Festive season in full swing

December 26, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Festive season in full swingSomething for everyone at the coast Whether you are into camping, angling, partying or playing on the beach, resorts at the coast can offer that and more. More than a thousand people flocked to Independence Beach on Christmas.

Municipal accommodation facilities are also all fully booked for the festive season.

Walvis Bay municipal resorts supervisor Florencia Mutrifa confirmed that more than 3180 people visited Dolphin Park and 1 300 slide ride tags were sold on Christmas.

A total of 5455 people visited Dolphin Park on Christmas and Boxing Day last year.

Mutrifa said that the number of visitors increased steadily from 470 on 20 December to 520 on 22 December.

The number of people visiting is expected to slow down on 27 and 28 December before picking up again on from 29 December to 2 January.

All water slides at the park are functional and approximately 575 rides were sold at N$15 each for this period. There are also lifeguards and a team of qualified first-aid personnel at the site.

Mutrifa advised parents to keep a close watch over their children when visiting the facility.

“Children are constantly getting lost. We also advise parents not to allow children on the green slide. The children get claustrophobic and can injure themselves.”

She said that the 21 bungalows at Dolphin Park are fully booked and occupied by visitors from Walvis Bay, Windhoek and Rehoboth.

“Places at the facility will only become available again as from 7 January 2018. Holidaymakers started arriving from 15 December already. The occupancy rate is also much better this year with holidaymakers booking the facilities for longer periods.”

There are also definitely more people camping at Long Beach leisure park this year.

The 120 campsites capable of accommodating eight people are all fully occupied with over 1 000 campers at the venue.

“The first group consisting of 30 persons arrived from Botswana on 15 December and booked in until 22 December. More holidaymakers pitched on 20 December. We are now packed to the brim and are fully booked until 5 January. There is even a waiting list of over 35 applicants waiting for camping sites should any become available.”

Approximately 60% of the campers are locals, with most of the 40% of foreign visitors coming from South Africa.

The 27 bungalows at Esplanade Park are also fully occupied by 88 visitors.

The municipality reminded holidaymakers that camping on the seashore is not allowed overnight. Bonfires or barbeques are also not allowed unless suitable and removable containers are used. Ash or coals should not be left on the beach. The dumping of anything that affects the cleanliness of beach is prohibited and carries fines of N$1000. This includes leaving behind bait, fish hooks or offal.

Visitors should also take note that permits are required for recreational angling (from the ministry of Marine Resources and Fisheries offices in Swakopmund or Walvis Bay ) as well as for off-road or dune excursions by quad bikes or four-wheel-drive vehicles (available from the ministry of Environment and Tourism offices and Dare Devil Adventures).

Quad bikes must be licensed and riders must wear helmets at all times. Quad bikes are only allowed in the central dune belt between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay as demarcated by the ministry of Environment and Tourism.

Motorbikes and quad bikes, other than those belonging to registered tour operators with permission, are not allowed on the beach between the Swakop River and Sandwich Harbour (including Pelican Point).

Riding in the area between the low-water mark and the first crest of the western side of the sea-facing dunes between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay up to the Kuiseb Delta is also not allowed.

No riding is allowed on any unproclaimed roads or tracks on the eastern edge of the dune belt or anywhere in the Swakop River.

Fireworks are prohibited in residential areas.

Permission to shoot fireworks must be obtained from the Namibian Police and if such is obtained extreme care should be taken when handling fireworks.



OTIS FINCK

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'All I want for Christmas is a job'

December 26, 2017, 2:00 pm

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'All I want for Christmas is a job'Steady employment a seemingly impossible dream For the men on the street corners, Christmas was not a day of feasting. For David Simon (42) and many others like him, Christmas Day was just another day standing in the hot sun on a pavement in an affluent Windhoek suburb hoping for a job.

While many Namibians celebrated the day by sharing gifts and enjoying large meals with family and friends, Simon and many others like him simply hoped for a small job to put food on the table.

“I am just looking for a job. We don't have anything,” Simon, who has stood on the side of the road in Olympia and similar Windhoek suburbs since 2012, told Namibian Sun on Christmas Day. It's a life marked by long stretches of waiting in the searing sun, dependent on a fickle and unstable income amongst fierce competition. Their dreams are built on the hope that they can one day leave this life behind, through permanent employment and a steady income.

“I would like a clean job, maybe in government. Sometimes you stand here for three to four days, with no job, no money to buy food. Seven days a week, you wait and wait,” Simon Stefanus Taupolo (31) told Namibian Sun. Since he moved to Windhoek from Okahao in 2009, Taupolo who says he has welding and electrician skills, has not been able to secure a permanent job.

Asked what he would say to President Hage Geingob if he could meet him, Simon says his message would be to listen and talk to people like him who have “lots of ideas” and skills but no chance to improve their lives through a permanent job.

“We vote, but they just talk and talk but don't do anything. I would like to tell them about our life. We are in trouble. There are no jobs. And when we don't have a job, we don't have a life.”



No sparkle this Christmas

Simon's three children, aged 12, 8 and one, did not receive presents on Monday.

