Keep an eye out for unauthorised debit orders

December 13, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Keep an eye out for unauthorised debit orders The Bank of Namibia is warning bank customers to take stock of unauthorised debit orders and report such deductions as soon as they are detected.

Debit orders are often used as a means of payment for a range of services, such as loan repayments and subscription fees.

“They are an instruction between a consumer and a third party or service provider, where consumers grant third parties permission to deduct money from their bank account for services rendered,” the BoN said.

Often disputes arise when third-party institutions withdraw amounts before the date specified in the agreed instruction, or continue to collect debit orders that have been cancelled or are subject to a stop-payment instruction.

It further occurs when third parties debit accounts with incorrect amounts, collect a debit order without authorisation; or collect a debit order that is not consistent with the client's instruction.

In the event where banks determine that the debit order is not authorised, banks may reverse the transaction and any related fees that are charged, the Bank of Namibia advised.

“When such activities are noticed, consumers should approach the relevant third party and report the unauthorised deduction. Consumers may further cancel a debit order by providing written or other appropriate notification to the third party whom they have authorised to make the deductions,” the Bank of Namibia said.

Future debit-order payments can also be stopped for a given period if customers request their bank to place a stop-payment instruction on their account for the exact amount of the debit order.

“Consumers may mitigate the risk of unauthorised debit orders by providing only original bank-stamped documents when applying for the product and services. Subscribing to the commercial bank's SMS notification service is a useful mitigating measure, as this will inform clients of all deductions from their bank accounts,” the Bank of Namibia said.

When discrepancies are noticed, customers are urged to report them to their bank within 40 days from when the transaction took place, and where fraud is suspected, they should report the incident at a police station, the Bank of Namibia advised.

“Consumers are further urged to always protect their banking details and only provide them when deductions have to be effected.”

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Okombahe bakery now operational

December 13, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Okombahe bakery now operationalProject was stalled due to lack of funds Previously, residents of Okombahe had to buy bread from the nearby settlement of Uis. A bakery project started for youth empowerment at Okombahe in Erongo Region started operating on Wednesday.

Speaking to Nampa upon enquiry on Friday, bakery manager Charline Xawes said they baked their first batch of bread last week and sold it to the community.

She said there are seven young people who are running the project to generate income for themselves.

The project was made possible by the National Youth Council (NYC), which granted N$200 000 in 2015, but the project stalled because it needed more money.

Xawes said they could not operate because they needed N$2 000 for an electricity connection.

She said Metropolitan Life assisted them with N$20 000 to cover the electricity connection and supplies.

“We currently do not have flour to bake and supply in bulk. We are waiting for the Daure constituency office, which promised to assist us,” said Xawes.

Approached for comment, Daures councillor Joram Kennedy !Haoseb said the office had approved N$20 000 to buy flour, which will be paid out soon.

The councillor said he also managed to secure a contractor to buy bread from the bakery and supply it to schools at Okombahe.

The contractor currently buys bread at Uis, located 20 kilometres West of Okombahe, and supplies it to the schools at Okombahe twice a week.

“This means our schools and community can now have fresh bread daily due to this bakery,' he said.

“My office supports the project but the challenge it faces now is lack of a market to sell the products to.

If we can secure that, then it will succeed,” said !Haoseb.

He said they hoped to expand the current market by including other schools in the constituency such as Otjiperongo, Omatjete and Okongue. - NAMPA

Pilchard moratorium too little, too late

December 13, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Pilchard moratorium too little, too lateMinistry's dual role endangers marine ecosystem A three-year moratorium on pilchard catches might be too late to save Namibia's depleted pilchard resource, scientists say. A three-year moratorium on pilchard fishing introduced this week came ten months after the fisheries minister had announced a controversial and defiant 14 000-ton pilchard quota despite the threat of extinction faced by the species in Namibian waters.

But while the moratorium has been welcomed by scientists and other concerned parties, they argue that the ministry's refusal to initially accept the evidence and take immediate action has further pressured pilchard populations and, in turn, added pressure on the fishing industry.

“I am pleased that there is finally a moratorium, albeit far too late,” a scientist, who declined to be named, told Namibian Sun.

The scientist warned that a moratorium of three years might be too little and too late.

“Given that the Namibian sardine stock is a mere fraction of what it used to be and given that much of our marine ecosystem depends on the sardine, I doubt whether a three-year moratorium will be enough to turn the situation around and to rebalance our currently unhealthy ecosystem.”

According to the Namibia Chamber of Environment (NCE), the debacle has also highlighted the conflict of interest of the ministry's role as both the protector of marine resources and the patron of the fishing sector.

“It is clear that the advice of marine scientists was disregarded in favour of the fishing industry. The evidence provided by declining seabirds was disregarded. From a governance perspective, it is just wrong that the industry should have such a powerful voice in the process,” the NCE's Chris Brown said in a statement.

Brown acknowledged that the dual mandate of setting production quotas and ensuring sustainability of resources is tough but said it should not compromise the health of marine systems.

“The ministry has clearly failed in this second role. Their failure to ensure a healthy ecosystem has led directly to a failure in ensuring production of the pilchard industry. The two are inextricably linked,” he said.

He said the NCE recognised that the ministry was sometimes placed in a difficult position, and had to weigh up fish resource sustainability with business interests and jobs.

“However, it is important that the health of the fish resource must take priority. Because without a healthy resource, there will be no long-term businesses and no long-term jobs.”

Brown said the sector, including the fisheries ministry, was “shrouded in secrecy” and many of the ministry's problems were rooted in a lack of transparency and public accountability in the management of the marine ecosystem.

Research data on stock assessments is not made public, and an overview of how quotas are set and allocated remains out of the public eye, hidden from scrutiny.

Furthermore, the ministry does not make data on catches and by-catches public, nor the business arrangements within the sector.

“And these are national resources that we are talking about. This needs to change, and it needs to change now. We do not need more fiascos before we start getting the higher-level management systems right,” Brown said.

