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Central bank watches land debate

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Central bank watches land debateCentral bank watches land debate OGONE TLHAGE

The Bank of Namibia (BoN) is closely following discussions on land issues in the build-up to the second national land conference in October.

This follows developments in South Africa, where the rand lost value after the ruling African National Congress recently announced that it would amend the constitution to allow expropriation of land without compensation.

The rand, to which the Namibia dollar is pegged, lost 16 cents to the US dollar in response to the announcement by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa.

BoN governor Iipumbu Shiimi said the bank was monitoring the situation and he was positive that Namibian land reform would be conducted within the confines of the law.

“We believe the land issue is important but it must be done within the law. Hopefully this will be done responsibly. We continue to expect that outcome,” he said in response to a question about the central bank’s position.

President Hage Geingob earlier said that the issue of ancestral land rights could be debated at the land conference.

This has given rise to ancestral land claims by one political party and a traditional authority.

The South West African National Union (Swanu) demanded that ancestral land be returned.

“Land that is ours; the land we owned previously before colonialism, is ours, unless one wants to justify that stolen land can be kept,” said Swanu member of parliament Usutuaije Maamberua.

The spokesperson of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority, Uazuva Kaumbi, last month said the government should not buy farms from “German settlers”.

“The government should rather negotiate with the German government for the Germans to relinquish the farms they own as a solidarity gesture, not for us to take the money and buy the farms from the Germans again,” Kaumbi said.

The land conference is scheduled for the first week of October.

Ondonga: Geingob intervenes

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Ondonga: Geingob intervenesOndonga: Geingob intervenesFired leaders summoned to State House The head of state yesterday met with the fired Ondonga leaders, days after former president Sam Nujoma had admonished them over dragging their king to court. ILENI NANDJATO



Tensions within the Ondonga community have reached new heights after President Hage Geingob summoned a group of fired traditional leaders to meet with him at State House yesterday.

The urgent meeting came closely on the heels of Founding President Sam Nujoma’s meeting with King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, whom the dismissed councillors have dragged to court to challenge their dismissal.

Namibian Sun can confirm that some of the senior councillors led by Fillemon Shuumbwa, who is still officially considered as heir apparent to the ailing king Elifas, boarded a plane from Ondangwa for a meeting with the head of state in Windhoek yesterday.

Oniipa mayor Mannetjies Kambonde, who was one of the individuals called by Nujoma to withdraw his support for the dismissed councillors, also formed part of the State House delegation.

Last week, Oshakati High Court Judge Maphios Cheda granted an order compelling Elifas to give oral testimony in the matter in which the councillors are challenging their dismissal.

Cheda ordered that the legal teams set a date within 14 days on which the king would be required to testify.

Nujoma visited Elifas at his Onamungudo palace where he had reportedly expressed disappointment with the fired councillors for dragging the king to court following their firing.

The dismissed leaders, through their lawyer Elize Angula, assisted by George Coleman, made a submission on 30 July that King Elifas must give oral evidence.

The king's lawyer, Elia Shikongo, assisted by Sandra Miller, objected on the grounds that the applicants wanted to test the king's mental capabilities.

The dismissed councillors claimed in court they have not had access to the king, which made them suspicious that the decision to dismiss them had been influenced by others.

“It was clearly presented that the king authored the dismissal letters that were presented to the traditional councillors and he also read and understood the affidavit that was filed at the court, as he signed it.”

Urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga, under whose ministry traditional authorities reside, yesterday could not confirm or deny that the meeting took place.

“I recommend that you call State House since the president has a spokesperson,” he said briefly.

State House spokesperson Alfredo Hengari asked for questions to be sent to him, but failed to respond by the time of going to print.

The fired councillors are backing Shuumbwa as successor to Elifas, but their move has been strongly opposed by the royal family, led by the king's wife, Sesilia Elifas.

The rival faction supporting Shuumbwa has accused the king's wife of making decisions on behalf of the ailing monarch. The group of fired councillors are still gazetted as official leaders of the Ondonga authority.

The government, through the justice ministry, also continues to support them as recognised officials of the Ondonga community court.

The dismissed councillors are former traditional authority chairperson Peter Kauluma, former secretary Joseph Asino, senior headman for the Ondangwa district John Walenga, former Oshikoto governor Vilho Kamanya, Kashona kaMalulu, Tonata Ngulu and Fillemon Nambili.

Although still gazetted, the king has replaced the dismissed councillors with new councillors, including Nujoma’s former bodyguard, Nepando Amupanda.

Junk here to stay

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Junk here to stayJunk here to stayNam retains sub-investment level status Fitch says Namibia’s rating is weighed down by weak medium-term growth prospects and wide budget and external deficits relative to rating peers. There are no quick-fix solutions. – Klaus Schade: Research Associate: EAN Jo-Maré Duddy – Namibia’s creditworthiness is likely to remain junk for the foreseeable future, analysts have said in reaction to Fitch Ratings’ affirming the country’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at BB+.

