SPYL backs Swapo elders on Geingob

July 12, 2017, 4:00 pm

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SPYL backs Swapo elders on Geingob The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) is in support of the Swapo Party Elders Council's (SPEC) decision to endorse President Hage Geingob as the sole candidate for the party presidency.

SPYL spokesperson Neville Andre Itope said this in a media release issued on Tuesday, adding that this decision is in the broad national interest and will consolidate unity within Swapo. “It is our view that a rational and logical power structure within Swapo, aligned to that of government's, will aid our developmental objectives,” he added.

Itope assured that all the party wings, regions and structures will support the youth league's call for a 'justifiable generational leadership' mix within the party.

“SPYL further wishes to encourage its own structures and those of the party to pay mind [attention] to policy matters that will inform Namibia's development going forward.” He called for strong discussions leading up to congress of key issues such as urban land delivery, land redistribution and income inequality, among others. Itope applauded the SPEC on successfully concluding its meeting over the past weekend.

He congratulated the newly elected leadership and assured fraternal corporation.



NAMPA

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Something fishy going on

July 12, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Something fishy going onStandoff leads to fish factory closure There is a drawn-out tussle raging over the fishing entity's ownership. The only smoking and fish processing factory situated in Ondangwa had to close its doors after its fish supply was terminated due to a disagreement between the partners.

Smokie Mack founder Irvin Summers alleged he suffered a huge financial loss and had to close shop due to personal differences with a director of Reho Fishing, Ralph Blaauw.

“I was forced to trim the staff complement from 21 to seven. The supply of fish became a huge nightmare since the supplier Reho Fishing withdrew from the deal we had,” he said.

“The costs to maintain the company became too high and I subsequently resolved to close it after an effort to get assistance from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources failed in February 2017,”

Summers said he established Smokie Mack with the sole purpose to create employment in the remote north of Namibia and add to value to horse mackerel through additional processing.

The company specialised in smoking and packaging of fish.

Fisheries minister Bernhardt Esau paid a visit to the facility in 2016 and was impressed with the standards he witnessed.

“I built the business up from scratch and manufactured the processing equipment including highly sophisticated smoking ovens myself. Reho Fishing (as partner) undertook to supply the fish and capital injection for expanding, to expedite the processing and the employment creation aspects. I managed the business and had to provide the technical expertise,” he said.

Summers added that the chairman of Reho Fishing, Clive Willemse and Blaauw, approached him in 2015 for a business venture and initiated negotiations under the auspices of Reho Fishing.

“I was under the impression that I had entered into a joint venture with Reho Fishing as a company and not with individuals with vested interests.”

According to Summers, he realised the need to have Smokie Mack registered and approached Blaauw and Willemse in order to have this done.

He travelled to Windhoek to execute the process since the company was already operational for one year and employed 30 persons.



Fruitless

“Willemse and Blaauw were not available despite an agreement we reached one month earlier to conclude the process of registering Smokie Mack. I continually requested to meet with any of the other shareholders to no avail. This made me question the composition of the company and its shareholders, since the funding and the fish supplied to Smokie Mack were provided by Reho Fishing.”

He proceeded and registered Smokie Mack as a close corporation (CC).

Willemse and Blaauw subsequently flew in and had a meeting with him in Ondangwa.

They discussed the shareholding composition of Smokie Mack and wanted to know how the shares would be divided since the company belonged in its entirety to one individual.

“They wanted Smokey Mack to function as a Reho Fishing subsidiary. I realised that should this materialise I would be merely a worker and not a shareholder of the company I started. An agreement was then reached whereby the Smokie Mack shareholding would be split between Blaauw, Willemse and myself.”

The explanation for this was that a CC (Smokie Mack) could not merge with a Proprietary Limited (Pty Ltd) (Reho Fishing) and Summers produced a document that was prepared and signed on 22 August 2016 awarding equal shareholding (33.33%) between the individuals, instead of the company Reho Fishing, as proof.

He subsequently received a letter on 22 August 2016 informing him that the board of Reho Fishing had resolved to transfer its 66% interest in Smokie Mack to Willemse and Blaauw as equal shareholders.

The letter signed by Willemse in his capacity as chairman of Reho Fishing stated that he and Blaauw will take over all assets, interests, debts and the loan account of Reho Fishing in equal proportions.

A fight erupted after the joint venture RDS Fishing supplied fish via Reho Fishing towards Smokie Mack.

Summers alleged that this consignment of fish never arrived at its intended destination, Smokie Mack.

He demanded to know who would be held accountable for the missing cargo and this resulted in a deadlock between the parties.

According to Summers, he decided to approach the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to have the matter resolved and informed Willemse and Blaauw of his intentions.

“Suddenly Willemse and Blaauw decided to withdraw. They tabled a termination agreement and signed off the company with assets and a cash component over to me.”

Willemse approached Summers on the 27 September 2016 with a transfer of project assets which stipulated that Reho Fishing agreed to transfer all current assets in possession and operating at Smokie Mack to him (Summers) in his personal capacity.



Standoff

Reho Fishing also agreed to pay N$100 000 and stated that it would not be held liable for any loss, damage once the agreement/contract was signed.

On 24 October Summers received another termination of partnership agreement letter on the official Reho Fishing letterhead signed by Willemse (chair) and Blaauw (director).

“This confused me. After further investigations I discovered that the company information submitted to the permanen secretary of fisheries in December 2011 from the auditors of Reho Fishing (Grant Thorton Neuhaus) showed that Blaauw was never a shareholder and Willemse owned 15%. It also came to light that Blaauw owned 50% on 1 March 2014. Is this in line with the Harambee Prosperity Plan?”

Summers alleges that the shares of two former holders (a primary school and a kids care centre) based in Rehoboth were transferred to Blaauw.

“What is also confusing is that Blaauw was never an original shareholder with the application for the horse mackerel quota granted to Reho Fishing,” he said.

Reho Fishing is in a joint venture with four other companies under Mack Fishing, which receives a horse mackerel quota from the ministry of fisheries.



Tight-lipped

Willemse was contacted to comment on the allegations levelled against him and Blaauw and referred the matter to Blaauw. An effort to meet with Blaauw to discuss the allegations during a trip to Walvis Bay did not materialise.

He subsequently referred this reporter to his lawyer Richard Metcalfe and said arrangements could be made to view documentation relevant to the issue at hand. Efforts to set up a meeting with Metcalfe also came to naught.

The deputy sheriff, however, delivered a letter addressed to Summers on 16 June 2017 stating that Metcalfe Attorneys were acting on instructions of Reho Fishing.

Metcalfe claimed Reho Fishing initiated the Smokie Mack Project in 2015 and engaged Summers to join the project in which he could operate on a 33.3% profit share basis.

Reho Fishing, the lawyer says, subsequently built and paid for a factory on leased premises in Ondangwa.

He added Summers was then relocated from Walvis Bay to Ondangwa and provided with fully furnished accommodation solely on the expense of Reho Fishing.

The company also purchased the necessary machinery for Smokie Mack trading's requirements at the factory in Ondangwa, the letter states.

The business was established and became a profitable venture with Summers' technical acumen.

“During the course of business, acrimony developed between Summers and the client.

This acerbic relationship was further aggravated when it was discovered that Summers had registered Smokie Mack trading as a close corporation in which he held 100% members interest together with all assets, equipment and the lease agreement,” Metcalfe charged.

