Alexander Forbes sponsors TrailFun

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Alexander Forbes sponsors TrailFun Alexander Forbes Namibia has sponsored the first TrailFun event on Namibian soil.

The event will be held at the Daan Viljoen Game Reserve on Saturday 7 October.

Interested people are advised to register to take part in the 6km or 9km events.

The finishers will receive customised medals, while juices and drinks will be provided at the finish line.

The entry fee for the event is N$100 per person, while those not competing pay N$10 to watch the participants.

The competition will start at 07:00 and registration takes place at Daan Viljoen Game Reserve from 06:00 on the day. Interested people can visit the website with details at www.trailfun.net or on the Alexander Forbes Namibia Facebook page.



STAFF REPORTER

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Clubless Gome back in Namibia

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Clubless Gome back in NamibiaPositive about move It has been speculated that Wangu Gome is most likely to play in South Africa this season. Namibian national team midfielder Wangu Gome is back in Namibia after his club Bidvest Wits University released him last month.

Gome did not feature in Namibia's Africa Nation Championships (CHAN) qualifiers because he has been looking for a club in South Africa.

It is understood that the player has failed to secure any contracts with the South African clubs so far.

However, speculation is rife that the 2015 Cosafa player of the tournament is on the verge of signing for a club in South Africa but details of the club have not been revealed yet.

“I just came for my sister's wedding and will be returning to South Africa soon.

“At the moment, I will not be able to reveal any details about my future because it is a premature stage.

“However, I am positive that something will come up in the next few weeks,” Gome said.

Gome joined Wits in the 2015/16 season, but was underutilised by the club during his spell with the South African giants.

He got his first taste of cup success in South Africa when Bidvest Wits powered to an emphatic 3-0 win over Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 final last year.

The player last appeared for the national team during the 2017 Cosafa Cup played in South Africa.

He said that he will continue working hard as a player in order to rejuvenate his football career.

“I am not panicking because I know and trust that everything will go well.

“It is just be a matter of time before I make a good move and my fans will be the first to find out when I do,” he assured.

If the player fails to secure any contract in South Africa, he will be available for the Brave Warriors CHAN team in 2018.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

Mourinho dig at 'quiet' Utd supporters

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Mourinho dig at 'quiet' Utd supporters Jose Mourinho questioned Manchester United's supporters after suggesting that Old Trafford was too quiet during Saturday's 2-0 Premier League win over Leicester City.

United are top of the table after substitutes Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini scored in the final 20 minutes against stubborn opponents.

At one stage, it looked as if Leicester would hold on for a point, with their goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel saving a penalty from Romelu Lukaku early in the second half.

Mourinho admitted that he missed Rashford's opening goal as he was giving instructions to Jesse Lingard, who was about to come on as a substitute.

But in discussing that moment, the United manager also expressed surprise that a crowd of 75,021 fans did not make more noise.

He said: “I didn't see the first goal. I was speaking with Lingard because Lingard was going to be the next player to come in.

“I saw the ball in the net and all the guys jumping around. It was the first time I saw the crowd. They were very quiet today.

“It was easy to know that was a goal because it was the first time I really understood the stadium was full.”

United have won all three of their Premier League matches so far, scoring 10 goals and conceding none.

They also appear to have developed a more ruthless streak, having drawn 15 league matches last season as they finished sixth.

Mourinho believes his players deserve credit for subduing a Leicester side who had scored five times in their first two matches, losing 4-3 at Arsenal before beating Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0.

The visitors' England striker Jamie Vardy had few chances to impress as United centre-backs Eric Bailly and Phil Jones marked him out of the game.

Mourinho said: “We didn't have many matches last season where we played 90 minutes with the control we had today.

“Vardy is a very dangerous player. I would say he is one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League.

“Was he dangerous today? No. Why? Because we played so well to control them.

“Were Leicester very dangerous against Arsenal? Yes. I watched the match many times. Were they dangerous against us? No. Why? Because of us. So we had a very good and solid performance.

“After the penalty, when you miss a penalty with half an hour to go, normally there is always a little collapse, and that didn't happen. We kept creating chances and getting corners, and in the end it was from a corner that we scored.”

Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare felt his players performed well in frustrating United for large parts of the game.

But having conceded the goal that lost them the game at Arsenal from a corner, he was disappointed that his players once again fell behind from a set-piece.

NAMPA /AFP

Fifty and out as Mayweather stops brave McGregor

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Fifty and out as Mayweather stops brave McGregorMoney fight thrills Former welterweight boxing champion Mayweather, who had come out of a two-year retirement to take on the Irish mixed martial arts star, bided his time before exerting his superiority from the middle rounds onwards at the T-Mobile Arena. Floyd Mayweather outclassed Conor McGregor to win their money-spinning super fight by technical knockout here Saturday, securing his place in boxing history to head into retirement with a record 50th straight victory.

