Animal welfare critical to agriculture

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Animal welfare critical to agriculture

The adherence to animal welfare protocols continues to be a concern, not only in the Namibian farming environment, but worldwide.

Since Meatco operates in accordance with the European Union (EU) Animal Health and Welfare Regulations and Protocols, the delivery of stressed animals should be avoided at all costs.

According to Meatco, stress in animals cause the suppression of their immune system, resulting in animals being susceptible to diseases such as shipping fever (Pasteurella) and Bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

These diseases can be fatal or accrued, depending on the amount of stress exerted on the animal. The microorganisms in the animal multiply due to the suppression of the immune system, resulting in the animal getting sick. Stressors include heat stress, post-weaning stress, cold stress and transportation stress. Animals that are under stress tend to lose their appetite and productivity during production time.

Animal welfare refers to treating an animal in the most humane way possible, including handling before and after slaughter and before the final product is packaged, Meatco added.

“Animals that have not been well-handled prior to and during transportation, develop a condition called dark firm dry (DFD) meat which is visible by the dark colour caused by an alternation in the pH in the carcass, leading to a favourable environment for the multiplication of microorganisms that affect the shelf-life of the end product.”

According to the state veterinarian for the Khomas Region, Dr Israel Kaatura, when an animal is stressed, it releases adrenaline which is responsible for the destruction of the immune system.

“The directorate of veterinary services is mandated to educate farmers on good animal welfare practices, which ultimately result in healthy livestock production. Furthermore, we have a mandate to approve trucks suitable for animal transportation.

“We also have measures in place at auctions to monitor animal welfare. This includes that the movement of people on the premises is limited and to ensure that the facility makes provision for water troughs should animals be standing for more than two days,” Kaatura added.

Meatco's quality assurance technician for animal welfare Tjijamemua Tjeriko says creating awareness, especially amongst communal producers with regard to animal health and welfare-related issues, will ensure that Meatco continues to produce quality beef for our premium markets.

STAFF REPORTER

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Agra's first dividend payment

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Agra's first dividend payment

The Agra Limited board of directors announced the approval of Agra's first dividend payment. The dividend amount will be determined with the finalisation of the company's financial statements at the end of October 2017. The date of payment will be determined at the Agra AGM, which is scheduled for 8 December 2017.

Agra Limited shares became transferrable in February 2013 with the conversion of Agra from a co-operative to a public company. Since then, almost 20 million Agra shares have been traded.

Shares are actively traded via an over-the-counter (OTC) market service, administered by the Namibian Stock Exchange. According to the latest OTC Market report, this year almost two million shares have been traded for a total of N$2 878 855, averaging a price of N$1.46 per share.

“This dividend payment announcement marks another significant milestone for Agra,” said Arnold Klein, the company CEO. “Our strategic focus and core business remains our service to the agricultural industry, our objective being to reach a point where Agra's value and achievements are reflected in our share price. I want the current shareholders of Agra, who are mainly the agricultural producers of Namibia, to enjoy the benefits of a growing Agra and a growing share price,” said Arnold.

Transfer Secretaries (Pty) Limited, its agent, will correspond with all shareholders to obtain the banking details as payments will be made electronically. Transfer Secretaries can also be contacted at +264 61 22647 or pearlg@nsx.com.na

STAFF REPORTER

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Shot of the day

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Shot of the day

RARE: The “diamond ring effect” is seen during a total solar eclipse as seen from the Lowell Observatory Solar Eclipse Experience on 21 August 2017 in Oregon, USA. Photo: NAMPA/AFP

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Blue Machine still worth our time

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Blue Machine still worth our time The adage that success has many cousins, while failure is an orphan was demonstrated following the outcome of two major sporting events involving the Brave Warriors as well as the super lightweight unification bout between Julius Indongo and American fighter Terence Crawford. Unfortunately Indongo was floored in the third round and in the process lost his IBF and WBA titles, while the Brave Warriors had to rely on super sub Muna Katupose to qualify for the 2018 African Nations Championship after beating Comoros Islands 2-0. Whilst the football victory was celebrated by all and sundry, Indongo's meteoric rise was thrown back in the dustbin by many armchair critics who took issue with the manner in which he “easily” threw the fight. Indongo's Sunday showing in Nebraska was a far cry from his terrific all-around performance when he defeated Ricky Burns in Glasgow on points to capture the WBA super-lightweight title. His commanding first round knockout of Russian Eduard Troyovsky in December last year already sent shivers down the spines of many renowned boxers. He had exceeded all reasonable expectations by winning all his 22 pro fights until Sunday's defeat at the hands of Crawford. It is understandable that Namibians expected more from Blue Machine owing to his exploits in Russia and Scotland, but coming up against a very hard puncher like Crawford, it was always going to be a difficult challenge for our homeboy. Although we are disappointed that Indongo failed to win the four-belt showdown, in the circumstances, we feel it is necessary to acknowledge he is still worth our time. Perhaps he was not ready to take on the best, but we can't take away his fantastic achievements and brilliance that he has demonstrated over the years, including his days as an amateur fighter. Indongo will rise again and even if he does not win a major title in the near future, he will definitely be remembered as one of the greatest fighters this country has produced. We must support our athletes, especially when the chips are down, in order for them to focus on their next mission with extra driven force towards success.

