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Namibia parks 'not sold to Chinese'

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Namibia parks 'not sold to Chinese'Namibia parks 'not sold to Chinese'Audio recording sparks outrage The environment ministry says these allegations are pure fabrications and propaganda that aim to tarnish government's image. ELLANIE SMIT



The environment ministry has refuted allegations that are circulating on social media that Namibia and its national parks have been “sold” to the Chinese.

According to ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda the allegations were made by an unknown person in audio recording in Oshiwambo that is circulating on several media platforms.

He said the recording also alleges that Chinese nationals are working in national parks in Namibia and that they are driving vehicles with government registration numbers.

Muyunda said the allegations made in the audio recording are completely false and devoid of any credibility.

“There are no Chinese nationals working in our national parks or game reserves, there are no ministerial/government vehicles being driven by Chinese nationals and our national parks have not been sold to the Chinese,” Muyunda said.

He added that Namibia has 20 national parks and all are fully owned by the government and run by the ministry.

He said all these allegations are pure fabrications and propaganda that aim to tarnish the image of the government.

Muyunda said the vehicle in question, GRN 31298, belongs to the ministry and is based at the Halali station in the Etosha National Park.

On 4 November the vehicle was driven to Tsumeb by a ranger working for the ministry on an officially sanctioned trip.

“This vehicle was never driven by any other person on the day of 4 November.”

Muyunda said the vehicle is part of a donation of 35 vehicles received from China, in support of the ministry’s conservation efforts.

He stressed that the donation was reported in the media and was officially received in a transparent manner.

“As per normal practices, the donating party may choose to display their logo on the donated items. In this case, the logo of China Aid and that of Namibia’s Parks and Wildlife are displayed on the doors of the donated vehicles.”

According to Muyunda the ministry has also received branded equipment and vehicles from other organisations and even drought food relief bears the name of the donor.

“There is nothing sinister about this arrangement.”

Muyunda said the ministry therefore rejects the allegations made in the recording and denounces the irresponsible behaviour of the individual in spreading lies and rumours against a specific group of people.

Sentences slashed, convictions overturned

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Sentences slashed, convictions overturnedSentences slashed, convictions overturnedScales of justice balanced by High Court Review judgments by the High Court last month granted relief to at least seven people convicted and sentenced by magistrate's courts. At least seven people who pleaded guilty to crimes involving drugs, assault and theft recently had their convictions and sentences either tossed out or dramatically slashed for being too severe or based on faulty and unjust trials.

In an appeal judgment issued recently, High Court Judge Christie Liebenberg set aside a conviction of possession of Mandrax and a four-year prison sentence imposed on Angela Marukus (31). Marukus, a single mother of three from Grootfontein's Blikkiesdorp, is now free after serving one year of her four-year sentence.

Marukus had pleaded guilty, and represented herself, after she was found in possession of 35 Mandrax tablets valued at N$3 525 last year.

In her appeal she pleaded for a lesser sentence on the grounds of being a first-time offender and the sole caregiver of her three children.

Ultimately, her grounds of appeal were irrelevant when Liebenberg said a look at her case records gave rise to the question whether the magistrate had misdirected himself by convicting her on a “charge that was defective in that it did not disclose an offence.”

Liebenberg said the charge did not refer to methaqualone, the active ingredient of Mandrax, as is required by law. He said the State had “relied on the wrong section when charging the appellant” and this resulted in her being “wrongly convicted and sentenced of the more serious offence of dealing in a potentially dangerous dependence-producing substance.”

In a review of another case related to Mandrax, Liebenberg also dismissed the conviction and sentence.

The case of Esnatoe Motinga, who had pleaded guilty to possession of the drug, was referred back to the magistrate's court with the instruction that Motinga should admit to the possession of methaqualone in particular. Liebenberg said although the accused gave an “elaborate” confession, he did not admit to being in possession of methaqualone.

He said the conviction was not in “accordance with justice” and the accused was prejudiced during the proceedings.



Unjust

In another review case a man's four-year prison term was slashed by half, as the sentence was “too harsh” and “not in accordance with justice”, especially in the case of a first offender who confessed to the crime. Gift Sililo Ilukena (29) had pleaded guilty to the theft of an ox with an estimated value of N$5 000. In his conclusion High Court Judge Boas Usiku said punishment “should not only fit the crime committed but also the criminal” and should be “blended with a measure of mercy.” He concluded that Ilukena was “punished to the point of breaking him.” The judge also criticised the magistrate presiding over the case, who used “her own knowledge of cattle prices in the area as an aggravating factor.” Usiku upheld the conviction of theft, but substituted the four-year prison sentence with three years, of which one year was conditionally suspended for five years.



Harsh

A man who was sentenced to five years in prison after confessing to stealing N$18 350 from his employer also received a reprieve after his prison term was reduced to an effective two years. Oshakati Judge Herman January said the five-year term imposed on Abraham Christof Higoam was “startlingly inappropriate” and not in line with punishments for similar crimes. He referred to a previous case in which an offender was given a 36-month prison term for stealing N$20 000, and another who was given four years for theft of N$190 000 from an employer. January said although theft was a serious and prevalent crime, in this case the magistrate exercised his discretion unreasonably by imposing a maximum sentence on a first offender who had pleaded guilty to the charge. Naas Mbundu's 18-month prison term was reduced to a N$1 000 fine or 12 months behind bars, wholly suspended for three years. Mbundu had pleaded guilty to possession of 160 grams of cannabis, valued at N$450. High Court Judge Naomi Shivute said in her appeal judgment that the magistrate had been influenced by the seriousness of the offence and the prevalence of the crime in the district, “at the expense of the personal circumstances of the accused, thus resulting in a harsh sentence.” She emphasised that Mbundu was a first offender, that he had pleaded guilty and that the quantity of dagga was relatively small. Gelasius Mununga's sentence of a N$3 000 fine or 12 months' imprisonment for assault was also dismissed in October and any money Mununga had paid must be refunded. The decision to set aside Mununga's conviction was based on the unprocedural handling of the case, in which a magistrate altered a plea of not guilty to that of guilty after the State had led evidence. High Court Judge Shivute in this case noted that the magistrate upon enquiry had admitted “the procedure adopted was strange and that the accused was entitled to a verdict”. Shivute said the magistrate had also misdirected himself by finding that Mununga had admitted to all allegations, but that the court records showed otherwise.

