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Pregnant rhino poached

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Pregnant rhino poachedPregnant rhino poached The carcass of a pregnant rhino cow was discovered last week on a lodge near Omararu, bringing the total number of rhinos that have been poached this year to 17.

The carcass was found on Saturday by a farmworker at Epako Safari Game Lodge near Omaruru.

According to Deputy Commissioner Erastus Iikuyu, Nampol, regional crime investigations coordinator for the police in Erongo, the carcass was found with both horns removed.

“We suspect the animal was shot four or five days ago by poachers, looking at the footprints at the scene. The carcass was found about three kilometres from the lodge by farmworkers,” said Iikuyu.

The value of the rhino and her horns is estimated to be more than N$600 000. According to Iikuyu nobody has been arrested.

“Members of the public are asked to provide the police with information that can lead to the arrest of the suspects. The investigation is ongoing,” he said.

A case of hunting specially protected wildlife and the removing of specially protected wildlife parts has been opened.

This poaching follows shortly after eight rhino carcasses were recently discovered in Etosha National Park of which seven were poached.

The total of rhinos poached this year is 17 thus while 16 elephants have been poached to date.

Altogether 59 rhinos in the country were poached last year and 95 rhinos in 2015, 56 in 2014 and nine in 2013.

Any person who provides the ministry or other relevant authorities with information leading to the successful arrest and prosecution of a suspect involved with rhino poaching will be rewarded with N$60 000.







Jessica Botes

Churches support dungeons inquiry

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Churches support dungeons inquiryChurches support dungeons inquiryNine commissioners convened A proposed investigation into alleged war crimes is gaining momentum. The joint committee of the Committee of Parents and the Truth and Justice Committee reported that a number of church leaders in Namibia have pledged their support for the envisaged commission of inquiry into the Swapo dungeon saga.

The chairperson of the joint committee, Erica Beukes, in a communiqué to international and United Nations institutions, governments, including the Namibian government, and the leader of the Labour Party in Great Britain, Jeremy Corbyn, said the inquiry would go a long way to redeem the Namibian nation by starting a healing process, “without which there is no such possibility”.

Despite the fact that the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has not responded to a demand for an apology for its alleged silence on allegations of war crimes committed by Swapo in exile, the joint committee has written letters to all churches in Namibia to support the inquiry.

The joint committee said it has met with Anglican Bishop, Luke Pato and canon Samuel Kaxuxuena earlier this month who pledged their support and assistance.

Bishop Pato was the South African representative in the genocide inquiry in Burundi.

The joint committee reported that it has similarly met with Reverend Winifred G. van Rooi-Baumann of the Methodist Church who has agreed to take the matter up with other church leaders. It said she expressed the sentiment that the matter needed to be dealt with to, amongst others, address post-traumatic stress syndromes of those who were involved in the war situation.

A bishop of ELCRN has advised that the matter be taken up with the Council of Churches of Namibia (CCN), while the general-secretary of the CCN, Ludwig Beukes, said the matter would be discussed at a meeting with church leaders in August.

Roman Catholic Bishop Liborius Nashenda also agreed that the matter be discussed at the CCN meeting.

Erica Beukes has similarly informed Gordon Cassim of the South African Indigenous Peoples Association of the inquiry and reported that Cassim has given his approval for the inquiry.

The joint commission stated in its communiqué that this association has a direct interest in the inquiry because members of the Khoisan were “summarily executed in exile by the Swapo leadership for the reason that they were Khoisan”.

The joint committee has also written to the United Nations Committee against Torture to ask for its support and assistance to the inquiry.

The joint committee has convened the commission of inquiry with nine commissioners. They are Namibians Hendrik Christian, Monika von Wietersheim, John Nakuta, Sebron Ekandjo and Paul Thomas.

Others include South Africans Fuad Arnold and John Arthur Liebenberg, as well as London-based Nick Bailey and Mirek Vodslon living in Berlin.

It is anticipated that the inquiry will commence in September.

Catherine Sasman

Family of seven evicted from their home

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Family of seven evicted from their homeFamily of seven evicted from their home Tarah Nangolo and his family of six have been left stranded after he was evicted from his home which he built 2015 in Ondukutu village, last week

Having been evicted by a fellow village resident Luther Natangwe Iimbili, the matter is very complicated as Ondukutu village falls within Ondangwa's townlands, but has not yet been proclaimed as a township.

According to Nangolo, on 29 June he was approached by the messenger of the High Court in Oshakati an eviction order for him to remove all his belonging from the house.

“I received the land from the late village headman, Tarah Iimbili in 2000. It was left vacant until I got married in 2015 and then I started building my house. The issue of the dispute with late Iimbili's nephew (Luther Natangwe Iimbili) started in 2013 when he died. They started saying that I will have to vacate the land,” Nangolo said.





He said that to his surprise, in November 2015, he was issued with a court summons.

“I went to court, but I ended up losing the case in October 2016. This year April, I was issued with another court letter informing me of the removal of my belongings from my house and ordering me to pay N$84 594. Last week Thursday they came and found me at work in Ondangwa. They asked me to take them home, but I refused. They went, the house was locked, but they broke in and took all our belongings outside. They locked the house and left.”

Efforts by Namibian Sun to reach Iimbili or the village headman Gibson Iimbili proved fruitless as their telephone numbers went unanswered.

It is however alleged that that Natangwe Iimbili is claiming that he is in position of a title deed from the Ondangwa Town Council giving him ownership of the land. The CEO of Ondangwa Town Council, Ismael Namugongo, said that the issue is a family matter and have nothing to do with the town council.

“Ondukutu village is part of town council's land, but it has not been proclaimed as a township yet. That land is still in the hands of the traditional authority. Even if we have anything to do there, we have to go through the headman. The letter in question was issued, but it is not a title deed. It is an acknowledgement letter that he resides in that village. He cannot use it to claim for any land in that village,” Namugongo said.

Other letters seen by Namibian Sun from the Ondangwa Town Council also challenged the authenticity of Iimbili's acknowledgement letter. The former acting CEO of Ondangwa, Paulus Ndjodhi denied in 2016 to have authored or signed such a letter.

Nangolo and his family are currently accommodated by the community at a kindergarden.

ILENI NANDJATO

Namibia's drug crisis

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Namibia's drug crisisNamibia's drug crisisDagga, crack and mandrax are favoured A new report indicates hundreds of thousands in drug confiscations but experts say the figures quoted are even higher. The three most commonly seized drugs in Namibia are crack, mandrax and marijuana.

During the period 2012 to 2015 a total of 2 525 units of crack were seized in the country, 8 346 tablets of mandrax and 805kg of marijuana.

This is according to statistics compiled in the 2017 World Drug Report which states that in 2015, about a quarter of a billion people globally used drugs. During the period between 2012 to 2015 a total of 3.53kg of cocaine salts were seized in Namibia, 392 capsules of ecstasy, 482 grams of tik, 37 straws of meth, 75 tablets of LSD and 20.2 ton of ephedrine.

Speaking to Namibian Sun, the retired head of the Namibian Police drug squad, Deputy Commissioner Hermie van Zyl, said in his experience the amounts seized in some cases appeared to be a bit low.