Instead, if he is picked up for a job, the priority is to “buy some food, and clothes, for the kids,” Simon explained. On good days, the men can earn between N$150 to N$200 doing cleaning, weeding and other small jobs. But, often it is much less.

The men explained that the rates are fickle, and depend entirely on the type of person who hires them.

“It all depends on the person who picks us up. I cannot tell them how much I think my work is worth,” Simon explained.

The men said several days can go past without a job, and then hunger becomes a problem.

“I would like to tell people who pick us up, that they should think about giving us something to eat before putting us to work, which often consists of hard types of jobs. It's very difficult to work on an empty stomach. But people are very different. Some give you food, others do not. You learn that,” Taupolo remarked.

After travelling to the suburbs, by foot if there is no taxi money, one of the hardest things is the waiting game and the fierce heat on summer days like this past Christmas.

For Simon, apart from a reliable job, his hope rests on his children receiving a quality education and being able to exit the vicious circle of poverty and joblessness.

“I want my kids to be able to choose what they want to do, what they like to do. I hope they finish school, because this life is a struggle. And I don't want them to struggle like this.”





JANA-MARI SMITH

Deadly accidents blight festive weekend

December 26, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Deadly accidents blight festive weekend Initial traffic reports indicated that at least two fatal car accidents claimed the lives of three people, including a five-year-old child, over the Christmas weekend.

On Friday, Nampa reported that two passengers, Beeline Thandiwe (5) and Silas Gustav (27), died when the driver of a silver Toyota Corolla overtook another car and collided into an oncoming Nissan pick-up.

The accident took place near Oniimbwele village on the Ondangwa and Omuthiya main road in the Oshikoto Region.

Police Deputy Commissioner Petrus Shigwedha confirmed that the accident took place at around 06:00 on Friday morning, with both drivers sustaining only slight injuries. Gustav was a passenger in the silver Toyota Corolla and the child a passenger in the Nissan pick-up. The Toyota Corolla's driver was travelling from Windhoek to Ondangwa while the Nissan was travelling in the opposite direction.

Three others were admitted to the Onandjokwe hospital in a critical condition.

The West Coast Safety Initiative (WCSI) confirmed another fatal accident took place early in the morning on Saturday, 23 December, on the MR44 route.

One fatality was reported and the driver sustained less serious injuries.

The crash happened after the driver reportedly lost control on a slight bend on the road, causing the vehicle to overturn. Both occupants were catapulted from the vehicle.

Another serious accident took place about 133km from Walvis Bay towards Windhoek on the D1985 route when a pick-up with two occupants overturned. Both occupants of the car sustained injuries.



The quick action of two lifeguards from the Sea Rescue Institute of Namibia (SRIN) in Swakopmund led to the rescue of two women who nearly drowned on 24 December, WCSI reported.



One of the women had already disappeared beneath the water when the lifeguards arrived and saved her life.



A truck illegally and unsafely transporting two pick-ups from the north was pulled from the road at the Swakopmund police roadblock on Monday.



Several people reported seeing the truck with its unusual cargo en route to Walvis Bay, noting that the driver had chosen to drive at night in an attempt to avoid detection.



Nampa further reported a five-car pile-up that took place on Friday in Windhoek, injuring three persons who were taken to hospital.



City Police spokesperson Edmund Khoaseb said a Land Cruiser bakkie, driving along Sam Nujoma Road in the direction of Daan Viljoen, hit a vehicle that drove through a red traffic light.



“According to eyewitnesses, a vehicle from Rocky Crest jumped the red robot, forcing the Land Cruiser to hit it on the side, leading to several vehicles hitting each other at that intersection,” he said.



Another accident occurred on the Western Bypass at around 09:20 on Friday.



According to Khoaseb, a station wagon tried to make a U-turn on the Western Bypass. It then hit a Mazda sedan that was driving from the south.



“Two women in the Mazda sedan sustained minor injuries, while no injuries were reported on the driver of the station wagon,” he said.



On 24 December, it was reported by the WCSI that an accident was reported between Henties Bay and Swakopmund, where the driver reportedly absconded from the scene. No further information on whether the driver was caught was available by time of going to print.



A vehicle count on 23 December on the B2 route between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay indicated the high volume of people at the coast.



By 17:00 on the afternoon, 476 vehicles had travelled to Swakopmund from Walvis Bay, and 352 vehicles towards Walvis Bay.



- Additional reporting by Nampa



JANA-MARI SMITH

Hangana treats pensioners to Christmas lunch

December 26, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Hangana treats pensioners to Christmas lunch NAMPA

About 300 pensioners from Swakopmund’s Mondesa residential area enjoyed an early Christmas lunch provided by Hangana Seafood on Friday.

They sang Christmas songs and praised God for blessing them.

Officiating at the event was minister of fisheries and marine resources Bernhard Esau, who said it should be every fishing company’s responsibility to give to the community.

Esau said events like these give pensioners a rare chance to come together and interact.

The minister called on mining and tourism companies to also come out in support of elders to ensure that they do not feel left out.

“Even if we are old we must feel Namibia belongs to all of us, this is only possible with the support of everyone,” he said.

Also speaking at the event was Swakopmund mayor Paulina Nashilundo, who thanked Hangana Seafood for the gesture.

