Candidates make promises to Keetmans voters
Renewable energy, health facilities and alcohol abuse are among the thorny issues competing parties promised they would tackle once elected.
Suzith Tjitaura
KEETMANSHOOP
The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) candidate for the Keetmanshoop Urban constituency said once elected, his party will push the agenda of renewable energy to decrease electricity bills for residents.
Innocent Mathys said the region has high temperatures and government can invest in renewable energy, particularly solar energy, to reduce electricity bills.
“Our elders and low-income earners cannot afford to pay so much money for the utilisation of water and electricity, so if we have solar energy we can decrease the bills for these people so they can spend their money wisely on other stuff to better their lifestyles. We cannot continue to depend on other countries for electricity,” he said.
Mathys said the high unemployment among youth could be addressed with the establishment of factories and recycling plants within the constituency while ensuring that the youth acquire shares in those companies.
The 33-year-old candidate further vowed to revive tourism at Keetmanshoop by establishing a cultural village where traditional attire and craftworks will be displayed for tourists.
“This will help the people that make a living from selling traditional attires, medicine and artefacts on a daily basis to generate income and put bread on their tables and not only rely on platforms like the Nama Cultural Festival held once a year in order to sell,” he said.
Police visibility
Thirty-five-year-old Emrico Blaauw of Swapo said his party will push for a satellite police station to increase police visibility in the informal settlements.
“We want to put up a police sub-station at the informal settlements, because it is the hotspot for criminal activities,” he said.
Blaauw, who is also a social worker, vowed to address the social ills within the community such as the abuse of alcohol and drugs, health problems and youth problems.
“Most of the time I go into the community, listen to their problems and what they are going through, seeing what they need but I cannot do anything as my hands are cut, now imagine if the inhabitants can put me in a political position with [my] experience, I will be in a better position to help them and I promise I will do the work in that office with the same spirit that I do my job,” he said.
Working closely with municipality
Meanwhile, Landless People’s Movement candidate, 51-year-old Joseph Isaaks vowed to bring a police station, a clinic and a primary school to the informal settlement area at the southern town.
“Our children have to walk long distances from there to where their schools are, the schools that are in Keetmanshoop were built in the old days when we did not have these informal settlements,” he said.
Isaaks said he will work closely with the Keetmanshoop municipality to ensure that the inhabitants of the constituency receive quality services.
“I vow to increase pay points for the grants of our elderly because it is a mess, it is evident that these people are suffering. Women and youth are an important element in development, I vow to also establish safe houses for gender-based violence victims with rehabilitation programmes, I believe that will decrease violence,” he added.
The regional and local authority elections are slated for 25 November.
KEETMANSHOOP
The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) candidate for the Keetmanshoop Urban constituency said once elected, his party will push the agenda of renewable energy to decrease electricity bills for residents.
Innocent Mathys said the region has high temperatures and government can invest in renewable energy, particularly solar energy, to reduce electricity bills.
“Our elders and low-income earners cannot afford to pay so much money for the utilisation of water and electricity, so if we have solar energy we can decrease the bills for these people so they can spend their money wisely on other stuff to better their lifestyles. We cannot continue to depend on other countries for electricity,” he said.
Mathys said the high unemployment among youth could be addressed with the establishment of factories and recycling plants within the constituency while ensuring that the youth acquire shares in those companies.
The 33-year-old candidate further vowed to revive tourism at Keetmanshoop by establishing a cultural village where traditional attire and craftworks will be displayed for tourists.
“This will help the people that make a living from selling traditional attires, medicine and artefacts on a daily basis to generate income and put bread on their tables and not only rely on platforms like the Nama Cultural Festival held once a year in order to sell,” he said.
Police visibility
Thirty-five-year-old Emrico Blaauw of Swapo said his party will push for a satellite police station to increase police visibility in the informal settlements.
“We want to put up a police sub-station at the informal settlements, because it is the hotspot for criminal activities,” he said.
Blaauw, who is also a social worker, vowed to address the social ills within the community such as the abuse of alcohol and drugs, health problems and youth problems.
“Most of the time I go into the community, listen to their problems and what they are going through, seeing what they need but I cannot do anything as my hands are cut, now imagine if the inhabitants can put me in a political position with [my] experience, I will be in a better position to help them and I promise I will do the work in that office with the same spirit that I do my job,” he said.
Working closely with municipality
Meanwhile, Landless People’s Movement candidate, 51-year-old Joseph Isaaks vowed to bring a police station, a clinic and a primary school to the informal settlement area at the southern town.
“Our children have to walk long distances from there to where their schools are, the schools that are in Keetmanshoop were built in the old days when we did not have these informal settlements,” he said.
Isaaks said he will work closely with the Keetmanshoop municipality to ensure that the inhabitants of the constituency receive quality services.
“I vow to increase pay points for the grants of our elderly because it is a mess, it is evident that these people are suffering. Women and youth are an important element in development, I vow to also establish safe houses for gender-based violence victims with rehabilitation programmes, I believe that will decrease violence,” he added.
The regional and local authority elections are slated for 25 November.
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