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Hengombe joins Tigers

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Hengombe joins TigersHengombe joins Tigers Former Young African midfielder Himeezembi Hengombe has joined his friend Romario Ndjavera at Tigers for undisclosed fee.

The player revealed last month that he left Young African in order to seek greener pastures.

Hengombe attracted interest from various clubs, including African Stars and Unam.

The player, however, decided to follow his heart and join a club he believes can win the MTC Namibia Premier League (NPL).

“I am happy to have signed a deal with Tigers and I am prepared to play hard in order to help the team thrill this coming season,” Hengombe said.

He had been an influential player for the Gobabis-based side, after a great display earned his club the Debmarine Namibia Cup trophy in 2017.

His ability to control the ball and move into attacking spaces also earned him a call-up to the senior national team.

Tigers aim is to improve on their inconsistent form last season, which saw them lingering in the bottom half of the table for long periods.

Tigers lost 12 matches during the 2017/18 premier league season, while winning 14 games and drawing four of their 30 encounters.

This resulted in the resignation of coach Lucky Kakuva, who was under pressure from management.

The club appointed Woody Jacobs as its new mentor in December last year.

He managed to help the team out of the relegation zone, leading them to a sixth-place finish.

Jacobs, however, resigned last month after disagreements with the management.

The club has now acquired the services of former player Mervin Mbakera as their head coach.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

Oonakutamanekelwa oshipotha shekwatopombambyona ya hala omboloha

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Oonakutamanekelwa oshipotha shekwatopombambyona ya hala ombolohaOonakutamanekelwa oshipotha shekwatopombambyona ya hala omboloha Okwa holoka omaumbangi taga halutha, sha landula etamekitho lyeindilo lyomboloha ndyoka lya ningwa kaatamanekwa yaali mboka taya tamanekelwa oshipotha shekwatopombambyona oshowo emonitho lyiihuna paihulo okanona kokakadhona koomvula 14.

Frederick Jacobus van Zyl (32) oshowo Sylvia Bonifatius (20) oya taalela epangulo miipotha yekwatopombambyona, iipotha iyali yekwatonkonga, oshipotha shokulonga iilonga ya nyata oshowo okugandja iingangamithi komukiintu opo ya vule okuya naye miihulo.

Mboka, iilonga mbyoka ya nyata oye yi longele okanona komOshakati, kokanaskola.

Ayehe epangelo oshowo aakalelipo yoonakutamanekwa okwa tegelelwa yaka gandje omapopilo gawo mEtitano.

Mangestrata omukuluntu, Mika Namweya okwa tegelelwa a ka ninge etokolo mOmaandaha.

Oonakutamanekwa mboka yaali oshowo oombangi dhepangelo ndatu, oya gandja omaumbangi taga tilitha shoka sha halutha oonakupulakena omaumbangi ngoka.

Sho a ningilwa omapulo komukalelipo gwepangelo,

Chrisna Masule, Bonifatius okwa popi kutya okwa li a pewa omulalo uule woomwedhi ne momudhingoloko gwa Ehenye komuyeni ngoka a holola kutya oku li omusihenda.

Omusihenda ngoka okwa hololwa kutya oadvocate Johan Pienaar, ngoka e li omupeha omupanguli-ndjai ta longele mompangulilo yOpombanda mOshakati.

Pienaar okwa tegelelwa a ka gandje uumbangi uuna oshipotha shoka sha tameke.

Bonifatius okwa popi kutya ye okanona ihe omunambelewa gomatembu ngoka a gandja uumbangi oshiwike shika, okwa popi kutya pauyelele wa hololwa monzapo yevalo ndjoka ya gandjwa okuza moombelelwa dhomatembu mOshakati, Bonifatius oku na oomvula 20.

Bonifatius okwa gandja natango omaipopilo kutya oku li omunaskola iishangitha noNamcol na okwa pumbwa okumangululwa opo a kashange omakonaakono ihe ina vula okugandja uumbangi waashoka.

Tango okwa li a popi kutya omukwanezimo gwe otaka e ta uumbangi kompangu ihe shoka inashi ningwa.

Okwa popi natango kutya ombaapila ye yomusholondndo gwiilongwa nethimbo ta shanga omakonaakono oyi li pokati kongodhi oshowo okapeko kokuganmena ongodhi ye ihe inayi monika pethimbo ongodhi ndjoka ya e twa mompangu.

Epangelo olya ningile woo oshiputudhilo shoNamcol omapulo, ihe edhina lye inali vula kumonika.

Omugandji gwuumbangi wepangelo omutiyali, Constable Abraham Eliaser, ngoka e li omukonaakoni moshipotha shoka okwa popi kutya aatamanekwa mboka oya tulwa owala miipandeko muSepetemba konima sho oshipoha sha tulwa mo muJuli.

Aapopili yoonakutamanekwa okwa nyana uumbangi waEliaser kutya sho itaku gandjwa omboloha kaatamanekwa mboka omolwa omupopyo kutya oshipotha shoka oshinene, ihe mboka oya ka tulwa owala miipandeko muSepetemba konima sho ya tulilwa mo oshipotha muJuli, Eliaser okwa yamukula kutya osha li oshidhigu okukonga aafekelwa mboka.

Okwa tsikile kutya Bonifatius okwa li a dhigipo ehala mpoka a li ha zi na okwa opo a li a lombwele opolisi.

Sho a yelitha kutya omolwashike, Van Zyl ina tulwa miipandeko sho oshipotha shoka sha tulwamo, Eliaser okwa popi kutya edhina ndyoka li a pewa oSteven ndyoka li li oshilukadhina.

Okwa hokololwa kutya nakuninga oshihakanwa okwa li a yi ku kuume ke Bonifatius, sho li a dhengwa kuhe na okwa li a hala iimaliwa.

Eliaser okwe shi pataneke ta popi kutya okanona inaka dhengwa oka nyenyetelwa owala.

Bonifatius ota kalelwa po kuSimson Aingura, omanga Pieter Greyling ta kalelepo Van Zyl.

KENYA KAMBOWE

'Onda hala omasipa gokanona kandje'

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'Onda hala omasipa gokanona kandje''Onda hala omasipa gokanona kandje' Ombila ndjoka ya fulululwa oya e ta embandapalo mokati kaakwashigwana yaNdonga, omanga opolisi ya tegelela iizemo yomakonaakono goDNA, okukoleka kutya iipongolo oyalye mbyoka ya fulwa mo. Aakwashigwana momudhingoloko gwaNdonga oya thigwa mehaluko enene sho kwa fumbululwa mo iipongolo yokanona hoka ka fumbikwa oomvula 18 dha piti, konima sho he yokanona hoka popi kutya okwa dhanwa uulingilingi nokanona ke okeli natango momwenyo

Opolisi oya popi kutya oshizemo shomakonaakono goDNA shoka tashi ka holola kutya okanona hoka okalye inashi za mo natango.

