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Return of the Zim dollar?

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Return of the Zim dollar?Return of the Zim dollar?Pressure is mounting on Harare to scrap its plans for a local legal tender. Zim in bid to calm markets over new local currency The Zimbabwean central bank says the troubled southern African country will not introduce a local bond currency next month if there are no exports.
Zimbabwe abandoned its own currency in 2009 after the Zimdollar lost value, leading to record hyper-inflation in the country.
Following the adoption of multiple currencies and the subsequent cash troubles the country is facing, President Robert Mugabe's government has said that the US$200 million (N$2.9 billion) bond notes will be factored into the economy as an export incentive.
The government has faced protests over the bond notes amid fears and concerns that Harare is bringing back the Zimdollar through the back door. Business executives in Zimbabwe say they are waiting to see the impact of the introduction of the local currency.
" There will be no bond notes if there are no exports," said Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya.
Alex Mhembere, the chief executive officer of Zimplats said at a briefing in Harare last week that the Impala Platinum unit will provision for the 5% export incentive " as and when it comes" .
SA companies such as Implats, Anglo Platinum and Sibanye Gold among others are the major exporters from Zimbabwe. Gold, platinum, other minerals and tobacco are the top export products from the country.
“It probably is the right thing to calm the market because there has been an outcry and business is concerned as much as investors and the general public.
" But what may change is the way and pace of the phasing in of the bond notes but the plan will not be abandoned,” said a government official on Thursday.
Bankers in Zimbabwe say it has also become difficult to process dividend remittances to investors outside the country because of cash shortages the country is battling.
Banks are limiting cash withdrawals while cross border remittances now require approvals and will be processed using a priority list.
The central bank chief has sought to calm investors on the ZSE, saying they will not be affected by the introduction of the local bond notes while two finance managers in Zimbabwe said the bond notes will have to be factored into company planning provisions for possible full-scale usage within the economy.
Mangudya however said capital appreciation and dividends fall in the top priority list for outward bound remittances from Zimbabwe.
“Bond notes issued for the purpose of incentivising exporters will circulate in the market alongside currencies within the multi-currency system. No separate customer accounts will be maintained for bond notes,” Mangudya added.


NEWS24

G20 to combine policy tools to lift growth: Chinese official

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G20 to combine policy tools to lift growth: Chinese officialG20 to combine policy tools to lift growth: Chinese official The Group of 20 members vowed to combine policy measures - monetary, fiscal and structural reform - to boost economic growth, China’s Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao said on Friday.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the G20 summit in eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, Zhu said the consensus, reached among G20 central bank governors and finance ministers, will be submitted to G20 leaders for review.
Zhu said monetary, fiscal policies and structural reform must be combined, as the effect of monetary easing, which played an important role in stimulating Western countries’ economies, cannot last while the use of fiscal stimulus is constrained by high debt levels in some countries.
Zhu said the G20 central bank governors and finance ministers also agreed to strengthen policy communication on the foreign exchange market.
He added that the industrial overcapacity problem, which was mainly caused by sluggish global demand amid slow economic recovery, is a global challenge requiring concerted action.
China, which is leading the world in industrial overcapacity reduction, is looking to use market principles to cut overcapacity, Zhu said.

NAMPA / XINHUA

Students make case for mining sector in five SADC countries

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Students make case for mining sector in five SADC countriesStudents make case for mining sector in five SADC countries The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) held its 2016 SAIMM Student Debate in Johannesburg last month.
The aim was to afford the participating teams the opportunity to discuss the relative merits of five Southern African countries as preferred mining investment destinations.
SAIMM Johannesburg branch chairperson John Luckmann introduced the debate, explaining that this year’s event was inspired by the most recent World Economic Forum on Africa, held in Kigali, Rwanda, which led some of the world’s leading investment strategists and political economists to relook at their perceptions of Africa as an investment destination.
SAIMM Johannesburg committee member Graham Stripp stated that Africa’s relatively new investment frontiers were already being regarded as “premier locations” for investment growth on the continent. He said that the new focus areas included Rwanda and the East African investment cluster of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Moreover, SAIMM Johannesburg committee member Russell Heins pointed out that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, consisting of, among others, South Africa, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, could start losing mining investment appeal to emerging mining destinations to the north and east. Hence, the SAIMM Johannesburg committee felt it pertinent that a few SADC member countries’ mining potential be highlighted at this year’s edition of the event.
“Botswana, the DRC, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe are also country affiliates of the SAIMM,” Stripp pointed out.
He explained that South Africa was excluded from the debate this year as it was hoped that this would “avoid local patriotic bias” and encourage all participants to look at the region’s tremendous mining potential beyond South Africa’s borders.
Students studying mining and metallurgy courses from the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Johannesburg, in teams of four or five, pitched the investment merits of the chosen destinations to a panel of judges.
The teams were each given 12 minutes to convince the panel why the country they were representing had the strongest investment case. They highlighted the mineral wealth, the mining tax regime, the political climate and the level of infrastructural development, among other factors, which made the countries they were representing the most worthy of investment from potential investors.
The teams were also asked questions by judges regarding their presentations and, in some cases, even general knowledge questions relating to mining in the respective countries.


MININGWEEKLY

Serena nails another record

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Serena nails another recordSerena nails another record Wawrinka, Murray battle into last 16


The world number one tennis player had little trouble on Saturday as the US Open reached the fourth round of action.