Nashilundo said elderly people face challenges such as mistreatment at home and poverty and called on the private sector to assist Government in overcoming some of these challenges.

Farmers brace for return of destructive new pests

December 26, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Farmers brace for return of destructive new pestsFarming in the era of the armyworm The armyworm is estimated to have slashed 20% of Zimbabwe’s total maize output in 2017. THOMSON REUTERS



Farmers in Zimbabwe are anxiously watching their crops, fearing the return of a plethora of new pests that recently spread to the southern African nation and devastated harvests this year.

Many cannot afford pesticide - or lack the knowledge – to control fall armyworm, tomato leafminer, cotton mealybug and other newcomer pests that arrived as climate change creates warmer, more conducive conditions.

"We don't know what is happening," said Lovemore Muradzikwa, a small-scale maize farmer in the Mafuke area of eastern Zimbabwe, who said he has already seen some of the pests return.

"There are small worms destroying our crops. They are eating even wild plants. We don't know what they are," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Shifting weather patterns linked to climate change - including longer droughts and more intense rainfall - are making farming more uncertain across much of southern Africa.

And the arrival of new pests - some of them adapted to the changing conditions - is making life even harder for the region's embattled farmers.

"A few farmers have done research about these pests and many poor farmers don't know what to do. We don't know why we are now experiencing these pests which we never experienced before," said Muradzikwa.

Fall armyworm destroyed 20% of the country's maize crop last season, according to government figures, at a time when the country was recovering from devastating drought that had left more than 4 million people dependent on food aid.

The pest is a native of the Americas and was first spotted in Africa in 2016. It has since spread across the continent.

Zimbabwe's deputy agriculture minister Davis Mharapira said the country is prepared for a possible outbreak this season.

"Our agricultural extension officers are on the ground teaching farmers across the country about fall armyworm. We are advising farmers to report any sightings of fall armyworm as soon as possible," Mharapira said in a telephone interview.

Fall armyworm was first seen in Zimbabwe in September 2016, and became more prevalent in January and February when it was spotted across the country, according to a joint report by the government and UN agencies.

Some farmers "resorted to handpicking and squashing the worms in an attempt to control them", or used pesticides. But 60% of farms affected by the pests did not take any measures to control them, resulting in extensive damage to crops, the 2017 Rural Livelihoods Assessment Report said.

Many countries in Africa have reported other new crop pests and diseases including banana bunchy top virus in Mozambique, South Africa and Malawi, and maize lethal necrosis in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda, and elsewhere.

Globally, the spread of pests and diseases across borders has increased dramatically in recent years with trade playing a role as well as climate change, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Blessing Zimunya, a farmer and traditional leader in Chitora area, south of Mutare in eastern Zimbabwe's Manicaland Province, said farmers fear the return of fall armyworm this season.

"We are not sure yet whether we will face the same armyworm problem this season. Many farmers were caught unawares…farmers do not have knowledge about these new pests," Zimunya said.

Brave Warriors squad off to Tunisia

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Brave Warriors squad off to TunisiaMinister sends off football team The Brave Warriors, Namibia's senior men's football team, left for Tunisia yesterday to prepare for the upcoming 2018 African Nations Championship (Chan) competition which will be played in Morocco from 12 January to 4 February 2018. Namibia's national football team will be making their maiden appearance at the Chan competition and will face Ivory Coast, Uganda and Zambia in group B.

The 27-man squad was sent off by Emma Kantema-Gaomas, permanent secretary of the ministry of sport, who said the country was happy to share the team's achievements.

“In a short span of time we have witnessed Brave Warriors transforming into a team to be reckoned with following the victory of the Cosafa in 2015, several other matches and now once again you have made us proud by qualifying for the Chan Championship.”

The ministry provided N$10 million through the Namibia Sport Commission (NSC) for the team to participate in Chan.

“As government we are committed to promote sports as sports is indeed a big sector that contribute to national development and as government we are making strides, we are happy to see the incorporation of sports in the NDP 5 that is advocating for professionalisation of sports in Namibia,” she said.

“You have indeed made history. Just remember that you are representing Namibia, so Namibia first. Your qualification to the Chan made you winners already. In our eyes you are already winners so go out there and make us proud. I would like to request you to maintain a positive attitude throughout and uphold discipline by observing the rules that govern the games,” Gaomas added.

“I want to say dreams do come true after you have put passion, excellence and dedication in their trade of chosen profession. Your participation in Chan presents an opportunity to unearth your talent and skills to the rest of Africa,” she told the team.

The team is expected to spend about two weeks in Tunisia with friendly matches on the cards before proceeding to their base in Marrakesh. Before heading to Morocco on 11 January, a final 23-men squad will be announced.

The Brave Warriors have also moved up one place on the latest International Federation of Football Associations (Fifa) world rankings which were released on Thursday.

The team is now ranked 31st in Africa and 118th in the world.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Yaya Toure ends international retirement

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Yaya Toure ends international retirement Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure has agreed to come out of international retirement, according to the Manchester City star's agent.

Dimitri Seluk, who represents Toure, said on Tuesday that the 34-year-old is willing to return to Ivory Coast duty if called upon, having last played for his country in September 2016.

