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Bad drivers the main holiday threat

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Bad drivers the main holiday threatBad drivers the main holiday threatMore than 90% of crashes are behaviour related There is little the authorities can do to reduce car accidents unless drivers change their attitudes. Homicidal drivers fuelled by arrogance, inexperience and a total disregard for the law remain one of the biggest hurdles for law enforcers trying to clamp down on the high number of accidents and deaths on Namibian roads.

“More than 90% of all our crashes are behaviour related. People do very stupid things simply because they can. Young people die due to a lack of experience and therefore the capability to evaluate risk. They drive to the capability of a vehicle, and not to the capability of the driver,” Horst Heimstadt of the Private Sector Road Safety Forum (PSRSF) told Namibian Sun.

He said although there was no data to support the assumption, it is the PSRSF's belief that car crashes claim more lives than other types of crimes in Namibia.

Aubrey Oosthuizen, coordinator of the West Coast Safety Initiative (WCSI), who for decades has witnessed the deadly aftermath of car crashes, said many drivers abuse the knowledge that traffic officers cannot be stationed around every corner.

“They know law enforcement cannot be everywhere. Ultimately, it's attitude, attitude, attitude,” he said.

Oosthuizen said increased police visibility and policing will help tackle the problem, but ultimately, drivers have to take responsibility for their actions and decisions.

“The issue cannot be blamed on just a lack of resources. We all have to be tested before we are issued driving licences, so we all know the rules. It's the arrogance of people who know the law cannot always be applied,” he said.

Heimstadt agreed, saying: “The road safety problem is not for the police and authorities only; it affects every single Namibian citizen as we all use the roads. If we do not work together in fighting this evil, we will not win this war.”

Added to the shortage of police officers, the complicated structures within traffic departments hamper their ability to carry out their job. Moreover, cooperation between justice and law enforcement remains a “major concern”.

Heimstadt pointed out that the Traffic and Transportation Act falls under the ministry of works and transport and not under the safety and security ministry, which further complicates matters.

National Road Safety Forum (NRSC) executive secretary Eugene Tendekule said it was clear that “the level of lawlessness [on our roads] is prevalent. Road rules are violated with impunity.”

He said the outdated legislation governing the mandate of the NRSC does not help either.

“The National Road Safety Act of 1972 … is archaic and is not responsive to the needs of modern Namibia.”

He said car crashes have cost the country more than N$1.3 billion.

“This is not commensurate with the current level of funding, hence road-safety funding remains an ongoing challenge.”

Tendekule said another issue is that the justice system is “clogged with outstanding cases, thus forcing the courts to restrict the number of tickets traffic officers can issue in a month.”

He said the municipal traffic courts, anticipated to start operating next March, would be a welcome addition.

WCSI's Oosthuizen agreed, saying the traffic courts were a step in the right direction.

Oosthuizen remarked that another solution is to implement stronger deterrents.

“We have laws, and we have fines, but these are no longer effective. We need better deterrents.”

He said a points system that threatens drivers with the loss of licences, vehicles and freedom has been shown to be very effective.

“You stand to really lose something. Those three things are important to people.”

Meanwhile, the innovative work of Erongo traffic authorities has led to the arrest of dozens of drunk drivers and other lawbreakers at the coast since the start of the festive season.

“They are extremely proactive, always on the road,” Oosthuizen said of the Erongo traffic departments, echoing widespread praise for the traffic authorities there during this festive season.

In line with this, the Walvis Bay magistrate's court has imposed heavy fines on drunk drivers, ranging up to N$9 000, as well as revoking their licences.

Tendekule said despite a lack of resources, the NRSC was doing the best it could and had developed a concept “which we believe will considerably reduce crashes on the B1 and B2”.

He said the concept was expected to be piloted next year.

Other possible solutions included increasing the political will to address the issue, more funding, active public-sector involvement and an integrated road-safety approach, as well as mobilising emergency resource centres on national roads.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Activists want Steve to stay away

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Activists want Steve to stay awayActivists want Steve to stay away About 360 people have signed an online petition calling on the home affairs ministry to deny South African singer Steve Hofmeyr entry to Namibia for a performance at the Swakopmund Kunstefees on 28 December.

The petition, which was initiated by local activist Lee Garises, branded Hofmeyr, whose show was cancelled in New Zealand in September over his unapologetic remarks about black Africans, an “apartheid apologist”.

“It sets a very dangerous precedent for Namibia to allow someone like him to enter the country for the performance slated for 28 December in Swakopmund,” she said.

“Namibia is a country still trying to heal from apartheid. Swakopmund is already a hotbed of racial tension (especially at this time of the year) and the country, under current President Geingob, has adopted a zero tolerance policy for racism and tribalism. We cannot afford a divisive artist to take us back to unrest.”

Garises claimed Hofmeyr and his supporters were on a mission to isolate the contemporary Afrikaner struggles from national development challenges facing Namibia and South Africa.

“There is no problem for Steve and co to address issues pertaining to his immediate community but how it's being done is what has offended Namibians from across the colour spectrum.

“It is compromising attempts at reconciliation when he associates himself with apartheid, which had a regrettable impact on race relations,” she said.

The minister of home affairs, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, said she had not received any petition.

“We deal with formal procedures here at the ministry. They cannot expect us to go to the internet and look for complaints. If people are serious then they must approach the ministry formally,” she said.

One of the organisers of the show, who requested anonymity, said the singer was being unfairly targeted.

The organiser also sent video footage to Namibian Sun showing Hofmeyr dancing with a group of black people, as a way of showing that he is not racist.

“He voted in favour of the rainbow nation. But I think it is because he exposes other politicians who sing songs about killing farmers that they are campaigning against him and labelling him as a racist. He lost sponsors and a lot of supporters in the process but he is serious that those murders must be stopped,” he said.



JEMIMA BEUKES

Vehicle sales recovery a long way off

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Vehicle sales recovery a long way offVehicle sales recovery a long way off STAFF REPORTER - Only 1 058 new vehicles were sold in November, marking a decrease of 3.8% month-on-month and 18.1% year-on-year.

