Amukwa hits back at Venaani

September 8, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Amukwa hits back at VenaaniMatti Amukwa says hundreds of Namibians are now employed on fishing vessels abandoned by striking fishermen. Fisheries association refuses to budge Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations (CNFA) chairperson Matti Amukwa quashed any hopes of striking fishermen returning to their jobs or being re-employed.
Amukwa further expressed disappointment with remarks made with regards to this made by DTA president McHenry Venaani in Walvis Bay recently.
Venaani demanded that all striking fishermen be re-employed and suggested catch periods be extended in order for the industry to recuperate losses. He also issued a 30-day ultimatum to government that accompanied the demand for the issue of the striking fishermen to be addressed satisfactorily.
Amukwa said there were already hundreds of Namibians employed on vessels, which were deserted by former fishermen in November 2015 and pointed out that quotas were set scientifically after adequate research and studies.
“Increasing the amount of quota without scientific advice would be irresponsible and will inevitably lead to the depletion of the fishing resource,” Amukwa said this week.
“Creating employment is not a matter of illegal strikes and destabilisation, but rather the opposite. We need stability and a committed workforce to attract investors and to create more jobs.”
He also dismissed allegations made about foreign nationals stating that the number of such individuals employed were very limited and decreased over the years, with only those in highly skilled positions, which Namibians are not yet fully equipped to occupy, being retained. According to Amukwa, CNFA engaged government and recognised unions constructively on behalf of fishing companies with the aim to address complaints of seamen and to resolve the situation. Unfortunately, unrealistic demands by the strikers through the Metal, Mining, Maritime and Construction (MMMC) union made it impossible to reach any viable solution with them.
“A number of seamen have been employed for almost a year now by different fishing companies alongside those who did not embark on the illegal strike action and with those who returned to work once it became clear they were misguided by MMMC.
The irresponsibility of the striking fishermen did not only affect their work, but also endangered the livelihood of thousands of Namibians employed in land based factories.”

OTIS FINCK

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Brakwater robbers get long sentences

September 8, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Brakwater robbers get long sentencesJudge Naomi Shivute did not mince words when she sentenced the two convicted robbers. N$5.2 million robbery case ends after 12 years Two men convicted of robbing a cash-in-transit vehicle on the outskirts of Windhoek 12 years ago got cumulative sentences of 30 years in the High Court yesterday.
Jan Julius, 45, was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances involving N$3.7 million while his co-accused George Jambeinge was sentenced to 10 years for theft involving N$1.5 million, which was part of the money stolen during the robbery.
The two were convicted of the heist committed in the Brakwater area north of Windhoek during the early morning hours of 29 December 2004.
Judge Naomi Shivute in her sentencing arguments said that Julius stole from his employer while he was in a position of trust and that this factor weighed heavily against him.
“The sentences are reasonable and justified.
“The offences were premeditated and that interest of the society heavily outweighs that of the accused,” the judge said. She emphasised that she does not consider a fine or a suspended sentence to be appropriate in the circumstances.
Julius, who was the driver of the cash-in-transit vehicle transporting huge amounts of money to the Erongo Region, had picked up a hitch-hiker as he and a colleague were about to depart from Windhoek.
However, the hitch-hiker turned out to be armed and attacked Julius’ colleague while the cash-in-transit vehicle was passing through Brakwater.
Another robber also surfaced at the scene and along with the so-called hitch-hiker managed to rob the vehicle, before fleeing the scene with large amounts of money.
The court found that Julius helped the hitch-hiker to disarm the security guard Stefanus Iyambo, who acted as his co-driver. In January 2005 an amount of N$1.51 million, which was linked to the money stolen during the robbery, was found in a trunk in the boot of a car belonging to Jambeinge. He had parked the car at the house of a relative in Windhoek a day after the robbery. Shivute said the offence was premeditated and well calculated. Immediately after the money was stolen it was dished out to several people.
“Interest of society demands that a deterrent sentence should be imposed,” she said.
The judge further said the accused persons are family men who look after their children and other dependents, unfortunately through their reckless conduct they have placed the wellbeing of those they are looking after in jeopardy.

