Health minister sponsors tournament

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Health minister sponsors tournament The Dr Ben Soccer and Netball Tournament will take place at the Onheleiwa sports grounds in the Omusati Region's Etayi Constituency from 29 August to 2 September.

Health and social services minister Bernard Haufiku, who is originally from that constituency, is sponsoring the tournament to the tune of N$15 000.

One of the organisers, Anton Kushinga, said the tournament was initially scheduled to take place from 23 to 26 August.

“But we have postponed the tournament because of the national Heroes' Day commemoration that is taking place at Oshakati in our neighbouring region of Oshana on 26 August,” said Kusinga.

The postponement will give participants the opportunity to attend the commemoration in Oshakati. Onheleiwa is situated 40 kilometres north of Oshakati. This is the seventh year the tournament is being held. Football teams pay N$450 to participate and netball teams pay N$350.

The winning football team will take home N$6 000, a trophy and gold medals, the runners-up will receive N$3 000 and silver medals and the third team will get N$1 500 and bronze medals.

In the netball competition, the winning team will be rewarded with N$2 000, a trophy and gold medals; runners-up will receive N$1 000 and silver medals; and N$500 and bronze medals will go to the third-placed team.

NAMPA

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Tennis prodigy seeks sponsors

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Tennis prodigy seeks sponsors LIMBA MUPETAMI

Hendrina Apollus, a 13-year-old netball prodigy from Katutura, is in need of financial assistance to make her dream of playing tennis in Tunisia a reality.

Apollus, along with seven other players, was chosen to represent Namibia at the ITF/CAT African Junior Championship in Tunisia from 24 August to 6 September.

This is a claycourt event that counts for international ranking points, which are necessary for professional progression in tennis. But the young athlete does not have enough money to travel to the tournament.

Apollus’s tennis prowess has earned her numerous awards since she started playing tennis four years ago. She has represented Namibia in many African tournaments and she is ranked number one in her age group locally.

The Namibia Tennis Association (NTA), which is responsible for administration and funding, is strapped for cash and therefore asked players’ families to raise the necessary funds.

‘‘NTA encourages that parents travel with the player, particularly considering the age of the players, as they require emotional support on and off the court to maximise performance,’’ said Everson Muranguveni, the athlete’s manager who has been working tirelessly to raise funds for her.

Muranguveni, who is a graphic designer, has created a professional player video as well as a social media profile for Apollus.

He has pledged to offer sponsors some of his services, depending on the amount of money they contribute towards Apollus’s travel costs.

The trip will cost her N$43 124. If her mother accompanies her, the expenses will rise to N$72 424.

So far they have raised N$13 741 for the flight ticket, which was sponsored by IJG Securities.

Tusnede Apollus, the young player’s mother, is a single mother earning a meagre salary.

‘‘I want to help her realise her dream of becoming an outstanding tennis player in Namibia and a professional tennis player one day,’’ she said.

Those interested in helping the tennis player can contact 081 418 5138 or 081 288 1300.

Angula needs funds to compete

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Angula needs funds to compete World Swimming Championships gateway for swimmer Disabled swimmer Matheus Angula needs help from the public to realise his dream of qualifying for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. NAMPA



Disabled swimmer Matheus Angula, also known as 'Spiderman', needs a cash injection to realise his dream of competing in the 2017 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Swimming Championships.

Mexico City will stage a nine-day festival for the 2017 World Para Swimming and Para Powerlifting Championships, with more than 900 athletes from 65 countries expected to compete for top honours from 30 September to 7 October.

Angula’s coach, Sonja Lindemeier, said the championships in Mexico will be used by all athletes as entry for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.

“We were told by the IPC that athletes who do not compete in these championships can forget about qualifying for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo as this is mandatory participation for all swimmers,” she said.

The team needs N$70 000 for its flight tickets, accommodation and meals in Mexico.

“We know the country is currently struggling with the economic crisis, that is why we decided to sell raffle tickets to the public for N$20, but that money will not be enough if we don’t get someone to sponsor this trip,” she said.

Lindemeier said failure to participate in the games in Mexico will also result in the team being excluded from competing in any other major competitions ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Angula was in 2016 classified to swim freestyle in the S6 category and breaststroke in the SB5 category.

He is currently ranked number one in Africa in the S6 category.

The IPC designated S6 and SB5 classes to include swimmers with a short stature, amputations of both arms or moderate coordination problems on one side of their body.

Angula competed in the 2017 South African National Aquatic Championships in Durban earlier this month where he managed to swim the 50m freestyle in 59.79 seconds. Last year his season’s best time in this event was 01:01:96.

