Filthy eyesore

February 25, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Filthy eyesoreTsumeb's residential areas neglected Some formal residential areas in Tsumeb are an eyesore, in stark contrast to the town centre, leading to allegations that the local municipality only looks after areas where “the elite” gather. Known previously as one of the cleanest towns in the country, Tsumeb has become a town where some residential areas look no better than the informal settlements.

On a recent visit to Tsumeb, Namibian Sun saw piles of litter in the town, especially at formal settlements such as Soweto and Nomtsoub.

Local people blame the municipality, claiming that the council is ignorant when it comes to addressing issues that affect the community.

Soweto location is overcrowded, litter is scattered everywhere, raw sewage flows from blocked drains, people use open spaces as toilets, communal taps are surrounded by filth and there is a terrible smell in the air.

Its residents say they are used to living in such an environment and they feel that the municipality, which is supposed to ensure that the town is clean, has given up on them.

The town centre, where visitors drive through and stop for refreshments, is clean. That has led to an allegation that the Tsumeb municipality only looks after places used by “the elite”.

One resident said Tsumeb is no longer a town they can be proud of.

“I was born and raised in Tsumeb. We were not used to seeing shacks around. The litter you see today was something we only saw on television about other towns.

“I therefore blame the municipality for losing focus in terms of ensuring that the town is always clean,” he said.

“What we also see happening is that the municipality is only focusing on the other side of the town where the people who are well off live.

The reason why I am saying so is because you won't see litter around there, you won't find sewage running in the streets which then tells you that people in the locations are not regarded as people who need to be in clean environments,” the resident charged.

Another resident claimed that the municipality is not servicing residential plots, which leads to the mushrooming of informal settlements such as Soweto.

“If you go to the council today and ask them when last they serviced a single plot it will probably be years back and that is why the formal settlements are looking like informal settlements because the population is growing and there is no place for them to build,” the resident said.

The source said if the council managed to attract investors to the town, their employees would have nowhere to live.

“If you think I am lying, just go to Kuvukiland informal settlement. There are over 10 000 people living there and those people are employed in town but they are suffering and if you ask me why, it's because the municipality has failed to carry out its mandate to provide land to the people of Tsumeb,” the source said.

Tsumeb town council spokesperson Stella Imalwa-Nangolo said the council was well aware of the situation of formal settlements such as Soweto.

Imalwa-Nangolo said although the council had prioritised the problems experienced in Soweto, the overcrowding there made it difficult to find a solution.

She explained that the number of shacks erected in open spaces was a big problem.

“Even if the council decides to collect the garbage that day, within less than an hour people dump their waste again in those areas,” she said.

When asked whether the council charges homeowners in Soweto and other residential areas for refuse removal, Imalwa-Nangolo said yes.

Municipal rubbish bins are provided upon request, she said. A bin costs N$990 and can be paid off in instalments.

Namibian Sun saw over a hundred unused municipal bins stored at a council site in town.

In response to the allegation that the council favours residents in the town centre, she said the council would ensure that the needs of the people of Tsumeb are addressed.

KENYA KAMBOWE

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Jagger gets cracking at tourism

February 25, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Jagger gets cracking at tourism Newly appointed deputy minister of tourism, Bernadette Jagger, says she is ready to get her hands dirty at the ministry and bring positive change.

“I am inspired, fired up and ready to roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty,” Jagger said about her new appointment.

However, this does not mean that she will be changing things left, right and centre, but rather that she will take time to acquaint herself with the ministry's plans and projects.

Jagger said from there she will initiate change according to the national policies that exist in the country.

“I will face challenges in my new job and therefore I will take the correct approach to ensure success.”

She said ministry staff must work together to ensure the packages Namibia has to offer attracts more tourists.

“Delegates attending conferences want to experience Namibia and therefore we must entice them to come and experience our tourism offerings ahead of time.”

Jagger said tourism is a great ministry, but it must also ensure a safe and healthy environment for Namibia.

“We have challenges and these need to be addressed. But they can only be overcome as a team.”

Jagger said communities are complaining about the challenges they are facing with wildlife, which she said also need to be addressed.

“I condemn poaching activities in this country and communities must be vigilant and report anything suspicious.”

Jagger further condemned the killing of livestock by “wildcats” and urged communities not to take the law into their own hands.

She added she is ready to work in the ministry and that she has great passion for its programmes and activities.

Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta welcomed Jagger to the ministry, while making reference to the fact that she has over 37 years of civil service experience.

“Although she is coming from the education background, as a former deputy director of education in the Kunene Region, before joining active politics, she is a conservationist.” According to him one of the committees on which Jagger will serve deals with the protection of natural resources.

“Indeed she brings with her a wealth of knowledge that I believe will assist the ministry to reach greater heights.”

Outgoing deputy minister, Tommy Nambahu, who has been appointed as the new deputy minister of labour, reminded tourism ministry staff that teamwork had allowed them to reach great heights over the past few years.

“There is a new assignment waiting for me, but you will not be able to get rid of me that easily.

I will be asking investors about their employment creation plans and their contribution to the economy. You cannot just come here as an investor and privatise income.”

He added collaboration between the two ministries must continue, if the need arises.

Shifeta thanked Nambahu for his contribution towards protecting the country's biodiversity, promoting conservation and marketing Namibia as a tourism destination, adding that his former deputy will add great value to the labour ministry.

“I look forward to interacting with you on other issues in your portfolio.”

ELLANIE SMIT

!Naruseb pushes Zambezi production

February 25, 2018, 2:00 pm

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!Naruseb pushes Zambezi production Agricultural minister Alpheus !Naruseb says farming activities alongside the Zambezi watercourse must be increased to contribute more to food security in the country.

Speaking at the fifth Zambezi Watercourse Commission (Zamcom) Council of Ministers' meeting held in Swakopmund last week, !Naruseb also confirmed that as a result of the poor and late rainfall in parts of the country, it is highly unlikely there will be a good harvest this season.

