Nama and OvaHerero to march in Berlin soon

October 4, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Nama and OvaHerero to march in Berlin soonLocal representatives of the Nama and OvaHerero in Namibia, along with members of the diaspora, are to protest in Germany. Pushing for global action so world is informed 0

The Nama and OvaHerero communities are readying themselves for the biggest international campaign to educate the world and German nationals about the 1904 genocide.

The first group of representatives will leave for Berlin this Sunday already while the rest will leave next week in their pursuit to force the German government to immediately recognise the OvaHerero and Nama genocide through a Bundestag resolution and a statement by the German chancellor Angela Merkel.

According to the Nama Technical Committee secretary Paul Thomas, they call upon the German government to ask forgiveness from the descendants of the victims of the genocide, who reside in Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and other countries.

The group also plans to attend the Berlin Congress on Restorative Justice after Genocide, as well as taking part in a one-and-half-kilometre long OvaHerero and Nama protest and solidarity march through that city.

The chairperson of the Nama Technical Committee Ida Hoffman and OvaHerero Traditional Authority (OTA) spokesperson Bob Kandetu yesterday confirmed the trip.

According to Kandetu, the main aim of the trip is to establish whether the German society is informed about the gross atrocities colonial Germany committed against the Nama and OvaHerero people.

“We do not want to assume that they know about the past, this will be a global campaign that knows no boundaries,” he said.

According to the congress programme the OvaHerero Paramount Chief Vekuii Rukoro as well as the Nama Chief Petrus Kooper of the Hoachanas community will be part of this delegation as well as other descendants in the diaspora.

“When the Chief Rukoro was in Botswana recently these things were discussed and he made a call on the OvaHerero in the diaspora to come to the fore. They have shown great commitment but we have not received any confirmation from them yet,” said Kandetu.

Meanwhile, the two communities have drafted a lengthy list of resolutions to be presented at the congress in Berlin, which takes place from 14 to 16 October 2016.

Chief amongst these resolutions is the call on Germany to immediately stop all further research on Ovaherero and Nama human remains in Germany that is not serving their identification, dehumanisation and repatriation.

According to Kandetu, an investigation conducted over the last five years showed that this field of research continued unabated at some teaching institutions.

“It is highly provocative and has been silently on-going for the last five years, we did our own investigation,” he said.

Diaspora action

Meanwhile, descendants of the OvaHerero and Nama descendants of the victims of the genocide who are resident in the United States have held a demonstration at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 21 September.

According to a press release issued by Mekahako Pioo Komomungondo, spokesperson of the Otjiherero-speaking Community in the USA, (OSCU), their demand is to be included in the negotiations for reparations.

The demonstration was held under the theme, ‘Anything without is us against us’.

“We demand total inclusion of the OvaHerero and Nama communities in the present genocide negotiations between the governments of Namibia and Germany,” the statement read.

“We wanted to create awareness about our dissatisfaction with the manner in which the negotiations are being conducted without giving full recognition to the parties affected most by the tragic genocide events in the history of our people,” Komomungondo said.

Oscu is of the view that affected parties, while demanding their rightful presence at the negotiation table are being sidelined, while a negotiation framework has been drafted and talk are ongoing.

The group says the while both heads of state, President Hage Geingob and Chancellor Angela Merkel address the United Nations General Assembly, they avoided the demonstrators stationed at the UN premises.

“We demand to be fully recognised and our voices to be heard,” Komomungondo added.

“Until all affected groups are represented at the negotiating table, we wil continue to display our unhappiness to him the president, the Germans and the world at large.”

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Shifeta pleased with rhino smugglers sentence

October 4, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Shifeta pleased with rhino smugglers sentence 0 The Minister of Environment and Tourism has applauded the Namibian courts for sending to jail four Chinese nationals arrested in 2014 for rhino horn smuggling.

The first three jailed smugglers are Li Zhibing, 53; Li Xiaoliang, 30; and 49-year-old Pu Xuexin, who were arrested at the Hosea Kutako International Airport on 24 March 2014 with 14 rhino horns worth more than N.dollars 2.3 million and a leopard skin valued at N$50 000 stashed in their luggage.

The fourth is Wang Hui, 40, believed to be the kingpin in the rhino horn smuggling operation in Namibia.

All four were each sentenced to 14 years imprisonment by Windhoek Regional Magistrate Alexis Diergaardt in Katutura on Friday without an option to pay a fine.

“The Ministry of Environment and Tourism is extremely heartened by the cooperation of the law-enforcement agencies, the justice system and the media who worked very hard since this case was first reported and ensured it resulted in a successful conviction,” said Minister Pohamba Shifeta in a media statement issued on Monday.

He said this kind of cooperation will go a long way in ensuring that Namibia’s rhinos, elephants and other specially-protected wild animals are protected for the benefit of today’s and future generations.

Shifeta also commended personnel at the South African National Forensic Laboratory that assisted the Namibian Police Force with Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis and other related tests in determining the exact origin of the confiscated rhino horns.

The minister appealed to all Namibians to report to law-enforcement units people found poaching and those involved in illegal trafficking of controlled wildlife products.

“The Ministry of Environment and Tourism is looking forward to continue working with all stakeholders to ensure that all other pending cases involving rhino and elephant poaching are successfully concluded and wrong-doers suitably punished,” noted Shifeta.

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Mental illness at ‘alarming’ level

October 4, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Mental illness at ‘alarming’ level 0

The mental health situation in Namibia, especially in the northern rural regions, is alarming, says the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Andreas Mwoombola.

Mwoombola was speaking at a workshop on mental health that forms part of Mental Health Week,

This year’s commemoration takes place under the theme ‘Policy on Mental Health in the Workplace’.

“In 2015, the Ministry of Health and Social Services recorded that close to 9 000 cases of mental illness were reported at medical health facilities throughout the country,” he said.

According to him, the situation is aggravated by the fact that communities blame mental illness on witchcraft.

