Over 1 000 queue for jobs at Kaoko Fria registration

The first day of a three-day registration drive for the Kaoko Fria Smart City and Deep-Sea Port project saw a massive turnout in Windhoek on Monday, with over a thousand applicants flocking to the Havana three-way sports field.

The registration, which runs until 25 February, forms part of a nationwide screening exercise for prospective workers.

“This is just the process of registration that will act as a screening. People must not mistake it for automatic employment,” Kaoko Fria Investment spokesperson Immanuel Nghifikwa told Namibian Sun.

He said applicants include both skilled and unskilled workers, with and without formal qualifications, from ages 18 and above.

The registration drive highlights the urgent demand for jobs in Namibia, with Nghifikwa describing the turnout as being “on steroids".

He noted that the project has already received 35 000 CVs from the Zambezi region, illustrating the high level of interest across the country.

“People need dignified living, jobs and solutions to the housing crisis. This project is emerging to address these social challenges,” he noted.

‘Wait and hope’

Among those queuing yesterday was Amon Nashuta, who has been unemployed for seven years and supports three children. Nashuta described the queue as slow-moving and exhausting. “I’ve been here since early morning, and the lines are moving very, very slowly. I don’t know how these things are going to work. There’s nothing that makes the process faster. You just wait and hope,” he said.

Nashuta admitted the odds of being selected were slim but said he had to try.

“Maybe this time, even though it seems far-fetched, something will come of it,” he said.

“There’s little hope my name will be selected from all the people here, but I have no choice. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this for years, so I’m just hoping it works out for my family.”

Big promises

The Kaoko Fria Smart City and Deep-Sea Port project, led by managing director Michael Petrus, has been in development for several years.

Originally conceived as a deep-sea port at Cape Fria/Angra Fria in the Kunene region, the project has expanded into a fully phased smart city covering 85 000 hectares. The initiative has received support from northern traditional authorities, including local kings who allocated land for the development.

Nghifikwa explained that the nationwide registration is part of a carefully planned process to ensure fair and balanced representation from all regions.

Nghifikwa encouraged unemployed Namibians and those aware of unemployed friends or family to register during the ongoing nationwide drive.

“When construction begins and industries come on board, applicants will be selected from these registration lists,” he said.

Feasibility studies have been completed.

The developers say the project will include a deep-sea port, a master-planned smart city, an international airport, a dry port at Katima Mulilo, and dedicated rail-and-road logistics corridors, establishing direct connectivity between inland Namibia, regional markets and global trade routes.

According to previous reports, the capital investment has surged from US$74 billion to an estimated US$100 billion (about N$1.5 trillion).

Reportedly 70% of equity is reserved for Namibian and African shareholders, while 30% is allocated to international strategic partners.

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