Rape cases mount

May 7, 2019, 4:00 pm

≪ Previous: Proper drought response critical

Rape cases mountCops jump in after #MeToo social media storm Following harrowing accounts of rape and sexual assault experienced by Namibians, victims are finally finding their voices.

Seven cases of rape are being investigated by the police, stemming from the more than 200 stories of sexual assault shared on social media over the past week, which gave rise to Namibia's #MeToo movement.

The #MeTooNamibia movement has highlighted that while statistically, one in three women are sexually assaulted in Namibia during their lives, most survivors remain silent about the abuse.

“Time and time again, our systems show us how victim-blaming and slut-shaming are embedded in our culture and in our systems,” Arlana Shikongo of the Slut Shame Walk (SSW) organisation committee said at the launch of the #MeTooNamibia movement alliance on Monday.

The alliance was launched to provide a host of specialist support services to survivors, including legal and psychological support.

Shikongo underlined that Namibia “harbours a culture of fear and intimidation, in which women are almost always rendered voiceless when it comes to their experiences with sexual violence”.

Alna Dall underlined that the hundreds of stories shared online have further proven that Namibia has a “huge problem with how men perceive women and their bodies”. She said the “most painful part of this revelation is that a majority of those accused of sexual assaults are indeed young men”.

“Young men who should be groomed to become the leaders of the country.”

The accounts further revealed that some of the perpetrators have been accused by multiple women.

Alliance support

The Office of the First Lady, a #MeTooNamibia movement alliance partner, assisted women who came forward by arranging for dedicated officers from the police's gender-based violence investigation unit to meet the women in a safe and enabling environment to make statements. All cases to date are rape cases.

Further, one adult male approached the organisation in the wake of the #MeTooNamibia online accounts, in need of psychological support.

Dr Veronica Theron, technical advisor to the Office of the First Lady, said yesterday, in addition to assisting women and men to make statements to the police, the organisation has referred five people for psychological support to private and government organisations and shelters.

First Lady Monica Geingos over the past week has shown support for the movement, highlighting that while similar abuses have long plagued Namibian women, the new generation is brave enough to tackle the issue publicly.

On her social media account she wrote: “Support them and believe women. I certainly do.”

She also posted a number of educational factsheets and information on sexual abuse and violence.

Theron emphasised that a core goal of the alliance is prevention, including educational talks and outreach programmes.

Harrowing

In the accounts shared on social media by Namibian women and men, many recounted being raped or sexually harassed by close family or friends.

One woman told of the abuse her mother suffered at the hands of her father, including beatings and controlling behaviour.

At the same time, the women stated she was being sexually molested by her nanny.

Others told of the abuse they suffered at an early age, including one woman who said a family friend of a neighbour sexually abused her while she was between the ages of five and seven.

Another wrote, anonymously, “my earliest violent experience was with my dad”, who she said was physically violent in the home.

Another woman, who said she had been raped at the age of six, was beaten and raped when she was older, by another man.

Many young women shared stories of multiple rapes, often while in their teens or twenties, at the hands of men they say they knew and trusted.

Critics of the movement have raised concerns about false testimonies against alleged perpetrators.

Theron pointed out on Monday that in her experience, false testimonies accounted for 1% of these types of accounts.

She said those who are falsely accused have the same legal and criminal recourses as survivors of rape.

Moreover, #MeTooNamibia alliance members and others are concerned about the “toxic backlash” from some quarters, and the threats faced by many who have shared their stories.

They have advised they are available to assist in addressing these threats.

JANA-MARI SMITH

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Mahangu crops 'kill' cattle

May 7, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Mahangu crops 'kill' cattle

Livestock owners in the north have been urged not to feed their animals young and underdeveloped mahangu plants, especially those that have not grown heads, as they may be toxic.

This is after a farmer at the Omutsegwonime in the Oshikoto Region lost 10 head of cattle after they were fed immature mahangu crops.

A state veterinarian at Omuthiya, Dr Frenada Haufiku, cautioned farmers not to feed their livestock underdeveloped mahangu and sorghum plants.

“Mahangu and sorghum (plants) can be toxic when they have not completed all their growing stages, especially if they have not developed heads.

It therefore risky for farmers to feed their livestock with them when they (the plants) are young. Farmers better wait until they are completely dry before they can feed their animals,” said Haufiku, adding that Sunday's incident at Omutsegwonime had not yet been reported to her by Monday afternoon.

Ireneus Shigwedha told Namibian Sun he lost two bulls and eight cows after cattle herders fed them “fresh” mahangu crops on Sunday.

“On Sunday evening I received a call from the cattle herders that the cattle were dying after experiencing swollen stomachs. When I asked them what they had drunk or eaten, they told me that they just started feeding them the mahangu crops that are in the field,” said Shigwedha.

“They told me that they (the cattle) did not drink on Sunday due to the water crisis they have been experiencing in the area for the past weeks, because water from the taps come from the NamWater main pipeline from Omuthiya.”

Shigwedha said he drove to Omutsegwonime from Ongwediva on Sunday evening and found 10 dead cattle.

“By the look of things there was nothing wrong with the animals and we are just suspecting it is the mahangu,” Shigwedha said.

Many farmers in the north are facing the challenge of mahangu crops failing to mature. The crops have grown but due to a lack of rainfall, they are failing to grow and bear heads, so they can eventually be harvest. With the crop season all but a failure for many, some have started to feed the immature, dried out plants to their cattle.

Farmers usually wait for mahangu heads to dry partially in the field before harvesting. Mahangu harvesting generally takes place around May or June, depending on the rain patterns for the year and the earliness of the variety cultivated. The stem is cut with a sharp knife just beneath the head. The heads are placed in large harvesting baskets and taken away for further drying, before threshing.

ILENI NANDJATO

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Old gold hunt pays off

May 6, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Old gold hunt pays offGold mines going strong Gold production in Namibia has reached new heights after 120 years of prospecting.

AUGETTO GRAIG

The glowing flagship of Namibia’s gold production is the B2Gold Otjikoto Gold Mine between Otavi and Otjiwarongo, which recorded an output of 5 429 kg of gold bullion and 104 kg of silver in 2017. In the same year, the Navachab open-pit gold mine produced 1 843kg of gold. More recently, B2Gold reported that it produced 4744 kg of gold bullion last year, while it is continuing with exploration at its joint venture with Forsys Metals at Ondundu, just north of the Navachab gold mine.

The first gold discoveries in Namibia were made in 1899. Gold mining began in 1933 but was later abandoned. Today, gold mining is once again at the forefront of Namibian mining ambitions thanks to advances in modern technology, exploration and mining techniques.

According to Namibweb.com, the first gold-bearing quartz veins in Namibia were discovered in the Rehoboth district in Sinclair Sequence volcanogenic host rock. A highly speculative pegging boom took place on the Rehoboth gold fields during 1933 and 1934, and subsequently up to 1941, 199.2 kg of gold was produced from small oxidised and supergene-enriched deposits.