Serena Williams sped past another milestone on Saturday en route to the US Open fourth round as men's contenders Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka clawed their way into the last 16.
World number one Williams dominated Sweden's Johanna Larsson 6-2, 6-1 to surpass Martina Navratilova for most Grand Slam wins by a woman with 307.
Not only has she surpassed Navratilova, she matched Roger Federer's mark for men.
" To be up there with both men and women is something that's super-rare, and it actually feels good," said Williams, who said she was " really excited" to reach 307.
" Obviously I want to keep that number going higher," added Williams, who will get her chance when she takes on Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova for a quarter-final berth.
In the one hour it took to subdue Larsson, Williams again appeared untroubled by the shoulder injury that has slowed her since her Wimbledon triumph.
" It definitely feels solid," she said. " I'm doing a lot of work on it so I can keep it in this position."
While Williams encountered little resistance, it was another story for the top men's seeds in action.
Wawrinka, a two-time Grand Slam winner and twice a semi-finalist in New York, had the closest call, saving a match point in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (10/8), 6-2 victory over Britain's Dan Evans.
The 31-year-old third seed saved the match point at 5/6 in the fourth set tiebreaker, breaking the will of his 64th-ranked opponent.
Many of Murray's troubles against Paolo Lorenzi were of his own making as he allowed the energetic Italian journeyman to make him look ordinary through two sets before pulling himself together to win 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.
" I had to stop rushing," said Murray, who arrived at the year's final Grand Slam off victories at Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics and may have expected less from Lorenzi, the 34-year-old who only won a first ATP title in July.
" I was making a lot of unforced errors and (Lorenzi) is very solid, and doesn't give you cheap points," Murray said.
Murray takes on Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, a 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 winner over Portugal's Joao Sousa, for a quarter-final berth.
Wawrinka next faces 63rd-ranked Ukrainian Illya Marchenko, who advanced when a hurting Nick Kyrgios, hobbled by a painful right hip, retired while trailing 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.


NAMPA/AFP

Facebook comments

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Facebook commentsFacebook comments Ttanggieh Heita:
I ran out of ideas as to what can be done. Firstly you were saying this because the team is full of Damaras and Hereros, without considering in what place Oshakati City, which is full of Ovambos?

Johannes Max T Kalimbo:
I am not surprised with the results at all… I suppose NFA and Namibian Sport Commission did not expect a win at all. That’s another fall out of vision 2030, our sport is doing really badly.

Leonard Uugwanga Iitenge:
There’s always a next time. I never even expected Namibia to beat Senegal. This game must be a big lesson to NFA. They must get serious please.

Paulishia Thommy:
Just remove that Rukoro, then soccer in Namibia will be better.

Rambo Katjivari:
Senegal beat Namibia the way you want. They must even come and beat them while they are sitting in their NFA Office. I give you permission to come Monday to Friday from 8h00 to 4h59.

Lesley Ubiteb:
It is time for the Mannetti project to end, so that we start playing real football.

Salatiel Shikalepo:
That’s part of soccer, at least they tried. Senegal has a lot of quality players.

Cleo Makola:
Give sponsors to other sports. Soccer is useless and money is wasted.

Erastus Penaantu Amakali:
Just leave football for a serious nation.

Ngesheya Will:
At least we tried, after all we don’t have a domestic league.

Robert Mwanangombe:
Good game Brave Warriors.

Hazard Ngayipwa Kavera Willian:
I am not surprised with the result.

Uuno Comrade Excellence:
They strike for money, but cannot strike for goals.

Fillemonshivute Kwedhi:
The lack of salaries is to be blamed.

Taayah Shimooshili:
The result is UNDERSTANDABLE.

Lesley Ubiteb:
The players and management might be aging when 2019 comes, but I don’t see us even reaching 2019 Afcon as other countries are also developing their already strong football. Let’s not waste money anymore on the National team, let’s concentrate on school leagues and national under 15 and 17 teams, so that with a strong foundation we can challenge the top.

Eddy Packz:
If we blame the Brave Warriors, we will end up putting the blame on us. Brave Warriors is the nation team/Namibian citizen’s representatives. Whether we win/lose we all get the same feeling. At least they represented the whole nation; including you. Let’s focus on the positive side and what they did for the nation instead. Warriors winning or losing, we are still together as a great team.

Charmaine Kock:
I still love my Brave Warriors, win or lose. I’m proudly Namibian and will always be on their side, and will never give up on them. Go Brave Warriors.

Sìlvia Silver Humu:
Good morning. Never lose faith my team. There is always a next time....In a game there is always one winner. We learn from our mistakes. Brave Warriors keep being brave; the journey is long...

Imms Marsho Ganuseb:
Namibians they are always about nice time things and don’t focus on what is coming.

Shitenda Cash:
Fire the whole technical team and start over from scratch. They don’t perform. They just keep disappointing.

Rose Dankie Gaweses:
There’s no future in Namibian football period, I am so disappointed.

Gustav Nembungu:
Brave Warriors need one of Bushiri’s anointing oils, because only a miracle can make those boys play.

Smith Simeon:
Soccer in Namibia is a dead end.

Nestory Moses:
Next time you will make it, don’t give up

Gendizoo Damien:
Eish me, that’s why I don’t waste time watching the Brave Warriors, because they always lose.

Ndeutala Tathy Jpt:
Oshana region could have done better.

Hannes Brandt:
Put some ‘’Struggle Kids” in the team. Maybe they will make us proud, because they appear to be more hungry and ready to die for their cause.

Zizou Zidane:
I bet there would still be those that will blame Coach Ricardo Mannetti, as if he was the one playing and as if he is the one that had to pay the players.

Chris Simaneka:
Thanks that they lost, because there is too much corruption. They mustn’t forget that God is for all.

Kasii Ndura:
Don’t worry guys; whether we lose or win, we are all Namibians.

