Quantcast
Channel: Namibian Sun
Viewing all 36395 articles
Browse latest View live

What is your favourite school subject?

0
0
What is your favourite school subject?What is your favourite school subject? We all have our different favourite subjects in schools as we are all gifted when it comes to different fields. Some enjoy numbers and others enjoy reading. The Zone spoke to the learners of Havana Primary School to find out what their favourite school subjects are and why.

Wilhelmina Mwadulange

My favourite subject in school is English. I enjoy it because I get taught how to read and write. If you do not know how to read, you will find it difficult to communicate with the next person and you will also find it challenging to fully express yourself and tell people how you are feeling.

Ngeitokondjo Shimbode

I really enjoy Social Studies as I always learn interesting things like what is a border and things that have to do with our natural resources. I also know how to protect my country and how I can contribute to make Namibia better for all our visitors. It is interesting to also learn things about our history and where we all come from.

Ndeshihafela Haufiku

My favourite subject is Natural Science, because I always get good marks in that subject. I also love it because the teacher makes it very interesting for us and he does not miss periods. I try my best to make sure I maintain my good marks as I do not want them to go down.

Sigrid Amaambo

I am in grade 2 so I am learning how to read and write so my favourite subject is English. I enjoy talking to my classmates about different things and my teacher always tells us to practise and speak English at home also so we learn about different things. English is fun as we learn about verbs, adjectives and nouns.

Beatha Agustino

My favourite subject in school is Natural Science, because I received an award in grade 1. It is fun as I learn about the human body, the environment and about my favourite animals. Although it is a lot of studying, I still enjoy it and I never get bored as we learn new things every day.

Rebeka Jonas

I like to learn about the English subject. I love English, because it is a very easy subject. I love the teacher as well as she teaches me very well and I also want to be an English teacher when I grow as I love to work with learners and I also like to make sure that learners learn new things.

Saima Nakanduungile

My favourite subject is Natural Science, because it is very interesting. Sometimes it can be very hard, but it so much fun and I learn about how things work and why they work that way. It is can very challenging as the work gets very difficult to understand, but it is a nice subject either way.

Loide Titus

I love Natural Science as I get to know more about diseases like HIV and AIDS, soil and water. I also get to know about how I can take care of myself and many other things that are important in our environment like hospitals and schools. It is important that we learn to take care of ourselves and our loved ones.

Liifaneni Ngenokesho

My favourite subject in school is Mathematics, because I perform the best in it. It is easy to understand and I enjoy working with numbers. I can make a lot of calculations in my head and I work hard to make sure I get the best grades in Mathematics. I also like explaining to my friends that do not understand a certain topic.

Rosaria Panduleni Simon

I enjoy English and Mathematics as I have learned how to count and also how to speak English very well. I like Mathematics especially as I like to work with numbers and I do not like reading too much information. It is very easy to understand as long as you know how to calculate with your formulas.

Christine Festus

My favourite subject is Agriculture. It helps to remember the things from the North especially the animals and the rivers. It reminds me of my village and I enjoy learning things about farming and how to harvest with the animals during different seasons of the year. It is very fun and interesting.

Jacobina Kalumbu

I love Mathematics as I always learn more about calculations. Since I started school, I always received awards in Mathematics. It is a fun subject and it encourages me to take on interesting topics like mass, length, capacity and how to calculate my money. A lot of my friends struggle with mathematics so I make sure I help them out wherever I can.

The importance of career guidance

0
0
The importance of career guidanceThe importance of career guidance I was recently at the Hashtag Festival and Career Expo that was hosted by Namibia Media Holdings. I had time to interact and engage a young people about the kind of careers they want to pursue.

Everyone wants to be successful but they do not get the right career guidance to make the right decisions at right time. If you have a pre-planned guidance for your career then it can make a great difference for you.

Festivals such as these are very important for young people because they get them to interact with other young people and it is also a great opportunity for them to learn about the myriad of careers they may choose to further their studies and how they can go about making the right choices.

Besides the Career Expo, there was also a host of other activities such as the community games that included sport codes like tennis, soccer, netball, volleyball and hockey. I could tell from the onset that many of the learners from the different schools that attended the festival that they were not informed about what kind of careers they could prosper in. Many of the learners showed interest and some and were interested in getting as much information as possible about the different career paths that they could follow. For many of the learners, the festival was a platform for them to get first-hand information about what they could study. They were also informed through various presentations about the benefits of the many careers that they were interested in.

Many learners don’t get a chance to speak to people who can mentor them about what careers they can focus on. Therefore, for success it is important that you get guidance from the right person, and the #Festival was just the right place for many learners to get a perspective of what they should study. Hopefully through ingenuity such as the #Festival and many other career expos the youth get exposed to a lot of information so that they can make the right career choices that can impact their future.

