Levels of poverty are critical

November 29, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: HIV babies: The shocking truth

≪ Previous: Namibia's roads are risky for travellers

$

0

0

Levels of poverty are criticalRural areas, informal settlements take the brunt Poverty ministry Zephania Kameeta has reported to parliament on the work done by his ministry to alleviate the abject poverty so omnipresent in the country. Poverty eradiation minister Zephania Kameeta said this week said the poverty situation amongst people in rural areas is critical.

He made the statement in the National Assembly this week, adding that this situation persists despite long-term government efforts. Those living in informal settlements of our cities and towns, are deprived of basic services and live in extreme poverty.

Kameeta's remarks follow President Hage Geingob's assertion at a gala dinner on Monday evening that homelessness is a humanitarian crisis.

Kameeta this week told parliament that as a result, his ministry has established a donation account, where “generous organisations and individuals” can donate money to address what is often referred to as low-hanging fruits.

“I am pleased to announce that since the establishment of this donation account, the response from the public, including the embassies, local and international NGOs, local businesses and even individuals, has been positive towards this noble initiative of the ministry.”

According to him, the account is linked to the Special Programmes of the Ministry and it is aimed at addressing the immediate needs of people in informal settlements who have confronted fires and floods.

It is also aimed at assisting more long-term sustainable poverty eradication initiatives and projects ranging from agricultural food production projects, income-generating projects, water provision, education and provision of decent shelter to those living in extreme poverty.

Kameeta also added that the first ever-draft policy on social protection is now available and will be shared with stakeholders for inputs and validations, before it is tabled in parliament. According to him the main aim of the policy is to create a comprehensive social protection system efficient and effective in addressing risks and vulnerabilities that people face at different stages of their lives.

Kameeta added that the ministry is coordinating the country's Zero Hunger Strategy as part of Namibia's commitment to the implementation of United Nations's second Sustainable Development Goal - that of zero hunger. This implementation is done by ensuring that sustainable food provision and food production systems are put in place and are effectively implemented. “The implementing stakeholders for the Zero Hunger Strategic Roadmap have submitted their action plans and a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework has been developed. Additional to this, a food and nutrition security draft policy is available and ready for validation. The policy will assist the implementation of a holistic food and nutrition security and a holistic programme on infant and young child feeding within the existing food safety nets programme,” said Kameeta.

He also said that an implementation plan has been developed and all implementing organisations, ministries and agencies (OMAs) are expected to provide quarterly reports on the progress made.

According to him the ministry has also developed comprehensive reporting tools for each strategic priority area to be populated by the each implementing OMAs.

“I am equally pleased to announce that significant progress was made in the implementation of activities under these strategic objectives; including the elimination of the bucket system, building of environmental friendly toilets for rural communities, acceleration of rural electrification; upgrading and construction of new vocational training centres,” he said.

---

HIV babies: The shocking truth

November 29, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Elite unit nails 73 poachers

≪ Previous: Levels of poverty are critical

$

0

0

HIV babies: The shocking truthFormulations and poverty remain obstacles Diagnosing and treating HIV infections in babies remains a challenge. JEMIMA BEUKES



Paediatric HIV/Aids treatment is facing the ongoing challenges of a lack of child formulations to fight the disease, high rates of HIV drug resistance and the inability of parents and caregivers to seek and provide daily care and support.

Without treatment, up to 50% of children born with HIV will die before their second birthday, with peak mortality at two or three months of age. The earliest possible initiation on treatment is therefore essential for saving the lives of HIV-infected infants.

Out of 23 focus countries, Namibia and South Africa leads in testing infants born to women living with HIV within eight weeks.

Both countries have recorded a testing rate of 95% compared to 1% in Angola, 51% in Kenya, 23% in India and 12% in Nigeria.

This was revealed in a recently published UNAids 2018 report titled ‘Knowledge is Power, which stresses the importance of HIV testing on World Aids Day, which is commemorated on 1 December ever year.

This year’s commemoration takes place under the theme ‘Know Your Status’.

According to the report efforts to diagnose children living with HIV and to initiate treatment remains a challenge.

“Due to the presence of maternal antibodies in infants and young children, rapid diagnostic testing is ineffective up until 18 months of age. Infants infected at or around delivery may not have a detectable level of the virus for several days or even weeks.

“In addition, the ability of nucleic acid testing to detect the virus in the blood may be affected by antiretroviral mediation taken by the mother or infant for postnatal prophylaxis or by the mother during breastfeeding, resulting in false negative results,” the report said.

It added at the same time that HIV disease progression among perinatally infected infants is much faster than among adults.

Perinatal refers to the period immediately before and after birth.

The report added that to manage these difficulties, infants with known or uncertain HIV exposure should be tested using a virological test during their first postnatal visit, which is usually at four to six weeks.

It said the insufficient availability of virological testing, the numerous visits to a health facility, as well as the time required to receive a result, also negatively affects coverage.

“In 23 focus counties, which accounted for 87% of the world’s births to women living with HIV in 2017, just 52% of newborns exposed to HIV received an HIV test within eight weeks of birth.”

Slow return of results

The report pointed out that the process of transporting samples to central laboratories from decentralised health facilities, batching blood samples for testing and returning the result to testing sites often creates long delays between the time a sample is collected and when results are received.

According to the report it takes up to 120 days for HIV test results to be returned to caregivers in Cameroon, 61 days in Zimbabwe and 97 days in Cote d’Ivoire.

However, it highlighted that point-of-care early infant diagnosis can play a vital role in starting children on treatment before the period of peak mortality at two or three months of age.

The report added that those who received point-of-care diagnosis were 40% more likely to be retained in care at 90 days

“In Malawi, for example, the introduction of point-of-care early infant diagnosis at seven health facilities reduced the time from sample collection to receipt of results by the infant’s caregiver from 56 days to less than a day.

“Among the infants diagnosed with HIV, the time between sample collection and treatment initiation was reduced from 38 days to less than a day.

“In Mozambique, 89.7% of infants living with HIV who were diagnosed with point-of-care assays initiated antiretroviral therapy within 60 days of sample collection, compared to 12.8% of children who received standard early infant diagnosis,” the report added.

Elite unit nails 73 poachers

November 29, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Women deserve better

≪ Previous: HIV babies: The shocking truth

$

0

0

Elite unit nails 73 poachersTop sleuths on the trail of poaching syndicates The Blue Rhino Taskforce has had phenomenal success in tracking down poaching syndicates in the four months of its existence. A multi-disciplinary taskforce that has been operating since the end of July has made significant inroads in the fight against poaching, making 73 arrests.

