A Pandora's Box

December 13, 2018, 2:00 pm

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A Pandora's Box The shocking revelation that police officers across the country are beholden to cash loans, and in fact spend N$40 million a month on servicing loans with their salaries, is worrying, to say the least.

A cash-strapped cop is prone to be tempted by bribes and may not think twice if a drug dealer or other criminal waves an inducement in their face to look the other way.

The police chief, Lieutenant-General Sebastian Ndeitunga, gave President Hage Geingob a frank overview of the tragic state of affairs in the force on Wednesday during a visit to State House.

According to him the police force has been crippled by cost-cutting measures introduced by the government.

Ndeitunga also told the president that N$40 million is deducted from police salaries every month to pay micro-lenders.

“The officers, they took loans from micro-lenders and this is deducted from their salaries. They took out the loans to pay for their needs. And this may even lead to people committing suicide,” he said.

Ndeitunga expressed concern over what he termed a “state of capture”, especially when one looks at the rate of corruption in the country.

The police chief emphasised that his staff are so stressed that they cannot even be joked with.

“They can even tell you, 'I do not eat patriotism, my family is hungry'. They are so stressed, when you joke with them you can see the stress on their faces,” he said.

This represents a direct threat to the safety and security of the nation and should not be laughed off. Steps should be taken to dig the force out of this debt trap.

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A leader by heart and deed

December 13, 2018, 2:00 pm

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A leader by heart and deedTaking banking to another level FirstRand Namibia CEO Sarel van Zyl is encouraging a values-driven workforce through various activities. Elizabeth Joseph

Sarel van Zyl, CEO of FirstRand Namibia, has been in the hot seat for the last four years and he has not slowed the momentum, but rather stepped on the gas.

Van Zyl was born on 30 April 1962 in Mariental, Namibia and matriculated in Otjiwarongo in 1979. He started his banking career in 1982 in Okahandja and boasts 36 years’ experience in banking. He holds a Bachelors’ degree in Business Administration as well as a Masters’ degree in the same field, both obtained through the University of Potchefstroom in South Africa.

Van Zyl was the CEO of FNB Namibia Unit Trusts and also served on the board of FNB Insurance Limited until January 2011. At the same time he was a member of the executive committee of FNB Namibia Holdings - now FirstRand Namibia Holdings. He headed up the Retail Bank, a division of FNB Namibia Holdings where he was responsible for the branch banking network of 50 branches with 1 200 staff members, the credit card division, micro loans, agriculture as well as the tourism divisions.

The journey

He was transferred to Zambia in February 2011 as the CEO of FNB Zambia. Under his leadership in Zambia, the business increased from five branches to 20, the number of accounts from 11 000 to 190 000 and the business was turned around from its loss-making position (as a start-up), to generate N$100 million profit in June 2014.

He returned to Namibia in November 2014 and assumed the responsibility of CEO of FirstRand Namibia Limited on 1 December that year.

During his time in Namibia, RMB was fully developed into a market leader in corporate and investment banking in Namibia, and Ashburton was introduced and fully established. Together with First National Bank, the retail and commercial arm of the bank, Wesbank and Outsurance, the group is now the most comprehensive end-to-end financial services entity in the country. The group drives inclusive banking services enabled by technology and is known for its innovative client solutions and affordable financial services to the most remote parts of Namibia.

Family

Success runs in the family for the Van Zyls. He is married to Cielie van Zyl, born in Gobabis and who is one of the first teachers to have qualified at the then Windhoek Teachers College (now Unam). They have two children, Arno, a qualified actuary at Legal and General in London in the United Kingdom (UK), and Elize, a holder of a BAccLLB as well as a BAcc Honours degree, and is currently in her second year doing her articles towards becoming a chartered accountant.

Family values are an integral part of FirstRand Namibia’s way of doing things and a lot of time is spent encouraging a values-driven workforce through various group-led initiatives, including acknowledgements by fellow staff members recognising each other for living the values.

