Karabo Mokoena: A family's heartbreak

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Karabo Mokoena: A family's heartbreakStudent's death sparks harrowing tales of abuse The part-time business student's body was found in a patch of veld in Bramley, Johannesburg, two days later by a passer-by who at first thought the body was a burnt mannequin. “For someone like him just to take [her] life like that, I think it's unacceptable”.

These were the words of Tshepo Mokoena the uncle of Karabo Mokoena a 22-year-old South African woman who was allegedly killed and burnt by her former boyfriend.

The young woman's murder has been trending on social media since the arrest of the 27-year-old suspect on Thursday.

Mokoena was speaking at the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court after Sandile Mantsoe was remanded in custody pending a bail application due to take place on May 24.

Earlier on Friday morning, Mokoena's mother wept in the court room. She was surrounded by an entourage of relatives and friends.

“I think the family is going through a lot of pain. This matter is now becoming national, the more people are talking about it, I think it's stressing the family out,” said Mokoena.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Mokoena said the family never saw the death coming. Mokoena explained that the family had also done a lot for abused women and children, and never expected to lose her like this. “We never knew that all we were giving would come to our doorstep, so we are very traumatised,” he said.

Mokoena said he had helped to raise Karabo and that she was like a daughter to him. When asked what he wanted to say to the accused, he said that he did not want to say much, but that he would rather let the law take its course, and leave the accused's life in the hands of the Almighty.

He described his niece as a bubbly, intelligent and beautiful woman who had a love for education.

Some family members and friends shouted at Mantsoe that he had no remorse as he made his way up from the cells, some also clapped when the magistrate explained that the suspect could possibly face a life sentence.

Khwezi Mthethwa, a close friend of Karabo told News24 that her friend had made a commitment to move on with her life when the relationship ended with Mantsoe.

She said the two were allegedly in a toxic and abusive relationship during their short time together.



Justice

“Karabo's mom can't enjoy Mother's Day because her daughter is gone. She's less of a mother now, if I can put it that way, because one of her daughters has been painfully, and brutally taken away from her,” she cried.

Mthethwa said that she hoped justice would be served, and that her friend would rest in peace.

“I just want to ask everyone to not let Karabo's death be in vain. If you know someone who is going through this, reach out, speak to them. Never shut them out, or make them feel like you're never ... there for them,” she said.

NPA spokesperson Phindi Louw-Mjonondwane said the NPA plans to oppose bail.

Mokoena said there would be an indication on Monday on the details of the funeral, pending further investigation. “My humble request to the media is that I have done enough interviews, let's let the police do their work,” he said.



NEWS24

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Shot of the day

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Shot of the day BY ANY MEANS: Finetown residents take cover as they hurl stones at the South African police during clashes amid a protest for better housing on 10 May 2017 in Ennerdale, south of Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: NAMPA/AFP

Nujoma is worth emulating

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Nujoma is worth emulating Imagine for a moment what life was like in Ongandjera 88 years ago. There was no electricity, no running water and no internet. There was only a group of people isolated from all the noise, death and destruction of Europe, Asia and the Americans that were now increasingly being confronted by outsiders. To grow up in a time when the stock markets crashed in New York meant very little to the homestead in which Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma grew up in. The man that would become the first leader of an independent nation is now our proverbial national grandfather. And the fact he is still going strong and looking after the nation from his farm at Etunda is a sign of how we can adapt and prosper. His revolutionary activism in which he organised the young and old as a PLAN and Swapo leader and his constant guerrilla war against the South African apartheid regime is was what led to the eventual capitulation and granting of independence to Namibia. Nujoma was there at the forefront of the Old Location resistance in 1958 then after he was arrested and deported. He represents not only the founding of our nation but the spirit as well. With what little education he was able to obtain from the Finnish at Okahao, he was able to study at night in Windhoek working on improving his English. He was aware that education was incredibly important for uplifting his station in life. It's still difficult for most to remember that he was exiled from South West Africa and was our representative to the outside world from 1960 until independence. Being forced to live far from his home country for much of his life, when Nujoma came back after independence, after 29 years of exile, he helped lead a nation that was again in transition. Yet, he knew exactly how we were to grow and prosper. His wisdom gained from spending so much time in western countries with universities, industries and governments that shine as beacons for free, liberty-loving people has been translated into our vernacular. Our universities have grown to include educating our own doctors and engineers. We have peacefully demonstrated that we, as Africans, can rule ourselves and pass the baton of power when requested by the people. Nujoma's life is indeed worth emulating and we wish him good health.

Another lion killed in the North

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Another lion killed in the North Human-wildlife conflict continues in the Omusati Region, with some members of the Ongandjera community killing one of the four lions that had been killing their cattle at Omusati gwaShiningu since April.

Some community members on Thursday tracked down the four lions and managed to kill one, leaving the other three at large.

A resident identified only as Mathias used a 375 rifle Thursday afternoon to kill the lion whilst it was lying in the thick grassland near the cattle post area of Omusati gwaShiningu.