The end came in the 10th round with a tired McGregor doubled over on the ropes as Mayweather landed two hard left hooks, prompting referee Robert Byrd to intervene as a 14,623 crowd with A-list celebrities roared their approval.

“He's a lot better than I thought he'd be,” a jubilant Mayweather said of McGregor. “He's a tough competitor, but I was the better man tonight.”

Mayweather led comfortably on all three judges' cards when the fight was stopped.

The American said he had deliberately taken his time early on in order to take advantage of a fatigued McGregor.

“Our game plan was to take our time, go to him, let him shoot his shots early and then take him out down the stretch,” he said. “I guaranteed to everybody that this wouldn't go the distance.”

McGregor meanwhile suggested the fight could have been allowed to go on, but praised Mayweather's clinical tactical display.

“He's composed, he's not that fast, he's not that powerful, but boy is he composed,” McGregor said.

“I thought it was a bit of an early stoppage. I was just a little fatigued. He was just a lot more composed with his shots.

“I have to give it to him, that's what 50 pro fights will do for you.”

It was an explosive finale to their much-hyped contest which proved surprisingly competitive in the early rounds as McGregor managed to land a string of scoring punches.

But once Mayweather began to find his range and McGregor wearied rapidly, there was only going to be one winner.

The 40-year-old American scored at will after the early rounds, snapping back McGregor's head with a series of stinging blows.

McGregor, 29, somehow survived an onslaught in the seventh round when a right counter from Mayweather staggered him badly.

Finally McGregor's resistance broke in the 10th when a Mayweather right sent him lurching across the ring.

A hard left put him on the ropes and another hook saw him bent over and helpless, prompting the stoppage.

The fight had followed a largely expected script but McGregor, in his first ever boxing appearance, by no means embarrassed him.

Mayweather will now head into what he says is a permanent retirement with a perfect 50-0 record, one better than heavyweight legend Rocky Marciano.

He rejected suggestions that his 50th win, against a novice boxer, would be destined to have an asterisk against it.

“A win is a win, no matter how you get it,” Mayweather said. “Rocky Marciano is a legend and I look forward to going into the Hall of Fame one day.

“This was my last fight tonight. For sure. Tonight I chose the right dance partner to dance with.”

Mayweather is also expected to be around U$200 million wealthier, taking his career earnings to around U$1 billion.

McGregor, who was an unemployed former plumber four years ago before emerging as one of the biggest stars of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, is expected to earn around U$100 million.

If pay-per-view television targets are met, the fight could become the most lucrative in history.

The start of the bout had been delayed by several minutes as anticipation built to fever pitch and television providers struggled to cope with the surge in demand from pay-per-view customers.

Anticipation had built steadily at ringside as an array of stars from the sports and entertainment worlds took their seats, including Bruce Willis, LeBron James and Mike Tyson.

Ever since the fight was announced in June, it had been dismissed as a farce and a freak show by the boxing community.

But fears of a one-sided massacre failed to materialise and McGregor finished with some respectable statistics. The Irishman's 111 landed punches were 30 more than Manny Pacquiao managed against Mayweather in their 2015 “Fight of the Century.”

NAMPA/AFP

Johannes and Haitope shine

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Johannes and Haitope shineAthletes clinch Sam Nujoma Marathon medals The marathon was held in Windhoek with the finish and starting line at the Doc Jubber Hockey field in Olympia. Helalia Johannes won the women's 21km Dr Sam Nujoma Marathon in a time of 1:15:03 in Windhoek on Sunday morning.

Johannes was followed by her close rival Lavinia Haitope who clocked 1:18:10 in the race.

Leena Ekandjo came in third place clocking a time of 1:21:08 in the same race.

Johannes started off like a house on fire and maintained her speed to win the race.

Haitope also showed her class with a well-timed run to finish two minutes behind an experienced Johannes.

The men's 21km race also produced emphatic results as Kefas Kondjashili powered home to a first place finish with a time of 1:06:39.

Tomas Reinholdt came in second place clocking 1:07:36, while Reonard Namupala finished third with a time of 1:07:55.

Kondjashili's power and speed was enough to leave the pack behind as he came to the finish line.

The event attracted over 200 athletes with some of the competitors doing the distances for fun.

There was also a 10km and 5km race which produced great results on the day.

All the participants received medals of participation even if some did not finish in the top three spots.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

Griffons pip Welwitschias in try scoring fest

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Griffons pip Welwitschias in try scoring fest Down Touch Griffons edged the Welwitschias 66-59 (Halftime 26-19) at the HT Pelatona ProjeStadium in Free State on Saturday in a Currie Cup First Division match.

The high scoring encounter saw a total of 19 tries as the crowd were kept entertained for 80 minutes. Four first half tries by the home side saw allowed them to grab maximum points in the season opener. The Down Touch Griffons outscored the Welwitschias by ten tries to nine.