!Naruseb said the meeting comes at a time when Namibia is faced with challenges relating to climate change, which have brought drastic changes to the watercourses of the Zambezi and other river basins that Namibia share with its neighbours, while impacting heavily on socio-economic development.

“This year, we have been experiencing low and late rainfall patterns in most parts of our country, specifically the area where we are and our north-central and northeast regions, where subsistence farming activities depend heavily on rainfed crops. This means that the prospects of a good harvest will be compromised by insufficient rainfall in our country.” According to !Naruseb, Namibia is one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa and water scarcity remains prevalent.

“Most of our perennial rivers are shared with our neighbours whose use and management is subject to international agreements. As a country, we are considering using conventional sources of water, of which one is desalinated seawater, so as to augment the water supply to drought-stricken areas of Namibia, which includes the central area of Namibia, in the long run.”

!Naruseb said in the context of Namibia, desalination has become so crucial that it is collaborating with Botswana to jointly consider the viability of taking water from the coast to augment the water supply to some drought-stricken areas in the Land of the Brave and in the neighbouring country.

“Our meeting here seeks to deliberate on issues that are of great importance to our livelihood - water from the Zambezi River although we are about 1 350km away from it. It does not matter how far the distance is from the river. What matters most are the issues which needs our endorsement and approval today in our annotated agenda, as prepared by our technocrats.”

He said the ministers responsible for water, as well as their staff, are expected to show their commitment to guiding Zamcom member states to accelerate the pace of implementing the transboundary and national water projects involving the Zambezi River. !Naruseb, however, added that these projects must be environmentally sound and aimed at uplifting the socio-economic livelihood of people in the Zambezi basin.

“It is without a doubt that all water-related stakeholders and indeed the SADC community, as well as the world community at large, have been closely following the deliberations of our meeting since the arrival of our commissioners here in Swakopmund, for the obvious reason that water is life and an engine for economic growth and development.” He said the anticipated industrial growth is likely to lead to the expansion of irrigated land, although currently the irrigation potential in the Zambezi Region is very low, when compared to other riparian states. “We would want to increase the farming activities alongside the Zambezi watercourse in our country in due course, so as to contribute to food security and poverty eradication.”

!Naruseb said this means more water abstraction from the Zambezi basin is required, in a sustainable manner, in order to achieve social and sustainable development, as well as short, medium and long-term development agendas.

According to him the water requirements from the Zambezi River are much less than the water availability. He added that water from the Zambezi basin is vital for human health, in terms of drinking and sanitation, for plants and animals, as well as for socio-economic growth.

The interlinkage and interdependence between water from the Zambezi and development can be seen in the fact that water is essential for food security, sustaining the environment, transport, energy and industrial growth, among others. In all of these water uses, there is need to have sufficient and reliable water of acceptable quality, !Naruseb said.

“It is with no doubt that the challenges in the Zambezi watercourse are many and require bold and decisive solutions from our side.

As policymakers we must tackle future challenges by being innovative in our financing mechanisms, taking into account the huge funding requirements for the water sectors in our respective countries, and the urgency of mobilising funds to put the right water infrastructure and skilled manpower (in place) to develop and manage the water sectors more efficiently.”

ELLANIE SMIT

Support needed to train CAs

February 25, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Support needed to train CAs Ogone Tlhage - The Institute of Chartered Accounts of Namibia (ICAN) says the government must help establish an educational programme for future chartered accountants, just as it did in the health sector with the University of Namibia's School of Medicine.

The comments were made by ICAN CEO Koos du Toit during a recent engagement.

According to him, it is expensive to train chartered accountants.

“There is a significant cost to running a Certificate in the Theory of Accounting (CTA) programme in Namibia. The medical profession got support from government and the auditing profession should be given the same commitment,” Du Toit said.

He said it was hard for the Institute to provide support and training for prospective chartered accountants, only to lose them to greener pastures in South Africa.

“You take a Namibian [student] to South Africa and they don't come back; for that CTA programme, we are going to need money, it costs a lot to train a chartered accountant,” Du Toit said.

Further compounding the shortage of CAs was the unattractiveness of the profession, said ICAN president Talitha Horn.

Statistics provided by ICAN for 2016, the latest to be compiled, show that there are only 537 qualified CAs registered with the body.

Of the total, the majority are white. ICAN numbers indicated that there were 239 white male CAs and 133 white female CAs.

There were 109 black male CAs and 69 black female CAs.

ICAN statistics also showed that one CA served a total of 4 283 Namibians. In South Africa there is one CA for 1 603 people and in Mauritius one CA for 464 people.

Daweb Constituency Office empowers 17 women

February 25, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Daweb Constituency Office empowers 17 womenSchool uniforms create employment The constituency office has embraced calls from State House to promote development. Consider yourself lucky and make good use of the opportunity granted to you. - Herculus Jantze, Councillor: Daweb Constituency MALTAHÖHE

The Daweb Constituency Office on Thursday handed over material to 17 women so they can start working on the newly designed uniform of the Daweb Primary School in Maltahöhe.

The constituency office also handed over donations of food, blankets and mattresses to three people who lost their belongings in fires.

The material and other donations cost N$45 000.

Daweb Constituency Councillor Herculus Jantze said President Hage Geingob declared war against poverty and this has been outlined in the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP).

“What you are witnessing today is in line with the HPP, where the government is trying to address poverty issues via promotion of entrepreneurship. The president further declared 2018 the year of reckoning, thus he wants to see action and tangible results and not political speeches and empty promises to the electorate,” he said.

Jantze said the Daweb Constituency Office has embraced the calls from State House and central government and it is in line with Government's wishes to achieve development.

Strategy

“The constituency office has worked out a strategy in which these 17 women will be capacitated through programmes of the ministry of poverty eradication and the ministry of gender equality and child welfare so that this gesture becomes sustainable and can bring social and economic change to their living conditions,” Jantze said.

