Skorpion Zinc Cup fever rises

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Fistball League enters its fourth round

≪ Previous: Stop pessimistic attitude, says AN president

$

0

0

Skorpion Zinc Cup fever risesOmaheke and Zambezi give update Some regions preparing for the Skorpion Zinc under-17 tournament have expressed their ambition to win the trophy this year. Omaheke's regional under-17 side will try to emulate the exploits of the seniors when they play in the Skorpion Zinc Cup slated to start on 24 August.

The under-20s of that region won The Namibian Newspaper Cup earlier this year and their juniors therefore want to win the Skorpion tournament to prove a point to the seniors.

The youth football spectacle will be played at Grootfontein during the Heroes' Day long weekend.

Coach Ewald Zuma Kavirombo said winning The Namibian Newspaper Cup earlier this year served as a boost for the region's youth, as there is an intense hunger for football like never before.

Kavirombo is familiar with a competition of such nature, given that he was recently the assistant coach for the under-20 team which triumphed in Katima Mulilo.

“We have not yet started with trials, but we will start from 16 August after the examinations,” Kavirombo said.

The coach will be assisted by Geraldo Jermano Eiseb and Herman Tristan Jacobs. Charles Neels will also be part of the technical team.

Kavironmbo added that the Skorpion Zinc under-17 Cup was a great platform for identifying young talent to represent the nation.

He admitted that the region did not have their best performance last year, as they struggled to cope in their first two matches.

But he feels that they have what it takes to bag the cup this time around.

Omaheke have been drawn in Group B with Oshikoto, Erongo, Ohangwena and Kavango West.



Zambezi aim to seize Cup

The Zambezi Region have their own plans of taking the cup home.

They have completed trials and will be wrapping up their preparations for the tournament.

The selection of players was not easy though, given that most players had to focus on their studies.

“We do not want to exclude those from rural schools, when they can proudly represent their region. We try by all means to visit even areas far from Katima Mulilo,” coach Muchaka Muchaka said.

On being drawn in the same group as the defending champions, Omusati, the coach confidently said they were not only preparing for Omusati but wanted to be ready for all the other regions in the same group. He said among a lot of aspects to be corrected and perfected, he intended to put much of his focus on defending and finishing.

“I understand that in our match against Hardap last year, we were leading but the match ended in a 2-2 draw because we failed to defend.”

Muchaka said the absence of a youth league or football academies in the region hindered the growth of football there, but tournaments such as the Skorpion Zinc Cup meant a lot to the young people as they exposed them to the football world and gave them an opportunity to exhibit their talent.

The host region, Otjozondjupa, are drawn in Group A with Kavango East, Hardap and Kunene. Group B consists of Kavango West, Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Omaheke and Erongo, while group C has //Karas, Omusati, Khomas and Zambezi.

-Additional info by NFA

JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

---

Fistball League enters its fourth round

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Elcin a gandja omaiyuvo ge kombinga yevi

≪ Previous: Skorpion Zinc Cup fever rises

$

0

0

Fistball League enters its fourth round The Bank Windhoek Fistball League's fourth round will take place on Saturday at the Swakopmund Fussball Club (SFC) in Swakopmund.

Scheduled to kick off at 08:30, this will be the last encounters before the League prepares for the playoffs in September.

Participating clubs will battle it out in Group A and B.

Cohen Fistball Club (CFC), who defended the Cohen tournament last month, will face Sport Klub Windhoek (SKW), SFC and Deutscher Turn und Sportverein (DTS) in Group A.

CFC 1 and SKW 2 have been earmarked as favourites to advance to the semi-finals.

However, SKW 2 has problems this time around as the club will not have its regular starting five on the weekend.

As a result, teams such as SFC, may have a genuine chance of booking a semi-final ticket come match day due to home-ground advantage. SKW 1, who are currently sitting four points clear at the top of the log, will fight for top honours in Group B.

They will have to overcome the determined CFC teams: 1, 2 and 3.

The leading record champions, SKW 1, are only expected to encounter tough competition from CFC 2 for the semi-final spots.

Nevertheless, a surprise can be expected as Cohen teams always fight until the last minute of every match.

It will be an exciting fight for the overall fourth place on the final table as this position guarantees the last available place in the semi-finals of the A League.

As it stands, SFC and CFC 2 share the fourth spot with 16 points each.

Top of the log are SKW 1 (34), followed by CFC 1 (30), and SKW 2 (24).

Teams placed fifth to eighth after the fourth round will have an opportunity to compete for the B League title during the playoffs.

The Bank Windhoek Fistball Championship playoffs are scheduled to take place on Saturday, 29 September at SKW in Windhoek.

SPORT REPORTER

Elcin a gandja omaiyuvo ge kombinga yevi

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Oshigwana sha yambidhidha ofamili yomOmundudu

≪ Previous: Fistball League enters its fourth round

$

0

0

Elcin a gandja omaiyuvo ge kombinga yeviOngeleka oya hala aakwashigwana ayehe ya mone uuwanawa mevi Ongongahangano yoongeleka dhaElcin otayi ngongopo omukanda kombinga yomatulululo gevi, ngoka tagu ka gandjwa momutumba omutiyali gwevi gwopashigwana ngoka tagu ningwa moshilongo muKotomba. Omutumba gwaasita yongeleka yoEvangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) mUuninginino, ogwa pula opo ku tulwe miilonga omulandu gumwe gwevi,, nokupopya kutya omilandu adhihe dhoka tadhi tongola ngele tashi ya mokugandja evi nadhi kuthwe miilonga.

Omutumba ngoka ogwa nuninwa okugandja omaiyuvo kombinga yomatulululo gevi, sho oshilongo kwa tegelela shi ninge omutumba gwevi gwopashigwana momwedhi Kotomba.

Omumbisofi gwaELCIN, Veikko Munyika okwa popi kutya ekondjo inali pwa natango molwaashoka etopolo lyevi moshigwana inali pwa natango omanga evi olindji li li owala momake gaakengeli.

Okwa popi kutya evi, ehala mpoka oshigwana tashi vulu okukala nombili pwaahena omambandameko okuza komutondi ta gwedha po natango kutya: “Pwaahena evi, omuntu ota kala aluhe a fa a kana, keena ehala oshowo omidhi. Onkene omuntu kehe okwa pumbwa evi mowaashoka uuna lya kuthwa po nena omuntu okwa tindilwa egumbo, omboloto, uuhupilo oshowo ehala lyokufumbikwa.”