“Summers' self-serving conduct was noted with misery and disdain by the board members of Reho Fishing whose trust in him was betrayed. After debating the matter the board decided to leave Summers with the close corporation and without instituting any legal proceedings.

It now appears that Summers' lack of corporate acumen resulted in the closure of the factory and his reallocation to Walvis Bay.”

Summers is also accused of making “unfounded and ungrounded false” allegations against Blaauw. According to Metcalfe, the conduct of Summers amounts to the crime of extortion.

“There is simply no money due and owed to Summers and the client will not accede to any demands. Summers effectively hijacked Smokie Mack Trading from the client and should he proceed with attempting to extort the client and Blaauw, criminal proceedings will be instituted against him in both matters.

“The client is not interested in civil proceedings since Summers is a man of straw the letter concluded.”



OTIS FINCK

Genocide lawsuit sets example for others

July 12, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Genocide lawsuit sets example for others Namibia could lead by example for the world to follow, if the country wins its New York lawsuit on genocide against Germany, historians from the University of Hamburg have said.

Germany awaits the second hearing in a New York court on 21 July, but is still mum on whether it would appear for the hearing after failing to make a first appearance in March this year.

Speaking to Nampa recently, the head of research at the Hamburg University's Department of History, Dr Jürgen Zimmer, indicated that the justice secretary of Berlin has not officially handed over the lawsuit by Namibia to the German government.

Correctly remembering the genocide would mean that the German society at large would engage with the reality of what happened over 110 years ago in Namibia and other African countries like Tanzania, Burundi and Cameroon.

Germany would then have to think about how they would want to remember it.

“We are far from this. What we have achieved in the meantime is that most people have heard of the Ovaherero and Nama, and they have heard of them in a critical way,” Zimmer said. He said a memorial in Germany was needed to commemorate general colonial history as well as the Ovaherero and Nama genocide. Zimmer said that in addition to a formal apology from the German government, the first step to truly coming to terms with the 1904-1908 genocide, would be to hold global broader scientific discussions with Africa and other countries, including former colonies.

“However, the German government has only half-heartedly acknowledged that genocide took place, and there is a lot to be discussed on whether it is recognised or not. It would have to be developed in a close dialogue with Namibia and I cannot see that dialogue happening at the moment,” he said.

He explained that to acknowledge any duty to make up for the past wrongs is what the German government is shying away from, as this could set as example for other former colonies to sue for reparations as well. Meanwhile, Kim Todzi, research assistant at the same university, said having a Genocide Remembrance Day would be a huge achievement for both countries, as it would be part of the process of dealing with the past.

“It would be a huge achievement, because then it means that it is acknowledged and is part of the political calendar for both countries,” Todzi said.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs in Namibia held public consultations with various stakeholders in May and June 2017 to determine the enactment or declaration of a Genocide Remembrance Day. Parliamentarian Usutuaije Maamberua proposed 28 May as National Genocide Remembrance Day, saying it was the day all surviving victims of the war were set free from concentration camps.

-Nampa

Anna Salkeus

Deadly crash was unavoidable

July 12, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Deadly crash was unavoidableSurvivor testifies in Dippenaar trial The trial of a man who is accused of murdering six people in a car crash resumed in the Swakopmund Regional Court yesterday. Antonia Klara Joschko, who was involved in an accident in December 2014 in which her entire family died, testified in court yesterday.

“There was definitely no way my father could have avoided the collision as he saw the vehicle too late. It was too close and there was no time for him to swerve the car to either side of the road,” said the 19-year-old Joschko in the Swakopmund Regional Court. The accident, which claimed the lives of her father, Walter Helmut, 48, mother, Stephanie Dorothea Schemick, 49, and her older sister Alexandra, 19, occurred 12km outside Henties Bay on 29 December 2014. It is alleged that the accused, Jandré Dippenaar, was overtaking another vehicle when he smashed into the Joschkos' oncoming vehicle. The FJ Cruiser that Dippenaar was driving burst into flames while the passengers were still trapped in the vehicle. The people who died in Dippenaar's car were Dinah Pretorius, 30, Charlene Schoombe, 24, and JC Horn, 27. Joschko testified that they left Palmwag Lodge on the morning of the accident and drove towards Cape Cross where they stopped to have lunch and to view the seals.

From there they drove south in a rented Ford Ranger.

“On our way to Swakopmund, I was speaking to my sister who was sitting on the rear passenger seat with me. I was sitting behind my father, who was driving, and my mother was sitting in the front passenger seat. As we were driving up a small hill a big white vehicle suddenly appeared right in front of our car,” she said.

She said her father had no time to react to avoid a collision as Dippenaar's vehicle was too close and was travelling at very high speed.

“I feel that what my father did actually saved my life. He swerved the car to the right and the collision was more on the left front side and that meant I was furthest away from the point of impact. That to me is the reason I escaped death,” she testified.

According to her, the Ford Ranger rolled over on its roof and she was hanging upside down in her seatbelt when the vehicle came to a standstill. After she managed to free herself, she tried to open the door but could not do so because of severe pain in her arms, she testified.

“I managed to attract the attention of a bystander who smashed out the car window.

“I turned around and saw my sister next to me. I could only see her hair and her hand. I took her hand and told her that we will make it. However, the hand did not feel as though it was a living hand,” she said.

Paramedics arrived at the scene soon after the accident occurred and assisted Antonia and Dippenaar.

“The paramedics first went to the accused, who had a big wound on his leg. I tried to attract their attention as I felt I needed urgent medical attention because of the severe pain in my abdomen. One paramedic came and put me on a stretcher and carried me into the ambulance.

“I was told I had to wait until they finished with the accused before I could be taken to hospital. I did not feel good about being in the same ambulance as the accused so I asked them if we could go sooner,” Antonia testified.

According to her she was eventually transported to the Swakopmund State Hospital once another ambulance arrived.

She was transferred to a private hospital in Walvis Bay on the same day. She further testified that members of the Namibian police visited her the next day to take her statement. “I told them what I could remember, but there were quite a lot of problems as we struggled to understand one another. It took a long time and I found it very difficult to tell the police the correct details.

“It was important for me to tell them what happened and that the basics were in the statement. I read through the statement and made some corrections and signed it. I was tired and quite happy that this chapter was done,” she said. Dippenaar last year pleaded not guilty to six charges of murder, reckless and negligent driving, fraud and non-possession of a valid driver's licence. In his plea explanation, he claimed he could not remember anything about the accident and that he had done nothing to intentionally cause the accident or the deaths.

The trial was set down until Friday by Magistrate Gaynor Poulton but was postponed to today for cross-examination. Advocate Louis Botes represents the accused and prosecutor Faith Chipepera represents the State.

STAFF REPORTER

Hopes for control of bird flu dashed

July 12, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Hopes for control of bird flu dashed Namibian borders will remain closed for poultry imports from South Africa for a longer period following the spread of the H5N8 bird flu virus to two other farms in that country.

The South African agricultural department confirmed in a statement that the disease had been confirmed at two new locations in South Africa, bringing the total of affected properties to four. The new locations involved commercial layer chickens on farms in Gauteng and Mpumalanga.

Namibia suspended the import and in-transit movements of live poultry, birds, poultry products, ostriches and ostrich products from South Africa at the end of May following the bird flu outbreak in that country.