The 1917 discovery of the Ondundu gold field in the Omaruru District marked the first true Namibian “gold rush”. Mining of primarily alluvial deposits and some hard-rock mining produced 614.4 kg of gold until the mine’s closure in 1963.

During the period 1937 to 1943, alluvial gravels were worked in the Epako–Otjua area, Omaruru District, producing some 46.9 kg of gold. The commissioning of the Navachab Gold Mine in the Karibib District in 1989 was the result of an upswing in gold exploration that started in the early 1980s and continues today.

The current production of gold in Namibia dwarfs all previous production years. Up to the 1960s, approximately 662 kg of gold was produced from several small mines. Between 1965 and 1989 an additional 1 878 kg of gold was produced, mostly as by-product from base-metal mines.

Until the discovery of the gold-skarn deposit at Navachab, the only known primary gold mineralisation in Namibia was of the quartz vein type, with limited secondary development of alluvial deposits. Hydrothermal gold quartz veins with associated base metals occur at several localities within the Huab Complex and Khoabendus Group in the northwest of Namibia.

In the geologically similar volcano-sedimentary Sinclair and Rehoboth sequences, supergene enrichment through oxidation of auriferous hydrothermal sulphides has provided grades sufficient to support small-scale mining ventures.

The hydrothermal Ondundu gold deposits are Namibia’s prime example of disseminated gold mineralisation development with tourmalinisation, followed by enrichment within structurally controlled quartz vein systems. The marble-hosted gold-skarn at Navachab is related to multistage mineralisation in the Central Zone of the Damara Sequence.

These two principal styles of gold mineralisation are not the only types present in Namibia, according to the national geological survey. Among others, Nosib Group quartzites east of Sesfontein and near Opuwo contain gold-bearing quartz veins, while Swakop Group rocks host auriferous pegmatites. In addition, several types of base-metal mineralisation carry gold that can be extracted as a by-product. The Otjihase, Tsumeb and Kombat mines are examples of such base-metal ore bodies.

The Navachab gold deposit was discovered as a result of a geochemical exploration programme in October 1984 on the farm Navachab, 6 km south of the main Okahandja-Swakopmund tar road. An appraisal was done in 1986, followed by a feasibility study in 1987, after which a decision was made to proceed with the development of a mine.

Construction work began in 1988 and the first gold bar was poured 21 months later in December 1989, establishing Namibia as one of the world’s gold-producing countries. The mine was completed at a capital cost of N$85 million. The plant was commissioned in November, with full production achieved in January 1990.

The 35-metre-thick ore body is hosted in a thick marble unit. The ore body dips at 70' to the west and plunges at 14' to the north and it was initially mined by open-cast method to a depth of 160 metres.

QKR was established with funds from Qatar and Polish billionaire Jan Kulczyk by former JP Morgan banker Lloyd Pengilly to buy the mine from AngloGold Ashanti in 2014. The estimated life-of-mine expected that year was until 2028.

The Otjikoto gold mine was officially opened in 2015 with an expected life-of-mine of about 12.5 years. More recently established higher grade reserves discovered at the mine’s Wolfshag open pit may push activity at the mine beyond 2027. Production of this ore is expected to resume later this year, after completion of the expansion of the pit.

For 2019, the Otjikoto Mine is forecast to produce between 4677 kg and 4961 kg of gold, primarily from the Otjikoto Pit, although gold production is scheduled to be significantly weighted towards the second half of the year.

↧

Monster derby

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Youthful squads picked for defining tournaments

≪ Previous: Old gold hunt pays off

Monster derbyStars take on BA in top-of-the-table clash tonight The destiny of the premier league title could well be decided tonight when African Stars and Black Africa clash.

African Stars and Black Africa (BA) have vowed to pull out all the stops tonight when they clash at the Sam Nujoma Stadium at 19:00.

The top-of-the-table clash could either see BA pulling away or African Stars closing the gap to a mere three points in the MTC Namibia Premier League (NPL).

The teams go into the match hunting three vital points. They are only separated by six points, with African Stars having a game in hand.

Black Africa lead the log with 54 points from 24 matches, while Stars are in second place with 48 points from 23 matches.

A win for Black Africa will put them nine points clear at the top of the table, with one hand on the premier league title.

After tonight's match there are less than a handful of games remaining.

Stars, the 2017/18 champions, have their own aspirations.

A win for Stars will put them in a position where they will need to win their remaining matches to clinch the title, provided Black Africa lose one of their next matches.

African Stars assistant coach Andrew Tjahikika said his team is ready to take the three points.

“We have been preparing for this and I can tell you that the players are ready. “There are no major injury concerns at the moment, given that we only have one player out,” Tjahikika said.

He called on all African Stars fans to come in their numbers to support the team.

The game is poised to generate an electric atmosphere, given the passion and the support both teams enjoy from their faithful fans.

The stage is set for players to emerge as either heroes or villains, given what is at stake for both teams.

Black Africa's Alfred Ndyenge is confident that his side will bank the three points on offer.

“It terms of preparations, we are ready and about to close the curtain.

“The purpose is to get as close as possible to the title by collecting three points against African Stars.

“We do have a few suspensions and injuries, but that is not a concern because we have the players to fill the gap,” Ndyenge said.

In the past - during many clashes - a single goal has separated these two iconic clubs.

However, the last time these two sides met, Black Africa humiliated African Stars 5-1.

BA go into the match missing key men McCartney Nawaseb and Wendell Rudath.

The team will also be without Avihe Mbai against a nearly full strength African Stars, who are only missing Nguti Korukuve.

Black Africa have won 16 of their matches so far this season, while suffering only two defeats and registering six draws.

The club has scored 57 goals while conceding only 18 this season.

African Stars go into the clash having won 15 of their premier league matches, while losing five time and registering three draws.

Stars, however, have an inferior goal difference to their rivals, after scoring 36 and conceding 19 goals so far this season.

The gates will open at 16:00. General tickets are selling for N$30, while VIP tickets are going for N$150.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

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Youthful squads picked for defining tournaments

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Youthful squads picked for defining tournaments

Organisers of secondary schools rugby completed weeklong trials in Windhoek yesterday, from which a squad of under-16 and u-18 players were selected to compete in South Africa.

The Namibia School Sports Union (NSSU) u-16 team will again compete in the annual Grant Khomo Week, which will take place in White River, Mpumalanga from 24 to 28 June.Meanwhile, the NSSU u-18 team will compete in the SA U-18 Academy Week, which will take place in Bloemfontein from 1 to 6 July.

The Academy Week will include Namibia, Zimbabwe and South African teams.

Yesterday Momentum Namibia also handed over a cheque of N$250 000 for the 27th annual Momentum nationwide secondary schools league in all age groups.

The schools league dates back 48 years, starting as the Klopper Trophy in 1969, before Metropolitan later took charge in 1992. The company merged with Momentum, who took over as the main sponsor a few years ago.

The u-16 and u-18 training squads will undergo further fitness and skills testing this week until Saturday, when the final touring teams will be announced. Frederick van Zyl from Momentum Namibia said rugby players from all participating schools should use the league as platform to make their way into the national sides. The youngsters received encouragement from Phil Davies, a former Welsh international player and head coach of the senior Namibian rugby side since 2015, who said many players in the current squad started in the junior systems.

