Oncologist tusk case postponed

June 19, 2019, 4:00 pm

Oncologist tusk case postponedCounsel still not ready The prosecution and defence in Dr Tommy van Wyk's matter have not agreed on disclosure yet and the matter was again postponed.

The matter involving renowned Windhoek oncologist Dr Thomas John Brown van Wyk, who was arrested for the alleged illegal possession of three elephant tusks, has been postponed to next Wednesday.

Van Wyk, 44, appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court yesterday for a section 119 plea in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act. This section allows the court to decide whether a matter will be heard in a lower or higher court, depending on the possible punishment that may be meted out.

Van Wyk appeared on a charge of possession of controlled wildlife products, in contravention of the Controlled Wildlife Products and Trade Act.

Prosecutor Precious Matali informed the court yesterday that disclosure had not been agreed to between the prosecution and defence, and that the matter had to be postponed again for this reason.

This is after both parties initially agreed that evidence would be disclosed during Van Wyk's previous court appearance on 5 June.

Magistrate Vanessa Stanely postponed the matter to 26 June for plea.

A police intelligence investigation led to Van Wyk's arrest after his Auas View house was searched at the end of January.

The investigation and search occurred after a tip-off.

Three elephant tusks were allegedly found in his house for which Van Wyk apparently did not have permits.

Van Wyk was at work during the search and was not arrested that day. He handed himself over after consultations with his lawyer, appeared in court and was granted bail.

An agreement was reached between the defence and the State beforehand that bail would be set at N$50 000. Since Van Wyk's first court appearance his bail conditions have also been slightly relaxed.

ELLANIE SMIT

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Lubowksi bombshell

June 19, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Lubowksi bombshellNdeitunga flaunts Kalahari successes In open letter seething with grief, anger, frustration and forgiveness, Anton Lubowski's widow Gabrielle has called out head of state Hage Geingob.

The widow of slain Swapo veteran Anton Lubowski has lashed out at President Hage Geingob for refusing to meet with her for nearly 30 years, so he can share what he discussed with her husband on the night he was assassinated.

In her 'open letter', Gabrielle Lubowski wrote: “You were the last person Anton spoke to.

“He shared information with you that was so sensitive that the two of you could not even sit down for a cup of coffee, but had to walk along Kaiser Street (now Independence Avenue), so that no one could hear the conversation. A few hours later Anton was dead.”

Betraying Anton

“I still want to tell you that you have taken everything from us, by first betraying Anton and then smearing his name. Life without Anton, who was generous, energetic, hardworking, optimistic, full of life and courageous, has been difficult. His two children suffered the most, as they had to grow up without the presence of this magnificent person, their dad,” Gabrielle wrote in her scathing letter, dripping with emotion.

“Never before, and never after, have I hated someone so much as I hated you. However, this hate only harmed me, not you. You went from an exiled freedom fighter to the first prime minister of an independent Namibia to the third president of Namibia. By God's grace I have been able to let go of the hate, for my own sake.”

Gabrielle confirmed the authenticity of the letter yesterday, but said she never wanted it to enter the public domain. She, however, added that she had repeatedly asked for a meeting with Geingob to hear about what he and Anton had spoken about on the night of his murder.

The 37-year-old anti-apartheid activist was shot by a group of assailants in front of his house in Sanderburg Street in central Windhoek on 12 September 1989.

He was hit by several shots fired from an AK-47 and died from a bullet wound to the head.

Gabrielle said Geingob continues to avoid her, but she will keep on trying to engage him.

She said in her letter she had accepted his refusal to talk to her as an “admission of guilt”.

In the letter Gabrielle also wrote that Geingob will be remembered him as “the man who had to betray a brother to get to the top”.

She said yesterday her intention was never for the letter to go public, but rather hoped it would serve as a “wake-up call”.

“Nobody is coming back to me; I have spoken to six people now. I cannot understand why Hage does not want to speak with me. It is as if I am trying to speak to a dead wall. Do you want me to go public?” she asked.

Gabrielle insisted that she has the right to speak to Geingob in person.

“I have gone through a lot of trauma and I need to talk to him in order to put the pieces together,” she said.

Late yesterday afternoon, counsel for Geingob, Sisa Namandje, wrote a letter calling Lubowski's remarks defamatory, adding that there is no truth to them. “Your allegations are particularly absurd in that there was an investigation.” Namandje said Lubowski was to provide an unconditional apology by 24 June or face a defamation claim.

Question marks

In 2013, Namibian Sun reported that the South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) had exonerated Swapo from blame any blame linked to Lubowski's death.

At the time former TRC investigator advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza contradicted Gabrielle's remarks that certain members of the “incoming government” orchestrated her husband's killing.

Ntsebeza, who investigated apartheid era crimes, revealed details of his investigation into Lubowski's murder, including that on the basis of the information they had received, Swapo was exonerated from any involvement.

Pressed on whether the TRC, which was chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, shared its Lubowski file with the Namibian government or Swapo, he said: “It is not their TRC. Why didn't they create their own TRC?”

The TRC public hearings started in 1996 and ended with a presentation of the final report to former South African president Nelson Mandela on October 29, 1998. The TRC hearing dealing with the Lubowski murder took place from 3 to 24 April 1996.

Open wounds

Five years later, in 2018, the Lubowski family was still looking for answers, and said the book by investigative journalist Evelyn Groenink, titled 'Incorruptible - The Story of the Murders of Dulcie September, Anton Lubowski and Chris Hani', was not helpful.

The book fingers former South African foreign affairs minister Pik Botha for having played a key role in Lubowksi's death.

At the time Lubowski's son Almo said while the book gave his family some insight into “why” his father was killed, he felt the revelations were not damaging enough to prompt a relook at the case.

According to him, the only way his family will get justice is if someone was to come forward with critical information.

“I believe it will take somebody that was directly involved coming forward and talking. Perhaps on his or her deathbed,” Almo said.

JEMIMA BEUKES

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Ndeitunga flaunts Kalahari successes

June 19, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Ndeitunga flaunts Kalahari successes

Police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga has flaunted the successes of Operation Kalahari Desert, saying 871 suspects have been arrested including for murder, attempted murder, rape, serious assault and drug dealing.

The operation has come under fire following the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Zimbabwean taxi driver Talent Fambauone Black last week.

Ndeitunga said 1 747 summonses to the value of N$1.8 million have so far been issued during the operation that was launched on 11 May.

According to the police chief 965 dangerous weapons such as knives, screwdrivers, machetes and spears were also confiscated, as well as two shotguns and 32 pistols.

“These guns if they were not seized could have been used to take innocent lives and rob people and their businesses,” Ndeitunga said.

Illicit drugs worth N$281 495 that include mainly cannabis, mandrax and cocaine were confiscated.

“These are narcotic drugs that are destroying the future of our youth. On many occasions, criminals consume these drugs to rid themselves of fear and go and commit crimes against innocent people,” said Ndeitunga.

Furthermore, 39 livestock to the value of N$113 600 were recovered during the operation.