“Yaya @YayaToure has decided to return to Ivory Coast national team. He wants to win another trophy with the Elephants of Ivory Coast,” Seluk tweeted.

Toure, who has won over 100 caps, was part of the Ivory Coast side which won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

He has been reduced to a bit-part role in City's charge towards the Premier League title this season, making only eight appearances in all competitions after signing a one-year contract extension earlier this year.

But Seluk's tweet suggests he has no imminent thoughts of retiring from football, given Ivory Coast failed to qualify for next year's World Cup, meaning their next opportunity for silverware will be the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

SUPERSPORT

Kompany urges City to be cautious

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Kompany urges City to be cautiousCaptain reminds City of 2012 Man United meltdown Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has cautioned his team Manchester City not to get ahead of themselves. Kompany has used Manchester United's late title meltdown during the 2011/12 season as a cautionary example to remind his team mates that there is no room for complacency in the Premier League title race.

United held an eight-point lead atop the table in 2012, before losing two and drawing one of their final six league games to allow City to get back into the race and eventually, seal the title on the final day of the campaign.

Kompany, who was instrumental to City's dramatic comeback six seasons ago, is wary of a similar collapse from the league leaders this campaign and is eager to keep his team mates grounded despite their 12-point lead atop the table.

“I don't know if everyone will remember but it was six games left and we were eight points behind, so that's why I am always the first to come in and say, 'No guys, we can't really take the foot off the gas',” Kompany told British media.

“I really don't want that. We push, we push, we push, and no one has the right to let their performance down or their guard down.”

Manager Pep Guardiola's side extended their record-breaking winning streak to 17 league games with a 4-0 rout of Bournemouth last weekend and Kompany is keen to maintain the high with a win at Newcastle United later on Wednesday.

“We have to keep it going,” the Belgian added.

“When you are on such a run you want to put it aside straight away and think about the next one, because you know how little it takes to lose that special feeling.

“So we have gone into Christmas with a feeling of duty towards the game at Newcastle and with a happy feeling.”

NAMPA/REUTERS

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Teams ready for Mayoral Cup

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Teams ready for Mayoral Cup The annual Mayoral Cup 2017 will take place from 30 December to 1 January in Mariental at the Show Grounds.

The first of its kind football tournament will see 12 teams battling it out for first, second and third spots.

Entrance to the tournament closed yesterday as teams were expected to register with N$1 000. The winner of the tournament will walk away with N$5 000, a floating trophy and medals. Runners-up will receive N$3 000 and third-place holders will receive N$2 000.

Ivan Peters, one of the organisers of the tournament, said they want to cut out unnecessary drinking amongst the youth hence the reason why the tournament was organised.

“Mariental youth have nothing to do accept to drink and fight in the streets. We want to bring positive social activities in the town in order to cut out unproductive activities.”

Peters promised that the tournament will be bigger and better next year as they will plan ahead.

Entrance is N$10 for adults, plus another N$10 when entering with a car and N$5 for children.

Those interested in stalls can contact 0813251868.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Djokovic determined to learn from injury

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Djokovic determined to learn from injuryTennis player recalls painful past Former world number one Novak Djokovic says his six-month absence from tennis has taught him never to take his career for granted, describing his injury agony as a “roller-coaster ride”. The 30-year-old Serb has not played since Wimbledon in July when a long-standing elbow injury forced him to shut down his 2017 season.

As a consequence, the 12-time major winner saw his world ranking slip to 12, his lowest place in 10 years.

“It's been a real roller-coaster ride for me for a year and a half with this issue. I've never had surgery in my life, I've never had any major injuries that kept me away from the tour for such a long time,” Djokovic told Sport360 in Abu Dhabi.

“I never missed a Grand Slam in my career. It was a big decision, a big call to make. I couldn't play anymore, there was no choice. It was like, that's it, and you can't lift your arm.”

Djokovic will return to the court in Abu Dhabi at the pre-season Mubadala World Championship which runs from December 28-30.

He is then due to kick-off his competitive season as top seed at the Qatar Open next week before launching a bid for a seventh Australian Open crown.

Having added mercurial former tour player Radek Stepanek to a coaching team spearheaded by Andre Agassi, Djokovic only started hitting again in Monaco four weeks ago.

“I've learned a lesson because I really want to avoid getting to that stage of an injury ever in my career after this,” Djokovic added.

“And it was a great lesson to learn to be honest. It was not easy for me to be absent for so long.

“I can't wait to get back on the competition level but it was a great experience for me to have. And it was a somewhat necessary experience because I got maybe too comfortable with not having major injuries.”





NAMPA/AFP

Medical evacuations begin in Syria rebel bastion

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Medical evacuations begin in Syria rebel bastionSyria crises results in evacuation The race to evacuate the sick from besieged Syrian city of Eastern Ghouta has begun. Aid workers have begun evacuating emergency medical cases from Syria's besieged rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta, the Red Cross said yesterday, after months of waiting during which the United Nations said at least 16 people died.

Families waited in the darkness in the rebel-held town of Douma for their loved ones to board ambulances bound for hospitals in the capital Damascus.