FRED GOEIEMAN

Bodies of two people found in Bwabwata park

September 8, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Bodies of two people found in Bwabwata park

The decomposed bodies of two people who went missing almost three months ago, were discovered in the Bwabwata National Park on Sunday.
The remains of Johannes Gabriel Matuka, 51, and 21-year-old Domingo Castro Kapango were discovered by Namibian Police officers who were patrolling the park situated north-east of Divundu in the Kavango West Region.
The two men went missing from the Sauyemwa residential area in Rundu on 10 June this year.
Acting crime investigations coordinator for Kavango East, Detective Chief Inspector Chrispin Mubebo told Nampa that some of the body parts of the deceased were found in a hole, while the rest were scattered all over.
Mubebo said foul play is suspected and a case of murder has been registered at the Divundu Police Station.
It is not yet clear how the men died. Family members of the deceased have been informed.
Police investigations into the matter continue.

NAMPA

First rain forecast raises hope

September 8, 2016, 3:00 pm

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First rain forecast raises hope

Weather experts forecast that Namibia will indeed experience a good rainy season, but that does not mean that the storage dams will fill up.
The deputy director for the Namibia Meteorological Service, Franz /Uirab, yesterday announced the first seasonal rain outlook.
He said northern Namibia can expect normal to above-normal rainfall in the first part of the rainy season, from October to December. For southern Namibia, normal to below-normal rainfall is forecast for the period.
Uirab said from December to February, which is the main rainy season, the entire country can expect normal to above-normal rainfall.
The outlook for Namibia was compiled by the Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum, which produced a climate outlook for the 2016/17 rainy season for the entire Southern African region. Namibian experts also attended this meeting.
Willem Venter, planning and water resources manager at NamWater, yesterday warned that a positive seasonal outlook does not guarantee that the runoff into dams will be good.
“Even if the seasonal outlook is accurate the rainfall prediction does not necessarily correlate with the runoff into dams and mean that we ensure water security,” said Venter.
He pointed out that that in the catchment area of the Swakoppoort Dam it once rained 450mm per year but the dam received only 20mm runoff. He said that goes for any dam in Namibia.
Venter emphasised that if no rain falls the Von Bach Dam will be empty by the middle of December.
Currently the Von Bach Dam is at 18% and is the only dam still supplying Windhoek with water, after which the capital will be dependent on groundwater resources and the reclamation plant.
According to Venter the three dams supplying central Namibia are at their lowest level since 1978.
He pointed out that Windhoek’s water demand had already surpassed its supply in 2012, which means that the central area will be water stressed until new infrastructure is built at an estimated cost of N$10 billion.
He said the resource capacity is able to supply 31.45 million cubic metres of water while the demand is 34.11 million cubic metres.
“We either have to move the demand to other areas or mobilise resources.”
According to Venter the supply shortfall by 2050 will be 76 million cubic metres.
Venter also elaborated on water tariffs in Windhoek, saying that a litre of tap water costs a mere 1.5 cents, compared to a litre of bottled water of the same quality, which costs N$12.
He also compared the price of water to milk, which costs N$14 per litre, and an even a text message, which costs 40 cents.

ELLANIE SMIT

Intouch joins NMH stable

September 8, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Intouch joins NMH stable

Namibia Media Holdings is proud to announce the acquisition of Intouch Interactive Marketing.
It is no secret that the world of journalism and advertising is fast changing to more digital platforms and this is no different in Namibia.
NMH is turning 40 next year. With its vast experience in journalism and long-term relationship with its readers and advertising clients, it will now serve these clients even better with new digital platforms developed by Intouch.
NMH launched the mobile application MyInfo in April and new, integrated websites enable clients to receive the content they choose to read.
Intouch focuses on developing digital solutions such as: queuing systems, online display platforms, centralised and integrated screen display solutions, vending machine display solutions and software development solutions.
The buy, sell and list platform of Intouch, MY.na, will be used for all classified adverting, from cars to houses, jobs and unwanted goods, and will be integrated with the printed classifieds of NMH in Republikein, Namibian Sun, Allgemeine Zeitung, Windhoek Express and Erongo.
Wilko Aschenborn, managing director of Intouch, said “a new dawn has started for Intouch,” a company he started ten years ago. “Great things are about to happen.”
Albe Botha CEO of NMH stated: “The partnership between Intouch and NMH will allow the group not only to give readers a better online readership experience, but will allow advertisers to have a more focused approach when engaging clients on digital platforms.”
Botha said the new partnership will allow the media group to serve its print readers with more real-time information on the platforms they prefer. It will also engage readers who are not part of the print readership family, thus expanding the readership. Namibian Sun editor Festus Nakatana added that the acquisition of Intouch will definitely add value to the NMH brand.
“We are very pleased to partner with Intouch in offering complementary services to our readers as well as the advertising community,” he said.

