Conservancy pleads for Shifeta's help

June 27, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Conservancy pleads for Shifeta's help The N≠a Jaqna Conservancy has appealed to environment minister Pohamba Shifeta to say no to the fencing off of conservancy land. Sarah Zungu, the conservancy's chairperson. lashed the lands ministry saying it took media reports for them to sit up and take notice of their complaints and objections lodged over the years.

“It is very unfortunate that it takes media attention for the ministry to act on such a vital issue. Their response is now to try and undermine the position of the conservancy as representatives of the community,” she said.

The N≠a Jaqna Conservancy is a gazetted organisation with an annual general meeting which the environment ministry attends. The entire community is represented and it elects a management committee headed by a chairperson, which is responsible for sustainable land use practices in the area.

“Since reports appeared in the paper to protest the small-scale farms project (known as the Programme for Communal Land Development or PCLD), the conservancy communicated our opposition to the PCLD plans in N≠a Jaqna, both verbally at meetings, and in writing, constantly and consistently for many years,” Zungu said.

She added the previous chairperson of the conservancy also objected to the PCLD consultants and land ministry.

“We represent and voice the opinions of the legally resident San community.”

Zungu said at previous 'consultations' the conservancy was given assurances that plans would not proceed before illegal land grabbing and settlement had been dealt with. She added they were also told they would be able to give input into the model of support that would be implemented.

“These assurances have turned out to be meaningless,” she said.

She demanded that the conservancy's objections are heard and further that land grabbing and settlements are dealt with as a matter of urgency.

“We would like to call on Minister Shifeta to take an active role in supporting our gazetted conservancy in its efforts to preserve conservancy land for the whole local community to utilise. The minister, during his visit to the area in April 2018, saw for himself the extensive illegal fences and settlements. These have already significantly reduced the land available to be utilised rightfully by the local San community, according to their sustainable use plan.”

Zungu said the proposal will further limit the accessibility of the local community to conservancy land; land she says is currently used by trophy hunters and for the harvesting of devil's claw.

She appealed to Shifeta for his support in asking for the PCLD proposal to be turned into one that brings wider benefits to a greater number of the legitimate local indigenous San community.

“We can and will only support plans that benefit the majority of the legal San residents of the N≠a Jaqna Conservancy. We want illegal land grabbing and settlement to stop and be dealt with according to the laws,” she said.

Staff Reporter

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Tonata gets N$32m injection

June 27, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Tonata gets N$32m injectionHIV support groups set to flourish further Instead of patients visiting clinics, community-based antiretroviral refill groups send a representative to collect pre-packed medicines from the nearest health facility for all group members. Tonata, an organisation for people living with HIV, has welcomed a five-year partnership agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which will empower its community support groups.

This month the USAID announced a N$32 million five-year partnership with Tonata to expand community-based HIV treatment among its network of over 600 community support groups representing 17 300 Namibians living with the virus.

According to Erastus Ndilenga of Tonata, access to healthcare services, including HIV treatment, has been a challenge for people living with HIV due to the long distances they have to travel to health facilities.

He said Tonata's support group network was established in 2011, after it was realised that some people were having challenges when it came to going for follow-up visits to health facilities, due to shortage of transport money.

This resulted in non-adherence to treatment regimes, leading to many members falling gravely ill.

“This initiative produced a model for community-based ARV refill groups that Tonata adopted and is implementing in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Services. Tonata started expanding the delivery of ARVs to stable patients in support groups through one or two members who pick up the ARVs from the health facilities for the rest of the group members. This model is designed to take ARV delivery closer to the community and provide appropriate support to encourage the long-term retention of patients,” Ndilenga said.

He said the USAID partnership will help Tonata to scale-up the initiative to all the support groups within its selected health districts and will also to strengthen the capacity of support groups through capacity-building workshops and training, in order to make this initiative sustainable even when the funding comes to an end in 2023.

Press assistant at the United States embassy in Namibia, Jacques du Toit, said the partnership, with funding from the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), will support community-based antiretroviral treatment (ART) refill groups in the high-burden areas of north-central Namibia, in order to decrease the workload on health workers and overcrowding at health facilities, by reducing the number of visits by ART patients.

“Instead of patients visiting clinics to collect their medication, community-based ART refill groups send a representative to collect pre-packed antiretroviral medicines from the nearest health facility for all group members. This not only saves time, but also reduces transport costs and other logistical challenges, especially for minors and the elderly.

“This is crucial because in order to suppress the virus and prevent it from being spread to others, so patients can lead healthy lives, ART medicine must be taken daily,” Du Toit said.

He said Tonata, the health ministry and the US government will collaborate to expand differentiated models of care, by working with community support groups in the eight districts of Andara, Engela, Grootfontein, Nyangana, Onandjokwe, Omuthiya, Oshikuku, and Tsumeb.

Tonata means 'open your eyes' in Oshiwambo.

“Due to Tonata's experience in working hand in hand with local communities, their partnership with the USAID brings HIV treatment closer to the people - even in the most remote areas - and also helps in Namibia's fight against stigma,” said acting USAID country representative Edith Humphreys.

She said the health ministry has made significant progress in decentralising HIV services across the country, while Tonata has undertaken the special role to involve communities in promoting retention and adherence to medication, home-based follow-ups, as well as peer-led psychosocial support.

Namibia's national HIV/Aids program, with over a decade of experience, has significantly scaled up HIV treatment with good, clinical outcomes.

PEPFAR assistance supports the continuous training, mentoring and supervision of support groups to make it more convenient for stable patients to receive their medicines on their doorstep. This service is expected to grow from only 1 600 to over 37 500 ART patients across multiple regions.

The USAID has worked with Tonata on small projects since 2009 and believes that local solutions from community support groups will sustain HIV epidemic control into the future.