Three children were among the first four patients to leave, Red Crescent official Ahmed al-Saour told AFP.

He said in total 29 seriously ill people were due to be evacuated.

The first four were a girl with haemophilia, a boy with the autoimmune disorder Guillain-Barre, a child with leukaemia, and a man in need of a kidney transplant, he said.

Eight-year-old Ingy, the girl with haemophilia, gave a broad smile as she boarded an ambulance, wearing a woolly hat and gloves against the cold.

“Tonight the @SYRedCrescent with @ICRC team started the evacuation of critical medical cases from #EasternGhouta to #Damascus,” the International Committee of the Red Cross said on its Twitter account.

The Syrian American Medical Society, another medical relief organisation, said the evacuations covered “29 critical cases, approved for medical evacuation to Damascus. Four patients were evacuated today.”

It said the remainder would be evacuated in the coming days.

Eastern Ghouta is one of the last remaining rebel strongholds in Syria and has been under a tight government siege since 2013, causing severe food and medical shortages for its nearly 400,000 residents.

While some food is still grown locally, or smuggled in, humanitarian access to the region has been limited despite regular appeals from aid agencies.

The Syrian Red Crescent said the evacuations followed “long negotiations” but did not go into details.

Last week, Jan Egeland, the head of the UN's humanitarian taskforce for Syria, warned that at least 16 people had died while waiting for evacuation from Eastern Ghouta.

He said a list put together several months ago of nearly 500 civilians in desperate need of evacuation was rapidly shrinking.

“That number is going down, not because we are evacuating people, but because they are dying,” he told reporters in Geneva.

“We have confirmation of 16 having died on these lists since they were resubmitted in November, and it is probably higher,” he said, highlighting the case of a baby who died on December 14, as the latest round of Syria peace talks in Geneva ended in failure.

“I fear there will be many more. During this Christmas and holiday season, there will be more deaths unless we get evacuation going,” he said.

Egeland said evacuations and efforts to bring aid into the region had been blocked by a lack of authorisations from the Syrian authorities.

The Eastern Ghouta region, near the capital Damascus, is one of the last strongholds of rebels fighting the forces of President Bashar al-Assad.

It is one of four “de-escalation” zones agreed in May in a deal brokered by government backers Russian and Iran and rebel supporter Turkey. The agreement led to some reduction in fighting but the government kept up its blockade and renewed its bombardment of the enclave in mid-November.

The government stands accused by its critics of using sieges of civilians as a weapon in its war against the rebels.

Rebel fighters pulled out of second city Aleppo and third city Homs, as well as districts of Damascus, only after prolonged blockades caused serious hardship to their families and other civilians.

More than 340,000 people have been killed and millions have been driven from their homes since Syria's conflict erupted with anti-government protests in 2011.



NAMPA/AFP

Former football ace George Weah is new president of Liberia

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Former football ace George Weah is new president of Liberia Retired footballer George Weah has won the elections in Liberia to become that country's 25th president.

The senator of Montserrado County - once named Fifa World Player and winner of the much coveted Ballon d'or - defeated his 73-year-old opponent Vice President Joseph Boakai in a landslide victory in results announced in Liberia on yesterday morning.

“I am deeply grateful to my family, my friends, and my loyal supporters who contributed to our campaign during this extremely long election season,” Weah said on twitter before the results were announced. He won 12 out of 15 counties.

As Liberia's first female head of state, 79-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, steps down she leaves the impoverished West African country still reeling from the effects of previous wars and the deadly Ebola outbreak.

NAMPA/ANA

Uunona 26 wa valwa mesiku lyaKrismes mOnandjokwe

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Uunona 26 wa valwa mesiku lyaKrismes mOnandjokwe Nuumvo oshipangeo shaNandjokwe osha lopota omwaalu guli pombanda guunona mboka wa pulumuthilwa moshipangelo shoka mesiku lyaKrismes.

Oshipangelo shaShakati osha lopota uunona wuli 15, uumati 12 oshowo uukadhona utatu. Moshipangelo shepangelo mEngela omwa lopotwa uunona 12 omanga moKatima Mulilo mwa lopotwa uunona 11. Uunona 36 owa pulumuthilwa mOvenduka, sho moshipangelo shaKtutura mwa lopotwa uunona 17 omanga uunona 16 wa pulumuthilwa moshipangelo shaWindhoek Central hospital. Palopota yonzokundaneki yoNampa, uunona mboka wa valwa hugunina, owa valelwa moshipangelo shaKatutura naWindhoek Central potundi onti 23:46 no 20:36.

“Okanona hoka ka pulumuthwa hugunina oka pulumuthilwa moshipangelo shaKatutura na oka valwa inaka adha, ihe okeli monkalo ombwaanawa,” Mercy Maro, omupangi omukomeho miilonga moshipangelo shoka a popi. Moshipangelo shaMediclinic oshowo Lady Pohamba inamu pulumuthilwa uunona mesiku ndyoka, pauyelele wa gandjwa kaaniilonga miipangelo mbyoka.