Members of the community went after the lions after they killed about eight cattle from different posts in the area since the previous day.

Andreas Ndakukamo said the lions killed four of his cattle, while Petrus Shapumba, said he had lost eight cattle to these lions.

“I lost a lot of my cattle killed by the lions since 1999,” Ndakukamo said adding that he had lost 18 cattle in the past few years.

The Ongandjera community say the lions escape from Etosha National Park, while officials of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism say they are unable to drive them all back to the park.

Two lions were also killed in the same area last month after attacking several cattle.

Ongandjera traditional norms require the body of a killed lion to be brought to the palace, hence the Omusati gwaShiningu community brought the lion they had killed to the palace at Uukwandongo village on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Amaupa village in the Omusati Region's Uukwaluudhi Traditional District are facing a different problem of some 20 elephants destroying their crops in the past month.

The public relations officer at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Romeo Muyunda, was not immediately available for comment.

NAMPA

New referral hospital for northern Namibia planned

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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New referral hospital for northern Namibia planned The Ministry of Health and Social Services plans to construct a referral hospital in the Oshana Region to alleviate the pressure on existing health facilities.

Currently, the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital and Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital serve as referral hospitals in northern Namibia.

The minister of health and social services, Dr Bernard Haufiku, said the new facility would alleviate the congestion at these two hospitals, as well as help deal with the problem of having patients travel some 700 kilometres to Windhoek for referrals.

Haufiku was speaking at a consultative meeting with northern health professionals and the political leadership from the Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati and Oshikoto regions at Ongwediva on Thursday.

He said the hospital would either be similar in size to the Windhoek Central Hospital, or somewhat bigger, and would have 900 to 1 200 beds.

It would serve patients who would otherwise have been referred to the Windhoek Central Hospital or Katutura Intermediate Hospital from Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshikoto, Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene and Zambezi for emergencies.

“It is a big project that will create lots of job opportunities during construction,” Haufiku said.

The new hospital would also serve as a training facility and would be used for research purposes.

Ondangwa and Ongwediva have been identified as the possible sites for the facility.

The Oshana regional leadership has been asked to come up with a recommendation for a site at Ondangwa and Ongwediva, which will then be assessed for suitability by independent geo-scientific consultants.

The ministry expects feedback from them by the end of June this year.

It is expected that the project will be privately funded, with Government to take it over at a later stage.

NAMPA

Few attend meeting on Time Bill

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Few attend meeting on Time BillOshana doesn't like winter time The few people who attended a public meeting on the Namibian Time Bill at Ondangwa were all in favour of doing away with winter time. Fewer than 15 people attended a consultative meeting on the Namibian Time Bill at Ondangwa in the Oshana Region, while some of those in attendance had no clue what the sitting was all about.

The public hearing on Friday was one of the regional meetings being conducted by the parliamentary standing committee on foreign affairs, defence and security. The committee is chaired by Leevi Katoma.

Home affairs and immigration minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana tabled the Namibian Time Bill in the National Assembly on 22 February.

The bill is to repeal the Namibian Time Act of 1994 which established winter and summer time.

However consensus could not be reached among parliamentarians, who referred the bill to the committee for further consultation.

At Friday's meeting only four people gave their input, which will be considered as the official position of the Oshana Region.

The four were all in favour of the bill, saying that they prefer summer time to become the standard time in Namibia.

They argued that during winter time productivity is low because the day starts when the sun is high in the sky already. Knock-off time is after dark, leaving them little time to do anything after work.

Strong arguments were also raised about school hours during winter. They said if children are kept after school for extra lessons, they finish very late and become the targets of criminals on their way home.

Most of the arguments in support of the bill were about business operating hours, with the people feeling that summer time is better for business.

“Like now businesses start when the sun is up high already and when the employees knock off it's late and they can't go and work in the field as we are in the harvesting season,” one person said.

“We were not well informed, as it was only said we should come to a meeting at the councillor's office. Now we are being asked to give our input, which we did not expect and which is not fair, as we could have prepared ourselves properly and given meaningful contributions,” one community member said.



KENYA KAMBOWE

Hygiene at OTA house a headache for city

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Hygiene at OTA house a headache for city Boarders at the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) house in Katutura continue to live in unhygienic conditions with no proper ablution and sanitation facilities.

This has become a concern, not only to the traditional authority, but also to the Windhoek municipality.

The OTA house is situated in Ephraem Hei Street next to the Oruuano Church in Katutura.

Mayor Muesee Kazapua said an agreement must be reached between the OTA and the City of Windhoek regarding people from Kunene and Otjozondjupa who had been living there since last year.

“We understand that there are people from elsewhere who came to Windhoek for personal reasons, but the truth is they never notified the municipality about their plans to come here,” Kazapua told Nampa.

He said although they were aware of the situation, there was nothing the municipality could do.

According to Kazapua, there is a need for all who are involved to discuss the matter.

“We understand that there is a need for water and toilets for them, the truth however is that such services in towns are paid for, hence my appeal for a dialogue with them,” the mayor said.

