THE FUTURE OF MY ORANJEMUND!

[Michael Alexander]

What is the size of the local OMD population these days?

I heard about 14000 souls, only about 2000 odd for the mine, about 400 informal non mine....

What do you guys do for entertainment in OMD (apart from 'chatting' on the OMD site)?

Off Road club, Golf, Bowls, Squash, Braai's, Angling club, Rugby CLub, Hockey, Swimming, Watch Movies, Tennis Club, Cycling, Camping , Drinking in the bars, Church, Jukskei, Snooker, Darts, Eat out.....plent y plenty, it's what you make of the place.....

What areas of the mine are still productive?

I cannot answer this, as I do not work on the mine, But 3 plant is still going, Pocket beaches, North bank mines....

Are there outside businesses in town?

Yes!, But all dependent apon the mine as the chief contributer to the local economy, Spar, Woolworths, Pep Stores, Bars, Restaurants, AFC, Bell, Barlows,

Are there still those lovely neat parks/gardens in town especially down 5th avenue?

The town is looking awesome at the moment, green lawns and flowers everywhere....

[SandyB]

The " green " I agree I see it on the rise again .. most spectacular was 5th ave with the circles  with the palms   and the now tall  trees flanking  each side  .. was going to take a pic ,, forgot , but got it firmly embedded in my memory ....  it remains ...

[Clive Symes]

See no one has mentioned all the olive trees down 5th & 6th Avenues, those trees have been there for years. Free oilves for the picking ( or is it pickling)
I once suggested that the school look at producing Olive oil from those trees.
Mike looking forward to you further views for Oranjemund.

[SandyB]

Today is Sunday Mike .. you had lots more time for deep thinking  .. we  await the second contribution ..

[Malcolm Bertoni]

Hey Mike

How is the rugby club going?


I played in 73/74 when Derek Erickson was coach - he was damn good.  We had a great side and just about won everything.

I've attached a photo of  the 73 side.  See who you can recognise - it will stir a few memories. 

Malcolm

[Malcolm Bertoni]

By the way Mike, I concur with everything you have said about O'mund as well as many of the replies.

Perhaps we reminisce more as we get older.

Malcolm

[Leon Sumter]

Thanks for the update Mike. Looks like you folk still have lots fun things to do in OMD.

Sandy it must have been totally bizarre visiting OMD after an absence of 28 years !!

[SandyB]

First day yes .. but then the town even with all its changes just kind of settled into me ... and it felt just as if i had done some time travel  and was now in a kind of warp cos those 4 days  lasted  forever ..  I arrived with no expectations ... encountered the reality of  where and how it had grown  and yet also shrunk  and  left with no misgivings  .. only memories afresh  ...

[Pete (RIP)]

Hi Mike ~

In my private and totally personal capacity as no more than a fellow Oranjemund resident, I would just like to place some elements of this discussion in context:

1.  For the purposes of clarity, one of the points you make in your opening entry to the effect that "De Beers doesn't want this place opened yet" is a little misleading.  De Beers has very little to do with the Oranjemund issue, other than being a shareholder in Namdeb.  Most of the infrastructure in Oranjemund is "owned" and administered by Namdeb.  The company, whether it was De Beers in the past or Namdeb in the present, does not own the land.   It has always been State land for which Namdeb (or CDM) holds the mining licences. 

2.  In years gone by diamond mining legislation existed in terms of the Diamond Proclamation of 1949.  This was replaced in 1999 by the very forward-thinking and well compiled Namibian Diamond Act.  In terms of the Diamond Act, areas which fall inside diamond mining licence zones are referred to as Restricted Areas.  Oranjemund Town is presently within a Restricted Area because it falls within the sphere of Namdeb's diamond mining licences.  It is true that, in terms of product protection, this serves our interests well.  As far as the social fabric of Oranjemund is concerned, it is a "double-edged" sword.  The inevitable "community" question is: "How does one free up entry to the town without sacrificing the peace, stability and virtually crime-free state that the community currently enjoy?".     

3.  Be that as it may, Namdeb recognised a number of years ago that entry to the town needed to be liberalised, and the concept of private entrepreneurship promoted, in the hope of generating secondary industry and commerce to sustain the town into the future.  In terms of pursuing proclamation, the company has supported the principle of exorcising the town area from that of the mining licence so that the Diamond Act would no longer apply.   Proclamation will also allow people to buy, and own, land.  This intent was translated into action by the company fully supporting the proclamation process. 

