Athletes fend for themselves

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Sharapova wins Bank of the West Classic

≪ Previous: 800m champion out of action

$

0

0

Athletes fend for themselvesRussians participate as neutrals after doping scandal Russian athletes head to the world athletics championships in London without support from their country after their national athletics body was suspended from the competition over doping. If Russian hurdler Sergey Shubenkov retains his world title in London next week he will not be serenaded by his national anthem when he stands on the podium.

Shubenkov and 18 compatriots will compete as neutral athletes at the World Championships, the biggest international meeting to include Russians since their country's athletics federation was suspended nearly two years ago over an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report that exposed the country's widespread state-sponsored doping.

“I want everything to be like in 2015,” Shubenkov said, referring to the gold medal he won in the 110-metres hurdles at the last world championships in Beijing.

With their federation still suspended, dozens of Russians have been cleared to compete internationally after demonstrating to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) that their training environment meets the required anti-doping standards.

Although some semblance of a Russian squad is returning to the international stage after missing last year's Rio Olympics, Russian athletes in London will be barred from wearing their country's symbols and colours, down to hair bands and nail polish.

Russian authorities, who have vehemently denied the existence of state-sponsored doping, have generally accepted athletes' efforts to compete as neutrals.

“Everyone understands who they are representing,” sports minister Pavel Kolobkov told reporters at Russia's national athletics championships last week.

“It will be difficult for the athletes to compete because they are patriots.”

Many of the Russians set to compete in London say that the absence of their flag is but a minor annoyance that neither dims their love for their country nor affects their focus.

“I try not to think about it, not to give it any importance,” Shubenkov said.

World champion high jumper Maria Lasitskene, whose personal best, a 2.06-metre jump recorded last month, is three centimetres off the world record, said that the possibility of retaining her title was more important than the colours she would be wearing.

“I'm competing as a neutral but what's most important for me is to show results, to defend my title,” she said.

Russian athletes cleared by the IAAF say the long hiatus from international competitions has hurt their development as much as their income.

“It's tough to motivate yourself when you are competing against those with whom you train every day,” sprinter Kseniya Aksyonova, who was cleared to compete by the IAAF but met the entry standard for London only after the deadline, told Reuters.

The Russian federation's decision to hold the national championships after the entry deadline for the worlds ultimately deprived three athletes, including Aksyonova, of the chance to compete in London.

“I understood that the chances to qualify were gone,” Aksyonova said. “That lifted a weight off my shoulders.”

A return to the fold remains unlikely before 2018 after the head of the IAAF's Task Force, Rune Andersen, said on Monday that Russia had yet to meet several of the criteria for reinstatement.

Drug-testing was still insufficient and banned coaches were still operating freely, he told reporters in London after a presentation to the IAAF Council, saying: “There are still issues to be resolved.”



NAMPA / REUTERS

---

Sharapova wins Bank of the West Classic

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Man United sign Matic from Chelsea

≪ Previous: Athletes fend for themselves

$

0

0

Sharapova wins Bank of the West Classic Maria Sharapova beat Jennifer Brady 6-1 4-6 6-0 as she returned from injury at Stanford's Bank of the West Classic.

Sharapova, who returned in April after a 15-month doping ban, had been out with a thigh problem since 16 May.

The 30-year-old, given a wildcard to play in the United States for the first time since March 2015, was given a testing time in the first round.

“I feel like I just want to hug everyone and say thank you,” said Sharapova, ranked 171st in the world.

“It's my first match in the States in a really long time, and it's the closest thing to home for me.”

Sharapova was denied a wildcard for the French Open earlier this year, and was unable to take part in qualifying for Wimbledon because of injury.

Having missed the entire grass-court season, the five-time Grand Slam champion will not gain direct entry into the US Open, which starts on 28 August.

She will be eligible for qualifying but will need a wildcard from the United States Tennis Association if she is to automatically make the main draw.

Monday's match against American Brady lasted two hours and two minutes, and Sharapova will play Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko today in the second round.

“I feel like I face a lot of things: not competing for a long time, an opponent who's able to play some great tennis,” said Sharapova.

“I feel like I'm playing catch-up against everyone who's had a head start.

“All that matters is that I keep playing. As long as I'm the one winning the last point, I get to play another match, and another.

“The more I play, the better I'll do. That's the goal.”

BBC SPORT

Man United sign Matic from Chelsea

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Oopoloyeka dhiipangelo dha kalekwa moKavango West

≪ Previous: Sharapova wins Bank of the West Classic

$

0

0

Man United sign Matic from Chelsea Manchester United have signed Serbia midfielder Nemanja Matic from Premier League champions Chelsea on a three-year contract with an option to extend for a further year, both clubs said on Monday.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but British media reported that United paid between £40 million and £50 million to reunite the 28-year-old midfielder with manager Jose Mourinho.

“Nemanja is a Manchester United player and a Jose Mourinho player. He represents everything we want in a footballer; loyalty, consistency, ambition, team player,” Mourinho said in a statement.

“I would like to thank him for his desire to join us because without that, it would be impossible to have him here. I am sure our players and supporters will love him.”

Mourinho signed Matic when he was in charge of Chelsea in 2014. Matic, who originally joined Chelsea in 2009 before moving to Benfica in 2011, became an influential part of Chelsea's title-winning side under Mourinho in 2014-15.

“To work with Jose Mourinho once again was an opportunity I couldn't turn down,” Matic said.

“This is a very exciting time for the club and I am looking forward to playing my part in creating more history for this great club.”

Matic's arrival followed Mourinho's unsuccessful move for Tottenham Hotspur's Eric Dier as United seek to mount a serious Premier League challenge for the first time since the departure of Alex Ferguson as manager in 2013.

Matic made 40 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea last season as Italian Antonio Conte marked his first season in charge of the London-based club by winning the league.

However, Chelsea's signing of Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko in this transfer window was an indication that Matic could have struggled for game time next season.

United have also signed defender Victor Lindelof from Benfica and striker Romelu Lukaku from Everton.