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Tributes to former councillor

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Tributes to former councillorSheyavali remembered as selfless Tributes have been paid to the late Eengondi constituency councillor, Walde Shejavali, who sadly passed on earlier this week.

Eengodi constituency councillor Walde Sheyavali has been remembered by his former colleagues as a man who used to put others first and loved peace.

Sheyavali died in a northern hospital following his admission on Saturday.

He was 60.

Tributes have been pouring in for the late Sheyavali who was one of the founders of the Oshikoto Regional Council and councillor for Eengodi constituency since 1992.

The first Tsumeb councillor, Nico Kaiyamo, remembered Sheyavali as a selfless person.

Kaiyamo made reference to the time when the electrification of rural areas was an issue on the table.

“I remember when all constituencies were really under-developed, except for Tsumeb, and this was when the issue of the rural electrification came in. I was so surprised when every other councillor was pulling for his own constituency to be electrified and Sheyavali came in and said, 'why don't we start with one constituency to another and then go around instead of spread the little money that we got among all the 10 constituencies',” Kaiyamo said.

He said the late Sheyavali was a unifying force and would be his preferred candidate if he had to choose amongst all the founding councillors.

Former Olukonda constituency councillor and also a founding member of the Oshikoto Regional Council Phillemon Ndjambula remembered the late Sheyavali as a friendly man who was committed to addressing the needs of his people.

“He was a quiet man, my best friend. He was a man who always wanted to bring development closer to his people. I will always remember him,” Ndjambula said.

The governor for Oshikoto, Henock Kankoshi, remembered Sheyavali as man who spoke out adding that he always had the interests of his people at heart.

Sheyavali was from Onkumbula and is survived by his wife and nine children.

The law requires that a by-election be held within 90 days after a councillor's position becomes vacant and the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) will facilitate the process where all political parties will present their preferred candidates.

In order for all eligible voters to cast their votes, the registration of voters should also take place as some citizens might have turned 18 after the last election.

KENYA KAMBOWE

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Mid-year budget to be tabled Oct

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Mid-year budget to be tabled Oct

Finance minister Calle Schlettwein has announced that he is set to table the mid-year budget in October.

Schlettwein also said that fiscal consolidation measures will be extended. He made the comments at a NCCI stakeholder engagement Monday.

“The mid-year budget review is planned for October 2017 and the process has already commenced. The fiscal consolidation policy remains a key policy framework and we should proceed with such a framework as set out in the current medium-term expenditure framework,” said Schlettwein.

“While consolidating, we should ensure that essential services are not compromised. We have to increasingly prioritise our spending needs so that budgetary allocations contribute to growth of the economy, the creation of jobs, the eradication of poverty and the narrowing income gaps,” the minister added.

Schlettwein also said financial reforms would be necessary to improve the economic landscape.

“To prevent a significant deviation from the budget and the worsening of fiscal indicators, a number of interventions and reforms must be implemented. These entail improving the quality of spending by strengthening allocative efficiency and the quality of educational outcomes,” said Schlettwein, explaining solutions to current economic challenges.

Schlettwein raised the possibility of broadening the tax base but did not mention specifics.

“We have assessed the existing tax regime and identified measures to plug tax base erosion opportunities. The export levy on unprocessed goods came into operation in June this year,” he said.

Commenting on the recently concluded tax arrears incentive scheme that ended in July, Schlettwein did not indicate if the programme would be extended, saying a decision still had to be taken.

“The tax arrears recovery incentive programme lapsed at the end of July and we are assessing its impact. Our finding is that if this incentive programme is to be extended, the extension will be for a shorter period and with tighter conditions,” concluded Schlettwein.

OGONE TLHAGE

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Northern tourism set to grow

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Northern tourism set to growCultural tourism key to success A new task force has been established to develop tourism in Namibia's northern regions with a strong emphasis on cultural experience.

Mainstream tourism operators are not aware of services offered in the country's far northern regions of Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Oshana and Omusati and they also lack knowledge of existing services offered in these regions.

Further to this, emerging tourism operators in these regions lack insight and knowledge of the quality of standards, demands and expectations of international tourists.