If you are a high school student then your entire future is lying ahead of you. It is up to you and your parents who need to guide and advice you on the career choices you should make. It is crucial that for a bright future you must start planning from now on.

At the end of the Hashtag Festival I walked away happy and excited for the many learners who came to the festival. Life skills teachers at high schools should take up the duty of career guidance. In addition, the government should deploy career counsellors to schools to offer career guidance to learners on a full-time basis. If government cannot afford employing career counsellors, it is best to have at least one career centre that will cater for schools in a specific region. In order to realise this, government should collaborate with communities, the private sector, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

Until next time. Peri nawa!

Creating jobs instead of waiting for them

0
0
Creating jobs instead of waiting for them Creating jobs instead of waiting for them Where it all began Business savvy and confident “I am motivated by those in my community who work hard everyday and by those who are making a success of what they do. We all need to look for people that we can look up to and that can help us to reach the goals that we set for ourselves." An entrepreneur speaks to The Zone about his business ventures and the importance of recognising business opportunities.

Vissta Angula shares with The Zone about why he believes that young entrepreneurs have the potential of contributing to the development of the country.

Angula is an individual who takes what life’s throws at him and creates opportunities for himself. In 2016 he received a certificate as a paramedic at the Tulipohamba Hospital and now owns his own sanitation management company called Hygiene Management which cleans City of Windhoek household dustbins.

He is a firm believer in partnerships with other business people in order to succeed. “We all need to work together as young people if you want to succeed in what you do. Myself and a few other entrepreneurs from Katutura started the Katutura East Festival through working together and it shows that we can do more when we work together,” he explains.

“When I started working on my own it was difficult at first until I partnered up with other business partners and then my load was made lighter,” he says.

He says many of his family members did not finish school and that most of his relatives started managing their own successful in order to put food on the table and go forward in life. He says that seeing family members grab opportunities is what inspired him as well.

Although he enjoys his job as a businessman he says that there are still people who do not support Namibian businesses and that he hopes that it will change in the future. “The most difficult thing as new business owners is getting support from people that do not know what your service or products are like,” he explains.

According to him, white collar jobs will soon fade out as the economy is in need of more tradesmen and advises the youth to be more financially more independent through creating jobs for themselves.

He recently attended a brickmaking workshops hosted by Build It and the Ohorongo Cement Brickmaking Academy and says the opportunity granted to him will enhance his skills and abilities. “I am sure that now that I gained new skills I can use that to employ other people through small projects that might arise. I really enjoyed the training and can’t wait to share what I learnt with my community,” he says.

“If we want to make a lasting impact and make our dreams come true as young people we should grab all opportunities afforded to us and take full advantage of them. We should not wait for someone to give us a job, but instead be job creators,” Angula says.

“I am motivated by those in my community who work hard everyday and by those who are making a success of what they do. We all need to look for people that we can look up to and that can help us to reach the goals that we set for ourselves,” he says.

He further ads that young people should create various income generating streams for themselves in order to gain financial independence. “If you want to be financially independent you cannot rely on one salary. We are still young and full of energy and can come up with various creative ways to make money,” he explains

Shona Ngava

10 tips for young entrepreneurs:

0
0
10 tips for young entrepreneurs:10 tips for young entrepreneurs:· 1 Work and polish on your idea until you are satisfied. Make your product or service original.

· 2. You will not make profit immediately. Businesses have to go through difficult first before making large turnovers.

· 3. Take the risk. We never know the outcome of our efforts unless we actually do it.

· 4. Believe in yourself. Believe that you can succeed, and you’ll find ways through different obstacles. If you don’t, you’ll just find excuses.

· 5. Have a vision and keep it clear at all times.

· 6. The world is full of great ideas, but success only comes through action.

· 7. No one succeeds immediately, and everyone was once a beginner. Don’t be afraid to invest time in your company.

· 8. No one succeeds in business alone so try to build a strong team, and those who try will lose to a great team every time. Build your own great team to boost your success.

· 9. As you build your team, hire for character and values. You can always train someone on skills, but you can’t make someone’s values fit your company after the fact.

· 10. When establishing your business, you will experience a lot of obstacles and falls. As a good entrepreneur, you will have to learn from your mistakes and improve where you are lacking.

Call for Myanmar sanctions

0
0
Call for Myanmar sanctionsCall for Myanmar sanctionsUN urged to punish army over Rohingya 'atrocities' With more than 400 000 Rohingya Muslims displaced, Human Rights Watch has urged the UN to put sanctions in place against the country's army. Pressure tightened on Myanmar yesterday as a rights group urged world leaders to impose sanctions on the country's military, which is accused of driving out more than 400 000 Rohingya Muslims in an orchestrated “ethnic cleansing” campaign.

