Ester Hakaala The Hardap Regional Council has called for urgent national intervention to address persistent water shortages, a 32% unemployment rate and slow implementation of multi-million-dollar infrastructure projects. The council warned that weak execution and inadequate investment are undermining the region’s development potential. The concerns are contained in the council’s comprehensive regional development, performance and... The post Thirst grips Hardap appeared first on New Era .
Ester Hakaala
The Hardap Regional Council has called for urgent national intervention to address persistent water shortages, a 32% unemployment rate and slow implementation of multi-million-dollar infrastructure projects.
The council warned that weak execution and inadequate investment are undermining the region’s development potential.
The concerns are contained in the council’s comprehensive regional development, performance and investment priorities report for 2025/26, presented to the National Council by the Chairperson of the Hardap Regional Council Simon Kooper.
The report identifies water security as Hardap’s most pressing development constraint, saying shortages are affecting households, livestock, agriculture, schools, health services, tourism and investment.
The council is calling for an integrated regional water programme covering boreholes, reservoirs, pipelines, solar-powered pumping systems, rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, salinity mitigation, water harvesting and agricultural water infrastructure.
The report also raises concern over the slow implementation of several major water and sanitation projects, with several high-value projects recording less than 50% physical completion.
The N$3.3 million Hoachanas reservoir and two-borehole project is reported to be 36% complete, while the N$6.1 million Klein-Aub reservoir and storage project stands at 15%.
The N$9 million Schlip bulk water project is only 11% complete, prompting the council to call for urgent escalation.
At Maltahöhe, a N$30 million water project is 35% complete, while a N$20 million sewer project has reached 30%.
In Aranos, the N$8.4 million water project is 30% complete, while the N$8.8 million sewer project stands at 40%.
The council recommends that high-value projects below 50% physical completion be treated as executive exceptions and monitored monthly, with procurement status, expenditure, implementation constraints, responsible officials and recovery measures clearly documented.
Despite the implementation challenges, the region reported maintaining 581 water points, of which 39 are saline.
Nine boreholes were drilled during the reporting period, with eight proving successful, while 373 repair interventions were carried out at an estimated cost of N$873 000.
Approximately N$3.4 million was spent on drilling, N$3 million on installations and N$193 600 on emergency water interventions.
However, the council warned that continued dependence on emergency water supplies is unsustainable.
They called for permanent infrastructure to reduce reliance on water tankers.
The water crisis is compounded by a reported unemployment rate of 32%, which the council says requires a shift from short-term relief programmes towards sustainable employment and productive economic activity.
The report identifies agriculture and agro-processing, tourism and hospitality, construction, renewable energy, logistics, information and communication technology and local manufacturing as key sectors for job creation.
It proposes an employment chain linking skills and vocational training with enterprise finance, serviced workspace or land, productive infrastructure, market access and procurement opportunities.
About N$1.8 million was disbursed through the National Youth Development Fund during the reporting period, while N$10 million was allocated to basic sports infrastructure.
The council says youth financing and skills programmes should increasingly be linked to sectors capable of generating sustainable employment.
Housing and access to serviced land were also identified as major constraints.
In Mariental, a N$75 million informal settlement upgrading project is targeting 1 387 plots, of which 883 have been serviced with water and sewer infrastructure.
A N$42 million electrification project, supplemented by an additional N$1.5 million allocation, had electrified 975 plots, with another 100 households targeted.
In Rehoboth, N$36 million was allocated for electricity meters, with 5 200 split meters reported, while a N$33 million prepaid water meter project had procured 6 000 metres and installed about 4 400.
The council says housing development should follow an integrated pipeline covering land acquisition and planning, surveying and proclamation, water and sanitation, as well as roads and electricity, followed by housing finance and construction.
Agriculture remains one of Hardap’s strongest economic opportunities, with support reported across horticulture, poultry, dairy, small stock, mechanisation, farmer training, conservation agriculture and drought resilience.
The region reported 76 horticulture farmers receiving about N$1.1 million in support, while 49 poultry farmers received approximately N$360 000.
Eleven dairy farmers were supported with about N$1.4 million.
A total of 1 187 farmers were trained, while 1 200 farmers were targeted for drought-resilience support.
The council said the next phase should focus on irrigation, fodder and feed systems, extension services, storage, agro-processing, local procurement, livestock protection, logistics and market contracts to ensure agricultural support translates into measurable food security, household income and employment.
Tourism also remains an important economic pillar, generating approximately N$36.5 million in revenue during the reporting period.
The post Thirst grips Hardap appeared first on New Era.
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