She said the proceedings in the case “were so irregular and serious” that they undermined the entire trial.

Domingos Filipe, who was arrested at Noordoewer in July this year for illegal entry into Namibia, was given a reprieve in October after High Court judge Christie Liebenberg set aside his conviction and sentence.



JANA-MARI SMTIH

Man kills wife in front of kids

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Man kills wife in front of kids Man kills wife in front of kids NAMPA



A man killed his wife with a pistol in the early hours of yesterday, before turning the gun on himself in front of their children aged four and 12.

Police spokesperson Chief Inspector Kauna Shikwambi said the incident occurred at Olifu village in the Okankolo constituency of the Oshikoto Region.

“It is alleged that the deceased, Eliakim Mathews, age unknown, shot and killed his wife, Ndineleo Haidula, aged 39, after an argument,” said Shikwambi.

She said the deceased next of kin have been informed of the deaths and police investigations continue.

Easy borrowing for youth SMEs

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Easy borrowing for youth SMEsEasy borrowing for youth SMEs The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) will fund small and medium enterprises (SMEs) run by young people to the tune of N$108.5 million to help them grow their businesses.

This has been announced by finance minister Calle Schlettwein.

Under the initiative, which kicks off on 1 December, local entrepreneurs aged 35 and below can present their business ideas to the Development Bank for financing.

The funding facility is hosted by the ministry of sport, youth and national service in collaboration with the DBN. “It aims to facilitate the establishment of 121 youth enterprises in all constituencies, in line with the aspirations of the youth enterprise development sub-pillar of the Harambee Prosperity Plan,” the minister said. The facility will, as a start, provide funding to at least one project from each of the 121 constituencies.

The initial funding will total N$8.5 million, to be scaled up once bankable projects are identified and assessed, he said. Another project, the Credit Guarantee Scheme will be rolled out in collaboration with the Namibia Special Risks Insurance Association (NASRIA). “The scheme is of particular significance in addressing the binding constraint posed by the lack of collateral for qualifying SMEs. The facility will provide collateral cover for qualifying SMEs,” Schlettwein said. “It will commence at an initial size of N$100 million, for which N$2 million will be dedicated to the establishment of a database for SMEs. “The facility will target the youth, with a high proportion being accorded to the youth aged 35 years of age and below at the time of application, in line with the national definition of youth,” Schlettwein said.

It would commence with N$30 million in funding, he said.

Youth minister Erastus Utoni encouraged take-up of the schemes, saying it was a good opportunity.

“The money is there, colleagues at the constituencies, make us of this opportunity,” Utoni said.

He warned against wasteful spending of the grant money. “If you have been given the money, don't go and misuse that,” he said.

OGONE TLHAGE

Our rape crisis

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Our rape crisisOur rape crisis Today we carry some shocking revelations from rapists about why they forced their victims to have sex.

Among these were being under the influence of alcohol and drugs, but also because they see women as “inferior”. These revelations are contained in a research thesis by a University of Namibia (Unam) masters student that included interviews with social workers as well as case management officers. It found that certain cultural practices, economic conditions, means of survival, power and masculinity, alcohol and drug abuse and family background influence rape. Between 1 100 and 1 200 rape cases reported each year. Glaringly, most rapes were committed by family members or acquaintances, with only about 12% by strangers. Just recently police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga underlined a woman's right to say no and urged Namibians to band together to end the epidemic of violence by mostly men against women and children in Namibia. He was speaking at the opening of the newly upgraded multi-disciplinary Gender-Based Violence Protection Unit (GBVPU), formerly the Women and Child Protection Unit, at the Katutura State Hospital. He emphasised that men are fuelling the high rates of abuse and violence in Namibia, often as a result of their failure to respect a woman's right to say no. Ndeitunga stressed that violence, including rape and murder, is often linked to the widespread use of alcohol and drugs among Namibians. He said Namibians should start to strongly campaign and work towards finding practical strategies to address the crisis. Ndeitunga added a total of 1 063 cases of rape were reported to the police in 2016, 980 cases were reported in 2017, and 1 121 cases were reported in 2018. Many of these cases involved minors.

We are far from winning the battle against rape and other crimes against women and children. The onus is now on all of us to make a difference in this war against the most vulnerable in our society.

Lifestyle audits kick off

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Lifestyle audits kick offLifestyle audits kick off OGONE TLHAGE



The ministry of finance is gunning after suspected tax defaulters by means of lifestyle audits.

Tax commissioner Justus Mwafongwe told Namibian Sun that the campaign to recover unpaid taxes also involves visiting businesses to establish whether they have registered as taxpayers.

“We have started with lifestyle audits; we have a dedicated team of auditors that are focusing on lifestyle audits and there are some cases that we have already completed and actually collected some money,” said Mwafongwe.

“We are very much aware that there are high net-worth individuals who are probably not declaring the correct amount of income that they are earning, not paying the fair share of their contributions,” he said.

Mwafongwe was also asked to verify whether the ministry was succeeding in collecting outstanding taxes from businesses and individuals based in the north who had not been paying taxes.

Finance minister Calle Schlettwein said at an event hosted by the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry that for the 2015/16 fiscal year, the ministry’s Oshakati office had collected only N$36.8 million from 81 114 taxpayers. That amounted to an average of N$450 per taxpayer.

