THE FUTURE OF MY ORANJEMUND!

[Michael Alexander]

THE FUTURE OF MY ORANJEMUND

Yesterday Evening, Michele and I went for a walk with our dog. We walked up the 5th avenue lawns, under the shade of those tall dark fir tree's. To the left of us, just barely 5 meters away, lay two large gemsboks, content and at peace whilst they munched on the surrounding green grass.

As we headed westwards, the sun's last afternoon rays began to sink behind the bulk of the old power station, a mere shell of a building that had once powered the diamond industry. We then turned north, between the power station yard and the tennis courts. The tennis courts silenced, not a ball or cheer to be heard.

Just next to the tennis court is the Oranjemund bowling club. Like the tennis club, it also has seen better days. Like all the other sporting institutions in Oranjemund, these clubs are still well maintained, but grappling with a severe dwindling membership problem.

If this had been any other major town, on such a pleasant late afternoon , individuals would be standing in a queue to have their chance on the court or lawn.

We continued our walk up to the large grass expanse, commonly known as St.George's Square. A large and lush square of grass, beautifully decorated with the most amazing shrubs and flowers. It seemed out of place , here in the middle of this desert town. The sky had turned a golden, sandy colour as a single, solitary car drove around the square.
This square has been the centre of Oranjemund as far back as 1948.

I went home after that walk, sat down at the kitchen table and started to think.

This town does not have to die, this town does not have to be reclaimed by the desert, people should still be able to live here, and contrary to common misconception, it can be run on an economical basis.

It just needs a little bit of common sense and above all a desire from Government ,DeBeers and Oranjemunders to achieve this.

For too long, the local economy of this unique town was derived solely from the mine. The cash cow that sustained every single one of the private and company individuals has been supported directly or indirectly from the DeBeers group. This cash cow is about to be turned off, as the diamond resources of the Namib desert become uneconomical to mine the cow will start to wander to a different field, which is understandable.

It is therefore imperative to find another source for the funding of the local economy. I have sat on the sidelines for the last three years and listened to various stakeholders presenting their suggestions.

I shook my head in disbelief as I realized that these well intended individuals did not grasp the idea of what was needed to preserve Oranjemund, how to market Oranjemund, and above all how to generate the future economy of Oranjemund, thus ultimately ensuring it's survival.

Now, I am by no means an expert on economics, but I am an Oranjemunder, well for the last 36 years I have been. My children have been born here, my mother lies buried here. As do my children, I went to school here. I guess this entitles me to an opinion on my town. 

There have been far too many people who have been involved in the future of Oranjemund, who are not trying to secure the future of the town for the people of Oranjemund, but more for what they can get out of it. There have been far too many people from government who visit Oranjemund, on a crusade, to help with the fight for the survival of Oranjemund, only to return to the capital with little further interest in a remote corner of their country. There have been far too many DeBeers people who have come to Oranjemund, proclaiming to have the answer to our woes. They spend two years here, meeting after meeting ensues, money is wasted on second rate schemes, that ultimately do not ensure the future of Oranjemund, as they tend to still rely on the fact that the original source of currency in Oranjemund is DeBeers.

In this sense, how can you dish out money for people to establish new business's in Oranjemund when you know full well, that as  the mine scales back on their workforce, the gross income available to Oranjemund diminishes. We are just wasting time, money and effort at this stage.

Where on earth are we going to find another cash cow to sustain Oranjemund? It's not going to be found in mushroom farming projects. It will not be found in tourism, nor will it be found in fish farming. These ideas are good, but have not the answer to our problem. Why?

1) Mushroom farming, does not create enough jobs or generate enough income to sustain the town. We are also far away from major markets.

2) Tourism, is an excellent idea, but once again, it will not generate enough traffic through our town and in doing so will not create the jobs needed to keep the entire town alive. It also is limited and will only benefit a few individuals. Due to the location and nature of Oranjemund, numbers into the Sperrgebiedt park would be controlled.

3) Aquaculture, more than likely, the best idea of the lot. Also labour intensive. However, it is cheap labour and not middle income driven..... Once again we will not achieve economical numbers to sustain the town.

On top of all these issues, we also have the various parties interests:

1) The DeBeers Group:  In all honesty , DeBeers do not want the area opened up to the general public just yet. This is fair and understandable. The entire unemployed population of Namibia believes that there are riches to be found in Oranjemund. That diamonds are a quick source to wealth. That Oranjemund is a place where diamonds can be found on the streets. If these gates were thrown open, we would have a mass influx of people migrating from the poorer regions of Namibia to Oranjemund. Oranjemund's limited infrastructure would not be able to cope with this influx.