Pic of the week

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Pic of the weekPic of the week THE LONG STRETCH: Colombia’s Catherine Ibargen competes in the women’s triple jump event at the Diamond League Athletics meeting “Athletissima” in Lausanne last month.
Photo: NAMPA/AFP

Gabon unrest continues unabated

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Gabon unrest continues unabated Gabon unrest continues unabated Across the country, the unrest has paralysed transportation, with bread and other fresh foods in short supply, the situation further aggravated by widespread looting. Post-election violence claims more lives Post-election violence in Gabon has claimed two more lives, sources said Saturday, after President Ali Bongo was proclaimed winner of last week's vote while main challenger Jean Ping claimed victory for himself.
One of the two new victims was a policeman, the first member of the Gabonese security forces listed as killed in the violence sparked by the announcement on Wednesday of Bongo's victory in last weekend's election.
" I deplore the death of a police officer who was shot in Oyem," the main town in the north, Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet-Boubeya told AFP.
The attackers, who shot the policeman in the head, were arrested as they attempted to cross the border with Equatorial Guinea.
Some 800 people arrested in the capital Libreville over the last three days were being held in " degrading and intolerable conditions," said lawyer Jean-Pierre Akumbu M'Oluna.
The interior minister added that, despite the ongoing violence, " we are seeing life returning to Libreville" , with businesses beginning to reopen their doors.
However the Gabonese capital has been without internet access since Wednesday.
Tension was also high in the economic capital Port-Gentil where a youth was shot dead by security forces overnight, according to witnesses.
" The parents wanted to march with the body up to the government building with many other people. They were dispersed by security and defence forces," one witness told AFP.
Several residents said the death was just one of several in Port-Gentil in recent days caused by the security forces.
" They shoot, they take the bodies away, we are traumatised," one mother said.
Such claims have not been independently verified, but according to an AFP count the latest deaths bring the recent death toll to seven.
The archbishop of Libreville on Saturday called on both the ruling party and the opposition to avoid an " imminent crisis" .
Bongo was declared victorious by a razor-thin margin of just under 6 000 votes, but his main challenger Ping, a veteran diplomat and former top African Union official, has insisted the vote was rigged and on Friday claimed victory for himself.
" The whole world knows who is president of the republic, it's me Jean Ping," he said.
Ping is calling for a recount at every polling station and has highlighted the election result in the Bongo family stronghold of Upper Ogooue, where official figures showed the president won 90 percent of the votes case on 99 percent turnout.
The Gabonese authorities have categorically refused his request for a vote recount, invoking the country's electoral law which includes no such procedure.
At least 1 000 protesters, some waving signs saying " Ali Bongo out" or wrapped in Gabon's green, yellow and blue flag, gathered in Paris Saturday calling for Ping to be declared winner.


NAMPA/AFP

Separate planes to China for Zuma and Pravin

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Separate planes to China for Zuma and Pravin Separate planes to China for Zuma and Pravin President Jacob Zuma may have broken government directives when he flew to China this week on an Angolan private jet registered in Aruba, a Dutch island in the Caribbean Sea, and manned by a Portuguese crew.
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, on the other hand, flew commercially, as usual, and quietly followed his own programme.
City Press’ sources in South Africa, as well as journalists in China, confirmed that Zuma and his entourage arrived in Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province, for the G20 Summit without Gordhan.
Treasury this week did not comment on questions about the separate trips, but Rapport, City Press’ sister newspaper, has reliably learnt that Gordhan preferred to fly commercially and that he liked to manage his own programme.
It is understood the luxurious Gulfstream-G550 that belongs to Bestfly in Angola was leased for Zuma because it can easily fly to China.
Meanwhile, Zuma’s own jet, Inkwazi, which is 100% serviceable, remains grounded at Air Force Base Waterkloof because of claims that it is “unreliable”.
The Air Force has since launched an extensive investigation at 21 Squadron, which is responsible for VIP flights, to ascertain whether there is any truth to rumours that the presidential jet is being sabotaged.
Zuma’s flight to China has raised concerns, because the government contract and directives governing these kinds of flights – especially those for Zuma – expressly state that all crew members must be South African.
Pilots also have to be registered with the Civil Aviation Authority, while all crew members must have clearance from defence intelligence.
But there are currently no South African pilots who are qualified to fly the Gulfstream-G550. There are also no South African pilots who comply with the aviation requirements of Aruba, one aviation expert in the VIP industry said.