The call from Human Rights Watch (HRW) came as the UN General Assembly prepared to convene in New York, with the ongoing crisis in Myanmar billed as one of most pressing topics. The mass exodus of Rohingya refugees to neighbouring Bangladesh has billowed into a humanitarian emergency as aid groups struggle to provide relief to a daily stream of new arrivals, more than half of whom are children. There are acute shortages of nearly all forms of aid, with many Rohingya huddling under tarps as their only protection from monsoon rains. Myanmar's government hinted Sunday that they would not take back all who fled across the border, accusing those refugees of having links to militants whose raids on police posts in August set off the army backlash.

Any moves to block the refugees' return will likely inflame Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheik Hasina, who will press the UN General Assembly for more global pressure on Myanmar to repatriate all of the Rohingya massing in shantytowns along her border. Human Rights Watch also called for the “safe and voluntary return” of the displaced as it urged governments around the globe to punish Myanmar's army with sanctions for the “ongoing atrocities” against the Rohingya.

“The United Nations Security Council and concerned countries should impose targeted sanctions and an arms embargo on the Burmese military to end its ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims,” the group said in a statement.

It called on the UN General Assembly to make the crisis a priority, urging countries to issue travel bans and asset freezes on Myanmar officers implicated in the abuses, as well as expand arms embargoes.

“Burma's senior military commanders are more likely to heed the calls of the international community if they are suffering real economic consequences,” said John Sifton, HRW's Asia advocacy director.

Myanmar's government has defended the military campaign as a legitimate crackdown on the Rohingya militants, who first emerged as a fighting force last October.

On Sunday Myanmar's Information Committee accused those who fled to Bangladesh - more than a third of the Rohingya population - of working in cahoots with the Rohingya militia, a rag-tag group of fighters armed with mostly rudimentary weapons.

“Those who fled the villages made their way to the other country for fear of being arrested as they got involved in the violent attacks,” the statement said.

“Legal protection will be given to the villages whose residents did not flee,” it added.

The violence has gutted large swaths of northern Rahkine in just over three weeks, with fires visible almost daily across the border from the Bangladesh camps.

Some 30 000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Hindus have also been displaced by the unrest.

While the world has watched the refugee crisis unfold with horror, there is little sympathy for the Rohingya inside mainly Buddhist Myanmar. Many Buddhists revile the group and have long denied the existence of a Rohingya ethnicity, insisting they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

NAMPA/AFP

Moz albino witchcraft returns

0
0
Moz albino witchcraft returnsMoz albino witchcraft returns A 17-year-old albino boy was killed and his brain removed for what is believed to be use in witchcraft in Mozambique, local news reports said.

Albinos in Mozambique are often hunted for their body parts, which are used as charms and magical potions in the belief that they bring wealth and good luck.

“The criminals took the bones out of the arms and legs, the hair and broke the head to remove the brain,” a local official told Mozambican news agency AIM.

The body was found after the boy was killed on Wednesday in the Benga area of Tete province, AIM said.

Lurdes Ferreira, a police spokesman in the Tete province, said police are investigating the teenager's kidnap and murder.

“We have launched a search and arrest operation for those responsible for the macabre crime,” Ferreira said.

The murder comes four months after a failed attempt by two parents to sell their albino child in Moatize.

Tete, which borders Malawi, is believed to have a large market for albino organ trafficking.

There have been more than 100 attacks against albinos in Mozambique since 2014, according to the UN, with hunters persecuting them for everything from their toes to their faeces.

NAMPA/AFP

Young entrepreneurs engaged

0
0
Young entrepreneurs engaged Young entrepreneurs engaged During the past week over 30 young entrepreneurs had an opportunity to compete in the SME Entrepreneurs’ Round Table discussion where they had the chance to engage with fellow entrepreneurs. The group of novice entrepreneurs each had an opportunity to engage and speak to business people who shared with them how they started their businesses and how they can overcome some of the pitfalls when they start out. The entrepreneurs who presented came from the hospitality, manufacturing and mining industries.

One of the entrepreneurs who spoke was Navin Morar, the manager of Chelsea Fashions, who advised them to always save their money and reinvest in their businesses if they want to succeed. “You need to save your money in order to build up the capital that you might need for your business. You can start off small by saving a little bit of money from your salary and then you can reinvest that into your business. You must develop and instill a saving culture if you want to succeed,” says Morar.

