The Councillor of Daweb Constituency, Herculus Jantze, says one cannot speak about regional development without addressing the future of young people.

Jantze, who presented the report of the ||Kharas Regional Council for the 2025/2026 financial year, urged the Council to prioritise youth empowerment.

"The regional council should therefore continue working with relevant ministries and stakeholders to improve educational structures, infrastructure, and vocational training. We have recently received one in the ||Kharas Region, career guidance and opportunities for young people to acquire practical skills, particularly in the fields of green hydrogen."

Mariental Urban Councillor Iswarin Rooi sought clarity on the drought relief programme.

"The report indicates that almost 17,000 beneficiaries were adjusted, while only 12,632 were captured on the system."

Councillor of the Berseba Constituency, Reymond Jossop, responded that shortcomings regarding drought relief are due to a shortage of staff in the disaster risk management team.

"We are currently sitting with more than 14 regions and only one coordinator. The frequent turnover in this office has added to those challenges, and as a relatively new office, we have taken it upon ourselves to close all gaps that may exist so that service delivery can be felt by the masses on the ground."