Mentorship and coaching is key to the group’s success and future leadership development. Van Zyl spends one hour per month per individual on his executive team doing mentoring and coaching, as well as performance improvement and strategy discussion and formulation.

As is the case with many other people in leadership roles, Van Zyl was “spotted” by Leonard Haynes, now CEO at FNB Zambia, in his earlier banking career as someone with potential, and he was given exposure to the relevant areas to grow and develop his career.

Van Zyl is an outdoors person and enjoys camping, photography and fishing. He and his son visited Torra Bay for 21 years consecutively for fishing, before Arno left for the UK.

Refining your leadership skills

December 13, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Refining your leadership skills As a small business owner, it's crucial to be a confident and effective leader, as this will establish your credibility in the eyes of your employees, the people you do business with and in your relevancy in the industry as a whole.

This is according to Gerschwyne van Wyk, country manager at Business Partners International, who says that very few people are born leaders, and in trying times, even the strongest of leaders sometimes struggle to present a brave face and lead successfully.

“Fortunately, leadership is a trait that can be learnt and refined as the entrepreneur’s experience of running a business deepens. After all, running a manager-owned business warrants both an aptitude for leadership and a willingness to learn,” he adds.

Van Wyk shares some tips to assist small business owners to boost their leadership skills.

Know your strengths, acknowledge your talents

Firstly, take the time to refine your leadership skills. When leading a company, it is important for a small business owner to work with their strengths and improve on weaknesses in order to boost their confidence. Remember: Don’t waste time worrying about what you can’t do and focus on what you can do.

Leave your comfort zone

Don’t allow fear to prevent you from reaching your full potential. When a business owner is complacent, it can filter down to the staff and impact the business’s performance.

Build trust and use your influence

Your role as a leader gives you the power to inspire and provide guidance. It is important to invest time to familiarise yourself with your employees, with the view to build trust and to know how to use your influence to get things done in order to increase productivity and effectiveness.

Be innovative

Don’t let obstacles get in the way of your success. Don’t be afraid to tackle problems head-on and be creative about finding solutions. This is something that should come naturally for entrepreneurs, as many of them are innovators, having recognised a trend in an industry or identified a shortcoming, and then proactively created a solution to capitalise on a demand or overcome the problem at hand.

Get a mentor

To further improve your leadership skills, small business owners may feel that they need outside help. Getting a mentor who has a proven track record of being a good leader can be done by identifying the traits you would like to build within yourself, and asking your mentor to help you. Mentors provide ongoing counselling and support, based on experience, knowledge, skills and wisdom.



Hone in on people skills

The need for an entrepreneur to have good communication and people skills cannot be overlooked. Assertiveness, approachability, conflict resolution skills etc. all go a long way in effectively managing employees, service providers and customers.

“It’s important that a small business owner realises that how the business and employees are managed, is one of the biggest contributing factors to a company’s success. As such, if the owner’s leadership skills are lacking, it is imperative to take appropriate action to improve these skills.

“However, determination, risk-taking, vision and the ‘readiness to do whatever it takes to realise the vision’ are all important character traits of an entrepreneur, and the solid foundation for strong leadership in a small business owner should not be underestimated,” Van Wyk added.

Cuban doctor charged with rape

December 13, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Cuban doctor charged with rape ELLANIE SMIT

A Cuban doctor has been arrested in connection with the alleged rape of a colleague at a local Windhoek state hospital’s flats.

Dr Luis Pedro was arrested on Tuesday following the alleged rape of a 33-year-old colleague last Wednesday.

Pedro appeared before the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody. His lawyer, Kadhila Amoomo, has since lodged a formal bail application.

According to a police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Kauna Shikwambi, Pedro visited the woman last Wednesday at the doctors’ flats.

According to sources, the alleged victim is an intern and works under Pedro’s supervision.

Shikwambi said Pedro allegedly made sexual advances, and when she refused, he allegedly threatened to kill her.

He then allegedly raped her, said Shikwambi.

