Pothole-plagued Otji roads get N$81m facelift

Otjiwarongo’s battered B1 and C38 roads are set for an N$81.22 million overhaul after years of potholes, maintenance challenges and growing pressure from heavy freight traffic.

The funding forms part of an extended agreement between the Otjiwarongo municipality, Roads Authority (RA) and Roads Fund Administration (RFA) to rehabilitate and resurface critical roads in the town.

The roads, which have developed major potholes over the years, are used by heavy trucks travelling through Otjiwarongo, adding to the strain on infrastructure that in some sections dates back to the early 1970s.

Otjozondjupa governor John Khamuseb said during Monday’s handover that about 150 copper-hauling trucks pass through the area daily.

“My constant, constant worry is each and every day, 150 trucks are importing their copper from DRC Congo on its way to Walvis Bay,” Khamuseb said.

The municipality has now identified the B1 and C38 as priority routes for intervention.

Work includes resurfacing the B1 and C38, rehabilitation of the C38 single carriageway and rehabilitation of sections of the B1 and C38 dual carriageway.

Municipality chief executive officer Mberipura Hifitikeko said the municipality had previously received about N$77 million under an earlier agreement for road rehabilitation and resurfacing.

Some major roads could not be accommodated under that agreement because their rehabilitation would have consumed a significant portion of the available funding.

The municipality subsequently approached the RA after identifying the C38 and another major route as priorities. Consultants were brought in to assess the roads and determine the cost of the required work.

Hifitikeko said the latest agreement would provide funding for the three phases, with the municipality responsible for planning, coordination, procurement and implementation.

The C38 is an important route through Otjiwarongo towards the western part of the region, while the B1 carries heavy traffic through the town.

The funding is expected to support work during the 2026/27 and 2027/28 financial years, with the RFA indicating that funding would be ring-fenced for the identified interventions.

Maintenance critical

Hifitikeko said the municipality’s experience with previous road projects had also shown that rehabilitation needed to be accompanied by proper maintenance and stormwater management.

“Water, water, water,” he said, describing stormwater as one of the biggest threats to Otjiwarongo’s roads.

He said clearing stormwater channels before the rainy season was critical because standing water can damage road surfaces and undermine rehabilitation work.

The municipality has also appointed contractors for street sweeping, with Hifitikeko stressing that roads must be maintained after millions are spent upgrading them.

Khamuseb said planned rail expansion from Grootfontein towards the Zambezi could eventually provide an alternative for some freight movement and ease pressure on the road network.

The municipality said motorists and residents would be informed about possible traffic disruptions as construction gets under way.

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