Year-to-date, 12 435 new vehicles have been sold, a 19.6% decrease from November last year.

On a cumulative 12-month basis, 13 486 new vehicles have been sold, the lowest level since March 2013, the latest vehicle sales report by IJG showed.

According to them, this represents a decline of 20.9% from November 2016 and a decline of 40.5% from the peak 12-month cumulative number of vehicles sales in April 2015.

“The trend of slowing vehicle sales continues unabated reflecting the pressures on corporates and individuals in the recessionary environment Namibia finds itself in,” IJG said.

A total of 415 new passenger vehicles were sold during November, down 8.2% month-on-month and 18.5% year-on-year. Year-to-date passenger vehicle sales rose to 5 243, reflecting lower annual sales than the preceding five years and an 18.8% decline from November 2016.

“On a rolling 12-month basis, passenger vehicle sales are at their lowest level since March 2012, highlighting the severity of the slowdown,” IJG said.

Commercial vehicle sales display the same trend, declining 20.2% year-to-date and 21.6% on a rolling 12-month basis.

“A total of 643 new commercial vehicles were sold in November, which was made up of 564 light, 30 medium, and 49 heavy and extra-heavy commercial vehicles. Year to date 7 192 new commercial vehicles have been sold,” IJG said.

Cumulative vehicle sales continued to contract on a rolling 12-month basis, and year-to-date vehicle sales figures are hovering around 2013 levels IJG said.

“This is a consequence of the recessionary environment we find ourselves in, characterised by depressed business and consumer confidence, as well as lower government spending,” IJG said.

The downward trend in vehicle sales was a worrying sign for IJG. According to them, this was also no indication that vehicle sales would recover anytime soon.

“The continued slowdown in commercial vehicle sales remains worrisome as this is an indication of lower capital expenditure by corporates and lower business confidence. It remains unlikely that vehicle sales will recover anytime soon as the current business environment does not show any signs of reprieve,” IJG said.

Economic performance worse than expected

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Economic performance worse than expectedEconomic performance worse than expected'Growth will be slightly negative this year' PSG Konsult analyst Eloise du Plessis says the growth figures recorded in the third quarter of 2017 were unexpected. STAFF REPORTER - The economic slowdown experienced in the third quarter of 2017 caught PSG Equity analyst Eloise du Plessis off guard, as she did not expect the very poor growth witnessed with the release of the Gross Domestic Product numbers.

According to her, mining, agriculture and manufacturing showed some green shoots which she felt would be enough to propel the economy.

“The encouraging signs of growth in mining, agricultural and manufacturing activity have been outweighed by ongoing poor performances in the construction, wholesale and retail sales, public administration and fishing sectors, while growth in other important sectors such as finance and transport and communication remains subdued,” she said.

The slowdown would further affect growth for the year in line with the International Monetary Fund’s expectations, she said.

“The outcome of the third-quarter GDP figures was much worse than we expected, which means that our latest forecast for growth of 0.6% in 2017 will not be met. We now expect that growth will be slightly negative this year, in line with the IMF’s most recent projections following the conclusion of the 2017 Article IV Consultation with Namibia earlier this month,” she said.

The Namibia Statistics Agency had announced last week that the economy was still grappling with the effects of the recession. The NSA estimated that real GDP had contracted by 1.9% year-on-year (y-o-y) in the third quarter of this year, following contractions of 0.7% y-o-y and 2.1% y-o-y in the second and first quarters of the year respectively.

The statistics agency stated that the negative growth rate in the third quarter was mainly attributable to contractions in the following sectors: construction (-36.9% y-o-y), water & electricity (-5.5% y-o-y), wholesale & retail sales (-4.4% y-o-y), public administration (-4.0% y-o-y) and fishing (-1.3% y-o-y).

The trade sector also performed very poorly of late, reflecting weaker domestic demand, job losses, fiscal tightening, stricter lending criteria and indebted households. In a further blow to the struggling local fishing industry, the government earlier this week announced a ban on pilchard fishing until 2020 in an attempt to save the resource from extinction in Namibian waters.

Namvet chairman leaves PDM

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Namvet chairman leaves PDMNamvet chairman leaves PDMGets kicked out of office The former soldier says he is yet to find a new political home but will not ask members of the organisation to follow him. The chairperson of the Namibia War Veterans Trust (Namvet), Jabulani Ndeunyema, has announced his departure from the People's Democratic Movement (PDM), laying the blame for this squarely at the feet of PDM president McHenry Venaani.

Ndeunyema was ordered by the PDM leadership to vacate its small office located on the grounds of the Red Flag Commando Hall where hundreds of former SWATF and Koevoet soldiers have been staging a protest for close to two years.

According to Ndeunyema, the PDM decision came after he had sent a text message in Oshiwambo to regional Namvet leaders with the instruction that they should not become members of any political party because Namvet is a “non-political” organisation. Ndeunyema said at a press briefing yesterday that Namvet leaders in the north then wrote a letter to the PDM head office, requesting them to kick him out of the office.

“They [the PDM leadership] did not call me to ask why I did that, and there are many reasons. A source said the top leadership had a secret meeting where they decided that I should leave,” Ndeunyema said.

He said Venaani was not at that meeting and the decision has not yet been enforced.

“But I am ready to leave before I get kicked out. Chasing me from the office means chasing away customers,” Ndeunyema added.

He said a sympathiser in South Africa would send army tents within the next couple of weeks to assist with the relocation of the Namvet office. These tents will remain stationed on the grounds of the Commando Hall where ex-soldiers continue camping out.



Ex-soldiers 'misused'

Ndeunyema made an astonishing claim that unnamed members of PDM had “sneaked out” some of the ex-soldiers from the Commando Royal House and “used” them to damage property at Okahandja in the run-up of the Red Flag Day commemoration and conspire to “cause harm” to an individual, whom he refused to identify. He said although Venaani was not involved in this plot, as leader of the PDM he “ought to have known” about it. Ndeunyema said Namvet had compiled a report and recommendations on these occurrences, but again he would not say who this report was for.



Venaani's 'mistakes'

Ndeunyema, a card-carrying DTA member since 1989, said Venaani had made a number of tactical errors since he became the party's leader.