The chief veterinary officer in the agriculture ministry, Dr Milton Masheke, told Namibian Sun yesterday that every new case reported in South Africa would extend the timeframe before South Africa could be declared free of the disease before Namibia could open its borders to poultry products from South Africa.

He said South Africa was doing everything possible to control the spread of the disease.

Masheke pointed out that a lot still needed to be done in South Africa. “This will take a very long time, they have to search for new cases and then there is still a three-month surveillance period before they can be declared free of the disease.”

Masheke did not want to speculate on how long it would take before imports resumed.

He said when South Africa declared itself free of the disease to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Namibia would reopen its borders to imports of poultry products from South Africa.

“This will take a very long time. However, should conditions improve in the country we will consider different options,” he said. “Of course we are worried and there will be a shortage of products at some point,” Masheke said.

He stressed that because South Africa was such an important source of poultry imports for Namibia, local poultry producers should look at increasing production and importing from other countries.

“There are many countries that are free of the disease where we can import from,” he said.

The acting chairperson of the Namibian Poultry Association, Rene Werner, recently told Namibian Sun that the impact on the industry would be huge if the border closure for poultry imports remained in place for more than a month.

He explained that poultry producers renew their gene pool in cycles and every three months they put the old chickens out and get new chickens in. “What has happened now is that the cycle has been broken because we are not getting new chickens in and although it is currently still fine, if it lasts longer it will become a serious problem.”

Meanwhile, South African authorities have placed the two farms where the disease has spread to under quarantine.

The necessary measures have been taken to contain and eliminate the disease as efficiently as possible on both farms.

ELLANIE SMIT

Land tribunals, expropriation part of talks

July 12, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Land tribunals, expropriation part of talks Both the loss of ancestral land and partial restitution were acknowledged at the Khomas regional consultative conference held in Windhoek this week.

The Ministry of Land Reform is holding these consultative conferences in all the regions of the country in preparation for the second national land conference scheduled for September.

The workshop, held on Monday and Tuesday, asked for proposals and open debates to guide discussions to take place during the second land conference.

The proposals made for Khomas came from the 24 resolutions made at the 1991 land conference, most of which were never implemented.

Delegates recommended that a tribunal for ancestral land claims be established and that delegates at the September conference also consider the burial rights of resettled beneficiaries.

Another proposal was that foreigners should not be allowed to own farmland but should only be given rights to use and develop it on a leasehold basis. It was noted that due to the delay in the enactment of the land bill, the issue was not addressed.

It was further resolved that the total hectares of farmland owned by foreign nationals, and their productivity, should be determined and that such owners, as well as absentee landlords, should be invited to participate in the land reform dialogue.

Some suggestions made from the floor were that absentee landlords should be compelled to sell their farmland to the state and failure to do so should result in expropriation.

A recommendation was also made to revoke the land rights of absentee land owners and resettled Namibians who do not live on and work their land. The delegates also recommended that abandoned and underutilised land should be identified and made productive.

The workshop proposed that land should be expropriated without compensation to address land lost by indigenous groups during the colonial period in the country.

The delegates also expressed disappointment about the government's budget allocated for land purchases, saying it is not adequate and urged government to consider increasing the annual budget for the land reform programme.

It was also suggested that a fixed percentage of the gross domestic product or budget be introduced to ensure land acquisition.

“A formula should be established to inform the proposal and modalities for implementation,” it was stated in the recommendations.

It was further agreed that the genocide victims and people living with disabilities not included to benefit from the land reform programme should be given special preference for resettlement.

The issue of the /Khoman community in the Khomas Region whose land was expropriated, was deliberated and delegates resolved that the government should consider giving the affected people communal land in the region.

The government was further asked to introduce what was called “progressive tax” on multiple farm ownership to compel people owning large tracts of land to offer the land to the state for sale.

Delegates recommended amending the legislation so that land owners stop registering land under close corporations. They also recommended limiting the number of farms an individual can own as well as the size of the land. They further recommended that non-productive land should be expropriated to the land reform programme.



FRED GOEIEMAN

Land tax review expected

July 12, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Land tax review expected ‘Constructive discrimination’ against foreign land owners Different land tax regimes are envisaged for foreign land owners and Namibians. ELLANIE SMIT



Farmers are hopeful that a new land tax regime to be proposed to cabinet will finally address the issues of determining land valuations, which they have been fighting for since 2012.

They were responding to comments made at public consultations held in Windhoek on the second land conference that the ministry would soon announce a new land tax regime. The current regime has been in existence since 2004.

At the consultations the land reform ministry’s valuator-general, Rudolf !Nanuseb, explained that since the inception of the land tax in 2004 there had been three valuation rolls - one in 2004, another in 2007 and the latest in 2012.

He said the tax levied on land is progressive and that they were now going to practise “constructive discrimination” where they envisage different land tax regimes for foreign land owners and Namibians.

However, !Nanuseb emphasised the need to have a sustainable and affordable land tax, warning that otherwise, agricultural production would be destroyed.

!Nanuseb told Namibian Sun that a proposal would be submitted to the cabinet, but that it was still under discussion and therefore he could not elaborate on the proposed new tax rates for foreigners and Namibians.

Currently the tax rate is 1.75% of the value of the land for foreigners progressing on 0.25% for any additional farms, while the tax rate for Namibians is 0.75%, progressing on 0.25% for additional land.

The president of the Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU), Rhyno van der Merwe, told Namibian Sun that land tax for both foreigners and Namibians is already progressive. “It is programmed that way.”

He explained that the appearance of the 2012 valuation roll resulted in tax increases of up to 900% for some individual farmers.

Van der Merwe said farmers made objections against these increases and even approached the minister.

“It was made clear that we have no objection paying land tax, but it should be affordable and fair.”

Authorities say land tax is based on the valuation of agricultural land carried out by the lands ministry in a valuation roll. Since 2012, the roll’s readjustment to present-day market prices has become a subject of legal proceedings although it has been done in accordance with the applicable Land Valuation and Taxation Regulations.

Various issues are currently pending before the High Court. Among them is the question of whether land valuation should be based on the market value, as is stipulated in the present legislation.

According to Van der Merwe, the union suggests that the rate of land tax should rather be adjusted, because there are questions of how the value of the land was arrived at.

“In our view, the less rainfall and carrying capacity land has, the less valuable it is. Thus, as rainfall and carrying capacity increases, value should increase. Currently, there are farms in the south of the country with greater value than farms in the northern areas.

“Since 2012 the NAU has made several suggestions to change regulations in the law. The ministry took notice of these suggestions and even sent consultants to us to look at our suggestions.”

Referring to the ruling of valuation court last year, he said that more than 1 400 landowners appealed the ruling while an application for the review in the procedure of creating the valuation roll was made.

“We are campaigning for correct land valuations. We are not against paying land tax, but it has to affordable and fair. We want the regulations changed.” he emphasised.

Disputes hold up Oshikoto conference

July 12, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Disputes hold up Oshikoto conference The Oshikoto regional Swapo conference was postponed for the umpteenth time following a directive from the ruling party's leadership.

The decisive meeting was scheduled for yesterday, but it was called off after Swapo secretary-general Nangolo Mbumba wrote to the regional leadership to cancel the meeting at the last minute.

This angered many delegates who had travelled to the meeting with high hopes of finally having the conference concluded.

