Judo champions crowned

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

Judo champions crowned Clubs come together for championships The Namibian National Judo Championships for 2017 were held at the Cimbebasia Primary School recently.

SPORTS REPORTER

Approximately 80 participants from different clubs (Windhoek Judo Club, Unam Judo Club, DHPS Judo Club and Walvis Bay Judo Club) competed in the different categories (beginners, cadets, juniors and seniors).

The Namibian national team will be selected from the winners in this competition in order to represent Namibian Judo in next year’s Under-20 Championships and Youth World Games in Botswana, as well as to participate in the South African Open Championships.

The competition was a huge success and was opened by the chief administrator of the Namibia National Sports Commission, Freddy Mwiya, who said the commission had embarked on categorisation and talent identification in all sports codes with the main aim of developing sportsmen and sportswomen in order to represent Namibia at international level in the different sports disciplines.

Here are the names of the medal winners in the different weight categories:

Female 8/9 years under 30kg: Jana Mutschler (gold), Leandra Sonntag (silver).

Female 9/10 years under 35kg: Magdalene Rapp (gold / trophy for best beginner female), Aziza Sain (silver), Mia von Dewitz (bronze).

Female 10/11 years under 35kg: Sina Denk (gold / trophy best cadet female), Caitlin Bosman (silver), Amelia Durrschmidt (bronze).

Female 10/11 years under 41kg: Tatiana Talmage (gold).

Female under 17 years under 69kg: Courtney Mouton (gold / trophy for best junior female).

Female 18 years under 60kg: Lieselotte Kroos (gold / trophy for best senior female).

Male 6 years under 26kg: Alfonso Gomes (gold), Kabelo Hekandjo (silver), Fynn Middleton (bronze).

Male 8 years under 26kg: Akira von Hees (gold), Jano Fourie (silver).

Male 8 years under 36kg: Shura Ryvkine (gold), Arison Van Rooi (silver), Gero Friederich (bronze).

Male 8 years under 31kg: Leon van Heerden (gold / trophy for best cadet male), Gero Friederich (silver), Leo Scholtz (bronze).

Male 7 years under 30kg: Stephan Boonzaaier (gold) Trophy Best Beginner Male, Florian Stein (silver), Georg Schunemann (bronze), Chalie Durrschmidt (bronze).

Male 9 years under 30kg: Max Seefeldt (gold), Duncan Tubbesing (silver), Ethan Nichols (bronze).

Male 9 years under 32kg: Samuel Hocht (gold), Linus Stritter (silver)

Male 10/11 years under 35kg: Edo Daun (gold), Nathan Jansen (silver), Oliver von Hacht (bronze).

Male 10/11 years under 51kg: Nkosi Hekandjo (gold).

Male 11/12 years under 45kg: Deik Daun (gold), Sydney Nakamhela (silver).

Male 11 years under 38kg: Lorenz Denk (gold), Yury Ryvkine (silver)

Male 12/13/14 years under 46kg: Roman Bock (gold trophy for best junior male), Bjorn Metzger (silver), Azario Cloete (bronze), Natangwe Iiyambo (bronze).

Male 14/15 years under 63kg: Ricardo von Flotow (gold), Gerzano Mouton (silver).

Male 14 years under 92kg: Ilongeni Kanita (gold).

Male 14 years under 73kg: Konstantin Schindler (gold)

Male 13 years under 80kg: Tariq Stelmacher (gold).

Male 17/18 years under 60kg: Jeremy Fredericks (gold), Granville Olkers (silver).

Male 15/16 years under 56kg: Judrihano Thuys (gold), Olaf Vries (silver), Alex Carballo (bronze).

Male 16/17 years under 76kg: Quin Stelmacher (gold), Cerano Saunderson (silver).

Senior Male under 60kg: Ian Esau (gold trophy and best senior male), Judrihano Thuys (silver), Erastus Kalumbu (bronze), Dylan Britz (bronze).

Senior Male under 70kg: Vatiraije Tjitueja (gold), Irne Augustino (silver).

Senior Male under 80kg: Rowan Esau (gold), Joao Bastos (silver).

Senior Male under 76kg: Joao Sambo Capito (gold).

Senior Male under 90kg: Johan Pieterse (gold).

Masters Male under 100kg: Henry Cookson (gold).

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Company news in brief

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Company news in brief

Vedanta's H1 profit jumps 37%

Diversified miner Vedanta Resources, owner of Skorpion Zinc in Namibia, said its half-year profit rose 37.4%, helped by higher commodity prices and production.

Vedanta said on Friday that earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rose to US$1.69 billion in the six months ended Sept. 30, from US$1.23 billion, a year ago.

The company, which mines zinc in India, South Africa and Namibia, reported a near 80% jump in operating profit from its zinc business, helped by a 42.1% jump in total zinc content mined in India. Zinc prices rose on average by more than 33% in the six months to Sept. 30. – Nampa/Reuters

ArcelorMittal upbeat after strong Q3

ArcelorMittal, the world's largest producer of steel on Friday reported a better-than-expected core profit in the third quarter and said it was upbeat about 2018. Core profit rose by 1.4% in the third quarter to US$1.92 billion.

The group repeated its forecast for global apparent steel consumption, which takes into account inventory levels, to increase by 2.5% to 3% in 2017 compared to last year.

Because of the improved market conditions, ArcelorMittal said it would now invest US$2 billion in working capital in 2017, compared with a previous forecast of US$1.5 billion. – Nampa/Reuters

SA's Telkom earnings disappoint

Telkom SA, South Africa's biggest landline provider, said on Friday half-year earnings fell 7.4% due to lower revenues, impacted by pricing pressures in the wholesale environment.

Telkom said its headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the six months to end September fell to 303.9 cents from 328.2 cents. HEPS are the main profit gauge in South Africa and exclude certain one-off and non-trading items.