The cabinet this week announced its endorsement of a recommendation to lower the total allowable catch (TAC) for pilchard to zero metric tons from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2020 in order to allow the stock to recover.

The decision was based on the fact that pilchard stocks in Namibia have declined to a “precarious situation”, in part due to the effects of climate change and overfishing.

In February this year, fisheries minister Bernhard Esau reassured the country that there was sufficient pilchard stock to justify his decision to issue a 14 000-ton quota.

This announcement came despite in-house and external warnings that the pilchard population had declined to near extinct levels.

Brown said a moratorium was good news, but warned that time was not the most critical factor.

“Given the current extremely low levels of the pilchard population in Namibian waters, perhaps at only 1% of their historic population, it may take much longer than three years for a partial recovery. The length of the moratorium must thus be based on achieving a threshold stock level, not on a number of years.”

He said quotas should only be reintroduced once the pilchard stock had reached an agreed healthy threshold and recovered to the point where key marine indicators, such as seabirds, had started to recover. Populations of gannets and penguins have noticeably shrunk as their food source disappeared.

Brown also urged stakeholders to take additional stringent measures during the moratorium, such as putting penalties in place to prevent catching pilchard as by-catch.

“A moratorium will have little impact if pilchards are simply being caught as by-catch.

“The ministry of fisheries and marine resources should explain their strategy of how they propose to address this by-catch issue,” the NCE stated.

Further, the ministry should work closely with Angola to extend this moratorium into Angolan waters and to work on a joint sardine and pilchard management plan.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Geingob defends Noa

December 13, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Geingob defends NoaCagey about lifestyle audits for public officials President Hage Geingob says there is political will and commitment to tackle corruption. President Hage Geingob yesterday leapt to the defence of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director-general Paulus Noa, while defending his administration's record on curbing corruption.

Geingob said the anti-graft agency boss was being unfairly targeted because the public had yet to see a “big fish” being convicted of corruption.

“The ACC is being condemned left and right because they didn't indict a big fish,” Geingob said yesterday while briefing the media on government's progress over the last year at State House.

“Poor Noa is being attacked. It is not good just to condemn people. We must do things properly.”

In recent months, public frustration has reached boiling point over the ACC's failure to act on high-profile corruption scandals that have rocked the government and state-owned enterprises.Last month finance minister Calle Schlettwein didn't mince his words when he raised concern about the effectiveness of the ACC and its ability to prosecute corruption cases.

Unlike Geingob, Schlettwein believes that the ACC will need to become autonomous for it to effectively tackle corruption cases.

“The ACC needs to become autonomous, it needs to be strengthened. They are weak in my opinion… If the ACC does not have the power to prosecute, that becomes a problem in my opinion,” Schlettwein was quoted as saying during a post-mid-term-budget discussion.

Geingob, however, maintained that there was political will and commitment to tackle the scourge of corruption, especially in government.

“They (ACC) have investigated a lot of people. Sometimes there are questions asked about us. The ACC doesn't have to grab people and prove that they have caught a big fish. We have systems in place and we are committed to fight corruption,” said Geingob.



Lifestyle audits

Geingob was non-committal when pressed on the issue of introducing lifestyle audits to assess whether public officials' lifestyles were consistent with their income.

Lifestyle audits involve verification of a person's personal expenditure patterns to determine if they are consistent with an individual's sources of income, including their salary.

Geingob had hinted at introducing the concept during a televised interview while in the United States last year.

“It is a very difficult thing. It must be done by experts. It will be done,” he said.

The president said his administration had acted on corruption, citing a decision to cancel the Hosea Kutako International Airport expansion tender after it was found that the project cost had ballooned to N$7 billion from N$3 billion.

A Chinese company by the name Auhui Foreign Economic Construction Corporation was considered successful with its bid. However, the standoff led to a series of court cases in both the High Court and the Supreme Court.

Despite losing the initial challenge in the High Court, the government appealed the decision, leading to the Supreme Court ruling in its favour.

During this year's State of the Nation Address, Geingob announced that a transparent and cheaper tender process would now be undertaken by the authorities.







Bulk oil storage facility







The Walvis Bay bulk oil storage facility debacle featured prominently during yesterday's media briefing following the acquittal of two key officials who were initially implicated in the matter.



Three government officials- the permanent secretaries of finance and the National Planning Commission (NPC) as well as the chief legal adviser in the attorney general's office - were charged for their roles which saw the cost of the project spiralling from N$3.7 billion in 2014 to N$5.5 billion last year.

Finance PS Erica Shafudah escaped with a final warning, while Leevi Hungamo and Chris Nghaamwa were both acquitted. Hungamo has since resigned as NPC PS.

Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila admitted that irregularities were uncovered that led to the cabinet instituting an investigation.

“The financial aspect of the project has been referred to the ministry of finance that is looking into it with the procurement board. And if in the process of the review by the procurement board it is established that there was something else other than administrative oversight, then the matter will be followed up in terms of the law,” she said.

The storage facility is being built by CBR, which is a joint venture between Vaino Nghipondoka's Babyface Civils and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEH).

A few weeks ago, Hungamo said the Namibian government had lost close to N$1 billion because of “people in authority not wanting to take professional advice given by officials qualified to do so”.

FESTUS NAKATANA

NSFAF to lose parastatal status

December 13, 2017, 2:00 pm

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NSFAF to lose parastatal status The government is contemplating plans to return the embattled Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) to the Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation.

During the presidency year-end media briefing higher education minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi said although the institution had yielded some benefits, its existence had become questionable.

“The negative publicity in the last few months called for introspection on how we needed to function better and it eventually came out that it is better to revert to the ministry,” she said.

NSFAF was established in January 1997 to provide financial assistance to students at approved institutions of higher education.

The institution has to date been managed as a parastatal.

According to Kandjii-Murangi the change-over will be a gradual process.

She also pointed out that NSFAF staff salaries, which were currently on a parastatal level, higher than those of civil servants, would have to be restructured.