He urged the beneficiaries to take the opportunity seriously.

“Remember there are other people who could have benefitted from this programme that you have been chosen for, so consider yourself lucky and make good use of the opportunity granted to you,” Jantze said.

Maltahöhe is a village in south-central Namibia, situated about 110 kilometres west of Mariental. It has about 6 000 inhabitants. - Nampa

Three top SA retailers stick to plans despite VAT hike

February 25, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Three top SA retailers stick to plans despite VAT hike Nqobile Dludla - South African retailers Woolworths, Massmart and Truworths International are sticking to their investment plans, believing the new president's pledge to revive the economy will outweigh any hit to consumer spending from a hike in VAT sales tax.

The government announced on Wednesday it was taking the politically risky step of raising valued-added tax (VAT) for the first time in 25 years, part of efforts to cut the deficit and stabilise debt under new President Cyril Ramaphosa.

That increases the cost of living for consumers already struggling with high unemployment, a stagnant economy and high personal debt.

But with the country's new leadership in place and promising to turn the economy around, Woolworths' chief executive Ion Moir said on Thursday a return of confidence among consumers could outweigh the 1 percentage point rise in VAT to 15%.

“I think most of our customers are going to think the budget, being fiscally responsible, is the right thing. That is going to have such a positive on the psyche and that's going to more than negate the negative impact of the 1 percentage point increase in VAT,” Moir told Reuters.

Moir's optimism is backed by a more than doubling in capital expenditure for 2018 to R3.8 billion, although some of the money would be deployed in Australia, where Woolworths runs the Country Road and David Jones chains.

Woolworths, which sells groceries, food and homeware, did not specify what the money would be used for in a presentation of its half-year results, which showed a 15% drop in headline earnings per share and hefty writedowns.

Positive factors

Moir's confidence was echoed by Guy Hayward, his counterpart at Wal-Mart's South African unit Massmart.

“[The VAT hike] will be very slightly negative for a while and then it will settle down,” Hayward told Reuters. “I think there are some positive factors that will put more money into people's pockets.”

Massmart, which sells electronics, groceries and building materials, plans to open 34 stores at home in the next three years, Hayward said.

The company, which reported a small increase in full-year profit on Thursday, was among the better performing stocks on South Africa's general retail index, rising 8.81%, while Woolworths gained 1.85%.

Truworths, which competes with Woolworths in the clothing market, opened 25 stores across all brands in the 26-week period ended Dec.31, while its business was also boosted by the acquisition of a homeware chain, which added a further 13 stores. “There is no question that we are moving in a much more positive direction from a sentiment point of view,” Truworths International CEO Michael Mark told Reuters.

“Although the consumer will be negatively affected, this should be more than offset from the potential for lower interest rates and improved consumer and business confidence,” said Bernard Drotschie, deputy chief investment officer at Standard Bank boutique asset manager Melville Douglas. – Nampa/Reuters

'Orokopo buy smells of corruption'

February 25, 2018, 2:00 pm

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'Orokopo buy smells of corruption'PDM on warpath over 'playground for elite' The official opposition says something is rotten about the NDF's purchase of a game farm for N$45 million, while adding that the money should rather have been used to uplift the homeless and unemployed. The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) says it remains convinced there were numerous irregularities with regard to the purchase of Oropoko Farm by the Namibian Defence Force (NDF).

PDM parliamentarian Nico Smit said the more defence minister Penda Ya Ndakolo gives explanations about the purchase of the farm, “the more he is putting his foot in his mouth”.

“The more he explains, the clearer it becomes that the purchase of this farm has gone hand in hand with numerous irregularities that look suspiciously like corruption.”

According to Smit the PDM is convinced that that the facilities are dilapidated and that animals such as rhino that are supposedly at the farm do not exist.

Last week, Ya Ndakolo admitted to fellow lawmakers in the National Assembly that he did not inform President Hage Geingob about the military's decision to purchase the farm for N$45 million, because of the head of state's “heavy schedule”.

The PDM also believes that no proper asset register has been drawn up regarding what was being purchased on the farm.

“It is believed that this transaction to buy Oropoko has been in the pipeline for some ten years, during which time little effort has been made to maintain the infrastructure.”

According to Smit this means that the facilities will have to be rehabilitated to the tune of many millions of taxpayer dollars, which should rather be spent on uplifting thousands of homeless and unemployed people living in shacks and at rubbish dumps.

He said another important point is whether the farm is even suitable for military activities.

Smit said it is clear that Ya Ndakolo has no idea what the real purpose was for purchasing the farm.

“It is sheer nonsense to suggest that troops must be taught about nature conservation. Was any proper research done about whether the area will allow a military class airport to be built there? After all, it is surrounded by other occupied working farms and tourist lodges, not to mention mountains. Are they going to be happy to be neighbours to such a military installation?”

Smit said tourism brings in the most foreign currency for Namibia. “How happy will tourists on surrounding lodges be to listen to military aircraft screaming overhead? How will the game and farm animals react to this? Is there even enough flat land available to accommodate such a runway?”

Smit said according to Oropoko's closest neighbours, the area is densely populated by both humans and animals and they will be in danger if any weapon bigger than a rifle is used on a shooting range.

“Were these neighbours in any way consulted about this plan for Oropoko? What are the chances that the minister is going to find himself involved in a costly lawsuit in this regard?”

Smit also questioned how many military bases Namibia actually needs.

He said Ya Ndakolo will refuse to provide any further answers, on the grounds of national security, while warning that such secrecy is the perfect breeding ground for corruption and “state capture”.

Smit said there is no external threat to Namibia that makes it necessary for the country to maintain a huge Defence Force that eats up billions of dollars that could be spent on housing, medical services and other much-needed social services.

“In our opinion we already have more than enough military bases. This farm is entirely unsuitable for what the minister claims they want to use it for. It is highly unlikely that it could house 300 soldiers and what are they going to spend their time doing? It seems far more likely that Oropoko will be used as a holiday resort for the political elite of the majority party.”

