Deductibility of donations for tax

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Deductibility of donations for tax A lot of taxpayers opt to give back to society in the form of donations. This can be done in a number of ways, being either in cash, in kind, or even just giving some time. One of the most commonly found initiatives is the corporate social responsibility programs to provide assistance in the form of donations where a need arises.

Generally donations are not deductible, but section 17(1)(s) of the Income Tax Act, 1981 (Act 24 of 1981) allows for the deduction from taxable income of a taxpayer the amounts donated by a taxpayer to a welfare organisation or an educational institution during a year of assessment.

To qualify for this deduction, the welfare organisation must be registered under the National Welfare Act, 1965 (Act 79 of 1965) and­ ­approved by the minister of health and social services.

An educational institution must be approved by the minister of higher education, training and innovation or with the minister of education, arts and culture.

Once the welfare organisation/educational institution is approved by either of these ministries, the organization (i.e. the welfare/educational institution) should apply to Inland Revenue for approval that contributions made to it, is deductible by its donors. Inland Revenue then approves this by issuing them with a formal letter and the template to be used by the organization for issuing donation certificates to its donors.



Deductions not allowed

• To qualify for the section 17(1)(s) deduction, an individual may not be nominated as a beneficiary (i.e. therefore the deduction would not be allowed if the beneficial owner of the donation is an individual instead of the registered welfare/educational institution.

• The amount donated may also not be for the payment of school fees or contributions to a school fund.

• Finally, the section 17(1)(s) deduction may not give rise to or increase your tax loss for the year of assessment.

The educational institution or welfare organisation must issue a certificate to the taxpayer in respect of the amount donated (i.e. this must be the certificate referred to in the article earlier, approved by the ministry of finance).

Such certificate should be included in the taxpayers' tax return when claiming a deduction. Where such certificate is not included in the tax return, the deduction will most likely not be awarded.

So as we approach winter time and the temperatures are dropping, warm your heart and look out for projects that you can support. Who knows, you may even be rewarded with a tax deduction. . .

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Business, not cattle numbers key - Endjala

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Business, not cattle numbers key - Endjala Omusati governor Erginus Endjala says farmers should shy away from the mentality of owning too many cattle and yet remaining poor.

He said some of them are even receiving drought relief food from government, something which he says does not make sense.

Endjala made his remarks during the official of opening of the Omusati Investment Conference last week, where he encouraged farmers to venture into business instead of suffering while they can make money from their livestock.

“There are farmers who own up to 100 cattle and when people in the community are being registered for things like drought relief, they also go and register. Something I do not understand,” Endjala said.

According to a 2010 census conducted by the Meat Board of Namibia, it was recorded the Omusati Region has approximately 275 000 head of cattle, 245 000 goats and 15 000 sheep.

Endjala said the mentality of families measuring their wealth by the number livestock they own should be changed, as they should rather look towards focusing on business, where they can process meat and other products for a living, which will also address issues such as unemployment and poverty.

Endjala said grazing areas are getting less and less and as a result farmers will find themselves in a situation where their livestock will not have enough feed, which is a big problem.

He added although northern farmers are limited to enter the global market, as a result of the veterinary cordoned fence known or Red Line, they can still process their meat and make business within their regions.

“Sadly, the majority of farmers do not perceive cattle farming as a business, but rather as a lifestyle, according to which their status and wealth are measured against the number of livestock families own. Therefore, business opportunities can be ventured into, in terms of meat processing and value-addition initiatives such as dairy products,” Endjala said.

He said it is high time potential investors and the region engage one another in initiatives such as public-private partnerships (PPPs), in order to make use of the abundant untapped resources.

“It is evident there are abundant and untapped resources within our region. However, the region is not a position to tap and utilise such resources, due to lack of expertise and exposure.

Thus, it is high time for potential investors and the region to seriously engage one another through investment models.”

KENYA KAMBOWE

Amta rejects N$9m bailout talk

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Amta rejects N$9m bailout talkUrges implementation of cabinet directive to boost income Amta says it does not want a bailout from government, but is pushing for a cabinet directive to be implemented that will boost its income. Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency (Amta) has confirmed an operational deficit of N$9 million for the current financial year.

However, it said it will not be seeking a government bailout and simply wants the implementation of a cabinet directive that compels all government offices, ministries and agencies (OMAs) to purchase its needs from the country's fresh produce hubs.

Amta managing director Lucas Lungameni said in a presentation to agriculture minister Alpheus !Naruseb the cabinet directive also requires that government offices procure grains from the national strategic food reserves silos.

He said this procurement of commodities from government marketing infrastructure will increase Amta's income and ensure its self-sustainability.

According to Lungameni the levy allocation of N$40 million to Amta, with the additional N$9 million subsidy from the agriculture ministry, is insufficient to sustain its operations.

He said Amta has also embarked its own income generating initiatives, which include the leasing of its trucks, fees for inspecting table grapes before export, sales of trash and animal feed, as well as transloading and inspection fees. The estimated income from this is about N$20 million.

The total Amta budget is N$79 million, with a deficit of N$9 million, said Lungameni.

Amta has been in existence since 2013 and is mandated to promote national food security by managing the national strategic food reserves, as well as the country's fresh produce business hubs.

According to Lungameni the country's silos linked to the national strategic food reserves have seen their capacity increase from 18 900 to 22 900 metric tonnes.