PEPFAR is the largest commitment ever by a single nation toward an international health initiative - a comprehensive approach to combating HIV/Aids and TB around the world. In Namibia, PEPFAR is led by the US ambassador and programmed by an inter-agency management team that includes the USAID, the Peace Corps, and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

ILENI NANDJATO

Corruption hampers development aspirations

June 27, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Corruption hampers development aspirations If Africa addresses the issue of corruption, there would be more than enough resources to achieve its developmental aspirations as envisaged in the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 and the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Agenda 2030.

International relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah made this remark on Monday during the third Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab lecture held under the theme 'Winning the Fight Against Corruption: A sustainable Path to Africa's Transformation' in Windhoek.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said corruption undermines the very fibre of the “Africa we want”, envisioned in the AU Agenda 2063.

Agenda 2063 is a strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the continent over the next 50 years.

The SDGs are a universal call to action to end poverty and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said despite Africa's progress in the fight against corruption, the continent still has a long way to go in addressing the challenge of illicit financial outflows.

She said a report by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) showed there was on average US$73 billion net illicit financial flows between Africa and the rest of the world annually between 2000 and 2015.

Nandi-Ndaitwah further said that corruption exacerbates poverty and deepens inequality by diverting money needed for healthcare, education and other essential services in society.

“Through weak transparency and accountability mechanisms that allow tax avoidance, trade mis-invoicing, abusive transfer pricing, and many other ways are used to deny Africa from reaping its resource dividends,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

She said Africa must not relent in its efforts to curb the “ugly phenomenon of corruption”.

“Namibia is committed to fulfilling its obligations and will continue to play its constructive role in this collective endeavour.”

Nandi-Ndaitwah also said stamping out corruption is not going to be an easy task, given that corruption always fights back.

“The fight against corruption must go hand in hand with sustainable development and the strengthening of democratic governance and corporate institutions,” she added.



NAMPA

No takers yet for diamond mine

June 27, 2018, 4:00 pm

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No takers yet for diamond mine Namdeb is still looking for a buyer for its Elizabeth Bay mine, which it put up for sale in February.

The mine, which was commissioned in 1991, has a remaining productive lifespan of only one year. But Namdeb says it could continue to operate beyond 2019 if a low-cost operator steps in. If that does not happen, Namdeb would close the mine. When asked for an update on the process, Namdeb spokesperson Pauline Thomas referred Namibian Sun to Standard Bank, which is handling the sale on behalf of Namdeb. Standard Bank would not comment, citing a confidentiality agreement with Namdeb.

Bids for the purchase of the mine closed on 13 April. Namdeb previously said it would close the mine if no buyer was found, citing the high cost of keeping the mine open.

“In the event that there are no takers for Elizabeth Bay Mine, we will go ahead and close the mine. We have other mines that we are focusing on and Elizabeth Bay Mine is not a priority at the moment for Namdeb from a cost perspective,” Thomas earlier told Windhoek Observer. In 2009, following the economic downturn, the mine was put in care and maintenance. In 2011, operations resumed through the implementation of the Elizabeth Bay Optimisation Project which, at the time, projected a four-year life-of-mine to 2014.

Continuous innovation ensured that the mine has continued to operate well beyond this time, with the current life-of-mine extending to 2019. Following a recent review, it was concluded that the best way to secure a longer future for the mine was to find a low-cost operator that would allow the mine to continue contributing to the economy. According to Namdeb, the mine employs around 160 people and produced around 200 000 carats of diamonds in 2017.



Employee concerns

The Mineworkers Union of Namibia has expressed concern about the developments at Elizabeth Bay. Its president, Desley Somseb, says they have addressed their concerns to the vice-president.

According to him, there ought to be regular stakeholder engagements with all affected parties. He claimed that the ministry of mines was preparing a report about the future of the mine.

“There is a plan rolled out by government. Meetings took place but I cannot confirm when the report will be done,” Somseb said.

The mining sector recently witnessed job losses at the Langer Heinrich uranium mine, where 600 people were laid off. Weatherly International's Tschudi copper mine is also not in full production because of groundwater flooding.



OGONE TLHAGE

New board sought for Air Namibia

June 27, 2018, 4:00 pm

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New board sought for Air Namibia Process was ‘very transparent’ The current board chairperson says it is unfortunate that it has not been able to recruit a new MD, but emphasises that it has reached important milestones. CATHERINE SASMAN



The Ministry of Works and Transport is calling for “professional, academically qualified and committed” Namibians to apply to become board members of Air Namibia.

The current board’s three-year term expires at the end of July. The deadline for new applications is 13 July.

The works ministry, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Public Enterprises, is coordinating the appointment of the new board members.

It calls on applicants with expertise in business and airline operations, a track record in implementing changes, experience in finance and human resource management, commercial law, experience in project management, and experience as board members of commercial or private entities.

The current Air Namibia board chairperson, Gerson Tjihenuna, says it is “very unfortunate” that the board is leaving without having appointed a substantive managing director for the national airline.

“We could have appointed a person; we have the right to do so in terms of the Companies Act, but we thought we needed political endorsement for it and we therefore passed the ball to the government,” Tjihenuna said.

“Air Namibia operates within a political environment and that is why we did not want to appoint the MD without political support. We thought it was the correct thing to do.”

The recruitment process was assisted by Deloitte, and Tjihenuna says it was “very transparent”.

After the position was advertised and four candidates interviewed, the board in August last year recommended that Mandy Samson, the current acting MD, be appointed as the substantive MD.

This recommendation was made to works minister John Mutorwa, and the minister of public enterprises, Leon Jooste, was informed of it.

Tjihenuna says the board is still awaiting Mutorwa’s decision on the matter. Mutorwa is currently in hospital and could not be contacted for comment.

Samson, a former board member, has been acting in this position since August 2015 after the departure of Swiss national Rene Gsponer. She was initially only to serve in this position for 12 months, but this term was extended.