Ndeitunga, who was speaking at an Operation Kalahari Desert parade in Windhoek yesterday, said Namibians are not enjoying the same peace of mind anymore, with all sorts of horrendous crimes being committed on a daily basis.

According to Ndeitunga it was for this reason that he requested security stakeholders such as the Namibian Defence Force (NDF), the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS) and the City Police to assist Nampol in jointly conducting a nationwide crime-prevention operation.

In November last year Operation Hornkranz was launched with the same purpose, which was later replaced by Operation Kalahari Desert.

He stressed that these operations are making a substantial difference on the crime rate, when compared to crime statistics before the launch of Operation Hornkranz. According to Ndeitunga 8 947 cases were reported in August last year, 8 656 in September, 8 927 in October and 8 455 in November, before the start of Operation Hornkranz. Ndeitunga said although December saw 8 560 cases being recorded, the statistics for January and February this year indicate a notable reduction to

8 046 and 8 039, respectively.

In March, when there was a break in Operation Hornkranz, an upward trend was recorded of 8 787 cases. Ndeitunga said with the resumption of the operation in April, the number of cases dropped to 8 186, which demonstrates the impact.

“As in any country where defence and law-enforcement agencies decide to work together to suppress crime, the police always take the lead.”

According to him the NDF, correctional services, immigration, customs and all other stakeholders are therefore there as backup and to provide expertise where the need arises.

“I have noted the concerns raised by some organisations and from various quarters, who are calling for the withdrawal of the NDF from law-enforcement operations,” Ndeitunga added.

Ndeitunga emphasised that the participation of these stakeholders is provided for in the Defence Act and its regulations.

“While so deployed the defence force may be used for those functions mentioned in section 13 of the Police Act, 1990, which simply means they assume police functions.”

Referring to Black's death, he said one life lost at the hands of law-enforcement is one too many.

“I am therefore directing this police-led operation to obey the instructions of your commanders and to adhere to the set of rules of engagement,” Ndeitunga said.

He said no member is allowed to use a firearm without being commanded by their commander and that the police should take a leading role during the operation, unless otherwise directed by the operation commander.

“No member should apply force against any person during the operation, save where minimum force is to be applied, particularly during the arresting of resisting suspects, or else actions should be taken against culprits,” Ndeitunga added.

ELLANIE SMIT

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Katjavivi breaks silence on Nust

June 19, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Katjavivi breaks silence on Nust

The turmoil at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) has taken another turn with the university's chancellor and National Assembly speaker, Dr Peter Katjavivi, entering the fray.

Katjavivi said in a statement yesterday he is “disappointed”.

He emphasised that the university has rules and guidelines that should govern its existence. “It is thus our hope that the institution will rise and shine above all the current challenges,” he said.

This followed the sudden resignation of Nust council chair Esi Shimming-Chase and council member Markus von Jeney last week.

The resignations came amidst a fight between the outgoing council and higher education minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi over the appointment of a new vice-chancellor.

“Usually, the exercise of identifying the vice-chancellor of any university is done by a search committee. This is purposely designed this way to prevent bias, any form of interference and to ensure that the emerging personality meets qualities to uplift the performance of the institution. The search committee is formed and tasked by the existing university council,” Katjavivi said yesterday. In recent weeks Shimming-Chase and Kandjii-Murangi have exchanged blows over who has the last say on matters relating to governance at the university. The biggest bone of contention has been the replacement of long-serving vice-chancellor Tjama Tjivikua, who stepped down in April.

Last month Kandjii-Murangi told the council in a letter dated 13 May that the recruitment process must halted, pointing out that “it will not be in the best interest of the university if the current council recruits an incoming VC”.

This in particular seemed to have annoyed Shimming-Chase who told the minister in her strongly worded response that this violates the Nust Act and statutes, as well as the Public Enterprises Governance Act and good governance.

The minister also informed the council, whose term comes to an end in August, that she is already recruiting new council members.

Shimming-Chase also accused the minister of interfering in the constitutional rights of council members and egregiously abusing her powers.

JEMIMA BEUKES

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Móre red growth figures

June 20, 2019, 3:27 am

≫ Next: A mountain to climb

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Móre red growth figures

Namibia’s economy grew by -2.0% annually in the first quarter of 2019, the worst quarterly performance since the last three months of 2017.
Data released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) this morning shows the first negative growth figure for mining since the third quarter of 2016.
Read the full report tomorrow in Market Watch.

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A mountain to climb

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: MTC aims to knock out GBV

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A mountain to climbAfcon 'group of death' lurks for Warriors The moment the nation has been waiting for has finally arrived.

After months of anticipation, Afcon 2019 will kick off today with a match between hosts Egypt and Zimbabwe at the Cairo International Stadium at 22:00.

The Brave Warriors will play their first group match on Sunday, when they clash with Morocco at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo at 16:30.

It is now up to the players and coaches to play their cards right, after months of blood, sweat and tears.

Namibia are making their third appearance at Africa's biggest football showpiece and the Warriors are on a quest to record their first win at the tournament.

The task for Ricardo Mannetti and his men cannot be any tougher, as they are pitted against traditional powerhouses in Group D.

Group D is definitely the group of death and any team qualifying for the knockout stages from this group will automatically be among the favourites to go all the way.

Ivory Coast, Morocco and South Africa are all former winners of the competition and will be tough nuts to crack for Namibia.

These nations share a great history and have all also participated in the Fifa World Cup.

Namibia enter the tournament as the ultimate underdogs and the lowest ranked team in their group.

The Brave Warriors, who won the Cosafa Cup in 2015, will be on the back foot if they do not manage to at least draw against Morocco in their first match. It is no secret that the bookmakers have written Namibia off before a ball has been kicked at the tourney. However, the occasion perfectly poised for the Namibians to write their names into the history books, if they produce performances beyond their wildest dreams.

Many in the Brave Warriors squad have dreamed of rubbing shoulders with players in the European leagues, and they have a chance to face them on the field of battle. Some are likely to come up against players they admire, and nerves will be jangling.

“Yes, we do know that we are the underdogs but the players are energised and ready to produce special performances. “Sunday will be one of those days where I will put my trust in all my players because I know they are capable of wonders.

“I have been saying this, and I will say it again, we are going to give our best and there are no small teams at the competition,” Mannetti said.

Namibia go into Sunday's game oozing confidence after beating one of the tournament's favourites Ghana 1-0 in a friendly match a fortnight ago.

Mannetti and his charges will be well-aware that they have never beaten Morocco in six matches.

The only time Namibia got anything out of a match against Morocco was in 2000 when the teams played to a 0-0 stalemate.

It is for this reason that the Namibian players will have to be sharp, in order to deal with Morocco's fast-paced game plan. Namibia have often also struggled against North African teams, but the coach feels it will be a different story this time around.

“Our aim is to get a draw against Morocco but a win for us will be a remarkable bonus. The boys need the support of the nation, given the task they are faced with,” Mannetti reiterated.