Monena ombila ndjoka oya ekama natango, onkalo ndjoka ya etitha uumbanda mofamili oshowo moshigwana shaNdonga omolwa eitalo lyopmuthigululwakalo.

Omupopiliko gwofamili ndjoka, Fillip Nghidengwa, okwa lombwele oshifokundaneki shoNamibian Sun kutya muFebruali gwomvula yo 2000 megumbo lye mOvenduka, okamonagona, Cornelia Weyulu okwa gandja okanona ke koomvula ndatu, Johannes Tuhafeni, kuyinagona, Ndahambelela Namatwi, opo a sile okanona hoka oshisho, molwaashoka kali e na iilonga na osha li oshidhigu okusila oshisho okanona.

Namatwi okwa fala okanona hoka komukunda gwawo, Eyambeko mOnkumbula moshitopolwa shaShikoto. MuJuni gwomvula ndjoka okanona hoka okwa ehama na oka hulitha.

Omolwa uule wondjila okuza komudhingoloko ngoka, okanona hoka oka fumbikwa esiku lya landula, inaka ningilwa onzapo yeso.

“Okanona okagombokelwa mOsoondaha na okwa ningwa oompangela opo ka falwe kokaklinika ka Onamishu nenge Onkumbula, nuuklinika mboka owu li kokule oshinano shookilometa 15 no 20. Uuklinika mboka ihawu longo mehuliloshiwike nenge konima yoowili dhiilonga. Kongulohi okanona oka hulitha,” Nghidengwa a yelitha.

“Moomvula ndhoka osha li oshidhigu okumona oshiyenditho momudhingoloko ngoka nomuntu ku na okuya kOmuthiya opo a ka konge omayakulo nenge a dhenge ongodhi. Ongulohi ndjoka otwa tseyithile mwene gwomukunda ngoka e tu pe omayele opo tu fumbike okanona hoka esiku lya landula. Okanona inaka ningilwa onzapo yeso.”

Okwa tsikile kutya esiku lya landula okwa tumwa aantu yaali opo ya ye kOmuthiya yo yaka dhenge oongodhi ya tseyithile mboka ye li kOvenduka, kombinga yonkundana ndjoka ombwiinayi.

Aantu mboka oya tumwa ongula ihe oya thiki mOmuthiya lwopotundi onti 15:00

“Aantu oya zi kOvenduka ye ya koosa dhokanona mwakwatelwa yina yokanona oshowo yinakulu yokanona (yina ya he yokanona). He ina ya koosa nonando omo a li mOvenduka ethimbo ndyoka.”

MuApilili nuumvo, he yokanona hoka Johannes Hamukoto, okwa tameke ta popi kutya okwa dhanwa uulingilingi nokanona ke inaka sa shili.

Okwa yi kopolisi yaMuthiya opo iipongolo yokanona hoka yi ka fululwe mo, ko ku ningwe omakonaakono goDNA.

Iipongolo oya fulululwa momasiku 18 gaApilili.

“Oomwedhi heyali ngashiingeyi dha piti konima nkene iipongolo mbyoka ya fulwa mo nombila oya ekama owala. Ngashiingeyi otatu ningilwa omapulo kehe ethimbo okuza kelelo lyopamuthigululwakalo kutya otatu ningi ngiini omolwa ombila ndjoka ya ekama, shoka taya popi kutya oshi li oshidhila.”

Hamukoto okwa tindi okupopya sha, nakomanda gwopolisi yaShikoto, Armas Shivute, okwa lombwele oNamibian Sun kutya onkalo ndjoka oya piyagana na ina popya sha oshindji sha gwedhwa po.

“Naku ninga eindilo [Hamukoto] ina mona natango oshizemo shomakonaakono goDNA,” Shivute a popi.

Omukunda Eyambeko otagu adhika moshikandjo shaAmuteya melelo lyaNdonga, nopahapu dhakansela nale gwelelo ndyoka ngoka a li a kuthwa miilonga, Vilho Kamanya okwa popi kutya Nghindengwa okwa yi mekwatathano naye, ta popi kombinga yonkalo yethiminiko ndjoka ta ningilwa kaaleli yelelo lyaNdonga.

“Onde mu pe omayele opo a ninge ekwatathano nopolisi ye, a pule kutya omakonaakono oge li sigo openi. Pamudhigululwakalo oshi li oshidhila uuna ombila ya ekama, na otashi kwatatkanithwa nomaso ogendji moshigwana,” Kamanya a popi.

Nghidengwa ngashiingeyi ota kongo ekwatho okuza kelelo lyUukwanyama, opo li mu kwathelee mokukonga ofamili yaHamukoto kombinga yombila ndjoka ya ekama.

ILENI NANDJATO

Stunning new art exhibition

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Stunning new art exhibitionStunning new art exhibition Lara Diez started dabbling in jewellery-making in London in the 1990s and found it the perfect antidote to corporate life in the city.

In 2002 Lara broke from hectic London life. In an attempt to do something more worthwhile, she came to Namibia for six months as a volunteer with VSO, working with the indigenous San community in Nyae Nyae.

As those six months turned to years, Lara started taking jewellery classes with Frieda Luhl, who became a source of inspiration in jewellery and printmaking. Lara now combines being the director of the Nyae Nyae Development Foundation of Namibia with family life and when possible sneaks off to file a bit of metal!

In 2017 Lara attended the Tulipamwe International Artists workshop and then had a work selected for the National Gallery Triennial as well as having work exhibited in the Project Room and Start gallery group exhibitions.

In 2018 Lara had a work selected for the Booth exhibition at the National Gallery of Namibia and was on the working group for the Tulipamwe International Artists workshop of 2018.

This is Lara's first solo exhibition which combines printmaking with metalwork.

In Pressed, Lara combined printing and metalwork which have both undergone some form of pressing in order to create embossed or inked marks. The marks on paper and metal are often similar, just differing in scale and material. The exhibition also shows Lara's obsession with spoons and similarly embossed pieces of jewellery, creating functional pieces that can be used or worn every day.

Altogether Lara will show about 150 PRESSED pieces, half embossed/printed on paper, the other half on metal.

The exhibition will open on Friday 19 October at 18:00 at the Project Room in 32 Jenner Street, Windhoek West.

The exhibition ends on 2 November.

The Project Room opening hours are from Tuesday to Friday 09:00 to 13:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 13:00.

STAFF REPORTER

And now for something different

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And now for something differentAnd now for something differentFancy a little opera for a change? Still Dream - a classical Zanne Stapelberg de Lange production - is on stage in Windhoek for one evening only. No stranger to Namibia, the sensual opera star Zanne Stapelberg de Lange will grace the stage with her signature golden honey voice for one magical evening of classical music with her brand new production, Still Dream, on Thursday evening, 18 October.

“I have a deep affinity for Namibia and its people and always enjoy performing here. I find Namibians to be most appreciative and understanding of the feeling and message of the music that I live to convey,” Zanne says of her upcoming production.