I won't bore you all with the legalities involved in such an initiative but it is an incredibly lengthy process.  Rosh Pinah, which is not a "closed" town of any sort, started their proclamation about two years before Namdeb and still has not been proclaimed!   (In the meanwhile, the track record of many municipal entities in Namibia has gone "down the drain" with incompetency, mismanagement, debt and failure of services being the order of the day.  Well functioning towns of the recent past - Maltahoe and Usakos are examples - have been paralysed by increasing debt, lack of service delivery and a complete unravelling of the municipal infrastructure.  I suspect the authorities are, therefore, rightly "nervous" of creating another meltdown, as occurred at Arandis).

I believe that Oranjemund has a future and wish it to be so.  I do think, however, that we need to "right-size" the town, decide what it is that will be the key economic and financial generators and go for it.  It will not be the Oranjemund of yesterday or even, for that matter, today, but it will hopefully be comfortable, peaceful and prosperous for those who remain. 

One thing I'm sure of, is that we all desire a positive future for the town so that its uniqueness continues to be preserved for generations to come.  Those of us who live here were reminded most strongly of this by the attitudes, the joy, the pleasure, the comments, the tales of yore and affinity for the town that the recent Reunion attendees expressed.  It was a reminder of the responsibility we carry to collectively ensure that we play our individual parts, past and present, in ensuring that Oranjemund does not turn into a story of woe!

[Clive Symes]

Well stated Pete.
There are many persons that would have loved to live their pensions out in the surroundings they grew to love and accept.

For my pennys worth, I dont think the majority of people currently living & working in Oranjemund see the town as home. Its the ones that do, the Town Committee & company should be listening to.

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

I just love the thoughts and comments that appear here in this topic.  Please continue with your post, Mike. 
As an old OM resident who has just attended the reunion and visited some spots in town, I think I am entitled to add and mention that I still love this little oasis in the desert and would also not like to see it end, like Pete has expressed and to use his words, 'in a story of woe'.

I love to see the inputs and ideas.  I love to see that there are people who are willing to fight for the survival of the town.  I love to keep the idea in mind that this town may once again bloom to glory of former days and that I may have the opportunity and luck to go back there to visit again and again...

Mostly  -  I loved to see that the town has not yet turned out to be a lost case  -  I gave some small thoughts and personal opinions in another post.

[Michele Alexander (Voden)]

Not sure whether this is the right topic for this but I was overcome with a great sense of sadness at lunchtime today after I went to collect Shannon from school. All of the Grade 4's received a gift from their teachers - a pencil case filled with sweets, together with a sticker book and stickers. When she opened the pencil case to show me the sweets I was suddenly taken back to my days as a child in Oranjemund as the sweets reminded me of those we would get in a plastic Christmas stocking, along with our gift, at the yearly Christmas Tree. I think Shannon had one Christmas Tree as a baby and the following year it was for Namdeb employees only, after that it just fizzled away and as many have you will have seen on your visit - the Mule Derby equipment has just been left to rust away.

And then this afternoon I went to collect Cameron's report from her teacher - Miss Johanna Kalondo, who after living in Oranjemund for 35 years has decided to move to Windhoek. Mrs Erna du Plessis (26 years teaching) is also finishing off at the end of this term and Mrs Annelie van Schoor (31 years teaching) will be finishing off at the end of Jan 2009. One can't help but wonder who of the old Oranjemunders will be left here next year! At this stage you tend to ask not who is leaving, but who is actually staying.

After 27 years I'm still not ready to leave!

[Michael Alexander]

Here is part two:

"If you were an outsider, a visitor, driving into Oranjemund for the first time, you would be dumbstruck to see rolling green lawns that cover every verge. After driving through one of the most arid regions in Africa, the entrance into the town seems somewhat surreal.

Tall green tree's, spaciously laid out parks, all in a well maintained condition. The different array of tree's is just incredible. Pine, Fir, Oak, Willow, Fever and Palm tree's cover the canopy of  the town. Over the fence in somebody's garden, you just spotted a Banana tree.......

The road makes a gentle curve to the left, heading into 5th avenue, when there, without a care in the world, graze a small herd of some 24 gemsbok. A community and a nature reserve all living in peaceful harmony.

Back to our question, "What do we in Oranjemund have to offer others, in order to attract them here?" What makes Oranjemund different to other places in Namibia?"

We also have to bear in mind, that in Oranjemund, due to the lack of proclamation, that property cannot be bought or sold yet. I also believe that contrary to political hype, this process is not going to be occurring quite as soon as is envisaged.

It has been pointed out to us, that Government might be weary of proclamation, as this has resulted in a number of other smaller towns in Namibia being proclaimed and then being unable to sustain themselves economically.


The initial idea was to sell the houses to the current occupants in the hope that they would stimulate the local economy. This will and would have not worked. It would only have created a large degenerating problem. The majority of people would have had to take out loans to buy the house in the first place, their jobs and income would not have been secured long enough to service that loan. The town would not have been able to support enough private jobs to generate funding to keep services running and we would be in the same situation as other towns in Namibia. Some politicians would say this theory is nonsense. I would just like to point out what has happened to our neighbouring town of Alexander Bay. Another closer to home example would be Arandis.