Okwa tsikile kutya moNamibia aantu oyendji oya dhigwa kaayena evi lyokutunga nando egumbo lyondunda yimwe yookulala.

Okwa popi kutya omukalo gwokulanditha evi pangeshefa ogwo gwa etitha unene uupyakadhi muAfrika, nomoNamibia shoka otashi monikila momukalo moka evi olindji li li owala momake goohandimwe aakengeli nenge momake gomalelo goondoolopa omanga aakwashigwana kaye na evi.

Munyika okwa popi kutya ongeleka ngaashi Oonkwaluteri, Katoolika oshowo Anglikan nandho odhiiyadha dhili mompumbwe yevi, sho dha kuthwa evi ndyoka dhali dha mono okuza kaaleli yopamuthigululwakalo.

Ngashingeyi oongeleka otadhi thiminikwa opo dhi landeko evi ndyoka okuza kepangelo nomalelo goondoolopa, koondando dhi li pombanda noonkondo.



Gandjeni evi shi thike pamwe

Omumbisofi Munyika okwa popi kutya evi olya pumbwa okugandjwa uuwanawa kaaNamibia ayehe.

“Kashi shi owala oshinakugwanithwa shepangelo okugandja evi kaakwashigwana ayehe ihe oshinakugwanithwa woo shaamboka ye na evi ya topole nayakwawo mboka kaye na sha.”

Kombinga yaamboka taya popi evi lyuuthiga, Munyika owa pula ngele ethimbo kali shi tuu ele ngashiingeyi sho mboka ya kanitha evi lyawo lyuuthiga inaye li shunithilwa nonando kaye na iiyemo yokulilandako.

Okwa tsikile kutya omanenepeko goondoolopa nago otaga gumu kuuthemba waantu ya kale ye na evi.

Momvula yo1996 konima owala yomutumba gwevi gwotango ngoka gwa ningwa mo 1991, aasita yoongeleka dhaElcin oya li ya pula opo epangelo kali pitike evi lyuuthililo li tulwe meni lyoodhalate kaakengeli. Oya li woo ya pula opo ka kulandithwe po evi kaazaizai.

Aasita oya popi kutya omulandu gwomatulululo ngoka tagu ithanwa omulandi a pyakudhukwa nomulandithi a hala, ogwa ndopa na inagu gandja iizemo iiwanawa.

Oya popi kutya ekutheko lyevi pwaahena iifuta otali vulu okupopilwa ngele ope na uumbangi waashoka tashi popile kutya evi ndyoka olya yakwa ko kooyene.

Munyikwa okwa gandja omaiyuvo ge gekuthoko lyevi pe na iifuta iishona tayi utilepo iilonga mbyoka ya longwa pehala mpoka ihe shoka nashi ningwa konima yomapekaapeko.

Omaiyuvo gaasita mboka oga ningwa giikolelela kEkotampango lyoshilongo ndyoka tali utha kutya AaNamibia oye na uuthemba okukala nomaliko mwakwatelwa evi. Oya popi kutya onkene evi olya pumbwa okutopolwa pauyuuki shi thike pamwe nakape na ngoka a pumbwa okukala nevi enene nenge eshona. Oya popi kutya ondando yevi nayi kale woo tayi vulika kaantu ayehe.

Oya popi natango kutya ompango yevi lyaayehe yomo1995 oya pumbwa okulundululwa opo yi gandje uuthemba kaantu yomomidhingoloko dhaayehe yavule okukala nuumwene wevi ndyoka ye li.

Kombinga yomulandu gwomulandi a pyakudhukwa nomulandithi a hala, oya pula opo gu kuthwe po molwaashoka ogwa ndopa okugandja iizemo iiwanawa.

Oya popi kutya itaya popile ekutheko lyevi pwaahena iifuta molwaashoka otali ka etitha oongunga dhuule wethimbo ele.

Natango oya popi kutya mboka ye na iitopolwa yevi inene nay a ye moonkundathana opo ya gandje po iitopolwa yimwe po kepangelo.

Momulandu gwomatulululo namu kwatelwe egandjo lyomayambidhidho giiyemo oshowo omadheulo opo oomalalakano gomulandu ngoka ga adhe omathikilo. Aasita oya gandja woo omaiyuvo gawo kutya omusinda omutiligane ano oVeterinary Cordon Fence nagu tembudhilwe koongamba dhaNamibia naAngola.



CATHERINE SASMAN

Oshigwana sha yambidhidha ofamili yomOmundudu

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Embo kombinga yondjokonona yomiyonena dha longwa kuSwapo

≪ Previous: Elcin a gandja omaiyuvo ge kombinga yevi

$

0

0

Oshigwana sha yambidhidha ofamili yomOmundudu Aantu oyendji oya yamukula keindilo ndyoka lya ningwa opo kuyambidhidhwe ofamili yaantu 26 ndjoka iilya yawo ya pipo komulilo momwedhi Juni.

Oshiningwanima shoka osha ningwa momasiku 11 gaJuni momukunda Omundudu moshikandjohogololo Engela moshitopolwa shaHangwena.

Otaku fekelwa kutya omulilo ngoka ogwa etithwa kohandje ndjoka ya zilile pokandingosho keli popepi.

Momaandaha oshifokundaeki shoNamibian Sun osha talele po ofamili ndjoka na osha yi moonkundathana nomunamivo 42, Martha Kaunapawa Walyange, ngoka a popi kutya okwa pandula keyambidhidho ndyoka ya mono.

Walyange okwa popi kutya aantu oyendji oye ya pe omayambidhdo nomagano giilya.

Okwa popi kutya omusita Jackson Babi gwoHouse of Joy Ministries okwe ya pe ooshako 22 dhookg 50 dhiilya, oshako yuusila wepungu yookg 40, iikulya yilwe ngaashi omagadhi gokuteleka, oondooha dhoohi oshowo oosopa.

Okwa popi kutya natango oya mono ooshako 14 dhiilya yomahangu okuza kombelewa yoshikandjohogololo Engela. Ongeleka yaElcin pomudhingoloko gwawo oye ya pe ooshako dhili heyali dhiilya yomahongu dhookg 50.