SUPERSPORT

Oopoloyeka dhiipangelo dha kalekwa moKavango West

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Omeya gomOvenduka oga gwana sigo omvula yo- 2020

≪ Previous: Man United sign Matic from Chelsea

$

0

0

Oopoloyeka dhiipangelo dha kalekwa moKavango WestOmandiki guundjolowele gatano ga kalekwa Etetulo lyelongitho lyiimaliwa moshilongo olya etitha opo ku kalekwe etungo lyomandiki guundjolowele, uuklinika oshowo oshipangelo moshitopolwa shaKavango West. Uuministeli wUundjolowele owa thiminikwa kompumbwe yiimaliwa opo wu kaleke etungo lyomandiki gatano guundjolowele moshitopolwa shaKavango West. Oopoloyeka ndhoka odha kwatelwa mo etungo lyuuklinika oshowo omandiki guundjolowele moNkurenkuru, Dcwatjinga, Gcaruhwa noRupara, oshowo etungo lyoshipangelo shopashitopolwa shoka sha kala inashi manithwa uule woomvula ndatu monena.

“Omolwa ompumbwe yoshimaliwa uuministeli otawu kaleke oopoloyeka dhetungo lyomandiki ngoka, ihe nonando ongaaka uuministeli woiitulamo mokutsikila noopoloyeka ndhoka dhili nale metifa. Oopoloyeka adhihe oompe otashi ka tsikilwa nadho momvula twa taalela,” omupopiliko guuministeli mboka,

Manga Libita a popi.

Omukundu ngoka goopoloyeka inadhi pwa ogwa popiwa woo moshipopiwa shopashigwana shoka sha ningwa omasiku ga piti kungoloneya gwoshitopolwa shoka, Sirkka Ausiku.

Pethimbo oshikundanekifo shika sha talele oshitopolwa shoka, osha mono kutya etungo lyoklinika moNkurenkuru inali manithwa natango, naakwashigwana oya popi kutya olya kala lya thikama uule woomvula mbali.

“Alikana inda wu ka pule mboka ye na omayamukulo kutya okaklinika otaka tameke okulongithwa uunake. Tse inatu tseyithilwa sha na kape na iilonga tayi longwa mpaka,” gumwe gwomaakwashigwana a popi.

Kwiikwatelelwa kuuministeli, ekateko ndyoka otali etithwa kaatungi mboka itaya gwanitha po iilonga yawo. Onzonkundaneki yoNampa oya lopota kuyele omvula ndjika kutya, omutungi gwopoloyeka ndjoka , Shafombabi Eedopi Construction, okwa li e na okukala a mana opoloyeka ndjoka momasiku 15 gaApilili mo-2015, ike okwa longo owala iilonga yoopresenda 70.

Okwa lopotwa woo kutya miimaliwa yoomiliyona 28 mbyoka ya longekidhwa okutunga opoloyeka ndjoka, oomiliyona 22 odha longithwa nale. Oshikundaneki shoNamibian Sun oshi uvite kutya iilonga mbyoka inayi manithwa ongaashi etulo lyokashina mehala moka, etulo mo lyoongodhi dhiikwamalusheno oshowo omashina gokudhima omulilo.

Aakwashigwana oya pula woo kombinga yoshitopolwa oshinene shevi shoka sha tulwa molugumbo kuuministeli wuundjolowele kutya otapu tungwa oshipangelo shopashitopolwa ihe kape na shoka sha ningwa po.

Oshitopolwa shevi shoka tashi popiwa osha li sha nuninwa okutungwa oshipangelo shaNkurenkuru District Hospital, tashi adhika mondjila onene, ihe uuministeli owa popi kutya opoloyeka ndjoka otayi vulu owala okutameka uuna okaklinika ka pu.

Kakele koopoyeka dhomatungo ndhoka dha kalekwa, omadheulo gaanambelewa yuundjolowele ya thika po-50 nago oga kalekwa omolwa ompumbwe yiimaliwa.





KENYA KAMBOWE

Omeya gomOvenduka oga gwana sigo omvula yo- 2020

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Aakwashigwana taya yambulwapo okupitila momahala ga gamenwa

≪ Previous: Oopoloyeka dhiipangelo dha kalekwa moKavango West

$

0

0

Omeya gomOvenduka oga gwana sigo omvula yo- 2020 Kwiikwatelwa konzo dhomeya dhoka dhi li po oshowo omukalo tagu longithwa koshilando shaVenduka mokukwata nawa omeya, oshilando shoka oshi na omeya ga gwana sigo o-2020.

Uuyelele mboka owa hololwa komupopiliko gwehangano lyoNamWater, Hieronymus Goraseb oshiwike sha piti, sho a tseyithile oshikundanekifo shoNamibian Sun kutya omeya ngoka geli po ngashiingeyi otaga vulu okwaadha koshikako shomuloka gwo-2020.

Palopota yoonkundana dhondjele yomeya moondama dhomoshilongo, ndjoka ya pitithwa momasiku 24 gaJuli, okwa lopotwa kutya oondama ngaashi Swakoppoort oyi na omeya gondjele yoopresenda 49, Von Bach 67.9 nOmatako 26.8.

Goraseb okwa popi kutya ehangano lyawo kali wete omatompelo gokuhwahwameka noonkondo oondjindikila dhekwatonawa lyomeya na otaya ka talulula owala onkalo konima yomuloka tagu landula.

Omupopiliko gwOshilando shaVenduka, Lydia Amutenya okwa lombwele oNamibia Sun omasiku ga piti kutya oshilando osha nyanyukwa omolwa onkambadhala ndhoka dha ningwa kaakwashigwana mokukwata nawa omeya.

Oshilando osha tseyitha muJuni kutya onkalo yompumbwe yomeya moshilando oya hwepopala sha landula sho kwa tulwa miilonga oondjindikila dhelongitho lyomeya mesiku lyotango lyaDesemba mo-2015.

Elelo lyoshilando olya kunkilile aakwashigwana kutya nonando ompumbwe yomeya moshilando oya hwepopala, omeya natango oga pumbwa okukwatwa nawa.

