Geingob strikes a conciliatory tone

November 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

Swapo President Hage Geingob struck a conciliatory tone yesterday morning as he vowed to unite the party and repair a badly bruised relationship with his ruling party comrades following a tense succession battle.

Geingob and his preferred candidates emerged victors at the just-ended 6th Swapo congress. Shortly after he was declared the winner of the presidential contest, Geingob preached unity, saying he was ready to work with every party member. “Today is not about saying that this individual has won or that individual has lost,” Geingob said, minutes after embracing his opponents who had joined him on stage. “It is not about saying that this team has won or that team has lost. There are no losers in Swapo. Today, Swapo has won. No matter what the situation, no matter what the moment, no matter what the crisis, Swapo will always emerge victorious,” he said. Geingob encouraged his opponents to turn the moment into victory for all. “Let this be the last congress where the insults exceed ideas. Let this be the last congress where friendship and families are torn apart,” he said. Geingob also commended his running mates, which included newly elected vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa as well as deputy secretary-general Marco Hausiku. “Like the saying goes, 'success is no accident'. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.”

In a show of unity, Geingob's opponents promised to rally behind the new Swapo leadership. Jerry Ekandjo told delegates the time was ripe for the new generation to take over. “I have been a leader for the past 48 years and there will be a time when everything will come to an end for the new generation to take over. Now it is your time to fight the economic struggle,” said Ekandjo. On his part, Nahas Angula also pledged his support for Geingob, saying he will continue to make a humble contribution when called upon.

A visibly emotional Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana paid tribute to her “twin-sister” Nandi-Ndaitwah and assured her continued support. Iivula-Ithana also announced that Team Swapo was officially disbanded.

The other candidates who campaigned under the Team Swapo banner Helmut Angula, Armas Amukwiyu, Petrina Haingura and Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun also appeared gracious throughout the closing ceremony and congratulated the incoming leadership.

JEMIMA BEUKES

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Vote of confidence

November 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Stimulus gets bigger chunk in Cymot

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Vote of confidenceGeingob camp sweep to resounding victory The landslide victory puts Hage Geingob firmly in line for the presidency of the country in 2019.

The bitterly-contested Swapo vote ended in an overwhelming victory for President Hage Geingob and his running mates, while his supporters also made a clean sweep of the powerful central committee.

Geingob's rivals, who include Nahas Angula, Jerry Ekandjo and Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, and other prominent politicians aligned to the now defunct Team Swapo, did not make the cut.

For the presidency, Geingob received a significant 574 votes, while his closest rival Ekandjo got 154. Angula managed a paltry 39 votes. In the vice-presidency contest, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah secured 552 votes compared to the 194 amassed by challenger Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, while Helmut Angula managed a measly 20 votes.

There was also no victory for the youthful Oshikoto coordinator Armas Amukwiyu who was standing against urban and rural development minister Sophia Shaningwa for the secretary-general position. Shaningwa beat Amukwiyu with 523 votes against 243 votes.

The deputy secretary-general contest also saw Marco Hausiku who was a running mate of Geingob clinching a resounding victory against Petrina Haingura and Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun. Hausiku received 545 votes, while Haingura managed 118, with Namundjebo-Tilahun securing 102 votes. Geingob supporters also received thunderous applause and ululations when returning officer Sisa Namandje announced the outcome of the central committee elections just after 05:00 yesterday morning.

Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila was named top of the list with a massive 628 votes, followed by deputy minister of economic planning Lucia Iipumbu and deputy gender minister Lucia Witbooi.

The male list was headed by Hausiku, agriculture minister John Mutorwa, while Geingob who is now an automatic central committee member got 472 votes.

He was followed by former secretary-general Nangolo Mbumba and Pohamba Shifeta.

Geingob and his running mates' campaign was backed by all three wings of the ruling party, namely the youth, elder's and women's council.

His supporters in cabinet also performed relatively well in the central committee election.

The likes of Angula and Ekandjo have in the past topped the Swapo central committee list. However this time around there was also no place for their supporters like former cabinet ministers Richard Kamwi, Isak Katali and current deputy minister of fisheries Chief Samuel Ankama. The likes of Joel Kaapanda, David Namwandi Paulus Kapia failed to make the cut.

Cabinet ministers such Erkki Nghimtina and Immanuel Ngatjizeko are also not part of the new central committee.

Hage's time

Political commentator Graham Hopwood believes the significant Geingob victory was a major vote of confidence within the party. “He will now have the critical confidence to put his foot down and push through policies such as the Harambee Prosperity Plan,” he said.

“This also gives him the mandate to choose his own team so we are likely to see a cabinet reshuffle in the following days. This will certainly improve government's efficiency.

What happened in the last two years was largely influenced by the distraction of this congress.” Another commentator Uazuva Kaumbi said he was surprised by the outcome.

“It was beyond expectation. I thought they would go neck and neck,” said Kaumbi.

“The message of one centre of power certainly went out and the members responded overwhelmingly. But one can see that Swapo is changing now.

If you look at some messages from Team Swapo, it was if Swapo has a traditional support base which is the northern communities. And they thought they could support on that tribal base, but you can see the support base is changing. Keep in mind that for the first time Swapo has a non-Oshiwambo president, in other words he is no longer Pohamba's protégé.

Let us see this as Hage's early Christmas present, but let's hope he does not over celebrate, but that he will take the mandate from the people and extend an olive branch to his opponents. Hopefully they can bury every negative word.”

JEMIMA BEUKES

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Stimulus gets bigger chunk in Cymot

November 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Scientist says pelagic fisheries diminishing

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Stimulus gets bigger chunk in Cymot

Staff reporter - Stimulus Investments Limited (Stimulus) has increased its shareholding in Cymot Investments (Pty) Limited (Cymot) by 6.4%.