“The outlook for improved credit ratings is definitely not on the near-term horizon,” commented Dylan van Wyk, senior analyst at Cirrus Capital, on Fitch’s announcement on Monday.

Eloise du Plessis, research head at PSG Namibia, said: “We expect that a positive rating action from either Fitch or Moody’s [where Namibia also has junk status] is unlikely in the coming 12 months and that risks to the sovereign credit rating are skewed to the downside.”

Klaus Schade, research associate at the Economic Association of Namibia (EAN), said there are “no quick-fix solutions and it usually takes countries a couple of years to regain an investment grade”.

Fitch said Namibia’s rating is “weighed down by weak medium-term growth prospects and wide budget and external deficits relative to rating peers”. The international credit rating agency is not convinced that drastic expenditure cuts will alleviate government’s debt problem. “The fiscal consolidation measures set forth by the government will not be sufficient to achieve the official goal of stabilising and eventually reducing public debt/GDP, in Fitch's view.”

This is the most important sentence in Fitch’s latest report, Van Wyk said. “Although Fitch has recognised the efforts made towards fiscal consolidation their report, they certainly feel that more measures should be put in place. Furthermore, Fitch also recognises that fiscal consolidation will be a long and arduous process,” he said.

Budget documents tabled by finance minister Calle Schlettwein in March targets a debt-to-GDP ratio of 46% in 2019/20. Fitch forecasts it will rise to 51% of gross domestic product – up from 43% in 2016/17 and 2017/18.

Growth

Fitch believes the economy will only recover “modestly” this year. Where the agency expected growth of 2%, it now forecast 0.6% in 2018. This is due to a deeper than expected contraction in domestic demand in 2017, renewed delays in the ramping-up of the Husab uranium mega-mine production to full capacity and low rainfall at the start of the current season, Fitch says.

“The economy's susceptibility to external risks and weather hazards is compounded by the lack of fiscal space to cushion exogenous shocks while monetary policy is constrained by the exchange rate peg. Moreover, medium-term growth prospects are constrained by structural bottlenecks, including low education outcomes and a business climate that is somewhat weaker than rating peers,” Fitch continues.

“Against this backdrop, fiscal consolidation is advancing only slowly as the government strives to protect economic growth amid pressures to tackle high inequality and unemployment,” the agency says.

Fitch says short-term refinancing risks are moderate. However, it could intensify from 2020 should the budget deficit remain wide, as substantial amounts of market debt reach maturity.

“Nearly two-thirds of public debt is held domestically by a captive investor base and liquidity has been bolstered by the rise in the regulatory domestic asset requirement for institutional investors from 35% to 45% of total assets. Rollover risks arise from the upsurge in the stock of short-term treasury bills at 12% of GDP in June 2018, double its level five years earlier, reflecting a low market appetite for long-term government notes,” Fitch says.

Consumer hurt more by recession

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Consumer hurt more by recessionConsumer hurt more by recession Jo-Maré Duddy – The impact of the downtrodden economy on the consumer last year was worse than anticipated with the final official figures showing that wholesale and retail trade grew by -7.5% in 2017.

Preliminary data released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) earlier this year penned in growth of -7.1%.

Of the latest figures released in the National Accounts yesterday, those of wholesale and retail were adjusted downward the most significantly.

Overall, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by nearly -0.95% last year, down from the NSA’s preliminary figure of -0.8%.

Overall, the primary sector expanded by 10.6%, slightly lower than the 10.7% thought earlier. The secondary sector maintained its growth figure of -6.7%, while that of the tertiary sector was lowered from -1.1% to -1.4%.

At constant 2010 prices, adjusted for inflation, about N$108.3 billion flowed through the economy last year, nearly N$1.04 billion less than in 2016.

Overall economic growth in 2016 was about 0.6%. In 2014 and 2015, growth was 6.4% and 6.1% respectively.

Petrol, diesel hikes fuel inflation

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Petrol, diesel hikes fuel inflationPetrol, diesel hikes fuel inflation Annual transport inflation which rose from 7.2% in June to 8.9% last month, drove overall inflation up from 4% to 4.5% - the highest since the beginning of the year. Operation of personal transport equipment, the subcategory of transport dealing with the fuel price, accelerated from 8.9% to 11.8%. Overall food price inflation slowed from 4% to 3.2%. Photo Nampa/AFP

Queen of Soul dies

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Queen of Soul diesQueen of Soul dies Aretha Franklin, whose gospel-rooted singing and bluesy yet expansive delivery earned her the title ‘Queen of Soul’, has died. She was 76.
Franklin died at 09:50 at her home today in Detroit, surrounded by family and friends, according to a statement on behalf of Franklin's family from her long-time publicist Gwendolyn Quinn.
The "official cause of death was due to advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin's oncologist, Dr Philip Phillips of the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit", the statement said.
Her death comes three days after a source close to Franklin told CNN's Don Lemon that the singer was in hospice care.
"In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds," Franklin's family said.
"We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time."
Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.
CNN

