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TransNamib dragged to court

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TransNamib dragged to courtTransNamib dragged to courtParastatal failed to pay for diesel pumps A businessman wants the High Court to order the seizure of diesel pumps that he installed at the Tsumeb, Otjiwarongo and Walvis Bay railway depots in 2016. Rodney Hanganda of RMH Logistics has brought an urgent court application to force TransNamib Holdings to pay him approximately half a million dollars due for products supplied and work conducted.

According to Hanganda. he instructed his lawyer Gilroy Kasper to demand payment from TransNamib in June already, without any success.

“I have applied for an urgent court interdict to stop and remove the fuelling pump systems I installed in Tsumeb, Otjiwarongo and Walvis Bay in 2016. This could cause serious problems for TransNamib and result in rail operations coming to a complete halt.

“The nevermindedness of officials could ultimately cost the government considerably more in the long run,” he said.

Kasper confirmed he had submitted an urgent High Court application on behalf of Hanganda and said a court date was set for today.

According to Hanganda, his workers visited the site in Walvis Bay yesterday to switch off the pumps and remove the diesel storage tanks installed by his company as part of a N$60 million contract.

“The installed products belong to RMH Logistics until it's fully paid for by TransNamib. They are renting the equipment from me and have not ceased using it despite stopping the work. I have learned in the meantime that TransNamib had already purchased and wanted to install other temporary pumps,” he said.

Hanganda provided written proof that Dawid Tjombe, the TransNamib manager for health and safety, had instructed his company (RMH Logistics) to provide three temporary diesel pumps since it had been found that the existing diesel system was leaking.

In an e-mail dated 1 March, Tjombe wrote that after the temporary refuelling site was assessed TransNamib decided to shift the equipment to the Tsumeb railway station because it catered for more locomotives and had a 23 000-litre diesel tank.

Hanganda said he subsequently moved the equipment to Tsumeb and installed it on Tjombe's instructions.

“Tjombe visited the site in March and we conducted tests on the equipment. Everything was found to be in fine working condition and my equipment started operating until this very day.

“Based on this I was once again instructed to install a second pump in Otjiwarongo by Tjombe on behalf of TransNamib. This pump was inspected on delivery by a certain Samuel Pietersen, a TransNamib employee who received it on behalf of the railway carrier,” he said.

Hanganda says problems suddenly started arising when he submitted an invoice for N$423 999.25 for the two pumps he had delivered to TransNamib in August.

The acting CEO, Ferdinand Ganaseb, refused to pay the money.

“He reasoned that Trans Namib never had any contract with me to supply the pumps despite the appointment letter made out in the name of my business, RMH Logistics, which I received from Tjombe,” Hanganda said.

Ganaseb said he was unaware that Hanganda was taking TransNamib to court for non-payment.

He agreed that the equipment belonged to Hanganda until TransNamib had paid for it.

Tjombe confirmed that diesel spills at the TransNamib locomotive depot in Walvis Bay had resulted in the contamination of underground seawater.

He said a decision was taken a year ago to start rehabilitating the area and Hanganda's company received this tender.

Tjombe explained that the existing TransNamib pumps were old and could no longer be used.

The board then decided that the entire facility should be completely rehabilitated.

After approval was granted Hanganda was instructed to provide and install temporary pumps and do the rehabilitation work also.

“Walvis Bay, Tsumeb and Otjiwarongo were identified as the priority areas due to new locomotives that were purchased and being utilised on these routes. We also wanted to ensure the availability of diesel as well as the continuation and smooth running of existing operations.”

Tjombe said the pump in Walvis Bay was already operational. The pump at Otjiwarongo was supposed to be activated but management resolved to stop the project.





OTIS FINCK

South Korea plans shift to renewables

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South Korea plans shift to renewablesSouth Korea plans shift to renewablesPlans to cut out coal, natural gases South Korea plans to boost renewables to 20% by 2030. The natural gas share of fuel mix will rise only slightly. The changes will be gradual, coming mostly after 2022, authorities have said. NAMPA/REUTERS



South Korea aims to expand the share of renewables and also natural gas in its fuel mix to gradually cut back its high dependence on coal and nuclear power over the 15 years to 2031, the energy ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry's new draft proposal - an adjustment to its power supply plan for 2017-2031 - reflects growing domestic calls for better air quality and more stringent nuclear safety.

Despite efforts to boost renewables and natural gas, however, South Korea's power generation mix will remain dominated by nuclear and thermal coal, which will still account for 60% of electricity in 2030, the plan showed.

"While the existing plan is focused on stable power supply and economics, we have laid out a new plan to improve safety and environmental aspects of the plan," the energy ministry said.

Asia's fourth-largest economy currently generates 45% of its electricity from coal, and around 30 percent from nuclear reactors. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) meets 17% of power demand and renewables only 6%.

The biggest jump will come for renewables, which are to make up 20% of South Korea's power generation by 2030, while the gas share will rise only slightly to 18.8%, from 16.9% now.

South Korea expects its electricity demand to grow 1.3% annually to 100.5 gigawatts (GW) in 2030, the plan showed, about 11% below its previous forecast in 2015.

COAL TAX & CAP

The ministry said it planned to raise consumption taxes on thermal coal by 6 Korean won (US$0.0055) per kilogram from April in 2018 and work on other ways to cap coal power generation, although it gave no details on what those might be.

The government said it would work gradually, introducing the biggest changes after 2022. The plans are not as ambitious as those pledged by newly-elected President Moon Jae-in, who had proposed reviews of existing plans to build nine coal power plants and eight nuclear reactors.

South Korea will now convert two planned coal plants to gas, down from an initial plan to switch over four out of nine new coal-fired stations.

With that reduction, though, the two planned plants that will be converted will be increased in capacity to 1.9 GW from 1.2 GW, and four existing coal-fired plants will also change to using natural gas as a fuel.

Despite the eventual plans to reduce nuclear output, South Korea will add two reactors by 2022 after a public poll in October supported their construction. Only from the mid-2020s will the country's nuclear power share gradually decline. South Korea is second only to France in terms of reactor capacity per million people.

To push ahead with its nuclear phase-out, the ministry plans to shut South Korea's second-oldest nuclear plant earlier than scheduled and will decide when in the first half of next year.

