City plots industrial comeback for Ramatex grounds
Allexer Namundjebo
After years of inactivity following a 2018 court order that ended the lease agreement with Ramatex Textiles, the City of Windhoek is now taking steps to revive the dormant Ramatex site.
The 43-hectare property has remained unused since the textile factory abruptly shut down in 2008.
On Monday, the City of Windhoek announced that it is working to turn the idle Ramatex site into a new economic hub.
This was revealed when Windhoek mayor Ndeshihafela Larandja met with internal stakeholders to assess the current state of the property.
According to the City, the meeting formed part of plans to involve external developers and find a new use for the site.
The Ramatex land was originally leased to the Malaysian textile company under a 99-year agreement.
After the company went into provisional liquidation, the land reverted to city control.
A court settlement gave the liquidator three years to remove infrastructure and restore the site.
“With the deadline now passed, the City is reviewing the current state of the property and exploring new opportunities to transform Ramatex into a vibrant industrial or commercial hub,” the Windhoek municipality said.
The municipality said the site is considered key to the city’s efforts to create jobs and generate revenue.
Larandja and other officials have reviewed proposals from interested business entities.
A site visit was held to evaluate challenges and opportunities.
The city described the process as “an important step toward unlocking the economic potential of Ramatex.
In 2021, former health minister Bernard Haufiku proposed converting the site into a nonprofit infectious diseases research and treatment hospital.
His plan involved running the hospital as a Section 21 company, with support staff and training programmes for health professionals.
Ramatex was first established in Namibia in 2002 under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
By that time, the government, led at the time by President Sam Nujoma, trade minister Hidipo Hamutenya, and prime minister Nahas Angula, provided tax exemptions, subsidised water and electricity, and a long-term lease.
At its peak, the factory employed over 7,000 workers, mostly Namibian women.
But the company closed in 2008, following reports of poor labour conditions, environmental violations, and financial problems.
Legal disputes over the land delayed any redevelopment plans for years.