The group declared an interim dividend of 118.1 cents per share, down 9.9%. – Nampa/Reuters

US begins Madoff fund payout

The US government said it has begun distributing US$772.5 million from a US$4.05 billion fund to compensate victims of Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme, ending a nearly nine-year wait for thousands of people to start recouping their losses.

A total of 24 631 checks from the Madoff Victim Fund are being mailed to individuals, government entities, schools, charities, and pension and retirement plans in 49 US states, Washington, D.C., and 119 other countries.

Madoff, 79, is serving a 150-year prison term for running what prosecutors called a US$65 billion Ponzi scheme, which was uncovered in December 2008.

Payouts from the Madoff Victim Fund are eventually expected to go to 37,214 claimants from 124 countries, and whose losses exceeded US$7.5 billion. – Nampa/Reuters

Adidas profits surges on own-brand sales

German sportswear giant Adidas reported a spike in third-quarter profits powered by strong demand for its own-brand products, as it drafted in Victoria Beckham to help boost its struggling Reebok unit.

The Bavarian company, which sponsors English Premier League giants Manchester United, said net profit soared to 526 million euros (US$611 million) between July and September, up 36% on the same period last year.

Adidas continues to expect group sales to grow by 17% to 19% in 2017 to achieve net profit between 1.36 and 1.39 billion euros. – Nampa/AFP

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Blossom in firing line

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Blossom in firing line The Namibia Music Awards executive committee has banned musician Blossom for 12 months because of tribal remarks she had made on social media, which were apparently directed at President Hage Geingob.

The comments were posted on 19 October this year on her private Facebook page.

Blossom, whose real name is Ruusa Munalye, at the weekend refused to comment.

Last week Blossom also lost out on a Bank Windhoek gig where she was due to perform at their fun day.

“Save to say the ban is conditional on the bid that Blossom extends a public apology. Any inaction on Blossom's part of no apology being forthcoming will leave no option but for the executive committee of the NAMAs to extend the ban with another year (sic),” the statement read.

According to NAMAs executive chairperson Umbi Karuaihe-Upi, the awards are a platform that unites all Namibians with the universal language of music, and artists must always strive to serve as role models.

“The NAMAs represent the aspirations of growing nation of Namibia's abundant raw talent and showcase of our diverse cultures all morphed in the musical realm.

“As a nation of diversity, tolerance and harmonious co-existence is the cornerstone of any society and the NAMAs adhere strictly to this ethos,” she said.

“A strong warning needs to be send to all artists that if they wish to associate themselves with the NAMAs, they have a responsibility to behave and completely desist from making tribal, racial remarks or act in a manner that is unbecoming and undignified to the ideals of nation building, because music is about unity.”

JUNE SHIMOUSHILI

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Namport worker killed in freak accident

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Namport worker killed in freak accident A Namport employee sustained serious injuries to his legs while directing a forklift and died three days later in hospital.

According to the investigations coordinator of the Erongo police, Detective Inspector Daniel Gurirab, the deceased, Sackeus Amulungu (53), was busy directing the truck and reach stacker (forklift) when the accident occurred on Wednesday.

“As he was directing the forklift, it knocked him over. The forklift then drove over him causing serious injuries to his legs. The deceased was rushed to the Welwitschia private hospital for medical treatment,” said Gurirab.

Amulungu died on Saturday. A case of culpable homicide is being investigated by the police.

JESSICA BOTES

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City seeks water reclamation partner

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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City seeks water reclamation partnerPrivate investment needed for N$1.1 billion plant The Windhoek municipality is considering a public-private partnership in the planned establishment of a second water reclamation plant for the capital. The City of Windhoek is investigating the option of getting a private partner for the planned development of a new water reclamation plant.

According to City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya the planned facility is estimated to cost N$1.1 billion.

Amutenya emphasised that it would be premature to reveal any details.

“It will be premature to get into details on the financing at the moment, but we will certainly look at a PPP arrangement but have not concluded since a few other options are also being pursued. The process might commence in 2018, but it is dependent on other factors,” said Amutenya. She would not be drawn into commenting on the other options the City was investigating.

The old Gammams water works on Otjomuise Road would be kept in operation in addition to the new facility, Amutenya said.

City engineer Sebastian Husselmann last week told the Namibia Press Agency that the reasoning behind the construction of the new plant was to bring down the City's expenditure on water. An estimated N$200 to N$300 million is spent on buying water from NamWater annually, Husselmann said.

“We found there is potential to increase our capacity to reclaim water, and this is one of our transformational strategic objectives to reduce our reliance on NamWater as bulk supplier of potable water,” said Husselmann.

According to him, the construction of a new reclamation plant could take between two and five years.

“The process of securing funding and the subsequent tendering might take a year or two before construction can commence,” he said.

OGONE TLHAGE

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Iran wants stronger business ties with Nam

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Iran wants stronger business ties with NamKeen on local beef Areas of cooperation include the agricultural, industrial, fishing and health sectors.

GOBABIS – Iranian ambassador to Namibia, Dr. Seyed Vahid Karimi, has called on local business to explore opportunities for investment and cooperation with their counterparts in his country.

Iran has a lot to offer Namibia and local entrepreneurs should seize the opportunity, Karimi said during a consultative meeting Thursday at Gobabis. He visited the town on invitation of the local chapter of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI).

About 20 entrepreneurs attended the gathering.

Karimi said relations between the two countries predate Namibia’s independence in 1990. Iran is keen to further these relations with Namibia, he said.

Areas of cooperation include the agricultural, industrial, fishing and health sectors.

“We currently import our beef from Brazil and could do the same with Namibia if the business environment is mutually beneficial and conducive,” he said. - Nampa

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Records break at Khomas Field Year-End Shoot

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Records break at Khomas Field Year-End Shoot

The Windhoek Field Archery Club hosted the Khomas Field Year-End Shoot at their archery range at Heja Game Lodge last weekend.