He claimed Venaani had consulted with him “24 hours when he [Venaani] campaigned to overthrow Kaura” but close to the 2014 national elections asked Ndeunyema not to stand as a candidate for the party because the voters would have seen the DTA as “a party of SWATF and Koevoet”.

A second “mistake”, Ndeunyema said, was the rebranding of the party without consultation with Namvet, which he described as a “branch” of the DTA.

Further, he said, PDM's constitution made no mention of the ex-soldiers and neither were they in any of the party structures.

Ndeunyema said Venaani also made a “wrong move” to “defeat and then dump” Kaura, who later joined Swapo. Another mistake, he said, was the suspension of former DTA secretary-general Vincent Kanyetu over corruption allegations.

“Politics is not about degrees or cleverness; it is about leadership,” Ndeunyema ventured.

Ndeunyema added: “After 28 years as a [DTA] follower, today I formally end my relationship with PDM. I will make sure as from today that all my children and close friends go with me. I will not turn Namvet members to go where I go.”

He said he had yet to find a political home for the 2019 national elections.

Venaani and PDM secretary-general Immanuel Ngaringombe were not available for comment.

CATHERINE SASMAN

Rundu storm exposes Mass Housing faults

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Rundu storm exposes Mass Housing faultsRundu storm exposes Mass Housing faults Residents of a Mass Housing Project complex at Rundu say damage caused by a rainstorm on Monday afternoon has unveiled serious construction problems with their brand new homes.

A family of three had to flee their home on Monday night when the wind ripped off their roof and rain caused the ceiling to collapse, destroying most of the home's contents.

Moreover, the storm caused electrical wiring to be exposed, increasing the danger for the owners.

“They lost almost everything. They fled because they were scared they would be injured if they stayed, so they just drove off.

“Luckily the power also went out in the whole neighbourhood, because of the electrical connections that were exposed to the water,” Fernando Marungo, a neighbour, told Namibian Sun.



Marungo, who took video footage and photos of the damage, said serious questions must be asked about the quality of the houses and whose responsibility it is to fix the damage.



“Mass Housing is a disaster,” he said at one point while recording the storm.



Residents reported that at least seven of the houses, situated at Kaisosi next to the Unam campus, sustained damage. One unoccupied house also lost its roof and ceiling.



Marungo said it should be asked why completion certificates had been signed when it was clear the construction was seriously flawed.



He said residents were worried about what further havoc the rainy season, which has just started in the region, would cause.



“It's really scary. This is just the beginning of the rainy season. If there is another storm of this nature, I might be the next victim. Every resident is saying, when is it my turn now?”



Marungo said the residents hold the authorities, including the Namibia Housing Enterprise (NHE), responsible for the damage and the evident construction flaws in some, if not all, the houses.



“We residents recommend that the roofing of the houses should be redone by NHE before we lose our assets and even the lives of innocent people.”



Marungo said the NHE initiated the project and was involved for a long time.



“The NHE reports to the ministry of urban and rural development. If they cannot account, then the ministry should. Somewhere in their contract there should be a provision for damage that might happen to the properties in the first five years. If not, then we the residents will seek legal advice on the matter and take it up,” he said.



NHE spokesperson Eric Libongani said the NHE was no longer responsible for the Mass Housing Project.



The director of housing at the urban and rural development ministry could not be reached for comment.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Zim 'experts' must go

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Zim 'experts' must goZim 'experts' must goCourt declares exemption of professionals unlawful Zimbabwean architects and quantity surveyors working at the Ministry of Works and Transport will have to be sent home following a High Court ruling. The Windhoek High Court yesterday declared that a five-year agreement signed in 2012 to allow Zimbabwean professionals to work on capital projects in Namibia is of no force.

Judge Shafimana Ueitele ruled that 29 Zimbabwean architects and quantity surveyors had no right to continue working at the Ministry of Works and Transport in terms of an expired memorandum of understanding.

In September this year, Namibian architects and quantity surveyors filed an application in the High Court asking that the 29 Zimbabwean professionals stop work immediately.

“The 29 Zimbabwean architects and quantity surveyors must vacate their respective positions they hold at the Ministry of Works and Transport,” Ueitele ordered. The judge also ordered that a decision by the minister of works and transport, Alpheus !Naruseb, to exempt Zimbabwean architects and quantity surveyors from registration requirements in Namibia, be set aside.

!Naruseb had written to the Namibia Council of Architects and Quantity Surveyors on 28 July 2017, directing the body to allow 11 architects and 18 quantity surveyors from Zimbabwe to work without being assessed and sitting exams.

He further ordered that all decisions and acts performed by the president of the Namibia Council of Architects and Quantity Surveyors on the basis of the works minister's decision promulgated in the Government Gazette be declared unlawful.

The applicants in the matter were: Marley Tjitjo Architects Inc., Wasserfall Munting Architects Inc., Ricardo Michaels Architects Inc., Agostinho Ferreira Architects Inc., Kondjeni Nkandi Achitects Inc., Jordaan Oosthuysen Nangolo Quantity Surveyors Inc., Dawid Nel Quantity Surveyors Inc., Sondlo Quantity Surveyors Inc. and Kaurivi Quantity Surveyors Incorporated.



The minister of works, the president of the Namibia Council of Architects, the Namibia Institute of Architects, the Institute of Namibia Quantity Surveyors, the works permanent secretary and 29 Zimbabwean nationals were the respondents in the matter.



The applicants had argued that their constitutional right to be treated equally to the 29 Zimbabweans as contemplated under Article 10 of the Namibian constitution was infringed upon.



According to them, the continued employment of the 29 Zimbabweans threatened Namibian professionals' right to conduct their business and practice.



It was maintained that the Namibian architects and quantity surveyors were prejudiced by the unlawful and yet continued occupation of various critical positions at the works ministry by the 29 Zimbabweans at the expense of others who are qualified.



They alleged that attempts by young architects and quantity surveyors to be employed, particularly in the Ministry of Works and Transport, were frustrated by the fact that various positions were occupied by Zimbabweans in an unlawful manner.