STAFF REPORTER

Donated maize got wet

September 8, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Donated maize got wetCabinet secretary George Simataa gives a different explanation as to why bags of donated maize meal became rotten. It is 254 bags, not 450, says OPM Bags of maize meal donated by the South African government “were spoiled by rain” at the Disaster Risk Management warehouse in Prosperita, Windhoek, before they could be dispatched to drought-stricken regions.
Cabinet secretary George Simataa, who chairs the National Emergency Management Committee, said in a statement this week that the bags of maize meal were spoiled in February when the consignment was temporarily kept at the warehouse.
“The cause of the incident was undetected leakage in the roof of the warehouse which at the time was full to capacity. Even though the bags were neatly packed in stacks allowing one to move between them, water could not be observed on the floor as it entered the bags closer to the roof and was absorbed by the maize meal without wetting the floor,” is the explanation offered by Simataa.
He said when it was discovered that some of the bags were spoiled, the Ministry of Works and Transport was informed and the roof was immediately repaired.
Simataa said the cabinet was also informed and it directed that the office of the prime minister (OPM) should establish whether the maize could be used for animal feed before disposing of it.
He said after the Ministry of Health and Social Services established that the maize meal was unfit for human consumption the OPM consulted a private company to determine its suitability for animal consumption, but the results “indicated that the food was not fit for animal feed either”.
The OPM then sought a third opinion from the Agro Marketing Trade Agency, which also said the maize meal was unfit for human consumption. This company is still testing to see if the maize meal could be used as animal feed, Simataa said.
In the meantime, the bags will remain in the warehouse. Cabinet will be informed of the final outcome, after which treasury approval will be sought for the disposal of the bags.
“Government will ensure continuity in the supply and distribution of drought-relief maize meal to affected communities throughout the country,” Simataa said.
He denied that 450 bags of donated maize remained in the warehouse as was earlier reported, saying only 254 bags were spoilt.
When first asked about the bags, the spokesperson of the OPM, Saima Shaanika, did not deny claims that there were in fact 450 bags.
Her response to earlier questions was contrary to what Simataa is now saying.
Shaanika had said that the bags currently in the warehouse “were declared unfit for consumption in January already”.
She also said: “They were contaminated during the logistic management. They are only kept there waiting to be disposed of in line with treasury instructions on how government properties should be disposed of.”

CATHERINE SASMAN

MVA denies struggle kids’ allegation

September 8, 2016, 3:00 pm

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MVA denies struggle kids’ allegationThe MVA Fund has denied refusing to help with the funeral arrangements of one of the struggle kids, saying it explained the claims process to his friends. Only family can claim accident benefits The Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund has responded to a claim made by some members of the struggle kids regarding the death of Tomas Kondjeni, who was run over on the B1 road between Windhoek and Okahandja last week Friday.
In the account given to Namibian Sun by a spokesperson for the group, Jerry Hamukwaya, the group claimed that the MVA Fund “refused to assist in burying him [Kondjeni] and getting him back to the North. We plead with them but no one is responding.”
The chief executive officer of the MVA Fund, Rosalia Martins-Hausiku, acknowledged that acquaintances of the late Kondjeni had visited the MVA’s Windhoek Service Centre on Monday, 5 September, to ask about the claims process.
Martins-Hausiku said the group was told that they can claim a funeral grant and up to N$100 000 for loss of support of any dependants.
“The Fund was advised that the deceased’s parents had passed on, relatives were unknown, the deceased was not married and his only child was a minor. In light of the above the Fund advised the acquaintances to get a Letter of Execution from the Master of the High Court,” the statement reads.
The group was then given a letter detailing the provisions under which they could claim N$7 000 for funeral costs, without requiring proof of actual cost incurred. The person who claims the benefit must be a spouse, child, parent, sibling of the deceased, or executor of the deceased estate.
Martins-Hausiku said the Fund offered to assist, “should any complication arise with the obtaining of relevant documents”.
She said the MVA Fund understands the urgency associated with the death of a relative as a result of a car crash and has put systems and processes in place to ensure that funeral claims are processed within 30 minutes. “We encourage family members to contact the nearest MVA Fund offices either in Ongwediva, Rundu, Katima Mulilo, Otjiwarongo, Walvis Bay, Windhoek or Keetmanshoop,” she said.

