Namibia flexes uranium muscles

September 19, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Namibia flexes uranium musclesRemains a global heavyweight According to the World Nuclear Association, Namibia was the world’s fourth biggest uranium producer last year. Jo-Maré Duddy – Namibia last year contributed about 7.1% to the total global production of uranium, up from near 5.9% in 2016.

The latest figures published on the website of the World Nuclear Association (WNA) show Namibia produced 4 224 tonnes of uranium in 2017, up 570 tonnes or nearly 15.6% from the previous year.

As such the country, as in 2016, was the fourth biggest uranium producer in the world.

Only two countries in the list of the top 10 producers last year delivered more uranium than in 2016: Namibia and China. China’s production rose by nearly 16.7% to 1 885 tonnes.

The WNA stats date back to 2008. According to this, Namibia held the spot as the world fourth biggest producer from 2008 to 2010. From 2011 to 2014, it was the fifth biggest, before sinking to the sixth spot in 2015.

Namibia’s production last year was the highest since 2013, when 4 323 tonnes were delivered. 2013 was the last year Trekkopje contributed to production.

Mines

Rössing Uranium delivered the bulk of local uranium production in 2017, according to the WNA. The mine delivered 1 790 tonnes of uranium, up 221 tonnes or about 14% compared to 2016. Rössing’s production in 2017 was the highest since 2013 when the mine deliver 2 043 tonnes.

Langer Heinrich’s production in 2017 was 1 308 tonnes, according to the WNA. This is 585 tonnes or nearly 31% less than the previous year and the mine’s lowest production since 2009. Low uranium prices forced Paladin Energy, who owns 75% of Langer Heinrich, to review and cut it production plan in November 2016. In April this year, Paladin decided to halt production at the mine and put it on care and maintenance.

Although the WNA doesn’t state production at Husab, its figures imply that Namibia’s new mine produced about 1 134 tonnes of uranium in 2017.

The WNA’s production figures differ from those contained in the 2017 Annual Review of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia. According to the Chamber, Rössing produced 2 110 tonnes in 2017, while Langer Heinrich delivered 1 526 tonnes and Husab 1 345 tonnes. That brings total production to 4 981 tonnes, which still places Namibia as the world’s fourth biggest uranium producer in 2017.

On the WNA’s website, updated in May this year, it states that Namibia has “two significant uranium mines capable of providing 10% of world mining output”. The impact of Langer Heinrich’s care and maintenance wasn’t taking into consideration with this statement. However, the WNA adds that a “larger mine [Husab] is coming into production”.

Economic impact

The 2017 Annual Accounts by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) show that, at current prices, uranium contributed about N$1.2 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) last year. As such, it contributed 0.7% to the GDP.

At constant 2010 prices, which take inflation into account, uranium mining grew by 23.4% in 2017, up from 13.6% in 2016 and the highest growth since 2008 when it was 30.1%.

At constant 2010 prices, uranium contributed about 1.5% to GDP last year, compared to 1.2% in 2016.

According to the Bank of Namibia’s (BoN) latest Economic Outlook, released in July, uranium mining is expected to grow by only 7.5% in 2018. Growth is forecast to recover to 15.6% next year and increase to 20.1% in 2020.

China

Both China and India are interested in acquiring uranium from Namibia, the WNA says. “Chinese companies have taken major equity positions, notably with Husab, but also Langer Heinrich.”

Chinese Overseas Uranium Holdings Ltd has a stake of 25% in Langer Heinrich, while China General Nuclear Power Holding Company and the China-Africa Development Fund own 90% of Husab.

According to the WNA, Mainland China has over 40 nuclear power reactors in operation, about 20 under construction, and more about to start construction.

The Chinese government's long-term target, as outlined in its Energy Development Strategy Action Plan 2014-2020, is for 58 GWe capacity by 2020, with 30 GWe more under construction, the WNA states.

The WNA says “India is discussing how to open the way to be able to buy Namibian uranium, at present ruled out by Namibia’s non-proliferation commitments”.

Namibia has ratified the 1996 African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty, also known as the Pelindaba Treaty, which came into force in 2009 and precludes export of uranium to India.

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Corporate governance: directors’ daily bread

September 19, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Corporate governance: directors’ daily bread Some people sit on a board and sign resolutions without even reading them. - Trevor Hills, Forensic Leader: PwC NDAMA NAKASHOLE - Companies, including public entities, should do thorough selection whenever they choose directors.

And for those who serve on a board of directors, corporate governance - a set of mechanisms and processes by which corporations are controlled and directed - should become their daily bread.

These were some of the remarks that a Zambian international corporate governance consultant, Patrick Chisanga, made as a keynote speaker at a corporate governance event held in Windhoek yesterday.

Using the Avid and Social Security Commission (SSC) fraud scandal as a case study, the event was organised by PWC Namibia, The Namibian, Nedbank Namibia and the Namibia Institute of Corporate Governance (NICG).

According to Chisanga, directors not only must have a high level of integrity as individuals, but a company needs diversified sets of skills in the board too.

“It is not good to have a board with limited diversity. You need to have all sets of skills including gender-based violence,” he said.

He also said that boards of directors need to be fairly compensated for them put effort into their jobs.

“If you pay peanuts, you get peanuts,” he said, adding that directors need to be properly rewarded so that they can give their best.

On dealing with the media, Chisanga urged directors to have a proper system as to who must speak to the media and when.

“We have seen a board chair who sends out a statement on a very small issue,” he said.

Avid-SSC case

In a panel discussion at the event yesterday, state advocate in the ministry of justice Ingrid Husselmann said even though not all the SSC employees that were involved in the saga were prosecuted in the Avid fraud case, she understands that there was a disciplinary hearing of those employees.

She was responding to the moderator who asked why only Avid and Namangol were managers were prosecuted and not SSC officials.

“When a decision was made by the prosecutor-general, it was made because the money ended up with Avid and Namangol. You cannot prosecute anybody when you do not have witnesses and so on,” she said.

PwC SMA forensic leader Trevor Hills, who also sat on the panel, said he thinks that directors need to keep many factors in mind when they do their work apart from just the fear of being prosecuted.

“I was thinking about the qualifications and skills of those SSC directors,” he said.

“Some people sit on a board and sign resolutions without even reading them.”

As a panellist, Chisanga said there seemed to have been a lack of corporate governance at the SSC in this case. And if there had been corporate governance at the SSC, then it had collapsed, he said.

“I think a lot needs to be done to prepare directors of their roles to prevent these types of issues in future,” he said.