Signs you’re too smart for your job

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Signs you’re too smart for your jobSigns you’re too smart for your job Should you stay, or should you go?

Almost every professional wrestles with this question at some point in his or her career. You have a perfectly decent job on paper, but you just can’t kick that nagging urge to throw it all in and do something radically different . When should you soldier on, and when should you listen to your gut ?

There are usually compelling arguments to consider on both sides in such cases. Many people’s professional dissatisfaction is at least partially due to attitude , and a change of viewpoint can have radical effects on how much you enjoy your work. On the other hand, the best time to get out of a truly ill-fitting career is yesterday . But there is one sure sign that you should start looking for the exit—when your career stops challenging you.

One of the surest ways to get smarter is to surround yourself with those who are more intelligent than you and to insist on regularly stretching yourself beyond your comfort zone . If you’re just too smart for your current gig, that’s just not going to happen,insisted Liz Ryan, founder and CEO of Human Workplace, on LinkedIn recently .

1. Problem, What Problem?Doing the same thing over and over again in the exact same way never taught anyone anything. If your co-workers are interested only in repeatedly treading the same well worn paths , then it’s unlikely you’ll start expanding your skills anytime soon, according to Ryan. “Your co-workers may be the nicest people on Earth, but if they don’t understand what you’re talking about when you lay out frame-shifting ideas or if they can’t hold a conversation about anything except the way they’ve always done things, you’re in the wrong place,” she writes.

2. No One is Mentor MaterialIt bears repeating: Hanging out with smart folks makes you smarter . If you look around and don’t see anyone you really want to learn from at your current place of employment, that’s a huge red flag. Ask yourself: “Whom do I spar with? Who stimulates me mentally at work? Whom do I look up to and learn from?” If the answer is no one, it’s time to start plotting your escape, Ryan suggests.

3. No Vision at the TopIt’s hard to progress if you have no idea what you’re working toward, and, unless you’re very far advanced in your career, that vision for your team, department, or company should come from the top. If instead you’re getting radio silence about where the organization is headed, then the scope for meaningful contribution is severely limited. “You can’t grow your flame working for someone who has no idea what a vision is or where to get one. You have to learn from your boss,” warns Ryan. Source: themuse.com

Gay couple challenge prohibited immigrant status

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Gay couple challenge prohibited immigrant statusGay couple challenge prohibited immigrant status An urgent application against the government's decision to declare a married gay couple as prohibited immigrants is to be heard in the High Court in Windhoek this morning.

Matsobane Daniel Digashu and Johann Potgieter want the court to interdict the government and its immigration authorities from treating them as prohibited immigrants.

Cited as the third applicant in the matter is Tjoelantle Lucas Digashu, a minor said to be the son of the applicants.

They also want the government and its immigration authorities to recognise their civil marriage concluded on 4 August 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The court is requested to declare that the government must recognise that Digashu is the spouse of Potgieter as envisaged in the provisions of the Immigration Control Act of Namibia.

The respondents are: the Namibian government, the minister of home affairs and immigration, the chief of immigration, the acting chairperson of the Immigration Board, the Immigration Selection Board, the Immigration Tribunal, the ombudsman and the attorney-general.

Digashu, a specialist in information and communication technology and Potgieter, an information technology businessman, want the court to declare that they are the joint primary caregivers of Tjoelantle.

The court is also asked to declare that the couple may remove the child from South Africa and relocate to Namibia.

The applicants want the court to declare that Tjoelantle is their dependent child and that they are domiciled in Namibia.

They argue that if the court finds that the word “spouse” as used in the provisions of the Immigration Act cannot be interpreted to mean that Digashu and Potgieter are spouses, then it must declare section 2(1) (c) of the Immigration Control Act unconstitutional by rectifying it to read into the section the words “including persons lawfully married in another country”.

The applicants are asking the court to review and set aside the immigration authorities' decision of 26 September 2017 which refused to grant Digashu an employment permit in terms of section 7 of the Immigration Control Act.

They are also asking the court to order the respondents to pay the costs of the application.

FRED GOEIEMAN

Record growth for tourism

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Record growth for tourismRecord growth for tourismForeign arrivals reach 1.57 million The tourism industry is one of the few sectors to have shown sustainable growth throughout the economic crisis. Namibia recorded a record number of 1.46 million tourists last year, representing an increase of 5.9% from the previous year when 1.38 million tourists visited the country.

The total number of foreign arrivals in 2016 increased by 3.6% from the previous year, from 1.51 million to 1.57 million.

This was announced by the tourism minister, Pohamba Shifeta, when he launched the Tourist Statistical Report for 2016.

The report indicates that of the 1.57 million foreign arrivals last year, tourist arrivals accounted for 93%, followed by same-day visitors (about 5%) while returning visitors and other categories accounted for 1%.

The largest number of foreign visitors in 2016 came from Angola (398 939) and South Africa (342 044).

From Europe there were 294 889 recorded tourist arrivals in Namibia, an increase of 26.2% compared to the previous year.

There was also a 10.1% increase in the number of tourist visitors from North America to 35 624. Of these, 27 264 were from the United States, representing an increase of 11.6%.

The biggest Asian market was China with 12 512 tourists and a growth of 8.8% compared to the previous year.

Arrival figures for the United Arab Emirates were also compiled for the first time in 2016 and saw 3 705 tourists registered.

Shifeta said tourist arrivals had increased consistently since Namibia gained independence in 1990.

Statistics for the past five years indicate that tourist arrivals have been experiencing a commendable growth and increase since 2012 from 1.078 million to the current 1.46 million recorded last year.

“These figures give us confidence that we are making good progress in our efforts to grow and develop the tourism industry as a global sector.”

He added that tourism was one of the few sectors to have shown sustainable growth throughout the economic crisis.

Shifeta said the country needed to capitalise on the increase in international airlines, which results in more tourist arrivals, by investing in infrastructure to meet the demand.

“Now that we have more international airlines landing in Namibia it is having an impact on the tourism. But the challenge is the facilities. I was at the airport and it is very disappointing that people are standing in long queues.”