The silos are located across the country, with Tsandi at a capacity of 3 000 tonnes, Okongo 4 500 tonnes, Omuthiya 4 000 metric tonnes, Rundu 4 000 tonnes and Katima Mulilo, with a storage capacity of 7 400 tonnes.

According to Lungameni the target is to have a national storage capacity of 67 000 tonnes, which will be enough to store grains for six months at any given time.

Meanwhile, a total of 7 983 tonnes of grain were purchased during the 2017/18 financial year from local farmers, which is valued at N$43 million.

According to Lungameni a total of 4 247 farmers benefitted from this. Available stock stood at 10 940 tonnes and is valued at N$55 million, while storage space for about 12 000 metric tonnes of grain, valued at N$60 million, is required.

Lungameni said a revolving fund of N$85.3 million is needed to purchase grain from farmers, after the harvesting, emptying and refilling of the silos (22 000 tonnes), at least three times per year to generate revenue to sustain the reserves and stabilise the price of food nationally.

With regard to the fresh produce hubs, he said the objective is to establish a sustainable domestic fresh produce cold storage and marketing, logistical and value-addition infrastructure.

The hubs have been established at Ongwediva and Rundu, with a mini distribution hub in Windhoek.

During the 2017/18 financial year 3 671 tonnes of grain was traded to the value of N$30 million. A total of 477 farmers benefitted from this and currently there are seven agents at the hubs.

“It requires a revolving fund of N$30 million to procure fresh produce from farmers and the implementation of the cabinet directives to government offices and agencies on fresh produce from hubs, to ensure the sustainable operations of the national fresh produce business hubs system,” said Lungameni.

He said further effective border controls on agronomic products were for the first time implemented by Amta. “This is key to food security and sustainable agronomic growth.”

Elaborating on border control measures he said there are 17 border and inland verification stations to ensure compliance by traders to government policy on closed seasons, market share promotion, levies and fees, among others.

During the 2016/17 financial year a total of 23 256 trucks were controlled and there was a 74% decrease in non-compliance from 2015 to 2017. This decrease was from 423 to 110 during the period, said Lungameni

According to him 237 033 tonnes of grain was imported into Namibia to the value of N$1.06 billion, while fresh produce imports accounted for 6 271 tonnes, to the value of N$43 million.

Namibia also exports 41 412 tonnes fresh produce to the value of N$680 million.

He said the total levies and fees of imports and local sales amounted to N$79 million.

ELLANIE SMIT

US-donated clinics are not exclusive

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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US-donated clinics are not exclusive The US embassy has come out in defence of the rural clinics it donated in the Okongo constituency, saying they were not exclusively used for antiretroviral (ARV) and tuberculosis treatment, as claimed.

Last week community members labelled the clinics as white elephants, which should be opened to the general public who are starved off primary healthcare, while health minister Bernhard Haufiku said the arrangement was discriminatory and was fostering the stigmatisation of those living with HIV and TB.

The US embassy last week defended the donation, stating the clinics were erected at existing primary healthcare outreach sites. In 2016 the US embassy donated prefabricated dispensary buildings to be used as outreach clinics to villages such as Onamihonga, Oshalumbu, Onghalulu, Oupili, Oshitishiwa, Olukula, Oshifitu and Omutwe-womunhu. According to the embassy, the sites were used to provide for both primary healthcare and antiretroviral therapy services. Deputy chief of mission Peter Lord said the US embassy renovated eight of the 14 community-based ART clinics in the Okongo constituency in Ohangwena Region.

He said sites required updating, additional space and security to better serve patient needs, including provision of medication so that patients did not have to travel long distances to the main health facilities. Lord said the process was in full partnership with the ministry of health.

The projects were carried out by the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), through the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) initiative. “The CDC-funded renovations enhanced the primary healthcare services provided at these sites. This included funding the addition of features, including a bed for antenatal care services, tape measure, fetoscopes (for observing fetal heart rate), urine diagnostics, and others,” said Lord.

“Primary healthcare services are provided at these sites through outreach visits, per schedules determined by the ministry of health.

ART visits also occur on a regular rotation, often every three months, allowing patients to collect their medication in line with the expansion of multi-month prescribing.”

According to Lord, the Pepfar programme continues to assist Namibia in the combating of HIV. Pepfar supports improving sustainable health systems, which contributes to the efficiency and effectiveness of health care services delivered by the ministry of health, the US embassy said.

The US embassy claimed its government has invested over US$1 billion over the last 14 years in the Namibian health sector through Pepfar.



ILENI NANDJATO

Unam bludgeon Falcons

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Unam bludgeon FalconsSecure mammoth 78-7 win over rivals Unam have extended their lead at the top of the premiership to 12 points and are sitting pretty after eight matches. NAMPA



Unam showed no mercy at home, as they thrashed Reho Falcons 78-7 in round eight of their Rugby Premier League fixture on Friday night.

Despite being humbled by a huge margin, it was the Rehoboth outfit that opened the scoring as early as the fourth minute with a converted try.

Unam responded in the ninth minute with their opening try. From that point on it was one-way traffic, as they ran in six tries in total in the first half, converting all but one.

With just minutes before the half-time break, a Reho Falcons was yellow carded for a high tackle.

The half-time score was 40-7. The second half started with Falcon pressing for their second try of the match but a strong and resilient Unam team continued were they left off as they dominated a Falcons team that was still a man down.

Unam continued to show why they are the log leaders, turning on the gas and running in six more tries to kill any hope their opponents had of fighting back. For scoring more than seven tries, Unam secured themselves two bonus points.