Mwoombola, who is a human resources expert, said human resources practitioners must start paying greater attention to mental health at the workplace.

He also advised against issuing warnings to employees without getting a better understanding of their private lives.

“There may be a good reason why some employees always come to work late. I am not saying HR practitioners must protect workers but they need to look deeper in order to advise line managers on how to best deal with the situation,” he urged.

A 2001 Health Information System Report released by the health ministry revealed that 42 124 people treated at outpatient clinics were diagnosed with mental illnesses.

The report shows that at the time 21 500 to 32 500 adults were diagnosed with serious mental disorders, 108 313 with common mental disorders.

Between 3 600 and 7 200 children under the age of 15 were diagnosed with serious mental health problems and 6 600 children with learning or behavioural problems.

The report did not take into account Aids-related mental health problems, but noted that it is widely accepted that there is an increased risk of mental disorders among people who are HIV positive.

“The need for mental health intervention is very great, and yet there is no concerted effort to reduce the burden at the present time,” the report states.

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Windhoek water supply on brink of failure

October 4, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Windhoek water supply on brink of failure 0

Water savings plunged from 32% to 24% in recent weeks, prompting the City of Windhoek to once again plead with residents to take the water crisis seriously and increase savings to reach the 40% target.

“We expected people to behave otherwise, but what we are observing is really quite discouraging,” City of Windhoek spokesperson Joshua Amukugo said on Monday.

He said the refusal of many in the city to save water is “disappointing and scary” and emphasised that the municipality’s strategy for weathering the storm is heavily dependent on the cooperation of all residents.

Amukugo warned that the water crisis has not abated, but is facing its most serious challenge yet, as the dams are expected to run dry soon.

“Given the current water crisis with the traditional supply system on the brink of failing, the supply to Windhoek is in a very precarious situation.”

The Omatako Dam has run dry, with the Swakoppoort measuring approximately 7.8% of capacity and the Von Bach Dam 15.8%. Overall the dams are at 8.1% capacity, compared to 18.7% last year.

Once the dams run dry, the only water supply will be from the municipality’s boreholes (46%), reclaimed water (16%) and only 8% from NamWater. Those sources can only supply about a third of the city’s normal water usage.

Amukugo said the 40% water saving target set for residents, including businesses and the public sector, is “critical to get us through to the next rainy season”.

The bulk of the supply will be sourced from the aquifer, which holds “sufficient water to sustain the city for between two and three years in the absence of the NamWater supply system, and not 13 years as reported,” Amukugo added.

Nevertheless, much needs to be done in order to harvest the groundwater.

“The City of Windhoek is currently actively developing the Windhoek aquifer as the only viable source to sustain the city through the drought. The City is increasing the potential for abstraction from this source to meet the emergency demand brought on as a result of the failure of the normal supply system,” Amukugo said.

However, this is “by no means considered a sustainable (long-term) supply solution and is only implemented as an emergency action to fight the effects of the devastating drought currently experienced.”

The City clarified that the aquifer currently shows a high water table as a result of recharge activities implemented between 2009 and 2011.

The water in the aquifer “has been stored as an emergency supply” and exceptional rains experienced in the previous decade replenished it at an above-normal rate.

According to the City, the plan is to continue to develop the aquifer as a “full backup supply for emergencies” over the next years and to continue to recharge it when sufficient water is available.

The municipality and some members of the public blame the steep decline in water savings on recent media reports in which the minister of agriculture, water and forestry, John Mutorwa, said the city would not run dry because it had alternative water resources.

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Namibia holds on to governance ranking

October 4, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Namibia holds on to governance rankingNamibia has managed to improve its score in all categories of the latest Ibrahim Index of African Governance. Improvement in all categories 0

Namibia retained its fifth place in the latest edition of the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) report, with the overall country score dropping slightly from 70.4 to 69.8 this year.

The index shows that of the top ten performing countries, only three - Namibia, Rwanda and Senegal - managed to improve in all categories on which the scores are based.

South Africa dropped to sixth spot and Seychelles moved ahead to take fourth place.

An overall score of 69.8 placed Namibia in the medium-high performance category, which is calculated from 54 to 70.9 points.

The 2016 index is the tenth edition since the IIAG launch in 2006.

The index was created to provide a tool for measuring and monitoring governance performances in African countries, to assess progress and to support development.

According to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, the latest IIAG “clearly reveals that deteriorating trends in safety and rule of law have held back the continent’s progress in overall governance over the last decade.”

The report found that almost half of Africa’s 54 countries have recorded their worst score in the safety and rule of law category in the last three years, although Namibia bucked this trend with an improvement.

On the positive side, the report found that over the past decade, the continental average score in overall governance improved by one point and that since 2006, 37 countries, home to 70% of African citizens, improved in the overall score.

In the safety and rule of law category, Namibia achieved fourth place with a score of 76.1, placing it below Cabo Verde (77.1), Mauritius (80.8) and Botswana (81.9). In the accountability sub-category in the safety and rule of law category, Namibia scored 60.4 points.

In the category of participation and human rights, Namibia ranked second with a score of 76.1. Somalia has the lowest ranking with 13.7 points.

In the sustainable economic opportunity category, Namibia scored 62.2 out of 100, putting the country in seventh place.

Namibia scored 64.7 points in the human development category, putting it in tenth place.

According to Graham Hopwood, director at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), Namibia’s progress in all the IIAG categories is a positive indication that “we are moving in the right direction.”

Nevertheless, Hopwood said trends identified in the latest index raised the concern that many African countries are stagnating or making little progress.

“So, Namibia is becoming an outlier partly because it is doing the right things, but also partly because its peers are not making progress. This adds strength to the argument that Namibia should strive for even greater transparency and accountability so that we can present ourselves as a role model to Africa and internationally,” Hopwood said.