Third woman killed in the north

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Third woman killed in the northThird woman killed in the north The Oshikoto police yesterday arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly murdering his girlfriend.
The suspect allegedly hacked Albertina Shipale Sackaria to death with a panga at Okatope village near Onyaanya on Wednesday.
It was the third such murder in the north within a month.
According to the Oshikoto police spokesperson, Inspector Ellen Nehale, Sackaria suffered injuries to her head, arms and legs.
"Sackaria died instantly. The suspect and the victim were in a romantic relationship, but were not living together," said Nehale.
"It is alleged the suspect went to Sackaria’s homestead and the two were involved in a heated argument. They went outside the house and this is where the incident is said to have happened."
Nehale said Sackaria’s body was found in nearby bushes.
She said the suspect was arrested early yesterday morning at his home at Ontunda village.
Last month another woman was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend at Ohangwena and another was murdered in the Omusati Region.
ILENI NANDJATO

On the brink

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On the brinkOn the brinkNamibia must tame fast-paced Kenya to qualify for Japan 2019 A nation will hold its breath tomorrow afternoon, when Namibia clashes with Kenya for a place at the 2019 Japan Rugby World Cup. The Africa Gold Cup final between Namibia and Kenya, which doubles as a Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup qualification match, promises to be a mouth-watering affair.

Namibia is unbeaten so far in the cup competition and the team is hoping to qualify directly for Japan at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek tomorrow, instead of having to battle it out in a repechage tournament in France.

Head coach Phil Davies said his team is looking forward to a big challenge against Kenya.

“The mood in the Namibian camp is excellent. We have great respect for Kenya and we are all very much looking forward to a big challenge on Saturday,” he said.

Asked about the speed the Kenyan team possess, Davies said quick players are always a threat in any team.

“We have good speed in our team as well, and it's not about watching specific players; it's all about Namibia playing as a strong collective unit and matching a very talented Kenyan side.”

According to Davies, Namibia will not make many changes from its previous team that beat Zimbabwe, adding their match fitness is very good.

The Welshman added the weather conditions on Saturday will be perfect for both teams.

“The pitch will be nice and dry and will favour running rugby. It will be a fantastic occasion, one that African rugby will be proud of, I'm sure.”

Davies said the players have prepared well and are looking forward to the challenge.

He appealed for a big crowd on Saturday to back the team.

Kenya coach Ian Snook said past performances in Namibia will not dampen their team spirit.

He said Kenya would love to claim automatic qualification, but the team will have a second chance during the repechage competition in Marseille in November, if they lose tomorrow.

This competition will also feature Germany, Hong Kong and Canada, with the winner sealing the final spot at next year's World Cup.

“Our hopes and aspirations are that we play really well and piece together 80 minutes of what has only been seen for 40 or so minutes in the other games. It has been difficult with no warm-up games and going in cold for one-off test matches,” Snook said.

Rugby fan Steven Paul said he will swamp the stadium with a group friends to support the home side.

“This is a big match for us. I will don my Namibian rugby T-shirt and support the team, as I have always done. I urge every loyal ruby supporter to do the same. Let's show the world that we are behind our team all the way,” Paul said.

Other Africa Gold Cup matches tomorrow see Uganda take on Zimbabwe and Tunisia face Morocco.

The Namibia vs Kenya match will kick off at 16:00. Tickets are available at www.webtickets.com.na or at Pick n Pay stores.



The Namibian squad is as follows:

Casper Viviers, Louis van der Westhuizen, Johannes Coetzee, Mahepisa Tjeriko, Tjiuee Uanivi, Wian Conradie, Janco Venter, Pieter-Jan van Lill (vice-captain), Eugene Jantjies, Cliven Loubser, JC Greyling, Darryl de la Harpe, Johan Deysel, (captain), Johann Tromp, Chrysander Botha, Obert Nortjé, AJ de Klerk, Nelius Theron, Max Katjijeko, Adriaan Booysen, Damien Stevens, PW Steenkamp and Justin Newman.



The Kenya squad is as follows:

Dalmas Chituyi, William Ambaka, Peter Kilonzo, Darwin Mukidza, Jacob Ojee, Isaac Adimo, Samson Onsomu, Davis Chenge (captain), Elkeans Musonye, Martin Owilah, Oliver Mang'eni, Andrew Chogo, Joseph Odero, Colman Were, Patrick Ouko, Peter Karia, Moses Amusala, Curtis Lilako, Malcom Onsando, George Nyambua, Mohammed Omollo, Felix Ayange and Tony Onyango. -Additional reporting by Xinhua

Thakur to plough back into juniors

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Thakur to plough back into juniorsThakur to plough back into juniors Outgoing national team cricket coach Tee Thakur will take on a new role as the manager and coaching coordinator of the country's junior age groups and development programmes.