The woman told one of her colleagues at work, who advised her to report the matter to the police.

Shikwambi said Pedro then went into hiding and was arrested on Tuesday.

“He appeared in court yesterday [Wednesday] and was remanded in custody. A bail application is, however, in process.”

'Fix it yourselves'

December 13, 2018, 2:00 pm

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'Fix it yourselves'Cash-strapped ministry says tenants have 'wrong mentality' Only N$10.6 million was allocated for the construction, renovation and improvement of government properties countrywide during the current financial year, and in the 2019/20 financial year, this amount will be reduced to N$5.3 million. Tenants of government flats at Rundu have made an impassioned plea to the works ministry to do major renovations to the premises, which is falling apart and reeks of sewage.

However, ministry spokesperson Julius Ngweda said tenants living in government properties around the country have done so for many years and pay very little for rent.

He said they should take responsibility for minor repairs.

It was reported earlier this year that the government owns an estimated 270 houses and 1 000 flats in Windhoek, 75 houses in Oshakati and 39 houses in Walvis Bay.

Ngweda was quoted by The Namibian as saying that some of these houses had since been sold.

He added at the time - in May - that the flats dated back to the early 1990s.

The four blocks of government flats at Rundu, which consist of 16 two-bedroom flats, were built during the apartheid era.

Namibian Sun recently visited the buildings that house public servants and their families and observed that the infrastructure is in dire need of repair.

Ceilings are in an atrocious state, while electrical wires are exposed.

Doors are damaged and the smell of sewage permeates the air.

Ngweda said the ministry was doing its best with a limited budget.

According to the 2018/19 budget tabled by finance minister Calle Schlettwein earlier this year, N$10.6 million was allocated to the works ministry for construction, renovations and improvements, which is N$1.8 million less than the previous year.







In the 2019/20 financial year, this amount will be reduced to N$5.3 million

Ngweda said if one divides the N$10.6 million between the 14 regions, it amounts to about N$800 000 per region, which makes it difficult for the ministry to fulfil its obligations.

He called on tenants to assist the ministry by taking care of minor renovations, adding that they should not expect everything to be done for them.

“If your bulb is not working or your tap is damaged, what is stopping you from replacing it? These people are in fact not paying a lot for those flats.

“People should also have a sense of responsibility; it does not mean that if it belongs to the government, you should not maintain it; that's the wrong mentality,” Ngweda added.

Some of the Rundu government flat tenants say they have to place buckets around their flats because of water leaks.

The tenants are responsible for their water and electricity bills, while the ministry is supposed to provide maintenance services.

Some of the tenants who spoke to Namibian Sun on condition of anonymity expressed disappointment with the ministry for neglecting its responsibilities.

“Why can the ministry not just fulfil their responsibilities like we do when we pay our monthly instalments? This is totally unacceptable because the more time passes, the challenges pile up and we are forced to accept this nonsense.

“It is not that we are ungrateful for being housed here, but we deserve to live in a conducive environment,” a tenant said.

Some of the tenants have resorted to doing their own repairs, because whenever gripes are reported ministry officials, no action is taken.

“I have lived here for more than ten years and no major renovations ever took place. Some of us have opted to renovate the government property with our own funds, but this is supposed to be the duty of the ministry,” another tenant said.

“About six months ago we were visited by officials from the ministry of works, who came from Windhoek. They took pictures and promised that something would be done. We are still waiting. These buildings are old and they need to be repaired urgently,” said one tenant who allowed Namibian Sun to inspect his flat.

Safety concerns were also raised. Tenants said the fence around the premises had been vandalised, allowing easy access to intruders.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Shaningwa faces more defiance

December 13, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Shaningwa faces more defiance It is still unclear whether Swapo councillors at Rundu will follow a directive from party secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa or push ahead with their plan to once again defy it.

The party's Kavango East regional executive committee (REC) met earlier this week and decided that the councillors should be able to choose whoever they prefer as office-bearers.