According to Van Zyl, cannabis is still the drug that is most common in Namibia, while the the Khomas, Erongo and Oshana regions are the three top regions in Namibia where drugs are the most popular.



Income levels

Van Zyl says that because it is so cheap, cannabis is a popular drug among many users. “It is actually your drug for the poorer people and the beginner drug for many.”





He says the type of drug a person uses depends on their status and income level.

Van Zyl said after cannabis, crack cocaine and mandrax are also popular in Namibia followed by ecstasy. These are mostly found in Windhoek, Swakopmund and in the north.

“But ecstasy is more of a party drug and then you will get a little bit of LSD. That is the drug that makes you hallucinate, makes you see things and makes you think you can crawl through keyholes.”

According to Van Zyl one can pay as much as N$500 for a gram of cocaine with which you can cut about three or four lines.

“But for a heavy user that is nothing and will not last long.”

He says crack cocaine is also known as the “eat some more” drug because the crack is smoked.

“There are some people that can spend N$20 000 to N$30 000 in one weekend to smoke crack. This while one rock as big as a match head costs N$100.”

He says mostly cannabis is smuggled into Namibia from Lesotho and South Africa and also at Rundu via Angola.



Hidden in oranges



Meanwhile, cocaine comes from Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in Brazil via South Africa. He says the cocaine comes from Latin America and Brazil is only the transit route. According to him ecstasy comes from Europe via South Africa and LSD from Johannesburg and Cape Town.

He says a popular way to smuggle in cannabis is by using commercial trucks and thus, customs officials at border posts have been trained to look out for the newest methods drug smugglers may be using.

Van Zyl says cocaine can be hidden in women's shoes, in sweets and even in fruit.

“They can hollow out an orange and hide the cocaine in the fruit.”

He says then there is the swallowing of bullets which mostly men do.

Meanwhile, Van Zyl says although there are no official statistics and information available on the drug use in Namibia, it is a huge problem in the country.

“This I know from what drug users and sellers have told me.”

He said one of the reasons that there is no information on drug use is because of the lack of rehabilitation facilities in Namibia.

According to him there is only on rehabilitation facility outside Brakwater that can take 12 people for a period of 12 months.

“The lack of government facilities in Namibia is a huge problem. The ministry always has excuses not to build rehabs. We have no benchmark for drug use.”

According to the report around 29.5 million people - or 0.6% of the global adult population - were engaged in problematic drug use and suffered from drug use disorders, including dependence. Opioids were the most harmful drug type and accounted for 70% of the negative health impact associated with drug use disorders worldwide.

In 2014, transnational organised crime groups across the globe were estimated to have generated between one fifth and one third of their revenues from drug sales. Mobile communications offers new opportunities to traffickers, while the darknet allows users to anonymously buy drugs with a crypto-currency. While drug trafficking over the darknet remains small, there has been an increase in drug transactions of roughly 50% annually between September 2013 and January 2016, according to one study.

The spectrum of substances available on the drug market has widened considerably, the report says. The opioid market in particular is becoming more diversified, with a combination of internationally controlled substances like heroin and prescription medicines that are either diverted from the legal market or produced as counterfeit medicines.



ELLANIE SMIT

Confed Cup winners

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Confed Cup winnersConfed Cup winnersGermany clinch Confed Cup title World champions Germany secured a first Confederations Cup title after victory against Chile. Lars Stindl's simple tap-in, following a costly first-half blunder by Marcelo Diaz, was enough to give Germany a 1-0 win over Chile in the Confederations Cup final on Sunday.

Diaz's momentary lapse in concentration let Timo Werner rob him of possession, draw the goalkeeper and pass to Stindl, who scored into an empty net on 20 minutes in Saint Petersburg.

“Unbelievable,” beamed Germany captain Julian Draxler, who won the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player.

“We fought well and deserved this win.

“We hadn't played together before the tournament, which makes it even more valuable.

“Every title is special, but with this young team, it's even more so.

“Now we can all go on holiday and even take the trophy with us,” he added with a grin.

This is the first time Germany, the defending world champions, have won the Confederations Cup in the eighth edition of the pre-World Cup tournament.

“There was not much difference between the two teams,” said Chile captain Claudio Bravo, voted the tournament's best goalkeeper.

“We are sad not to have won, but we played against a world-class team and must learn from our mistakes.”

The South Americans kept the same team which squeezed past Portugal 3-0 on a penalty shootout after a goalless draw in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Germany's only change from the team which beat Mexico 4-1 in the last four saw defender Shkodran Mustafi replaced Benjamin Henrichs.

Chilean fans turned the Saint Petersburg Stadium into a sea of red and merciless pressing by La Roja early on saw Charles Aranguiz and Arturo Vidal cause havoc in the Germany defence.

Eduardo Vargas had the first clear shot on 11 minutes which flew into the grateful arms of Germany goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The South Americans then wasted a golden chance when Vidal's shot was blocked by Ter Stegen and Alexis Sanchez could not connect with the loose ball.

It proved costly as Diaz's calamitous mistake and Werner's quick thinking led to Stindl's match-winner.

Diaz dithered on the ball on the edge of his own box, allowing Werner to pounce. He then drew the lunging Bravo and squared to Stindl, who tapped home.

Having fallen behind, Chile upped the pressure to force an equaliser which left space at the back for Germany to counter-attack.

With time running out, both Vidal and substitute Angelo Sagal fired over the bar, as the German defence held firm.

SuperSport

Omahangano ga yama kepangelo taga talika nawa

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Omahangano ga yama kepangelo taga talika nawaOmahangano ga yama kepangelo taga talika nawaAakomeho naya ndalapatele uumwene womahangano Ominista yOmahangano gayama kEpangelo, Leon Jooste okwa popi kutya omasiku gokugwanithapo owala iilonga ondjilakati mokati komahangano gepangelo, ogeli pokuthika pehulilo. Okwa popi kutya onkalo yoompangela tadhi thigwa owala ondjilakati momahangano ngoka itayi vulu okutsikila, na otaku ningwa omalunduluko opo aahona yomahangano ngoka yamone oondjambi dhawo shiikokelela komayambulepo ngoka taya ningi momahangano ngoka taya lele, opo ku hwahwamekwe egwanithepo lyiilonga.

Minista okwa popi ngaaka, sha landula omapopyo gaangoka ta longo pehala lyomukomeho gwehangano lyoRoads Contractor Company, CEO Tino !Hanabeb ngoka a popi kutya inashi puka opo ehangano ndyoka li pule oshimaliwa sha thika poobiliyona 5.

Okwa popi kutya onkalo ndjoka oya kala omukundu ngoka gwa taalela epangelo uule womimvo odhindji nethimbo olya thikana opo omukalo ngoka gu lundululwe.

Okwa popi kutya uuministeli we otawu ka kala nokutala nawa oompangea ndhoka tadhi ka tulwa po komahangano ngoka ga yama kepangelo, omanga inawu gandja ezimino.