ELLANIE SMIT

5 000 still using old SWA IDs

February 25, 2018, 2:00 pm

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5 000 still using old SWA IDs The ministry of home affairs and immigration has extended the phasing out period for the old South West African identity documents (IDs), national population register director Anette Forsingdal has revealed.

The ministry plans to do away with the old IDs by 31 March, but the over 5 000 Namibians who still haven't replaced their old IDs could still do so after this date, Forsingdal said.

According to her, there are still a considerable number of people who must come forward to have their old IDs replaced.

“There should be about 5 000 people that are still using the old IDs. They must come and register to get new ID documents as soon as possible please,” she said.

With the cut-off date just over a month away, Forsingdal said people could still come to home affairs to have their IDs replaced after 31 March.

In May 2016, cabinet approved the phasing out of the SWA ID by March 31 this year. The purpose of the phasing out is to adapt to international best practices that only one legal identity card be in use within a given national territory, while ensuring that each citizen only has one identity card and ID number.

Following the announcement of the phasing out of the SWA ID last year 4 378 people converted their SWA ID to a Namibian ID.

During the same time the ministry corrected more than 2 000 birth records, which contained mismatches between what was recorded at births and the SWA ID records.

Persons who have not yet converted their old IDs face the risk of becoming stateless.

OGONE TLHAGE

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Arson charges after Shoprite fire

February 25, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Arson charges after Shoprite fireTwo to be charged with arson A case of arson has been opened against two men, who allegedly started a fire that caused extensive damage to Katutura Shoprite Centre. A fire in the early hours of Friday morning caused extensive damage at the Katutura Shoprite Centre, leaving anchor client Shoprite without electricity.

“The incident happened just in front of the receiving gate. It appears that two gentlemen wanted to make a fire to keep them warm but this caused damage to our property,” said Shoprite operations manager Jackson Kamezuu.

The fire has, however, not forced Shoprite to close its doors, as generators were roped in to keep the store operating Kamezuu said.

“The shop is still operating. We had to hire a generator to keep the store open because the electricity distribution board was damaged as a result of the incident. We have also had to hire an additional generator for our items in cold storage,” he said.

“We are still trying to establish what the extent of the damage is in monetary terms but from what it looks like, the damage to the property is extensive.”

According to Kamezuu, action will be taken against the two culprits responsible for the fire.

“We have opened a case of arson against the two individuals responsible for the fire.”

No person was harmed as a result of the fire.



OGONE TLHAGE

Cops probe blind woman bamboozling airport security

February 25, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Cops probe blind woman bamboozling airport security Namibian police spokesperson deputy commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi says an investigation into the mysterious woman who breached Hosea Kutako International Airport security and ended up on a South African Airways (SAA) aircraft, is still underway.

An anonymous caller claimed the woman, who is allegedly blind, is illegally in the country and was held at the airport before she slipped past police and security checkpoints unnoticed and boarded the stationary plane.

The caller said the woman was found sitting in business class by a ground crew when they boarded the aircraft to prepare it for a flight.

Kanguatjivi said the police do not want to rush the probe, as a thorough investigation is required.

“Such minor incidents can be spread all over the world and visitors might think that the safety and security at the airport is not up to scratch,” Kanguatjivi said. SAA refused to comment and referred Namibian Sun to the Namibia Airports Company (NAC).

Acting NAC CEO Albertus Aochamub said the parastatal is awaiting the final report from the police, while adding that some details need further verification.

Public enterprises minister Leon Jooste recently set in motion a plan to improve security at the airport after KLM Royal Dutch Airlines threatened to terminate its flights to Namibia.

In a letter to government, written by KLM security director Ronald Augustin, KLM highlighted poor security screening controls conducted by Nampol. The Dutch airline had spent N$4.7 million for secondary security controls a weekly newspaper reported on 25 January.

“At the commencement of KLM operations to Windhoek in October 2016, a KLM security inspection revealed inadequate security controls at HKIA, particularly in the area of passenger and staff screening, including their accessible property; the security controls are dramatically inconsistent. When we addressed these concerns, Nampol and the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) rebuked these operations,” Augustin wrote.

This also forced KLM to rope in the services of Namibia Protection Services for the of provision security controls.

Attempts to get a follow-up response from Jooste proved futile yesterday, at the time of going to print.





AIR Namibia flights suspended, rerouted

Last week's caller, who lifted the veil on the mysterious woman breaching airport security, also claimed that many of Air Namibia's flights had to be cancelled or rerouted because three of its four Embraer ERJ fleet are out of operation.

This caller claimed that the airline was forced to use an Airbus to cover its domestic flights.

Air Namibia did in fact issue a press statement on 16 February to inform the public and other stakeholders that four of its Embraer aircraft are undergoing scheduled heavy maintenance checks, which started in November last year.

The Embraer fleet is used on domestic and some regional routes like Lusaka, Harare, Victoria Falls, as well as Johannesburg and Walvis Bay.

The checks will be completed during June.

Air Namibia, however, said it is not using the Airbus, which has more than 200 seats, for domestic flights, while saying it can only be operated at the Hosea Kutako and Walvis Bay airports.

“The runways at the other domestic airports cannot accommodate the Airbus aircraft,” Air Namibia spokesperson Paul Nakawa said.

Travel agencies in Windhoek said they have been informed by Air Namibia of possible disruptions and that so far their clients have been minimally affected.

Air Namibia said flights would be affected from 18 February, when only two of the four Embraer aircraft will be used.

The affected flights are to Lüderitz and Oranjemund, which will be reduced to three per week and operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The flights between Johannesburg and Walvis Bay are suspended during the maintenance period - until 23 June – and passengers will be rerouted through Hosea Kutako to Walvis Bay.

Other flights remain unchanged and unaffected, Air Namibia said.

