Martin Endjala
More than 1 000 job opportunities are set to be created once the construction of houses at Farm 37 7 kilometres east of Walvis Bay in the Erongo region commences, Landless People’s Movement Walvis Bay Councillor, Ryan Gordon says.
According to Gordon, Farm 37 is not only envisaged for the construction of houses but also to provide an opportunity for job creation for the community.
Gordon told this publication yesterday in an interview that he is currently in discussions with various investors to come on board to construct affordable homes for members of the community.
Companies will have to ensure that between 1 000 and 2 000 workers on the project come from the community. He stated that the days are gone when investors are given tenders to construct buildings in towns and not hire people from the local communities.
“These people live in these communities, some are in dire need of work and as soon as this project kicks off, I want to see local people doing the construction work as this will also benefit families that are struggling,” Gordon said.
He further highlighted the outcry of unemployed young people and said joblessness is an urgent matter which needs immediate intervention by all stakeholders to safeguard their livelihoods.
“We must do everything in our power to keep young people from taking matters into their hands as we have witnessed in other parts of the world,” he said.
In addition to this, Gordon argued that even if communities may not have the necessary skills, he wants to see people getting employed even if it is only for general work.
The Councillor is of the opinion that the little money people are going to be making from the work, will go a long way.
A motion which Gordon submitted in January this year to the Management Committee in regard to the allocation of plots to residents residing in and around Farm 37 and aimed at addressing homelessness in Walvis Bay, is currently under discussion.
He urged the Walvis Bay Town Council to speed up the finalisation of the motion to prevent people from becoming impatient.
Farm 37 will eventually accommodate 30 000 people on 700 plots.
The area was first identified in 2016 by the late Erongo Regional Governor, Cleophas Mutjavikua, as a solution to the housing shortage.