The company now holds a 31.5% interest in Cymot, the company said in a statement.

The shares came onto the market as a result of senior management retiring earlier this year.

"In view of transformation and our positive investor relationship with Stimulus over the past 11 years, I am delighted to announce that our BEE status has improved significantly because of the latest transaction," said Axel Theissen, CEO of Cymot.

Josephat Mwatotele, director of Stimulus, said the group is “very are proud to be associated with a truly Namibian group, which was founded in 1948 and today is one of the most popular shopping destinations for many Namibians”.

“Stimulus has been involved with the business on a strategic level and has played an instrumental role in Cymot’s growth over the past 11 years. We believe that the Cymot shares on offer provide an excellent investment opportunity for Stimulus and we look forward to assisting in taking the group to even greater heights in the years to come,” Mwatotele said.

“Despite the current economic challenges affecting the broader retail and wholesale sectors the additional investment in Cymot is an indication of our confidence in the business and its management team,” he said.

Cymot is a leader in supplying quality products in selected niche markets through its distribution centre and network of 12 branches and agencies within Namibia, as well as in South Africa and Angola.

It is the foremost and most popular shopping destination for many Namibians, as concluded in a recent customer perception survey. The Cymot product range includes over 30 000 articles.

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Scientist says pelagic fisheries diminishing

November 26, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Ratings cut? SA's local bonds already trade as junk

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Scientist says pelagic fisheries diminishingJellyfish increasing rapidly An increase in jellyfish means competition for the other species and could even lead to the fast decrease of fish stocks. What is for sure is that the pelagic will diminish; what is not clear is how fast and when exactly it can happen. - Bjorn Erik Axelsen, Dr Fridtjof Nansen Advanced Research Vessel

WALVIS BAY – Chances are high that pelagic fisheries will diminish along the Atlantic coast of Africa, a scientist has concluded.

Pelagic includes small fish such as sardines and herrings as well as bigger fish such as tuna and pilchard.

Norwegian chief scientist Bjorn Erik Axelsen of the Dr Fridtjof Nansen Advanced Research Vessel told reporters at Walvis Bay on Saturday that a survey they are currently conducting detected less pelagic.

The vessel commenced a survey on pelagic in Morocco in May and reached the Port of Walvis Bay this week.

It will conclude the survey in Cape Town, South Africa, in the next few weeks.

Axelsen, however, assured that apart from that finding, there are no other worrying discoveries in the Atlantic, which also covers Namibia.

“What is for sure is that the pelagic will diminish; what is not clear is how fast and when exactly it can happen.”

He added that the survey discovered that the population of jellyfish in the Atlantic coast of Africa increased rapidly.

“The jellyfish population has exceeded far more that of the pelagic,” the scientist said.

He said such an increase will mean competition for the other species and could even lead to the fast diminishing of fish stocks.

“Jellyfish are not that consumable, hence there is little or no use for them; that’s why they have increased fast,” he explained.

Some fish, however, do prey on them.

Axelsen said the challenge is to find a way to harvest and use jellyfish for economic gains.

The internet has unconfirmed reports of jellyfish being eaten in China.

In Israel innovators are allegedly looking at making biodegradable diapers and female hygiene products out of jellyfish.

Axelsen said the survey also found that various fish species are available in abundance, but in deep water where they cannot be caught.

“The use of light can bring some species closer while others go deeper when they see light.”

He explained that the survey aims to understand the behaviours and population of fisheries and implications in order to manage them sustainably.

The Dr Fridtjof Nansen research vessel is described as the third most advanced in the world. - Nampa

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Ratings cut? SA's local bonds already trade as junk

November 26, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Ratings cut? SA's local bonds already trade as junk

S&P Global Ratings cut South Africa’s local currency debt to "junk" status, while Moody’s placed the country on review for a downgrade.

However, the view long held by seasoned emerging bond investors is that the once-prized but inexorably deteriorating emerging market deserves to be treated as junk.

Plagued by corruption, moribund growth, refusal to embrace reform and - most recently - by a budget deficit blowout revealed by finance minister Malusi Gigaba, South African 10-year bonds yield over 9%.

That is well above Indonesia, Romania or Hungary, which carry the same rating from Moody's.

The cost of insuring exposure to South Africa's debt via credit default swaps (CDS) is also higher than peers with the same Moody's rating. Its five-year CDS spread is double Indonesia's, for instance.

"If you look at external debt spreads and CDS, that's pretty much bang on where the average BB credit trades. It's trickier to compare on the local side, but nonetheless it's cheap . . . real yields are among the highest in EM," said Paul Greer, senior trader at Fidelity International.

Correspondingly, South African dollar bonds pay an average premium of 287 basis points over Treasuries, while Indonesia pays 173 bps.

"It feels like time has run out," said Sailesh Lad, senior portfolio manager at AXA Investment Managers who is "underweight" South African debt in his portfolio.

"The budget tells you the debt dynamics are on a worsening trend, the finance minister has not delivered what was anticipated."

Gigaba in October slashed growth forecasts and hiked his budget deficit to 4.3% of gross domestic product from 3.1% in April, pencilling in a big rise in borrowing.

For Lad, this means little policy change can be expected after the ruling ANC party's December conference that will vote to replace its scandal-plagued leader Jacob Zuma.

"Whoever wins in December, the ANC has already dictated what policy is going to be . . . Are you going to see wholesale change? I don't think so," he said.

Cristiana de Alessi, a portfolio manager at BNP Paribas Asset Management, said most of the risks cited by agencies for the sovereign rating had already materialised. For her, the turning point came in March when Zuma sacked respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan without warning.