Based on the index, Hopwood said Namibia should focus urgent attention on improvements in SOE governance, the introduction of a system for MPs and senior officials to declare their assets, the introduction of a law on access to information, and better accountability mechanisms in government such as workable and timely performance agreements.

As defined by the IIAG, governance is defined as the provision of the political, social and economic public goods and services that every citizen has the right to expect from their state.

The report on the latest index emphasises that it focuses on “measuring outputs and outcomes of policy, rather than declarations of intent, de jure statutes and levels of expenditure.”

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City's secrecy violates Harambee transparency

October 4, 2016, 3:00 pm

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City's secrecy violates Harambee transparencyThe Windhoek city council’s decision to withhold certain information from the media is likely to boost public distrust of the municipality’s internal governance. Media experts slam Windhoek council decision 0

Critics say the City of Windhoek’s shock decision to impose technical barriers to block access to information on internal decision-making processes is in direct contrast with government efforts to improve transparency and implement access-to-information legislation.

Critics also pointed out that the City’s decision is likely to boost distrust of the municipality’s internal governance rather than lessen it.

“The City of Windhoek, instead of strengthening their information sharing is now curtailing it by using legal technicalities to deny the residents of Windhoek and the broader public access to important information,” Media Ombudsman Clement Daniels said yesterday.

He warned that the City’s decision to increase restrictions by invoking stagnant laws to prevent public access to information will reinforce suspicions that “the City is not transparent and accountable in its dealings with public resources”.

Natasha Tibinyane, Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Namibia director, said provisions in the Local Authorities Act enabling the City’s gag order “defy citizen’s fundamental right to access to information”.

“It is disconcerting that this decision is made at a time when the government of Namibia has made a clear commitment to ensuring access to information in the Harambee Prosperity Plan and through the MICT''s concerted efforts to ensure that that our legislative and policy framework is responsive to that,” Tibinyane added.

She pointed out that the section invoked by the municipality to deny access “is a clear violation of the right to access information, it goes as far as legislating payment for information that should be in the public domain, for free.”

Gwen Lister, the chairperson of the Namibia Media Trust, said access to information “first, and foremost, should mean an opening up of channels of information and not the contrary”.

Both Misa Namibia and NMT are members of the Access to Information in Namibia (Action) coalition, an umbrella organisation under which a range of activists, civil society and media organisations campaign for the cause of access to information and freedom of expression.

Lister said government’s commitment to an access-to-information law and improved transparency would be hampered if certain sectors fail to commit to an open and transparent regime.

“The municipality should recommence making all documentation available for ease of access by both media and citizens,” she advised.

The media ombudsman said there are various options available to the City in handling media reports they perceive as untruthful or unethical, including approaching his office and the courts.

Daniels said that to deny access to certain information to the public based on the way in which some journalists report on council matters does not “justify a blanket ban on access to information.”

Daniels underlined the fact that local authority councillors are elected officials and “are responsible to govern the local authority in the best interest of the community as far as possible through a participatory process.”

RDP city councillor Brunhilde Cornelius said the decision came as a surprise to her when it was announced at last week’s council meeting. “There was no official communication between whoever made the decision and the councillors,” she said.

“The big question is why only now? After all these years, what has changed now?”

Cornelius also emphasised government’s commitment to access to information and transparency, noting that the City’s decision diverges from President Hage Geingob’s call on public servants to be more open and transparent and to involve the public in decision-making processes.

She said sharing documents relating to ongoing matters is “the right thing to do”, even if the law makes provision for secrecy.

“The people who voted for us, they are the residents who apply for rezoning and consolidation and so forth. And we must approve it. So why hide it?”

Misa’s Tibinyane said the City’s response was one of the challenges facing the country’s goal of improving transparency.

“Instead of engaging with the media on the reports that concerned them, they instead deny the public their basic right to information.”

Cornelius said media reports on council documents are mostly accurate.

JANA-MARI SMITH

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Defence lawyer accuses psychiatrist of bias

October 4, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Defence lawyer accuses psychiatrist of bias 0

The lawyer representing murder accused Marcus Kevin Thomas has told the High Court that no proper assessment was done on the mental state of his client to determine whether he is fit to stand trial or not.

It was argued that the assessment was done by three psychologists in contravention of a court order requiring a panel of psychiatrists and that the results consequently do not comply with the law. Siyomuinji Mbanga, appearing for Thomas’s co-accused Kevin Townsend, specifically accused Windhoek psychiatrist Dr Rheinhardt Sieberhagen of being biased in his assessment.

The trial got embroiled in arguments and submissions about Thomas’s mental state after a failed jailbreak attempt during which he allegedly suffered concussion in 2014.

He fell from the security fence surrounding the Windhoek Central Prison.

After the first psychological assessment Judge Christie Liebenberg found Thomas unfit to stand trial and ordered a neuro-psychiatric observation.

Mbanga questioned the reliability of the second assessment report.

He charged that Dr Sieberhagen - without conducting a proper clinical assessment - concluded by saying the accused was malingering.

He also argued that the psychiatrist took a shortcut by doing only an hour-long assessment whereas the first assessment that found Thomas unfit to stand trial was done over 30 days.

According to the lawyer, Sieberhagen’s assessment heavily relied on observations made by clinical and counselling psychologist Willem Annandale.

Siyomuinji referred to section 79 of the Criminal Procedure Act which stipulates the categories of people permitted to conduct mental assessments.

“These categories of people are only psychiatrists and not psychologists like Annandale who did the assessment on which Sieberhagen is relying,” he argued.

The case was postponed to 19 October for ruling.

Thomas and Townsend are accused of murdering André Heckmair in Windhoek on 7 January 2011.

FRED GOEIEMAN

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Call off genocide talks, says KK

October 4, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Call off genocide talks, says KK 0

Former Swapo Member of Parliament Kazenambo Kazenambo says the genocide negotiations “in their current form” between the Namibian and German governments should be “temporarily” called off so that a best approach can be agreed upon by state and non-state parties.

