The Keetmanshoop Town Council's management committee has a new chairperson as well as a new deputy mayor.

Easter Isaak replaces Johannes Nathan Vries as chairperson, while Annelize Knaus was elected deputy mayor.

Former deputy mayor Easter Isaak, who previously served on the council's management committee, was elected as the new management committee chair.

The reshuffling of the political office bearers follows a directive by the Landless People's Movement, which occupies the majority seats in the council.

Construction work being carried out at the Keetmanshoop Vocational Training Centre is about 89 percent complete.

Construction of the N$103 million Keetmanshoop VTC, funded by the government, commenced in January 2021.

The state-of-the-art building consists of four generic workshops, an administration block, and a dormitory with a capacity of 140 boarders.

The project is expected to be completed by August of this year.

The Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Technology, and Innovation, Natalia |Goagoses, has praised the UNAM Southern Campus at Keetmanshoop for the high standard of geoscience research. 

She paid a familiarisation visit to the campus. 

The southern campus is the only higher education institution that offers a specialisation in geoscience. 

The campus, with a student population of more than one thousand, also offers degree and diploma programmes in the fields of nursing science, education, and business administration. 

Windhoek resident Ray Sasman is on her way to complete a momentous task of walking 2,300 kilometres from Noordoewer in the ||Kharas Region to Katima Mulilo in the Zambezi Region.

Sasman set off the walk-themed 'Walk With Me' 13 days ago to raise funds for the Walvis Bay Municipality's planned youth centre.

Sasman says her mission is aimed at placing a spotlight on Namibia's youth and the resources, support, and opportunities they need to build a better future in which they can thrive.

Sasman arrived at Keetmanshoop on day 12.

The Swapo Party Regional Coordinator for the ||Kharas Region has urged the party's pioneers to sensitise eligible voters to go and register for the November general elections. 

Mathew Mumbala made the call at the Pioneers Movement regional elective conference at Keetmanshoop. 

The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) is mandated by the party's constitution to be custodians of the Pioneers Movement and thus must ensure its structures are active. 

The Berseba Constituency Office has completed the first phase of a N$2.5 million water and sanitation project aimed at eliminating open defecation. 

The project was funded by the Social Security Commission (SSC).

The water and sanitation project includes the construction of 120 pit latrines and eight solar pumps. 

Of the 60 pit latrines completed during the first phase of the project, 21 were handed over to the ||Uibes community this week. 

The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, has inaugurated the newly constructed Oranjemund Fire Station. 

The construction of the fire station was done by the government. 

The new fire station inauguration also saw the unveiling of a new ambulance. 

Minister Uutoni says the government remains committed to supporting local authorities in terms of safety and emergency response. 

Concerted efforts from both the public and private sectors, as well as the community, are needed to address the housing shortage in the mining town of Oranjemund. 

The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, commissioned the groundbreaking for the construction of 85 housing units. 

The groundbreaking ceremony coincided with the handover of 50 houses to the members of the Shack Dwellers Federation. 

The Oranjemund Town Council has also serviced 327 plots at Extension 10, of which 220 are designated for residential. 

Members of the Vaalgras community converged at Vaalgras over the weekend to remember their fallen heroes. 

The commemoration of the Orlam clan commenced with the hoisting of flags and a procession led by horses to the venue.

Addressing the gathering, the acting chief of the Vaalgras community, Martin Biwa, called for unity among clan members for the sake of prosperity. 

The clan members also visited the old well, where the community, including their first tribal leader, the late Elias Stephanus, used to fetch water years ago. 

The just-ended Luderitz Crayfish Festival has once again proven to be a significant boost for small and medium enterprises. 

Vendors who were showcasing their products and services say the festival exceeded their financial expectations. 

As usual, the annual event attracted a huge crowd of visitors and was filled with mouth-watering seafood, entertainment, a mini-expo, and fun-filled activities.