This was announced on Tuesday by Cricket Namibia (CN).

Thakur has been national coach since 2015 and was responsible for preparing the players for all formats, including International Cricket Council (ICC) qualification events.

The soft-spoken coach said CN saw it fit for him to coach young players, as it believes the value he brings would be suitable for junior players.

He said he plans to improve quality and depth and bring young players quicker into the national set-up.

He will also work with coaches to improve and identify players who can be pushed to greater heights.

Thakur added he wants to spread the game to rural areas where it is not played. “CN has limited funds but we have reached Outjo, the coastal towns as well as Otjiwarongo and want to strengthen the sport there before we again move to other places,” he said.

Thakur was responsible for the high-performance set-up as well as strategic and operational planning at CN, which included assisting with the development of comprehensive plans and supporting programmes.

This was in line with meeting CN's short, medium and long-term development objectives at all levels.

CN said in a statement Thakur had invigorated the spirit of cricket and helped bring more pride to its activities.

“As the outgoing national coach Thakur is leaving huge shoes to be filled. CN would like to express respect and appreciation to Thakur for his efforts, commitment and achievements over the past years.”

More headaches for Mannetti

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More headaches for MannettiMore headaches for MannettiNekundi in doubt for Zambia clash The Brave Warriors are losing the race against time to get two of their key players fit and ready for their next big match. Striker Panduleni 'Kaka' Nekundi is likely to miss the Brave Warriors clash against Zambia, due to an abdominal muscle injury.

The Brave Warriors will host Zambia on 8 September in a crucial 2019 Confederation of African Football (CAF) African Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier at the Sam Nujoma Stadium.

The 2017/18 Namibia Premier League (NPL) season top goal scorer is struggling to recover from his injury.

“Yes, Nekundi is a huge doubt for the game against Zambia because he has not recovered from the muscle injury for a while now. He has been carrying this problem since the Cosafa tournament and it is proving hard for him to shake it off,” Mannetti said.

“We are just going to work with what we have at the moment and hope we can do better against Zambia.”

Nekundi has been clinical in front of goal after bagging 15 goals during the 2017/18 premier league season for his club African Stars.

He joins another attacking player, Peter Shalulile, on the injury list.

Shalulile has been nursing an ankle injury and is also a doubt for the match against Zambia.

After the Zambia match, Namibia will play Mozambique on 10 and 13 October and finish off the year with a date at home against Guinea-Bissau on 16 November.

Namibia last participated in the Afcon tourney in 2008, when it was hosted in Ghana.

Geingob iidhopo moshikumungu shelelo lyaNdonga

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Geingob iidhopo moshikumungu shelelo lyaNdongaGeingob iidhopo moshikumungu shelelo lyaNdongaOmukwaniilwa Elifas a pulwa a ka gandje uumbangi we mompangulilo Omuleli gwoshilongo mEtitatu okwa tsakanene nookansela mboka ya tidhwa melelo lyaNdonga kOmukwaniilwa gwoshilongo shoka konima owala yomasiku omashona sho ya ulikwa omunwe komukokoli presidende Sam Nujoma, omolwa okufala omukwaniilwa gwawo kompangu. Omakuyunguto ngoka ga kala melelo lyaNdonga uule wethimbo ngashiingeyi oga yi ishewe pamuthika gulwe, sho omupresidende Hage Geingob a ithana ongundu yaaleli mboka ya li ya tidhwa melelo ndyoka kegumbo lyepangelo.

Omutumba ngoka gwomeendelelo gwa ningwa komuleli gwoshilongo nongundu ndjoka, ogwa ningwa konima owala yomasiku sho omukokoli presdende a ningi omutumba nomukwaaniilwa Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, ngoka a tidha miilonga aaleli mboka na oye mu fala kompangu taya pataneke ekutho lyawo miilonga.



Namibian Sun, okwa kolele kutya ookansela yamwe po taya kwatelwa komeho kuFillemon Shuumbwa, ngoka e li natango a talika ko onga omulanduli gwomukwaniilwa Elifas, oya yi nodhila okuza mOndangwa okuya kOvenduka hoka ya ka ninga omutumba gwomeendelelo nomupresidende.

Omayola gwaNiipa, Mannetjies Kambonde, ngoka e li gumwe gwomwaamboka ya ithanwa kuNujoma opo a hulithepo eyambidhidho lye lyookansela mboka yakuthwa miilonga, naye okuli oshitopolwa shaamboka yaka ningwa omutumba naGeingob.

Oshiwike sha piti, Omupanguli mOmpangu yoPombanda , Maphios Cheda okwa gandja etokolo opo omukwaniilwa Elifas a ye kompangu nokukagandja uumbangi oshowo ehokololo lye kombinga yekutho miilonga lyookansela mboka, taya pataneke etoolo lye okuya kutha miilonga.