Air Nam needs N$3bn

September 19, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Air Nam needs N$3bnEyes new aircraft, infrastructure and China route The national airline says it wouldn't need bailouts if the government invested in airport infrastructure and plane purchases instead of operational costs. Air Namibia needs between N$2.5 and N$3 billion to become sustainable, as unfavourable aircraft leases and non-lucrative routes take their toll on the national carrier.

Since the airline's inception in 1998 it has received just shy of N$6 billion in government bailouts by 2014.

The net loss during this period was N$5.3 billion.

Air Namibia says this could have been prevented if government funding for the payment of operational leases had rather been spent on buying aircraft.

Of the N$5.9 billion received, a total of N$5.2 billion was spent on operational costs such as leases, and only N$748 million was spent on acquiring aircraft.

In its current strategic plan Air Namibia aims to change this, moving towards aircraft ownership. Even though Air Namibia operates ten aircraft it only owns two and is in the process of acquiring another two.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic and Public Administration yesterday, the airline gave feedback on its challenges, government bailouts and what strategy it has in place to turn this around.

Acting managing director Mandi Samson said the national carrier has been struggling financially. “We have always been the poor child. Our finances are not what they should be.”

Elaborating on the matter, the acting general finance manager, Xavier Masule, said that all African airlines are loss-making and that Air Namibia is working tirelessly to get out of this class.

He said since the incorporation of the company in 1998 it had never held an AGM and the first was held in May this year.

There, audited financial statements for the first 17 years were tabled for adoption and approval by the line minister.

“These will now go to cabinet and parliament, after which they will be made public.”

Masule said financial statements for 2015/16 are to be tabled by the end of this year and for statements for 2017/18 will be completed early next year.

With regard to route profitability for the period from April to July this year, it was only the Ondangwa (16.7%), Durban (3.1%) and Victoria Falls (5.6%) routes that made profit.

There was some improvement from the previous year on the other routes though.

Masule said it is anticipated that by March next year all routes will break even except for Luanda and Frankfurt. These two routes showed losses of -63.2% and -47.1% respectively.





Masule said the Airbus A330 used on the Frankfurt route is responsible for the biggest loss but contributes significantly to tourism. This route is used for Namibian fish exports to Europe.

On each one-way leg of the Windhoek/Frankfurt route Air Namibia makes a loss of N$491 000.

The solution is to remove one aircraft from the route and deploy it on another route that is more viable.

Several possible routes have been identified. These include flying to China via either Luanda or Harare. Another option is a London flight via Accra, Harare, Luanda or Lagos.

Masule added that Air Namibia cannot become financially sustainable because of the funding model it is built on.

“Shareholder investment is weak.”

He pointed out that government subsidies are targeted towards payment of operating expenses such as aircraft rental costs, maintenance and fuel.

“This model has to change. We started with acquiring the ERJ fleet and in 2017 operating leases were converted into ownership. We are left with the two A330s and A319s, which we envisage to also convert.”

This could cost in the range of US$100 million.

Masule said if the government instead provided capital assets such as aircraft acquisition, an aviation training academy, land and hangar construction, cargo warehouse facilities at the Hosea Kutako International Airport, bailouts would not be needed.

He further highlighted the fact that there is inadequate airport infrastructure.

“Eros airport closes at 21:00 and we are restricted to a maximum of three flights per day.”

He said if flight restrictions there were removed and the airport closed at midnight, it would result in lower unit costs, which would enable the airline to introduce lower fares.

Also, Ondangwa's airport, although recently upgraded, cannot handle large aircraft on the taxiway and apron. “We need this given the high demand for seats,” he said.

Air Namibia also wants to build another hangar at Hosea Kutako but there is no land.

Furthermore it was noted that despite a cabinet decision that government and SOEs employees must use Air Namibia for official trips, this is not being done.

“Too much leeway is given to government officials to fly on foreign flights,” Masule said.

He said Air Namibia also wants the government to introduce regulations on new airlines entering the Namibian market.

“We have allowed more and more airlines into the country and the airport cannot handle it. Our airport is at risk of being shut down. Who is killing who? Is it sustainable for the market to have more capacity than it can handle?”

Samson said the airline flies to six domestic and 11 international destinations using a fleet of ten aircraft.



She explained that the number of passengers travelling to and from Namibia stands at 1.4 million; 56% of them from Africa and 28% from Europe. About 10% are domestic passengers, up from 6% in 2015.



“We are pleased with the increase as Namibians were previously not using their own airline,” said Samson.

Air Namibia's contribution to the GDP stands at N$704 million while it supports 4 550 jobs. The productivity boost from the airline during 2015/16 was N$1.4 billion.

Samson said the airline is subject to an independent evaluation every five years to determine its contribution to the economy. The last review was for the 2015/16 financial year.

“All reviews to date show that Air Namibia makes a net positive contribution to the economy.”

This is arrived at by adding the contribution to GDP, taxes and employment created by the airline, less government subsidies paid to the airline.

“The country stands to lose more if Air Namibia is removed from the scene,” said Samson.

Its promotion of Namibia as tourist destination is quantified at N$1 billion per year.

“We understand that the carrier is not in our hands and that we are not the owners, however other countries that allowed their national airlines to die are now trying to revive them.

“Foreign airlines are not interested in selling Namibia. They are just there to make money and they will not promote the country.”

Committee member McHenry Venaani wanted to know how much money Air Namibia still needs.

“You are saying government was wrong that it was leasing instead of acquiring aircraft. Now you must say how much it is that you need. If the strategic plan does not address this, then it is lacking. It is not good enough to say because you fly the flag that you must be maintained,” he said.

“It will be in the region of N$2.5 to N$3 billion for infrastructure and aircraft,” Masule replied.





ELLANIE SMIT

Nghipondoka's Tribesmen hits back at NSFAF

September 19, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Nghipondoka's Tribesmen hits back at NSFAF Tribesman Investment, which together with South African-based New Integrated Credit Solutions (NICS) has been lambasted by the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) for recovering a measly N$6.8 million, while being paid about N$14.7 million as part of a debt recovery deal, has hit back at the fund.

Tribesmen/NCIS had earned a fixed monthly management fee of N$287 500, inclusive of value-added tax (VAT), on top of a 12% commission fee, since 2014.

The expectation was that Tribesmen/NCIS would recover around N$400 million on behalf of NSFAF.

Solomon Nemaire, the managing director of Vaino Nghipondoka's Profile Investment Holdings, the sister company to Tribesmen Investment, said yesterday that to focus on the money collected was “to focus on the periphery”.

Nemaire said Tribesmen/NICS got the debt collection contract in 2014 because NSFAF had realised it did not have the in-house capacity to recover its debts.