In contrast, the Keetmanshoop office’s tax collection per taxpayer stood at N$1 527.

“It cannot be plausibly argued that the combined economic activities of the Oshakati region are significantly less than those of Keetmanshoop,” Schlettwein was quoted as saying.

Mwafongwe said there had been improvement in taxes collected in the north. The ministry was asked to give a breakdown of tax collection per tax office in January, but no response has been received yet.

“We were looking at the figures in terms of collections from the northern tax offices, there is an improvement,” Mwafongwe said.

“Even when you look at our targets given for that office, for the past two quarters they have actually met their targets so it’s an indication that there is an improvement in terms of compliance … but again, this is not to say we should now relax.”

According to him, there are compliance issues throughout the country and not only at the Oshakati office.

“There are still a lot of non-compliance cases, not only in the north but the whole country. The Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) will do wonders for us, but we need to continue with auditing activities, investigations and collections so that we make sure these people are compliant,” he said.

'Why we raped’

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'Why we raped’'Why we raped’Rapists open up about why they forced their victims Among the reasons given for why they committed rape are culture, alcohol, economic reasons, jealousy and bad friends. ELLANIE SMIT



Fifteen rapists have opened up about why they forced their victims to have sex, with most saying it was because they were under the influence of alcohol and drugs, but also because they see women as “inferior”.

These revelations are contained in a research thesis by a University of Namibia (Unam) masters student that included interviews with social workers as well as case management officers.

The study, ‘An investigation into rape offenders’ explanations of why they raped: A case study of offenders at Windhoek Correctional Facility’, was conducted by Nangula Kefas.

It found that men from poor educational backgrounds, and who are single, are more likely to commit rape. Certain cultural practices, economic conditions, means of survival, power and masculinity, alcohol and drug abuse and family background also influence rape.

A 53-year-old perpetrator said the day of the incident he was drinking a lot at a shebeen and also used dagga.

“I took the lady home and tried having sex with her, but she refused, so I forced myself on her. I felt like she had no right to refuse because I spent my money on her.”

Another 38-year-old rapist tells of how he and his co-accused got drunk and smoked dagga on the day of the crime.

“On our way home we started talking about sex and then something came into my mind to rape someone. My co-accused and I decided to look for someone to rape.

“We went to people’s houses and we told each other that we were going to knock, and if a women opens, we are going to rape her.

“We couldn’t get anyone to rape and then we decided to go to the hospital to look for a lady there,” the rapist said.

“We didn’t get anyone and then we went to my co-accused’s house where we got his 10-year-old niece. We took her from the house, took her to the bush, then we stabbed her because she didn’t want to do what we asked her and then after we raped her.”

A 43-year-old perpetrator said he believes alcohol plays a role, but that women are inferior.

“For me, I believe alcohol influences rape, although there are other causes like culture and things like that. I honestly don’t think I would have raped her if I wasn’t drunk. I wasn’t thinking straight, but also maybe just that I believe that women are weaker made me rape her.”

A 32-year-old perpetrator said: “I don’t want to blame the alcohol, I knew what I was doing, it was wrong. But I wouldn’t have done it on a day that [I was] sober. I raped her because I felt I like I had control over her.”

Another perpetrator said the woman he raped had no right to refuse sex, because he spent money on her.

“I took the lady home and tried having sex with her, but she refused, so I forced myself on her. I felt like she had no right to refuse because I spent my money on her.”

The survey finding revealed there were some rapists believed there was consent, but they were convicted because the victim was under-age.

Tjiramue

Other perpetrators indicated they raped because they were following certain cultural norms such as the Tjiramue tradition in the Ovaherero culture.

Tjiramue is a cultural practice among the Ovaherero where a male is allowed to have sex with their female cousins, regardless of whether they are married or not.

However, the perpetrators also indicated that they were asked for money by their victims or they were financially supporting their victims.



Incest

A number of rape incidents also involved incest. Some rape perpetrators indicated they had raped their nieces or cousins as way of following a particular traditional norm.

Some perpetrators indicated they had promised their victims money and they were reported when they failed to make payment.

Perpetrators also indicated they raped their wives or partners.

They also revealed they committed the crime while under the influence of alcohol.

They indicated they were not thinking straight during the time they committed the crime and they were not in their right state of mind.

According to the study, perpetrators also indicated they would not have committed the crime if they were not under the influence of alcohol.

Social workers

Meanwhile, key informants to the study such as the social workers and case management officials also indicated there are a lot of factors contributing to rape. These indicated culture, alcohol, economic reasons, jealousy and bad friends.

The study also referred to the National Plan of Action on Gender Based Violence (2012-2016), which revealed there are between 1 100 and 12 00 rape cases reported each year. This report found that most rape cases were committed by family members or acquaintances, with only about 12% being committed by strangers.

ellanie@namibiansun.com

Nicanor thrown a dicey lifeline

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Nicanor thrown a dicey lifelineNicanor thrown a dicey lifeline OGONE TLHAGE



A leaked letter in which President Hage Geingob has appointed former veterans’ affairs deputy minister Hilma Nicanor as an advisor has sparked debate about the president’s commitment to containing the government wage bill.

The dicey appointment, sparked by Article 47 of the country’s constitution which required Nicanor to resign as a member of the National Council upon acceptance of nomination for the National Assembly, was made on 30 October but only surfaced yesterday through a leak.

Valid for the period 1 November 2019 to 20 March 2020, the appointment is tailor-made to ensure that Nicanor, who is almost certain to go to the National Assembly next year, is employed in the meantime.

Nicanor was appointed as special advisor on veterans’ affairs to Vice-president Nangolo Mbumba.

Insiders say she is expected to covertly continue her role as deputy minister under the guise of being a special advisor.

Observers say the appointment is rooted in growing cronyism in government, where comrades take care of each other at the nation’s expense.