These were some of the areas of concern raised this past weekend at a tourism forum held at Oshakati that was initiated by the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) and attended by over 30 key role players in the industry. According to the CEO of HAN, Gitta Paetzold, who addressed delegates during the networking workshop, emphasis must be placed on the need for consistency, reliability, professionalism and effective marketing, as well as authenticity, especially in terms of cultural tourism development. “Namibia's far north is set to enjoy an unprecedented drive in tourism promotion, with particular focus on cultural tourism,” Paetzold said. However, during discussions held on ways to actively develop and promote the north as a desirable tourism destination, the key outcome of the discussion was an urgent need for closer collaboration, Paetzold said. Consequently, a dedicated task force was set up to drive this initiative further. Paetzold said the people who are involved are committed to foster closer ties with the tourism mainstream operators and are eager to identify and develop new tourism products, while promoting and linking existing services to national operations.

“The need for closer networking and information exchanges in an effort to promote the region was realised, as well as highlighting the unique attractions in northern Namibia.” Tourism is a key driver for economic growth and according to the deputy permanent secretary in the tourism ministry, Seimy Shidute, it should be promoted as a catalyst for rural social and economic development and an area the ministry is fully committed to. According to her strategic interventions should ideally include innovative product development with a focus on heritage and culture as unique selling points for tourism in the regions. The ministry envisages the development of farm tourism, such as the commercial cultivation of marula palms, and adrenalin tourism, such as rafting and fishing along oshanas and waterways in the north, as well as culinary tourism in the form of traditional cuisine festivals. Paetzold praised HAN and the private sector for the initiative describing it as a perfect reflection of the Harambee Prosperity Plan, which calls for collaboration, communication and joint action to reach the targets set out in Vision 2030.

According to Paetzold, insightful and inspirational presentations were made during the workshop by a number of stakeholders in the tourism industry. This included the Namibian Tourism Board's marketing executive, Maureen Posthuma, Air Namibia's sales and marketing executive, Hellena Kapiya-Nathinge, and the Tour and Safari Association and Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations. The delegates agreed that sustainable and multi-faceted development and collaboration in the region was needed to ensure a success in tourism. This further requires close coordination with other key stakeholders, such as local and traditional authorities, in line with the motto: 'Tourism is everyone's business'.

The task force comprised of three HAN members in the accommodation sector from Ekamuti Town Lodge, Etuna Guest House and Mango Guest House, a photographer and visual and audio producer, a backpacker safari operator, the Ongwediva environment ministry officer, and a skills assessor, as well as Simon Williams of Afri Young Hoteliers whose role was convenor for gathering.

The group committed to regular meetings to collaborate on joint promotion and development of tourism offerings, with the HAN Tourism Trade Forum in November earmarked as the next platform to expose and market the tourism potential of the region.

ELLANIE SMIT

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Republikein supports the Pioneer Warriors at the #Festival

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Republikein supports the Pioneer Warriors at the #Festival

Republikein, as the flagship newspaper of Namibia Media Holdings the initiator of the Hashtag Festival, is turning 40 at the end of 2017.

Forty years of rich history in Namibia allows the newspaper to reflect on major events and changes during the years running up to Namibia's independence and the subsequent 27 years of independent rule, witnessing a fledgling democracy starting to spread its wings.

It should thus not come as a surprise when a publication that understands what growth and development is all about, is a staunch believer in furthering the development of Namibia's youth by financially supporting the career expo and the sports activities associated with a first-ever Hashtag Festival. The career exhibition targets the school-leaving learners looking for suitable lines of study, students looking to redirect their lines of study and those looking to enter the job market. In 15 days' time the event is due to take place at the SKW Sport Grounds in Olympia with the first two days – Thursday and Friday – dedicated to presenting the career expo with its stands and presentations. An entrance fee N$60 will be charged for Thursday and Friday and on Saturday N$120 will get you in when the big sport challenges take place. Committed supporters can access all three days at a package deal of N$150. As the Namibian youth remains the ultimate target of this event, all children who turn up in school uniform or their school's approved sports apparel are allowed free access. Those children who visit the event on any of the three days without school uniform or sports clothing, will be allowed access at half price.

FRANK STEFFEN

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Evidence, tests show Barnard suicide

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Evidence, tests show Barnard suicide

Forensic tests and evidence have colluded to support the claim of an Aranos farmer that he was not responsible for firing the shot that killed his wife in April 2010.

Defence lawyer, Advocate Louis Botes (SC), in his final arguments at the close of the case on Monday argued that the court cannot rule out objective and factual evidence.

The results of testing by the National Forensic Science Institute of Namibia (NFSI) showed that gunshot residue was found on both hands of his late wife, Anette Barnard, after the shooting incident that claimed her life during the night of 9 to 10 April 2010.