A statement from the club on Thursday said with hot summer weather and gusting winds, the archers from across the nation shot three different rounds of 28 targets to end the 2017 season with a number of records smashed.

The statement said Namibia's last cub archer, Nanda Schoeman, closed the year off with a bang, leaving the division with a record that had stood since 2011.

Schoeman hopes to bring home a medal as a junior field archer at next year's World Championship in South Africa.

The record breakers during the event were Frank Reddig in the adult male bowhunter recurve with 235 on the field round; CF Brandt in the junior male freestyle recurve (JMFS) with 438 on the field round and Liezl Schoeman, adult female bowhunter unlimited with 506 on the hunter round. Nanda Schoeman in the cub female freestyle unlimited with 477 on the hunter round, CF Brandt in the JMFS with 456 on the hunter round and Dirk de Bod Jr. in the JMFU with 540 on hunter round joined them.

The winners were as follows:

Adult Female Bowhunter Unlimited:

1st place - Liezl Schoeman

2nd place - Mel Rossler

Adult Male: Bowhunter Unlimited:

1st place - Rene Rossler

Freestyle Unlimited:

1st place - Louan Groenewald

2nd place - Jannie Meuwesen

Bowhunter Recurve:

1st place: Frank Reddig

Cubs (under 13 age groups) FemaleArchers/Freestyle Unlimited:

1st place - Nanda Schoeman

Junior (ages 13-17)

Female archers/Freestyle Unlimited:

1st place: Lindie Schoeman

Freestyle Recurve: 1st place: Quinn Reddig

Male archers: Freestyle Recurve:

1st place: CF Brandt

Freestyle Unlimited:

1st place: Dirk de Bod, Jr.

2nd place: Gideon Brink (Veteran: aged 55 and older)

Male/Bowhunter Unlimited:

1st place: Anton Zietsman

Freestyle Unlimited:

1st place: Dirk de Bod, Sr.

NAMPA

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Naidjala to face Magwaca on 25 November

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Naidjala to face Magwaca on 25 November

Immanuel 'Prince' Naidjala's fight with Mzuvukile 'Old Bones' Magwaca from South Africa will finally take place at the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre (ICC) in Kimberley, South Africa on 25 November.

The fight was confirmed in a media statement issued by the MTC Nestor Sunshine Boxing and Fitness Academy on Wednesday, following its postponement at the beginning of October due to unforeseen circumstances.

Magwaca is the current International Boxing Federation (IBF) Intercontinental Bantamweight Champion and the World Boxing Federation Champion in the same division.

He will only put his IBF title on the line against Naidjala.

Magwaca has 22 fights, 19 wins and three draws and has never tasted defeat before while Naidjala has 27 fights, 23 wins, three losses and one draw.

Naidjala's last fight, in April this year, saw the Namibian boxer losing his World Boxing Organisation Inter-Continental Bantamweight title to South African boxer Siboniso Gonya after losing on a unanimous decision.

“I still have a lot of boxing left in me. I am focused and training hard all thanks to my team because a win in Kimberley is not negotiable,” said an upbeat Naidjala.

Naidjala's promoter and trainer, Nestor Tobias, said it was good news that the fight was finally taking place.

“This will definitely be a massive fight to watch against two talented bantamweight contenders and a win for Naidjala is exactly what we have planned,” said Tobias.

NAMPA

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Seeing double with the Katupose twins

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Seeing double with the Katupose twinsTwins juggling work and play locally There have been quite a lot of footballers who have emulated their fathers or siblings in becoming professional players, however, twins in football are quite the rarity, especially in Namibia.

This is because in some instances one twin has the skill and the other doesn't. This however is not the case with 29-year-old Katupose twins who hail from Opuwo, the capital of the Kunene Region.

Both of them started playing football at a young age, kicking balls made from old plastic bags. Dribbling past older boys and earning themselves the reputation of being the twins who embarrasses older boys on the field.

This is how they crafted their skills and dribbled their way from the town they grew up in; to the capital city where Muna studied to become a teacher and currently teaches at Moses Garoeb Primary School and Tara joined the Namibian police force.

Jobs which they enjoy as it has opened many doors for them, Muna said that he feels inspired as the pupil he teaches looks up to him on and off the field. With young girls even wishing to play football because they are mesmerised with his skills on the field.

Tara said that he is part of the police football team as well as the regional team. “Everyone respects me and ask me for advice on how we can better the team,” he said.

The twins have a lot to be grateful for saying the Tertiary Institutes Sports Association of Namibia (TISAN) games opened doors for them to join local clubs and to make a name for themselves.

They then went on to join local teams like Oshakati City, Eleven Arrows, African Stars, Black Africa and currently Unam FC.

“It seems like the we are following each other but coaches enjoy having us in their teams, maybe to confuse rivals,” said Tara jokingly.

Asked what the most memorable moment was in his football career Tara said that it was his first match for the Brave Warriors.

“We played Zambia and I came on as a substitute. I was so hungry to prove myself that I had a great match which the fans enjoyed.

“Also when we played Ethiopia in the Africa Cup of Nations, I was on the bench. My brother played and scored the qualifying goal. I will never forget that day because I also scored through him,” Tara narrates.

Muna recently also ensured that Namibia qualifies for 2018 Chan which will be played in Morocco, after he scored a brace against after coming in as a substitute.

“It was a memorable and keeps motivating me to better on and off the field. When I am not playing football, I coach the school football team. The learners look up to me, even the girls want to play the game because of me,” he said.

However, even though he enjoys playing football he said that he faces the challenge when he has to choose between his job and his first love football.

“There is time where the school needs me but at the same time national team duty calls, I want to do both. But at the end of the day, I have to make sacrifices. In that vein he urges young people to put education first because football is a very short career and one cannot rely on it to make a career.

He further said that he wants to stop playing for the national team after four years. Saying that he will focus on club football, giving him the time to spent with his family, focus on his career and his hobby, farming.