“The president complains about the civil service bill and says people must retire early, but he continues to appoint advisors as if he has money to shop at Edgars, when in fact he has less than a Pep Stores budget,” said PDM leader McHenry Venaani yesterday.

“The president once told the media that he was advocating the downsizing of the bloated public service, but his actions have been to the contrary the past five years.”

Nicanor’s monthly salary, according to the appointment letter, would remain at N$48 000, exactly what she earned as deputy minister.

Namibian Sun understands other candidates who were forced to resign are also lined up for appointments as advisors to ensure they do not lose their salaries for five months.

About 17 Swapo parliamentary candidates had to resign on the insistence of the ECN, which took a firm stance on enforcing Article 47.

They include National Council chairperson Margaret Mensah-Williams, National Youth Council chairman Mandela Kapere, Rundu town councillor Verna Sinimbo, Oshakati municipal CEO Werner Iita, Omaheke regional councillor Phillipus Katamelo and Walvis Bay constituency councillor Hafeni Ndemula, to mention but a few.

Article 47 dictates that remunerated public servants, members of the National Council and local and regional councillors must resign upon acceptance of nomination for the National Assembly.

In his letter to Nicanor, Geingob said her duties as special advisor would be to oversee the policy aspects of the ministry of veterans’ affairs.

“I take this opportunity to express confidence and trust in your ability to execute duties with the same zeal and fairness with which you executed your duties as deputy minister,” said the head of state.

Political analyst Ndumba Kamanyah questioned the appointment, asking whether it was necessary given that the country was approaching the polls to choose new legislators, an election that could very likely result in the appointment of Nicanor as a member of parliament.

“Why the hurry, and why only her if there are others who also are affected by the election clause to resign from their positions? The move to appoint her does not portray the president positively but more like someone engaging in ‘jobs for comrades’ exercise,” he said.

Presidential spokesperson Alfredo Hengari defended Nicanor’s appointment, saying that it was done within the confines of the law.

“The appointment is within the law, and is based on an assessment of the needs of government, specifically Veterans’ Affairs. The president is guided in his decisions and actions by such considerations,” he said.

Hengari dismissed speculation that more Swapo members who had to resign were lined up for similar appointments.

Political campaigns prohibited

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Political campaigns prohibited Political campaigns prohibited Geingob Cup comes alive The time has arrived for Namibia and Zambia to square off in a prestigious cup tie. NFA



The 2019 Dr Hage Geingob Cup organisers are warning football fans against using tomorrow’s event at the Sam Nujoma Stadium for political campaigning.

They say anyone displaying political party colours or messages will be denied access to the venue.

Namibia and Zambia will renew their football rivalry at 15:00 at the Sam Nujoma Stadium when they contest the Dr Hage Geingob Cup.

Before the match, two exhibition matches will take place at 11:00 and at 13:00, involving youngsters and legends respectively.

With Namibians going to the polls for presidential and National Assembly elections on 27 November 2019, there are fears that some will use the Dr Hage Geingob Cup as an opportunity to campaign.

The CAF regulations and code of conduct prohibit political banners or other materials.

The Dr Hage Geingob Cup organisers have called for strict enforcement of the prohibited items as listed by CAF, which are: any item that could be used as a weapon; cause damage or injury; illegal substances; items of a discriminatory and ideological nature; any items that could distract players/ officials such as noise from powered speakers; promotional or commercial materials, political and religious banners; any item that could restrict the view of other spectators; and items that increase the risk of fire or are harmful to health such as fireworks, smoke bombs and lasers.

“We call for political tolerance and maturity from our football-loving people coming through on Saturday. Let’s have a great day filled with fun and celebrate our flagship team, the Brave Warriors, the youngsters, artists and the legends as they entertain us after a very long year,” the organisers said.

The gates will open at 10:00 tomorrow. The Clash of the Legends between the MTC Legends and NBL Legends will start at 13:00, preceded by the Under-17 Youth League Challenge between Swallows FC and Windhoek City FC at 11:00.

There will also be live performances by Sunny Boy, Top Cheri, T-Boss & Staika and Rizeana.

Tickets cost N$20 and are available from Web-tickets Namibia at all Pick n Pay supermarkets and at Football House in Katutura. Spectators will be charged N$50 at the gate.

NPL and NC case judgment today

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NPL and NC case judgment todayNPL and NC case judgment today JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA



Judgment in the High Court case between the Namibia Premier League and the Fifa Normalisation Committee is expected to be delivered today at 15:00.

Last week, the Namibia Premier League (NPL) filed an urgent application in the High Court in an attempt to be reinstated by the Namibia Football Association, which is currently being run by the Fifa Normalisation Committee, and to stop an NFA extraordinary congress from taking place.

The case, which was heard by Acting Judge Eileen Rakow, attracted many Namibian football enthusiasts who wanted to follow the court proceedings.

The congress is scheduled for tomorrow but the league, which was not invited, is against the congress being held without it.

The NPL’s legal representative, Gerson Narib, yesterday argued in court that the league had been put between a rock and a hard place and therefore had no option but to seek relief from the court.

The Normalisation Committee, represented by Tinashe Chibwana, on the other hand insisted that their decision was based on the constitution guiding the Namibia Football Association.

Chibwana further added that because the NPL had been suspended it had no right to participate in the extraordinary congress.

The NPL is further demanding that the Normalisation Committee provide it with rules for promotion and relegation for the 2019/20 football season within two days of a court order.

Chibwana however informed the court that his clients were well within their constitutional rights not to promote or relegate clubs.

The NC’s representative stated that the constitution clearly allows the committee to make the final decision on relegation and promotion, given the power vested in them by Fifa.