Walyange okwa tsikile kutya aantu oohandimwe yopomudhingoloko gwawo oshowo nomikunda dhopuushinda oshowo moshilongo oya yamukula keindilo ndyoka lya ningwa, na oye ya pe omayambidhidho unene lyiilya yomahangu.

“Kanda li nda tegelela tu mone eyambidhidho ngaashi ndyoka twa pewa. Ngele owa dhimbuluka pethimbo lyoshiningwanima onda Ii nda limbililwa na kandi shi kutya nandi uke peni,” Walyange a popi.

Okwa pandula ayehe mboka ye ya pe omayambidhidho.

“Otatu pandula aayehe mboka ye tu yambidhidha. Otatu pandula woo mboka yetu galikanene. Osha simana unene kutse na otashi ulike kutya AaNamibia oye holathane. Otandi pandula woo iikundaneki sho ya tseyitha onkalo nompumbwe yetu. Tangi,” Walyange a popi.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Embo kombinga yondjokonona yomiyonena dha longwa kuSwapo

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Company news in brief

≪ Previous: Oshigwana sha yambidhidha ofamili yomOmundudu

$

0

0

Embo kombinga yondjokonona yomiyonena dha longwa kuSwapo Luhupe gwomiyonena dhiita ndhoka taku popiwa dha ningwa kongundu yoSwapo moLubango shaAngola, okwa hokolola kombinga yonkalo ndjoka iiyadha muyo omanga e li muupongekwa. Membo lye tali ithanwa ‘Swapo Captive - A Comrade’s Experience of Betrayal and Torture’, Oiva Angula okwa popi kombinga yekalo mondjeedhililo uule woomvula ne netata moka a kala ta monithwa iihuna.

Iilyo yimwe yoSwapo okwa popiwa ya longitha oodholongo ndhoka mondoolopa ndjoka yaAngola mokukutha po nokuhepeka mboka taya fekelelwa elongelo kumwe nomutondi.

Membo lye, Angula okwa hokolola nkene a lundilwa kutya oku li ondaadhi yomutondi sha etitha a tulwe mondjeedhililo ndjoka nokuhepekwa.





Oolopota odha holola kutya konyala AaNamibia ya thika po 4 000 oya tulwa moondjeedhililo ndhoka moLubango noyendji kaye wetike.

United Nations Committee Against Torture muDesemba gwo2016 oya yi mekwatathano nepangelo lyaNamibia tayi pula opo ku ningwe omakonaakono omolwa iimbuluma mbyoka ya ningwa pethimbo lyekondjelomanguluko mwa kwatelwa oshikumungu shepangulo lyaakwashigwana mboka taku popiwa kutya oya kambadhala okukutha ko oshitopolwa shaCaprivi (Zambezi) kuNamibia.

Omapulaapulo ngoka kombinga yomiyonena dhiita nuuthemba waantu, nomiyonena ndhoka dha longwa aniwa kuSwapo pethimbo lyekondjelomanguluko oga li ge na okutameka kuyele nuumvo ihe oga ndopa okutameka

Omapulaapulo ngoka otaga kwatelwa komeho ko

Committee of Parents and the Truth and Justice Committee, ndjoka ya kwatela mo ooluhupoe yomiyonea ndhoka oshowo aakwanezimo yaamboka ya kana.

Gumwe gwomoonakuhupa nokwa pula uukwatya we wuholekwe okwa popi kutya oshili otayi etitha ombili komitima dhawo na okwa hala ongndu ndjka yi popye oshii kombinga yaashoka sha holoka po.

Ombudsman John Walters pamwe nagumwe gwomoonakuninga iihakanwa yomiyonena ndhoka, Bience Gawanas, oya kala taya yambidhidha opo ku ningwe omapulaapulo ngoka pethimbo lyoonkundathana ndhoka ya ningwa nadho koshikundanekifo shoThe Patriot.

OMUTOOLINKUNDANA GWOMENI

Company news in brief

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Shilunga sworn in as Oshakati councillor

≪ Previous: Embo kombinga yondjokonona yomiyonena dha longwa kuSwapo

$

0

0

Company news in brief PepsiCo has new CEO

PepsiCo Inc has appointed Ramon Laguarta to take over as chief executive from Indra Nooyi, handing the reins to a veteran who led the company’s fast-growing emerging markets business.

Laguarta, who starts on October 3, will be tasked with managing the company’s response as consumer tastes move away from sugary drinks.

Nooyi, 62, is stepping down after 24 years at PepsiCo, where she held a variety of roles, including her most recent 12 years as CEO. Her departure also leaves only one woman of color among Fortune 500 CEOs.

-Nampa/Reuters

Mattress Firm to close stores

Mattress Firm Inc, the largest US mattress retailer, is considering a potential bankruptcy filing as it seeks ways to get out of costly store leases and shut some of its 3 000 locations that are losing money, people familiar with the matter said.

Mattress Firm’s deliberations offer the latest example of a US brick-and-mortar retailer struggling financially amid competition from e-commerce firms such as Amazon.com Inc .Shares of Mattress Firm competitor Tempur Sealy International Inc jumped on the news and ended trading on Monday up 5.2% at US$52.64.

-Nampa/Reuters

Arista to pay US$400 million to Cisco

Arista Networks Inc will pay US$400 million to Cisco Systems Inc to resolve a US court fight between the two network equipment makers, Arista said in a regulatory filing on Monday, the day a jury trial in the dispute was scheduled to begin.

The settlement resolved US lawsuits filed by Cisco alleging Arista copied its intellectual property.

The deal also called for Arista to drop a lawsuit alleging Cisco engaged in anticompetitive conduct to preserve its dominant share of the ethernet switch market. The jury trial in that case was to have started on Monday in San Jose, California.

-Nampa/Reuters

Facebook in talks with banks

Facebook Inc said on Monday it is in talks to deepen links with banks and financial institutions, saying it can help the firms improve their customer service.

The social media company said users of financial firms such as PayPal, Citibank and American Express could link their financial accounts with Facebook’s Messenger and chat with a customer service representative.

-Nampa/Reuters

Marriott sees revenue weakness

Marriott International Inc on Monday signaled weakness in revenue per available room (revPAR) in North America, its largest market, for the third quarter, sending shares of the world’s largest hotel chain down about 4%.

The company expects revPAR, an important metric that measures a hotel chain’s health, to increase by 1.5% to 2% in the region due to Independence Day holiday falling in the middle of the week and tough comparisons to last year’s numbers that included the impact of hurricane relief efforts.