Moompangela dhekwato nawa lyomeya ndhoka dha tulwa po, aakwashigwana ngashiingeyi oya pitikwa okutekela iimeno yawo iikando iyali moshiwike.

Oongala niihape oshowo iikunino yaakwashigwana oya pitikwa owala okutekelwa komake, na inaku tekelwa we taku longithwa ominino dhomeya. Inaku pitikwa okutekela iimeno pokati ko-09:00 no- 12:00 pokwenye oshowo pokati kotundi onti-10:00 no-16:00 pokufu.

Okwa pitikwa owala okuyogwa iihauto momagumbo nomahemele na inaku pitikwa omahala gokuyoga iihauto ga longe ngele kage na omikanda noongeshefa ndhoka dhi na omikanda odha pitikwa owala okulongitha oolita dhomeya o-30 mesiku.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Aakwashigwana taya yambulwapo okupitila momahala ga gamenwa

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Geingob a pulaapula uuteku waSwartbooi

≪ Previous: Omeya gomOvenduka oga gwana sigo omvula yo- 2020

$

0

0

Aakwashigwana taya yambulwapo okupitila momahala ga gamenwaAakwashigwana taya ka mona omauwanawa okuza moonzo dhoshilongo Monena Namibia okwa gwedha komusholondondo gwe gwomahala ngoka ga gamenwa na ngashiingeyi okuna omahala ngoka geli 83, ga nuninwa okukondjitha oluhepo nokuyambulapo aakwashigwana. Okutameka ohela Namibia ota kala e na omahala gaakwashigwana ga gamenwa ga thika po-83 moshilongo ashihe, sho komusholondondo gwomahala ngoka gwa gwedhwa ehala eti-83 moshitopolwa shaKavango West.

Ehala ndyoka epe otali ithanwa Maurus Nekauro Conservancy, tali adhika momudhingoloko gwaMusese moshitopolwa shoka.

Pahapu dhomupevi minista gwomidhongoloko, Tommy Nambahu, ehala ndyoka otali tseyithwa momushangwa gwopapangelo oshiwike shika kUuministeli wUuyuuki, ngaashi sha ziminwa kUuministeli wOmidhingoloko.

Etseyitho lyehala ndyoka o;ya ningitha oshilongo shikale shin a omahala ga gamenwa gaakwashigwana geli o-83.

Omahala gagamenwa gaakwashigwana ngoka ga shangithwa otaga gandja uuwanawa kaakwashigwana oyendji unene momikunda niitopolwa yomuushayi, pakugandja oompito dhiilonga, iiyemo, oopoloyeka dhopashigwana oshowo omauwanawa galwe.

Muule woomvula dha piti, iiyemo ya monika okuza momahala ngoka oya londo pombanda okuza petata lyomiliyona mo-1998 okuya poomiliyona 102 momvula yo-2015.

Okwa totwa oompito dhiilonga dha thika po-5116.

Olopota oya tsikile kutya moomiliyona 102, oshikondo shomidhingoloko osha mono oomiliyona 53.6, omanga aakwashigwana aakalimo momahala ngoka ya mono oomiliyona 46.8 okuza mondjambi, momatalelepo nuukongo omanga oshimaliwa shoomiliyona yimwe sha monika okuza miimeno niilonga yokomake.

Oomiliyona dha thika pu-8.9 odha topolelwa po aakwashigwana mboka yeli aakalimo yomomahala ngoka nokulongithwa mokuyambidhidha oopoloyeka dhaakwashigwa.

Nambahu okwa popi ngaaka pethimbo kwa patululwa omutumba gwoNorth East Conservancy Regional Chairperson Forum, ta popi kutya Namibia okwa mono esimano enene muuyuni omolwa oompangela dhe ndhoka dhokutotapo omahala ngoka ga nuninwa okukondjitha oluhepo mokati kaakwashigwana ye.

Okwa popi woo kombinga yomalunduluko omanene ngoka ga ningwa koopoloyeka ndhoka moshitopolwa ngashi Zambezi, Kavango East noKavango West, noopoloyeka ndhoka otadhi tsikile nokulundulula oonkalamwenyo dhakwashigwana.

Okwa popi kutya moshitopolwa shaZambezi oBamunu Conservancy oyeshi pondola okugandja olusheno komikunda ndhoka tadhi adhika popepi nehala ndyoka. Omahala gamwe ngaashi Sobbe, Wuparo, Sikunga, Mayuni noKwandu nago oga landula oshiholelwa shoka.

Nambahu okwa tsikile kutya oBamunu Conservancy oya landa woo embakumbaku ndyoka lya nuninwa okukwatha aakwashigwana muunamapya. Lusese Conservancy oya manitha etungo lyoskola nomuhandjo ngoka tagu ka kala naanona yaanaskola ya thika po-50 moLusese Combined School.

Omupevi minista okwa tsikile kutya oopoloyeka odhindji odha futile woo aanaskola momailongo gawo.

MoKavango East, oGeorge Mukoya Conservancy oya landele aakwashigwana iikombo opo ya vule okuninga uunafaalama. Oya gandja woo omeya gayela kaakwashigwana oshowo omeya gokutekela iikunino.

Mudumu Nyangana conservancy nayo okwa lopotwa woo ya gandja omeya gokunwa kaakwashigwana momudhingoloko gwawo.

Nambahu okwa popi kutya omahala ngoka itaga pingenepo opoloyeka dhopamudhigululwakalo ihe oga nuninwa okugandja oompito dhopaaliko kaakwashigwana.

Nambahu okwa pula aakwashigwana ya tsikile nokukwata nawa oopoloyeka momahala gawo ngoka nokuyambulapo woo omahala yo ya vule okutsikila nokumona omauwanawa ngoka moonkambadhala dhokukaleka kokule oluhepo nokuyambulapo oshilongo.



