Africa-Press – Namibia. Adolf Kaure
The groundbreaking ceremony for Wanaheda’s Namibia Traffic Information System (NaTIS) centre worth a total estimated cost of N$230 million took place in Windhoek on Wednesday.
The project will be implemented in two phases, with phase one comprising bulk services and boundary, while phase two will be for the construction of buildings and internal services.
It is expected to be completed in a period of two years on 4 hectares of land donated by the agriculture minister, Inge Zaamwani.
Transport minister Veikko Nekundi said the centre in Wanaheda will bring services closer to the people and save them costs.
Nekundi initially rejected a proposal to take the centre to Pioneerspark, one of Windhoek’s affluent suburbs.
This decision was premised on the fact that most of those utilising NaTIS services come from areas like Hakahana, Havana, Goreangab, Okuryangava, Ombili and surrounding areas.
“This is deliberate and underscores our unwavering commitment to serve our people with absolute dedication… our people should not have to travel great distances and compete with heavy industrial traffic to access NaTIS services,” Nekundi said. The facility will serve as a comprehensive one-stop NaTIS centre accommodating learning testing, driving testing, roadworthy testing for small and heavy-duty vehicles and a permit office.
“This groundbreaking is a declaration that our government sees its people, hears their frustrations, and is taking concrete action to respond to them.” It is a commitment to road safety, to economic empowerment, to intergovernmental cooperation, and above all, to service excellence,” the minister added.
Additionally, the facility will also be designed to accommodate an intelligent driver testing system, a modern, technology-driven approach that will improve fairness, consistency, and efficiency in the testing process.
The Roads Authority board of directors’ chairperson Martins Kambula explained the entity’s transitioning from manual systems to digital platforms.
“The implementation of these systems will mean spending less time at NaTIS offices and improved customer satisfaction. For example, the computerised learner licence testing system will enhance accuracy, security, and efficiency by incorporating modern technology,” said Kambulu.
One key advantage of the computerised learner licence testing system is its ability to eliminate certain risks associated with the manual written test process, such as human errors.
Contracted to August 26 Construction: The construction of the Wanaheda NaTIS Centre is expected to employ approximately 200 workers, skilled and unskilled.
The contractor has also been urged to prioritise local expenditure throughout the construction period to ensure that the economic benefits of this project ripple outward into the surrounding community and the broader Namibian economy.
There are future aspirations of upgrading of NaTIS centres in Walvis Bay, Oranjemund, Oshakati, Nkurenkuru and Mariental to modern standards.
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