Taya longitha omeya inaga yogoka mOmundaungilo

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Taya longitha omeya inaga yogoka mOmundaungiloTaya longitha omeya inaga yogoka mOmundaungiloItaya vulu okufuta aniwa ooN$20 komwedhi Aakalimo yomOmundaungilo moshitopolwa shaHangwena oya shuna momukalo gwawo gwokulongitha omeya inaga yogoka gomomithima, nonando oya pewa oopomba dhomeya ga yela. Kansela moshikandjohogololo Omundaungilo, Festus Ikanda okwa popi kutya ombelewa ye inayi mona enyenyeto okuza kaakwashigwana kutya itaya vulu okufuta oshimaliwa shoka, ihe oye na ontseyo kombinga yaakwashigwana mboka natango taya longitha omeya ngoka inaga yogoka, okuza momithima.

Omolwa ompumbwe yomeya moshitopolwa shaHangwena, ongundu yomapekaapeko yoKalahari Ohangwena Aquifer (KOH) oya holola kutya ope na omeya omawanawa mOmhalapapa popepi noongamba dhaAngola, ngoka itaga pumbwa nokuli okutulwa omiti dhasha andola ga wapalekwe.

Okwa tulwa po omahala gontumba gokugandja omeya kaakalimo yomOmundaungilo oshowo omikunda dhopopepi, okuza moomboola ndhoka mbali dha tulwa mOmhalapapa.

Pahapu dhaIkanda, omahala ngoka gomeya ogeli metonatelo lyaakwashigwana na ohaku futilwa okamaliwa okashona ka nuninwa okukalekapo omahala ngoka.

Kansela okwa popi kutya oshimaliwa shoka unene ohashi longithwa mokulanda omahooli godiesel molwaashoka epombo lyomeya ngoka okuza mevi ohali longithwa nomashina ngoka taga pumbwa okutulwa omahooli.

Peinge Kashikuka, 73, okwa popi kutya ofamili ye oya shuna kokulongitha omeya ngoka inaga yogoka molwaashoka itaya vulu okufutila omeya ngoka ga yogola.

Okwa popi kutya ohaya pulwa opo ya fute oshimaliwa shooN$20 kehe omwedhi ihe itaya gwanitha okufuta oshimaliwa shoka. Omukalimo gumwe Festus Kafiye, okwa popi kutya naye oha logitha omeya ngoka inaga yogoka mokandingosho ke.

Okwa tsikile kutya omeya ngoka ogo ha longitha mokudhunga otombo oshowo iikunwa yimwe ihe aantu ihaya nyenyeta, molwaahoka ita vulu okulongitha po okamaliwa hoka ha mono mokandingosho ke mokufuta ishewe omeya.

Oshifokundaneki shoNamibian Sun inashi mona uuyelele kutya omagumbo gangapi haga longitha omeya ngoka inaga yogoka, ihe oya dhidhilike kutya aakwashigwana oyendji otaya longitha omeya ngoka. Momagumbo gamwe omeya gokopomba ohaga longithwa owala okuteleka nokunwa omanga ngoka ga kuthwa momithima ogo haga longithwa miinima yilwe.

Omithima ndhoka odha thewa po kaakwashigwana omanga inaya mona omeya ngoka goopombanda.

ILENI NANDJATO

Nicanor a pewa iilonga iipe

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Nicanor a pewa iilonga iipeNicanor a pewa iilonga iipe Ombaapila ya za kOmupresidende Hage Geingob ndjoka ya holola euliko lyomupevi minista nale gwoshikondo shoonakulwa aakulu, Hilma Nicanor onga omugandjimayele, oya e ta oompata kombinga yeitulemo lyomupresidende okushunitha pevi elongitho lyiimaliwa yepangelo moondjambi.

Egandjo lyompito ndjoka yiilonga kuNicanor, olya yi pondje ekotampango lyoshilongo ndyoka tali pula Nicanor a kale ita longele epangelo ngele okwa hogololwa a ye momusholondondo gwaamboka taya kaya momutumba gwopashigwana momvula tayi ya, tashi landula omahogololo gopashigwana ngoka taga ningwa omwedhi nguka.

Euliko lye olya ningwa okuza mesiku lyotango lyaNovemba sigo 20 Maalitsa 2020. Euliko ndyoka lyaali paveta olyokukwashilipaleka kutya Nicanor oku na iilonga omanga inaya momutumba gwopashigwana momvula twa taalela.

Nicanor okwa ulikwa a ninge omugandjimayele gwowina komupevi presidende, Nangolo Mbumba kombinga yiikumungu yoonakulwa aakulu.

Onzo yimwe oya holola kutya Ncanor ota tsikile nokukala omupevi minista goonakulwa aakulu, kohi yeuliko lyomugandjimayele.

Okwa holoka omapopyo kutya euliko ndyoka otali holola uulingilingi tawu longwa mepangelo nokugandja iilonga kookume nookomrade, omanga aakwashigwana yamwe taya mono iihuna koluhepo omolwa ondjele yokwaahena iilonga ndjoka yi li pombanda moshilongo.

Omuleli gwongundu yoPDM, McHenry Venaani okwa nyana onkatu ndjoka ya katukwa kuGeingob okuulika Nicanor, omanga ta popi kutya oshilongo osha pumbwa okushunitha pevi ondjele yiifuta yoondjambi dhaaniilonga yepangelo. Ondjambi yaNicanor pauyelele mboka wuli mombaapila ndjoka, oyi li pooN$48 000, ondjambi ndjoka a li ha kwata sho e li omupevi minista.

Namibian Sun okuuvite kutya yamwe po mboka yali ya pulwa ya ze miilonga nayo otaya pewa oompito dhiilonga dhomonanguwi opo ku kwashilipalekwe kutya oye na oondjambi muule woomwedhi ntano dhika.

Konyala aakwaSwapo 17 oya zi miilonga okugwanitha po ontopolwa 47 yekotampango na oya tumbulwa komadhina kutya omunashipundi gwoNational Council, Margaret Mensah-Williams, omunashipundi gwoNational Youth Council, Mandela Kapere, kansela melelo lyaRundu, Verna Sinimbo, Omukomeho melelo lyondoolopa yaShakati, Werner Iita, kansela melelo lyaMaheke, Phillipus Katamelo oshowo kansela melelolyaMbaye, Hafeni Ndemula.

