Aunty Nangy

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Aunty Nangy In love with a married man

I am in love with a marriage man. We fell in love before he got married but I found out that he was engaged after we had fallen in love. When he got married I wanted to break up with him but I love him so much. Can we still continue or what can I do?

You baffle me with your confession about continuing with a romantic relation with a married man and seem content playing second fiddle. You even decided to continue after finding out that the man was engaged to another woman whom he married and kept you in his sex side lane. This is not love and you have deliberately and consciously decided to be used as his sex toy. This is prostitution and you know it. This man cheated on you and you want to tell the world that you are so much in love you can’t ditch him. After you discovered that he was engaged you continued sleeping with him and worse still after he made nuptial vows and married the woman he truly loved and you are still not seeing that you have never meant anything to this casanova. He has lied to you and his wife but it is your behaviour that is pathetic because what you think is a problem is not a problem - you are the problem. Shame on you and your man! You are both knowingly in a love triangle that is a high risk to other people who may be caught in this cycle. Stop spreading the HIV fire and save lives!

22 and still no periods

I am a 22-year-old girl and my problem is, I have not started my periods yet. What must I do?

By now you should have started but there could be a medical or biological reason why you have not started. Please seek medical help so that you don’t stress yourself.

Wound on my member worrying me

I have a small wound on tip of my penis can you help me please?

According to Dove Med, male genital sores can be painful or painless, single or multiple and they may or may not be associated with other symptoms. They usually arise from a sore area (including from blisters). Since sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are the most common cause of genital ulcers, evaluation and treatment of both the individual and their partner(s) should be done by a healthcare provider to rule out other associated diseases.

Who is barren?

l am 31 years old and I am dating a woman aged 26. She doesn’t have a kid in her life but l have, from another woman. We have been living together for seven years now but no kid. Who is having a problem?

It should not be a blame game. Many times couples fail to have a baby and there is nothing wrong between them. It is difficult for me to tell if it is you or your woman who has a problem because I am not a medical expert. You can see a health specialist to do investigations so that you know why the two of you cannot have a baby. You have a kid with another woman but because some dishonest and cunning women sleep with many men and chose one, usually the best financially to be the fathers of the child while the kid was fathered by Tom. I suggest that the two of you should visit a doctor.

She refuses to sleep with me

I have a problem. My girlfriend is always asking me to buy her a smart phone and many more. But, when I called her to come and sleep next with me she does not want. She claims that I am his one and only. Is this the case really? Can you help me Aunty?

True love is unconditional and this is what your relationship with this girl is not. She has asked you to buy her expensive gifts and many more from what you say and you did because you love her, I assume. Now you want her to pay back by sleeping with you or what? That is not how it works. You need to understand why agreed to buy her the gifts in the first place. Was it out of love or was it to induce her to sleep with you? I suggest you find a nice way of talking to her so that you understand how you feel about this issue. I understand the way you feel because you are saying one good turn deserves another, right? Maybe she is preserving herself for you only so stop thinking about the things that you bought her but about maintaining a healthy honest relationship and the day you will take her on your honeymoon and you will break the seal.

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Tick tock for NAMAs applicants

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Tick tock for NAMAs applicantsHeyday for Namibian artists closing in The Namibia Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) committee is urging artists to submit their participation application forms before the deadline. With merely two weeks left, the NAMAs organising committee is strongly urging the artists and entertainment journalists to submit their applications whilst there is still time and not to wait until the eleventh hour.

The NAMAs organising committee is utterly disappointed by the snail''s pace at which the artists are moving to submit their application forms.

The committee has made provision of ample time to make sure that all the artists get a chance to apply and instead of making use of it, the artists are sticking to their tendency of waiting until the last days to submit their applications.

As it stands, there is merely two weeks left to apply and the organisers are not granting an extension as a grace period for the artists who fail to apply before the closing date. The application period has been open since 19 October 2016 and will run until the 2 December and no application will be accepted thereafter.

“We strongly urge all the artists and entertainment journalists who are interested to be nominated in the NAMA 2017 and have not yet submitted their application to start doing so to avoid last minute disappointment or inconvenience,” emphasised John Ekongo, member of the NAMAs organising committee.

He further expressed his disappointment about the number of entry forms received saying they are quite few and not satisfactory. Ekongo argues that most artists are waiting until the last days to submit their applications. “To this end, we have only received around 90 online entries from the public and over 25 manual entries, collected country wide.

The application forms are available at both MTC headquarters in Olympia, at NBC or can alternatively be downloaded on the NAMAs website. The NAMAs will take place on 28 and 29 April 2017.

Staff reporter

Plus size, twice as nice

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Plus size, twice as niceMiss Plus Size International to hit Namibian shores A beauty pageant that embraces thick and curvy Namibian ladies is coming and the FNCC will house the show. Miss Plus Size International, is a beauty pageant that is aimed at solving social ills and stereotypes about plus size ladies.

The pageant was launched last year and the first pageant took place in Tambov, Russia last year. This year, the pageant is scheduled to take place at the Franco Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC), on 2 December at 19:00. The first pageant drew ladies from different European countries, to partake in the first ever competition which saw Martha Mwaatile from Namibia nestling the crown at the ice-breaking event in Tambov, Russia.

The founder and organiser of Miss Plus Size International Margaret Shivolo, affectionately known as Margo Rusky in the modelling circles, says after launching the Russian pageant where she is based, she felt the need to bring the pageant to Namibia in order to empower African plus size ladies to appreciate and get comfortable in their body sizes.

The pageant also aims to solve social discrimination against plus size and show the world that the size of your body does not matter, to understand the fact that what matters, is the content of your character.

She adds that, beauty pageants often require participants to fork out large sums of money in flights and other expenses that the pageants do not cover but with this pageant, contestant are not required to pay any fee apart from the N$200 application fee. “Models are normally expected to pay for additional costs that the organisers of pageants are not willing to pay. But, with this pageant, the models will not be paying for additional costs apart from the N$200 application,” said Margo Rusky.