“Oompangela oompe dhongeshefa nenge oompangela oonkulu tadhi talululwa nokulundululwa otadhi ka kala hadhi konaakonwa tango kuuministeli womahangano ngoka ga yama kepangelo opo ku talike ngele odhili tuu mondjila omanga inadhi ziminwa. Ngele otwa mono kutya oompangela dhimwe kadhi li mondjila nena otatu ka tinda opo tudhi zimine,” Jooste a popi.

Okwa popi kutya aakomeho yomahangano ogendji ngoka ga yama kepangelo otaye ya po noompangela dhopaufupi, onga omukalo gwokuyambulapo oongeshefa ndhoka taya kwatele komeho.

“Otwa dhidhilike woo kutya otu li monkalo yopaliko ya piyagana onkene otu na okutala nawa kutya iimaliwa yepangelo otayi longithwa tuu nawa, na itashi gumu egandjo lyomayakulo okupitila mepangelo nomahangano ngoka ga yama kepangelo.”

Kombinga yetulo miilonga lyomatsokumwe gegwanithepo lyiilonga, okwa yelitha kutya shoka otashi utha opo oompangela kadhi tulwe owala miilonga omolwa okutulwa miilonga ihe dhi kale dhi na omanenedhilaadhilo kutya omolwashike.

“Omatsokumwe giilonga otaga utha opo aakomeho yomahangano ngoka kaya tule owala oompangela miilonga ihe opo ya kale ye na edhilaadhilo kutya oondjambi dhawo odhiikolelela koompangela ndhoka, ngele odha ndopa nena otashi ti kutya nayo oya ndopa. Etulo miilonga lyomatsokumwe ngoka otali ka hwahwameka aakomeho yomahangano ngoka opo yiitulemo miilonga okukwashilipaleka kutya oompangela dhopangeshefa ndhoka taya tula miilonga odha adha omalalakano nokuyambulapo oongeshefa ndhoka.”

Okwa popi kutya oya hala woo okukwashilipaleka kutya omahangano ngoka otaga lelwa kaantu ye na ontseyo, mboka taya pumbiwa okutula miilonga oompangela dhopangeshefa tadhi etitha iiyimati iiwanawa meyambulepo lyoongeeshef dhoka..

Omutseyinawa gwopaliko, Klaus Schade okwa taambako oshiyetwa po shoka, ta popi kutya oshi li ondjila ombwaanawa yokuyambulapo omahangano ngoka ga yama kepangelo moshilongo.

Okwa popi kutya oshiyetwapo shoka oshinima oshiwanawa molwaashoka oya kala nokuuva oompangela dhopangeshefa dhoka dha tulwa miilonga nenge dha talululwa ihe inadhi nduluka iiyimati yasha.

Kombinga yetulo miilonga lyomatsokumwe ge gwanithepo lyiilonga okwa popi kutya shoka otashi ka hwahwameka aakomeho miilonga ya kale yiitulamo mokukwashilipaleka etulo miilonga lyoompangela dhoka.

Omukomeho gwomapekaapeko moSimonis Storm, Purvance Heuer naye okwa yambidhidha omapopyo gaSchade.

Okwa popi kutya osha simana opo aakomeho yomahangano ya pondole omayambulepo goongeshefa ndhoka taya kwatele komeho, kwiikwatelelwa koompangela ndhoka taya tula miilonga.



OGONE TLHAGE

Ofamili ya tidhwa megumbo lyawo

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Ofamili ya tidhwa megumbo lyawoOfamili ya tidhwa megumbo lyawo Tarah Nangolo pamwe naanegumbo lye yahamano, oya thigwa pomutenya konima sho ya tidhwa megumbo lyawo momukunda Ondukutu.

Egumbo ndyoka okwa hololwa Nangolo e li tungu mo-2015.

Otaku hololwa Nangolo a tidhwa mo megumbo lye komukwashigwana gwomomukunda ngoka, Luther Natangwe Iimbili, noshikumungu shoka osha dhigupala molwaashoka omukunda ngoka oguli kohi yevi lyondoolopa yaNdangwa ihe ehala inali tulwa natango pambelewa kohi yelelo lyondoolopa ndjoka.

Pahapu dhaNangolo, momasiku 29 Juni okwa pewa etumwalaka komutumwa gwOmpangu yOpombanda mOshakati opo a kale a kutha mo iinima ye megumbo lye.

“Onda li nda pewa evi ndyoka kumwene gwomukunda Tarah Iimbili mo- 2000. Ehala olya kala kali na omuntu sigo osho nda hokana mo-2015 na onda tungu po egumbo lyandje. Oshikumungu shoka osha tameke mo-2013 pokati ketu nomutekulu gwaIimbili (Luther Natangwe Iimbili) sha landula sho Iimbili a hulitha,” Nangolo ta ti.

Okwa popi kutya muNovemba gwo-2015 okwa li iithanwa kompangu.

“Onda yi kompangu ihe onda kanitha oshipotha shoka muKotomba gwo-2016. Nuumvo muApilili onda pewa elombwelo lyompangu, opo ndi kuthemo iinima yandje megumbo, nokufuta oshimaliwa shooN$84 594. Oshiwike sha piti, mEtine oya a dha ndje kiilonga mOndangwa. Oya pula opo ndi ya fale kegumbo lyandje ihe onda tindi. Oya yi kegumbo ndyoka ya adha lya pata na oya teya po omweelo nokututila iinima yandje pondje, oya pata egumbo na oya yi.”

Oonkambadhala okuya mekwathano naIimbili nenge mwene gwomukunda, Gibson Iimbili odha hulile muunyengwi molwaashoka oongodhi dhawo inadhi yamukulwa.

Okwa popiwa kutya Natangwe Iimbili ota popi kutya ehala ndyoka olye na okuna omukanda guumwene wevi ndyoka e gu pewa kElelo lyOndoolopa yaNdangwa. Omunambelewa Omukuluntu gwOndoolopa yaNdangwa, Ismael Namugongo, okwa popi kutya oshikumungu shoka oshinima shofamili, nelelo lyondoolopa kali na mo sha.

“Omukunda Ondukutu oguli oshitopolwa shevi lyondooloppa ihe inashi tulwa natango pambaapila. Evi ndyoka natango oli li momake gelelo lyopamuthigululwakalo. Nonando otu na shoka twa hala okuninga momukunda ngoka, otu na okuya tango kumwene gwomukunda. Ombaapila ndjoka oya gandjwa shili ihe kayi shi yuumwene wevi ihe ombaapila owala tayi popi kutya ye okuli omunamukunda gwomomukunda ngoka.”

Oombapila dhimwe dha monika koNamibian Sun dha za kelelo lyaNdangwa odha pataneke uukwashili wombaapila yaIimbili. Omukomeho nale gwondoolopa ndjoka, Paulus Ndjodhi okwa li a tindi mo-2016 kutya oye a shaina ombaapila ndjoka.

Nangolo pamwe nofamili ye oya pewa ehaa lyokukala manga mokinda yomomudhingoloko ngoka.