The swearing-in of office-bearers is expected to take place today, despite the fact that the councillors are not in agreement on Shaningwa's directive that they should not make changes to the council's top structure.

Some councillors have already defied this instruction once, when they boycotted the initial election and swearing-in ceremony on 21 November.

Namibian Sun understands the councillors are strongly opposed to the directive because they want a new mayor seeing that Verna Sinimbo has served three consecutive terms.

Sinimbo is said to be a close friend of Shaningwa's and is refusing to relinquish her position without a fight.

The chairperson of the Swapo leaders assigned to the region, works deputy minister James Sankwasa, met with the REC on 23 November to discuss the 21 November boycott.

Namibian Sun was reliably informed that Sankwasa also met with the disgruntled councillors, but no solution was found.

It was also expected that the matter would be discussed on the sidelines of the Swapo extraordinary congress earlier this month, but again no solution was found.

Swapo's Kavango East regional coordinator, Otillie Shinduvi, was thus left with no other option but to abide by the rules and procedures of the party.

This meant that the party's Rundu Urban district leadership had to meet and make a decision that would be presented to the REC.

However, this failed on two occasions because there was no quorum. The first meeting was held this past Sunday and the second on Wednesday afternoon.

At both these meetings, Namibian Sun camped outside and observed the anger and frustration among party members after they had travelled long distances to attend.

Following the two failed meetings, the district executive wrote a letter to Shinduvi, informing her they had resolved that Shaningwa's directive must be implemented.

Attempts to get comment from the party's Rundu Urban district coordinator, Malakia Muranda, proved futile.

Shinduvi said she would ignore the letter because there was no quorum at the meetings.

“I won't read that letter; that is derived from an unconstitutional meeting,” she said.

Shinduvi said the REC had met on Wednesday and the decision was that the councillors should be allowed to nominate and elect their preferred choices, who would be sworn in today.

“The swearing-in will take place on Friday [today]. The councillors will need to nominate and elect one another there,” Shinduvi said.

Namibian Sun understands that if the swearing-in ceremony does not take place today, the possibility of the council being dissolved is high, which means a by-election would have to be held.



KENYA KAMBOWE

Horror crash claims four

December 14, 2018, 12:27 am

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Horror crash claims four Four people died in a horrific accident on the Okahandja-Karibib road last night.
According to police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Kauna Shikwambi, the accident occurred at about 21:07 on the B2 highway, about 25km from Okahandja.
It is alleged the driver of a Mercedes Benz hit an oryx and then swerved into the oncoming lane, before colliding with a sedan head-on.
The 66-year-old driver of the Mercedes Benz, Gottlieb Keib, and his wife Elizabeth Keis died on the spot.
The 29-year driver of the sedan, Nghidamwakusha Nghiningshwa, and his passenger, 24-year-old Robert Shileka, also died on the spot.
ELLANIE SMIT

Husband shoots wife, commits suicide

December 14, 2018, 12:39 am

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Husband shoots wife, commits suicide Another gruesome murder-suicide occurred last night in Oshakati, when a man shot his wife dead and then committed suicide.
According to police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Kauna Shikwambi, the incident occurred at about 21:00 at a residence in Ehenye village.
She said 33-year-old Panduleni Shivute ran into a neighbour’s house after a heated argument with her husband, Shivute Benyamen Ishikomesho.
Shikwambi said Ishikomesho followed his wife and shot her dead with a pistol, before killing himself.
ELLANIE SMIT

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Trade deficit tops N$3bn

December 14, 2018, 1:27 am

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Trade deficit tops N$3bn Namibia exported goods worth about N$24.3 billion in the third quarter of 2018, while imports totalled around N$27.6 billion, according to figures released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA).
This left Namibia with a trade deficit of approximately N$3.3 billion for the quarter, up nearly 196% compared to the previous three months. Compared to the third quarter of 2017, the trade deficit shrunk by about 60%.

Hasta la vista, Mourinho

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Hasta la vista, Mourinho Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect, following a dismal start to the season, the Premier League side announced yesterday.