The twins also agree the government should do more to uplift sport in the country by offering sports scholarships for youth who are doing well in sports.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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The most dangerous country for girls

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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The most dangerous country for girlsNamibia a world leader in sexual violence For teenage girls, Namibia is the most violent country in the world, a new Unicef report shows. Namibia is the country with the most emotional, physical or sexual violence against teenage girls, according to a new study.

In Namibia, 59% of girls aged 15 to 19 years have experienced emotional, physical or sexual violence at the hands of their husbands or boyfriends in the last 12 months.

That is the highest rate of all the countries included in a survey by the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef).

The second highest rating is in Equatorial Guinea, where 56% of girls experienced violence from their husbands or partners.

The Legal Assistance Centre's (LAC) Dianne Hubbard says there is Namibia-specific research which supports concern about the serious levels of violence affecting children in Namibia, including sexual abuse.

“It seems strange that this problem is not being treated as an emergency in Namibia. About a third of reported rapes in Namibia consistently involve child victims, including some very young children, and this is probably just the tip of the iceberg,” she said.

“We should not be surprised that Namibia is a violent society – as manifested by domestic violence, interpersonal violence between men and even the recklessness on our roads that regularly leads to such carnage – if children are regularly exposed to violence and abuse.

“If we truly wanted to make Namibia more peaceful, we should be starting with protecting children from harm.”

She adds that although parliament passed the Child Care and Protection Act in early 2015, the law is not yet in force because the finalisation of the accompanying regulations does not seem to be enjoying high political priority.

Protecting the vulnerable

“We are aware of child rape victims who do not get the assistance they deserve from the police. We have seen recent press reports of alleged abuse and corruption in at least one child's home.

“It seems that Namibia could be showing much more commitment to protect the most vulnerable members of our society,” Hubbard says.

Many children are also indirectly affected by violence in the home.

According to Unicef, one in four children (176 million) under the age of five worldwide live with a mother who has been a recent victim of intimate partner violence.

In Namibia, 28% of children under four years old live with a mother who has experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence committed by a husband or partner during the past 12 months.

It was also found that 22% of males aged 15 to 49 in Namibia consider a husband justified in beating his wife for reasons that include burning food, arguing with the man, going out without telling him, and neglecting the children.

Furthermore, 28% of females aged 15 to 49 consider a husband to be justified in beating his wife for the same reasons. The report also says that children are at greatest risk of exposure to sexual violence within the context of close relationships.

In Namibia girls aged 15 to 19 are mostly raped by a current or former husband, partner or boyfriend. A total of 28% of former or current partners, husbands or boyfriends are responsible for these rapes in Namibia.Meanwhile, 26% of the time, 15 to 19-year-olds are raped by strangers in Namibia, while 12% of the time, relatives force girls to have sex and 9% of the time, it is a friend or an acquaintance that rapes the girls. According to the report, 1% of women aged between 18 and 29 experience sexual violence as a child in Namibia.

Compared to Cameroon this is very low where 16% of women experience sexual violence.

Rape epidemic

However, according to the statistics, 7% of girls between the ages of 15 to 19 are raped every year in Namibia.

Statistics compiled by Namibian Sun from crime reports indicate that at least 70 rape cases involving children were reported from the middle of April to the end of October. According to statistics from the Namibian police, a total of 11 boys were raped in 2013, 27 in 2014, 24 in 2015 and last year, 22 were raped. With regards to girls, 380 girls were raped in 2013, 407 were raped in 2014, 406 in 2015 and 384 in 2016.

In terms of violence, Unicef says five in 100 000 children between the ages of 10 to 19 are killed every year in Namibia. Boys are four times more likely to be killed than girls.

In Namibia, eight boys per 100 000 die in homicides while two girls per 100 000 are killed.

According to local police statistics, 74 minors were murdered in 2015, of which 44 were killed with some sort of weapon, 12 with firearms, one with poison, and 17 by other means.

“Although girls and boys are at risk of sexual violence at any age, girls become particularly vulnerable after puberty. Worldwide, the most recent surveys indicate that nine million girls aged 15 to 19 were forced into sexual intercourse or other sexual acts within the past year,” the report says.

It adds that a key reason why violence against children remains hidden is the reluctance of many victims to disclose their abuse, seek help to cope with the experience, or take action to protect them from further victimisation.

ELLANIE SMIT

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Man maintains innocence in lover's death

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Man maintains innocence in lover's death

A Keetmanshoop man accused of killing his girlfriend about four years ago is persisting in claiming innocence, saying he was not present went the murder took place.

Andrew Britz last week told High Court Judge Christie Liebenberg that there was no problem between him and the victim, Juliana Sarvanda Garises, also known as Moekie.

“There was no problem between me and Moekie. I do not know why State witnesses are accusing me of being involved because I was not there when she was stabbed,” he said.

Britz (58)is charged with murdering Garises in a fit of rage after she had ended their relationship. He is accused of having stabbed Garises eight times in her neck, upper body and arms in Krönlein, Keetmanshoop, between 11 and 12 December 2013.

Britz testified that the owner of the house where the murder was committed, Christiana Minnies, had instructed Garises's former boyfriend, Petrus Pous Swartbooi, not to come to her home “because she didn't want problems”.

“It was at the time when the romantic relationship between me and the late Garises started,” he said.

He added that Swartbooi was constantly threatening Garises whenever he walked past her house.

“I always told Moekie not to respond to the threats as I understand that the man was not satisfied by the fact that she ended their relationship and started dating me,” Britz claimed.

Britz further testified that he found Swartbooi at the victim's house on the day of the murder.

Swartbooi reportedly told him that she was not at home.

Garises later emerged with no injuries, Britz testified. At that point, he said, Garises asked him politely to go to his house and come back the next day.

Last week the senior medical officer at the Keetmanshoop State Hospital, Dr Maksym Verkusha, who performed the post-mortem, told the court that three stab wounds to Garises's chest penetrated the chest cavity and led to more than 200ml blood loss, which killed her.