He also took 20 seconds off his old time of one minute and 30 seconds (01.30) in the 100m freestyle.

Lindemeier said the swimmer has been hard at work and is doing his personal best of 50 seconds in the freestyle event at training.

“I am sure by the time the championships starts he will swim under 40 seconds in the 50m freestyle,” she said.

Let's groom them young

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Let's groom them young Recently I attended an awards ceremony in the capital and noticed a seven-year-old girl among the crowd. The girl was on her way to represent Namibia at the African Junior Chess Championships in Zimbabwe.

What a way to go, I thought. The Namibia Chess Federation is doing quite well to promote and incorporate children in their programme at a very young age.

That needs to be applauded because they are doing something right. Not only are they starting to groom young competitors, but they are nurturing and developing future stars at a young age. They say that one needs to straighten a tree branch whilst young, instead of trying to bend it later in life.

The federation's achievements made me think of our track and field athletes and how they are faring nationally and internally. We are not doing too well, I must say. I get the fact that we don't really have the funds or equipment to source our athletes but we need to think strategically when we want to involve our athletes in international competitions. In my opinion, which anyone is free to differ with: we should groom them young, just like we are doing with chess players.

Let me start at the top so that you get on the same page as me with this.

Five of Namibia's top athletes left for Jamaica some years back as part of a long-term training programme with the aim of improving Namibia's chances of winning medals at the Olympic Games.

Under the programme, the Namibian athletes trained with Jamaican sprint sensations. The programme formed part of the Vision 2016 athletics programme, implemented several years ago by the Ministry of Sport.

The programme failed. Why? Because we planned wrong. In my opinion you cannot send a 21-25-year-old for a development programme, especially in sprinting. Unless if you are grooming him or her for administrative purposes.

I mean it's logical – let's groom young, from ten upwards. Let's instil sport professionalism at a tender age. Let's scout early instead of sending ageing athletes to championships knowing very well that they are incapable of bringing medals home.

Look at marathoners in Ethiopia and Kenya for instance. Every time there is world championships we see young, new faces running with elite and more experienced runners and that's how they learn to do well despite the fact that they are just good natural runners.

I understand we never have enough money to get anywhere in sport in this country but imagine as an athlete, you wake up each day and toil at your sport. You don't wait for sponsors to come to your aid, but you lure them with your hard work.

Para-athletes in Namibia are a great example: they are naturally very hard-working. They know they have to train because they have a point to prove. They don't complain even when the going gets tough, they continue pushing.

However, our able-bodied athletes always have the same excuse: “There is no money. I failed because I did not prepare well.”

Who then are you waiting for to push you to train? If you know you have a major championship to prepare for, why wait a month before D-Day to start preparing? Our mentality is wrong.

However, as much as there are athletes who lack professionalism, so does the Ministry of Sport. Once I attended an event where a certain minister was scolding athletes for not doing this and that, but failed to point fingers at the ministry for failing athletes in every way possible.

At this point in time we know which sports codes are doing well. We know how we need to help them, but what do we do? We send half-prepared athletes to competitions with song and dance and expect them to bring honours home. “Put Namibia on the map,” we tell them. That's an understatement. Never once does a minister of sport visit these athletes while they are preparing and see how best to help them, but at media conferences we want to pose for pictures with these athletes, stealing their shine. Let's do the right thing.













































limba@namibiansun.com

'My mind was gone'

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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'My mind was gone'Crawford blasts Indongo Terence Crawford made boxing history after defeating Julius Indongo by third-round knockout to unify all four world titles in the junior welterweight division. Defeated Namibian boxer Julius Indongo says his mind was gone when Terence Crawford landed a barrage of punches during their four-belt unification bout at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska yesterday morning.

Crawford became the only undisputed world champion in professional boxing after capturing the WBA, IBF, WBO and WBC junior welterweight belts with a third-round knockout.

'When he hit me, it hurt so bad,' Indongo was quoted as saying after the match.

'When he hit me like that, my mind was gone.'

Crawford, from the US, came in with the WBC and WBO belts, while Indongo was the WBA and IBF champion.

Crawford became the first fighter in 11 years to hold all four titles by winning the scheduled 12-round contest between the two previously unbeaten boxers.

“I feel great. I feel like I hardly even fought,” Crawford said.

The 29-year-old joined Bernard Hopkins and Jermain Taylor as the only four belt champions in modern boxing history.

Crawford used his superior hand speed and power to dominate every round as he knocked underdog Indongo down for the first time in the second round with a left to the side of the head.