According to the head of the police's Protected Resources Unit, Commissioner Barry de Klerk, the Blue Rhino Taskforce started operations on 30 July and has had phenomenal results.

De Klerk, says they realised that although there were specialised anti-poaching units in the regions, they were overloaded and therefore the taskforce was put together. The taskforce consists of fewer than 20 people who were selected from specialised fields to combat the scourge of poaching in the country.

According to De Klerk, several poaching and trafficking syndicates continue to operate in Etosha National Park and on private farms. They have not been dismantled and their enablers have also not been identified.

He said Blue Rhino seeks to identify, arrest and charge all syndicate members, while also establishing linkages between syndicates.

“This operation seeks to ultimately provide a clearer picture of the flow of illicit wildlife products and to provide a pathway for the in-depth investigation and successful prosecution for the organised crime syndicates responsible for the trafficking of wildlife products.”

De Klerk says from 30 July to 31 October Blue Rhino arrested 73 suspects and opened 22 new dockets. Twelve of those arrested were linked to previous cases.

The team also seized three rhino horns, 31 pangolin skins, 15 live pangolins, 18 elephant tusks, one honey badger skin, one polecat skin and two fake rhino horns.

The team seized four AK-47s, four .303 hunting rifles, one Dragunov sniper rifle, one .300 hunting rifle, one .308 hunting rifle, one R4 assault rifle, one G3 assault rifle, one shotgun, ammunition, 1 365 unpolished diamonds, N$500 000 in cash and eight vehicles used for rhino poaching.

“These guys are armed and dangerous that is why the environment ministry has for the past few years reinforced its officials in the parks with the defence force and special forces.”

According to De Klerk, the serial numbers of 99% of the seized firearms had been filed off.

He said the team was committed to consolidating all existing poaching case dockets by verifying all witness statements and confessions.

They also scrutinise all the physical evidence collected and analyse the results of laboratory, ballistics and DNA tests to confirm links between different cases.

Blue Rhino also traces and arrests fugitive suspects, gathers and analyses intelligence.

De Klerk says despite financial support from the Rooikat Trust, financial constraints are hampering Blue Rhino's operations.

The unit's members work around the clock and since they started in July they have only been home for one week.

“We want to get more people on board, provided we have the finances.

“They are working on old cases and some are old detectives who know how to interrogate poachers, get confessions when they are caught and get information on the handlers.”

Advocate Danie Small also forms part of the team and helps them to prepare cases for court.

“It is amazing to see how these syndicates are operating and how they are interlinked. There are a few poaching syndicates that are operating and they are organised.”

Magistrate Alexa Diergaardt has pointed out that the poaching kingpins use low-level poachers to do the killing and there rarely is direct evidence linking them to the crimes.

De Klerk explains that the bottom-level poachers are dispensable and usually know nothing about the syndicate's workings.

He further said that the long, unguarded border with Angola offers an escape route to poaching suspects. After they are granted bail they slip into Angola, get new identification papers on that side and disappear.

ELLANIE SMIT

Women deserve better

November 29, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: New crisis for tourism

≪ Previous: Elite unit nails 73 poachers

$

0

0

Women deserve better Two stories we carried yesterday once again highlighted the uphill battle women are facing the world over in terms of securing equality and other simple rights which men take for granted.

The first dealt with so-called ‘traditional beliefs’ that are leading to gender-based violence being used to ‘discipline’ women in the Kavango regions. Generally, it is apparently accepted in these communities that it is right when a man beats his wife. A phrase has even been coined in Rukwangali - ‘mungwa gepata’ - which refers to this as a form of discipline.

The second story dealt with an unfolding sex-for-jobs scandal at the African Union.

Namibia’s very own Bience Gawanas, who is a former AU commissioner and the current United Nations special advisor on Africa, revealed that the UN is facing similar challenges

She was reacting to recent bombshell revelations that an AU high-level committee investigation had confirmed the prevalence of sexual harassment perpetuated by supervisors, who demand sex from short-term contract staff, as well as interns and youth volunteers, in exchange for permanent jobs.

Gawanas added that the outcome of the investigation should serve as a wake-up call for many organisations, both continentally and globally.

According to an AU statement, it appointed a committee on 24 May to fully investigate all alleged institutional malpractices, following allegations of the harassment of women made in an anonymous letter.

The statement said from the evidence presented to the committee, both male and female superiors were reportedly harassing and bullying their subordinates.

Both these shocking stories paint a bleak picture of what women are facing in Namibia, as well as continentally and globally.

The basic rights of not being beaten by a spouse for alleged cheekiness or not being harassed at a workplace remains out of reach for females the world over.

This has severe impacts on the economic development of women, and by implication their families. It is shocking that archaic stereotypes and practices still blight the modern-day landscape. They need to be pulled out root and stem.

New crisis for tourism

November 29, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: NSFAF grilled over Zim finance guru

≪ Previous: Women deserve better

$

0

0

New crisis for tourismNamibia passes ICAO security audit New civil aviation regulations published by the transport minister will shut down private airstrips and fly-in safaris in January, the tourism industry has warned. Although Namibia has passed a ten-day International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) security audit, a new tourism and aviation crisis looms over new regulations that will bar commercial aircraft from landing at unlicensed airfields.

The regulations, which will be effective from January 2019, will affect 100 airfields in Namibia.

The chairman of the Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations (Fenata), Bernd Schneider, says in a letter to tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta said that he was unofficially informed that Namibia had passed the ICAO audit.



The audit ended yesterday.

“This is tremendous and most welcome news and I would like to use this opportunity to express my gratitude on behalf of the tourism industry for your prompt response and assistance in helping solve this matter after being informed by us in October,” Schneider wrote.

He said unfortunately there were new stumbling blocks for the Namibian commercial aviation industry and the tourism industry in general. On 8 November, transport minister John Mutorwa published an amendment to the Civil Aviation Regulations in the Government Gazette.

“A core concern about the newly published regulations is that commercial flights are no longer allowed to land on unlicensed airfields, which were possible under the old regulations.”





He said fly-in safaris form a vital part of the Namibian tourism industry. Schneider pointed out that many lodges, especially those in remote areas, rely heavily on private landing strips to bring in customers.