The trial continues.

FRED GOEIEMAN

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SSC appoints asset managers for external portfolio

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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SSC appoints asset managers for external portfolioN$2.5 billion under management Allan Gray Namibia, Investec Asset Management, Prudential Investment Managers and Namibia Asset Management will manage the SSC’s external portfolio from the beginning of 2018. Social security funds will be invested offshore … for the first time in the history of the SSC. - Milka Mungunda, CEO: SSC

The Social Security Commission (SSC) board last week appointed four independent investment management firms to manage its external portfolio which amounts to N$2.5 billion.

The companies are Allan Gray Namibia, Investec Asset Management, Prudential Investment Managers, and Namibia Asset Management.

Speaking at a media conference, SSC chief executive officer Milka Mungunda said the appointment, which is effective from January 2018, comes after an extensive investment policy review exercise in 2016.

Mungunda said the new investment policy which was approved by line minister, balances the SSC’s desire to preserve the investable assets in an uncertain investment universe, which presents potential growth opportunities.

She added that a broader asset and geographic portfolio allocation approach was adopted and will be implemented by the appointed investment managers under the new mandates.

“Social security funds will be invested offshore, outside Namibia and South Africa, for the first time in the history of the SSC,” said Mungunda.

She confirmed that the SSC had advertised for investment management services and linked investment services providers, explaining that the process of appointing independent investment managers was a vigorous evaluation and included various criteria.

The process of adjudication and evaluation after 20 bids were received, was handled by the investment committee with the support of independent investment consultant, Selekane Asset Consultants.

Investment managers were selected according to their investment staff depths, consistency of investment philosophy and long term performance track records among other criteria, she said.

Mungunda said the commission, with the support of their investment consultant, will develop the incubation policy to consider Namibian majority-owned investment managers.

“The SSC remains confident that the asset managers will deliver on the investment policy standard and the board’s expectation of preventing capital loss and to earn returns in excess of the agreed benchmarks,” she said. - Nampa

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Namibia tables anti-trafficking bill

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Namibia tables anti-trafficking bill

In an effort to shore up efforts to combat human trafficking in Namibia the ministry of gender equality and child welfare tabled the Trafficking in Persons Bill last week.

Minister Doreen Sioka on Thursday told parliament that out of 15 SADC countries, Namibia is one of only two that did not have stand-alone legislation to tackle human trafficking.

She said while there were some legislative and other provisions pertaining to human trafficking and related crimes, they were not comprehensive.

The Trafficking in Persons Bill “is of great importance to the protection of human rights in Namibia” she said, urging the National Assembly to support the bill.

The bill is aimed at preventing and combating human trafficking, providing for prosecutions of persons who committed human trafficking offences and appropriate penalties as well as providing measures for the protection and assistance of trafficking victims. According to the 2017 US State Department's Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report released in June, Namibia “does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. However, it is making significant efforts to do so.”

The report, which was met with some government scepticism, found that Namibia was, as reported over the past five years, “a source and destination country for children, and to a lesser extent women, subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking.”

The report noted that Namibian children were “subjected to forced labour in agriculture, cattle herding and domestic service, and to sex trafficking in Windhoek and Walvis Bay.”

The report referred to a 2015 media report which alleged that foreign sex tourists from southern Africa and Europe exploited child sex-trafficking victims in Namibia.

Stacey Sutton, a consul at the US embassy in Windhoek, who worked on the TIP report, told Namibian Sun that the report was “a collaborative effort and not a combative one as is sometime portrayed, and we have been pleased with the collaboration of the Namibian government.”

Sutton explained that the report's recommendations were based on tailored best practices gleaned from around the world, including the United States.

“In the best case, the TIP report is a stepping-off point for a dialogue between the US government and the host nation as we both seek to address TIP as a global problem that requires a global solution.”

The goal of the report is to work with each country, including governments and relevant NGOs, “to provide the most accurate account of the state of human trafficking in the country and share global best practices.”

The 2017 TIP report stated that Namibia continued with anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, including efforts to review the human trafficking bill.

The report recommended that the government finalise and enact “comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation” and increase efforts to investigate, prosecute and convict traffickers, including for forced labour.

Other recommendations were that Namibia should adopt and implement a draft national mechanism to identify victims and refer them to care, as well as allocate additional resources for shelter services, including to develop a plan to fully operationalise renovated safe houses specifically for trafficking victims.

On Thursday, Sioka explained that in order to effectively coordinate the anti-trafficking efforts in Namibia, a multi-stakeholder national committee was established, chaired by the minister of International relations and cooperation.

Sutton explained that essentially the TIP report provided a vehicle “for good information to translate into life-saving action by government and non-government stakeholders in the fight against the scourge of human trafficking.”

JANA-MARI SMITH

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Man dies in hit-and-run accident

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: PDM tears into mid-year budget

≪ Previous: Namibia tables anti-trafficking bill

Man dies in hit-and-run accident The police are looking for the drivers of three vehicles involved in a hit-and-run accident that killed a pedestrian on the road between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay on Saturday.

According to the investigations coordinator of the Erongo police, Detective Inspector Daniel Gurirab, the deceased, John Robinson (38), was walking along the main road looking for a lift to Walvis Bay at around 03:00 when he was struck.

“The family members of the deceased allege that on Friday the deceased, his two sisters and his two young daughters travelled from Walvis Bay to Long Beach until the early hours of Saturday morning.

“At about 03:00 the deceased allegedly walked to the main road to look for a lift back to Walvis Bay. The rest of the family stayed at Long Beach. While walking along the B2 road he was allegedly hit and run over by a small white pick-up. The two sedan cars which were following the pick-up drove over the deceased as well.

“All the vehicles were travelling from Swakopmund towards Walvis Bay. The three drivers allegedly stopped and after they found out that they drove over a person, they fled the scene. The police are requesting the three drivers or their passengers to urgently contact the police in order to obtain their explanations and eventually solve the matter,” said Gurirab.