"The ratings agencies always talked about the strength of the institutions, and you can see a marked deterioration in the Treasury over the past six months or so," she said. – Nampa/Reuters

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Mbidi lauds ministry

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Young African and Gunners in DebMarine final

≪ Previous: Ratings cut? SA's local bonds already trade as junk

Mbidi lauds ministry Namibia Football Association (NFA) president Frans Mbidi has heaped praise on the ministry of sport and the Ghanaian government for making the Cosafa under-20 team trip to Ghana possible.

The team is currently in Ghana preparing for the Cosafa under-20 tournament to be played in Zambia in December.

After a scare that the team might not travel to Zambia due to financial difficulties, Mbidi has assured the public that everything is in place.

“The Ghanaian government did something very good and we are happy about that. This is because we have a good relationship with the country and that is why they agreed to host our team.

“Our ministry also made it possible for the team to go to Ghana and that is something we are grateful about.

“The boys are preparing well in Ghana and I can assure you that this team will do well because most of the boys won the under-17 tournament before,” Mbidi said.

Last year, Namibia had to withdraw from the tournament because of money troubles. The recession also resulted in the under-17 team withdrawing from the Cosafa tournament.

The under-20 team needed around N$1.2 million to travel to South Africa, which they failed to raise.

With the assurance that the team will play in Zambia, there are high hopes that the country can scoop the tournament on foreign soil.

Zambia lifted the trophy last year after beating South Africa 2-1 in the final.

The team is expected back in Namibia by 3 December before flying to Zambia on 6 December for the Cosafa tournament.

JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

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Young African and Gunners in DebMarine final

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Ombelewa yelelo lyaNdonga mOluno ya patwa

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Young African and Gunners in DebMarine finalClubs on their toes for final Young African and Mighty Gunners are set to face each other in the DebMarine Cup final scheduled for the Legare Stadium in Gobabis on Saturday.

The match is expected to draw a large crowd of supporters from both sides as the two clubs both want to make the cup their own.

It's the first time Young African will take part in the prestigious tournament with both clubs having received N$108 000 by the organisers to prepare the teams for the finale.

The Young African coach, Maleagi Ngarizemo, said they would give Gunners a run for their money.

“We are underdogs at the moment and I have spoken to my players to keep a low profile as that is our approach going into the match.

“We have been working hard and are ready and prepared to fight for the title even though three of our key players are injured.”

Gebhardt Hengari, Gunners coach, came very close to winning the cup in 2013 but lost to African Stars.

“We gained a lot of experience from that and know what we have to do. Our opponents have home-ground advantage but we will work hard on the field and I am confident that we will take the cup,” he said.

Hengari predicted that his team would win 2 – 1. In preparing for the match, each team was presented with playing gear which included tops, shorts, socks and tracksuits on Monday. Namibia Football Association (NFA) secretary-general Barry Rukoro thanked the sponsors for helping to host such a prestigious tournament. Rukoro said all logistics were in place for the final, and appealed to football fans to make their way to Gobabis and witness the two teams fight it out for the first prize of N$500 000. “We are working with police officers to make sure people drive safely to and from the venue,” he said.

The loser will receive N$250 000.

The losing semi-finalists - Tura Magic from Windhoek and Young Chiefs from Oshakati - already received N$150 000 each for reaching that stretch of the tournament.

The Man of the Match will receive N$5 000, while the same amount will be donated to a charity of his choice.

Individual awards for player, coach and top goal scorer of the tournament are worth N$20 000 each. The goalkeeper, referee and assistant referee of the series will each walk away with N$15 000.

- Additional reporting NAMPA

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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Ombelewa yelelo lyaNdonga mOluno ya patwa

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Aakalimo yomoKatwitwi ya pulwa ya tembuke

≪ Previous: Young African and Gunners in DebMarine final

Ombelewa yelelo lyaNdonga mOluno ya patwa

Sha landula omatilitho ngoka ga ningwa kaakwashigwana kutya otaya ka kutha mo aaleli yopamuthigululwakalo mombelewa yelelo lyoshilongo shaNdonga mOluno, opolisi oya ithanwa opo yi kale ya gamena omatungo ngoka.

Elelnga enene opo lya yi koshipundi moshikandjo shaAmuteya melelo lyaNdonga, Jerry kambala okwa gandja uusama kiikundaneki kutya oyo tayi hwahwamekitha onkalo yepiyagamo melelo ndyoka.

Kambala okwa popi ngaaka konima sho a ningilwa omapulo sha landula epato pakathimbo yombelewa yelelo lyoshilongo shawo mOluno. Shoka osha ningwa sho aakwashigwana yelelo ndyoka ya popi kutya otaya ka kutha mo elelo ndyoka li li mombelewa ndjoka.

Kambala okwa tsikile kutya iikundaneki oyo tayi hwahwameke onkalo sho tayi tsikile nokuuvitha nawa aaleli mboka ya tidhwa miilonga melelo ndyoka, nonando oya indikwa ya popye niikundaneki nenge ya ninge iigongi yoshigwana.

“Omushi shi nawa kutya aantu mboka oya tidhwa komukwaniilwa na otwe mu pe omikanda dhetidho ihe onkene tamu tsikile nokuya nayo moonkundathana. Katu shiskutya omolwashike tamu tsikile okupulakena kuyo. Omukwaniilwa ina pitika aantu mboka ya popye naalelwa ye ihe iikundaneki otayi tsikile nokuya hwahwameka,” Kambala a popi.

“Aantu yamwe otamu taandelitha omitoto kutya elelo alihe ekulu olya tidhwa komukwaniilwa ihe shoka kashi shi oshili. Natango otu na aaleli aakulu, alikana tamekeni okupopya oshili.”

Kambala okwa tindi okuyamukula komapulo ta popi kutya ye omukwateli komeho owala gwiilonga mombelewa. Konima yoomwedhi mbali dha piti, elelo lyaNdonga olya shangele aaleli mboka ya tidhwa miilonga oombapila tali pula opo aaleli mboka kaya ninge we iigongi noshigwana, nenge ya popye niikundaneki.

