THE FUTURE OF MY ORANJEMUND!

[SandyB]

Taking shape .. interesting .. the resurrection of the clubs and some of the infrastructure ?? especially Yacht might be problematic  but not impossible ..it was sad to see the pan so empty .. the seepage dam that kept it topped up  a mere  puddle with no more pumphouse ..

[Clive Symes]

Great thinking Mike, I know my folks would have liked to have stayed, only bought in CT because they knew they had to.
Bet there are still a number of older De Beers / CDM / Namdeb pensioners that would move back if they could.
A lot of jobs caring for the aged could be created /needed.

Dont forget the contribution made by family visiting the retirees. Also some people have retired early and so may want to get involved with things like yachting and enviromental issues.
There are those that are just sick of all the crime, violence & security issues around that if promoted well enough as a safe haven /retirement village (lock up and go) you could end up attraction people other than just Ex employees.

[Leon Sumter]

yes a large safe secure and fully self sufficient retirement village with all amenities close at hand would be the way to go. A regular bus service fetching old fogies for shopping and visits to the clinic etc. Idea seems to have a lot of potential.
Leon

[Michael Alexander]

Now this is what I am talking about..... As the houses empty out, the gardens start to die....... My meat supplier was in town today, he would love to rent a house in Oranjemund, wants to know where he signs up.....

He is in town every two weeks, and always squats at other peoples homes....

ANyhow he rents a part of the abattoir at the moment where he employs 4 local people.... So he is heading off right know to have a look at my in laws ex house, with it's well maintained garden, and is almost sure to ask if he can rent.....

He also reckons that he knows a few retired couples back in Keetmanshoop that would love to rent a home down here.....

Lets see if OTMCO , in all it's wisdom will allow him to rent...... if they do not...... then we know...... that their heart left town long ago......

[toonfandangl]

Interesting video doe's not solve your problem there, but its worth a look


http://video.google.com.au/videoplay?docid=-6186684678299366197&ei=6-qOSZeEC5OIwgPlgqGTDA&q=oppenheimer&hl=en-GB

[georgswa (Georg Ruf) (RIP)]

Wow.....

Gordon Brown is also interviewed on that more then 1 hr video

Hope some of you can watch that video with your expensive and slow system in Nam and SA

[Michael Alexander]

This is still bothering me...... the houses are emptying out at a rapid rate, yet I have spoken to Namdeb employees who are of  C2 grading, that would like to move house to a larger house and pay the company an extra N$500-N$1000 per month for that larger premises......

Yet, for some strange reason..... they are not allowed to........ This does not make any sense to a person like myself.....

My friend the farmer from Keetmanshoop was prepared to pay N$4000.00 per month for a house in 6th avenue, he would have employed a full time gardener to look after the garden and was going to get other farmers in the south interested in hiring homes in Oranjemund, it is quicker for them to come to the coast at Omund that head all the way up to Henties..... But once again, OTMCO were not interested...... My friend wanted a particular house in 6th avenue, a house he knows very well as it is my in laws old house, with an immaculate garden...... But he was told he cannot have that house.... so he is no longer interested.......

I am getting frustrated......

[Clive Symes]

Hey Mike, you know what the rest of Africa does.

Start burning tyres in the street and march to the seat of "power"


JA well no fine, thats pie in the sky, but your right, I don't think anyone is seriously able to make the necessary decisions, however hard they may have to be to actually get the ball rolling.

[Adriaan Van Rooyen]

Hi GUYS,i think the time has come to fully back Mike on this retirement thing and rest assure he has been talking about this a long time ago BUT NOBODY UP THERE LISTENS,shikes we don't want to see this town go down.In any case if something does happen we should call it Mike's Spa.  

[georgswa (Georg Ruf) (RIP)]

The retirement plan is been in talks since 2-3 years ago.....i think even the AZ spoke about that and about the open town some years ago......

[Adriaan Van Rooyen]

Hey George,wanna place a bet on this town really opening?

[georgswa (Georg Ruf) (RIP)]

Not at the moment, would´nt bet on that right now

Its in the talk for to long, no decision.........

[Adriaan Van Rooyen]

Bloody hot here now, i suppose Mike is floating in his pool right now.My rain meter measured 7 mm for this afternoon"shower,not bad eh?Seems like the whole of Oranjemund were braaing,i only hope Mike did not braai his pofadder,otherwise he is in for a spell of gout tomorrow

[Leon Sumter]

probably find out that the big guys are not able to or are not prepared to take any decisions of this magnitude.

The other important challenge is the proximity of OMD to the Spergebiet.

If this can be overcome than OMD can only be saved by business people who are prepared to invest in whatever industries they feel would be viable.

OMD's second major challenge is that the market for any non tourist type industry (apart from retired folks in the 'OMD Retirement Village' ) in OMD is too distant from OMD.

I'd like to know what the annual 'town maintenance' figure is that Namdeb spends each year.

[Michael Alexander]

N$ 4.6 million per month.... 1.3 million towards sewage and waste..... So I have been informed by Harold from OTMCO about two months back.....