“Guys like Cliven Loubser, Janco Venter, Damian Stevens and many others were all at your stage. The time may not be far off for you to represent your country. Set goals and good luck with you rugby careers,” he said.

Towards the end of June the selection process will start for a Namibian u-18 schools team to face a touring national team from Georgia in August in two matches in Walvis Bay.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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Making it rain

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Nakathila shows off his spoils

≪ Previous: Youthful squads picked for defining tournaments

Making it rainShikusho, Gurirab top goal-scoring charts Finding the net is easy for Anna Shikusho and Issaskar Gurirab.

The Skorpion Zinc Women's Super League concluded this past weekend with Tura Magic's Anna Shikusho scoring a total of 29 goals for the season.

Shikusho, who topped the goal-scoring charts, said the feat was not an easy one as she had to give extra at training in order to achieve the goal.

“Scooping the top goal-scorer award was my aim from the start, so in every match I tried as much as possible to score,” Shikosho said.

The forward has 27 caps for the Brave Gladiators, and eight goals. She said she has been working hard in order to emulate her club performance.

“You must know that playing club football is different from representing the nation. But the aim is to always go out there and represent Namibia the best way I can.”

Shikusho said further she is not sure how much money she will receive for her performances, but she will save it for a rainy day.

In second place on the goal-scoring charts was Khomas Nampol's Iina Katuta with 22 goals, followed in third by Beverly Uueziua from Galz & Goals with 21 goals.

The fourth spot is occupied by Memory Ngonda with 20, while and Millicent Hikuam from Tura Magic ended fifth with 14 goals.

Shikusho added that next season will not be much different, as she will again chase and defend her title.

NPL race

In 2018/19 Namibia Premier League (NPL), the title race is as tight as ever, with Black Africa and African Stars gunning for glory.

In terms of individual glory, the country's top marksmen are in a battle of their own, as they compete for the golden boot.

This, however, does not faze Life Fighters' Issaskar Gurirab, as he has managed to score 22 goals so far and currently occupies the goal-scoring summit.

He is looking forward to netting more goals in remaining fixtures, before the league ends on 26 May.

The 21-year-old Gurirab is a resident of Uis and regularly took part in smaller tournaments before joining the Otjiwarongo-based club.

He has no caps for the Brave Warriors, but his club achievements have caught the eye of national team head coach Ricardo Mannetti, who called up the player for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) training squad. He has also been called up for the Cosafa Cup training squad under Collin Benjamin.

African Stars' Chrispen Mbewe is in second in the race for the NPL golden boot with 14 goals, while Black Africa's McCarthy Naweseb is in third place with 13 goals.

Theofilus Junias from Tura Magic is currently in fourth position with 12 goals and in fifth spot is Young Brazilians players Wayne Esterhuizen with 11 goals.

Life Fighters coach Agnus Chabala had great things to say about Gurirab.

“I was told that there was a brilliant player in Uis. I informed my chairman who met with his family to bring him to the club. He trained with me and the first time I already saw the quality he possesses. I told him to work hard and the results will follow,” Chabala said.

The previous 2017/18 NPL season saw Panduleni Nekundi finishing as top goal-scorer with 15 goals.

Nekundi won N$30 000 for the player of the season award and N$15 000 for the top goal-scorer award.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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Nakathila shows off his spoils

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Kautondokwa to shake off ring rust

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Nakathila shows off his spoils

WBO global lightweight boxing champion Jeremiah 'Low-Key' Nakathila recently paraded his title at Eunda-Uukolonkadhi in the Omusati Region, where he was born.

The boxer was welcomed by a large crowd, who chanted his name as he showed off the shiny belt.

Young and old were overwhelmed with joy as the son of the soil brought home his accolade.

“It was a remarkable scene because many people at the village could not control their joy.

“I am so proud to have people that always believe in my ability and that keep cheering for me through thick and thin.

“Things like this are an inspiration to the youth of this village, who are aspiring to become important people in the future,” Nakathila said.

Nakathila outclassed former European champion Zoltan 'Caramel' Kovacs at the Windhoek Country Club Resort on 20 April to win the title.

The boxer now has a record of 19 fights, 18 wins and one defeat in his professional boxing career.

He is always hard at work giving lectures about life and boxing to the community.

Nakathila's passion for young people has always stood out.

“My dream is to see these young children in our region prosper and that is why I am always prepared to help them and teach them things about life.”

Nakathila was born on 17 December 1989 at Eunda-Uukolonkadhi.

He attended the Ombome Combined School before moving on to Sam Nujoma High School.

“I just want to thank the people of Eunda-Uukolonkadhi for the welcoming surprise.

“It is one of those moments I will cherish for the rest of my life and I will be proud of having done so much for them too.

“I urge all boxers, sportsmen and -women to always remember where they come from,” he added.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

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Kautondokwa to shake off ring rust

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Ondjala ya tseyithwa kutya onkalo yopaulumomhumbwe moshilongo

≪ Previous: Nakathila shows off his spoils

Kautondokwa to shake off ring rust

Knockout specialist and former WBO and IBF Africa middleweight champion, Walter 'The Executioner' Kautondokwa, has left for Zimbabwe where he will return to the ring to face Malawian boxer Simeon Tcheta on Friday night.

The Namibian pugilist from the MTC Nestor Sunshine Boxing and Fitness Academy will be seeking redemption after a six-month break. He last fought in October when his hopes for a world title were dashed by Demetrius Andrade.

His anticipated return to the ring last month was brusquely called off when his Tanzanian opponent Jacob Maganga failed a medical test ahead of their bout in the Independence Legacy Fight Part 2.

A confident Kautondokwa said he will be brushing off his October 2018 defeat by Andrade by hammering Tcheta in their 10-round fight.

“I'm going there to win and not to visit. The nation should know that I'm coming back victorious. Glory to God for the strength and guidance, and thanks to our sponsor MTC for their support at all times,” he said.

His coach and manager Nestor Tobias, who accompanied Kautondokwa to Zimbabwe, said it is just a matter of time before the former champion returns to the international scene.

He thus stressed the importance of a victory against Tcheta.

“Walter came from a good fight last year in October and one is only as good as their last fight. To show the world again that he is the same man, we need to get a win and soon we are going to take him to the international scene,” said Tobias.

“Simeon is a young man and he surely wants to achieve something in life, so a fight against Walter is good for him and a dream come true. But we have been training hard for a win.”

The Malawian boasts a record of 12 fights with nine wins, a draw and two losses. Kautondokwa on the other has an impressive resume of 18 fights, with 16 wins coming via knockout.

His loss against Andrade was his first.

Sport Reporter

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Ondjala ya tseyithwa kutya onkalo yopaulumomhumbwe moshilongo

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Iingangamithi yoomiliyona 5.4 ya kwatwa ko muApilili

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Ondjala ya tseyithwa kutya onkalo yopaulumomhumbwe moshilongoOmuleli gwoshilongo okwa pula elongelokumwe mekondjitho lyoshikukuta Epangelo oya tseyitha kutya otali ka longitha oshimaliwa sha thika poomiliyona 572, moonkambadhala dhokukondjitha onkalo yoshikukuta ndjoka ya taalela Namibia.