A hat-trick for inside centre Arthur-William Williams and a brace apiece for Selvyn Davids and Vuyo Mbotho was enough to earn the Griffons points.

The other tries for the Down Touch Griffons were scored by Barend Potgieter, Kwezi Mkhafu and Andrew du Plessis. Tries for the visitors came via a hat-trick from Darryl de la Harpe, Johan Tromp, Jan Booysen, Shaun du Preez, Macho Prinsloo, Lesley Kim and Maharua Katjijeko.

Both sides came out firing in the opening quarter of the match. The home side sneaked ahead 19-7 after tries from Potgieter, Davids and Mbotho with Duan Pretorius converting two of the three tries. Welwitschias struck back via Booysen's five pointer following the earlier try from Tromp. Theuns Kotzé converting both tries to make it a five point game, 19-14.

It seemed like momentum was shifting away from the home side, but Williams scored the first of his three tries in the 16th minute. Pretorius' conversion extended the lead to 26-14. But it was the Namibian side who got the final say in the first half. Hooker Du Preez crashing over the try line, the subsequent conversion missed, 26-19. The scoreboard would remain at 26-19 as the players headed into the locker rooms for the halftime break.

In similar fashion to the first half, both sides made their intentions clear with a see-saw try scoring fest unfolding. Williams was the first to score as he darted over for his second.

The match would go back and forth with the Griffons maintaining the lead but were never allowed to dominate as the visitors restricted them at crucial moments.

Scores were tied at 45-all, with 25 minutes remaining on the clock. But Williams completed his hat-trick which Pretorius converted, 52-45. This lead was soon erased and scores were, once again, level, 52-52 as the match entered the last 20 minutes.

The visitors took the lead for the first time, six minutes later, via Katjijeko. The lanky lock muscled his way over and Kotzé added the extras, 52-59.

The home side sealed the match in the last ten minutes, Mbotho completed his brace. Du Plessis went over for the home side's tenth try, Pretorius converted as the final whistle two minutes later, 66-59.

Down Touch Griffons

Tries: Arthur-William Williams (3), Selvyn Davids (2), Vuyo Mbotho (2), Barend Potgieter, Kwezi Mkhafu, Andrew du Plessis

Cons: Duan Pretorius (8)

Welwitschias

Tries: Darryl de la Harpe (3), Johan Tromp, Jan Booysen, Shaun du Preez, Macho Prinsloo, Lesley Kim, Maharua Katjijeko

Cons: Theuns Kotze (7)

SuperSport

Hands off Indongo

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Hands off Indongo Many Namibians were excited and hyped before Indongo fought American Terence Crawford in the United States of America last week.

They all believed that Indongo was going to become the undisputed champion of the world.

It was incredible to see how the nation stood together in support of our very own boxer.

It has however struck me hard to see that Namibians are now judging the credibility of our boxer and his promoters.

Videos have been circulated on WhatsApp where people are raising suspicion that Indongo and his camp were bought off to lose the fight.

The two camps apparently exchanged envelopes during the face-off which raised questions about the honesty of the fight.

The other disturbing thing is the photoshopped images that are also doing the rounds on WhatsApp.

It is shameful that we are mocking a man whom yesterday, we gave a good cheer to.

The problem which comes with all this mockery is that upcoming talent would feel discouraged to take on a career as a boxer because of the fear of mockery.

In my opinion, I believe that there was no deal made for Indongo to deliberately lose that fight.

The fight was tough for our son of the soil who came up against a very dangerous and experienced boxer.

Americans have been known for their quality and it showed that night when Crawford downed Indongo onto the canvas.

From the first bell of the fight, I had a feeling that our boxer was going to lose because of the way he started the fight.

I could sense a very nervous boxer who was going to make a mistake at any time.

Crawford on the other hand was calm and observant as the Blue Machine's swings went astray.

I am forced to believe that the crowd had played their role as far as getting on Indongo's nerves is concerned.

I have watched Indongo so many times and never have I seen him fight so poorly.

It was not because he is weak, but it was because his opponent was better prepared.

A friend of mine told me before the fight that he gave Indongo a zero chance in that fight because the American was just too good for him.

At the end of the fight, I actually went to shake the hand of my friend and gave him some money for his accurate predictions.

Today, I still do not blame our Namibian boxer for having lost the fight against a very well trained boxer.

Indongo will remain my champion even though he lost all his belts.

I still believe that the Namibian boxer will make a great comeback as soon as he recuperates.

It us up to the Namibian people to encourage the boxer whom we once called Namibia's greatest.

It is important that the MTC Nestor 'Sunshine' Tobias Boxing and Fitness Academy motivates an Indongo comeback.

The millions that Indongo got from the fight must be used to improve his skills and knowledge about boxing.

The boxer must also not lose hope that he can regain all those titles in the future.

Namibians must continue to support Indongo because what he has achieved in the last two years is incredible.

Let us please shy away from all these allegations, because they will take us nowhere.