ILENI NANDJATO

Elongitho lyiingangamithi tali londo pombanda moNamibia

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Elongitho lyiingangamithi tali londo pombanda moNamibiaElongitho lyiingangamithi tali londo pombanda moNamibiaOshilongo oshina ompumbwe yomandiki genzulonkalo lyaalongithi yiingangamithi Olopota ompe ndjoka ya tulwa miilonga oya holola kutya omwaalu omunene gwiingangamithi otagu kwatwako moshilongo. Iingangamithi unene mbyoka hayi kwatwako moNamibia oya tumbulwa kutya

ocrack, mandrax nomarijuana.

Pokati komvula yo2012 no-2015, okwa kwatwako iingangamithi yocrack yithike po- 2 525 oshowo oopela dho-8 346 mandrax niingangamithi yomarijuana ookg 805.

Omiyalu ndhoka odha hololwa molopota yo2017 World Drug Report ndjoka ya lopota kutya mo- 2015, omwaalu ogundji gwaantu muuyuni otagu longitha iingangamithi.



Pokati ko 2012 sigo 2015 ookg 3.53 cocaine odha kwatwako moNamibia, oopela dhoecstasy 392, 482g dhotik, 37 meth, oopela 75 LSD oshowo ootona 20.2 ephedrine.

Sho a ningwa naye oonkundathana koNamibian Sun, Omukomeho nale gwoshikondo Namibian Police drug squad, Omupeha Komufala Hermie van Zyl, okwa popi kutya pawino ye omwaalu gwiingangamithi mbyoka hayi kwatwako ohagu kala guli pevi.

Pahapu dhaVan Zyl, cannabis oyo unene iingangamithi mbyoka hayi longithwa unene moNamibia, omanga iitopolwa ngaashi Khomas, Erongo nOshana omo unene hamu longitha iingangamithi noonkondo.

Van Zyl okwa popi kutya ocannabis oyo unene hayi longithwa moNamibia molwaashoka oyi na ombiliha, na oyo yi li iingangamithi hayi longithwa kaathigona naamboka opo taya tameke okulongitha iingangamithi.

Van Zyl okwa popi kutya konima yocannabis okwa landula ocrack cocaine nomandrax , oshowo ecstasy. Okwa popi kutya iingangamithi mbyoka ohayi adhika unene mOvenduka, Swakop nonooli.

Okwa tsikile kutya omuntu oha vulu okulongitha noshimaliwa shooN$500 mokulanda ococaine ndjoka ta vulu okuteta muundjila utatu nenge une ihe kwaamboka haya hili unene shoka kashi shi sha.

“Ope na aantu mboka haya vulu okulongitha oshimaliwa shooN$20 000 sigo N$30 000 mokuhila owala ocrack. Omanga emanya limwe enene lyoshingangamithi shoka hali landwa kooN$100.”

Okwa popi kutya iingangamithi oyindji ngaashi yocannabis ohayi yakelwa moshilongo okuza koLesotho naSouth Africa okupitila moRundu okuzilila moAngola.

Iingangamithi ngaashi cocaine ohayi ya moshilongo okuzilila moRio de Janeiro noSao Paulo moBrazil okupitila moSouth Afrika.

Okwa ti ococaine ohayi zi moLatin America na Brazil olyo elila hali longithwa mokupitithamo iingangamithi mbyoka. Pahapu dhe, ecstasy ohayi zi moEurope okupitila moSouth Afrika, omanga oLSD ohayi zi moJohannesburg naCape Town.

Okwa popi kutya omukalo omupe gwokuyakela mo iingangamithi yocannabis okulongitha omaloli onkene aanambelewa yopoongamba oya dheulwa okutala komukalo ngoka gweyakelo lyiingangamithi moshilongo.

Van Zyl okwa popi kutya iingangamithi yococaine ohayi vulu okuholekwa moongaku dhaakiintu, muuleke oshowo miiyimati.

Okwa popi kutya nonando kape na omayalulo kutya aantu yangapi haya longitha iingangamithi moNamibia, okwa popi kutya elongitho lyiingangamithi oli li omukundu omunene gwa taalela oshilongo.

Okwa tsikile kutya omatompelo gamwe kutya omolwashike Naamibia ke na omiyalu ndhoka, omolwashoka kamu na omanzulonkalo gaantu mboka ya pikwa kiingangamithi.

Okwa popi kutya ope na owala endiki limwe tali adhika pondje yoBrakwater na ohali vulu okugandja ekwatho kaantu 12 muule woomwedhi 12.

“Ompumbwe yomandiki goludhi ndoka moNamibia ogwo omukundu omunene.

Uuministeli aluhe owu na omatompelo opo kawu tunge omandiki goludhi ndoka.”

Aantu ya thika poomiliyona 29.5 muuyuni oye na uupyakadhi wopaundjolowele wa tithwa kelongitho lyiingangamithi.

Okwa lopotwa woo kutya oongundu dhiimbuluma ya longekidhwa muuyuni odha mono konyala omatata giiyemo yawo okuza melanditho lyiingangamithi.



ELLANIE SMIT

Omukokele a kana uule woomwedhi ntano

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Omukokele a kana uule woomwedhi ntanoOmukokele a kana uule woomwedhi ntano Oomwedhi ndatu dha piti monena konima nkene oshifokundaneki shoNamibian Sun, sha lopota omukokele gwoomvula 67 ngoka a kana mOshakati.

Johannes Shikongo, a tseyika nedhina J Malambo, okwa monika lwa hugunina omutenya gwesiku lyotango lyaFebruali momudhingoloko Oshoopala, mOshakati, omanga yali taya kongolola iimuna nomutekulu gwe gwoomvula 57.

Opolisi yaShana oya koleke kutya Shikongo okwa kana nomupopiliko gwopolisi yaShana Warrant Officer Thomas Aiyambo okwa lombwele oNamibian Sun kutya okwa patululwa epeko, nomakonaakono oga tamekithwa.

“Aanamblwa yetu yomakonaakono oyiitulamo mokukonga omauyelele okuza moshigwana nuuna yamana otaya ka gandja oshizemo shomakonaakono kaantu mboka ye na oshinakugwanithwa opo ku pulwe komeho.” Pethimbo a kana, Shikongo okwa li hazi megumbo lyomukwayinakadhona Serestina Shikongo (97) opamwe noyana mEhenye mOshakati. Omutekulu gwe, oye li e li omuntu gwa hugunina oku mu mona, okwa lombwele oNamibian Sun kutya, lyopotundi ontimulongo, mesiku lyotango lyaFebruali, hekulu okwa pitithako oongombe koshigunda opo a kalithe moshana tashi adhika konima yolukanda lwaShoopala.

Okwa popi kutya hekulu aluhe oha kala mOshoopala ta nu otombo nesiku ndyoka okwa adhika ta nu otombo. “Onde mu landele otombo e tandi mu lombwele opo ka lithe moshana molwaashoka omu na enono. Onde mu lombwele a tegelelendje komatango opo tu ka kongolole iimuna oshita. Onde ya kegumbo na onda lombwele meme kutya tatekulu onda a dha ta nu otombo.” Okwa popi kutya okwa kutha tatekulu na oya yi nohauto opo ya ka kongolole iimuna lyopotundi 16:00.