He said at the core of the problem was NSFAF's “current default mode of operation”, which he said was first to disburse money “and then later down the line to remember they must also recover it”.





Nemaire claimed NSFAF had no recovery policy, and said nit-picking over the money paid to Tribesmen was a “grandstanding” exercise.

“Recovery will not succeed without a policy, and as much as NSFAF wants to disburse money, they should also want to recover it with the same amount of zeal,” Nemaire said.

NSFAF acting CEO Kennedy Kandume said on Monday the organisation only realised in March this year that Tribesmen/NICS was acting in bad faith. Kandume said this revelation prompted NSFAF to consider remedial options in terms of the agreement, a process that eventually led to the termination of the contract on 14 September.

The clause reportedly breached by Tribesmen/NICS stipulates that the joint-venture partners are not allowed to disclose the terms of the service-level agreement without prior written consent from NSFAF.

On 27 and 28 March Tribesmen disclosed confidential information in newspaper articles, he said.

Kandume said when NSFAF demanded a retraction, Tribesmen “arrogantly tried to brush it off, finding far-fetched justifications for its actions”.

He said NSFAF thereafter asked Tribesmen to consider waiving its monthly management fee of N$287 500.

On the unauthorised disclosures, Nemaire said NSFAF should not hide behind a non-disclosure agreement, adding that the information was in the public domain in any case.

Nemaire said this was why “every other file” of the 50 000 NSFAF recipients did not contain all the requisite information.

He added that he wondered how much NSFAF thought it would cost to reconstruct a database of that size.

“These are efforts not linked to recovery but cost money,” Nemaire. “That is the centre of the matter.”

To the allegation that Tribesmen was refusing to remedy the situation, Nemaire responded: “The valid contract we have now states that Tribesmen will be paid a monthly management fee of N$287 500. To change that entails altering the contract. We stated that we are prepared to renegotiate this contract, provided NSFAF approves the recovery policy that we sent to them and that it failed to approve for an unprecedented period of three years.”

Kandume said on Monday that the contract was in any case never in the best interest of NSFAF, and by extension not in the best interest of the public.

Since the termination of the contract the debt-recovery function has returned to NSFAF, which means the institution could save N$1.8 million annually, he said.

Kandume said before this job was outsourced, NSFAF had done “much better”.

He also made an appeal to the fund's beneficiaries to pay their debts.

Recession clings, agriculture in trouble

September 20, 2018, 1:36 am

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Recession clings, agriculture in trouble Namibia’s economy grew by -0.2% in the second quarter of this year, according to GDP data just released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA).
In the first quarter of 2018, the economy also grew by -0.2%, revised NSA figures show. The NSA’s preliminary figure for the first quarter was -0.1%.
According to NSA, agriculture grew by -1.1% in the past quarter, the first contraction since the fourth quarter of 2016.
Read the full report tomorrow in Market Watch.

Bulls rope in big guns

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Bulls rope in big gunsThree Boks to face Namibia Invitational XV Johan Diergaardt is mentoring the Namibian team that will clash with the visiting Vodacom Blue Bulls Presidents XV tomorrow afternoon at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek. Seasoned mentor Johan Diergaardt is the head coach of the Namibia Invitational XV for their clash against the visiting Vodacom Blue Bulls Presidents XV, which has included three Springboks in their team.

The mouth-watering clash will take place at the Hage Geingob Stadium tomorrow afternoon.

Diergaardt will be ably assisted by JP Nel and Jaco Engels for the friendly, which will test player fitness levels ahead of a tour in November.

He said the focus should now be on what will happen on the pitch, as the players ready themselves for tomorrow.

The Bulls team is taking the match seriously and has roped in three Springbok players - Embrose Papier, Marco van Staden and Trevor Nyakane - with the hope of giving them valuable game time when they face the Namibians.

Nyakane is back following a concussion, while Van Staden and Papier were both on tour with the Springboks in Australia and New Zealand, but didn't get any game time.

Other players who will also feature for the visiting side include a number of fringe and current Vodacom Blue Bulls squad members, who have had limited game time so far in the Currie Cup.

They include Dylan Sage, Franco Naude, Tinus de Beer and Dayan van der Westhuizen.

The likes of Garrick Matteus, Mosolwa Mafuma, Dan Kasende and Victor Sekekete will also be keen to impress coach Pote Human.

“Namibia is slowly but surely busy preparing their squad for next year's Rugby World Cup in Japan, so every match they play will be an important step towards that; so we expect a real tussle in Windhoek,” said Human.

“For us, this will be a great opportunity for some fringe players to show what they can do against quality opponents and will be ideal game time for others who have not played much rugby in recent weeks,” Human added.

The Namibia Invitational XV team is as follows: Jason Benade, Obert Nortjé, Abel de Klerk, Adriaan Ludick, Mahepisa Tjeriko, Cameron Langenhoven, Thomasau Forbes, Adriaan Booysen, Eugene Jantjies, Pieter Steenkamp, Janry Du Toit, Darryl De La Harpe, Johann Greyling, Johann Tromp and Chysander Botha.

The replacements are Niel van Vuuren, Quintin Esterhuisen, Carl Freygang, Denzil van Wyk, Thomas Kalie, Jean-Claude Winkler, Roderique Victor, Camlo Martin, Mahco Prinsloo, Gilad Plaatjies, Jamie Joseph, Rudie Pretorius and Lezardo Vos.

The Blue Bulls Presidents XV team is as follows: Garrick Matteus, Mosolwa Mafuma, Dylan Sage, Franco Naude, Dan Kasende, Tinus de Beer, Embrose Papier, Frederick Eksteen, Thembalani Bholi, Marco van Staden, Aston Fortuin, Victor Sekekete, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Jan-Henning Campher and Trevor Nyakane.

The replacements are Marco Fuhri, Luke Fortuin, Cabous Eloff, Denzil Hill, Dwight Pansegrouw, Raegan Oranje, Wian van Zyl and Heino Bezuidenhout.

Tickets for the match are available at www.webtickets.com or any Pick n Pay stores.

-Additional info SuperSport

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Tour de Windhoek starts

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Tour de Windhoek starts Cyclists ready to chase glory It is all systems go for the Tour de Windhoek, which kicks off today. Jesse Jackson Kauraisa



The much-anticipated Tour de Windhoek is finally here and cyclists will be chasing glory from today.

The competition will include five stages: the Dordabis stage, the team trial, the Hollard Bypass, the Pupkewitz Megabuild Criterium and the Tony Rust track event.

The distances for each stage will vary from 107km for the Dordabis stage to 23km for the team trial.

The Tour de Windhoek returned last year after many years of absence and saw the best local riders pitted against each other, as well as the international entrants.