Achievements

Tjihenuna says one of the biggest achievements of the current board is that it facilitated a presentation by Oxford Economics, a company linked to Oxford University and leader in global forecasting and quantitative analysis, which showed that Air Namibia’s contribution to direct and indirect job creation contributes “far more” to the national economy than the repeated bailouts it has received from the government.

Air Namibia was also ranked as the second best regional airline in Africa in 2016 and 2017.

Another feather in Air Namibia’s cap, Tjihenuna says, is the launching of its Windhoek-Lagos-Accra route tomorrow.

Tjihenuna also boasts that the current board is the first in the history of Air Namibia to have submitted an audited financial report to ministers Mutorwa and Jooste as well as to senior officials in the Ministry of Finance.

This audited report was tabled at an annual general meeting on 28 April and covered the financial years 1998 to 2014.

Trafficking, child rape case delayed

June 27, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Trafficking, child rape case delayed The case against a South African national accused of human trafficking and rape, which was scheduled to start yesterday, was postponed to 20 July on his insistence, so he can have time to prepare his defence based on documents disclosed to him.

Deputy Judge President Hosea Angula, who is presiding over the trial, stressed to Marthinus Pretorius that the purpose of the postponement was to give him time to prepare his defence.

“The disclosure (of the documents) was already made to you in April this year and the continuous postponement of the trial is a waste of time and resources,” Angula warned the accused.

Pretorius said he needed 30 to 60 days to prepare and also asked for colour photographs of the pictures used in a police photo plan, which is included in the docket.

“Although I do not want to waste the court's time the pictures in the police photo plan are in black and white and I consequently cannot see them clearly,” he said.

Angula ordered that copies of the docket be made at the office of the High Court registrar.

He also ordered the prosecution to provide colour copies of the photos to Pretorius.

Pretorius, 47, who is said to be a former South African police officer, also faces other charges of assault by threat, common assault and malicious damage to property.

It is alleged that he raped three minor girls aged between 13 and 14 in Swakopmund in 2012, before fleeing the country in September of that year. The accused was employed at the Rössing uranium mine when he allegedly committed the crimes.

He was arrested in South Africa in April 2016, and extradited to Namibia in December last year.

Namibian citizen Johanna Lukas allegedly provided the minor girls to Pretorius on four occasions between April and May 2012.

She was sentenced to 13 years' direct imprisonment on counts of human trafficking and rape in August 2015.

Pretorius is alleged to have paid Lukas N$10 000.

Felistas Shikerete-Vendura appeared on behalf of the State, while Miese Tjituri appeared for the defence.

FRED GOEIEMAN

New board sought for Air Namibia

June 27, 2018, 4:00 pm

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New board sought for Air NamibiaProcess was 'very transparent' The current board chairperson says it is unfortunate that it has not been able to recruit a new MD, but emphasises that it has reached important milestones. The Ministry of Works and Transport is calling for “professional, academically qualified and committed” Namibians to apply to become board members of Air Namibia.

The current board's three-year term expires at the end of July. The deadline for new applications is 13 July.

The works ministry, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Public Enterprises, is coordinating the appointment of the new board members.

It calls on applicants with expertise in business and airline operations, a track record in implementing changes, experience in finance and human resource management, commercial law, experience in project management, and experience as board members of commercial or private entities.

The current Air Namibia board chairperson, Gerson Tjihenuna, says it is “very unfortunate” that the board is leaving without having appointed a substantive managing director for the national airline.

“We could have appointed a person; we have the right to do so in terms of the Companies Act, but we thought we needed political endorsement for it and we therefore passed the ball to the government,” Tjihenuna said.

“Air Namibia operates within a political environment and that is why we did not want to appoint the MD without political support. We thought it was the correct thing to do.”

The recruitment process was assisted by Deloitte, and Tjihenuna says it was “very transparent”.

After the position was advertised and four candidates interviewed, the board in August last year recommended that Mandy Samson, the current acting MD, be appointed as the substantive MD.

This recommendation was made to works minister John Mutorwa, and the minister of public enterprises, Leon Jooste, was informed of it.

Tjihenuna says the board is still awaiting Mutorwa's decision on the matter. Mutorwa is currently in hospital and could not be contacted for comment.

Samson, a former board member, has been acting in this position since August 2015 after the departure of Swiss national Rene Gsponer. She was initially only to serve in this position for 12 months, but this term was extended.

Achievements

Tjihenuna says one of the biggest achievements of the current board is that it facilitated a presentation by Oxford Economics, a company linked to Oxford University and leader in global forecasting and quantitative analysis, which showed that Air Namibia's contribution to direct and indirect job creation contributes “far more” to the national economy than the repeated bailouts it has received from the government.

Air Namibia was also ranked as the second best regional airline in Africa in 2016 and 2017.

Another feather in Air Namibia's cap, Tjihenuna says, is the launching of its Windhoek-Lagos-Accra route tomorrow.

Tjihenuna also boasts that the current board is the first in the history of Air Namibia to have submitted an audited financial report to ministers Mutorwa and Jooste as well as to senior officials in the Ministry of Finance.

This audited report was tabled at an annual general meeting on 28 April and covered the financial years 1998 to 2014.

CATHERINE SASMAN

New open market fails to impress

June 27, 2018, 4:00 pm

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New open market fails to impressVendors turn back on new development A week after its inauguration, the Wilbard Haindongo Open Market on the outskirts of Ongwediva looks like a ghost town. The Ongwediva town council and a development agency have jointly spent N$766 000 on building an open market at Oshiko on the outskirts of Ongwediva, but vendors have already abandoned it after it was inaugurated last week. Urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga inaugurated the open market on Friday, 22 June, and at the occasion, said it signified the government's commitment to bringing services closer to the people and to address socio-economic challenges.

The town council had started the construction of the open market, named after a liberation icon Wilbard Haindongo, in 2015 but it was only completed last year.

When Namibian Sun visited the market on Tuesday afternoon there was only a single security guard and no vendors. Vendors have informed Namibian Sun that the place is not ideal for business.