Kazapua also dismissed councillor Joseph Kauandenge's assertion recently that the municipality was planning to supply water and toilets to the residents.

“Decisions are taken at council through the necessary procedures before execution. We should refrain from putting our institutions in conflict with the electorate by giving false hope just because of self-promoting political agendas,” he warned.

According to Kazapua there was no such resolution, hence his appeal for negotiations in this regard.

OTA spokesperson Bob Kandetu last week spoke to the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation's Otjiherero Radio about the unhygienic state at the OTA house.

People living there include ex-Koevoet/South West Africa Territorial Force fighters, mostly from the Kunene and Otjozondjupa regions.

Some of them have pitched tents near the riverbed behind the Namibia English Primary School.

“People should know that even in the areas where they come from there are procedures to be followed to occupy land and this is also applicable in Windhoek,” Kazapua said.

NAMPA

ACC hits back at DTA

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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ACC hits back at DTASmit's allegations are unfounded The head of the Anti-Corruption Commission says opposition politician Nico Smit should not make baseless allegations for political gain. The director-general of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Paulus Noa, has dismissed allegations of favouritism levelled against the organisation by DTA secretary-general Nico Smit.

Smit had accused the ACC of investigating petty crimes instead of going after “fat cats”. Noa, trashing the allegation, said the commission did not favour any person and handled cases with the same intensity irrespective of their status.

Smit said in a recent statement that the ACC was exceptionally effective and efficient when investigating minor incidents of corruption.

“Whenever one is faced with a case where a minister or other politically connected individual is implicated in dubious dealings which have defrauded the taxpayers of millions in public funds, these incidents seem to remain 'under investigation' until the public outcry dies a natural death over time,” he said.

Smit was referring to recent reports that the ACC had arrested a clerk for fraud involving N$2 300.

On the same day, it was also reported that the ACC was investigating the minister of fisheries, Bernhard Esau.

Smit also questioned what the role of the ACC had been in investigating cases involving the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) money, the Social Security Commission's Avid scandal and the SME Bank scandal.

“Why is it that when millions are corruptly misappropriated, the ACC never seems to go beyond investigating but when an insignificant amount is stolen by those who are not politically connected, the ACC's investigation and prosecution capacity seems to be doubled?”

He said as long as that remained the case and no action was taken against those implicated in scandals, politicians would continue defrauding the taxpayer with impunity.

“In order for the ACC to be truly effective as an anti-corruption agency, it needs to stop going after the small fish and prosecute the big fish it has so far shielded from prosecution since it (ACC) was founded.

Without excluding the rest, the ACC needs to target the most financially devastating cases of corruption,” Smit said.

According to Smit, unless the ACC changed the way it investigated cases, the ACC would continue to boost the downgrading of Namibia's ranking on international corruption indices.

Noa told Namibian Sun that the Anti-Corruption Act made no mention of either “small fish” or “big fish”.

“Nor does the law provide for a definition of what is perceived to be small fish or big fish,” said Noa.

He said the commission, in executing its mandate, could not substitute the law with public opinion since the ACC's mandate was to enforce the law without discrimination.

Cases reported to the ACC differed in merit and magnitude and that was the reason why some cases took longer to investigate.

He also referred to the arrest of a clerk at the Karibib town council in 2013.

According to Noa, the town council reported a case of corruption to the ACC which involved the illegal sale of town land. An ACC investigator was assigned to the case.

He said more than 60 documents including statements under oath were obtained from the municipality and commercial banks or communication institutions for forensic analysis.

In the middle of the investigation the investigating officer left the commission for greener pastures, said Noa.

The investigation was put on hold until it could be assigned to another investigator.

“The Karibib town council and its management did not act naïvely when they decided to report the matter to ACC.

The commission cannot decline to investigate allegations of illegal land sales unless it is convinced that such allegations are frivolous,” Noa emphasised.

He further stressed that the mandate of the ACC was to investigate with the objective to find evidence that substantiated the allegations. If there was enough evidence, the commission submitted it to the prosecutor-general to decide whether to prosecute.

No matter how serious the allegations appeared to be, a suspect could only be charged with what had been proven in the course of the investigation, he said.

Noa said the Karibib matter was submitted to the prosecutor-general in 2016 and the PG decided to charge the suspect with fraud.

According to Noa, the GIPF case was outside the mandate of the ACC because it happened before the Anti-Corruption Act came into force. The case was still being investigated by the police.

The Avid case was before the High Court and the SME Bank matter was the subject of civil litigation in the High Court, said Noa.

“If Honourable Smit is aware of a corruption case involving a minister or any politically connected individual which has been reported to ACC and the ACC declined to investigate, he should mention such a case to the public.

“The ACC is an investigation agency which investigates cases based on merits.

The commission should not be used to score political support from ignorant members of the public,” Noa said.





ELLANIE SMIT

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Appeal handed to LWF

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Appeal handed to LWF The heads of the Forum for the Future (FFF) and NamRights, Samson Ndeikwila and Phil Ya Nangoloh, last week handed over an urgent appeal for an apology from the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) for its silence on Swapo human rights abuses in exile and a request for assistance for a truth and reconciliation process in Namibia.

