Sostenus Wilherm
The Bethanie community has received a N$64,886.51 boost through a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitment attached to a government infrastructure contract.
The commitment marks the first implementation of the Central Procurement Board of Namibia’s (CPBN) new procurement requirement.
West Trading JV Unik Construction Engineering Namibia handed over blankets, boy’s and girl’s school uniforms and sanitary pads valued at N$64,886.51 on Monday to vulnerable members of the Bethanie community, including learners at Schmelenville Combined School.
The donation is linked to the company’s N$64.88 million contract for the upgrading of the Sandverhaar-Buchholzbrunn Railway Line Phase 2, which involves the construction and rehabilitation of new and existing bridges.
The contract was awarded by CPBN on behalf of the ministry of works and transport under Procurement Reference No. W/ONB/CPBN-17/2024.
The contribution marks a significant shift in government procurement, with CPBN seeking to ensure that public contracts generate benefits beyond the delivery of infrastructure.
Under the CSR criteria introduced by CPBN, bidders for applicable contracts must submit a CSR proposal amounting to at least 0.1% of the contract value.
The proposal must outline initiatives aimed at community empowerment and poverty alleviation in the area where the project will be implemented.
In the Bethanie project, the contract is valued at N$64,886,514.63, making the minimum CSR commitment N$64,886.51.
The contractor fulfilled the requirement through the donation handed over to the community.
The initiative is the first procurement project to implement the CSR commitment since the criteria were incorporated into CPBN’s bidding process.
It demonstrates how government procurement can be used as an instrument for broader socio-economic development, allowing communities to benefit directly from projects taking place in their areas.
Speaking at the handover on behalf of CPBN, board director Simon Shivute said public procurement should extend beyond the acquisition of goods, works and services to create opportunities and strengthen communities.
He said the initiative shows that economic activity generated through public contracts can be linked to meaningful social benefits for communities.
Shivute also stressed the importance of responsible procurement practices, saying public entities and suppliers can work together to ensure that government spending contributes to the well-being of people while maintaining transparency, accountability and value for money.
He encouraged other public entities to embrace similar initiatives where appropriate and use procurement to advance wider socio-economic objectives.
The railway project has also created direct employment opportunities for residents of Bethanie.
Twenty people from the community have been employed on the project, allowing local households to benefit through income generated from the infrastructure work.
Bethanie Village Council councillor Willim Boois welcomed the donation and employment opportunities, saying the project was providing direct economic benefits to residents.
Boois expressed appreciation to CPBN and the contractor for investing in the community and for ensuring that local residents were included in the project’s economic activities.
The donation was handed over on behalf of West Trading JV Unik Construction Engineering Namibia by Engineer Jin Ye.
The items are expected to provide immediate assistance to vulnerable residents while supporting learners at Schmelenville Combined School.
For CPBN, the Bethanie initiative sets an important precedent for future applicable procurement projects.
The board intends to continue incorporating CSR criteria into its bidding processes to ensure that public contracts contribute to community empowerment, poverty alleviation, local economic participation and sustainable development.
The approach could also increase the social value generated from government infrastructure spending, particularly in communities where large projects are implemented.
While the railway rehabilitation project will ultimately deliver improved infrastructure, the CSR component has ensured that the surrounding community receives additional support during implementation.
The Bethanie experience therefore highlights a growing effort to link public procurement with tangible community benefits, ensuring that government contracts contribute not only to infrastructure development but also to improved livelihoods.