Her husband, Willem Visagie Barnard, is accused of her murder.

Botes emphasised that the only inference which can be drawn is that the reason behind the fatal shot was suicide.

According to him, state witnesses testified about blood splatter on the hands of the deceased, that is, small spots of blood on her right hand and blood on the lower part of her left hand and added that this is not uncommon on a person who holds a firearm with both hands during firing.

“There is no evidence of blood splatters on Mr Barnard's hands whereas the state witnesses testified about such splatter on the hands of the Mrs Barnard,” Botes argued.

The murder weapon was found on the left side of Mrs Barnard's body after the fatal shooting incident.

Botes further told the court that there is no evidence supporting the possibility that in his state of intoxication Mr Barnard took the gun and shot at his wife.

“The accused is right-handed and there is no prime gunpowder found on that hand,” he stated.

He maintained that it is blatant lie that Barnard washed his hands after the shooting and stressed there was no gunpowder on his hands saying the state cannot get away from scientific facts.

“There is totality of evidence that the court can be satisfied with the accused's innocence and that in the absence of proper investigation the state cannot expect the court to speculate. There is not one fact that the shooting incident is inconsistent with suicide,” Botes argued.

He emphasised the state of intoxication cannot be disregarded because the accused does not have any recollection of the incident and he has a vague recollection of calling his daughter - a clear indication that he did not make up a story of what happened.

“The state witnesses knew that they do not have a case against the accused. They knew the real possibility that the deceased shot herself,” he emphasised.

The trial continues before Judge Naomi Shivute.

Cliff Lutibezi appears on behalf of the state.

FRED GOEIEMAN

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No buffalo for Erindi

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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No buffalo for ErindiMutorwa denies permission for big five resort In a move applauded by agriculturalists, minister John Mutorwa has denied Erindi Private Game Reserve permission to keep buffalo due to disease fears and trade agreement limitations.

The agriculture ministry has denied the request of Erindi Private Game Reserve to introduce buffalo and become the first-ever big five reserve in Namibia.

Currently, there is an overpopulation of buffalo at the Waterberg National Park and grazing is under pressure due to low rainfall and a persistent drought.

For this reason the government has put to tender the sale of buffalo to reduce the population and grazing pressure.

There are currently about 1 000 buffalo at Waterberg while there is only capacity for 400 and therefore the environment ministry advertised to sell the remaining animals.

Another reason for the sale of the buffalo is because the animals regularly escape out of the park and cause trouble in the area of Otjiwarongo and nearby farms.

According to the Namibian Agricultural Union, the agriculture minister John Mutorwa said Erindi's request was denied because the entire commercial area in Namibia was proclaimed as a protected area in 2013 and aims to prevent that foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is brought into and spread in this area.

The Waterberg Plateau Park, however, is excluded from this proclamation.

Buffalo are the carriers of, inter alia, FMD, although the animals of Waterberg are classified as so-called disease-free buffalos.

A further argument of Mutorwa to not allow the buffalo at Erindi is that all trade agreements for the export of meat are based on the fact that there are no buffalo currently in the commercial farming areas south of the red line.

The environment ministry recently advertised the sale of live buffalos from Waterberg and invited interested parties to submit tenders by the close of yesterday.

The advertisement said the ministry has a population of disease-free, high-value buffaloes with good genetics on Waterberg Plateau Park.

The ministry said the financial offer should indicate the price per individual buffalo, all capture, boma care, feeding, transport and disease-testing related costs.

Buyers were told that they would qualify in terms of the Animal Health Regulations and tenderers must also have official proof that their respective veterinary authorities will permit them to translocate buffalo to their farms.

Meanwhile, Erindi asked the public to comment on its Facebook page on whether it should introduce buffalo onto the reserve.

People responded overwhelmingly with more than 1 400 comments since 15 August when the question was first posted.

While the majority of people said buffalo should be introduced at the reserve there are those that did not agree.

For instance Ronald Kubas, a board member of Meatco posted: “It will put a N$2 billion beef export industry at risk (foot-and-mouth risk). Financial interest of a few private shareholders versus that of hundreds of farmers.”

However, according to Erindi, it will take every precaution to make sure that the buffalo are monitored regularly, remain disease-free and do not leave the reserve boundaries.

“Once at Erindi, there won't be any contact with other buffalo that may be carrying diseases.”

It said that the game reserve has some of the best perimeter fencing in Namibia. Fences are electrified and monitored daily, it said.

“Our aim is to improve the biodiversity of the reserve by reintroducing a species that once inhabited the area. In terms of Namibia's eco-tourism, we want to compete with other countries offering big five safaris. We also want to retain our natural heritage and national assets, otherwise, we lose them to other countries.”