CATHERINE SASMAN

Haufiku snubbed

February 25, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Haufiku snubbed Referral hospital ‘politics’ spark cabinet conflict Health minister Bernard Haufiku has cancelled plans to conduct site visits to potential locations for a northern referral hospital, after he learned that a cabinet committee chaired by President Hage Geingob had already met and deliberated on the issue without his input

Haufiku was supposed to have led a ministerial delegation to inspect the possible hospital sites in Ongwediva and Ondangwa last week, in order to compile a comprehensive report.

This was to have happened before cabinet makes a decision on where the referral hospital will be built. Haufiku is now blaming the political leadership of the Ondangwa Town Council for acting prematurely, by politicising the initiative. At a gathering of the Namibian Surgical Society at Ondangwa on Saturday evening, Haufiku expressed his disappointment and said the people of the north are likely to suffer for some time, while political forces are at play.

“I am disappointed by the way the whole project turned political. I hope soon, and very soon, an amicable solution will be found, but I am not as energised as I was at the beginning. That is all I can say about the referral hospital for the north. The council (Ondangwa) is here and they can answer on that,” Haufiku said. He said Ondangwa has shot down the project on three different occasions, and that he tried to bring peace among the parties involved, but they were never interested.

In an interview with Namibian Sun, Haufiku said neither he nor his ministry have any say on the referral hospital anymore, unless they are directed otherwise.

In November last year, former health permanent secretary Andreas Mwoombola informed the Oshana Regional Council that cabinet had passed a motion regarding the hospital project.

It was reported that cabinet will have the last say as far as the site for the new referral hospital in the north is concerned. Acting health permanent secretary Petronella Masabane had previously informed Namibian Sun that the ministry was working around-the-clock to come up with a comprehensive report regarding the referral hospital.

She said the ministry was wrapping up consultations, before making submissions to cabinet for a decision to be made. Last Thursday and Friday Haufiku was due to lead a ministerial delegation to inspect seven possible sites, four within the jurisdiction of Ondangwa and three in Ongwediva, before making a submission to cabinet for a final decision.

Haufiku, however, said he had to cancel the site visits after he learned that the cabinet committee on overall policy and priorities, which is chaired by President Hage Geingob, had already met and discussed the issue of the referral hospital in his absence.

“The cabinet committee on overall policy and priorities discussed the issue and I was never invited to attend that meeting,” he said.

The political leadership of Ondangwa had confirmed they were not joining Haufiku during his site visits, while the chairperson of Oshana Regional Council, Gerson Hanu Kapenda, said they were not attending, because they were not invited.

Late last month, Haufiku wrote to Oshana governor Clemens Kashuupulwa, inviting him and Ongwediva and Ondangwa town councillors to join him for the site visits on 22 and 23 February.

“Having had our team of architects and health facility planners in the field for the last couple of months, to map out possible sites for this academic referral hospital, I am pleased to inform you that the technical team has identified seven possible sites for the said project,” Haufiku's letter said.





When contacted last week, Kashuupulwa told Namibian Sun that the site visits were called off until further notice, due to the minister's busy schedule.

After a consultative meeting with northern health professionals and the political leadership from the Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati and Oshikoto regions at Ongwediva, regarding the plan to construct a the state-of-the-art 1 000-bed hospital in Oshana in May this year, Haufiku ordered Ondangwa and Ongwediva to identify sites for the facility by 30 June 2016.

He also asked the Oshana regional leadership to come up with recommendations for a site at Ondangwa or Ongwediva, which would then be assessed for suitability by independent geo-scientific consultants.

However, the Oshana political leadership unanimously agreed to have the referral hospital built at Ondangwa, at the expense of Ongwediva. The decision was made a resolution of the regional council.

Haufiku also refuted claims that he was urging for the hospital to go to Ongwediva, because he has shares in Ongwediva Medipark.

“I do have shares in Ongwediva Medipark, but if that was the case I will never want that hospital to be established in Ongwediva... That means there would be no business for Ongwediva Medipark once that hospital is completed and I could protect that. I am doing this for the Namibian people,” he said.

Haufiku added that the government has no money to carry on with the district hospital that was meant for Ondangwa, and once this hospital project fails, the nation will suffer.

He said the ministry wants to relieve the pressure on the only state referral facility in the country, the Windhoek Central Hospital.

When contacted for comment secretary to cabinet, George Simataa, would not confirm or deny whether the cabinet committee had sat and discussed the referral hospital without Haufiku.

According to Simaata his duty is only to record cabinet discussions and not to disclose what was discussed.

ILENI NANDJATO

'Prince' humbled

February 25, 2018, 2:00 pm

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'Prince' humbledFails to impress in Australia Immanuel 'Prince' Naidjala will return empty-handed from Australia, after unsuccessfully challenging for two titles. LIMBA MUPETAMI



Former world title challenger, Immanuel 'Prince' Naidjala, was handed a boxing lesson by Australian pugilist Jason 'The Smooth One' Moloney on Saturday, when they clashed for the vacant Commonwealth bantamweight and WBA Oceania bantamweight titles.

The referee stopped the fight in the third round, as Naidjala was being punished on the ropes.

At that stage, the undefeated Moloney was mercilessly pummeling the Namibian, and the referee had no choice but to end the fight, given that Naidjala was unresponsive to blows coming his way.

Naidjala is a former WBO African, WBO Intercontinental, WBA Pan African and IBF International champion.

His promoter Nestor Tobias confirmed the loss and said he was yet to watch the fight.

This was a tough test for the Namibian, as Moloney was in great form ahead of the fight, as he had been sparring with his twin brother Andrew, who he has now joined as a Commonwealth champion.

Andrew won the Commonwealth super flyweight title with a fourth round TKO of Tanzanian Hashimu Zuberi last October.

Ranked number 70 by Boxrec.com in the bantamweight division, the 33-year-old Naidjala lost a competitive decision for the WBO 118-pound title to Japanese world champion Tomoki 'El Mexicanito' Kameda in 2013.