“With the ever-deteriorating road conditions, flights with light aircraft have become an increasingly important mode of transport for the tourism industry,” he wrote.

He said the new regulations would effectively ground commercial flights to nearly 100 airfields from 1 January next year. That would affect more than 60 000 passengers per year.

Schneider said these regulations would also force most light-aircraft operators out of business, resulting in substantial job losses.

He said the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) had sent a detailed submission to Mutorwa, highlighting the impact of the new regulations.

“As tourism industry we fully support safe air travel and any regulations that ensure overall aviation safety in Namibia. But regulations that have such a massive and far-reaching impact on an entire industry must be communicated well in advance and must be crafted with extensive stakeholder consultation. Both of these have been neglected,” said Schneider.

He said it was highly unlikely that all affected airfields would be able to comply with the new regulations in time.

An interim solution must be found urgently in order to prevent extensive and lasting damage to the tourism industry, he warned.

ELLANIE SMIT

NSFAF grilled over Zim finance guru

November 29, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: New blood for Gladiators

≪ Previous: New crisis for tourism

$

0

0

NSFAF grilled over Zim finance guru The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts has dug in its heels with regard to its continued probe into the inner workings of the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF), as it relentlessly pursues hundreds of millions in unaccounted for funds.

Questions raised in yesterday's hearing centred largely on the circumstances surrounding Zimbabwe national James Nyandoro's appointment as NSFAF chief financial officer (CFO).

This is one of the matters which is being probed in suspended CEO Hilya Nghiwete's disciplinary hearing. The former NSFAF board had on 28 June 2017 decided to headhunt Nyandoro for the position, while a “parallel” recruitment process subjected Namibian candidates to interviews on 10 July that year.

Because Nyandoro was “headhunted” he was not subjected to an interview process.

Nyandoro was reportedly headhunted when none of the other Namibian candidates met the stringent requirements set out by the previous board, even when the standards were lowered.

According to NSFAF chief of human capital and corporate affairs, Olavi Hamwele, the requirement was for a chartered accountant with ten years' experience, because the company was in dire need of someone who could construct a loan book and a sustainable model for funding going forward.



The kicker

At the time Nyandoro was approached by NSFAF, he was working for a company called Sashi Investments (Pty) Ltd, owned by diamond sight-holder Sadike Nepela.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration had issued a 12-month non-renewable work permit to Nyandoro on 18 July 2017, with the “unequivocal condition” that he works for Sashi Investments.

However, Nyandoro was “availed” to NSFAF for an initial period of six months, which was later extended until the end of this year.

His work permit, which expired by the middle of this year, was extended for a further six months after Sashi Investments applied for an extension, an application that was supported by NSFAF.





Sashi Investments had also “authorised” NSFAF to directly pay Nyandoro, who in the meantime has been treated, not as a consultant to the NSFAF, but rather as a “normal employee”.

Despite this, NSFAF acting CEO Kennedy Kandume said he could not find any evidence of a formal agreement between NSFAF and Sashi Investments.

However, Kandume acknowledged that Nyandoro's position at NSFAF has “all the characteristics of a consultant”.

Parliamentary committee chairperson Mike Kavekotora said Nyandoro's recruitment to NSFAF is riddled with contraventions of the country's laws, saying there were a number of “missing links” in the explanations the NSFAF team could provide.

He said the continued employment of Nyandoro is in breach of the work permit stipulations and is “demeaning” to Namibians who have been denied the opportunity to be employed at NSFAF.



The financials

NSFAF is still to fully account for N$1.7 billion. The fund, however, now maintains that it can in fact account for N$1.5 billion of this amount.

Earlier admissions were that the fund's financials were sloppily managed after it was transferred from the education ministry in 2013 and transformed into an autonomous entity.

Since its inception in 1997 to 2003 NSFAF did not have its own banking account because it was located within the ministry. During that time, N$1.7 billion was issued to the fund. NSFAF, however, said it cannot account for this money because the fund must have been part of a state account.

It said efforts to obtain information from the Bank of Namibia did not yield any results.

Since it opened its own bank account in 2003 to 2013, coincidentally, a similar amount, about N$1.702 billion, was disbursed to NSFAF.

Of this, N$465 million was paid to the University of Namibia (Unam), N$325 million to the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) and N$124 million to the International University of Management (IUM).

The NSFAF management acknowledged that N$297 million was disbursed through cheques, but it cannot be established who the beneficiaries of these cheques were, and it was assumed that this went to “students”.



CATHERINE SASMAN

New blood for Gladiators

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Don't be a dope!

≪ Previous: NSFAF grilled over Zim finance guru

$

0

0

New blood for Gladiators Ten new players have been selected to join the Brave Gladiators squad.

The players were scouted during the opening encounters of the NFA Skorpion Zinc Women's Super League and will join the rest of the current squad for training.

According to the general manager of women's football, Jacky Shipanga, the squad will engage in monthly and bi-weekly 'Super Wednesday' training sessions and friendly games against the best players in the league.

It is also anticipated that they will compete in the 2019 Under-17 Khomas Youth League or the U-17 Hopsol League, in order to gain some much-needed competitive exposure and match fitness ahead of their international fixtures.

One of the selected players, Kylie van Wyk from Namib Daughters, said she is happy and looking forward to learning from the senior players. She encouraged the rest of the players in the league to train hard and open themselves up to new challenges.

She said that football can open doors if one is serious about making it a career.

The new Brave Gladiators players are as follows:

Meltret Ujamba (Unam Bokkies), Asteria Angula, Julia Rujindo, Anna Shaende and Beverly Uueziua, (Galz & Goals), Kylie van Wyk and Selma Enkali (Namib Daughters), Fiola Vliete (V-Power Angels), Beyonce Cloete and Ivone Kooper (Tura Magic).

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Don't be a dope!

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Oomiliyona 390 dhokukondjitha ombuto yoHIV moNamibia

≪ Previous: New blood for Gladiators

$

0

0

Don't be a dope!Athletes warned ahead of AUSC games Globally, doping is much more prevalent among junior athletes, as they do not get tested as often as senior athletes. Namibian athletes from all 14 regions have been warned not to violate doping rules ahead of the eighth edition of the Africa Union Sport Council (AUSC) Region 5 Under-20 Games, which will take place in Gaborone, Botswana from 7 to 16 December.

Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) doping consultant officer Jason Snyders, as well as the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) advised athletes at a send-off media conference last Thursday to refrain from doping, as it might spoil their chances of picking up any medals.