Of the six tries scored in the second half they only managed to convert four for them, leading to a final score of 78-7.

The win extended their lead at the top of 39 points from eight matches. Wanderers, who will had the weekend off, are second on the log, 12 points behind Unam on 27 points from seven matches played.

United, who will play Suburbs this weekend, are third on the log standings with 21 points from seven matches played. Suburbs are fifth on the log with 17 points.

Rehoboth, who will host Walvis Bay-based Kudus are sixth with 15 points, while Kudus are fourth on the log with 19 points, with all these teams having played seven games.

Reho Falcons are bottom of the log with one point from eight matches played.

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Nedbank Citi Dash entries open

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Nedbank Citi Dash entries open On 23 May, Nedbank, Ernest & Young and the City of Windhoek will host the Nedbank Citi Dash in the heart of the capital.

This mass participation timed event is a first for Namibia. Supporting sponsors include Erdinger Alcohol Free, Aqua Splash and the Namibia National Olympic Committee.

The Nedbank Citi Dash coincides with Olympic Day, which is celebrated by millions of people in more than 160 countries worldwide and commemorates the birth of the modern Olympic Games, with the mission of promoting fitness, wellbeing, culture and education, while reinforcing the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.

The City of Windhoek has committed their full support, with approval of Mayor Muesee Kazapua, by making available all essential services to the event including the City Police, traffic department, fire department and the parks and recreation office's services.



Run and walk

The 5km and 10km run and walk is aimed at getting maximum numbers on the road; this event promises to be the biggest of its kind in Namibia's colourful running history. Young and old are encouraged to get to the starting line to run the city.

To promote maximum participation the organisers have made available group entries for individuals, businesses and corporates to sponsor scholars and development programs earmarking corporate social responsibility. There are various sponsor options available all of which include a meal ticket. Options include branded Nedbank Citi Dash T-shirts or sponsors may supply their own.

Following the same route as the Citi Dash later that day, runners will run on the historic Independence Avenue will full traffic closure. With options of 5km and 10km, running or walking, this is the perfect event for a family outing.

Ten N$1 000 spot prizes are also up for grabs in the Fun Run event.

Opening doors

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Opening doorsFive Namibian football administrators visit England Five Namibian football administrators have left for England on a familiarisation visit, which is principally about opening doors for local players. The management of Katutura-based Arcadia Football Club (FC), in partnership with RMG Sports Academy, is conducting a weeklong familiarisation tour of Eldon Celtic FC, based in Reading, England.

Recognised as the official partner of Reading FC in 2005, Eldon Celtic have a reputation across Berkshire and beyond of success within grassroots football.

The team of five local football administrators - Richard Gamiseb, Ntsoeta Nephthali, Cliff Ntsoereng, Mathew Haikali and Finatus Mutiwali - left Namibia on Sunday and will return on 27 May.

The tour is aimed at fostering a relationship that will be mutually beneficial to both clubs.

Haikali, who is one of the co-owners of Arcadia Football Club, which also has a youth development structure, said last Thursday the trip is a way of opening up doors for upcoming Namibian footballers.

“What we are looking at is creating relations where our young players can get a chance to play friendly matches with the young players from Eldon”.

“These matches can be played here in Namibia or our teams can travel to England,” he said.

Haikali said opportunities of this nature are good, as they expose young Namibian footballers to how the game is played at a professional level.

-NAMPA

Au revoir Arsene Wenger

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Au revoir Arsene Wenger As news broke last month that 68-year-old Frenchman Arsene Wenger is to leave English club Arsenal at the end of the season, there was an immediate outpouring of affection for the manager from fans and players alike.

I for one was quite excited to see him go. It's been years that I have known no one else but Wenger at Arsenal's helm. His style of play and calm demeanour is deeply rooted in me.

However, I just felt that it was time the club, which I have supported from my high school days, experiences new blood.

Change brings about fear; we have all at some point been there, but when something feels right, it just does.

See the thing is frustration has been building for years, as the club has not been performing at the level most hoped it would. Arsenal is a big club, mind you, and finishing fourth in championships become tiring at some point.

They have great young players, but something is missing, and with the Frenchman stepping down perhaps now is the time to find out what exactly that something is.

But one thing I need to do is give him a sweet send off and applaud him for the role he has played, including for being influential in sports development, initiating critical football debates throughout the world and shaping great footballers.

When I say great footballers I want to mention his strong support for African players. He roped in great players at Arsenal and also when he was coach at Monaco. He orchestrated careers which till this day I'm sure those African players are grateful for. Players like Liberia's current President George Weah played under Wenger. He was signed from Cameroonian side Tonnerre Yaoundé in 1988. This, I must also say, is the year I was born.

This was the time European football fans were not accustomed to seeing African players at clubs, but Wenger played a role in shielding these players and grooming them to be their best.

Weah went on to become the only player to win the African, European and world footballer of the year titles in one season - in 1995.

Wenger became Arsenal boss in September 1996, following Bruce Rioch's departure. Weah's cousin Christopher Wreh was Wenger's first African signing at Arsenal. The man saw potential where nobody else did.

Weah went on to win great accolades. Ivorian Kolo Toure, Cameroon, defender Lauren, Nigerian Nwankwo Kanu and Gabon player Emerick Aubameyang were also roped in by Wenger. All of them have gone on to write their names in the annals of football history and no one can erase that.