“Okwa londo konima yohauto na otwa yi popepi nontompa yaSky, mpoka opo twa adha oongombe. Onde mu lombwele opo ka ze mo mohauto ihe sho tandi hingi iimuna kombanda yoshana onda mono ta zi mo mohauto naasho nda galuka kandi mu wete.”

Oonkambadhala okukonga Shikongo pomidhingoloko dhopuushiida odha hulile muunyengwi. Shikongo okwa li a zala okambindja okazizi, ombulukweya ombundu, okambale okatokele oshowo iitapa.



ILENI NANDJATO

Handsome profit for Trustco

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Handsome profit for TrustcoHandsome profit for TrustcoProfit grows 29% year-on-year Profit was bolstered by growth in real estate developments, largely driven by loans extended by its banking arm for Elisenheim developments. Trustco this week reported that its profit had risen by some 29%, or an increase of N$132 million, following the release of its financial statements this week. Trustco was able to deliver a profit of N$581 million and headline earnings per share grew by 28% to N$0.55.

“Trustco's operations continue to demonstrate resilience in performance coupled with stable results in the face of adverse financial conditions in the region,” it said this week.

The group delivered overall business operating profit before tax of N$581 million, an increase of N$132 million or 29% while revenue increased by 8% to N$1.2 billion.

Real estate in the investments segment achieved a strong result whilst maintaining its focus on priority markets and extracting value from its core business. Investment income continued its positive momentum mainly from investment property capital gains and currency exchange gains.

Total expenses increased by 3%, which supported the growth of revenue. Interest cover ratio decreased from 4.35 times in financial year 2016 to 4.23 times in financial year 2017, however the number remains healthy.

Earnings per share increased to N$0.69 from N$0.55, a 25% growth, whilst headline earnings per share grew by 28% from N$0.55 to N$0.71.

The insurance segment´s net profit after tax decreased to N$40 million due to slow down attributed to the local economic climate.

During the year under review the banking segment secured new funding of N$410 million from various foreign funders. The funding was utilised in the consolidation of the advances book. Total advances increased by 54% to N$1.8 billion.

The investments segment's net profit after tax grew by N$123 million representing a 39% increase to N$440 million.

“Solid performance is attributed to the monetisation of the real estate inventory held by the group and a strong demand within the local economy. The group disposed of 54.4 hectares during the year and at the same time property debtors worth N$71.9 million were realised. The property debtors´ cycle is approximately 24 months,” said Trustco.

The acquisition of the mine represents a natural progression of the group strategy, Trustco said in motivation of its operations in the mining space.

“The acquisition offers a best-fit strategic opportunity to diversify the revenue stream of the group and at the same time earn foreign currency. With positive drilling results, it is expected that this project will generate significant returns for shareholders in the future,” Trustco said.





OGONE TLHAGE

Eileen Gouws: Safety, Health and Environment Coordinator at Newsprint Namibia

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Eileen Gouws: Safety, Health and Environment Coordinator at Newsprint Namibia Eileen Gouws: Safety, Health and Environment Coordinator at Newsprint Namibia Environmental, Health and Safety (SHE) officers are responsible for all aspects of an organisations compliance with occupational and environmental laws and regulations. They handle any regulatory questions employees or managers may have, as well as analyse activities at a company or site to ensure complete regulatory obedience.

Safety is one the most important elements in any working environment. Employees need to feel safe in their working environment in order to be productive and efficient. Eileen Gouws, the Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Coordinator of Newsprint Namibia has the responsibility of making sure the health and safety of all employees are looked after.

“As the SHE coordinator, it is my job to not only keeps the employees of Newsprint safe but also to make them aware of the risks and hazards regarding their working environment,” explains Gouws.

It is also her responsibility to develop and implement prevention strategies and she is also the coordinator of training employees. “My day involves doing my routine checks around the printing machines, making sure all of the employees are complying with the rules and regulations and also to be attentive to the detail of making sure our machines are operating in accordance with the safety regulations of Namibia.

Gouws says she was inspired by her previous SHE coordinator to follow in his footsteps. Gouws volunteered as an assistant SHE coordinator and completed a course at the National Occupational Safety Association (NOSA). “I first had to start off somewhere, because it does not help you are academically qualified, but you are not qualified practically. You need to get as much experience as you can,” she says.

Useful character traits for being a successful SHE Coordinator include being able to stay calm under stressful situations, being observant of possible dangerous situations and a love for seeing people reach their full potential at work.

Pull quote:

“I first had to start off somewhere, because it does not help you are academically qualified, but you are not qualified practically. You need to get as much experience as you can.”

A SHE officer should:

· Be able to take initiative and be proactive

· Be able to manage stressful or dangerous situations

· Be a quick-thinker

Bradley Losper: Senior Fitter and Turner at Newsprint Namibia

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Bradley Losper:  Senior Fitter and Turner at Newsprint NamibiaBradley Losper: Senior Fitter and Turner at Newsprint Namibia Bradley Losper works as a Senior Technician at Newsprint Namibia and basically fulfils the role of a Fitter and Turner. Fitter and Turners manufacture, fit and assemble parts and components for a variety of machinery. They work with a range of materials including plastics and metals to make equipment and machinery and its parts. Fitter and Turners work from detailed drawings or specifications, and can use hand and mechanised tools.

“My duties as a technician at Newsprint are straightforward. I check if the machines work and if the technicians do their daily work. It is also required of me to check the oil of the machines and ensure maintenance is done,” Losper says.

He further explains that he loves his job because it is very hands-on. “The atmosphere at a printing press is great because we work in a very fast-paced environment and that definitely cancels out the negatives you might encounter. Seeing the news of the next day getting printed right before my eyes is definitely a highlight of my job,” he says.

“Yes, you do get dirty while you work but that does not mean the job is for men only. If you don’t mind having oil stuck under your nails for a short while during the day then you and don’t want to sit in an office the whole day, then this job is for ladies as well.”

Losper went to Windhoek Technical High School and says that the technical exposure he got at high school had an invaluable impact on his career choice. “Being at a technical school and constantly working with my hands encouraged me to go into this career. I obtained a three-year certificate from Windhoek Vocational Training Centre (WVTC) after school,” he says.

To be a Fitter and Turner it will be beneficial to enjoy working with your hands, have an interest in how machines work, and be able to think creatively about problems. Problem-solving abilities help when you need to fix machinery when it breaks.

Pull Quote:

“Yes, you do get dirty while you work but that does not mean the job is for men only. If you don’t mind having oil stuck under your nails for a short while during the day then you and don’t want to sit in an office the whole day, then this job is for ladies as well.”

A Fitter and Turner should:

· Enjoy working outside of a conventional office

· Be a hard working person

· Be able to identify and solve mechanical problems

Newsprint Namibia

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Newsprint NamibiaNewsprint Namibia Newsprint Namibia, previously John Meinert Newsprint, was the first pioneering newspaper printing company in Namibia. Newsprint Namibia printed its very first newspaper, Der Kriegsbote, in 1917. It became the Allgemeine Zeitung in 1918 and after 100 years this newspaper is currently still printed by Newsprint Namibia.