ELLANIE SMIT

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Young professionals accuse the minister of not being patriotic.

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Young professionals accuse the minister of not being patriotic. Govt pulling xenophobia card - engineers Young professionals accuse the minister of not being patriotic.

The group responded to a statement issued by the minister of information and communication technology, Tjekero Tweya, this week in which he tried to explain the arrangement with Zimbabwean architects, quantity surveyors and engineers who have been attached to the works and transport ministry as a result of a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries.

In response to the outrage from local professionals over this placement and a proposed exemption from registration with the Namibia Council of Architects and Quantity Surveyors for 29 Zimbabweans, Tweya in his statement also cautioned against xenophobia.

NASE fired back, saying Tweya's statement lacks patriotism but smacks of sarcasm.

“We are not surprised that the minister is pulling the xenophobia card. We kind of anticipated it,” said the executive committee of NASE, but shot back that it is the government instead that is fuelling xenophobia.

“The decisions, the actions, the rants, the lack of patriotism towards Namibians – all of these things aide conditions of xenophobia,” NASE said.

However, it said its members will “not stoop so low” but “will remain professional to our careers and country”.

“We love everyone, including Zimbabweans, and we will not let politicians turn our conversations and pursuit for fairness upside down into little political labels,” NASE said.

Tweya in his statement also took a swipe at a group of young architects and quantity surveyors who threatened to challenge in court a decision by Minister of Works and Transport Alpheus !Naruseb to exempt 29 Zimbabweans from professional registration.

NASE in reaction said: “The minister [Tweya] should maintain professionalism when using the government pulpit. We elected the government and we are paying for the pulpit.”

CATHERINE SASMAN

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Massive fire engulfs pharmacy

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Massive fire engulfs pharmacy

The Dolphin Pharmacy in Swakopmund was burnt to the ground yesterday afternoon after a fire broke out at around 14:30.

Reports indicate that the fire may have been caused by a faulty electrical cable in the adjacent building, but this is yet to be confirmed by authorities.

The Swakopmund fire brigade managed to extinguish most of the flames and prevent the fire from spreading to surrounding buildings within roughly l30 minutes. Tenants and shop owners in the surrounding buildings had to vacate their shops and move their cars to safety.

Officials at the scene set up a large perimeter around the scene to prevent members of the public who were flooding the scene from being injured. The barrier was moved even further at a later stage as safety officers feared that the flames may spread to the petrol station located across the road from the pharmacy.

No injuries were reported.

Renovations to the pharmacy interior started a few months ago and were nearing completion. The entire building was destroyed.

Jessica Botes

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Jobs disaster looms

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Jobs disaster loomsOver 1 000 retrenched in three months Unemployment is set to rise to new levels as struggling companies shed jobs by the hundreds, while some are contemplating closing shop.

A total of 1 025 workers have been retrenched by local companies over the last three months, the labour ministry said yesterday.

Labour commissioner Henri Kassen said the figure is almost twice as much as the 645 workers who were retrenched during the same period last year, representing a 37% increase.

Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (Manwu) General Secretary Justina Jonas believes the figure is definitely a true reflection of what is happening on the ground, adding more workers have paid the price of the country's ailing economy.

“The picture looks bad, in the construction industry people are retrenched daily but the worse is that even the suppliers of building materials are now affected and forced to cut cost by retrenching workers,” she said.

“In May, the construction industry said 2017 was turning out to be another gloomy year. The Construction Industries Federation (CIF) at the time said unless new tenders were issued by June, up to 63% of its members faced closure.

The CIF had also indicated that between 1 September 2016 and 31 March 2017, 30% of the workforce in the construction sector was retrenched.

Ohlthaver & List group spokesperson Roux-Che Locke last week confirmed that one of its subsidiaries Pick n Pay was forced to retrench some of its coastal workers due to tough economic times.

“Tough times dictate what needs to be done in order to survive and ensure we still have a business in the future,” she said.

“The current economic climate has meant that within the O&L Group, we too have had to realign some of our operations, to not only survive these times, but to continue creating value for our people and our country in the future.

“Business realignment has seen us implement various strategies to cut costs which in some cases include freezing of positions and reducing non-critical roles and functions.”

Graham Hopwood, executive director of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), said the rest of 2017 will be a difficult year, with the economic tides only likely to turn by early 2019.

“The recovery will be slow,” he said. Economist Omu Kakujaha-Matundu also agreed with Hopwood, saying it would take the country a number of years to get out of the current economic slump.

Last week Namibia Employer's Federation Secretary-General Tim Parkhouse said his office is inundated with calls from local companies on how to 'humanely' lay off workers, due to the struggling economy.