According to him the drivers are facing charges of culpable homicide and failure to ascertain the extent of injuries or damages sustained and to render the necessary assistance.

The accident occurred about 15km from Walvis Bay and the deceased was only identifiable by his ID card which was found at the scene.

“The deceased's body parts were collected and transported to the police mortuary for a post-mortem examination,” said Gurirab.

Anyone with information pertaining to the accident can contact Deputy Commissioner Erastus Iikuyu on 081 246 4757 or the nearest police station.

JESSICA BOTES

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PDM tears into mid-year budget

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Bafana fail to qualify for World Cup

≪ Previous: Man dies in hit-and-run accident

PDM tears into mid-year budgetSmit slams 'lack of financial control' The official opposition says the midyear budget will fail to serve its intended purposes.

Popular Democratic Movement parliamentarian Nico Smit has poked holes into the mid-term budget recently tabled by finance minister Calle Schlettwein.

A lack of financial controls on the side of accounting officers, misguided growth estimates, an upward revision in spending for the remainder of the financial year, a continually growing public sector wage bill and a reduction in the capital budget summed up how Smit said the budget would fail to serve its intended purposes. According to Smit, the government's expectation that a rebound in commodity prices would spur growth for 2018 and beyond was misguided. This was because the anticipated increase was futile in Smit's opinion and also because commodity prices were often not driven by the fundamentals of supply and demand, but by speculative traders.

Gross domestic product (GDP) estimates were revised upwards by 2.9% in this year's mid-term budget, solely on an anticipated recovery in the mining and agricultural sectors.

“As a sector, agriculture's contribution to GDP is too small to make a significant impact so it must be assumed that most of the optimism and hope of revival is based on the mining sector,” Schlettwein said.

Smit believed that the recovery in the mining sector was not a given, however. “Commodity cycles over the past 24 months have shown that they are vulnerable to speculative trading. While it is not unreasonable to expect a gradual recovery, bargaining on a 3% increase is futile,” Smit said.

According to him, even if commodity prices were to increase across the board by a margin of 3%, Namibia is a primary producer of only five mineral commodities and could not bank on a corresponding increase in foreign earnings.

The revenues that would then be generated from the fishing and agricultural sectors were also too small in his opinion. “Unfortunately earnings from fish and agricultural commodities are too small to counter the relatively large swings in commodity prices,” Schlettwein said.

This, he said, did not justify an estimated annual growth rate announced in the mid-term budget.

No fiscal consolidation measures were mentioned in the mid-term budget. This was a case of Schlettwein developing cold feet, Smit felt.

“What was the use then of announcing a N$5 billion expenditure cut last year, continuing the stance in this year's main budget, only to reverse all the gains by asking this House now permission to spend N$4.5 billion?” Smit asked.

A revision in spending priorities would now push government's debt consolidation framework out by several years, Smit said.

Schlettwein had informed the National Assembly in August that the government had honoured invoices due to its service providers, the bulk of which were for construction and medical services. However, Smit said it was disconcerting to learn from Schlettwein that about N$2.2 billion of the requested additional expenditure would be to pay outstanding invoices, despite an announcement by Schlettwein that the government had fulfilled its obligations to service providers. This was in Smit's opinion a failure in financial control.

This, Smit said, was an indication of irresponsible behaviour on the part of accounting officers in the ministry of finance.

Smit further took issue with ministry of finance decision to suspend spending from the capital budget. The capital budget, Smit explained, reflected capital invested in government operations to ensure growth.

“When this investment is impeded, the growth potential of the economy is limited. The problems we experienced in 2016 will just re-manifest in 2019 and beyond,” Smit said, adding: “These suspensions are a very clear way of coating a very bitter pill with a thin veneer of sugar, to hide the prolonged damage to the economy.” The spending revisions were in Smit's opinion cosmetic and of no consequence as the majority were from the capital budget.

“The N$500 million real suspensions all come from the capital budget and they will have an impact in a year or two,” Smit stressed.

Smit had observed “incomprehensible adjustments” to the budget reallocations announced by Schlettwein in his mid-term budget.

“In the vote for home affairs and immigrations, remuneration has increased by a hugely significant amount of N$35 million. Where are the new staff members in this ministry that merit such a hefty increase in the wage bill?” Smit asked.

The vote for health and social services also provided an amusing example of budgetary gymnastics, Smit said. “Remuneration has gone up by exactly N$1 million. Wage bills do not increase by rounded figures, and so this is indicative that a minister has requested an additional N$1 million without discretion. What difference does N$1 million make when the wage bill already runs at N$3 billion,” Smit wanted to know.

OGONE TLHAGE

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Bafana fail to qualify for World Cup

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Mane, Salah among BBC's African Player of the Year nominees

≪ Previous: PDM tears into mid-year budget

Bafana fail to qualify for World Cup South Africa's national football team has once again failed to qualify for a major tournament.

Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter insisted after their 2-0 loss to Senegal that his mandate was not qualifying for the 2018 Fifa World Cup as calls for his head gathers momentum.

“My mandate was never about 'qualify for the World Cup or you go home'. I want to make sure that's we are making progress,” Baxter told the media after the game.

Bafana fell to first-half goals inspired by Liverpool's Sadio Mane where he set up Diafro Sakho for the opener and forced Thamsanqa Mkhize to put the ball in his own net.

Baxter is the first Bafana coach to fail at two attempts to get the nation to a World Cup after failing to do so for the Germany 2006 edition

“I've seen some of the performances that we need to move more quickly. We need to make progress,” he said.

“We need to have everyone backing in the country, including Safa and that's the only way we'll get better,” Baxter said. The win booked a World Cup ticket for the first time since 2002 for the Teranga Lions. With a return match set for tomorrow in Dakar against Bafana; it will be all about pride.

“I want to look at the log first and see. Do we have a chance to be better than us?