“The place is not strategically located. Firstly, it is situated at a very quiet place without many people. Secondly, it is situated out of public reach. Very few people will drive to that open market to get what they want,” said one vendor.

He added that the town council was supposed to create an enabling environment before establishing the open market.

“If we go to that open market nobody will buy our products. It is better we remain at our illegal areas where we get support from our old customers instead of going to the open market just to pay municipal fees while not generating anything,” he said.

The market is designed to accommodate more vendors in the future, but currently has 20 vending spaces for sellers of kapana, fruit, vegetables, traditional beverages and health products.

The town council's spokesperson, Jackson Muma, said that the open market was constructed at the request of the public, as many people were found trading at undesignated sites.

“That area is a new location and we are busy developing it into a township. More people will be going that side and we realise that there is a need for the open market.

“The council heeded the people's call to establish an open market to cater for people who are currently there and those who are still coming. Since the open market is new there might be no people now, but that is an area where development is taking place.

“We also need to remove the vendors from selling in the streets and create a place where they can sell legally. This is just a start and people are still getting used to the new infrastructure,” Muma said.

He said two registered vendors were already operating at the open market.

ILENI NANDJATO

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Hounded for being different

June 27, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Hounded for being differentSchools, families abuse LGBT youngsters From 'corrective rape' to school bullying, young Namibians whose gender identification differs from the heterosexual norm are subjected to various forms of abuse. Harrowing stories of rape as a tool to 'correct' sexual orientation and identity, physical violence and verbal abuse, systemic oppression, intolerance and bullying by teachers, peers and family, define and scar the lives of the majority of young Namibians whose sexual identification and orientation differ from the heterosexual norms accepted by society.

A 2017 study authored by Anthony Brown, a Namibian-born education lecturer at the University of Johannesburg, found “the negative and violent experiences of learners, coupled with the passivity of teachers and school management to respond to such acts, often led to depression, suicidal thoughts and traumatic stress.”

Yesterday Brown, one of the facilitators of a three-day roundtable discussion on strengthening and addressing the implementation of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in Namibian schools, said the issue of widespread discrimination and harassment experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and questioning (LGBTIQ) youth in schools is still largely swept under the carpet.

He warned that remaining silent about issues of sexuality and gender has multiple harmful ripple effects on individuals and society.



Stories of rape, injustice

Justin, who identifies as male, said he not only experienced frequent bullying and discrimination at school, but eventually ran away from home when his parents authorised an uncle to rape him in order to “correct” his sexual identity.

He was consistently harassed in school by fellow learners and teachers.





“When you are around other kids, you feel you are not normal. You are suffocated, you don't feel you belong.”

He said he had nowhere to turn to report the frequent bullying, and said even teachers mocked him in class.

“A teacher once called me a 'moffie', and told me I don't belong in the school, that I should go somewhere else.”

Alfred said he learned to be quiet at school to avoid attention and discrimination, but still experienced frequent harassment and bullying.

He eventually dropped out of school after completing grade 10, but returned the next year after a teacher, whose brother was gay, reached out and provided support.

Brown described aspects of his school years as a nightmare.

He warned that Namibia continues to face the same high level of discrimination against LGBTIQ communities as it did generations ago, and said unless the issue was dealt with at school level it would continue to have a detrimental effect on the adult lives of many people.



Change the status quo

In a statement prepared by education permanent secretary Sanet Steenkamp, and read on her behalf by Julius Nghifikwa, she said many young people continue to be isolated and at risk of violence and harassment despite the progressive policies in place.

“Every student deserves to study in a school where they feel respected, valued and encouraged to develop his or her full potential. Unfortunately, many students who are LGBTIQ become targets of discrimination, bullying, harassment and intimidation in our schools.”

Steenkamp said it was time to reflect on how to ensure that learners who do not conform to a heterosexual identity, and are traumatised by harassment and stigmatisation, are not left behind.

“Schools are not merely sites for the learning of academic subjects but learners are also educated about the possibilities and limitations of sexual identities and expression as seen in the Namibian Life Skills Syllabus,” stated the organisers of the three-day event: Out-Right-Namibia, Positive Vibes Namibia, the Women's Leadership Centre and Lifeline/ChildLine Namibia.

The Namibian school curriculum policy documents are explicit on the teaching and learning of non-normative sexualities, but many schools and educators have not responded to these policies, and most LGBTIQ children are still forced to keep their sexual identity and orientation secret.

“The effect of this invisibility means that they become isolated, further marginalised and vulnerable to prejudice and attack.”

Needs to be better

The discussion is aimed at strengthening comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in the school curriculum.

The workshop also aims to identify strategies to strengthen pre- and in-service teacher training to respond to the curriculum statements on sexual and gender diversity.

Further, delegates aim to identify medium- and long-term strategies to create safe, enabling and inclusive learning environments for all learners, in addition to establishing a multi-sectoral approach for the implementation of CSE education.

Jean-Pierre Ilboudo, director of Unesco Namibia, explained that when delivered well, CSE promotes health and well-being, respect for human rights and gender equality, and empowers children and young people to lead safe and productive lives.

He said CSE needs to be “high quality, age appropriate and evidence based”.

The deputy director in the education ministry's HIV/Aids management unit, Julius Nghifikwa, emphasised that widespread intolerance against gender and sexual minorities needs to be addressed beyond school curriculums, in order to foster large-scale societal attitude changes.

He said although policies for inclusive education are in place, they come up against the barrier of deeply rooted fears.

“If we try to fight this only with policies, but the community does not accept this, we will lose the battle.”

JANA-MARI SMITH

I don't hate Geingob - Swartbooi

June 27, 2018, 4:00 pm

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I don't hate Geingob - Swartbooi The former deputy minister of land reform, and now leader of the Landless People's Movement (LPM), Bernadus Swartbooi, says he holds no grudges against President Hage Geingob.