Newsprint Namibia has grown and developed along with printed media through the years, to become the well-established web offset printer it is today, employing 100 people, most of whom have been trained in-house. Newsprint Namibia is committed to produce printed products of the highest standard and continues to invest in the technical and human resources necessary to maintain and ever improve this status quo.

Newsprint Namibia aims to provide innovative products and printing solutions to their clients, to continue to train people and to create employment in order to improve and develop our local printing industry.

We print a number of daily and weekly newspapers. We also print commercial inserts, flyers or pamphlets for various commercial and retail clients. Newsprint Namibia also prints and produces specialist products such as A4-type booklets that are trimmed and stitched.

Printing is done in a variety of formats and sizes, from broadsheet to passport size. Most of our work is done in the tabloid or A3 size. All printing is done on newsprint grade paper that varies between 48.8 and 60gms.

Newsprint Namibia also incorporates a mailroom and distribution function. We package the products that we print according to the client’s specifications and needs. We also distribute papers to all four corners of Namibia on a daily basis.

Currently Newsprint Namibia is located in Eider Street 2-4 in the Lafrenz Industrial Area in Windhoek, Namibia.

Julius Goagoseb: Senior Electrical Technician at Newsprint Namibia

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Julius Goagoseb: Senior Electrical Technician at Newsprint NamibiaJulius Goagoseb: Senior Electrical Technician at Newsprint Namibia Electrical technicians install, repair, and maintain electrical equipment. The main job of a Senior Electrical Technician is to make sure that all the machines in the company work at their absolute best. Ensuring this includes testing the machines on a regular basis, keeping an eye on any notifications that the machine might give if something is not functioning optimally and fixing areas where the machine requires maintenance.

An electrical technician may calibrate, troubleshoot, inspect, clean, modify, upgrade, or even uninstall electrical equipment. In addition to the equipment, technicians may also work with wiring. Most electrical technicians work in a factory or production-type atmosphere

Added to this, as a senior in this position, you also have to make sure that all other technicians show up for work every day as well as oversee that they do their jobs correctly. As the senior electrical technician you are responsible for all final checks on the work done and that on the machine.

Important in the job is to ensure that any mistakes on the machines or the work delivered by the machine are corrected in the shortest time possible, so as to deliver efficient and qualitative work. As Julius Goagoseb, Senior Electrical Technician at Newsprint Namibia explains, “If mistakes are not corrected as soon as possible, there might be no newspapers the next day.”

He was inspired to become an Electrical Technician by his father that was one as well. Furthermore, he was good in sciences at school, which is a good prerequisite for doing something in the electrical field.

Character traits that one should have are patience, passion for electronics and the ability to troubleshoot effectively when problems are encountered.

Julius explains that due to the fact that work done must be completed in the shortest possible time, one must be able to work under pressure.

The highlights of Julius’ job are when he accomplishes something, when the work he did was done well and within a short time and he feels he has achieved something good.

Pull quote:

“If mistakes are not corrected as soon as possible, there might be no newspapers the next day.”

Electrical Technicians should:

· Have a passion for electronics

· Enjoy science and mathematics at school

· Be able to identify and solve electronic problems with ease

Students simulate different organs of the UN

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Students simulate different organs of the UNStudents simulate different organs of the UNUNIC Windhoek hosts first Uman Model United Nations mock conference The United Nations Information Centre in Windhoek hosted the first Model United Nations conference and students from the University of Namibia took part. The programme focuses on enhancing debating skills, critical thinking, and public speaking, research and writing skills. It also enhances understanding of the UN structure and contemporary debates relating to current global concerns and possible solutions among youth.

The programme runs at schools and universities across the world and within Namibia, is spearheaded by UNIC Windhoek, since its introduction in 2011.

Although it was a mock debate, with the official conference to be held later this year, discussions and speeches were compelling from the start as delegates approached the topics from different perspectives in order to find a common ground.

The debate concluded with an award ceremony acknowledging all participants, with special recognition given to the best speaker, as well as best overall delegate of the session.

The winners, together with other participants, put forward a comprehensive and professional display, emphasising the training and preparation they received from MUN Unam, in addition to the technical support received form the UNIC team throughout the year.

MUN is a global UN youth initiative in which students simulates different organs of the UN, and most notably, the General Assembly. Students from Unam participated to represent different member states comprising countries around the world that are part of the UN and confront pressing world issues such as combating global terrorism and combating barriers to education for child refugees.

TUNOHOLE MUNGOBA

She is able

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She is ableShe is ableThriving in a male-dominated trade Albertina Shitalangaho, a Level 3 Plumbing and Pipefitting trainee at WVTC shares her strategies she uses to thrive in an industry dominated by men. Albertina Shitalangaho, 20, considers herself as one of the hardworking trainees at the Windhoek Vocational Training Centre (WVTC). “I am very hardworking and I credit my hard work for all that I have achieved in my trade thus far,” said Shitalangaho. She tells The Zone that she ventured into the plumbing and pipefitting trade because she realised that there are few women that pursue this industry. “I like doing challenging stuff and I took this trade to challenge myself but I have developed a love for it and at times I even forget that I decided to venture into this trade to represent women.”

Shitalangaho points out being brave to take up tasks that are considered challenging by many as one of her professional superpowers. She shared that she was the only female that took part in the in-house competition at her school which she won and this has made her one of the seven competitors to represent Namibia at the 2017 WorldSkills Competition in Abu Dhabi later this year. She explained that it means a lot for her to be part of the few vocational trainees that will represent Namibia at event of that magnitude. “I am truly honoured to represent Namibia at such a big event, it means so much to me,” she said.

She shared that her wish is to see more young women taking up vocational courses and excel in these courses so that they can convince the masses that women are also capable of being vocational experts. Shitalangaho explained that although it may sound clichéd, many people still regard vocational training institutions as centres for men and she wishes to be part of the young women addressing this stereotype. “Many people still believe that women are not able to do trades like plumbing and pipefitting and when women enrol at vocational schools they expect us to just do courses like office administration and this does not sit well with me because we all deserve equal opportunities in life,” said Shitalangaho.

Shitalangaho calls on stakeholders in the fraternity of vocational skills to not discriminate against women. She points out not being given tenders because she is female as one of the setbacks in her career thus far. “I believe I am doing well in my career but one thing that sometimes limits me is getting work to do because some clients do not want their pipes to be fixed by a woman,” she said. She went on to say that she believes that many Namibians still need convincing that vocational centres in Namibia are doing an excellent job in producing excellent vocational experts regardless of their gender. “Our vocational centres are really equipping us all with the necessary skills so people should not undermine females with vocational qualifications, because we are really able to do the job,” she said.

However, Shitalangaho encourages young women that have the passion to do vocational work to not be discouraged by the current climate in the vocational industry in Namibia regarding women. Shitalangaho believes things will not remain the same for women in Namibia stating that she is impressed by how many young females insist on pursuing vocational education despite being constantly judged. “It may not be clear to everyone but females at vocational centres are discriminated against but I am happy - despite this discrimination we soldier on,” she said. Shitalangaho pointed out low self-esteem among women as one of the reasons that stops them from pursuing vocational education. “In our country many are told that vocational schools are for men and some women really want to pursue vocational education but they are not confident enough to do so,” she said.