However, the numbers of footballers he helped rise up from obscurity is only half the story. When football lovers saw the impact the Frenchman had on African players, it pulled in more fans to the club, both from Europe and Africa.

Not only did he nurture great careers, he also opened doors for many at other clubs, by opening the minds of mentors to new prospects and talent in Africa.

Wenger might have lost important matches and frustrated fans, but he leaves a legacy no other coach in the history of the European league will be able to emulate.

Wenger has won three Premier League titles, including the famous 2003/04 unbeaten season, and seven FA Cups, while revolutionising English football with his groundbreaking use of sports science. Whether he returns to management elsewhere or settles for a director of football role with one of Europe's superpowers remains to be seen. But for now the curtain has surely closed on his 22-year reign that included 1 235 games.

Nostalgia will surely kick in now. Perhaps we may one day wish he had stayed one more season, but with every end there is a new beginning.

limba@namibiansun

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AR turns up pressure

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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AR turns up pressureRent control lawsuit to be lodged this week AR says “stubborn politicians” are in for a surprise, if they don’t act swiftly this week to curb exorbitant property rental costs. The Affirmative Repositioning movement said it will lodge a case in the High Court this week, if government fails to reign in high rental prices through a rent control body.

Announcing AR's next move, after trade minister Tjekero Tweya responded to their initial threat last week, Job Amupanda said a meeting would be held tomorrow to set in motion preparations for a court case to force government to look into the issue of high rental costs.

“The minister [Tweya] did not deal with our material concerns nor did he show any concerns with the pain and suffering that emanated from government's failure to implement an existing law.

“He basically indicated that government will not implement an existing law and that the renting population must wait for plans for some bills seated in government cupboards,” said Amupanda.

He said the failure to introduce the rent board was hypocritical.

Amupanda said the claim by Tweya that the law cannot be implemented was “colonial logic is at best” and “hypocrisy of the highest order”.

“This regime obeys, implements and administers the Squatters Proclamation 21 of 1985, which by all accounts is impractical, racist and colonial by content and character.”

Amupanda said it was also odd that it was taking government so long to finalise the Rent Bill, but that it had moved swiftly when other constitutional amendments were made.

“Our experience with the 2010 and the 2014 constitutional amendments that took less than a month, shows that laws can be made and amended in a shortest possible time.”

As a response to government's inability to address high rental costs, AR would soon launch a class action suit against government, Amupanda said.

“All renting youth and people of interest will form part of one application. Once we reach 200 we will proceed with the action. This will not only advance our case for a class action but will also save on the costs.”

Lawyers have been asked to help AR.

“Volunteering legal practitioners will form part of the legal team that will spearhead the case. We are targeting a team of 20 lawyers,” Amupanda said.

“As soon as this process is complete, the legal practitioners will immediately start drafting the court papers for immediate filing at the High Court and service on the stubborn politicians.”

Tweya said in his letter to Amupanda that government had tried to regulate pricing in the rental market.

“Government has undertaken a number of steps leading to the establishment of the rent boards as provided for in the Rent Ordinance of 1977. However, after the review of the ordinance, it is government's considered opinion that the ordinance is impractical to implement in its current form,” said Tweya.

In February last year, AR also threatened legal action against the government, which had put on hold the appointment of a rent control board until the tabling of a new bill.

Tweya, as information minister, announced a sudden turnabout on appointing a rent control board by saying the 1977 law had become obsolete and would “render the work of the rent board of no force or effect”.

He announced that a new Bill was on the cards, which would replace the current legislation. Until that time, it would be impractical to implement a rent control board, he said.

OGONE TLHAGE

End of road for ­fabrication laboratory

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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End of road for ­fabrication laboratory Ndama Nakashole



You would notice its creativity when you pass by its colourful building near a road that divides the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST)'s scattered buildings , a walking distance from the Windhoek city centre.

This lab was awarded the coveted Innovation Excellence Award in 2014 by the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development as well as presented as the most innovative project for the SADC region during 2011-2015 for their HERD National wool campaign project, by the Finnish Southern African Innovation Support Programme (SAIS) in 2015, among other achievements.

The first fabrication laboratory (FABlab) in Namibia, a centre of excellence at NUST fosters innovation through knowledge and skills transfer in digital technology, advanced manufacturing, design thinking and industry 4.0 applications.

While I have been to this place several times, something that always impressed me about the place is the new different story I would here from the co-founders or/and staff every time.

That made me assume the lab was on fire. Many people, especially the young innovators have benefited from this place.

Networking with stakeholders across the world and conceptualising and driving the strategic goals of the lab from sourcing of funding to writing research papers, mentoring innovators and even manufacturing products on a daily basis, all took place at this place over the last few years it has been in existence.

In 2016, I remember the lab telling me that it had (already) supported over 20 innovators to turn their ideas into tangible products and garnered over N$20 million in private equity investment for them over just 12 months.

As a Namibian, I found joy in writing about some of their success stories over the past few years. I would also call them as a good source when I am doing a story regarding innovation in Namibia.

“365 day countdown to the closing bell Fablab Namibia so take the opportunity to #create #getstarted #makesomething #inspire! The last few thousands are in the bank and our staff contracts end by June 2019” (sic), reads a Tweet by Fablab last week.

The lab is closing. The countdown begins. It is an end of an era. I did not see this coming. Or perhaps I never asked about funding anytime I came across the Fablab team.