Omunongononi gwonkalo yopolotika, Ndumba Kamanyah okwa nyana etokolo ndyoka ta popi kutya otali ulike onkalo yegandjo lyiilonga owala kookomrade.

Omupopiliko gwombelewa yomupresidende, Alfredo Hengari okwa popile euliko ndyoka kutya olya ningwa palandulo lyompango.



OGONE TLHAGE

ECN 'in bed with Swapo'

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ECN 'in bed with Swapo'ECN 'in bed with Swapo'PDM, LPM lash out at electoral body Opposition parties have voiced their frustration with the ECN, but Swapo says it is not influencing the electoral body. The Landless People's Movement (LPM) has accused ECN electoral and referenda officer Theo Mujoro of being in bed with Swapo and undermining Namibia's commitment to free and fair democratic political elections.

This comes after the news that the ECN had loaned out electronic voting machines (EVMs) to the Swapo Party Elders' Council (SPEC) for its congress in 2017, without the machines being accompanied by ECN staff, as stipulated in the Electoral Act.

The EVMs have gone and contrary to initial utterances from the ECN, no criminal case was opened. Swapo had allegedly reimbursed the ECN for the EVMs. At a media briefing yesterday, LPM operative secretary Edson Isaak said this was proof that an “incestuous relationship” exists between the ECN and Swapo. According to him the ECN does not have the capacity to conduct credible elections using EVMs and it is hell-bent on conducting national elections which favour the ruling party. “We formally question the relationship between the ECN and the Swapo Party. The ECN chairperson and CEO have not been truthful and transparent in their dealings with the matter of the loaning out the EVMs to the Swapo Party,” Isaak said. Swapo executive director Austin Samupwa said these are baseless accusation. “There is no truth in these accusations. Swapo is not influencing the ECN. The ECN is an independent body,” Samupwa said.



Disorganised

The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) said yesterday the ECN is disorganised and influenced by Swapo.

The PDM also confirmed they have adjusted their parliamentary list following an ECN directive that MPs, local authority and regional councillors, as well as civil servants must resign upon their nomination to a party list for the National Assembly.

PDM secretary general Manuel Ngaringombe accused the ECN of “messing up” their list by keeping some members who were withdrawn. Ngaringombe also accused the ECN of ignoring the fact that the United People's Movement (UPM) will campaign under the PDM banner and continuously listed them as “PDM and UPM coalition”. “There is no coalition. We are going under one party banner. The ECN is disorganised. Are they not capable of running democratic elections or are they deliberately undermining democracy?” he asked. Attempts to reach Mujoro for comment were unsuccessful.

jemima@namibiansun.com

JEMIMA BEUKES

RP, NEFF back Itula for president

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RP, NEFF back Itula for presidentRP, NEFF back Itula for president Republican Party (RP) president Henk Mudge has threatened to sue the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) after withdrawing as a candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.

While announcing RP's support for independent presidential candidate Panduleni Itula, Mudge took issue with other opposition parties that are now “suddenly” outraged over the use of electoral voting machines (EVMs). The Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) has also withdrawn from the presidential race and is also supporting Itula's presidency run.

According to Mudge, opposition parties earlier this year had an opportunity to bring legal action over the use of EVMs in the 27 November general election, but the majority did not do so while citing a lack of funding.

Mudge urged other opposition parties to follow suit and support Itula.

The ECN has declined his request to withdraw him as presidential candidate, because it came after the close of nominations on 18 October. Mudge says he withdrew as presidential candidate on Monday.

“We however did not sign off for the presidential elections. We are going to meet with our lawyers and we will sue the ECN.”

Mudge claimed further that every single election since independence has been rigged and that it was done in a manner that was so simple that they were all caught off-guard.

Mudge said eventually a total of 14 political parties agreed this year to go to court over the EVMs and met with lawyers who believed they had a strong case based only on the provisions of the Electoral Act.

He said it would have cost each political party about N$10 000 each to take the case to court.

In the end only four parties, the RP, Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP) and Swanu paid their contributions.

Mudge said the rest all just disappeared, without even given them a reason and therefore the planned urgent application had to be dropped. He said Namibia is in serious trouble, but President Hage Geingob and his government were apparently not taking notice of what is going on.

Mudge said corruption has escalated under Geingob's presidency and added that if Swapo cannot be unseated a new president should at least be voted in.

ELLANIE SMIT

Jazz from Germany

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Jazz from GermanyJazz from GermanyObserving how others do things What I found enriching about German jazz. MICHAEL KAYUNDE



The German government - through its Foreign Office - runs information or themed trips, which are part of its visitors’ programme, and through their respective embassies, invites suitable candidates from all over the word.

This year alone, the German embassy was able to facilitate trips to Germany for seven Namibians, ranging from those in arts and culture to business, technology and politics.

I participated in the themed trip called ‘Jazz from Germany’, in association with the German Jazz Festival Frankfurt, which held its 50th anniversary that took place from 21 to 27 October in Berlin, Darmstadt and Frankfurt.

As part of the programme, we attended jazz concerts and had talks with jazz artists, just to get to understand the jazz scene in Germany more. For this themed trip, we were 12 participants from different countries.

The participants included jazz festival directors, musicians and journalists.

At some point I felt out of place, because there were only two journalists, and there I was networking with people who have hosted concerts for 27 consecutive years. It was inspiring. The overall hospitality from the organisers was excellent.

The artists we met included Samuel Blaser, Johanna Borchert, Lucia Cadotsch, Silke Eberhard and Daniel Glatzel.

These names may sound foreign, and they are indeed foreign to us, but they are big in their respective right and the talks we had with them about jazz was so insightful.