-Nampa/Reuters

Shilunga sworn in as Oshakati councillor

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Nigerian pastor sued, charged with forgery

≪ Previous: Company news in brief

$

0

0

Shilunga sworn in as Oshakati councillor Onesmus Shilunga was sworn in as member of the Oshakati town council on Monday.

Shilunga, who previously served as mayor of the town, was sworn in as councillor to fill the vacancy left by the death of Johannes Shilongo on 17 July.

Shilunga was the next in line on the Swapo Party list elections and was endorsed by the party to replace Shilongo.

Shilunga took the oath of office before Magistrate Cynthia Matiti, fellow councillors, council staff and members of the public.

Subsequently Shilunga was elected to serve as member of the council's management committee, a position that his predecessor held.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Nigerian pastor sued, charged with forgery

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Dundee explains smog

≪ Previous: Shilunga sworn in as Oshakati councillor

$

0

0

Nigerian pastor sued, charged with forgery A married couple are suing the pastor and the Life Changing Christian Church in Dorado Park for an alleged breach of a lease agreement, and for failure to pay monthly rental fees.

While this matter is being heard in the High Court, Isaac Onwordi, the pastor of the church, who is a Nigerian national, is also expected to appear in the Magistrate's Court in Windhoek on 16 October 2018 on charges of forgery.

In this matter, it is alleged Onwordi forged a document for ownership of a N$1.5-million residence in Windhoek which is said to belong to the Arnat couple, Gervasius and Fransizka, who were members of his Katutura-based church. Currently Onwordi, and his wife, Suama, are on N$10 000 bail with stringent conditions.

In the civil case in the High Court the Arnats are seeking a court order confirming the cancellation of the lease agreement and an order to eject the pastor and his wife from the residence on erf 148, Antilla Street, Dorado Park, Windhoek.

In their particulars, the Arnats claim that Onwordi entered into an agreement for the Onwordis to lease the residence to conduct religious activities.

The agreement, among others, stipulated that each party had the right to terminate the agreement with one month's notice and that Onwordis would pay the monthly rental on or before the first of each month.

Further terms were that the pastor and his wife would, upon the termination of the lease agreement, vacate the premises. Other stipulations included the maintenance of the premises and that the tenants were not allowed to bring about any structural alterations to the building without the written consent of the owners and the approval of the City of Windhoek.

The Arnats allege that the Onwordis breached the agreement in that they made substantive structural changes to the building without their written consent or approval of the City of Windhoek.

“The conduct constitutes a material breach of the agreement and violation of the law,” the Arnats maintained.

The Arnats on 30 April 2016 cancelled the lease agreement and the Onwordis' right to occupy the property. However, they refused to vacate the premises and have, to date, remained in unlawful occupation of the place.

In their counterclaim, the Onwordis say the claim by the Arnats does not disclose cause of action and lacks the necessary allegation as to when, where and by whom the lease agreement was concluded.

There is allegedly a lack of necessary allegation as to what the agreed fixed rental amount was as well as the period of lease.

It is further alleged the Arnats also do not provide any details or proof of the alleged restrictions towards making or causing of any structural alterations or improvements on the property.

They say the Arnats have failed to prove or provide any details about the manner in which the defendants allegedly breached the material terms of the lease agreement.

“No clear allegations are made as to the manner in which we have breached the agreement,” the Onwordis maintained.

They stated the Arnats have not clearly and concisely provided any proof as to what structural improvements were made by them.

“Neither have the plaintiffs provided any details of what law or which law has been violated,” the respondents argued.

They further challenge the plaintiffs to prove that they (plaintiffs) complied with the terms of the agreement and that Onwordis breached the material terms of the agreement.

FRED GOEIEMAN

---

Dundee explains smog

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Google in talks with Tencent and Inspur

≪ Previous: Nigerian pastor sued, charged with forgery

$

0

0

Dundee explains smogAttempts to quell growing anger The company says emissions emanating from its smelter in the morning are caused by a cooling process, which is an intricate process in a smelter. Anger continues to grow over thick plumes of smoke hanging over the smelter of Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb (DPMT), but the company says it is “normal smelter practice”.

Responding to pictures sent by residents at Tsumeb, Dundee said the plumes emanate from its molten slag cooling area, which is part of the production process.

“The molten slag is left to cool down to atmospheric temperatures before it is reprocessed,” Dundee's spokesperson, Alina Garises, responded this week.

She said the cooling process emits the smoke visible on the pictures sent by the residents.

“We have observed incidents of the air quality limits at our quality monitoring station at the site boundary at the time the pictures were taken and we are currently investigating different technology solutions for the molten slag cooling process that will have reduced environmental and visual impact,” Garises said.

The pictures were taken in the between 07:30 and 08:30.

Garises said one of Dundee's core values is to continuously improve and to seek sustainable ways to implement long-lasting solutions to transform the smelter into a world-class operation.

This, she stressed, includes an emission-free operation.

Residents remain furious over the smog hanging over the town and insist that Dundee “must get its act together”.

In June, they lodged similar complaints to which Dundee responded that the emissions were random and generally experienced due to “operational upset conditions”, which included power trips during the start-up of the plant.

The company at the time did not respond to allegations that it was experiencing problems with its acid plant, but said “ambient levels” of sulphur dioxide in Tsumeb “on occasion” caused some individuals to complain of irritation.

CATHERINE SASMAN

Google in talks with Tencent and Inspur

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Agronomic producers to take note

≪ Previous: Dundee explains smog

$

0

0

Google in talks with Tencent and InspurFor China cloud Google’s plans for China are even more ambitious than previously understood. You can never say never, but that is an incredibly tough proposition- John Dinsdale , Synergy analyst The internet giant is in talks with Tencent, Inspur Group and other Chinese companies to offer its cloud services in the world’s second-largest economy, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The discussions began in early 2018 and Google narrowed partnership candidates to three firms in late March, according to one of the people. Trade tensions between China and the US now loom over the effort, making it unclear whether the plans will proceed, this person said.

The disclosure comes just days after the revelation that Google is developing a version of its search engine for China that would block information the Beijing government considers sensitive. If implemented, the move would mark a dramatic reversal by the Alphabet unit, which exited the mainland in 2010 after refusing to comply with its censorship practices.