He pointed out that the airport was designed to handle a maximum of 200 people at a time and was now handling about 1 000 people when several airlines landed at once.

“We need to innovate and do something. Our visitors are getting frustrated. And soon they will be standing in the heat and in rain. It needs to be addressed.”

Furthermore, Shifeta said another challenge for the country is proper training in the hospitality and tourism industry and addressing poor customer service.

According to him, the country's training institutions are not meeting the needs of the industry and therefore the country is now sitting with a number of students without proper skills and no jobs.

“It does not make sense to train just for the sake of training.”

Shifeta said the Advisory Council must address this.

“I have noticed at establishments the poor training and that they do not understand customer service at all. They do not understand that if they do not give service they will be out of a job.”

He added that the hospitality industry is very sensitive and if a mistake is made people will not return to the establishment.

“We are lacking customer service, but it is not only in hospitality, it is generally. It is money that matters and not the client.”

He said in the public service tourists are being treated even worse.

Shifeta therefore said that not only prospective employees should be trained in customer service but also current employees.

“It is poor, very poor. Some of them have already been in the industry for ten years but refuse to understand change and the sensitivity of the industry.”

Other challenges that he mentioned were the cost of doing business in Namibia, poor intersectoral coordination and cooperation, access to capital for transformation of the sector, the absence of a national marketing strategy and weak domestic marketing.

He said for the last five years the tourism sector had been growing year-on-year at an average of 6% despite the global economic adversities.

Shifeta said in order to maintain these numbers efforts must be redoubled to ensure Namibia remains a value-for-money destination.





ELLANIE SMIT

Learn what employers expect in the workplace

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Learn what employers expect in the workplaceLearn what employers expect in the workplaceIdentifying workplace etiquette Being professional on the job is easy to recognize when it comes to dress code or getting to work on time, but can become blurred when new rules are set. Be prompt in responding to all company email while on the job. Managers may wonder what you’re doing if it takes a day or two for you to respond to important emails. If you are working on finding an answer before answering an email, it may be wise to let the person know this so that they don’t think that you’re not responding or that you didn’t receive the email in the first place.Make it a point to find out your company’s policies and procedures when it comes to what is expected of its employees. You can check with the company’s Human Resources Office which should be able to provide you with the necessary information. If not, check with your supervisor or check out the company’s website. It’s easiest to do this at the beginning of employment to avoid any embarrassing moments.Be mindful that any communications you send via email may be monitored by the company. Never send personal messages via company email. Your email history may be periodically checked and this can adversely affect you on the job. It’s best to have a personal email account and use that for personal use while leaving your business account for all company email only.

Some companies have strict policies on what employees may download on computers at work. Don’t make the mistake of web surfing on the job because this could end up causing you to lose a job even though you may feel that you are not doing anything wrong.Be mindful of what you post on social networking sites. It may not be a good idea to boast about getting drunk at last night’s party. Once you have a full-time job you are not only representing yourself, but you are also representing your company. Imagine having someone managing your hard earned money only to find that they are frequently engaging in immature and irresponsible behavior.?If you accidentally log onto a site that’s prohibited, log off, and report it to the appropriate person such as the IT Department or your manager.Find out the companies policy on personal phone calls and personal cell phone use. Policies vary and can be anything from no personal phone calls while working to keeping personal phone calls to a minimum and use only when absolutely necessary.These tips may seem like no-brainers but can be easily overlooked by new professionals who have never encountered in the past monitoring of their personal use of technology and electronic devices. Source: thebalance.com

Renewable energy in vogue

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Renewable energy in vogueRenewable energy in vogueMorocco, Côte d’Ivoire granted mega loans for power projects The African Development Bank leads the way in renewable energy and has invested millions in power projects on the continent. STAFF REPORTER

In line with the New Deal on Energy for Africa, the African Development Bank has approved US$324 million in loan support to two renewable energy projects in Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire that are expected to significantly increase power supplies and keep economic growth track.

Scaling up investments in energy is the African Development Bank Group’s top High 5 priority, in a continent where more than 600 million people do not have access to electricity. The New Deal on Energy for Africa is a partnership-driven effort with the aspirational goal of achieving universal access to energy in Africa by 2025.

For Morocco, the bank’s commitment of US$265 million will help develop two solar power plants (NOORM I and NOORM II) at a total cost of €2.048 billion with a cumulative capacity of 800 MW, under a public-private partnership (PPP).

The solar plants will be connected to the national grid, and will guarantee electricity supplies to more than 2 million Moroccans (approximately 6% of the country’s population) and significantly reduce CO2 emissions. The investment is part of the bank’s continued support to Morocco’s US$ 3 billion NOOR solar energy program.

The Côte d’Ivoire project involves the design, construction and operation of a 44-MW hydropower plant on the Bandama River. The country’s dynamic economy is exerting pressure on power supply, with demand projected to grow by 8-9% annually until 2020. To meet rising domestic and regional demand, Côte d’Ivoire intends to significantly raise its generation capacity, including hydropower.

The approval of both projects underscores the bank’s focus on renewable energy in Africa. This year alone the bank’s investments will contribute 1.4 GW of additional generation capacity exclusively from renewable energy sources.

“These approvals demonstrate once again the bank’s leadership on renewable energy in Africa.” President Akinwumi Adesina stated. “These projects will be essential to achieving the countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) goals under the Paris Agreement. I believe this sends a strong message ahead of the One Planet Summit on Climate next week in Paris”.

In addition to utility-scale renewable energy generations projects, the bank’s interventions in 2017 covered all facets of renewable energy off-grid and mini-grid projects, such as the approval of the second phase of the Green Mini-Grid Market Development Programme to address barriers to scaling-up of private sector mini-grids in Africa and the launch of the Off-grid Revolution by mobilising funding, pushing for regulatory reform, achieving economies of scale, addressing currency risks and convening governments to provide incentives for off-grid.

Namibia participates in global business accelerator

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Namibia participates in global business acceleratorNamibia participates in global business accelerator STAFF REPORTER

FABlab Namibia and the winners of the 2017 #pitchnightnam competition attended the global impact accelerator at the renowned SLUSH conference in Helsinki, Finland last week.

The event was created to fast-track innovation impact across the globe and gives innovation hubs a chance to present themselves, meet like-minded people and organisations and engage with venture capitalists.