“The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future.

“A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, fulltime manager,” United said.

They are sixth on the table with 26 points from 17 matches.

Mourinho won the Europa League and the League Cup in the 2016/17 season before guiding the team to second in the league last season and reaching the FA Cup final.

NAMPA/REUTERS

Toughing it out

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Toughing it outSeidler, Stergiadis favourites for Jetty Mile Participants need to assess for themselves whether they are capable of taking part in the sea conditions on the day. The 12th edition of the Pupkewitz Jetty Mile will take place on 27 December in Swakopmund, with an expected 250 participants set to brave the sea conditions.

The main swimming event of the Pupkewitz Jetty Mile, with a distance of 1.85 km, will start at 15:30 at Tiger Reef. Swimmers will then make their way around the jetty and finish at The Mole.

Event organisers OTB Sport said even if sea conditions are extremely rough it is unlikely that the event will be cancelled.

According to Yvonne Brinkmann, one of the organisers, competitors, inclusive of minors in consultation and agreement with their parents, need to assess for themselves whether they are capable of taking part in the sea conditions on the day.

Brinkmann also said the competitors need to be self-sufficient in the water, as the rougher the conditions, the more difficult or impossible a sea rescue operation is.

The sprint swim of 600m will take place in the more protected waters of The Mole at 16:30 and at 17:00 there will be a kiddies' fun event where children accompanied by their parents or another competent swimmer, can make use of any flotation device.

The favourite for the male category is five-time consecutive winner, Phillip Seidler.

“The Pupkewitz Jetty Mile awoke my interest in open water swimming (OWS). As a big wave surfer and competing at an international level in OWS, the ocean will always be my playground to test my limits against the wind, current and swell.

“Every race is unpredictable. My ideal Jetty Mile would be big swell that would help me break my previous record,” said Seidler.

He is also busy preparing for the 10km FINA Open Water Swimming World Championship in South Korea next year.

“The Jetty Mile finish is perfect to polish my sprinting ability, which is the crucial finish of every marathon swim. Thank you OTB for hosting the competition; I'm looking forward to an amazing event to end another year of swimming.”

Favourite amongst the females is last year's winner, 16-year-old Heleni Stergiadis. Stergiadis first competed in the Jetty Mile in 2016.

She was the first female across the finish in 2016 and 2017 and is the firm favourite for 2018. She will also represent Namibia next year at the 2019 CANA Zone IV Championships. She also qualified for the FINA Junior World Championships in Budapest in August 2019.

“This is always a very exciting and fun event. I love open water swimming and competing in the Jetty Mile. I will definitely do my best again this year. It always helps to train before the time with Seidler, my dad and other swimmers to get used to sea swimming

OTB Sport thanked the Pupkewitz Foundation for their generous sponsorship over the past 12 years. All entries and race information is available at www.otbsport.com.

Online entries close on 25 December.

SPORTS REPORTER

Stars to go professional

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Stars to go professional African Stars' participation in the 2018/19 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League has been a big learning curve on how to run football professionally.

This was said by Stars chairman Patrick Kauta on Monday at a media conference in the capital, where he added that some of the things they are learning is that you do not need money to implement certain things.

He said they will compile a report which they will share with other Namibia Premier League (NPL) clubs at the conclusion of the competition.

“In Namibia very few NPL clubs provide their team line-ups during matches, but in Africa the team sheet must be available one hour and 30 minutes before games, for example. This can be done here because all we need is to print the line-ups,” Kauta explained. He added that Stars are responding to the NPL's main sponsor MTC's call to professionalise football in Namibia by challenging themselves and competing with the best on the continent.

He said despite the cost of the CAF safari, Stars will aim to be like other professional clubs in Africa and beyond.

“After we beat Orlando Pirates this coming Saturday, I can tell you without any fear of contradiction, you can start calling Stars the first professional club in Namibia,” Kauta said confidently.

He added that while on their African safari, they also learnt that game logistics are handled by the national federations.