He ended the fight just one round later by flooring the former Olympian with a body shot.

Crawford missed with a right hook but then came back with a left to the upper chest that sent Indongo crumbling to the canvas.

“It feels like a dream come true. Belts matter,” said Crawford, who improved to 32-0 with 23 knockouts. “I am the one who wants to be labelled the champ at 140.”

Middleweight Taylor was the last undisputed boxing champ until his reign ended in 2006.

The 34-year-old Indongo, who is unfamiliar to most boxing fans in the US, landed very few punches in the three rounds as he dropped to 22-1 overall.

Indongo, who was born and raised in Namibia, competed in the 2008 Olympics.

Crawford won a close first round that served as a platform for the pair to feel each other out. Crawford went to work in the second, breaking his opponent down by easily getting the better of the exchanges in the centre of the ring.

Indongo came in as a heavy underdog and looked the part as he failed to connect on his wide looping punches and left himself open for Crawford's stinging lefts.

The third round knockout came as a surprise as Crawford missed with a right hook then landed what looked like a routine body shot.

“We been practising body shots all camp. Everything we practised in camp it came out in the fight,” Crawford said.

-Additional reporting by own reporter

NAMPA/AFP

Spain mourns attack victims

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Spain mourns attack victimsAs probe zeroes in on imam Victims of the attack came from three dozen countries including Algeria, Australia, China, France, Ireland, Peru and Venezuela, reflecting Barcelona's status as Spain's most popular tourist destination. Grief-stricken Barcelona paid homage yesterday to victims of two terror assaults at a mass in the city's Sagrada Familia church, as investigators turned their focus to a missing Moroccan imam believed to have radicalised the young attackers.

King Felipe, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Catalonia's president Carles Puigdemont led the ceremony mourning the 14 people killed by jihadists who used vehicles to mow down pedestrians in Barcelona's Las Ramblas boulevard on Thursday and in the nearby seaside resort of Cambrils early Friday.

“These have been days of tears, many tears,” said auxiliary bishop Sebastia Taltavull.

Outside the church, snipers were posted on rooftops surrounding the landmark building by Gaudi, while heavily armed police stood guard as hundreds of people gathered under grey skies.

Catalonia resident Teresa Rodriguez said she had turned up to pray for the victims.

“What happened in Las Ramblas is really hard for us, we go for walks there often, it could have happened to me, my children or anyone. And here we are. It's huge, huge,” she said as she fought back tears.

Later Sunday, nearly 100 000 people were expected at Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium for their team's first game of the season, to be marked by a minute of silence for the victims.

Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido said Saturday the cell behind the carnage that also injured 120 had been “dismantled,” although local authorities took a more cautious tone.

Police were still hunting 22-year-old Younes Abouyaaqoub, who media reports say was the driver of a van that smashed into crowds on the popular Las Ramblas boulevard on Thursday, killing 13 people.

Hours later, there was a similar assault in the seaside town of Cambrils that left one woman dead. Police shot and killed the five attackers, some of whom were wearing fake explosive belts.

An extensive security operation including roadblocks was mounted overnight across Catalonia.

The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attacks, believed to be its first in Spain.

The terror cell in Spain reportedly comprised at least 12 young men, some of them teenagers.

Investigators are seeking to unravel the role of an imam, Abdelbaki Es Satty, who is believed to have radicalised many of the youths from a small town called Ripoll, at the foot of the Pyrenees.

Several of the suspects - including Abouyaaqoub - grew up or lived in the town of about 10 000 inhabitants.

On Saturday, police raided the imam's apartment in Ripoll, his flatmate, who would only identify himself as Nourddem, told AFP.

Spanish media quoting police sources, said the officers were looking for DNA traces in the apartment to compare with body parts found in an explosion in a home in Alcanar, about 200 kilometres south of Barcelona, where the alleged jihadists were believed to have been building bombs.

Police said they believed the suspects were planning a much larger attack.

“They were preparing one or several attacks in Barcelona, and an explosion in Alcanar stopped this as they no longer had the material they needed to commit attacks of an even bigger scope,” said Josep Lluis Trapero of Catalonia's police.

Security forces were seen removing dozens of gas canisters from the house in Alcanar on Friday.

The imam was also known to police, according to Spanish media, which reported that he had spent time in prison.

El Pais and El Mundo quoting anti-terrorist forces said the imam had met prisoners linked to the March 2004 Al-Qaeda-inspired bombing attack on commuter trains in Madrid that killed 191 people, the worst terror attack in Europe.

A clearer picture is emerging of the suspected perpetrators.