Tickets cost N$200 and are available through EventsToday at www.today.com.na, PayToday and all Airtime City Machines.



About the show

Still Dream is South African opera singer de Lange's brand new production. Known for her incredible ability as a singing actress, she breathes life into every character she portrays in the multitude of arias and songs she performs in this exquisite recital. It features famous opera arias, French art song, musicals and Spanish Zarzuela arias. Zanne made her operatic debut at the age of 22 and has since established herself as one of her country's most respected and beloved artists, being called a 'national treasure' by critics. Highlights of the programme include the haunting French 'Image of the Rose' by Hector Berlioz, Bizet's 'Habanera' from Carmen, the 'Jewel Song' from Gounod's Faust and the 'Song to the Moon' from Rusalka by

Dvorak.

The second half of the programme is a feast of songs by composers like Kurt Weil, Cole Porter and Stephen Sondheim. Zanne will end off the night with her great passion, Spanish music, singing songs by Obradors and unrivalled master of the tango, Astor Piazzolla.





STAFF REPORTER

Exclusive Namibian art under hammer

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Exclusive Namibian art under hammerExclusive Namibian art under hammerHundreds of thousands expected The work of two of early Namibia's most prolific painters, Adolph Jentsch and Fritz Krampe, will go under the hammer next week in Cape Town. Important Namibian paintings from the late Peter and Regina Strack Collection are poised to go under the hammer in South Africa

Strauss & Co, South Africa's leading auction house, is honoured to present 20 works in various media from the Namibian-based collection of the late Peter and Regina Strack. The sale, which includes three rare Adolph Jentsch oils and a major Fritz Krampe oil, will be offered in a dedicated segment at the auction house's forthcoming sale in Cape Town on 15 October.

German-born Peter Strack immigrated to Namibia in 1950 and was a partner in the architectural firm Stauch & Partners. He began honing his skills as an artist and collector under the tutelage of painter Adolph Jentsch. The collection he assembled with his wife, Regina, is striking for its focus on earlier 20th-century Namibian artists such as Jentsch and Krampe, as well as Axel Eriksson and Carl Ossmann.

Dresden-born Jentsch, who moved to Namibia in 1938, is a key figure in the art history of his adopted country. His masterful landscapes are imbued with a spiritual calm. Jentsch's work has been a fixture of South African auctions. In November 2017, Strauss & Co sold an oil on canvas from 1940 painted near the Swakop River for R1.6 million.

Collectors esteem Jentsch's oils, in part due to their rarity. In 1975, a disastrous fire at a farm owned by Gebhard and Dorothee von Funcke, where the artist stored many of his prized works, destroyed much of his output, which the artist only reluctantly traded.

The Strack Collection includes three oils, one of them, Schafrevier (estimate R500 000 – R700 000), was bequeathed by Dorothee von Funcke to the Stracks. Painted in Jentsch's muted colour palette, the work depicts the Schaf River near Windhoek.

“This serene work highlights the importance of quality and provenance as the cornerstone of building a successful collection,” says Kirsty Colledge, a senior art specialist at Strauss & Co who handled the consignment of the Strack Collection.

The other oil works on offer are Vlei on Farm Teufelsbach (estimate R600 000 – R800 000), an unusually verdant view of the Otjihavera River, and Ibenstein, SW Afrika (estimate R600 000 – R700 000), a masterfully achieved night scene in grey that was purchased from the artist's estate by Peter Strack in 1983.

The Strack Collection consignment also includes a Jentsch acrylic titled Schafrivier Ufer (estimate R200 000 – R300 000) that was exhibited at the South African National Gallery, Cape Town, in 1969. Arid Landscape with Trees (estimate R5 000 – R7 000) is one of four watercolours on offer and was gifted to the Stracks by Dorothee von Funcke.

The Fritz Krampe offerings are no less auspicious and include one of this Berlin-born artist's major works, a double-sided oil on canvas from 1958, Village Scene with Woman smoking Pipe/ Fishing Boat (estimate R250 000 – R350 000). This work is a deviation from Krampe's usual animal studies and depicts an East African village and its occupants.

Krampe's Cattle Frieze from 1959 (R200 000 – R300 000) is a preliminary study for the artist's acclaimed ten-metre long Otjitambi Frieze. The frieze and preliminary works are extensively discussed in Timeless Encounters, a 2007 book on Krampe authored by Peter Strack. In 2003 Strack also published a book on Jentsch.

Peter Strack's work as an artist is also acknowledged in the Strauss & Co sale, which features two undated sculptural pieces made with palm wood. The Strack Collection offering further includes pieces by South African artists, notably Alexis Preller's Pondo Girl (estimate R80 000 – R120 000), an early charcoal drawing from 1938.

The Strack Collection offers an opportunity to reflect on the kinship between Namibian and South African landscape painters. In 1923, South African J.H. Pierneef visited Namibia, then a protectorate of its southern neighbour. Pierneef exhibited in Windhoek and met with local artists like Axel Eriksson, whose Kleine Spitzkoppe from 1921 (estimate R30 000 – R40 000) shares many affinities with his South African contemporary's rapturous mountain studies.

The sale of the Strack Collection (lots 514 to 533) takes place on Monday 15 October at 19:00, in the evening sale at the Vineyard Hotel, Cape Town.

STAFF REPORTER



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A one-of-a-kind dancing musician

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A one-of-a-kind dancing musicianA one-of-a-kind dancing musicianMaking the moves Dancing is an integral part of any musician's live performances and although not all of them get it right, Himba Boi does. We know them for their lyrical talent but the real question is, can most of them bust a move? It is not a secret that some of the best singers are not always the best performers, especially when it comes to hitting the dance floor.

When it comes to mentioning some of the masters of dancing and singing, Michael Jackson and Beyonce are names of famous singers well known for their dancing moves and record-breaking hits. Locally, upcoming talent Himba Boi who draws his inspiration from Michael Jackson, is definitely getting both tricks right. One would swear when Himba Boi is performing, he is being paid extra to go all out. He however says it is only because he is passionate about his art and job.

Himba Boi says he gives 150% in all his live acts because client satisfaction matters, even in arts. The Punde hitmaker says his daily routine is the thing that helps him kick ass during his performances. It involves meditation and being positive.

“I believe in the law of attraction meaning whatever you think about is what you take in, so I always think about what I want to happen when I perform and it comes out exactly as I see it,” he said.

Himba Boi says there are bad days, of course, and sometimes that too shows in his performance. He says he bounces back by repeating his catch phrase 'energy' and moves on. The singer told tjil that everything he does to perfect his performance goes as far as being in the recording studio.

“Everything must be in sync. Before I record a song, I already see how I will make it enjoyable for my fans. My lyrics and the whole production has to relate to the stage presence,” he said.

Himba Boi says his role model Michael Jackson has an influence on a lot of things in his musical career. There are times he too pulls out a glove and wears it on stage. He also got the confidence to be able to take to the stage alone.