NEWS24

Standoff over water pipeline

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Standoff over water pipelineStandoff over water pipelineNamWater has asked local authorities to pay about N$85 million for making use of its newly constructed water pipeline in the Erongo Region. NamWater demands N$85 million from local authorities Towns in the Erongo Region have been asked by the Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) to fork out millions for making use of its newly constructed water pipeline.
The pipeline carries desalinated water from Areva Namibia’s Erongo desalination plant at Wlotzkasbaken to the Langer Heinrich, Rössing Uranium and Husab mines. Towns such as Swakopmund and Arandis, which are located along the pipeline, also make use of the desalinated water carried by the pipeline.
According to councillor Wilfried Groenewald of the Swakopmund municipality, NamWater issued the town council with a N$74 million bill without prior consultation.
“We were not informed that we had to pay for using the pipeline. Now we are being threatened by NamWater that we will be rationed and our water supply will be cut by 25% if we do not pay that amount. Our industries will suffer if there is no water and this will be disastrous to us all,” said Groenewald during an information sharing meeting held in Swakopmund about the water supply to the coast.
The mayor of Arandis, Daniel Muhuura, said that as part of an agreement with NamWater, all the money the town generates through water goes directly to NamWater.
“We are now also required to pay an increased rate to NamWater and on top of that we were slapped with a bill of N$11 million for making use of the pipeline. There was no prior consultation or communication from NamWater. They sit comfortably there, just dishing out bills and we as local authorities have to explain to our residents why they have to pay more for water,” said Muhuura.
He appealed to the minister of agriculture, water and forestry, John Mutorwa, who was present at the information sharing session, to ask the Namibian government to subsidise the additional costs.
“We cannot perform miracles, where are we supposed to get this money from? We are not happy that NamWater did not consult us, but is now expecting us to pay,” he said.
NamWater’s CEO, Dr Vaino Shivute, admitted that NamWater did not consult with or inform local authorities about the payment for the use of its pipeline. He, however, said it was necessary for NamWater to recover the costs of building the pipeline from its clients because the government’s subsidy was not enough.
“When the decision was taken to build the pipeline which cost us about N$500 million, the government said it would pay a certain amount and NamWater would cover the remaining amount. Government could, however, not pay the money they promised they would pay and that is why we asked the mines and local authorities to pay the outstanding amount,” he said.
According to Shivute, the amount charged to its clients for the use of the pipeline is calculated on the percentage of desalinated water each client uses. He, however, denied that the rationing of the towns’ water supply is being used to force local authorities to pay their outstanding bills.
“Towns are currently being supplied with cheap underground water. NamWater extracts about ten million cubic metres from the Kuiseb River aquifer and the Omdel aquifer each year to supply towns in the Erongo region with water.”
Mutorwa said NamWater must recover its costs from the consumer for building infrastructure and that subsidising local authorities for its water supply, is not a priority for government.

JESSICA BOTES

SPYL weighs in on Strauss remarks

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SPYL weighs in on Strauss remarksSPYL weighs in on Strauss remarks The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) has condemned a local engineer Alwyn Strauss for refusing to supervise an engineering trainee because she is black.
According a local daily, Strauss told the trainee Ankita Ndakukamo that he was not willing to share his intellectual property as the government “does not want to give jobs to white people”. Strauss is a registered civil engineer specialising in geotechnical engineering.
The matter sparked outrage last week, with the SPYL saying it will not allow this kind of treatment of young professionals by what it term “self-centred racists”.
Youth league spokesperson Neville Andre Itope also pointed out that it was clear Strauss does not want to contribute to the development of Namibia, despite government embracing the private sector. “It is therefore our call to government not to provide any future work to Strauss’s company.
He can as well immigrate to countries where there are only white people,” the statement noted. The statement demanded that Strauss apologises publicly for his alleged racist remarks that was recorded during a telephone conversation between him and Ndakukamo.
“In addition we urge the Engineering Council of Namibia to investigate this issue and to ensure that Ndakukama is given the opportunity to be supervised so that she can be registered,” SPYL said.
“We call upon the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Employment Equity Commission to investigate racial discrimination at the engineering council.
Furthermore we advise the government to establish an engineering board that will comprise of government and private sector representatives to deal with applications of engineers to be registered.”
When contacted for comment the president of the Engineering Council of Namibia Marcus von Jeney said he was not going to comment on issues that do not have anything to do with him.


JEMIMA BEUKES

Black weekend on roads

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Black weekend on roadsBlack weekend on roads In one of the darkest weekends on Namibian roads, at least 14 people died in numerous car accidents across the country.
The 14 included three male teachers from M&K Gertze Secondary School in Rehoboth who died in a terrible crash on the Kalkrand-Rehoboth road on Saturday morning.
The teachers were identified as Johannes Swartbooi, Josef Swarts and Detlief van Wyk who died when the vehicle they were travelling in collided head-on with another vehicle.
Both vehicles caught fire upon impact and all three occupants in each vehicle died on the spot.
Hendrik George Strauss and Marius Isaaks were the other occupants who perished in the accident.
A third deceased was not yet identified at the time of going to press yesterday. In another accident, three people burnt to death about 7km south of Otjiwarongo when the vehicle they were travelling in collided with a courier truck before bursting into flames.
According to police spokesperson Kauna Shikwambi the accident happened when one of the vehicles tried to overtake another vehicle. The injured passengers were taken to the Otjiwarongo State Hospital while the names of the deceased are not yet released.


In a separate incident, a 41-year-old man identified as Alfred Gaseb died on the spot when the vehicle he was driving overturned after he allegedly lost control at the weekend.
Three of Gaseb’s family members sustained serious injuries and were taken to the Uis Clinic for medical treatment.

Struggle kid killed
Meanwhile, one of the struggle kids that are currently camping at Brakwater was hit by a white Jetta on Friday evening while crossing the road. The 31-year-old Thomas Kondjeni died on the spot.
The driver of the vehicle, a 27-year-old man, has been arrested and charged with culpable homicide.
He was reportedly also not driving with a valid driver’s licence.
In a separate incident, a seven-year-old girl was allegedly hit by a red Volkswagen Polo vehicle when she running to her mother on the opposite side of the road. The girl who was identified as Etuhole Asser died on the spot.
According to the police, the driver, a 32-year-old man fled the scene but later reported himself at the Wanaheda Police Station.
A 24-year-old Markus Mark also died instantly after he was hit by a vehicle on near Noordoewer border post.
His next of kin has been informed and police is requested anyone with more information to contact the Noordoewer police station.
At Ondangwa, a one-year-old toddler, identified as Amukwaya London Loose, died after a motorist reversed his car over him.
The toddler was reportedly lying under the vehicle.
No arrest has been made and police investigations continue.