Ongundu yaakwashigwana mOndonga ya thika pe 100 taya watelwa komeho kuPendapala Nakathingo, oya unganeke opo ya kuthe ombelewa yelelo lyoshilongo shoka mOluno , ihe ongundu ndjoka oya lombwelwa opo yi thigepo ombelewa ndjoka kopolisi.

“Shoka twa hala ombelewa yetu yelelo opo tu yi kutheko kwaamboka ye yi kutha ko koonkondo. Aantu mboka oyeli mo mombelewa shaaheli pamulandu na otwa hala ombelewa yetu. Otatu vulu okushi ninga tseyene molwaashoka kape na ngoka teshi tu ningile,” Nakathingo a popi.

Konima sho ongundu ndjoka ya indikwa, oya ka ninga omutumba megumbo lyelenga nale melelo lyaNdonga, John Walenga, moka ooyene yomikunda ya lombwelwa opo aanamukunda yawo kaya fute iifendela yomagumbo yooN$10 oshowo yoongeshefa yooN$100 sigo N$150, oshowo iifendela yuunafaalama yooN$3 000, sigo aniwa uupyakadhi mboka wa kandulwa po.

Omukwaniilwa gwaNdonga, Kauluma Slifas okwa tidha miilonga muJuli ookansela yelelo lye ya 7, nelelo lyoshilongo shoka olya kala moontamanana okutameka muApilili.

ILENI NANDJATO

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Aakalimo yomoKatwitwi ya pulwa ya tembuke

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

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≪ Previous: Ombelewa yelelo lyaNdonga mOluno ya patwa

Aakalimo yomoKatwitwi ya pulwa ya tembuke

Aakwashigwana yomolukanda lwedhina Katwitwi mondoolopa yaShikango, oya tseyithilwa kelelo lyaHelao Nafidi opo ya kale ya tembuka mo molukanda ndoka okuya momasiku ga 5 gaDesemba nenge omaliko gawo ga hanagulwepo.

Etseyitho ndyoka olya ningwa momasiku 22 Novemba kOmunambelewa omukuluntu gwoHelao Nafidi, Inge Ipinge.

“Aakalimo yooKatwitwi okwa tegelelwa ya tembukile kOshikango Extension 1 oshowo 7 okuya momasiku ga 5 gaDesemba 2017. Palombwelo ndika elelo lyondoolopa otali ka wapaleka Katwiwti okutameka momasiku ga 6 gaDesemba nomambakumbaku onkene oto pulwa opo wu kuthepo omaliko goye opo ku yandwe euvitho lyonayi,” Ipinge a popi.

Okwa tsikile kutya okuya momasiku ga 5 gaDesemba olusheno otalu tetwa ko molukanda ndoka. Namibian Sun okuuvite kutya ehala ndyoka olya pewa po aatungi yontumba opo ya vule okutunga po oongeshefa. Konyala aantu ya thika po 300, oye li aakalimo molukanda ndoka.

Uule woomvula olukanda ndoka olwa kala ehala lyiimbuluma ngaashi elanditho lyiinima yaaheli paveta kombinga ngaashi omahooli giiyenditho ngoka haga kuthwa moAngola.

Moonkundathana ndhoka a ningi namayola gwaHelao Nafidi, Eliaser Nghipangelwa, okwa popi kutya etokolo ndyoka lya ningwa kondoolopa opo ku tembulwe aakalimo mboka oli li muuwanawa wondoolopa.

Nghipangelwa okwa popi kutya oku na einekelo kutya aakwashigwana ayehe otaya ka kala ya tumbeka omanga esiku lyahugunina inali thikana, nokuya kehala lyawo epe.

Mayola okwa popi kutya elelo lyondoolopa otali longitha omulandu gwokutembula aantu, nokehala hoka aantu taya tembukile otaya ka pewa iitopolwa yomavi oshowo omayakulo gomeya nolusheno, ihe otaga kafutilwa.

KENYA KAMBOWE

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Geingob a hala uukumwe moSwapo

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: The secret to enhancing crop yield

≪ Previous: Aakalimo yomoKatwitwi ya pulwa ya tembuke

Geingob a hala uukumwe moSwapoGeingob a sindanapo uuleli woSwapo Omupresidende gwongundu yoSwapo, Hage Geingob okwa popi kombinga yohokwe ye yokweeta uukumwe mokati kongundu yoSwapo, nokukalekapo ekwatathano ewananawa mokati kongundu ndjoka sha landula olugodhi lwekondjelo lyiipundi yelelo mongundu ndjoka.

Geingob ngoka a sindana po oshipundi shuuleli wongundu yoSwapo, pethimbo lyomahogololo gaaleli yongundu omati 6 ngoka gwa ningwa mOvenduka okuya pehulilo lyoshiwike , okwa uvitha kombinga yuukumwe mongundu, ta popi kutya ye okwa pyakudhukwa okulonga pamwe noshilyo kehe shongundu.

“Nena kali shi esiku lyokupopya kutya ngandi nenge ntumba okwa sindana omahogololo nenge okwa sindika momahogololo,” Geingob a popi ngaaka sho a taambako aakondjithi ye momahogololo ngoka.

Omupresidende okwa pula aakondjithi ye ya kuthe ko esindano ta popi kutya okongressa ndjoka ya ningwa nayi kale ya hugunina moka aantu taya tukathana nokuulathana omakala ga honga, oshowo oofamili nookuume taya tondathana.

Geingob okwa pandula woo aasindani pamwe naye ngaashi

ngoka a sindanapo oshipundi shuupeha presidende, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, amushanga ndjai, Sophia Shaningwa oshowo omupeha amushanga Marco Hausiku.