Cheda okwa gandja etokolo opo ongundu yaakalelepo yopaveta ya tothemo esiku muule womasiku 14 opo omukwaniilwa a kavule okugandja ehokololo lye mompangu.

Nujoma okwa lopotwa a talelepo Elifas mOmbala ye mOnamungudo moka kwa lopotwa a holola okuuva nayi kwe omolwa ookansela mboka taya fala omukwaniilwa gwawo kompangu.

Aaleli mboka ya kuthwa miilonga, mekalelepo lyahahende gwawo Elize Angula, ngoka ta yambidhidhwa kuGeorge Coleman, okwa pula ompangu momasiku 30 gaJuli opo omukwanilwa Elifas a gandje uumbangi we yemwene, pakupopya.

Omukalelipo gwopaveta gwomukwaniilwa, Elia Shikongo, ta yambidhidhwa kuSandra Miller, okwa pataneke eindilo ndyoka, nomatompelo kutya nakuninga eindilo okwa hala okututsa onkalo yuukwatya yomukwaniilwa yopamadhiladhilo.

Oonakutidhwa oya popi mompangu kutya konima nkene ya yidhwa inaya vula okumona omukwaniilwa naashoka oshe etele omakoneneno kutya etokolo lyoku ya tidhwa olya hwahwameka kaantu yalwe ihe kakushi komukwaniilwa.

Ominista yomayambulepo goondoolopa niitopolwa, Peya Mushelenga, ina vula okukoleka nenge okutinda ngele omutumba ngoka ogwa ningwa shili.

“Otandi mu lombwele mu dhengele egumbo lyepangelo, molwaashoka omuleli oku na omupopiliko.”

Omupopiliko gwegumbo lyepangelo, Alfredo Hengari okwa pula opo a tuminwe omapulo, ihe okwa ndopa oku yamukula komapulo ngoka omanga onkundana ndjika inayi nyanyangithwa.

Ookansela mboka ya tidhwa, otaya yambidhidha Shuumbwa onga omulanduli gwaElifas, ihe shoka itashi popilwa kofamili yomukwaniilwa, ndjoka tayi kwatelwa komeho komunyekadhi, Sesilia Elifas.

Ongundu ndjoka otayi lundile omunyekadhi kutya oye ta ningi omatokolo pehala lyomukwaniilwa.

Aaleli mboka natango papangelo oyo ye li aaleli yelelo lyoshilongo shoka nepangelo okupitila miiministeli wuuyuuki, mboka otawu yambidhidha aaleli mboka onga aanambelewa yoompangu yopamudhigululwakalo mOndonga.

Oonakutidhwa oyo Peter Kauluma, Joseph Asino, John Walenga, Vilho Kamanya, Kashona kaMalulu, Tonata Ngulu oshowo Fillemon Nambili.

Oya pingenwa po kelelo epe ndyoka lya ulikwa komukwaniilwa mwakwatelwa omugameni gwopaumwene gwomukokoli presidende nale, Nepando Amupanda.

ILENI NANDJATO

Louis Botha police probe completed

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Louis Botha police probe completedLouis Botha police probe completed An investigation into whether there was any negligence on the part of the police in the death of a young woman shot by a Special Reserve Force member at Louis Botha Supermarket in Windhoek has been completed.

Police spokesperson Edwin Kanguatjivi said the report would be handed over to police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga next week.

Alina Kakehongo (24) was shot by her ex-boyfriend, Samuel Shali Nghihepa (28), on 24 July. He then killed himself.

Ndeitunga ordered an investigation into whether there had been any negligence on the part of the police.

Senior police officers were tasked to investigate the matter after Ndeitunga had called in the regional commander, station commanders and all other members of the force that were involved with the matter at the Otjomuise and Windhoek police stations.

It is believed that Kakehongo had ended her relationship with Nghihepa, who was a sergeant in the Namibian Police's Special Reserve Force. Nghihepa was angry when Kakehongo refused to resume the relationship.

The police had apparently advised Kakehongo several times to press charges against Nghihepa but she was hesitant because she felt she was in danger.

A day after Kakehongo eventually opened a case against Nghihepa, she was shot at the shop where she worked as a manager.

Aunt ordered to testify

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Aunt ordered to testifyAunt ordered to testifyWitness sent someone to appear for her The High Court has ordered the aunt of the minor child in Norah Appolus' care to testify in the custody battle. The Windhoek High Court has ordered a woman who claims to be the biological aunt of a nine-year-old girl who was removed abruptly from her foster mother, veteran journalist Norah Appolus, to give oral testimony.