The two countries had signed an agreement in 2012, which allowed 85 Zimbabwean engineers to work in Namibia to allow for skills transfer.



The locals maintained there was transfer of skills. They accused the works ministry officials of being only interested in the permanent employment of the Zimbabweans.



Marley Tjitjo Architects Incorporated, as first applicant, was represented by Patrick Kauta, while Nicky Ngula, on the instructions of the government attorney, acted for the respondents.

FRED GOEIEMAN

Hepatitis E outbreak confirmed

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Hepatitis E outbreak confirmedHepatitis E outbreak confirmed Health minister Bernhard Haufiku confirmed the outbreak of a rare form of hepatitis in Windhoek’s informal settlements today.
Nine people have tested positive for the Hepatitis E virus (HEV) since the first symptoms appeared in October, the ministry confirmed.
The disease has claimed the life of a 26-year-old woman, who died in November shortly after giving birth to a healthy baby who survived the ordeal, authorities confirmed.
After the HEV outbreak was officially declared on 14 December, multi-stakeholder emergency health teams have been dispatched to the impacted areas, including Havana, Greenwell Matongo, Ombili, Goreangab and Hakahana.
Overall, 26 people have been tested to date, with four negative results, and eight still pending.
Officials say containing the outbreak is manageable, if people ensure they regularly wash their hands and purify drinking water, as well as ensuring sanitised living environments.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), HEV is transmitted mainly through the faecal-oral route due to faecal contamination of drinking water.
“The risk factors for hepatitis E are related to poor sanitation, allowing virus excreted in the faeces of infected people to reach drinking water supplies.”
Jana-Mari Smith


League end produces mixed results

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League end produces mixed resultsLeague end produces mixed resultsPremier league reaches halfway mark The first leg of the 2017/18 Namibia Premier League (NPL) season, which started on 20 October, ended last weekend with mixed results. Speaking during a media briefing on Monday NPL chairperson Patrick Kauta addressed a range of issues which affected the league when it kicked off.

Kauta said one of the issues clubs complained about was double header matches. He explained that eight teams from Windhoek make up 50% which are based in Windhoek.

“Then we have two teams in Walvis Bay, two in Otjiwarongo and one each in Gobabis, Rundu, Tsumeb and Oshakati.

“At the end of the day single headers will be beneficial to Windhoek-based clubs but not the rest of the clubs like the one based in Rundu. The players have to travel eight times. Transport and accommodation costs as a result become an issue,” Kauta explained.

Kauta also touched on the renewed relationship with the Namibia Football Players Union (Nafpu) which will help them with player grievances.

“They have written to us to become full members and not associate members,” he said.

In addition he also mentioned that they have reached out to sponsors as they are not happy with branding at some of the stadiums where matches are played.

“The field in Gobabis is not properly branded with MTC and FNB's logos. We will speak to the sponsors about it,” he said. He also said he saw terrible as well as good matches being played. “The standard of play from some clubs is not up to par.

“This might be due to the fact that players had many matches and were suffering from fatigue. We also experienced poor attendance from spectators.”

When asked about the standard of refereeing he said the league pays a lot of money to referees but is not in charge of training them.

“We have to find out how other leagues address these issues but also to take it up with them,” he said.

He also mentioned that most coaches in the NPL sit with coaching licences, but Young African club owner and head coach Maleagi 'Mali' Ngarizemo was asked to step down as coach as he did not have the necessary qualifications.

“He is also an exco member but we cannot ask him to step down from that. I am not aware of other coaches who might not have licences.”

NFA rule stipulates that a coach needs to have a B-licence and the assistant a C-licence in order to coach a team in the NPL. The second leg of the league will kick off on 20 February.



LIMBA MUPETAMI

Beach volleyball to pull large crowd

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Beach volleyball to pull large crowdBeach volleyball to pull large crowdFinal sevens to excite Holidaymakers at the coast are looking forward to this weekend's beach volleyball tournament. The seventh and final timeout Beach Series 2017 event of the year, the Bank Windhoek Beach Bash Volleyball, will be hosted at Long Beach on 22 December.

This competition will see some of the top beach volleyball athletes taking part, including Carmen Kühn, who was Queen of the Beach 2017, and Daniel Pfeiffer, King of the Beach 2017 as well as the Timeout Beach Series 2017 Overall points leader.

Social and corporate teams will also join to have fun at the end of at the year and to enjoy the festive spirit.

“We are very excited to welcome back Bank Windhoek as tournament sponsor after sponsoring the Beach Bash Volleyball event last year. We are very thankful for their support and are looking forward to working with them again for this event,” said James Verrinder from Timeout Beach Volleyball Academy.

He said the volleyball tournament was part of the Windhoek Draught Beach Bash.

“It's a place where the waves of sound and the ocean meet. A sensation felt so deep, it brings out the bass in you and turns the beach into a magical dream of pure fantasy.

“Some say it's the Vegas of Long Beach, others say it's new-found life on earth. All we know is, it's the Windhoek Draught Beach Bash Volume 5,” added Verrinder.

The Timeout Beach Series has a total of seven events in 2017 and athletes collect points throughout the series to give an overall standing for the men's, women's and youth categories. Accounting for the fact that some athletes are not able to attend all seven events, the five best results from each athlete will give the final overall standings.

These will be released after the Bank Windhoek Beach Bash Volleyball has concluded. Games will start at 08:00 and the finals will be around 16:00.

SPORTS REPORTER

Angola oil giant probes Isabel graft claims

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Angola oil giant probes Isabel graft claimsAngola oil giant probes Isabel graft claims Angola's state oil company has announced an investigation into “possible misappropriation” of funds by Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of the former president, during her time as the company's chief executive.

In recent weeks, several Angolan media outfits have accused dos Santos of ordering suspect transfers and payments worth tens of millions of dollars.

Appointed head of Sonangol by her father Jose Eduardo dos Santos in 2016, dos Santos was replaced last month by Angola's new president Joao Lourenco.

Isabel has flatly denied any misconduct.

“We have established an internal commission of inquiry to investigate the information published,” Sonangol spokesman Mateus Benza said on Tuesday.