Mboka ya li methigathanano naGeingob oya uvaneke taya ka longela kumwe nelelo epe nokuliyambidhidha, onga omukalo gwokuulika uukumwe mongundu tayi pangele.

Jerry Ekandjo okwa popi kutya ethimbo olya thikana opo aanyasha ya kuthe ko elelo lyoshilongo. “Ngame onda kala omuleli uule woomvula 48 na ope na ethimbo iinima ayihe tayi ka thika pehulilo naanyasha otaya ka kutha ko elelo lyoshilongo.”

Nahas Angula naye okwa popi eyambidhdho lyaGeingob ta popi kutya otaka tsikila nokuyambidhidha mpoka ta pumbiwa.

Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana okwa halele omayambeko Nandi-Ndaitwah na okwa popi kutya ota tsikile nokumuyambidhidha. Iivula-Ithana okwa tseyitha woo kutya ongundu yoTeam Swapo oya halakana po.

Aakuthimbinga momahogololo mboka ya kutha ombinga kohi yomahwahwameko goTeam Swapo ngaashi Helmut Angula, Armas Amukwiyu, Petrina Haingura naMartha Namundjebo-Tilahun nayo oya holola enyanyu lyawo pehulilo lyokongresa na oya gandja omahaleloyambeko koonakusindana po omahogololo ngoka guuleli wongundu yoSwapo.

JEMIMA BEUKES

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The secret to enhancing crop yield

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

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The secret to enhancing crop yieldOften overlooked and easily fixed, pH is the key Farmers should sample their soils for pH and fertility analyses to save costs and sustain soil quality.

Farmers are notoriously eager to fertilise their soil well and when plants do nto grow to full capacity, often blame lack of water or high heat. However, it could be as simple as the pH of the soil. According to Emilie Abraham from AgriBank if there are any imbalances in the soil’s pH this should be corrected.

The pH of the soil is a measure of its alkalinity or acidity. It is an excellent chemical indicator of soil conditions, its quality and its ability to avail nutrients to crops. Soil pH imbalances can hinder the crops roots ability to absorb nutrients from the soil. It is important to test your soil pH especially when planting fields for the first time.

Also, it should be noted that different crops prefer different pH levels.

Abraham says the use of appropriate liming is recommended as this enhances fertiliser use efficiency in crops.

“Agricultural lime is a relatively cheap soil conditioner with many benefits to the farmer that far outweigh the costs of procuring and applying it.”

According to Abraham the continuous and consistent use of lime will enhance the profitability of any cropping pattern. “This is the top secret to enhancing yield per unit area. Therefore, farmers are advised to sample their soils and apply lime when necessary at least three to six months before crop establishment. This is important as it takes a significant amount of time for lime to dissolve and react with the soil to cause the desired adjustments in pH level.”

Abraham says harvested crops remove bases such as calcium and magnesium from the soil. “This is a normal and natural process. Different crops remove different amounts of calcium and magnesium from the soil which may lower the pH level.”

Heavy rainfall also affects soil pH through the leaching of basic nutrients such as calcium and magnesium beyond the root zone. Drainage water replaces them with acidic elements such as hydrogen, manganese and aluminium thereby acidifying the soil.

Application of nitrogen contributes to soil acidity by nitrification of ammonium to nitrate, a process which releases hydrogen ions.

Abraham explains that too low pH (below 5.5) increases the level of aluminium and manganese in the soil and may reach a point of toxicity to the plant. Excess aluminium ions in the soil solution interfere with root growth and function, as well as restrict plant uptake of certain nutrients.

Low pH also affects the availability of micronutrients in the soil and affects general crop development and ultimately crop yield.

Abraham says improving soil pH helps the soil physical structure by reducing soil capping and this promotes better crop emergence, and eventually results in better crop yield.

“Farmers should note that, application of lime can still be done even during crop establishment and the lime can act as a ‘buffer’ which acts as a conduit for nutrient uptake from the soil to crops via the roots. Frequency of subsequent liming should be determined by soil test results,” says Abraham.

*This article is part of a series of tips for farmers by the Agribank

STAFF REPORTER

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Europe's HIV epidemic growing

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Europe's HIV epidemic growingWHO says diagnosis must be sooner There appears to be a sharp increase in HIV infections in Europe with delayed diagnosis making control of the disease almost impossible. The number of people newly diagnosed with HIV in Europe reached its highest level in 2016 since records began, showing the region's epidemic growing “at an alarming pace”, health officials said. That year, 160 000 people contracted the virus in the 53 countries that make up the World Health Organisation's European region. Around 80% of those were in eastern Europe.

“This is the highest number of cases recorded in one year. If this trend persists, we will not be able to achieve the target of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030,” the WHO's European regional director, Zsuzsanna Jakab, said. The trend was particularly worrying because many patients had already been carrying the HIV infection for several years by the time they were diagnosed, making the virus harder to control and more likely to have been passed on.

“Europe needs to do more in its HIV response,” said ECDC director Andrea Ammon. She said the average time from estimated time of infection until diagnosis is three years, “which is far too long”. Almost 37 million people worldwide have HIV and the majority of cases are in poorer regions such as Africa, where access to testing, prevention and treatment is more limited, but the HIV epidemic has also proved stubborn in wealthier regions like Europe. The report found that over the past 10 years, the rate of newly diagnosed HIV infections in Europe has risen by 52% from 12 in every 100 000 in 2007 to 18.2 in 2016. That decade-long increase was “mainly driven by the continuing upward trend in the East,” the report said.

NAMPA/REUTERS

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Panasonic Jaguar Racing ready for 2nd Formula E season

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Panasonic Jaguar Racing ready for 2nd Formula E seasonNew season, new car, new line-up, new rules, new venues The team's mission, "Race to Innovate" continues as they head to Hong Kong for the season opener. "As we race to innovate, we have taken a great deal of learnings from our first season and the team have worked extremely hard to make sure that we have the most competitive powertrain possible for the season ahead."James Barclay, Panasonic Jaguar Racing Team Director.