Judge Thomas Masuku made the order after Veriwanga Wamana Kasume, in whose care the child ministry wants to place the girl, sent family members to appear in court on her behalf. “No one can stand in for her. She must come to court herself and state her case,” Masuku ordered on Wednesday, before postponing the matter to 14 November. Appolus is suing the state for allegedly handing over the child to a “complete stranger”, while the ministry says she is the biological aunt. She asserts she has been the primary caretaker of the child since 2012, when she was three-year-old. The respondents in the matter are the child welfare ministry, director of child welfare Helena Andjamba, Kasume and Assad Kempanje, a social worker. Meanwhile, the ministry and Andjamba have also instituted legal proceedings for an order directing Appolus to comply with the revised transitional process. Appolus alleges the state forcefully removed her foster child, Lahassain Saeed Khalfan, also known as Zee, and placed her in Kasume's care. She further alleges this was done without proper procedures being followed and not in the best interests of the child. According to her there is no proof that Kasume is Zee's blood relative. It was revealed during previous court proceedings that the biological mother is facing drug charges.

The child was formally placed in Appolus' foster care by the commissioner of child welfare in on 23 June 2015, by way of a court order. Appolus is asking the court for an order that will see Zee returned to her, after she was forcefully removed from Pionierspark Primary School on 6 June. As a result, she brought an ex parte application, which is an application in which the other parties are not notified in advance, because of the extreme urgency.

“I believe that if this application is brought in the normal course, the respondents, especially, Verivanga Wamona Kasume, may well remove Zee from the jurisdiction of this court to avoid her being returned to me,” Appolus argued. Kasume allegedly has Tanzanian roots and is a frequent traveller.

She also has contacts in Angola and did business there for a number of years. According to Appolus, Kempanje also has Tanzanian connections and it is therefore essential that the interim order be granted on an ex parte basis

Louise Jacqueline Uiras, a chief social worker at the child ministry, confirmed the order for Zee's transfer was issued on 31 July last year.

According to her the applicant has known about the order since August last year and has failed to observe the trite principle of full and frank disclosure of all facts. Uiras said Appolus, after 11 months, is unduly and unjustifiably seeking a declaration, without resorting to an appeal or review process in respect of the order. Uiras alleges that Appolus approached the child welfare office in June 2013, seeking to adopt the child who was left behind by a certain Rose Sali Mwangi, a Kenyan national who subsequently fled Namibia. Upon investigation, the child's aunt was tracked down. Uiras said Kasume had given them a full birth certificate and a copy of the passport of the child's mother, Mariam Mohamedi Saidi. According to Uiras, they arranged a meeting with Appolus and Kasume, which was unfruitful due to the heated arguments that ensued. She said during another meeting it was agreed the child would visit Kasume every second weekend. However, this was cancelled after Kasume did not return the child to Appolus on the agreed date.

Empowering women one hairstyle a time

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Empowering women one hairstyle a timeEmpowering women one hairstyle a timeStylists call for women for advanced styling training Tjil speaks to hairstylist who has ambitions of changing the hair game. Self-taught hairstylist Anna-Liisa Hamunyela and owner of popular hair brand Hazel Creations, will be having a skills transfer training series. The stylist says she noticed that the industry is saturated with people who are doing the same thing and no one is focusing on skills development or products that can be exported. The free programme is for Namibian women between the ages of 18 to 60 who already have the basic knowledge of braiding, and they must be unemployed.

“I want to train women to do hair properly, including braids and wigs that can be exported at the end of the day. Underprivileged rural woman are the primary target for the project because most of them don't have the opportunity to attend advanced skills hair courses,” she says.

The objective of the project is to provide local women with a means to earn an income and develop their skills and put them in a position to produce and manufacture high-end hair products that meet international standards for export. Hamunyela says she is aware of a lot of women who currently charge as low as N$70 for hairstyles that take a lot of time and they accept the money as they have to make ends meet.

Hamunyela recalls starting to braid hair from a tender age. After failing to get a job after graduating at Unam, she started braiding to make ends meet whilst job hunting. She kept herself updated with the lasted hair treads by watching YouTube videos until her clientele grew. She eventually got a job but she left it to be in the hair business full-time. The passionate stylist decided to grow her brand outside Namibia and made a name for herself in South Africa and parts of Europe. One of her international clients includes personality Khanyi Mbau.

“As a student, I used to go to a place in the informal settlement that doesn't even have a street name because there was a lady that did quality work so well and she charged N$80. I felt guilty for giving her so little but I couldn't do much as I had nothing more to pay her. When my brand and production grew I went back for her, advanced her skills by training her and today she works for me and earns way much more then what she was. I want to do that for so many other women in Namibia,” she said.

Hamunyela will be personally going to all the women in the different towns to teach them. So far; she has received over 100 applications from women all over Namibia and she urges more to apply. The end goal is to create an industry that can compete against goods produced by industry leaders such as China, Africa and the rest of the world.