He noted that until recently most companies opted to reduce working hours and salaries but many are now folding under the pressure and have no other option but to close shop.

Namibia's unemployment rate has increased from 28% in 2014 to 34% last year partially due to the drought, as well as a sharp downturn in the construction and commodities sectors. Finance minister Calle Schlettwein had recently said green shoots of recovery were observable in the local economy. “In respect to the current year 2017, there is reasonable optimism that economic activity and outlook for this year is better than a year ago,” he was quoted as saying.

According to Schlettwein, the recovery in the domestic economy mirrors the projected moderate recovery in the global economy.

JEMIMA BEUKES

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There's a Cox on my stoep

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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There's a Cox on my stoep

The US embassy has confirmed that the American businessman Christopher Nixon Cox who paid a courtesy call to President Hage Geingob some two weeks ago was in fact acting in his private capacity.

This follows rumours and media reports that the 38-year-old was an advisor to US President Donald Trump.

The error may have slipped in from State House who announced in an invitation to the media on 8 August that 'Chris Cox - President Trump's Advisor on North Africa and the Sahel' will be visiting Geingob.”

However, Cox introduced himself only as a friend of Trump during the visit.

“Mr Cox travelled to Namibia in his personal capacity, as he told the media here. He does not work for the US government or represent the Trump administration,” Eric Atkins, the public affairs officer at the US embassy in Namibia, told Namibian Sun.

Presidency spokesperson Albertus Aochamub yesterday said all routine verifications were conducted, as is the norm, on the role that Cox plays in the US before any appointment was granted.

According to him, Cox is on record stating to the media this was his first visit to Namibia and done in a private capacity.

“Cox also placed it on record that he does not hold a formal advisory role in the US Administration, but plays a role in advising informally on Europe and North Africa as and when required,” said Aochamub.

He said Cox further placed it on record that he was exploring business opportunities for a range of clients mainly from China and the US and will be returning with a business delegation to Namibia in early 2018.

He left with a better impression of Namibia after his meeting with the President Geingob who clarified why Namibia is an attractive proposition for locating in as a gateway to the rest of the 300 million strong SADC market, said Aochamub.

“The president did not discuss any specific project proposals or receive any detailed information on any future plans that Cox may have, but it was a courtesy call to the Office of the President and an opportunity to gauge future opportunities and priority investment areas in Namibia.”

On its Twitter account, the Namibian Presidency also posted photos of the visit stating that Trump's advisor on North Africa and the Sahel, Christopher Cox paid a courtesy call to Geingob.

As far as could be established, retired US Army Colonel Derek Harvey, who lead the National Security Council Middle East team as the special assistant to President Trump and the White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, was removed from this post at the end of July.

It could not be established whether someone else was since appointed in his place.

Christopher Nixon Cox is in fact an American lawyer based in New York.

He is the grandson of former American president Richard Nixon.

He advises US companies on selling their products in new markets abroad and bringing in capital, allowing them to expand their business and grow their workforce in America.

Some commentators who refer to remain anonymous say that State House may have confused Christopher Nixon Cox with Charles Christopher Cox.

The latter is also an American lawyer and former Chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, a 17-year Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, and member of the White House staff in the Reagan Administration.

Prior to his Washington service he was a practicing attorney, teacher, and entrepreneur.

ELLANIE SMIT

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Indongo Toyota opens branch at Ongwediva

August 22, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Indongo Toyota opens branch at Ongwediva Toyota remains a trusted brand

The Frans Indongo Group of companies has responded to residents’ calls for another Toyota dealership in northern Namibia by opening a new showroom and service centre at Ongwediva.

Situated opposite the Highway Service Station as you turn into Ongwediva is the modern, N$40 million Indongo Toyota dealership.

The new Indongo Toyota branch does not only add to the economic growth of Ongwediva but also offers Toyota owners another option when it comes to servicing their cars and buying parts or new vehicles.

Previously they had to travel to the dealership in Oshakati.

Road users spoken to by this publication said were happy about the development.

“We have been waiting for this moment for many years and now it has come. This means that the burden on the dealership in Oshakati has shifted to Indongo Toyota in Ongwediva,” said 43-year-old Thomas Shipanga.

The dealer principal at Indongo Toyota Ongwediva, Tati Kamule, says the company seized the opportunity to expand, seeing that there was only one Toyota dealership in the north.

“Over the years there was only one Toyota dealership which was based at Oshakati. Just imagine how long the distance is for customers who were driving from Okongo to Oshakati in order to get access to a dealership in Oshakati. It was therefore an opportunity we saw and we took it,” Kamule said.

He said Toyota is a trusted brand in Namibia.