The OvaHerero and Nama groups are incensed at their exclusion from the talks, which the Namibian government insists should be restricted to bilateral discussions between the two governments.

“The current approach seems to be taking us nowhere in seeking resolution on the matter,” said Kazenambo, who is a descendant of the victims of the 1904-1908 genocide.

He added: “The descendants of the Nama and OvaHerero victims of genocide are not flies or historical material artefacts to be researched by a team of government-appointed researchers but we are human beings capable of narrating our tragic historical misfortune.

“We are global citizens with fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Namibian Constitution and covered in the United Nations Convention on Genocide and other international legal principles and norms.”

He said not only do the descendants of the genocide victims have a right to their ancestral land lost during the colonial and apartheid eras should they so demand, but they also have a right to represent themselves at the genocide talks.

Kazenambo recommended that the Namibian government refer the genocide matter back to parliament so that its relevant bi-partisan committees can conduct public hearings with the descendants of the affected communities regarding a common position.

The executive arm of the Namibian government can then send the findings of such public hearings to the German government.

Kazenambo said the Nama and OvaHerero genocide, like many other genocide cases in the global political arena, is not the exclusive domain of state actors, as the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation claims.

He said the Nama and OvaHerero as the “core injured parties” should not just be co-opted into the Namibian government’s technical subcommittees, but should be the main stakeholders in the genocide negotiations.

The ministry stated in a recent press release that “some affected communities have refused to join the government’s negotiation efforts for they seek to negotiate directly with the German government.”

This ministerial statement continued: “This undermines the legitimacy of government and it is contrary to the principle of international law where only state actors have the jurisdiction to negotiate with other states.”

Kazenambo strongly disagrees, saying the author of the press statement deliberately distorted the facts.

In fact, he said, case studies of other genocide negotiations demonstrate that non-state actors such as the victims of the Holocaust were directly represented by the Jewish World Federation (a non-state actor) together with the Israeli government (a state actor).

“State actors are not the sole negotiators on issues of genocide as the affected communities are equal active shareholders in the genocide negotiating process,” Kazenambo said.

WHO IS IN CHARGE HERE?

Kazenambo said contradictory messages are coming from the Namibian government regarding the genocide talks.

On the one hand, when Vice-President Nickey Iyambo said that negotiations were to start, a government team was already preparing to leave for Germany the following day.

This followed a statement by the Namibian envoy, Dr Zed Ngavirue, who said the Namibian government had already submitted a document, which would pave the way forward concerning the genocide talks.

Ngavirue did not divulge the contents of the document, saying that he first needed to submit it to President Hage Geingob.

The ministry’s statement followed thereafter.

This prompted Kazenambo to ask: “Now what is what and who is really in charge of this negotiation to be listened to? Is it Dr Iyambo, Dr Ngavirue, or some nameless ghost officials from the ministry?”

Kazenambo wanted to know if the affected communities were privy to the contents of the documents submitted to Germany and why the Namibian government failed to have meetings with the affected communities.

He asked who had formulated Namibia’s position and which communities had been consulted on it.

CATHERINE SASMAN

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China beef exports on hold

October 4, 2016, 3:00 pm

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China beef exports on holdNamibia’s beef exports to China have been suspended for a year because of outbreaks of lumpy skin disease in cattle since June. Lumpy skin outbreaks at Gobabis, Okakarara 0

Exports of Namibian beef to China are hanging in the balance because of outbreaks of lumpy skin disease in certain parts of Namibia.

Namibia, which last year announced that it was the only country in Africa allowed to export beef to China, which included bone-in beef, will not be allowed to export any beef products to China for at least 12 months.

Under the agreement signed between Namibia and China it was agreed that beef exports must come from areas south of the Veterinary Cordon Fence that are free of diseases including contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (lung sickness), lumpy skin disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease.

State veterinarian Frank Chitate yesterday confirmed at the Livestock Producers Organisation congress that the first outbreak of lumpy skin disease was detected in June this year.

He said the disease was detected at Gobabis and Okakarara. There have been 11 cases reported and one death. Farmers in the affected areas were advised to vaccinate their cattle.

According to Chitate, although the ministry tried to negotiate with China that this disease should not form part of the agreement, “China stuck to their guns”.

“But we believe it should not affect exports,” he said.

Goliath Tujendapi of the Meat Board of Namibia said lumpy skin disease regularly occurs in Namibia and should not have formed part of the export agreement with China.

He pointed out that because it was included in the agreement it effectively means an export suspension of 12 months.

“As we speak now we cannot export to China due to the outbreaks of lumpy skin disease.”

It was recently announced that Meatco finally received approval from China to start beef exports to that country, following negotiations on the types of meat that can be exported, market trends and the storage requirements for shipping to Asia.

Lumpy skin disease is commonly found in cattle. It is an infectious viral disease transmitted by direct contact with infected animals or mainly if animals are bitten by bloodsucking insects such as flies and mosquitoes. That is why the disease commonly occurs in the wet season or around water points.

Farmers can easily spot the disease by the obvious lumps or nodules (big pimples) that appear under the skin, especially around the face, neck, under the abdomen, on the legs or around the genital area and udder. The lumps are hard and are normally of the same size. Many of the lumps become sores and sometime get infected and can become wounds. The lumps later on form scabs which may persist for months and leaves scars when healthy.

Another prominent sign that occurs is a high fever, which can go down in a couple of days but can go up again. This is followed by drooling of saliva and discharges from the eyes and nose. The cattle become weak and stop eating, resulting in rapid weight loss.

There is no specific treatment for the disease.