“We are verifying possible misappropriation, but I can't yet confirm anything.”

According to the Novo Jornal and the Jornal Economico, the new leadership at Sonangol had identified a suspect transfer of 57 million euros (US$67 million) to Dubai.

Investigators are also probing a monthly payment that began when Isabel became the head of the state oil giant of 10 million euros to a Portuguese company in which she was the principal investor.

It was reported that the new head of Sonangol has written to his predecessor to demand explanations as well as alerting law enforcement agencies.

Prosecutors in the capital Luanda told AFP on Tuesday evening that they had not received a formal complaint.

Dos Santos has hit back alleging a “campaign of defamation”.

“This is fake news... doesn't deserve any credibility since their only goal is to cast doubt on the integrity of Isabel dos Santos,” she said in a tweet.

Dos Santos is reported by Forbes to be the richest woman in Africa and became a symbol of nepotism under the protection of her father.

Jose Eduardo dos Santos stepped down as president following elections in August after 38 years in power defined by the transfer of wealth to those close to the regime.

His successor has promised to fight against corruption and recently dismissed several leaders of state-run companies who were seen as close to the former president.



NAMPA/AFP

UN to vote on Jerusalem resolution

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UN to vote on Jerusalem resolutionUN to vote on Jerusalem resolutionAfter US veto A UN Security Council resolution calling for the withdrawal of Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital has been backed by every council member except the US, which used its veto. The UN General Assembly will hold an emergency session today to vote on a draft resolution rejecting President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital after the United States vetoed the measure at the Security Council.

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN reacted angrily to the move, tweeting: “Today there'll be a vote criticizing our choice. The US will be taking names,” in rhetoric reminiscent of her boss's threatening style.

Turkey and Yemen requested the urgent meeting of the 193-nation assembly on behalf of the Arab group of countries and the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The two countries circulated a draft resolution on Tuesday that mirrors the vetoed measure, reaffirming that any decision on the status of Jerusalem has no legal effect and must be rescinded.

Egypt had put forward the draft at the council which was backed by all 14 other Security Council members in the vote on Monday.

Like the Egyptian draft, the text before the assembly does not mention Trump's decision but expresses “deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem.”

Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour said he expected “overwhelming support” for the measure stating that Jerusalem is an issue “to be resolved through negotiations” between Israel and the Palestinians.

“The General Assembly will say, without the fear of the veto, that the international community is refusing to accept the unilateral position of the United States,” Mansour told reporters.

No country has veto powers in the 193-nation assembly, contrary to the council where the United States, along with Britain, China, France and Russia, can block any resolution.

Trump's December 6 decision to recognize Jerusalem broke with international consensus, triggering protests across the Muslim world and drawing strong condemnation.

Key US allies Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Ukraine were among the 14 countries in the 15-member council that voted in favour of the measure.

US Ambassador Haley described that 14-1 vote “an insult” and warned “it won't be forgotten.”

She went further on Monday, warning: “At the UN we're always asked to do more and give more. So, when we make a decision, at the will of the American people about where to locate our embassy, we don't expect those we've helped to target us.

“Today there'll be a vote criticizing our choice. The US will be taking names.”

After the clash at the top UN body, the White House announced that US Vice President Mike Pence was delaying a trip to the Middle East planned for this week.

Israel seized control of the eastern part of the city in the 1967 Middle East war and sees all of Jerusalem as its undivided capital. The Palestinians view the east as the capital of their future state.

Several UN resolutions call on Israel to withdraw from territory seized during the 1967 war.



NAMPA/AFP

Aatseyinawa yaZimbabwe naya shune

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Aatseyinawa yaZimbabwe naya shuneAatseyinawa yaZimbabwe naya shuneOmpangu ya tokola muuwanawa wooindjinia dhomoshilongo Ompangu yoPombanda moshilongo oya ningi etokolo opo aakwashigwana yaZimbabwe aatseyinawa mboka taya longele Uuministeli wIilonga nOmalweendo ya shune koshilongo shaandjawo. Ompangu yoPombanda mOvenduka oya tokola mEtiyali kutya okondalaka yiilonga ndjoka ya shaina naakwashigwana yoshilongo shoka mo 2012 kayi na we oonkondo. Omupanguli Shafimana Ueitele okwa popi kutya AaZimbabwe mboka yeli aanashilonga aathaneki yomatungo oshowo mbyoka haya yalula ongushu yiitungithi yomatungo tayi pumbiwa mokutunga kaye na uuthemba okutsikila nokulongela uuministeli mboka molwaashoka etsokumwe lyawo nuuministeli mboka olya pwa oonkondo.

MuSepetemba gwonuumvo aakwashigwana yaNamibia mboka ye na uulongelwe mokuthaneka omatungo nokuyalula ongushu yomatungo oya ningi eindilo nompangu yoombanda taya pula opo aakwashigwana ya Zimbambwe mboka yeli 29 ya hulithepo iilonga.

“AaZimbambwe mboka 29 naya ze po poompito dhawo dhiilonga ndhoka taya longele uuministeli wiilonga nomalweendo,” Ueitele a gandja elombwelo.

Omupanguli okwa gandja woo elombwelo opo etokolo ndyoka lya ningwa kOminista yoshikondo shIilonga nOmalweendo, Alpheus !Naruseb, opo AaZimbambwe mboka ya shangithwe onga aanashilonga shoka inaku landula omilandu dhiipumbiwa, nolutu ndoka halu shangitha aanashilonga shoka likalekwe.

Ominista yIilonga nOmalweendo Alpheus !Naruseb momasiku 28 gaJuli okwa shangele ombaapila ya nuninwa Omupresidende gwoNamibia Council of Architects and Quantity Surveyors, opo ongundu yaaZimbabwe 29 shangithwe noNamibia Council of Architects and Quantity Surveyors, inaku landulwa omilandu onga aathaneki yomatungo naayaluli yiitunguthi nongushu yiitungithi yomatungo.