Panasonic Jaguar Racing are heading to Hong Kong for the start of their second season in the FIA Formula E Championship. The season opener takes place on 2 - 3 December in Asia’s first ever double-header race weekend, and will be the first-time drivers Nelson Piquet Jr. and Mitch Evans line up on the grid together in the new British team.

At the Hong Kong E-Prix drivers will complete 45 laps of the 1.86 km street race circuit in the new Jaguar I-TYPE 2 on city’s iconic Harbour front. With ten turns and two hairpin bends, Panasonic Jaguar Racing are ready to electrify the city’s streets.

This season, Panasonic Jaguar Racing have developed a new powertrain, with more than 200 new parts in the Jaguar I-TYPE 2 to produce a more efficient package using high strength lightweight materials. Taking in all the learnings and technical advancements from season three, the team believe these will have a positive impact on their performance. For this season, the race power level increases to 180 kWh making the cars even faster.

“We are very excited to kick off our second season in Formula E and it’s great to be back on the grid in such an iconic city. As we race to innovate, we have taken a great deal of learnings from our first season and the team have worked extremely hard to make sure that we have the most competitive powertrain possible for the season ahead. Alongside the improvements on the Jaguar I-TYPE 2, we welcome Nelson to our new driver line-up – all of which, we hope, will help us to be regularly competing for points,” said James Barclay, Panasonic Jaguar Racing team director.

“Joining Panasonic Jaguar Racing is a great move for me, and it’s been fantastic learning how this new team operates. I’m working closely with everyone to draw on my experience in Formula E and push us to the next level. As the series becomes more competitive, I wanted to join Jaguar to give myself the best chance of success. We won’t know until we are on the grid how much the other teams have progressed and what the true capabilities of the Jaguar I-TYPE 2 are, so I’m looking forward to getting started and giving it my very best,” Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s newest driver, Nelson Piquet Jr.

Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s mission - Race to Innovate - continues into season four with the aim of inspiring and engaging a new generation of fans.

As the first premium manufacturer to enter Formula E, Jaguar also recently launched a world-first electric vehicle race series – the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY – which showcases the link between Jaguar’s involvement in Formula E, the development of Jaguar’s road cars and the future of electrification.

From season five of Formula E, 20 Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY racecars will line up on the grid in ten of the world’s most iconic cities, serving as the world’s first all-electric support race series. The championship will take place on the same day as the FIA Formula E Championship, enhancing the electric race schedule.

From 2020, all new Jaguar Land Rover model lines will be electrified – with either hybrid or battery technology.-MotorPress

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Shot of the day

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Shot of the day

SKILLS: Italy's Nicole Della Monica and Matteo Guarise compete in the Pair Free Skating during the Internationaux de France ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Grenoble, central-eastern France, on 18 November 2017. Photo: NAMPA/AFP

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It's time to get to work

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

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It's time to get to work The 6th Swapo congress has come to an end. It certainly gripped the nation and both the media and countless social media pages, have had much to say. Everyone is doing analyses of support bases, groups, candidates that stood then and now, how times have changed, how history was made and so on. In general, the evolution of Swapo, and the Namibian society, has been discussed at length. It is our view that these discussions can now come to an end. We are not really interested anymore in political manoeuvring, support bases, cliques or motivations. We are far more interested in the government's agenda. Things are not going well in our little corner of the world.

Looking at the figures most recently released by the Namibia Statistics Agency, it appears as though things are actually going quite badly. Informal settlements continue to grow, unabatedly, people living in dire poverty. The demographic survey figures indicate that a quarter of our population is reliant on social grants or cash remittances, or, put another way, relatives that send money from elsewhere. A third of our rural population is completely reliant on hand-outs to survive. Astounding when we see how our politicians live, the cars they drive, the clothes they wear and the travels they undertake. And things are not getting better. Our gender-based violence is out of control, as is the rate of deaths and injuries on our roads. Corruption is rampant while school-feeding programmes, and anti-poaching programmes, suffer budget cuts. The hospitals use fabric softener bottles, or soft drink bottles, for sharps while rural clinics are vastly understaffed, and understocked. Thus, we implore the delegates that enjoyed four days of air-conditioning and lavish meals, to get to work. We need job creation, we need a future for our youth, we need safe and secure hospitals, a manufacturing sector, housing and toilets. Certainly we cannot tolerate open defecation decades after man landed on the moon and we communicate wirelessly?

We hear the term 'eat' so often in relation to politics. Can we also make sure that our people, particularly the most vulnerable of our citizens, also eat? Even if it is just once a day and a small meal of possible soup, a slice of bread and a fruit.

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Toyota Etios is the top performer in Global NCAP rating

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Toyota Etios is the top performer in Global NCAP ratingSmall car, big on safety Available in both hatchback and sedan iterations, the Etios has garnered appeal with customers seeking safety, affordability and reliability. “While there are many reasons for us to be proud of this great result, the main one is that it proves that ‘affordable doesn’t necessarily mean cheap’ when it comes to Toyota products.” Calvyn Hamman, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors.

If anyone has ever doubted that Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) takes safety seriously, the results of the recent Global NCAP have just provided further proof. The Toyota Etios, one of Southern Africa’s most affordable vehicles and boasting a sub-200 k price tag – scored top marks in the recent NCAP ratings.

Available in both hatchback and sedan iterations, the Etios has garnered appeal with customers seeking safety, affordability and reliability. The Etios was awarded 4 stars for Adult Occupancy Protection (AOP) and 3 for Child Occupancy Protection (COP). This isn’t surprising considering that the Etios boasts both driver and passenger airbags.