The appeal was received by Ralston Deffenbaugh, the assistant secretary-general of the LWF, at the federation's 12th assembly currently under way in Windhoek.

Before Ndeikwila and Ya Nangoloh could hand over the appeal, the head of security at the conference facility, a certain Namibian police inspector T. Haimbodi, tried to get the two men to leave the premises of the hotel, where the event is taking place.

Ndeikwila and Ya Nangoloh at no stage tried to enter the conference hall and were standing outside near a parking lot waiting to hand over the appeal. Haimbodi claimed that “proper procedure” for the handing over of the appeal was not followed since Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga had not been informed about it. Haimbodi also said it was “not good for the image of the country” for the appeal to be handed over without the knowledge of the chief of police. “This was proper,” responded Deffenbaugh, who received the appeal. Ya Nangoloh later said Haimbodi's behaviour was not only “unreasonable and discourteous conduct” and a “serious embarrassment” to him and Ndeikwila, but also “tantamount to harassment”.

The appeal of the FFF and NamRights claims that the LWF was deliberately silent on alleged human rights violations by Swapo despite it having been given substantial documentary evidence demonstrating that the federation was fully aware that the Swapo leadership was involved in war crimes in Angola and Zambia. Deffenbaugh wanted to know from Ndeikwila and Ya Nangoloh why they only brought the appeal to the assembly now, since it had been drafted four years ago.

Ya Nangoloh responded that they wanted the appeal to be read to the entire assembly and not just to individual churches.

They expressed hope that the LWF would “side with the innocent victims, not the one that seeks to endear itself to the rich and powerful”.

FFF and NamRights said the urgent appeal should be handed over to the general secretary of the LWF, Reverend Dr Martin Junge, and Reverend Dr Emma Nangolo, the chairperson of the Namibian assembly preparatory committee.

Junge said he would have to assess the appeal before a decision could be reached on whether it would be placed on the assembly's agenda.

CATHERINE SASMAN

Meatco board is settling personal scores – Nudo

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Meatco board is settling personal scores – Nudo STAFF REPORTER

Nudo has criticised the suspension of Meatco CEO Vekuii Rukoro, claiming the board was being used to settle personal scores.

Rukoro was placed on administrative leave last week pending an internal investigation. The company’s chief financial officer, Ingo Schneider, will act as CEO in the interim.

“We are of the opinion that this suspension is a result of some board members having personal scores to settle with Advocate Vekuii Rukoro and their inflated egos refuse to see beyond that, as their mission is to get rid of Rukoro irrespective of the harm that will befall the company,” said Nudo’s presidential spokesperson, Joseph Kauandenge.

“It is regrettable that some board members suffer from amnesia as they have conveniently forgotten too quickly in what shape and form Meatco was before Rukoro was appointed as CEO. When he took over he completely transformed Meatco into a flourishing entity.”

Nudo yesterday said it was Rukoro who had initiated the empowerment programme for farmers in the North, which has since become popular. The party also said that the Meatco quota for meat exports to Norway had been increased under Rukoro.

“Meatco became the first African country to qualify for beef exports to China and America, still under his management. Still under his management Meatco became the first abattoir to introduce a mobile slaughter unit (MSU) to the Northern Communal areas (NCAs) and under his leadership Meatco beef exports for the 2015/2016 financial year were N$1.285 billion.”

Board chairperson Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun last week told Namibian Sun that there was nothing untoward regarding the suspension of the company’s CEO.

Nujoma clinic brings healthcare to hundreds

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Nujoma clinic brings healthcare to hundreds Former president Sam Nujoma chose his 88th birthday celebrations to officially hand over the keys of the brand new and fully equipped Etunda farm clinic to health minister Bernhard Haufiku's ministry at a low-key celebration on his farm on Saturday.

The clinic, and Etunda primary school, form part of the former president's passion project, which he launched several years ago in an effort to address education and health shortcomings among the rural community, and especially farm workers in the area.

During his address, Nujoma said that he began the project because he was “deeply troubled by the plight of our farm workers, and especially their children.”

He said he had heard the “outcry of parents in the surrounding commercial farms. Hence, this is a national problem as most if not all farm owners do not make education accessible to their workers' children.”

He said he decided to include a clinic as part of the project, because he believed that health care should be available “within easy walking distance of the community, particularly for women and children”.

To date, one block of classrooms, two teacher accommodations and an administration block have been completed. Moreover, the clinic, as well as two accommodation blocks for nurses and doctors, has been completed.

The buildings are situated on a piece of Nujoma's farm, which he donated to the cause.

The clinic, which is not yet open on a daily basis until new staffing structures are put in place, will be manned by nurses and a doctor on a regular rotation during the week, and provide services to anyone, including residents in Otavi, 30 km to the north.

Haufiku on Saturday said he has proposed to the regional health officials that a full time ambulance be provided to the clinic.

He also said that he has suggested that the clinic is opened during peak traffic times, including long weekends and national holidays, to provide emergency services.