The prospect of one of the most powerful American corporations bending to China’s will drew immediate condemnation in Washington.

"It is a coup for the Chinese government and Communist Party to force Google - the biggest search engine in the world - to comply with their onerous censorship requirements and sets a worrying precedent for other companies seeking to do business in China without compromising their core values," six US lawmakers, including Republican Senator Marco Rubio, wrote in a letter to Google’s chief executive officer Sundar Pichai.

Shares of Tencent rose as much as 2.3% in Hong Kong.

The goal of the cloud initiative is to run Google internet-based services via the domestic data centres and servers of Chinese providers, similar to the way other US cloud companies access that market.

Local partnerships

In most of the rest of the world, Google Cloud rents computing power and storage over the internet and sells a collection of workplace productivity apps called G Suite that are run on its own data centres.

China requires digital information to be stored in the country and Google has no data centres in the mainland, so it needs partnerships with local players.

Google Cloud chief Diane Greene said last week that she wants the business to "be a global cloud," but declined to comment specifically about China. Still, the company is seeking a Shanghai-based business development manager for its cloud business.

The job posting lists "experience in, and knowledge of, the Chinese market" as a preferred qualification.

A Google Cloud spokesperson declined to comment. Inspur and Jane Yip, a Tencent spokesperson, didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday.

Powerful allies

A tie-up with large Chinese tech firms, like Tencent and Inspur, a major cloud and server provider, would also give Google powerful allies as it attempts a broader return to mainland China, where it pulled its search engine in 2010 over censorship concerns.

After years of slowly rebuilding a presence in China, Google has pressed the accelerator recently. It’s building a cloud data centre region in Hong Kong this year and opened an artificial intelligence research centre in Beijing in January. Along with other Alphabet Inc. units, it has begun investing more in Chinese companies. Plans for the censored search app in China a furious debate about whether Google is putting profit over its mission to “organize the world’s information and make it universally available.”

A cloud partnership for Google in China would help the company compete more with larger rivals Amazon.com and Microsoft. In late 2017, Amazon agreed to sell its Chinese servers and some other cloud assets to local partner Beijing Sinnet Technology.

The move complied with laws introduced that year mandating the storage of data within the country and bolstering government control over the movement of information. The move mirrored a similar set-up between Microsoft and its local partner 21Vianet.

With Tencent, Google would have an even more high-profile ally - but would also go up against local competitors including Alibaba, which operates a major cloud business in China.

China is the second-largest cloud market, but local companies dominate, making it difficult for outsiders like Google, according to Synergy Research Group.

"You can never say never, but that is an incredibly tough proposition," Synergy analyst John Dinsdale said. A June report from Synergy ranked Google fourth in the Asian cloud market, behind Amazon, Alibaba and Microsoft.

In January, Google struck a patent-sharing deal with Tencent. The agreement came with an understanding that the two companies would team up on developing future technologies.

Ecosystem

Tencent operates its own cloud service and is building an ecosystem of partners that includes Cisco Systems, Nvidia and Deloitte, according to Tencent’s website. It already offers a cloud service called the Tencent Kubernetes Engine that’s based on a popular Google technology by the same name.

Google could host services, such as Gmail, Drive and Docs, on Tencent’s data centres, and the Chinese company may suggest existing cloud customers try Google offerings.

Tencent founder Pony Ma is a representative of China’s National People’s Congress, and Inspur, formerly the state-owned Shandong Electronics Devices Plant, could provide political cover for Google as it seeks to gain approval from authorities to operate more of its largest businesses in country.

Google has touted the security and AI strengths of its cloud division. Tensorflow, a coding library for AI applications created by Google, is growing in popularity with researchers and software developers in China. While the feature is compatible with other cloud services, it’s designed to work most efficiently with Google’s cloud.

-Fin24

Agronomic producers to take note

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Make mine rare

≪ Previous: Google in talks with Tencent and Inspur

$

0

0

Agronomic producers to take note The management of the Agronomy Producers Association (APA) last week met in Windhoek to discuss matters of interest.

Business on the agenda was, among other things, the intake of maize.

Producers are reminded that maize intake by Namib Mills this year will take place as follows: Producers in the east, which include Hochfeld and Summerdown, and those in the south get preference for maize delivery directly to Windhoek, while maize from the maize triangle is delivered to Otavi.

Producers from the east must notify Namib Mills at least one week before delivery, so that the schedule can be planned.

If there is space in Windhoek, the Grootfontein, Tsumeb and Otavi (GTO) producers can also deliver their maize directly to Windhoek, but the office of the Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU) must be notified in advance.

According to the NAU, for the next two weeks however, GTO producers cannot deliver to Windhoek as there is no space.

The NAU will notify the GTO producers as soon as they can proceed again with delivery to Windhoek.

The pooling system, which means that producers will be paid every two weeks as Namib Mills mills the maize, was also discussed and alternative options will be looked at next year to improve the process of payments.

The price formula for determining the maize prize for floating years was also discussed in depth and further consultations with all role players will take place before finalising it by October this year. Members are requested to contact the respective regional representatives to get background and to give input.

During the meeting, the cultivation of alternative crops, such as sesame seed and chickpeas, was also under discussion and studies are being planned to determine if it is an option for Namibia.



STAFF REPORTER

Make mine rare

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: AfDB loans 20 million euros to Cabo Verde

≪ Previous: Agronomic producers to take note

$

0

0

Make mine rareGlobal beef markets are strong Driven in part by health scares related to pork and poultry, along with increasing disposable income, the world market for beef is doing well. While the Namibian food basket has become more expensive mainly due to the increase in fuel prices, Meatco says it is still in a fairly good space, because its products target people that cannot afford the high-value products.

“In terms of products, Meatco is doing significantly better compared to last year and all indications are that the trend will continue as prices will be stable and moving sideways, and in some markets upwards,” said marketing and sales executive, Cyprianus Khaiseb.

According to Meatco, the major factor driving demand in the global beef market is the rise in disposable income for consumers across the world.

The company says the rise in urbanisation is another major factor impacting the beef market across the world.

“Moreover, beef is high in protein, thus the increase in awareness of high protein consumption is met by beef.”

In addition, food safety issues such as pathogen detection problems and chemical residues in meat products like poultry and pork have increased the demand for beef across the world.