Closure

“We have just enough(funds) to keep operations going until about November based on our current calculations and staff contracts for the three employees end in June 2019,” Fablab co-founder Kirstin Wiedow tells me on query.

The lab has been operating on the original funds received in 2013 and have not managed to garner any further monetary support to keep the lab open.

The support to establish the lab came from GIZ for N$2.2 million, the industrialisation ministry (N$7 million) of which N$5 million went to equipment and machinery and the remaining amount to operations over the past few years.

This funding came after five years of Kirstin and Bjorn Wiedow's pitching and trying to get people to believe in their idea to implement fabrication laboratories (FABlab's) as spaces that foster innovation and give people the opportunity they need to try and test new ideas and a place where they are not afraid to fail.



The journey

Reflecting on the journey it was an uphill battle in the beginning, said Kirstin.

She said Bjorn and her as co-founders lived in a small flat above a factory in the industrial area with the dream to establish FABlab, pitching every day to anyone who would listen until eventually they got some where in 2013.

“We spent five years prior to that pitching for investment to establish this space. The biggest hurdles were building a core group of talent over 2014 and 15 which we could then not keep due to lack of salary support and in 2016 we had to start from the bottom-up again.,” she said.

The duo said they now have such a glorious group of creative talent at the lab “it will be sad to lose them when the lab doors close, but we believe they will go on to bigger and better things.”



Start-up growth

The lab has always been operated in an organic manner, growing and changing to meet the needs, said the founders.

“We have over 150 members who access the facility for free and use any machinery without cost, only being charged for the material they use - I hope they will also find a way to continue creating,” said Kirtin.

Kirtin urged young local innovators to keep supporting the eco-system and building a positive and open environment to grow new ideas into something tangible.

“FABlab is also a start-up, so we know the journey is not always easy but as some of our supporters have said, when one door closes - another opens,” she said.

As the only rapid prototyping and future tech makerspace in the country, Kirstin said she definitely think the gap for tangible output will be agape due to the lab closure.

The lab currently has three core staff, 2 interns and 3 incubated start-ups.

AUC urges Nam to take advantage of international opportunities

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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AUC urges Nam to take advantage of international opportunitiesExpand benefits from its natural resources If Namibia is to optimise the contribution of its natural resources for sustained economic growth and poverty reduction, then the country needs to do a few assignments. “Namibia has the legal and policy frames coupled with sound vision and development frameworks availing and enabling environment for sustainable development,” – Percy Misika, PS, MAWF Namibia should take advantage of international opportunities such as working with the International Seabed Authority to acquire sites for prospecting, exploitation and exploration of marine minerals in the international seabed area or beyond our national jurisdiction.

Most African countries are not participating in the prospecting and exploration activities in the African continental shelf and adjacent oceanic areas by African initiatives.

This forms part of the words of advice that the African Union Commission(AUC) gave Namibia on how the country can take advantage of its natural resources.

The AUC's head of division: environment, climate change, water and land management Harsen Nyambe last week Wednesday said Namibia should also take advantage African Union initiatives such as the Free Trade Area and Single Air Market.

He was speaking at the second Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab Lecture held at the José Eduardo dos Santos (UNAM) Campus, in Ongwediva last week Wednesday.

The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation- hosted event was under the theme :“Optimising of Namibia's natural resources for sustained economic growth and the eradication of poverty.”

“It is a fact that Namibia is endowed with plenty natural resources and we know that in Africa resources can be either a blessing or a curse depending on a myriad of factors. It is also true that untapped natural resources are as good as having no resources at all,” he said.

He also urged the country to create an enabling environment by putting in place legislation that attract investments into the sector, empowerment and participation. “not the same people who own shares in fisheries to be in mining and in all boards,” he said.

“Let scholarships be made available to talented students or those with potential and let the government identify critical fields for support for example, I doubt whether the food donated to Namibia during times of need is even tested for various reasons,” he further said.

He also called for the promotion of domestic resource mobilisation including private sector for investment in natural resources, promotion of the country on the global scale.

“African Union Commission stands ready to support Namibia in natural resources management, broader environment including climate change and development of investment plans for the agricultural sector,” he said.

On his part during the event, the water and agriculture ministry's permanent secretary Percy Misika said Namibia has the ample natural resources to spur sustainable economic growth and poverty eradication.

“Namibia has the legal and policy frames coupled with sound vision and development frameworks availing and enabling environment for sustainable development,” he said.

He said value addition is critical to spur industrialisation.

Totem

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Totem Quote of the day

“We spent five years prior to that pitching for investment to establish this space,” Kirstin Wiedow, co-founder, Fablab

Stat

Zero

Government did not allocate any funds for projects that deals with the provision of basic sanitation in rural areas projects during 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 financial years respectively.

-development budget

Focus

Budget

3 times more for tourist roads

Government has allocated N$13.5 million for the upgrading of tourist roads in 2018/2019.

-development budget

Namibia still in tax haven dog box

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Namibia still in tax haven dog box Namibia is still listed as a tax haven by the European Union (EU), which announced at the weekend it would be removing certain countries from the unpopular list.

EU finance ministers are set to officially remove the Caribbean islands of the Bahamas and Saint Kitts and Nevis from its tax haven list next week.

The two islands were included on the blacklist in March, as their tax rules and practices were deemed not in line with EU standards.

After they committed to changes, EU tax officials recommended moving them and placing them on a so-called grey list of jurisdictions with low tax transparency standards, but aiming to become less opaque, an EU document shows. EU finance ministers are expected to formally adopt the removal decision next Friday, according to a draft agenda for a meeting and an EU official contacted by Reuters.