When it comes to organising of events, the first observation I took note of was that the German people are very punctual.

Another interesting observation was the German jazz scene is filled with female instrumentalists, which is a good thing because back home we do not have a lot of female drummers, for instance. The majority of the audience was made up of older people at the concerts we attended.

The highlight of my excursion was the connections I made with key players in the music industry from different countries. I am grateful to the German embassy for availing such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to me.

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

It's a Ghetto Ballerina weekend

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It's a Ghetto Ballerina weekendIt's a Ghetto Ballerina weekendNew month, new music It was in Moscow where Ghetto Ballerina’s love for hip-hop was ignited. STAFF REPORTER



Sensational rapper Ghetto Ballerina is set to rock Namibia with new music and a brand new album.

Today the musician, who has taken the industry by storm, will host a listening session for the media and public at The Kitchen Restaurant between 18:00 and 19:00.

After this she will set off for Chopsi’s, where she will premiere her latest music video, followed by a performance. Her latest album will be on sale at The Kitchen, as well as some other goodies.

With 14 years of training in classical ballet under her belt, it was in Moscow, Russia where her love for hip-hop was ignited.

“Basically I switched the tutus for the mic and the rest is history,” she said.

Multifaceted, by day she works as a veterinarian, constantly expressing her love for animals through her healing hands.

“Being a vet is basically something automatic for me, because I have an undying love for my furry friends. I am a registered veterinarian, yes, but also an independent artist in my own right.

“I think because I was able to juggle the arts and school, then music and university… it was basically automatic to be able to balance being a vet and an artist,” she says about doing it all.

Her new album is titled Chronicles of Ghetto Ballerina and is a project she has been working on since early 2016.

“A gradual process of creating a craft that I wanted to reflect who I am as a person in all different aspects of my being; being a mother, daughter, sister, doctor, friend, and the list is endless. It’s just a feel-good album that I feel caters to everyone in different times of their life,” she says of the album.

While the project doesn’t offer a lot of collaborations, there are some exciting artistic unions.

The album reflects on a number issues, including mental health and gender-based violence (GBV). She believes the world is at a place now where some of the most important fundamentals are being overshadowed. “Mental health and GBV are some of the most impactful media reads we get on a day-to-day basis. I didn’t necessarily want to preach and be in people’s faces, but I managed to leave a message or two for people going through situations that they feel they have no control over.

“We need to be able to take care of each other. Music heals and I honestly want people to be able to relate to what I have created,” she explains.

About her stage name, she says everyone always say that being a Ghetto Ballerina is one of the strangest combinations, because it’s two different worlds.

She maintains that she is a product of a classical art, which she fell in love with at the tender age of five, but she was always exposed to hip-hop as well.

Her dad used to bring LPs from abroad. “I had people like Tupac, Notorious BIG, Queen Latifah, TLC, Naughty By Nature… the list is endless, playing on a day-to-day basis. So what I’m basically trying to say is as much as I was on my tip-toes, I managed to always have an ear out for the rap game, but it only became a realisation when I stepped foot in Moscow in 2010,” she added.

Branching into new avenues

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Branching into new avenuesBranching into new avenuesRavenda Posh adorns men with style Ravenda Posh is catering for men with a new collection. Founded by fashion model Rahab Inghalwa, Ravenda Posh is a Namibian online clothing shop that has primarily been catering for females. About two months ago, the shop introduced a men's collection for the first time.

The collection was designed by Inghalwa and has been warmly embraced by fashion enthusiasts.

Speaking to tjil, Inghalwa said the response to the men's collection has been amazing.

She disclosed that one of the pieces from the collection was so in demand that she had to restock.

For Inghalwa the response is inspiring and motivates her to want to deliver more to her clientele.

“Ravenda Posh was initially a brand that catered for females, but I was advised to also make clothes for men.

I was a bit hesitant to do that, but I am glad it turned out great,” she said.

Inghalwa is also happy for the team spirit within the fashion industry at the moment.

She recently started doing photoshoots of her collections with Namibian models - a move she says has made her website's interface more Namibian.

“Ravenda Posh is a Namibian online store, for Namibia by Namibia.

“Recently singer ML even wore a piece from my collection without me asking her to; those are some of the gestures by people in the industry that fill my heart with love and joy,” she said.

With Ravenda Posh, her aim is to provide services and products that are different from what is already out there.

“I want to make shopping easier for a lot of Namibians. The internet is the future, so I am just trying to capitalise on it and keep up with the trends of doing things online,” she said.

However, she admitted she does experience challenges running an online shop.

Inghalwa added that some people find it challenging to shop online, but that is part of the business. “I believe the site is user-friendly and I am proud to announce that very soon I won't be only selling items from my collection, but will feature collections by other Namibian designers,” she shared. Despite her men's collection doing well, she emphasised she is not sidelining female collections, and is working on new material that will shock the fashion scene.



MICHAEL KAYUNDE

DStv to air documentary Hafeni: The Man from Mondesa

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DStv to air documentary Hafeni: The Man from MondesaDStv to air documentary Hafeni: The Man from Mondesa MultiChoice Africa is proud to announce that on Sunday, 10 November at 19:30 the highly acclaimed documentary Hafeni: The Man from Mondesa will air on DStv's channel 409.

This fills MultiChoice Namibia with pride, as it is a local production made by Namibians, telling a story that will resonate with viewers across Africa.

Hafeni: The Man from Mondesa was produced for CGTN Africa & Fireworx Media as part of the Faces of Africa series. It documents the story of Heinrich Hafeni, a man who found his unique niche in Namibia's coastal tourism sector. His cultural tours introduce visitors from all over the world to life in the township of Mondesa, the heartbeat of Swakopmund, as Hafeni refers to the community. The documentary was made by local filmmaker Tim Huebschle and a very talented pool of passionate Namibian filmmakers. Hafeni said of the airing of the documentary: “It's both amazing and humbling to know that my story, so expressively captured by Tim and his team, will be aired on DStv to be seen by a large pan-African audience.”