Omanga epangelo lya tseyitha kutya onkalo yoshikukuta moshilongo oya ninga onkalo yopaulumomhumbwe, aanafaalama oya taaalela onkalo ya dhigupala noonkondo na oya pewa omayele opo ya ngongepo oompangela dhuule woomvula ntano dha nuninwa okuungaunga nonkalo yompumbwe yoshimaliwa uuna omuloka gwa tameke ishewe.

Hage Geingob, okwa tseyitha onkalo yoshikukuta kutya oya ningi uupyakadhi woshigwana wopaulumomhumbwe, mOmaandaha.

Momvula 2013 oshowo 2016, epangelo natango olya li lya tseyitha oshikukuta onga onkalo yopaulumumhumbwe moshilongo.

Omuprima gwaNamibia, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila okwa tseyitha mEtiyali momutumba gwopashigwana kutya, epangelo otali ka longitha oomiliyona 572 mokulwitha oshikukuta moshilongo.

Okwa popi woo kutya otaku pumbiwa eyambidhidho okuza kAaNamibia ayehe unene aanangeshefa oshowo iigwana yopondje opo ku vule okukwathelwa aakwasshigwana ayehe mboka ya gumwa konkalo yoshikukuta.

Omunambelewa Omukuluntu gwoNamibia Agriculture Union (NAU), Roelie Venter okwa popi kutya osha simana noonkondo sho omuleli gwoshilongo pethimbo a ningi etseyitho lyonkalo ndjoka onga omukundu gwa taalela oshigwana, a pula elongelo kumwe okuza koombelewa adhihe niikondo yepangelo ayihe opo ya longele kumwe mokukondjitha oshikukuta.

Okwa popi kutya iiputudhilo yopashimaliwa oya pumbwa woo nayo okuyambidhidha aanafaalama omolwa onkalo yuupyakadhi woshimaliwa ndjoka ya taalela. Oshiholelwa okwa gandjwa kutya, andola mboka ye na omikuli dhuunafaalama, omathimbo gawo gokushunitha omikuli dhoka, naga lelepekwe.

Venter okwa popi kutya okwa pumbwa woo okuningwa ompangela yuule woomvula ntano yokuhwepopaleka onkalo yiiyemo yaanafaalama molwaashoka otaya ka kala ya taalela ompumbwe yiiyemo natango uuna omuloka gwa tameke.

Okwa popi kutya oku na einekelo kutya iigwana yopondje otayi ka vula okugandja omakwatho goondya ihe omakwatho gokutula miilonga ooskema dhi na sha nonkalo yoshikukuta okuza andola komahangano gopondje otashi ka kala oshidhigu.

Okwa tsikile kutya onkatu yotango ndjoka ya pumbwa okukatukwa, okutula miilonga ooskema dhoshikukuta nokutala tango kiiyetwapo mbyoka ya simana noonkondo na oya pumbwa okukala ponomola yotango.

“Shoka sha simana tango okutula miilonga omulandu gwoku yambidhidha elanditho lyiimuna, shoka otashi ka shunitha pevi ekanitho nokugamenena po woo oonzo dhuulithilo.”

Venter okwa popi kutya onkalo oya dhigupala unene mokati kaaniimuna, ta gwedha po kutya okwa pumbwa okukatukwa oonkatu opo kuyandwe omaso giimuna ngoka taga vulu okuyandwa.

Ondando dhokutoma

Okwa popi kutya onkalo shoMeatco ta hwepopaleke oondando dhokutoma oshinima oshiwanawa, molwaashoka ope na ompito yokufala iimuna kuMeatco.

Pahapu dhe, Meatco ngashiingeyi ota tomo oongombe dhi li po 600 mesiku naashoka inashi ningwa nale okuyeleka nonakuziwa.

Ehangano lyoNamibia National Farmers Union (NNFU) olya tsakanene niilyo yalyo mOtjiwarongo mEtiyali nokutopolelathana onkundana kombinga yonkalo yoshikukuta ndjoka ya tseyithwa kepangelo kutya oya ninga onkalo yopaulumomhumbwe.

Omukomeho gwoNNFU, Mwilima Mushokobanji okwa lombwele oshifokundaneki shoNamibian Sun kutya otaya ka kala ye na omutumba niikundaneki lwanima.

Oongombe dha thika po 30 000 odha sa nale koshikukuta, omanga iikombo yi li po 24 598, oonzi 8 238, oonkambe 518 noondoongi dhi li 296 okwa lopotwa dha sa kondjala.

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Iingangamithi yoomiliyona 5.4 ya kwatwa ko muApilili

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Geingob supports legal ivory trade

≪ Previous: Ondjala ya tseyithwa kutya onkalo yopaulumomhumbwe moshilongo

Iingangamithi yoomiliyona 5.4 ya kwatwa ko muApilili

Opolisi oya tula miipandeko aafekelwa ye li po 99 nokukwatako iingangamithi yongushu yoomiliyona 5.4 momwedhi Apilili.

Omukanda ngoka gwa pitithwa oshiwike shika ogwa holola kutya mokati kaafelekwa 99 mboka ya tulwa miipandeko, AaNamibia oye li 88, aakwashigwana yaAngola yatatu, aakwashigwana yaCongo yatatu oshowo omukwashigwana gumwe gwaSouth Afrika naaTanzania yane.Mokati kiingangamithi mbyoka ya kwatwako omwa kwatelwa ococaine yongushu yoN$8 200, oshowo uusila wococaine woogram 14 wongushu yooN$7 000.

Opolisi oya kwatako oopela dhomandraxa 418 dhongushu yooN$50 160.

Okwa kwatwa woo omayaka goYes gongushu yooN$8 000.

Omwaalu ogundji gwiingangamithi mbyoka ya kwatwako kopolisi muApilili ogo cannabis oshowo iimeno yocannabis.

Ookilograma dhocannabis dhi li po 531 dhongushu yomomapandanda yoomiliyona 5.3 odha kwatwako omanga oograma dhiimeno yocannabis dhi Iipo 20 dhongushu yooN$200, dha kwatwako.

Okuya pehulilo lyaApilili opolisi oya tula miipandeko omunamimvo 63 popepi noMariental ngoka aadhika noocannabis dhoograma 135 dhongushu yoshimaliwa shooN$ 1 300.

Ethimbo lya faathana, opolisi moMariental natango oya kwatwwako oondjato ntano dhi na ocannabis, oopela dhomandrax 26 dha topolwa miitandu, oopela dhomandrax 13 natango dha topolwa miitandu metata, oshowo oopela dhoka dhuudha dhi li 15. Iingangamithi mbyoka oyongushu yomomapandanda yooN$ 3 360, na oya adhika komulumentu gwoomvula 29.

Otaku ningwa woo omahololomadhilaadhilo moshilongo, moka aalongithi yiingangamithi taya pula epangelo opo li tule paveta elongitho lyiingangamithi yocannabis.