Further safety specification includes ABS, EBD, front seatbelts with pre-tensioner and force limiter as well as ISOFIX provision. A full quota of headrests is provided with rear passengers also receiving a 3-point centre seatbelt across all models. To offer customers a peace of mind, all Etios models come with a 2-year/30 000 km service plan, backed by a 3-year/100 000 km warranty.

Calvyn Hamman, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors says: “The Etios represents one of the core models for Toyota, and has proven popular with a wide variety of customers. While there are many reasons for us to be proud of this great result, the main one is that it proves that ‘affordable doesn’t necessarily mean cheap’ when it comes to Toyota products.”

Toyota considers safety as its top priority, and aims to eliminate traffic fatalities altogether. To achieve this goal, Toyota has been developing safety features and conducting extensive research and development on safety, which involves conducting crash tests and simulations on its own, and then analysing the results to continually improve its safety features.-MotorPress

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Company news in brief

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Company news in brief

BHP sees upside in copper, steel prices Top global miner BHP Billiton Ltd said yesterday it will drive further cost cuts across its Australian business, and forecast strong price support from China for steelmaking raw materials. China's belt and road initiative will drive an extra 150 million tonnes of steel demand, driven by US$1.3 trillion of infrastructure development, she said. BHP forecast an additional 700 000 tonnes of copper in concentrate would be produced between now and 2020, while China would add 1.5 million tonnes of copper capacity by 2020, alongside capacity expansion in India. China's blanket import ban on a type of assembled copper scrap from the end of 2018 could also lead to a "leakage" of around 100,000 tonnes of copper in 2018 and more than double that in 2019. – Nampa/Reuters

Shell scraps scrip dividend

Royal Dutch Shell yesterday said it will cancel an austerity dividend policy as the oil and gas company boosted its cash generation forecasts, drawing a line under three years of oil price turmoil.

The Anglo-Dutch company said it will abolish its scrip dividend, through which investors can opt to receive dividends in shares or cash, in the fourth quarter of 2017. The scrip dividend scheme was introduced in early 2015 following the sharp drop in oil prices.

In a strategy update, Shell also raised its cash flow outlook from US$25 billion to US$30 billion by 2020, assuming an oil price of US$60 a barrel. – Nampa/Reuters

Mediclinic names chief clinical officer as CEO

South African private hospital group Mediclinic said on Monday it had appointed its chief clinical officer Carel Aron van der Merwe as its new CEO.

Van der Merwe joined South Africa's largest private hospital in 1999 and will replace 22-year veteran Danie Meintjes, who had previously announced his decision to retire at the end of next July.

The group, which recently dropped a plan to take over Britain's Spire Healthcare, said van der Merwe would take over on a date to be mutually agreed, but not later than Aug. 1.

One of the issues facing Van der Merwe will be dealing with problems at Mediclinic's Middle East business where core earnings fell more than 20 percent in the six months to Sept. 30. – Nampa/Reuters

VW eyes more opportunities in China

Volkswagen may expand cooperation with China's Anhui Jianghuai Automobile (JAC) beyond electric cars to jointly develop and build commercial vehicles in the world's largest autos market.

On Monday VW said it was looking along with its commercial vehicles division at deepening the cooperation with JAC to include the design, technology, product quality and development of multi-function vehicles.

The venture would affect combustion engined and alternative-energy powered vehicles, would be owned equally by JAC and VW and would be based in JAC's home town of Hefei, VW said. – Nampa/Reuters

Exxon Mobil chief revamps operations

Exxon Mobil Corp chief executive Darren Woods is reorganizing the company's refining and chemical operations, part of a push to boost profits amid volatile oil and natural gas prices, a spokeswoman said.

The changes at the world's largest publicly traded oil producer are the most sweeping to date by Woods, who became chief executive in January after former chief Rex Tillerson resigned to become US secretary of state.

The reorganisation aims to squeeze more profits from the fuel and chemicals businesses as the company works to improve its exploration and production operations, which have struggled since 2014 to adjust to lower oil and gas prices. – Nampa/Reuters

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Farmers, police talk crime

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Farmers, police talk crime

The increase in crime, including stock theft and poaching, has been brought to the attention of the Lieutenant-General Sebastian Ndeitunga.

The executive manager of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), Sakkie Coetzee, as well as several members from the Joint Crime Prevention Forum (JCPF) met with Ndeitunga to discuss increasing crime levels.

Amongst the topics that were discussed were stock theft, poaching, the appointment of reservists, cooperation with the police and animals in road reserves.

Lately reports have been rampant about stock theft and poaching on farms while the slaughter of cattle and game on farms has continued unabatedly.

The appointment with Ndeitunga was requested following the last meeting of the JCPF. Attending the meeting was the chairman of the forum, Frikkie Engels and Richard Bekker of the //Karas Crime Prevention Forum while Ndeitunga was assisted by a delegation of senior officials of the police.

Becker also submitted a report to Ndeitunga on the incidents that have occurred in the //Karas Region.

According to NAU, Ndeitunga said law and order, which includes stock theft and poaching, is a priority for the police and that they are looking at deploying the Special Reserve Force in order to bring this scourge under control.

“He also emphasized that cooperation between the various crime prevention forums and the public is essential to address this problem,” the NAU said.

Regarding the delay in the appointment of reservists, Ndeitunga provided clear guidelines with regard to the procedures which must be followed but added that there is no reason for any delays in this regard.

Engels told Namibian Sun that Ndeitunga made it clear during the meeting that he wants each and every Namibian involved in the fight against crime.

According to Engels, one of the most important points that was discussed during the meeting was that there is currently no proper structure for the appointment of reservists and this has caused some annoyance among some members.

“Even though laws are in place the structure is still not in place for these appointments and this was totally unacceptable to the inspector-general.”