ELLANIE SMIT

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Nashilongo heads MTC board

October 5, 2016, 5:55 am

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Nashilongo heads MTC board

Cabinet has announced the appointment of GIPF's General Manager for Marketing and Stakeholders' Engagement Elvis Nashilongo as the new MTC board chairperson effective 1 October 2016, until October 2019. Nashilongo will be deputised by Tulimeke Munyika, while Lorna Peyavali Mbwale and Stephen Stuart Galloway are the other directors.
Cabinet this week also endorsed the appointment of Walvis Bay Corridor Group CEO Johny Smith as chairperson of the Telecom Namibia board for three years.
Businesswoman Irene Simeon-Kurtz will deputise Smith as vice-chairperson, while Dr Eino Emvula of the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology and Damoline Muruko are the other members of the board.
The board of directors of Nampost was also announced today, with Evangeline Nangula Hamunyela as chairperson and Muronga Haingura as deputy chair.
Other board members include Israel Kalenga, James Cummings and Dr Perien Joenial Bore.

STAFF REPORTER

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Kasu tourney heads into quarters

October 5, 2016, 3:00 pm

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Kasu tourney heads into quarters

The Nefie Kandjii Cup, which is being hosted by the Katutura Sport Union (Kasu), will be heading into the quarterfinals in the football event this weekend.

The second round to determine the quarterfinalists will kick off at 07:00 at the Khomasdal Field on Saturday before the semi-finals take place on Sunday morning.

As for the netball, the final will take place on Sunday with Otjiuna taking on Truck Team; the defending champions of the competition.

Football honours will be fought out between the likes of Something or Nothing, Fire Lela and Kalahari Desert, among others.

The highest-scoring game during the first round saw seven goals being scored as Elmastoro FC edged out Eiland by 3-4.

Ajex Goreangab are already in the quarterfinals after getting the luck of the draw.

This year’s event has been supported by a number of businesses.

These are Kau Van Rooi Stud, Kakero Urban Planning Consultancy and Eben Hei Leather CC.

Fixtures

Saturday 8 October

Khomasdal Field

*first game starts 07:00

Something or Nothing v Real Madrid

Kalahari Desert v Fire Lela

Concordia Star v Elmastoro FC

Boffing jaRuruua v Seronto Bucks

Otjijere v Renamo Bucks

Ozohambo za Kuaima v Gauteng FC

Straight Forward v Kwasa-Kwasa XI

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I will knock Cheka out - Hitman

October 5, 2016, 3:00 pm

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I will knock Cheka out - HitmanThe stage is set for a boxing bonanza that will feature Namibia''s former lightweight world champion. Namibian boxer warns Tanzanian

Current WBO Africa Lightweight champion Paulus ‘The Hitman’ Moses has warned his Tanzanian opponent, Cosmos Cheka, that he will knock him out.

Moses told Cheka, who has fought in Namibia before against Albinus ‘Danny Boy’ Felesianu, that he should forget about Danny Boy because he is now facing Hitman.

“I was born fit so you should forget about Danny Boy and think about me because you are going to fight me,” he said, adding that come Saturday the former world champion is going to shine.

“I have shone before so I am going to do the same on Saturday night. I am going to knock this guy out, there is no way I am not going to do that,” he boasted.

Cheka who referred to Moses as “the old man”, said he was pleased to return to Namibia and ready to send the former world champion into retirement.

He said winning outside his home country is normal to him and that is what he is going to do to take the title with him.

“I am here to win and gain the support of the fans because if you do not believe me, I am going to take the title to Tanzania,” he said.

Moses holds a record of 41 fights, 37 wins, one loss and one no contest, while Cheka has a record of 27 fights, 17 wins, five losses and five draws.

Promoter Nestor Tobias of the Nestor Sunshine Boxing and Fitness Academy expressed excitement about the Champions in Action Part 7 boxing bonanza.

Tobias said he has no doubt that it is going to be an entertaining night.

“If we can get more resources then we can produce more champions but with what we have we will continue to produce champions,” he assured the nation.

The boxing bonanza will take place at the Windhoek Country Club Resort and Casino, starting at 19:00 on Saturday.

Full card:

Welterweight (six rounds)

Emmanuel Mungandjela vs Misanjo Charles (Malawi)

Welterweight (four rounds) Swinger

Mendu Kaangundwe vs Andreas Nghinananye

Junior lightweight (four rounds) Swinger

Onesmus Nekundi vs Immanuel ‘Angel’ Andeleki

Welterweight (six rounds)

Jatoorora Tjingaveta vs Limbani Masamba (Malawi)

WBO Africa Middleweight title (12 rounds)

Walter ‘Executioner’ Kautondokwa vs Chimwemwe Chiotcha (Malawi)

WBO Africa International Junior Flyweight title (12 rounds)

Japhet ‘Lion’ Uutoni vs Twalib Tuwa (Tanzania)

WBO Africa Interim Featherweight title (12 rounds)

Sakaria ‘Desert Storm’ Lukas vs Mohamed Kamburuta (Tanzania)

WBO Africa Lightweight title (12 rounds)

Paulus ‘The Hitman’ Moses vs Cosmos Cheka (Tanzania)

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Ackermann to inspire young people

October 5, 2016, 3:00 pm

≫ Next: Swakopmund Women’s League kicks off

≪ Previous: I will knock Cheka out - Hitman

Ackermann to inspire young peopleBank Windhoek –alongside Officeconomix- is bringing one of rugby’s biggest names to Namibia. Former player to address non-profit business breakfast meeting

Bank Windhoek is a proud co-sponsor of a business breakfast where the internationally renowned Golden Lions rugby coach and former rugby player, Johan Ackermann, is set to address a not-for-profit business breakfast on Tuesday, 25 October 2016.

This will be Ackermann’s first visit to Namibia.

Ackermann is known for his physical approach to the game.

In 2007, Johan Ackermann became the oldest Springbok to play for the South Africa side, at the age of 37.

After the 2007 World Cup in France, he was recalled to the Springbok squad to play against the Barbarians.

This was his last outing as an international player.

Ackermann bowed out of professional rugby on a winning note on 1 March 2008, when the Sharks defeated the Bulls 29 -15 at Loftus Versfeld.