I once mentioned to a prominent local politician, "You only have one chance of doing this, make sure you do it right the first time, you cannot go back!" That was three years ago.

As I mentioned earlier, we first have to get the cash flowing in the local economy, we first have to ensure that we are indeed capable of running the town, without the aid of the mine. We have to be sure the we have sufficient funds on a monthly basis, not just to run the town, but be able to save money for expansion and regeneration of aging infrastructure. Once we can do this, Once we can prove to both Namdeb and Government that this can be achieved, only then can we push for proclamation.

I believe the only option to procure Oranjemund's future, whilst keeping all parties concerned happy, is to market Oranjemund as an International Retirement village.

Now many people will shake their heads in disbelief, "How on earth are a bunch of pensioners going to keep the town running?" " Please explain how the geriatrics are going to promote and sustain the local economy!"

Just after independence, I was in between jobs. My mom had passed on and I took over the running of my father's home at E7-1st . This enabled me to pop into the Sportsmans bar every morning at 11.00am. for a quick ice cold beer.

  It was here, 15 years ago, that I had first began to think of Oranjemund as the perfect retirement location. It was here, that I would sit with three other old retired men. One of the old timers was an Oshiwambo man by the name of Kalondo, he had lived in Oranjemund since the early 70's and was now residing with one of his daughters. He expressed his fears of having to leave Oranjemund eventually and wished that he could have retired in Oranjemund on a permanent basis. He felt safe in Oranjemund.

The other was Danny the Greek. Danny was also due to leave Oranjemund. Like "old man" Kalondo, he did not want to go. He too wished to stay in Oranjemund. Danny was an active member of the bowling club and gun club and would often be seen at various clubs in the evenings. He enjoyed a flutter with lady luck and was always one of the high rollers when it came to club raffles in Oranjemund.

We ask ourselves the question, "What does and old Oshiwambo man and a Greek have in common, that would benefit Oranjemund?" They both had the desire to reside in Oranjemund. They both had pensions and savings and in their own small way they spent their money, every day in that bar. But they also spent money on groceries. They also both supported the library. In the grand scheme of things, it may seem insignificant to the entire local economy of Oranjemund, two minnows contributing to this economy, but imagine that there were not just these two pensioners living here, but 2000 pensioners.




I did a bit of research. Do you know how much it costs to book yourself a room in an old age home these days? Do you know how long the waiting list is for these places? Do you know how insecure and afraid pensioners living in retirement villages feel? Do you know how many pensioners are unable to walk around their towns or even attend a social club. This is all due to one reason, and one reason only. The rampant crime that is engulfing Southern Africa. I am sure you all know somebody who has experienced this crime wave.

I also can draw up a list of 30 names of ex Namdeb employees , who given the chance would like to have retired here. They would have kept and spent their pensions in this town. They would have given life back to this town.  I am only one person, but I can assure you, that we all knew 30 people that would have liked to retire here.

Some people could'nt  wait to get out of here. "You must be crazy to want to stay out here!", "There's nothing here!"....."At least in Cape Town, you are near the hospital and shops", they muttered.

The above statement I can fully agree with. Medical treatment is very important to old people. Did you know that the hospital in Oranjemund was built ahead of it's time, it was the best hospital in Southern Namibia. It had the best doctors, dentists and nurses. People would come from neighbouring towns to seek treatment here.

There was strong talk a few years ago that the mine tried to outsource the hospital. At the time it seemed like a good idea. But it never materialized. It appeared that no medical company was interested in a remote hospital in the middle of the desert, with a declining population. Anyone who had business sense would have to agree. There was no point in investing in a town with a declining economy.

However, let's dream a bit. Let's say that Oranjemund had 2000 pensioners. Old people are one of the biggest patrons to the medical industry. Now do you think the mine would have any difficulty outsourcing the hospital? Imagine the additional job creation for specialized treatments at the hospital. The hospital alone , should be able to create a minimum of 70 permanent positions and a further 40 additional "Non permanent" positions.

Out of those 70 permanent jobs, how many do you think might have children to send to the local school? Perhaps an additional 25 kids? Who knows? But it is possible. Those 70 positions would not be filled with pensioners but by productive, young qualified members of society. Contributing members of the Oranjemund economy.

Now lets talk more about this imaginary 2000 pensioners living in Oranjemund. Firstly, I use the number 2000 as guideline. I was told that Oranjemund has 3100 housing units. So I use the number 2000, or 1000 couples in the sense that we are using 1000 housing units for this example.