This year the event has been made possible by sponsorships from Hollard, Pupkewitz, Radiowave, Namibia Breweries Limited, Kickstart Events, Windhoek Pedal Power and the Namibia Cycling Federation.

The total distance that will be covered is 400km for the Tour de Windhoek and 21km for the light category.

The overall winner of the tour will walk away with N$15 000, while the second place finisher will take home N$11 000 and third place will net N$8 000.

The fourth-placed rider will receive N$5 000 for their efforts, while the fifth place cyclist will scoop N$2 000 and the sixth place finisher will receive N$1 000.

The King of the Mountains first prize is N$5 000, while the second place finisher gets N$3 000 and third place will net the lucky rider N$1 500.

The best sprinter will receive N$5 000, while the second place finisher gets N$3 000 and N$1 500 is up for grabs to the third-placed rider in this category.

The best young rider will get N$5 000, the second-best N$3 000 and the third-best N$1 500.

The best team will receive N$8 000, while the second-placed team will get N$5 000 and third place N$2 000.

The organisers have also come up with a new N$5 000 prize that will be awarded to the best Namibian team of the competition.

Tribesmen a yamukula NSFAF

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Tribesmen a yamukula NSFAF Ehangano lyoTribesman Investment, pamwe nehangano lyaSouth Afrika lyoNew Integrated Credit Solutions (NICS) oga nyanwa koshiputudhilo shoNamibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) sho ge shi pondola owala okumona oshimaliwa shoomiliyona 6.8 omanga ya futwa oshimaliwa shoomiliyona 14.7 onga oshitopolwa shetsokumwe lya nuninwa okugongela nokukongamo omikuli dhaNSFAF ndhoka dhiniwe koonakufutilwa omailongo koshiputudhilo shoka.

Tribesmen/NCIS oya kala ye na etsokumwe lyiifuta yuudha yokomwedhi ya thika pooN$287 500, mwa kwatelwa iishoshela yepangelo kwa gwedhwa natango okomisi yoopresenda 12 okuza omvula yo 2014.

Okwa li kwa tegelelwa opo Tribesmen/NCIS ya kongemo oongunga dhaNSFAF dha thika poomiliyona 400.

Solomon Nemaire, menindjela gwoVaino Nghipondoka's Profile Investment Holdings, ehangano emwayina noTribesmen Investment, okwa popi kutya okutala komwaalu ngoka gwa monika po oshi li kaashi li mondjila.

Nemaire okwa popi kutya Tribesmen/NICS oye na okondalaka yokugongela oongunga dhaNSFAF okutameka momvula yo 2014 molwaashoka oshiputudhilo shoka oshiwete kutya kashi na oonzo dha gwana opo shi vule okukonga oongunga dhoka shoshene.

Okwa popi kutya uupyakadhi oomboka kutya omulandu ngoka tagu longithwa koshiputudhilo shoka shoNSFAF mokugandja iimaliwa nokonima opo tashi dhimbuluka kutya osha pumbwa okukongako iimaliwa mbyoka.

Nemaire okwa popi kutya NSFAF ke na omulandu gwokumona ko iimaliwa ye mbyoka a gandja onga omikuli dhokwiilongitha, nokupopya kombinga yomwaalu ngoka a futu Tribesmen itashi wapala.

“Ekongo lyiimaliwa mbyoka itali pondola sha ngele kape na omulandu gwokukonga iimaliwa mbyoka, nonkalo kutya sho NSFAF a hala okugandja iimaliwa osho woo nakale a hala okukongako iimaliwa mbyoka,” Nemaire a popi.

Ngoka ta longo pehala lyomunambelewa omukuluntu gwoNSFAF, Kennedy Kandume okwa popi mOmaandaha kutya oya dhidhilike owala muMaalitsa nuumvo kutya etsokumwe lyawo pokati kaTribesmen/NICS itali pondola sha, na oya tokola okukutha oonkondo etsokumwe ndyoka momasiku 14 gaSepetemba.

Okwa popi kutya natango Tribesmen/NICS oya yi pondje okatopolwa ketsokumwe lyawo hoka taka indika ehololo lyomauyelele pokati kiiputudhilo mbyoka omanga pwaahena etsokumwe lyopamushangwa.

Momasiku 27 oshowo 28 gaMaalitsa nuumvo, Tribesmen okwa holola polweela omauyelele ga holekwa mushimwe shomiikundaneki.

Shoka osha etitha opo NSFAF a pule Tribesmen a kuthepo iifuta yokomwedhi mbyoka yomwaalu gwooN$287 500.

Nemaire okwa yamukula kutya NSFAF ina pumbwa okuholama konima yetsokumwe ndyoka ta popi kutya uuyelele mboka owu li muuwananwa woshigwana.

Okwa tsikile kutya konyala omapeko goonakupewa omikuli dhokwiilonga kuNSFAF yeli po50 000 kage na omauyelele ga gwana, ta gwedha po kutya NSFAF ota dhilaadhila kutya otashi ka pula omwaalu gu thike peni mokukonga omauyelele ngoka.

Kombinga yekutho po lyiifuta mbyoka yokomwedhi, Nemaire okwa yamukula kutya oye na etsokumwe ndyoka tali utha opo ehangano lyawo li futwe oshimaliwa shooN$287 500 komwedhi.

Okwa tsikile kutya oya holola kutya oya pyakudhukwa okukundathana okondalaka ndjoka, kwa gwedha kutya NSFAF ota tula miilonga omulandu gwokukonga oongunga ndhoka.

Kandume mOmaandaha okwa popi kutya okondalaka ndjoka kayi li muuwanawa waNSFAF nelelepeko lyawo kali li wuuwanawa woshigwana.

Okwa popi kutya ehulithepo lyokondalaka ndjoka otali holola kutya oshiputudhilo tali vulu okuhupitha oshimaliwa shoomiliyona 1.8 komvula.

Okwa pula woo oonakupewa ekwatho ndyoka ya shunithe iimaliwa yoshiputudhilo.

CATHERINE SASMAN

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Ompango yoondjembo tayi lundululwa

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Ompango yoondjembo tayi lundululwaKwa holoka omalimbililo omanene kombinga yiimbuluma tayi longithwa oondjembo Ontotwaveta tayi ka gandja oonkondo dhokuningila aaindili yomikanda dhuuthemba wokukala noondjembo omakonaakono oshowo omaindiko galwe oya tulwa poshitaafula mOmutumba gwoPashigwana. Omiyeka kwahomatiwa ndhoka dha lopotelwa opolisi yaNamibia pokati komwedhi Mei oshowo omwedhi Juli nuumvo odhi thike pamwe konyala niimbuluma yomiyeka kwahomatiwa mbyoka ya lopotwa momwedhi dha faathana momvula yo 2016 no 2017.