Naidjala had prepared well for the fight against Moloney and was eager to impress.

However, the Aussie boxer proved to be too quick on the draw for him.

Before the fight, Moloney had said that Naidjala would be his toughest opponent.

“I'm really excited about this fight. I know this is going to be a tough test for me and we have been preparing ourselves very well.

I feel like I'm making huge improvements in the gym and I believe I'm definitely ready to take my career to the next level.”

-Additional reporting maxboxing.com

Cyril's transitional Cabinet

February 27, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Cyril's transitional CabinetTaking the government to the next vote The new appointments to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are leaders to take the country's government to the polls in 2019. President Cyril Ramaphosa says his new Cabinet should be seen as a “transitional” Cabinet.

Speaking to eNCA journalist Annika Larsen outside the Old Assembly chamber on Tuesday morning, shortly before addressing the House of Traditional Leaders, Ramaphosa claimed he did not have to compromise on its composition.

“No, no, this is a transitional Cabinet. It is the Cabinet that will take us to the next elections.

“That's how people should see it, and it is a very strong Cabinet. It takes into account the strengths we have in government and we have some really good people.

“I'd like to give them a chance and give them an opportunity. I'm hoping... they will take us forward, so South Africa is moving forward with this Cabinet.”

Ramaphosa said the leadership of the ANC was still coming up with proposals for the reconfiguration of a new Cabinet.

He promised during his State of the Nation Address that he would review the size and configuration of his Cabinet after consultation with many stakeholders, including opposition parties.

On Monday night, Ramaphosa announced significant changes to his Cabinet, including the return of Nhlanhla Nene and Pravin Gordhan, among others, and new additions to his Cabinet.

New deputy president David Mabuza, and new Cabinet ministers and deputy ministers who have not served before, were sworn in at 16:00 in the Good Hope chamber in Parliament in Cape Town yesterday afternoon.

The four members who must first be sworn in as Members of Parliament before taking their executive oaths include Mabuza, new Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Zweli Mkhize, new International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule, and returning Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene.

That process will happened in a closed meeting in the Speaker's office around noon on Tuesday.



The new cabinet members are:

Nhlanhla Nene, Minister of Finance

Zweli Mkhize, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Public Enterprises

Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister in the Presidency (planning, evaluation and monitoring).

Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, Minister of State Security.

Blade Nzimande, Minister of Transport

Derek Hanekom, Minister of Tourism

NEWS24

'Low-Key' rises

February 27, 2018, 2:00 pm

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'Low-Key' risesRanked fifth by WBO Namibian boxers continue to improve their rankings on the international stage, with the WBO confirming their world-class status. WBO Africa junior lightweight champion Jeremiah 'Low-key' Nakathila is thrilled by his new WBO ranking, after moving up from sixth to fifth in the world.

The WBO number one boxer in Africa in his division has been improving his ratings since he joined the MTC Nestor 'Sunshine' Tobias camp last year.

“I am very excited about my new rating in the world, because I think I am getting closer to owning a world title.

“In Africa, I am number one, and that is why I am pushing to become number one in the world.

“It is an exciting time for me as a boxer, given that I have been trying my best to follow in the footsteps of other boxers,” Nakathila said.

The rising star will step in the ring to defend his WBO title on 20 March at the academy's next boxing bonanza in Windhoek.

The Legacy Boxing Bonanza is scheduled to take place at the Ramatex complex, as part of Namibia's 28th independence celebrations.

VIP tickets are selling for N$500, while general tickets cost N$50. The night will see a total of 14 fights, with three WBO titles on the line.

Meanwhile, Walter 'The Executioner' Kautondokwa received much-needed boost of confidence ahead of his WBO title defence, when he improved his world ranking from six to three.

Mike Shonena, who made his WBO rating debut last month, improved his rating from 15 to 14.

Paulus 'The Hitman' Moses who was recently defeated in a world title clash by Raymundo Beltran is rated at number 10.



Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

Records tumble at national champs

February 27, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Records tumble at national champs164 swimmers give their all This past weekend saw several records being broken at the Bank Windhoek National Swimming Championships held in Windhoek. The much-anticipated national swimming champs saw 164 swimmers participating in 1 423 events over four days and concluded with a prize-giving ceremony at the Olympia Swimming Pool on Sunday.

Nico Esslinger, Quinn Ellis, Oliver Ohm and José Canjulo broke the 200m freestyle relay record, in a time of 2:03.19.

The previous record was set six years ago and stood at 2:07.23.

Daniel Lasso-Drews, Quinn Ellis, Oliver Ohm and Jose Canjulo broke another record in the 200m medley relay, in a time of 2:23.32.

The previous record stood at 2:27.52 and was set three years ago.

Victoria Ellmies and Heleni Stergiadis shared the Single Best Performance Trophy.

Ellmies was awarded the trophy for her 200m freestyle performance and Heleni Stergiadis for her 200m medley swim.

Both swimmers accrued 589 International Swimming Federation (FINA) points.

“It is an honour to win this award. I would like to thank my coach, parents and all my teammates for encouraging and supporting me all the way,” said Ellmies.

Stergiadis was thankful and could not hide her excitement.

“I am so proud of myself. We have been practicing really hard for the past few weeks and it paid off. Thanks to my dad and coach for motivating me to keep on swimming and thank God for keeping the light in my life,” said Stergiadis.

The Single Best Performance Trophy is awarded to swimmers that achieve the highest number of FINA points in one single event during the championships.

This is the same trophy won by Monica Dahl in 1988. Dahl is one of the first Namibian swimmers to compete at the Summer Olympics. She represented Namibia at the 1992 and the 1996 Games.

“Thank you Bank Windhoek for your continued support. This has allowed us to have our yearly National Long Course Championships.

“We are very happy with the results achieved by the swimmers considering the fact that they are not fully tapered.