JEMIMA BEUKES

Venaani threatens nationwide strike

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Venaani threatens nationwide strikeVenaani threatens nationwide strike DTA leader McHenry Venaani has issued a 30-day ultimatum to government to resolve a long-standing impasse between striking fishermen and their respective employers.
Venaani who was addressing hundreds of striking fishermen on Friday at Walvis Bay, demanded that all workers be re-employed and commended them for conducting themselves in an orderly and peaceful manner throughout their ordeal.
“We shall not allow people to remain here after 30 days and will embark on the biggest peaceful protest action by unemployed persons ever seen in Namibia in order to compel government to act,” he said.
“This is a national and not a political issue, which have proceeded beyond the point of no return and must be resolved within the next 30 days. It is affecting more than 30 000 people and not only the approximately 2 000 striking fishermen alone.”
Venaani called on President Hage Geingob to do the right thing and said government, companies and the striking workers should head back to the negotiating table.
He suggested that catchment periods be extended to enable companies to recoup losses incurred due to the lack of adequate resources.
“It is time to reform the fishing sector and unacceptable that government allowed experienced citizens to remain unemployed for so long. President Geingob has many advisors and should be capable of finding a middle way on the matter.”

“Negotiations to ensure all striking fishermen are re-employed should be initiated with immediate effect. The striking fishermen are not the unemployed and a solution to resolve this prevailing situation is easy. Everyone must be re-employed. Unemployment is a crisis in the country with more than 30% of Namibians not having jobs.”
Venaani also challenged fishing companies to do the honourable thing and accused them of employing temporal workers to save costs.
He pointed out that a country such as Morocco employs over 800 000 people and process 170 000 metric tons of fish annually. Namibia is catching half this amount of fish and the industry employs just over 10 000 people.
“The Harambee Prosperity Plan promises jobs while we are losing over 2 000 jobs in reality. Government is well aware of the fact that there are approximately 4 000 Spanish nationals working in the fishing sector while Namibians are sitting without work. These foreigners are earning salaries at the expense of Namibians,” he said.
The fishermen said they are affiliated to various political parties and welcomed Venaani in his capacity as a leader. They also vowed to continue and not give in until their demands for improved working conditions and better salaries are met.
Mathews Lungameni, a striking fishermen, who have been joining others at the open plain near the Kuisebmond soccer stadium daily since the inception of the strike last year said it was worrisome that government opted to remain mum on the issue after 11 months.
“Venaani is a political leader and we welcome any help. We are not striking illegally but staying away due to hazardous conditions, which persist on vessels. Our families are starving and our children suffer because we do not have an income. Some of us lost our houses,” he said.

Serious issues
According to Lungameni, things are not proper in the industry and they are forced to work non-stop like slaves for days, deprived of sleep and earn meagre salaries.
Lungameni’s former colleague - Mathews Ndaindapo - allegedly died on a trip to Gabon and was buried there, due to a lack of funds to repatriate his body in 2008. The family apparently received a paltry N$3 000 as compensation.
He also accused the labour court of being biased and assuming the duties of a criminal court and questioned why allegations of intimidation and assault levelled against striking fishermen were not reported to the police for investigation.
Many striking fishermen have apparently been dismissed without hearings and received notification of their dismissal via SMS.

OTIS FINCK

Zuma food aid rots in warehouse

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Zuma food aid rots in warehouseZuma food aid rots in warehouseA consignment of food aid is to be disposed of because it has been contaminated. Donated maize meal not fit for consumption The Office of the Prime Minister has admitted that bags of special maize meal, which was part of a huge donation from the South African government at the beginning of the year, is still being kept at the warehouse of its directorate of emergency and disaster management in Windhoek.
This newspaper was tipped off about the roughly 450 bags of maize meal, which is in a warehouse on Nickel Street in the Prosperita Industrial area, a day after the Office of the Prime Minister issued a statement in which it denied allegations that it was distributing drought relief that lacks balance, poor nutrition and is not fit for human consumption.
The tip-off also came a few days before Namibia was to host the Africa drought relief conference in Windhoek that took place from 15 to 19 August.
The bags are labelled as a “gift of South Africa”, and, according to the labelling, the maize meal was produced by Pride Milling Co. (Pty) Ltd. in Nigel in December 2015 with the expiry date indicated as June 2016.
When first asked about the maize meal bags kept at Prosperita in the middle of August, the spokesperson in the Office of the Prime Minister, Saima Shaanika, denied that there were any remaining bags, saying the warehouse was empty.


Upon further enquiries to the directorate of emergency and disaster management unit, Shaanika however, responded last week that the bags currently kept in the warehouse “were declared not fit for consumption in January already”.
“They were contaminated during the logistic management. They were only kept there [in the warehouse] waiting to be disposed off in line with treasury instruction on how government properties should be disposed of,” said Shaanika last week.
She did not say how the contamination occurred and who, either the South African or Namibian government, handled the bags of maize meal.
The deputy head of the South African High Commission, Eli Bitzer, last Friday (also could not respond to questions regarding the consignment of maize meal because he was travelling.
He, however, said the high commission was not informed that the maize meal was contaminated.
Shaanika said the South African government made a drought relief donation to its Namibian counterpart between December last year and January.
She said the value of all donated items, which include borehole rehabilitation and cowpeas in addition to the maize meal, was estimated at N$100 million.
Bitzer said the programme for the rehabilitation of boreholes accounted for about N$50 million while the rest accounted for the remaining N$50 million.