Tickets are available at CompuTicket.

Normal tickets are going for N$ 150 while VIP tickets are going for N$300 and the VVIP table for 5 is going for N$2 500.

June Shimuoshili

Pumumu, the December maker

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Pumumu, the December maker Album, features, Universal Records deal, videos and new GMP artists disclosed Multi award-winning artist and GMP owner Gazza talks to tjil about Pumumu, his latest project, to hit stores on 28 November. Here is how the interview went down with Gazza



tjil (T): Tell us about the Pumumu double album.

Gazza (G): The album is turning to be something new and different every day. Firstly it was hard choosing the best 18 tracks from about 30 tracks. We had to eventually develop a double album. It was also tricky getting the right balance of songs on both CDs so they get equal attention from the fans. With my experience, and while working on this project I was more free musically, meaning I was experimenting my voice and tried out some instrumentals that I haven''t used before because I needed a feel-good album. All your December moments must be built around the Pumumu album just like Stof-Lap Chikapute, 467/GMP Till I Die, Cosa Nostra: La Familia and my other albums did.



T: Who did you feature on the album?

G: There are many features, there''s Emtee, Nyanda from Brick and Lace, Ghanaian and Nigerian features and Tequila, Lady May and Jeiyo from Namibia - just to mention a few. The hardest one to work with was Nyanda, I would say. Firstly she''s very beautiful so you won''t know whether to look at her face or listen to her voice you know (laughs). I had to travel to Miami for the first time and by myself, which wasn''t easy because just the airport alone seemed like a town on its own you know, but her team was very helpful. Being Jamaican and African seemed the same and so they made me feel at home instantly and the conversation sparked from there on. I had to direct the production of the song and I had to choose the type of feel I was going for.



T: Will there be music videos?

G: Music videos are the future, it''s hard to sell music alone as it is and visuals help a lot. We have shot some already, the track with Nyanda is done… if you recall me going back and forth to Miami, that was to shoot. That video will only be released around April next year because it has to sync with the American summer. We shot some at Swakopmund and this Sunday we will be shooting the summer song video with Suzy Eises. The one with Davido is shot but it was only released in Namibia and Universal still has to put their trademark on it.



T: What influence does being signed to a label like Universal have on GMP?

G: I am the first Namibian to be signed under this label so there isn''t anyone I could compare myself to and I also can''t compare with other countries because our population isn''t like ours and the benefits will be different. So I am yet to find out what influence Universal will add to my brand. I''m positive as this makes us the best music label in Namibia because we are aligned to a giant label and the deal for Namibia is also huge. Universal didn''t sign Gazza but it signed GMP records as a whole. They entrusted me with spotting new material that will be of interest to them. I already have people sending me their music on Whats App. Once my album irons out, things will be clearer to me and I will be able to see how I can help other talent and what it is they can expect from Universal.



T: Do you have to liaise with Universal with regards to the content of your music?

G: Most definitely. It''s totally cool because we communicate via mail and telephonic conversations so I don''t know whether to say I''m lucky or not because the person that I communicate with is the boss himself and I''m fortunate enough that he has time for me. It''s always about the energy you present at the end of the day and that is what makes us human. You carry a certain energy and this is how you portray yourself. It doesn''t matter how big or small you are at the end of the day. A lot of people will call it being real and that is what I try to be all the time. I don''t sell myself with things I won''t manage at the end of the day. Just remain real and humble.



T: Give us all details with regards to 3 December.

G: It will be huge because I will be unveiling all the artists that are under the GMP record label and they will also perform some of their music. My album will hit the stores around 28 November so the release is earlier than the launch. The venue is Unam''s main campus sports field.

Tickets are going for N$50 general access, N$150 golden circle plus album and N$500 for VIP which includes a rugby bar which will have two big screens in it feeding live from the stadium so one can watch from inside if they don''t want to be outside. They have three options of where they will catch the show from. There will be food platters and very expensive welcome drinks for the VIPs.



T: Will you be the entering NAMAS 2017?

G: I hope I will be entering. The album will only be available commercially from the 28 November and it''s unfortunate as we might enter songs that might not be appealing to the public as it''s usually the fans that motivate the songs that we enter. We hope for the best outcome.



T: This is your 11th album, what is the way forward?

G: I am enjoying my space as an artist, it is really relieving to do a song from the heart to the point of not knowing what genre it is simply because it came from within… which means you are fully into it. I want to write my music that way for as long as I can and for now I just want to ride that wave. As soon as I drop this album I will be back in studio because I really enjoy making music. Music is my life and without it I will be very disappointed (laughs).



T: How would you advise someone to go about music?

G: If one can give up everything for music then they have what it takes to do music. I once gave up my family for music because I used to support them and when I stopped I couldn''t anymore you know. I had lost it all because of music and when everything came to light I got all I had lost back. If one can do that then they have what it takes. It''s all about the passion and that is what still drives me. I always say the depth of your struggle will maintain the height of your success.



June Shimuoshili

It's a sad situation

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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It's a sad situation Our own country men don''t want to see us succeed in anything we want to do... It''s so sad that people from your own country prefer to see you fail than succeed and at the same time they celebrate your failure while people from other countries want to see you do good and succeed...What are we becoming? Are we jealousy? Are we bitter? Or, are we simply too lazy to do what makes us happy, that we sit back and pray that everyone else fails... this is so wrong my fellow Namibians. We are supposed to be pioneers of this industry but, we rather break it down to get satisfaction. The corporate world is watching and they are the ones that are supposed to help build our entertainment and fashion industry but all they see is bad publicity, hatred and one-sided stories. How do you expect those people to invest in the industry if we are not even trying to build it? We are not saying don''t write or say the truth but be constructive about it. Don''t gloat and bash others because they failed. At least, give constructive criticism and advise them to ensure that next time they do better. We are currently working against each other and this so bad and a recipe for disaster... we will never grow if we don''t work together. In my last piece I mentioned that journalists are failing us because all they do is criticise us in newspapers and their personal capacity without helping us through advice. How do you expect to write a constructive story of an event or person if you criticised the person and event before it even happens? Doesn’t this mean you were out for bloods from the beginning... write about us, tell the truth but at the same time, be constructive about it and give advice and guidance. People are trying to make a career out of the industry but, the only way they will succeed is through all our help, let us be open minded and let''s stop these cliques we created trying to topple others by using resources that are beneficial to all of us.