KEITH VRIES

Wernhil stabbing video goes viral

September 8, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Wernhil stabbing video goes viral

The last two weeks have seen violent clashes between homeless people at the Wernhil Park taxi rank.
The only known victim of the violence is in a critical condition at the Katutura State Hospital, according to a police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Kauna Shikwambi.
In a video circulating on social media, a man can be seen stabbing another man several times on Monday afternoon. The police confirmed that the victim was stabbed four times in the chest.
Even after the police had arrived, the man with the weapon continued stabbing the other man.
The police had to overpower and disarm the suspect before loading him into the van. Soon afterwards gunshots are heard in the video footage.
There is no mention in the police report on the incident of anyone admitted to hospital with a gunshot wound.
The suspect has been charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and is being held at the Windhoek police station. Police investigations continue.
The taxi rank is owned and managed by the City of Windhoek. City spokespersons could not be reached for comment, as they were all attending a workshop this week. Representatives of the O&L group and Broll Namibia, which own and manage the Wernhil Park shopping mall, said they were aware of the incident and shared the public’s concern about safety in the area.
They both said that they would work with the City Police to ensure that customers are safe when they use the taxi rank.
KEITH VRIES

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Hit-and-run suspect says he was confused

September 8, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Hit-and-run suspect says he was confused The man accused of killing 23-year-old Junias Smith in a hit-and-run in Windhoek’s Nelson Mandela Avenue two weeks ago was sourcing car parts to fix his damaged red BMW when police tracked him down.
According to public prosecutor Ivann Tjizu, police arrested 26-year-old Lesley Simwanza four days after the hit-and-run, when he responded to a caller who asked to meet him at his home, claiming he had the necessary car parts.
“That is why you went home. You were informed there are car parts you were seeking to buy in order to repair your vehicle,” Tjizu said in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court yesterday during the hearing of Simwanza’s bail application.
Simwanza admitted that was true, but said he was “just getting quotations”. He told the court he could not afford to buy the parts until payday.
Simwanza told the court he planned to plead not guilty.
Simwanza insisted three times during cross-examination by the prosecutor that he was innocent and did not fear a jail sentence.
“I believe in my innocence. So this means I will not go to jail,” he said. He added that he was “not negligent and reckless” on the night of the incident.
He said he had fled the scene of the accident because he panicked.
“It’s true that I didn’t report it, but that was because I was in shock and confused,” he testified before Magistrate Alweendo Sebby Venatius.
According to Tjizu however, “if it wasn’t for the vigilant and diligent work of the police, you would not have reported the incident.”
He added that although Simwanza had four days to report the incident, and had returned to work and begun sourcing car parts, he failed to tell the police.
Simwanza argued that he was waiting to tell his parents first. “Unfortunately they were unreachable. I was waiting for them to give me advice on what to do, to enlighten me,” he said. He said he was hoping they “could shed light on what I should do”.
He said his parents were in the North and were due to return to Windhoek on Monday, the day of his arrest.
In response, Tjizu said: “You had four days. You are a grown man, you don’t need permission. You cannot stay in shock for four days.”
According to Simwanza, he was at work at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism when the police called him.
He claimed the officer asked him whether he knew why the police were calling. “I said yes. I had the option to run away but that wasn’t the right thing to do.”
He added that he “opted” to comply with the police’s demand that he meet them at his house.
Addressing the State’s argument that Simwanza posed a flight risk if released on bail, he told private attorney Chris Mayumbelo, acting on his behalf, that his dependents would be at risk of “dying and hunger” if he fled.
He said he would not abscond because of his dependents and his employment. He told the court he could afford N$5 000 bail.
The bail hearing continues on Monday.
Tomorrow, family and friends will gather to bury Junias Smith.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Land battle rages on

September 8, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Land battle rages onThe headmen of three villages are delaying township development by refusing to vacate town land at Ongwediva. Council wants Shaningwa’s intervention at Omatando The Ongwediva town council is hopeful that urban and rural development minister Sophia Shaningwa will intervene in its land dispute with residents of Omatando that has been delaying development for more than a decade.
The town council says residents of Omatando No. 1, 2 and 3 villages are holding back township development in their areas. They are questioning how their villages became part of Ongwediva townlands in 2003 without their consent.
Mayor Angelina Angula confirmed to Namibian Sun that during the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair she took Shaningwa to the three Omatando villages to familiarise herself with the situation. She said she hopes the minister will intervene to resolve a dispute that is getting worse.
According to Angula the town council acquired the land of the three villages in 2003. She said the council paid back to the three headmen everything they had paid to the Onamutayi District senior headman when they acquired their villages.
She said this was done to prevent headmen from allocating land to those who want to settle near the town, but it could not work as land owners started selling plots while headmen continued issuing title deeds.
“In 2003 we started compensating village headmen for the three Omatando villages and got the land deed. After acquiring the deed, land owners started selling plots and allocating land in their mahangu fields while the land already belonged to the town council. They were informed to stop, but until now they are allocating land,” Angula said.