Swartbooi's remark comes more than a year after he was fired by Geingob for failing to apologise to his then superior, lands minister Utoni Nujoma.

He told Nampa that Geingob was there for him on several occasions and therefore he had “no hate for the old man”.

“Geingob I can't hate; hate finishes you. I have no relationship with him and I would not want any relationship with him because there is nothing that can add value to me by having a relationship with him,” he said.





Swartbooi had made several statements criticising Geingob, to which the president responded by calling the LPM leader “an angry and frustrated man”.

“I don't structure my opinion on a person because I hate or like a person. What is right is right. What is wrong is wrong,” Swartbooi said.

The lawyer-cum-politician then slammed the government's poverty eradication schemes, saying there were really no tangible efforts to address poverty in the country.

He also took issue with Namibia's mining and fishing sectors and what he termed the “skewed” land redistribution policy.

“Mines and energy EPLs (exclusive prospecting licences) are too expensive, and not for the poor. Agricultural land is too expensive; not for the poor. Fishing quotas and the administration thereof are too expensive; not for the poor. Who then is the target of poverty eradication schemes?” Swartbooi wanted to know.

The former //Karas governor said individual enrichment schemes had been mistaken for poverty eradication schemes.

His remarks come a few weeks after justice minister Sacky Shanghala said fishing quotas were “not for everybody”.

They also come at a time when Swanu of Namibia has proposed that fishing rights and quotas be allocated to regions or communities rather than to individuals in order to lift Namibians out of abject poverty.

On his party's future, Swartbooi claimed that it had a strong presence in 11 of the 14 regions, without specifying which regions “for security reasons”.

He said they were working hard with limited resources to spread LPM's message countrywide.

LPM is yet to register formally as a political party with the Electoral Commission of Namibia.

NAMPA

Ombudsman praised for land hearings

June 27, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Ombudsman praised for land hearings The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement has praised the ombudsman, John Walters, for announcing that he will hold public hearings as part of his efforts to investigate the manner in which the government allocates resettlement farms.

The public hearings will take place on 3 July at Mariental, 5 July at Gobabis, 10 July at Otjiwarongo, 11 July at Karibib, 24 July at Keetmanshoop and 26 and 27 July in Windhoek.

They follow the launch of full-scale investigation by Walters into the government's land resettlement process. He has also requested a master list of beneficiaries from the land reform ministry.

Walters's investigation follows the awarding of a resettlement farm to the widow of late struggle icon Andimba Herman Toivo Ya Toivo, who was already resettled in 2015 on Gross Otjomune, a resettlement farm in the Erongo Region.

In March this year the lands ministry revealed in a tiny newspaper notice that Vicki Erenstein Ya Toivo would be resettled on unit A of Farm Joyce, which measures

2 376 hectares and is situated in the Omaheke Region.

Erenstein Ya Toivo said at the time she had applied for the land, but that it was a continuation of efforts made her late husband to secure a suitable resettlement farm, as the initial one was too far from Windhoek and in a very poor condition.





She said the initial resettlement land contained no housing for workers, no farmhouse, a broken borehole and either broken or non- existent fencing.

In a statement yesterday, AR leader Job Amupanda said Walters' efforts must be celebrated and were the result of relentless efforts to fight for the poor, against the corruption of the rich.

He also called upon all Namibians, in particular AR supporters, to attend the public hearings and submit facts and evidence.

“We have established that the corrupt elite, who have been plotting against the ombudsman, are planning to ensure that these hearings fail. Let's not allow the elites and the zombies to fail this process of the masses of our people. Previously, the ombudsman did not have the necessary support and confidence of society,” Amupanda said.

He also called on AR activists to mobilise society to ensure the process is successful.

“Our perspective is that many landless Namibians saw how relatives of governors, who are chairpersons of resettlement committees, and other members of the resettlement committees, gave farms to their children, relatives and elites outside the provisions and spirit of both the laws and policies,” said Amupanda.

He added there were many cases where farms were given to people who did not meet the criteria. Therefore, land activists and landless people must make clear submissions on this conduct and how requirements were flouted to favour the political elite and their relatives.

“All resettlement farm applicants who applied and were never informed of the outcome must submit their names and all details related to the date when they applied. Let us put this on record,” he said.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Not swine flu, but seasonal flu

June 28, 2018, 9:07 am

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Not swine flu, but seasonal flu The health acting permanent secretary, Petronella Masabane, in a statement just released, said that there are currently five confirmed cases of so-called swine flu. However, she added that, "Influenza A H1N1, previously known as 'swine flu' has been reclassified as a seasonal influenza virus. It has been circulating globally in the last decade, all year round, however, cases peak during the winter season."
The first case was confirmed on 22 June in a six-month-old baby boy. Of the remaining cases, there are two males and two females aged up to 45 years and four are confirmed to be from Rehoboth while one is from Windhoek.
Masabane said symptoms include high fever above 38 degrees, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, watery, red eyes, body aches and headaches, fatigue, diarrhoea and nausea and vomiting.
A seasonal flu vaccination is the best possible protection she added, saying washing hands, drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth as germs spread that way.
In 2009, there were 102 confirmed cases of the virus in Namibia of which the highest burden was in the Ohangwena, Omusati and //Karas regions.

YANNA SMITH

Morocco on chopping block

June 28, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Morocco on chopping blockThird Gold Cup encounter to thrill The Namibian team will play Morocco tomorrow in Casablanca in their third World Cup qualification match. LIMBA MUPETAMI



Namibia heads the 2018 Rugby Africa Gold Cup standings after whitewashing Tunisia 118-0 in Windhoek last weekend and defeating Uganda 55-6 in their first match.

They will be hoping to make it three in a row when they tackle Morocco in Casablanca tomorrow.

It has been a great ride so far for the Welwitschias, who have won the cup four times in a row, as they chase their sixth successive qualification for the Rugby World Cup.