Our Namibian people need the entertainment and fashion industry, don''t let us fail them. We want peace among everyone including journalists. Without each other there won''t be any industry left.

Kalistu R Mukoroli

Brand Strategist

Dear Namibian Artists

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Dear Namibian Artists Take your brand seriously especially, when it comes to promotion and your publicity!! How successful you become is defined solely by how you treat your brand. The support you get from your fans and the endorsements you get from companies all go towards building your brand.

I’ll focus on one aspect of Promotion and Publicity and that’s preparation for interviews especially for TV and Radio mediums. Interviews are a great way for artists and musicians to “sell” themselves and for them to speak about what they are most passionate about. There are many media outlets looking for musicians to interview in Namibia than ever before. We have YouTube channels, Radio stations, magazines, blogs and etc.

As a person who will be interviewed, you will be providing background information and quotes that will make an interview outstanding and your preparation is crucial. I’ve always maintained that I don’t do interviews but rather have “conversations” when I interview artists.

Sure you are quick on your feet and can wing any interview. You are confident and entertaining and give the most convincing interview on Radio and TV but, for everyone else, here are few tips on how to prepare for your big interview.

Don’t say yes to everything

Sometimes artists have the inclination to say “yes” to every interview invite and it’s not wrong to do so. There are a lot of radio stations and YouTube channels that an artist can go to for interviews and they serve as a great opportunity for an artist to branch out and build on their brand but you don’t have to agree to every interview. Only agree to interviews that are worth your time and the ones that can be beneficial to you.

Know your audience

Do you know who your audience are? Do you know who will listen and watch what you say? Prepare for your audience and speak directly to them. If you are scheduled for an interview for a youth program on TV, the audience expects you to motivate and inspire them and don’t want to hear about your new hit song.

Practice for your interview

Delivering a convincing interview is an art and just like you prepare for a performance you need to practice for your interviews. Focus on how you will answer questions and what some of the most important things you would love to speak about are. Remember not to memorise your answers because interviews are supposed to be conversational not a monologue.

Offer something different

For every interview you take, make sure it will be different from the next one you will have. There is nothing as annoying as watching or listening to an interview just to hear something you have said five times already. That is why preparation is important.

These are just some of the tips I can give to you. Remember, the interview is about you and you need to be confident but don’t outshine your host. Also when you agree to an interview, send your host your short biography, songs and a few things you’ve done just so they are prepared for you.

Finding where to go this holiday at your finger tips

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Finding where to go this holiday at your finger tipsThe Namibia tourism Board has much bigger and better ways of how to find places to visit via cell phones. Just in time for the December holidays, the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) has launched a fun and interactive mobile friendly campaign enticing travellers to explore the Land of the Brave. NTB launches mobile holiday campaign



According to the NTB, the “Namibia in a Day” campaign aims to lure locals to travel more inside the country by exploring various activities available in and around various cities and towns.

The campaign revolves around an interactive quiz game that, through a series of fun questions, can determine your personality, what you like and provides an activity or place of interest to explore in Namibia based on the type of person you are. According to NTB, the idea came from a realisation that apart from larger attractions like the Etosha National Park, Sossusvlei and the Fish River Canyon, a need exists for a platform on which Namibians can find and showcase their own ‘special’ ways of enjoying the country.

This can be either by sitting down for a local delicatessen in a local village, finding a relatively unknown common area for walkers and cyclists in Windhoek or enjoying a special community-based tour of the informal settlements.

According to NTB, if players feel that they have something they enjoy doing, and would like to share it, they can easily upload the activity for others to find.

Along with the quiz game “Namibia in a Day, Proudest Picks” refers to the magnificent choice of activities that can be found around the country, the campaign is mostly digitally driven and therefore, makes it possible for anyone around the country to take part.

“With Namibia in a Day, we worked with our digital agency to create a mobile-friendly platform from where each and every one of us can explore the sights and sounds of what’s going on around us, whether it’s a walking trail, a local sight worth exploring, a joyful experience, a local hangout or, perhaps just their favourite place and time to sit and watch the world go by. This means that when you’re planning your weekend or are looking for something interesting to do, wherever in the country you are, you can explore all the options around you and with a few easy clicks, find out exactly what it’s about,” said Rebekka Amadhila, NTB’s Manager of Online and Digital Marketing.

To make sure that small and large tourism-orientated businesses can also benefit from the “Namibia in a Day” campaign, if a business offers any services related to an activity, they can link their business listing to the result. For instance, if there’s an activity such as exploring the bay of Walvis Bay, if a business gives guided tours, that business and others who offer guided tours can go to the activity and link their businesses to it.

In regards to quality control, campaign administrators will work in the background to approve all entries and ensure that the campaign offers only the best options and results.

According to Digu //Naobeb, CEO of NTB, apart from creating a fun, interactive platform to showcase what the country has to offer, the “Namibia in a Day” campaign is also a huge step towards enabling broad base participation of Namibians in the tourism industry and creates a platform from which smaller operators and providers can get their services recognised.

The website can be found at www.namibiainaday.com or at http://activities.my.na/

STAFF REPORTER

Mr Businessman President

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Mr Businessman President Ethical questions and other challenges will abound As president, Donald Trump will have difficult choices to make to avoid ethical issues and other conflicts of interest. After Ivanka Trump appeared on CBS''s "60 Minutes" wearing a US$10 800 bracelet from her jewellery line, someone at her company sent photos from the interview to fashion writers to drum up free publicity. A firestorm of criticism erupted over the impropriety of profiting off the presidency, and the company apologised.

