Rundu — The Rundu Town Council has awarded two projects to develop the town's newly formalised areas under the Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (TIPEEG).

The two projects allocated on Wednesday to two contractors under TIPEEG are worth a combined N$11.6 million. TIPEEG is the national strategy to address Namibia's growing unemployment and poverty and to facilitate economic growth.

The bulk water installation and the connection of existing erven to a medium voltage electric source will be carried out in the town's newly-formalised areas of Sauyemwa, Ndama, Kaisosi and Kasote at a cost of N$5 million and N$6.6 million respectively.

According to the town council, the projects are aimed at erecting a bulk water installation and connecting existing erven to a medium voltage reticulation-two transfrontier transformers, which in turn will be connected to more than 850 erven in the newly-formalised areas.

The electrification project will be completed in three phases: phase one will cost N$2 million, phase 2 N$2 million and phase three N$2.6 million.

Rundu mayor Hillka Levi urged residents to "cooperate" during the execution of the projects. "Members of the community must cooperate with the contractors so that the work can be completed as planned," she said.

Levi said people have for long cried out for the council to deliver services, and that is exactly what the council is doing.

The electrical project was handed over to the contractor, Carl Gustav from Vonke Electrical Services, who promised that his team would commence work in January. Gustav said the project would be completed within eight months.

Meanwhile, the bulk water supply project was awarded to Andreas Romanus from Otja Trading Enterprises. Romanus will be responsible for installing the bulk water supply infrastructure in Ndama.

About 783 erven spanning 6.3 kilometres will be connected to the supply line once the project is completed.