The squad is as follows: Ratanda Mbazuvara, Loydt Kazapua, Max Mbaeva, Ryan Nyambe, Larry Horaeb, Denzil Haoseb, Ivan Kamberipa, Charles Hambira, Riaan Hanamub, Ananias Gebhardt, Absalom Iimbondi, Willy Stephanus, Petrus Shitembi, Ronald Ketjijere, Dynamo Fredericks, Marcel Papama, Manfred Starke, Deon Hotto, Itamunua Keimuine, Benson Shilongo, Peter Shalulile, Joslin Kamatuka and Isaskar Gurirab.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

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MTC aims to knock out GBV

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: We are Afcon favourites - Aguirre

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MTC aims to knock out GBV

MTC continues to shift the dynamics in society and has launched a first-of-its-kind project under the theme 'Boxing for Social Change'.

The MTC Knockout Project will bring together celebrated Namibian personalities in the corporate and media fraternity to fight for social change and curb the ever-increasing incidents of gender-based violence (GBV) in the country on 12 October at the Windhoek Country Club Resort.

These personalities will challenge each other over three rounds of exhibition boxing of one minute per round, in a fun-filled evening.

Before they enter the ring, they will receive professional boxing training for three months from MTC Nestor Sunshine Promotions and MTC Salute Boxing Academy trainers.

During these three months they will be prepared mentally and physically to understand the discipline and level of professionalism that goes into the sport.

“We would like to thank all these personalities for agreeing to be part of this project, for agreeing to be part of social change, and for agreeing to finally knock out GBV. There has been so much talk about GBV, so instead of talking sense into the perpetrators, how about we try and just knock it out, and this is what this project is all about,” said MTC's Tim Ekandjo.

“This is not just a boxing fight, but a fight against the many social ills that take our society and nation backwards. We know that these ills are many, and we will therefore target them one by one with each event,” Ekandjo added.

One of the participants, local businessman Johnny Doeseb, encouraged boxing lovers as well as the general public to come in their numbers and show support to the project, so that GBV does not have a place in Namibian society.

The confirmed fights are as follows:

Junior middleweight - KP Illest (one of Namibia's most celebrated rappers and award-winning artist) vs Paul Da Prince (TV and radio personality, R&B singer, songwriter and MC).

Heavyweight title - Jossy Joss (marketing manager Energy 100FM) vs Amos Shiyuka (Namibian business personality).

Cruiserweight title - D-Naff (award-winning gospel artist) vs Luis Munana (TV host, producer, creative director and founder of Waka Waka Moo).

Heavyweight title - Theo Ishuna (MTC key accounts executive and NBC news anchor) vs Marco Ndlovu (journalist, news editor, producer and presenter).

Super middleweight title: DJ Cheeze (arguably one of Namibia's best DJs and host of the popular radio show titled Young Hearts, Fresh Beats on Fresh FM) vs Sunny Boy (Namibian rapper and king of Hikwa).

Middleweight title - Johnny 'JJD' Doeseb (Namibian businessman and hall-of-famer) vs Job Amupanda (Namibian author, activist, academic and public intellectual).

Middleweight title - Mappz Kapofi (hip-hop artist, producer, radio presenter and MC) vs an opponent is yet to be confirmed.

Heavyweight title: Michael Vermeulen (managing director of Mikel-Jes Music Productions) vs an opponent yet to be confirmed.

Tickets are available from Webtickets.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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We are Afcon favourites - Aguirre

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

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We are Afcon favourites - Aguirre Afcon 2019 hosts Egypt are confident of defeating Zimbabwe tomorrow in the opening match of a tournament that has been expanded to 24 teams and is being staged in mid-year for the first time.

Egypt lie 51 places higher on the world rankings ahead of the Group A clash and top the title betting at 5/1, with Zimbabwe at 150/1. They have won three of the four previous Afcon finals they have hosted.

“We are the favourites to win the 2019 Africa Cup,” said 60-year-old coach Javier Aguirre, the first Mexican to guide a nation that has won the competition a record seven times.

“Egypt are playing at home, can count on passionate support and have Mohamed Salah, the best footballer in Africa.”

Salah has returned home after another stellar season with Liverpool, which he completed by scoring the first goal in a 2-0 Champions League final triumph over Tottenham Hotspur.

His 22 English Premier League goals last season gave him a share of the Golden Boot title with two fellow Africans, Senegalese Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon.

Aguirre says fears that his talisman may be jaded after a long season of Premier League and Champions League football are unfounded.

“Mohamed took a holiday after the Champions League final, did not play in our first warm-up match and only came on after halftime in the second,” he countered.

Egypt beat fellow qualifiers Tanzania and Guinea and what pleased Aguirre most was not the results, but the large number of scoring chances the Pharaohs created.

“We had about 20 chances to score against the Tanzanians and almost as many against the Guineans. That is very encouraging.”

Aguirre also dismissed the view that Egypt rely too heavily on Salah, saying: “We have selected 23 footballers who are totally committed to the cause of winning the Cup of Nations.

“It is impossible for one footballer to win a Cup of Nations on his own. Mohamed will receive tremendous support from his teammates.

“All the players are mentally and physically ready and we look forward to beginning our campaign with a victory over Zimbabwe.” The countries have met only once in the Afcon finals with Egypt winning 2-1 in Tunisia 15 years ago. Both teams were eliminated after the first round.

Aguirre expects the Zimbabwe Warriors to be “a well-organised team who will seek to score mainly through counterattacks and set pieces”.

“We have studied videos of them and identified strengths and weaknesses. I do not believe they will take us by surprise.”

Zimbabwe coach and former captain Sunday Chidzambwa was keeping his thoughts to himself ahead of the tournament opener.

But captain and forward Knowledge Musona, who plays in Belgium, stressed they must not become obsessed by Salah, despite the huge threat he poses.

“We must not just stop Salah, we must stop all the Egyptians. If we concentrate only on one, others will destroy us,” he warned.

“My boys must be prepared to contest every loose ball, defend and attack in numbers, and take our scoring chances.

“Against Egypt in Cairo we are unlikely to get many scoring chances, so clinical finishing is essential.

“We are not here to talk we are here to play football. We are in Egypt to achieve success and make every Zimbabwean proud of us.

“While I would love to add to the three goals I scored in the qualifying competition, it does not matter who scores, as long as they are Zimbabwean,” Musona said.

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda are the other teams in Group A and they meet Saturday at the same venue as the opening match.

The group winners and runners-up qualify for the knockout second round along with the four best third-place finishers.

NAMPA/AFP

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Stars sued for travel monies

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Ongwediva tayi dhimi po iishosheshela yoongunga dhaakwashigwana

≪ Previous: We are Afcon favourites - Aguirre

Stars sued for travel moniesAgency wants club to cough up N$170 000 African Stars' participation in CAF club competitions have left them with a heavy debt they need to settle.

Welwitschia Travel CC has taken African Stars to court over unsettled payments, court documents reveal.

African Stars allegedly owes the company an outstanding amount of N$170 758.89, as per the court documents

The travel company claims that despite demands on 14 May for African Stars to pay the outstanding amount, the club failed to do so.