We do need people like Indongo and Nestor Tobias to help the struggling Namibian sport grow.

It is important that we do not break the spirit of the people who are doing their utmost to put the country on the global map.

Namibia needs more people like Indongo and it is just fair that we continue celebrating them even during their darkest times.





jesse@namibiansun.com

Nam high jump record broken

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Nam high jump record broken South African high jump athlete Breyton Poole jumped the highest jump on Namibian soil during the Erongo Region open athletics championships which took place last Saturday at the Vineta sports filed in Swakopmund.

The 17-year-old leaped at 2.20 metres making it the highest jump in Namibia breaking Max Schafer’s record of 2.18 metres which stood since 1998.

The humble athlete, who has a personal best jump of 2.24 metres, attributes his success to diligence and dedication.

“I feel amazing. I didn’t expect to jump so high because I am in my off season but I am happy with the performance. Hard work and focus made this achievement possible,” Poole said.

In the ladies high jump event, Orla du Toit won the senior category with a jump of 1.60 metres. She is the current holder of the Namibian ladies’ high jump record which stands at 1.80 metres. Du Toit achieved her record in 1993 when she was 17.

Du Toit said that Namibia can also develop its young high jumpers as long as coaches are available to mould future athletics champions.

“High jump is a very technical event and these athletes need good coaches so that they can reach their full potential. I saw many good high jump athletes here today who will be able to jump even high than I have,” she said.

The championships offered various track and field events in the boys’ and girls’ u/15, u17 as well as in the men’s and ladies’ senior categories. These events ranged from the 100 metres sprint to the javelin throw.

The organiser of the event, Hennie Horn, said that there will be more championships like this in order to improve the quality of athletics in the country.

“The championships were actually a great success. There is a lot of talent in Namibia. We want to make sure that our athletics will be able to compete with the best not only in Namibia, but also in Africa and the rest of the world,” he said.

Adolf Kaure

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Brave Gladiators defeat Swaziland

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Brave Gladiators defeat SwazilandShikusho on target Anna-Marie Shikusho played one of the best games of her life after finding the back of the net on more than one occasion. The Namibia senior women national team on Saturday defeated Swaziland 3-2 in a friendly match at the Namibia Football Association (NFA) Technical Centre.

A brace from Anna-Marie Shikusho and a goal by Twelikondjela Amukoto was enough to put the game beyond Swaziland’s reach.

The Gladiators played the better football for most of the first half, creating more chances than their opponents.

Swaziland however came back a better side and managed to score two goals in the second half.

Celiwe Nkambule scored the first goal for Swaziland followed by a penalty from teammate Nqobile Dlamini in the dying minutes of the match.

The match served as preparations for the 2017 Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) women’s senior tournament.

Both Namibia and Swaziland will be playing in the tournament.

Namibia has been drawn in Group C with South Africa, Lesotho and Botswana.

Coach Brian Isaacs said that the prospect of the team is looking promising, but will still have to improve their style of play.

The most important thing that Isaacs will be willing to work on is by creating more chances and scoring more goals.

“It is important that we score the enough goals with the chances that we are creating, but we did not do that today.

“This was my first game in charge and so I had to access the players by making changes in the game,” Isaacs said.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

Unita seeks answers

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Unita seeks answersParty leader says electoral commission must explain The ruling MPLA party has dismissed the opposition's claims of vote rigging saying Unita has always taken issue with election results. The leader of Angola's main opposition party called on the country's electoral commission on Saturday to explain how it compiled provisional election results giving the ruling MPLA party a landslide victory.

Isaias Samakuva said his Unita party, which has rejected the published results of Wednesday's national ballot, was conducting a parallel count using polling station records and computer software that did not tally with the commission's figures.

“Where did those results come from?” Samakuva asked supporters at the party's campaign headquarters in Luanda. “The CNE (commission) must explain to Angolans what it did wrong and why it did it.”

Based on nearly 98% of the vote counted, CNE figures announced on Friday put the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) on 61.1% and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (Unita) on 26.7%.

Definitive results may not be announced until 6 September.

International observers described the election as reasonably free and fair and the mood in Luanda has remained calm.

Unita said the results released so far were not legally binding and it would release its national tally early next week.

“The country still doesn't have a President-elect,” Samakuva said.

President-in-waiting Joao Lourenco, a former defence minister, is set to become the country's first new leader for 38 years, replacing Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who will continue as head of the MPLA.

Unita and smaller opposition party CASA-CE say the provisional results were processed without input from provincial counting centres or certain representatives on the electoral commission, going against Angolan law.

The commission has said the process of vote-counting was “going well” but has not extensively explained how provisional numbers were tallied.

“Even if the parties have summary records of the polling stations and minutes of electoral operations, it is necessary to realise there is another set of elements and documents that will contribute to the provincial and national tally and this information is not available to the parties, commission spokeswoman Julia Ferreira said on Friday, without elaborating.