JANA-MARI SMITH

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Geingob supports legal ivory trade

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Geingob supports legal ivory trade

ELLANIE SMIT

President Hage Geingob has expressed concern over the increasing costs and security implications of holding ivory stocks and reiterated Namibia’s favourable stance towards the resumption of legal international ivory trade.

Geingob, who is also the chairman of SADC, made these remarks at the Kasane Elephant Summit.

The presidents of Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia, as well as Angola’s environment minister, met at Kasane, Botswana, on Tuesday to forge a common policy toward elephant management, saying that conflict between elephants and rural farmers is escalating.

Ivory sales currently require approval from the international community through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Geingob said Namibia continued to exercise strict control over ivory stocks, but he stressed that stocks continue to accumulate, by an average of 4.5% per year, primarily because of natural deaths.

He said the proceeds from the legal ivory trade would be utilised to support elephant conservation and rural conservation programmes.

He said with regard to the trade in elephant specimens, Namibia has fully complied with CITES requirements and contributed to the development of a rigorous trade control system.

“As a result, Namibia successfully exported raw ivory between 1999 and 2008, proving that with adequate controls and strict enforcement measures, ivory can be traded legally.”

He further stressed that the Namibian elephant population was secure.

“The population recovery over the past several years attests to our management efforts. Changing times call for appropriate management strategies to be developed in order to maintain the historic coexistence between our people and elephants.”

Geingob said Namibia had taken note of the criticism of elephant population management in Botswana and affirmed its support of the new policies and programmes on elephant population management and sustainable use, which have been developed by the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) partner states.

He continued to say that conservancies manage approximately 19.8% of the total Namibian surface area.

“By joining large contiguous areas and thereby allowing wildlife to roam freely, environmental restoration has been achieved and healthy wildlife populations sustained.”

He said Namibia’s conservation model has enabled expansion of the elephant population from just over 7 500 in 1995 to 24 000 at present.

According to him the biggest potential threat to the Namibian elephant population is the loss of habitat due to cyclical periods of drought.

Another problem area is fragmentation of range and the rising incidence of human-elephant conflict.

“We are aware that these challenges are not unique to Namibia and exist within all member states. We therefore welcome the developed Elephant Management and Planning Framework, which will assist partner states to manage their elephants as one contiguous population through a harmonised approach.”

He said that Namibia supports the realization of a shared approach towards elephant conservation via the KAZA Agreement, thereby, remaining committed towards a common vision for the management of Southern Africa’s elephants.

Geingob said conservation generated much-needed economic returns for rural communities. By the end of 2017, community conservation contributed an estimated N$7 billion to the net national income, facilitating job growth within local communities.

“With this in mind, Namibia affirms the call for communities to be actively involved in the protection and conservation of environment and biodiversity. We further underscore that programmes to promote conservation of biodiversity must positively impact the standard of living of rural communities.”

Geingob further said that the tremendous potential presented by tourism sector remained largely untapped and brimming with possibilities for accelerated socio- economic growth and development in the sub-region.

“The conservation and sustainable management of our natural resources remain key markets in rekindling economic growth and job creation.”

He also said that the free movement of people must be facilitated, especially to enable Africans who are traveling within Africa.

He called for the easing of movement of people across African borders and affirmed Namibia’s commitment to implement the KAZA UNIVISA, which has been successfully piloted in Zambia and Zimbabwe since 2014.

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ECN using apartheid tactics

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

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ECN using apartheid tacticsNevonga lashes out Trade unionist Petrus Nevonga wants the ECN voter education staff paid, even though there are no signed contracts.

The Namibia Public Workers’ Union (Napwu) has urged the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to pay voter education officers’ their salaries, in the absence of signed employment contracts.

Napwu secretary-general Peter Nevonga said the ECN not paying the salaries of 90 voter education officers, and forcing them to sign contracts while continuing negotiations with the union, was similar to the tactics used by apartheid’s South West African Native Labour Association (SWANLA) system.

Nevonga was responding to ECN chief electoral officer Theo Mujoro’s letter on Friday regarding the non-payment of the voter education officers, who are currently working without contracts.

In his letter to ECN Napwu chairperson Joseph Nghiilwamo, Mujoro said the ECN will not pay salaries to voter education officers until they have signed contracts.

“In light of the development, we urge the voter education officers to sign the revised contract in its draft form, while negotiations on the outstanding matters are being finalised. Once these issues are resolved, all officials will be required to sign an addendum to be attached to the signed contracts to give effects to these issues,” Mujoro wrote.

Nevonga said the ECN’s behaviour was brutal and contrary to the spirit of employment growth and good labour relations in the country.

The 90 voter education officers are currently working without employment contracts, after they refused to sign new ones when their two-year contracts expired on 31 March.

They have refused to renew their temporary contracts with the ECN, saying many of them have been working for more than 10 years and deserve to be permanently employed.

The ECN confirmed it is revising the contracts, while negotiating with Napwu.

However, the electoral body has been accused of forcing employees to sign contracts in their draft form, while continuing negotiations with the union.

On Monday, Nevonga wrote to Mujoro and expressed his shock, while mentioning that the ECN’s actions will have a serious bearing on this year’s national election.

“Your action is no different from the exploitative colonial system of SWANLA, as it is brutal to the spirit of employment and good labour relations in the country. Your malicious action is against guaranteed human rights and runs contrary to the stipulation and provisions of the Labour Amendment Act 2 of 2012, section 128,” Nevonga wrote.

“It is common knowledge that these members worked for the commission for the past few months without contracts of employment and the sudden change of attitude toward the contract employees is mind-blowing to the union.”

Nevonga informed Mujoro that the union is in the process of engaging the commission to find an amicable solution, to the benefit of both parties.

However, the non-payment of the workers has the potential to undermine the whole process and might further strain the relationship between the parties.

“We are insisting that employees be paid as usual, whilst the engagement with the commission is ongoing, given the fact that employees were already paid without a contract and (showed) patience for some time, whilst the parties are concluding negotiations,” Nevonga said.

Mujoro could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Namibian Sun has been informed that since their contracts expired on 31 March, only voter education officers in the //Karas Region and two from Khomas have renewed their contracts. The rest - countrywide - are continuing to work while claiming that the ECN has not communicated what the future holds for them. They have also not received their April salaries.

A source said they refused to sign another two-year contract with ECN because some of them have been voter education officers for more than 10 years, but the commission is refusing to appoint them on a permanent basis.

ILENI NANDJATO

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Nored wants NDC power bill paid

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Nored wants NDC power bill paid

YANNA SMITH

There is an interesting matter before High Court Judge Marlene Tommasi where Nored is suing the Namibia Development Corporation (NDC) for just over N$3.7 million in unpaid electricity bills.

In its particular of claim, Nored says the debt, outstanding since 16 August 2011 when the agreement was first signed, was for the NDC’s Ondangwa site at Portion 1 Main Road, Tannery Industries Namibia.

However, the NDC in its papers, filed a special plea to the court. It says that it ceased to exist on 15 November 2018 as a legal entity by means of the Namibia Industrial Development Agency Act 16 of 2016.