Namibia was represented for the first time ever at the SLUSH this year. This is testimony to the level of innovation and technological developments that has been pursued by the Namibia University of Science and Technology’s (NUST) FABlab.

Kirstin Wiedow, the director and co-founder of FABlab Namibia, as well as David Shatiwa, BDS coordinator from the tangible innovation arm of FABlab, flew the flag for Namibia.

“GIA 2017 brought impact-driven entrepreneurs from emerging markets to Helsinki to accelerate their business, attract additional financing, and build long-lasting networks. This is why it was so great to be able to take our winning innovators along and see and show how they can drive and develop their ideas, meet people with the same dream of entrepreneurship and innovation from around the world,” Wiedow said.

Namibia is being recognised and its star is rising on the global stage as a player contributing to local innovation.

Further proof of this was the two local Namibian start-ups that had the opportunity to accompany Wiedow and Shatiwa to Helsinki, as part of their prize in the #pitchnightnam competition.

The two start-ups were driven by Kaveto Tjatjara, whose innovation assists in providing decent ablution facilities for all Namibians without the need for water connectivity.

The runner-up was Vincent van Wyk with his locally designed low-cost personal computer.

The Slush Global Impact Accelerator (GIA) is a programme created in collaboration with the ministry for foreign affairs of Finland and global partners.

Rukoro gets N$3m severance

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Rukoro gets N$3m severanceRukoro gets N$3m severanceMeatco advertises CEO post Meatco has agreed to pay former CEO Vekuii Rukoro N$3 million for the two remaining months of his contract. Meatco is on the hunt for a new CEO after officially dropping all disciplinary charges against Vekuii Rukoro, who was suspended from the position earlier this year.

The former Meatco CEO is, however, not walking away empty handed as the company agreed to pay him about N$3 million for the last two months of his contract, which expires on 1 February 2018.

This was confirmed yesterday by Rukoro's legal representative, Jefta Tjitemisa, who said all four charges against Rukoro had been dropped by the company.

The last two charges were only dropped last week after two other charges had been dropped at the end of November.

Meatco did not waste much time after this and advertised the CEO position in yesterday's newspapers, with the closing date for submissions being 8 January.

Tjitemisa said although the disciplinary hearing against Rukoro was over he was not interested in working for Meatco any longer after the way they had treated him.

Rukoro was suspended by the meat processor's board in May pending an undisclosed investigation into operations at the company.

“He only has two months left on his contract before it expires and he considered taking them to court for defamation of character but it was agreed that the company will pay him N$3 million for the two months he has left,” said Tjitemisa.

Tjitemisa said this meant that he would get N$1.5 million for each month left.

He suggested that public enterprises should stop wasting the taxpayer's money by suspending people unnecessarily.

“They knew from the beginning that these charges would not stick.”

The first charge alleged that Rukoro had given a certain cabinet minister preferential treatment when it came to the purchasing and slaughtering of his cattle in Kavango.

This is according to a document in Namibian Sun's possession. Dated 17 August, the letter gave Rukoro notice of the disciplinary charges against him.

Rukoro was also accused of having influenced a decision to advance a N$200 000 payment to the minister for his cattle, exposing the company to financial risks.

According to the charges, his conduct frustrated the company's operations and reputation.

The second charge pertained to alleged derogatory, offensive and disrespectful remarks made against certain members of the Meatco board and the government.

Rukoro pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Rukoro was also accused of not being fit to continue leading Meatco because of his obligations connected to his role as paramount chief of the Ovaherero people.

He was further charged for accepting his appointment to the MMI Holdings board without the Meatco board's approval.

Rukoro did not accept these charges.

The Meatco board and Rukoro have been involved in a bitter feud for quite some time now. Last year in August he survived an attempt by the board to suspend him.

It was widely reported in the print media that the Meatco board had failed to get permission from public enterprises minister Leon Jooste to go ahead with the suspension.

Board chair Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun did not respond to questions yesterday.

Meatco says in its advert that the “current CEO's” contract is coming to an end and it is looking for a strategic leader to drive and implement strategies developed in line with the Meatco Act and as agreed with the Meatco board.

It says the person should be fearless and confident to make tough calls while being sensitive to the Namibian environment.

Kauta wants Mulunga suspended

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Kauta wants Mulunga suspendedKauta wants Mulunga suspended The minister of public enterprises, Leon Jooste, has confirmed that he had received a request from Patrick Kauta, the board chairperson of the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor), to suspend managing director Immanuel Mulunga.

This request was also made to the minister of mines and energy, Obeth Kandjoze.

Jooste yesterday said he was still considering the request and had requested more information from Kauta. He refused to give the reasons advanced by the Namcor board for this drastic action.

“We regard the suspension of a managing director or chief executive officer of a public enterprise as an extreme measure, which should only be condoned under exceptional circumstances based on strong evidence.

“The suspension of a MD or CEO under less than exceptional circumstances is not in the best interest of the entity as it creates a leadership vacuum and tarnishes the brand and integrity of the entity,” Jooste said.

Jooste said he would, therefore, only approve the Namcor board's request if such stringent requirements were met.

“The overall, overarching principle is that we must always act in the best interest of the entity rather than of the individual,” Jooste added.

Kauta on Wednesday would not say whether the board was considering disciplinary steps against Mulunga for purported questionable appointments of nine temporary employees.

The board on 27 November cancelled these appointments and Mulunga, who had unilaterally made the appointments without advertisements or interviews, was forced to inform the employees of their dismissal.

The Villager yesterday reported that the board's request for Mulunga's suspension was in fact over the appointments, as well as over a tender for the supply of lubricants to Namcor.

It alleged that the tender was awarded to a Mauritius-based company, Hyrax Oil, through Mulunga's machinations after he had insisted on a restrictive bidding process for the tender, which limited the tender applications.

Mulunga reportedly confirmed that the owner of Hyrax Oil, Alex Wayne, was a friend of his.

The Villager quoted Mulunga as having said that there was nothing wrong with the procurement method because the products were required quickly.

Sasol is currently supplying Namcor with lubricants. This contract expires in March next year.