ELLANIE SMIT

Geingob a pulaapula uuteku waSwartbooi

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Moz to phase out 93 octane fuel

≪ Previous: Aakwashigwana taya yambulwapo okupitila momahala ga gamenwa

$

0

0

Geingob a pulaapula uuteku waSwartbooi Omupresidende Hage Geingob okwa ningile omapulo etekulo lyomunapolotika Bernadus Swartbooi sha landula eikutho lye mongudu tayi pangele oshiwike sha piti.

Geingob, ngoka a popi lyotango kombinga yoshikumungu shaSwartbooi okwa popi kutya omunambelewa ngoka nale mepangelo okwa li a zimo momutumba a geya noonkondo, momotumba ngoka gwa li gwa kaliwa kuGeingob pamwe naanambelewa yalwe aanenentu mepangelo. Omutumba ngoka aniwa ogwa ningwa omvula ya piti, mEgumbo lyEpangelo.

Swartbooi okwa li iithanwa kEgumbo lyEpangelo na okwa pulwa opo a gandje ombili omolwa omalaka ngoka uula omukomeho gwe nale miilonga, Utoni Nujoma, kombinga yoprograma yomatulululo gevi.

Geingob okwa popi kutya Swartbooi okwa dhengepo omweelo gwoshinyanga moka yali, sho a ndopa okugandja ombili omolwa omalaka ngoka a li ta popi.

Geingob okwa popi kutya Swartbooi okwa li a geya noonkondo pethimbo lyomutumba ngoka gwa kaliwa komupevi presidende Nickey Iyambo, Omuprima minista Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila oshowo ominista yiipambele yomupresidende, Frans Kapofi.

“Sho nde yamo momutumba ngoka, omulumentu okwa li a geya noonkondo nda fa owala ndali tandi nika... Onde mu pula kutya oshike wa geya,” Geingob a popi.

Geingob okwa popi kutya Swartbooi okwa dhimbwa po nokuli ongodhi ye yopeke sho a zi momutumba ngoka, na okwa pula Kapofi opo e yi mufaalela.

Omupresidende okwa pula onkalo yegumbo moka mwa pututhwa Swartbooi.

Presidende okwa nyana woo Swartbooi sho tuula ongundu yoSwapo kutya Ovambo People's Organisation (OPO).

Swartbooi okwa popi oshiwike sha piti kutya etitho lye oli li iikonene tayi ningwa sho a tindi okukondja olugodhi lwopapolotika, pehala lyaGeingob.

Okwa popi kutya okwa kala aatumwa mboka taya yi kuye ya hala a kale e li ompingwe nomukwatakanithi gwongundu yoSwapo, moshitopolwa shaShikoto, Armas Amukwiyu, omunangeshefa Lazarus Jacobs naDesmond Amunyela oshowo ominista nale yokabinete Kazenambo Kazenambo.

“Kehe omuntu ngoka a tumwa kungame kuGeingob okwa pula ndje omapulo gatatu: Ngele ondi li omupopepi naArmas Amukwiyu? Oto longele Armas Amukwiyu? Oto ka tuka Geingob? Oto ka tsakanena naGeingob,” Swartbooi a popi.

Okwa tsikile kutya aatumwa mboka oya kala woo taya popi opo a ka kuthe ombinga mokongressa yomahogololo gaakalelipo yoSwapo momahogoolo taga landula

opo aniwa a kondjithe Armas, Kazenambo Kazenambo, Lazarus Jacobs, Desmond Amunyela nongele aniwa okwa zimine nena otaka pewa ompito yiilonga onga ominista.

Geingob okwa tindi omapopyo ngoka ta popi kutya aantu otaya toto omitoto.



Ita popile uukwamuhoko

Geingob okwa nyana woo mboka taya hwahwameke uukwamuhoko moshilongo ta popi kutya oyendji aanapolotika mboka ya ndopa.

Okwa tsikile kutya okwa pula aaleli mboka ya popi omalaka guukwamuhoko opo ya gandje ombili yopashigwana nomaaleli moka omwa kwatelwa ngaashi ngoloneya gwaMaheke Festus Ueitele, ominista yoonzo dhomomeya Bernhardt Esau oshowo ngoloneya gwaMusati Erginus Endjala.

Omupresidende okwa tindi okupopya kombinga yomapopyo ga ningwa kuKazenambo, ngoka a popi kutya Geingob ota longitha uukayamukulwa.

Sho a pulwa oshikando oshitiyali, omupeha omupresidende Nickey Iyambo okwa yamukula kutya sho Kazenambo ina ulikwa we komupresidende nale Hifikepunye Pohamba, omukalo tagu longithwa kepangelo okuungaunga naye.

Amushanga gwoSwapo, okwa li woo a popi omasiku ga piti kutya ongundu inayi lesha kombinga yomapopyo ngoka ga ningwa kuKazenambo, nonando omapopyo gaKazenambo oga holola moshikundaneki shimwe naangoka gaSwartbooi.

Swartbooi okwa kuthwa mo mopaliamende oshiwike sha piti konima sho a nyana ongundu yoSwapo kutya oya ndopeke oshilongo uule woomvula 27 dha piti.

Okwa popi kutya ye keshi omukwaSwapo, oopresenda 99.9 na ota dhigipo ongundu ndjoka uuna a kuthwa miilonga.



JEMIMA BEUKES

Moz to phase out 93 octane fuel

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: New Officeconomix owners

≪ Previous: Geingob a pulaapula uuteku waSwartbooi

$

0

0

Moz to phase out 93 octane fuelMozambique moves away from sulphur-rich fuels Mozambique is on a course to ensure vehicles on its road have a minimal environmental impact. National fuel authorities confirmed in Maputo on Monday that Mozambique will introduce fuel with low sulphur content this September, complying with the recommendations from the United Nations Agency for Environment.

The national director of hydrocarbon and fuel, Moises Paulino, said this move was part of the harmonisation of fuel specifications to be used with low potential to harm the environment, reports the local media.

“The introduction of fuel with low sulphur content was initially established in June, but it did not happen because at that time the country experienced problems in its system of fuel supply so the government decided to postpone the deadline,” said Paulino.

