73

ANNEX D: AGENDA AND MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION MEETINGS

SAFE ROADS TO PROSPERITY

AGENDA FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE UPGRADE TO BITUMEN STANDARD OF M0074 (270.35km):

GROOTFONTEIN TO TSUMKWE

Type of Meeting: Public Participation Meeting

Venue: Tsumkwe Settlement Community Hall

Time: 14h00 – 16h00

************************************************************

Agenda Items:

10h00-10h10 Welcoming Honourable Councilor

10h10-10h20 Prayer NG Church Pastor

10h20-10h30 Official Opening of Meeting Roads Authority

10h30-11h00 Feasibility Study Presentation Consulting Team

11h00-11h50 Open Floor for Comments, Queries, Questions, Suggestions Consulting Team

11h50-12h00 Official Closing of Meeting Roads Authority

12h00-12h30 Snacks

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS IMPORTANT MEETING

74

SAFE ROADS TO PROSPERITY

AGENDA FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE UPGRADE TO BITUMEN STANDARD OF M0074 (270.35km):

GROOTFONTEIN TO TSUMKWE

Type of Meeting: Public Participation Meeting

Venue: Mangetti Dune NG Church Hall Hall

Time: 10h00 – 12h00

************************************************************

Agenda Items:

10h00-10h10 Welcoming Honourable Councilor

10h10-10h20 Prayer NG Church Pastor

10h20-10h30 Official Opening of Meeting Roads Authority

10h30-11h00 Feasibility Study Presentation Consulting Team

11h00-11h50 Open Floor for Comments, Queries, Questions, Suggestions Consulting Team

11h50-12h00 Official Closing of Meeting Roads Authority

12h00-12h30 Snacks

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS IMPORTANT MEETING

75

FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE UPGRADE TO BITUMEN STANDARD OF M0074 (270.35km): GROOTFONTEIN TO TSUMKWE

Meeting Minutes

Type of Meeting: Public Participation Meeting

Venue: Mangetti Dune Settlement, NG Church Hall

Time: 10h00 – 12h00

************************************************************

Agenda Items:

10h00-10h10 Welcoming Randolph Mouton, Consulting Team

Hon. Councillor Franzina Ghaus

10h10-10h20 Prayer Pastor Isaac, NG Church Pastor

10h20-10h30 Official Opening of Meeting Randolph Mouton, Consulting Team

10h30-11h00 Feasibility Study Presentation Randolph Mouton, Consulting Team

• Background Information Document (see attached document) – different components to this project:

Engineering, Traffic, Materials, Resource availability, etc

• The Feasibility Study will determine the upgrade options.

EIA Presentation (see attached presentation document) Rian du Toit, Consulting Team

• Environment defined

• Impacts defined

• What is an EIA and this project?

• Rules and Regulations – Constitution of Namibia, Environmental Management Act No.7 (2007)

• What is the ultimate objective of an EIA?

• Sustainability, Development and Conservation

11h00-11h50 Open Floor for Comments, Queries, Questions, Suggestions Consulting Team

1. Chief Auho Kavitene (!Kung Traditional Authority) - Thanks for the project and opportunity. He would like to advise

that the tar road should be linked to places where hospitals are. The tar road will help with vehicle maintenance and

people will start buying cars.

Response: RM – Thank you. Your comment is noted and will be taken into consideration. It is

important for the feasibility study to look at social infrastructure and its relation to the proposed

road upgrade.

2. Andreas Mujevu (LDC) - Requesting consulting team that community member should be employed on the project.

76

Response: It is part of the rules and regulations of the Roads Authority to include local people in

employment opportunities where possible. We can make recommendations for community

members to be employed by the contractor, where possible.

3. Mike Ezekiel (Community Member) - Animals/cattle are roaming the road, is there anyway that the project can assist

communities to put up fences? Is the road going to link Mangetti Dune? Will we be compensated for cattle that are

in accidents?

Response: RM – Project road is Grootfontein to Dobe Border Post. If the need is presented,

assessments and recommendations can be done. RG – There are a lot of regulation when upgrading

a road from gravel to tar. Many issues will arise. The road will be designed for a max speed of

120km/h. The aim is to protect the road reserve, which is 60m wide, 30m on each side from the

centre line of the road. Compensation for fences will be done initially, the maintenance and upkeep

of the fence will be the farmers responsibility. We can also look at cattle grid gates in communal

areas. We want to prevent accidents with animals. There are not laws/policies for compensation of

animals being hit by cars, but we can investigate.

4. //Gonta Haufeni (Community Member) - He would like some clarity. He understands that RA has road accident data

and now they are doing traffic counts.

Response: RM – An important aim of the feasibility study is to assess whether the proposed road

upgrade is feasible or not. Many things need to be considered before such a big project can be

implemented. The Government and the Roads Authority are interested in the upgrade. The traffic

counts are important as it will inform the feasibility study.