“If that's the case we'll play our strong side and try to win this game. I don't think we had a lack of effort from the players. I may give a chance to a few lads who work very hard and haven't had game-time.

“It's a dead-rubber. It's about pride for the shirt and pride for the results of the country. So we will go and do the best we can,” Baxter said.

GOAL.COM

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Mane, Salah among BBC's African Player of the Year nominees

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Romano van Wyk shines at awards

≪ Previous: Bafana fail to qualify for World Cup

Mane, Salah among BBC's African Player of the Year nominees Liverpool duo Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah were among five nominees named for the BBC's African Footballer of the Year award on Saturday.

Mane's fine form for Liverpool has carried over to the international stage as the winger helped Senegal qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 2002.

Egypt winger Salah has also impressed for club and country.

Salah has 12 goals this season for Liverpool following his move from Roma and it was his late penalty that sent Egypt to the World Cup for the first time since 1990.

Chelsea's Nigeria wing-back Victor Moses, Borussia Dortmund and Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and RB Leipzig's Guinea midfielder Naby Keita make up the rest of the shortlist.

Aubameyang became the first African to top the Bundesliga's scoring charts outright with 31 goals last season.

Keita, who has agreed to join Liverpool at the end of this season, made the Bundesliga team of the year as his club were surprise qualifiers for the Champions League.

Moses has thrived under Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, becoming a key figure at right wing-back for the Premier League title winners last season.

The BBC will announce the award winner on December 11.

NAMPA / AFP

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Romano van Wyk shines at awards

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Russia seeks enhanced local trade

≪ Previous: Mane, Salah among BBC's African Player of the Year nominees

Romano van Wyk shines at awardsDanie Joubert Combined School rewards sport stars Romano van Wyk, a grade 7 learner at the Danie Joubert Combined School in Mariental, scooped the 2017 Sports Star of the Year award at the school's prize-giving ceremony on Thursday evening. Van Wyk was selected for the Namibian under-13 (U-13) Craven Week team, along with Dian de Beer and Antonio Pieters.

He was also taken up in the Confederation of Southern African Schools Sports Association (Cosassa) Games sevens rugby team.

Van Wyk was the first recipient of the award, which replaced the old Sportsman and Sportswoman of the year awards.

The rest of the sports awards:

Chess

Best Female Player: Liliana Kamburute

Best Male Player: Jonas Uusiku

Archery

Best Archer: Wian van Zyl

Marathon:

Ashanti Janser (finished second in the junior female category of the Hangana Hake Run and Ride)

Hiskia Higoam

Victor Hanse Brendon Ixiua

Netbal under-10

Best Player and Goal Shooter: Megan Tsaitsaib

Best Defender: Vistorina Ashipala and Eisha Saal

Best Player: Eisha Saal

Netball under-11

Best Goal Shooter: Chanique Barry

Best Defender: Nikita van Jaarsveld

Best Progress: Liliana Kamburute

Netball under-12

Best Goal Shooter: Ntwala Nkonkwena

Best Defender: Vangee Katjatenja

Best Progress: Chané Maasdorp

Netball under-13

Best Defender: Saladine Motlatla

Best Progress: Da-Eliza Isaak

Best Player: Sandy Mwilima

Rugby under-10

Best Forward Player: Darrel Witbooi

Best Backline Player: Blessing Kooper

Best Progress: Corne Roelofse

Rugby under-11

Best Forward Player: Josia Katrol

Best Backline Player: Romeo Engelbrecht

Best Progress: Dellan Narib

Best Player: Ajay van Wyk

Rugby under-13

Best Frontline Player: Dian De Beer

Best Backline Player: Lee Motinga and Romano van Wyk

Best Progress: Roberto Panizza and Nduduzo Phiri

Best Player: Daniel van Zyl and Romano van Wyk

Rugby under-13 Craven Week Select: Dian de Beer, Antonio Pieters, Romano van Wyk

Under-13 Cosassa Sevens Team: Roman van Wyk.

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Russia seeks enhanced local trade

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: I don't have to answer to you

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Russia seeks enhanced local tradeCommittee meets on investment opportunities In a bid to strengthen and increase trade volumes, a high-level Russian delegation will meet with their Namibia counterparts in Windhoek this week. Russia has always been clear in its desire for stronger trade with Namibia but this appears not to have been realised to its full potential. - Embassy of the Russian Federation

Staff reporter - The seventh session for the Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation between Namibia and Russia will take place in Windhoek on Wednesday and Thursday.

Established in 2006 and officially opened by the then Russian minister of natural resources, Yuri Trutnev, the commission’s mandate is to establish stronger trade relations between the two countries, the Embassy of the Russian Federation said in a statement.

Trutnev, now Russia’s deputy prime minister, will again lead the delegation and is appointed as co-chair of the committee.

Historically, Russia and Namibia have shared good relations which stem as far back as the liberation struggle. To date, these relations continue and are reflected in the appointment of Trutnev, a very high-level government official, to the committee, the statement said.

“Russia has always been clear in its desire for stronger trade with Namibia but this appears not to have been realised to its full potential. In May of this year, trade between Namibia and Russia was described as ‘unimpressive’ by Trutnev during an official visit to Namibia,” the embassy said.

In 2016, trade between Namibia and Russia amounted to US$24 million.

‘Much to offer’

“Russia has much to offer Namibia in terms of trade and other exchanges. Much like South Africa with the sanctions during the apartheid years, Russia too had to find her own solutions while the iron curtain was still in existence. Russia’s expertise in engineering and medical research is recognised as world-class and the country just recently rolled out the first test vaccine against the Ebola virus in Guinea,” according to the statement.

The country has a vast and vibrant manufacturing sector and while its main exports are oil, gas, coal and petroleum products, its machine-building industry is the third largest export sector, second only to agriculture.

