Lodges demand urgent repair of collapsed tourist route
Budget prevent full repairs
Lodge owners west of Outjo say years of government neglect have left the D2743 road to major tourist sites in ruins, forcing them to rescue stranded visitors at their own cost.
Tourism establishments west of Outjo have accused the Roads Authority (RA) of gross neglect, claiming the D2743 gravel road leading to several lodges has gone more than a decade without maintenance.
In two letters to the RA’s regional engineer, Ugab Game Farm & Lodge managing member C.P. Robberts described the road as “dangerously deteriorated” and “completely impassable to normal vehicles.”
The road provides access to Ugab Terrace Lodge, Vingerklip Lodge and Ugab Game Farm & Lodge, which together host thousands of tourists each year and employ dozens of staff.
Robberts pointed out that the road had not received proper maintenance for ten years.
“After the most recent rainy season, large portions were completely washed away. Since then, no effort whatsoever has been made to address or even assess the damage,” he said.
He added that the lodges frequently have to rescue tourists with tractors or 4x4s “often at night and at their own expense”.
The lodges are demanding an immediate assessment and emergency grading of the road, along with a clear maintenance schedule.
Action, accountability demanded
On 16 October, Robberts sent a follow-up letter saying the RA’s continued silence confirmed “why rural infrastructure continues to collapse while officials continue to claim that attention is being given”.
He accused the regional engineer’s office of showing “no urgency and no accountability” and requested direct contact details for the works and transport minister and the regional governor so the matter could be escalated.
“We are done waiting for empty promises. Action or accountability – one of the two must happen now,” the letter concluded.
In a recent reply, the RA said it “fully understands the frustration and inconvenience caused by the deteriorated state of the road, particularly to the businesses and residents who rely on it daily”, and assured the complainants that their concerns “are taken very seriously”.
Budget constraints
According to the authority, a visual inspection confirmed that the D2743 requires a detailed survey and design for comprehensive re-gravelling and drainage upgrades to raise the road level and improve durability.
Planned interventions, including cut-off walls, a concrete drift, mitre drains, berms and selected re-gravelling, were hindered by “budget constraints”, with only partial works carried out to slow further damage.
The response said washaways had been repaired and that “the road is being regularly maintained through blading to ensure continued access”.
The D2743 remains part of the five-year re-gravelling programme, though no funds are available this financial year for full re-gravelling, the authority explained.
In the meantime, the regional office will assign a team to construct additional cut-off walls and a drift and open deep mitre drains and berms “to help control erosion and surface water until full works can be implemented once funding becomes available”.
The RA apologised for the inconvenience and thanked the complainants for their patience, adding that their engagement “is invaluable in helping us prioritise interventions where they are most needed”.
In two letters to the RA’s regional engineer, Ugab Game Farm & Lodge managing member C.P. Robberts described the road as “dangerously deteriorated” and “completely impassable to normal vehicles.”
The road provides access to Ugab Terrace Lodge, Vingerklip Lodge and Ugab Game Farm & Lodge, which together host thousands of tourists each year and employ dozens of staff.
Robberts pointed out that the road had not received proper maintenance for ten years.
“After the most recent rainy season, large portions were completely washed away. Since then, no effort whatsoever has been made to address or even assess the damage,” he said.
He added that the lodges frequently have to rescue tourists with tractors or 4x4s “often at night and at their own expense”.
The lodges are demanding an immediate assessment and emergency grading of the road, along with a clear maintenance schedule.
Action, accountability demanded
On 16 October, Robberts sent a follow-up letter saying the RA’s continued silence confirmed “why rural infrastructure continues to collapse while officials continue to claim that attention is being given”.
He accused the regional engineer’s office of showing “no urgency and no accountability” and requested direct contact details for the works and transport minister and the regional governor so the matter could be escalated.
“We are done waiting for empty promises. Action or accountability – one of the two must happen now,” the letter concluded.
In a recent reply, the RA said it “fully understands the frustration and inconvenience caused by the deteriorated state of the road, particularly to the businesses and residents who rely on it daily”, and assured the complainants that their concerns “are taken very seriously”.
Budget constraints
According to the authority, a visual inspection confirmed that the D2743 requires a detailed survey and design for comprehensive re-gravelling and drainage upgrades to raise the road level and improve durability.
Planned interventions, including cut-off walls, a concrete drift, mitre drains, berms and selected re-gravelling, were hindered by “budget constraints”, with only partial works carried out to slow further damage.
The response said washaways had been repaired and that “the road is being regularly maintained through blading to ensure continued access”.
The D2743 remains part of the five-year re-gravelling programme, though no funds are available this financial year for full re-gravelling, the authority explained.
In the meantime, the regional office will assign a team to construct additional cut-off walls and a drift and open deep mitre drains and berms “to help control erosion and surface water until full works can be implemented once funding becomes available”.
The RA apologised for the inconvenience and thanked the complainants for their patience, adding that their engagement “is invaluable in helping us prioritise interventions where they are most needed”.
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