High Court Judge Hannelie Prinsloo referred the matter to mediation, after African Stars gave notice of their intention to defend the action.

On 15 November 2018 at Windhoek, Welwitschias Travel CC, represented by Megan Peterson, and African Stars, represented by Patrick Kauta, entered into an oral agreement.

The agreement was that African Stars acquire the services of Welwitschia Travel as their travel agent on a tour to Ethiopia from 24 to 29 November 2018.

On 26 November 2018, the company sent an invoice to Patrick Kauta and Salomo Hei, detailing a total amount payable of N$612 835.

African Stars made payments to the company on 21 November, 14 December and 20 December 2018, as well as 16 February 2019, but N$170 758.89 remains outstanding.

The travel agency is demanding payment of the outstanding amount, as well as for the cost of the lawsuit and any further alternative relief.

African Stars have appointed Dr Weder, Kauta & Hoveka Incorporated to represent them.

The mediation will held at the SADC building on 12 July at 14:15.

The travel agency is expected to deliver their mediation brief by no later than 2 July.

African Stars have been ordered to deliver their mediation brief by no later than 5 July at 15:00.

The club will be represented in the mediation proceedings by Vanessa Kauta, while Welwitschia Travel CC will be represented by Barend van der Merwe.

The mediation report must be submitted by no later than 18 July.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

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Ongwediva tayi dhimi po iishosheshela yoongunga dhaakwashigwana

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Omuselekadhi gwaLubowksi a shangele Geingob ombilive

≪ Previous: Stars sued for travel monies

Ongwediva tayi dhimi po iishosheshela yoongunga dhaakwashigwana

Aakalimo ayehe noongeshefa mondoolopa yaNgwediva mboka ye oongunga dhawo dhili konima nelelo lyondoolopa otaya hiwa opo ya ninge indilo lyokudhimapo iishoshela yoongunga dhawo, okupitia moprograma ndjoka ya tulwapo kelelo lyondoolopa.

Mayola gwOngwediva Town Council, Angelina Angula okwa popi kutya ya tokola okukutha po iishoshela yoongunga dhiniwe kaakalimo oshowo oongeshefa mondoolopa.

Ekuthopo lyiishoshela yoongunga otali tulwa miilonga okuza mesiku lyotango lyomwedhi Juli nuumvo sigo omasiku 28 gaFebruali 2020.

Mayola okwa popi kutya oya dhidhilike kutya ha aakwashigwana ayehe nenge oongeshefa mondoolopa taya vulu okugwanitha po iifuta yoongunga dhawo dhomayakulo ngoka yapewa kumuni omolwa onkalo yeliko lya nayipala ngashiingeyi. Okwa popi kutya oongunga ohadhi tulwa iishoshela yoopresenda 1.25 komwedhi nenge oopresenda 15 komvula naashoka otashi tula aayakulwa muudhigu wiiyemo ya gwedhwapo.

Okwa tseyitha kutya oprograma ndjoka nayi uvikiweko kutya kashi shi edhimepo lyoongunga dhomayakulo gamuni ndhoka dhili po ihe ekutho po lyiifuta mbyoka ya gwedhwelwa ko koongunga dhoka omolwa iishoshela.

Angula ina yelitha kutya aakalimo yomondoolopa oye na oongunga dhamuni dha thika pu ingapi ta gwedhwa po kutya omwaalu gwiishoshela mbyoka otagu ka vula owala okumonika kutya ingapi okuya mesiku lyotango lyaJuli.

Mayola okwa popi kutya kape na iishoshela tayi k akuthwa ko konima yoongunga dha monika okuza mesiku lyotango yaJuli, nompito ndjoka itayi ka gandjwa iikando yi vulithe pushimwe.

Okwa popi kutya mboka ye na ohokwe naya ninge eindilo kelelo lyondoolopa.

ILENI NANDJATO

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Omuselekadhi gwaLubowksi a shangele Geingob ombilive

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

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Omuselekadhi gwaLubowksi a shangele Geingob ombilive Omuselekadhi gwanakulwa omukulu gwoSwapo Anton Lubowski okwa nyana Omupesidende Hage Geingob sho a tindi okutsakanena naye uule woomvula 30 ngashiingeyi, opo a vule okutopola shoka ya li ya kundathana nomusamane gwe ongulohi ndjoka a dhipagwa.

Mombaaapila ye ndjoka yamanguluka, Gabrielle Lubowski okwa shanga kutya: “Ongoye wa li omuntu gwa hugunina okupopya naAnton. Okwa popi nangoye uuyelele wa holekwa mboka ne yaali inamu vula okupopya mwa kuutumba tamu nu okoofi ihe omwa ende mepandanda lyaKaiser (ngashiingeyi Independence Avenue), opo ka mu uvike shoka tamu popi. Konima yoowili ooshona, Anton okwa sa.”

Omutenya gwEtitatu, omukalelipo gwopaveta gwaGeingob, Sisa Namandje okwa shanga omukanda moka a popi kutya oohapu dhaLubowski odhili enyateko lyedhina, na kamu na uukwashili washa momapopyo ge. Namandje okwa pula Lubowski a gandje ombili omanga omasiku 24 gaJuni inaga thikana nenge a tulilwe mo oshipotha shenyateko lyedhina.

Mombaapila ndjoka, Gabrielle okwa popi kutya Geingob okwa nu po Anton, na oya dhigupalelwa konkalamwenyo unene aanona ye yaaali mboka yakoko yaahe na he.

“Inandi tonda nale omuntu monkalamwenyo yandje ngaashi ngoye. Ihe nonando ongaaka uutondwe mbuka ongame owala wa ehameke ihe hangoye. Owa zi komukondjelimanguluko nokuninga omuprina gwotango gwoshilongo nomupresidende omutitatu gwoshilogo. Kesilohenda lyaKalunga onda etha po uutondwe mboka kungame mwene.”

Gabrielle okwa koleke kutya oye a shanga ombaapila ndjoka ihe kali a yaha yi ye moshigwana. Nonando ongaaka okwa popi kutya okwa kala nokupula Geingob opo andola ya tsakanene naye yo yakundathane shoka a li a popi naAnton onguluhi ndjoka a dhipagwa.

Omunamimvo 37, omuhwahwameki ngoka a li e li ompinge nuukoloni okwa yahwa sha ningilwa mepandanda lyaSanderburg Street Ovenduka, komeho yegumbo lye momasiku 12 gaSepetemba momvula yo 1989.

Okwa yahwa iikando yontumba nondjembo yoAK-47 na kwa hulitha omolwa oshilalo shoholo momutse. Gabrielle okwa popi kutya Geingob okwa kala nokumwiidhimbika nonando ye okwa kambadhala opo andola a ye naye moonkundathana. Mombaapila ye ndjoka a shanga okwa popi kutya okwa taambako kutya etindo lye okupopya naye otashi ulike kutya okwa taambako ondjo.