Most of them are children of Moroccan immigrants, including Ripoll-born Moussa Oukabir, 17, one of five suspects shot dead in Cambrils. His older brother Driss is among the four arrested.

In Morocco, Moussa and Driss's father Said broke down, surrounded by relatives.



NAMPA/AFP

Grace Mugabe 'returns to Zimbabwe'

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Grace Mugabe 'returns to Zimbabwe' Zimbabwe's first lady Grace Mugabe, accused of assault in South Africa where she is seeking diplomatic immunity, returned home from a visit there on Sunday, public broadcaster ZBC reported.

Mugabe, who was being sought by police after allegedly attacking a 20-year-old model at a Johannesburg hotel last weekend, flew home with her husband in the early hours of yesterday morning.

“President Robert Mugabe, accompanied by the first lady ... arrived on an Air Zimbabwe flight in Harare very early, the broadcaster said.

The president had flown to South Africa on Wednesday to attend a two-day regional leaders' summit in Pretoria which began on Saturday - which she had also been expected to attend.

But he appeared to have cut short his visit, skipping the second day of talks among leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). South African police had said they were on high alert to make sure that Mugabe's 52-year-old wife did not leave the country with officials reportedly weighing up whether to issue an arrest warrant.

The first lady is alleged to have assaulted Gabriella Engels with an electrical extension cable on August 13 at the hotel where the model was staying with Mugabe's two sons who have a reputation for partying.

Engels said she suffered deep cuts to her forehead and the back of her head and has opened a police case alleging assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

But Grace Mugabe has not been seen since the allegations were made and failed to appear at the Pretoria summit.



NAMPA/AFP

Political parties welcome 'overdue' Manana resignation

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Political parties welcome 'overdue' Manana resignation Political parties on Saturday welcomed the resignation of South Africa's Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mduduzi Manana.

DA Shadow Minister of Higher Education Belinda Bozzoli said the ANC should have removed Manana “as soon as he had admitted to assaulting women almost two weeks ago”.

“That he was not immediately fired speaks volumes about how seriously the ANC views women abuse, which is rife in our society in part because leaders are not held to account for their actions,” she said.

She said the DA had already reported Manana to the Commission for Gender Equality for the alleged mistreatment of his former secretary as well as other female employees in his department.

“We await confirmation of this investigation and will also keep a close eye on the case of assault that Manana must answer for in court.”

She added, “It is high time that those who abuse women, especially those in positions of power, are held to account so that a message is sent that it will no longer be tolerated.”



Resignation long overdue

Meanwhile Congress of the People said in a statement that Manana's resignation was long overdue.

The party said that the resignation was a show and did not express genuine remorse from Manana or President Jacob Zuma.

“It is the result of unrelenting and a growing wave of public pressure against his continued holding of public office.

He was forced to fall on his sword.”

The party said South Africans were “not prepared to tolerate any further abuse, not even for a second”.

“Leaders must set the tone and lead by example by acting expeditiously against such morally reprehensible conduct.”

Cope called for Manana to be summoned to the Joint Member's Ethics Committee to “hold him fully accountable and for bringing the institution into disrepute”.

“There must be no place to hide for women bashers like Mduduzi Manana.”

The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) described Manana's resignation “as a victory against gender based violence”.

“For all it is worth, we must commend him for not digging his heels and in the process keep the cloud of controversy that would have inhibited him from effectively performing his official duties,” Sanco national spokesperson, Jabu Mahlangu said.

Mahlangu said that Manana has shown respect for the public office he occupied.

“We wish other elected public representatives who find themselves in a similar position could follow his example and not drag offices they have the honour to occupy with them into the quagmire,” he said.

The ANC also since welcomed his resignation.In a statement, ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa thanked Manana for “his service to the people of South Africa during his tenure”.

Zuma said on Saturday that he had accepted Manana's resignation. Manana admitted to the assault of two women at the Cubana nightclub in Fourways, Johannesburg.