“I tell you, 95% of the time he danced and took to the stage alone, he always killed it too, since his early childhood days. I now know that I don't need anyone to make me whole on stage but I will need them to bring in a new element,” he said.

Himba Boi is known for modernising his culture by combining pop with it. Today he is one of the few to pull it off in his dancing too. An African icon he looks up to is Brenda Fassie who also, according to him, greatly infused her vernacular in Afro pop. The singer who is working on his debut album says all his hard work is in a quest for a Namibian music identity.

“I mix traditional rhythms with modern instrumentals and that's how I was able to fuse this new sound. It all goes back to when I was in high school, so I had enough time to master the industry to find this gap. It's all in planning,” he said.

June Shimuoshili

Shack72's therapy

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Shack72's therapyShack72's therapyPutting the Sunday back into Sunday An innovative and unique way of taking radio to the people… meet Shack72. Some will say its mind control, others would say its deep house therapy that gets in touch with the soul. Trinity Lounge presents Shack72 'Sundays belong to Sunday Therapy' every Sunday with a live DJ from here and all over.

DJ Deon, known as the Father of the Station, has been in the music industry for 23 years and is still going strong. “Collectively as a team we have over 30 years of experience in music across the disciplines including acting, artistry, sound, producing and events,” he said.

“Radio has remained a strong element of our culture, a source of communication. It is a platform to reach masses of audiences across the globe. Putting Namibia on the map has always been my number-one task. Shack72 is a place of therapy through communication.

“Shack72 caters for the best deep house DJs known to our local people, as a truly Namibian entity. We have redefined conventional radio, we are free and accessible through an online mobile application, allowing all social media users on the platform worldwide,” said Deon.

Shack72 online uses their various services for reliable and quality audio and visual streaming and have replaced the DJ as we know it with carefully selected content contributors to ensure that listeners and affiliates remain informed and entertained, with over 5 500 monthly listeners across multiple online platforms as well as the mobile app, which is available on the Apple Appstore for iOS users and Google Playstore for Android users.

Furthermore, to reduce the distance between the conventional radio station and the user, they have morphed into an interactive platform, where the user becomes part of the radio show with live broadcasts such as Sunday Therapy, which have been aired every Sunday since the beginning of March 2018.

Sunday Therapy is more than just a Sunday session. It has become a movement in its own right, providing a platform for the best local deep, soulful, experimental and underground house DJs and coupling them with the biggest names on the international stage.

“Sunday Therapy is and remains the only free event hosting the best local and international talent in Namibia,” said Deon. Shack72 will be branching out to other parts of the country over the summer holiday period, to give more people access to the vibe.

The next project for Shack72 online radio, would be the further development and completion of their own recording/producing and broadcasting studio, to establish a base camp with many exciting radio shows and where live broadcasting events take place from.

The next project for Sunday Therapy is hosting one of the heavyweights on the international dance music scene, Ralf Gum, on Sunday, 14 October, and EnoSoul on 25 November at Trinity Lounge Windhoek. More international acts have been lined up for the rest of 2018 and the beginning of 2019, so watch this space.

Also keep a look out for Sunday Therapy events around the coastal and northern regions of Namibia.

Shack72 thanks the host venue Trinity Lounge, for allowing them to bridge the gap between radio and user, Mammoth Events for their continued support and for providing only the best equipment for the last eight months of Sunday Therapy, and last but not least, their loyal following, the Sunday Therapy goer, the Sunday Therapy listener… without you there would be no Sunday Therapy.



Cobie Bok

Nalitye will know on Wednesday…

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Nalitye will know on Wednesday…Nalitye will know on Wednesday… The pursuit to discover the 2018 MTV Base VJ peaks as MTV Base (DStv channel 322) and the colourful fruity cooler, Breezer, announce the overall top three finalists.

The impressive trio is comprised of Namibian-born Nalitye Shan, based in Cape Town, Ntandose Mosibi from Daveyton and Angolan-born Jonatao Morais, who is based in Malvern East, in Joburg. All three contestants rose above the challenges, by serving their best 'Live Life in Colour' personas, and have triumphantly surpassed more than 5 000 hopefuls from four major cities throughout the search.

This week's challenges included impromptu press junkets and interviewing guest judges; the likes of local television personality, MTV Base Behind the Story host Pearl Thusi, and one of SA's most loved comedians, MTV's You Got Got star Tol A$$ Mo. The contestants also showcased their co-hosting skills while presenting alongside 2017 MTV Base VJ Search's Tshego Koke.

Voting closed on Tuesday and the final winner will be announced on Wednesday, 17 October at 21:30 CAT. MTV Base reserves the right to select the winner at its discretion and may take into consideration the number of votes received by a nominee.

The winner of the 2018 MTV Base VJ Search will receive a 12-month contract with MTV Base and also stand a chance to host the MTV Base show. In this role, the new VJ gets the opportunity to interview local and global stars, MC much sought-after events, attend world best international award shows, grace the glitzy red carpet and travel the continent and world as an ambassador for MTV Base, all while showing the rest of South Africa and the world how to 'Live Life in Colour' in true Breezer style.

Additionally, the winner will also receive a year's supply of fruity Breezers to keep life colourful, a brand-new FIAT car and an all-expenses paid trip worth N$140 000 to beautiful and colourful Thailand. Breezer wants the new star to celebrate in a truly exciting and colourful way and where better to do so, than in a country that will allow the winner to explore and embrace a culture that is as vibrant and fun as Breezer itself.

The MTV Base VJ Search is brought to you by Breezer. Live Life in Colour.

For more information on the MTV Base VJ Search, visit mtvbase.com, like and chat to us on Facebook at MTVBaseAfrica, or join the conversation about the channel on Twitter and Instagram @MTVBaseAfrica using the hashtags #MTVBaseVJSearch, #Breezer and #LiveLifeInColour

STAFF REPORTER

Just do it, now

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Just do it, nowJust do it, now Has someone ever approached you and told you that you are capable or really good at a certain activity, and your first thought was really? The worst part is you didn't know whether they were telling the truth because you don't see yourself quite as capable and that kinda sucks.

My question is why should we feel the need to review such compliments in the first place, and does it help you become a better person at the end of the day? Of course with the help of uncle Google, I literally typed in the search box 'why do we feel the need to analyse praises'. Turns out, there's something called 'personal growth' and this thing, or lack of it, affects everybody to a certain extent. It's the different techniques or assessments that we as people in our different capacities make and do to improve individual awareness, develop talents and potential, and this contributes to the realisation of dreams and aspirations. So, are you as a musician still in the category of 'upcoming' artist five years later?

The key to all of this is about stepping out of your comfort zone and no, it's not about taking your time because time is not waiting for you. And it's also not a thing of I'm still perfecting some areas and then I'll have my big break. It's about taking a leap of faith firstly in youself as a human being that will make mistakes and will learn. You will not know everything and that's the beauty of being human. Get comfortable in your own skin and trust yourself a little. Put pen to paper and list your strengths and weaknesses.