Nored issued its “summons on 17 January 2019, approximately three months after the defendant ceased to exist as a legal entity, capable of being sued.”

It asked for the claim to be dismissed with costs; alternatively, the South African Prescription Act 68 should be applied. This law, applicable in Namibia, essentially means that if a debt exists and the creditor has, for three years, not made an effort to collect that debt, it becomes prescribed and is no longer your debt. Again, the NDC asked that in these premises, the claim be dismissed with costs.

Nored told the court that it had entered into an agreement with the NDC on 16 August 2011, represented by its CEO Fillemon Nakashole and Marcello Meneguzzo, a director at the NDC. It added it had regularly invoiced the NDC for its power usage but the company had defaulted on its payments.

The NDC however said that it had never been a tenant or owned Portion 1 Main Road in Ondangwa and moreover, had never applied for the connection supply from Nored. It added that Meneguzzo was never a director of the NDC and “did not have the authority to represent the NDC in that capacity whatsoever”.

It denied having been supplied electricity and defaulting on payments, adding it was not indebted to Nored in any way.

“The defendant had no contractual relationship with the plaintiff whatsoever and had not received electricity from the plaintiff. The defendant is not indebted to the plaintiff in the amount of N$3 763 984.76 or any amount whatsoever.”

A case plan order, issued on 3 April this year, instructed Nored to file its replication and plea, in response to NDC’s plea by 26 April. No documents were filed by yesterday when a case management conference was due to be held before Judge Tommasi.

Kaijata Kangueehi appears for Nored while the NDC is represented by Profysen Muluti.

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Mbanderu case a stare decisis for Ondonga dispute?

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Mbanderu case a stare decisis for Ondonga dispute?

By Dr Rihupisa Kandando

I have been an activist in the national service of the Namibian people for close to three-quarters of my life and at my own volition, I decided not to remain as such.

During part of that period, in exile, I had a privilege to read four volumes on selected writings of one of our respected great revolutionary leaders, Comrade Chairman Mao Tse-Tung of People's Republic of China who once remarked: “Learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones, cures the patient to save future generations”.

It is also where I learnt about the Marxist theory of historical and dialectical materialism, a theory postulating that the world is a unity of two opposites.

Despite being passive in public arena, I am also mindful of the Italian poet, Dante who once said: “The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in a time of great moral crisis maintain their neutrality”.

I suggest, we get off the fence, take up our swords and play our part with advisory opinions on the way forward to save our current and future succeeding Namibian generation from public pains occasioned by private greed, and ill-advised and selfish petty political considerations of the current ruling elite.

Cowards die many times before their death, as the proverb says.

This opinion piece is triggered by the article in Namibian Sun newspaper on 3 May 2019 titled “Kawana mum on Ondonga impasse”.

It has never been my cup of tea to cast aspersions and probity on the character, integrity and reputations of others, thanks to late Gerson Hitjevi Veii, late Uatjindua Ndjoze and late Dr Imbu //Uirab school of thought.

Doubt

Given the circumstances on how the attorney-general, Ministry of Housing, Local and Regional Development (now Ministry of Urban and Rural Development), Office of the President and the Namibian High Court dealt with the Mbanderu dispute in the past, I have iota of doubt as to whether they have the necessary acumen, energy, stamina and impeccable credentials to resolve the Ondonga impasse since they have already bound themselves with previous decisions, hence respectfully raising the issue of stare decisis.

It is in this context that this opinion piece must be seen, viewed and appreciated for what it is, to avert usage of short-term political expediency at the expense of the rule of law, contrary to the prescription and dictates of our democratic constitutional dispensation. The Mbanderu dispute has a similarity to the Ondonga, hence being used in this opinion piece as a case study for illustration purposes.

What went wrong?

It is a common practice that offices, ministries and agencies (OMA) seek legal advice from the constitutional office such as the attorney-general.

It is also a statutory requirement that when disputes in traditional authorities arise, the minister invokes section 12 of the Traditional Authorities Act (Act 25 of 2000) and sets up an Investigation Committee to ascertain the applicable customary law.

In the specific case of the Mbanderu dispute, the Investigation Committee was set up and came up with the findings and recommendations upon which the minister on the advice of the attorney-general acted on the 9 December 2009 by endorsing same as true reflection of Mbanderu customary law on leadership succession. In May 2010, the same attorney-general made a U-turn and gave advice to hold an election which in terms of the relevant statutory law (Act 25 of 2000) requires precedent conditions to exist.

Inconsistencies

In December 2014, the same attorney-general gave advice on the same subject to the minister not to recognise an aggrieved disputant and the matter was considered as finalised by the government.

Yet, for the fourth time, government acting upon a request from an aggrieved party (disputant) is still waiting since 9 December 2016 from the attorney-general to provide legal advice as to whether an aggrieved disputant that inter alia has sizeable following; operates from a different area of jurisdiction from the other recognised Mbanderu section, taking into account that the latter cannot claim to operate in multiple territorial jurisdictions; and sterile repudiation of Investigation Committee sanctioned Mbanderu customary law on leadership succession by the recognised section, whether these combined factors are not negation of section 3(4) of the Act to render the aggrieved disputant government recognition.

Surely, my dear respected brother Dr Kawana has recourse to ask the Namibian High Court in terms of article 80(2) for clarity interpretation, alternatively seeking interpretation from the Supreme Court as the they have done on the issues of corporal punishment in schools and constitutional relationship between the Office of the Prosecutor-General and Office of the Attorney-General.

Conflicted

It is pathetic that conflict of interest as well as concept of functus officio in relation to Dr Kawana as an attorney-general, and by definition who is an administrative official, Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, an administrative body does not feature in the vocabulary of the government circle.

A dispute which has been on the table for the last 11 years has not been amicably resolved with a Yes or No response especially to the followers of Paramount Chief Aletha Nguvauva – whose remaining in chains, I respectfully submit are self-inflicted because of waiting for liberation from politics as opposed to asserting their constitutionally guaranteed rights that are in compliance with the rule of law.

Let them continue to be prisoners of their own conscience until one day they fully appreciate and understand both the significance and the evolution of constitutionalism and the bill of rights.

It is unfortunate with due respect that the High Court has allowed a matter which is not a review application against the findings and recommendations of the statutorily-appointed Investigation Committee to be heard and issued an order that is diametrically in conflict with the applicable customary law of Ovambanderu on leadership succession as confirmed by the Investigation Committee. The minister failed to enter a declinatory plea to the court as part of a point in limine, and secondly aborted an appeal which he initially instituted to the Supreme Court.

This must be told in affirmative that the recipe for continued instability in that community lies at the doorstep of the government.

Instead of hearing the matter, the court should have declined because it is a common applicable procedure, for example in issues that relate to lack of jurisdiction; a contract that has an arbitration clause but that was not exhausted by parties; employment dispute that must first be lodged with labour commissioner before approaching the court etc. There is no need for academic binoculars to see these anomalies.