According to Meatco the notable gap between demand and supply of beef due to its limited production because of several environmental and political factors is one of the major factors restraining the demand for the beef market globally.

The increase in beef prices in developed markets due to limited supply from North America is another restraining factor of the beef market.

According to Meatco there is little to no economic crunch in the foreign markets. For now, they still remain stable markets with little inflation in sight.

Asia Pacific is dominating the global beef market due to the increasing consumption of beef in countries such as India, China, and Japan.

China is the world's largest market for beef. Improving lifestyles of the consumers residing in China due to a significant rise in disposable income is the major factor fuelling the growth of the beef market in China.

The Middle East and Africa also account for a major part of the market share for the global beef market. Countries such as Brazil and Argentina are also expected to show strong growth during the forecast period.

In terms of Meatco's export markets like the lucrative Norwegian market, Meatco is on track as it had supplied 66% of the 1 300 tons by the end of June.

The rest of the quota will move as per the production schedule.

According to Meatco the demand for red meat is growing globally with emerging markets (middle class) having more disposable income to consume beef.

“This is a positive trend and statistics that will only help Meatco and other beef manufacturing entities to grow their business,” Khaiseb said.

STAFF REPORTER

AfDB loans 20 million euros to Cabo Verde

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Letshego encourages productive lending

≪ Previous: Make mine rare

$

0

0

AfDB loans 20 million euros to Cabo Verde STAFF REPORTER

The African Development Bank and Cabo Verde have signed a 20 million euro loan agreement to revitalise the economy of the West African coastal island.

The loan, signed 2 August 2018 in Abidjan, is part of a two year programme of up to 40 million euros to be disbursed in two equal instalments in 2018 and 2019. The funds will help the new Cabo Verde Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development (2017-2021), which the bank is supporting through its private sector competitiveness and local economic development programme.

"This programme aims to strengthen the contribution of the private sector and local entities to growth and job creation," said Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, the bank’s director-general for West Africa. "It will help to facilitate business activity and competitiveness, will accelerate local development and will increase the contribution of decentralisation to growth."

"The signing of this agreement is very important for the consolidation of the Cabo Verde economy. The private sector competitiveness and local development programme will help to put our country's growth on a sound footing." Inácio Felino Rosa De Carvalho, Cabo Verde’s Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, said in response.

Carvalho added that the support would lead to an improved quality of life for the people of Cape Verde.

The Cabo Verde government has invested heavily in infrastructure in recent years in a bid to diversify the economy of the island. The challenge now is to empower the private sector to drive further growth, job creation and poverty reduction.

The Bank's active portfolio in Cabo Verde, is worth over 85.4 million euros, disbursed to energy and transport projects as well as water and sanitation, agricultural and governance sectors.

The Republic of Cabo Verde is composed of 10 volcanic islands and eight islets located in the central Atlantic Ocean, some 450 kilometres west of Senegal. It has a land area of 4 033 square kilometres, and 700 000 square kilometres Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ). The population is estimated at 500 000, 55.7% of whom are located on the main Santiago Island.

Letshego encourages productive lending

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Alweendo sticks to his guns on fuel storage

≪ Previous: AfDB loans 20 million euros to Cabo Verde

$

0

0

Letshego encourages productive lendingLaunches “Improving Life” campaign Letshego Namibia articulates on its clear strategic intent of developing solutions that drive sustainable impact in communities. It helps us to understand how customers utilise their loans, which in turn assist us to introduce products that addresses their needs- Nicolaas Esterhuyse, CEO, Letshego Micro Financial Services STAFF REPORTER

The business commits to encouraging responsible financial behavior. The Improving Life campaign which was launched on Friday targets customers who borrow towards financing education, health, property investments as well as to Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME).

Letshego continues to drive the development of solutions that are responsive, solves customer’s needs and reward productive financial behaviour. In testament to this, Letshego launched their third “Improving Life” campaign, a customer engagement and competition rewarding productive loan use by Letshego customers that also drives financial inclusion. Since launching the Improving Life Campaign in 2016, Letshego Namibia have received over 7300 stories from customers across Namibia over the past two years and is encouraging more customers to join.

Through this campaign, customers are invited to share their stories on how they have used Letshego financial solutions to sustainably improve their lives and the lives of people in their communities, through a competition where they stand to win a productive asset. Letshego customers are given the opportunity to win productive assets worth N$100 000 where five winners will be selected by an independent panel of judges. The campaign runs for three months until 31st October 2018.

In order to enter the competition, customers obtain entry forms from any of our access points across the country, provide an account of ways that they used their funds productively and then submit their entries to participate in the competition. Entries are then reviewed and ten finalists are shortlisted by the executive management team, following which, an independent panel of judges select the top 5 winners.

Letshego Micro Financial Services’s chief executive officer Nicolaas Esterhuyse said: “Letshego Namibia embraces a customer centric change culture and understands the importance of solving for the needs of its customers. The Improving Lives campaign does exactly that. It helps us to understand how customers utilise their loans, which in turn assist us to introduce products that addresses their needs.”

The Improving Life Campaign forms part of the Group’s continued commitment to become a leading African inclusive finance group and has been rolled out across the other ten countries and consumer markets where the Letshego Group operates. Through the campaign, Letshego has been able to gain insights that have spurned them to develop more appropriate solutions, whilst also encouraging customers to borrow for productive rather than consumptive purposes. In addition to the Improving Life Campaign, Letshego has invested N$400 000 over the past two years towards financial literacy for its customers through workshops held across the country with their strategic partner, Financial Literacy Initiative (FLI).

Letshego’s philosophy rests on creating financial inclusion through providing simple,appropriate and accessible solutions to its customers, especially to people who have historically been excluded from the formal financial sector. Kali added that they will continue to promote and drive financial inclusion and improve financial literacy for all Namibians. Their 2017 social impact survey for 2016/17 revealed that 79% of Letshego Bank Namibia customers used their loans for productive purposes. Itself, an amazing feat of accomplishment.

Letshego Namibia’s mission is to increase financial inclusion within the Namibian economy by leveraging digital innovation. They provide financially inclusive solutions to over 52 000 borrowers and now offer deposits, savings and payment solutions through their recently launched LetsGo All-in-1 account that will significantly enable customers to access broader financial solutions.