“They may be having that salary for some time but will eventually have to follow the same structure as that of the ministry,” she said.

The institution has been embroiled in controversy over claims of corruption and financial mismanagement.

The NSFAF top brass failed to turn up for a public hearing with a parliamentary standing committee earlier this month, where it was expected to account for more than N$1.7 billion.

They informed the committee that they needed more time to work on the financial statements, and that they were validating 46 000 files which should be completed by the first quarter of 2018.

The situation at the institution has become so dire that in 2016 the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Ministry of Public Enterprises were prompted to investigate its procurement procedures.

In the same year a report by an independent auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers stated that the fund had failed to provide documents to the verify loans and scholarships it had awarded.

Following that, the minister admitted that the fund had lost the records of some loan and grant recipients.

Last year Namibian Sun reported that NSFAF was ready to locate at least 16 669 students who had received loans, grants and scholarships between 1997 and 2010 and failed to pack back the money.

These loans, grants and scholarships are valued at over N$479 million.

The fund has since appointed a debt-collection company to help it recover these funds.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Township deal 'none of your business'

December 13, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Township deal 'none of your business' President Hage Geingob yesterday told journalists that he was not going to entertain questions about his private business and how much he made from selling his stake in the so-called N$1 billion township deal, which has been conditionally approved to establish a new upmarket village in the Klein Windhoek townlands.

The development envisages more than 400 apartments and other amenities worth over N$1 billion and involves Chinese tycoon Jack Huang. The businessman is awaiting trial on charges of tax evasion, fraud and money laundering in Namibia.

Geingob announced that he was no longer part of the deal and had sold his stake.

The president was one of a number of family beneficiaries of the Dr Hage Geingob Family Trust, which owns 20% in African Sunrise Investment. Geingob's ex-wife Loini owns 20% of African Sunrise Investment, while the remaining 60% belongs to Huang.

“It is a private business and none of your business,” was Geingob's response to media enquiries.

Geingob had earlier announced he was no longer involved in the deal. But journalists who wanted to get the finer details of the transaction were in for a rude awakening.

Geingob said many people had shown interest in signing up to develop the area.

He said a deal was even signed with Old Mutual but fell through at the last minute.

“I have sold it and I am going to be out of it,” said Geingob. “I am not prohibited from making money. I was making money before you were born. Money is not new to me.”

The city council recently conditionally approved the construction as well as the layout of the township on Portion 105 of the Klein Windhoek townlands. One of the conditions for approval is that a complete groundwater (geohydrology) study must be submitted to the City due to the environmental sensitivity and because the proposed development is located within the Windhoek Aquifer management area.

The application, including the layout design of the development, was submitted by Urban Dynamics Town and Regional Planners on behalf of African Sunrise Investment Group.

According to the new layout, 67 erven will be allocated for the development of 134 duplex units, while 29 erven have been earmarked for large villas and mansions which will accommodate 29 units.

Terraced houses are to be developed on 25 erven and it is anticipated that it will be able to accommodate 121 units, while another 10 erven are earmarked to accommodate about 150 flats. Five public open spaces, two business erven, one office plot and a crèche are also planned. The layout will ultimately accommodate 438 units.

FESTUS NAKATANA

Mwoombola hits back at Haufiku

December 14, 2017, 12:57 am

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Mwoombola hits back at Haufiku Former health permanent secretary Andreas Mwoombola has spoken out for the first time since his widely publicised standoff with his former boss Bernard Haufiku, which had threatened to compromise service delivery at the ministry. Mwoombola said statements made by the minister against him in public are unfounded and defamatory. “The Hon. Minister has accused me of financial mismanagement, irregular tender awarding, and potential conflicts of interest that were allegedly permitted by my office. These allegations are false and lack substantiation,” he said. “I strongly believe in the justice system and out rightly challenge the Hon. Minister to allow the disciplinary process to run its course without undue interference and without premature unfounded statements being made before any pronouncements are made.” Mwoombola, who was last week transferred to the Office of the Prime Minister, claimed in a statement that Haufiku has shown disrespectful behaviour towards him in front of junior colleagues. “The Deputy Minister, Hon. Juliet Kavetuna has attempted to mediate in order to restore a cordial working relationship between our offices and setting aside our personal differences. A meeting was held on the 15th of May 2017 but the meeting did not yield any positive results due to the Hon. Minister’s unwillingness to deal with the matter privately and fairly. Instead, he has chosen to force me out of the Ministry if I do not voluntarily resign, which I have vehemently refused to do,” he said. “It is unfortunate that our relationship has deteriorated to the point that it has become personal on the part of the Hon. Minister. There is definite ongoing victimisation and employer-employee relationships should be mutually respectful in order to realise productivity in the service of the Namibian public. As the Hon. Minister’s Accounting Officer, I have on several occasions raised the issue of his unbecoming conduct. The Hon. Minister has a tendency of yelling at me in the presence of my subordinates. He has created a culture of yelling. This behaviour is abusive. These constant verbal attacks have become very personal and are degrading and I find myself helpless in this situation.” Read full story in tomorrow's edition.

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Team sports to miss Commonwealth Games

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Team sports to miss Commonwealth GamesMissed opportunity for Nam Only individual athletes have a chance of participating in next year's Commonwealth Games in Australia. Namibian sport teams will not take part in the Commonwealth Games to be held in Queensland, Australia, from 4 to 15 April next year, Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) president Abner Xoagub said yesterday.

Sport codes which might take part in the Games are boxing, cycling, gymnastics, para-sport, swimming, athletics, triathlon and bowling.

Rugby sevens, hockey and netball participation was determined on ranking by international federations and only the top 15 teams were invited. Namibia's netball team is ranked 37th in the world out of 38.

Rebekka /Goagoses from Netball Namibia said the team had not played many international matches. She said it would take time for the team to take part in events of this magnitude as they needed to improve their ranking first.