The unique wildlife would be threatened, crime would be rampant. Namdeb security would have their hands full with people trying to access the diamond area....and above all, that unique point that makes Oranjemund, not just a special place in Namibia, but the world would have been destroyed..... the Security of Oranjemund.

In this, the "Security of Oranjemund", lies it's future, it's selling point.... To which nobody seems to have realized.

2) The Ministry of Wildlife: The Sperrgebiedt National Park is about to be proclaimed, and our little town sits right at the heart of this park. The Ministry would also like to see access control to this unique region kept in place, albeit a slightly easier access thus enabling the flow of tourism through the area. Under no circumstances would they appreciate a large style influx of people into the park. They would like to control the area along strict environmental guidelines. The remote , unpopulated beauty of the area, is it's 2nd selling point.

3) The Government:  Would like Oranjemund to remain an established town, generating tax revenue for the state. Providing quality education to it's young citizens through Oranjemund Private School. To have a presence in the most South Western corners of this vast land of ours. 

4) The Oranjemunders: The most important part of the interested parties. We have to ask ourselves, "Who are the Oranjemunders?"  Most people living here do not consider themselves Oranjemunders. They are here for a few years to earn an income. Most do not want to be here, due to the remoteness of the place and are only here due to the fact that it was one of the few places offering work. Some cannot wait to leave here and constantly moan about the place. Others have homes in other distant towns. We even have consultants that come to Oranjemund, stay for a few months and then think they understand how it all works. They have idea's, but do not consult Oranjemunders. They like to host meeting after meeting of endless banter, with nothing ever materializing, all whilst the cash cow is getting thinner. These consultants have been arriving more frequently over the years, and just as the consultant before them, earn a wage and move on leaving us to the howling wind.

An Oranjemunder is a person who goes to bed at night time and can hear the deafening silence of the vast emptiness of the Namib. An Oranjemunder is a person that gets a lump in his throat every time he watches another family leave Oranjemund. An Oranjemunder is a person who respects and loves the wildlife around him. An Oranjemunder is a person who knows what they have here in Oranjemund, and does not want to lose that. An Oranjemunder is a person who is here to stay!

In conclusion, we need a system that can achieve the following, Keep DeBeers, The Ministry of Wildlife and Tourism, The Government and the people of Oranjemund,  all happy, with a new source of revenue other than the DeBeers group!

Before we can respond to the above statement, it might be appropriate to ask ourselves, "What can we, as Oranjemund offer to attract others here", the answer has been here all along....

(part 2 to follow, I have to work!)

[SandyB]

Well put out so far Mike .. you been doing a lot of thinking over a long time ..  you  have a passion  for this town ..   I await with interest  your   follow on ..
POTENTIAL ..... ??

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

I am looking forward to part 2....  

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

and like Sandy I read the passion and have sensed it while I was there  AND.....   you keep going to keep this alive, pal....

[Michael Alexander]

The rest is in my head and now the weekend has arrived, so on Monday, I will deliver the closing argument on how to sustain Oranjemund!   

[Paul Alexander]

Hey!!!! are we going have to subscribe to hear the other half of the story....???? Is that how you plan to make money????  You better be at the damn fence tonight and complete this

[Bertie Horak]

Great words Mike.  You are indeed lucky to have been able to stay there all these years.  I think if I had a choice as a teenager, I would have preferred to stay when we moved, but unfortunately kids aren't allowed to stay in OMD on their own!   
Paul, I think you should tie him to that fence, and promise him a sip of beer for each new sentence!

[Leon Sumter]

Jees Mike you've covered just about all potential sources of revenue, can't wait for the grand slam solution you have.
Essentially you need to get people to OMD. You need to get people to spend money in OMD. OMD is so far off the beaten track so overcoming the first obstacle will be quite a challenge. A 'self sustaining retirement village' for the old fogies ??
Leon

[SandyB]