“They are in the midst of the preparing for the upcoming international meets including the African Swimming Confederation (CANA) Zone 4 in Malawi and the South African Junior Nationals, slated to take place next month,” said Namibia Swimming Union (NASU) spokesperson Jurie Badenhorst.

Aqua Swimming Club, Dolphins Swimming Club, Marlins Swimming Club, Namib Swim Academy, Oranjemund Sand Sharks, Swakopmund Swimming Club and Lechwe Swimming Club from Zambia, participated in the tournament. Dolphins Swimming Club scooped the Best Team award.

The Victor and Victrix Ludorum awards were also presented to the best swimmers.



They are:

Junior Victor Ludorum (14 and under)

First prize: Jose Canjulo - 168 points

Second prize: Mikah Burger - 153 points

Third prize: Oliver Durand - 109 points

Senior Victor Ludorum

First prize: Ronan Wantenaar – 2 848 FINA points

Second prize: Corne Le Roux – 2 559 FINA points

Third prize: Jorn Diekmann – 2 463 FINA points

Junior Victrix Ludorum (14 and under)

First prize: Viktoria Ellmies - 155 points

Second prize: Tiana Esslinger - 133 points

Third prize: Danielle Mostert - 96 points

Senior Victrix Ludorum

First prize: Heleni Stergiadis – 2 922 FINA points

Second prize: Viktoria Ellmies – 2 709 FINA points

Third prize: Joanne Liebenberg – 2 657 FINA points



Sport Reporter

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The Italian Grand Tourer par excellence revealed in SA

February 27, 2018, 2:00 pm

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The Italian Grand Tourer par excellence revealed in SA Pride of the prancing family The latest member of the engine family that won the overall International Engine of the Year Award in both 2016 and 2017. “The Portofino is a benchmark in its segment and surpasses all expectations of a V8 Grand Tourer.” - Mervyn Eagles, CEO of Scuderia South Africa. The Ferrari Portofino has made its official debut in South Africa at a private preview held at the official Ferrari dealer in Johannesburg.

Revealed earlier than anticipated in the market, the Ferrari Portofino is the new V8 GT set to dominate its segment thanks to a perfect combination of outright performance and versatility.

Powered by the Ferrari V8 turbo, a member of the engine family that won the overall International Engine of the Year Award in both 2016 and 2017, the Ferrari Portofino unleashes a massive 600 cv at 7 500 rpm, sprinting from 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and 0-200 km/h in just 10.8 seconds.

Named after one of Italy’s most charming villages on the Italian Riviera, Portofino- the new model is the most powerful convertible to effortlessly convert from an authentic “berlinetta” coupé to a drop-top in just 14 seconds.

Its distinctive Ferrari V8 soundtrack has also been further enhanced and can be fully appreciated, particularly in top-down driving.

The Ferrari Portofino’s vehicle dynamics have been completely revised and new technological solutions have been introduced for the first time on this type of Ferrari model. The third generation electronic rear differential (E-Diff3) has been adopted and integrated with the F1-Trac, improving both mechanical grip and the control of the car on the limit. The Ferrari Portofino is also the first GT in the range to be fitted with Electric Power Steering (EPS).

This allowed the engineers to reduce the steering ratio by 7% for even more responsive steering without a trade-off in stability, thanks to the integration with the E-Diff3.

The Ferrari Portofino also features the Variable Boost Management, a control software developed by Ferrari that adjusts torque delivery to suit the gear selected. This enables the Ferrari Portofino to offer even higher levels of acceleration in all gears and lower fuel consumption compared to previous models.

The Ferrari Design Centre penned the Ferrari Portofino as an aggressively-styled vehicle with a two-box fastback configuration - unprecedented in a coupe-convertible with a retractable hard-top. The result is a sportier character, by adding extra sleekness to its silhouette, without compromising its elegance and dynamism. The Portofino’s cabin too has also been carefully designed and improved to ensure formal and functional coherency between the car’s exterior and interior, a reduction in weight and creating more space for occupants.

“We are thrilled to introduce our latest addition to the prancing horse family in South Africa. The Portofino is a benchmark in its segment and surpasses all expectations of a V8 grand tourer. We believe this exceptionally versatile drop-top embodies the perfect combination of design excellence, supreme performance and unmatched technology,” concludes Mervyn Eagles, CEO of Scuderia South Africa. - QuickPic

Feuding football bosses must leave

February 27, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Feuding football bosses must leave The public spat between Namibia Football Association president Frans Mbidi and his subordinate Barry Rukoro has reached fever pitch, further exposing the shenanigans at the beleaguered federation. The pair have been trading barbs in the media and a flurry of accusations and counter-accusations has ensued. They have used the media to blame each other for bad administration at the NFA. This ugly standoff between the NFA chief and secretary-general unfortunately does not sit well with fellow colleagues at Soccer House and calls have been made for the Namibia Sport Commission to intervene before the situation spirals out of control. The fight is linked to the NFA congress that takes place later this year and it appears both men are hoping to secure their future. Mbidi clearly wants to see the back of his controversial chief administrator and has made it clear that his contract will not be renewed. He, however, doesn't have the full support of the NFA executive, as some of his colleagues are backing Rukoro for another term as SG. There are also reports that Mbidi wants to amend the constitution, which will put him in good stead to stand again for the NFA presidency. This childish personality clash also threatens to undermine and reverse gains made by the Brave Warriors players and technical staff, which recently saw them making history by qualifying for the knockout stages of the recently held African Nations Championship. The Brave Gladiators have also been on an upward trajectory in recent years and it is a pity these achievements are now overshadowed by petty personality clashes. This infighting confirms that there are serious underlying issues that sport bodies such as the NFA need to address, in order to clean up the mess that is so well-documented. The two gentlemen are clearly demonstrating their self-centred attitude and cannot be acting in the best interests of the game that is followed by thousands of people in this country. We believe they should all be allowed to move out of the NFA, so that people who have the interests of Namibian footballers at heart are given a chance to lead. There are capable leaders out there who would prove equal to the task.