Okwa popi kutya ota kala aluhe nokudhimbuluka Geingob kutya omulumentu ngoka a nu po mumwayina opo a ye pombanda.

Okwa popi kutya elalakano lye kalya li lyombaaapila ndjoka yi ye moshigwana ihe osha li andola edhimbulukitho.

“Kape na ngoka a galukilendje. Onda popya naantu yahamano ngashiingeyi. Kandi uviteko kutya omolwashike Hage ina hala okupopya nangame. Onda fa owala tandi popi nekuma. Owa hala ndi ye moshigwana?” Gabrielle a pula ngaaka.

Gabrielle okwa dhenge omuthindo kutya oku na uuthemba okupopya naGeingob yemwene, molwaashoka okwa mona uudhigu na okwa pumbwa okupopya naye opo a tule omadhilaadhilo pamwe.

Omapulo

Momvula yo 2013, Namibian Sun oya lopota kutya oSouth Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) oya manguluka Swapo kutya ke na mo olunyala nenge haye ta pewa ombedhi omolwa eso lyaLubowski.

Pethimbo ndyoka, omukonaakoni gwoTRC, advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza okwa yi pondje omapopyo gaGabrielle, kutya iilyo yimwe yepangelo ndyoka lya li tali yi koshipundi oyo ya dhipaga omusamane gwe.

Ntsebeza, ngoka a konaakona omiyonena dhiita okwa holola woo iizemo yomakonaakono shi na sha neso lyaLubowski nokulopota kutya Swapo ke na mo olunyala.

Sho TRC ngoka omunashipundi gwe a li Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a puwa opo a topole epeko lyuuyelele meso yaLubowski nepangelo lyaNamibia nenge Swapo, oya yamukula kutya kayi shi okomitiye yawo na na ya totepo okomitiye yawo yomapekaapeko ngoka.

Omitumba dhomapekaapeko dhoTRC odha tamekele momvula yo 1996 na odha hulu nolopota ndjoka ya pewa omupresidende nale gwoshilongo shoka, Nelson Mandela momasiku 19 gaKotomba 1998 omanga kombinga yomakonaaono medhipago lyaLubowski ganingwa momasiku ga 3 sigo 24 gaApilili mo 1996.

Konima yoomvula, natango ofamili yaLubowski otayi kongo omayamukulo na oya popi kutya embo lya shangwa komutoolikundana Evelyn Groenink, lyedhina 'Incorruptible - The Story of the Murders of Dulcie September, Anton Lubowski and Chris Hani', inali kwathela sha.

Embo olya ulike omunwe ominista yiikwapondje yaSouth Afrika nale, Pik Botha kutya oye a dhana onkandangala onene medhipago lyaLubowksi.

Pethimbo ndyoka omwanamati gwaLubowski, Almo okwa popi kutya nonando embo ndyoka olya gandja ethano eshona kutya omolwashike he a dhipagwa, okwa popi kutya uuyelele itawu nana unene opo ku talululwe oshipotha shoka.

JEMIMA BEUKES

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Court dismisses Mukwiilongo matter

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Major commercial deal for diamond vessel

≪ Previous: Omuselekadhi gwaLubowksi a shangele Geingob ombilive

Court dismisses Mukwiilongo matter

The Oshakati Magistrate's Court has set aside a protection order issued against the late Omusati governor Leonard Nangolo Mukwiilongo's lastborn, Shatipamba, who was dragged to court by one of his siblings, 61-year-old Helena Tuyakula.

Mukwiilongo's children are at war over their father's homestead and mahangu field at Onashiku near Elim.

On 16 March, Magistrate Mika Namhueja issued an interim protection order against Shatipamba, who according to Helena's statement, interfered with her business of selling homemade poles from her father's homestead. Helena is also opposing a decision by the Uukwambi Traditional Authority to divide her father's mahangu field amongst her siblings.

Namhueja dismissed the matter citing a lack of evidence to prove that Shatipamba was a threat to Helena. He also advised Helena to consult the traditional authority to assist in the matter.

In her statement filed before court, Helena said when their father died he left a will in which he bequeathed his house and stores to her.

“On 5 March he (Shatipamba) came to the homestead and found people who came to buy poles, loading them onto their cars. He ordered them to remove the poles and leave the house. I am selling my late father's house's poles because I want to renovate the house,” read Helena's statement.

“He recorded a video and sent it to me saying that I have to &@ because I am selling poles from my father's homestead; apparently I must go sell my husband's things. Since the house was given to me by my father and based on the reasons I gave, I want my brother Shatipamba to be far from me. I don't want him to be close to me and disturb me.”

In May 2017 Mukwiilongo, who was 92 at time, succumbed to his injuries after he was brutally attacked at his residence a month earlier, in April. He was survived by six children - Nuukongo, Helena, Kandiya, Lita, Kristi and Shatipamba.

In her statement to the court, Helena also expressed her disappointment in Onashiku village headman Ruben Shiningayamwe for dividing her father's mahangu field among her siblings.

“On August 2017 my siblings wrote a letter to the headman saying that I must not be given the house. Shiningayamwe, however, decided to distribute my late father's mahangu field to Shatipamba, Nuukongo, Kandiya and Lita,” Helena's statement said.

Shiningayamwe confirmed the dispute was brought to their attention, but it was difficult for them to solve since Helena had turned to the magistrate's court for relief.

ILENI NANDJATO

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Major commercial deal for diamond vessel

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Ongwediva offers reprieve

≪ Previous: Court dismisses Mukwiilongo matter

Major commercial deal for diamond vessel

In the largest commercial transactional deal this year to boost marine diamond recovery operations in Namibia, five commercial banks partnered in a N$5.6-billion financing deal to procure a new diamond recovery vessel for Debmarine Namibia.

The AMV3 is expected to create more than 161 new jobs alongside Debmarine Namibia's current workforce of 1 000 employees.

The N$5.6-billion asset financing facility constitutes 80% of the vessel cost and will be financed by Absa Bank, Bank Windhoek, Nedbank, FirstRand Bank and Standard bank Namibia.

Debmarine Namibia will cover the remaining N1.4 billion (20%) of this investment.

The facility will enable Debmarine Namibia to acquire a state-of-the-art marine diamond recovery vessel which will be custom built with world-class operational capabilities. The vessel will be used for marine diamond recovery operations off the southern coast of Namibia in the Atlantic 1 mining licence area.

The vessel is being constructed in the Damen Mangalia Shipyards in Romania and is scheduled to commence operations in 2022.

The new acquisition will be the seventh addition to Debmarine Namibia's fleet which currently comprises five diamond recovery vessels and one exploration and sampling vessel.

Speaking at the event, the CEO of Debmarine Namibia, Otto Shikongo, said that over the years they have grown the business and have increased the workforce to 1 000 employees of which 86% are Namibians.

Debmarine Namibia owns and operates five diamond recovery vessels the Debmar Atlantic, the Debmar Pacific, the !Gariep, the Grand Banks, the Mafuta, and one exploration and sampling vessel, the SS Nujoma.