Trust me, the 'I got this' mentality doesn't take you far. Positive, constructive criticism is the cherry on top. Once you have a strategic plan in action, create a personal task statement and set objectives that you will live by. State and write down what you want to accomplish, by when and how you intend on doing so.



june@namibiansun.com



June Shimuoshili

Company news in brief

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Company news in briefCompany news in brief Chinese slowdown fears hit Louis Vuitton shares

Robust sales growth at luxury goods leader LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton

LVMH in the third quarter failed on Wednesday to quell fears that Chinese demand for high-end fashion and handbags will start waning, sending its shares lower and rattling those of competitors.

Markets are on edge over a simmering trade war between Beijing and Washington and its knock-on effect on Chinese consumers, whose appetite for branded goods fueled a luxury industry rebound over the past two years.

Shares in LVMH closed down 7.1%, even though it reported a stronger-than-expected performance in the clothing and leather goods business that includes its biggest profit-driver, Louis Vuitton, and labels like Christian Dior.

-Nampa/Reuters

Snapchat announces new scripted shows

- Snap Inc on Wednesday announced new scripted shows for its photo messaging app Snapchat which will launch this fall and struck partnerships with Hollywood production companies and writers in hopes of reversing its decline in users.

Shares of Snap have fallen 52% since the beginning of the year as Snapchat has struggled to attract new users as rivals Facebook Inc and Instagram introduced Snapchat-like features on its own apps.

The serialized shows will have new episodes daily, and include a documentary series called “Growing Up is a Drag,” about the coming-of-age of teenage drag stars, produced by Bunim/Murray, the production company behind the hit reality television show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.”

Snap said the episodes will be fast-paced for mobile viewing and as short as five minutes long, with each show having a profile page where viewers can easily find each episode.

-Nampa/Reuters

Google unveils new Pixel phone

Alphabet Inc’s Google on Tuesday unveiled the third edition of its Pixel smartphone, a Google Home smart speaker with a display and its first tablet computer as it makes a come-from-behind push into hardware.

The company’s Android software has gone from being an also-ran to the brains of most of the world’s smartphones and Google topped Amazon.com Inc in smart speaker sales in recent quarters.

Pixel phones, though, have been a tougher sell, launching with glitches and garnering less than 1% of the global market by shipments in Google’s first two years of trying, according to research firm Strategy Analytics.

The Pixel 3, priced at US$799, and a larger Pixel 3 XL, priced at US$899, mark Google’s latest entries for a phone lineup it hopes will someday be as popular as Apple Inc’s iPhone.

The Pixel Slate tablet runs Google’s beefier Chrome OS laptop operating system rather than Android. It is priced at US$599, aimed at competing with Apple’s iPad Pro.

-Nampa/Reuters

Tencent is no longer one of the world's 10 biggest companies

More bad news for Tencent: the Chinese internet giant has lost its spot as one of the world’s 10 biggest companies.

After shedding over US$200 billion in market value this year, more than any other company worldwide, Tencent has been replaced by Exxon Mobil in the top of the rankings based on market capitalisation.

When its share price hit a record high in January, the Shenzhen-based company was in the top five along with Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon.com.

Mitchell Green, Santa Barbara-based founding partner of Lead Edge Capital which manages US$1.5 billion of assets, said the selloff could continue as investors panic.

Tencent’s market cap is now US$353 billion, while Exxon Mobil’s is US$365 billion.

-Fin24

Amazon scraps secret AI recruiting tool

Amazon.com Inc’s machine-learning specialists uncovered a big problem: their new recruiting engine did not like women

The team had been building computer programs since 2014 to review job applicants’ resumes with the aim of mechanizing the search for top talent, five people familiar with the effort told Reuters.

Automation has been key to Amazon’s e-commerce dominance, be it inside warehouses or driving pricing decisions. The company’s experimental hiring tool used artificial intelligence to give job candidates scores ranging from one to five stars - much like shoppers rate products on Amazon, some of the people said.

“Everyone wanted this holy grail,” one of the people said. “They literally wanted it to be an engine where I’m going to give you 100 resumes, it will spit out the top five, and we’ll hire those.”

-Nampa/Reuters

Daring to be different

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Daring to be differentDaring to be differentTaking one country at a time Namibian fashion just took a giant leap forward with a glitzy and urban line… say hello to Money Maker. Did you know that Coco Chanel started from a little hat shop in a Paris street and today they are all over the world? Let that sink in while we discuss the fact that there are over seven billion people on planet earth. This without a doubt means that there is definitely a large market for the clothing line industry. For example; if everybody in the world owns a pair of trousers, one shirt and one jacket it translates into billions of clothing items. Of course, the average person owns far more than a pair of trousers, a shirt and a jacket.

It is indeed beyond every reasonable doubt - the clothing line industry is a money-making industry. Why is this so? Well, it is simply because clothes are amidst the top needs of humanity.

Anyone who has started a business knows how demanding the hours are, how extreme the work is, and how costly it can be to get your idea out of your head and into reality. Starting a clothing line is no different, and may even be a little more complex as it requires one to be creative too.





Regardless of the fact that there is tight competition in the clothing industry, one has to carefully study the industry before getting in, otherwise a business will struggle to survive. tjil chats with new ones in the business… designer Patrick and founder of the brand Sheriff on how they plan on penetrating the saturated industry differently.

What started as an expensive hobby three years ago, has turned into something bigger than what was expected. The founder, who is a renowned businessman, said he became tired of wearing branded clothing and decided to make his own brand he could wear proudly.

“I got the nickname 'Money' and I decided to make my brand Money Maker. I started with three shirts that were just for me and soon people started asking me where I got them because they want to buy them too. The rest is history,” he said. Sheriff said being an entrepreneur had a lot to do with his childhood, as he had to mature fast and learn to fend for himself at a tender age. “I grew up in a house where I was treated differently from everyone else. I had to get things on my own and that's how I became a go-getter. I just had to do everything for myself and that meant what I wanted, I had to get myself. This helped groom me into who I am today,” he said.

Sheriff then got Patrick on board who changed the brand design by adding elegance. According to Quora online magazine, one must have skill to own a fashion business and critical is an eye for trends; that means whether the product you are going to invest in will be purchased by enough people to give you a good return on your investment. The brand grew as both partners became serious and considered their target audience and the type of style which is high-end fashion. Today Money Makers sells chic phone covers, clothing from pants, vests and shirts, just mention a few, as well as bedding and cushions. Money Maker offers street/urban wear and premium wear.

“The signature logo on our clothing is for the premium clients as it is reserved. It is not made in bulk like the urban wear, which is readily available and is funky and chill. We are trying to create a brand that fits all spheres and that's why we don't only have clothing but accessories for the office and house too,” Sheriff said.