Unita published on Friday its parallel count for four provinces - Huambo, Bie, Cabinda and Luanda - which in all cases showed the party doing better than the commission results indicated.

The MPLA, which emerged victorious over Unita after 27 years of civil war in 2002, has dismissed the complaints, saying its old foe always takes issue with election results.

NAMPA/REUTERS

Shot of the day

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Shot of the day TAKE THE GUNS: The chief of antibalaka fighters, Jean Agoua, poses in a school of the parish of Gambo in the southeast of the Central African Republic. Agoua wrote on the blackboard that he wants the Central African President Faustin Archange Touadera to organise a disarmament programme. Antibalaka fighters fought against a Seleka militia to chase them out of Gambo in early August. PHOTO: NAMPA/AFP

Chickens are home to roost

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Chickens are home to roost The recent crime rating placing Namibia 10th in the world for danger and Windhoek 17th in terms of criminal activity, indicates that most likely, government's chickens are coming home to roost.

There is a lot of crime here. From opportunistic robberies to well-planned heists, rape, housebreaking, theft out of motor vehicle, murder and more.

And it is going to get worse.

With the coming end-of-year festive season, crime also begins to peak around this time of year and to further compound matters, nights are getting warmer so criminals are about.

Then of course, there is the economic crunch we are feeling. Crime always peaks when retrenchments become a daily occurrence and when people are poor.

The problem with Namibia is that we rely on international markets, international actions of faraway people in boardrooms for our prosperity. We manufacture nothing on a large scale, there is no commodity we export that is refined or ready to use.

So we are vulnerable and we will remain so. The year 2030 is around the corner and we still have no vision. Granted, there are social challenges that government must address and meet, but without a manufacturing sector – a strong one, which can provide jobs and wellbeing to Namibians, the battle is lost. It begins with education and infrastructure, it begins with a country that is not reporting on a lack of toilets or contraceptive pills at a clinic. We need to get our act together and we need to do it now. Not soon, now. Our people are in a strong downward spiral, falling into alcohol abuse and its accompanying evils. They are languishing without jobs or a future. Our graduates are sitting at home or tending to fields and cattle in the villages, because they cannot find jobs. And those who have jobs, are losing them on a daily basis.

All because we rely on foreign markets, their actions and reactions.

So what is there then, if not crime? Tourists are easy targets, because they are not warned. And the public, well, they are still leaving their doors open, or their alarms deactivated or their bags on the seats of their cars.

#Festival principals align with Paratus

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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#Festival principals align with Paratus Most Namibians know about the first-ever Hashtag Festival, which is due to take place in 10 days' time, when learners from all over Namibia converge in the capital at the SKW Sport Grounds, where learners coming from a total of 35 schools will take part, having already been divided into nine different franchises.

While these young adults will be the core group giving life to the #Festival's career expo, the community and sport games, as well as the summer festival, they will by no means be the only ones destined to enjoy the festival. As part of this event learners from various outlying schools will be transported by bus to the #Festival at no cost. The event will be covered by the NMH publications as well as live feeds onto the internet site, zone.my.na/

The ideas and principle of supporting children in order to allow them to make informed decisions when they prepare for adulthood and the incumbent requirement to learn a trade or study for a career rings true for Paratus. As a telecommunications specialist, networking is what defines Paratus and the #Festival principally does the same. Through communication and networking, i.e. career presentations and information stands, the learners become part of the bigger Namibian network and the event promotes a sense of teamwork and togetherness among young Namibians, who would normally not have met.

EY, Hashagen omissions 'concealed crimes'

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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EY, Hashagen omissions 'concealed crimes'Conflict of interest not properly investigated Failure to declare interests by Namfisa staff was allegedly swept under the carpet. Ernst & Young (EY) and the head of its forensic investigation into alleged misconduct at the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) in 2009, Hans Hashagen, are accused of having “meticulously elected to omit” information that has allegedly led to concealment of criminal activities at the regulator.

This charge made by the Public Accountants' and Auditors' Board (PAAB) in its affidavit with the High Court in the matter against EY and Hashagen.

This particular charge relates to allegations of conflict of interest of former general manager of Investment Institutions, Boni Paulino, and the former manager of pension funds department at the time, John Uusiku.

Paulino is the current deputy CEO of Namfisa; Uusiku is the current manager of life insurance.

It is stated that EY and Hashagen failed to investigate alleged conflict of interest despite having had full knowledge.

Namfisa is a regulatory institution, the watchdog of the non-banking financial sector. In June, the regulator indicated that it regulates and supervises more than N$488 billion worth of assets, which is much more than the size of assets regulated by the Bank of Namibia (BoN).

The Namfisa code of ethics thus makes it clear that all its employees “declare real and potential conflicts of interest between their private and/or financial interests and their office responsibilities”.

