Historic moment of Oranjemund

Staff ReporterNamdeb, together with the Oranjemund town council, held a title deed signing ceremony earlier this week to mark the first-ever private property transfers at the town. The historic event resulted in residents and the wider Namibian community owning property at the town, which previously belonged to the mine. In the past, most properties in Oranjemund were owned by Namdeb and this milestone allows residents to purchase property that was previously leased from the diamond company. With the proclamation of Oranjemund as an open town in 2012, Namdeb embarked on a journey to normalise the town in terms of property ownership and the provision of municipal services. In addition to this, Namdeb, the council and other stakeholders also started to look at options to diversify the economy of the town to ensure that Oranjemund is sustainable. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Namdeb CEO Riaan Burger said he was excited about the event and that they have been working hard together with the town council to ensure this milestone is realised. Burger added that the private ownership of property in Oranjemund is a key component to the future success of the town, saying: “When stakeholders such as Namdeb, the Oranjemund town council and the Oranjemund community work together, we have the ability to exploit these opportunities and create economic growth and prosperity.” He added that economic diversification can only be achieved if you have people owning houses and a place to call home. Oranjemund mayor Henry Coetzee said the town is irreversibly on its way to normalisation, which is a dream came true. He was delighted that after many meetings and hard work by several stakeholders, the private ownership of property is now a reality at the town. “Today’s event marks another milestone since the town’s official opening to the general public in October 2017. This event is a very significant one in the history of Oranjemund, because it helps the town to generate much-needed interest,” he said. “I believe this is the beginning of more and exciting developments to come. Let’s continue to build confidence in our local economy and the future of our town”. Namdeb’s properties currently include 1 037 houses, 42 commercial buildings, 20 general residential complexes and offices. In support of creating a positive legacy in the community, the company’s objective is to avail most of these properties for private home ownership to its employees, town residents and the general public. Namdeb will only retain properties that support its operational requirements.

Historic moment of Oranjemund

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-13

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Historic moment of Oranjemund

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-13

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