It appears the region is grappling with protracted delays in verifying the list of delegates to the conference.

But regional coordinator Armas Amukwiyu yesterday said that was not the case anymore.

He said they had done everything needed to hold the conference yesterday, as all pending issues were sorted out on Monday. He also claimed some of the national leaders assigned to the region had confirmed their attendance.

The conference was first scheduled to take place on 24 June, after which it was postponed to last week Saturday.

In letters seen by Namibian Sun, Mbumba wrote to Amukwiyu on Tuesday, suggesting that the conference be postponed again because the national leaders assigned to the region were not available.





Amukwiyu blasted Mbumba, saying his last communication was guided by “emotions” and not the party's constitution.

“I am equally disappointed. If there is any confusion prevailing within ourselves, I also do not have answers to your questions as I am also asking myself what is going on,” Amukwiyu told delegates who had gathered for the regional conference yesterday at Omuthiya.

One delegate criticised the national leadership of the ruling party, saying they were targeting Amukwiyu because he was no longer enjoying the support of the party's acting president, Hage Geingob.

“This issue is not because Oshikoto Region is not in order but simply because they don't like one person (Amukwiyu), which is not fair because Swapo is not about individuals, it's about the people,” a delegate, who requested anonymity, said.

“If they don't want Amukwiyu they must say who they want there.”

Amukwiyu has been nominated to once again contest the coordinator position and is expected to be challenged by former Onayena Constituency councillor Marx Nekongo.

Nekongo did not attend yesterday's meeting at Omuthiya. Amukwiyu said he was willing to “pledge his head” if the party finds him guilty of violating the constitution.

“If I have violated any part or section in the Swapo Party constitution, I pledge my head for that. It is not new to expel or suspend people in Swapo, however, the constitution is there to protect everybody,” Amukwiyu said.

Swapo veteran Ngarikutuke Tjiriange, who was invited as guest speaker at the conference, also made it to Omuthiya yesterday where he praised Amukwiyu, saying they should rally behind Amukwiyu.

He, however, told the delegates that they should always fight in the interest of the country and not that of an individual.

“You have only one thing to fight for and that is your country,” Tjiriange said.

Mbumba could not be reached for comment yesterday.

KENYA KAMBOWE

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Brutal beating kills mother of six

July 12, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Brutal beating kills mother of sixTwo months in Juliane Katombela has died from head injuries she had sustained in a fight with her boyfriend at Okahandja in May. A 36-year-old woman and mother of six died in the Katutura State Hospital last week after close to two months in ICU following a brutal beating two months ago, allegedly at the hands of her partner.

Juliane Katombela, 36, died last Wednesday from head injuries she had sustained in an alleged fight with her boyfriend at Okahandja in May.

It is alleged that Blaauw used a pipe or another blunt object to beat her. It is also alleged that the couple had been drinking, although none of these claims could be confirmed by police or the prosecution this week, only by close friends and family.

The accused, Sambi Blaauw, age unknown, was the father of Katombela's five-month-old son.

Following her hospitalisation in May, Okahandja police arrested Blaauw on a charge of attempted murder.

Last week, the charge was amended to murder, and he remains behind bars after bail was refused by the Okahandja Magistrate's Court this week.

His case was postponed for further investigation and the next court date was set for 4 September.

Katombela was the mother of six children, a pair of twins and another child who are in primary school, an eldest child who is in secondary school, and another child set to leave school next year.

The infant son has been living with Blaauw's family members for some time, an uncle told Namibian Sun, after Katombela struggled to care for him due to a number of health issues she had been battling for some years.

An autopsy is scheduled to take place this week to identify the exact cause of death.

Eduard Meroro, Katombela's uncle, who saw her regularly, said while it is not yet exactly clear what she died of, she had been in intensive care since late May, after she was beaten.





Her uncle said the family is still reeling from her hospitalisation and now, her death.

“We are very, very sad. One doesn't know what to do. Sambi is now in the hands of the police and we can't take this into our own hands.”

Meroro said his niece sustained her worst injuries on her head and that doctor's had said there was bleeding on her brain.

He said it was clear a type of instrument was used to beat her on the fatal day, because of a large wound to the left of her skull.

Several family members told Namibian Sun that Katombela and Blaauw's relationship was stormy and marked by alcohol abuse, when their fights usually reached violent heights.

“If they didn't have a drink, they were fine. All was well. But if they drank, they didn't get along,” Meroro said.

Another family member claimed that there had been times when Katombela was covered in bruises and other marks, and that their arguments often resulted in violence.

Family members told Namibian Sun her funeral is being planned, but no definite date could be set yet due to financial constraints.

Meroro said the family hoped to pool sufficient funds together to hold the funeral by the end of the month.

In February 2016, the gender ministry reported that over 10 000 cases of gender-based violence (GBV) were investigated by the Namibian police over the course of three years.

Incidents of common assault, rape and assault with grievous bodily harm topped the list of complaints made by women and children.

Numerous studies have shown that GBV is widespread and has reached epidemic proportions in Namibia, with domestic violence at the hands of an intimate partner the most pervasive form of GBV.

Studies found that in Namibia, “one out of three women has experienced, or will experience, GBV in their lifetime. Furthermore, it is estimated that one out of five women are in an abusive relationship,” Sister Namibia has stated.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Criminal probe into SME Bank

July 12, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Criminal probe into SME Bank A criminal investigation into the affairs of the bankrupt SME Bank has been opened according to Anti-Corruption Commission director Paulus Noa.

Noa told Namibian Sun yesterday that the Namibian Police had initiated a criminal investigation in line with the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

“An investigation into the SME Bank has already been launched in line with the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. You must contact the office of the Inspector-General if you want more information,” Noa said briefly yesterday.

“You must wait for him. [Nampol] is the agency heading the investigation. It is the agency that must go out to the public.”

Police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga could not comment, as he was in a meeting.

The SME Bank was placed in provisional liquidation by the Windhoek High Court on Tuesday.





Judge Hannelie Prinsloo ruled that the bank be placed under the control of the Master of the High Court for provisional liquidation, adding that the respondents had until 15 September to show cause why the bank should not be liquidated.

The Bank of Namibia took control of SME Bank in March after allegations of mismanagement of funds came to light.

Ian Mclaren and David Bruni have been appointed by the Master of the High Court to manage the affairs of the SME Bank in the interim.

Central bank governor Ipumbu Shiimi told the court that an investment of roughly N$175 million in South Africa by the SME Bank had placed it in a precarious financial position.





The SME Bank is a joint venture between the Namibian government (65%), the Metropolitan Bank of Zimbabwe (30%) and controversial Zimbabwean businessman Enock Kamushinda (5%). About 200 local workers are affected by the liquidation of the bank.



Ombudsman wants action

Meanwhile, Ombudsman John Walters has joined the chorus of those calling for the SME Bank directors to be held accountable for their actions.

Walters also took issue with the Bank of Namibia, accusing them of allowing the mess at the SME Bank to spiral out of control before acting.

“It is usually the persons responsible, not so? Those who were in charge of the bank and those that hold oversight should be held accountable. My argument is that the Bank of Namibia should have questioned these questionable suspicions,” said Walters.

“Why do we allow millions to leave the country? That is not even bad management, it is legalised theft.”

Walters asked how it was possible that the central bank could allow large amounts of money to cross the border without the necessary investigation usually required under banking laws.