Shot of the day

February 27, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Shot of the day SURVIVING AGAINST THE ODDS: A Venezuelan indigenous refugee gives water to her daughter inside a shelter in the city of Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil. According to local authorities, around 1 000 refugees are crossing the Brazilian border each day from Venezuela. With the constant influx of Venezuelan immigrants most are living in shelters and the streets of Boa Vista and Paracaima cities, looking for work, medical care and food. Photo: NAMPA/AFP

Company news in brief

February 27, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Company news in brief Shoprite benefits from upmarket strategy

South Africa's Shoprite defied a struggling domestic economy with double-digit profit growth on Monday, as its new strategy to sell ready-made gourmet products began to pay off.

Shoprite, which runs more than 2 600 outlets across Africa, said supermarkets in South Africa reported a 7.8% growth in sales, or 3.5% on a like-for-like basis. Supermarkets outside South Africa reported a fall in sales of 0.4%, with a like-for-like decline of 6.4%.

Shoprite reported a 14.2% increase in diluted headline earnings per share (HEPS) of 525.2 cents for the six months to the end of December, compared with 460 cents a year earlier.

Total turnover grew 6.3% from R71.2 billion to R75.8 billion. – Nampa/Reuters

StanChart’s 2017 profit soars

Standard Chartered Plc resumed its dividend payout after unveiling a six-fold jump in annual pretax profit, indicating the bank was making progress in its return to revenue growth following a painful two-year restructuring.

Pretax profit at the emerging markets-focused lender jumped to US$2.41 billion in its latest financial year, up from US$409 million in 2016.

Operating income, closely watched by investors who want StanChart to deliver profit from core business growth rather than lower provisions for bad loans, was up nearly 3% to US$14.43 billion, according to the bank's statement yesterday.

The bank said its board recommended resuming a dividend on the back of the improving financial performance and strong capital. It proposed a full year dividend of 11 US cents per ordinary share. – Nampa/Reuters

JSE to launch project bonds in March

Africa's largest bourse, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), will begin listing "project bonds" from mid-March, an official said on Monday, giving institutional investors a window to invest in infrastructure projects.

The bonds will provide private firms a chance to get a foothold in infrastructure projects in Africa's most industrialised economy, where project financing has traditionally come from banks and government.

Capital markets have already reduced lending to some state-owned companies, such as sole power supplier, Eskom.

South Africa plans to spend billions of US dollars over the next three years to build and revamp roads, power stations and ports, government officials said.

Sasol decoupled firm from SA rating

South African petrochemicals group Sasol said on Monday that ratings agency Moody's has decoupled the company from the sovereign rating, which would allow it to have higher ratings and borrow more cheaply than the government.

Sasol will look to offload around US$1 billion in assets across its portfolio and only retain those that generate the highest returns on investment, the company said.

The firm said it would look at all its assets, including those in South Africa, Europe and North America, and evaluate them based on trading environment, potential return generation and whether they fit Sasol's strategy.

The Sasol board also changed its dividend policy to pay them on a range based on core earnings per share, which the firm believes reflects the sustainable business operations and is a measure of its business and financial performance.

Sasol declared a gross interim dividend of R5.00 per share, up from R4.80 the previous year. – Nampa/Reuters

Apple plans biggest iPhone yet

Apple Inc is preparing to release three new smartphones later this year, including the largest iPhone ever, a device that may have a bigger display than arch-rival Samsung's flagship phone, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the products.

The trio also includes an upgraded handset the same size as the current iPhone X and a less expensive model with some of the X's key features.

The new phones could revive the screen size wars of years past at a time when smartphone makers are straining to come up with new features to lure buyers in a saturated market.

Global smartphone sales were down 0.1% last year, according to research firm IDC, with Apple and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd expanding shipments only 1.9% and 0.2%, respectively.

The iPhone maker is already running production tests with suppliers and is expected to announce the new phones this fall. – Nampa/Reuters

Otjombinde farmers tired of frequent quarantine

February 27, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Otjombinde farmers tired of frequent quarantine Farmers in the Otjombinde Constituency of the Omaheke Region are bemoaning the frequent animal movement restrictions in the constituency, noting that such restrictions affect their farming activities.

The farmers, who spoke to Nampa in separate interviews on Sunday, said the animal movement restrictions enforced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, make it impossible for them to conduct their farming successfully.

According to the farmers, market-ready livestock waiting to be dispatched to auction kraals are often left at home as the restrictions are enforced without prior warning.

The animal movement restrictions, referred to as quarantine, come into effect whenever a health threat is detected in the area, especially when animals from Botswana find their way into the constituency.

The Otjombinde constituency borders Botswana on its southern and eastern side.

The Botswana district bordering Namibia has been proclaimed as an area of high presence of foot-and-mouth disease amongst animals, and any animal crossing over into another district thus needs to initially be placed under quarantine.

The animals either wander on their own through weak fencing into Namibia's Otjombinde constituency, or are at times moved in illegally by villagers, especially cattle rustlers.

Coming out of quarantine less than a month ago, farmer Dave Hangero is a worried man.

“Sometimes when one wants to sell livestock, the quarantine comes into effect and you just have to sit by and do nothing.

When the movement restrictions are lifted, the prices are usually not conducive for selling,” he said.

Another farmer in the area, Nguvitjita Hambira, noted that the frequent animal movement restrictions, while being of benefit in the end, reduces their income derived from selling livestock.

“The problem is that these restrictions mostly come at very bad times; such as when you have to send children back to school at the start of a school term,” he said.

Joseph Hangara believes that the situation can be best addressed when villagers avoid driving in cattle illegally into the country.

“We are the masters of our own destiny, as the saying goes. As such, we must teach our children to avoid becoming involved in these bad practices of illegally driving cattle in here. It really kills our farming,” he noted.

-Nampa



Charles Tjatindi