The rising waters of the Seeis River are no longer just a seasonal inconvenience – they are fast becoming a serious threat to life, education, and livelihoods.
Located approximately 33.5 km from Windhoek, UNAM’s Neudamm Campus has recently faced significant disruption due to the repeated flooding of the bridge on District Road D1510, a vital artery connecting the campus and surrounding communities to the capital.
“This is not just a matter of infrastructure, this is a matter of lives and education being placed at risk,” warns Professor Simon Angombe, Associate Dean of the School of Agriculture and Fisheries Sciences at Neudamm.
“Students, staff, and school learners are battling to cross a dangerously outdated pedestrian bridge from the 1960s, made of rusted wire and corrugated iron. It is an accident waiting to happen.”
The consequences have already been dire: classes delayed, practicals cancelled, learners missing school, and staff enduring unsafe and exhausting commutes. In some instances, children have been left stranded, and lecturers have missed scheduled meetings and duties due to impassable roads.
Importantly, it must be noted that the deteriorating pedestrian bridge is not a UNAM structure, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Roads Authority.
“The disruption goes far beyond our campus. It affects the entire Neudamm community and neighbouring farms. Economically, socially and academically, the toll is devastating,” explains Professor Ndeyapo Nickanor, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Engineering and Natural Sciences and Director of the Neudamm Campus.
“We are engaging the relevant authorities to find a permanent solution.”
Both deans are calling for the immediate repair of the pedestrian bridge and the construction of a permanent, flood-resistant vehicle and pedestrian bridge.
“This is a national concern,” says Prof. Angombe. “We need urgent intervention from responsible authorities before we are forced to mourn what could have been prevented.”
As Namibia faces changing climate patterns and increasingly unpredictable weather, the call from Neudamm is clear: Act now, before the next flood becomes a tragedy.