Namibia was allocated 27 spots for athletes who might qualify for the 2018 Commonwealth Games and these athletes will be selected based on their performance and participation throughout the year.

Xoagub said some have not qualified yet.

“We were given a quota, but if athletes don't qualify, we will take those who qualify even if they are few,” he said.

Some of the athletes who might make the list are Maike Helga Diekman (rowing), Jonas Junias Jonas (boxing), Matias Hamunyela (boxing), Tristan De Lange (cycling), Jean-Paul Burger (triathlon), Nestori Thomas (boxing) and Tryagain Ndevelo (boxing).

These athletes received 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games scholarships from the NNOC recently. The scholarships will make provision for athletes to train at high-performance facilities to enable them to qualify for the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo.

Boxer Jonas said he was preparing for the Commonwealth Games as well as the Olympic Games. “I am focusing on the Commonwealth Games and the preparation is going well,” he said.

The sportsmen and woman will be aided by the N$4 million that the Namibia Sport Commission (NSC) recently handed over to the NNOC.

The money will be used for flight tickets, team uniforms, medical expenses and preparation grants.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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Runda village to host annual competition

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Runda village to host annual competitionTournament to pull football lovers While many young people are busy preparing for festive season celebrations, sports-loving young people of Runda village in the Kavango West Region have put resources together to host the Runda Annual Sports Tournament (RAST). The RAST competition, which is in its fifth year since its inception in 2013, will be held at Runda village situated 53 kilometres west of Nkurenkuru in the Mpungu Constituency.

The sports competition, which will take place from 15 to 17 December 2017, is only played by village teams in the constituency and club players who hail from the participating villages can feature in the tournament only by invitation.

The chairperson of the organising committee, Phillemon Rengi, told Nampa on Tuesday that the aim of the tournament was to promote grassroots sports and uplift the standard of village football and netball.

He said Mpungu was once known for being football crazy during the festive season, but that has not been the case since the 2000s.

“The youth in the villages here and the constituency at large spend most of their time in shebeens drinking alcohol and end up destroying their lives,” said Rengi, adding that he believes sport can be used as a tool to bring people together and transform lives.

Rengi and nine others contribute about N$3 000 each annually to fund the competition due a lack of corporate sponsorship for the tournament.

The tournament prize money is N$15 000, which includes cash prizes for both soccer and netball.

The total cash prize for soccer stands at N$12 500, where the winners of the competition will walk away with N$6 000, a floating trophy and 18 gold medals. The runners-up walk away with N$4 000, plus medals, and the team that secures third place will get N$2 500 and bronze medals.

The women's netball competition winners will take home N$1 100, a floating trophy and ten gold medals, while second place gets N$800 and medals, followed by third place with N$600 and bronze medals.

NAMPA

Football clinic preps players

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Football clinic preps players The football coaching clinic held in Swakopmund by the Real Madrid Foundation (RMF) ends today.

This is the second year that Bank Windhoek and The Dome in Swakopmund have partnered to host the clinic in conjunction with Real Madrid's social arm, the Real Madrid Foundation (RMF).

Approximately 200 children between the ages of nine and 15 are participating in the clinic with the aim of improving their football skills.

As a responsible financial partner to various sporting codes in the country, Bank Windhoek saw it fit to partner with The Dome in hosting this soccer clinic.

In addition, the bank made use of this opportunity to teach young football players the importance of proper financial planning.

“We believe that cultivating young minds early creates a foundation that will enable sound financial decision-making not only now but for the future as well,” said Sanet de Waal, Bank Windhoek's head of corporate social investment.

“The focus of the clinic is not purely on the sporting and social skills of aspiring athletes but we have included a financial educational programme for all participating players at the end of each day. We might not turn each athlete into a professional football player, but we will do our best to provide the youth with the necessary skills to succeed in life,” said Dave Hammond, marketing manager of The Dome. The clinic will have a series of games between the Real Madrid 'All Star' squads and invitational teams. The 'All Stars' in each age division are hand-picked by the RMF coaching aces.

The two top coaches from the Real Madrid Foundation that are training the young soccer players and their coaches are Carlos Gustavo Albert Garcia and Héctor Vicente.

The Real Madrid Foundation's main objective with these clinics is to promote the values inherent in sport and the tools which can be used to contribute to the overall development of the athlete.

LIMBA MUPETAMI



The foo

Weakened and divided

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Weakened and dividedANC to elect a new leader The top leadership battle is between former African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa. South Africa's ruling ANC party holds a conference starting tomorrow to elect its new leader in a hotly contested two-way race seen as a pivotal moment in the country's post-apartheid history.

The winner will be well-placed to be the next president, but the ANC has lost much popularity since Nelson Mandela led it to power in the euphoric 1994 election that marked the end of white-minority rule.

Soaring unemployment and government corruption have fuelled frustration among millions of poor black South Africans who face dire housing and education and continuing racial inequality.

President Jacob Zuma, whose reign has been marred by graft scandals, will step down as ANC chief but remain national leader ahead of general elections in 2019.

Competing for the party leadership are his ex-wife, former African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, a wealthy businessman.

The battle could split the ANC party and the conference threatens to be acrimonious, forcing both candidates to issue last-minute calls for unity.

"This is a democratic process - it is not a fight amongst enemies," Dlamini-Zuma said at her final major speech before the conference.

Ramaphosa stressed at the weekend that the party "should rally behind whoever is elected".

Dlamini-Zuma, 68, headed the African Union until earlier this year, and is a former home, foreign and health minister.

But her critics say she would pursue President Zuma's failing economic and political policies, and would be his proxy to protect him from criminal prosecution for graft.

The couple had four children together before divorcing in 1998.

Ramaphosa, 65, a former trade union leader, led the historic negotiations in the 1990s to end apartheid before launching a business career that made him one of the country's wealthiest men.

He is often accused of failing to confront Zuma while serving as his deputy since 2014.