Carol-Jean Rechter, the co-owner of Joe’s Beer House also reflected on some of the qualities of an entrepreneur and why it was important for business owners to have good business etiquette. “Integrity, honesty and persistence are some of the qualities that make a good entrepreneur,” shared Recheter.

According to Teopolina Shingenge, a student studying Entrepreneurship and New Ventures at the University of Namibia (Unam), says that this event was a good initiative for her to attend as it inspired and motivated her to work on her own business ventures.

“I was not aware of all the different inspiring individuals that could serve as mentors in Namibia and I had the chance to meet some brilliant entrepreneurs. I am inspired and motivated to continue working on my dreams until I am as successful as the people that I met today,” shared Shingenge.

“You must develop and inculcate a saving culture if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur”

Shona Ngava

Shot of the day

0
0
Shot of the dayShot of the day PRETTY: Northern lights (aurora borealis) illuminate the sky over Torsfjorden near Reine, on Lofoten Islands, Arctic Circle, on 8 September 2017. Photo: NAMPA/AFP

MPs must live up to expectations

0
0
MPs must live up to expectationsMPs must live up to expectations The National Assembly resumed business last week after a long recess. In the coming months politicians are expected to debate on a number of bills as well as important motions. Recently the DTA moved a motion to discuss the disturbing issue of teenage pregnancy, which is without doubt a serious national problem. This newspaper has particularly been at the forefront of highlighting the grim statistics on teen pregnancy, which educators and parents alike are grappling with it nationwide. It is important that lawmakers lead the discussion on issues of the day and the furore surrounding the Roads Contractor Company (RCC) is one of them. Discussions on the future of the troubled RCC are on the cards following an announcement by the public enterprises minister Leon Jooste that Cabinet has resolved to place the entity under judicial management with the view to determine if there is probability that it could overcome its financial problems. Questions regarding the Okahandja land sales moratorium that has been in place for well over a year now has also been brought as well as the controversy dodging the referral hospital in the north. We are now about seven months into the fifth session of the sixth parliament and yet you still see MPs in both the National Assembly and National Council who have not efficiently represented their electorate or made a meaningful contribution on the floor. MPs must understand their role is to serve their constituencies as well make laws in the best interest of Namibians. Those who contribute little should be taken to task. There is surely no place for self-serving individuals who have become increasingly isolated from those who pay their salaries and even vote for them. For quite some time now we have seen how the National Assembly has been reduced to a sleeping corner for some MPs instead of making a meaningful contribution during debates. One even wonders if our leaders do indeed make time and occasionally organise meetings to better understand the plight of those who elected them into office. MPs should not only be active in parliament committee meetings, but their voices should also be heard in plenary.

Amunyela: Swapo needs business voice

0
0
Amunyela: Swapo needs business voiceAmunyela: Swapo needs business voice Businessman Desmond Amunyela believes the ruling Swapo party needs to focus more on economic policy given the challenges facing the country.

Amunyela, who is a candidate for the Swapo central committee at the upcoming congress, is also of the opinion that the 84-member powerful structure should not only be made up of career politicians.

“If you look at the current setup, it is mostly made up of politicians that have been there for a long time. Most of the problems facing our nation are of an economic nature,” said Amunyela in a brief interview with Namibian Sun.

“It calls for a serious involvement of the private sector to help the economy. And that is why the central committee must create a balance. We need to nurture a relationship where our social narrative is very close to business. The private sector must be accommodated in every political process.”

According to Amunyela, the divisions in Swapo can easily be attributed by the impression that “there is only a single tunnel for existence”.

“Everyone wants to be called an honourable councillor or an honourable minister. We can exist in parallel. The private sector plays an important role in the political processes of any nation,” he said.

Amunyela currently serves as Windhoek East treasurer and is among the 10 delegates representing the region at the November elective congress.

He also denied reports that he was against Swapo acting president Hage Geingob.

“I am not anti-anyone, nor am I pro-anyone. I am just pro-Swapo,” said Amunyela.

The Swapo congress will elect a new leadership, which includes the president, vice-president, secretary-general and deputy-secretary-general of the party.

It will also elect members to the central committee.



STAFF REPORTER

SME Bank liquidation judgment postponed

0
0
SME Bank liquidation judgment postponedSME Bank liquidation judgment postponed The SME Bank is still in provisional liquidation following the submission of an affidavit by lawyer Sisa Namandje, who is acting on behalf of minority shareholders Metropolitan Bank of Zimbabwe and World Eagle Properties.

Following the submission of the affidavit on Friday, Judge Hannelie Prinsloo extended the provisional liquidation of the SME Bank.

Her judgment will be delivered on 18 October.

The Bank of Namibia took control of the SME Bank on 2 March after it had come to light that between N$181 million and N$196 million had been invested in questionable financial instruments in South Africa.

