Minister Sankwasa Orders Rundu Council to Hire VTC Graduates, Not Private Contractors
By Aneli Fura
Urban and Rural Development minister James Sankwasa has directed the Rundu Town Council to immediately stop hiring private contractors for routine maintenance work and instead make use of local skills available in the town.
The instruction was given on Tuesday morning during a site visit to Tutungeni, where the minister was assessing the condition of access roads and drainage systems. Sankwasa voiced concern over the continued outsourcing of basic services such as unblocking drains, despite the presence of trained graduates and trainees from local vocational training centres.
He said the practice not only wastes public funds but also deprives young people of practical work experience and employment opportunities. According to the minister, engaging VTC graduates would improve service delivery while empowering the local workforce.
Sankwasa noted that poor drainage in Tutungeni has contributed to the deterioration of roads and negatively affected residents, adding that simple maintenance work should not be delayed by lengthy contracting processes.
He urged the town council to “learn how to eat an elephant”, stressing the need to tackle challenges step by step using available resources, rather than relying on expensive external contractors. The minister further warned that failure to implement the directive could attract administrative consequences.
Residents welcomed the move, expressing hope that the decision would lead to quicker repairs and improved living conditions in the area.