NEWS24

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Shot of the day

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Shot of the day ENLIGHTENED: Buddhist monks walk in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: NAMPA /AFP

The rise and fall of RDP

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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The rise and fall of RDP The battle for control of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) has intensified after a faction led by the party's vice-president Steve Bezuidenhout recently resolved to move a vote of no confidence in its incumbent leader Jeremiah Nambinga. The party is accusing Nambinga of poor leadership and that he is no longer upholding the values of the organisation such as unity, democracy, freedom, integrity, justice and social progress. The latest infighting within RDP is likely to weaken the party further. The RDP is already struggling for survival and looks set to lose relevance to voters should the internal bickering continue unabated. The party has had little influence on the local political landscape since the 2014 general elections where it failed to secure a respected number of seats in the National Assembly. This was compounded by the mass resignations of its founding leaders, including the late Hidipo Hamutenya, who returned to Swapo in August 2015. In the last elections, RDP could only secure three seats, which is a far cry from its electoral performance in 2009 when it won a total of eight seats. The party, like many other opposition parties in the country, is not organised and one can understand the frustration of its members. The party has simply abandoned its political principles and has proven over the years that it was not a worthy opposition compared to what the DTA has achieved under its youthful leader McHenry Venaani. The RDP vice-president is perhaps right to say that the leadership, of which he is ironically part of, has failed to exert influence on the national political scale. The party is struggling to carve out a clear niche of social justice and it will be interesting to see how this division will play itself out in the various constituencies. With all its challenges, Swapo is still playing in the hands of these failing opposition parties and if they remain this way, there will be no hope for a strong opposition in this country. God forbid that it suffers the same fate as the CoD, which is clearly now dead and buried.

Otavi delivers on housing

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Otavi delivers on housing The construction of 250 modern houses at Otavi's Extension 4 residential area is progressing well.

Newly serviced Extension 4 is an affluent residential area situated south of Otavi, with a total of 250 dwelling plots, five business and 13 light industrial erven.

The site manager for Gerveyo Property Development and Construction, Joe-Marlin Neff, says about 60 houses have been completed and some are already occupied.

“We are building modern houses here, and we are happy with this project as it continues to move as we have planned it,” he said.

The building project started in April 2016.

Two- and three-bedroom houses with a lounge, kitchen and one or two toilets are sold by the company for between N$400 000 and N$950 000.

Neff said the houses are built on plots of between 470 and 1 180 square metres.

About 20 local general construction workers and 11 subcontracted companies have secured jobs at the site.

Otavi deputy mayor George Garab said the town council was determined to surpass the demand for accommodation at the town in the next three years.

“As a strategically located town, we are determined to deliver on the housing needs because we have a big dream to make Otavi become a city in the future,” he said.

Garab said land servicing was continuing at Extension 4 and Extension 5, where more than 400 plots had been earmarked for servicing in the next two years.

He said the Otavi town council had entered into an agreement with the Otjikoto B2Gold Namibia mine to build about 120 houses for the company's employees residing at Otavi.

He said the Ohorongo Cement Factory also agreed to build 30 houses for its employees at the town. Garab said the two housing deals have already been signed with the town council.

Several beneficiaries at Extension 4 told Nampa they are proud to be home owners.

Elizabeth Shinana said her family was excited to own a new house and would move into their three-bedroom house in a fortnight.

Olga Karobes was also happy to own a house, saying it added value to her family's lives. -Nampa

MULISA SIMIYASA

Tourist attacks condemned

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Tourist attacks condemnedCrime erodes tourism marketing gains The minister responsible for tourism has called on Namibians to stand together to protect foreign visitors. Namibia's reputation as a peaceful nation was tainted by the spate of criminal attacks on tourists in recent months.

Minister of environment and tourism Pohamba Shifeta says the growing trend of crime against foreign visitors is concerning and will definitely be addressed in the next months. “The Ministry of Environment and Tourism sadly regrets that such barbaric actions are happening in our country and unreservedly expresses its strongest condemnation of the violence and criminal acts aimed at our tourists in Namibia, and in particular tourists from South Africa in the Erongo Region and German tourists near Windhoek in the Brakwater area,” Shifeta said on Friday.

According to him the gains Namibia had made as a safe tourist haven in the last 25 years would soon be lost to this increasing crime.

“These actions have far-reaching consequences to our aspirations as a sector and Namibia as a destination. Violence is not an experience we want to create for our tourists but on the contrary we want them to experience the peacefulness that we have always offered over the years,” he said.

The ministry further called on law enforcement agencies and Namibian citizens to be vigilant and act proactively against these threats.

“I commend those that took it upon themselves to apprehend one of the suspects and ask the Namibian police to ensure that those that escaped are arrested without delay.

“We also call on the judiciary to show no mercy to these suspects as a way of discouraging this disturbing trend in our country,” Shifeta pleaded. He emphasised that the safety of tourists was very important and that interventions were needed to ensure their safety at all times.

He commended the Windhoek municipality for establishing a tourism police unit under the City Police and for installing CCTV cameras at crime hotspots around the city, but added that more needed to be done.