The SME Bank was placed in provisional liquidation on 11 July, sealing the fate of 208 employees,

who are now jobless. The bank was placed under the management of liquidators Bruni and McLaren.

Depositors were guaranteed that they would get back up to N$25 000 of their money.

“All depositors are protected by law up to N$25 000. The claim process will be communicated to the public in due course. The extent of recoveries of deposits which exceed N$25 000 will depend on the outcome of the process,” the liquidators said.

They said the recovery of all outstanding loans from SME Bank was under way.

Bruni and McLaren said the liquidation of the SME Bank would be a complex one and did not want to comment on whether any bids had been received to acquire the SME Bank depositor book.

Oshili24 recently reported that First Capital was considering acquiring the defunct bank. Its CEO was quoted as saying they were keen to take control of the SME Bank.

“We have put together resources and we are eager to take the model that the bank operated on. It is a good model and we wish to continue with it considering the penetration the bank had made in a short space of time. Once the liquidators open up the tenders for the bank, we want to be the first in line,” said Martin Mwinga.

OGONE TLHAGE

Tweya digs into media

0
0
Tweya digs into mediaTweya digs into mediaSays reporters must not spice up work Information minister Tjekero Tweya has admonished the media for 'spicing up' content and in the process, relaying the wrong information to the public. Members of the media should refrain from “spicing up” story content and ought to stick to their mandate of obtaining information and communicating it correctly via technology to the nation, says information minister Tjekero Tweya.

“Refrain from spicing up information. Sometimes this can spoil the message. Rather convey information to educate and inform. Do not confuse or mislead. Do the right thing and execute your mandate with dignity and respect because the whole of Namibia relies on receiving correctly relayed information,” he said.

According to the minister, journalists need a mental change and should have a positive narrative about the country and SADC.

“Be appreciative of your own environment and country. Negative reports by negative Namibians turn out to be viewed foolishly by the rest of the world,” he told journalists attending the launch of the VEYA ICT office in Walvis Bay on Friday.

Tweya recalled that ITC ministers from SADC recently met in Kwa-Zulu Natal South Africa and discussed how to pave the way and implement a summit decision that the 300 million SADC citizens should get correctly conveyed messages from governments in order to contribute towards a better region.

“It is a challenge that not everybody has access to information. Many citizens are clueless and this hampers unity. Those with access to the provision of broadband and social media services recognise the private sector, and instead of playing a positive role, have become a barrier due to greediness and turned such services into expensive and unaffordable luxuries. High tariffs are an obstacle to the provision of access of information in SADC. Regional integration cannot be achieved and it's too expensive to do business due to this.”

The minister said that this issue would be addressed by not telling service providers to lower their rates but by informing and showing them that it's better for their businesses to make good business with 300 million instead of 50 million persons.



OTIS FINCK

VP attends Oshipe festival

0
0
VP attends Oshipe festivalVP attends Oshipe festivalOperation Tulongeni a huge success At the annual harvest festival held at Onamundindi village in Ogongo constituency, subsistence farmers were lauded for their hard work and abundant harvest. Launched early this year by President Hage Geingob, Operation Tulongeni which was aimed at encouraging farmers to start working their fields following good rains, was hailed at this year's annual harvest festival.

The annual harvest festival known as Oshipe, an Oshiwambo word meaning 'new', is the festival held in honour of harvesting, the cooking of traditional food for first consumption and it is also a thanksgiving to the ancestors.

The event took place at the residence of Mateus Iilonga at Onamundindi village in Ogongo constituency which is the same venue where Geingob launched 'Operation Tulongeni'.

Tulongeni means 'let's work'.

Speaking at the Oshipe Festival, the vice-president, Nickey Iyambo, said that following this year's good rains, farmers in the Omusati Region experienced a bumper harvest which is the result of Operation Tulongeni.

“I am happy to see that the bumper agricultural produce harvested this year, which you are showcasing ,is tangible proof that all of you have successfully heeded the call of war against poverty by President Geingob. It is therefore pleasing to know we are here enjoying the fruits of your hard work,” Iyambo said.

On the history of Oshipe Festival, Iyambo said it was introduced by the ancestors to give thanks to God for blessing the farmers' fields by giving them a good harvest, a tradition which has been enshrined for many decades in northern Namibia.

He explained that Operation Tulongeni is just a facilitator from the government's side that is used to encourage farmers to work hard to ensure food security in the country.

Iyambo said 70% of Namibia's population depends on the agricultural sector for their livelihoods saying that it is also the sector creating a lot of employment and contributing to the country's economy.

