The Reho Spa Recreation Resort will soon be re-opened, after the Rehoboth Community Trust signed a 12-year lease agreement with the Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) last month.
The ownership of the hot springs recreational resort is still legally vested with the NWR.
Reho Spa, which boasts a indoor thermal bath, large swimming pool, bungalows and conference facilities, is situated in the town of Rehoboth in the Hardap Region, about 90 kilometres south of the capital.
NWR’s Manager of Corporate Communications and Online Media, Mufaro Nesongano confirmed to Nampa on Thursday that the company handed over the spa to the Trust on 3 November 2014.
“The NWR has officially handed the Spa over to the Rehoboth Community Trust. We are therefore not in a position to comment on its current progress,” Nesongano said.
Reho Spa first closed its doors to the public on 1 November 2008. The NWR was left with huge liabilities after the failure of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in which the NWR, a state-owned company, leased Reho Spa to private investors in 2008.
The deal collapsed after the investors of Reho Spa Limited allegedly failed to honour their agreement with the NWR, causing the venture to incur huge water and electricity debts of more than N$1 million owned to the Rehoboth Municipality and the Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater).
Former National Youth Council (NYC) acting Secretary-General, Ralph Blaauw and Polytechnic of Namibia Registrar Corneels Japhta were partners in the company, according to media reports.
Reho Spa then shut its doors again in April 2011.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Rehoboth Community Trust, Ronald Kubas told Nampa last week that the NWR will settle the water and electricity bills.
“Yes, the NWR will settle the outstanding debt. We are planning to open the Spa late in 2015,” he said.
Since the close down, the condition of the once popular community recreational venue has been deteriorating.
The Trust is expecting to spend close to N$10 million in upgrading the Spa, according to Kubas.
The first phase of the upgrading work, which will cost about N$3.5 million, will kick off in January 2015 and end in April 2015. The second phase will commenced shortly thereafter and it is expected to cost N$6.5 million
Kubas said some 30 volunteers, mostly unemployed youths in town, were appointed last month to start with the cleaning operation at the holiday attraction.
The Spa has a cafeteria and also offers picnic facilities.
-Nampa
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