Snyders said doping is much more prevalent among junior athletes, as they do not get tested as often as senior athletes.

“Young athletes are not tested for doping regularly like the seniors, which gives them the opportunity to dope and make them the group with a high number of dopers.

“Doping is bad; it causes hormonal imbalances and heart and kidney failure, so we urge them to stay away from it.

“The substances which they get hold of are mostly bought by their parents, because they want to see their children win, but this is shunned upon,” Snyders stressed.

He further encouraged the athletes and coaches to make an effort and learn which substances are banned, and to take steps to stay on the right side of the law.

At present Namibia does not have a doping control board, so Snyders works under the Regional African Doping Association to facilitate awareness programmes in the country.

Sports minister Erastus Uutoni, who encouraged the athletes to work hard and return with medals,

said that monetary rewards are available if they make the nation proud.

Director of sport Sivhute Katamba told the team they are ambassadors and should carry themselves as such. “We don't want to hear unnecessary stories while you are in Botswana. Compete and behave.”

Katamba said companies should invest in local athletes, as well as the sporting fraternity.

The bulk of the athletes were selected from the first-ever National Youth Games that took place in May.

The AUSC games, which are held biennially on a rotational basis, were last held in Angola in 2016,

Team Namibia comprises of 145 athletes from 10 sporting codes: athletics (including visually impaired athletes), basketball, boxing, football, judo, netball, swimming, tennis and volleyball.

The team left the country yesterday.

Other countries participating at the games are hosts Botswana, Angola, eSwatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

---

Oomiliyona 390 dhokukondjitha ombuto yoHIV moNamibia

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Ita tu tilithwa - Shifeta

≪ Previous: Don't be a dope!

$

0

0

Oomiliyona 390 dhokukondjitha ombuto yoHIV moNamibia Epangelo lyaAmerican okupitila moUnited States Agency for International Development (USAID), olya gandja kuNamibia oshimaliwa sha thika poomiliyona 395 kohi yoUS President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar).

USAID, Uuministeli wUundjolowele oshowo oNational Planning Commission (NPC) oya shaina etsokumwe ndyoka li li omalunduluko ga ningwa metsokumwe ndyoka lya Ii lya shainwa momvula yo 2007.

Shoka osha tseyithwa komunambelewa omuyakuli gwomauyelele mOmbelewa yOmukalelipo gwaUnited States, Jacques du Toit, niimaliwa mbyoka otayi ka longithwa miinyangadhalwa yoPepfar pokati komwedhi yaKotomba gwo 2018 naSepetemba 2019. Eyambidhidho lya gandjwa koUSAID, konima nkene lya totwa po moshilongo momvula yo 2007, ngashiingeyi olya thikama poobiliyoma 4.5.

Uuministeli wuundjolowele otawu yambidhidhwa koPepfar, USAID oshowo ookuume yaUS yalwe ngaashi Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention, Peace Corps, mokukondjitha ombuto yoHIV/Aids moNamibia.

Iilonga mbyoka oya kwatelamo eikonaakonitho lyombuto, epangelo, ekeelelo neyambidhidho.

Namibia okwa hololwa e li popepi nokwaadha omathikilo nomalalakano mekondjitho lyombuto.



JEMIMA BEUKES

Ita tu tilithwa - Shifeta

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: AaRundu ya ndjiki oonyala mevi

≪ Previous: Oomiliyona 390 dhokukondjitha ombuto yoHIV moNamibia

$

0

0

Ita tu tilithwa - Shifeta Ominista yOmidhingoloko, Pohamba Shifeta, oya popi kutya Namibia ita mbandapalekwa kwaahwahwameki yuuthemba wiinamwenyo mboka taya ningile omatilitho oprograma yaNamibia tayi ithanwa 'conservation programme'.

Omanga ta popitha omutumba gwokomvula gwoNamibia Professional Hunting Association (Napha) oshiwike sha piti mOvenduka, Shifeta okwa popi kutya oprograma yaNamibia yekondololo lyoonzo dhopaushitwe otayi ponokelwa kaahwahwameki yuuthemba wiinamwenyo muuyuni.

Shifeta okwa popi kutya oprograma ndjoka oya nuninwa okukwata nawa oonzo dhopaushitwe nokudhikondolola nopethimbo lya faathana otadhi longithwa mokugandja iiyemo nuuwanawa kaakwashigwana. Shifeta okwa popi kutya aakongo yaNamibia nayo otaya gandja ompito kwaamboka ye na ehalo okuponokela oprograma ndjoka unene sho kwa kala taku ningwa omanyano omolwa omathano nuuvideo wuukongo wuli paveta komapandja gomakwatathano gopaungomba.

Okwa popi kutya etulo lyomathano ngoka nuuvideo komapandja ngoka, otashi etitha omanyano, na okwa li a ningi omutumba naakongo opo ya hulithepo omukalo ngoka.

Shifeta okwa popi kutya mokati komvula uuministeli owa li ya ningi omakwatathao naakuthimbinga ya yooloka moshikondo opo ya vule okugandja omayele kombinga yontotwaveta yoParks and Wildlife Management Bill.

Pahapu dhe, Napha okwa li gumwe gwomaakuthimbinga mboka ya gandja omaiyuvo gawo nomagwedhelepo kuuministeli ngoka ga yambidhidhwa mepulo komeho lyontotwaveta ndjoka.

Minista okwa popi kutya uuministeli wawo otawu longele kumwe noNapha, Namibian Chamber of Environment (NCE), First National Bank (FNB) of Namibia oshowo aakuthimbinga yamwe mokuninga omakonaakono gopaunongononi kwiikwatelelwa komayalulo giinamwenyo yomatotongwe moshilongo ashihe.

Okwa tsikile kutya oku na omukumo kutya oshizemo shoka otashi ka gandja omauyelele gomondjila mekwatelepo nawa lyiinamwenyo yomatotongwe moshilongo oshowo okuyanda iikolokosha pokati kaantu niinamwenyo mbyoka.