Interested candidates should email a copy of their ID and contact number to info@hazel.com.na or to whatsapp |

+26481 390 3404.

Aretha Franklin in palliative care

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Aretha Franklin in palliative careAretha Franklin in palliative care Aretha Franklin, who is in declining health and reportedly receiving palliative care at home in Detroit “surrounded by family members”, is one of most acclaimed musicians of the 20th century, belting out hits like 'Respect' and '(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman'.

People reported this week that Franklin was in the midst of a health crisis, with a friend of the artist explaining that the singer has “been ill for a long time” and her loved ones have been warned her “death is imminent”.

Later in the day, Franklin's nephew Tim told People that his aunt was surrounded by her loved ones and resting at home. “She's alert, laughing, teasing, able to recognise people,” Tim said. “Family is there with her. She's home.” Notes from Franklin's celebrity admirers and collaborators have poured in since news of her failing health became public earlier this week. “There is a bright flame about to go out, only God knows when. Say a prayer and let her go – deep breath,” Diana Ross tweeted, while Patti LaBelle added, “My thoughts, my heart and my prayers are with Aretha Franklin, the greatest singer of all time, and all of her loved ones right now.”

American comedian heads to Africa

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American comedian heads to AfricaAmerican comedian heads to AfricaChris Tucker calls South Africa his second home and praises Trevor Noah Channel 24 spoke to Rush Hour's Detective James Carter, Chris Tucker,­ ahead of his South African stand-up comedy tour later this year. The award-winning actor and comedian will be performing in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town in November. Tucker, who has been to South Africa several times, calls the country his second home. He excitingly recalls visiting the country on promotional movie tours, Thabo Mbeki's inauguration and the opening on Oprah Winfrey's school.

“South Africa will always remain one of my favourite places,” he says, adding that he hopes to squeeze in a safari and a visit to Nelson Mandela's home when he returns in November.

The comedian first rose to fame as the loud-mouth sidekick in the 1995 comedy cult-classic 'Friday', before landing his breakout role in the cop franchise 'Rush Hour', alongside Jackie Chan. When asked if he ever gets tired of people asking him about Smokey on 'Friday', he says “No. I don't. I'm glad people still love it. I really had no idea that it would blow up the way it did. It took on a life of its own. I'm so glad that people still watch it.”The funny man kept a low profile between gigs, before making his comeback to comedy in 2011. Speaking about his re-entry into the comedy scene the 46-year-old says “I still had so much to talk about. A lot of things happened in my life before I was known, and before the movies.”

“All those stories I still have to tell, and how my life is now, people who I've met in my life, Michael Jackson, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton. So many others,” he adds. Even though he thinks he is the funniest person he knows, he admires Dave Chapelle and South Africa's very own, Trevor Noah.

“He is very smart and delivers clever comedy,” he says when taking about The Daily Show host.

About his upcoming tour to South Africa he says that audiences can look forward to “stories they haven't heard before,” which includes “Personal stories about relationships I've cultivated over the years. I can't wait to get there. I have so much love for South Africa. It will be my first time performing there and I'm looking forward it,” he concluded.

It's Issa Rae

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It's Issa RaeIt's Issa Rae Issa Rae is back and better than ever with 'Insecure'. Oh, and she's heading to South Africa.

'Insecure' is back for a third season on 1Magic and streaming online on DStv Now. Show creator and star Issa Rae has gifted us with more of her witty genius and we're not complaining! Missed out on 'Insecure'? It's all good, Showmax has seasons one and two for you to binge-watch right now.

Did you know that Miss Rae herself is heading to South Africa? Yes! She'll be headlining an empowerment experience like no other presented by In Good Company and DStv. In honour of 'Insecure's return and Issa Rae visiting South Africa, it's the perfect time to get to know her a little better. Here are some facts you may not know about her.

A throwback to before 'Insecure', Issa worked with Shonda Rhimes work shopping a show that was somewhat similar to 'Insecure' but a little different - a 20-something girl who worked at a non-profit during the day, but at night worked as a rapper. Sadly because of the differences behind the scenes on various aspects, the project never saw the light of day. Issa isn't her real name - but we do love the cool-factor it has. Her full name is Jo-Issa “Issa” Rae Diop. Joyce and Isseu are the names of her grandmothers and are the inspiration behind her name. Rae is the name of her aunt. Talk about representing the women in your family. She has some deep roots to Africa in her family - her father is a paediatric doctor from Senegal. In 2012, Issa made the Forbes under 30 list in the entertainment section. In an interview she once said that her dream job would be in music and touring the world... we'll be keeping an ear out for Issa in the future. DStv together with In Good Company presents an empowerment experience like no other, headlined by world-renowned writer and producer, and actress of the hit international series 'Insecure' on 1Magic, Issa Rae. You could win tickets to listen to influential speakers like Thandiswa Mazwai, Xoliswa Daku and many more as they discuss the many hats they wear plus Building the Africa of Tomorrow. Follow the link below on how to win yourself a ticket, www.dstv.com .