"There is so much at stake and the two candidates are very close in the race," Amanda Gouws, a politics professor at Stellenbosch University, told AFP.

"We will either see a new president (Ramaphosa) who may be able to stabilise the country and do something about the economic and political decline, or a continuation of what we have at the moment.

"At the congress in 2007, we had fighting, chair-throwing, screaming, shouting and long delays - all of that may happen."

Gouws said that the thousands of party delegates could be offered bribes for their votes, and that President Zuma was lobbying hard for Dlamini-Zuma to emerge victorious.

"It is an open secret in the ANC that votes can be bought. It does not augur well," she said.

"Zuma is very afraid of being prosecuted after he leaves office if Dlamini-Zuma doesn't win, so he is really trying to make sure she does."

The ANC is still South Africa's biggest party by far, but the 54 percent it won in local elections last year was its worst poll result since 1994 - underlining its sharp recent decline in popularity.

Ramaphosa is widely seen as a stronger candidate than Dlamini-Zuma to lead the ANC in the 2019 general election, though she has the loyal support of some senior ANC officials.

If Ramaphosa loses the party leadership battle, some experts believe the party could split.

NAMPA/AFP

Geingob ina hala okupopya ongeshefa ye

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Geingob ina hala okupopya ongeshefa ye Omupresidende Hage Geingo okwa lombwele aatoolinkundana kutya itaka yamukula omapulo ge na sha nonkalamwenyo ye yopaumwene kombinga yongeshefa ye, na ina hala woo okuholola kutya okwa mono ingapi sho a landithapo iipambuliko ye mongeshefa yokutunga okandoolopa ke hoka kali ka ziminwa kElelo lyaVenduka, na otaka tungwa moKlein Windhoek.

Etungo lyomagumbo ga thika po 400 oshowo oomahala gokuhiila gongushu yobiliyona yimwe, olya kwatela mo omunashimaliwa gwaChina, Jack Huang. Omunangeshefa ngoka oku li ta tamanekelwa oshipotha shuulingilingi, eyando lyokufuta iishohela yepangelo oshowo okuholeka oonzo dhiimaliwa moNamibia.

Omupresidende okwa li gumwe gwomwaamboka taya mono uuwanawa okuza moDr Hage Geingob Family Trust, ndjoka yi na mo iipambuliko yoopresenda 20 moAfrican Sunrise Investment. Omukulukadhi nale gwaGeingob, Loini naye oku na mo oopresenda 20 moAfrican Sunrise Investment, omanga oopresenda 60 dha hupako dhaHuang.

“Ongeshefa yandje yopaumwene na kayi shi iilonga yeni,” Geingob a yamukula komapulo ngoka a ningilwa kaatoolinkundana.

Geingo okwa li a yelitha kuyele kutya keli we oshitopolwa shongeshefa ndjoka, naatoolinkundana mboka ya kala yahala okuuva ombinga yetokolo lye alihe oya yamukulwa nayi.

“Onde yi landitha po na itandi kala oshitopolwa shawo. Inandi indikwa okuninga iimaliwa, onda kala tandi ningi iimaliwa omanga inamu valwa. Iimaliwa kayi shi iipe kungame.”

Elelo lyoshilando shaVenduka olya zimine etungo lyokandoolopa hoka komalukalwa poplota tayi adhika mondjila ya kwatakanitha Ovenduka nOkapale kOodhila kaHosea Kutako International Airport.

Elelo lyaVenduka olya zimine etungo lyopoloyeka ndjoka pakugandja omalombwelo opo ku ningwe omakonaakono ga kwata miiti

go (geohydrology) ngoka taga ka longithwa kelelo lyondoolopa mokugandja ezimino nepulo komeho lyiilonga, molwaashoka ehala mpomatapu pangelwa okutungwa ehala ndyoka lyomalukalwa, otapu adhika oonzo dhomeya gomevi mOvenduka.

Eindilo ndoka li na nkene ehala ndyoka tali ka kala, oshowo omaludhi agehe gomagumbo ngoka taga tungwa mopoloyeka ndjoka olya gandjwa omvula ya piti kehangano lyoUrban Dynamics Town and Regional Planners, pehala lyehangano lyoAfrican Sunrise Investment Group.

Papangela yankene opoloyeka ndjoka tayi tungwa, ooplota dhili 67 otadhi ka tungwa omagumbo goludhi lyoduplex geli 134, omanga ooplota 29 tadhi ka tungwa omagumbo gondilo geli 29.

Omagumbo goludhi lwoterrace otaga ka tungwa pooplota 25 na otaga ka kala geli 121, omanga ooplota 10 tadhi ka tungwa ooflat 150, okutumbulapo owala yimwe po mbyoka tayi ka kala mokandoolopa hoka taka ka kala nomatungo ga thika 438.

FESTUS NAKATANA

Geingob a popile Noa

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Geingob a popile NoaOmutse goshilongo inagu hala ACC a kondemwe Omupresidende Hage Geingob okwa popile omukomeho gwOkomisi yOkukondjitha Uulingilingi Paulus Noa, nokugamena elelo lye kutya otali longo mokulwitha uulingilingi moshilongo. Geingob okwa popi kutya omuleli gwokomisi ndjoka okwa taalela omanyano molwaashoka oshigwana natango inashi mona omunenentu ta pewa egeelo omolwa uuingilingi.

“ACC ota kondemwa ethimbo alihe molwaashoka inaku pewa natango egeelo omunenentu. Noa ota nyanwa na kashi li mondjila okukondema aantu. Natu ninge iinima yi li mondjila,” Geingob a popi mEtitatu omanga ta popitha iikundaneki kombinga yaashoka sha longwa kepangelo muule womvula ya piti. Epopitho ndyoka olya ningilwa pEgumbo lyEpangelo.

Muule woomwedhi dha piti, ongeyo yoshigwana oya londo pombanda nounyenyeta, shoo ACC ya ndopa okupangula iipotha inene yuulingilingi, mbyoka ya longwa mepangelo unene kaakomeho.