Huebschle, born in Germany and raised in Namibia, has been making films and documentaries for years and having this documentary aired on DStv is a testament to the dedication to his craft, as well as his ability to see, translate and harness stories into fascinating film projects such as Hafeni: The Man from Mondesa. Tim Huebschle added it is the second Faces of Africa documentary he has made in the last two years. “It is very cool to work on an established format such as the Faces of Africa series. You deliver a story according to specs from the TV station. But at the same time you're telling a story, a Namibian story, about an individual in their environment.” One of the executive producers of the documentary is Neil Brandt, a leading African and international industry expert. Brandt, apart from being the executive producer of this documentary, also recently presented a masterclass on financing productions and distribution, which forms part of the multi-tiered MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) programme. This is a series of industry-led workshops that upskill and empower established professionals across Africa's film and TV industries. MTF is a creative, shared-value initiative that provides a platform for creative professionals to develop their talent and engage with one another through their shared passions.



STAFF REPORTER

The wait is over

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The wait is over The wait is over R&B community buzzing Ann Singer touches on pertinent issues on her sophomore album. MICHAEL KAYUNDE



Ann singer has been having a pretty impressive and progressive time in her career with her music and personal brand.

Now admit it, you cannot deny her star status right now, because we have all witnessed her work ethic that continues to push her up the ranks.

From scooping four awards at the Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) with her first album, to signing to South Africa’s Mabala Noise Entertainment and recently being successfully showcased at the International Modelling and Talent Association (IMTA) in South Africa, she will be jetting off to New York next year. The rest of the world has been keeping up with her and tjil is here to ride along with her.

She independently released her second album titled Sanity last week, after not releasing a fully-fledged album in about three years.

“I dropped my debut album in November 2015 and after that I just felt like I was thrown into the deep end.

“I was very busy and therefore there was no time to get into studio to work on a project,” she said.

After her contract ended with Deal Done Recordz, she got into another deal with Mabala Noise Entertainment.

“Of course that had its perks. It was exciting, having to go to South Africa often and performing at the Durban July.

“We did get to work on some material with Mabala Noise Entertainment, but my contract is over, so that work does not belong to me,” she said.

Asked what is going to happen to that material, Singer said she does not know, but she is at a point where she really just wants to move on.

“I am excited because I do not have any contractual obligations anymore. I am a free creative now. Sanity was funded by me.”

She spoke highly of her debut album Bullet Proof, but she maintains that with Sanity she intends to take her music career to greater heights. With her sophomore album, her goal is to achieve incredible things, more than she would be able to comprehend, imagine, dream, fathom or visualise.

“Bullet Proof was an incredible album; it is feeding me till today, and has taken me to so many incredible places.

“With my latest project, I aspire for a similar accomplishment, but more,” she said.

Her new album explores themes such as depression and anxiety, and she hopes it will bring comfort to those nursing their mental health.

End of the road

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End of the roadEnd of the roadMTC to part ways with the NAMAs after investing N$100m Calls for entries for the last NAMAs organised by MTC are now open. MTC announced that it will bid farewell to the Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) after the conclusion of the 10th NAMAs in 2020.

The announcement was made by MTC executive Tim Ekandjo earlier this week in Windhoek at the 2019 NAMA prize handover ceremony, which also served as the official call for entries for the 10th edition of the NAMAs.

In an interview with tjil, MTC spokesperson Fikameni Mathias shared that as highlighted during the announcement, the decision to exit the NAMAs project was not an easy one, given MTC's connection to the brand.

“However, we felt that it was the opportune time to disembark to focus on other areas.

“After spending 10 years and in excess of N$100 million, we are proud of the impact and legacy we have made,” said Mathias.

For MTC, the space of arts, music, dance and spoken word was the perfect opportunity to plough back in. Mathias, added that MTC's involvement to promote, recognise, appreciate and reward Namibian musical and artistic work has been nothing short of exciting.

“MTC is proud to say that with your support, we have been able to successfully grow the NAMAs brand internationally, by giving our artists a terrific platform to showcase Namibian talent globally.

“It was a moment well-cherished and we are extremely proud to have been able to achieve the feats we have with the awards. The record of achievements in the music industry are well-documented,” he said.

Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) chief commercial officer Umbi Karuaihe-Upi said MTC has sufficiently invested in the music industry in the last nine years.

“Sometimes when something ends, it is an opportunity for new doors to open. We do not really know what will happen, but one thing I want to assure you is that NBC will always make sure that we endeavour to invest in the music industry. We have come such a long way,” she said.

At this announcement, MTC and NBC officially opened the call for entries for the 10th NAMAs, slated for May 2020. The entry period started on Monday and will end on Friday, 13 December. No entries will be accepted after this deadline and no extensions will be granted.

Only artists who commercially released albums between 1 December 2018 and 30 November 2019 will be eligible for entry.

Ekandjo confirmed that no changes have been made for the 10th NAMAs, except for a new category titled Artist of the Decade being added.

“Seeing that this is MTC's last NAMAs, we wish to celebrate that one artist of the decade, which by definition is the artist that has won the most NAMAs accolades collectively over the 10-year period,” said Ekandjo.

MTC believes that the solid foundation laid, will enable the next investor or investors to soar to further heights. “We bow out with humble plea and prayer to our brothers and sisters in the corporate space to not shun the awards; please let it not die, please step in and carry over the mantle and the torch of creative ingenuity.”

On how the awards show under the direction of MTC has transformed her life, 2019 Artist of the Year, Lize Ehlers, told tjil she is grateful to MTC for their role in growing the music business. “MTC has transformed not only my life, but those of many artists as well. They recognised our work and provided us with a great platform,” said Ehlers.



MICHAEL KAYUNDE
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