“If I transfer N$50 000 or even N$100 000, I have to declare where I got the money and when I am sending money out of the country, I have to account for it,” said Walters.

SME Bank's former board was made up of cabinet secretary George Simataa as chairman, Petrina Nakale, Theofelus Mberirua, Milka Mungunda, Kamushinda and Ozias Bvute. Zimbabwean national Tawanda Mumvuma served as CEO.

The Namibian Financial Institutions Union (Nafinu) has also demanded that the directors be charged in terms of the Companies Act.

OGONE TLHAGE

Mannetti wants all players to score

July 13, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Mannetti wants all players to scoreThe Zimbabweans are in town National football coach Ricardo Mannetti expects all his players to be sharp in front of goal against Zimbabwe this weekend. Over the years, the Brave Warriors have struggled to produce a perfect striker to score goals whenever needed.

The problem continues and has led to Brave Warriors coach Ricardo Mannetti begging his midfielders and defenders to start scoring goals.

The Namibian team comes up against a strong Zimbabwe side in the first leg of the African Nations Championships (CHAN) qualifiers at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Sunday at 15:00.

For the first time this year, the Brave Warriors will be playing in front of their home support.

The Zimbabweans are fresh from Cosafa success and will be eager to extend their celebrations with a win against a struggling Brave Warriors.

The home team, on the other hand, will have to shrug off their Cosafa disappointments in order to spoil the Zimbabwean party.

The Warriors face a torrid time given that they will need to beat a side with players who have been active throughout the year, while the home team's players lack game time.

The 2015 Cosafa champions will need to score at least three goals with no reply if they want to stand a better chance of advancing to the next stage.

“I admit that our strikers have been struggling to score goals and that is why I will need every player on the field to be sharp in front of goal,” Mannetti said.

“Zimbabwe are very strong and will be the ultimate favourites in this tie.

“In simple terms, I can say that we are playing a non-league team against a team with players that have been playing on a regular basis.”

The head-to-head record suggests that the two teams are level, given that they have beaten each other five times each, with one draw, in 11 matches. Namibia will be comforted by the fact that they defeated their opponents 4-1 the last time the two teams met. But the Brave Warriors had a fitter and hungrier squad the last time they played the Zimbabweans in the 2015 Cosafa Cup.

Mannetti will be without the services of Maximilian Mbaeva, Deon Hotto, Wangu Gome, and Sadney Urikhob, who are all ineligible to play in this competition.

The national team will be boosted by the fact that foreign-based players Petrus Shitembi, Roger Katjiteo, Absalom Iimbondi and Hendrik Somaeb have all been cleared to play in the competition.

All three players have been released by their foreign clubs, making them eligible to play in the competition.

“The players will need Namibians to come pack the stadium to boost their morale.

“I am sure that the Zimbabwean team's fans will come in their numbers to support their national team,” Mannetti told reporters at a media briefing.



Namibian Squad

Goalkeepers: Loydt Kazapua, Edward Maova. Defenders: Charles Hambira, Larry Horaeb, Edmund Kambanda, Tiberius Lombard, Riaan !Hanamub and Ferdinard Karongee. Midfielders: Immanuel Heita, Benjamin Nenkavu, Ronald Ketjijere, Dynamo Fredericks, Absalom Iimbondi and Petrus Shitembi. Forwards: Hendrik Somaeb, Itamunua Keimuine, Muna Katupose and Roger Katjiteo.

JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

Namibia to cross paths with Zimbabwe

July 13, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Namibia to cross paths with Zimbabwe The Welwitschias are enjoying their lead on the log and hope to keep the momentum up. Last weekend they played Senegal and being the defending African champions they stamped their authority on the team, defeating them 95 – 0.

However, Rodger Thompsom, acting head coach of the Namibian team, said that tomorrow's game against Zimbabwe would be a massive challenge for them.

“Zimbabwe is a quality team, and has always been a strong competitor for us. We have huge respect them as a team. We coming off a good win last weekend, but that's something of the past for us now.

“We will need to be on top our game to get the desired result. It's been a good working week for us, highlighting areas of improvement earlier in the week, and then making sure we follow the processes implemented to make sure we excel on the weekend.”

He further said that the players have been exceptional in camp this week.

“Compliments to them for embracing the challenge, and pushing forward in order to make the country proud.

“To emulate and echo the sentiments of our head coach Phil Davies, 'we are only as good as our next performance, not our previous one'. So it is on the next job for us,” he said.

Thompson added that the team appreciated their strategic partners, supporters and everyone behind the team.

“We appreciate your support and believe in the systems implemented to make that breakthrough leading up to Rugby World Cup 2019.”

After Saturdays game against Zimbabwe, the Welwitschias will be against Kenya in the same competition.

Namibia lead the log at the moment with 10 points. Kenya trail behind with 7, Uganda 6, Zimbabwe 5, Senegal have 1 point and Tunisia are at the bottom with no points.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Boxing extravaganza at the coast

July 13, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Boxing extravaganza at the coastTitle fights galore at Desert Storm Fight Night Local boxers have the chance to make a name for themselves when they step into the ring at The Dome on 28 July. Namibian boxers will take on boxers from Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon, DRC and Tanzania in Desert Storm Fight Night Boxing bonanza at Swakopmund.

The event, which will be the first of four to come, is being staged in the hope of drawing a large crowd to the coast. Buttons Heyns, operations and events manager at The Dome, says they plan on staging this event annually so that amateur and professional boxers can showcase their talents.

Heyns says they aim to create future champions for Namibia, while growing the boxing fan base in the community.

He says they also have negotiable sponsorship packages available at reduced prices, “as we want to grow this event with preferred partners who share the same common goal, which is to promote Namibian people and products.

“This fits in nicely with our vision to promote The Dome as a preferred destination and enables us to support sport and youth development.”

Kalakoda Promotions and Bon Hotel will host the international title fights.

These events will be streamed live across 39 African countries through Kwesé Sport.

Titles to be contested on 28 July:

Main bout: IBF Junior lightweight title (12 rounds), Albinuis Felesianu (Namibia) vs Yonas Segu (Tanzania).

Main support bout: Vacant WBF Super Featherweight Title bout (Ten rounds): Abraham Ndauendapo (Namibia) vs Nkosinathi Ntshangase (South Africa).

Undercard: International heavyweight bout (Six rounds): Elvis Moyo (Zimbabwe) vs Akeem Tijani (Nigeria).

Lightweight bout (Six rounds): Candy Gabriel Imalwa vs Nathaniel Shimanda (Namibia).

International middleweight bout (four rounds): Salif Nsangou Njikam (Cameroon) vs Shinima Charles (Namibia).

International welterweight bout (four rounds): Jason Mashala (Namibia) vs Smaila Hamaman (Cameroon).

Junior Welterweight bout (four rounds): Harry Simon Junior vs Sam Shaamma Junior (Namibia).

Junior Bantamweight bout (four rounds): Fillemon Nghutenanye vs Sacky Shipanga (Namibia).

Bantamweight bout (Four rounds): David Angula vs Shitilitha Johannes (Namibia).

Other fights to follow: 29 December, Desert Storm two (Namibia vs Germany).