If only the bracelet brouhaha was the end of it.

Experts on government ethics are warning President-elect Donald Trump that he''ll never shake suspicions of a clash between his private interests and the public good if he doesn''t sell off his vast holdings, which include roughly 500 companies in more than a dozen countries. They say just the appearance of conflicts is likely to tie up the new administration in investigations, lawsuits and squabbles, stoked perhaps by angry Oval Office tweets.

"People are itching to sue Donald Trump and stick him under oath," said Richard Painter, chief White House ethics lawyer for George W. Bush.

In an interview with The New York Times on Tuesday, Trump insisted that the "law''s totally on my side," and ethics experts agree that federal conflicts of interest rules don''t apply to the president so he can run his business pretty much the way he pleases while in office. His company, The Trump Organisation, had no comment on the conflicts issue, other than a statement reiterating its plans to transfer control of the company to three of the president-elect''s adult children.

Painter doesn''t think that goes far enough. In a letter to Trump last week, he joined watchdog groups and ethics lawyers from both Democratic and Republican administrations in predicting "rampant, inescapable" conflicts that will engulf the new administration if the president-elect does not liquidate his business holdings.

A look at five areas where conflicts may arise:

New hotel

For use of the government-owned Old Post Office for his new Washington hotel, Trump agreed on annual rent to the government in a contract that was signed more than three years ago. So what possibly could be the problem now?

Plenty, according to Steven Schooner, a professor of government procurement law at George Washington University who has studied the contract. In addition to base rent, the president-elect agreed to additional annual payments based on various financial measures of how well the hotel is doing. Schooner says such payments typically require drawn out negotiations each year.

"How can anyone expect a government employee to negotiate with the Trump family at arm''s length and treat the Trump family like any other contractor?" Schooner asks.

Schooner thinks Trump should terminate the contract because, even if the Trump family acts honourably, the appearance a conflict will spread doubt throughout the contracting system. Federal rules prohibit government employees and elected officials from striking contracting deals with the government for just this reason, though the president is exempted.

"The US government pays over US$400 billion in contracts a year," Schooner says. "Why should other contractors have to follow the rule if the President of the United States doesn''t have to?"

As president, Trump will have the authority to appoint a new head to the General Services Administration, the federal agency that signed the lease with Trump and will negotiate the rent each year.

Business at the hotel could get a lift if foreign dignitaries decide to stay at the new hotel to curry favour with the new president.

In addition to the Washington hotel, Trump Organisation leases land from some local governments, including for a golf course in New York City and one in Florida.

Foreign affairs

Trump''s extensive operations abroad raise the possibility that his foreign policy could be shaped by his business interests, and vice versa. Trump has struck real estate deals in South Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Uruguay, Panama, India and Turkey, among other countries.

In June, Turkish media reported that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for Trump''s name to be removed from the Trump Towers in Istanbul because of what Erdogan characterized as anti-Muslim comments by the candidate. A Nato member, Turkey is a key ally in fighting the Islamic State group in Syria.

In India, the newspaper Economic Times reported that Trump held a meeting in New York a week after his election with business partners who put up the Trump Towers Pune in the western part of the country. The president-elect also has a Trump-branded residential tower in nearly Mumbai with another company.

Kenneth Gross, head of political law at the firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, says Trump''s business ties will raise suspicions that he is getting special deals abroad because he is president, and that this runs the risk of violating the Emolument Clause. That is a section of the US Constitution that forbids public officials from receiving gifts from foreign governments and foreign-controlled companies without the consent of Congress.

"He can''t avoid conflicts," said Gross, "unless he sells his assets."

Trump lender

One of Trump''s biggest lenders is Deutsche Bank, a German giant in settlement negotiations with the Department of Justice on its role in the mortgage blowup that triggered the 2008 financial crisis. The hit to Deutsche could be substantial, with the government reportedly demanding US$14 billion.

Will a Justice Department under Trump go easy on the bank? It''s not clear anyone will know. Trump will nominate the head of that agency, too.

One possible response is for Trump to make sure the Deutsche case is handled by career civil servants at Justice, and any appointee like the Attorney General is recused. A career civil servant doesn''t have to worry about being fired if he goes against Trump''s wishes, but may still worry about displeasing bosses connected to the president.

More than 300 positions at Justice are currently held by presidential appointees.

Tax audit

The odds that the IRS will rule against Trump may be no different than before he was elected, but it''s difficult to know for sure.

Trump has cited a long running audit by the Internal Revenue Service in refusing to release his tax returns. If he is under scrutiny, it''s not surprising. In his debate with Hillary Clinton, Trump confirmed he used a US$916 million loss in 1995 to avoid paying federal taxes for years.

The president nominates the commissioner of the IRS who, assuming the Senate approves, serves for five years.

Trump will also get to make appointments to the National Labour Relations Board, which rules on labour disputes. In July, the board ruled against Trump in a case involving workers trying to unionise at the Trump Hotel Las Vegas. The Trump Organisation lists six other hotels in the US on its website.

Lawsuits

Trump said Friday that he agreed to pay US$25 million to settle three lawsuits alleging fraud at his Trump University so he could focus on preparing for his presidency. But this could also bring problems, as Trump himself has acknowledged previously.

"When you start settling cases, you know what happens?" the president-elect said earlier this year. "Everybody sues you because you get known as a settler."

Painter, the ethics lawyer for George W. Bush, predicts the political divide in Washington is going to make things worse.

"The plaintiff''s lawyers are going to get in there because they can get a good settlement, and Trump''s political enemies are going to egg it on," says Painter. "You put that all together and you''re going to have a lot of potential for litigation."