Shikongo said additional to this, they charter a diamond recovery vessel, the MV Coral Sea. The annual production is now more than 1.2 million carats.

“The highest quality diamonds in the world are found in our ocean and with this investment we will be able to optimise new technology to find and recover diamonds more efficiently and meet growing consumer demand.”

According to Shikongo the new vessel will be owned by Debmarine Namibia and will be operated by competent staff of highly skilled men and women.

“Robust skills development and training programmes will run parallel to the construction of the vessel to ensure that the right people for the job are in the right places when the vessel is delivered. It will be registered at the port of Lüderitz and scheduled to commence operations in 2022.”

Shikongo said that the AMV3 will be the seventh and biggest vessel of their fleet, producing 500 000 carats per annum – an increase of 35% of their current production.

“In its first five years of production, the AMV3 is expected to contribute N$2 billion per annum in taxes and royalties to the Namibian treasury and the capital loan must still be repaid during that period.”

According to Debmarine Namibia the deal is one of the largest commercial transactions to be concluded in Namibia this year and further underscores both the government's and the De Beer Group's commitment to this successful partnership.

ELLANIE SMIT

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Ongwediva offers reprieve

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Disney Cookabout Season 3 coming

≪ Previous: Major commercial deal for diamond vessel

Ongwediva offers reprieveInterest to be waived on debts Ongwediva residents must register with the town council to have interest on outstanding debts written off.

All residents and businesses with arrears on their accounts at Ongwediva have been invited to apply to have their interest waived through an incentive programme offered by the town council

Ongwediva mayor Angelina Angula announced this week that the waiving of the interest will be implemented from 1 July 2019 to 28 February 2020.

“The council recognised that not all residents or business owners are able to meet their monthly payment obligations for municipal services rendered, either fully or partially, due to the prevailing economic hardships. Under normal circumstances, the outstanding balances attract interest rates of 1.25% per month (15% per annum). This, undoubtedly, puts additional payment pressures on clients,” said Angula.

“It is against this background that the council deemed it appropriate to give some incentives to its clients in the form of an incentive programme. It should be noted, however, that this programme should under no circumstance or otherwise be construed as 'writing off of bad debts, but rather an incentive of waiving interest charges.”

The mayor said they have established that many of their residents have too many responsibilities that include supporting extended family members in different households.

Angula said the interest and capital charges determined as on 1 July shall be the only ones to be considered under the incentive programme.

She said these capital charges are expected to be paid in full during the eight-month period the incentive programme will be running.

Upon the full settlement of these capital charges, the interest amounts shall be reversed.

She added the incentive programme is applicable to both individuals and corporates, including sundry accounts. The programme is also applicable to all types of municipal services or accounts, irrespective of the outstanding balances or period involved.

“The incentive programme shall not be applied to outstanding accounts or balances that may surface after 1 July 2019. Payments of capital charges may be settled in full or in instalments over a maximum period of eight months. Interest charges paid prior to 1 July 2019 shall not be waived or refunded,” the mayor said.

“Council shall waive 100% of interest charges once the capital charges are paid in full. No client shall be permitted to participate in the incentive programme for one municipal account more than once during its enforcement. Clients who fail to apply to the council to have their interest charges waived during the period allocated will forfeit this benefit when the incentive programme lapses, after which normal collection procedures shall apply,” Angula added.

She said those who take advantage of the incentive programme may not be subjected to the suspension of water services, provided they honour their settlement arrangements as entered into and agreed upon. Payments may be made in cash or via Speedpoint at the council's cashier counters or via electronic funds transfer (EFT).

“Clients who will use EFT shall be expected to submit proof of payment to the council, with an account number as reference. Approved applications shall be given a separate header code in the financial system for easy administrative reference and management,” Angula said.

ILENI NANDJATO

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Disney Cookabout Season 3 coming

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Kay-Z Bereans announces 2nd EP

≪ Previous: Ongwediva offers reprieve

Disney Cookabout Season 3 comingBack with a bang The award-winning series is set to deliver another gastronomic adventure-filled season this July.

Disney Africa has wrapped production of the third season of Disney Cookabout. The award-winning, comedic adventure game-show series that uses cooking and food preparation to create a fun-filled approach to healthy eating, will air Saturdays at 10:15 from 27 July 2019 on Disney Channel (DStv 303).

For the first time, production moved to Gauteng earlier this year and kicked off with an open casting call for kids between the ages of 10-13. Hundreds of entries were received and after a two-day audition process, eight new enthusiastic cooktestants were chosen for the brand new season.

The cooktestants hail from various parts of the province, from diverse backgrounds, but they all share a love of food, cooking and an eagerness to learn more about the ingredients we see and eat every day.

The series' cooktestants this year are Zinhle Makwakwa (12) from Pretoria, Ditiro Simelane (12) from Edenvale, Lateefah Bredenkamp (12) from Kempton Park, Zondwa Mditswa (12) from Roodepoort, Tau Tsotetsi (11) from Ellispark, Kgalalelo Sekele (13) from Leachville, Declan Linaker (12) from Benoni and Talia Naidoo (12) from Bedfordview.

Disney Cookabout is hosted by comedic duo Kirsten Mohamed (Chef Kirsten) and Mthunzi Ntoyi (Sous Chef Mthunzi), who guide the cooktestants while they learn how to create simple and appetising dishes for the whole family.

Two cooktestants per episode compete against one another as they head out through the Cookabout Kitchen's famous revolving door to locations in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, where their food adventure begins. Each episode focuses on the ingredient of the day - while exploring South Africa's fresh, locally farmed and wholesome produce, with fascinating insights to food we often only see in supermarkets or on our dining room tables. Once the ingredients are collected, the team is transported back to the magical Cookabout Kitchen to cook a dish which includes the fruit or vegetables they have learnt about.

Two batches of four cooktestants will battle it out each week to take home the Silver Spoon before the final cook-offs when each overall winner is awarded the Disney Cookabout Golden Trophy. In addition, the two final champions will each win R50 000 towards their school to implement a worthwhile initiative, inspired by Disney's healthy living commitment. Since 2006, Disney has been committed to helping families make healthier choices, using its stories and characters to make healthy living simple and fun. Since then, Disney has been looking at different ways it can support families to live more healthily.

STAFF REPORTER

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Kay-Z Bereans announces 2nd EP

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Shaping Namibian sound

≪ Previous: Disney Cookabout Season 3 coming

Kay-Z Bereans announces 2nd EPRapper discusses new PR parnership This year has been a promising year for new artist Kay-Z Bereans, having partnered with Alvaro Media as his public relations agency.

We all know that this music dream-chasing game is a hard one and that is probably one of the reasons why certain people in society perceive anybody chasing a music dream as someone delusional or not serious, but who cares right? Because the only person you really should be listening to is yourself, reason being that the biggest battles seem to be internal. Take rookie artist Kay-Z Bereans; although unknown in the mainstream space, he continues to chase the dream, so we had to talk to the rising star and find out how he continues to push above the circumstances and fight his battles.