Engels said the meeting further discussed some of the successes that were recently made between the neighbourhood watches, the crime prevention forums and also the police.

However, challenges were also discussed, said Engels.

“There are still some grey areas that remain and among them the biggest challenges are communication between the forums, reservists and police that have to be streamlined for more effective operations and to get better reaction time.”

He added that coordination between the police and the reservists is also not being coordinated at certain levels, because there is no proper structure and this needs to be addressed.

Against this background the police are planning to hold workshops to inter alia structurally vest the cooperation and powers of reservists.

ELLANIE SMIT

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Conservation costs up 12-fold

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Conservation costs up 12-foldBiodiversity conservation a costly exercise The cost country's strategy to protect its ecosystems and their biodiversity has increased more than 10-fold.

A re-costing exercise of Namibia's biodiversity strategy indicates that the estimated costs are about 12 times higher than was originally projected.

The strategy seeks to preserve and protect all the countries ecosystems and natural resources in a bid to give impetus to sustainable development.

The revised total estimate for Namibia's second National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2013 -2022 now stands at N$7.4 billion in comparison to the previous estimate of N$606 million.

According to the Namibia Nature Foundation, in order to fully implement the strategy by 2022, significant ramp-up in financing will be required.

“In some cases the original strategy estimation for the entire activity fails to be adequate to meet the projected needs for just one year of the activity re-costing.”

The estimated spending between 2013 and 2017 on biodiversity was N$2.5 billion and the estimated financing required for 2018 to 2022 is N$4.8 billion.

“To achieve the goals of the strategy Namibia must double its biodiversity investment,” the foundation says.

It shows that for sustainable use, an amount of N$52.7 million was originally budgeted and in the re-costing this amount increased to N$2.3 billion. For restoration it was estimated to be N$61.4 million and this has jumped to N$1.8 billion, while for biodiversity and development planning, N$182 million was planned for and costs have increased to N$1.3 billion.

These are just some of the categories where shortfalls were identified.

The figures were presented at the third dialogue of the Resource Mobilisation for the Biodiversity Conservation Project (ResMob).

The meeting was held to exchange ideas on how to mobilise extra resources for biodiversity conservation as funding gaps in the sector were identified and are not likely to improve.

The projected decline in real biodiversity expenditure by government, donors and the private sector between 2014/15 and 2020/21 is expected to be at 24%.

Total real biodiversity expenditure was estimated to peak at N$1.18 billion in 2014/15 and this expenditure is subsequently projected to decline to N$906 million in 2020/21.

Environmental commissioner Teofilius Nghitila read a speech on behalf of environment minister Pohamba Shifeta, saying innovative ways have to be explored to address these financial gaps.

Shifeta said the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, including Namibia, have agreed and committed to halting biodiversity loss by 2020.

“Loss of biodiversity, as a result of human activity, is one of the key national environmental challenges we are facing today.”

According to him habitat conversion, invasive alien species, pollution, over-exploitation of natural resources and illegal wildlife poaching and trade are some of the key factors leading to the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

“What we really need to do now is to address the root causes of biodiversity loss.”

He said a number of studies have been undertaken through ResMob to reveal the value of biodiversity and mainstream its value into planning and decision-making.

“The challenge we now have is to translate the findings of these studies into action at the local, regional and national level.”

Namibia launched its first National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP 1) in 2001 as the cornerstone of its efforts to conserve biodiversity. Although this acted as an important tool for biodiversity financing, the NBSAP 1 review found that implementation had been limited in some areas due to funding and communication constraints.

“Therefore, there is a need to improve Namibia's capacity to mobilise more resources for biodiversity conservation, specifically to enable the country to implement the objectives outlined in its second NBSAP. We need to target the full range of options in this regard – public sector, bilateral and multilateral sources, market-related mechanisms such as levies, as well as private sector financing and partnerships.”

Shifeta said he is also aware that capacity constraints are a major concern in this area.

“Yet biodiversity financing and economics is a field which is very much likely to grow in importance in the coming years. Let us be prepared and proactive to capacitate our economists and students in this field.”

He noted that there has been collaboration between the project with the University of Namibia and the Namibia University of Science and Technology in providing training.

“However, we should be conscious that this project, like many of our natural resources, is a finite resource. We will need to build on and scale up the good work that the Project has done so far.”

ELLANIE SMIT

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Former Ya Toivo PA in court

November 28, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Former Ya Toivo PA in court The former assistant of the late Andimba Toivo ya Toivo arrested in August this year on allegations of fraud and theft of money from the bank account of Namibia's struggle icon, made his third court appearance yesterday.

Elia Shoopala Kapofi (age unknown) made a second appearance on 2 October 2017 before Magistrate Gerrit Brand van Pletzen at the Windhoek Magistrate's Court when his case was remanded to yesterday.

The case was postponed to allow the police investigating officers to obtain the remaining evidence in respect of the outstanding video footage from a local bank, where Kapofi allegedly withdrew the money.

The matter was postponed again yesterday with his next appearance on 16 March next year. The matter requires a decision from the prosecutor-general's office on the charges but the docket was not sent.

In the matter, Kapofi allegedly wrongfully and intentionally withdrew N$71 000 from Ya Toivo's bank account in February this year.

It is reported that he was Ya Toivo's personal assistant and driver for a long time, and had access to Ya Toivo's personal affairs.

Kapofi was arrested on 18 August, and made his first appearance on 21 August 2017.

Earlier media reports quoted sources close to the Ya Toivo family as saying Kapofi was trusted with Ya Toivo's bank details and had been withdrawing money from the account for the family's household expenses.

Kapofi's bail of N$10 000 was extended yesterday.

He is represented by privately-instructed defence lawyer Kadhila Amoomo and Andreas Joseph appears for the state.

– Additional reporting by Nampa

FRED GOEIEMAN

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