He became the oldest player ever in Super Rugby history at age 37 years, 272 days.

Life changing

At this life-changing event Ackerman will talk about the pitfalls and challenges of fame and how to manage it.

At each breakfast table, two schoolboys will have the opportunity to rub shoulders with Namibian business leaders and gain valuable knowledge about the pitfalls that fame and fortune can bring.

Paul Oosthuizen, managing director of Officeconomix, said that due to Johan Ackermann’s outlook on life and the change he brought about at the Golden Lions, he is the perfect role model to explain to young people why there are no shortcuts in life.

“Johan is a person with a solid foundation and although he made mistakes in his career, he got back up and today can share his experiences with people from all walks of life.

“This event is not merely for entertainment, but is an event which could change the way people, and especially some of our youth, will see the future”.

When asked why Bank Windhoek has become a part of this event, Riaan van Rooyen, an executive at the bank, explained that the event speaks directly to what banking institutions subscribes to.

“As a bank, we very often see that people measure their quality of life and success in terms of possessions and money, whereas a successful life entails far more than that.

“Here is an opportunity for young people and established business people to hear how financial success and fame can have a negative impact and what one should do to avoid these pitfalls.”

The companies that came together to make this life-changing experience a reality are: Quanta Insurance, the title sponsor, Bank Windhoek, Safari Hotel, Amalgamated Group of Companies, Emmanuel Church, Sure Ritz Travel, Fresh Namibia, NMH and Kosmos 94.1.

Businesses who are interested in attending this event can contact Officeconomix, organiser of the breakfast, at 083 383 3333.

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Swakopmund Women’s League kicks off

October 5, 2016, 3:00 pm

≫ Next: NFA tightens team ownership regulations

≪ Previous: Ackermann to inspire young people

Swakopmund Women’s League kicks off

The second season of the Swakopmund Women’s Soccer League (SWSL) kicked off on Saturday with a new team from Arandis joining the action.

The amateur women’s football league was established in June 2015, with eight football teams all based in Swakopmund.

Kavetu Football Club (FC) joined the league this season and will compete against Swakopmund Football Club, Namib Daughters, Dream Team, Santos Air Time, Coastal High, DRC Ladies, Hanganeni Girls and West Side High.

Namib Daughters were crowned champions in the league’s maiden season last year.

The nine-team league had an impressive start, with the defending champions suffering their first defeat against Dragon City.

The league’s chairperson, Wilson Nguvauva, is happy that another team has joined the league.

“Our league is growing and we want to keep young girls off the streets. Playing in the league has kept a lot of young girls off the streets, which is a good thing for us as league administrators,” he told Nampa on Sunday.

Nguvauva added that players already have shown improvement in the opening games of the league and he is convinced that teams will now compete on level grounds.

“Namib Daughters, who are the defending champions and have a number of their players competing in the youth national team, lost their opening match which shows that our league has grown and we are going to witness an exciting league this season.”

He also thanked the Namibia Football Association Women’s Department and the Federation of International Football Associations for donating football attire to the winning teams from last season.

Week-one results:

Dragon City 2-0 Namib Daughters

Dream Team 2-0 Swakopmund FC

African Queens 2-0 Kavetu

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NFA tightens team ownership regulations

October 5, 2016, 3:00 pm

≫ Next: CONCACAF eager to host 48-team 2026 World Cup

≪ Previous: Swakopmund Women’s League kicks off

NFA tightens team ownership regulations The Namibia Football Association (NFA) is going to strictly implement Fifa’s club licensing regulation.

The NFA cites Fifa’s Article 9.2.1 “A” L03, which reads: “No owner is allowed to have more than one club participating in one Fifa-affiliated competition.”

It says this is aimed at avoiding match-fixing and other football irregularities.

Two clubs playing in the North-West First Division - Eleven Warriors and Tropical Heat - are from the Grootfontein military base.

According to the division’s chairperson, Fire Vatilifa, they were told that these teams represent different sections of the Namibia Defence Force, but they are investigating whether it constitutes single ownership.

“We find out that these teams share transport whenever they are going to play their games and when they pay their league registration fees they use a single cheque. We are still investigating them and if we find out they are owned by one organisation, one will be relegated automatically,” Vatilifa said.

This also affects the Okahandja Military School, whose team is vying for a place in the North-West First Division. They will be involved in playoffs with Unam Ogongo, Africa Motto and Etosha Port in Tsumeb this weekend.

Vatilifa said these four teams will be competing for three positions and the chances are good that Okahandja Military School will be promoted to the First Division.

“Okahandja Military School stands a 75% chance to join our division and become the third military club. We gave them the go-ahead for now, but once our investigation is completed two of these military clubs are going be relegated. Their chances of match-fixing are going to be very high,” Vatilifa said.

He said this implies that if any other military club is promoted to the Premier League where Mighty Gunners are playing already, such team would forfeit its position.

The same will apply if Mighty Gunners are relegated to the North-West First Division.

“This will not only apply to defence and police clubs, even if Unam Ogongo get promoted to the Premier League one day, they will forfeit their place unless the Unam Football Club is relegated,” he said.

During the 2012/13 football season, when Oshakati City were relegated to the Oshana Second Division, owner Ben Hauwanga had to forfeit his ownership of another second-division team, City Pros, to avoid them being relegated. City Pros were then renamed Oshakati United.

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CONCACAF eager to host 48-team 2026 World Cup

October 5, 2016, 3:00 pm

≫ Next: Ghana looks to revive sprinting culture

≪ Previous: NFA tightens team ownership regulations

CONCACAF eager to host 48-team 2026 World Cup

Expanding the football World Cup to 48 teams will enhance North America’s credentials in the 2026 bidding contest, CONCACAF hopes.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino earlier this week raised the prospect of adding 16 teams, which would reduce the pool of countries with sufficient infrastructure.