Advisory opinion

My patriotic and comradely advice to Drs Kawana and Peya Mushelenga, the attorney-general and minister of urban and rural development respectively on the two applications for designation of omukwaniilwa, which they are at liberty to consider if they so wish is the following:

This is a leadership dispute which as a matter of law must be dealt with in accordance with section 12 of the Traditional Authorities Act (Act 25 of 2000). Failure by the Investigation Committee to ascertain what the customary law prescribes, the minister is then at liberty subject to a request from communities to which he/she concurs to invoke section 5(10) of the Act. In the case of Ovambanderu, the minister on the legal advice of the attorney-general messed up when he invoked that provision in the light of overwhelming abundance of evidence what the customary law prescribes, and where uncertainty and ambiguity on the application were not in equation.

The government may wish to learn one or two things from that wrong application of law.

Secondly, once the Investigation Committee has pronounced itself and you have applied your mind, act promptly without delay unless interdicted by the aggrieved party pending determination of a review application brought before the court.

Thirdly, it is our sincere hope and wish that the judiciary this time around, unlike in the Mbanderu dispute, will be on alert not to entertain a matter which is not in their purview if the submission is not related to a review application against the findings and recommendations of the Investigation Committee.

Fourth, whether or not a traditional authority is significant in terms of numbers for voting purposes, it should not be a determining factor to resolve the dispute by the government, because justice delayed is justice denied.

Finally, on a lighter note, my father would always tell me that during his short stint in the Federal Republic of Nigeria as an international civil servant, his friends would jokingly tell him that “in Nigeria we don't speak politics, we speak militics”, presumably because of the military coup d'etat at that time that was the order of the day in one of our great African nations.

I hope in Namibia we sincerely subscribe to the rule of law but not the “rule of politics”.

*Dr Rihupisa Kandando is a Specialist Clinical Biochemist, lecturing Chemical Pathology and heading the Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Namibia. He is expressing views in personal capacity.

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Ohorongo shareholder wants bigger stake

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Ohorongo shareholder wants bigger stake

The Industrial Development Corporation, a South African development finance institution, has indicated that it wants to increase its shareholding in Ohorongo Cement.

Majority shareholder Schwenk Namibia wants to dispose of its shareholding in the cement factory and is negotiating a deal with a Sino-Singaporean Cement Company, International Cement Group.

Nevertheless, IDC spokesperson Zama Luthuli said the institution was looking at the possibility of enhancing its shareholding in Ohorongo Cement.

The IDC owns a 14% stake in Ohorongo Cement. “The IDC remains committed to Ohorongo. Further to this and in support of Namibia's indigenisation programme, it is our view that the locals (Namibians) should hold a considerable shareholding in Ohorongo.

“IDC, in consultation with other minority shareholders, is exploring possible opportunities aimed at achieving this objective,” Luthuli said.

She said the IDC and its local counterpart, the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN), had not been consulted about the planned sale of Schwenk Namibia's shareholding to ICG.

“IDC was neither consulted nor informed by Schwenk Namibia prior to (Schwenk) disposing of its stake in Ohorongo. We were only notified once the transaction had been concluded,” she said.

The DBN owns an 11% stake in Ohorongo Cement. The DBN recently said that it had not been consulted on Schwenk Namibia's plans to sell its portion to ICG.

“We will formally announce the way forward concerning our investments in Ohorongo Cement after consultations with our shareholder,” a DBN statement said. “Furthermore, the equity participation has the objective of promoting the efficient use of resources, promoting local participation, playing a catalytic role in attracting other investors and lenders, and mobilising the flow of domestic and external resources to financially viable projects, which also have significant economic merit,” it added.

OGONE TLHAGE

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Namibian student faces more sex charges

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Namibian student faces more sex charges

A Namibian student studying in the United States is facing additional charges of sexually exploiting a minor after he was initially arrested for rape.

Jona Shitaleni Paulus (33) now also faces additional charges of sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of footage of a minor depicting a sexual act after police searched his cellphone.

Paulus, who is a graduate student at Iowa State University, was arrested in April and charged with sexual abuse in the third degree - forcible rape, after allegedly raping a woman he had met on Tinder.

IOWA.com reported that local law enforcement performed a Cellbrite extraction search of Paulus's cellphone after his arrest.

According to the online media report, a text message conversation between Paulus and a 16-year-old girl was found.

In this conversation Paulus apparently solicited naked pictures and a video of a prohibited sexual act from the girl.

Paulus was therefore charged with two additional felonies, namely sexual exploitation of a minor - cause to engage in a prohibited sexual act (Class C Felony) and purchase/possession of a minor in a sex act first offence (Class D Felony) in relation to the footage.

In the conversations that took place between 1 April and 5 April, the minor identified herself as a 16-year-old multiple times during the chats, it was reported.

Police interviewed the girl on 30 April and she confirmed that it was her in the pictures and video sent to Paulus.

Paulus was first arrested after he allegedly had coercive sex with a woman who was in his apartment during the early morning hours of 6 April, holding her down against her will.

The woman claimed that she had told Paulus that she did not want to have sex with him, but he assaulted her anyway. She was able to escape and call 911.

When the police interviewed Paulus three days later, he admitted sex had taken place, but claimed that it was consensual.

Authorities noted in charging documents that the woman had bruising on her wrists and hands. The two had met on the dating site Tinder and had been talking for a few weeks.

Meanwhile, police also responded to a sexual assault report at a university residence on the night of 6 April, with a woman who claimed that Paulus had forced her to perform oral sex on him.

The woman later said she had discovered videos and pictures on his phone showing sexual acts committed with her and several other girls.

No charges have been filed regarding these allegations.

Paulus is being held at the Story County Jail on a US$75 000 cash-only bond.

STAFF REPORTER

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Cops to pull up their socks

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Cops to pull up their socksPolice chief promises better service The inspector-general of the Namibian police has responded to public complaints about police brutality and ineffectiveness.

Namibian police chief Lieutenant-General Sebastian Ndeitunga is aware of persistent criticism against NamPol officers accused of providing mediocre, or worse, customer service and vowed he is working to root out the problem.

“We have a combination of challenges,” he said on Tuesday at a press conference to address allegations of assaults on civilians by Operation Hornkranz uniformed officers during the last weekend of April. He underlined that NamPol is hard at work “to professionalise the force”.

He said complaints range from the lack of professional conduct of officers during the taking of statements, giving testimony and the handling of investigations overall.

In response to complaints, most recently from #MeTooNamibia survivors who shared their frustrations when attempting to register cases of rape and sexual abuse at police stations, the police chief underlined that rape is “a huge problem in our country” and a deeply “traumatising” event for any survivor.

He said the job of the police is to ensure a complainant is not further traumatised, and officers should act in a way that “consoles this particular person”.

He added that not providing regular feedback during investigations, or advising complainants their cases have progressed to court, is “unacceptable”.

In July 2018, Ndeitunga conducted several briefings with police officers, urging them to pull up their socks and to improve their work standards.

At the time he warned Windhoek police officers that residents “in this town are losing trust and confidence in the police” and said their tolerance is growing thin.