Omiyalu ndhoka dha pitithwa kuuministeli wegameno nuuhepelo odha holola kutya muMei oshowo Juli nuumvo, omiyeka kwa homatiwa dhi li pe 107 odha ningilwa moNamibia, niipotha ya faathaana yi li pe 104 oya lopotwa omvula ya piti omanga o 2016 mwa lopotwa iipotha yi li 97.

Iipotha yilwe ya thika po 90 oya kwatelamo euliko lyaantu noondjembo oya lopotwa nuumvo omanga iipotha yoludhi ndoka yi li po 74 ya lopotwa omvula ya piti omanga mo 2016 mwa lopotwa iipotha yi li 2016.

Uulunga woondjembo wa lopotwa pokati komwedhi May nomwedhi Juli nuumvo okwa lopotwa iipotha yi li 37 omanga pethimbo lya faathana omvula ya piti kwa lopotwa iipotha yi li 50 nomomvula yo 2016 okwa lopotwa iipotha yi li 46.

Iipotha yi li po 90 yokukala noondjembo dhaahena oombaapila oya lopotwa uule woomwedhi ndhoka ndatu nuumvo okuyeleka niipotha 45 ya lopotwa o 2017 nomo 2016 omwa lopotwa iipotha 33.

Uuministeli owa koleke oshiwike shika kutya owu na omaipulo omanene omolwa ompango yoondjembo ndjoka yi li miilonga na otayi gwedhele kiimbuluma ngaashi yomiyeka kwahomatiwa oshowo iimbuluma yilwe ya gwedhwa po tayi longwa noondjembo.

Inashi yelamo natango ngele ontotwaveta ndjoka otayi ka ningwa ompango nokutulwa miilonga.

Uuministel owa popi kutya omalundululo ngoka taga ningwa mompango ndjoka, oga kwatela mo omakonakono taga ningilwa ooyene yoondjembo opo ya talike ngele otaya vulu tuu okukala noondjembo ndhoka megameno. Uuministeli natango owa popi kutya omakonaakono otaga ka ningilwa aaningi yomaindilo okumona omikanda dhokukala noondjembo omanga inaya pewa uuthemba mboka opo uuministeli wu kale nomauyelele gomondjila kombinga yuumwene woondjembo.

Aaningi yomaindilo goondjembo otaya ka pumbiwa okuya komadheulo nomapulaapulo taga ningilwa aakwanezimo yawo, ookuume oshowo yalwe, ko ku talike ngele otaya vulu tuu shili okukala noondjembo.

Momalunduluko ngoka oga kwatelamo natango elelepeko lyomikanda dhuumwene woondjembo konima yethimbo lyontumba ndyoka inali kolekwa natango kuuministeli.

Elelepeko ndyoka otali ka pula natango eningo lyomakonaakono okukoleka kutya nakuninga eindilo natango otavulu tuu okukala nondjembo.

Olopota ya pitithwa koSmall Arms Survey muJuni oya holola kutya oondjembo dhi li po15.4 odhi li mokati kaantu ye li 100 moNamibia naNamibia okuli oshilongo oshitiyali momusholondondo gwiilongo ya Afrika mbyoka yi na omwaalu gwoondjembo mokati koshigwana gu li pombanda. Oondjembo dhi li 396 000 odhi li dhopaumwene moNamibia.

Omakonaakono oga holola kutya oondjembo dhi li 195 990 kadhi na oombaapila omanga oondjembo dhi li po 200 010 odhi na oombaapila.

Omvula ya piti, oshiputudhilo shoInstitute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) osha pititha omukanda kombinga yekondololo lyoondjembo oshowo iimbuluma tayi longithwa oondjembo moNamibia, nomukanda ngoka ogwa holola omaiyuvo omanene kombinga yuulunga woondjembo ndhoka dhi na oombaapila ndhoka tadhi longithwa okulonga iimbuluma.

Olopota yopolisi kombinga yiimbuluma tayi longithwa oondjembo oya holola kutya uulunga owundji woondjembo otawu etithwa kuuhasha wokukwata nawa oondjembo mokati kooyene yoondjembo.

Olopota ndjoka ya pitithwa koIPPR oya holola kutya opolisi oya lopota ya yakelwa oondjembo dhi li pe 1 811 pokati komvula yo 2008/2009 oshowo 2016/2017. Noondjembo 620 dhomoondjembo ndhoka odha monika.IPPR okwa holola kutya iimbuluma yomiyeka kwahomatiwa oyi li pombanda noonkondo nonando omiyalu odha holola kutya okwa dhidhilikwa eshuno pevi miimbuluma yoludhi ndoka mbyoka tayi longithwa oondjembo.

Oshiputudhilo shoka osha ningi omagwedhelepo moka mwa kwatelwa etulo moshigwana lyomiyalu dhiimbuluma.

Omagwedhelepo ngoka oga kwatelamo woo oondjindikila dhomwaalu gwiikuti ngoka tagu vulu okukala komuntu oshowo ongamba dhethimbo, omuntu ta vulu okukala nondjembo.

Natango oshiputudhilo osha gandja omagwedhelepo gokuningila aaningi yomaindilo guumwene woondjembo omakonaakono nokutala ngele oye li tuu pankalo taya vulu okukala noondjembo, okuza kelongitho lyiikolitha niingangamithi oshowo onkalo yomiyonena.

JANA-MARI SMIT

Medical students to return to Zambia

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Medical students to return to Zambia Namibian medical students are expected to report back to two universities in Zambia by the end of this week after the approval certificates for some health-related programmes at the two institutions were reinstated.

The health ministry, in collaboration with the Health Professions Councils of Namibia and the University of Namibia, sent a delegation to Lusaka from 19 to 23 June to investigate the matter.

This happened after the Namibian high commissioner to Zambia had informed the ministry that the Health Professions Council of Zambia had withdrawn licences for the Bachelor of Pharmacy and Radiography programmes at Lusaka Apex Medical University (LAMU), and Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery as well as Clinical Studies at Cavendish University.

The withdrawal followed the discovery of serious violations during compliance monitoring conducted on 17 October last year. The Health Professions Council of Zambia wrote to the affected institutions to address the violations.

But last inspection conducted on 21 May this year revealed even more serious violations than those discovered earlier.

Health acting permanent secretary Petronella Masabane said students were expected to report for classes on 23 September. A total of 91 Namibian students are enrolled at these institutions.