Omwedhi gwa piti, Ominista yEmona, Calle Schlettwein okwa nyana woo iilonga yoACC oshowo endopo lyokakomisi hoka okukonaakona iipotha yuulingilingi.

Schlettwein okwa li a holola omaiyuvo ge kutya ACC okwa pumbwa okunkondopekwa , nokupewa oonkondo dhokugandja omageelo ngele okakomisi hoka kake na oonkondo dhokugeela mbyoka taya pogola oompango dhokukondjitha uulingilingi.

Omuleli okwa popi kutya okakomisi hoka otaka longo okukondjitha iilonga yuulungilingi nepangelo oli na omulandu guli miilonga mokukondjitha uulingilingi mboka.

Geingob ina nyanyukilwa omapulo ngoka a ningilwa opo ku tulwe miilonga omakonaakon gokutala ngele aanambelewa yepangelo otaya hupu tuu shiikwatelela kiiyemo yawo, ngaashi oondjambi yokomwedhi. Pethimbo a li a ningilwa oonkundathana noshikundaneki shomoUnited States omvula ya piti, Geingob okwa li a popi kutya omulandu ngoka ogu na ondilo okutula miilonga, na otagu vulu owala okutulwa miilonga kaanawino. Omupresidende okwa popi kutya epangelo olye olya longa mokukondjitha uulingilingi sho lya kaleke egandjo lyotendela yokulongulula Okapale kOodhila kaHosea Kuutako, konima sho sha monika mo kutya omwaalu gwiimaliwa gotendela yiilonga mbyoka ogwa tulwa pombanda noonkondo okuza poobiliyona 3 okuya poobiliyona 7.

Otendela ndjoka oya li ya sindanwa po kehangano lyaChina lyokutunga lyedhina, Auhui Foreign Economic Construction Corporation ihe osha fala sigo okompangu yopombanda oshikumungu shoka, naasho epangelo olya kanitha oshipotha shoka mompangu yopombanda olya pataneke etokolo ndyoka lya ningwa, noshikumungu osha falwa kompangu yopombandambanda moshilongo.

Natango oshikumungu shimwe elongitho lyiimaliwa oyindji metungo lyoompungulilo dhomahooli mOmbaye.

Aanambelewa yatatu yepangelo oshowo oohamushanga yoNational Planning Commission (NPC) nomugandjimayele miikwaveta mombelewa yaHahende ndaji oya pangulila ekuthombinga lyawo, sho ondando yopoloyeka ndjoka ya yi pombanda noonkondo okuza poobiliyona 3.7 mo 2014, okuya poobiliyona 5.5 omvulanya piti.

Amushanga gwoshikondo shiiyemo Erica Shafudah okwa hupu mokumona ekunkililo lyahugunina omanga Leevi Hungamo naChris Nghaamwa ya mangululwa kiipotha mbyoka.

Hungamo okwiikutha miilonga onga amushanga gwoNPC.



Omuprima

Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila okwa zimine kutya iilonga yaahena uuyuki oya dhimbululwa mopoloyeka ndjoka, naashoka osho sha etitha omakonaakono.

Oompungulilo ndhoka odha tungwa kehangano lyoCBR, ndyoka li li uukumwe nongeshefa nehangano lyaVaino Nghipondoka lyoBabyface Civils oshowo ehangano lyoChina Harbour Engineering Company (CHEH).

Iiwike ya piti, Hungamo okwa li a popi kutya epangelo lyaNamibia olya kanitha konyala oobiliyona 1, omolwa aantu melelo lyoshilongo mboka inaya hala okupewa omayele kaanambelewa mboka ya pyokoka mokugandja omayele goludhi ndyoka.



FESTUS NAKATANA

NSFAF ta shunwa mepangelo

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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NSFAF ta shunwa mepangelo Epangelo otali ningi oompangela opo oshiketha shoNamibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) shi shunwe mUuministeli wElongo lyOpombanda.

Uuyelele mboka owa hololwa pethimbo lyoshipopiwa sha ningwa komupresidende mEtitatu.

Ominista yElongo lyoPombanda

Itah Kandjii-Murangi okwa popi kutya nonando oshiputudhilo shoka osha longa nawa poompito dhilwe, ekalepo lyoshiputudhilo shoka otali talika nomeho omanene.

Okwa popi kutya omanyenyeto okuza moshigwana kombinga yoshiputudhilo shoka uule womwedhi dha piti, ogo ga etitha ku etwepo omadhilaadhilo ngoka opo oshiputudhilo shoka sha kala dhiithikamena, shi shunwe muuministeli welongo.

NSFAF okwa totwa po muJanuari gwo 1997 opo a vule okugandja omakwatho giiyemo yokwiilongitha kaailongi miiputudhilo yopombada.

Minista okwa popi woo kutya oondjambi dhaaniilonga mboka yoshiputudhilo shoka sha kala sha yama kepangelo odhili pombanda noonkondo okuyeleka noondjambi dhaaniilonga yepangelo. Na otashi ka lundululwa.

Oshiputudhilo shoka otaku popiwa kutya oshi na iilonga yuulingilingi ya londa pombanda noonkondo oshowo ekwato nayi lyiimaliwa yoshigwana.

Elelo lyoNSFAF olya ndopa okukala pomutumba gwoshigwana nokomitiye yo parliamentary standing committee kuyele omwedhi nguka, moka elelo lya li lya tegelelwa li kayelithe elongitho lyoshimaliwa sha thika poobiliyona 1 7 shoka kakushiwike kutya osha longithwa shike.

Oya tseyithile okomitiye ndjoka kutya oya pumbwa ethimbo po ya ninge oolopota dhawo dhelongitho lyiimaliwa oshowo okulonga noomapeko ga thika pop 46 000 ngoka taga ka pwa owala okulonga metata lyotango lyo 2018.