The code further states that employees should declare all outside activities, employment and directorships and interests, irrespective of whether these were established before the issue of the code.

Paulino started working at Namfisa on 1 May 2002; Uusiku started a month later.

At the time Paulino had declared his directorships in Nashua, Multiline Investment Ltd., Multiline Technology, Namibia Harvest Investment Ltd., Fedics Food Services Namibia (Pty) Ltd., !Uri !Khubis, as well as the Frankie Fredericks Foundation.

Uusiku declared that he was not a director of any company.

However, it is alleged that Paulino and Uusiku shared ownership of Fedics and Nkororo Trading Holdings (Pty) Ltd.

Paulino and Uusiku allegedly also failed to declare their interests in a company called Maro Investments.

Paulino and Uusiku in 2006 reportedly also signed agreements with Stimulus Investment Fund to canvass investment companies, which was a listed company with the Namibian Stock Exchange (NCX).

Paulino in his capacity as general manager at Namfisa at the time was also a board member of the NSX for which he got paid about N$30 000 per year.

Companies allegedly canvassed included Pool & Garden Centre, Smartstone CC, and Uri Adventures (Pty) Ltd. Other companies with which Paulino and Uusiku have allegedly arranged appointments with – during Namfisa working hours – included Bytes Technology Group Namibia, Prosperita, and PG Glass.

It is stated that no employee working for a body like Namfisa should have business dealings with companies in the non-banking sector, which it regulates.

The EY report allegedly also left out a police report regarding the Fedics/Nkororo and Stimulus matters.

The EY report recommended further investigation into the involvement of Paulino and Uusiku in the list of companies, which prompted ousted Namfisa CEO Rainer Ritter to conclude that clear evidence of corruption already existed and that sufficient evidence was in the hands of EY, Hashagen, as well as the Namfisa board.







Catherine Sasman

Turning floods into boons

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Turning floods into boonsDevising strategies to capture the water In response to recent severe droughts and flooding in especially the north of Namibia, plans are underway to mitigate not only the effects of these, but to trap the floodwater for later use. The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry is looking for ways on how to trap water during flood situations which it intends to use during drought spells.

This is according to deputy agriculture permanent secretary, Abraham Nehemia, at Thursday's consultative meeting held in Ongwediva on the development of an integrated drought and flood management plan for the Cuvelai-Etosha basin.

“If floods are well-managed and we take an advantage of the masses of water that we have in our systems during floods and capture this, we can use this water during periods of drought for supply purposes. We need to devise smart mechanisms on how we can turn some of these circumstances into a benefit rather than a curse,” Nehemia said.

Nehemia's sentiments concur with those of many Namibians who over the years have called for measures by government to conserve water, especially after heavy rains and more specifically in the northern parts of the country.

Over the years, the country has been faced with the challenge of the shortage of water supply as rivers and dams are dry or at very low levels and this has impacted the supply across large parts of the country.

This situation has also seen towns such as Windhoek introducing strict measures on water usage as the water supply is severely limited. To further compound matters, studies of underground water reservoirs have also been conducted and thus far they are yet to materialise or they have been abandoned due to lack of viability.

It is also known that government has spent millions of dollars on drilling boreholes for human consumption especially in rural areas. This water later turns brackish and becomes unfit for human use. Residents then complain saying essential taxpayers' resources have been wasted.

Nehemia pointed out that the Cuvelai-Etosha basin is one part of the country that in recent years experienced either floods such as the one of 2009 or a severe drought condition like the one last experienced in 2013 which saw many farmers harvesting almost nothing.

He therefore said that as these frequent occurrences of devastating natural disasters in the north-central regions of Namibia, the ministry has also come up with numerous efforts to address the issue.

One of the initiatives that have been adopted and is underway is the Namibia-Unesco Water Sector Support Project (NUWSSP).

He said that this project aims to strengthen the personnel capacity of the Namibian water sector, develop an integrated drought and flood management plan for the Cuvelai-Etosha basin and see the implementation of the piloting of the developed plan in Iishana sub-basin which is part of the Cuvelai-Etosha basin.

He said as far as the progress of this project is concerned they have established a joint management committee as well as developing two Master's degree courses at both Nust and Unam.

Nehemia added that 18 students have been admitted to Nust to pursue a Master's in Environmental Engineering with their classes having commenced in February.

He further said that 25 students have enrolled for a Master's degree in Water Resources Management at the University of Namibia and their classes commenced early this month.

“It is our great wish that all these students enrolled successfully complete their studies and eventually contribute to the enhancement of our country's water sector in terms of technical capacity resulting in enhanced sector performance,” Nehemia said.

Nehemia said the government can only manage the occurrences of floods and drought successfully if it has technical expertise.

KENYA KAMBOWE

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Health ministry census coming

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Health ministry census coming The health ministry is set to conduct a health facility census aimed at providing data on the institutions' readiness and service availability.