Seven other jurisdictions will remain on the blacklist, including Palau, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago, Namibia and the three United States' territories of American Samoa, Guam and the US Virgin Islands. The EU blacklist was drawn up last December after several revelations of widespread tax avoidance schemes used by corporations and wealthy individuals to lower their tax bills.

Blacklisted jurisdictions face reputational damage and stricter controls on their financial transactions with the EU, although no sanctions have been agreed by states as yet.

Those who are on the grey list could be moved to the blacklist if they do not honour their commitments. Finance minister Calle Schlettwein and tax expert within the ministry, Nadine Du Preez, did not respond to queries sent, at the time of going to press.

When the list was initially published, Schlettwein hit out, calling the move to blacklist Namibia prejudiced, discriminatory and unjust.

Tax officials from the ministry of finance and the EU embassy have met to discuss the criteria.





Schlettwein said because questions asked by the ministry were not satisfactorily answered, both parties felt the need to extend the EU deadline.

“Due to miscommunication we missed that deadline, but that does not make Namibia a non-compliant country or tax haven,” Schlettwein said at the time.

“We are perplexed to learn the European Union has revealed the names of the non-cooperative.”

Tax officials would however hold frequent consultative meetings to find solutions around the problem, he added.

“We will find out from the EU mission here what can be done. We have arranged for a meeting with the EU ambassador. We will raise the issue at a diplomatic level to make sure our relationship will not be jeopardised,” Schlettwein said.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Namibia (ICAN) last year also disagreed with the EU's decision to list Namibia as a tax haven.

ICAN said the blacklisting is unfair.

“Tax havens are globally recognised as countries that offer offshore tax structures and arrangements, aimed at attracting profits without real underlying economic substance, and by offering very low income and transactions tax rates,” the institute's Koos du Toit said.

“Namibia offers no offshore incentives or arrangements attracting profits, without real economic substance whatsoever, and that there is no basis to justify Namibia's inclusion as a perceived tax haven.”

-Additional reporting by Reuters

OGONE TLHAGE

'Cops used my son'

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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'Cops used my son'Mom says Kablou was in cahoots with police officers The anguished, grieving mother of Sackeus 'Kablou' Amateta says her son was used by police officers to commit crimes. The death and funeral of 34-year-old Sackeus 'Kablou' Amateta has opened a can of worms, with his mother alleging police officers used to fetch him at her home at night to commit crimes.

Johanna Nekwiyu-Amateta exposed during memorial and funeral services at the weekend that some police officers had acted in cahoots with her son when he was involved in criminal activities. Kablou was laid to rest at his home village of Engoyi near Onyaanya in the Oshikoto Region on Saturday.

There was chaos at the funeral, when a group of his friends, believed to be from Windhoek went on a shooting and car spinning spree at the cemetery. Nekwiyu-Amateta said she does not understand why the police shot her son dead, claiming they were his friends and worked together.

“I noticed that Sackeus had many friends including Nampol members who were collaborating with him. Many times I woke up in the middle of the night hearing strange movements and I saw Nampol members knocking at his window to come and fetch him to go commit crimes,” Nekwiyu-Amateta said. She said she used to chase them away, telling the cops: “You come to fetch my son to go and commit criminal activities, but when the deal goes sour you again come and arrest him while you are clean at your workplaces, working for your families.

“When this shooting happened I was shocked that how can police shoot him, if they were his accomplices? Now my son has lost his life in this criminality and it disheartened me.” Kablou was gunned down by the police last Sunday at about 18:30 at a bar in Wanaheda, while he allegedly attempted to stab a police officer with a knife.

Two Windhoek police officers are being investigated over his death, which followed an incident in which a tourist was robbed earlier on the same day in Klein Windhoek.





A post-mortem is being conducted to determine how many times Kablou was shot. Police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga said he heard about the remarks made by Kablou's mother over the weekend and would investigate her claims. “I got the statement of her remarks at the funeral, but I do not remember her reporting any cases of police officers collaborating with her son to commit crimes.

We will follow this up to find out the truth,” Ndeitunga said. He added the police are also trying to ascertain whether some officers had expressed sympathy over Kablou's death. “We will find out the role that they have been playing, because we might have criminals in police uniforms. I am informed that some of them were sending messages through Facebook.

“We are trying by all means to identify them and I will deal with them.”

“I think they have been misplaced and do not belong in Nampol,” he said. The police are also probing the public discharging of firearms during the funeral. It is believed the funeral and memorial services were attended by many of Kablou's friends and family from Windhoek.

The slain alleged gangster is believed to be well-known kingpin, who masterminded various notorious criminal activities committed in Windhoek and surrounding areas for many years. Oshikoto regional police commander, Commissioner Armas Shivute, told Namibian Sun the police were at the Engoyi cemetery following the public shooting reports and several roadblocks were set up.

“I received a report there was shooting at the cemetery and I sent Nampol members. When they went there they already found everything done. They started with investigations and they saw the cars that mourners were driving in. According to the information we received, the shooting was done by friends, as a way of sending off their leader and appointing a replacement for him,” Shivute said.

Ndeitunga also confirmed he was informed about the shooting and gave instructions on how the situation should be handled.

Last week Nampol released a statement following various threatening messages, which claimed that members of the public and the police would be targeted by Kablou's associates, in a bid to exact revenge. The public was discouraged from circulating the threats, which may cause fear and panic.