Oshipangelo shOutapi osha lopota aanona yane, Otjiwarongo aanona yatano omanga oshipangelo shaSwakopo sha lopota aanona yane. Rhino Park Private hospital, Gobabis oshowo Walvis Bay ayihe oya lopota aanona yatatu, omanga Omaruru noKeetmanshoop mwa lopotwa mwa pulumuthwa uunona uwali. Usakos, Tsumeb, Grootfontein omanga Omuthiya mwa valwa okanona kamwe mukehe oshipangelo.

“Moshipangelo shaRhino Park omwa valwa uunona uutatu mesiku lyaKrismes, omwaalu gwa faathana naangoka gwomvula ya piti. Nuumvo omwa valwa okamati kamwe nuukadhona uwali,” Omupangi ngoka e li omukomeho miilonga moshipangelo shaRhino Park Private hospital, a popi.

JUNE SHIMUOSHILI/KENYA KAMBOWE

'Shoka nda hala moKrismes, iilonga'

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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'Shoka nda hala moKrismes, iilonga'Onkalamwenyo ye ya dhigupalela esiku kehe Iilonga tayi kalele oyi li ondjodhi ndjoka itayi tsu kuyamwepo, sho aalumentu mboka haya kala momapandanda, taya kongo iilonga, Esiku lyaKrismes kuyo kali shi esiku lyetyapulo. KuDavid Simon (42) oshowo kaalumentu yalwe, Esiku lyaKrismes, esiku owala lya fa omasiku omakwawo gokuthikama momutenya momapandanda gaVenduka taya kongo iilonga. Omanga AaNamibia taya tyapula esiku ndyoka paku paathana omagano nokutyapula esiku pamwe noofamili dhawo, Simon oshowo yakwawo otaya kongo iilonga, opo ya vule okumona sha shokwiipalutha. “Ngame otandi kongo iilonga. Katu na shoka tu na,” Simon, ngoka a kala nokukonga iilonga pehala lya faathana momudhingoloko gwa Olympia mOvenduka okutameka omvula 2012, a lombwele oNamibian Sun.

Oshi li onkalo odhigu yokukala wa thikama momutenya nokutegelela ngele ope na ngoka te ku pe uulonga wanathangwa opo wu vule okuhupa, nonando ethigathano oli li pombanda, omolwa omwaalu omunene gwaakongi yiilonga moshilongo.

“Onda hala iilonga yokuwapaleka, nando omepangelo. Ethimbo limwe oho thikama mpaka uule womasiku gatatu ino mona iilonga na ku na iimaliwa yokulanda iikulya. Uule womasiku gaheyali wa tegelela owala,” Simon Stefanus Taupolo (31) a lombwele oNamibian Sun.

Konima nkene a tembukile mOvenduka okuza mOkahao mo 2009, Taupolo okwa popi kutya oku na uunongo wokufikila oshowo okulonga omalusheno ihe ina vula okumona iilonga tayi kalelele.

Sho a pulwa kutya ota vulu okulombwela shike Omupresidende Hage Geingob ngele a ndola okwa tsakanene naye, okwa popi kutya etumwalaka lye andola okupulakena nokuya moonkundathana naantu mboka ye na uunongo, ihe kaye na ompito yokuyambulapo oonkalamwenyo dhawo okupitila miilonga tayi kalelele.

“Otatu hogolola ihe ohaya popi owala ihe kaye na shoka haya ningi. Onda hala okuyalombwela kombinga yonkalamwenyo yetu. Otu li muudhigu. Kape na iilonga nuuna katu na iilonga nena katu na oonkalamwenyo.”

Uunona waSimon, utatu, koomvula 12, 8 oshowo yimwe inawu mona omagano goKrismes mOmaandaha, nopehala oku na edhilaadhilo kutya ngele okwa mono iilonga otaka landela uunona we iikulya niizalomwa. Momasiku omawanawa aalumentu mboka ohaya vulu okumona oshimaliwa shooN$150 oshowo N$200, miilonga ngaashi yokuwapaleka nokulima omwiidhi nuulonga wumwe uushona, ihe olundji ohaya mono iiyemo iishona. Oya popi kutya kaye na kutya ohaya mono iiyemo ya faathana kehe esiku ihe ohaya futwa kwiikwatelelwa kwaangoka teya pe iilonga.

Aalumentu mboka oya popi kutya ohaya vulu okukala omasiku inaya mona iilonga nokusa ondjala.

“Onda hala okulombwela aantu mboka haye tu pe iilonga opo ya dhilaadhile okutupa okulya omanga inatu tameka iilonga, molwaashoka iilonga yimwe iidhigu nomuntu oto longo wa sa ondjala. Ihe aantu oya yooloka, yamwe otaye ku pe okulya manga yamwe itaye ku pe,” Taupolo a popi ngaaka.

Konima yokuya kehala hoka haya kongele iilonga kolupadhi ngele kape na iimaliwa yotaxi, shimwe shomiinima iidhigu okukala ya tegelela momutenya omudhigu ngele otaya mono iilonga. KuSimon, kakele kiilonga tayi kalelele okwa hala aanona ye yamone elongo, opo ya hupe moshiponga sholuhepo nokwaahena iilonga, na ina hala ya kale monkalo moka ye e li.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Ependafule Isak Shoome lya fumbikwa

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Ependafule Isak Shoome lya fumbikwa Aalilisa omathele ya za koombinga noombinga moshilongo oya gongala mOlyomakaya pOmugulugwoombashe national shrine moshitopolwa shaMusati, opo ya thindikile kegumbo ependafule Isak Ashinkono Shoome.