The 2019 edition takes place in Japan and a spot in Pool B is available alongside defending champions New Zealand, South Africa and Italy.

Namibia has a strong squad of experienced players and will be determined to build on their success of recent weeks. If they qualify for Japan 2019, they will also be hoping to register their very first win at the tournament.

Coach Phil Davies said he is pleased with the ambitions of his side after they beat Tunisia last weekend.

“They played well in the second half, showing a flowing passing game. I’m still in the process of building a competitive team as most of these players are still very young,” he explained.

Captain Johan Deysel said they had missed a few passes in the first half and they rectified that in the second.

The other fixtures for Namibia are a 4 August clash against Zimbabwe (away) and an 18 August match against Kenya (home).

The squad is as follows:

Backs - Chrysander Botha, Darryl de la Harpe, Johan Deysel, Janry du Toit, Eugene Jantjies, Cliven Loubser, Justin Newman, PW Steenkamp, Damian Stevens and Lesley Klim.

Forwards - Aranos Coetzee, Wian Conradie, AJ de Klerk, Max Katjijeko, Rohan Kitshoff, Ruan Ludick, Obert Nortjé, Mahepisa Tjeriko, Desiderius Sethie, Nelius Theron, Louis van der Westhuizen, Tjiuee Uanivi, Pieter-Jan van Lill, Casper Viviers and Janco Venter. - Additional reporting by Rugby World Cup

NamPower empowers Paralympic team

June 28, 2018, 4:00 pm

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NamPower empowers Paralympic team SPORTS REPORTER

NamPower - through its foundation - has sponsored the Namibia Paralympic Committee (NPC) with an amount of N$400 000 to enable its nine athletes to take part in the last 2018 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Grand Prix of the season, which is taking place in Berlin.

Speaking at a sending off ceremony on behalf of the company last week, communications and marketing manager Gladwin Groenewaldt reiterated that NamPower’s sponsorship to the NPC is evidence of the company’s commitment to the development of sport in the country. Groenewaldt congratulated the team on their national colours and wished them well.

The NamPower Foundation has since 2011 been the main sponsor of Disability Sport Namibia (DSN), which is the umbrella body for Special Olympics Namibia and Paralympics Namibia.

The achievements of DSN athletes internationally over the years speaks volumes of the impact NamPower’s support has had on its programmes.

Brazil now favourites

June 28, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Brazil now favouritesFive-time champions face Mexico in round of 16 Brazil sealed a 2-0 win over Serbia in Moscow on Wednesday with goals either side of half-time by Paulinho and Thiago Silva, to set up a last 16 clash against Mexico on Tuesday in Samara. Brazil football coach Tite insists his side can cope with being installed as World Cup favourites, following Germany's shock exit, with the Selecao boss backing his side to grow in the knockout stages at Russia 2018.

With Germany having failed to advanced past the first round for the first time in 80 years, Brazil are now installed with many bookmakers as they favourites to win the World Cup.

Tite expects his side to grow in the knockout stages having finished as Group E winners.

“We can take the pressure, we are a balanced team and we have replacements who can come in, which is important,” said the head coach.

“For example, Marcelo was injured early on and we were able to replace him. For us, this is about getting stronger and growing.

“We embrace expectations, but this team has created a high level because they did very well in the qualifications, but then you come to the World Cup - it's a new cycle and a new format. We have had three matches and things are on the up.”

Tite said he suffers with an embarrassment of riches and that one of the hardest parts of his job is deciding who to leave out, having brought on Manchester City star Fernandinho in the second half and left Liverpool's Roberto Firmino on the bench in Moscow.

“It's one of the things which drains me the most as a coach is to leave top quality out,” he said.

“You have to challenge the athletes to grow, it's a short tournament and you have to have the right athletes for the right games.”

NAMPA/AFP

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Thunderstorm cleans up

June 28, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Thunderstorm cleans up Thousands of live animals along with tons of meat, ivory, pangolin scales and timber were seized in a month-long global crackdown on the illegal wildlife trade that Interpol said exposed the international reach of traffickers.

The live animals recovered in the stings included turtles in Malaysia and parrots in Mexico.

Canada intercepted 18 tons of eel meat arriving from Asia. Those arrested included two flight attendants in Los Angeles and a man in Israel whose house was raided after he posted a hunting photograph on social media.

Operation Thunderstorm, involving 92 countries, yielded seizures worth millions of dollars during May, Interpol said.

“The results are spectacular,” said Sheldon Jordan, Canada's director general of wildlife enforcement. Acknowledging the magnitude of the problem, Jordan said global wildlife crime is worth about US$150 billion annually and is fourth in value among illegal global trades behind drugs, counterfeiting and human trafficking.

Criminal syndicates that smuggle flora and fauna often take advantage of porous borders and corrupt officials, transporting illicit cargo at an industrial scale.

The Thunderstorm swoop included the confiscation of eight tons of pangolin scales, half of which was found by Vietnamese authorities on a ship from Africa.

Africa's four species of pangolins are under increasing pressure from poachers because of the decimation of the four species in Asia, where pangolin scales are used in traditional medicine.

A total of 43 tons of contraband meat - including bear, elephant, crocodile, whale and zebra - 1.3 tons of elephant ivory, 27 000 reptiles, about 4 000 birds, 48 live primates, 14 big cats and two polar bear carcasses were also seized.

Several tons of wood and timber were also seized. China, the world's largest ivory consumer, banned its domestic trade starting this year in what conservationists hope will relieve pressure on Africa's besieged elephant populations. While some herds are recovering, a high rate of killing continues in many areas, such as Mozambique's Niassa reserve. Some 1 400 suspects were identified worldwide, Interpol said.

Two flight attendants were arrested in Los Angeles carrying live spotted turtles to Asia in personal baggage, said Interpol. Both suspects have been charged with smuggling protected species.

Participating nations were from Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North and South America. The Pacific nation of Vanuatu, which is not an Interpol member, took part.