The police said they will decisively deal with whoever disrupts or causes any violence in society. The late Kablou grew up with his parents in Windhoek's Freedomland. Until his death he was still living in his mother's house. His father Thomas Amateta died last October.

He started his schooling at Moses van der Byl Primary School and continued his secondary education at Immanuel Shifidi Senior Secondary School, where he dropped out in grade 9. According to his mother, he started stealing at the age of 12 and several efforts to rehabilitate and assist him failed. He is survived by his mother, five siblings and a son.

ILENI NANDJATO

Stars do double

May 20, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Stars do doubleEmerge as Debmarine Cup winners after nail-biter The 2017/18 Namibia Premier League (NPL) champions, African Stars, picked up another trophy on Saturday afternoon, as they saw off the challenge of Unam FC to win the Debmarine Namibia Cup. LIMBA MUPETAMI

African Stars have done the double, by winning both the league and the 2018 DebMarine Namibia Cup.

They overcame Unam FC on Saturday to lift the coveted knockout trophy at a packed Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek on Saturday.

A strong header from substitute Treasure Kauapirura sealed the victory.

Kauapirura replaced Alfeus Handura in the second half, with both coaches eager to finish the match and season on a high.

The eager player jumped to meet a corner kick taken by Aubrey Amseb, with the Unam defence caught napping, much to the excitement of the fans in red who came out to support the Katutura giants.

In the first, half both teams were afraid to put a foot wrong and played cautiously.

Unam had the better half, as their midfielder Marcell Papama pushed through great passes to his forwards.

Clever Boys’ captain Heinrich Isaacks also performed above par, as he tried to secure an historic win. Manchester United McGyver of Unam scored in the dying minutes of the first half, but the goal was disallowed much to everyone’s confusion.

The disallowed goal woke up the Stars defence, as experienced players like Ronald Ketjire and captain Pat-Nevin Uaniv stepped up to make sure Unam didn’t smell the net again.

In the second half, Papama and Isaacks wasted a free kick in a promising position. They were also presented with a chance to force the game into extra time when Edmund Kambanda found space in the box, but his shot was saved by Mbazuvara’s right leg.

In the end, coach Bobby Samaria and his team lifted the trophy and walked away with N$500 000, while Unam received N$250 000. Samaria also received the Coach of the Tournament award that came with N$15 000 in prize money.

Match referee Nehemia Shovaleka received the Referee of the Tournament award of N$10 000 and his assistant Isaskar Boois was named Assistant Referee of the Tournament and netted N$10 000.

Donald Geiseb (Civics) and Godwin Jena (Stars) shared the Top Goal Scorer award and received N$10 000 each for their eight goals each during the tournament, while Mbazuvara won the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award and bagged N$15 000.

Papama scooped the Player of the Tournament award and received N$20 000.

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Sporting dominance

May 21, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Sporting dominanceWerner shares secrets of Unam's success Long-serving administrator Jeffery Werner says Unam is at the forefront of producing quality sport stars and teams. University of Namibia (Unam) sports officer and Tertiary Institute Sports Association of Namibia (Tisan) president, Werner Jeffery, is singing the praises of the university, as it continues to produce quality teams and athletes across various sport codes.

Jeffery, who has been in his Unam post since 2011, said this in light of Unam Football Club (FC) ending as the runners-up in this year's Debmarine Namibia Cup this past weekend, after having excelled under the tutelage of coach Ronnie Kanalelo.

“The team struggled for years to make it to the premier league. But we are now reaping the rewards, as they walked away with N$250 000 and one of the players also scooped the player of the tournament award.

Jeffery added the Unam Rugby Club has also dominated the local premier league under coach Johan Diergaardt, and had enjoyed a two-year unbeaten streak that was only recently ended by Wanderers.

The sports officer joined Unam from Windhoek Teachers College, after it merged with the university, and became known as the Unam Khomasdal campus. He said the college always performed better than all other institutions and when he moved to the main campus, they jotted down a strategic plan to turn around sport at the university.

“Rugby and netball clubs were both bottom at that time. We then started to work together to implement a plan to get on top. We identified core sport codes like football, rugby, netball, basketball and volleyball and got busy with transformation.

“In 2013 netball started winning competitions and remains undefeated. The football team struggled for years, as they could not make it to the league from the first division. But they have been performing very well and we are reaping the fruits. The hockey ladies won the indoor and outdoor leagues last season as well.

“In 2013, volleyball won their respective league. We have currently lost the coach and some key players, but are busy rebuilding. Athletics has also been producing quality sportsmen and women,” he said.

Jeffery said they are in the business of refining athletics though coaching and sending them off to international competitions.

“Some rugby players like Tjiuee Uanivi and Lesley Klim are now playing in the United Kingdom, and they are all products of Unam. We want our athletes to perform and experience international competitions,” Werner emphasised.

He added they are preparing to host the World University Rugby Sevens in Swakopmund in June.

“Big countries will be taking part - providing a great opportunity for our players,” he said.

Jeffery also spoke about the women's football team, Unam Bokkies, saying they have a new coach. “The team was struggling because certain big clubs in the league kept dominating and beating smaller clubs with big margins. The ladies then lost interest. But we are currently preparing for the upcoming league and we are positive about results.”

He said, overall, Unam's excellence in sport is attributed to the fact they have driven coaches, great facilities and a great support system in their supporters, dubbed the Red Army.