According to her the Health Professions Council of Zambia reinstated the licences for the Bachelor of Pharmacy and Radiography degree at LAMU and the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery at Cavendish University.

She explained that the Namibian delegation was tasked to investigate the reasons for the decision by the Zambian health council to withdraw these licences. It also had to establish the ability of the universities to take remedial action and assess the overall impact on the students should the universities fail to comply with the health council's requirements.

“Thorough discussions were held with the health council, Cavendish University and LAMU, followed by the physical inspection of the facilities such as the libraries, lecture blocks, laboratories and teaching equipment,” Masabane said.

She said the health council pledged to re-inspect the universities and the programmes immediately once they had addressed the shortcomings.

“The visit was concluded with an agreement that the universities' management would put measures in place to meet the requirements of the health council in order to re-register the affected programmes in time for the second semester commencing by the end of July 2018.”

In case the programmes would not be reinstated soon, the ministry engaged the School of Medicine of the University of Namibia to explore the possibility of admitting the affected students. This process started with a request for the students' academic transcripts from the Zambian universities.

“The ministry, in consultation with key stakeholders, will take reasonable measures to ensure that the training of the students is not unnecessarily disrupted for an extended period and that students are not subjected to education and training that will put their patients and their careers at risk.”

Masabane advised students and their parents to contact the health ministry if they need further information.

ELLANIE SMIT

Bus strife a headache

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Bus strife a headacheFragmented association costs local authorities Northern towns have decried the constant infighting amongst long-distance bus operators. Power struggles and a lack of proper structures in the association supposed to represent bus operators are creating headaches for local authorities in the north.

Town councils are constantly fighting with bus operators who load passengers in areas that are unsafe or are earmarked for development projects.

For many years the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta), which is recognised by the transport ministry, has been the body that dealt with bus drivers on behalf of the government, but over the years the public transport sector has become chaotic and it worsens by the day.

Local authorities are now forced to do the work of the association but they are failing miserably because the Local Authorities Act does not give them such powers, especially when it comes to making decisions pertaining to the transport sector.

Whether it's a big or small town, it faces the same problem of bus drivers loading passengers wherever they want.

As the towns' populations grow, the situation gets more out of hand and local authorities are the ones bearing the brunt.

Some local authorities such as Oshakati and Windhoek have constructed bus terminals costing millions of dollars but bus drivers refuse to use them.

Okahao in the Omusati Region is the latest local council that has decided to take action in this regard.

The Okahao town council has erected 'No Hitch-hiking' signs in areas regarded as unsafe and urged bus drivers to move their operations to the bus terminal next to the open market.

Prior to the resolution made on Saturday during a meeting with the drivers, there had been five meetings since last year but they proved futile. The bus operators refused to budge, but said they would be prepared to move to a place of their choosing and not one imposed on them.

The drivers argue that the majority of their customers are from the surrounding villages and they are used to catching a bus from the place the council regards as unsafe.

The further argue that the prescribed bus terminal is too small to accommodate the 77 buses that operate at Okahao.

“We are so disturbed by the council's actions because we have had meetings with them and they know what we want. We told them we are not against moving from the current place where we are operating from but they need to relocate us to a place that both parties are happy with and not only them,” the bus drivers collectively said.

Okahao town council CEO Timoteus Namwandi said the council was left with no option but to erect the signs because the situation was getting out of hand.

Namwandi said the current loading zone was unsafe and many people had complained about it.

“It was just chaotic, especially on Sundays, as they cause a traffic jam which we could not tolerate any longer. We need order in town and that is why we took the decision,” Namwandi said.

Namwandi said the prescribed bus terminal was constructed in conjunction with Nabta back in 2011.

When asked why the council did not address the issue with Nabta, Namwandi said the association was too fragmented and ineffective.

He urged Nabta to reorganise itself and regain the trust of bus drivers.

“Throughout our meetings the drivers clearly stated that they do not want Nabta or any other association present. This shows you how chaotic the sector is,” Namwandi said.

When contacted for comment, Nabta president Vespa Muunda blamed the chaotic situation on the councils not talking to him or his association. Muunda denied the allegation that Nabta's structures were not in order, saying that he had documents outlining its legitimate structure.

“If they do not want to engage with Nabta they should expect chaos to follow, just like what is happening at Okahao currently and everywhere else in the country,” Muunda said.

Muunda did not deny that there were power struggles within Nabta, but said that was something that happened in every organisation.

He said local authorities should engage Nabta if they want to sort out the problem of bus drivers operating in unauthorised areas.

“They must just engage us because we know how to deal with the situation,” Muunda said.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Three years and counting

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Three years and countingCelebrating great hospitality tjil catches up with Nimms restaurant owner on how much they have grown since their opening. Nimms restaurant is the only restaurant in Namibia that gives one a 360-degree view of the city whilst having glorious international food served with Namibian hospitality. Opened three years ago, tjil talks to Klaivert Mwandingi on the restaurants' three biggest achievements thus far.

The National Independence Memorial Museum restaurant (Nimms) is an Afropean restaurant. It is to serve both locals and international tourists. Klaivert Mwandingi says he didn't think they would make it to three years and he is grateful given the fact that it was funded with savings.

“It has been a humble struggle. I learned a lot including the fact that one should not go into business with the aim of getting rich overnight but rather go into business that drives and motivates you. Your only expectations after closing each night is to reopen the following day,” Mwandingi said. One of the achievements Nimms managed to make is to capture a diverse clientele including government ministries and offices. Today Nimms hosts majority of the events within the ministry including the President's Christmas Lunch as of last year.

Nimms has also managed to draw a large number of tourists to the museum since they opened their doors. One of the ways they achieve this is by presenting tourists with local and international cuisine.

“The vision is to at least have one dish from each southern African country. One of the challenges is getting Namibian traditional food because majority of it is seasonal. We are currently serving Setswana, Oshiwambo, Zambezi dishes and from time to time we bring in specials… like we had a Herero breakfast Oruhere,” said Mwandingi.

Mwandingi says to be on par with other restaurants, Nimms took part in the National Heritage Week Association restaurant competition run by the Namibia Museums Association and they managed to walk away with first prize with Xwama coming in second. Other achievements include Nimms being able to employ 18 with 70% of them permanent.

Nascam joins Africa in celebrating copyright

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Nascam joins Africa in celebrating copyright Coordinated by the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), the first annual African Copyright and Collective Management Day is aimed to highlight authors' rights and copyright, as the leverage to creators' livelihoods and economic growth.

According to the CEO of Nascam John Max, the day was declared to create awareness for the public to have an understanding of the role artists have, and how members of the public should respect and value their creative work. In commemoration of the day, Max has appealed to the public to treat artists fairly and remunerate them accordingly. He says Nascam has noted with concern reports that artists that are not paid when they provide services.