Namcor's spokesperson, Utaara Hoveka, said questions sent to Mulunga related to matters currently before higher authorities and the parastatal therefore was unable to comment at this stage.

CATHERINE SASMAN

Five strategies to drive your career success in 2018

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Five strategies to drive your career success in 2018Five strategies to drive your career success in 2018 Imagine getting up every day feeling stalled in your career. You greet the world with your best smile and "can do" personality, and you’re even achieving the results that are expected of you, but you dread Monday mornings. To the outside world, you are winning but deep down inside you are unhappy and your energy is waning daily.

As you think about driving your career success in 2018, consider the following strategies:

1. Start with the end in mind: Visualize the outcome you want to create for your career by the end of 2018, and consider the following questions: What is my vision for my career? What type of experiences do I want to have? What type of impact do I want to have on the world?

A powerful tool that I have used to help clients articulate their career visions — and that I’ve used personally — is a vision board. A vision board is a visual representation of the big picture you want to create for your career and life. Vision boards can be extremely powerful in illustrating your career hopes, dreams and aspirations in a way that inspires you to strive for them.

2. Determine your career motivations: In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Polonius famously says, “To thine own self be true.” It’s extremely important to understand your motivations and how they align to your career. Starting from a blank canvas, consider what’s important to you in your next career opportunity. What are the intrinsic and extrinsic benefits you desire?

Extrinsic benefits are typically tied to compensation, for example, paid time off, profit-sharing, salary or bonuses and stock. Conversely, intrinsic benefits are non-tangible and are often tied to emotions. Intrinsic benefits may include words of praise, meaningful work, learning and development, autonomy and work-life balance. One exercise my clients leverage to categorize and prioritize their career motivations is to write down their Must Haves, Nice to Haves and Trade-Offs. After completing the exercise, they have a deeper awareness of what’s most important to them.

3. Leverage your network: Recently I was speaking to a client who wanted to accelerate his career in a different direction. When it came time to discuss relationships that could potentially support his career transition, he couldn’t name one person. Having the relationship capital to support you in moving your career forward internally or externally of your organization is truly invaluable.

As you evaluate your network, explore sponsors, mentors, previous managers, colleagues and other relationships that will help you in accelerating your career. If the relationships don’t exist, create them. With nearly half a billion professionals on its platform, LinkedIn is a tremendous tool for building new connections.

5. Implement an accountability system: Any viable business has an accounting function with checks and balances to ensure the achievement of financial goals. Similarly, it is critical that you have an accountability system in place to support your career goals. One aspect of the system is to have a career plan with key goals and milestones. Because 92% of people who set goals do not achieve them, consider engaging a professional coach, mentor, colleague, community of practice or friend as your accountability partner.

Steve Jobs once said, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”

Now is the time to move forward with owning and driving your career success no matter what. As we enter the new year, get clear about the outcome you want to create for your career, determine your career motivations, redefine your strengths and weaknesses, leverage your network and implement an accountability system to accelerate your career. Source: Forbes.com

CRAN holds hearing on fair competition

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CRAN holds hearing on fair competitionCRAN holds hearing on fair competitionRegulator keen for level playing ground Participants in the telecommunications sector are being urged to compete with each other fairly. STAFF REPORTER



The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) recently hosted a public consultative meeting pertaining to regulations to provide for the promotion of fair competition of telecommunication services, and enforcement and penalty guidelines.

“The competition regulations will apply to the telecommunications markets, namely the fixed and mobile call termination market, wired end user access market, national data transmission market, and wireless end user access markets” said Festus Mbandeka, CEO of CRAN.

He added that CRAN must ensure that open and fair competition is encouraged in relevant markets within the telecommunications sector.

The purposes of the intended competition regulations are to provide a regulatory framework for the promotion of fair competition and the protection against anti-competitive practices in the telecommunications sector, to induce licensees to become more efficient in order to offer a greater choice of products and services at lower prices and to ensure that licensees exercise market power with due regard to consumer welfare and overall industry performance and not to abuse their market power.

Furthermore, the regulations would ensure that essential facilities are available to competitors of licensees on reasonable terms, ensure competitive outcomes in order to enhance consumer welfare and make provision for tariff application and review and promote consumer protection in the telecommunications sector.

The enforcement and penalty guidelines seek to formulate enforcement guidelines, which will specifically focus on the manner in which investigations and inspections are conducted, how penalties are imposed in respect of offences prohibited in terms of the Communications Act and the manner in which hearings are conducted.

Mbandeka said the guidelines would set a framework that would direct CRAN on what it needed to investigate, and a prioritisation framework that would be used to decide whether or not CRAN should open or continue with an investigation.

The guidelines do not cover complaints from individual consumers, as they are already handled in terms of the regulations regarding procedures for the adjudication of disputes.

Boost for financial education

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Boost for financial educationBoost for financial education STAFF REPORTER

Financial literacy is necessary to make financially responsible decisions that are integral to our everyday lives.

Unfortunately, consumers fail to demonstrate a strong grasp of financial principles in order to understand and negotiate the financial landscape, manage financial risks effectively and avoid financial pitfalls.

According to the Financial Literacy Initiative (FLI), 89% of salaries are used to service debt in Namibia; 51% of Namibians are financially literate while only a mere 32% implement the knowledge of financial literacy.

“As a responsible corporate entity, Standard Bank understands the importance of financial literacy, hence our partnership and annual donation of with FLI who seek to educate all consumers,” Standard Bank spokesperson Surihe Gaomas-Guchu said.

FLI is a national platform initiated by the Ministry of Finance to enhance financial education for individuals and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

Standard Bank has been a strategic partner of the FLI since 2013, annually committing 0.2% of its net profit after tax as financing for the initiative. This year the Bank donated an impressive N$200 000.

Gaomas-Guchu commended the FLI for its efforts in empowering Namibians to make positive decisions with regards to their finances.

“I strongly believe that the interventions made by the FLI with the support of Standard Bank and other platform supporters have gone a long way in improving the financial competencies of all Namibians, one of the ways being through alleviating debt thereby creating conditions for financial wellness,” she said.