The survey, to be funded by Global Fund at a cost of N$9 million, will focus on infrastructure, the availability of resources, both human and material, and the capacity at all public and private primary health care centres in all 14 regions to deliver services.

Information on the availability and quality of mother and child health care, and HIV/Aids will be collected.

Other data will be on tuberculosis (TB), malaria and all other health-related services.

In a statement read on his behalf, the line ministry's permanent secretary, Andreas Mwoombola, said the survey is a follow-up to the first health facility census conducted in 2009.

A comparison of the 2009 data will be made to gauge Namibia's health standing today.

“As a country, we can only deliver quality care if we assess the current situation and [are] statistically informed on the shortcomings that hinder the ministry from achieving objectives,” said Mwoombola.

Head of the survey, Rejoice Kambapani said the end results will help the ministry to allocate funds appropriately, and improve service where it lacks, as identified by the survey.

“The quality of medical services at public and private hospitals should not differ,” said Kambapani.

A total of 27 trained data collectors will conduct the survey in September and October.

NAMPA

Fight on for buffalo farming

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Fight on for buffalo farming The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry says Namibia does not allow African buffalo outside proclaimed national parks, and therefore buffalo can only be sold for export purposes.

According to agriculture permanent secretary Percy Misika this is in line with the Animal Health Act 1 of 2011.

The agricultural ministry recently denied a request by Erindi Private Game Reserve to introduce buffalo and become the first ever big five reserve in Namibia. Currently, there is overpopulation of buffalo at the Waterberg National Park and grazing is under pressure due to drought.

There are currently about 1 000 buffaloes in the park while there is only capacity for 400 and therefore the environment ministry needs to sell some of the animals. The agriculture ministry denied Erindi's request because the total commercial area in Namibia was proclaimed a protected area in 2013, which aims to prevent the introduction and spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the FMD-free zone of the country. The Waterberg Plateau Park, however, is excluded from this proclamation.

Wildlife Ranching Namibia (WRN) said in a statement that in terms of current protocols, the entire Namibia, except for seven excluded areas, is a protected area. Therefore the buffalo sold by tender can only be moved to these excluded areas within Namibia or else exported. “That denies Namibian wildlife ranchers the opportunity to own and farm with Namibian buffalo.”

WRN said it supports the idea of creating other protected areas south of the veterinary cordon fence and has therefore tendered for the buffalo on behalf of its members. It has opted to support Erindi to apply for recognition as a further excluded area where buffalo may be kept. It said Erindi is an excellent stepping stone in WRN's quest to achieve commercial farming with buffalo, while also creating the first big five destination in Namibia. According to WRN the decision to support buffalo farming south of the red line was a scientific decision based on reputable and accepted research on FMD. “The fear that buffalo farming is a threat to cattle farming is a myth and totally unfounded. Cattle farming and disease-free buffalo farming can co-exist without any threats, provided protocol is followed. It is a reality that the wildlife and tourism industries are a larger contributor to the GDP than the livestock industry and therefore it is important to investigate the potential of disease-free buffalo farming without restrictions of pre-conceived ideas.” According to WRN the African buffalo is the single most economic viable wildlife species in Africa.

An international accredited audit firm has been appointed by WRN to make a comprehensive economic impact assessment of buffalo farming in Namibia, not only for game ranching but also for tourism. WRN has put in place and shall propose a very strict buffalo protocol. In spite of the normal control measurements set in place by the respective ministries, WRN envisages it to be self-regulatory to ensure the health status of the buffalo. A standard veterinary operating procedure for buffalo farming will be suggested by WRN to all potential buffalo farmers and relevant ministries.

WRN said it is of vital importance that all role players unite to strategise about the future of commercial farming in Namibia to the benefit to all.

A stakeholder's workshop for disease-free buffalo farming in Namibia will be held during October 2017 in collaboration with the environment ministry.



ELLANIE SMIT

New day for SPYL

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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New day for SPYLNekongo calls for a united youth league Ephraim Nekongo, the new Swapo Party youth league secretary, says the league will be open and vocal, but united. The newly elected secretary of the Swapo Party Youth League, Ephraim Nekongo, says it is high time new leadership takes over to restore honour of the youth wing.

An elated Nekongo took a swipe at youth members who are behind the 'breaking news' on social media, saying rebellious members would no longer be tolerated in the party.

“I want us to put everything on the table and to use the existing structures to address issues. My approach will be to always take collective decisions and not make issues about a specific issue,” he said of his strategy.

Nekongo added that he will, as a youth leader, use SPYL as a platform to talk about unemployment and to “provide leadership on the issue of land reform”.

“I want us to openly talk about corruption, but we will make our position on corruption public at a later stage,” he added.

Nekongo, who replaces Veikko Nekundi, will be deputised by Christine Haindaka from the Kavango Region.

Nekundi has been acting in that capacity for more than two years following the expulsion of Elijah Ngurare by the ruling party's politburo in July 2015.