She said those who have already settled at Omatando will not get the land for free.
“We are only going to compensate those who were there before the land was surveyed. Those who came after, we are going to negotiate with them. If they can afford the land then they can buy it and stay, but those who are going to be affected by streets, sewer and water lines, we are only going to negotiate with them to vacate the land freely.”
The chairperson of the Omatando community dispute committee, Linekela Shipindo, told Namibian Sun that they did not buy plots, but their parents and relatives gave them land in their mahangu fields where they could build their houses.
“Our relatives were not informed that they had become part of the town land until 2012 when the town council wanted to demolish their buildings, saying they were built illegally. We need fair and equal treatment because most of the affected people have been in Omatando since before the township land extension was gazetted. We built our houses more than 10 years ago, we are not here illegally as they are saying and we deserve fair treatment,” Shipindo said.
According to documents, the townland extension was gazetted in 2012.
Shipindo said they are not against the town’s expansion, but they want the council to register their properties and compensate those who are going to be affected.
The senior headman for Onamutayi District, Amon Shipanga, confirmed that the three headmen were fairly compensated, but he blamed the town council for failing to inform residents in time.
“I tried to resolve that dispute long time but I failed because it is the town council that failed to inform the people. For now the matter is with my seniors at Ohangwena,” Shipanga said.

ILENI NANDJATO

ACC probes ''unlicensed'' governor

September 8, 2016, 3:00 pm

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ACC probes ''unlicensed'' governor Omusati Governor Erginus Endjala is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission for driving a government vehicle without a valid driving licence.
This was confirmed yesterday by ACC chief spokesperson Albert Mbanga, who said case number (HQO) 16-001956 had been registered with the anti-graft body and investigations were under way.
“I will confirm that the case number (HQO) 16-001956 is registered with the Anti-Corruption Commission. With regard to whether he is informed please contact the Omusati Regional Council’s public relations officer,” Mbanga responded.
Mbanga did not say when the case was opened.
Attempts to get comment from Endjala were unsuccessful as his phone was not reachable and according to one of his office staff, he was attending a meeting.
New Era reported in April this year that Endjala did not have a valid driving licence but only an expired leaner’s licence dating back to 2007.
Endjala denied that, even though the newspaper claimed it had seen court documents proving that had been fined for driving without a licence.
“Court records show the governor has paid N$4 000 in traffic fines issued between 2014 and 2015 for being an unauthorised driver on national roads,” the article stated.
Endjala claimed that he was the target of a disgruntled former driver who he had had several disagreements with.
“When you are politician you’re a target of everyone. There was a lot of disagreement with my driver that resulted in him being suspended from driving VIP cars,” he was quoted as saying.
Contacted for comment, Omusati Police Commissioner Simeon Shidinge said he knew nothing about Endjala being investigated by the ACC.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Nambala, Benson reach finals

September 8, 2016, 10:05 pm

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Nambala, Benson reach finals Paralympian Johannes Nambala clocked the second fastest time last night of 10:81 in the T13 100m heats and a regional record to book himself a spot in the finals, scheduled for 16:09 (local time) today. Namibia’s golden girl Johanna Benson came third in the T37 100m heats, clocking her personal best at 14:23 to also advance to the finals at 23:36 (local time) today. Lahja Ishitile will also be in action this afternoon at 16:09 with her Guide David Ndeilenga for the 100m semi-finals. Meanwhile, T12 Martin Aloisius was disqualified in the 400m heats yesterday afternoon for running into another athlete’s lane.

Hage appeals to teachers, defends US trip

September 9, 2016, 7:21 am

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Hage appeals to teachers, defends US trip In a last-ditch attempt, President Hage Geingob has pleaded with teachers not to vote in support of strike action following a pay dispute with government. Addressing the media at State House this afternoon before jetting out to the US, Geingob said those supporting strike action are making the country ungovernable. He appealed to teachers to reconsider their position and accept the 5% offer by government. Teachers are demanding a salary hike of 8%. This week teachers started voting for or against possible strike action. Geingob also defended his 24-day visit to the US, saying he was not wasting taxpayer’s money. “People speak of travelling for S&T. What is S&T? My office is filled with invitations. Being aware of the cost, we have reduced the size of our delegation to the US,” he said. Geingob will leave for the United States tomorrow for the 71st United Nations General Assembly, which he is expected to address on 22 September. Geingob’s programme will also include engagements with the North American business sector until his return on 4 October.