Iyambo also talked about the agriculture ministry's Dry Land Crop Production Programme (DCPP) launched in 2008, which provides subsidised farm inputs and services to farmers in the crop-growing regions.

He said farmers now benefit from DCPP which over the past two years saw N$20 million budgeted as government tractors have been deployed in the regions making ploughing cheaper for farmers.

Omusati governor Erginus Endjala thanked the farmers for responding to the call of working hard in their fields saying that they should remain consistent and keep on doing so after good rains have been experienced.

Endjala also used the opportunity to inform government that farmers in the various constituencies as a result of the bumper harvest decided to give back to government by donating some of their harvested products to the government silos.



KENYA KAMBOWE

Ambassador to hand over health donations

0
0
Ambassador to hand over health donationsAmbassador to hand over health donations The United States Ambassador to Namibia, Thomas Daughton, will today hand over prefabricated containers at the Nkurenkuru Health Centre in the Kavango West Region.

Daughton will also handover a partitioned antiretroviral treatment (ART) clinic at Nankudu District Hospital and tour a two-room modular house for medical staff at Nzinze clinic.

“This initiative by the US Government is to support Namibia's efforts to reach the UNAIDS 90-90-90 goals and hopefully achieve Africa's first Aids-free generation,” information assistant at the American Cultural Centre, Jordaania Andima said in a statement on Sunday.

The US President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) and Centre for Disease Control (CDC) provided financial support valued at N$1.7 million to set up the three containers and shaded waiting area at Nkurenkuru Health Centre and N$1.3 million for partitioning the Nankudu District Hospital.

The modular house was procured at the value of N$4.8 million. Andima said the renovated and improved facilities provide the means to improve access to and provision of HIV testing and care services.

Access quality healthcare at the community level also saves patients time and money, increases the likelihood that patients will access health services, and improves quality of life.

The health minister, Bernard Haufiku, and the Kavango West governor, Sirkka Ausiku, are expected to give remarks at the event. In early 2017, the health ministry team undertook a supervisory visit to the Kavango West Region where they observed patient congestion at the ART clinic at Nkurenkuru Health Centre.

Andima explained that HIV patients were served at the same area as other patients, which made it difficult for patients to go for follow-up visits due to stigma and confidentiality matters.

A similar observation was made at Nankudu District Hospital where they also found that necessary amenities such as shaded waiting areas for patients and benches were not available.

Nankudu District Hospital is 18 kilometres from Nkurenkuru.

Some healthcare workers did not have suitable accommodation close to the clinics and thus had to travel long distances to work.



NAMPA

Swakop considering by-law on plastic bags

0
0
Swakop considering by-law on plastic bagsSwakop considering by-law on plastic bags The Swakopmund Municipality is planning on introducing a by-law which will compel shops to only stock reusable shopping bags, instead of the current lightweight bags made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic.

Reusable bags should be made of a stronger material for use over many years to carry groceries or other goods.

Pick n Pay, Checkers and other stores already stock reusable bags made from bonded, recycled plastic fibre called non-woven polypropylene. The price of such bags vary per store.

The idea of the by-law to ban the use of plastics in shops dates back to 2009 but progress has been slow due to the processes involved in enacting such a by-law, said Clive Lawrence, the general manager of health services in the municipality.

“We are pushing to have the by-law passed before the festive season,” he told Nampa in Swakopmund over the weekend.

If passed, this will be the first by-law of its kind in the country.

More than 40 countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda and Morocco, have banned the use of plastic bags or imposed a tax on such bags.

It will certainly reduce the amount of single-use plastic bags currently being discarded, said Lawrence, adding shoppers should treat reusable shopping bags as a valuable commodity rather than trash.

He said a stakeholders' meeting will take place today to discuss the framework for the idea that was already drawn up last year.

“Next month we will submit the framework to council for approval, followed by a draft and arrangements for consultation meetings with the public,” said Lawrence.

It is not yet clear how much shoppers will be charged per reusable bag, but Lawrence said shops will be compelled to give 50% of the money collected in the sale of reusable bags to the environmental fund managed by the town council to organise cleaning campaigns and other environmental friendly projects.

Every year, the Swakopmund Municipality faces a challenge of cleaning up trash, mostly discarded plastic shopping bags, especially in the DRC informal settlement.

NAMPA

BIG back on the cards

0
0
BIG back on the cardsBIG back on the cards There is proof that a basic-income grant can improve the lives of people, says the special advisor to the minister of poverty eradication and social welfare, Bience Gawanas.

Speaking during a recent discussion of the African Union Agenda 2063 and Social Protection, Gawanas said an equal society was achievable and within reach.

“Those who say that, should ask those who live in despair or go to bed hungry what difference N$100 can make. They should recognise that social protection is one main means of eradicating poverty. The BIG pilot project proved that cash transfers can change people's lives,” Gawanas said.