Harambee coming along, but slowly

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Harambee coming along, but slowlyHarambee coming along, but slowlyEconomic slump puts brakes on social plans While service delivery has improved significantly under the HPP some areas still lag behind because of financial constraints. Despite some hiccups the Namibian economy has fared relatively well and made progress towards achieving the Harambee Prosperity Plan goals, presidential economic adviser John Steytler said this week.

Presenting the HPP progress report on key Harambee activities and outcomes, Steytler pointed out that while service delivery had improved significantly under the HPP some areas still lagged behind because of financial constraints.

Steytler was speaking during the year-end presidential media briefing at State House.

“The year 2017 continued to be characterised by slower than usual economic activity, particularly in the construction and retail sectors. The year also witnessed the downgrade of internationally issued Namibian debt instruments to sub-investment standard by ratings agencies Moody and Fitch,” he said.

Significant strides had, however, been made under the Social Progression pillar of the HPP, he noted.

According to him a total of 8 769 plots had been serviced since March 2016 under the government-funded Massive Urban Land Servicing Programme while 2 524 others were serviced under a government-funded capital project.

An additional 1 190 plots were serviced by local authorities and 2 003 through public-private-partnerships (PPP). A total of 8 100 houses were constructed during this period, 3 405 of which were built under the Mass Housing Initiative, 1 598 on a PPP basis and 1 487 constructed by private developers while 223 were built by the GIPF.

Steytler pointed out that due to financial constraints the construction of rural toilets remained behind schedule.

“Government has identified 1 856 bucket toilets countrywide. Only 876 new toilets were built since the inception of the HPP in April 2016 to replace the bucket toilets.

“Moreover the remaining toilets are under construction. The goal to have the bucket system eliminated by the end of the 2017/18 financial year is therefore attainable,” said Steytler.

Strides have been made to provide food to the needy as part of President Hage Geingob's poverty eradication objective.

According to Steytler, 214 171 households continued to benefit from food distribution between April and November this year.

He added that a total of N$68.9 million had been spent, of which N$47 million was for actual food purchases and the remaining N$21.7 million for logistics.

“Similarly the administration of targeted social grants continues to contribute towards the livelihood of vulnerable citizens. The old age social grant remains the most significant.

“As at November and December this year a total of 168 738 senior citizens were registered recipients of this monthly grant, representing a coverage rate of 99%. This figure is up from 163 373 a year earlier,” he said. According to him, the government has spent N$202.5 million on this grant this year alone.

Beneficiaries of disability grants have increased from 38 065 in December 2016 to 40 482 this year December.

JEMIMA BEUKES

A jack of all trades

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A jack of all trades A jack of all trades One of the youngest board members of the NQA Johannes Magongo is ready to use his opportunities to learn from his seniors and he believes that one is never too young to make waves. “Every query or transaction is urgent in this business and procrastination is unacceptable.” Octavia Tsibes

Magongo is currently employed as a senior warehouse supervisor at FP du Toit Transport. “My core responsibility is to oversee the day to day operation of the warehouse and fleet from receiving to the floor processes of sorting, packing and picking of freight and mainly dispatching out freight to their final destinations,” he says.

In the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, every day is extremely busy and the dispatch team along with Magongo commence with work at 06:00 am every weekday. “We have to make sure we load at least 6 trucks for Windhoek deliveries before 07:30 so that these consignments reach the receivers first thing by the start of business hours at 08:00,” he says. “The aim is to utilize the fleet so well to make sure trucks do turn to accommodate the high volumes especially during peak,” he adds. “At 09:00, we sit for a short meeting to analyze reports and do freight and vehicle planning for the overall operation. We do not do any storage in our warehouse therefore as we receive, we dispatch by means of First In, First Out (FIFO).”

His day becomes busier as clients call in to track and trace their parcels and other queries relating to the deliveries, as well as constant attendance to mails that requires urgent response. Magongo and his team are always ready to assist in walking clients that either want to pick up their parcels themselves or sent parcels.

To work in such an industry one has to be very energetic, consistent, dead line and detail oriented as well as customer friendly and initiative. “Once you become a logistician, you are always required to be proactive. See through all possible bottle necks and propose alternatives in place before they arise,” he says.

Member of the NQA

Recently, Namibia Qualification Authority (NQA) appointed their seven boards of directors and Magongo will serve on this board. “I am not quite aware as to why I got appointed as an alternate member but I feel at this age and with the experience I have so far, the appointment is fair enough and I am grateful.”

“It is an honor really and I am proud of myself and I view this opportunity as a platform to learn from my seniors and improve specialist skills in different fields of our education system in Namibia. I sense I am a good representative of the youth on the board and have to set an example as we strive for quality education for all Namibians,” he says.

Magongo has been a member of the Logistics Association of Namibia (NLA) since July 2017. “I nominated myself through the association, thereafter; the association had to breakdown the applicants to two candidates only that they nominated to the Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation. That is where I was appointed as top two of the nominees from NLA,” he says.

Magongo is one of the youngest members on the board and he believes age is a state of mind and one is never too young or too old to make a difference. “It is quite a challenge to serve amongst seniors on the board as my colleagues but it is a true reflection of personal growth and responsibility,” he says.

He therefore has to remain disciplined and humble he looks up to them and work together with them to strive for positive results. He hopes to create more effective academic and economic ties and build good relationship with his fellow members and outside parties. The desired aim for the board is to govern NQA and strive for value and quality of our Education and I hope to gradually contribute to the success of the council for the benefit of the authority and the country at large.

Organizational skills to develop

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Organizational skills to developOrganizational skills to develop Organizational skills are some of the most important and transferable job skills an employee can acquire. They encompass a set of skills that help a person to plan, prioritize, and achieve his or her goals.

The ability to keep work organized allows workers to focus on different projects without getting disoriented or lost, thereby increasing productivity and efficiency in the workplace. Managers look for employees who can not only keep their work and desk organized, but those who can also adjust quickly to the organized structure of a company.

Staying organized in the workplace can save a company time and money. Organizational skills are essential for multitasking and keeping a business running smoothly and successfully. Employers aim to recruit applicants who can work to achieve results consistently, even when unforeseen delays or problems arise.Workers with strong organization skills are able to structure their schedule, boost productivity, and prioritize tasks that must be completed immediately versus those that can be postponed, delegated to another person, or eliminated altogether

1. Internal and External Organization Skills: Organizational skills encompass more than simply keeping a clutter-free desk area. While maintaining a clear space to work in is important, organizational skills are more than just keeping neat. Employees with good organizational skills are able to keep themselves calm and prepared with systematic planning and scheduling.