ELLANIE SMIT

AaRundu ya ndjiki oonyala mevi

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: We won't be intimidated - Shifeta

≪ Previous: Ita tu tilithwa - Shifeta

$

0

0

AaRundu ya ndjiki oonyala mevi Aakwashigwana mboka ya tokola okwiikuthila evi moSauyemwa moRundu otaya gandja uusama kelelo lyondoolopa yawo sho hali gandja owala evi kaanangeshefa ihe itali gandja evi lyomalukalwa kaakwashigwana yomondoolopa ndjoka. Aakwashigwana mboka yiikuhile evi moSauyemwa Extension 1 oya popi kutya otaya ka za po owala pehala ndyoka nokugandja ompito kaatungi uuna elelo lyondoolopa ndjoka lye ya tululula pehala limwe pe na nale omayakulo gopetameko ngaashi omeya nolusheno noondjila.

Oya popi kutya itaya vulu okuya komikunda hoka ya zile molwaashoka oye na iilonga yawo moRundu naanona yawo ohaya skola mondoolopa ndjoka.

“Mumwameme kape na eyooloko okufalwa kehala hoka ka ku na omayakulo gasha nokufalwa miihwa. Natse AaNamibia woo na otwa pumbwa okumona ehala ndyoka tatu vulu okwiithana egumbo. Omolwashike ngele tashi ya komahogololo otuthike pamwe ihe ngele tashi ya kevi oshi na sha owala niimaliwa?”

Namibian Sun okwa popi noonakwiikuthla evi mboka ya tindi okuza po pehala ndyoka, nonando oya pewa elombwelo lyopampangu kutya naya ze po.

Otaya popi kutya otaya tindi molwaashoka kaye na mpoka taya vulu okuya.

Oshiwike sha piti ehangano lyoACEMAC Construction, ndyoka lya pewa ooplota dha thika po 50 dhokutunga omagumbo moSauyemwa Extension 1, olya kambadhala okukutha po aakwashigwana mboka ihe olya nyengwa sho aakwashigwana ya tindi okuza po miipathi yaanambelewa yopolisi.

Oshifokundaneki shoNamibian Sun osha mono omagumbo ge li po 17 ngoka ga tungwa kehangano lyoACEMAC, polwaamba owala naampoka pwa tulwa oombashu kaakwashigwana mboka yiikuthile evi. Aakwashigwana oya popi kutya oya ndjika oonyala mevi kutya itaya zipo mpoka molwaashoka elelo lyondoolopa yaRundu oli na owala omukalo gwokugandja evi kaanashimaliwa omanga itali gandja evi kaathigona.

Elelo lyondoolopa oli na omaiyuvo kutya ngele owa gandja evi inali longwa kaakwashigwana kaye na iiyemo yokulilonga ngaashi aanangeshefa mboka ye na oonzo dhokulonga omahala ngoka taya pewa inaga longwa.

Ngoka ta longo pehala lyomunambelewa omukuluntu gwondoolopa yaRundu, Sikongo Haihambo, okwa popi kutya oshikumungu shoka oshiipyakidhilwa nasho sho ye li taya kongo ehala lyokutula aakwashigwana mboka.

Haihambo okwa popi kutya okwa adhika etsokumwe opo etokolo lyompangu li kalekwe manga, omanga onkalo ndjoka tayi kandulwa po, nehangano lyoACEMAC olya zimine okukaleka etokolo lyompangu uule wiiwike ya thika pu iyali.

Sho a pulwa ngele elelo lyondoolopa otali vulu okuwapaleka evi nokuligandja kaakwashigwana mboka, Haihambo okwa popi kutya omwa kwatelwa oshimaliwa miilonga mbyoka. Okwa popi kutya ngele elelo olya mono iiyemo kape na shoka tashi imbi opo ya wapaleke ehala ndyoka, ihe uupyakadhi mboka ya taalela ngashiingeyi ompumbwe yiimaliwa.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Ø

We won't be intimidated - Shifeta

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Kazapua back in the saddle

≪ Previous: AaRundu ya ndjiki oonyala mevi

$

0

0

We won't be intimidated - ShifetaReads riot act to animal rights groups The environment minister says Namibia's successful conservation programme is under attack by animal rights activists. Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta says Namibia will not be cowered by animal rights activists that are threatening the country's conservation programme.

While addressing a Namibia Professional Hunting Association (Napha) annual general meeting last week in Windhoek, Shifeta said Namibia's successful conservation programme, which is based on the sustainable use of natural resources, is under attack by animal rights activists.

“Our programme promotes conservation of wildlife, while at the same time it ensures tangible benefits to our local communities who are living alongside wild animals,” he said.

Shifeta said local communities, in turn, value wildlife as they improve their livelihoods.

“To these animal rights activists we say we shall not be cowered by your attacks and we, as proud Namibians, together with our partners in conservation, will continue doing what is right for the benefit of our current and future generations.”

Shifeta, however, added that Namibian hunters also sometimes give ammunition to those who wish to attack the country's conservation programme.

According to him there have been negative consequences when hunting photos and videos are posted on social media, for example.

“Often these photos and videos are ill-conceived and elicit a negative reaction. This is the reason why this year I called for our hunters to refrain from posting sensitive photos and videos, as this attracts unnecessary negativity.”

He therefore commended Napha for developing guidelines on social media posts and urged local and international hunters to implement them.

Shifeta said during the course of the year the ministry consulted various stakeholders on the Parks and Wildlife Management Bill.

According to him Napha was one of the most active stakeholders that provided the ministry with valuable contributions.

“After numerous consultative meetings we now have a progressive, comprehensive and practical Bill, which I believe once enacted will not only ensure, but also secure the future of Namibia's wildlife resources.”

Shifeta said the ministry is also working with Napha, the Namibian Chamber of Environment (NCE), First National Bank (FNB) of Namibia and other stakeholders to execute a scientific-based leopard survey throughout the animal's distribution range within the country.

“I am certain that the outcome of this survey will help us to ensure the sustainable management of our leopard population, including human and leopard conflict.”

ELLANIE SMIT

Kazapua back in the saddle

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Massive revenue raked in from hunting

≪ Previous: We won't be intimidated - Shifeta

$

0

0

Kazapua back in the saddle Muesee Kazapua has been re-elected as mayor of the City of Windhoek.

He was first appointed in the position in 2014 and was re-elected in 2017. Kazapua will be deputised by Loide Kaiyamo, who replaces former deputy mayor Teckla Uwanga, who is now a member of the management committee.

Kazapua and Kaiyamo were elected last Thursday unopposed during a council meeting. The members of the management committee are Uwanga, Moses Shiikwa, Matilda Ukeva, Agatha Iyambo-Ashilelo and Matheus Amadhila, all from Swapo.