Patrick said the premium logo was designed in such a way to suit both local and international markets, as the plan is to make Money Maker a worldwide brand. Their merchandise is thus far available in Namibia, South Africa and Angola. South African celebrities have also caught up with the clothing line and have been seen in the Namibian merchandise. “When we speak Money Maker, we don't only want to relate to clothing, but rather inspire someone to not limit themselves to their current situation. It should help you understand that your current situation does not have to be your destination and you can always elevate yourself. It's about creating an identity which can become a lifestyle.”

Money Maker will be taking part in Windhoek Fashion Week in November, where they will introduce their clothing line. The two say the opportunity is humbling, as their 30-minute slot will introduce their brand to the world and differentiate themselves from other local brands. The owners are looking into taking the brand outside Namibia at fashion weeks and shows.

“We are a limited retail brand. We are for everyone but let's be honest, no one likes to be at a party and notice four other people wearing the same clothing.

“This will not be the scenario with Money Maker clothing. We will take one country at a time,” said Sheriff.

June Shimuoshili

Health councils inaugurated

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Health councils inaugurated Health councils inaugurated Ready to serve Following several delays, the health councils are finally operational. Justicia Shipena

The inauguration of the Health Professionals Councils took place last week Thursday at the Roof of Africa in Windhoek.

The members took oath before health minister Dr Bernard Haufiku.

The councils are as follows:

1. The Medical and Dental Council

2. Nursing Council

3. Pharmacy Council

4. Allied Health Professions Council of Namibia

Speaking at the ceremony Haufiku said that before 2015 the health professions bill was already in discussion along with the mental health and food safety bills. None of these bills were tabled yet.

These delays caused a vacuum and Haufiku said the law-making process in Namibia is cumbersome.

Haufiku added that for the last two months there was effectively no council and thus time should not be wasted in addressing these issues.

“We are sitting with hundreds of recently qualified doctors at the level of specialisation who up to now are not registered practitioners because of delays caused by the new bill,” he said.

Haufiku also thanked members of the councils for agreeing to serve fellow professionals and the public and urged them to them to work together to ensure that both the public and medical profession in Namibia is effectively protected in a sustained manner.

Schlettwein seeks private sector advice

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Schlettwein seeks private sector adviceSchlettwein seeks private sector advice Businessman Leake Hangala has said that tough decisions will have to be made if Namibia is to weather the economic storm she currently finds herself in.

He made the remarks during a stakeholder engagement held with the ministry of finance this week.

Finance minister Calle Schlettwein had invited business people to a meeting to discuss ways to fix the economy.

“We must not live in denial, the economy is tough. We [private sector] are retrenching every day. Government must take tough decisions on spending, not only on staff but [also] political,” Hangala said. “Namibia cannot continue to be the second largest spender on the public service wage bill.”

Schlettwein had in May said that government is working on reforming its wage bill with the intention to avoid retrenchments, but the process is expected to take substantial time to finalise.

Part of the strategy is to keep the civil service as it is, but freeze vacancies, and if a specific vacancy needs to be filled, compensate it with other vacancies in the system, or with vacancies that are yet to come.

Hangala had added that government would have to ease its visa requirements.

“We have outdated visas. We must come up with a way to attract investments in our country,” Hangala said.

Former Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) CEO Tarah Shaanika said that government must remove bottlenecks to investment.

According to him, there were two projects brought to the table by private investors but that government was indecisive in making a decision.

“One of the challenges we have is bureaucracy and indecisiveness. Public-private-partnerships were brought to government in the Erongo Region to the tune of N$750 million. No response was given by government and we are still waiting for the attorney-general's response. Indecisiveness is killing investment,” Shaanika said.

NCCI member Robert Amadhila asked Schlettwein to look into the possibility of removing Value Added Tax from goods used to manufacture. This, he said, would encourage investment.

“If we can just take VAT from input materials, the impact it will have is that it will encourage investment,” Amadhila said.

Pupkewitz group MD Dougie Truter said that in his experience, he had found that some parastatals were competing with the private sector for the provision of services. In most cases, this meant that the private sector could not deploy capital in projects.

Schlettwein is expected to deliver the mid-year budget in two weeks' time.

OGONE TLHAGE

Light at the end of the tunnel

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Light at the end of the tunnelLight at the end of the tunnelPangolin trafficking incentivised by local Chinese A campaign to protect pangolins in Namibia has been enormously successful but concern remains for their safety. A little more than a year after authorities launched a campaign to tackle the increasing rate of pangolin trafficking in Namibia, it has proven exceptionally successful to date with 112 suspects arrested, 57 cases opened and 34 live pangolins rescued.

Fifty-four percent were opened in the Khomas Region where most of the suspects were arrested, followed by the Kavango, where 18% of cases were opened, Otjozondjupa (12%) and the Zambezi Region (9%).

As per the Namibia Chamber of Environment (NCE), who, together with environment ministry and others, launched the campaign in July 2017, these statistics do not necessarily reflect the localities where the pangolins are captured.

Increased efforts to curtail the trade have shown a clear movement of pangolins from the north and east of Namibia to the main market in Windhoek, from where they are smuggled to Asia.

A report by the NCE on progress of the campaign shows that the reward scheme “had an immediate impact. Within the first two months 15 criminal cases were opened, and 21 suspects arrested. Ten live pangolins were seized.”

By February this year, 37 cases had been reported, and 81 people arrested, with 20 live pangolins seized, health-checked and released at safe sites.

Thirty-four pangolin skins were confiscated by February.

The 'Protect Pangolin' campaign came into effect after a sharp spike in the illegal trade of pangolins became evident, both in live and dead animals.

The NCE explained that in the past, the trade was limited, with a few cases of illegal possession of pangolins reported each year, mostly for own use or the local market.

With the increasing global trade, the characteristics of the Namibian trade changed however.

Dangerous myths

It is estimate that pangolins are illegally traded and trafficked more than any other wild mammals in the world, with more than a million pangolins trafficked to Asia, mainly China, in the past decade.

The main reason behind the booming trade is that scales, made of keratin, are used in traditional Asian medicines and for ornaments and charms, despite the scales scientifically proven to have no medicinal properties.

Further, pangolin meat has become a delicacy and is sold at Asian restaurants at steep prices.

As a result, all eight species of pangolin are listed as threatened Red Data species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and all have recently been up-listed to Appendix 1 category under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).



Namibia responds

Last year, Namibia significantly strengthened its wildlife laws, including penalties for the possession and trade in controlled wildlife products.

The tightening of laws was in direct response to the increase in commercial wildlife crime in Namibia, driven by Asian markets.

Controlled wildlife products in Namibia are all animals listed in Appendix 1 of CITES, with a few additional species.

They include rhinos, elephant, pangolin and carnivores such as cheetah and other vulnerable animals and some plant species.

The NCE noted that the increased recognition of the impact of wildlife crimes, and Namibia's response to tighten laws and penalties to address this upsurge, shows that “Namibians are now very annoyed and unhappy about incentivised commercial wildlife crime driven by Asian markets and incentivised locally by some Chinese nationals.”