Alweendo sticks to his guns on fuel storage

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Husab workers complain about treatment

≪ Previous: Letshego encourages productive lending

$

0

0

Alweendo sticks to his guns on fuel storage OGONE TLHAGE

Energy minister Tom Alweendo feels that if any entity should manage the strategic fuel storage facility in the port of Walvis Bay, it should be the oil and gas parastatal, the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia.

The N$5.6 billion facility, which is still under construction, is expected to be handed over to the government next year January and should expand current storage capacity from 14 days’ supply to 30 days’.

The facility is 95% complete, according to the minister.

“Given that Namcor is our national oil company, it makes perfect sense that Namcor will be the operator of the facility on behalf of the government.

“The operator will need high-level technical skills to operate the facility and Namcor will need some time to build the requisite skills,” Alweendo told Namibian Sun.

“The project is now 95% completed and if all goes well handover will be in January 2019. Given the complex nature of the project it is not unusual to experience some delays.”

According to him, Namcor would be able to run the facility by recruiting skilled personnel or acquiring a technical partner to assist with the building of technical skills.

Swiss company Vitol had in the past made an unsolicited bid to the government to operate the fuel storage facility.

Vitol is alleged to have offered US$1 per year to rent the facility for ten years. In addition, Vitol also offered to pay the government N$160 million as part of the transaction.

The Namibian newspaper in February reported that Vitol SA had proposed to operate the storage facility for a maximum of ten years, but it was open to a 15-to-20-year deal.

According to the report, the Vitol offer was made in November 2017.

Vitol submitted the proposal to finance minister Calle Schlettwein, who forwarded it to the cabinet for consideration, The Namibian reported.

Vitol would offer only 30 cubic metres (or 30 000 litres) of the total 70 000 cubic metres petroleum storage space to the government for emergency uses.

The rest of the storage space, 69 997 cubic metres, would be used by Vitol. This meant that Vitol would use 99.9% of the facility, which was built to store Namibia's strategic petroleum reserves.

Vitol also promised to supply 19 000 cubic metres of diesel and 12 700 cubic metres of unleaded petrol to Namibian fuel stations, a proposal described by a source as a move that would hand the Swiss company 45% of the Namibian fuel market.

The fuel storage facility will be the largest in the country, and the first to be 100% owned by the government.

Alweendo also briefly touched on a request by Namcor to have 50% of its fuel import mandate restored.

The mandate was revoked in 2010 after Namcor became technically insolvent. The idea to restore the mandate was pushed by then chairperson of Namcor, Johannes !Gawaxab.

Should Namcor succeed in its bid to have the mandate restored, it would be responsible for importing up to 50% of Namibia’s fuel needs.

Alweendo said his ministry had not yet received a formal request from Namcor.

“Namcor has not as yet formally requested the restoration of its import mandate. When they do so the government will look at the measures that Namcor has put in place to avoid the pitfalls experienced the last time when they had the mandate,” he said.

---

Husab workers complain about treatment

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: GlaxoSmithKline appoints new CFO

≪ Previous: Alweendo sticks to his guns on fuel storage

$

0

0

Husab workers complain about treatmentCompany says it values its multi-cultural environment The uranium-mining company has denied claims of unfair and discriminatory practices made by Namibian workers. CATHERINE SASMAN



Swakop Uranium (SU), the Namibian-registered company that owns the Husab Mine in the Erongo Region, has denied claims that its Namibian workforce is being treated differently than their Chinese counterparts.

Some Namibian employees at the company have alleged that the company’s policies and procedures are not applied equally to all employees, claiming that there is “a lot of injustice and inconsistency”.

The Namibian employees, preferring anonymity, claimed that there is no transparency in the company, and that Chinese nationals have their own meetings on the progress at the company while Namibians are left in the dark.

“Double standards exist between Chinese and Namibian employees. Chinese employees are allowed to sleep on duty while it is a serious offence for Namibians to do so,” the sources claimed.

They also claimed there are no Namibian understudies being trained or guided by Chinese expatriates.

“Instead, it is usually the other way round where Namibians have to train the Chinese expatriates,” one charged, saying Chinese employees’ qualifications are often dodgy.

They said the salaries are inconsistent and that their housing allowances are not competitive with other mining companies.

Husab staff in November last year petitioned the management over similar complaints, but the vice-president of human resources at SU, Percy McCullum, shrugged of the claims as hogwash.

He said the company embraces a multi-cultural environment as one of its core values.

“The successful interaction and integration of the various cultures has nurtured a unique culture in which employees from both countries learn from each other in the work environment and socially with great agility to breed a high-performance culture of diligence, discipline and dedication,” McCullum said.

SU is co-owned by majority shareholder China General Nuclear (CGN), the China-Africa Development Fund (CAD Fund) and Epangelo Mining.

STAFF GROWTH

The construction of the mine started in 2012 and when it started with its operations in 2014, it had 30 permanently employed workers.

Over a period of four years the staff complement grew to 1 619 and about 500 contractor employees that are working at the Husab site.

McCullum said the company is the biggest single employer in the mining industry in Namibia and that it is in fact supporting the national agenda of the Namibian government to alleviate poverty and unemployment.

He said roughly half of the employees are from the youth and unemployed categories. Many of the staff, he said, were recruited from other mining houses and other industries. He said the company usually receives hundreds of applications for vacant positions that are advertised.

McCullum contended that the company does have a competitive salary structure and an official grading system.

“The salaries are benchmarked annually against major companies within the various industries. SU remunerates employees based on levels of experience and other factors impacting on the role. Job descriptions are in place for each role, outlining employees’ duties and responsibilities,” he insisted.

He said CGN, as the majority shareholder, does maintain “reasonable control measures” to guarantee the safety of the operations and return on its investment.

CGN has seconded 35 Chinese employees to SU. This constitutes about 1.8% of all SU employees.

McCullum said these employees are fully integrated into the company’s operations, are highly educated and trained in management and operational systems and provide strategic, financial and technical direction alongside the local management.

TRAINING

McCullum said the company had put in place a comprehensive training and development structure to provide training to Namibians, particularly previously disadvantaged Namibians, in technical and non-technical fields.

He said the company had spent over N$231 million over a three-year period to train operators and artisans, and in other capacities.

During this year (2018) 17 graduates that have completed their three-year training, were appointed into substantive roles to build the leadership pipeline, McCullum said.

Women represent 35% of the graduate placements. For 2019 the company intends to offer formalised training programmes to 16 graduates, again with a focus on previously disadvantaged citizens.