CATHERINE SASMAN

Eye on the future

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Eye on the futureEye on the future The BMX nationals finals held at the Katutura Youth Complex in Windhoek on Saturday morning saw some exciting cycling with more than 60 children from across Namibia participating in the inaugural event.
It was also clear that there is indeed considerable cycling talent in this country, and therefore a need to start developing such riders from a young age, such as the RMB/NCF “Kids on Bikes” project.
Namibia National Olympics Committee (NNOC) representative Dawie Augustyn encouraged the youngsters to aim to compete at future Olympic Games.
The event forms part of the Namibian Cycling Federation’s (NCF) 5-year development plan to encourage cycling, and notably BMX as a cycling discipline amongst youngsters at grassroots level.
The “Kids on Bikes” project is promoted by RMB Namibia through the FNB Namibia Holdings Foundation Trust and has seen youngsters from Omuthiya, Okahandja, Gobabis and Omaruru participate in these types of events over the past few months.
At all towns, coaches were trained by the NCF to ensure that the project remains on-going and active within their respective communities.
BMX bicycles and helmets were handed over to different communities, courtesy of RMB Namibia.
Apart from the top riders from the various regions where BMX centres have been established, three teams from Windhoek participated, namely a combined Kayec/PAY team, a combined Vertigo BMX Club/Suiderhof Primary School team and Rock Hoppers, bringing the total participants to 80 children.
BMX as a sport is growing steadily in Namibia, with the construction of an additional pump track in Windhoek envisioned for the not too distant future, as well as an invitation from UCI (the world governing body for sports cycling) to send two under-23 Namibians to a BMX training camp in Switzerland.
The “Kids on Bikes” events held across Namibia recently, have been met with great enthusiasm and support.
According NCF secretary-general Sally Harper the amount of interest shown in the sport by children is amazing.
“It is super to see so many kids interested in learning to ride BMX bikes and their enthusiasm during race-day competitions,” Harper, who works with NCF Development Officer Hella Rust to deliver the Kids on Bikes project, said.
“We are especially pleased with the number of girls who have participated and the number of teachers and parents present too.”
The project will be expanded to include more age groups in 2017.

Results:
Girls 8 and under
1. Faheefa Morkel(BMX Vertigo/Suiderhof primary)
2. Jolene Nautoro (BMX Omaruru)
3. Elma Itope (BMX Gobabis)

Girls 10 and under
1. Alicia Engelbrecht (BMX Vertigo/Suiderhof primary)
2. Jenny Resburg (BMX Omaruru)
3. Naemi Kapingana (PAY/KAYEC)

Boys 8 and under
1. Nathan Chase (St Georges)
2. Zach Philander (BMX Vertigo/Suiderhof)
3. Peter Grant Steenkamp (BMX Gobabis)

Boys 10 and under
1. Rocha Afrikaner (BMX Gobabis)
2. Aidan Engelbrecht (BMX Vertigo/Suiderhof)
3. Pius Junior Amungulu (BMX Gobabis)


SPORT REPORTER

We must buck down and do it

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We must buck down and do itWe must buck down and do it More rot uncovered. In this week, around 15 nurses, two accountants and a doctor were nabbed in Otjozondjupa in connection with fraud in the region of N$8 million. They are all employed at the health ministry. Now we hear that there is an official at the coast who is accused of taking bribes to extend the work permits of foreigners in Namibia.
And then we are not even referring to the NSFAF debacle with files missing, stolen or simply removed for payment.
Attend the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on a daily basis and look at the court roll. The Anti-Corruption Commission is busy… it is just that the media does not report on the small fish.
But corruption is endemic in this country. As endemic as foot-and-mouth disease.
Why does it flourish? Certainly human greed is a strong determinant but that is not the main reason. There is no real control of state-run entities or parastatals. There is no check-list, there is no discipline and nobody is looking to see what you are doing.
No, civil servants come and go as they please. They do private work in work hours. They do as they please. The boss is not checking because he, or she, is also busy with private business, or shopping, as the case may be.
In private corporations, there is control, accountability and a system where missing monies, documents and the like, are quickly traced. But that is because the boards, bosses and owners care. It is after all, their money.
State-run entities are no different. In fact, financial control and care of the assets becomes even more critical because one is working with public funds and let’s face it, it is not like the government is rolling in it.
Accountability is critical. If employees are checked, if systems are in place, then they will not steal to the level they are stealing now. One will always have corruption but a lackadaisical management style leads to the levels we are seeing in our little country today.
Buckle down and take control of your departments. And ensure consequences when rules are broken.

Natural, the local way

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Natural, the local wayNatural, the local wayCultures across the world created their own recipes for medicines from their unique environments and for Namibia, it is no different. Muti exhibition celebrates traditional healing Traditional medicine, which is the oldest pharmacy and market in the world, has in recent decades been shelved for Western cures, yet experts believe reintegrating it may be Africa’s saving grace.
The Museums Association of Namibia on Wednesday launched a small, mobile exhibition which focuses on the medicinal use of plants by traditional healers in Namibia and to encourage discussion about the role of traditional healers in Namibia today.
The exhibition at the Unam School of Medicine was opened by Dr Kalumbi Shangula, pro vice-chancellor of the Health Science Campus, and is expected to end today. Jean-Pierre Ilboudo of Unesco’s Windhoek office said some illnesses that puzzle modern medicine can often be cured by traditional medicine.
According to Ilboudo, originally from Burkina Faso, Namibia can use West Africa as an example in organising its traditional healers in order to collaborate with modern doctors.
He said in Burkina Faso it is acceptable for a modern doctor to refer a patient with an ‘incurable’ disease to a traditional healer.
“In my country they have two symposiums yearly where all the medical doctors meet with traditional healers to discuss the new findings they have for the six months. And this is what we need to do in this country,” he said.
Unesco is currently looking at launching a programme that would see to it that an inventory is established of the number of traditional healers, the work they do and which plants they use.
Ilboudo added that it would be advisable for the Namibian government to register all the plants found locally and used for medicinal purposes as a way to reclaim the property rights of communities.
“Such as the case of devil’s claw, do you know how I got to know about that plant? Twenty years ago in France, they put it in cups, and you know you can only find that plant in Namibia and Angola and nowhere else in the world. Meaning people have taken it and sold it to the Western people, and this is a big loss to the country, and I am sure there are many plants like that,” he said.
He added that it would be a further loss if the government failed to value and label communities’ intellectual property.