Painter says Trump should sell his ownership stakes to minimise the danger the new president gets distracted by lawsuits. He adds, though, that this is just a partial fix. The famously litigious Trump already is facing numerous lawsuits.

Asked to sum up his view on Trump''s situation, Painter replies, "A mess, a mess."– Nampa/AP

BERNARD CONDON

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Helping SMEs to grow

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Helping SMEs to growNMH, Namibian Sun launch Project Kwafela Namibian Sun''s Kwafela campaign seeks to promote small business development in the country. Small and medium-sized enterprises in Namibia face many challenges, especially when it comes to growth and value

addition.

It is against this background that Namibian Sun and Namibia Media Holdings (NMH) have come up with an initiative which seeks to promote and highlight the need for greater recognition of home-grown SMEs considering the role they play in the Namibian economy.

This initiative, called Kwafela, is the first of its kind and will help SMEs to market their businesses, products and services in Namibian Sun''s classified section.

Namibian entrepreneurs from all 14 regions now have an opportunity to showcase what they can offer to the market - be it local or international - by making use of this platform.

“Small business represents the heart of our economy. We all have the responsibility to help build this sector.

“Namibia Media Holdings and Namibian Sun are committed to give the SME sector public exposure of their products and services to expand their business in Namibia and beyond.

“We are proud to work with government and local authorities to Kwafela SMEs who are registered as such with government,” said NMH CEO Albe Botha.

SMEs will also be listed on arguably the biggest online portal in Namibia, My.Na, where products, businesses and services are advertised.

“Our advertising exposure is not only in the print media, but all businesses are listed on My.Na online platforms as well. Their services can be found by any person connected to the internet. This online service is free of charge,” added Botha.

According to Botha, NMH is involved in many other projects promoting Namibia, which include the Namibia Town of the Year competition.

“Promoting and supporting SMEs in our 38 towns is part of our commitment in promoting Namibian towns and their SMEs through Kwafela. We therefore are working with local authorities to help promote the SME sector in their respective communities.”



Who qualifies?

Any small business registered with the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development automatically qualifies for this initiative.

Businesses from a particular town will be listed in Namibian Sun''s classifieds section. This will be done on a rotational basis, which means no town or region will enjoy more placements than others.

Some SMEs will also be profiled in Namibian Sun and Ewi lyaNooli.

Our marketing team will visit towns to explain this concept to prospective clients and the authorities.

The first listing next week will start with businesses from Okahandja and Oshakati.

STAFF REPORTER

Road infrastructure gets priority

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Road infrastructure gets priority The road network is expected to get the lion''s share of the Road Fund Administration''s kitty over the next five years.

The Road Fund Administration is planning to channel up to 77% of the funds it administers to road infrastructure projects as it rolls out a new five-year business plan. This reflects ambitious plans by the Roads Authority to tar several roads.

The Road Fund Administration signalled its intention to transport stakeholders before it submits its business plan to its line ministry this week.

Speaking on behalf of Roads Authority chief executive officer Conrad Lutombi, Wilfred Brock, executive officer for transport regulation, informed stakeholders that numerous road projects were in the pipeline for the next five years.

Brock said the plan was to tar over 1000 kilometres of gravel roads and construct 500 kilometres of new gravel roads per year.

This includes the construction of a dual carriageway between Rehoboth and Windhoek, tarring of the Tsumkwe-Grootfontein road and the Aranos and Mata-Mata roads, and the construction of a Walvis Bay-Solitaire-Maltahöhe road to ease congestion on the B2 national route.

Reflecting on the planned development of the Oshikango bypass, Brock said: “We must realise that the oil price will not always be where it is,” suggesting that activity in neighbouring Angola was expected to improve.

Reflecting on the Omaruru-Swakopmund connection, Brock said the Roads Authority expected increased cargo owing to the expansion of the port of Walvis Bay that would put pressure on the Trans-Caprivi and Kunene corridors.

Rehabilitation work is planned on the Oshakati-Ruacana road, the Grünau-Mariental road and the Gobabis-Buitepos road.

OGONE TLHAGE

Latin America almost beats hunger

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Latin America almost beats hunger Malnutrition to dip below 5% by 2025 Much effort has been made in Latin America to beat hunger and malnutrition and the continent is doing far better than Africa. Malnutrition in Latin America appears headed to dip below the 5% threshold over the next decade, experts said during the presentation of a report in Mexico City.

The report, titled “Agricultural Outlook 2016-2025”, was compiled by the United Nations'' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

“A more rapid rise in income and improved agricultural productivity will speed up the reduction, but the key is better access (to nutrition) among the poor,” said Roberto Martinez, the OECD''s director in Mexico.

“It is a problem of distribution. It is a problem of inclusion, especially in emerging economies with lower income,” he added.

The report calls on regional countries to apply new technologies in the agricultural sector to boost efficiency and production.

Malnutrition rates worldwide are expected to fall, from 11% to 8%, except in sub-Saharan Africa, where the rate will remain at an elevated 19%.

Despite the downward trend, some 638 million people around the world will still suffer from malnutrition in 2025, said Martinez.

According to the FAO, malnutrition affects 5.5% of the population in Latin America.

Fernando Soto, the FAO''s representative in Mexico, said that despite the projected decrease in malnutrition, food production nevertheless faces a major challenge.

“The main challenge the agricultural production system will face by 2025 will be how to produce more than 5 billion tons of food, but with less water, much less soil and less biodiversity, and the unpredictable consequences and uncertainties of climate change,” said Soto.

One key way to bolster agricultural production, he said, is to strengthen family farming, which in Latin America alone represents more than 80% of the region''s productive farms and generates up to 67% of its food.



NAMPA/XINHUA

Pakistan MPs get 2.5 times increase in pay

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Pakistan MPs get 2.5 times increase in pay Pakistan has approved a salary jump of nearly 2.5 times for its members of parliament, the information minister said, taking their pay to more than ten times the minimum wage.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif authorised the move at a time when he faces public pressure, and court cases, over allegations in the Panama Papers data leak that his children owned offshore wealth.

