From diamonds to diversity: Oranjemund’s next chapter

Agriculture along the lower Orange River presents a significant opportunity for the diamond mining town of Oranjemund, alongside growing potential in tourism, property development, the oil and gas sector, and renewable energy.

“A study to determine whether we could establish an agricultural industry proved both feasible and viable. We are also exploring property development and are involved in several key projects. One of these is a partnership between OMDis Town Transform Agency (OMDis) and TripTravel to construct a 20-room boutique hotel in Oranjemund,” said Aunie Gideon, General Manager of OMDis, a Section 21 Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).

Growing wealth - OMDis, established and funded by Namdeb Diamond Corporation, was created to accelerate Oranjemund’s economic diversification and ensure the town’s sustainability by 2030 and beyond. In line with this goal, the OMDis nursery was established in 2015 as a research and development project to assess whether agriculture would be sustainable in the town, what types of produce could be grown, the scale of production, and how this produce could be commercialised.

The nursery, which employs 11 people, is managed by Etienne de Jager and has achieved notable success. It consists of several net houses, a number of tunnels used for different crops, and a freezer facility. “The Orange River is what makes Oranjemund the town that it is. We produce a variety of table vegetables, including tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green peppers, cabbage, and carrots. We also grow cauliflower, broccoli and chillies — one of our best sellers — and have recently planted eggplant. Our produce is sold locally, reaching as far as Rosh Pinah, and we have recently expanded to Lüderitz. The aim is to increase production capacity, commercialise operations, and position Oranjemund as an agricultural hub,” said Gideon.

Tourist attraction - Gideon is firm in her view that Oranjemund must diversify its economy. She noted that the awarding of the Orange River Tourism Concession at Hohenfels enables OMDis to actively develop the tourism sector in the town.

“We are the closest town, alongside Rosh Pinah, to the Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park. Our mandate focuses on the successful transformation and economic diversification of Oranjemund, driven by the people and communities surrounding the concession. Through this concession, we can ensure that residents of Oranjemund are given the first opportunity for employment in the planned lodge development, as well as in the development of tour operators,” she said.

The Orange River Concession offers additional adventure experiences and overnight accommodation options for international, regional and domestic visitors to Oranjemund, the Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park and the wider cross-border region. It also provides adventure, camping and recreational opportunities for residents of Oranjemund and Rosh Pinah.

Ready for business - Gideon said Oranjemund is open for business and that OMDis stands ready to step in where necessary to ensure a smooth investment process.

“We will facilitate wherever needed to remove bureaucracy or red tape and accelerate business development. We recently held our first dialogue with the Oranjemund Town Council to discuss how we can address bottlenecks and ensure the town is responsive to business needs.”

OMDis is also spearheading programmes through its SME Centre, offering support to strengthen existing businesses and nurture new entrepreneurs. “We are involved in training SMEs, assisting with business registration and compliance, and exploring ways to improve sustainability and profitability so that we can create much-needed jobs,” Gideon explained.

The organisation also manages the OMDis Art Centre. “We believe that the creative industry can play a major role in driving Oranjemund’s sustainable economic development. The centre focuses on skills development and positioning Oranjemund as an arts hub. We initiated a programme called Art Can Transform, through which we have completed 11 public murals and three public sculptures. We also facilitate training in arts, crafts and music,” Gideon concluded.