30 March 2018 Desert Storm three.

27 July 2018 Desert Storm four.

Limited tickets are available: Golden Circle Tickets: N$350, general access: N$100, pavilion and standing: N$50. Tickets can be obtained at The Dome Box Office, (064 400 301), or at admin@swakopindoorsport.com

SPORT REPORTER

SA to pick very young squad

July 13, 2017, 4:00 pm

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SA to pick very young squad South Africa coach Molefi Ntseki says the country will take an especially young group of players to the Cosafa Under-17 Championships in Mauritius from July 21-30.

Ntseki has one eye on the qualifiers for the African Under-17 Championships that start next year, and so they want to use this Cosafa tournament to blood those youngsters.

“Cosafa regulations require that we can select players who were born in 2001 or later,” Ntseki says. “But we have decided that we will only look at boys born 2002 and up.

“It's because we want to give international exposure to players who will still be eligible for the African Under-17 Championship qualifiers next year, so that they can get used to the demands of international football.”

Ntseki will make his final selection for the tournament over the weekend.

“We have had our pre-selection camp last week and have called up around 45 boys from all over the country for a final camp that will take place from Friday.

“We will put them through training sessions and matches, and will continue assessing them before we select our best 20 for the tournament in Mauritius.”

Ntseki led South Africa to 2015 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Chile, and says to return to that level is the major aim.

“We missed out on the 2017 World Cup that will be played in India, but having had a taste of that tournament and what it is like to be involved at that level, we all want to get back there.

“Obviously we have to start afresh every year as boys move to the older age-group, but our goal is to develop and enhance the talent that we have to match that standard.”

South Africa has been drawn in Group B at this year's Cosafa Under-17 Championships. They will face heavyweights Zambia, Mozambique and Madagascar, with the top two teams advancing to the semi-finals.

Group A contains Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Malawi.

The opening match will be played on July 21 as South Africa take on Mozambique.

Ntseki took the side to the silver medal in Mauritius last year, when they were defeated in the final by Namibia.

COSAFA MEDIA

No panic buying at Liverpool

July 13, 2017, 4:00 pm

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No panic buying at LiverpoolKlopp confident in transfer window There have been speculations that the German has been struggling to bring in flashy players like his rival teams. Liverpool will not be influenced by their Premier League rivals' moves in the transfer market and will stick to their own signing plans, manager Juergen Klopp has said.

Klopp's side have added winger Mohamed Salah and England under-20 striker Dominic Solanke so far, but their spending has been put in the shade by local rivals Everton, who have splashed out more than 100 million pounds.

Manchester United and City, as well as Arsenal, have also spent heavily, but Klopp has urged his team's supporters not to get caught up in what the opposition are doing.

“We cannot buy players because other teams buy players,” said Klopp after his team's 4-0 win over Tranmere Rovers in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.

“We do our business as good as we can do it and we are convinced about the way we are going.”

Egypt international Salah needs to finalise work permit issues before he can play but Solanke made his debut in the friendly and Klopp was full of praise for the under-20 World Cup winner.

“He is a really skilled boy. He has to improve of course but a lot of things are already really good: first touch, movement,” Klopp said.

“It is about him and the situation but I will not avoid his development. In the moment when he is strong enough he is there.

“He will train with us, of course, as often as it makes sense and often as possible and then we will see.”

Liverpool faces third-tier Wigan Athletic in their next friendly on Friday (today) before travelling to Hong Kong to play Crystal Palace in the Premier League Asia Trophy on 19 July.

NAMPA/REUTERS

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Apps for Africa

July 13, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Apps for AfricaTop 10 tech solutions for our conditions The top 10 solutions relying on technology and developed specifically for African conditions and challenges are listed here… take a look, you might want to sign up. 1. Exatype

Developed at the South Africa National Bioinformatics Institute at the University of the Western Cape, Hyrax Biosciences has created a HIV drug testing technology in the cloud, based on an Amazon Web Services. Exatype tests HIV drug resistance with unprecedented speed and accuracy and at a fraction of the cost. It solves the problem of drug resistance by showing which drugs would be most effective for each individual patient, thus increasing response and improving treatment. Find out more at hyraxbio.co.za



2. Vula Mobile

The Vula App, developed by Dr William Mapham, helps health workers in rural areas send data and photos of cataracts to a specialist in a nearby city. They can then diagnose the problem, suggest a solution, and even book appropriate surgery, eliminating need for numerous trips to the city for those who live in remote areas. Once the treatment has been identified, they can go visit the specialist to undergo the surgery. Vula added cardiology, orthopaedics and burns in April 2016. For more information visit vulamobile.com



3. Sproxil

Sproxil, developed by Ashifi Gogo, is fighting the danger of counterfeit medicine through a simple SMS system. Participating drugs companies apply for scratch-panel stickers that can be attached to their medication packaging. Customers scratch off the panel to reveal a code which they text to Sproxil. The company checks the code against its database of genuine drugs and texts back a confirmation of authenticity. Buyers can also scan the barcode or simply ring a call centre staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week to verify that the drugs are genuine. Sproxil has also introduced incentives for consumers to use the service, such as mobile phone air time rewards. More than 70 drugs companies have signed up to the service, including multinationals such as GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis and around 28 million verifications have taken place globally since the scheme was launched in 2009. Visit sproxil.com for more information.



4. Fyodor: Urine Malaria Test (UMT)

Created by Fyodor, a US based biotechnology firm founded by Eddy Agbo, the urine malaria test provides point-of-need diagnosis of the Plasmodium parasite using dipstick technology as used with manual pregnancy tests. The do-it-yourself solution delivers a diagnosis within 25 minutes and can be executed with little or no training. The potential of offering accurate and early diagnosis of malaria can speed up the process of tackling the disease in rural areas lacking in healthcare infrastructure and also reduces the risk of the wrong treatment, greatly aiding the fight against malaria. For more information visit fyodorbio.com



5. Api-Palu

Dr Valentin Agon developed Api-Palu, an anti-malaria drug treatment made from natural plant extract, making it significantly cheaper than anti-malarial drugs currently on the market. Api-Palu has great inhibitory effects on 3D7 strains of plasmodium falciparum the causative agent of malaria. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 88% of malaria cases and 90% of malaria deaths reported globally with some African governments spending up to 40% of their public health budgets on malaria treatment. The Api-Palu treatment, which is available as tablets, capsules, or syrup, will therefore make a huge change for patient and budget alike. More information can be found at apibenin.org



6. BRCK

Ushahidi, a Kenya-based company, has developed “the BRCK” a unique and innovative product. It is a rugged modem designed for harsh environments with limited power and connection. It can switch between different types of connection such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G. It comes with 80 hours of battery life which is vital during Africa's frequent blackouts, like Kenya's nationwide power blackout in 2013. The BRCK can also create secure networks wherever it is set up, collect weather data and can perform remote repairs via the cloud. In addition, the way in which the product has been designed has prompted its partnership with educators, merging the BRCK with a Raspberry Pi (a low-cost, credit-card sized computer) to create robust tablets with large battery life and an easy-to-use interface. This low-cost solution, called the Kio, is being used in schools. Learn more at brck.com



7. The Cardiopad

The Cardiopad is a computer tablet capable of diagnosing heart disease in rural households with limited access to medical services. Cardiovascular diseases kill some 17 million worldwide annually. A programme on the Cardiopad, designed by Cameroonian engineer Arthur Zang, collects signals generated by the rhythmic contraction and expansion of a patient's heart. Africa's first fully touch-screen medical tablet then produces a moving graphical depiction of the cardiac cycle, which is wirelessly transmitted over GSM networks to a cardiologist for interpretation and diagnosis.