Onkalo yiilonga yuulingilingi oya dhigupala moshiputudhilo shoka nomo 2016, nokomisi yoACC oshowo Uuministeli wIiputudhilo yEpangelo oyali ya pulwa opo yi ningile omakonaakono oshiputudhilo shoka.

Omvula oyo tuundjoka, ehangano lyokuninga omakonaakono gopashimaliwa lyoPricewaterhouseCoopers olya holola kutya oshiputudhilo shoka osha ndopa okuulika oondokumende ndhoka tadhi holola kutya oya gandja omakwatho giimaliwa kaaiilongi.

Omvula ya piti, oshifokundnaeki shoNamibia Sun osha lopota kutya NSFAF okwa pyakudhukwa okugandja omakwatho giiyemo yokwiilonga kaailongi 16 669 mboka ya gwanitha po iipumbiwa yokuninga omaindilo gokumona omakwatho ngoka pokati ko 1997 no 2010, naailongi mboka oya ndopa okushunitha iimaliwa mbyoka yali ya kwathelwa.

Omakwatho ngoka ogongushu yoomiliyona dhaNamibia 479.

Oshiputudhilo osha ulike ehangano lyokugongela oongunga, opo li kwathee oshiputudhilo shoka mokugongelako ongunga dhoka dhiniwe kaiilongi.



JEMIMA BEUKES

Over 800 entries for NAMAs

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Over 800 entries for NAMAsOverwhelming interest in 2018 event The organisers of the Namibia Annual Music Awards have received an overwhelming response for next year's event. Over 800 entries have been received from local artists to be considered for nomination ahead of the 2018 Namibia Annual Music Awards (NAMAs). A total of 812 entries were received before the 2 December deadline.

“This is indeed remarkable and impressive considering that we have tweaked the format of categories for the pending awards slightly different, which included a drop in some of the categories,” said NAMAs executive chairperson Umbi Karuaihe-Upi.

Artists whose work were produced and made commercially available between 1 December 2016 and 30 November 2017 qualified to submit entries.

The 2018 event is tentatively scheduled to take place on 28 April and local authorities have been encouraged to submit their bids to host the country's premier music event.

For the Best Damara Punch, 16 entries were received and for Best Afrikaans 8 entries.

Best Oviritjie 15; Best Sokous/Kwasa 25; Best Afro Pop 65; Best Gospel 38; Best Kwaito 34; Best R&B 36; Best Hip-Hop 59; Best House 22; Best Reggae 38; Best Traditional 37; Best Video 97; Best Single 115; Best Collaboration 142 and Best Producer 39.

The steering committee is expected to meet and finalise the entries. It will also ensure that entries comply with the competition rules.

The steering committee is made up of industry experts, serving voluntarily and its only duty is to ensure, that they review and verify adherence to qualify-able rules as indicated in the rules and regulations for the NAMAs.

No judging is conducted by the steering committee. Only upon completion of this task by the steering committee, are the entries handed over to the judging panel for scoring and adjudication.



STAFF REPORTER

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Hanukkah: The other feast of December

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Hanukkah: The other feast of December December is synonymous with presents and the sound of carols as many gear up to celebrate Christmas.

Yet there is another prominent feast that share December with the festival that traditionally commemorates the birth of Christ.

It is called Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights or Feast of Dedication and it is celebrated mainly in Israel and by Jewish people around the world.

The story behind Hanukkah, which means 'dedication' in both Hebrew and Aramaic, reads like the ultimate epic tale.

All the ingredients are there: a small band of faithful warriors taking a stand for their freedom and beliefs, a tyrant determined to bend his subjects to his iron will and miraculous victory in the face of overwhelming odds.

It happened some 21 centuries ago, when Judea – also known as the Land of Israel – was ruled by the mighty Syrian king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

His reign was characterized by severe oppression and frequent massacres.

Antiochus prohibited the people of Israel from practicing their own religion and traditions, set up altars and idols for the forced worship of Greek gods, desecrated the Second Temple in Jerusalem by sacrificing a pig on the altar and placed a Greek priest in charge of the God of Israel's dwelling place. He offered the Jews two choices: convert or die.

Immediately after their miraculous victory, the Maccabees sought to purify and rededicate the Temple by rebuilding the altar and relighting the menorah, the golden lamp stand with seven branches, which was meant to be kept burning day and night.

There was, however, one problem: only one vessel of consecrated anointing oil could be found to light the menorah, enough to keep the lampstand aglow for one night only.

Yet according to tradition, the miraculous happened.

The flames of the menorah continued flickering for eight nights, the exact time it took to prepare a fresh supply of consecrated oil.

Today, the descendants of the ancient Maccabees celebrate this miracle of light and oil through the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah. On each night of the eight days, family and friends gather to light the candles of the Hanukkiyah (the special Hanukkah lamp stand with nine candleholders) – one candle on the first night, two on the second and so forth, until all eight candles of the Hanukkiyahare alight.

For eight days, tables will be laden with traditional Hanukkah treats, like sufganiyot (sweet donuts), latkes (potato pancakes) and other deep-fried delicacies to mark the miracle of oil.

And for eight nights, the fragile glow spilling from thousands of candles in Israel and in Jewish homes across the world reminds those who witness it of the tremendous significance of something as familiar as light.



