotion to Namibia’s Premier league.
A long procession of vehicles proceeded to OB Street to celebrate the victory. Blue Boys Sport Club was founded in 1958 and has a large following within the community of Swakopmund and the club along with the likes of United Stars have tried for many years to reach the premier league. The boys from OB Street have now made history and have surprised both friend and foe with their achievement. Swakopmunders now have the opportunity to watch premier league games and to see some to the country’s finest players in action.

Meanwhile, Council has undertaken to improve the conditions of the Mondesa Stadium to enable Blue Boys Sport Club to play its league matches close to its fan base of Mondesa. The Mondesa Stadium will be upgraded in order to meet the requirements of the premier league. Council will erect a barrier fence around the playing field to separate the players from the spectators, more spectator stands will be provided to improve the carrying capacity of the stadium whilst the pitch will be improved and made free of potholes before the Premier League starts in early August 2010.

The promotion of Blue Boys to the top league has opened floodgates for donation from various corporate institutions. Some of the larger donations were made by the FIS Group of companies who donated N$113 00.00, whilst Premier Construction donated a small bus and fuel for the transportation of the team.

SEWERAGE PLANT CONTRACT SIGNED

Council recently signed a contract with Aqua Services and Engineering, the company which was awarded the mechanical tender for the new sewerage plant. This is one of the biggest projects to be undertaken by Council taking into account that about N$120 Million will be spent to complete the sewerage plant by 2012.

The newly appointed General Manager: Engineering Services, Mr Enrico van Wyk is supervising the multi-million dollar project and will ensure that it is completed on schedule. At the contract signing ceremony Dr Günter Lempert assured Council that his company will respect the terms and conditions of the contract. The new sewerage plant will be erected away from residential properties at a site about 3 km north of the current dumping site. Although located approximately 8 km from the CBD ie and will have a buffer zone around it which will prevent any development within 500 metres from its boundaries.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FUND ESTABLISHED

Eleven houses and more than thirty shacks including valuable belongings were destroyed in Mondesa when a fire broke out on 22 May 2010. Fanned by a strong North East wind and soaring temperatures the the fire moved very quickly and it we were fortunate that no lives were lost.

In response to the catastrophe, the Mayor called an emergency meeting on 24 May 2010 and it was resolved to establish the Swakopmund Emergency Fund.

All monetary contributions towards the fund will be deposited into Council’s current account, and will be allocated to the Fund. Council will contribute towards the Fund annually.

Numerous institutions and social organisations have come forward with donations ranging from blankets, food and clothing to the victim of the recent fire outbreak. The Evangelical Lutheran Church (Immanuel Congregation) in Mondesa, MegaSave, Rössing Peer Educators, Namibian Breweries and the learners of the Swakopmund Primary School donated goods towards the victims. These donations were subsequently handed over to the victims by the Mayor.

Meanwhile Rio Tinto, one of the world’s mining giants donated a whopping N$100 000.00 towards the Emergency Fund to assist during disaster periods.

Corporate institutions and individuals wishing to contribute towards the Emergency Fund should contact the Chief Executive Officer at 064-4104327.

DISPLAY AREA FOR VEHICLES ON SALE

Council has designated a portion of the Fresh Produce Market Stall Area, Erf 2811, in Moses Garoeb Street for the display of vehicles for sale by private individuals. It was observed that this area is only used sporadically during the festive season, therefore it was made available for this purpose. The area is centrally located on a mjor traffic spine and has the convenience of a safe entry and exit point so that interested clients can pull-off the road safely to view the vehicles on display. The applicable tariff for the relevant permits to use of the area will be published soon and the necessary signs will be erected on site.

Vehicles are parked at own risk and Council is indemnified from any claims that may arise while the vehicle is parked on the site.

The following conditions are applicable:

• No commercial dealers be allowed to display vehicles.
• The permit issued must be displayed on the windscreen.

Please liaise with our Traffic Section at 064-4104301 for further details.

Meanwhile, those who intend to sell their vehicles are urged to be extra-cautious when dealing with would-be buyers as there are some unscrupulous elements within our community who pretend to be interested in buying a vehicle but in the process commit crimes.

THE BIG SCREEN

Neither wind nor cold could keep the soccer lovers away from the Fan Park created with the installation of a big screen at the Central Sports Field in Swakopmund for the screening of the World Cup semi-finals and final match. The event was arranged by the Swakopmund Municipality and made possible by First National Bank and Coca Cola.