“Toyota is a brand that people believe in. Most people have grown up with it in their family. They are still buying Toyota because they trust and have confidence in it,” Kamule said.

Kamule said they want the dealership to be the leading one in the country, adding that it is possible because there is a dedicated and capable team behind the brand Indongo Toyota.

Other Indongo Toyota branches are located in Windhoek, Walvis Bay, Okahandja and Otjiwarongo.

KENYA KAMBOWE

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Jones names Currie Cup squad

August 23, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Jones names Currie Cup squad

Namibia's Currie Cup rugby team coach, Lyn Jones, has named his 22-man squad for the Griffons encounter.

The team travelled South Africa where they will play the Griffons in a Currie Cup First Division match on Saturday at 16:00.

Captain Eugene Jantjies, who missed the last SuperSport Rugby Challenge games to play for the senior national team, returns to the squad.

The team will also be boosted by the return of their star man Gino Wilson, who was also out of the last SuperSport Rugby Challenge games.

Namibia lost 8-42 against the Pumas in their last game of the SuperSport Rugby Challenge and will now have to battle for a top place in the Currie Cup competition.

The last time the team played the Griffons in the competition, the Welwitschias came second to the South Africans over two matches.

Griffons humiliated Namibia with a 101-0 score line in Windhoek at the Hage Geingob Stadium.

The Namibian team however played improved rugby in the second game as they went down 84-25 in Welkom, South Africa.

Namibia look much better on paper than they did in their last SuperSport Rugby Challenge match following the return of their star players.

David Philander, Max Katjiteo, Andries Rouseau, Christo McNish, Denzel van Wyk, Adriaan Booysen are the survivors of the Puma game which took place in mid-June this year.

After the Griffons game, Namibia will host Eastern Province in the Currie Cup First Division at the Hage Geingob Stadium.

Full Squad:

(15) Johan Tromp, (14) David Philander, (13) Janry du Toit, (12) Darryl de la Harpe, (11) Lesley Klim, (10) Theuns Kotzé (9) Eugene Jantjies, (1) Christo McNish, (2) Shaun du Preez, (3) AJ de Klerk, (4) Ruan Ludik, (5) Max Katjiteo, (7) Adriaan Booysen, (8) Joe Herman, Subs: (22) Gino Wilson, (21) Helarius Kisting, (23) Hauta, (16) Bigman Kaura, (18) Adries Rouseau, (20) Rohan Kitshoff or Roderique Victor.

JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

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Jacky Shipanga resigns

August 23, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Stop taunting athletes who lose

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Jacky Shipanga resignsWomen's football needs new blood Long-serving Brave Gladiators head coach Jacky Shipanga has resigned and will be taking on a new role as general manager of the NFA women's desk.

Jacky Shipanga has been in charge of women's football for years but ended the tenure with the Brave Gladiators, opting to take up the role as general manager of the Women's Football Desk instead.

Shipanga's post as coach of the national women's team will be taken over by Brian Isaacs.

Isaacs took over Shipanga's duties as interim coach earlier in the month in preparation of the 2017 Women's Cosafa Championship which the Gladiators will take part in starting next month.

The championship will be the biggest yet, with 12 nations set to compete for regional honours at the finals in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Shipanga said her decision to resign was not forced, but was aided by the fact that she knew when it is time to hand over the baton.

“Women's football has grown since its beginnings in 2007 and that development is attributed to Shipanga's efforts to push the women's game forward despite it being viewed as a men's sport,” she said.

She recalled how they did not have an office but operated from university rooms in the beginning.

“People found it weird when they heard about women football administrators, coaches and executives, but this has changed,” she said.

She further said that the NFA is now running a girls' centre and that the next person to take up leadership should groom and take care of the female footballers, run the Women's Super League, scout and mentor upcoming young coaches.

“It is a lot for one person to handle and though we at NFA might save on a pay cheque in the short term, it is not in the best interest of women's football in the long run to have one person carrying out all these important aspects,” she said.

“Let us take women's football to the next level, make it more competitive and inclusive and for that to happen we need to invest and grow in human resources as well as to establish corporate relations and to strengthen existing relationships with stakeholders such as Unicef, GIZ, DFP and Scorpion Zinc.”

The outgoing coach thanked FIFA for its support and development of women football, as well as Julien Garises and Jacky Gertze from the Women's Desk for their constant support.

“I would not have been appointed in this role if it was not for the role FIFA played in mentoring and exposing me to various learning opportunities. Their opportunities enabled me to use the expertise and teachings to improve conditions of women's football in the country and Africa at large,” Shipanga said.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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Stop taunting athletes who lose

August 23, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Records tumble at hockey league

≪ Previous: Jacky Shipanga resigns

Stop taunting athletes who loseIndongo acknowledges loss Local boxer Julius Indongo says it is demotivating when people taunt and tease athletes for losing.