5. Randolph Mouton to Community: How do you feel, do you want the road to be tarred?

Response: YES! [sense that all participants are enthusiastically waiting for the road to be tarred]

6. Filletu Shishwata (Community Member) - What about the unemployed youth in the area?

Response: RM- We know that the unemployment rate is very high, especially among the youth.

The data shows that the unemployment rate for youth is more than 70% in Tsumkwe COnstituency.

People are interested to work. A recommendation to the contractor can be made to use local skills,

to the extent possible, but we cannot promise anything now.

7. Hon Councillor Fransina Ghaus (Tsumkwe Constituency) - Is there any compensation for people who have houses

along the road? Old or new buildings? Project should be made priority. This is a communal area with conservancies,

it cannot be fenced off. People should look after their cattle which are grazing and going to water points.

Response: RM – Part of the Feasibility Study would be an Environmental Management Plan. This

plan will be drawn up to manage such issues as possible compensation of relocation. However,

Namibia has very good laws pertaining to relocation of people due to infrastructural projects,

which will be followed if needed. RG – Fences referred to earlier were fences in commercial farming

77

areas. Consideration for fences in communal areas. Issues such as speeding and traffic accidents

to be considered. We are doing a pre and post upgrade analysis to determine the impacts.

8. Theodor Tjiriange (Office of the Vice-President Marginalised Communities) - The road reserve areas need to be

protected in the communal areas.

Response: RG – Where fencing is required in communal areas it might be considered, if

communities request it. Road safety first.

9. Mrs Saara Zungu (Senior Traditional Councillor) - This area only has 2 Settlements – Tsumkwe and Gam, we are

bordering commercial farms and other communal areas. We must focus on the different areas – communal and

commercial. In communal areas people have the right to apply for 20ha of land, only the Minister of Lands has the

authority to give the right to people. I am here to inform our visitors that San communities have cattle in their villages.

We want the tar road! As we all know, it will bring advantages and disadvantages, we don’t know what disadvantages,

but we want the tar road. The road is for cars, cattle should be kept in villages. People should talk on behalf of the

community and not as individuals, we are all suffering. We want to make the movement of the Ministers and

Stakeholders easy.

Response: RA representative – Sophie Kasera. Apologies for late arrival. Wants to thank attendees

for presence at meeting. This project requires community input and people should be happy. We

heard your wishes. Our priority is to look at the community and available skills. There are contact

details on the Background Information Document (BID) if people think of any further comments.

Thank you for coming.

10. Chief Auho Kavitene (!Kung Traditional Authority) - Wants to advise project team that they should not tell the

community that the road will not be built.

Response: Sophie Kasera (RA) – this project is a phased process, explained:

1st Feasibility Study – which we are currently busy with

2nd Detailed Design – process to look at how road will be constructed

3rd Construction

11h50-12h00 Official Closing of Meeting Randolph Mouton, Consulting Team

RM: Thank you very much for an exellent meeting. The community’s view and opinions are very important for the

feasibility study and will certainly be taken into consideration. All have been recorded and will be considered. Thank

you, from the team.

Hon Councillor Fransina Ghaus, thank you to our visitors. Today is making history for us. Song sung by community

members.

12h00-12h30 Snacks

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS IMPORTANT MEETING

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE UPGRADE TO BITUMEN STANDARD OF M0074 (270.35km): GROOTFONTEIN TO TSUMKWE

Meeting Minutes

Type of Meeting: Public Participation Meeting

Venue: Tsumkwe Settlement, Community Hall

Time: 14h30 – 16h30

************************************************************

Agenda Items:

14h30-14h40 Welcoming Randolph Mouton, Consulting Team

Hon. Councillor Franzina Ghaus

14h40-14h50 Prayer Ms Frieda Ubu-Khaib, Community Member

14h50-15h00 Official Opening of Meeting Randolph Mouton, Consulting Team

15h00-15h30 Feasibility Study Presentation Rianus Gonteb, Consulting Team

• Background Information Document (see attached document) – different components to this project:

Engineering, Traffic, Materials, Resource availability, etc

• The current road speed is 100km/h, with tar this will be increased to 120km/h.

• The engineering section (technical) focusses on road safety.

• The Feasibility Study will determine the upgrade options.

• All other access roads (Khaudum / Gam) will be considered.

EIA Presentation (see attached presentation document) Rian du Toit, Consulting Team

• Environment defined

• Impacts defined

• What is an EIA and this project?

• Rules and Regulations – Constitution of Namibia, Environmental Management Act No.7 (2007)

• What is the ultimate objective of an EIA?