Russian railway equipment, parts and components are high in demand across the world as are its appliances. The country’s leading manufacturer in this regard, RM Rail, was able to specially manufacture, for Cuban conditions, sugar hoppers, covered cars and platforms for that country’s rail industry. Mill machinery, vending machines, telemetry and remote quality control systems are highly valued in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Poland.

Agricultural giant

In 2016, 120.7 million tonnes of grains were harvested of which more than half was wheat. This year, estimates are that more than 700 000 tonnes of sugar will be exported. The country is able to almost meet its internal demand for sugar beet having harvested five million tonnes last year.

There is vast support from the government for the agricultural sector and the State’s Agricultural Products Export Project, created to ensure international certification of quality, ensure certification at global standards, of agricultural products in Russia.

During the upcoming session in Windhoek, several meetings in various sectors will be held and meetings will take place with the leadership of AgriBusDev. Here they will be introduced to specialist Russian fertiliser known to provide exceptional results in difficult, dry climates.

Manufacturing

The country also manufactures a wide range of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals.

Axion, a Russian manufacturer, is aggressive in terms of marketing its products, including products for cardiology, neonatology, resuscitation, surgery and physiotherapy for exports. All products are ISO 9001-2001 certified. Again, with major government support into this industry, new products and innovations are continuously being developed.

“Specialist equipment has saved the lives of more than 3.5 million children in the past 20 years and at a recent unveiling of these machines to foreign audiences, interest was expressed from both representatives in the EU as well as several Asian and African countries,” according to the embassy.

The country has a large metalworking industry, providing both single parts and billets, rolled non-ferrous items and even complete pieces such as railroad or highway bridges. EVRAZ Metallurgical Holdings drives exports in this regard with markets in Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa and pockets in Europe, India and the Middle East.

The Rostech Corporation, another metal parts manufacturing firm in Russia, ships titanium forgings to both Boeing and Airbus.

Russia’s metalwork products are shipped to far and wide. The Commonwealth of Independent States receives 35% of all exported goods, 25% goes to Eastern Europe, 14% to Western Europe, while the Middle East receives 10% and North Africa, 9%.

Interestingly, Russian timber products are exported worldwide where wood is a scarce resource. It is one of the few countries in the world where the number of new trees is higher than the number harvested for timber products.

Geingob

During May, when Trutnev met with President Hage Geingob in Windhoek, he said that although the 2016 trade volume halved compared to the 2015 figures, the two countries are doing well in other areas of cooperation.

“Russia has increased its quota for Namibian students and in the military technical field as well as tourism, good progress has been made. It would be beneficial to expand this trade to other fields including energy, agriculture and mining.”

Geingob welcomed an expansion in both trade and cooperation with Russia, and invited investors from that country to invest in the local uranium industry, saying Namibia has nuclear energy potential.

“Government will be willing to facilitate. We will be willing to see how we can also benefit from that. The doors are open. We have of the highest uranium resources in the world. We need someone who needs this resource, adds value to it and can use it,” the statement quoted Geingob.

Namibia’s dependency on imported energy and the excessively high costs associated with importing the electricity have recently been highlighted in the local media. Russia, as a world leader in nuclear energy would be keen to invest into Namibia in this regard, the embassy said.

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I don't have to answer to you

November 12, 2017, 2:00 pm

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I don't have to answer to you I love my job. I enjoy it a lot. I enjoy telling my readers about the stance of football, rugby, cricket and whatever else it is that makes them tick about sports.

However, it's very disappointing when I come across a road block when trying to report on a certain topic at hand. I don't enjoy it when administrators or certain people holding public office refuse to comment on matters or refuse to make matters clear.

I ask myself the question whether these individuals know that people put them in these positions and at the end of the day they have to answer to this particular people.

It is very unprofessional when you send text messages, emails or call certain sports administrators and after giving them amble time to respond, they still decide not to.

It is beyond me that people still think that refusing to make statements clear and talking to journalist will put them in hot water.

You will never be in hot water if the truth is behind you.

The other day I called a certain chairperson. The particular individual who I have been trying to get hold of on two occasions to enquire about a certain issue, the first time I phone, this individual refused to pick up the phone even after I left several messages.

In this messages I sort of sound like a desperate person, you know, overdoing the politeness and all. You see I have to be polite because I am trying to build a good relationship and to ensure that the communication door is always open anytime. But after a while, politeness flies out the door.

The individual never responded to any of my messages or calls. See I get it, I am not holier than thou so the particular person doesn't owe me a response but you see, I answer to my readers: the people who seek the truth and deserve to know what is going on in the sports fraternity.

These are the people who buy tickets when there are matches and thus fill stadiums. Why then should I not inform them about certain happenings, whether good or bad?

Why then don't we give them the truth and let them decide what to do with the information? But you see not all of us think the same way.

Some of us think that some people are beneath us. Only use and call journalists when there are donations and handovers and then send the very same journalist long speeches but refuse to comment on matters when serious things are happening. That is not fair, is it?

It's like calling someone a friend only when they have food in their kitchen and ignoring them when they need assistance.

As journalists we sometimes face challenges. But this should not be the case. We are here to present the facts as they are. Not to tarnish anyone's reputations or to sell anyone to the dogs.

It's quite easy to be in a relationship with us, all we need are answers and facts on time.

So my advice to sports administrators and those chairing boards, voluntarily or otherwise, let us evolve, renew ourselves, and become more professional in every sense of the word.

Allow us to be the link for common progress between yourselves, athletes and the sport-loving nation of Namibia. In order for sport to grow, there needs to be a quality sport journalism culture surrounding it. It is no longer enough just to narrate and transmit what is being witnessed in a sport event. The commentary must be more critical and interpretive. Allow us to do that. You see nothing can harm you if you are transparent.

We cannot always thumb suck, candy code or plead with people to get the right information to write articles. Avoid feeding us mediocre, third-hand information.

In other words, provide us with comprehensive information on the occurrence of events good or bad and let's take it from there.

limba@namibiansun.com

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