Kazapua urged councillors to work hard to make sure that more is done to address the challenges faced by the City, with the limited resources at its disposal. “I appeal to us all to re-double our efforts around the focal development areas, if we intend to make a positive impact on our commitment to the ideals of the national development agendas,” the mayor said.

According to Kazapua, 2018 was a very difficult year, but significant progress made by the council, amid the challenges faced.

One primary challenge was the high influx of people into Windhoek, which translates into more informal settlements, requiring the municipality to do more than what it planned and budgeted for.

Kazapua said the budget was not sufficient to address all the challenges faced by the city, while attributing the shortage of money to the global financial crisis.

“The lack of housing and basic services in informal settlements, the high level of unemployment in the city and the abject poverty is a headache to the council's aspirations for social progression and prosperity for all,” he said.

NAMPA

Massive revenue raked in from hunting

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: N$390m boost for HIV/Aids battle

≪ Previous: Kazapua back in the saddle

$

0

0

Massive revenue raked in from hunting One hunter brings the same amount of revenue into the country as roughly 2 000 tourists.

This is according to Danene van der Westhuyzen, the president of the Namibia Professional Hunting Association (Napha).

Speaking at Napha's annual general meeting last week, she said anti-hunting proponents do not seem to want to understand that the real “Armageddon” for wildlife in Africa is the population explosion and the concurrent loss of wildlife habitat.

According to her the overexploitation and growing environmental dangers from over-tourism are also contributing factors.

“An increase in asphalt roads, electricity lines, water, mountains of garbage and a never-decreasing list of requirements and needs to be met for tourists wanting to observe game from already worn-out gravel roads,” Van der Westhuyzen said.

She said in contrast one hunter seeks nothing more than unspoiled open landscapes and wild animals unaffected by humans.

Van der Westhuyzen said in Namibia hunting is an integral part of a successful conservation model, which benefits communities, wildlife and natural ecosystems.

According to her Namibia's total population was 1.655 million people with a density of 2.01 people per square kilometre 20 years ago. Today the population stands at 2.587 million people with a projected 3.686 million people by 2038.

“Namibia is a country that still offers wide-open spaces and habitats for all species to roam freely. But more importantly it has proven beyond doubt its conservation efforts for all game species through responsible hunting.”

Van der Westhuyzen said despite the growth of the human population, the elephant population in the northwest has increased from 7 000 to 23 500 over the last 20 years, while the lion population in the northwest has increased from 20 to 150.

“We have the world's largest free-roaming populations of cheetah and black rhino and well over 70% of Namibia is under one or other form of conservation management. This makes for one of the world's largest contiguous areas of protected land. We have more wildlife in Namibia today than at any time in the past 150 years.”

She said Napha and the environment ministry have demonstrated abundantly, and with ample merit, that conservation through hunting works.

“Nevertheless we are faced with international bans on trophy imports, airline bans and charges on transporting hunting rifles and trophies, extreme social media uproar and aggressive anti-hunting campaigns to the extent of identifying hunters and sending insulting hate mails and even death threats.”

According to her anti-hunting groups like to deceive the world and blame the decline in African wildlife numbers seen in other countries on hunting, but refuse to distinguish between legal hunting and poaching.

She said the “knife in the back of hunters” is a handful of uninformed people in Namibia who run anti-hunting campaigns and rave on social media about hunters who share photos of animals they have hunted. According to her Namibia's wildlife has never been more vulnerable and the hunting community has never been more weak and desperate.

ELLANIE SMIT

N$390m boost for HIV/Aids battle

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Malaysian university mooted for Okahandja

≪ Previous: Massive revenue raked in from hunting

$

0

0

N$390m boost for HIV/Aids battle The American government, through its United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has given Namibia an additional N$395 million under its US President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar).

USAID, the health ministry and the National Planning Commission (NPC) signed an amendment to their 2007 bilateral grant agreement this week.

This was announced by the United States embassy's media assistant Jacques du Toit in a statement that pointed out that these resources will fund activities under the 2018 Pepfar country operational plan for October 2018 to September 2019.

USAID's contribution to the agreement since its inception in 2007 now stands at N$4.5 billion.

The health ministry is supported by Pepfar, USAID and other US government partner agencies such as the Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention, the Peace Corps, and the State Department, with their implementing partners, to combat HIV/Aids in Namibia.

“This work includes general HIV testing and treatment, prevention measures, capacity-building and logistics support. All of these elements are essential to control the HIV epidemic and achieve an AIDS-free generation in Namibia.

“Namibia is close to achieving this goal. Pepfar's focus is on identifying and treating those who are infected, but who have not yet tested, particularly individuals living in areas with a high prevalence of HIV, as well as on population groups most at risk of contracting HIV, such as young women and older men,” the embassy's statement said.



JEMIMA BEUKES

---

Malaysian university mooted for Okahandja

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Stand-off at Sauyemwa

≪ Previous: N$390m boost for HIV/Aids battle

$

0

0

Malaysian university mooted for Okahandja The Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Malaysia hopes to open a university in Okahandja next year.

The university's senior vice-president for corporate development, Gail Phung, informed Nampa of the university's plans on the sidelines of a courtesy visit to President Hage Geingob, along with Namibia's ambassador to Malaysia, Namakau Mutelo, last week

She explained the university is a technical vocational education and training institution that focuses on industry-related programmes that are relevant to industries, and is not an academic university.

“We also see the university as providing an opportunity to young people who have not had the right academic qualifications to go to university, but that doesn't mean there is nothing else they can do, because they could be talented in other areas,” Phung said.

The university, which will be privately funded, will have programmes focused on technology, digital technology, the creative industries and other areas of design and innovation.

It has already been registered with the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA).

Phung said they are still awaiting approval for the use of the premises, where they plan to open the university at Okahandja.

She said the university has been in talks with the Okahandja municipality since last year and there was resistance to the idea of an international university opening in the town.

“We found it a bit difficult to understand because we believe that the university will provide opportunities for residents in the region and bring in economic activities, but there has been resistance,” Phung said.

She added their application has been forwarded to the urban and rural development ministry and they are waiting for approval.

Geingob said once people have received skills from a university, they should not become jobseekers, but rather job creators.

“That is still lacking here in Namibia. Namibians still want somebody to hire them. With the apartheid system there was a boss, so that is still within our mindsets,” he said.