Work projects are typically centered around a rigid timeline, and organizing a job into smaller projects and goals can be an effective way to complete them. Furthermore, employers look for works who can schedule and delegate these smaller tasks to themselves and other employees in order to stay on track with deadlines while sustaining a healthy work-life balance. Maintaining strong organizational skills can reduce the chance of developing poor work habits such as procrastination, clutter, miscommunication, and inefficiency.

2. Examples of Organizational Skills: Although organizational skills may be most obvious in people in leadership positions, everyone in a company must be able to organize their own areas of responsibility while understanding and working within the organizational structures of the company as a whole. Otherwise, inefficiency and confusion set in. Organizational skills demand that you understand workflow, and keep an eye on the big picture while also maintaining a focus on details.

Physical Organization - Physical organization includes not just a tidy desk, but also the layout of rooms, floors, and whole buildings. And it goes well beyond maintaining a neat appearance. A poorly organized space leads to physical discomfort, wasted time, lost objects, or even lost people. The space people work in has a lot to do with how and how well they work. Someone must design these spaces and then everyone else must maintain order.

Planning - Without a plan, a goal is only a wish. For any project, planning means anticipating what resources will be necessary and how long the project will take, then assembling those resources and blocking out the necessary time - and, if necessary, altering the plan based on resource availability and time constraints.

A plan might be as simple as deciding which end of the hall to clean first, or it could chart corporate strategy for the next ten years. Small-scale planning may be easier and faster, but it is not less important.

Teamwork - In a well-organized team, each member has a different role and tasks are assigned accordingly. Creating the organizational structure of a new team is a skilled accomplishment, but so is giving and accepting appropriate delegation, following directions, and communicating clearly with the right people. Well-organized people understand and maintain the structures of the teams of which they are a part.

PS breaks his silence

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PS breaks his silencePS breaks his silenceAccuses Haufiku of corruption The former health PS has accused health minister Bernhard Haufiku of pushing for certain companies to be preferred for tenders at the ministry. Former health permanent secretary Andreas Mwoombola has fired a massive salvo at his former boss Bernhard Haufiku, accusing the minister of pushing for certain companies to be preferred for tenders at the ministry.

Mwoombola was transferred to the Office of the Prime Minister last week following a widely publicised standoff with Haufiku.

The personality clash had threatened to compromise service delivery at the ministry, prompting President Hage Geingob to jump into the fray last week.

Mwoombola, who has kept quiet in recent weeks, yesterday took a swipe at Haufiku for publicly accusing him of corruption, saying the minister's statements were unfounded and defamatory.

Instead, he claimed it was the minister who tried to push certain companies for tenders.

“The honourable minister has on several occasions cancelled tenders via SMS on the WhatsApp platform from Europe that are already in the running without valid reasons being proffered, as if there is undue influence,” said Mwoombola.

“He has also directed me to consider specific companies for tender award, without following due process, which is in violation of the Public Procurement Act No.15 of 2015.

“I declined these requests. I have on several occasions refused to comply with such requests, which I believe has caused the breakdown in our professional working relationship between our offices. I could simply not do things that have elements of corruption entrenched in them and that constitute unethical practice.”

Haufiku yesterday declined to comment on Mwoombola's allegations, saying the matter was being dealt with by the Office of the Prime Minister.

Mwoombola claimed Haufiku had shown disrespectful behaviour towards him, even in front of junior colleagues.

“The honourable 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.” He said efforts by deputy minister Juliet Kavetuna to mediate in order to restore a working relationship between the two of them also proved futile.

“A meeting was held on 15 May 2017 but the meeting did not yield any positive results due to the honourable 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.” Mwoombola was suspended in July for an investigation into allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

He was reinstated the following month, but cabinet secretary George Simataa confirmed that the disciplinary process against Mwoombola was continuing.

Mwoombola denied the corruption allegations.

“I wish to clarify that since my appointment I have never attended any tender committee meetings or involved myself in any adjudication processes with regard to tender awards,” he said.

“My role is to merely approve what is recommended to me by the relevant committees entrusted with these processes as per the Public Procurement Act.” He charged that the minister interfered in operational matters.

“The honourable 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.

“I strongly believe in the justice system and ... challenge the honourable 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.”

Haufiku had in the past claimed that he had submitted a dossier containing proof of irregularities at the ministry to the Anti-Corruption Commission. It is unclear whether that investigation has been concluded.

Mwoombola said it was actually Haufiku who head-hunted him to the join the ministry in 2015, leaving a high-paying job at a private company to take up the government offer.

“When I joined the ministry, my vision was to deal with challenges that were facing the ministry and my mission was to provide integrated, affordable, accessible, equitable, quality health and social welfare services responsive to the needs of the Namibian population.

I was and remain confident of my ability as this is an industry I know well,” he said.

Racist email causes a stir

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Racist email causes a stirRacist email causes a stir A local IT company yesterday said it has launched an investigation over racial comments expressed in an email communication between a manager and a subordinate.

The email confirmed the head-hunting of three white technicians and was supposedly sent by Canocopy technician Rigardo Kuhn to his manager Werner Lassen.

The email read “…found three technicians. All white boys [just] as Werner had asked. We will work together nicely next. One race, one nation - no bull-shitters.”

However, Paratus Namibia, which is the holding company of Canocopy, distanced itself from the communication.

Paratus Namibia group CEO Barney Harmse said whoever sent the mail had malicious intent and is extremely technical savvy. He emphasised that although Kuhn is a qualified technician, he was convinced it was not him who wrote the email.

“We can inform you with absolute confidence that the email was not sent by Rigardo Kuhn. The matter is still under investigation, but it is so easy to send an email on behalf of someone else. In this case, this email came from a server from America.





“We went into Rigardo's sent items and we can tell you that it was not sent by him,” said Harmse.

Harmse emphasised that the email and its content is certainly not a reflection of the working culture at the Paratus Namibia group of companies.