Shoome okwa hulitha mepupi lyoomvula 101.

Nakusa Shoome, ngoka a kala a tseyika nedhina 'Nangata', okwa hulitha momasiku 12 gaDesemba megumbo lye momukunda Okuvale moshikandjohogololo Tsandi. Shoome ota dhimbulukiwa kutya ogumwe gwomoofule ndhoka dha dhana onkandangala onene mekondjelomanguluko lyoshilongo, na okwa mono woo ompito yokumona oshilongo sha manguluka.

Ondjokonona ya Shoome mekondjelomanguluko lyaNamibia oya tameke mo1957.

Okwa dhana woo onkandangala metotepo lyongundu yOvambo People's Congress ndjoka ya ningi Ovambo People's Party mo 1958 na oya ningi ongundu yoSwapo Party mo 1960.

Okuli oshitopolwa shaakwaita mboka ya umbu oondjembo dhotango momasiku 26 gaAguste mo 1966, etamekitho lyekondjelomanguluko lyoshilongo. Momasiku 9 gaSepetemba, Shoome okwa kwatwapo kaalonyeki, sha ningilwa pOmadhiya gaana ya Tshoombein mOnesi na okwa lundululilwa moPretoria shaSouth Afrika.

Konima sho a kala mondjeedhililo uule woomvula mbali okwa mangululwa nokugalukila moshilongo mo 1972.

Nonando okwa li a tulwa modholongo, shoka inashi mu teya omukumo na okwa tsikile nekondjelomanguluko sigo a tulwa ishewe miipandeko mo 1978. Shoome okwa mangululwa konima yoomweedhi dhontumba na okwa tsikile. Mo 1987 Shoome okwa tulwa miipandeko ishewe mOsire Detention Camp uule woomwedhi hamano. Mwaamboka ya kala poshituthifumbiko she omwakwatelwa Omukokoli Sam Nujoma, omupresidende nale, Hifikepunye Pohamba, ngoka ta longo pehala lyomupresidende, Nickey Iyambo, oominista naapeha minista, oongoloneya yiitopolwa, aanapolotika oshowo aaleIi yopamuthigululwakalo naaleli yopambepo.

Iyambo okwa popi kutya Namibia okwa kanitha limwe lyomomapenda ngoka ga kondjo nuudhiginini mokukwashilipaleka kutya oshilongo osha manguluka nomapenda ngoka itaga dhimbiwa.

Nujoma okwa tumbula Shoome kutya omukwiita ngoka iha tila sha na iha shuna monima, na okwa kala mekondjelo lyemanguluko uule woomvula 57. Naye okwa popi kutya omapenda gooShoome itaga dhimbiwa mondjokonona yaNamibia.

KENYA KAMBOWE

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Shot of the day

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Shot of the day NO WATER: Due to poor or no rainfall in the Ruacana area and Southern Angola, there is no significant water falling in the Ruacana waterfalls. The waterfall is situated in the Kunene River stream and water its water flow depends on rainfall received in Southern Angola. PHOTO: ILENI NANDATO

Taking stock

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Taking stock John Lennon sings: “Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can, No need for greed or hunger, A brotherhood of man, Imagine all the people sharing all the world.”

It is a dream of course, one the chorus of 'Imagine' recognised.

“You may say I'm a dreamer, But I'm not the only one, I hope someday you'll join us, And the world will be as one.”

For the lucky ones, Christmas is a time to retreat from the rat race and join a close circle friends and family.

Yet, for the vast global majority, it's just another day of suffering and desperation, of hunger and need.

Peter Schjeldahl writes that the duty of artists is to “comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable.”

Perhaps the role of our festive season should be less about capitalist cravings and more about afflicting upon ourselves a genuine, uncomfortable and close look at someone who has less than us, at the boundless inequality.

We pretend the problem of poverty is a complex one to solve. Countless studies and meetings and money are thrown at the problem.

Rather, it appears that humanity's inherent greed, and uncanny ability to shut out the pain of others while luxuriating in and endless need to satisfy our hunger for status and power, is what cements the status quo of vast injustice and inequality.

The close bonds of love and trust that bind family and friends are not sufficient to create a 'brotherhood of man', as Lennon imagined.

As a civilisation, as neighbours, and colleagues, as leaders and all the variants of human relationships, we continue to thoughtlessly and casually inflict pain on each other.

By shutting out the other through blissful forgetfulness, we thrust a mirror at our lack of will to overcome these issues.

Often, we simply freeze in the face of the enormity of the problems.

We feast on Christmas day, while our slums house thousands.

Where surplus of food, possessions, and money are unimaginable.

In-house plumbing, electricity, cars or Woolworths accounts are as unimaginable as Lennon's lyrics.

Inside our brick homes, our tables are piled high with food, booze and gifts.

We are merry.

Our laughter drifts across the electrified walls, stinging those outside who stand on a sidewalk, desperate for so many things, we take for granted.