Officers searched cars, trucks, boats and containers, sometimes using sniffer dogs and X-ray scanners.

The operation, Interpol secretary-general Juergen Stock said, showed that wildlife traffickers use the same routes as other criminals, “often hand-in-hand with tax evasion, corruption, money laundering and violent crime”.

NAMPA/AP

Angola recognises gay group

June 28, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Angola recognises gay group Angola has given legal recognition to a gay rights lobby group, sources briefed on the decision said on Wednesday, marking a major breakthrough for the closed and conservative society.

The LGBTIQ association which was founded five years ago, called Iris Angola, called the justice ministry's decision an “historic moment”.

“We're turning the page for gay citizens who now have a body that is recognised by the state which gives more weight to the work of our organisation,” said Iris Angola's Carlos Fernandes.

“Good news,” tweeted Human Rights Watch deputy executive programme director Iain Levine who also posted the undated official confirmation.

Iris, which has 200 members, is one of two gay rights groups active in Angola but the other has not yet been given legal recognition.

The oil-rich southern African country does not have any anti-LGBT laws but members of the community complain of discrimination in accessing health and education services.

Angola has been led since September by President Joao Lourenco who followed former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos after he jad ruled for almost four decades.

Lourenco has sought to distinguish himself from his predecessor and launched a campaign against corruption which has snared several officials from the last government.

He has also sought to mend fences with the international community, which has long been critical of Angola's human rights record, and expressed interest in joining the Commonwealth and Francophonie communities.

NAMPA/AFP

US has 30 days to reunite families

June 28, 2018, 4:00 pm

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US has 30 days to reunite families'Undo the terrible thing they did' Following a court order, American authorities must reunite migrant children with their parents within a month and for those under five, within 14 days. The clock is ticking for the Trump administration after a federal judge ordered thousands of migrant children and parents who were forcibly separated at the Mexican border reunited within 30 days, sooner for youngsters under five.

The deadline was set on Tuesday night by US District Judge Dana Sabraw in San Diego after President Donald Trump's order ending his policy of separating families gave way to days of uncertainty, conflicting information and no word from the administration on when parents might see their children again.

“This situation has reached a crisis level,” Sabraw wrote.

The ruling poses a host of logistical problems for the administration, and it was unclear how it would meet the deadline.

Health and Human Services, which is in charge of the children, referred questions to the justice department.

The justice department said the ruling makes it “even more imperative that Congress finally act to give federal law enforcement the ability to simultaneously enforce the law and keep families together.

“Without this action by Congress, lawlessness at the border will continue,” the department said.

Sabraw, an appointee of Republican President George W Bush, said children under five must reunited with their parents within 14 days.

He also issued a nationwide injunction against further family separations, unless the parent is deemed unfit or doesn't want to be with the child, and ordered the government to provide phone contact between parents and their children within ten days.

The case was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, which sued in March on behalf of a seven-year-old girl who was separated from her Congolese mother and a 14-year-old boy who was taken from his Brazilian mother.

“Tears will be flowing in detention centres across the country when the families learn they will be reunited,” said ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt.

More than 2 000 children have been separated from their parents in recent weeks and placed in government-contracted shelters - hundreds of miles away, in some cases - under a “zero tolerance” policy toward families caught illegally entering the US. Many are from drug- and violence-wracked Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

Amid an international outcry, Trump last week issued an executive order to stop the separation of families and said parents and children will instead be detained together.

But parents already separated from their children were left in the dark on when and how they would be reunited, and Homeland Security seemed only to sow more confusion over the weekend.

“The facts set forth before the Court portray reactive governance - responses to address a chaotic circumstance of the Government's own making,” Sabraw wrote. “They belie measured and ordered governance, which is central to the concept of due process enshrined in our Constitution.”

Since Trump issued the executive order, the administration has been casting about for detention space for holding families together and has asked the courts to modify a 1997 settlement that generally bars the government from keeping children locked up with their parents for more than 20 days.

The task ahead could be monumental: Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told Congress on Tuesday that his department still has custody of 2 047 immigrant children separated from their parents at the border - only six fewer than last Wednesday.

Democratic senators said that wasn't nearly enough progress.

Under questioning, Azar refused to be pinned down on how long it will take to reunite families. He said his department does extensive vetting of parents to make sure they are not traffickers masquerading as parents.

Also challenging will be the requirement the judge set on phone contact. At a Texas detention facility near Los Fresnos, immigrant advocates complained that parents have gotten busy signals or no answer from a 1-800 number set up by federal authorities to get information about their children.

“The US government never had any plan to reunite these families that were separated,” Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg of the Legal Aid Justice Centre in Virginia said on Tuesday. The government is now “scrambling to undo this terrible thing that they have done.”

Robert Carey, director of the HHS refugee resettlement office during the Obama administration, said the government could face many challenges in trying to meet the judge's deadline.

Carey said the agency will probably struggle to connect children with their parents, especially if the parents are still detained or already been deported.

There have been widespread reports of children being taken from their parents unexpectedly, without identification documents on them, and with neither side knowing where the other is.

“I see all the problems. I don't know what the plan or the level of coordination is to overcome those,” Carey said.

NAMPA/AP

Shaningwa a geye omolwa omalundilo goombumbo

June 28, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Shaningwa a geye omolwa omalundilo goombumbo‘Ngame kandi shi omufuthi’ Amushanga gwongundu yoSwapo, okwa ekelehi omapopyo kutya okwa pewa ombumbo yoshimaliwa sha thika poomiliyona 6 kehangano lyoJack Mutua Architects, opo a gandje otendela kehangano ndyoka li thaneke etungo epe lyoombelewa dhoSwapo. Omukanda gwopaemail ngoka gwa tumwa komuntu keeshiwike ogwa popi kutya iimaliwa mbyoka oya futwa momayalulo gombaanga yaKenya yomumwayina gwaShaningwa, Ignatius Shaningwa.