DENVER ISAACS

Swapo Politburo to decide future of mouthpiece

September 11, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Swapo Politburo to decide future of mouthpiece The future of the Swapo mouthpiece Namibia Today, which was last published in June 2015, will soon be decided by the party’s highest decision-making body.
The party will look at restructuring the management of the publication and according to Swapo spokesperson Helmut Angula the party would want the publication to be managed by young, energetic and knowledgeable staff.
Angula said the other reason for the appointment of new staff for the mouthpiece is because some of the editorial staff filled other positions in the party and somewhere else and therefore there is a need to appoint new young and energetic staff.
“The time has come when we need more young, energetic people, knowledgeable and new technology will be used in the publication of Namibia Today,” Angula said.
Namibian Sun understands that the party might remove newspaper editor Asser Ntinda and replace him with Sackey Namugongo, who now works as an advisor to Swapo secretary-general Nangolo Mbumba.
Contacted for comment Ntinda said he knew nothing about being replaced.
Asked why the mouthpiece has not been published for over a year, Ntinda said it was because of computer problems.
“The computers we had crashed and that’s why Namibia Today was not published,” he said.
Ntinda said the party recently bought new computers and promised that the next edition of Namibia Today would be published soon.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Namibia’s elephants not counted in African census

September 11, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Namibia’s elephants not counted in African censusThe environment minister says Namibia conducts its own elephant counts and did not grant permission for an aerial survey funded by Microsoft founder Paul Allen. Survey shows 30% drop in numbers The results of the largest ever continent-wide wildlife survey, the Great Elephant Census, were released recently, indicating that Africa now has 352 271 savannah elephants left in 93% of the species’ range.
The survey of African savannah elephants has revealed declines of a staggering 30% – 144 000 elephants between 2007 and 2014, in the areas covered by the survey.
While the aerial survey covered 18 African countries it indicated that Namibia did not release figures to the Great Elephant Census.
Contacted for comment on why Namibia did not participate in this continent-wide survey of African elephants, the minister of environment and tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, explained that there could have been a number of reasons.
He said firstly that Namibia conducts its own wildlife counts and therefore has the data for elephant numbers and mortalities, those which died due to poaching and because of natural causes, at hand.
Shifeta said this information is public and the government would not refuse to furnish it to those conducting the survey.
However, if they wanted to conduct their own aerial surveys in Namibia there are various aspects to consider, of which the main reason would be security.
“We have the capacity to do our own counts and we have the figures available. It will depend if there is the need for them to conduct this survey, security measures, who they are, where they are flying, how low they are flying and when, because they can disturb elephants during their breeding time.”
While Namibia was not officially surveyed by the census, aerial surveys that took off in northern Botswana to survey southern Angola and Zambia flew over the Zambezi Region of Namibia.
It is reported that Namibia has shown increasing numbers of elephants in the Zambezi Region, but this is possibly because the territory runs the length of the unfenced border with Botswana, the country with the largest single population of elephants, which stands at about 130 000 strong.
The bulk of Botswana’s elephants are in the north close to Namibia. And since elephants are not confined by national boundaries there is a constant movement of large herds between the two countries.
According to News 24 the principal investigator, Mike Chase of Elephants Without Borders, who has been surveying the area for the past decade and a half, said: “Ironically, Namibia’s increase of elephants in the area coincides with the highest mortality/carcass ratios over a 15-year period.”
He also mentions that helicopter pilots inspecting a power line in the Zambezi Region recently estimated nearly 200 carcasses from the Kavango River to Katima Mulilo, a distance of just 60 kilometres. This indicates that poachers who are causing carnage just across the border in Angola and Zambia have been operating on the Namibian side of the Zambezi River with increasing intensity.
Shifeta also stressed that the elephant population in Namibia has been increasing and that this is causing more human and wildlife conflict.
“We are receiving more and more calls from communities living with these animals complaining of elephants overrunning their fields and that they are overwhelmed by herds of elephants,” said Shifeta.
He said because of the increasing elephant population Namibia wants to apply for an increase in its annual quota for hunting elephants.
He said currently the annual quota allowance is 90 elephants and Namibia wants to approval to increase this quota to 150 elephants per year.
The census was funded by Microsoft founder Paul Allen and took just under three years to complete.