Mozambique has been planning to introduce environmentally friendly fuel since last year and from this September it will gradually introduce fuel with 50 ppm (parts per million) to replace the 500 ppm kind drivers are using in their vehicles presently.

According to the national director, Mozambique will also abandon the type of petrol it is using from 93 octanes to 95 octanes.

With this move Mozambique will not only contribute to environmental protection but also extend the lifespan of vehicles driven by its citizens.

On the other hand, Mozambique is slowly introducing alternative fuels, promoting the conversion of vehicles to use gas which is already produced in the country and few stations are already functional in the capital Maputo.

In June, when the supplying system failed, few cities were restricted from accessing fuel creating a scenario of speculation, and disrupting the normal business operation. The experience underscored the need to accelerate the use of alternative fuel.

NAMPA / XINHUA

---

New Officeconomix owners

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Nedbank crowns 2017 Kapana Cook-off champions

≪ Previous: Moz to phase out 93 octane fuel

$

0

0

New Officeconomix ownersFurniture retailer sold recently Founding CEO Paul Oosthuizen bows out after 22 years at the helm. The founder and outgoing CEO of the Officeconomix group, Paul Oosthuizen, recently bade farewell to the company he had formed 22 years ago.

Oosthuizen recently divested, paving the way for new shareholders and a CEO to take the helm of the company he started in 1994.

Speaking at the presentation of Officeconomix's new shareholders, Oosthuizen said the transaction and change of leadership were done on the basis of integrity.

“I am very proud of the model in which the transaction was structured. It was actually very simple, based on integrity and basic business principles where all parties will benefit. A special thanks also to Bank Windhoek who understood my vision and logic and who financed the transaction without much ado,” said Oosthuizen.

Prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila commended Oosthuizen for involving former employees in the sale.

“These types of initiatives where business owners create opportunities for their employees to own a part of the business in which they work should be commended and fully supported,” Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said.

According to her, such initiatives provide an opportunity for staff to gain direct equity ownership of their business and also create an entrepreneurial environment.

Officeconomix was founded in 1994 by Oosthuizen while business partner Johan Willemse joined a year later as shareholder.

The company became a household name throughout Namibia, springing off new ventures like Bedding Warehouse, ColorBlinds and Homeconomix.

The new shareholders, Lesley Burger, Gomes Casanova and Brendon Barnard, were all part of the success of Officeconomix during the past years and will offer fresh new ideas and a new dynamic to the company.

STAFF REPORTER

Nedbank crowns 2017 Kapana Cook-off champions

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Eos Capital acquires Panel to Panel

≪ Previous: New Officeconomix owners

$

0

0

Nedbank crowns 2017 Kapana Cook-off champions Rebeka Sebulon, an aspiring entrepreneur, is the 2017 winner in the Nedbank Kapana Cook-off Competition that was held in Windhoek over the weekend.

Sebulon battled it out against 14 other entry-level kapana connoisseurs from across the country to emerge the winner of N$15 000, a mobile kitchen van worth at least N$80 000, as well as entry to an all-expenses paid SME mentorship programme that will be administered by businesswoman Twapewa Kadhikwa.

The runner-up in the entry-level category is Jacqueline Kahiha, who walked away with N$10 000, while Ignatius Uushini in third place walked away with N$5 000.

In the professional chefs' category which had 19 finalists, Elias Abel was the winner, winning a cash prize of N$10 000. The category, for chefs already working at established hospitality outlets, was introduced this year to encourage established outlets to add kapana to their menus.

This was the third year that Nedbank hosted the Kapana Cook-off and this year's finals were held at Bix Car Wash. The co-sponsors of the competition this year included Meatco, Fruit n Veg, the Hospitality Association of Namibia and the Namibia Chefs Association.

“I am so happy I won. I did not expect it at all because the competition was so tough and all the other finalists were equally good. With the mobile kitchen van that I have won, I am now going to fully set up and start my business because I have never seen myself working for anyone but myself,” said an excited Sebulon after she was announced as the winner.

In determining the winner, the judges looked at hygiene in the cooking of the kapana, in addition to judging the taste of the meat and the quality of everything presented by the finalists.

“It was a great competition, tough also, but I gave it my best and I'm glad to have won in the professional chefs' category,” said Abel.

The aim of the Nedbank Kapana Cook-Off is to promote micro-businesses and is one of the ways in which Nedbank provides a platform for Namibians at that level to showcase their talent.

Gernot de Klerk, Nedbank's head of marketing and communications, said that coming together around a fire and grilling meat over the coals is part of the fabric of Namibian life and it is the one thing all Namibians have in common.

“At Nedbank we believe that celebrating and promoting kapana is to celebrate and promote the unique way in which Namibians have embraced this culture.

“Kapana vendors symbolise something great about our nation in that they show us that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well, along with the drive to make things happen, regardless of circumstances.

“We at Nedbank respect and admire these characteristics in our Namibian entrepreneurs. We hope the Kapana Cook-off will in its own way help to inspire our fellow Namibians to celebrate the spirit of togetherness,” he said.

STAFF REPORTER

Eos Capital acquires Panel to Panel

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Depositor scheme proposed

≪ Previous: Nedbank crowns 2017 Kapana Cook-off champions

$

0

0

Eos Capital acquires Panel to Panel Eos Capital has acquired the majority of the ordinary share capital of Panel To Panel Insulated Panel Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd, pending Namibian Competition Commission approval.

Eos Capital executive chairman Johannes !Gawaxab noted that there had been a 40% reduction in imports of prefabricated panels since 2012.

“This shows that Namibia is taking the right steps towards industrialisation and local value creation in line with the government's Growth at Home strategy. We are proud to be associated with such a challenger firm,” !Gawaxab said.

Jacques Crowther, Panel to Panel's financial director, said they were committed to growing Panel to Panel by adding to its product offering in due course.

“There are plans to widen Panel to Panel's product offering in the near future to serve a broader range of customer needs. We are looking forward to working with Eos to formalise and grow the business whilst maintaining the same excellent customer service and the passion for what we do,” said Crowther.

