I have heard from a reliable source, that as of the 1st of August, you will no longer be required to have a security clearance to enter Oranjemund or to use the North Bank Road!
Question is, why are we not hearing anything about this (and the opening of the town as Mike posted previously) from the official channels considering it has an impact on all of us???
methinks still some form of entry control is necessary seeing as its a nature reserve and so right on the doorstep of the diamond area ..
Welcome to the republic of Oranjemund ...
@Sean, the political people were caught off guard when the mine turned around and said, well the town has now been proclaimed, that's what you chaps want, so we are pulling our people out of securing the North Bank road on the 1st... well needless to say, the politicians and local law enforcement, went into a flat spin, as they were unprepared for the impending influx of wannabee informal miners and the likes thereof .... so at a hastely convened meeting between stakeholders yesterday morning, it was requested if the mine would continue to man the gates, until local elections could happen in November, and the local authority would have time to put controls in place.
The mine appears to have agreed, but one will still not need security clearance to enter Oranjemund as of the 1st August........ from what I can gather, the local Authority still wants the gates to be manned by either NAMPOL or Nature Conservation....
The politicians were also concerned about the number of company vehicles poarked around the town, they feel this would encourage potential criminals to perform acts of crime...
When I enquired about us locals who have cars parked under our afdaks, I was told to put gatea across the afdak..... we are about to enter the real world....
In closing, between, The guys at Sands hotel having their Bars rolled over and local inhabitants, the chatter in general is, they want the clearances to enter Oranjemund removed, but still want the town closed to keep out the bad elements.... kind of like a double edged sword....
I still maintain, that a referendum should have been held amongst the residents, to see what what they actually wanted...... this would have either given or denied the local politicians the mandate to proclaim or not to proclaim....
Anyhow, for what it's worth, I am looking forward to taking a nice walk down the North Bank road, stopping at the bushmen rock art on the way....
rooster1
Thanks Mike, that suddenly all makes sense!
Amazing that nothing happens about the proclamation for all this time and then suddenly it all happens so fast that everybody is caught off guard.
But like you said, we will still be the only town surrounded by a national park and a nice stroll along the river on the North Bank road will be very pleasant....
Yep! Yep!
Oranjemund residents, in general don 't like change, but this will be a good change, getting to be part of the real world, but we will still be in the platteland...... some residents have visions of 500 career criminals sitting in their valiants at the the Sendelingsdrift gate, just waiting with their crowbars and machetes..... sure we shall have an increase in crime, but speak to the residents of Rosh Pinah, it ain't all doom and gloom......
Maybe it's a eye blind
A bit more interesting news, I spoke to security yesterday and the only thing standing in the way of the road opening up is a notice in the Government Gazette which is expected to appear this weekend. If that happens as expected then the road will be open.
As an aside they also mentioned that between Friday and Monday this last weekend there were 10 cases of theft reported which is of course unusually high. A couple of guys have been arrested so Nampol seem to be on to it. Still, worth being careful.....
I hear this has all been posponed till next year sometime
you rock woo_hoo bravo grab(1) image071 affe-red rooster1time
Awfully so sadly so change is inevitable ... dont quite know what to say here ... I live in the big city , moved there and embraced the change that I had decided to do ... for folk staying where change is thrust upon them its different ... The difference for all with the change thrust upon them , work with it make the change work for you , take responsibility , push the issues ,, make positive things happen ... dont sit back and groan .. Mike you have the attitude work at it , and for all others follow his example ...