“From a 2026 perspective, pick a number (of finalists) and North American can handle it,” Victor Montagliani, president of the North and Central America and Caribbean soccer confederation, told The Associated Press.

“A CONCACAF bid would be strong regardless of what number we finally set on.”

The World Cup was last staged in the CONCACAF region by the United States in 1994.

The Americans are keen on another shot at hosting in 2026, potentially linking up with neighbours Canada and Mexico.

“Is there an opportunity to combine the three countries? Perhaps. We don’t know that yet,” said Montagliani, a FIFA vice president.

“There have been zero formal discussions. We are not there yet.”

After the troubled bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, which sparked years of corruption investigations, FIFA will be hoping for a smoother 2026 vote.

Originally earmarked for 2017, the decision by the FIFA membership is now not due until 2020.

With Africa, South America, Europe and Asia hosting the World Cups between 2010 and 2022, it had been widely accepted that it should be North America’s turn for the first time since 1994.

FIFA’s statues currently prevent consecutive World Cups being staged on the same continent, but China could yet seek to follow 2022 host Qatar.

Chinese conglomerate Wanda signed up as a top-tier FIFA sponsor in March saying it wanted to be “better placed” to help decide where future editions of the World Cup are awarded.

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Ghana looks to revive sprinting culture

October 5, 2016, 3:00 pm

≫ Next: Rooney tired of debate

≪ Previous: CONCACAF eager to host 48-team 2026 World Cup

Ghana looks to revive sprinting culture

Joseph Paul Amoah was virtually unknown in Ghanaian athletic circles before he was dubbed ‘Ghana’s fastest human’.

Now he’s the new face of sprinting in a country looking to transform its running culture.

“It’s been an instant shot to fame,” said the 19-year-old from the central Ashanti region, after reportedly clocking an impressive winning time of 10.08 seconds in the 100m.

In early September, 160 runners from four qualifying competitions held across Ghana converged on the country’s second city Kumasi to participate in the race, set up by former Olympian Reks Brobby.

In 2013, Brobby founded Ghana’s Fastest Human (GFH), an annual 100-metre competition designed to unearth the country’s best sprinting talent with the hope of boosting future track success.

At stake was a one-year intensive training programme for the top two men and two women, sponsored by sportswear giant Adidas and the state-run Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).

On offer: supervision from a nutritionist, a sports psychologist, a muscle-trigger specialist and four premier sprinting coaches.

Brobby, who competed for Ghana’s 4x100m relay team at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, finishing fifth in their semi-final, hopes the programme will help put Ghana’s sprinters back on the athletics map.

Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Ghana had a consistent presence at international sprinting competitions throughout Africa with runners such as Michael Ahey, George Daniels, Hannah Afriyie and Alice Annum, but the pool of talent began to stagnate.

“I want to make (running) sexy again so that Ghanaians will start dominating the world by Tokyo 2020 and beyond,” stated Brobby, rather ambitiously.

But he might not have to wait until the next Olympics to see results.

The 2013 GFH winners, Emmanuel Dasor and Beatrice Gyaman, both ran in Rio in August (200m and 4x100m respectively).

And even though they failed to secure any medals, it took them only three years to go from promising local talents to appearing on the international stage.

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Rooney tired of debate

October 5, 2016, 3:00 pm

≫ Next: KK a popi kombinga yoonkundathana dhomadhipago gaaNamibia kuNdowishi

≪ Previous: Ghana looks to revive sprinting culture

Rooney tired of debateEngland’s football captain insists that his position on the field of play is up to the manager. Considers case closed over best position

Wayne Rooney has promised to accept whatever role England manager Gareth Southgate wants him to play after admitting he is tired of the debate about his best position.

Rooney has spent the best days of his glittering career as a striker, but he was deployed in midfield by then England boss Roy Hodgson at Euro 2016 after finishing last season with Manchester United in the same position.

Jose Mourinho’s arrival at United to replace Louis van Gaal has seen Rooney shifted back to a more attacking berth.

However, the England captain often positioned himself in a deep-lying role in last month’s World Cup qualifier against Slovakia.

That was the only match for England manager Sam Allardyce before his shock departure last week and, with interim boss Southgate preparing to name his side for Saturday’s qualifier against Malta, Rooney has been quizzed about his preferred role once again.”I don’t know, it’s a question for Gareth,” a visibly annoyed Rooney told reporters on Tuesday.

“The question of where I’m going to play... it’s getting a bit tired; the question of whether I’m going to play as a striker, in midfield or as a number 10.

“I’ve answered that question many times and it’s the same answer: I’ll play wherever the manager wants me to play.

“I don’t pick myself, I haven’t picked myself ever and I will play to instructions.”

Rooney’s clear irritation at the constant questions compounds a difficult time for the 30-year-old at club level.

Named on the bench for United’s last three matches, he arrives on England duty in the unusual position of looking for game time.

“Of course you want to play as a football player but it is my job, I love football and I love being involved with the team,” he said.

“Obviously I’m not starting at the moment at Manchester United but I have to work hard to try to get back in the team and the starting line-up, which I’m doing, and when I get my chance I have to take it.”

Rooney’s desire for team success is just the same at international level, where Southgate will be leaning on him to lead during this unstable period.

Understandably pleased to have been kept on as captain by his former international teammate, Rooney hopes to repay the manager with strong performances against Malta and Slovenia over the next week.

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KK a popi kombinga yoonkundathana dhomadhipago gaaNamibia kuNdowishi

October 5, 2016, 3:00 pm

≫ Next: Taya hupu momapandaanda

≪ Previous: Rooney tired of debate

KK a popi kombinga yoonkundathana dhomadhipago gaaNamibia kuNdowishiOshilyo nale shOmutumba gwEgumbo lyoPashigwana, Kazenambo Kazenambo okwa popi kutya oonkundathana kombinga yomadhipago ga kiinahenda ngoka ga ningilwa AaNamibia, kuNdowishi, nadhi kalekwe manga opo ku kongwe omukalo omupe gwokukwatela komeho oonkundathana dhoka. AaNama nAaHerero naya ninge oshitopolwa shoonkundathana

Kazenambo okwa popi kutya omukalo ngoka tagu longithwa monena kagu na mpoka tagu fala oonkundathana dhoka, na ogwa patela pondje oonakuninga iihakanwa yomadhipago ngoka ga ningwa pokati ko1904-1908.