The spirits of the Swakopmund sports fanatics, who embraced all weather conditions over the 3 days could not be dampened. The atmosphere at the big screen was stupendous and thanks to the vuvuzelas and kuduzelas the FIFA World Cup was brought closer to the community. Everyone felt as if they were participating in the World Cup and the fans played their part by painting their faces and wearing the colours and flags of their respective teams.

The Master of Ceremony, Marvin Sakeus of Blue Boys Football Club, and his team added to the excitement by giving away prizes to fans who answered soccer related questions correctly and to those brave souls prepared to dance for their teams. The crowd’s response to the action on the screen was electrifying. Vuvuzelas and kuduzelas droned loudly and the fans screamed, oohed and sighed in unison with the crowd at the World Cup venue where the match was taking place.

The feeling experienced was not that of one sitting in front of a big TV and one could not help but imagine that you were attending the live event in South Africa. This was echoed by the fans over the three days.

The attendance figures were as follows for the dates of the semi-finals and finals
06 July - 1000
07 July - 1500
11 July - 2000

The Mayor, Honourable Councillor Germina Shitaleni had the following to say about the big screen. “Well, I thought the idea of the big screens was brilliant. Sport is a unifier of people from all walks of life, I had the privilege to attend the the finals between Spain and Netherlands and it was absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere was electric and Swakopmund came together as one to celebrate the first ever Soccer World Cup on African soil.

I would like to applaud the organizers for responding positively to our initiative to have a big screen in our town and on behalf of Council, Swakopmund and all sport fanatics, I express my gratitude for including Swakopmund in this historic event,.”

The Municipality wishes to thank everyone who contributed to making this event such a success especially the sponsors FNB and Coca Cola as well as the Swakopmund Traffic Police, fans and organizers.

GENERAL VALUATION ROLL OF SITE AND IMPROVEMENTS

In terms of the provisions of Section 69 of the Local Authorities Act, No 23 of 1992, as amended, notice is hereby given that the Provisional General Valuation Roll 2010 of site and improvements in respect of all rateable property situated within the Swakopmund Municipal Area lies open for inspection during ordinary office hours as from 7:30 until 16:30 at the municipal Head Office, Room 7 (Finance Department), for a period of 21 days from Friday,
14 May 2010.
 
Objections against any of these valuations in the roll should be lodged with the Chief Executive Officer in writing on the prescribed form available in Room 7 (Finance Department), on or before Friday, 04 June 2010 and must state the grounds on which the objections will be lodged.
 
A Valuation Court will be held at the Magistrate’s Office, Swakopmund, on Monday, 21 June 2010 at 14:00 to consider the roll and the written objections lodged.  The objector or duly authorised representatives should be present at the Valuation Court Hearing.

Notice No:  56/2010  

M P C Swarts
GM: CORPORATE SERVICES

MUNICIPALITY SCOOPS PMR AWARDS

At the recently held PMR award ceremony the Swakopmund Municipality scooped the golden arrow PMR Africa award for its contribution towards economic growth and development of the country. Swakopmund was also awarded with a further six silver arrows awards in the following categories:

• To Fight Crime - Excellent - 2nd Overall
• To develop and enhance infrastructure - Excellent - 2nd Overall
• For job creation - Excellent - 2nd Overall
• To attract foreign investment - Excellent - 2nd Overall
• To attract Tourism - Excellent - 2nd Overall
• For being the cleanest - Excellent - 2nd Overall

The purpose of the awards is to enhance excellence in industry and to set a benchmark in industry and represents competitiveness, effectiveness, excellence, leadership, resilience and indicate customer service and customer satisfaction.

Her Worship the Mayor Germina Shitaleni and the Chief Executive Officer, Eckart Demasius proudly received this year’s awards on behalf of Council at the ceremony in Windhoek. Swakopmund has been a regular recipient of PMR Africa awards in various categories in the past.

ADVERTISING SIGNS AUDIT

All residents of Swakopmund, especially the business community are kindly requested to take note of an audit which is currently being conducted regarding the display of advertising signs. Site inspections will be done later during the year in order to determine whether the displays of the following signs were approved by Council:

ENCROACHMENTS (meaning signs that encroach onto municipal pavements; or hang over municipal pavements), can be categorized as follows:

• Signs fixed against the property boundary or cantilever overhead signs which might only be applied for in the name of a locally registered business.
• Advertising Stands (fixed), such as covered permanent notice boards for estate agents).
• A-Frame Mobile Advertising Signs / Feather Benders / Teardrops (only one sign per locally registered business is allowed.) The maximum size of an A-frame sign is 750mm high by 400mm wide and these may only be placed directly in front of the business premises of the applicant, in such a way as not to be an obstacle for pedestrians.
• Road Traffic Signs (tourist information signs and directional signs which are anchored on municipal pavements). A maximum of three signs per facility / institution is allowed provided that the conditions as contained in the Advertisement Policy. An annual maintenance fee is applicable.