Political commentators say this weekend's elective congress is expected to set the tone for the much-anticipated Swapo Party congress scheduled to take place later this year. A political commentator, Ndumba Kamwanyah, yesterday said the outcome of the elective congress demonstrates that the congress is strategically geared towards the mother body's congress in November.

“Their resolution to endorse President Hage Geingob as party president says this new leadership is pro-Geingob. One can see that their decisions are made in the context of two camps, anti-Geingob and pro-Geingob. They are really aiming to help and propel Geingob to be elected as party president later this year,” Kamwanyah said.

He warned that this approach is problematic because it will cause more division. Instead, he urged, the party needs to build a pre-congress consensus to ensure members come to the congress united.

“The party leadership must reach out to its members. It is not good to operate along lines of division,” Kamwanyah warned. The outgoing Nekundi declined to comment.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Out of contraceptives

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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Out of contraceptives The Robert Mugabe Clinic ran out of stock of oral contraceptive pills six months ago already, Namibian Sun has established.

According to health workers at the clinic, they are only able to offer patients the injection and as a result had to turn away those members of the public that prefer to use the contraceptive pill only.

The clinic has for over a year now been operating without medical passports and instead makes use of A4 printing sheets while women seeking family planning services are advised to come with a “small notebook” to keep record of their visits.

“We can find out from some of the clinics if they have stock and then we refer you to them,” said one of the nurses on Friday.

The health permanent secretary Andreas Mwoombola has confirmed that some clinics have run of stock of some oral contraceptive products.

According to him the government's central medial store is expecting delivery soon.

“We urge patients to safeguard their health passports and bring them along when visiting any health facility as the information therein can been used as reference for follow-up treatments. These documents are important as the full medical history of patients are recorded, Mwoombola urged.

JEMIMA BEUKES

HIV-positive youth in club

August 27, 2017, 4:00 pm

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HIV-positive youth in clubA teen club has been formed as a safe haven With only half of the HIV-positive youth in sub-Saharan Africa on anti-retrovirals, one club at Katutura hospital is making a difference. When he was eight, John* was informed that he was born with HIV. Now 21, he told Namibian Sun that he was so devastated he contemplated suicide believing that he would be reincarnated in a healthy body.

Before he found out, he recalls how his mother told him to always take his medication otherwise he would die of a “heart-attack or high blood pressure”.

He eventually grew tired and stopped taking the unexplained pills, prompting his reluctant mother to disclose his status to him.

“She told me ‘my son, you and I, we have HIV’ and then she started crying. I thought I was going to die immediately and even thought of hanging myself. My days were dark.”

John has since joined the teen club at the anti-retroviral clinic at the Katutura Hospital where his life has taken a completely different turn. He is now an optimistic young man who dreams of becoming a public speaker.

Like John, Netumbo* and her twin sister religiously took the pills and also only found out at age 8 what they were for.

“My mom always called us and said we should come and get our sweets. The neighbours wanted to know why we always had money to buy sweets.”

She explained that it was always a nightmare because the pills were big and hard and made them vomit.

They too joined the teen club because the world “out there” did not want anything to do with them.

The ‘club’ was established in 2010 by the Positive Vibes non-governmental organisation and is aimed at bringing together teenagers born with HIV to provide them a platform to share their problems and challenges.

They also receive health education including how not to default on medication.

Teenagers who have found out about their HIV status are eligible to enrol in the club where the psychosocial support programmes available.

Nineteen-year-old Nadia* serves as board member and has become the self-appointed advocate for the club.

She does this mainly be reaching out to “unfamiliar” young faces when she reports for her own follow-up visits to the clinic.

“It is not always easy, they push you away emotionally. But I always try and speak to them and tell them that their family is here. We are their family because only we understand how we feel,” she said.

Nadia, herself a timid and shy girl when she first reported at the club, said it has “unlocked her sparkle” and helped her to accept her diagnosis and now see it as a blessing in disguise.

Tales from club members show that they still struggle to adjust in the real world which forces them to completely shun treatment.

According to Linda* she always sleeps with one eye open when she is with friends because “you never know when they will go through your stuff”.

Linda’s boyfriend left her when she had disclosed to him and as a result plans to keep her secret for the rest of her life.

“I feel I will be rejected again and I am not ready for that. I should probably just stay like this and only when we talk about sex will I disclose,” she said.

UN work

According to the Unicef ‘For Every Child End Aids’, 7th stocktaking report report for 2016, 1.6 million new paediatric infections have been prevented since 2000.

It further states that just half of the 1.8 million children aged 0–14 years living with HIV are on treatment, and treatment initiation in sub-Saharan Africa only starts on average at four years old.

The report therefore calls for solutions for this vulnerable population and advocates for the prevention of new infections through improved access and retention in care, as well as testing and starting treatment early, as the best ways to end Aids among the youngest children.

JEMIMA BEUKES