I suppose  one could say that for those of us that left O'mund many years ago any words we say  are too much or too little too late ,, and hindsight ..  easier said than done etc .. all the  coin phrases that one could add ..  I could ahve stayed in O'mund for many more years  , was happy  .living out my life  in this wonderful town the  difference was that I met someone  special and the only way  was to follow what destiny had given me ...  I was not wrong  in that choice .. I learnt to live differntly , not so much more the  sheltered  from realities  life that O'mund  offered ,, make no mistake i was wide awake to the advantages and the pitfalls of living there  , saw it  as a fools paradise if one allowed it to become that ..  By moving I found a new  happiness ...  my carrer path ended up changing in a way that I  can make a difference in another sphere ..  we all have different life paths ..
My positive observations are .. Private enterprise .. from the little  cellphone stall operators  to  restaurants  to  supermarket franchise to  accomodation offered ...   and yes i echo Mikes  words .. INFRASTRUCTURE    its all there .. sad is the infrastructure that was allowed to go to seed by shortsighted thinking .. the  Hydroponics farm is one .. I drove down to it and saw dead trees and ruination ..   why not  even  have offered it to  a going  experienced conern in hydroponics  gratis ...   exotic ..food  grown  .. sold ..income .. employment .. Ok not a hell of a lot but every little bit counts ..  instead we have ruins ..  The abbatoir .. same thing .. think if they offered  somebody like hartliefs the abbotoir ?? they based in windhoek .. supply  Woolies etc .. long distances  transport costs .. here  .. existing infrastructure .. shorter travelling distances to their major markets ??  those are the two ones that just coursed through my mind when I drove around .. maybe sounds so simplistic and idealistic  but yes was possible if a right decision was made at the right time .. Just my  tuppence worth ... But yes we await with bated  breath Mikes   follow up ...

[Rhona]

Hey!!!! are we going have to subscribe to hear the other half of the story....???? Is that how you plan to make money????  You better be at the damn fence tonight and complete this

There we go with the bloody fence again............wait for me I want to hear the other half of the story too 

[Bertie Horak]

@ Sandy - Talking about the hydroponics... when I heard it was no more, I couldn't help but think what I would have been able to do with that!!!  I remember it surrounded with trees, slightly lower than the surrounding dunes away from the wind, and all the infrastructure already there.  Here I'm looking for a piece of land away from pollution and other pests to grow medicinal plants, and haven't found anything worthwhile and suitable yet (after 6 months of driving around every second weekend, scouring the net, checking all property guides).  Everything seemed to grow in Oranjemund's fertile river sediment, and with the river right there, water no problem!  Sad.  What I wouldn't give to have that small square of land for organic/hydroponic farming.  My Dad also has quite a lot of experience and wouldn't mind joining me.  The hydroponics at North hostel (I think) was his baby, I remember a lot of vegetables, even pepinos  were cultivated there.  And my Mom - she would pack her bags today if I said we can go back to Oranjemund.  So, you're so right, the infrastructure is all there, as is the opportunity and resources.  It's waiting to be explored...

[SandyB]

Unfortunately Bertie  ,, the  Hydropinics  is  so  no  more  .. they even let the trees around  it die off ... it would take a lot of  work to get it going ..

[Bertie Horak]

Yes Sandy, I saw photo's of what it looks like at present.  One can but dream, hey.  Still wouldn't mind getting my hands on a little patch of fertile soil there!  I remember the smell of the soil, the river, the sea.  Who knows where destiny takes us... I think of a Vanessa Mae tune which starts with a whisper: "Destiny,... I will find you in my dreams..." 

[Leon Sumter]

funny how one romatices about earlier days in one's life, in this case OMD. OMD is a distant memory but as you folk discuss the old days a lot of it comes flooding back. One day I would like to return for a shortish visit, but I know that I will be severely dissappointed in seeing the current OMD as a 'shell' of its former glory days. I do remember the lonely weekends in the single quarters for those of us who were 'outsiders', listening to our loud heavy metal 'music?'. After a game of snooker at Casey's and maybe a ride/drive down to the pink pan there really was not much else to do apart from some Windhoek lagers in the evening some more snooker or perhaps a disco at the rugby club or gun club etc. That's probably why some of the appies (especially those Germans [no names mentioned] , damn it could those guys piss it up) boozed so much (Klippies and Coke weekends at the beach). I suppose life was a lot different for those of you who grew up in OMD and were nertured by family and friends in the town. There definitely was a 'clique' in town and I remember being quite apprehensive to intrude/gatecrash into local events and happenings in OMD.
A few questions.
What is the size of the local OMD population these days?
What do you guys do for entertainment in OMD (apart from 'chatting' on the OMD site)?
What areas of the mine are still productive?
Are there outside businesses in town?
Are there still those lovely neat parks/gardens in town especially down 5th avenue?
Leon

[SandyB]

Mike .. your  cue ....