Aaningi yeindilo mompangu moshipotha shoka oMarley Tjitjo Architects Inc., Wasserfall Munting Architects Inc., Ricardo Michaels Architects Inc., Agostinho Ferreira Architects Inc., Kondjeni Nkandi Achitects Inc., Jordaan Oosthuysen Nangolo Quantity Surveyors Inc., Dawid Nel Quantity Surveyors Inc., Sondlo Quantity Surveyors Inc. oshowo Kaurivi Quantity Surveyors Incorporated.

Oonakupatanekwa moshipotha, Ominista yiilonga, Omuptesidende gwoNamibia Council of Architects, Namibia Institute of Architects, Institute of Namibia Quantity Surveyors, Amushanga gwuuministeli wiilonga nomalweendo, oshowo aakwashigwana yaZimbambwe mboka yeli 29.

Aaniingi yomaindilo oya pula opo uuthemba wawo wu landulwe ngaashi tashi uthwa kEkotamoango lyoshilongo, taya popi woo kutya ekalo miilonga lyaaZimbabwe mboka yeli 29 oli li tali tula moshiponga uuthemba waakwashigwana yaNamibia opo ya ninge ongeshefa yawo.Oya tsikile kutya oompito dhaanyasha yaNamibia okumona iilonga muuministeli mboka, odha kanithwa konkalo kutya pomahala mpoka ope na nale AaZimbabwe.

Namibia naZimbambwe oya shaina etsokumwe mo 2012 ndyoka tali pitika AaZimbambwe yeli 85 ooindjinia opo ya longele moNamibia moprograma yokutopolelathana uunongo.

Marley Tjitjo Architects Incorporated, ngoka e li omuningi gweindilo gwotango okwa kalelwa po kuPatrick Kauta, omanga Nicky Ngula, a kalelepo epangelo kelombwelo lyahahende gwepangelo.

FRED GOEIEMAN

Omunashipundi gwoNamvet a dhigi po oPDM

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Omunashipundi gwoNamvet a dhigi po oPDMOmunashipundi gwoNamvet a dhigi po oPDM Omunashipundi gwoNamibia War Veterans Trust (Namvet), Jabulani Ndeunyema, okwa tseyitha kutya okwa dhiga po ongundu yoPeople's Democratic Movement (PDM), na okwa gandja uusama kOmupresidende gwongundu ndjoka, McHenry Venaani.

Ndeunyema okwa pewa elombwelo kelelo lyoPDM opo a dhigepo ombelewa yongundu ndjoka tayi adhika poRed Flag Commando Hall mpoka iilyo nale yoSWATF oshowo Koevoet ya unga oontanda uule woomvula mbali monena.

Pahapu dhaNdeunyema, etokolo lyoPDM okumutidha olya ningwa konima sho a tumine aaleli yoNamvet etumwalaka kutya inaya wayimina oongundu dhopolotika, molwaashoka Namvet keshi ongundu yopolotika.

Onga oshizemo shetumwalaka ndyoka a tumu ,aaleli yoNamveta monooli yoshilongo oya shangele ongundu yoPDM omukanda taya pula opo a tidhwe mo mombelewa.

Ndeunyema okwa popi kutya ongundu oya ningi etokolo omanga inayi mu ningila omapulo kutya omolwashike a shanga etumwalaka ndyoka.

Okwa tsikile kutya otaya ka mona ootenda okuza kaasihenda moSouth Afrika, ndhoka taya ka longitha onga ombelewa yawo, nootenda ndhoka otadhi ka dhikwa pehala mpoka pwa unga oontanda aakwiita nale.

Ndeunyema okwa popi kutya aniwa aakwiita nale mboka ya unga oontanda oyali ya yakwamo moontanda dhawo kiilyo yoPDM nokufalwa mOkahandja moka ya ka yonagula omaliko gaantu pethimbo lyoshituthi shokudhimbuluka oRed Flag Day nonando ita tumbula omiyonena dhoka dha ningwa nenge a tumbule omadhina.



Epuko lyavenaani

Ndeunyema, ngoka a kala oshilyo shoDTA okutameka omvula yo 1989 okwa popi kutya Venaani okwa ninga omapuko ogendji konima nkene a yi koshipundi onga omuleli gwongundu.

Omapuko gamwe po ngoka a ningi ongaashi okulundulula edhina lyongundu ina ningwa ekwatathano noNamveta oshowo kutya mekotampango lyoPDM inamu tumbulwa aakwiita nale yoSWATF nenge oKoevoet.

Okwa popi kutya omuleli gwoPDM okwa ningi woo epuko sho a tidha Katutire Kaura ngoka lwanima a wayimine ongundu yoSwapo.

Okwa tsikile kutya epuko limwe natango ndyoka lya ningwa kuVenaani okukutha miilonga amushanga nale gwoDTA,

Vincent Kanyetu omolwa omalundilo guulingilingi.

“Opolotika kayi shi kombinga yelongo noondunge ihe okombinga yelelo.”

Okwa popi kutya nonando okwa kala oshilyo shongundu uule woomvula 28, monena okwa topoka nongundu ndjoka, naanona ye oshowo ookume ke otayi nayo, na otaka konga egumbo lyopapolotika omolwa omahogololo ngoka geli ko mo 2019.

Venaani nenge Amushanga gwoPDM Immanuel Ngaringombe inaya vula okumonika.

CATHERINE SASMAN

Oshikungulu shahanagulapo omagumbo moRundu

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Oshikungulu shahanagulapo omagumbo moRunduOshikungulu shahanagulapo omagumbo moRundu Aakalimo yomomagumbo goMass Housing Project complex moRundu oya popi kutya eyonagulo ndyoka lya ningilwa omagumbo gawo koshikungulu shoka sha dhenge ondoolopa ndjoka mOmaandaha, otali ulike uupyakadhi wetungo momagumbo gawo ngoka omape.

Ofamili yaantu yatatu oya tembukamo megumo lyawo mongulohi yOmaandaha, konima sho oombuli dhegumbo dha kuthwa ko komvula yoshikungulu. Oshikungulu shoka natango osha etitha polweela oongodhi dholusheno shoka natango sha tula moshiponga oshinene ooyene yomagumbo ngoka. “Oya kanitha iinima ayihe. Oya yi ontuku okuza momagumbo gawo molwaashoka oya li ya tila okumonithwa iiponga. Olusheno olwa yi momudhingoloko aguhe omolwa omakwatathano giikwamalusheno ngoka ga mono omeya,” Fernando Marungo, omushiinda a lombwele oNamibian Sun.