During the handover of the clinic keys, Haufiku praised Nujoma for the generous gift, and said: “Today you are receiving a clinic from an icon of the liberation struggle. Someone who never wavered and who believed in the common good for everyone.” He said the clinic staff must live up to the legacy.



Deep pockets

The celebrations on Saturday also set the stage for individuals, groups and companies to pledge their support for the next phase of the Etunda school project, resulting in cash pledges of more than N$7 million in total.

Swapo party secretary-general Nangolo Mbumba handed over a N$5 million cheque on behalf of the party, half of which has already been paid to the Etunda Farm primary school and clinic trust so far.

Several in kind donations and volunteer services, valued at hundreds of thousands, were also pledged at the event yesterday.

These included donations of food for the hostel, building materials, livestock as well as future services to the school and clinic.

The clinic is equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment valued at more than N$600 000, all donated by Ohorongo Cement and a German NGO partner, Support Ulm e.V.

Ohorongo further pledged to finance all training on the equipment, as well as finance equipment maintenance.

Ohorongo also donated 34 tonnes of cement for the foundation of the clinic and pledged to provide cement for the next foundation to be laid.

The second phase of construction, consisting of the boys' and girls' hostels, staff accommodation, as well as a dining hall, kitchen and laundry, is next on the cards.

The second phase costs will amount to approximately N$15 million, excluding VAT, a chunk of which was covered by the pledges yesterday.

The second phase of the construction is being undertaken by Direct Construction and Design Lab, in association with Tweya Consulting engineers, Tom van Wyk quantity surveyor and Asher consulting engineers.

On Saturday, Mungolo Lukas from Direct Construction said that the company had decided to offer their professional services on a volunteer basis towards the work they would undertake at the site.

He told Nujoma that “your heroic fight for independence and subsequent attainment thereof is the reason why we the youth of this country are able to actively participate in the economy.”|

Li Nan, Charge d'affaires of Embassy of the People's Republic of China, handed over N$100 000 towards the next phase of the project, as well as individual gifts to Nujoma and his wife.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Lutherans must account for genocide, dungeons

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Lutherans must account for genocide, dungeonsPolice tried to muzzle demonstration The church is accused of allegedly taking part in the colonial project and deliberate silence on war crimes. A small group from the Ovaherero Genocide Forum (OGF) under the chairpersonship of Utji Mwiinjangue, as well as the Committee of Parents, say the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) should take responsibility for its alleged participation in the colonisation of Namibia by imperial Germany, as well as for its silence on the war crimes committed by Swapo in exile.

The two groups have demonstrated outside the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Katutura yesterday where the LWF held its global commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation.

A member of the OGF, Moses Kavendjii, said the LWF had participated in Germany's colonisation of Namibia because it had “aided and abetted” the genocide committed by the German colonial rule during 1904 to 1908.

“The church came under the pretext of converting our people while it wanted to steal land and cattle by softening our leaders through conversion,” said Kavendjii.

Kavendjii made mention of a church service that had taken place at a dam in the Okahandja area where people were shot by the colonial German forces.

“The church did little to address the plight of our people,” said Kavendjii.

He also took issue with the fact that the LWF had apologised for the genocide without consulting with the affected communities.

“We want the church to engage us; we need tangible engagement,” said Kavendjii.

Hewat Beukes of the Committee of Parents said the Lutherans had “supported the genocide and the mass killings” of Namibians by Swapo in exile.

He said some of the “most advanced and progressive” people were killed so that “yes-bosses” could be installed in power.

A joint statement by the Committee of Parents and the Truth and Justice committee stated that the LWF commemoration was taking place “under unresolved issues of mass murder and unaccounted disappearance of thousands of Namibians, the majority from the congregation” invited to the celebrations.

The statement said Bishop Zephania Kameeta “still stands accused” of having done nothing “despite knowing of the disappearance and mass murder of young people in exile”.

“The LWF boasts that is assisted refugees in Swapo camps with humanitarian assistance even clandestinely. We find it hard to understand this claim while the church leaders knew of the carnage amongst Namibians, the majority LWF members,” the statement says.

The joint committees said they have since 1 March 2016 appealed to the LWF and the World Council of Churches (WCC) to work with the groups to resolve the “issues of crimes against humanity”.



Police interference alleged

The groups said members of the Namibian Police on Saturday tried to dissuade them from demonstrating at the Sam Nujoma Stadium by implying that their planned petitioning of the LWF gathering would pose a threat to peace and stability in the country.

They said the police officers had assumed for themselves arbitrary powers by attempting to infringe on citizens' right to freedom of expression.

They continued with their demonstration but were not allowed to enter the gates of the stadium.

CATHERINE SASMAN

CLARIFICATION

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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CLARIFICATION In our 11 May 2017 edition, we published an article headlined 'Angolan fuel worrisome'.

The article was about a complaint by the Association of Service Station Owners, which had expressed concern about illegal fuel imports from Angola. We apologise to Mr Emelman for having used a picture of his service station with the story. The picture was purely for illustrative purposes and in no way suggested that Mr Emelman procures or sells Angolan fuel. The misinterpretation is regretted.