Hailing from Katima Mulilo, his first EP Dark Nights and Rainbows was released last year in July - a body of work he describes as an introductory project. He said that Dark Nights and Rainbows is a project that has opened a few doors for him and he intends to follow it up with another EP that will take him to another level. He announced that his second EP, titled Palm Trees and Skies will be made available on different online platforms at the end of July. Palm Trees and Skies features Big Fish, Princelou Faragama, Willy G and more.

“I recently partnered up with Alvaro Media and they are now responsible for my public relations and ensuring that I have a reputable brand,” he said.

He added that he is excited to have Alvaro Media on board because it increases the chances of his music reaching a lot of people. “Being in business with Alvaro Media takes away the burden of me doing the music and still trying to do my own branding and PR,” said Kay-Z Bereans.

His latest single Why She Wanna Know, featuring Blvc Boxx Entertainment signee Princelou Faragama, is gaining momentum on Donlu Africa and serves as a snippet for what he is about to unleash on his forthcoming project. Asked when his fans can expect a fully-fledged album, Kay-Z Bereans admitted that he is not yet certain. “I want to drop an album when everybody is aware of me as an artist and the demand for my music is there.

“As artists we sometimes rush dropping an album without having a clear rollout plan and as a result it does not reach a lot of people. I want my EPs to blow up and then I can look into dropping an actual album,” he added.

Even though primarily known for doing hip-hop, Kay-Z Bereans shared that his forthcoming project will be a montage of various genres and stressed that he will be rapping in his vernacular language more. “Hip-hop in Namibia only appeals to the youth, but Afro-pop and other genres speak to a lot of people that is why the EP won't just have hip-hop songs. I have seen parents dance to Davido's songs so I know with Afro-pop I can reach their ears too,” he said.

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

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Shaping Namibian sound

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Dressing street-wear enthusiasts

≪ Previous: Kay-Z Bereans announces 2nd EP

Shaping Namibian soundMaking Namibian music great Two of the biggest Namibian albums on the market right now, Sunny Boy's Uuyelele and PDK's Grateful have production credits in common - Mr Glo.

The best and biggest songs are usually collaborative efforts, but in most cases, the vocalists take the lead of the producers or composers. We have seen many talented musicians fall short of reaching their potential owing to their inability to find the right producer. In this edition, we salute one of undercover superheroes who keeps bringing the heat in terms of production.

Sharing his journey in the music industry, Mr Glo said that he first started working as a producer at Lash Attractions and Omalaeti before starting his own production company Glo Production in 2015. “My company is relatively new but I have been around for a while now. When I was at Lash Attractions most of the work I did was experimental and when I went to Omalaeti I was groomed to adapt to their sound which was a very exciting time of my career because I learned a lot,” said Mr Glo.

He mentioned that what makes him the go-to producer for many artists is because he does not limit himself to a particular genre and he is open to new ideas. He pointed to Tate Buti's Ondjeke album as one of his outstanding projects he has worked on. “Recently I was also involved in Sunny Boy's Uuyelele album - an album that took us about two years to complete. It was worth the time because we really sharpened our craft and came up with beautiful music,” he said.

Getting intricate with the production conversation, Mr Glo explained the difference between mixing and mastering which are very important elements of his job. He stated that mixing and mastering are two separate but equally important elements in the audio process that can often become blurred and hard to differentiate between. He explained that mixing is the step before mastering that entails adjusting and combining individual tracks together to form a stereo audio file after mixdown. The stereo file is then mastered, which ensures that the various songs are well polished and form a cohesive whole on an album. “People go to school for these art forms and there are those who are self-taught. It takes a lot of discipline and patience to master them but if you love it you will get it right with time,” he said.

He mentioned American producer Timbaland as one of the producers he used to look up to, but emphasised that he is now at a point where he does not look at other producers for inspiration but rather strives to come up with authentic Namibian sounds. “There are a lot of sounds that we borrow from but for me it is about making these sounds Namibian. I try to do something new from the norm,” said Mr Glo.

Speaking to tjil, gospel artist D-Naff said what he likes the most about working with Mr Glo is his humble persona and his patience. “For my team and I, Mr Glo is the go-to guy because he is open to ideas, very soft and kind.

“There are producers who are difficult to work with just because they are the captain of the ship during the recording process and they are impatient. Artists can't really be creative under such environments, but the same cannot be said about Mr Glo,” said D-Naff.

Mr Glo maintains that it takes time to make it as a producer and be recognised for your work, however he advised that if you want to get into production, you should not be driven by recognition or money but do it for the love of it and growing the industry. “Do not just do it for the money or the fame. If you have a dream, believe in it, fight for it and achieve your goals.

“Have daily goals coupled with weekly goals, monthly goals, yearly goals and eventually you will realise your dreams,” said Mr Glo.

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

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Dressing street-wear enthusiasts

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: NAMAs announce dancer auditions

≪ Previous: Shaping Namibian sound

Dressing street-wear enthusiastsDa Broad Wear – the people's brand Da Broad Wear is the heavily sought-after street-wear brand that has infiltrated the scene in recent years.

With plans at an advanced stage to launch their website, tjil sat down with Da Broad Wear founder Carlos de Oliveira to discuss how this brand is changing the narrative of street wear in Namibia. Oliveira defines street wear as casual clothing of a style worn especially by members of various urban youth subcultures, a market he says he caters for. Da Broad Wear offers caps, hoodies, shorts and T-shirts.

Founded two years ago, the brand has rapidly grown and has been the reference point for many street-wear enthusiasts in the entertainment and fashion scene of Namibia. “The word is actually abroad, I just spiced it up a little bit to add that street flair to it. It is stylish and for everybody.

“Even though we only officially infiltrated the market two years ago, prior to that I was doing research for about three years because I wanted to understand the needs of the market and cater to it accordingly,” said De Oliveira.

De Oliveira shared that Da Broad Wear consists of five members who design, market and supply the streets with the clothes. Their suppliers are based in Cape Town but the designs and final putting together of the apparel is done here in Namibia. Speaking on the inspiration of the designs, the founder shared that they like monitoring fashion trends among young people and coming up with exciting designs that are embraced by many street-wear lovers. “Young people are our go-to in terms of finding out what is trending in the streets because they are always online and are always watching music videos. Young people are also experimental when it comes to putting outfits together, they are the real taste makers,” said De Oliveira.

The brand took part in Windhoek Fashion Week last year, an experience De Oliveira described as a good platform that allowed them to showcase their designs to the masses. “Windhoek Fashion Week was an amazing experience and we are looking forward to still take part this year. We are a street-wear brand thus when we infiltrate platforms of that big magnitude; it means a lot to me and the brand as a whole,” he said. De Oliveira mentioned that one of the strategies the brand uses to be viable in the market is working with media personalities, dressing them for events, music videos and more. “This year we dressed award-winning rapper D-Jay for his album cover photo shoot. It was a fruitful collaboration because he exposed us to his fan base,” said De Oliveira, adding that having good working relationship with artists and media personalities helps a lot in exposing the brand to the masses.