“We want to be the flagship of Namibian sports so we start training our players in the offseason, so that they are fit when preseason starts.”

He also stressed that clubs should be disciplined.

“Look at the rugby team; when I took over it was full of coloured players, but now there is a fair representation from all tribes. That is important to us.”

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Players flock to SA trials

May 21, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Players flock to SA trials The South African women's national selections kicked off at the University of Johannesburg Auckland Park campus on Sunday, with over 300 girls turning out for trials for Banyana Banyana, as well as the country's under-17 and under-20 teams.

“The turnout was exceptional,” said assistant technical director Fran Hilton-Smith. “There was great talent on display for Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis and Basetsana (under-20) head coach Maud Khumalo to select from. These are the kind of initiatives that are needed to ensure we get to see all the talent in the country.”

Also in attendance was Fifa goalkeeper coach Alex Heredia and provincial technical officers Gae Lepalo and Amilca de Oliviera.

Ten of the Gauteng provincial selectors were also presents at the event, among them Jabulile Baloyi and Keneilwe Mathibela.

“This was the first of the nine provinces to be visited. Each girls received a soccer ball to take home, while the coaches were handed polo shirts, a coach's clipboard, a stop watch and a whistle all sponsored by the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa,” added Hilton-Smith.

NAMPA/ANA

Chiefs thrash Unam to extend lead

May 21, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Chiefs thrash Unam to extend lead Rundu Chiefs netball team managed to extend their lead in the Kavango East Netball League (KENL) on Saturday when they hammered the University of Namibia (Unam) Rundu Campus netball team 39-8.

The game played at the Rundu Sports Stadium netball court was dominated by Chiefs from the onset.

The team's captain, Besbelia Hamunyera told Nampa after the match the opposition gave them a tough time.

She said the team's mission this season is to win the league in memory of the late Jesaya Nangolo, who was the chairperson of Rundu Chiefs, because he has contributed a lot to the team.

“The mission is to be unbeatable this season; we lost two games last year, we want to take the league this season,” said Hamunyera.

In other games, Cuca Tops took the points against United Stars, who did not pitch up for their match, while Julinho lost 11-20 against Afrocat.

Safety and Security of the Elizabeth Nepemba Correctional Facility won 20-17 against Shining Stars.

Chiefs now lead the league with nine points, followed by Afrocat, Cuca Tops, Safety and Security, Shining Stars, Unam Rundu Campus, Julinho and United Stars, who are bottom of the table.

NAMPA

NBF stirs development

May 21, 2018, 4:00 pm

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NBF stirs developmentAssessments, training, equipment used to fuel basketball passion The NBF mission is to develop basketball and to ensure there is equal growth and support within all regions. The Namibia Basketball Federation (NBF) undertook regional development assessments, basketball development and referees training and an equipment handover recently.

The basketball federation concluded its regional visits to Otjozondjupa, Kavango, Zambezi and Oshana last week.

NBF officials, coaching volunteers and German referee expert Julian Diel conducted workshops in all major towns within these regions.

From 13 to 19 May, the NBF team visited Grootfontein, Rundu, Katima and Ongwediva. Diel also conducted a clinic in Windhoek. The workshops training entailed player skills clinics, 3x3 basketball development, officials/referee training and a handover of basketball equipment to their regional association.

The equipment comprises of official 3x3 basketballs, official 5-on-5 basketballs, score boards, stop watches, whistles and basketball hoops.

“In total we had around 80 officials trained and had 200 players aged between 12 to 19 years old participating,” said NBF secretary-general Ramah Mumba.

“This equipment is handed over for the sole purpose of development within each region. The NBF mission is to develop basketball and to ensure there is equal growth and support within all regions of Namibia,” Mumba added.

He also strongly encouraged regional sport officers, school officials and local business owners to invest in the development of basketball within their regions. Diel said there is so much potential in Namibia for basketball development.

“All the federation needs is more support and I believe that all their objectives will be met; they are doing a great job and I'm having a great time in Namibia sharing my knowledge with them.”

The NBF thanked the Namibian Sports Commission (NSC), the Namibian National Olympic Committee (NNOC), the ministry of sport and the German Basketball Federation (DBB) for their support to ensure that it fulfils its duties to develop basketball in Namibia.



SPORT REPORTER

Saudi's destroy Yemeni-fired missile

May 21, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Saudi's destroy Yemeni-fired missile Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed a missile fired by Yemen's Houthi movement over the southern city of Jazan, the Saudi-led coalition said on Monday.

The group said the Houthis had fired a Badr-1 ballistic missile at Jazan's airport, without giving any further details.

The Houthis, an Iran-allied group that holds much of Yemen including the capital, Sanaa, have fired a series of missiles into the kingdom in recent months, part of a three-year-old conflict in Yemen widely seen as a proxy battle between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

An American-backed military alliance intervened in Yemeni's civil war in 2015 to fight against the Houthis on behalf of the government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour al-Hadi, who lives in exile in Riyadh. Iran and the Houthis dismiss Saudi accusations that Tehran arms the group.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said Saudi air defence forces destroyed the missile over Jazan and accused the Houthis of targeting residential areas, according to a report from the official Saudi Press Agency.

The Houthis have fired a salvo of missiles at Saudi Arabia in recent months, including the capital, Riyadh, while the coalition launched thousands of air strikes against Houthi-held areas, killing hundreds of civilians at hospitals, schools and markets.

NAMPA/REUTERS