Omukanda ngoka ogwa popi kutya ondando yokutunga oombelewa ndhoka ngashiingeyi oyi li poomiliona 400, okuza pondando yoomiliyona 150 sigo 200 mpoka ya li tango.



Tango, Shaningwa okwa thiminike Omukomeho gwoKalahari Holdings, Christian Maketo, opo a shaine etsokumwe lyoongunga nomutungi omanga opoloyeka ndjoka inayi tameka.

“Mondjokonona yoshilongo, ngame Sophia Shaningwa, inandi longa uulingilingi,” Shaningwa apopi, a geya noonkondo.

Okwa popi kutya ye oha longo noshili na iha longo iilonga yokoombunda ihe oha tala kongushu.

Okwa pula woo aakalekipo yoveta opo ya konaakono omalundilo ngoka, kutya okwa futwa ombumbo.

“Otandi pula opo NamPol oshowo Interpol ya ye momayalulo gandje goombaanga moshilongo oshowo pondje yoshilongo nokukutha ko iimaliwa mbyoka kayi shi yandje nokuyi shunitha kooyene.”





Shaningwa okwa a li a popiwa a gandja otendela yokutunga mOmalinda komumwayinamati, Ignatius, na okwa li natango a tindi oohapu ndhoka.

Momushangwa gumwe gwopaemail, Shaningwa okwa shanga kutya: “Aalongi yuulingilingi otaya kala aluhe nokupopya ndje. Ita ya hulitha okupopya ndje molwaashoka otandi ningi oshinima shi li mondjila. Itatu pitika Swapo a kale ta longele moombelewa dha fa egumbo. Swapo ongundu tayi pangele. Aantu mboka kaye hole ehumokomeho otaya kambadhala aluhe nokutilitha ndje opo kandi ninge shoka shi li mondjila , ihe ngame ondi shi shoka shi li mondjila komeho gaKalunga. Ngele aantu oye na uupyakadhi nangame, naye ye kungame. Ondi na egumbo lyandje, ondjambi yandje na onda nyanyukwa kwaashoka ndi na. Onda kala nokulombwela omalayi ngoka taga nyateke edhina lyandje monanguwi kutya ngame kandi shi omufuthi.”





Etuna Nashima, menindjela gwoKalahari Holdings naye okwa tindi omapopyo kutya Shaningwa ota kambadhala okuthiminika ehangano opo li shaine etsokumwe lyoongunga nehangano lyokutunga, ta popi kutya Kalahari Holdings, ke na mo olunyala metungo lyoombelewa dhongundu.

MuApilili, Shaningwa okwa li a popi kutya etungo lyoombelewa oompe dhongundu otali tameke pehulilo lyaJuni.

Nonando ngaaka oshiwike shika okwa popi kutya ethimbo ndyoka itali ke shi pitika molwaashoka iilonga otayi tameke owala muJuli.

Amushanga okwa popi kutya natango kape na ehangano ndyoka lya ulikwa kutya olyo tali ka tunga oombelewa ndhoka, na ina popya ongushu yetungo ndyoka.

CATHERINE SASMAN

Kandi tonde Geingob – Swartbooi

June 28, 2018, 4:00 pm

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Kandi tonde Geingob – Swartbooi Omupeha minista nale gwOmavi, nangashiingeyi okuli omukomeho gwoLandless People’s Movement (LPM), Bernadus Swartbooi, okwa popi kutya ina kwatela iikonene Omupresidende Hage Geingob.

Swartbooi okwa popi ngaaka konyala omvula yimwe sho a tidhwa miilonga kuGeingob, sho a ndopa okugandja ombili komukomeho gwe miilonga, Utoni Nujoma.

Okwa lombwele oNampa kutya Geingob okwe mu kwathele iikando yontumba nonkene ke na uutondwe naye.

Swartbooi okwa nyana Geingob iikando yontumba naGeingob okwa yamukula komanyano ngoka taga ningwa komuleli gwoLPM kutya otaga ningwa komuntu a geya.

Swartbooi okwa popi kutya iha nyana omuntu omolwa ekwatathano lyawo ewinayi nenge uutondwe pokati kayo ihe oha popi owala oshili nongele oshinima osha puka na kashi li mondjila, oteshi popi owala kutya osha puka.

Omunapolotika ngoka okwa nyana woo ooprograma dhokukondjitha oluhepo dhepangelo, kutya kadhi na shoka tashi longo moshilongo.

Okwa popi woo kombinga yomauthemba gokukwata oohi ngoka a popi kutya oge na ondilo na na itaga vulika kaathigona moshilongo. Natango okwa tsikile kutya evi lyuunamapya moshilongo oli na ondilo na itali vulika kaathigona, ta pula kutya ooprograma dhokukondjitha oluhepo otadhi longo shike na oha nuninwa oolye.



Ngoloneya nale gwoshitopolwa sha //Karas, okwa popi kutya oprograma dha nuninwa okuyambapaleka oohandimwe odha pukithwa nooprograma shokukondjitha oluhepo.

Omapopyo ngoka, Swartbooi okwe ga ningi sha landula iiwike iishona ya piti, sho Ominista yUuyuki moshilongo, Sacky Shanghala a popi kutya omikanda shuuthemba wokukwata oohi moshilongo kashi shi dhaayehe.

Ongundu yoSwanu of Namibia oya pula woo opo uuthemba mboka wu pewe iitopolwa naakwashigwana pehala lyokupewa oohandimwe, tayi popi kutya momukalo ngoka otaku hupitha okuza moluhepo AaNamibia.



Kombinga yongushu yawo, Swartbooi okwa popi kutya oyi na aayambidhidhi oyendji miitopolwa 11 , na ina tumbula iitopolwa mbyoka omolwa egameno.

LPM inayi shangithwa natango onga ongundu yopolotika noElectoral Commission of Namibia.

NAMPA