The Transformation Strategy for Oranjemund, which includes the normalisation of private property ownership and the transfer of municipal services and infrastructure to the Oranjemund Town Council, is underway.

The CEO of Namdeb, Riaan Burger, said during a familiarisation visit by Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah that the diamond mining giant aims to enable economic diversification for the town to become sustainable beyond mining.

Namdeb, together with the Oranjemund Town Council, aims to drive socio-economic development with a primary focus on job creation and its impact on livelihoods. 

"This was the original design from years ago. It's that there are essentially a few partners that have to work together for economic transformation. The first one is the Oranjemund Town Council. And the Town Council needs to provide the typical things that a council has to provide. Service, land, creating an investment-friendly environment, environmental and social sustainability, and so forth. That's what the town council's job is. Then we created an entity called Comdease. Comdease is there to support new upstart businesses. It's a temporary entity. It's a special purpose vehicle to help new SMEs develop entrepreneurial culture, assist new industries to come on board, help grant the town, and develop training."

Burger said immediate focus areas include agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, and enterprise development.

He revealed that Namdeb invested N$22 million in these initiatives in 2023, while just over N$80 million was spent on initiatives related to education and health.