Panel To Panel was founded by entrepreneur Francois Kotze in 2005. It is headquartered in Walvis Bay with a staff of 75. The company supplies contractors and end customers across the country with insulated panels in various applications such as cooling rooms, sterile environments and prefabricated houses.

Panel To Panel serves a diverse range of sectors including the fishing industry, abattoirs, lodges, pharmaceutical plants and the public sector, making it fairly resistant to shocks in any one sector, making it attractive from a risk perspective.

Depositor scheme proposed

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Farmers welcome MTC expansion

≪ Previous: Eos Capital acquires Panel to Panel

$

0

0

Depositor scheme proposedDraft law in the works to protect bank customers The Bank of Namibia has concluded consultations with the banking sector on a proposed Deposit Guarantee Bill. Following the recent liquidation of the SME Bank, work is being done to ensure bank depositors are protected if commercial banks go bankrupt,

This is according to Bank of Namibia spokesperson Israel Zemburuka, who updated Namibian Sun on probable policy interventions that would seek to protect bank customers.

He said the Bank of Namibia had finalised engagements with the banking sector on a protection scheme for bank customers, for which a draft bill is being formulated.

“In 2016, the Bank of Namibia concluded consultations with the industry on a proposed Deposit Guarantee Bill to establish a scheme that is meant to protect depositors in the event of bank failure. When established the scheme would provide protection from loss of funds to depositors in an efficient and transparent manner,” Zemburuka said.

According to him, such mechanisms are the norm globally.

“Globally, such schemes are considered a necessity in the financial sector to instil confidence and reduce the risk of a crisis occurring,” he said.

The Bank of Namibia hoped to submit a draft bill to the minister of finance before the end of the year.

Under the Banking Institutions Act of 1998, a bank must insure itself against any loss it or any of its customers may suffer as a result of the negligence, dishonesty or fraud of any of its staff.

The Act also makes provision for commercial banks to maintain special reserve accounts exclusively for the purposes of negligence, dishonesty or fraud.

Depositors who had banked large sums of money with the bankrupt SME Bank will have to be satisfied with payments not exceeding N$25 000 while the liquidators wind down the bank.

OGONE TLHAGE

Farmers welcome MTC expansion

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Shaik says Malema is a fool

≪ Previous: Depositor scheme proposed

$

0

0

Farmers welcome MTC expansion Comes just before the final phasing out of cheques MTC’s announcement of 100% coverage in Namibia has been welcomed by the agricultural fraternity as cheques will be finally phased out in December this year. The announcement by MTC that it will construct more than 500 new sites to improve the needs for communication, especially in rural areas, has been welcomed by the farming community.

MTC plans to build 524 new MTC towers over the next two years in order to give 100% coverage to the population.

A total of 412 new sites will be erected in rural areas and 88 new sites in urban areas in all 14 regions of Namibia.

This billion-dollar project will see the introduction of 3G in major rural areas, especially in areas previously only serviced before by the 2G sector.

This extensive expansion to the infrastructure of MTC aimed to improve the needs for communication are especially welcomed due to the phasing out of cheques for payments towards the end of the year.

Farmers in Namibia - especially those who live in remote areas where there is no network availability - previously expressed concern about the phasing out of cheques in the local banking system when it was first announced about two years ago.

The use of cheques in Namibia has declined by almost 50% during the past six years. In 2015 alone the total volume of cheque transactions dropped from N$2.4 million to N$2.2 million - a decline of 12%.

The complete phasing out of cheques will be by 31 December this year.

“Naturally there will still be places where there will be no reception due to the topography, and those farms will have to put up alternative towers so that they will have full coverage,” the Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU) recently said.

According to the NAU, a big problem that MTC experiences at this stage is that there is no standard agreement which can be entered into with farmers for the availability of space for the erection of reception towers. According to the union many of these towers will be a non-profit investment for MTC but the company sees it as part of their social contribution to make communication in rural areas available. The NAU has appealed to farmers on whose farms towers might be erected to give their cooperation and to enter into the agreement in the same spirit.

STAFF REPORTER

Shaik says Malema is a fool

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Teens charged with starting French wildfire

≪ Previous: Farmers welcome MTC expansion

$

0

0

Shaik says Malema is a foolSays he is misinformed after Indian comments The controversial former advisor to President Zuma, Schabir Shaik, has lashed out at Malema's sentiments over Indian businesses in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Controversial Durban businessman and former advisor to President Jacob Zuma, Schabir Shaik, has lashed out at Julius Malema after the EFF leader accused Indian businesses of exploitation and monopolising the KwaZulu-Natal economy.

“This fool is misinformed and does not have any insight with regard to business ownership in KZN. Why does he not talk about Huletts and other big, white capital and business in the province?

“The issue of land distribution must begin with Huletts, why is Malema silent on this?” asked Shaik, who was released on medical parole in 2009, after being convicted on charges of fraud in 2005 and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Shaik is the latest figure to join the chorus of criticism of Malema, who has been accused of fanning racial tension in KZN to bolster support for his party in the province.

“They are ill-treating our people. They are worse than Afrikaners were. This is not an anti-Indian statement, it's the truth. Indians who own shops don't pay our people, but they give them food parcels,” Malema told thousands of supporters who turned out to hear him speak in Durban on Saturday, where the party marked its fourth year as a political party.

“They must be paid a minimum wage. We're not going to nurse feelings here.”



'Clearly causing dissension'

But Shaik was not impressed and called on those who are being exploited to turn to legitimate structures instead of playing the race card.

“Is the Indian community an easy target in Malema's political stage performance? Workers are aware of their rights these days and know about labour courts and their right to CCMA if there are issues around labour matters.

“There are very few who are not familiar with this recourse. Instead of playing on racial tensions, why doesn't Malema encourage workers to challenge their working conditions through proper structures?

“I am disappointed in Malema and will not support his political agenda, as he is clearly causing dissension and division in our society. A true leader does the opposite,” added Shaik, who is classified as terminally ill as he continues to serve his 15-year sentence under house arrest.