Traditional matters
This comes at a time when the Business and Intellectual Property Authority Bill (BIPA) is being discussed in the National Assembly.
The health minister Bernhard Haufiku said last month that he believes there is a need for the government to consult and get input from traditional authorities.
“In fact, I have instructed our legal person to send the bill to our Traditional Authority Council. I would not want to take it to parliament before the relevant stakeholders are consulted. We do not want to leave people out, especially on issues that directly affect them,” he said.

Cure or Muti?
Anna Kooper, also known as ‘Ousie Namas’ lamented the lack of interest from Namibians, many of whom have written off their own cultures.
Kooper, who had been taught by her late grandmother since she was 13 years old, said tourists are the only people interested in local remedies, but they only want the knowledge.
Ousie Namas is a traditional healer from the !Khob !Naub Conservancy located some 15 kilometres north of Keetmanshoop, which covers villages such as Blouputs, Blouwes and Itsawises. She uses ostrich egg, porcupine, baboon faeces and jackal liver for her remedies.
Her most common remedy is what is locally called “hotnospoeier” or “Apu” in Khoekhoegowab, a concoction of ground ostrich shell, jackal liver and the faeces of a porcupine.
Hotnospoeier is a very popular remedy for small children in the Hardap and /Karas rRegions.
According to Ousie Namas, baboon faeces can be used to make a plaster for sore feet or for burns.
Burns can also be treated with ground charred seaweed.

Exhibition
The exhibition raises two talking points. The first highlights the way in which indigenous knowledge of the curative properties of local plants has been used to develop commercial products.
It uses the examples of devil’s claw and hoodia to highlight the importance of ensuring that communities can benefit economically from such developments.
The second talking point links to the Traditional Health Practitioners Bill that is currently being considered and which is intended to regulate the work of traditional healers.
According to Stella Imalwa-Nangolo, an executive committee member of the Museums Association, the exhibition will next go to the Rehoboth Museum and then the Onandjoke Medical Museum.
JEMIMA BEUKES

N$2.5m fraud case in court today

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N$2.5m fraud case in court todayN$2.5m fraud case in court today

The fraud case involving more than N$2.5 million against the two former employees of then Indo Atlantic, now rebranded as the CIC, at Walvis Bay has been remanded to today for the continuation of trial.
The two, Dawid Martin Bezuidenhout, a former cigarette sales representative for the company, and Venecia Ann Koning, who was employed as an administrative clerk issuing invoices, are being accused of fraud and theft, and theft by false pretence. They initially faced 36 counts of the same charges but were acquitted on some of them after a successful application which found that the State did not prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt. Bezuidenhout appears on 14 charges of fraud, one count of theft and one of theft by false pretence while his co-accused Koning is facing 37 charges involving fraud, theft, forgery and theft by false pretence. The State alleges that the two accused acted with a common purpose between the period October 2006 to 20 August 2007 at Walvis Bay, and defrauded Indo Atlantic. According to the State, Koning paid cash amounts into accounts of other customers for whom Bezuidenhout had created false invoices for cigarettes that were never delivered. According to the evidence, he delivered 1 000 packets of Benson and Hedges Special Mild while the small retailer, Trust Market, was invoiced for 3 000 packs. Another delivery showed he delivered 6 000 packs of Dunhill King Size and 4 000 Peter Stuyvesant to Walvis Bay Self Service while the customer was invoiced for 14 000 packs of Peter Stuyvesant and 16 000 packs of Dunhill. According to the State, he stole the excess cigarettes, sold them and pocketed the proceeds. The State alleges that Bezuidenhoudt defrauded customers, which included, Kuiseb Shop 4 Value, Bargosa Wholesalers, Walvis Bay Self Service, Parade Supermarket, Trust Market, Metro Walvis Bay, Metro Swakopmund, Shoprite U Save, Shoprite/Checkers Walvis Bay, Sentra Portuguese Market, Spar North Rand Henties and Shoprite Swakopmund. Judge Alfred Siboleka postponed to today for trial. Advocate Simba Nduna appears for State while the lawyers Titus Ipumbu and Boris Isaack are appearing for the accused.

FRED GOEIEMAN

Import conditions for livestock less stringent

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Import conditions for livestock less stringent Import conditions for livestock less stringent Namibian farmers can finally expect some relief after South Africa has commenced with the issuance of less stringent import conditions for livestock intended for direct slaughter in that country.
This was announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry following the strict import conditions that was introduced by South Africa on 1 July this year resulting in no cattle being able to be exported from Namibia in the last few months.
This caused outcry among the farming community who urged government to intervene.
The ministry said in a statement that this development will bring relief to the farming community and exporters as the new export permit reduces the need for compulsory pre-export Brucella testing and double TB resting.
This means that small stock does not have to be tested anymore and that cattle only have to be tested for TB once within 30 days before export.
According to the ministry four facilities in South Africa have been approved by their department of agriculture, forestry and fisheries to receive cattle, sheep and goats for direct slaughter from Namibia.
However according to the Namibia Agricultural Union it was confirmed that these four facilities are only applicable on sheep. The four approved facilities are Cartol Abattoir (Western Cape), GWK Meat Abattoir, GWK Meat Feedlot and Rooidag Abattoir, all from the Northern Cape. The Department of Veterinary Services in the South Africa also confirmed that there are still 15 applications submitted for approval which also include cattle facilities.
The ministry however stressed that movements to all other destinations in South Africa are subject to the existing stringent import conditions until further notice.
Under the current system exporters must apply to the department of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in South Africa for the new veterinary import permit and all animals must be properly identified using the official NAMLITs ear tags for cattle, sheep and goats.
The veterinary import permit must be certified by the local state veterinarian in Namibia and at the border the exporter must declare the consignment to veterinary officials of both countries. The ministry further says that the veterinary officials in South Africa will issue a ‘red cross’ permit for the consignment from the border to the final consignment where arrangements have to be made for the owner of the facility (feedlot or abattoir) to receive the consignment and break the seals.
Exporters of livestock were also cautioned not to divert or exchange animals in certified consignments and to jeopardise the sensitive trade facilitating arrangement.
“Your market is in our hands,” the ministry warned.