• Sustainability, Development and Conservation

15h30-16h00 Open Floor for Comments, Queries, Questions, Suggestions Consulting Team

1. Chief Swartbooi – Concern is for the material collection areas to be safe.

86

Response: RM – There are different team members with different roles and responsibilities. One

of the team members is the Environmentalist’s. His role is to ensure that people and animals are

safe during construction of the road.

2. Mr Murambi – Community Member. Why doesn’t the road go to Gam instead of the Border?

Response: This is why we are here, we are hear to listen to recommendations like this. The purpose

of the Feasibility Study is to consider all options. This information will help decision making. Thank

you.

3. RM – what impacts do you think will this road have when it is improved? Please think of both possible positive

and/or negative impacts.

Response: Chief Swartbooi – Tsumkwe will develop and can be upgraded to Village status.

4. Clemens Hausiku (Judiciary) - Happy about project, the unemployment is high, and the youth will be able to get

jobs. People from this area should be considered first for work first, before people from outside.

5. Piet Joseph (Namwater) - Wants to thank the feasibility study team for the good news about the road upgrade.

Hopitals, banks, transport in the area will improve. Trucks do not want to bring good. Accidents happen a lot along

this road.

6. Community Member - Happy about road. During the rainy season the road is especially dangerous, you can only

drive 30km/h. It takes the whole day to reach Grootfontein. There are a lot of potholes in the road. Drivers

sometimes feel it is better to carry their vehicles than to drive them on this road.

7. Paulus Arnold (MET) - Would be happy to be connected to the remainder of the country. There will always be

negative impacts, but we will deal with those, let the road come. The positive impacts are more than the negative

impacts.

8. Randolph Mouton – Do you think the upgrading of the road will have any negative impacts?

Response:

• Speeding

• Thieves will come if Tsumkwe develops

• Diseases (HIV/Aids) will increase

• People living next to road would have to move (Clemens Hausiku)

o Movement of houses:

▪ Randolph Mouton – Namibia has very good laws if people need to be relocated, we

recommend that these are being followed.

▪ Nicodemus Kavhura (RA) – it is important to know the road reserve is the property of

the Roads Authority of Namibia. If buildings are built in the road reserve after

proclamation, there will be NO compensation. It is different if buildings were already

there before road proclamation.

87

• People are aware of possible negative impacts, but want the road. Negative impacts can be dealt with

by responsible parties. The upgrade is very needed.

RM – An Environmental and Social Management Plan will be developed that will help to mitigate

negative impacts during and after construction - this is part of our responsibility.

9. Fillemon (MWTC) – Positive Impacts: Reduce unemployment and alcohol abuse, because people will be kept

busy. Negative Impacts: Crimes and diseases will increase, but these can be controlled, and people need to be

educated.

10. Mandesdus Heinrich (Village Member) - People are farming with animals, could lead to accidents if cars are

speeding.

11. Sophie Kasera (RA) – this project is a phased process, explained:

1st Feasibility Study – which we are currently busy with to evaluate options

2nd Detailed Design – process to look at how road will be constructed, when money is available

3rd Construction – rollout will be determined by money availability

There are contact details on the Background Information Document (BID) if people think of any

further comments. Thank you for coming.

16h00-16h10 Official Closing of Meeting Randolph Mouton, Consulting Team

Chief Swartbooi - Thank you to the President, Governors, Councilor and Delegation who are behind this project.

Thank you to all leaders and people present. Harambee is why we are here. Thank you for coming and that you are

not afraid of our rough road.

16h10-16h30 Snacks

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS IMPORTANT MEETING

88

89

90

91

92

SAFE ROADS TO PROSPERITY

REQUEST FOR PUBLIC REVIEW

FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE UPGRADE TO BITUMEN STANDARD OF

M0074 (270.35km): GROOTFONTEIN TO TSUMKWE

The Roads Authority (RA) is undertaking a Feasibility Study for the upgrade to bitumen standard of M0074 from Grootfontein, via Tsumkwe, to the Dobe Border with Botswana. The purpose of the feasibility study is to determine technical, economic, environmental and social viability of upgrading the road from gravel to bitumen standard.

In compliance with the Roads Authority Act and related Acts, it is necessary to assess the situation to find the most viable solution to improve the serviceability of the road.

The Draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Draft Social Impact Assessment (SIA) Reports are available to the all Stakeholders / Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) for review and comment. The two documents will be placed at the following locations for review as from 20 November 2019 to 04 December 2019.

• Otjozondjupa Regional Council’s Office

• Grootfontein Constituency Office

• Tsumkwe Constituency Office

Electronic copies of the reports will be available to all I&APs on e-mail request.

Any feedback and comments that may be relevant to this project are welcome. Please send

all feedback and comments to Randolph Mouton or Jeany Auala at the details below.

Randolph Mouton / Jeany Auala Tel: +264 (0)81 718 2966

Email 1: randolphmouton@susdaf.com

Email 2: jeany@susdaf.com