ILSE POSSELT

Ees spices it up

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Ees spices it up FROM SHOES TO SPICE: Local kwaito artist Ees, who is known for being proudly Namibian, has surprised all and sundry by coming up with his own spice product. Ees has always been a very creative entrepreneur when it comes to releasing local items. From the Namibia flag shoes to the vitamin energy drink “WUMA” and many other local products. This time he teamed up with the well-known Namibian spice company NAMCAS to create a braai spice that has that special Namibian taste to it. The product is called the Nam Flava Spice. “I have always put all my effort into making quality products. There are too many fly-by-nights that just release cheap products to get rich overnight. But it's time that Africa gets used to quality products and supports the local market,” said Ees. The new spice does not contain any Mono Sodium Glutamate, no colorants or preservatives. The Nam Flava Spice is available in local supermarkets or retailers but it also is selling and shipping worldwide via the new online shop on www.namflava.com which gives Namibia a great opportunity to also start exporting local goods to other countries in the world.PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

Greatest tjil moments

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Greatest tjil moments Reflecting on the year that was The year 2017 has been less dramatic on all levels compared to previous years from an entertainment point of view. It is just a matter of time before 2017 becomes history. It was indeed a year full of challenges as well as opportunities at the same time. Artists relatively honoured scheduled shows, while we saw more local movies being premiered. Our artists were also able to showcase their talent across the borders. Local musicians have taken a great leap of faith and gone out of their comfort zones from launching their music fully online to getting massive collaborations with international stars. Although we still have those that want everything to be done for them, we hope next year they will have learned something new and also be go-getters. The fashion world has shown glimpses of improvement as well. The annual Windhoek Fashion Week was a big success compared to the 2016 edition, which was a major flop. We have taken some snippets from the year that was as well as a sneak preview who to look out for next year by presenting it in the form of awards.

JUNE SHIMOUSHILI

Where is the love?

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Where is the love? With the festive season in full swing, it seems everything, except love and compassion have been amplified. Newspaper headlines continue to be filled with the usual social evils that have come to characterise this time of the year, alcohol abuse, increased accidents and fatalities on our roads, rape and murder and the list goes on. Namibians are often quick to remind themselves that we live in a country where the majority are Christians. And as such, this time of the year should be one of love, family and compassion. But a quick look around, one would be forgiven for asking: where is the love? No think about it: if one loved their neighbour like you love yourself wouldn't you then consciously choose to drive responsibly? Our roads have become a blood bath; everyone is seemingly in a hurry.

Many insist on driving with a cooler box filled with alcohol.

There is complete disregard for other road users, and seemingly little concern for the people whose hearts we leave shattered because of reckless driving - the people who have to stand over open graves. The Sunday police reports continue to be filled with brutal murders and incidents of rape, most of it occurring following a drinking spree. It seems even our readers at times become numb to the human lives behind the headlines. It has all become so repetitive. But we shouldn't become numb. We can't afford to stop feelings. Too many families will have to plan for funerals instead of that festive family lunch.

Too many children have already become orphaned this December and we only half way through the month.

There is only so much deterrence the law can do. The solution is us, all of us. We need to return to a place of compassion.

We need to teach our children, our wives, our husbands and our neighbours the importance of being considerate towards the feelings of others, to respect and protect human lives.

But mostly, we need to consciously to act with and out of love. Not just for oneself, but for the people we love.

Anyone who acts out of love, and with compassion, will actively work towards keeping themselves and their neighbours alive this festive season.

My maiden flight against the great Atlantic

December 14, 2017, 2:00 pm

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My maiden flight against the great Atlantic You have not lived until you have travelled frequently – by air! You can call yourself an atheist – you know all that jazz about not believing in the existence of a God – but when you are 12 000 kilometers off the ground, you will convert in no time. I do not know which is worse; to know that you are that high off the ground, or that the plane is moving at an average speed of 990km/h.

Have you ever observed how even the hardened atheist silently hums “Amazing Grace” to himself whenever the captain announces that the plane is going through some turbulence? Trust me, there is nothing I like more than having both my feet firmly on the ground, but we all have to get on a plane sometime I guess.

In fact, the questions they ask you before you get onto a plane are nothing short of comedy scripts! At one airport they asked me, “Sir, have you ever been convicted of a crime?”

Of course I have not, but I was just thinking if I had in fact been convicted of a crime, would I say 'yes' and allow myself to be shipped to Guantanamo Bay?

“No officer, I have no criminal record,” I replied.

“But did you ever commit a crime before, sir?” At this stage I am thinking this must be one of those Dare or Truth games. What is the officer thinking – that I committed a crime in the past and was never caught, and that finally I am ready to be caught?

“No officer, I have never committed a crime in my life…,” I replied. I counted the seconds as my smart officer thinks of another question. I bet silently to myself that it is going to be even more 'questionable' than the first two.

And, like clockwork, the officer finally ask: “Are you planning to commit a crime any time soon, Sir?”

At this stage I look around to other passengers behind me, to see if they follow what is happening. It appears these questions were standard and I am the funny one for wondering why the officer is asking me the questions!

One of the passengers even raised his eye brows at me, as if asking, “Well, do you plan to commit a crime? Answer the officer, it is a truly legitimate question”.

I left it at that.

I know it must be protocol, but the things they tell you before you fly makes you want to think twice about getting on that plane. It's like a scene from one of those movies about going into space and saving the world by sacrificing yourself to be the target of a loose meteorite!

Ja, the part where the entire human race gather at the foot of your spaceship, some watching over live Television, as you make your slow-motion entrance into the space ship.

Mind you, they clap hands after you take off – what the hell? Shouldn't someone be crying her lungs out – I am on a suicide mission for crying out loud.

The cabin attendants - the ever smiling faces that never quit smiling even when turbulence make the jumbo Airbus feel like a wheelbarrow – are tasked with the ensuring your safety.

To execute their work thoroughly, they show you how to escape the plane in cases of emergencies and how to put on an oxygen mask when needed.

And there I am, seated in my window seat, seeing dear ground getting smaller and smaller as we take off.

At that point I am thinking to myself – 'Emegency exit from the plane”? Exit to where – cloud nine? Nah, I'd rather put on the oxygen mask and remain in my tiny seat.

I can now say with confidence that I am a brilliant flyer – much better than Tjeripo. Eish, that man never wants to try new things.

But Tjeripo is cut from a rare fabric – the other day we were stopped by a mugger who demanded money from us.

We both grudgingly pull out our wallets and begin taking out our cash.

Just then Tjeripo turns to me hands me a bill and said: “Here's that N$200 I owe you”.

He is after all smart fella.

Until then…



tjatindi@gmail.com