Swapo seeks experienced top four

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Swapo seeks experienced top four Anybody aspiring to be a candidate for election as Swapo president and vice-president must have been a party member for at least 30 years, of which five must have been as a member of the Central Committee.

These are some of the proposals tabled at a recent Swapo Central Committee meeting. For the secretary-general and deputy secretary-general positions, the minimum membership requirement is 25 years, of which five must have been as a member of the Central Committee.

Swapo spokesperson Helmut Angula said in a statement last week that the proposals had been accepted in principle by the Central Committee.

“The Swapo members at the congress are at liberty to freely choose how they should frame their own rules and govern the party.

“It is therefore only draft proposals by the Swapo Party Department of Information and as such these shall be subject to extensive discussion by legitimately and validly delegated delegates to the Swapo congress,” he said. At the moment a minimum of ten years of continuous membership in Swapo is required for a member to be eligible for election to the Central Committee as well as the top four positions within the party.

Angula dismissed reports last week that aspiring candidates need to have served 30 years in the Central Committee to qualify for the top positions of president and vice-president.



STAFF REPORTER

Bank Windhoek - Always ready to support initiatives such as the #Festival

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Bank Windhoek - Always ready to support initiatives such as the #Festival An initiative such as the Hashtag Festival always is a good fit for Bank Windhoek, which is always prepared to support local sport and cultural activities, especially if it is designed to promote education.

As one of the nine key sponsors of the #Festival, taking place from 7 to 9 September 2017, Bank Windhoek has been joined to the Highveld Cheetahs franchise. This franchise comprises of the Donatus Secondary School (which is also the franchise's managing school), JG van der Wath Secondary School and Paresis Secondary School of the central north.

While the #Festival might be taking place in Windhoek at the SKW sports grounds in Olympia, the franchises taking part in the sports and cultural activities are brought to Windhoek from all over the country at no cost to the children.

That is why NMH as initiator of this initiative requires the support of stalwarts such as Bank Windhoek.

The #Festival truly aims at promoting access to the youth of Namibia so as to enable them to obtain proper access to career planning opportunities. The Career Expo will be the main focus on Thursday and Friday, but to add flavour, the youngsters will take part in a choir competition, a quiz, chess played with big chess pieces and other events; even a Miss High will be crowned.

Saturday will be filled with sports activities, which will have a snag in their rules so as to get the competitors' attention, all the while being supported by their cheerleading teams, which as a matter of fact will also compete against each other.

The three days' activities will be crowned by live performing bands in the late afternoon and early evening.

STAFF REPORTER

Beaten to death for a laptop

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Beaten to death for a laptopAnother elderly Swakop resident murdered A third elderly person has been murdered in the popular retirement town of Swakopmund. Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of Manfred Karl Hartmann (78) in Swakopmund on Friday.

Hartmann was beaten to death in his home in Vineta just days after the elderly Stryzelecki couple had been murdered in their home in the same neighbourhood.

Police Deputy Commissioner Erastus Iikuyu confirmed that the first suspect (25) was arrested in Outjo later on Friday and said a second suspect (26) was arrested in Swakopmund.

“The first suspect we arrested is from Okakarara in the Otjozondjupa Region. Some of the stolen items were found in his possession.

He was employed as a gardener at the deceased's house for one month and two weeks.”

According to Iikuyu the accused forced the deceased into an outdoor toilet on the premises.

“The deceased's arms were tied behind his back and then onto the outlet pipe of the urinal.

He was hit with two bricks on the forehead and on the head.

“This caused an open wound and resulted in profuse bleeding which might have caused his death. The assailants left the deceased locked up inside the toilet.

“The suspects also attempted to cut open a wall-mounted safe without success.

One Lenovo laptop and one Samsung cellphone which belonged to the deceased were missing.”

Hartmann's body was discovered by police officers at 09:45 on Friday.

The body was taken to the Walvis Bay police mortuary for a post-mortem examination.

According to Iikuyu Hartmann lived alone and it is believed that he does not have any family in Namibia.

“He apparently divorced his wife and she returned to Germany many years ago.

The couple had no children. We are requesting anyone who might know his relatives or have information about their whereabouts to contact Detective Inspector Tjihavero on 064-415050 or the nearest police station.”

OTIS FINCK

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Bail system needs review

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Bail system needs review The minister of environment and tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, has called for a review of the granting of bail by Namibian courts.

This follows the granting of bail to Frabianus Endjala, who stands accused of the attempted robbery and attack on German tourists on Windhoek's Western Bypass Road on 10 August. It later emerged that Endjala was out on bail in a similar case.