By all rights, with the proper planning, marketing and potential future developments, there is no reason why, for the first time since the late 70's , Oranjemund may experience true growth.

Let's talk a little about hypothetical names and numbers, taking the worst case scenario. If the mine established a subsidiary company called Oranjemund Retirements (just an example), then allocat 1000 housing units to this subsidiary for the project. As the mine downscales their workforce, then the number of available housing units shall increase.

If you have 1000 units, which are the standard three bedroom house, a fair price for rental would be in the region of N$3000.00 per month. This equates to N$ 3 million per month into Oranjemund Retirements Account. Keep in mind, that this would be the initial start up phase of the project. You would aim to fill 2000 units after the first 18 months.

Anyhow, lets not get ahead of ourselves, back to the initial income of N$3 million a month. According to what I have heard, it costs the mine just under N$6 million a month to service the town.  This self sustaining target can be reached and surpassed after the first stage has been reached, ie. 18-20 months. At this stage , the mine will no longer be carrying the financial burden of the town.

As I said earlier in this document, I am not a financial person. But if you have the funds to maintain the standard operations of the town, your income generated by non accommodation units, ie. Private enterprise rentals, Club rentals and other sundry levies should also start to increase.

Now for the big surprise, how jobs are created in a town full of pensioners. If you have 1000 households in Oranjemund, you are virtually assured that at least 200 people will employ a domestic or a gardener. The following clubs and institutions will benefit directly from the influx of pensioners. This is in  no particular order and I have added comments:

1) The Oranjemund Hospital. The mine will be able to outsource this institution and it will become a large and integral part of the community. A proper, privately owned pharmacy will also be established. (70 jobs)

2) The bowling Club. A pensioners paradise, a well maintained bowling club, ideally situated in the centre of town, within easy walking distance. (7 jobs)

3) The Town Pool. I swim in this pool on a daily basis and in most cases the pool is empty. But the nice thing that about this well kept pool, is that it is heated all year round.
( 4 Jobs)

4) The Oranjemund Golf Club. One of the best courses in the country, sandwiched between the mighty Orange River and the rolling sands of the Namib Desert. Close your eyes, picture it, herds of Gemsboks meandering the course whilst you have 100 players a day are playing golf. ( 30 Jobs)

5) The Tennis Club. Still in a good condition, but lacking the players.

6) The Squash Club. A very active club in Oranjemund.

7) The West Coast Gym. Also conveniently situated in the centre of the town.

8) The Library. A well maintained institution.

9) The Jukskei Club.

10) The Angling Club. Plenty of  Freshwater and Sea Angling to be had.

11) The Riding Club. For those old timers who enjoy the wild side of life.

12) The MOTHS. The Namib Moth Hall. Due to there being no pensioners in Oranjemund, this institution has suffered a severe membership drop.

13) The Cricket Club. What an awesome cricket Club and Field. Plenty of lawn for the old timers to whack the ball about.

14) Snooker and Darts Club. One a very busy club, with a well established league. Also suffering due to the lack of people.

15) The Namib Gun. Once a proud institution, suffering from the same problem as all the other clubs in the town. Lack of members.

16) The Yacht Club. This club has suffered the most. Although the Clubhouse still stands proudly above the pan, the water is no longer flowing into the pan. The people drifted away and this is the one club I would give my left arm to restore back to it's former glory. Many a Saturday and Sunday afternoon was spent down here. The desert sun, sparkling like diamonds apon the surface of the water as water craft of all types harnessed the wind.

17) At least 5 different churches.

Every single business in Oranjemund, from the Banks to the restaurants will benefit.  The ladies hairdresser would have to expand their premises and employ more people. We all know how the old ladies enjoy their outings to the hairdressers.

The restaurants would be full on a regular basis, with many more restaurants opening due to the increased demand. More jobs being created. More rental money for the Oranjemund Retirement company.

How many of these old timers will get involved in their gardens? How many people will be doing DIY at home. Here's a gap for The Flower Pot and the Hardware stores to make a killing...... more jobs created. "


..... MORE TO FOLLOW!

[Claire Mc Cullagh]

hi
sometimes the best thing to do is to ask the kids...
Have a competition and ask the kids what they would do to improve their town.  If they help to build something then they are more likely to stay.  Make it more apealing for the people that live there. 
I remember the day trips to the beach and the yaught club.  Or the tree planting day.  In-stead of giving each other christmas presents then plant things. 
Remember the bus stops - the youth club painted them.
Open day at the different clubs - give the kids free membership and hopefully theire parents will join in. 

[Claire Mc Cullagh]

ORANJEMUND RETIRMENT VILLAGE..........needs nurses, eye specialist, dentists.  Someone to do meals on wheels and catering.

I remember when my granny came to visit O-mund she loved it.