Staff Reporter
THE Rundu Town Council has launched a wholly council-owned commercial company aimed at strengthening the town’s revenue base, attracting investment and supporting improved municipal service delivery.
Rundu Town Council Commercial Services (Pty) Ltd (RTCCS) was officially launched at the Rundu Trade Fair Centre in Kavango East, with Prime Minister Dr Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare represented by Executive Director in the Office of the Prime Minister, Petrus Sindimba.
In remarks delivered on his behalf, Ngurare said the establishment of RTCCS marked an innovative step by the council to leverage its assets, pursue commercial opportunities and support local economic development.
He said the company, which is wholly owned by the Rundu Town Council, ultimately belongs to the residents of Rundu and its success should translate into tangible benefits for the community.
“The aim, therefore, should not just be profit. Public service delivery should always come first,” Ngurare said.
He said Namibia’s rapidly growing towns were facing increasing demand for serviced land, housing, roads, water, sanitation, waste management and other municipal services, while financial resources remained constrained.
According to Ngurare, local authorities should therefore explore innovative ways of financing development rather than relying solely on increased municipal tariffs or transfers from Central Government.
He said local authorities needed to broaden their revenue bases, unlock the economic value of municipal assets, attract investment and pursue viable commercial opportunities.
However, Ngurare cautioned that RTCCS should not crowd out the private sector.
“Where the private sector can efficiently undertake commercial activities, it should be enabled to do so. The company should instead seek partnerships, joint ventures and other arrangements that mobilise private capital, expertise and innovation,” he said.
Ngurare said Rundu’s strategic position as a major urban and commercial centre in north-eastern Namibia, as well as its proximity to Angola and the wider SADC market, presented opportunities for investment and economic growth.
He called on RTCCS to identify commercially viable opportunities that build on the comparative advantages of Rundu and the Kavango East Region.
These could include property development, tourism and hospitality, agriculture and agro-processing, markets and trading facilities, logistics, renewable energy, waste management and other commercially viable services.
Ngurare welcomed steps already taken by the Rundu Town Council to strengthen the company’s balance sheet, including making land available to the subsidiary.
He said public assets should not simply remain on a balance sheet but should be transformed into productive investments capable of creating jobs and generating sustainable revenue.
“Land can become a commercial development, an industrial park, a tourism facility, an agro-processing centre or another investment capable of creating employment and generating sustainable revenue,” he said.
Ngurare also stressed the importance of good governance, competent leadership, commercial discipline and accountability in ensuring the company’s success.
He said there should be a clear distinction between the responsibilities of the council as shareholder, the board and management.
Appointments should be based on competence and integrity, while procurement should be transparent, investment decisions should be supported by proper feasibility studies and financial controls should be rigorous, he said.
“RTCCS must never become a vehicle for patronage, unnecessary bureaucracy or the accumulation of unsustainable liabilities. It must operate as a professional and commercially disciplined enterprise whose ultimate purpose is to create value for the people of Rundu,” Ngurare said.
He further challenged the company to become a catalyst for entrepreneurship, particularly among young people, and to measure its success by the businesses it enables, investments it attracts and opportunities it creates.
Ngurare said national development should not be concentrated in Windhoek, but should also take place in regions, towns and communities.
“With today’s launch, the company must move decisively from establishment to implementation. The business plan must become projects. Projects must attract investment. Investment must generate returns. And those returns must ultimately contribute towards improved services and a better quality of life for the people of Rundu,” he said.
He described the establishment of RTCCS as a significant milestone, but stressed that the launch should mark the beginning of the company’s work rather than its culmination.
“To the private sector, I say: see this company as a partner. To the residents of Rundu: this is ultimately your company. Demand accountability from it, support viable initiatives and participate in the opportunities it creates,” Ngurare said.
He congratulated the Rundu Town Council, its councillors, the RTCCS board and management, and all those involved in establishing the company.
The launch concluded with the unveiling of the RTCCS logo and the official declaration of the company’s launch.
Photo: Rundu Town Council