Memorial for Mtambanengwe today

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Memorial for Mtambanengwe today The Namibian memorial service of retired judge Justice Simpson Victor Mtambanengwe will be held today at the Central Methodist Church in Lüderitz Street at 18:00, the Judicial Service Commission has announced.

The Zimbabwean-born Mtambanengwe died in a Windhoek hospital on Wednesday evening after battling high blood pressure and diabetes for some years. He was 87.

The late Mtambanengwe will be laid to rest in Zimbabwe on Saturday. The late Mtambanengwe was a long-serving judge on the Namibian bench.

He was appointed as a judge of the High Court in October 1994 and served as the acting chief justice from 1 November until 30 November in 2004.

He was appointed as acting judge of appeal of the Namibian Supreme Court on 21 February 2013. He was born in Mutare, Zimbabwe and is survived by his wife and three sons.

STAFF REPORTER

Man electrocuted

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Man electrocutedA round-up of the weekend's unnatural deaths Two people died in car accidents over the weekend. A 25-year-old man was electrocuted and fell to his death on Friday in the Oshikoto Region.

The deceased, Johannes Gideon, was an employee of Ekodi Investment Company and was doing maintenance work on a power line when he was electrocuted. His next of kin have been informed and police investigations into the matter continue.

A case of culpable homicide is being investigated in the Oshana Region after the driver of a Toyota bakkie lost control while driving on a gravel road at Oshinyadhila No. 2. The vehicle hit a speed bump at high speed, causing the driver to lose control. As a result, one person identified as Nuyoma Jonas (25) died on the spot while two other passengers sustained serious injuries.

In the Omusati Region, a 15-year-old Angolan national is accused of raping a five-year-old girl in his bedroom. The suspect was caught by the victim's mother and was arrested. He will appear before the Magistrate's Court in Outapi today.

In the Ohangwena Region, a 32-year-old man was found hanging from a tree at Odibo Village. He has been identified as Shiwomwenyo Kayofa.

A case of culpable homicide was opened in the Omaheke Region after a seven-year-old child was run over by a car in the Epukiro District. It is alleged that the driver was patrolling his farm when he reversed and killed the child, identified as Thosi Fritz.

In the Khomas Region, a 30-year-old man was run over while attempting to cross the A1 road. The driver of the vehicle was on his way to Windhoek when the accident occurred. The pedestrian has been admitted to the Lady Pohamba Private Hospital with serious injuries. Police investigations into the matter continue.

STAFF REPORTER

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Shafudah gets slap on the wrist

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Shafudah gets slap on the wrist Ministry of Finance permanent secretary Ericah Shafudah has been issued a final written warning for failing to attend technical committee meetings that have to do with the construction of the multi-billion-dollar fuel storage facility at Walvis Bay.

Expressing his dissatisfaction, cabinet secretary George Simataa wrote to Shafudah last week, decrying her conduct.

“I have concluded that your conduct into the National Oil Facility project, in particular your failure to attend to meetings of the technical committee, of which you were an integral member, has contributed to the development of a situation detrimental and prejudicial to government,” he said.

Attorney-general Sacky Shanghala instructed Simataa to launch an investigation into the tender for the construction of the bulk fuel storage facility after construction costs skyrocketed from an initial N$920 million to over N$5 billion.





Following the conclusion of the investigation, Simataa had found that there was an impression that the government would be exposed to currency fluctuations because of Shafudah's inability to attend the technical committee meetings.



“Whereas you have maintained the correct position, namely that the tender currency was Namibia dollars and all-inclusive and that government did not assume any risk for currency fluctuations, your failure to attend the technical committee meetings has enabled others to create the impression that government had in fact assumed the risk for currency fluctuations.”



Shafudah's warning will remain valid for a period of 12 months.



Shafudah did not respond to Namibian Sun's questions why she had been unavailable for the technical committee meeting.



It had been reported that National Planning Commission (NPC) permanent secretary Leevi Hungamo had warned then minister of finance Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and current NPC director-general Tom Alweendo of currency fluctuations which would affect the price of the tender.



Meanwhile, Hungamo and the chief legal advisor at the Office of the Attorney-General, Chris Nghaamwa, have become the first state officials to be charged for their roles in the bulk fuel storage facility. Shanghala had suggested that Hungamo be charged with misconduct, although it is not yet clear at this point how he will be charged.



The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) also probed irregularities regarding the fuel storage facility, with confirmation that it would be looking at interviewing members of the cabinet technical committee which included Shafudah, former ministry of mines and energy PS Kahijoro Kahuure, former ministry of works and transport PS Peter Mwatile and Hungamo.



ACC head Paulus Noa was recently quoted as saying: “We need to investigate the role that all these committees played in the entire process and why conditions set out in the tender regulations were not adhered to. We need to hear from these different people about what had led to the ballooning of the price.”



Around 2008 and 2009 the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) initiated the idea to build the oil storage facility to penetrate the petroleum supply market.