Toyota says it sold 10.35 million vehicles in 2017

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Toyota says it sold 10.35 million vehicles in 2017 NAMPA/AFP

Toyota says it sold 10.35 million vehicles around the world this year, up 2% from 2016, and predicts higher sales in 2018.

The number, announced Wednesday, is likely to put the Japanese carmaker close to last year's number one, Volkswagen AG of Germany.

Volkswagen sold 10.3 million vehicles in 2016, putting it ahead of Toyota and US automaker General Motors.

Toyota, which sold nearly 10.2 million vehicles worldwide last year, said it expects to sell 10.495-million in 2018.

Nissan-Renault, which reported solid sales in the first half of this year, has run into some problems after inspections irregularities were reported at its Japanese plants.

The other carmakers have not yet reported this year's sales numbers.

Engineers want ministry to implement ruling

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Engineers want ministry to implement ruling The Namibian Society of Engineers (NASE) has written to the works PS, Willem Goeieman, to advise him to take note of a recent court ruling which stated 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.

In the letter, the group of engineers informed Goeieman that it is therefore imperative to note that any assumption that there currently is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for expatriates who came in or after 2012 and that they are for some reason not affected by this court decision may be ill-advised.

The engineers also urged the ministry to respect the Labour Act and pointed out that Namibian citizens and permanent residents ought to be prioritised and interviewed first for jobs within in the ministry.

“If no sufficient qualified locals are found, only then can foreign nationals be invited to apply and then interviewed. In the interest of the public as well as that of the state, we strongly advise that now is the right time for the ministry to do the appropriate and legal thing to avoid further and costly court cases such as this one.

“The chapter of the Namibia-Zimbabwe MoU must now be closed in its entirety, it no longer exists.

“Finally, we have also noted that the said expatriates are being interviewed for the engineering, architectural and quantity surveying positions recently advertised by the ministry at the behest of NASE for such positions to be advertised.

“Their applications and interviews are being conducted alongside those of Namibians.”

The letter further pointed out that should the ministry fail to comply with the law, they may have no other choice but to seek relief from the courts on this matter as well.

Goeieman confirmed having received the letter from the engineers and also noted the court ruling but said he was on leave and could not comment on what he planned to do regarding the appointment of technical professionals.

Goeieman recently told Namibian Sun that only about four or five of the 400 architects, quantity surveyors and engineers that had submitted their CVs to the ministry were qualified.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Slow start for crop producers

December 27, 2017, 2:00 pm

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Slow start for crop producers The poor rainfall experienced during the first half of the rainy season has caused a delay in cropping activities across the country and farmers have been advised to take advantage of good rains predicted for January.

Revised statistics on the 2016/17 crop harvest indicate that Namibia experienced an increase of 85% compared to the previous year and it was also 14% above the average production.

The aggregated crop harvest for 2016/17 was 137 500 tons compared to the previous year when it stood at 74 300 tons.

According to the latest Agricultural Inputs and Household Food Security Monitoring Assessment Report issued by the agriculture ministry, this improvement came as a result of a considerable increase from the producers both in the subsistence and commercial production systems.

Maize production in the communal area (Zambezi, Kavango East and Kavango West regions) recorded a significant improvement of 420% compared to the 2015/2016 season's poor harvest. However, this was still 6% below the average production.

Much of this improvement about 95% comes from the Zambezi region while the remaining 5% came from the Kavango West and Kavango East regions.

However, wheat production showed a reduction of 38% below 2015/2016 harvest and 36% below the average production with only 6 100 tons produced.

The report says the decrease in local wheat production is mainly due to the delays in harvesting of white maize that was caused by late planting, as well as insufficient funds to procure inputs on time. “Moreover, some of the wheat producers are reported to have stopped producing wheat, citing high production cost as the main reason.”

Meanwhile, by the end of October this year Namibia imported 50 800 tons of wheat, 8 700 tons of maize and 1 700 tons of pearl millet. However, according to the report there are still uncovered shortfalls for the abovementioned cereal to the tune of 16 000 tons, 72 600 tons and 19 700 tons respectively. It says since the marketing season is still on-going the uncovered shortfalls are usually covered through more commercial imports that are expected.

It further says that the first half of the 2017/2018 rainy season noted poor rainfall performance, resulting in delays in the cropping activities.

The report noted that, rainfall has been virtually absent in most parts of the country, except few places where light to moderate showers were received. However, good rainfall is expected as from January until the end of the season in April 2018.

Since the start of the current rainfall season in October to early December, no significant rains were received to trigger off cropping activities, it said.

“According to farmers, the start of the season was marred by lack of follow up rains to strengthen the onset of the rainfall season as most of November was devoid of any significant rainfall activities.”

It adds that the start of the season was marred by lack of follow up rains to strengthen the onset of the rainfall season, as most of November was devoid of any significant rainfall. As a result, farmers were unable to start with cultivation, except the ripping services and the river field areas in the Zambezi region.

“Farmers reported that not much is happening regarding cultivation, but preparations of crop fields for cultivations were completed with few farmers rounding up and waiting for productive rainfall for them to start with cultivations.”

ELLANIE SMIT