He urged police officers to report colleagues who are “ill-disciplined, lazy, corrupt, drunkards”, so that steps can be taken to address these issues.

Hornkranz blues

Ndeitunga also took aim at law enforcement officials who “obstruct their colleagues” in enforcing the law.

He said during Operation Hornkranz, reports emerged of “off-duty police officers and soldiers” who were “amongst the law breakers”.

He said they reportedly refused to comply with Operation Hornkranz colleagues who had instructed them to close their shebeens which were still operating after stipulated closing times.

These off-duty cops and soldiers were “particularly confrontational with the operational teams” Ndeitunga said on Tuesday.

Further, he confirmed that so far six cases of assault on civilians are being investigated, following multiple accounts of violent behaviour by operational members on patrons at various entertainment venues and elsewhere.

Ndeitunga stressed each case will be investigated in an objective and impartial manner “for us to establish the truth and ensure that justice prevails”.

Ndeitunga further noted that on a “disheartening note”, amongst the alleged assault incidents, some of the “alleged victims are from the uniform branch”, which is also being investigated.

The police chief however added that it is important to note that the complaints of assault during Operation Hornkranz, all related to the weekend 27 and 28 April, and “most, if not all of the alleged incidents, occurred during late night and early morning hours, with many occurring at alcohol outlets”.

JANA-MARI SMITH

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Lessons from SA

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Lessons from SA

Millions of South Africans voted in yet another landmark general election yesterday, and a poll that is considered as arguably the most crucial since the birth of democracy in the neighbouring country in 1994.

The South African vote follows a frantic campaigning period, which saw the ruling African National Congress (ANC) going all out to ensure a victory for its presidential hopeful Cyril Ramaphosa. The two main opposition parties, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) of Julius Malema, have been a force to be reckoned with, and the focus now turns to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) as it tallies and announces the results. A total of 48 political parties, which is a new record by the way, contested yesterday's poll, according to the IEC. Voters cast their ballots for the parliamentarians of their choice, as well as for new provincial governments to be formed. There has also been a marked rise in the number of independent candidates participating. Complemented by a strong opposition, media and civic society that never shy away from holding the government of the day accountable, one cannot help but admire the multiparty democracy in South Africa. The state of affairs demonstrates the entrenched culture of brisk activism, which augurs well for a healthy democracy. Namibia, which is a slightly older democratic nation, can learn great lessons from our neighbours, particularly around strengthening multiparty democracy and successfully holding power to account. Key for the coming elections in the Land of the Brave will be positive signs that this is indeed happening in our body politic. We also watch with anticipation the unfolding build-up to the upcoming Ondangwa Urban constituency by-election, which has also seen an independent candidate squaring up against the ruling party and others. In the case of South Africa, where the ruling party has had the roughest of rides over state capture and service delivery blunders, among others, winds of change are blowing hard, in the interest of accountability and bringing an end to impunity.

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Congo fever fears rise

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Congo fever fears rise

The Ontananga area in the Oshikoto Region is under surveillance after one patient tested positive for the highly contagious Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and another died.

Health officials in the Oshikoto Region are yet to confirm if the man who died at the Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital and was buried on Tuesday afternoon had Congo fever.

The man, who is suspected to be from Ontananga, was given an undignified burial, thrown into his grave by a front-end loader at the Onandjokwe old cemetery. He was buried immediately after his death.

The acting health director for Oshikoto, Dr Helena Nkandi-Shiimi, told Namibian Sun that the 78-year-old man died upon arrival at the hospital and was suspected to have died of Congo fever.

His death came a day after the ministry of health had announced a confirmed Congo fever case at the same hospital.

The patient is a woman who was admitted on 26 April.

“The person admitted with Congo fever on 26 April at Onandjokwe hospital is stable and improving. She is 54 and is in an isolation room. The person who passed away Tuesday was a 78-year-old man who is a suspected but not yet confirmed case and can therefore not be said to have died of CCHF until the results are out,” said Nkandi-Shiimi.

The health ministry said that it will take up to three days to get test results from the National Institute Communicable Diseases Regional Reference Laboratory in South Africa.

Congo fever is a viral zoonotic (animal to human) disease caused by infection with a tick-borne virus. The hosts of the ticks who carry the virus are mostly wild and domestic animals including cattle, sheep and goats. These animals become infected after being bitten by infected ticks and the virus remains in their bloodstream for about two weeks after infection, allowing the tick-animal-tick cycle to continue when another tick bites the animal.

Human transmission can occur when someone is bitten by an infected tick or comes into direct contact with the blood or tissue of an infected animal or person. Congo fever can be transmitted from one infected human to another by contact with infected blood or body fluids. In humans, Congo fever can present with several symptoms including sudden onset of high-grade fever, muscle aches, neck pains, neck stiffness, backache, headache, sore eyes, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and sometimes bleeding from body cavities.

On Monday, the executive director in the health ministry, Ben Nangombe, announced that a 54-year-old woman from Ontananga village tested positive for Congo fever.

The regional health emergency management committee was activated on 26 April, while preliminary environmental assessments are under way in the affected areas. Remedial measures for an outbreak are also being put into place.

The last outbreak of the disease was in February 2017 when a farmworker from the Omaheke Region died in the Gobabis State Hospital. At the time, the health ministry reported that a nurse treated a patient with Congo fever. The owner of Harnas Wildlife Foundation east of Gobabis, Nick van der Merwe, died of Congo fever in 2001, also after working his cattle and being bitten by a tick.

This new confirmed case is the fifth case reported in Namibia in 16 years.

ILENI NANDJATO

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Arrest timber looters - Ndeitunga

May 8, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Arrest timber looters - Ndeitunga

Police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga has instructed his regional officers to arrest those who continue to engage in unlawful logging.

This follows a letter from environment ministry executive director Teofilus Nghitila - dated 7 May - in which he demanded that Ndeitunga instruct police officers to arrest those who continued with illegal logging and transportation of timber.

“I have received the letter and I have circulated it to all the regions to enforce it,” Ndeitunga said yesterday. According to Nghitila's letter the ministry has received reports of timber harvesting and transport taking place in the northeastern regions despite a moratorium on all such activities.

Towards the end of November last year both the environment ministry and the forestry directorate ordered an immediate halt to the harvesting and trading of Namibia's timber.

“The ministry of environment and tourism has learnt with grave concern that the harvesting and transporting of timber from the Kavango East, Kavango West and Zambezi regions is continuing,” Nghitila said.

“This is in spite of the suspension that was put on the issuance of permits for the harvesting, transporting, marketing and export of Namibian timber, as per the attached letter dated 26 November 2019.”

Nghitila said it was on this basis that the ministry wanted the police to immediately intervene and arrest the culprits and confiscate the timber.

“The immediate intervention of the Namibian police is herewith requested to arrest any culprits that are still engaged in the harvesting, transport, marketing and export of Namibian timber. Any Namibian timber being harvested and transported should be confiscated,” Nghitila said.

He also requested the police to ensure that any timber transported from neighbouring countries is accompanied by the relevant weighbridge certificates.

KENYA KAMBOWE

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