8. eyeWitness to Atrocities

In this era of digital witnessing, international criminal prosecutors have experienced considerable challenges in verifying the credibility of images and videos that have been uploaded to social media channels. Responding to this challenge, the International Bar Association (IBA), in collaboration with LexisNexis, has launched a new app that enables users to take photos and record video footage whilst automatically collecting GPS coordinates, date and time stamps. The user can submit the footage directly from the eyeWitness app to a database maintained by LexisNexis, where it is stored in a secure repository that functions as a virtual evidence locker, safeguarding the footage for future investigations and legal proceedings. Find more information at eyewitnessproject.org



9. MFarm

For many small-scale farmers, the only source of information about the market rate for crops comes from the very people who are trying to buy them. The lack of pricing transparency means that farmers do not always get the best deal. MFarm seeks to solve this by providing up-to-date market prices via an app or SMS, direct to farmers. It also connects farmers with buyers directly. The MFarm app gives monthly analysis of the crop prices in different markets, showing the price trends. The farmer is then able to make informed decisions on what to plant, when to plant, how to price his produce and where to sell it. In addition to pricing information and group selling, MFarm has also developed a group buying tool, allowing farmers to pool resources to negotiate better prices for things like fertiliser. More information at mfarm.co.ke



10. Esoko

Esoko is a technology platform that integrates smallholder farmers into the formal value chain by providing a robust communications infrastructure, allowing smallholder farmers to be reached quickly and served inexpensively through mobile phones. The platform enables multiple stakeholders in the value chain to push critical information to small-holder farmers such as market prices, agronomic and training tips, while also providing the ability to survey farmers to understand their needs and desires. Studies revealed real improvements in farmer incomes due to services such as Esoko price alerts. This investment not only offers high social impact for small holder farmers, but in the longer-term, the platform has the potential to impact the information dissemination and overall efficiency of agricultural value chains in sub-Saharan Africa. Find out more at esoko.com



AID FORUM

Birth control and refugee crises

July 13, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Birth control and refugee crises Women fleeing conflict or uprooted by disaster are desperate not to become pregnant when their lives are already at risk.

Contraceptives can save lives during crises and should be provided in emergencies the same way as food, water and shelter, aid experts said on Tuesday.

Women fleeing conflict or uprooted by disaster are desperate not to become pregnant when their lives are already at risk, said Ugochi Daniels of the United Nations Population Fund.

Pregnancies are particularly dangerous during emergencies because of a lack of health services, and women may face an increased risk of sexual violence as well, experts told a global summit on family planning in London. Family planning services should be implemented within 48 hours of an emergency, they said.

“When we made family planning available at the same time as water, shelter and immunisations, the demand was extraordinary,” said Ashley Wolfington, senior reproductive health adviser at the International Rescue Committee aid agency.

Limiting unintended pregnancies reduces deaths from obstetric complications and unsafe abortions, she told Reuters.

Spacing out births also cuts the risk of infant mortality.

“If we want to talk about saving lives, family planning is one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent mortality down the road,” Wolfington said.

“It is even more critical in humanitarian settings than it might be in other settings.”

Around a quarter of the estimated 128 million people in need of humanitarian assistance today are girls and women of reproductive age.

But experts say family planning remains a massive gap in emergency responses due to a lack of prioritisation and funding.

Daniels told Reuters that US President Donald Trump's decision to end funding to the UNFPA, the UN agency which deals with family planning, will have a significant impact.

Services under threat would include the UNFPA's flagship programme in the Zaatari camp in Jordan, home to some 80 000 refugees who have fled the war in Syria.

“It's services that are saving women's lives that are under threat,” said Daniels, UNFPA's humanitarian lead.

“(Trump) single-handedly has the power and the means to transform the lives of 26 million girls and women in humanitarian settings who don't have access to these services - he can make that difference,” she added. Daniels said 7 000 babies had been born in Zaatari since the crisis started with no loss of life.

She contrasted Zaatari with the northeast of Nigeria, where Boko Haram militants have caused massive displacement.

Maternal mortality rates in these areas are 10 times the national average partly due to the lack of reproductive and sexual health services, she said. Congolese refugee Mugisha Willet, who fled to a camp in Uganda as a child, told the summit she became pregnant at 17 because like most of her peers she knew nothing about reproductive health.

“I felt a victim, not just because of the war but because I lost a future I had dreamed of,” said Willet, now 25, who said she had hoped to train as a lawyer. Willet, a youth ambassador for the UN refugee agency, said there is a desperate need for information on reproductive health at Kjangwali camp.

“Women are living with 10 children in one room. If women cannot feed their children they become malnourished,” she said.

NAMPA/REUTERS

Family planning empowers

July 13, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Family planning empowersAs a continent, birth control remains a challenge Factors such as poverty, education and cultural attitudes are all hindering the effective roll-out of family planning in Africa, putting lives at risk. Family planning improves child survival and reduces maternal deaths. But the uptake of family planning in Africa is only 33%, nearly half the world average of 64%. The contraceptive prevalence rate in African countries is considerably low despite an increase in demand.

Niger has one of the highest fertility rates globally. Women of reproductive age have, on average, eight children. Niger has a maternal mortality ratio of 553 per 100 000 live births and an under-five mortality rate of 104 per 1 000 live births. Mauritius has the lowest child mortality rate in Africa at 12 per 1 000 live births.

In Niger 13% of children under five years die from various illnesses. The country is one of the top five that account for half of these deaths in the world.

The low provision of family planning across sub-Saharan Africa is cited as one of the main reasons for the region's high maternal mortality rates. A lack of family planning leads to unintended pregnancies and often means that women deliver their babies with very low skilled assistance. This in turn pushes up the rate of newborn deaths.

Access to family planning services, particularly in developing countries, should be improved.



The impact

Research shows that increasing contraceptive use averts maternal mortality. Investing USD$8.4 per person each year in developing regions would result in 224 000 fewer maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.

There are now a range of contraceptive methods that can be offered to women. These range from medical procedures like sterilisation and implants in men and women to condoms, injectables and emergency contraceptive pills.

Family planning interventions should focus on passing this message to people living in remote rural areas.

Malawi, Ethiopia and Rwanda have achieved dramatic strides in ensuring access to family planning as well as uptake. Strong political support, community engagement, effective strategies and systems and good partnerships are the backbones of successful programmes.

Ethiopia's success has been driven by health extension workers taking family planning services to rural households. The country expanded access to quality primary health care that was promotive, preventive and curative.

In Rwanda, family planning champions were trained and actively involved in advocacy at a community level.

But success can't be achieved without addressing the root causes of low rates of contraceptive use.

Studies have shown that low contraceptive use is usually due to a combination factors. These include poverty, low female literacy rates, cultural values on misconceptions of family planning, lack of spousal or partner approval, lack of women autonomy in decision making on reproductive health, and inaccessibility of health services.

Targeted and sustained public health awareness campaigns on the benefits of contraception should be rolled out at village level to all people of reproductive age.

The campaigns should also encourage male involvement. Studies have shown that the uptake of contraception improves when men are involved in family planning. And encouraging women to speak about their fertility preferences with their partners makes a significant difference.