Namcor since 2003 had a 50% import mandate, which in 2010 was taken away from it by former minister of mines and energy Isak Katali. Namcor, which then had a supply agreement with Glencore, had incurred major losses and went into a technical bankruptcy.



Today all petroleum products are again imported by private oil companies.



By 2010 Namcor had drawn up the designs for the fuel storage facility, it had completed a full environmental impact assessment on the project and finalised prequalification of tenders.



The costing on the entire project in 2010 was pegged at N$800 million. It was then also estimated that the project would have been completed in 2012.



The project is now estimated to be finalised by the middle of this year. What raised concerns, however, is that the estimated cost has in two years ballooned to more than N$3 billion in 2013, and then to N$4.5 billion in 2014 and it is now pegged at N$5.5 billion.

OGONE TLHAGE

SPYL wants Hage unopposed

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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SPYL wants Hage unopposedConstitutionality of CC meeting questioned The Swapo Party Youth League has been deeply divided in its support for Hage Geingob as party president. The Swapo Party Youth League wants President Hage Geingob to run unopposed for continuity's sake when the ruling party holds its elective congress towards the end of the year.

Acting SPYL secretary Veikko Nekundi said this was one of the recommendations taken at Saturday's central committee meeting.

The gathering was marked by the absence of some CC members, many of whom are loyal to youth leader Elijah Ngurare.

At the weekend some of the absent CC members used social media to voice their dissatisfaction with Saturday's meeting, claiming it was unconstitutional and could be challenged in court.

“[The] Central Committee also deliberated on the matter of election of the president of the Swapo Party, it therefore endorsed the maintenance of one centre of power in respect to the presidency, therefore, endorsing the position of the president to be [uncontested] in order to [preserve] the unity and continuity,” Nekundi said in a statement.

The meeting, which according to Nekundi was attended by 37 of the 47 members of the SPYL CC, also endorsed candidates for the positions of secretary and deputy secretary ahead of the youth league's elective congress in August.

National Youth Council executive chairperson Mandela Kapere was nominated for the secretary position along with Ephraim Nekongo and Mirjam Nghidipo.

Christine Haindaka, Mogale Karimbue and Immanuel Shikongo were nominated for the deputy secretary position.

One of the CC members who boycotted the Saturday meeting, Sioni Iikela, complained that the meeting was illegal and not sanctioned by the national executive committee. Iikela had in the past indicated that he was willing to stand for the SPYL secretary position.

“No shortcuts and manipulations of processes leading to SPYL 6th Congress slated for later this year. How can CC nominate candidates before processes finish down the structures, what if regions will produce different candidates? What happened at illegal CC meeting of yesterday [Saturday] that was not sanctioned by NEC did not happen before in the history of SPYL. This is the urination of the SPYL constitution (sic),” he said on his Facebook profile.





Some members of the central committee indicated that they would challenge last weekend's sitting while Ngurare has called the meeting unconstitutional.

“There is no way you can call a meeting without the NEC having met. There must be a meeting of the NEC. The central committee meetings are called by the NEC,” he said.

Casting doubt on last weekend's meeting, he asked: “When was the NEC meeting? That answer is not there and it goes to show that it cannot be correct that you just bring in people and convene a central committee meeting. They must just hold a proper meeting that must start with the NEC.”

When asked about the legitimacy of the central committee meeting held, Nekundi said: “The central committee meeting is an internal matter and I shall not respond on party matters through the media.”

SPYL will convene in the Zambezi Region from 24 to 26 August to choose a new youth league leadership.



Nujoma holiday

Meanwhile, the youth league has reiterated its call to have 12 May declared as a public holiday in honour of Namibia's Founding President Sam Nujoma.

Nujoma was born on 12 May 1929 and at the weekend celebrated his 88th birthday at his Etunda farm outside Otavi. Nekundi said the youth league's CC meeting recommended that 12 May should be adopted as an official public holiday “in order to acknowledge the contribution of Dr Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, Founding President and Father of the Namibian Nation to the development and progress of Namibia.”

This is not the first time that the SPYL is making such calls. In 2015, youth leader Elijah Ngurare pleaded with President Hage Geingob to consider declaring 12 May as a national holiday.

“If we do not honour our heroes no one will do it for us. You can worship all others over the world but there is only one leader that has freed and liberated us,” Ngurare was quoted as saying.

OGONE TLHAGE

Unam students charged for grabbing land

May 14, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Unam students charged for grabbing land KENYA KAMBOWE

The University of Namibia (Unam) on Friday opened a criminal case against a number of students from the Oshakati campus for erecting a shack on its land.

The students are charged with trespassing, entering the premises with weapons and constructing an illegal structure on campus land.

About 50 students were involved in what has been described as a well-orchestrated move by many, including Unam staff, as they surprised the Oshakati Unam management at around 08:00 when they erected their shack just behind the main hall.

This was the latest attempt by the students to get their voices heard following their October 2016 demonstration for hostel accommodation. They said they were being ripped off by landlords charging them exorbitant prices and that they are prone to criminals snatching their belongings at night.