Marungo, ngoka a kutha okavideo nomathanao nkene omagumbo ngoka ga ningilwa eyonagulo okwa pula ongushu yomagumbo ngoka, nokutya olye e na oshinakugwanithwa shokutungulula omagumbo ngoka.

Aakwashigwana oya popi kutya konyala omagumbo gaheyali taga adhika moKaisosi popepi noshiputudhilo dhaUnam oga yonagulwaa. Limwe lyomomagumbo ngoka natango kage na aantu olya yonagulwa koshikungulu shoka. Marungo okwa popi kutya naku ningilwe omapulo kutya omolwashike oonzapo dhemanitho lyiilonga dha shainwa ngele iilonga mbyoka yomatungo gomagumbo ngoka inayi ningwa pamuthika.

Okwa tsikile kutya aakwashigwana oye na uumbanda sho omuloka kwa tegelelwa natango gu tsikile moshitopolwa. “Otashi tilitha. Ndika etameko owala lyomuloka , nongele natango omuloka ogwa tsikile otandi vulu woo okuninga oshihakanwa. Kehe omukalimo ota pula owala kutya uunake tashi mu adha.”

Marungo okwa popi kutya aakwashigwana otaya gandja uusama komalelo oshowo ehangano lyoNamibia Housing Enterprise (NHE), omolwa eyonagulo ndyoka. Okwa tsikile kutya aakwshigwwana otaya pula opo eyonagulo ndyoka li wapalekwe kehangano lyoNHE, lyo li longulule woo oombuli dhomagumbo ngoka omanga aakwashigwana oyendji inaya kanitha omaliko gawo oshowo ekanitho lyoomwenyo.

Sho ya ningilwa omapulo, Omupopiliko gwoNHE, Eric Libongani okwa popi kutya NHE haye we e na oshinakugwanithwa shoMass Housing Project. Omukomeho gwomagumbo muuministeli womayambulepo goondoolopa niitopolwa yomuushayi ina vula okumonika.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Shot of the day

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Shot of the dayShot of the day DEVASTATION: A man watches the Thomas Fire in the hills above Carpinteria, California. The Thomas Fire in California's Ventura and Santa Barbara counties has consumed more than 230,000 acres over the past week making it the fifth largest fire in the state's history. Photo: NAMPA/AFP

Hard work pays off

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Hard work pays offHard work pays off The things this country can achieve remain quite outstanding and are especially demonstrated when it comes to sport.

Namibia can mix it up with the best the world has to offer in the sport world and so it can also be in our daily lives.

And yet Namibians act as if fighting in a money-spinning international fight, knocking out a Russian boxer and beating a British superstar are just run-of-the-mill occurrences.

We are making specific reference to Namibian boxer Julies 'Blue Machine' Indongo's exploits this year.

The fighter has caught many by surprise but also demonstrated the very essence of how hard work can benefit the average Namibian.

People from the Land of the Brave will always be considered underdogs in any sphere due to our population size but at the same time we'll always match whatever the world has to throw at us.

However, none of us will be able to compete unless we prepare and actively find ways to match the international players.

Indongo's rise was no accident and it took him years to reach these incredible heights, propelling him into global superstardom.

He had to fight a lot of tough fighters, mostly on the undercard of some of the fancier boxers, to get ready.

In addition to that, he had to consistently fight extremely physical sparring matches away from the prying eyes of the public.

He is now reaping the fruits of his dedication and it is common knowledge that promoters are now fighting for his signature.

And it is this hard work that Namibians must emulate and strive to use in our daily lives as we look to compete internationally.

Our lives will not change for the better unless we put the time in and actively find ways in which we can improve.

While we enjoy our holidays, let us not forget that we have a country to build and hard work should always be one of the foundations on which this house is built.

NAMAs a proudly Namibian showcase - MTC

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NAMAs a proudly Namibian showcase - MTCNAMAs a proudly Namibian showcase - MTC Namibia Music Awards (NAMAs) executive member Tim Ekandjo says he is pleased with the overwhelming number of entries received for next year's ceremony, which have exceeded 800.

The growing popularity of the event is largely contributed to its professional set-up, which is second to none in Africa, he said. Ekandjo this week described the NAMAs as being a proudly Namibian success story.

“After seven years of the event we can with confidence say that it is one of the best delivered national award ceremonies in Africa,” he said.

According to Ekandjo the secret to the event's success is its “world-class governance structure” that allows independent bodies to work on the event. Both the vetting committee and the panel of judges are independent individuals who are experts in their own right, therefore applying only their expertise. Ekandjo said the organisers were proud of the fact that the event is 100% funded by Namibians, and more than 80% of its total budget is spent on local Namibian suppliers.

“This is something we can be extremely proud of. We have always maintained that this is a national event and that is why we invite multiple sponsors, and it is important that Namibians benefit from their own event in terms of direct spend and the other opportunities it creates for other industries like food, hospitality, fashion and local SMEs,” said Ekandjo.

He added that the NAMAs budget had always been transparent. Before every event the organisers publicly announced the total sponsorship, “which says a lot about our values of openness and transparency”.

Asked how the NAMAs budget was spent, Ekandjo was happy to share a breakdown in terms of percentages.

“Local logistics, which includes venue hire, hospitality, travel and accommodation, security and local aspects concerning the event, takes up about 37% of budget, and ... is spent directly on local suppliers only, with over 90% being SMEs,” he said.

“This is followed by the technical budget of the event, which includes staging, equipment, lights, AVs and the entire look and feel of the event, from concept to execution, taking up 28% of budget.

“Here we also only use local technical and audio companies. This is followed by the technical consultancy fees to Rockstar4000, taking up 21% of budget.

“These are our technical consultants on the project that together with the organisers render their expertise on the design and concept of the entire event.