The discussion interrogated issues relating to Agenda 2063 as a strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the continent over the next 50 years.

“Namibians do not need to wait for 2063 to create the Namibia we want, a caring and inclusive society where no one is left out. Much has been said that cash transfers or the provision of food creates dependency,” she said.

The Agenda 2063 action plan was formed at the Organisation of African Unity/African Union 50th anniversary celebration in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in May 2013. In terms of the plan, African leaders made a pledge to accelerate growth, development and prosperity on the continent going forward to 2063.

The government has in the last two years undertaken a national dialogue and national conference to determine the real needs that Namibians have, including the feasibility of introducing a basic-grant for poor people who do not receive existing social grants.

The government is yet to pronounce itself on the outcome of this dialogue as well as whether a grant will in fact be introduced.

Another speaker, Dr Michael Akuupa, director of Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI), said while social protection programmes for the poor were of particular importance, their general interventions and views did not address the neoliberal economic frameworks that created such contexts they are trying to address.

“In comparison to social protection, the norms in social policy are production, protection, reproduction, redistribution, social cohesion and nation building. Although I am not an ardent proponent of solidarity tax as a possible tool to be used in redistribution of wealth, there are not many other ways how we can reverse the situation and deal with redistribution,” he said.

STAFF REPORTER

Murder accused a no-show at trial

0
0
Murder accused a no-show at trialMurder accused a no-show at trial A 50-year-old man from Karasburg, who is accused of killing his girlfriend, failed to turn up at the start of his trial where he also faces other charges, including defeating the course of justice, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and common assault in the High Court in Windhoek.

Yesterday, his lawyer Milton Engelbrecht was in the dark on the whereabouts of his client, August van Wyk.

He told the court he had had a long consultation with Van Wyk on Sunday.

“I consulted with him on Sunday.

“This morning I tried to contact him on his mobile number as well as on that of his friend but I failed to get a response,” Engelbrecht informed the court.

Judge Nate Ndauendapo, at the request of the State Advocate Cliff Litubezi, issued a warrant of arrest against Van Wyk and declared his bail provisionally cancelled and forfeited to the state.

Van Wyk is accused of murdering Katrina Waterboer on 1 February 2014 in the Westerkim-residential area of Karasburg.

It is alleged that he called Waterboer, who was on her way to church, and when she came to him he started kicking, beating and stoning her.

When she fell, he allegedly sat on top of her and continued his assault until he was removed by a witness.

On the count of defeating or obstructing the course of justice, the State alleges that he removed the clothes Waterboer was wearing at the time of her death and dressed her in different clothes.

He also immediately changed his clothes and hid them.

The State further alleges he washed Waterboer's body and placed her in his bed.

He perpetrated these acts in order to destroy evidence of the assault, it is alleged.

Van Wyk is also charged with common assault for allegedly slapping Josephine Fredericks in the face on 29 August 2014.

Judge Ndauendapo postponed the matter to today.

FRED GOEIEMAN

Okahandja donkey abattoir not a sure thing

0
0
Okahandja donkey abattoir not a sure thingOkahandja donkey abattoir not a sure thingTown council is listening to the people The Okahandja mayor says objections against the establishment of a donkey abattoir at the town have highlighted the need for further consultation before making a decision. While an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for a proposed donkey abattoir at Okahandja was submitted to the environment ministry for an environmental clearance certificate, senior members of the Okahandja town council say they have not yet made a final decision on whether to approve the abattoir.

Okahandja mayor Johannes Hindjou told Namibian Sun that initially the council “thought [the donkey abattoir] was a welcome business opportunity,” especially because of the promise of 100 jobs. However, the widespread objections against the Okahandja abattoir and plans for another one at Outjo, from within Namibia and outside, highlighted the need for further consultations and meetings with concerned stakeholders, the mayor said. He said it was important for the council to listen to the public.

“When they first came to us with this proposal, yes we supported it. But after we heard the public outcry, we received hundreds of mails, we said, let's investigate this, and let's listen. l had not yet decided anything.”

Hindjou said he did not know whether an EIA had been completed, or who the consultants conducting the EIA were. The department of environmental affairs at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism yesterday confirmed that the EIA report had been submitted to the environmental commissioner's office and was still being reviewed.

Namibian Sun was informed that the EIA was completed by CNM Environmental Consulting Services, the company appointed by AgriNature Investment Trade who plans to operate the abattoir. Hindjou said AgriNature Investment Trade, the joint Chinese and Namibian venture behind the proposal, had been advised from the start that all procedures needed to be followed as required for an export abattoir. He denied reports that the municipality had sold land to AgriNature Investment Trade.