Shifeta, a trained lawyer, urged law enforcement agencies to be vigilant and proactive, and not to show mercy to suspects, in an effort to discourage attacks on foreign visitors.

Justice minister Albert Kawana, although reluctant to comment on the specific case, said Namibia should implement a computerised case management system.

He said he had called for such a system for a long time but there simply was no money for it.

According to Kawana the implementation of this system would do away with the “missing docket” problem that is haunting Namibia's manual legal system.

“This case will give the presiding judge or magistrate the history of the suspect appearing before court within a split second. It will be very useful in the sentencing of such a person because the judge will be able to take into account the previous and pending cases of a suspect. But as it is now, a judge in Gobabis and in Windhoek will not know what happened in Walvis Bay,” Kawana stated.

He stressed that no judge or magistrate would ever knowingly grant bail to a repeat offender.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Donkey saga: Outjo residents 'spread lies'

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Donkey saga: Outjo residents 'spread lies'Municipality dismisses community concerns The Outjo town council is accusing residents opposed to a Chinese donkey abattoir of 'spreading lies' and being 'anti-development'. Officials at the Outjo municipality have taken a combative position against residents who are protesting a provisional approval of a controversial Chinese donkey abattoir, accusing residents of spreading lies and of being anti-development.

In comments recorded in the minutes of a May ordinary council meeting in May, where officials resolved to conditionally approve Fu Hai Trading Enterprise's plans to open an abattoir, the town council summarily dismissed a long list of concerns and objections handed to them by the residents. “The council, having studied the objections, is of the opinion that misleading information has been shared with some community members about the planned donkey abattoir, which resulted in them having signed the objections.”

The council also objected that many of the objections were similar and had been duplicated and that “well-known people in the community” were attempting to “block investment opportunities.”

Although sweeping statements dismissing the concerns of residents were recorded in the minutes, not a single concern submitted to council was responded to.

“If you look at the minutes of the 15 May ordinary town council meeting, you will see that the council did not take in consideration any of the concerns we, as a community, supplied,” an Outjo resident noted.

The resident said the community did not oppose development, and in fact welcomed plans for economic development, “but at what cost are the municipality and council willing to push this abattoir? We sent a list of questions in March but have had no response from them at all on a single question.”

The council's minutes moreover contain no expert reports on water supply and infrastructure, sewerage, power-supply infrastructure, road connections and other relevant details that are usually considered when local councils approve large development projects.

In early July, Outjo mayor Marius Sheya told Namibian Sun the council had seen the objections, but after “objectively” considering the Chinese donkey abattoir plan they approved it for the benefit of development in the town. The minutes of the meeting also dismiss a warning from the Roads Authority (RA) at Outjo, that conditions around the entrance to the undeveloped property where the planned abattoir will be constructed, do not meet the necessary safety standards for constructing an access road. This warning was described as a “premature” objection by members of the council.



Community concerned about council's attitude

Many in Outjo say they just want honest answers and accuse Outjo council members and the municipality's senior officials of refusing to engage in a transparent matter with the community since the start of the project.

“The problem we are facing currently on this issue with the municipality is that they are not transparent. Even after I contacted them personally, when I heard about the plans for the donkey abattoir, and I asked them to arrange a public meeting so the issues can be addressed, they don't come back to us or tell us anything,” Neil Mazenge, a close supporter of the Outjo Community Committee (OCC), told Namibian Sun this week.

The OCC has been spearheading efforts to get the municipality to play open cards with concerned residents, including seeking legal advice on how to address a number of serious concerns. Mazenge said one of the main headaches on this issue is that the council could have avoided accusations of lack of transparency and increasing suspicions around the Chinese run abattoir, if they had played open cards from the start or responded to the community's pleas for increased transparency and information.

He said his concerns are related to future employees of the abattoir, health and safety standards at the abattoir, the lack of transparency between the council and the town's residents, in addition to a list of other well publicised concerns.

“Tell us the facts. If they are good, then I don't have a problem. But if you don't even answer the simple questions, there is a concern about that lack of transparency.”





JANA-MARI SMITH

Infighting plagues NUNW

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Infighting plagues NUNW The National Union of Namibian Workers this weekend removed its president, Ismael Kasuto, in what it says was a properly constituted meeting.

The removal has, however, been met with disdain by Kasuto who said an unconstitutional gathering moved to get rid of him.

Acting president Albert Liswaniso told Namibian Sun yesterday that Kasuto's removal was done legally during the central executive committee meeting.

“He was removed democratically. It was a properly constituted meeting that elected to remove him. He may claim not to have been removed democratically but the members of NUNW removed his mandate. The people decided to withdraw his mandate,” said Liswaniso.