Parliamentarians have received only two modest increases in the last 14 years, said Marriyum Aurangzeb, the junior minister for information and broadcasting.

“We have raised the pay of parliamentarians,” Aurangzeb told reporters, adding that the monthly salaries would rise to N$20 350 from October, versus about N$8 240.

The new salary, which far exceeds Pakistan''s minimum wage of N$1 904 per month, does not include perks, such as housing help.

Pay for federal ministers rose to N$27 000 from N$17 000.

“We have done an exercise, comparing the pay of federal MPs with their counterparts in the provincial assemblies and even after this rise, these rates are the lowest in Pakistan,” Aurangzeb said.

Public support for Sharif''s government was dented this year after documents released as part of the Panama Papers data leak appeared to show his children used offshore companies to buy properties in London. He denies wrongdoing, as do his children.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court, led by the chief justice, is hearing four petitions related to the allegations. In May, the lower house of parliament unanimously passed a measure supporting the pay rise but the package needed the approval of the prime minister.



NAMPA/REUTERS

Motor vehicles are deadly weapons

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Motor vehicles are deadly weapons Despite the fact that we are now known worldwide for some of the most dangerous and deadly roads on the planet, our traffic authorities are mostly no-where to be found – they are perpetually “missing in action”. They are absolutely no-where to be seen at roadblocks, despite the fact that there are numerous roadblocks put up all over Namibia – to what end – we do not know, because they are mostly just “wave and go” roadblocks. We have observed cars without any tread on their tyres, broken lights; some with no number plates whatsoever (Alien cars from another planet?), overloaded cars and many other obvious problems that put the roadworthiness of vehicles in serious doubt. We do not even want to begin to speculate the issue of lack of valid driver’s licences, expired driver’s licences or false driver’s licences – The truth of this may very well cause us night terrors for our entire lives. The fact of the matter is that everyone knows that the traffic police take bribes, but rather than report them, the powers that be have set the fines so ridiculously high, that Tom, Dick and Harry would rather pay a bribe than risk paying the fine! Which brings us to the next point – please equip every single traffic officer/policeman with a body-cam. Yup – we mean a camera worn on the body of every policeman/traffic officer so that whatever that officer does in the course of his/her line of duty is duly recorded. This could serve a dual purpose of course, by also recording the actions of the perpetrator (smile). All we know is that something needs to be done. We also need working cameras at all road blocks and we need traffic officers stationed at each and every roadblock to check roadworthiness of vehicles, driver’s licences, etc. Alternatively, Police officers need to receive training and the authority to remove cars from the road that are not roadworthy, check every single driver’s licence and confiscate where necessary, etc. The carnage needs to end now, and we need some political will to hasten it along.

There's a new dance in town!

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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There's a new dance in town! Love aside ''Azonto dance'', there is a new kid in town! Yes, there is a new dance that has taken over Herero mall. This dance implores people to get down to it - literally! If you think this is another urban legend - like that which is told of ''Big Foot'', ''Robin Hood'' or ''Charlie the lover'' (Well, now you know why I still use S-curl and Go-Black in this day and age); then you are in for a surprise.

There is a new dance in town, and it is done with your feet off the ground. In fact, your whole body is off the ground when doing this dance! It is called the ''Tanganjika'', and is taking the ''dancing'' world by storm! When the song implores you to ''do a Tanga'' , you throw yourself on the ground and start rolling - twisting and turning your body like there is no tomorrow.

Hoax? No, my dear friend - this dance is no hoax and its news is no fluke either; it is as real as the pain experienced when punched in the mouth by a jealous boyfriend of your kamboroto! I too had a tough time comprehending the news that a grown man can literally throw himself on the ground, roll in laughter and still live to tell the story! I mean, let’s face it - who does that?

Isn''t that supposed to be the best kept secret of a toddler to make you - who by the way is supposed to be the adult - do something for him? I mean, they are the only people I have seen taking to the ground with pride. As an adult, the only time you approach the ground at such lightning speed is when you realise that your schoolmate - whom you accused of being weak a ''sissy girl'' - has an amazing right-hook.

But no, the Tanganjika is only danced when you roll on the ground and do funny moves that look like somersaulting. Well, to be honest, it is not exactly somersaulting - given the sizes of our kapundas, it ends up being a ''funny move''. Ja, when asked to click on a form with different types of dances, the attempt at somersaulting will be placed under "other", as it cannot be classified.

I was baffled when I witnessed people doing the Tanganjika dance at a recent wedding. There I was seated amongst a group of peers, discussing the three main things men discuss - women, beer and …um…women. Suddenly, someone throws himself to the ground, and then another followed, and yet another…

I looked around nervously. Did that lion from Uncle Tjokondavirongo''s hunting tales - in which he was always the hero - return to finish us all off? Surely something must have frightened these young adults, who are all adorned in their best Sunday suits. I watched in awe as they rolled on the ground, humping it like dogs possessed!

"Come on Charlie…come and ''Tanga'' with us…" one of them said.

Now, to my untrained mind, ''Tanga'' is the short form of the country now known as Tanzania. In fact, the word ''Tanga'' paints a picture of PLAN fighters in the bush plotting the independence of Namibia. At least, that is the history taught to me by Juffrou Platt in our Grade 8 class.

"You want me to do what? Roll on the ground? By choice? In full view of my wife and kids? Hell no…” I responded.

You see, when people do such funny and awkward stuff, they often blame it on alcohol or the excessive intake of it. Ja, alcohol is their “alibi” - they can always quote it to defend themselves against their fuming partners.

Now, I don''t drink - so what the hell do I tell my wife? I mean, how do I explain humping the ground in front of the kids? You see, it is simple for you to say "Just cook up anything, she will understand…", but you have no idea what a wife can do to a man once the visitors are gone!