Apart from strengthening penalties for people found guilty of possession, dealing, trading, manufacturing, exporting and importing these controlled wildlife products, law enforcement has also seen a significant strengthening at several levels. All these efforts, according to the NCE, have resulted in a marked reduction of the chances of foreign nationals, who are arrested and charged, from obtaining bail.

Further, with prosecutors looking to apply as many laws as possible against accused smugglers or dealers, the chances of being hit by serious penalties have increased.



The Chinese question

In their report, the NCE underline the fact that wildlife conservation and good environmental management in Namibia is seen as a national initiative by all, but that some rotten apples in the Chinese community, are “undermining Namibia's conservation philosophy and approach by incentivising wildlife crimes”.

Many Namibians now view some members of the Chinese community in Namibia as “stealing from Namibia and from rural communities. Unfortunately, the actions of a small number of Chinese has given the whole Chinese community in Namibia a bad name,” the report states.

While the labelling of the entire community is unfair, the NCE notes that this is the result of the small group not being brought under control.

“Because no information on wildlife and other crimes are provided to the authorities by members of the Chinese community in Namibia, the Chinese community is seen as providing protection and shelter to these criminal Chinese elements.”

The NCE recommends that the Chinese community could address this problem by rooting out the culprits in their community, by reporting them to the police or wildlife authorities, or the Chinese embassy.

The NCE further stresses that the solution to wildlife crime is not “to have hundreds of people in jail, but to stop the illegal capture, killing, trade and trafficking in wildlife.”

JANA-MARI SMITH

Studies conducted to harness flood water

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Studies conducted to harness flood waterStudies conducted to harness flood water Feasibility studies are being carried out looking into the opportunities of harvesting floodwater.

This is according to agriculture minister Alpheus !Naruseb, whose speech was read on his behalf at the Agriculture Outlook Conference.

!Naruseb stressed the fact that with climate change rainfall is expected to become increasingly unpredictable.

He said that rainfall in Namibia has already been significantly below the annual average over the past four years, resulting in one of the worst droughts in recent history.

“About 70% of Namibians directly or indirectly derive their livelihoods from subsistence agriculture and the consequences of sustained water shortages have had, and continue to have devastating effects on the Namibian economy.”

At its northern and southern borders Namibia has access to perennial rivers, which are fed mainly by rainfall in neighbouring countries and which show the typical pattern of one or two seasonal flood peaks with normally steady flow throughout the year.

The physical features of the terrain to the north of Namibia, where the Kunene, Kavango, and Zambezi rivers have their headwaters, are such that river flow is, to varying degrees, not only dependent on a direct surface runoff response.

“It also includes an important delayed flow component, due to major storage in the swamps and floodplains in the upper parts of the drainage basins. As such the potential for water harvesting is there but limited in time and space.”

!Naruseb said large dams are being constructed along ephemeral rivers to harvest runoff from the rivers after heavy rainstorms before it flows to the sea or delta. Small earthen dams are being excavated in the Cuvelai basin to harvest the seasonal floodwater.

He said other flood-prone areas have not been developed but options are being investigated.

“So far not much has been done in the area pertaining to rain and floodwater harvesting. However, feasibility studies are being carried out clearly indicating the challenges but also opportunities in this area.”

Based on these studies, the ministry developed a programme on floodwater harvesting and irrigation, which seeks to expand the existing irrigation projects and to reduce the periodic damage caused by droughts and floods in parts of the country.

It also aims to enhance the resilience of crop and livestock farmers to climate change effects, and to expand the total land under irrigation. Under this programme, it is envisaged that natural water channels will be deepened to hold water for use by local communities.

The programme also aims to put up sluice gates at some bridges to prevent water from flowing away. It will turn suitable spots along the river systems into large earthen dams to collect water for irrigation purposes.

“These interventions are meant to collect and transfer large volumes of raw water to be available for the communities to accelerate community development while securing sources of financial income for themselves.”

He said the idea is to harness the human capacity available at village level and to take away the notion that employment and sources of income are only found in urban areas.

According to him the problem is not only the quantity of available water, but also the fact that it is often situated far from the centres of population and economic development.

“Water infrastructure in Namibia is therefore expensive, requiring large dams, with high evaporation losses, and long-distance water carriers.”

ELLANIE SMIT

Education Bill 'draconian'

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Education Bill 'draconian'Education Bill 'draconian' The Popular Democratic Movement has described the Education Bill that has been tabled in parliament as autocratic, undemocratic and draconian.

In its contribution to the bill, the PDM called for it to be to be referred to a parliamentary committee to listen to the concerns of civil society and other experts so that it can be amended to be more in line with what most Namibians want for their children.

PDM parliamentarian Nico Smit said the bill has drawn strong and valid criticism from various sections of civil society.

“This is very encouraging, as education is in fact an issue for civil society as civil society is not some alien organisation but legitimate representatives of those people that we have all been elected to serve while the government's only task is to regulate education in such a way that it can take place smoothly and effectively. In fact, I have not seen any positive feedback on this bill thus far.”

According to Smit parents and their representatives should have the maximum input in how they want this education to happen.

He said this seems to have been entirely usurped by the education ministry.

“One can only suspect that this is for a political motive of directing education to ensure that loyalty to the ruling party is maintained by manipulating and indoctrinating our impressionable young people and teachers as well.”

Smit said the bill intrudes on areas in education that do not need fixing.

“I cannot help but suspect that it has been written the way it has to tighten the ruling party's grip on the teaching sector as well as the civil sector that has children in our schools. This exclusion of the inputs received during consultations with stakeholders means that the ministry wants to impose a predetermined outcome on the public and that outcome can only be to ensure that teachers are forced to teach what the government wants them to teach to ensure that learners are moulded into loyal and undiscerning voters by the time they reach the age of 18.”

He said an education bill should not concentrate on disciplinary measures while paying scant attention to burning issues such as effective teacher training and measures to bring real improvement to the quality of education children are receiving.

Smit said the bill insults teachers throughout the country by creating the impression that they are not to be trusted with any of the issues for which they have been appointed.

“They are to be advised by school boards on how to run their schools, where these school boards are to be made up of, amongst others, learners as young as grade seven and people who are not in any way concerned with educational matters. They need not even have children in school to tell the principal what he or she may or may not do.”

According to Smit teachers and principals are being threatened with draconian punishments for trying to maintain a semblance of administrative discipline in their schools by withholding report cards for any reason whatsoever.

Smit added that the government shamelessly fails to provide the required N$5 000 per child that is required to effectively provide the so-called free education it promised people in order to buy their votes.

At present schools are left in debt as they try to provide for all their pupils' needs on the meagre N$250 per child actually provided by this government, he charged.

According to Smit the bill does not address any protection of the rights of teachers.

“According to education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa the bill has put the learners at its centre but surely this is just another ploy to create sympathy for the draconian and undemocratic contents it contains.”

He said the rights of pupils, teachers and parents are equally important and deserve equal protection in any education bill.

