A CHINESE company was awarded the tender to build a seven kilometre road from Epako to Omuvelo waKashamane, after three Namibian contractors failed to construct it.
Namibia Investment Contact CC, Tix Investment CC and Dolly Investment CC Joint Venture were awarded the N$35 million contract in 2013 and were expected to complete the project within 12 months, but work stopped in April 2014 although they were paid N$3,9 million to set up site and other workers.
Roads Authority’s divisional corporate manager Rosa Nakale made the announcement on Friday at Outapi that due to difficulties encountered by the previous contractors, a notice for cancellation was issued to them on 10 July 2015 and the contract terminated on 27 July 2015.
Omusati governor Erginus Endjala said people in the surrounding areas can now be assured that the road will be completed.
Endjala urged contractors to work together for the sake of the nation “as this is a national road”.
He said those who need to be moved “will be compensated before that happens” and asked community members not to temper with road materials that are left overnight on site.
China Longjian Investment (Namibia) ( Pty) Ltd director Weisong Du, site foreman Dengwen Yu and translator Weizheng Kong announced that construction will start next week Monday. They need about seven months to complete the project.
The Chinese company will take over the road construction for the same value. The road which covers a distance of 7,8km went on tender for the first time in June 2013, and construction commenced on 18 November 2013.
Meanwhile, community members requested that when construction starts, consideration should be given to some of their wells which are affected and closed off without any compensation given to them.
Scope of works on the construction of D3668 from Epako to Wakasamane shows that the road will include construction to bitumen standards of approximately 6,784 km of D3668 from the junction on DR3608 up to the border post.
The roadway shall generally be 10,4 metre between shoulder breakpoints with a 2,5% camber of which 3,7 m is surfaced lane width and 1,5 m unsurfaced shoulder.
Observation on site shows that the three contractors completed some of the layer works.
The roadbed is 70% completed and has 1,9km outstanding. The top of fill is 55% completed and 2,8 km outstanding while the selected layer has 40% completed with 4,0 km outstanding.
Former President Hifikepunye Pohamba previously warned contractors who are awarded tenders against conducting poor quality workmanship.
Pohamba also took a swipe at Namibians who have made it a habit to accuse government of giving away contracts to Chinese nationals but when awarded tenders they do not deliver quality work or abandon projects.
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