Hindjou said Erf 780 was first registered to another Chinese company, and the property was sold to the new owners in a private transaction.

He confirmed that the council now had to decide whether to approve AgriNature's application to operate a donkey abattoir on that property.

Hindjou was speaking at the council chambers, where a number of consultants and community members who had lodged objections against the abattoir were asked to present their findings.

An Okahandja resident said the meeting was a positive experience, and that council members were aware of the issues, including animal welfare, water usage, pollution, waste disposal and several others listed as top concerns by the community.

Last week, members of the council met with representatives from Donkey Sanctuary UK, who have investigated the donkey-skin trade in more than 40 countries.

The council has also met international and local representatives of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Abner Axel Xoagub and Werner Thaniseb, members of the Donkib Ge Cultural Group, who have objected to the establishment of the donkey skin trade in Namibia, also briefly met with the mayor yesterday before the closed-door meetings.

Both said that the donkey abattoir debate had highlighted the need for education, especially for those with leadership roles in communities and government. Xoagub said the debate emphasised the importance of recognising the value of donkeys, which play a strategic role in communities. “Should these communities lose their donkeys, they will be paralysed,” he warned. He added that engagement with organisations such as the Donkey Sanctuary had highlighted the issue of donkey welfare, a point Donkib Ge Cultural Group would increasingly focus on.

Okahandja CEO Martha Mutilifa said she could not comment on the matter as she did not have any information. “We received the objections, but aside from that, I don't know,” she said.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Teen dies after jumping from moving car

0
0
Teen dies after jumping from moving car Teen dies after jumping from moving car Three others seriously injured Police say the driver did not have a valid driver’s licence and did not give any reason why the children had jumped out of the bakkie. JANA-MARI SMITH



Ondangwa police are investigating a case of culpable homicide after a 13-year-old boy died when he jumped out of a Toyota Hilux at Ompandakani village.

Police say the 24-year-old driver of the vehicle had offered a lift to a group of four boys, one of whom died and the three others sustained serious injuries when they jumped out of the vehicle.

Three boys (17, 16 and 13) are being treated for serious injuries at Onandjokwe hospital, but they are in a stable condition.

Police say the driver did not have a valid driver’s licence and did not give any reason why the children had jumped out of the vehicle.

The police are also investigating a robbery at the flat of the owner of Jan Japan motors in Windhoek, who claimed that a gang of five to six men stole cash, a car and other items valued at a total of N$90 000 yesterday morning.

Police say they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the robbery, “as there was no break-in and the boundary wall and electric fence were not cut.”

The complainant told them that robbers had entered his flat armed with firearms and irons and demanded money.

No arrests have been made yet.

The drowning of a six-year-old boy at Ogongo in the Omusati Region on Sunday is also being investigated.

Police say the boy drowned behind the Unam Agricultural Campus and that no foul play is suspected.

Police are investigating two possible suicides, one at Eenhana where a 43-year-old Angolan man was reported missing and his body was found hanging from a tree on Sunday.

At Uis, a 25-year-old man was found hanging from a tree after he had gone out to herd goats.

The police mortuary in Windhoek is asking the public to assist to identify and collect the unclaimed body of 21-year-old Elrico Ricardo Cloete.

According to the mortuary, Cloete died after he was hit by a car in Florence Nightingale Street, Windhoek, on 9 September.

Family members, relatives or friends of Elrico Ricardo Cloete are requested to contact the police at 061-209 4307 or to visit the mortuary.

Chicken-stealing neighbour arrested

0
0
Chicken-stealing neighbour arrested Chicken-stealing neighbour arrested KENYA KAMBOWE

The Omusati police have arrested a 25-year-old man from Omagalanga village in the Oshikuku constituency who allegedly stole and slaughtered about 20 chickens belonging to his neighbour.

According to the regional police spokesperson, Linekela Shikongo, the suspect was arrested on Sunday and was expected to appear before the Oshakati magistrate’s court yesterday.

Shikongo said the suspect was arrested after the complainant, Aina Shiwana (69), opened a theft case on Friday.

It is alleged that the suspect, who has permission to fetch water from the complainant’s house, used the visits as an opportunity to steal a live chicken when he returned home. He then killed and ate them.

Shiwana noticed that her chickens were becoming fewer and on 1 September she and her family decided to follow the footprints, which led to the suspect’s house.

Shikongo said the suspect initially denied any wrongdoing but when he was threatened with the police he admitted guilt and showed the complainant where he had buried the feathers.

The value of the chickens is said to be around N$1 660.

Chicken theft is said to be a common crime in northern Namibia.
Viewing all 36395 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images