ELLANIE SMIT

Geingob rings diplomatic changes

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Geingob rings diplomatic changesGeingob rings diplomatic changesTwo career diplomats as well as former home affairs deputy minister Elia Kaiyamo have been handed diplomatic postings. New ambassadors commissioned President Hage Geingob on Friday cautioned newly commissioned ambassadors not to let him down and force him to recall them but to represent the country with dignity and honour.
The president further told the diplomats that they are sent to countries which have strong ties with Namibia and urged them to make the best of their time while representing the country abroad.
The three ambassadors are former chief of protocol and career diplomat Neville Gertze, former home affairs deputy minister Elia Kaiyamo as well as Panduleni Shingenge.
Gertze has been named as Namibia’s ambassador to the United Nations, while Shingenge will head the Namibian mission in Algeria.
Kaiyamo will replace Ringo Abed in China.
“Don’t go and sit in your office, we are now in the second phase of the struggle - economic emancipation. China is a big economic power; it is called a super power, very important country. You have been chosen to therefore leverage the relationship with China and to bring business,” Geingob said.
The president further said he appointed Kaiyamo to represent the country in China because of his “revolutionary, academic and struggle credentials”.
Shingenge will be the first ambassador of Namibia to Algeria following the opening of a mission in that country this year.
Gertze, who will be taking charge of the United Nations office in New York, had a brief stint as chief of protocol until early last month until he was replaced by former Agribank CEO Leonard Iipumbu.
Gertze is expected to take over from the retiring Wilfried Emvula.
Geingob made it clear to Gertze that he was the appropriate candidate for the UN position because of his wealth of experience in bilateral relations.
Speaking to Namibian Sun on the sidelines, Gertze said it was an honour for him or any other Namibian to go and represent the country abroad.
“We look forward to gain support for what Namibia stands for, the project that our government has. And to network, to bring friends to Namibia that can help us fast track the development of our country,” said Gertze.
“The future of our young generation, the future of our country, these are matters that deal with environmental issues, climate change as we are experiencing first-hand in Namibia. Dealing with drought, dealing with soil erosion dealing with all these issues that affect food security and Namibia’s efforts to deliver to its nation, its nationals the life that it deserve and the place in the international community that Namibia is entitled to.”


All-weather friend
Kaiyamo made it clear that Namibia and China are all-weather friends and that his main focus is to improve this relationship to create a win-win situation for both parties.
“China is a big power and the second biggest economy of the world. We need to bring investors to Namibia from that part of the world. To make sure that our Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP) and Vision 2030 are supported,” he said.


JEMIMA BEUKES

Police declare gun amnesty

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Police declare gun amnestyPolice declare gun amnestyThe Namibian police hope to make homes safer by declaring a nationwide gun amnesty until 18 November. Orders illegal gun-owners to surrender weapons Namibians have until 18 November to surrender all illegal firearms, ammunition and war materials to the police without being prosecuted or face the wrath of the law.
Police Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga, officially declared Amnesty for the surrendering of all illegal firearms, ammunition and armaments in Namibia.
He said that a decision was taken by Cabinet to publish a government gazette authorising amnesty to surrender all illegal firearms to the authorities.
The period of surrendering these weapons in terms of Government Gazette No 165 has already started from 18 August and will continue to 18 November for all Namibians to surrender any illegal weapons.
Ndeitunga said that the government is concerned about the proliferation of illegal weapons and ammunition that have been discovered by police during operations conducted nationwide.
According to him, the reason why there are still so many illegal firearms in Namibia is because of the Angolan and South African war conflict when war materials were acquired by many citizens.
He said from 2013 to 2015 police have confiscated 560 illegal firearms.
He was, however, unable to say how many illegal weapons have been confiscated this year already.
“This year is a big number, but they may still be tied up with investigations in court cases,” he said.
He said the police conducted an extensive operation on illegal firearms and arrested certain individuals who were found in possession of machine guns, ammunition and war materials.
He stressed that under the Arms and Ammunitions Act, the possession of machine guns by members of the public is prevented.
These types of weapons, Ndeitunga said, are only allowed to be in the possession of the Namibian Police, the Namibian Defence Force and in some cases the Correctional Services.
Ndeitunga stressed that they are, however, very concerned about the increasing numbers of firearms as these dangerous weapons are out in public domain and posing a threat to the safety and security of citizens.
“Illegal firearms in irresponsible hands are a great concern and are used in violent crimes,” said Ndeitunga.
He explained that an amnesty was declared in 1992 where members of the public were engaged to surrender all illegal firearms and war weapons in their possession without delay. In spite of this, certain individuals are still in possession of such arms.
Ndeitunga especially urged farmers to hand in illegal firearms adding that there has been a problem with the farming community and them having illegal weapons and war materials hidden on farms.

ELLANIE SMIT
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