That said, what in heaven''s name will I tell the doctor the next Monday when he asks how exactly how I broke three ribs? So – as far as this new form of dancing is concerned – kindly count me out. I prefer both of my feet firmly on the ground.

Until then...

tjatindi@gmail.com

Rhino slaughter continues

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Rhino slaughter continues Seven new cases of poaching in Etosha It appears as though the poaching of Namibia''s rhino continues unabated in the country with seven new cases announced. Police have expressed concern about the illegal activities practiced by communities living in areas surrounding national parks as seven more rhino carcasses were discovered in the Etosha National Park during November.

The recent discovery pushes the total of poached rhinos in Namibia to 47 this year, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism confirmed in a statement.

Investigations on the recent discovery are underway involving the Namibian police and the environment ministry.

With regard to elephants, the ministry said 69 elephants have been poached this year mainly in the Zambezi and Kavango regions.

“Wildlife trafficking is becoming a million-dollar criminal enterprise that has expanded to more than just a conservation concern,” the ministry said.

According to the ministry, the increased involvement of organised crime in poaching and wildlife trafficking promotes corruption, threatens peace, strengthens illicit trade routes and destabilises economies and communities that depend on wildlife for their livelihoods.

Meanwhile Major-General James Tjivikua, the deputy inspector-general for operations at the police said joint efforts by the police and communities living in the areas adjacent to national parks are of paramount importance in order to combat soaring incidents of poaching.

Tjivikua said while Namibia has the largest black rhino population in the world, the country is faced with the daunting task of arresting a growing number of poachers who come from villages neighbouring the national parks. He urged the communities living in the areas adjacent to Etosha to collaborate with law enforcement agencies and the ministry to provide information about the poachers and their “heinous” activities.

According to Tjivikua, the police have recorded specific violations of the law and crimes perpetrated by would-be farmers and local residents of areas adjacent to the Etosha National Park.

He said these crimes include poaching, trespassing in the park, grazing animals in the park, cutting of the Etosha boundary fence which constitutes malicious damage to state property.

According to him, numerous complaints and illegal activities emanate from the Uutsathima, Omuthambomawe, Olumelengwa, Ombonde and Onamatanga, villages. Other villages also include west of Onagombati, Otjetjekwa, Otjivero, Okatjange, Okomizena and cattle posts between settlements and the boundary fence of the park.

The ministry further urged anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of poachers to contact the police or the ministry and reminded the public that a reward of N$60 000 is available for information on poaching.

It also condemned all activities of rhino and elephant poaching and called upon those involved to refrain from such activities immediately or risk facing the full wrath of the

law.



ELLANIE SMIT

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Teko Trio trial remanded to next year

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Teko Trio trial remanded to next year The fraud trial of three accused involving two Namibians and a Chinese national which has become known as Teko Trio, was yesterday postponed to 25 January next year.

Judge Christie Liebenberg postponed the matter to that date pending the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling on the appeal against the dismissal of their application for the recusal Acting High Court Judge Maphios Cheda.

Cheda dismissed the application for recusal by Teckla Lameck, 48 and Jerobeam Mokaxwa, 30, as well as Chinese national Yang Fan, 39, in a judgment he handed down in the High Court on 14 November 2014.

The appeal application by the three accused persons is still pending in the Supreme Court and consequently Judge Christie Liebenberg postponed the case pending the appeal ruling.

The three are alleged to have defrauded the Ministry of Finance in 2009 of some N$120 million in dubious means.

In the fraud and corruption trial, Lameck, a former Public Service Commission (PSC) member; and Mokaxwa, Lameck’s business partner in the Teko Trading Company, have denied all 18 charges of fraud.

The two Namibians are each out on N$50 000 bail, while Yang was granted bail worth N$1 million.

The accused were arrested on July 8 and 9 in 2009, by the Anti-Corruption Commission in connection with the alleged scam through which the Ministry of Finance bought security-scanning equipment from a Chinese company.

State Advocate Shakwa Nyambe appeared for the prosecution while Windhoek-based defence lawyer Sisa Namandje represents the accused.

FRED GOEIEMAN

Another bumper month for tourism

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Another bumper month for tourism The Namibian tourism industry has smashed records once again with accommodation establishments that recorded another bumper month.

According to statistics provided by the Hospitality Association of Namibia (Han), October has seen a record of more than 84% occupancy across the country.

This is more than 20% higher than in October last year.

During the month of October, a total of 47 submissions were made from accommodation establishments representing 35 670 rooms.

Of these, a total of 30 310 rooms were sold.

Figures indicate that lodges in Namibia outperformed other sectors during October in terms of occupancy and is a clear indicator that leisure tourism, and in particular, the upper-end market is performing extremely well at present, says Han.

The total number of rooms available at lodges during October was 5 896 of which 5 005 were sold.

The sector that performed the worst was backpackers which out of the 186 rooms available only 36 rooms were sold during October.

Furthermore, the data indicates that during October, the north managed to sell 98.7% of its 7 533 rooms, closely followed by the south which sold 90.13% of its 7 378 rooms and at the coast, 80.7% of the 11 011 rooms were sold. The central region sold 75.2 of its 9 748 available rooms.

Meanwhile, the majority of travellers in the country during October were Namibians (29.2%) and South Africans (13.4%)

In August, Namibia also recorded the highest occupancy for that month in a decade with an average room occupancy of 71.7% recorded by tourism accommodation establishments last month.



ELLANIE SMIT

Nabta suspends president

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Nabta suspends presidentMuunda refuses to budge Confusion reigns following the suspension of Nabta president Vespa Muunda. The Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta) has suspended its president Vespa Muunda with immediate effect following allegations of misconduct.

Muunda was slapped with a suspension letter on 16 November this year and in the meantime, the national executive committee will investigate allegations against him.