Shitalangaho says that she does not necessarily have a secret recipe for success in her trade it is just hard work and being brave to take risks. She urges those that wish to study her trade to also possess those character traits. “If you want to make it far in plumbing and pipefitting then you have to work hard and be able to take risks,” she cautioned.

Shitalangaho also says that she is currently preparing for the WorldSkills Competition by working hard every day to sharpen her skills. “I practice every day, I really want to make Namibia, my family and myself proud,” she said. She went on to say that she is grateful to the WVTC and WorldSkills Namibia for entrusting her with the duty to represent Namibia in her trade. “I hope to make all those that are rooting for me proud and with hard work and dedication I am sure I will perform very well,” she says.

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

The aftermath of a good night

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The aftermath of a good nightThe aftermath of a good nightWarning others not to make the same mistakes Dedicating his life to speaking to the Namibian youth about the dangers of drinking and driving, Julian Roos has impacted the lives of many. After matriculating from Windhoek Technical Secondary School, Julian Roos faced a wonderful life ahead of him. “I was always a bubbly and energetic young person and I had hopes and dreams just like everyone else,” he explained. In 2005, Roos's mother passed away and according to him, this was the time he started to fight his demons of unresolved issues with his mother and that he had “missed the opportunity to make things right”. He believed he was invincible and he had nothing to lose. Being young, and like many today, Roos loved the fast life and he would brag about how he could travel from Windhoek to Swakopmund in less than three hours. After being involved in three alcohol-and speed-related accidents, this still did not deter him from speeding and he continued driving recklessly. But, this laissez-faire attitude did not achieve anything as he could not run away from his social problems. “I started partying heavily and drinking helped me to forget all these problems.”

On 16 June 2007, the day Roos's life changed forever, he was involved in a horrific car accident that damaged his brain stem and the part that controls the flow of messages between the brain and the rest of the body. The doctors thought Roos would become mentally and physically unresponsive, but, after spending eight weeks in a rehabilitation centre in South Africa, he managed to “learn the basics from scratch”. Although Roos cannot remember any scenes from the accident, he still thinks about what happened that night… to this day. “I was told that my girlfriend of the time and I were partying at a local pub and I was playing drinking games. One of my friends apparently took my car keys and hid them but I demanded to get them back. After a fight with my girlfriend, I decided to drive her home in a rush as the plan was to get back and carry on partying the night away,” he narrated.

Unfortunately, neither Roos nor his girlfriend made it home that night and he only woke up 66 days later from a coma. “My first memory was asking for something sweet at Paramount Hospital in Windhoek now I have spent the last 11 years trying to get my life back.” Today, Roos suffers from excessive tremors that he cannot control. His balance and speech is affected and he struggles to make out a simple sentence. He has worked very hard though and he is proud of all that he has achieved along the years. After collaborating with the Self-Regulating Alcohol Industry Forum (SAIF) last year, Roos has devoted his life to working towards creating awareness for drinking and driving amongst the youth. “I decided to speak to the youth, because it all starts off when you are young and this is the part of your life when you think you are invincible,” he explained.

According to Roos, he felt good speaking to the youth as he believes he is doing what God has planned for him. “Although, I speak in front of many people and tell them my story, I still fear how other people view me, but I have come to a point where it does not affect me much,” he said. Roos and SAIF work together to raise awareness about the dangers of abusing alcohol and according to Horst Heimstadt, a representative from SAIF, the talks have made an impact in the children's lives and they always listen to what he has to say. His talks are usually constructed with Roos speaking at the schools' assemblies and after the address; learners are given an opportunity to ask questions. Although he has addressed school children from more than 15 schools in Windhoek, Roos still aspires to reach more people. “I want to travel around Namibia and possibly Africa to tell everyone about my story. I just do not want people to end up like me.”

In his free time, Roos enjoys playing computer games and spending time with his namesake and friend Julian who is also disabled. Although he is proud of overcoming the stress caused by the hopelessness expressed by the doctors, Roos still hopes to get better and aspires to do much in future. “I would like to go to a rehabilitation centre in South Africa and start receiving treatment and my only focus right now is to get better,” he said. Roos thanked his cousin Suzanne Bonitz for taking care of him over the years. “Suzanne has always been there to give me advice on certain issues and I will forever be indebted to her.”

Roos admitted that he still struggles to come to terms with what has happened and he battles with finding peace within himself. “It was not an easy road, but I am grateful that I have a strong support system and I always receive good wishes from the children I speak to,” he said. Roos says that his outlook on life has changed since his accident and his sister always told him one should go slow in order to go fast. “It basically means if you do things with the right pace, you will do it right the first time and you would not have to go back to do it again,” he explained. He also said there are days when he wants to drink alcoholic beverages, but he does not want to take a chance saying doctors said it could have a negative effect on his brainstem.

Roos said he misses everything about his previous life and he would do anything to get it back, but he wants to do it the right way and teach himself how to get his life back in the right way and for the right reasons. “The only message I want to leave the youth with, is spending more than 10 years to get your life back on track is not worth the fun of a night out you cannot even remember.”

TUNOHOLE MUNGOBA

Giving back is key

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Giving back is keyGiving back is keyPhilanthropist is an essential component to business An entrepreneur talks to The Zone about his journey and struggles as a businessman sharing his ambitions and future plans and shedding some light on some of his passionate endeavours. Petrus Hatupopi is a youthful entrepreneur and capitalist who wants to change the world one business idea at a time. The businessman did not have the easiest of upbringings and says that is part of the reason why he has always been able to think on his feet and to do his utmost best to achieve success.

The last-born of 12 siblings hails from the Ohangwena Region. He completed his secondary schooling at Haimbili Haufiku Senior Secondary School and says he came from a very pitiable background. “My father passed away in 1996 when I was five and I was raised by a single mother who depended on traditional work to make a living. I come from a very poor background,” said Hatupopi.

After completing his high school education in 2008 he had to move to Windhoek in order to start his tertiary education. He says that during that period in his life tragedy struck again in 2009 when he lost his mother and he had to rely on his own to make ends meet. “I came in Windhoek and I was staying with a few family members. Life was very difficult but I luckily got a loan from NSFAF to finance my studies. Even with the little that I had I still struggled with taxi money and a few other things,” shared Hatupopi.

He says in order to gain experience and to keep himself busy he volunteered at Red Cross Namibia and cherishes the time he spent at the organisation because he became a formidable character because of his job there. “I worked at the Red Cross for one year on a programme of agriculture and drought recovery. Unfortunately the programme ended abruptly in 2009 but the experience was amazing,” recalled Hatupopi. He enrolled at the International University of Management (IUM) in 2009 as an information communications student (IT) but dropped out after three months of studying at the university. “I dropped out of IT school at IUM because it wasn't working for me but I also decided to enrol myself at Polytech to study another IT programme known as CISCO in 2010. I am a certified IT technician,” said Hatupopi.