ELLANIE SMIT

Namibia Red Cross appoints SG

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Namibia Red Cross appoints SG Namibia Red Cross appoints SG Establishing new leaders Top-notch appointment of Bernadette Bock at the local Red Cross branch. Staff Reporter

The Namibia Red Cross Society has announced the appointment of Bernadette Bock as secretary-general, effective 1 October 2018.

Bock brings to the National Society a 20-year working experience in the areas of sustainable community development, sustainable natural resources management, grant management, strategic planning and implementation, stakeholder engagement and communications.

She is a development economist with strong skills in corporate social responsibility programme design and management, monitoring and evaluation as well as quality and compliance assurance. In addition, she has a strong empirical research background with several peer-reviewed publications focusing on policy impacts on water resources use in Namibia.

Bock also has vast experience gained over the years of working for various international development cooperation programmes as well as in the local Namibian NGO and the private sectors.

She holds an Master’s in Cooperative Economics from the Philipps-University Marburg in Germany and a Bachelor’s of Economics from the University of Namibia. She is currently pursuing an MBA at the Steinbeis University, Berlin in Germany.

With all her experience and wonderful set of expertise, Bock shows no plans of stopping or slowing down her momentum.

Kahimise in midst of City squabble

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Kahimise in midst of City squabbleKahimise in midst of City squabbleCouncillors demand CEO's reinstatement City of Windhoek CEO Robert Kahimise is being made the scapegoat for the recent suspension of the City Police chief, three opposition city councillors claim. An alleged recommendation to suspend City of Windhoek CEO Robert Kahimise is strongly opposed by three city councillors, who claim he is facing persecution from members of the council's management committee.

In a letter addressed to urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga, city councillors Brunhilde Cornelius (RDP), Josef Kauandenge (NUDO) and Ignatius Semba (PDM) allege that during a closed-door meeting this week, some MC members proposed to suspend Kahimise for three months.

The alleged demand to have him suspended, which could not be independently verified, allegedly revolves around a study loan Kahimise had applied for. According to the councillors this loan was “erroneously approved by the mayor and the chairperson of the MC”, a mistake they say could easily have been rectified, and one that had happened before.

The councillors allege further that the animosity against Kahimise can be traced back to his success at cleaning up the City's act, and to the suspension of City Police chief Abraham Kanime.

Kauandenge, Semba and Cornelius write that the CEO was being made into a “sacrificial lamb for their own collective decision to suspend Chief Kanime”.

They say although the decision to suspend the City Police chief was made at the recommendation of the security advisory committee and approved by the management committee, some management committee members have since backtracked and are accusing the CEO of deciding to suspend Kanime without their input.

They write that the alleged decision to call for Kahimise's suspension is payback for removing Kanime, who they claim “was running the City Police as his own island”.

Further, they inform the minister that “there is a tribal undertone currently infesting” the City's offices. They claim that this is based on the fact that the organisation is “led by three Hereros in top positions of the mayor, CEO and chief legal advisor Ben Ngairorue.”

Ngairorue is facing corruption charges for allegedly falsifying documents for the sale of a house over municipal debt. The case has been postponed to mid-November.

The councillors' letter further notes that when Kahimise took the reins in February 2016, the City's management was “in a serious mess”, but a year into his leadership major improvements have been achieved, including restrictions on uncontrolled spending.

The councillors urge Mushelenga to put a stop to the situation, which they say could “lead the City into chaos and anarchy,” as before the appointment of Kahimise.

They call on the minister to call the management committee members to order.

They also want him to provide training to all City councillors to understand the provisions of the Local Authorities Act in order to clarify the separation of powers between the City Council and the municipality.

“Councillors as policy formulators can't and must not intervene in purely administrative matters,” they insist.



Kanime's corner

In a motion tabled in September, management committee member Moses Shiikwa requested Kanime's immediate reinstatement.

The motion said a legal opinion was required to clarify the duties of the management committee and the council, as well as the “legality of the jurisdiction” of Kahimise, in his role in Kanime's suspension.

Shiikwa asked which provision of the law allowed the CEO to suspend the police chief. He also asked why others in the City Police, “who have been charged with the same transgression as those alleged against Chief Kanime” remained in their positions.

Shiikwa argued that the management committee is, by law, responsible for the day-to-day running of the affairs of the City together with the CEO.

“With that fact in mind, why are things being kept away from the management committee members by the CEO?” he asked.

In their letter, the three councillors note that the motion brought by Shiikwa was “surprising” and that he should have known “that the council cannot and should not intervene in any administrative process until it's finalised and presented to the council for deliberations and final decision-making.”

Yesterday, Kauandenge told Namibian Sun that a commission of inquiry was still investigating the allegations against Kanime, and until its recommendations were finalised, Kanime would remain suspended.

He questioned the “haste” of demanding Kanime's reinstatement while the inquiry was ongoing.

Kauandenge further questioned the use of the study loan as grounds for Kahimise's suspension, noting that while it should have been approved by the entire management committee, similar mistakes had been made before, and were easily rectified.

“It's not the first time. It's happened before.”

Questions sent to the City of Windhoek yesterday were not answered by the time of going to print.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Telecom suspends 3 managers

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Telecom suspends 3 managersTelecom suspends 3 managers OGONE TLHAGE

Telecom Namibia has suspended three of its managers who allegedly made 16 monthly payments amounting to N$12 million in a dubious contract entered into with Canocopy in 2013.

The contract, between Telecom Namibia and Canocopy (owned by Paratus Telecom), was signed in 2013.

Canocopy, in terms of the agreement, would offer Telecom Namibia printing facilities for 36 months.

Telecom’s chief financial officer, Robert Offner, its head of internal audit and risk management, Ben van der Merwe, and head of corporate governance, legal services and regulatory affairs, Jinah Buys, were suspended in connection with the contract.

“The Telecom Namibia executive management, while espousing the principle of the presumption of innocence, due to the seniority of the three executives and the seriousness of the matter under investigation, as well as in keeping with the provisions of the company’s disciplinary code, took a decision that it would be better for them to be suspended until the investigation is finalised,” said Telecom Namibia acting CEO Armando Perny Perny.

Papers filed in the High Court on 30 August show that Telecom Namibia paid Canocopy around N$4.8 million (N$299 000 per month) from March 2016 to June 2017, The Namibian reported.

Documents show that the contract was renewed for 16 more months on 9 March 2016, before Telecom Namibia realised last year that it was fraudulent.

The decision was based on a 2016 Telecom resolution that bore a forged signature of former managing director Frans Ndoroma, who retired in 2014.

Telecom Namibia is arguing in its court papers that Offner did not have powers to sign the contract with Canocopy since it exceeded the N$5 million limit set under the company's policies.

This contract, the parastatal said, was supposed to be advertised, and would need the signature of the managing director.

Telecom also claims that it overpaid Canocopy by N$70 000 per month under the fraudulent contract. The total amount overpaid by Telecom, documents show, is N$1.1 million.
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