ELLANIE SMIT

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Alleged abortion pill dealer caught

September 11, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Alleged abortion pill dealer caught Andreas Nakemba was arrested in a sting operation in Walvis Bay on Sunday and charged with possession of pills which could possibly be used to bring about an abortion.
He appeared before Magistrate Eden Iyambo and the matter was postponed to November 10 for further investigation. Bail was set at N$7 000.
Nakemba was ordered not to leave the district of Walvis Bay without notifying the investigating officer.
Public Prosecutor Faith Nyaungwa told the court that time was needed to conduct laboratory tests results and to assess which Act to charge Nakemba under. The State is considering adding further charges.
“Fifty-two tablets were recovered, hence 52 babies stood to have died,” she argued.
The police responded to a social media post in which Nakemba advertised the abortion pill Cytotec for sale at N$500 each.
“Abortion pills for sale. Don’t stress yourself, we will help you. We deliver the same day in any town in Namibia. It is safe and pain free,” reads the post, which also gave a cellphone number.
The police arranged a transaction. Nakemba turned up at a bar in Kuisebmond and was arrested after 52 tablets were found on him.

OTIS FINCK

Girlfriend strangler gets 45 years

September 11, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Girlfriend strangler gets 45 years

A man who was convicted of strangling to death his girlfriend has been sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Groot Aub resident Gregory Kangandjera, 36, was further sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for defeating the course of justice and a one-year prison term for assault.
The sentences were ordered to run concurrently with the 45-year prison term.
Judge Nate Ndauendapo said during sentencing in the High Court that Kangandjera pretended that his deceased girlfriend Loretta Kruger had committed suicide and thereby attempted to escape justice.
He was found guilty of murder with direct intent for strangling her to death on 13 November 2010.
The autopsy report showed that Kruger had died as a result of strangulation and had eight broken ribs and blood on the brain and kidneys.
Kruger was five months pregnant at the time of her death and she left behind five children.
According to the judge, the crimes were well planned and calculated. After assaulting her Kangandjera staged a fake suicide.
“His actions are clearly callous and evil,” said the judge. Ndauendapo said Kruger was so badly assaulted that she could not walk and had to be carried. According to him, evidence was presented that Kangandjera said: “I will kill someone, go to prison and come out.”
“To prison you will go but you will not come out so soon and when you come out you will be a rehabilitated person,” the judge said.
He said Kangandjera maintained innocence throughout the trial and showed no remorse.
“During cross-examination the accused shed tears but they were just crocodile tears,” the judge remarked and added that Kangandjera had not even apologised to Kruger’s family.
He stressed that domestic violence should be regarded as an aggravating factor by Namibian courts.
Kangandjera was also convicted of assault for slapping Ipuleni Natangwe on 13 November 2010.
He was further found guilty of defeating or obstructing the course of justice by tying a rope around Kruger’s neck and a tree branch and informing the police that she had committed suicide.

FRED GOEIEMAN

Pensioner receives fake banknote

September 11, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Pensioner receives fake banknoteWhat appears to be a callous scam is depriving the elderly of their meagre pension money. NamPost denies involvement Annelise van der Merwe (79) got the shock of her life when she was told by a cashier at Shoprite-Checkers at Maerua Mall that a N$100 note she had pulled from her pension payout was a counterfeit note.
Van der Merwe, who is currently in Windhoek, had her son, Christie, collect her pension payout from NamPost at Maltahöhe at the end of last month.
Her son-in-law, Toss du Toit, said the counterfeit note was neatly stashed in the middle of the bundle.
“The note was purple, not pink like the authentic notes,” observed Du Toit, who has since reported the matter to the police at Maltahöhe.
When contacted for comment, the postmaster at Maltahöhe, Claire Januarie, said staff at the post office had previously come across false N$200 notes among the pension money. She claimed that the staff had “refunded” the pensioners from their own pockets.
During this conversation she was on the phone with someone else and was overheard saying: “They have reported us to the newspapers.”
Du Toit said Januarie had called him after the interview with the newspaper and wanted to urgently speak to Van der Merwe to arrange a “refund”.
He said Januarie also wanted to know why the family had reported the matter to the newspaper, since she had done them a favour by handing the pension money to Van der Merwe’s son instead of insisting that she collect it personally.
Januarie referred the newspaper to the postmaster at Mariental, Belinda Januarie, who said Maltahöhe should answer for this matter.
NamPost at Mariental collects the monthly pension money from the town’s Standard Bank branch and then distributes it to smaller post offices in the region where pensioners collect their payouts.
Standard Bank’s head of service support at Mariental, Herta Meyer, said a NamPost representative is present at all times while the money is being counted. She added that the bank’s counting machines would pick up any counterfeit notes.
“It is not possible for a fake note to cross our counters. Money is counted note for note in the presence of NamPost staff. What happens to the money afterwards I cannot say. I do not know how it is distributed thereafter,” said Meyer.
NamPost’s manager of corporate communications, Wilson Shikoto, said the Maltahöhe postmaster had indeed told the newspaper that there were fake N$200 notes in circulation at the village, but maintained that Januarie did not say the incident took place at the post office.
“To date, NamPost did not have an incident of a fake note in Maltahöhe,” said Shikoto.
He admitted that pension money is counted in the presence of a NamPost representative at the bank and added that NamPost has its own counting machines that would detect fake notes.
“It should, however, be noted that we also receive money over the counter as deposits and yes, there is a possibility that a fake note can creep [in]. Such incidences will be minimal as our staff are trained to be vigilant with cash handling and identification of fake money. In the same vein we encourage every citizen to be vigilant of fake notes,” Shikoto said.
He stressed that the fake note was not reported when the cash was handed over at the post office, arguing that there was “ample time” between receiving the cash and spending it in Windhoek “for any other force of play to have entered”.
He did, however, say if it can be verified that the fake money was indeed paid out at the post office it should be reported so that disciplinary steps can be taken against staff.
CATHERINE SASMAN