He was seeking to broaden his learning background and went to study graphic design in 2011 in South Africa. “I actually knew what I've always wanted to do and went to study at a college where I got my certificate. I gained a lot of skills while I was in South Africa. I could use Photoshop and create things on my own,” said Hatupopi. Soon after he came from South Africa he registered his own company called Penahana Investments CC. Through his company he bought equipment for his printing and embroidery business. “I did not have enough equipment. I literally had nothing… I only had one heat pressing machine for printing. I got my first tender from Windhoek's vocational training centre. I had to do projects for a few signs and ever since then, the money I got from those projects I bought more equipment,” relays Hatupopi.

He has been in the print business for four years now and says he still struggles because he does not have enough equipment to perform at optimum levels. “Sometimes I get big tenders and I don't have big machines. I have all the necessary machines such as the embroidery and printing machines but for some jobs I divide my profit with people who can help me because they have machines I don't have,” said Hatupopi. He says he is an avid political activist in the Khomasdal constituency. “I was active in community meetings and community projects where I come from and in 2015 I was appointed in the constituency development committee of Khomadal,” said Hatupopi.

The entrepreneur has embarked on an ambitious campaign and wants to donate 100 000 sanitary pads to 50 schools around Namibia. “I am not really a rich person but I want to help people in my communities and one way I can do that is to make sure I assist girls in rural areas with sanitary pads because most of them are dropping out of school due to their periods. You do not have to be a millionaire to help out other people,” said Hatupopi. He says he is huge on giving back and says more entrepreneurs should do it. “I usually sponsor many events. I help people whenever I can. I've been donating uniforms to my previous high school and even sponsor their annual beauty pageants. It's the small things that matter to me. More of us entrepreneurs need to give back to our communities,” shared Hatupopi.

Not one to limit himself to only one title, the entrepreneur says he plans on studying in Russia in the future as a medical doctor. “My ultimate dream is to become a medical doctor. I am going to study in Russia. My passion is in medicine. I want to study in Russia but I need someone to take care of all my other projects before I do that,” shared Hatupopi.



SHONA NGAVA

Breaking the barriers

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Breaking the barriersBreaking the barriers For many young African people there are a number subjects considered a taboo to talk about especially with parents or elderly people. Some of these subjects include sex education, taking a gap year and allowing children to pursue their own choice of field of studies and career paths.

Without despising societal or cultural norms and values, I will attempt to share with you why I feel it is important for parents to teach young people about sex education in a way that not only breaks cultural boundaries but also educates young people. It is high time parents start getting comfortable to have such discussions with their children.

I sincerely believe there are good reasons why parents are reluctant to teach their children about sex. I believe some of the reasons parents frown at talking about sex education with their children include the prevention of premarital sex and unwanted pregnancies as well as maintaining the family's reputation. Many parents also fear that presenting basic information is the same as giving young people permission to be promiscuous. Knowledge they say is power and this knowledge becomes power when it is imparted and shared with adolescents who may not be able to differentiate between irrational decisions and well-informed ones.

Despite the valid reasons that parents use as an excuse not to engage in discussions about sex with their children, I personally believe sex education should start at home. Parents should engage their children as active participants as they mature or as they develop into adulthood. This kind of education should continue in school in a way that preserves the cultural norms while embracing the dynamism in culture. It is not a good thing that many parents leave all the responsibility to teachers. Sex education provides young people with information they need to understand their bodies and gender roles in positive ways so young people must have the knowledge power about sex.

I am not saying all parents are the same but there is always the avoidance reaction, “go and ask your mother or father” or “we will tell you when you are old enough to understand”. As difficult as it may sound, you could sit down with your child and have that frank talk. The same goes for children. It may feel uncomfortable to talk to your parents about sex but you owe it to yourself. I think it is important that children open up to their parents. One thing worth mentioning is that parents should recognise that before they can communicate freely with their children they must be able to talk freely with each other as couples.

As young people, it is also imperative that we do not entirely shift the blame on our parents for not having these types of conversations with us. It is also our responsibility that we confront them and get all the information we need not just about sex education, but also other subjects that we struggle to talk about with our parents because these issues affect us later in our lives.

Another subject that is not necessarily avoided but I feel young people are not always allowed to do is to make their own decisions regarding career choices. It seems as if a lot of parents still decide for their children what career paths they should follow. There is no harm in giving guidance but deciding for them is not fair. People who do courses that were forced down their throats by parents end up unhappy professionals because they will spend the rest of their lives doing something that they do not like or something that they are not passionate about. I know sometimes young people opt for easy courses but in most cases, they would be what they are really passionate about. So, instead of discouraging them just support them and avoid trying to live your dreams through your kids. I urge parents, especially African parents, to listen to their kids and be there to support them.

As stated earlier, young people should not just blame their parents but also understand that it is also their responsibility to make sure that parents listen to them. Avoid blaming parents for everything that does not work out and start engaging with them in discussions considered sacred and inappropriate to discuss with elders. Respect is all the young people need to break the barriers while at same time preserving cultural values and remaining relevant to present day societal realities.



MICHAEL KAYUNDE



michael@namibiansun.com

Video of Mali hostages released

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Video of Mali hostages releasedVideo of Mali hostages releasedProof of life after years of questions Six hostages held in Mali, some as long as six years, have been shown to be alive after the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group released a video. An al-Qaeda-linked group in Mali has released a proof-of-life video showing six foreign hostages, including a South African man, shortly before French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in the country for an anti-terror summit, a group that monitors jihadist communications says.

The recently formed Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen issued the video on Saturday on Telegram, the SITE Intelligence Group said.

The video shows Stephen McGowan of South Africa, Elliot Kenneth Arthur of Australia, Iulian Ghergut of Romania, Beatrice Stockly of Switzerland, Gloria Cecilia Narvaez of Colombia and Sophie Petronin of France.

A number of the hostages in Mali have been held for years. Of the six shown in the video, McGowan was the earliest seized, abducted in 2011 from a hostel in Timbuktu. Narvaez, a nun, was the most recently seized, abducted in February near the border with Burkina Faso.

On Sunday, Colombia's foreign ministry said in a statement that “knowing she is alive motivates us to keep working for her timely release”.

The video comes after Sweden's government on Monday announced the release of Johan Gustafsson, who was held by Islamic extremists in Mali for six years.

“No genuine negotiations have begun to rescue your children,” a narrator says.

The narrator also mentions the recently elected French President Emmanuel Macron, saying that Petronin “is hoping that the new French president will come to her rescue”.

Macron said he welcomed the first sign of life for several months from Petronin.

“These people are nothing,” he said of the extremists. “They are terrorists, thugs and assassins. And we will put all of our energies into eradicating them.”

Macron met on Sunday in Mali with heads of state from five nations across Africa's Sahel region to build support for a new 5 000-strong multinational force meant to counter extremists there. Deadly attacks in recent years in countries once considered relatively safe have alarmed the international community.

In March, a video announced the creation of Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen from a merger of three extremist groups: the al-Qaeda-linked al-Mourabitoun, Ansar Dine and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen claimed responsibility for last month's attack on a resort area popular with foreigners outside Mali's capital that killed at least five people.



NAMPA/AP
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