News24

Teens charged with starting French wildfire

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Britons charged with stag party gang rape

≪ Previous: Shaik says Malema is a fool

$

0

0

Teens charged with starting French wildfire Two adolescent boys will go before a judge Friday on suspicion of deliberately starting one of the wildfires that devastated parts of southeastern France and Corsica this week, an official said.

Authorities warned on Friday the danger is far from over even though they have tamed most of the blazes that scorched over 7 000 ha of land, destroyed homes and forced the evacuation of thousands in the worst fires in France in over a decade.

The two boys, both aged 16, were stopped Wednesday by police who believed arson was behind the blaze in Carro, north of Nice, where 150 ha of vegetation were burnt, Aix-en-Provence Deputy Police Prosecutor Remy Avon told The Associated Press Friday.

Some 230 firefighters this week battled the Carro fires, which damaged houses, injured a first responder and forced the evacuation of local residents.

Avon said the adolescents also face charges of theft and could face a prison sentence of 15 years.

Francois Arizzi, the mayor of Bormes-Les-Mimosas, a site of one of the most dramatic blazes, is among officials to claim that some of the five days of wildfires were caused by arsonists.

“We have to stop closing our eyes to the facts. We need to find the persons responsible and punish them so that they don't do it again,” the mayor told reporters.

The French prime minister warned that “malicious acts must be punished” by the authorities.



Angle-grinder

Meanwhile, a 41-year-old man has admitted to starting a wildfire by accident with a metal-cutting device.

That fire, in Peynier, some 30 km northwest of Marseille, burned 72 ha of vegetation before being contained by a team of over 300 firefighters. The man will go before a judge on Friday afternoon and could face up to five years in prison.

The fiercest fires have been tamed in Riviera towns such as Bormes-Les-Mimosas, with more than 12 000 evacuated residents and tourists now able return to their homes and holiday places.

“Everything is back to normal. The vacation has restarted and it's really a great feeling,” said Katherine Mercier, an American tourist from Atlanta.

But it's not a return to normality for many others. The burnt-out and ravaged landscapes have already hurt tourism in the Riviera town.

“It's not going to be a good season but the most important thing is that there have been no injured people,” said Marc Defour, director of Le Camping du Domaine camp site.

“But the town of Bormes(-les-Mimosas) has been damaged so the town image has been hit,” Defour added. “Some cancelled their trips, which is understandable. Other left before the end.”

Senior officials warned Friday that the situation remain perilous in certain places.

“In Corsica, the fires are starting up in a sporadic way... In Artigues, the situation is not yet under control,” Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told reporters in Paris Friday.

Collomb said that an Italian fire-fighting plane used against the Riviera blazes has now been redeployed back to Italy as the country faces its own fires caused by drought and heat.



NAMPA/AP

---

Britons charged with stag party gang rape

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Warlord, model, footballer kick of Liberia campaign

≪ Previous: Teens charged with starting French wildfire

$

0

0

Britons charged with stag party gang rape Three British men went on trial in Singapore Tuesday accused of gang-raping a 23-year-old woman while visiting the city-state for a stag party.

Khong Tam Thanh, 22, Le Michael, 24, and Vu Thai Son, 24, face up to 20 years in jail and a caning if found guilty of assaulting the Malaysian woman while she was drunk and unconscious at the end of the night out.

All three, British citizens of Vietnamese descent, deny the allegations.

In an opening statement, prosecutors said the defendants were in Singapore in September as part of a group of nine for a bachelor party, and attended an electronic music festival called Ultra Singapore.

The groom, the brother of Khong, was also on the trip.

They met the woman in a popular nightspot in the city-state, where she had been partying with a friend.

After she had agreed to have sex with one of their friends, a British citizen of Vietnamese origin identified as Richard Ahn, he took her to his hotel room.

After the pair had sex, Khong, Le and Vu took turns to enter the room and raped the woman as she lay drunk and unconscious, the court heard.

“Having consented to having sexual intercourse with one individual, she was then raped by three other men,” Deputy Public Prosecutor G. Kannan told the Singapore High Court.

“Intoxicated and asleep, she was unaware of what was going on around her. She was taken advantage of and raped in quick succession by the three.”

The men took care to make as little noise as possible but the victim woke up as Le assaulted her, the court heard.

They all face one count each of raping the alleged victim in the early hours of September 10 last year. Khong and Vu, who work as beauticians in Britain, face additional charges of sexual assault by digital penetration. Le is unemployed.

Ahn, 24, absconded while under investigation. The alleged victim lives in Johor Bahru, the southern Malaysian city bordering Singapore. She cannot be named because of a court order protecting her identity.

Rape is punishable by up to 20 years in jail and caning, a punishment which dates back to British colonial rule.

NAMPA/AFP

Warlord, model, footballer kick of Liberia campaign

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: SME Bank: Stop dodging responsibility

≪ Previous: Britons charged with stag party gang rape

$

0

0

Warlord, model, footballer kick of Liberia campaign Liberia's 20 presidential candidates kicked off campaigning on Monday for an October election, among them a former warlord, a footballer and a fashion model, as Africa's first woman head of state Ellen Johnson Sirleaf steps down.

There is no obvious frontrunner to lead the fragile West African state the Nobel Prize-winning Sirleaf was elected to run in 2005 following a long civil war which left deep scars on Liberia's economy and social fabric.

Elections for the presidency and House of Representatives take place on October 10 - the first time since the end of the conflict in 2003 that Liberia will be holding a vote without UN peacekeepers providing security.

Ahead of the start of campaigning, the UN appealed for the ballot to go ahead smoothly, urging all “to spare no effort in their pursuit of peaceful elections.”

Among the final president/vice-president tickets published by the National Elections Commission (NEC) on Monday, key figures from the civil conflict loom large.

Senator Prince Johnson - a onetime rebel fighter filmed drinking beer during the notorious murder of former president Samuel Doe in 1990 - is standing for president for the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR).

Football superstar and Senator George Weah will stand for the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) with Jewel Howard-Taylor, 54, the ex-wife of Charles Taylor, as his vice-president pick.