“Let us support our artists and value their services and products as any other profession in any industry,” he said. “The public should also refrain from unfair treatment of artists and infringing on the rights of all the artists rights, either local or international artists. Creative works have no borders and that why copyright laws apply as universal law.”

Max told tjil that Nascam will continue to advocate for the interest of artists and continue discouraging piracy activities and unfair practices of using creative works without copyright permission in Namibia. He urged all music users in the country that provide music for entertainment in public places to make sure that they have the copyright music licence with his office.

“If you enter into an agreement with an artist for any services, please make sure that you settle all bills in good faith and that the agreement is in writing in order to avoid dispute and conflict afterward. We always encourage members not to have verbal agreements but rather have written contracts,” he said.

Nascam, according to Max will continue to have public awareness activities in the future as well as member information sessions across the country. The activities started last year and have been hosted four regions thus far.

“We will have members' information sessions in Opuwo, Swakopmund and Windhoek before the end of the year. The agenda will be online music and we will host representatives of the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association from South Africa and the CISAC regional director Samuel Sangwa,” he concluded.















June Shimuoshili

90 years of Mickey Mouse

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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90 years of Mickey Mouse Disney Africa recently announced the African launch of the Mickey the True Original campaign, joining the global festivities honouring nine decades of Mickey Mouse, his heritage, personality and status as a pop-culture icon. As 18 November 2018 marks 90 years since his first appearance in Steamboat Willie, a series of worldwide celebrations will be taking place this year and Africa is no different.

The campaign will come to life with engaging content and events that embrace Mickey’s impact on the past, present and future. The local festivities kick off in earnest this month, leading up to Mickey’s 90th anniversary on 18 November 2018 and beyond: Mickey’s 90th spectacular, a two-hour prime-time special, will be screened on M-Net 101 this year. The elegant affair will feature star-studded musical performances, moving tributes and never-before-seen short films. Superstars from music, film and television will join the birthday fun for the internationally beloved character.

“Binding generations together more than any other animated character, Mickey Mouse is the true original who reminds people of all ages of the benefits of laughter, optimism and hope,” says Christine Service, manager of Walt Disney Africa. “With his universal appeal and ability to emotionally connect with generations all over the world, no other character quite occupies a similar space in the hearts and minds of a global fan base and we are thrilled to be sharing these festivities.”

Mickey’s birthday is celebrated in honour of the release of his first theatrical film, Steamboat Willie, on 18 November 1928, at the Colony Theatre in New York City. Since then, he has starred in more than 100 cartoons and can currently be seen on Disney Channel (DStv, Channel 303) in the Mickey Mouse cartoon series and on Disney Junior (DStv, Channel 309 and GOtv channel 60) in Mickey and the Roadster Racers.

Staff Reporter

Tapiwa on the roll

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Tapiwa on the roll On 4 October, Namibian comedian Tapiwa Makaza will be performing in Cape Town at the Kasi Comedy Night comedy show.

He will be performing alongside renowned South African comedians Stuart Cairns and Mira. Having been in the industry and with the Free Your Mind (FYM) comedy show since the age of 15, Makaza has been perfecting his art with each gig he performs. He says to be part of the amazing line-up in the Kasi Comedy Night will be a humbling experience and one he can't wait for.

The comedian will be embarking on this show after spending 2017 performing on a luxury cruise ship, touring many European countries. He started his comedy career after winning Free Your Mind's Last Comic Standing 2012 competition, which in the following year, led to him touring the country with Lazarus Jacobs and Slick the Dick. The funny guy also had the opportunity of representing Namibia in Los Angeles at the World Championships of Performing Arts and being awarded Comedian of the Year. This year he was nominated for the coveted Savannah Pan-African Comic of the Year 2018 award that featured Africa's biggest comedians.

Makaza also started a new sketch comedy show and has already released the first two sketches online namely, the popular Namibia Taxi Strike sketch and the latest, The Kapana Kid. The clips can be found on his YouTube channel and social media pages. Makaza says one of his aspirations is for Namibia to produce a comedy movie starring local actors and comedians. He believes this will strengthen unity within the industry and it can also help elevate its standards.

The Kasi Comedy Night is an Isiqhamo Media production and will take place at the GQ Lounge in Gugulethu.



JUNE SHIMUOSHILI

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13 albums, 38 years later

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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13 albums, 38 years later13 albums, 38 years later Upholding the same old values and with new tunes, Ndilimani wants to venture into the commercial market and pleads with the nation to welcome them. Band members Jessy Nombanza and Castro talk to tjil about their latest offering 'Gratitude'. Ndilimani's album 'Gratitude', which was supposed to be released tomorrow had to be put out into public three days early due to popular demand. A total of 1 500 copies were made for the album and on the first day alone, over 150 copies were bought countrywide.

“We really tried to hold on but people came to the offices and demanded that we release earlier. It's selling like hot cakes. Our phones are ringing off the hook. People from as far as Outapi want the album and the love is really overwhelming,” said Jessy Nombanza, who also doubles as operations manager for the cultural troupe.

The band members say that 'Gratitude' is purely a revolutionary album compared to the previous albums that were marketed as commercial works. On 'Gratitude', fans can expect songs on leaders such as Sam Nujoma as Nombanza says it's important for one to know where they come from.

“We started in 1980 and we just want to remind people where we come from with this album. If we neglect our history our kids will never know who we are or where we are going. We also know that our fight for independence is over and we are fighting a different war now, but everything works together and we can't separate the two,” Nombanza said.

The Ndilimani Cultural Troupe managed to rope in local acts on the album including Sally Boss Madam and Miss Rose Shikulo to add a softer touch to the product. The artists say they manage to remain relevant by being inclusive and capturing the attention of all age groups and audiences.

“We make sure our songs are for everyone. Change is not easy and we have tried to switch genres but the elders were not happy. They thought we had lost focus. So we are in between finding a balance to keep both young and old happy,” said Castro, another group member. The group is hopeful in switching up things and they plan on working on an international house album. “We also plan on remaking our old songs and will feature local artists. We also are aware that we don't have a lot of visuals for our work and we want to work on that.”

The group will announce a launch date in due course. The ten-track album is available for N$130 countrywide.

June Shimuoshili

Selma Kamanya rocks it

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Selma Kamanya rocks it Miss Namibia has named her project for her reign public at a media launch.

Miss Namibia 2018, Selma Kamanya recently launched a programme aimed at focusing on mental health among the youth and on educating them about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse.