Applications for the above signs must be submitted on the prescribed application form which is available at the Engineering Services Department. Subject to approval of the above signs, a lease agreement is entered into by and between the Municipality and the applicant whereby Council is indemnified of any claims for damages which may arise from these signs and an annual rental fee is payable. Should you have any of the above signs which were not approved by the Engineering services Department, you are kindly requested to submit an application on the prescribed form. In terms of Council’s advertising policy, in addition to the above, the following signs are allowed within the local authority area of Swakopmund (summarized):

Advertising Signs at the Town Entrances

Detailed applications for advertising signs at the entrance to town must be submitted to Council for approval of the sign as well as the position thereof.  These signs must be environmentally orientated.

Bed and Breakfast / Accommodation Facilities

Only registered facilities are allowed to advertise on one of the external walls of the facility (not the boundary wall).  Advertisements on erf boundary walls are not allowed.

Temporary Signs

Written applications will be considered by the Advertising Committee.

NEW APOSTOLIC CHURCH DONATES TO THE NEEDY

The New Apostolic church in Tamariskia organized a friendship walk which coincided with a fundraising event. Evangelist Jonathan Mukelabai indicated that the friendship walk was in preparation of the internal gathering of the church to be hosted in Cape Town, South Africa in May 2010. Enthusiastic church members participated in the friendship walk which took place on 13 February 2010.

Participants assembled at the church and walked all the way to the DRC whilst members were tasked with a responsibility to collect sponsorships from their families and friends for their efforts. The friendship walk managed to raise N$2 464.50 which was donated in equal proportions to the Erongo House of Safety and the DRC Community Project.

The Erongo House of Safety is an orphanage catering in vulnerable children of the entire Erongo Region whilst the DRC Community Project provides a soup kitchen feeding about 150 vulnerable persons daily. Councilor Priscilla Kavita and Pastor Ruben Petrus received the donation on behalf of the Erongo House of Safety and the DRC Community Project respectively. ‘The world will definitely be a better place for all of us to live in if we all employ a culture of care and giving to the vulnerable members of our respective communities’, said Evangelist Jonathan Mukelabai.

EXEMPTION TO PAY RATES

The Local Authorities Act 23 of 1992 makes provision for local authorities to exempt certain organisations and institutions from paying assessment rates provided that such entities conform to the provisions of the Act.

The Act caters for the following organisations or institutions and they are required to submit the required application form on or before 31 May in the year immediately preceding the financial year to which the application relates:

• Churches, missions, hospitals, schools or hostels which is not managed for profit or gain; amateur sporting organizations (from which no licensed trade is carried on. If a licensed trade is carried on, the area used for that purpose will be assessed separately for the account of the applicant).
• State-aided institutions or institutions aided by any charitable institution.

The above institutions and organizations are requested to submit their applications for the exemption from the payment of assessment rates to Council before the deadline.

The prescribed application forms can be obtained from Mr Ben Shigwedha, Room 31, at the Main Municipal Office Building in Daniel Tjongarero Street, Swakopmund; or can be downloaded from the Municipal Website:  www.swkmun.com.na.

The closing date for submission of applications is Monday, 31 May 2009.  Please note that no late applications can be considered in terms of the Local Authorities Act.

SERVICING OF INDUSTRIAL ERVEN

The servicing of land is a capital-intensive process and it is always prudent for Council to ascertain the interest of the public before embarking on the process.

Swakopmund is expanding rapidly and Council is obliged to make land available for development purposes.

The area between the existing industrial area and the Swakopmund Airfield, adjacent to the B2 main road was identified through the Master Development Plan as suitable for light industries due to its strategic location (see map below).

Council intends to determine the public’s need for industrial erven and all interested parties are requested to express their interest in writing.

Interested parties must express their interest in writing to the Corporate Officer: Properties not latter than Friday, 19 March 2010 (12:00) at P O Box 53, Swakopmund, Fax 088 614 514, Email sbruwer@swkmun.com.na.

For further inquires contact Ms S Bruwer at 064-4104219. Depending on the interest shown, the erven will be ready for sale before the end of 2011.

