The town of Oranjemund, managed by Namdeb, occupies one of the most remarkable landscapes along the Namibian west coast. The town was established in 1936, following the discovery of diamonds on the north bank of the Orange River. From the humble beginnings of a few scattered structures, it has blossomed into a fully-fledged local council with the establishment of the OTMCo. Oranjemund residents live amid an abundance of fauna and flora that is indigenous to the harsh environment of the Namibian desert. Majestic Gemsbok (Oryx) and other wildlife roam freely in the area around the town and it is not uncommon to find them in the town itself, an indication of the environmentally friendly relationship the town and mine have with the surrounding nature.
	This unique, closed town also has the lowest crime rate in Namibia, making it a secure and pleasant haven for the 11 000 inhabitants. Namdeb employees living in Oranjemund are provided with free housing, water and electricity. The town boasts a high quality of utilities, considered amongst the most excellent and consistent within Namibia included amongst these are first class sporting, schooling and medical facilities provided to the community. Namdeb is concerned about the future of the town as mining reserves within the area of Oranjemund are diminishing. The Oranjemund Town Management Company (OMTCo) is a Namdeb initiative established in July 2004, with the objective and vision of developing the self-sustainability characteristic of Oranjemund, in order to ensure that the town remains in existence once the Namdeb era has reached its end. The purpose of the OTMCo is fourfold: • To implement and manage the town proclamation process to establish Oranjemund as a Local Authority in terms of the Local Authorities Act (Act 23 of 1992) • To build capacity for effective town management and administration to ensure that when the Local Authority is established,  the town has the necessary knowledge, skill and experience for a smooth transition from a mining town to a local authority. • To initiate and develop a diversified economic base for Oranjemund to ensure that the town will continue to exist without the mining activity. • To Administer and manage well-established municipal and other related services as a forerunner of a local authority. Terms of Reference for the Management of town infrastructure and general building maintenance for Oranjemund Oranjemund as a town has entered a major challenge as large-scale land based diamond mining is scaling down and the sustainable future of the town is seriously in question. The construction and general maintenance industry can greatly assist in cementing a solid foundation for Oranjemund to grow its own momentum, independent of Namdeb operations, while mining activities are still buoyant. By nature, the construction industry is labour intensive and has strong backward and forward linkages to other sectors in the economy. It has the capacity to significantly grow the economy, increase employment, increase income and improve the lives of households. It provides the building and infrastructural facilities which make economic growth possible while stimulating activities in several sectors to which it is linked. Namdeb’s town infrastructure and building maintenance contract presents a significant opportunity as it has been running for 5 years and is up for review.