“We recruit the technical consultants via an open and transparent tender process after every three years. This tender was run twice in our seven years of existence,” said Ekandjo. The N$10.2 million NAMA budget is made up of N$7.4 million sponsored by MTC, while N$2.8 million is contributed by other sponsors.

“We are extremely proud of this project, and MTC and NBC and all other sponsors will continue to ensure that we deliver world-class and memorable events in the best interest of our artists,” said Ekandjo.

STAFF REPORTER

Water crisis threatens Etunda scheme

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Water crisis threatens Etunda schemeWater crisis threatens Etunda schemeBroken pump in Angola halves water supply Farmers at the Etunda irrigation scheme in the north are nervously waiting for a NamWater contractor to repair a broken pump at the Calueque Dam in southern Angola. Farmers at one of the biggest Green Scheme projects in the country, the Etunda Irrigation Project in the Omusati Region, are on the brink of shutting down their operations unless NamWater solves the water crisis in the north.

These commercial farmers and small-scale irrigation farmers, with support from AgriBank, will soon be without water as the national water utility is struggling to get sufficient water supply from the Calueque Dam in Angola.

NamWater's supply from Calueque has been reduced from 3.6 cubic litres per second to 1.8 cubic litres per second, making it difficult to supply the northern regions.

Omusati governor Erginus Endjala was briefed about the water situation last Friday.

According to Endjala, NamWater informed him that the water crisis was caused by the breakdown of one of the two water pumps at Calueque.

“They told me that one of these pumps is old and has stopped functioning. Currently they are only pumping 1.8 cubic litres per second, which is not enough for the whole northern population,” Endjala said.

NamWater officials told him that a company that was contracted to repair the pump arrived at the site on Friday and was expected to be done in two weeks' time.

“Unless the machine could not be fixed in two weeks and there will not be enough water for human consumption, then Etunda will be affected,” he said.

The Etunda project is divided into two segments of 450 hectares each, with commercial crop farmers using the 15 centre-pivot facilities which cover 30 hectares each.

There are 71 spaces for small-scale farmers which consist of three hectares each, and ten spaces for medium-scale farmers, also consisting of three hectares each.

For the past months NamWater was relying on the Olushandja Dam to supply water to its purification plants at Outapi, Ogongo and Oshakati.

Olushandja has now dried up and NamWater is faced with a serious water shortage.

At the beginning of this year NamWater announced that the Angolan government had spent about N$2.7 billion to rehabilitate the Calueque Dam in the Cunene River Basin in southern Angola for the benefit of Namibians.

The rehabilitation included the installation of three new water pumps and other state-of-the-art facilities to increase water supply to a population of about two million people in southern Angola and northern Namibia. The rehabilitated dam is an 18-metre-deep composite structure with earth-fill flanks and a central mass concrete spillway. It has a pump station, situated on the southern bank of the Cunene River, which supplies a peak flow of 7.4 cubic metres per second - of which 1.4 is intended for new Angolan irrigation projects, while the rest is allocated for use by Namibia.



ILENI NANDJATO

COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

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COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEFCOMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF WhatsApp urged to stop sharing data

Facebook’s messaging service WhatsApp was given a one-month ultimatum by one of Europe’s strictest privacy watchdogs, which ordered it to stop sharing user data with its parent without getting the necessary consent.

France’s data protection authority CNIL gave a sharp warning to WhatsApp by issuing a formal notice, criticising it for “insufficiently” cooperating.

The decision comes a year after European Union privacy authorities said they had “serious concerns” about the sharing of WhatsApp user data for purposes that weren’t included in the terms of service and privacy policy when people signed up to the service.

FIN24

Trump security plan boosts case for steel, aluminium curbs

US President Donald Trump's new security strategy bolsters the case for trade actions to protect US economic interests on national security grounds, including possible import tariffs on steel and aluminium, a senior Trump administration official said on Tuesday.

The strategy document released on Monday did not specifically mention the Commerce Department's "Section 232" investigations into whether rising steel and aluminium imports represent a threat to national security. With recommendations due in January, the probes could lead to broad tariffs or import quotas under a Cold War-era trade law.

NAMPA/REUTERS

FedEx quarterly profit rises on strong package volume

Package delivery company FedEx Corp on Tuesday reported a better-than-expected quarterly net profit due to strong global demand and increased volumes during the peak holiday shipping season, but said its results were hit by lingering effects from a June cyber-attack on its Dutch TNT Express unit.

The Memphis-based company, often considered a bellwether for the U.S. economy, as is its rival United Parcel Service Inc , said the cyber-attack cut US$0.31 per diluted share from its fiscal second-quarter profit.

NAMPA/REUTERS

Pfizer, Exelixis cancer drugs get FDA approval for wider use

Cancer treatments from Pfizer Inc and Exelixis Inc on Tuesday won approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for expanded use in previously untreated patients.

Pfizer's Bosulif was expanded to treat newly-diagnosed adult patients with a rare, chronic form of blood cancer. The drug was first approved in 2012 to treat patients with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy for the cancer. The US regulator expanded the label of Exelixis's drug, Cabometyx, to treat patients with the most common form of kidney cancer.

NAMPA/REUTERS

May, Trump agree on need for quick post-Brexit trade deal

British Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald Trump "agreed on the importance of a swift post-Brexit bilateral trade deal" during talks Tuesday, her Downing Street office said.

The leaders discussed a future trade deal between the two countries during a phone call which focused on several other issues including Jerusalem, a spokesman said.

It was their first conversation since a rare public row erupted last month after May criticised Trump's retweeting of a fringe British far-right leader's anti-Muslim messages, which provoked an angry response from the president.

NAMPA/AFP

Fitch still sees political uncertainty in SA

Ratings agency Fitch says political uncertainty will persist in South Africa following the election of Cyril Ramaphosa as leader of the ruling African National Congress.

In a statement on Thursday, Fitch said the closeness of Ramaphosa's victory against Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and the likely challenges in agreeing and implementing changes to existing economic and fiscal settings suggest that the policy paralysis prior to the governing party's 16-20 December 54th National Conference may not be quickly resolved.

NAMPA/ANA
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