NEW UNIFORM FOR TRAFFIC

The Swakopmund Municipal Traffic has adopted a new uniform.  The new uniform was inaugurated during December 2009 with amid a lot of fanfare and camaraderie marching through the street of Swakopmund. The Municipal Traffic Officers where joined by their comrades-in-arms responsible for law enforcement i.e. the Namibian Police and Navy.

The navy blue colour for the new uniform was choosen after consultation with other major municipalities with a view to achieve uniformity as far as the dress code for municipal traffic officer is concerned. Our next door neighbours Walvis Bay will soon join us with similar uniforms for Traffic Officers. The new uniform will certainly boast the morale of our officers and will improve their visibility on the streets.
 
Meanwhile, Council recently approved a new booking system for NaTIS in order to improved service delivery to the residents after realizing that the previous system was inadequate to address the increasing number of people visiting NaTIS offices to obtain licenses. The booming mining industry has contributed to the high demand for drivers licenses since licenses are required for most mining jobs. Bookings will now be done on Mondays and Wednesdays whilst tests will be done on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays afternoons.

It has been realized that many people just make bookings for Learners’ and Drivers’ licenses but fail to turn up for testing and in the process deprive others the opportunity to be tested. In order to address the situation and to ensure that those who made bookings honour their commitments, Council has approved the payment of a non-refundable booking fee for all Learners’ and Drivers’ licenses bookings (see table on the right). The following charges are applicable: Learners’ Drivers’ licenses (Application N$45.00, Issuing N$35.00), Drivers’ license (Application N$110.00, Issuing N$150.00), Road Worthy certificates (Application N$100.00, Issuing N$30.00).

COUNCIL RE-AFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT

“The Municipality of Swakopmund recommits itself to provide quality, effective and affordable services to its residents and visitors”. This was said recently by Her Worship the Mayor,  Councillor Germina Shitaleni during the first Council meeting of 2010. She re-affirmed the commitment of the Municipality of Swakopmund to forge ahead with development aimed at creating future prosperity and the utilization of available funds to provide a conducive environment in which a better life for all can be assured.

“We, as a Municipality, believe we are firmly on track as we are continuously striving to be the service provider of choice as far as successful service delivery to our residents and the thriving local business sector is concerned”, said the Mayor.

Turning to the issues of alcoholism and drug abuse, the Mayor expressed concern with the alarming rate of drug abuse and stated that it contributes to the increase in crime, spread of HIV infections and teenage pregnancies. The Mayor appealed to the youth to refrain from substance abuse and to concentrate on activities that are constructive and will contribute positively to their lives and future.

“Experience has shown that successfully combating the alcohol problem requires the application of three complementary elements. These are reduction through law enforcement, demand reduction through prevention strategies and harm reduction through treatment and social support. I would like to take this opportunity to applaud our country’s law enforcement agencies in their role in fighting alcohol abuse in our town”, commented the Mayor.

Swakopmund’s future looks very bright. It is experiencing steady growth in the residential and commercial sector. Efforts by Council to make Swakopmund the ultimate holiday and investment destination is yielding positive results and has attracted a wide range of quality commercial and residential opportunities. The recent extension and opening of uranium mines has opened the town to a huge range of business and investment possibilities. Retail investors have injected millions of dollars into  the business sector with the revamped Pick ‘n Pay and the building of a new Spar shopping complex in Ocean View as proof thereof.

WHEELCHAIRS FOR THE SWAKOPMUND STATE HOSPITAL

The Mayor of Swakopmund Her Worship, Councilor Germina Ndapua Shitaleni visited the Swakopmund State Hospital recently and observed the poor conditions of the wheelchairs that are being used to assist patients. Based on this observation, the Mayor requested Council to donate three (3) wheelchairs to the Swakopmund State Hospital as part of Council’s social responsibility .

The hand over ceremony of the wheelchairs was held on 05 November 2009 and attended by, amongst others, Honorable Dr Richard Ncabi Kamwi, Minister of Health and Social Services, Governor of Erongo Region Mr Samuel Nuuyoma, Councilors and staff members of the Ministry of Health and Social Services.

Her Worship, the Mayor, Councilor Germina Ndapua Shitaleni stated that she believes that it is a God-given responsibility to take care of each other and especially the vulnerable members of our society. She also requested the staff members of the Swakopmund State Hospital to take good care of the wheelchairs and report any irregular activities if they observe any. In conclusion she expressed gratitude towards the benefactors of the Mayoral Development Fund for their contribution and support.

REGULATIONS RELATING TO PARKS, JETTY, MOLE AND BEACH AREA

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