Okwa popi kutya AaNama oshowo AaHerero itaya vulu okukalelwa po moonkundathana dhoka, omanga ekotampango lyoshilongo tali utha uuthemba waakwashigwana ayehe.

Okwa popi kutya oonakuninga iihakanwa kaye na owala uuthemba wokukala moonkundathana dhoka ihe oye na woo uuthemba wokumona evi lyawo ndyoka ya kuthwa pethimbo lyuukoloni.

Kazenambo okwa pandula epangelo lyaNamibia sho lya shuna mopaliamende oonkundathana dhoka nokutula miilonga okomitiye ndjoka tayi ningi omitumba dhaakwashigwana kombinga yaakwashigwana mboka ya gumwa komadhipago ngoka.

Omauyelele ngoka taga monika otaga ka tumwa kepangelo lyaNdowishi. Okwa pula opo aakwashigwana yomihoko dha gumwa ya kuthe ombinga moonkundathana na itaya kalelwa po owala kepangelo. Uuministeli wOmakwatathano goPaigwana owa popi kutya aakwashigwana yamwe po oya tindi okulongela kumwe nepangelo mokukandula po omukundu ngoka. Kazenambo okwa tindi olopota ndjoka kutya kayi na uukwashili.

Kazenambo okwa dhenge omuthindo kutya oonakuninga iihakanwa oya pumbwa okukutha ombinga nokukala oshitopolwa shoonkundathana dhoka. Kazenambo okwa tsikile kutya omatumwalaka ga yooloka otaga zi kombinga yepangelo moshikumungu shoka. Omupeha Presidende gwoshilongo Nickey Iyambo okwa popi kutya oonkundathana odhili pokutameka naakalelipo yepangelo lyaNamibia okwa tegelelwa ya ye koGermany opo ya ka kuthe ombinga moonkundathana.

Shoka osha landula omapopyo gomukalelipo gwaNamibia, Dr Zed Ngavirue, ngoka a popi kutya epangelo lyaNamibia olya gandja nale ondokumende ndjoka tayi kwatele komeho oonkundathana dhoka komeho. Ngavirue inaya muule wondokumende ndjoka ihe okwa popi kutya okwa pumbwa oku yi gandja komupresidende Hage Geingob.

Kazenambo okwa pula kutya olye ta kwatele komeho oonkundathana dhoka, ngele oDr Iyambo nenge oDR Ngavirue, nenge pamwe aanambelewa yaashiwike okuza muuministeli.

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Taya hupu momapandaanda

October 5, 2016, 3:00 pm

≫ Next: NAU a kondema omaponokelo gaanafaalama

≪ Previous: KK a popi kombinga yoonkundathana dhomadhipago gaaNamibia kuNdowishi

Taya hupu momapandaanda

Ongundu yaanona aashona otayi adhika mulimwe lyomomahala gaakengeli mOvenduka, moka aanona mboka ya popi kutya otaya hupu mokweehela aantu .

Konyala aanona mboka yeli o-12 oya popi kutya oye ya mehala ndyoka opo ya kale taya ehela aantu iimaliwa na ohaya longitha iimaliwa mbyoka mokulanda iikulya yawo.

Oyendji yomaanona mboka oya popi kutya oya hala okukala monkalo ndjoka shi vulithe okukala momagumbo gawo hoka ya zi ontuku yomamonitho giihuna oshowo okwaahasilwa oshisho kaakwanezimo yawo.

“Katu na aahona, ohatu isile oshisho tseyene,” gumwe gwomuunona mboka, ngoka a pula opo edhina lye kali popiwe, a popi. Oyendji yomaanona mboka aanona yaamati yoomvula dhili pokati ka 8 no 16 oshowo aakadhona yaali. Oya popi kutya oyendji oya kala pehala ndyoka uule woomwedhi ndatu.

Aanona mboka oya pula opo ehala ndyoka yeli kali popiwe nonando ehala ndyoka ye li olya kala nokutalika omeho komalelo omolwa omanyenyeto ngoka ga zi moshigwana.

Metitano, opolisi yoshilando oya ithanwa konima sho aanona mboka ya adhika taya ehela iimaliwa pomatsakanena goondjila. Omathano ngoka ga monika oga ulike kutya aanona mboka mwa kwatelwa aakadhona yaali inaya zala omizalo dhiihwapo.

Okamwayinamati kokakadhona kamwe oka popi kutya oka hala okushuna koGobabis kegumbo, hoka oyendji yomaanona mboka oko ya zile ihe mumwayinakadhona ina hala okushuna.

Pehala mpoka otapu monika okatalashe okashona naanona mboka oya ulike nkene haya ithinaneke pokatalashe hoka opo ya lale.

Oyendji yomaanona mboka ya popiwa nayo oshiwike sha piti koNamibian Sun ina hala okupopya kutya oshike sheya thiminike opo ya thigepo omagumbo gawo, nokukala monkalamwenyo ndjoka yoku ehela.

Kamwe komuumati mboka hoka ka popi kutya oke na oomvua 14 nonando otaka monika okashona, oka popi kutya oka kala nokumonithwa iihuna kuhe, uuna a longitha iikolitha, na otaka monika ke na iiyadhi moshipala.

Okamati kamwe oka popi kutya oka thiminikwa kaye momapandaanda konima sho yina a hokanwa po komusamane gumwe. Okwa popi kutyaokwa kala nayinagona ihe ina hala okukala naye molwaashoka megumbo omu na ondjala.

JANA-MARI SMITH

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