A statement issued by Nabta vice-president Jeffrey Platt, Muunda has been told not to engage in any Nabta activities or to represent the organisation at any platform or meeting. He has also been told to not to engage with any staff or executive members of Nabta. Muunda is accused of, amongst others, establishing a Nabta office at the Oshakati bus terminal but under a different entity called ''United Long Distance Committee''. Another allegation pertains to the involvement of a Nabta official stamp that authorised the taxi fare increment at Walvis Bay between October and November this year. He is also accused of being involved in the appointment of Shilimela Security company at the Oshakati, Ondangwa and Rhino Park bus terminals.

This has reportedly led to a court case and has already cost Nabta over N$100 000 in the High Court. The signing of an agreement between Nabta and the Swakopmund municipality has also been questioned by the Nabta leadership.

According to Platt, the agreement has caused division among members and stakeholders, including the Swakopmund municipality. Approached for comment, Muunda denied all allegations against him, stating that he was still legally in his office.

“All these allegations were not brought to me and I am still the president of Nabta,” Muunda declared yesterday. He added he was not aware of any suspension. Platt insisted that Muunda has received the suspension letter.

“If he is still in office then it is illegal,” he said.



MICHAEL KAYUNDE

Rehoboth's people demand answers

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Rehoboth's people demand answers Line minister threatens to dissolve council JEMIMA BEUKES



The Rehoboth town council is under fire from its residents as well as the minister of urban and rural development after its operations apparently ground to a halt.

Rehoboth residents yesterday locked the gates of the Rehoboth town council in protest against alleged poor service delivery.

This followed a day after the council was allegedly read the riot act by minister of urban and rural development Sophia Shaningwa, who threatened to dissolve the council if the state of affairs continued.

According to United People’s Party (UPM) councillor Lennie Pienaar the minister expressed grave concern over the lack of services at the town and the fact that council operations had come to a standstill.

The community yesterday handed over a petition calling for the immediate removal of all council members for allegedly failing to execute their duties.

In a petition addressed to Shaningwa, the community asked why the council’s human resources manager, Willie Swartz, was not being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission for the N$13 million from land sales that was allegedly paid into his personal account.

The petition also called for a forensic audit of the Build Together Programme, the council’s payroll in order to get rid of ghost employees, as well as water meter readings and payment of water accounts.

The community was especially aggrieved over the deplorable state of the town’s gravel and tar roads despite the fact that the council receives a N$2.2 million government subsidy for road maintenance from the Road Fund Administration.

The community complained that the town’s sewers have been overflowing for months while some residential areas do not even have sewer lines.

“We are in arrears of N$37 million with NamWater despite paying our water bills timeously. We have also learnt with great concern that we owe NamPower N$11 million despite the fact that we have a pre-paid electric system,” the petition reads.

The community also demanded that the council explain why the water supply to social housing units for people living with disabilities was disconnected.

Action

Council CEO Christophe //Uirab confirmed the meeting with the minister and said the council expected to receive a report with a number of recommendations from the minister, stipulating how the town’s affairs should be brought to order.

“I also told the community that I am not sure what the report contains and what the minister recommends but we will definitely implement every recommendation,” he said.

Report

A report //Uirab had submitted to the minister recently, in which he called for a forensic audit to be conducted at the council, exposed a host of financial and administrative irregularities.

In the report //Uirab pleaded with the minister to recall all town councillors and to appoint someone to carry out their duties.

“The conduct of council meetings takes place in a fashion of personal attacks, infighting among councillors violently and in a manner of victimisation of staff present. Honourable minister, in some instances councillors had to stand on their feet ready to fight only to be calmed by others,” the report read.

//Uirab added that council meetings had become “a place of conniving aimed at instigating suspension of employees”.

He accused Rehoboth Urban East councillor Edward Wambo (Swapo) of political interference in the administrative functions of the municipality.

According to //Uirab the recruitment of operatonal staff has been politically motivated for the last ten years.

“With the recent advertisements of vacant positions, councillor Wambo indicates who to be appointed and as a result of internal conflicts these positions are still vacant as his demands will cause my office to undertake recruitment processes outside framework of personnel rules,” read the report.

//Uirab accused Wambo of submitting names to Swartz, who went ahead and appointed 12 casual workers without the authorisation of the CEO.

Chinese man caught with 18 rhino horns

November 24, 2016, 2:00 pm

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Chinese man caught with 18 rhino horns ELLANIE SMIT

A Chinese national in transit from Windhoek to Hong Kong was arrested with 18 rhino horns at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Wednesday afternoon.

Namibian Police spokesperson Edwin Kanguatjivi yesterday confirmed that the 28-year-old Chinese man was arrested in South Africa after he departed from Hosea Kutako International Airport on Wednesday morning at 06:40.

He was travelling on board a South African Airways flight to Hong Kong.

The South African Hawks received an anonymous tip-off and discovered the rhino horns hidden in his luggage. The rhino horns were tightly wrapped in industrial cling wrap.

It is unclear whether the rhino horns are from Namibia. DNA tests will have to be conducted to determine the country of origin.

The luggage in which the horns were found was sealed and only opened at the airport in Johannesburg, which clearly indicated that the Chinese national had smuggled the horns through Hosea Kutako, where scanners had not detected them.

According to a statement issued by the South African Hawks the rhino horns, weighing 43kg, were valued at around N$6.6 million.

The Chinese national, whose name is known but cannot be made public yet, will appear before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court today.

The case has raised questions about airport security at Hosea Kutako.

A spokesperson for the Namibia Airports Company (NAC), Dan Kamati, did not respond to Namibian Sun’s calls.

News about the arrest in South Africa came shortly after a shocking announcement that seven rhinos were killed by poachers in the Etosha National Park this month.

Earlier this year four Chinese nationals were found guilty of trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns worth N$2.2 million out of the country. Three of the men were caught at the Hosea Kutako International Airport in March 2014 when the rhino horns were found in their luggage.

Namibia has lost 47 rhinos to poaching so far this year.