He added that training people for the job market was very important, therefore the university should create synergy with what the government's policies have identified as skills requirements for the country.





NAMPA

Stand-off at Sauyemwa

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Poachers will 'kill every single rhino'

≪ Previous: Malaysian university mooted for Okahandja

$

0

0

Stand-off at SauyemwaSquatters want to be relocated to serviced area The squatters have blamed the Rundu town council for making the situation worse, saying it has a habit of dishing out land to developers and not residents. Illegal squatters at Rundu's Sauyemwa Extension 1 say they will only pave way for the development of the area if they are relocated to a place with basic services.

“We are not against relocation and paving the way for development to take place; all that we are asking for is that we want to be relocated to a place where there are basic services, such as water, electricity and roads.

“Going to the village is not an option because we have jobs in Rundu and our children school here,” the group who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

“My brother, there is no difference between being taken to a place where there are no services and the bush. We are Namibians too and we deserve to have a place to call home. Why is it that when it comes to elections, we are all equal but when it comes to land it's about who has money?”

Namibian Sun spoke to some of the squatters last week, who are refusing to move after they were served with an eviction court order earlier in the week by a developer.

The residents say they want access to land and basic services, adding their refusal to move from the area is based on the fact that they have nowhere else to go.

Last Tuesday ACEMAC Construction, which has been allocated 50 residential erven at Sauyemwa Extension 1, attempted to execute an eviction order, but was unsuccessful because the illegal squatters refused to leave, even in the presence of law-enforcement officers.

Namibian Sun observed about 17 houses being constructed by ACEMAC, which are adjacent to the illegal squatters' shacks just metres away.

The squatters blamed the Rundu town council for making the situation worse, saying it has a habit of dishing out land to developers, and not residents.

“The council does not consider us poor people. We also need land, just like they need money.”

They further alleged that the council had refused to sell the erven to those living in the area for over a decade, adding they were supposed to be given the first option to buy the land.

“The council should have just surveyed the area and sold the land to us. Some of us are employed and we could have bought the plots and developed them,” the group said.

Meanwhile, the town council is of the opinion that once you give undeveloped land to individuals, they do not have the means to develop it properly, compared to developers that have the financial means to service the land and install the necessary services in an orderly manner.

Town council acting CEO, Sikongo Haihambo, said the issue at Sauyemwa is currently being addressed and they are in the process of finding an area the affected squatters can be relocated to.

Haihambo said it was agreed that ACEMAC's court order be put on hold while the issue is being addressed.

Namibian Sun understands that ACEMAC agreed to put the court order on hold for about two weeks.

When asked whether council is in a position to service land and sell it to individuals, Haihambo said this involves money.

He said that if the council had the necessary funds to service land nothing would stop it from doing so, but unfortunately it does not have the means and developers do.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Poachers will 'kill every single rhino'

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Risky fuelling at sea condemned

≪ Previous: Stand-off at Sauyemwa

$

0

0

Poachers will 'kill every single rhino' If rhino owners are not allowed to harvest and legally sell horns, poachers will kill every last rhino in Namibia.

This is according to environment minister Pohamba Shifeta, who was speaking last week at a meeting where the poaching situation in the country was discussed.

Shifeta said the price of a rhino horn has skyrocketed and is currently about N$900 000 per kilogram. “It is going up every day.”

He said if rhino range countries could sell rhino horns, the price will go down because the demand would still be there. According to Shifeta, poachers and consumers are looking for ivory and rhino horns for their medicinal value.

“The demand is there, whether we close the legal market or not.”

Shifeta said at the moment it is too costly for private farmers to keep rhino. “Should owners be allowed to harvest and sell horns it would be economically viable for them. The criminal is looking for the horn, if there is no horn, he will not risk his life to shoot the rhino. If we do not do this, many more rhino will be killed. They will come for the last rhino until it is dead.”

Shifeta also referred to the criminal justice system in Namibia, and said there needs to be coordination between law-enforcement in the field and the courtroom when handling wildlife crime cases.

“They need to gather all the necessary evidence, so that the prosecution can nail the suspect, if the investigation is not properly done, prosecutors cannot prove their case in court.”

Shifeta pointed out that both prosecutors and police officers are burdened with hundreds of cases and this must be looked into.

“It is haphazard. We must see how we can dispose of these cases in a timely fashion and see that things are done properly on the ground and that the constitution is applied properly.”

Shifeta said although poachers are arrested they are not the end-consumers and they will never give up the kingpin.

“As poaching syndicates increase in size, number and sophistication, it is more important than ever that law-enforcement responses are robust, reliable and effective.”

Shifeta said wildlife trafficking is slowly becoming a million-dollar criminal enterprise that has expanded to more than just a conservation concern. He said the increasing involvement of organised crime in poaching and wildlife trafficking promotes corruption, threatens peace, strengthens illicit trade routes and destabilises economies and communities that depend on wildlife or their livelihoods.

“We therefore need to urgently address this issue of illegal hunting of our elephant and rhino and illegal timber harvesting now.”

He said to combat wildlife crime effectively, it is vital that the law-enforcement community deploys all available tools to ensure that the entire crime chain is addressed.

“More effort is required and new approaches needed, including the increased use of science and technology.”

According to him, wildlife crime is similar to other forms of criminality, and the full range of forensic science, expertise and support can potentially be brought to bear from one end of the illicit trade chain to the other.

He further condemned the ill-intentioned activities of wildlife crimes and called upon those involved to refrain from such activities with immediate effect.



ELLANIE SMIT

Risky fuelling at sea condemned

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Tree harvesters cry foul

≪ Previous: Poachers will 'kill every single rhino'

$

0

0

Risky fuelling at sea condemnedWorks ministry moves to allay fears The works ministry says offshore bunkering (refuelling) has taken place for more than 20 years without pollution incidents in Namibia's marine protected areas. Red flags have been raised after the works and transport ministry gave the green light for a fuelling operation at sea which took place close to Lüderitz within Namibia's most sensitive marine wildlife area.

The ministry says offshore bunkering (refuelling) has taken place for more than 20 years without pollution incidents in Namibia's marine protected areas (MPAs), including the Namibian Islands Marine Protected Area (Nimpa) and are only condoned with stringent risk assessments and safety standards in place.

A mining vessel, the MV Ya Toivo, was spotted being refuelled this month within the Nimpa, Namibia's only MPA, with the permission of the directorate of maritime affairs (DMA) within the works ministry, although the owners of the vessel have denied that the refuelling took place there.