While singing liberation struggle songs and chanting “We are tired of renting,” the students also spray-painted the name of Unam vice-chancellor Lazarus Hangula on the side of their shack.

About four hours later the shack was demolished by the police.

Namibian Sun could not obtain the full list of names from the relevant authorities as to who these students being charged are apart from two Student Representative Council (SRC) members, Junias Shilunga and Eino Kangombe.

Shilunga is the vice-president of the council while Kangombe is the speaker of parliament for the Oshakati campus.

According to Unam Oshakati campus spokesperson Linus Hamunyela there are still names to be added to the list of suspects as police investigations continued, adding that more cases may be opened.

“The case has been opened against the few that could be identified and others can be added later if the police so wish,” Hamunyela said.

“Only one case has been opened so far but if the police so wish they can open up some more,” Hamunyela said.

Hamunyela explained that Unam was motivated to open the case because the student council led by Shilunga refused to sit down with management and solve the situation amicably after the construction of their shack.

Namibian Sun also has it on good record that the SRC refused to engage the regional police commander, Rauha Amwele.

Regarding Unam’s effort to construct a hostel for the Oshakati campus, Hamunyela said substantial efforts had been made in the hope of finding a private partner to develop hostel accommodation facilities at the Oshakati campus, but the Government Procurement Act changed all that.

“While we have started the process and appointed the contractors, the point remains that no contractual agreement was yet signed with them. That is where we are now so that all we do shall be in accordance with the stipulations of the Procurement Act,” Hamunyela said.

Contacted for comment, Shilunga said he was not aware that a case had been opened against him but they were prepared to face whatever was to come.

“We cannot be moved by those things, we are ready for them. What we are fighting for is genuine,” Shilunga said.

“We are not doing it for ourselves but for the future generation so that they do not suffer the way we are suffering currently and it’s on that basis that we will continue with the struggle,” Shilunga said.

The Namibian National Students Organisation (Nanso) last year publicly threatened that should government institutions fail to show any willingness to provide adequate accommodation for students they would put up shack structures as temporary accommodation.

Coaching course to identify fresh talent

May 15, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Coaching course to identify fresh talent A two-day basketball training programme will be conducted by the National Association of Basketball Coaches in Windhoek from 20-21 May.

All basketball coaches in Namibia are invited to take part in the course. The coaching training is the first of its kind since the re-establishment of the NABC.

Basketball coaches at all levels throughout the country, Namibian and foreign, are required to attend the training course to be officially recognised and certified as a coach in Namibia.

Basketball coaches' director Manuel Carballo says coaches who are not certified are not permitted to coach any teams or participate in any affiliated league of NBF.

It is compulsory for all coaches in Khomas Region to attend. He said coaches in other regions who are able to come to Windhoek are also welcome to attend.

“The new coaches' training scheme will be explained on these days,” he said. According to Carballo NABC will make provision for coaches who do not live in Windhoek by conducting coaching clinics in other regions for coaches those who cannot attend the one in Windhoek.

The local coach urged interested parties to reserve a spot no later than 17 May. Lunch and training material will be provided on both days, and participants are expected to carry a water bottle and sports attire. The training will take place at the Multi-Purpose Youth Resource Centre in Katutura. For further information, contact Carballo at mcarballo@live.co.uk or 081 238 7738.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

No date set for premier league

May 15, 2017, 4:00 pm

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No date set for premier leagueKambatuku has no idea when league will start The long-awaited Namibia Premier League was to kick off on 12 May. It is now unclear when the league will start. The Namibian Premier League was scheduled to start on 12 May in Windhoek. That day has come and gone and still there is no clear indication as to when the league will finally take off.

Roger Kambatuku, who was appointed to chair the NFA ad-hoc committee for the NPL to ensure the commencement of the elite league, says he does not know when the league will start.

He says the previous committee was the one that issued statements about when the league will start.

According to him the ad-hoc committee will not be making any announcements about the league in order to avoid giving the public “reckless information”.

“We will make a clear announcement to everyone when we have all the information,” he says.

Kambatuku was appointed at an NFA emergency meeting last month to take care of all administrative and management responsibilities of the league.

The committee's mandate is do everything possible to get the league going and to arrange the election of an executive committee for the NPL.

On paper Kambatuku is deputised by Franco Cosmos, with other members being Nana Tjombe, Evaristus Evaristus, Ranga Haikali and Victor Amunyela.

However, Cosmos told Namibian Sun that he wants nothing to do with his appointment. He said the day after his appointment he wrote a letter to NFA secretary-general Barry Rukoro refusing the appointment.

“Rukoro received my letter. I do not understand why they keep referring to me as the deputy. I am not. They said that I was illegal when they did not recognise the NPL interim committee, saying that it was illegal.”

Speaking to Namibian Sun after the ad-hoc committee was established, Rukoro said the previous interim committee was like a driver with no licence. “When you drive without a licence and bump someone you face the wrath of the law,” Rukoro said.

LIMBA MUPETAMI