Harmse said the company was offering a substantial reward of N$1 million to anyone who can provide information that can lead to the successful prosecution of the email sender.

“Whoever sent that mail on behalf of Rigardo, we don't know what his intention is, we don't know what the final objective is of such an individual/s or such an entity, but the matter is under investigation. Since yesterday (Wednesday) it has been total chaos,” he said.

According to Harmse only one out of 1 000 people called to find out if the email is false, while the general perception was overwhelmingly “disappointing”.

While Harmse insisted that he can vouch for the innocence of Lassen and Kuhn he declined to comment on rumours that legal action is being lodged against a staff member for reportedly leaking the email.

“I cannot comment at this stage about our internal processes and procedures, all I can tell you is that we will certainly act within the law.

“If someone did something wrong from an employee perspective then it is up to our HR department to follow protocol in this matter.

“Needless to say it does not matter who you are, and if you work for this company and irrespective of the position you hold in our company. If you did something wrong then we are going to throw the book at you,” he said.

Canocopy is a print management and office automation company and the authorised distributor for Ricoh products and solutions in Namibia.

The company used to belong to Lassen and his former partner Mark Barnard. Barnard has since left after Paratus Namibia bought into the company two years ago.

Announcement of new ANC president now only expected Monday morning

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 Announcement of new ANC president now only expected Monday morning Announcement of new ANC president now only expected Monday morning The announcement of the next leader of the ANC is now only expected to take place on Monday morning. This was after the credential process for the 54th elective conference was delayed from its scheduled time on Saturday afternoon following the outcomes of court cases in the North West, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, the party's deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte said on Sunday. Duarte held an impromptu press briefing following the adoption of credentials. She said there were no inflated numbers of delegates during the adoption of credentials for the conference. "Credentials is not just about nodding your head, it's [about] checking thoroughly... There was no inflation whatsoever," she assured the media. The members of the provincial executive committee (PEC) of KwaZulu-Natal will not vote unless appointed as branch delegates, she said. In the North West, 35 branches were disqualified. "It takes a lot of work because you also have to explain to the delegate why they have been disqualified. They had to be converted to non-voting delegates."

'We do it for credibility'

In the Free State, 40 branches, with a fairly substantial amount of delegates, were disqualified. The PEC there would also not be able to vote, unless appointed as branch delegates. She added the situation with credentials had created difficulty, "however we have managed it". She dismissed allegations that the delay in the adoption of credentials by a day was unusual. "It's not unusual to delay credentials. We do it for the credibility. This is the one point where people used to... [approach the] court. We have been extremely careful... The credentials have been adopted." Next in the ANC programme was the discussion around proposals for changes to the ANC constitution. This would happen during the closed session. The nominations of the top positions would then follow in an open session. "We hope to start voting at some point later this afternoon and have those results possibly by tomorrow [Monday] morning." An organisational report by secretary general Gwede Mantashe would be delivered on Monday as well. She said the party was hoping that the conference would be over by Wednesday night.

NEWS24


Pro-boxer reflects on 2017

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Pro-boxer reflects on 2017Pro-boxer reflects on 2017Vows to makes history in new year Young boxer Max 'Kwaludhi Boy' Ipinge has reflected on what a great year it was. Max 'Kwaludhi Boy' Ipinge is fast becoming a household name in local boxing.

The young boxer was selected by the MTC Sunshine Boxing Academy to spar with former triple world champion Julius 'Blue Machine' Indongo during his mega fight against Terence Crawford of the US.

He has described this as the highlight of his professional boxing career. The 21-year-old boxer hails from Walvis Bay and is a second year accounting and auditing student at the University of Namibia. He said he took up boxing after experiencing a lot of bullying when he was still at school.

He said he would plan ways on how to get back at the bullies but they always caught him off guard.

“One day on my way to the playground I heard noises in a building, out of curiosity I went in to see what was happening and found boxers training. This instantly captured me,” he said.

“I spotted my mother's colleague Josef Katenda a former boxer and approached him over the possibility of joining them at training. Katenda taught me the basics of boxing and before I knew it, I fell in love with the sport.”

Ipinge was 14 years old when he decided to become an amateur boxer. In less than a year of extensive training, Ipinge participated in the National Amateur Boxing Championships which saw him being crowned the national champion in the 64kg weight.

“I went on to defend the title for two consecutive years before moving up the ranks to the 69kg welterweight category, where I remained the undisputed national champion till I moved up to professional boxing,” he said. Boxing has taught the young boxer discipline, patience and self-confidence.

“I'm very fortunate to be training in a gym amongst former world champions, current African champions as we all help each other to become better,” he said.



Inspiration

Surprisingly, the boxer said he does not look up to local boxers.

“My mom is my main source of inspiration as she raised me and my two siblings. My father passed away when I was four years old. Through her hard work she managed to provide and support my boxing career since I was 14 and sent me to university without a NSFAF loan or bursary,” he said. “My goal for next year is to compete and to do better than any African boxer in my category, so expect me to rewrite boxing history in 2018 and to see me with a world title before I reach the age of 25.

It also remains my biggest wish to establish a long-term partnership with the local authorities, corporates and boxing fans to take boxing back to my hometown on a constant basis.

My team understands the demographics of the town and they are working hard around the clock to provide my loyal fans the opportunity to see thrilling, competitive fights in the heart of Kuisebmond in 2018 featuring myself and my childhood friend Harry Simon Jr,” he said.



Poor start

The boxer participated in three professional fights this year. He lost his pro-debut against Charles Shimina, while he registered a win in his second fight, with a technical knockout against Joseph Hinangwa in the second round. He also defeated Hedison Nghipondokwa by a unanimous point decision. In 2012, the boxer landed a three months training camp in Havana, Cuba under the auspices of the Namibian Boxing Federation and the ministry of sport, which contributed significantly towards his blossoming career. In 2014 the boxer came close to winning his first gold medal for Namibia when he lost on points against Mohammed Haikal from Egypt during the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa Youth Games (ANOCA) held in Gaborone. In December of the same year, the boxer finally tasted gold at the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa Zone Six Youth Games (SCSA) in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.



LIMBA MUPETAMI
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