This is the second refuelling of the MVA Ya Toivo that took place in the MPA and Nimpa this year, according to reports.

The Namibia Chamber of Environment's (NCE's) Christopher Brown and other scientists warn such operations always carry a risk and should only be condoned under exceptional circumstances.

“Bunkering at sea is a risky business, prone to accidents. This is why there is legislation to regulate this.”

Brown said although the vessel in question does not use heavy fuels “this cannot be dismissed as benign in the marine environment. Diesel is toxic to marine life, including seabirds.”

Brown stressed permits should only be issued “for unusual circumstances, not for routine convenience”.

According to the works ministry, “some large mining vessels, including the Ya Toivo, whose mining licences are in the MPA, regularly request permission for transferring fuel at their mining sites, mainly because of operational reasons.”

Ministry spokesperson Julius Ngweda said this is for example, to “avoid interrupting mining activities and thereby maximising mining effort”.

Brown said the NCE considered the issuing of permits to refuel within the usually 50 nautical mile off-limit refuelling zone “highly irresponsible”.

He described the Nimpa as one of the richest and most vulnerable coastal biodiversity sites in Namibia.

The MPA is listed as an ecologically and biologically significant marine area under the Convention on Biological Diversity, of which Namibia is a signatory.

High-profile species include the critically endangered Cape gannet, the endangered African penguin which breeds on Halifax Island, and the endangered black cormorant.

While legislation prohibits offshore bunkering at sea within 50 nautical miles (about 93 kilometres) off the coast to protect sensitive marine areas, the DMA may grant permission for offshore bunkering under certain circumstances.

The off-limit zone is there for a “good reason,” Brown explained, as any spills at or beyond this distance from the coast is extremely unlikely to reach and pollute the protected marine wildlife areas.

“These distances and the likely movement of oils in the sea were modelled as part of the detailed studies undertaken at the time of early off-shore oil exploration in that area.”



Not wise

Ngweda said offshore bunkering which has been taking place for two decades near Lüderitz and within the MPA without incident is due mainly “because of the effectiveness of the international and local regimes governing offshore bunkering operations.”

He said most mining vessels have mining inspectors on board to enforce mining and other laws, including those related to the protection of the marine and coastal environment.

But scientists argue that mining inspectors are not adequately trained to deal with pollution or ecological risks and are not even familiar with the concept of MPA's.

The ministry's assurances that ministry officials may also be assigned to observe bunkering operations from start to finish, and through technical systems, was dismissed as taking place rarely, if at all.

Ngweda concluded that permits would not be issued for operations deemed too risky and each application is considered on its own merits.



Questions

Brown says another concern is the transport ministry's lack of consultation with relevant stakeholders, including the ministry of environment and the fisheries ministry.

Environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda confirmed last week that bunkering in Namibian waters is a listed activity which requires an environmental clearance certificate.

He said the environment ministry was investigating whether such a certificate had been issued for the bunkering operation.



'Inaccurate'

The IMDH Group, the owner of MV Ya Toivo, denied that the bunkering operation took place close to or within a protected area.

The group's Paolo Esposito said reports of the vessel's position near Halifax and within the Nimpa were “factually incorrect.”

He said the operation took place “beyond the 10 nautical miles from the shoreline”.

However, online tracking systems confirm the location of the Ya Toivo during the operation on 26 November was 26°36'5.11”S, 14°55'30.97”E, approximately 16 km from Halifax Island and 16 km from Dias Point, unless the on-board positioning systems were out of order.

“Any operations conducted by our vessels follow strict environmental procedures and reporting, which are approved, amongst others, by the Namibian authorities and the international classification society,” Esposito underlined.

He said operations were always “conducted in accordance with international anti-spillage best practice prevailing regulations at all times. Thus, no risk is posed to the marine environment due to the equipment deployed during operations and the highly skilled personnel undertaking the task”.

Brown said the NCE recommends that no bunkering should be permitted, as per legislation, within the 50 nautical mile limit, except for “extremely specific and justifiable reasons”.

The NCE further said exceptions should be granted only in close consultation with relevant stakeholders and strict monitoring guidelines in place.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Tree harvesters cry foul

December 2, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Silos are destructive

≪ Previous: Risky fuelling at sea condemned

$

0

0

Tree harvesters cry foulWant roadblocks to target illegal sand miners as well The farmers, who are making a living from selling their timber, feel the ministry is targeting them, while illegal sand miners escape justice, to a certain extent. Kavango East timber harvesters say the environment ministry is discriminating against them.

They were reacting to a ministry statement last week which said all tree-felling activities being conducted without an environmental clearance certificate (ECC) should be halted.

Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said further they will, in collaboration with the police, strengthen their efforts at key roadblocks to target those transporting timber without an ECC.

The farmers, who are making a living from selling their timber, feel the ministry is targeting them, while illegal sand miners escape justice, to a certain extent.

“Why target only those transporting timber? Why are we being singled out? After all, we operated with permits, while those others mining sand illegally have been and are continuing to do so without permission,” farmers, who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

“Everyone should be targeted.”

When contacted for comment, Muyunda said it was unlikely that a sand mining truck would pass a roadblock.

“The thing with sand mining is that if you are mining sand in Rundu you will not go and pass at the roadblock at Mururani; it is unlikely that you will pass at any roadblock, because you are providing sand locally, but for timber, these people do pass roadblocks,” Muyunda said.

He said the ministry is working around-the-clock with the other stakeholders to clamp down on all illegal activities that pose a threat to the environment. The tree harvesters also wanted to know why the ministry did not consult them prior to the sudden halting of their activities. They cited last month's meeting that took place in Ongwediva, in which the ministry met with sand mining stakeholders.

“The environmental commissioner and his team have been going to the north on several occasions this year for the issue of illegal sand mining. Last month the minister himself went there. The question is: why don't they come to us and then we can discuss the issue? This is pure victimisation.”

This year the environmental commissioner's office gave illegal sand miners a grace period during which they could mine sand while obtaining an ECC.

The tree harvesters say they should also be given a grace period in which to obtain ECCs.

Muyunda said timber harvesting cannot be allowed to continue and there would be no grace period.

“The thing is with timber, the concern of the ministry is the damage to the environment, and this is something you cannot put on hold. You cannot continue to destroy the environment while you sort out your issues. We cannot take that risk,” Muyunda added.

KENYA KAMBOWE