SRA pushes ‘Swakopmund First’ jobs plan

The Swakopmund Residents Association (SRA) wants contractors working on municipal and development projects to prioritise local residents for jobs.

The ‘Swakopmund First’ proposal was raised by SRA chairperson Ciske Howard at the association’s recent annual general meeting.

Howard said contractors working on roads, infrastructure and other projects often bring in labour from outside, while local residents need jobs.

“Many a time you’ve got contractors coming in here building roads, building infrastructure and labouring with people from outside,” she said, while Swakopmund has “a very big workforce” sitting without jobs.

“So we really want to encourage business people, we want to encourage contractors to make use of the people that we’ve already got here."

The SRA is still considering how the system should be implemented but says the focus must be on ensuring residents benefit from development in the town.

Howard said voter registration cards had been considered as proof of residence, but dismissed the idea because voting only takes place every five years.

She said municipal rates and taxes records would be a more viable option.

Already in place

The Swakopmund municipality said the local-labour approach is already reflected in municipal contracts that include a labour component.

“As a standard practice, municipal contracts that contain a labour component require contractors to source labour from the local pool of Swakopmund residents,” municipal spokesperson Linda Mupupa said last Friday.

She said permission to recruit outside Swakopmund is only granted where specialised skills are required and cannot be sourced locally.

Mupupa said contractors are referred to the municipality’s Economic Development Services department, which maintains a database of unemployed residents and youth seeking work.

The database helps contractors identify suitable local candidates.

Empower car guards

Howard also raised concerns about car guards at the AGM, saying the SRA wants the system improved and registered guards empowered.

She described car guards as a “Swakopmund tax”, saying motorists often feel obliged to tip them, but stressed the need for a more professional system as they are often the first point of contact for tourists.

“We want to empower them. We want to make sure that these guys have more and more information and become more and more professional,” she said.

Howard said the municipality and councillors are exploring ways to improve the system.

Swakopmund currently has 90 registered car guards, the municipality said.

Mupupa said registration requires an application form, police vetting through a certificate of conduct, and final approval by the traffic department.

Registered car guards are not municipal employees.

The system aims to give individuals an opportunity to earn income and support their families, while improving oversight and safety for residents, businesses and visitors.