Hustle like Paul Da Prince

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Hustle like Paul Da PrinceHustle like Paul Da PrinceHow to make ends meet Paul Da Prince chats to tjil on how to be a go-getter. Paul Da Prince is one the very busy personalities in Namibia. He sings, presents on both TV and radio, does voiceovers, event hosting and so much more. In times when jobs are hard to get and money does not stick around, Paul Da Prince says one should not shy away from getting extra jobs to help ends meet. He also says it is important to appreciate what one has as a source of income as the next person may not have anything.

“Don't always think it's too much on yourself. Take every job as an opportunity and be thankful that you can do it,” he told tjil.

The forever busy artist who is also a club DJ and a Unam media graduate advises students not to wait until graduation day to start looking for jobs. He says interning while studying helps elevate one's chances and this also allows one to build a brand for themselves. Acquiring skills is important as an investment according to Paul Da Prince and it's never too soon to start.

One of the readily available resources where the 'Don't Tell Nobody' singer used to enhance his skills is the internet. Paul Da Prince says a lot of people have access to it but use it for the wrong reasons. He urges people to start watching tutorials of things they that interest them to become better in the job. The event host also says that hobbies can earn one an income and that they should not be overlooked.

“Invest in something. You can't say you love music if you don't buy a microphone when you have the funds, you know. Kalux never had a studio when he started but he started by buying a speaker and today he has a home studio. Jaleel too… he would call people for beats but they didn't want to until he learned how to make beats himself,” says Paul Da Prince.

Paul Da Prince is currently nominated in the Simply You Lifestyle and Fashion Awards in the category Favourite TV Personality. Vote for him by sending FTVP-Paul to 5001.

Suzy Eises to pay tribute to Hugh Masekela

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Suzy Eises to pay tribute to Hugh MasekelaSuzy Eises to pay tribute to Hugh Masekela Join Suzy next weekend for a musical feast as she honours the African jazz legend in the heart of Namibia.

Namibian audiences will have an opportunity to pay homage to African jazz legend and human rights activist Hugh Masekela, when award-winning artist Suzy Eises hosts a tribute show in his honour at the National Theatre of Namibia (NTN) on 25 August. The event will celebrate the life and music of the iconic pioneer of jazz before, during and after exile.

The musical journey will see the likes of Suzy Eises and her band being joined by seasoned international artists Dan Shout on the saxophone and Vaughn Fransch on trumpet. Asked what encouraged her to pay tribute to Masekela, Eises noted she loved his unique way of telling stories.

“I had the distinguished honour to share a stage with Masekela and I always looked up to him as a young aspiring musician. Bra Hugh (as he was so affectionately known) had a unique way of telling stories through his music and I believe that it is only befitting that as Namibians and fellow Africans we ought to celebrate and honour a life well lived,” added Eises.

The NTN stage is set for a spectacular tribute which will be a one night only soiree for the jazz enthusiasts where the audience will be taken on a two musical journey with surprise accompanying local acts. Proceeds raised will go towards music education and to benefit underprivileged youth from the Physically Active Youth programme in Katutura. Tickets are available at Computicket for N$250 and N$300 at the door.

Oh look, it's Wine o'Clock

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Oh look, it's Wine o'ClockOh look, it's Wine o'Clock Television presenter and founder of Khaitago Lorraine Kondombolo will be joining the world on the movement to celebrate women with the empowerment platform Wine o'Clock.

Wine o'Clock is a no-holds-barred conversational platform where both women and men alike get together to engage and share their experiences in life in an unfiltered, authentic manner. The platform serves to address modern taboos with the old-age ritual of unwinding with peers.

Wine o'Clock was established to leave attendees with an insatiable thirst for inner peace. This is ensured by the meticulous selection of topics which resonate with Namibian men and women, yet transcend borders. Founder of Khaitago looks forward to their third edition and shared her past two events. The first two sessions featured the themes Body Unconscious and Lights On which allowed participants to uncover the unspoken.

“The Khaitago family has successfully held two Wine o'Clock sessions within this year which have proven to be very enlightening, informative and insightful and the demand for our platform is growing rapidly,” she said.

In relation to this month's theme of celebrating women, she expressed her thoughts on the topic around the dialogue to this month's theme for Wine o'Clock which is #IAMHER, which is about recognising the afflictions we ourselves as women, and the pain others have caused us as a result of words spoken upon them.

“Very often we are a mirror reflection of the certain things we love or spurn in another human being. Sometimes we just do not want to recognise those particular things in ourselves, so we find it easy to divert our energy into identifying it in others and making their flaws known to them in the most horrendous ways,” she said.

The event will take place at the Lighthouse Lifestyle Wellness Centre tomorrow from 18:00. Tickets are N$200.
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