Weah told AFP he was “fully ready to take the presidency this time,” following a failed bid for the job in 2005.

Charles Taylor, once Liberia's most feared rebel fighter, is serving a 50-year sentence in a British jail for his role in fuelling neighbouring Sierra Leone's own long civil conflict.

Two prominent businessmen, Coca-Cola executive Alexander Cummings and telecoms tycoon Benoni Urey, are standing on pro-jobs and pro-growth platforms as they aim to bring corporate expertise to the presidency.

“Getting Liberians working is priority number one,” Urey wrote in an emailed statement on Monday.



Fears of violence

Meanwhile the only female presidential candidate, MacDella Cooper, is a former fashion model turned philanthropist who is promising “hope and reform” for the poor, largely rural nation.

Sirleaf's vice president, Joseph Boakai, is hoping the record of keeping the peace will be enough to propel him to the top job, despite complaints the ruling Unity Party has failed to deliver on the economy.

The international community is preoccupied with electoral violence, however, as the underfunded Liberian security forces take over control of election security from UN peacekeepers.

“These elections, and the subsequent transition, will mark a significant milestone whereby a sitting President will hand over power from one elected President to another,” the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), African Union, and regional body Ecowas said in a statement.

“We remind political parties of their obligations to peaceful campaigning in compliance with the country's electoral laws (and) international standards,” it added.



NAMPA/AFP

SME Bank: Stop dodging responsibility

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Shot of the day

≪ Previous: Warlord, model, footballer kick of Liberia campaign

$

0

0

SME Bank: Stop dodging responsibility The dust has, rightly so, refused to settle regarding the SME Bank saga, which has since been liquidated.

Many people are questioning why no one has been held accountable for the collapse of the broke bank.

The directors of the SME Bank were suspended after the Bank of Namibia took over the running of the bank's affairs and placed it under curatorship until a recent High Court judgement, which ordered the winding down of the institution.

Whilst the Namibian police have reportedly opened a criminal case against the alleged perpetrators, it is alarming that President Hage Geingob has absolved the former chairmen of the SME Bank George Simataa and Frans Kapofi of any blame concerning the collapse of the bank.

The president further dodged responsibility by claiming that the SME Bank was not his baby, but one that was formed through a Cabinet resolution.

These are all unfortunate statements coming from the number one citizen who has made it his mission to tackle transparency and fight corruption in government, among others.

We therefore don't buy the story that the directors should be absolved of any blame. It was under their leadership that things fell apart and spiralled out of control leading to questionable investments in excess of about N$200 million being made in neighbouring South Africa.

The directors ought to have acted in the best interests of the company.

There is no indication as to when these monies will be recovered. The bank had been liquidated and over 200 workers are jobless, yet the president is defending the alleged unbecoming conduct of a few well-connected. Who is to be blamed then?

The Bank of Namibia or the workers?

The need for sound corporate governance cannot be overemphasised when it comes to institutions such as commercial banks, especially when it involves taxpayer's money.

It is incumbent upon bank directors to be mindful of their primary fiduciary duty in the execution of their responsibilities.

They dare not wish their hands of it.

How is it possible that an entire bank has been closed down due to corruption, yet no one is held accountable?

This is sickening!

Shot of the day

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Non-complying conservancies to be deregistered

≪ Previous: SME Bank: Stop dodging responsibility

$

0

0

Shot of the day RELIEF: A fire-fighting Canadair aircraft drops water over a fire near Carros, southeastern France, on 24 July 2017. Photo: NAMPA /AFP

Non-complying conservancies to be deregistered

August 1, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Geingob serious in war on graft

≪ Previous: Shot of the day

$

0

0

Non-complying conservancies to be deregistered The deputy environment minister, Tommy Nambahu, has warned conservancies in Namibia that failure to comply with the procedures and regulations of conservancies will result in them being deregistered.

In the same breath, he also warned that serious action will be taken against individuals in conservancies, including officials of the environmental ministry and non-governmental organisations who find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

Nambahu was speaking at a meeting of the North East Regional Conservancy Chairperson Forum in Katima Mulilo where he said the ministry is concerned about how some conservancies are managed considering their poor accountability and governance.

There are currently 83 registered conservancies in Namibia. The ministry brings together leaders of conservancies in the country every year to discuss issues of mutual concern with a particular emphasis on benefit sharing.

“I urge you all to ensure that you comply with the guidelines for the management of conservancies and their standard operating procedures. We are conducting these Regional Conservancy Chairperson Forums and at the end of the consultations, strict directives and instructions will be given by the ministry on how we are going to operate and manage conservancies. Any conservancy that fails to comply will be deregistered,” he warned.

Nambahu said the ministry wants to have good governance structures in conservancies, good benefit distribution plans and stop the distribution of a few Namibian dollars per household which ends up used to buy alcohol and abused in a day.

He stressed that conservancies should support schools, build clinics, put up electricity, support human-wildlife conflict management and mitigation measures, support anti-poaching initiatives, provide drinking water to rural communities and many other tangible projects.

According to him developing accountability and good governance in conservancies is one of the most important aspects of conservancy development and operation.

Nambahu said in order for a conservancy to serve the interests of local residents, the conservancy committee needs to be accountable to the residents.

“Accountability means that the committee cannot take whatever decisions it wants. It must ensure that its decisions are supported by the majority of residents.”

He said if the committee consistently takes decisions that are not in the interests of the residents, the residents or members must be able to take appropriate action against the committee.

Nambahu said good governance means that the decisions taken by the committee are open and transparent, the finances are well managed, and there is no corruption and conflicts of interest in decision-making and the distribution of benefits.

“Poor management of finances in some conservancies is a worrying concern and needs to be improved now.”

He further added that some conservancies do not comply with their constitutions as required by the law.

“We must remember that a conservancy constitution is the formal written agreement between all conservancy members on how they govern themselves. Conservancy constitutions prescribe the procedures for accountability of the conservancy committee to members and establish mechanisms and rules to ensure transparency of the actions of the conservancy committee.”



ELLANIE SMIT