The local champion, who returned on Tuesday from exchanging blows with Terence Crawford of the US, says fans should focus on the good and stop teasing athletes who are working hard to make a name for themselves.

Indongo lost the super lightweight title fight to Crawford and fans on social media have criticised him for losing. The boxer says there are many young upcoming boxers who want to make it big in boxing but the teasing and ridicule will demotivate them and break their confidence.

“How do we want to build these guys if you tease them when they lose?” he asked.

“Losing is part of competitive sports. You cannot be happy when your favourite boxer wins and then tease him when he loses. You have to back him up and support him to do better.

“We are not only representing ourselves when we get into the ring, but the whole nation,” he said.

The boxer added that he prepared well for the fight but that Crawford caught him off guard and he could not recover quickly enough from the fall to continue fighting.

“I know how I prepared and what the game plan was going into the fight. My camp and I did enough to reach there. I lost but that does not mean that I deserve to be teased on social media.”

Indongo is adamant that he will pick himself up and show his worth once more.

“In a space of eight months I beat Russian Eduard Troyanovsky and then Ricky Burns from Scotland. That was due to my hard work and commitment. I have fought for 17 years and have won 22 fights for my country. I lost this one because someone had to lose.

“In boxing these are things we need to understand. All we need to do now is to go back into the gym and work hard. Give me a few months and I will come back stronger and better,” Indongo said.

His trainer, Nestor Tobias from MTC Nestor Tobias Boxing and Fitness Academy, said he did not want to put the boxer under pressure.

“He needs to rest and then we pick up business where we left off. Indongo is an inspiration to many. He was fighting an opponent who is the best right now in the division and it has been a world-class experience for him and the entire team.”

He said they were grateful for the support from the whole nation as they prepared for the fight. “We know that every Namibian and African who was up that night to watch the fight prayed for a win, but unfortunate it was not meant to be.”

“Let's accept the loss with grace.”

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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Records tumble at hockey league

August 23, 2017, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: NSC rebrands for the better

≪ Previous: Stop taunting athletes who lose

Records tumble at hockey league

A record number of 97 teams participated in the recently concluded Bank Windhoek Hockey Development League. The league started in June and ended mid-August.

The Bank Windhoek Development League is an initiative from the Namibia Hockey Union's (NHU) hockey development programme.

It aims to develop the sport in Namibia by educating and grooming talented hockey players from a young age.

In total, 361 matches were played and 968 players were registered. This represented an increase of 35 percent over the past two years. The age groups consisted of 8, 10, 12 and 14 years in both the boys' and the girls' divisions.

Out of the 11 Windhoek schools that participated, six were private schools and five were government schools.

The matches were played at the Doc Jubber Hockey fields, Windhoek Gymnasium and Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaatskool artificial turfs.

“The Bank Windhoek Hockey Development League has grown tremendously over the past years and we foresee that through initiatives like these, it will continue to do so.

“We would like to thank Bank Windhoek for their continued support, in developing hockey in Namibia,” said Marc Nel, president of the Namibia Hockey Union.

The eleven schools that took part this year were: St Paul's College, St George's School, Windhoek Gymnasium, Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaatskool (WAP), Windhoek International School (WIS), Constantia Private School, Pionierspark Primary School, Eros Primary School, People's Primary School, Namutoni Primary School, Namibia Primary School.

SPORT REPORTER

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NSC rebrands for the better

August 23, 2017, 4:00 pm

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NSC rebrands for the better

The Namibia Sports Commission launched their rebranded logo in Windhoek yesterday.

The governing body of sport in Namibia spent N$50 000 on a new logo which aims to unify and add diversity to the house of sports in the country.

Chief administrative officer Freddy Mwiya said the NSC as the governing body of all sport codes in Namibia is responsible for overseeing sport development in the country.

“Our mandate is to coordinate, promote and develop sports.

“United under one sport movement, we have created a Namibian free sport vision brand. The logo embodies the achievement and pride of all sport codes and athletes in Namibia from grassroots to elite level.” He said the most important part of the brand identity is so that teams adhere to the approval process.

“Any use of the NSC brand must be approved in writing by the head office. An artwork proof of the use and placement of the logo should be emailed to marketing@namibiasport.org. Approval request will be communicated within two working days,” he said.

He also said that national teams who travel for international competitions will be given enough time to change the logo on their branded attire as the old logo will be phased out gradually.

He also said that only teams who adhere to the request will receive national colours when travelling abroad.

The brand and logo design was carried out by Kiyola Media Group. The new eagle on the logo is freed from the previous circle in which it was designed and four colours, yellow, green, blue and red, have been added to the eagle's tail.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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