Voicing his view on street wear in Namibia, De Oliveira said a lot of brands start out by purchasing a bunch of shirts and printing them, which he maintains is okay for starters but investing back in the brand and coming up with quality material should be prioritised. “We all started somewhere but it is disrespect to your customers when you do not invest back into your brand to supply them with better quality. The goal is to keep growing and for the latest material to always be better than the previous one,” he said.

De Oliveira attributes the growth of Da Broad Wear to investing back into the brand and doing things differently. He mentioned that the brand has people in South Africa, Angola and Germany who are responsible for infiltrating the market in those countries. He added that people should know that Da Broad Wear is a Namibian brand but it is stepping outside. “We are local but our aim is to be recognised outside as well, that is why we have people pushing our stuff in other countries. “Selling our clothes in other countries for us isn't just a marketing ploy; we have the dream to make it big outside the country. We are sharing Namibian style one country at a time,” he added.

He stated that from the feedback that they receive from the consumers, he believes what makes Da Broad Wear stand out is the quality of the clothes. “We try to pride ourselves in only supplying the market with high quality products. We do not want to sell dreams to people so we strive to satisfy our customers by selling them good quality,” he said.

He announced that Da Boad Wear will be launching its website soon. This is to make it easier for people to purchase the clothes online. De Oliveira further revealed that they will be having pop-up shops at different events in efforts to make the clothes more accessible. “We want people to have a one-on-one with the designers and I believe pop-up shops will make this easier. We would have opened a physical store but we just fear that is not a smart business choice at this point,” said De Oliveira.

Venturing into another element of street wear, De Oliveira shared that the brand is looking into adding customised denims to their range. He mentioned that they have started making these denims already; however they are yet to start producing them in high volumes. “With the denims we are open to people bringing us their denims and we just customise them, the same with sneakers; we customise sneakers too,” he shared.

Despite the success of the brand, De Oliveira admitted that Da Broad Wear has had its own fair share of ups and downs. He pointed out the lack of sufficient finances as one of the challenges that the brand has endured and to a certain degree is still going through. “We are in business with suppliers who prefer selling their material in bulk so we have always had a challenge because we have to wait until we have enough to buy in bulk which in the process slows down our business.”

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

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NAMAs announce dancer auditions

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Citizen journalism and its dynamics

≪ Previous: Dressing street-wear enthusiasts

NAMAs announce dancer auditionsAn opportunity for dancers to showcase their talent Auditions will take place on 5 and 6 July between 08:00 and 20:00 at Pulse Studios Shop, 42B Old Breweries Complex.

The Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) 2019 is well on the way to set a new bar again, not only for the Namibian music scene but across the African continent.

NAMAs 2019 is thrilled to announce the call for this year's auditions for dancers to perform as part of the support for the myriad of stellar performances set for this year's biggest night in Namibian music.

The awards will again select the best of the best of Namibian dancers from the two-day audition open to any aspiring dancers that would like to join the official NAMAs dance crew line-up for this year's event.

The NAMAs dance and performances department will this year be led by Namibia's own former Miss Namibia, sensational actress and experienced dancer Odile Gertze who will oversee the process.

All dancers wanting to audition need to be at least 18 years of age or older and be either a Namibian citizen or legally be able to work in Namibia, and must bring either a valid Namibian ID, Namibian passport or Namibian birth certificate.

Non-Namibian citizens can also audition if accompanied by a valid Namibian residence permit allowing you to work freely in Namibia. Candidates arriving at the auditions without the required valid documents will unfortunately not be considered to audition.

“Our focus is to elevate the NAMAs every year and dancers form part of this exciting objective. We thus call out energetic dancers who simply sit at home shelving their art because of the lack of platforms, to come out and showcase their talent,” said John Ekongo, member of the NAMAs organising committee.

The host studios of the auditions this year, Pulse Studios, is a proud partner and supporter of the NAMAs and Namibian talent. Pulse Studio is a fitness studio based in the heart of Windhoek's CBD.

The studio is a refurbished industrial space offering vaulted ceilings, chunky pillars and steel trusses, contrasted by soothing warm design elements such as flowing drapery, African-print seats and appealing wooden floors, making the space a truly beautiful and unique environment to train in.

Pulse Studios aims to create a motivating environment, fun and stimulating programming, high-quality instruction, cutting-edge fitness solutions and lastly, a positive supportive community in which you can joyfully explore your fitness and health.

Subscribe and follow the official digital channels for the Namibian Annual Music Awards and be notified of multiple exciting announcements to follow over the days and weeks ahead, including more live performances, hosts, meet-and-greets with the stars, ticket sales, amazing competition packages, and much more.

STAFF REPORTER

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Citizen journalism and its dynamics

June 20, 2019, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: NAM Comedy Circle still at it

≪ Previous: NAMAs announce dancer auditions

Citizen journalism and its dynamics I recently ran into a fan of tjil, his name was Mathews (I did not ask for his surname) and he referred to me as 'Mikey Mike' - don't you just hate it when people take it upon themselves to abbreviate and customise your name? But anyway, Mathews told me how much he loves print media and has been collecting tjil since Gordon Joseph was responsible for putting the content together.

However, he mentioned how the internet is so heavy on daily content that it feels like if he goes to sleep for a few hours, when he wakes up the world is a different place, because so much happens and gets written about, tweeted or Instagram'd. He feels like that phenomenon is taking away from print media's position as the authority in the dissemination of latest entertainment news - be it current affairs or entertainment. He stressed that he will never lose love for print media, he just wants it to be around forever. Mathews brought up something very pertinent and he is right; the preoccupation of every second person to document every single thing at every second of day has made it quite challenging for print media publications to be the go-to for news.

Not to mention that when you give people the power to report, speak or be in a position of influence, some will use it irresponsibly because they do not have the respect for journalism as a profession that someone like Mathews and I might have. Any old 'expert' with a phone and Wi-Fi or some data to spare can blindly influence impressionable people into thinking 'rap' is decorative paper used by rappers to enclose presents. Anyway, I digress because as much as I am concerned about this too, it isn't something to be worried about (it is inevitable). No one has a monopoly on public content and this is not 1930s Germany, so we cannot keep people from voicing their opinions and thoughts. As the saying goes; adapt or die - and that is what any print media outlet needs to do in order to keep bringing the best content that their audience is used to, including tjil. With that said I believe we have done incredibly well in keeping up with times as our online following is engaging and interactive. On the entertainment front the views we get on the music-related videos we share on Namibian Sun Facebook page is testament to this. A video on musician Mbuku attracted over 124 000 views; another video on Kaboy Kamakili garnered over 40 000 views. I could go on and on but I hope this puts things into perspective.

In this edition, tjil sat down with Dice who let us in on how he is diversifying his income streams and doing things that add value to the music industry as a whole. Another feature you should look forward to is on producer and music engineer Mr Glo who is responsible for producing some of the best hits to ever come out of the land of the brave.

michael@namibiansun.com; @MichaelMKAY on Twitter

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