Liswaniso said Kasuto was free to challenge the decision emanating from last weekend's meeting which led to his removal.

“If he wants to challenge it he can challenge it,” said Liswaniso.

According to him, NUNW's deputy president would now step in to fill the void left by Kasuto's forced departure.

“Constitutionally I am in an acting position. That is why I constituted to chair the meeting from which Kasuto walked out,” he said.

Liswaniso also informed Namibian Sun that he would remain in an acting position up until elections are held to elect a new leader.

“We will elect a new president in 2019,” he said Liswaniso.

Kasuto hit back at Liswaniso's claim that he was constitutionally removed but said he would be happy to stand down if a properly constituted meeting had removed him.

“I'm not aware of any formal suspension of the NUNW President by the NUNW Central Executive Committee except what I am picking up on the social media in reference of unsigned letter on the vote of no confidence,” said Kasuto when he spoke to Namibian Sun following his removal.

According to him, he did attended a meeting which convened to discuss the payment of affiliate member fees, at which point the issue of his removal came up.

“I attended the supposedly the NUNW CEC [held 19 August] of which the composition of the meeting came under discussion in particular the payment of affiliation fees which is a prerequisite to attend the NUNW meeting in terms of the NUNW constitution,” said Kasuto.

Kasuto also called his removal temporary and said he would only step down if a true and proper meeting in his opinion convened.

“My temporary removal to precede yesterday's [Saturday] meeting was based on me as president insisting that the meeting be properly constituted in terms of the NUNW constitution and that is when I excused myself not to attend yesterday's unconstitutional meeting and that was not a vote of no confidence to totally remove me from office,” said Kasuto.

“I am happy to get out of office only if the vote of no confidence is coming from a credible and constitutional NUNW structure.”

An NUNW document based Kasuto's removal on his failure to hold NUNW structural meetings and to implement national congress resolutions. The NUNW also accused Kasuto of sowing seeds of ethic division as well as gross negligence.

OGONE TLHAGE

Panga killer gets 25 years

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Panga killer gets 25 years The Oshakati High Court last week sentenced Ndilinawa Gabriel to 25 years in prison after he was found guilty of murder.

Gabriel (29) was convicted of the murder of Petrus Nameto Shuungu after he admitted to having slashed his neck with a panga at the Katwitwi informal settlement on 4 December 2011 - an incident that was witnessed by many people.

He was sentenced by Judge Herman Januarie on Thursday.

According to witnesses who testified in court, the two got into a fight at a cuca shop when the victim asked Gabriel about the whereabouts of his girlfriend.

Gabriel told the court he had acted in self-defence after Shuungu had kicked him in the ribs. He also said he had acted out of anger when he took out his panga and hacked at Shuungu's neck.

January ruled that Gabriel's action was not justifiable.

Taodago Gaweseb represented the State while Alvine Samuel from Samuel Legal Practitioners represented Gabriel on instructions by Inonge Mainga-Sisamu.



KENYA KAMBOWE

Ondangwa gambler robbed of N$60 000

August 20, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Ondangwa gambler robbed of N$60 000Suspects arrested, but no money recovered Ondangwa was the scene of three major theft cases in the past week. OGONE TLHAGE



A man was robbed of N$60 000 by two men at a bar in Ondangwa last week.

The victim had withdrawn the N$60 000 from his bank account at Ondangwa and planned to exchange the money into South African rands.

The victim then went into a bar to gamble. The two suspects entered the bar, held up the victim and removed the money from his pockets.

The suspects then fled in a white Polo Vivo with registration number N 34181 W, belonging to Avis Car Rental.

Upon returning the vehicle to Avis, the two suspects were arrested. No money was recovered.

In another case reported at Ondangwa, a 26-year-old man allegedly defrauded his employer of N$700 000 by channelling the money through dormant bank accounts.

The suspect, employed as an enquiries officer at the Ondangwa branch of Bank Windhoek, activated dormant bank accounts held by foreign nationals who are not currently in the country.

It is alleged that he transferred N$700 000 through the bank’s Easy Wallet facility to various cellphone numbers.

The suspect then proceeded to withdraw the money from ATM machines in Ondangwa and Windhoek.

The suspect was arrested in Windhoek on 17 August while attending a workshop. Bank and police investigations into the matter continue.

Meanwhile, the police have opened a car theft docket against a person who drove a rental car from Namibia to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The suspect hired a Nissan bakkie from an Ondangwa car-hire business and drove it through Angola and across the DRC border. The vehicle has been recovered but no arrest has been made.