Chinese firm wins court bid over N$7b airport tender

September 11, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Chinese firm wins court bid over N$7b airport tender The government was dealt a heavy blow on Friday when it lost a legal battle against a Chinese construction company over the cancellation of a tender for the expansion of Hosea Kutako International Airport.
President Hage Geingob ordered the cancellation of the N$7 billion airport tender in December 2015, and this decision prompted the winning bidder, Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group, to challenge the decision in the High Court on 11 February 2016.
Judge Shafimana Ueitele handed down the ruling.
“The instructions purportedly given under section 9 (1) (b) of the Airports Company Act of 1998 by the Minister of Works and Transport Alpheus !Naruseb to the Namibia Airports Company (NAC) to discontinue all activities relating to the upgrade and expansion of the Hosea Kutako International Airport road during December 2015 and communicated to the applicant (Anhui Foreign Economic Construction) on 5 January 2016, are unlawful and therefore invalid and set aside,” reads the order of the court.
The government suffered another setback on Friday when the High Court dismissed its counter-application in the matter.
The government was then ordered to foot the legal bills of the construction company, which include the cost of one instructing attorney and one instructed counsel, on top of having to pay its own legal costs.
The four respondents were !Naruseb, Geingob, the NAC and Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein.
Nazeer Cassim (Senior Counsel) represented Anhui on instructions from Tjombe-Elago local law firm and was assisted by Werner Boesak.
Sisa Namandje acted on behalf of the government on instructions from the office of the government attorney.

- Nampa

Iivula-Ithana pleads with teachers not to strike

September 11, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Iivula-Ithana pleads with teachers not to strike

The minister of home affairs, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, has joined the chorus of those urging teachers not to strike, saying that a strike would harm the future of the Namibian child and that of the country.
“I know that the teaching profession has always been a caring industry for the love and interest of our children.
“I urge you, our dear teachers, in your collective wisdom please avoid making any decisions that will sacrifice the future of our children which will have enduring and long-lasting damaging effects on the future prospects of our children,” Iivula-Ithana
said.
Iivula-Ithana was speaking on Saturday at the renaming of the Uukwandongo Combined School in the Omusati Region, which was renamed after its first principal, the late Oiva Tshiikwa ya Tshivute.
Teachers in Namibia are not willing to accept a 5% salary increase offered by the government. They are demanding an 8% increase.
Since last week Tuesday teachers countywide have been voting whether to go on strike.
Critics say the timing of the planned strike is devastating because grade 10 and 12 learners are writing examinations.
“Education is a joint effort between teachers, learners, parents and the community as a whole. Teachers are given that master key to open the doors of success for our children,” Iivula-Ithana said.
She pointed out that learners rely on teachers to shape their future and prepare them to face the world and its challenges.
She said teachers should be more understanding and look at the situation from both sides. Although they are struggling to make ends meet, they should understand the economic challenges facing the country.
Today, teachers in the Oshana and Zambezi regions will vote at several fixed and mobile polling stations to indicate whether they are in favour of the planned strike or not.
KENYA KAMBOWE