Governments need to strengthen family planning programmes by understanding and using data on unmet needs to establish community based strategies.

Funding for these initiatives should be prioritised.

The global organisation, Family Planning, has proposed a target of getting 120 million women and girls - particularly from sub Saharan Africa - to use contraceptives by 2020.

Robust family planning policies also have the added advantage of changing a country's age profile by reducing the number of young people dependent on the productive population for their livelihood. This is known as the demographic window, which in turn allows countries to take advantage of reaping demographic dividend.

Family planning can affect the demographic profile of countries in positive ways too - for example by increasing the life expectancy and well-being of women and couples.

But none of this can be achieved unless African countries pay more attention to family planning, put proper policies in place with the necessary resources behind them.

THE CONVERSATION

A dhengwa sigo omeso

July 13, 2017, 4:00 pm

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A dhengwa sigo omeso Yina yaanona yahamano okwa lopotwa a hulithile moshipangelo konima sho eehamekwa momutse sha landula olugodhi pokati ke nohonda ye muMei. Omunamimvo 36 Juliane Katombela okwa hulithie moshipangelo sha Katutura State Hospital oshiwike sha piti konima sho a kala moshipangelo uule woomwedhi mbali omolwa edhengo ndyoka a ningilwa kohonda ye.

Katombela, okwa hulitha mEtitatu lya piti omolwa uuwehamwe womomutse omolwa edhengo ndyoka a ningilwa muMei mOkahandja.

Otaku hokololwa kutya omulumentu ngoka okwa longithwa omunino nenge oshinima shilwe shaashiwike opo a dhenge nakusa.

Okwa lopotwa kutya mboka yaali oya li taya nu pamwe nonando omahokololo ngoka inaga vula okukolekwa kopolisi nenge komupanguli oshiwike shika.

Omutamanekwa medhipago ndyoka, Sambi Blaauw, goomvula dhaashiwike oye he yokanona kaKatombela koomwedhi ntano.

Sho a taambelwa moshipangelo muMei, opolisi oya tula miipandeko Blaauw ngoka a pangulilwa oshipotha shonkambadhala yedhipago.

Ngashiingeyi oshipotha shoka osha lundululwa nokuninga oshipotha shedhipago, na okuli modholongo konima sho a tindilwa omboloha mompangu yaKahandja, oshiwike shika.

Oshipotha shoka oshuundulilwa komasiku ga-4 gaSepetemba.

Katombela okuna aanona yahamano nokanona hoka okashona oka kala metonatelo lyofamili yaBlaauw nomakonaakono goshiyetithi sheso okwa tegelelwa ga ningwe moshiwike shika opo ku monike kutya oshike sheeta eso.

Eduard Meroro, hekulu yaKatombela ngoka a kala noku ke mu talela po kehe esiku okwa popi kutya nonando inashi yela kutya okwa hulitha koshike, okwa kala moICU okutameka muMei nkene a dhengwa.

Ofamili oya popi kutya ekwatathano lyaamboka yaali olya kala lya piyaganekwa kelongitho nayi lyiikolitha nuuna ya kondjo olugodhi lwawo ohalu kala olunene noonkondo.

Efumbiko lyanakusa otali longekidhwa.

MuFebruali gwo-2016 uuministeli wuuthikepamwe okwa lopotwa kutya iipotha yomahepeko gomomagumbooga londa pombanda noonkondo niipotha yi li 10 000 oya konaakonwa kopolisi yaNamibia uule woomvula ndatu.



Ø A kala moICU uule woomwedhi mbali

JANA-MARI SMITH

Kwa tamekitha omakonaakono moSME Bank

July 13, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Kwa tamekitha omakonaakono moSME Bank Okwa tamekithwa omakonaakono monkalo yembangoloto lyombaanga yoSME Bank, pauyelele mboka wa gandjwa komukomeho gwOkomisi yOkukondjitha Uulingilingi yo Anti-Corruption Commission.

Paulus Noa okwa lombwele onamibian Sun kutya opolisi oya tamekitha omakonaakono kwiikwatelelwa kompango yOkukondjitha Iimbuluma yalongekidhwa.

“Okwa tamekithwa omakonaakono mombaanga yoSME Bank na owa pumbwa okuninga ekwatathano nombelewa yomukomeho gwopolisi, ngele owa hala uuyelele owundji,” Noa a popi paufupi.

Omukomeho gwopolisi Sebastian Ndeitunga ina vula okumonika molwaashoka aniwa okwa li moshigongi.

Ombaanga yoSME Bank oya patwa manga palombwelo lyompangu yopombanda mEtiyali.

Omutokoli Hannelie Prinsloo, okwa ningi etokolo opo ombaanga ndjoka yi patwe manga naamboka taya pataneke etokolo ndyoka oye na sigo omasiku 15 gaSepetemba opo ya popye kutya omolwashike ombaanga ndjoka itayi vulu okupatwa.

Bank of Namibia okwa kutha ko ekondololo lyombaanga ndjoka muMaalitsa gwonuumvo sha landula epungulo tali limbilike ndyoka lya ningwa moSouth Africa lyoomiliyona dha thika po-175.

Ian Mclaren naDavid Bruni oya ulikwa koMaster of the High Court opo ya ungaunge niikumungu yombaanga ndjoka.

Ombaanga yoSME Bank oyi li oshiputudhilo shepangelo lyaNamibia ndyoka li na mo iipambuliko (65%), Metropolitan Bank of Zimbabwe (30%) oshowo omunangeshefa gwaZimbabwe Enock Kamushinda (5%).

Aaniilonga ya thika po-200 oya gumwa kepato ndyoka.



Ombudsman a ha ku katukwe oonkatu

Ombudsman John Walters okwa wayimine mboka taya pula opo mboka ye namo olunyala metekepo lyombaanga ndjoka ya pangulilwe omaihumbatao gawo.

Walter okwa nyana woo Ombaanga Onene moshilongo kutya oya kala ya mwena sigo onkalo tayi piyagana opo ya katuke oonkatu.

Walter okwa tsikile kutya omolwashike iimaliwa ya pitikwa opo yi zemo moshilongo naashoka kasha shi epungulo ihe uumbudhi.

Ta tsikile kutya Ombaanga Onene oya pitika ngiini iimaliwa mbyoka yi thigepo oshilongo pwaahena omakonaakono gasha, ngoka ga pumbwa okuningwa uuna kwa holoka onkalo yatya ngaaka.

“Ngele otandi pititha mo moshilongo oshimaliwa shooN$50 000 nenge N$100 000, ondi na okupopya kutya iimaliwa mbyoka onde yi kutha peni na omolwashike tandi yi tumu pondje yoshilongo,” Walter a popi.

Elelo lyoSME Bank olya li lya kwatelwa komeho kuamushanga gwokabinete kaNamibia,

George Simataa ngoka e li omunashipundi, Petrina Nakale, Theofelus Mberirua, Milka Mungunda, Kamushinda naOzias Bvute ngoka a li omunambelewa omukuluntu gwombaanga.

Ehangano lyoNamibia Financial Institutions Union (Nafinu) olya pula opo omunashipundi gwelelo lyombaanga yoSME Bank oshowo iilyo yelelo lyombaanga ndjoka mboka ye na mo olunyala mepiyaganeko lyombaanga ndjoka opo ya pangulwe kwiikwatelelwa koCompanies Act.

OGONE TLHAGE