Kamanya, who will work with professionals in the mental health field, explained that the programme will also focus on how best to end stigma and reintegrate the youth and all those who have mental health problems. She urged society to provide life skills and psychosocial support in schools and community settings.

Kamanya will, as part of the programme, visit local schools to talk to learners about mental health and alcohol and drug abuse.

The programme forms part of her social responsibility.

On her part, the deputy minister of health, Juliet Kavetuna told members of the media on the side-line of the event that Miss Namibia's programme will not only create awareness, but will also break the stigma attached to mental illness.

“Mental health is a very important component of health care, because there is no health without mental health,” Kavetuna said.

Kavetuna also said there is no department or directorate within the ministry for mental health, but said there are wards for mental health patients at the Windhoek Central Hospital and Oshakati State Hospital. According to her, the number of in-patients at the two centres is more than what the wards can handle. In Oshakati alone, only 120 patients can be accommodated but it currently has 250 in-patients, with over 400 mental patients seen at both hospitals on a daily basis.

NAMPA

Talking discipline with Tulisan

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Talking discipline with TulisanNew videos and how to thrive as a full-time artist A job is a job and a local artist shares his insights of how to be a successful full-time artist. If you have ever wanted to be a full-time artist, today is your lucky day as tjil chats to 24-year-old Tulisan who is basically nailing it. Tulisan shares with tjil on what it's like to do nothing but music in this day and age. Almost every other day we hear of how there is no money in the industry yet we have people who are killing it. According to Tulisan, it's all about hard work and dedication.

The artist and his management have gone to the extent of ensuring that their audiences see how much effort is put into his music by documenting his lifestyle. The documentary titled 'Diamonds in the Rough' features Tulisan and Adora on how they prepare for tours, gigs and the life of an artist in general.

“Some people feel like we just come to have a good time but it's a whole lot of logistics like finding accommodation, eating, the rehearsals and things like that. Here we show it all and in its raw format. After watching the documentary one should be able to see that we are just humans who are not perfect,” he said. Tulisan recently released a music video to his track titled radio which in his words is an easy and groovy song. On radio, the singer steps away from rap to show how versatile he is and to show off his vocal ability. For his fans, this is nothing but a different experience which is a joy trip for sure. Tulisan says being a full time artist and song writer, he has a lot of material he has been working on and he is can't wait to share it. “It's all about learning. I have learned so much from Oteya and Adora especially on stage presence and understanding what the people want. It's also about pushing videos, having a good team and progressing.” Tulisan adds being a full time artist is equally challenging as it teaches one discipline and self-awareness. “I was not disciplined and I'm still trying to perfect that. I used to go out all the time but I don't know that anymore. I have to priorities so I just can't go out knowing I have a studio session or rehearsals the next day.” Tulisan is currently working on his second album and he says he learned a lot from his debut 'Wisdom of a Fool' that was dropped in 2016. He says he has been patient and he will be taking his time to perfect it. “I want to drop something that has quality - from the beats to vocals and finally the videos. It gives me time because I do not to drop for the sake of dropping and I'll find myself with six albums and some of them don't have videos or a vibe. My work really makes me happy,” he said.













June Shimuoshili

Windhoek International Dance Festival number 2

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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Windhoek International Dance Festival number 2 For the second year, dance enthusiasts, art lovers and the general public will celebrate dance at the Windhoek International Dance Festival, at the COTA next weekend.

The public can look forward to high quality, engaging dance performances that show how compatible Namibian dance art is with the rest of the world. Windhoek International Dance Festival (WIDF) aims to make dance accessible to everyone regardless of age or preference of genre. Like all other live art experiences, the festival will increase a sense of belonging and pride in Namibia and its artists in the midst of a recession.

“We hope to give the audience a moment to forget and be immersed in a world that inspires and renews hope, while strengthening audience. WIDF aims to raise awareness of dance, dancers, choreographers and dance studios in Windhoek. This is a great opportunity for dancers to show off their skills by becoming part of the festival. This bi-annual event is entitled INTER.ACT.S which focuses on bringing different artists together and create dance work in unconventional spaces,” said Trixie Munyama, the festival director.

The weeklong festival will feature acts such as Cocoon Dance Company, Themba Mbuli, Sven-Eric Müller, and will include work from local dance artists Da-mâi Dance Ensemble, Moon Goddess Dance Studios, Ombetja Yehinga Organization, Golden, Khadijah, First Rain Dance Theatre and Nikhita Winkler Dance Theatre, to mention a few.

Under the theme, the festival will kick off with a lab-based platform where artists re-imagine movement and the relationship between the audience and the performer facilitated by Nashilongweshipwe Mushaandja. These process-based pieces will be showcased from 26 - 29 September from 19:00, free of charge.

The festival will include a series of workshops ranging from contemporary, creative dance, lyrical hip hop, traditional dance, Afro-fusion and Afro-pop. These workshops will be held at the COTA studios and will be facilitated by local and international choreographers and dance teachers. Registration and payments for these workshops will be done at the college on or before the day of the workshops. Participants can look forward to a free class if they book for three workshops.

June Shimuoshili

WFW sees 450 models turn up for casting

September 20, 2018, 3:00 pm

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WFW sees 450 models turn up for casting The massive turnout of models at this year's Windhoek Fashion Week casting speaks volumes for the event and what to be anticipated this year.

Since the announcement of its return a week ago, the interest from both local and international from designers, models, media and industry professionals has been massive. The Windhoek Fashion Week (WFW) is set to take place from the 6 to 10 November 2018 in the capital. The designer selection process is currently underway and the WFW team and fashion council members are busy going through all applications forms and sketches to select the designers that will be showcasing at WFW Autumn/Winter 2018. The designers will be announced by end of September.

The organisers had a very successful model casting with a record number of 450 models in Windhoek. This is twice the number that came for casting last year. With this huge turnout, it shows that the industry is growing and models need the platform. The first round of model castings took place last weekend while the second round will be in Ongwediva next week Saturday, and the third and last model casting will be taking place in Swakopmund on 6 October. “Last year we only had castings in Windhoek but due to demand and inclusivity we decided to take the model castings to these towns to allow all models to cast for WFW,” said Kalistu Mukoroli, an organiser.

“Windhoek Fashion Week is open to everyone in Namibia whether a model, designer or industry professional and also we allow international industry professionals to be part of it as well, to allow skills transfer and networking for possible collaboration,” said Mukoroli. Heading into the last few weeks, the team is working hard behind the scenes to ensure that they deliver the best show. “WFW is also looking at creating a platform for accessories designers to be included this year so we call on them to come forward. Windhoek Fashion Week is open to collaboration and we implore companies or individuals to contact us so that we can look at the practicality of it,” he concluded.