Husab has an estimated 20-year lifespan, which McCullum said offers job security and continued economic and social contributions.

GlaxoSmithKline appoints new CFO

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Let us share the land

≪ Previous: Husab workers complain about treatment

$

0

0

GlaxoSmithKline appoints new CFOHSBC's Iain Mackay got the post GlaxoSmithKline has named Iain Mackay from global bank HSBC as its new chief financial officer. He is a strong leader with a track record of driving cost, cash and capital allocation discipline to deliver strategy- Emma Walmsle, CEO of GSK This marks another key appointment by chief executive Emma Walmsley as she reshapes the top team at Britain’s biggest drugmaker.

Mackay, 56, will leave HSBC at the end of the year and join GSK on January 14 2019, when he will become CFO designate, the pharmaceuticals group said on Tuesday.

The phased move allows for a transition period from January and the end of March 2019, during which GSK’s current finance chief, Simon Dingemans, will hand over the ropes before Mackay takes on full responsibility from April 1.

GSK previously announced in May that Dingemans, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker who joined in 2011, would be retiring next year. Since Dingemans will only leave at the end of March 2019, he will continue to be responsible for delivering on 2018 financial results.

Dingemans will not receive any severance payment and Mackay will similarly not get any special payment to mark his arrival, a company spokesman said.

The change provides a further opportunity for Walmsley to stamp her imprint on GSK as she tries to boost sales and improve productivity, especially in the core pharmaceuticals division.

Walmsley, who took over in April 2017, has already appointed a new head of pharmaceuticals in Luke Miels and a new head of drug research in Hal Barron, as well as making Karenann Terrell head of digital operations.

While banking is very different to pharmaceuticals, Walmsley said Mackay would bring valuable experience as the finance head of another complex global organization within a highly regulated industry.

“He is a strong leader with a track record of driving cost, cash and capital allocation discipline to deliver strategy. These capabilities will be vital as we continue to implement our innovation, performance and trust priorities for the benefit of patients and shareholders,” she added.

He also has some experience in healthcare as a trustee of the British Heart Foundation. Before HSBC he was at General Electric, Schlumberger Dowell and Price Waterhouse.

Mackay will be replaced at HSBC by Ewen Stevenson, currently chief financial officer of the Royal Bank of Scotland.

-Nampa/Reuters

Let us share the land

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: More dagga at Keetmans school

≪ Previous: GlaxoSmithKline appoints new CFO

$

0

0

Let us share the land The Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) is to a certain extent implying that the willing-seller, willing-buyer land reform principle has not failed. At the weekend, the union, which largely represents the interests of white commercial farmers, took on government, saying only statistical evidence would determine whether the willing-seller, willing-buyer principle has failed or not. This unfortunate affirmation is laughable at most. To be quite frank, it does not surprise us that some white farmers are finally coming out of their cocoons by openly discussing the land problems of this country. For many years now some of these privileged farmers have been sitting on their fences and ignoring pleas of government and the previously disadvantaged majority to share some of their arable land with them. It goes without saying that some of them exploited the willing-seller, willing-buyer policy, by inflating land prices whenever government was given the first right of refusal to purchase farming units. In fact government must tell us how many offers has it rejected from white farmers. We are similarly finding ourselves confronted by this land conundrum because most privileged farmers capitalised on government's lackadaisical approach to the land question in that they too, just like the political powers that be, failed to get sustainable solutions to this urgent problem. If willing-seller, willing-buyer, was not a spectacular failure, why are the majority still landless? And how many actually felt the need to make amends to this growing reality? The bottom line is that the constitution was written and adopted as the pillar of restorative justice. And that has not taken place. Clearly not! It cannot only protect absolute land, property and business rights of the former oppressor. Where is the restorative justice that was fought for?

More dagga at Keetmans school

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Southern RED to be operational this year

≪ Previous: Let us share the land

$

0

0

More dagga at Keetmans school Police in the //Karas Region on Monday confirmed that a plant, which was removed from the PK de Villiers boys' hostel by the Namibian police last month, was a cannabis plant.

The //Karas crime investigations coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Chrispin Mubebo told Nampa on Monday the confirmation came after laboratory tests.

“We sent the plant to Windhoek for lab tests and the test came back and it is positive, it is a dagga (cannabis) plant,” he said. However, Mubebo said the police cannot arrest anyone as there is no proof as to who was responsible for planting the illicit substance.

“The plant cannot automatically be linked to the school learners as it could have been planted by somebody from outside the hostel,” Mubebo added. He said he spoke to the school principal and told him to report any learners that could be possible suspects. Police investigations into the matter continue.

NAMPA

Southern RED to be operational this year

August 7, 2018, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Northern aquifer probe raises stakes

≪ Previous: More dagga at Keetmans school

$

0

0

Southern RED to be operational this yearConsultations continue The CEO of the Electricity Control Board is positive that a regional electricity distributor for southern Namibia will still see the light this year. Consultations with municipalities in the south, the Electricity Control Board and the ministry of energy seem to indicate that the Southern Regional Electricity Distributor (Sored) may be established before the end of the year.

ECB CEO Foibe Namene told Namibian Sun that consultations were continuing and that the RED was close to reality.

“The Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Electricity Control Board are optimistic that Sored will be established and become operational this year,” said Namene.

According to him, the consultations have led to the establishment of a technical committee and a shareholders' committee to drive the establishment of Sored.

“These committees have been meeting on a monthly basis since 2017 and are expected to continue their meetings to achieve the abovementioned goal,” Namene said.

The establishment of the Southern RED came about as a result of an electricity distribution industry summit in 2014. The exit of the Southern Electrical Company (Selco) gave renewed impetus to the establishment of the regional distributor. Last year, Namene said: “The Southern RED will come into effect this year or early 2018 and this is very important to the EDI reform since the process had been ongoing for a very long time.”

Highlighting the advantages of regional electricity distributors, Namene said that REDs have been effective at refurbishing and replacing aged assets and managed to contain and reduce network losses.

“The REDs' contribution to the supply of electricity throughout Namibia has undoubtedly been a success,” said Namene.

“RED business operations are viable and shareholders receive dividends. For local authorities and regional councils it further means that they can be assured that their electricity functions are performed by a competent entity, with the capacity to provide good quality electricity services at required standards to their consumers.”

OGONE TLHAGE