He said every time they had complaints, they were always directed to a South African Football Association (SAFA) official as they did not have a representative of the Namibia Football Association (NFA) there.

“The league and the NFA must be closely linked. We also have benefited from NFA because had we not worked with them, we would have been knocking our heads against the wall,” he explained.

“We had to request that our midweek game be postponed. Pirates and Sundowns' games were planned in a way that during the Champions League week, they do not have midweek games. They were thinking we are too amateurish or we just do not know what we are doing,” Kauta added. His views were echoed by Salomo Hei, Stars executive director, who said there is a huge organisational machinery behind the planning of football at professional level.

“How do you quantify the experience of an African safari in football in terms of any of the Stars players? How do you convert that into monetary value? The level of development of these players is so high that after this tournament, the lives of these players have changed forever,” explained Hei.

Stars will face Orlando Pirates on Saturday at 16:00 at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in the second leg of the 2018/19 CAF Champions League.

The first leg ended 0-0 on Saturday at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.

NAMPA

I'm still passionate - Nauseb

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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I'm still passionate - NausebFormer Stars coach 'not in a rush' for a new job Robert Nauseb still has a passion for coaching and will not let his sacking from African Stars deter him from pursuing his dreams. Former African Stars coach Robert Nauseb says he is available to coach any club in the country that wants his services.

Nauseb was dismissed by Stars recently after he was employed by the defending Namibia Premier League (NPL) champions after the 2017/18 season.

“Well, I am not in a rush to get a coaching job, but I will consider a coaching job in Namibia if there is any available.

“For now, I would like to take a rest and enjoy my holiday with my family,” Nauseb said briefly.

The former Kaizer Chiefs player replaced Bobby Samaria as Stars coach, and ironically it was Samaria who replaced him after a 5-1 drubbing by Black Africa recently.

Nauseb was replaced just days before African Stars played Orlando Pirates in the Confederations of African Football (CAF) Champions League match in South Africa, which they drew 0-0.

Nauseb joined Kaizer Chiefs from Civics in 1997 and played for the Glamour Boys until 2001.

During his time at Kaizer Chiefs, Nauseb made 87 appearances, scoring nine goals.

He then had a short spell with Cape Town club, Hellenic, during the 2001/02 season, before joining Ajax Cape Town for the 2002/03 season.

The former midfielder also had a stint at Santos and Ikapa Sporting during his career.

He represented the national team for 16 years, making 27 appearances and scoring two goals, before hanging up his boots.

Nauseb said he does not regret what he has done at African Stars.

He felt he was on a good path, despite losing a couple of matches in the league, which cost his job.

The former player remains passionate about Namibian football and is eager to see the league turn professional.



Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

Omalweendo gaanona ga yelithwa

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Omalweendo gaanona ga yelithwaItaku pumbiwa oondokumende dha gwedhwapo momalweendo gomeni Uuministeli wOmatembu owa yelitha kombinga yolopota ya piti miikundaneki kutya aantu mboka taya yi naanona momalweendo meni lyoshilongo, oya pumbwa okukala ya humbata oonzapo dhomavalo dhaanona dhuudha oshowo omazimino gomalweendo ngoka okuza kaavali. Kape na iipumbiwa yopaveta mbyoka tayi pula aavali ya humbate oonzapo dhaanona dhomavalo oshowo oombaapila dha za kaavali yakwawo uuna yeli naanona momalweendo meni lyoshilongo.

Shoka osha kolekwa kwaangoka ta longo pehala lyamushanga muuministeli wiikwanemi nomatembu Annette Bayer Forsingdal mEtitano lya piti sha landula iinyolwa yiikundaneki kutya aavali mboka taya kaya momalweendo naanona meni lyoshilongo, otaya pumbwa ya kale ya humbata oonzapo dhaanona dhomavalo oshowo oombaapila dhomapitiko okuza kaavali yalwe.

Forsingdal okwa popi kutya nonando kape na iipumbiwa yopaveta mbyoka tayi utha aavali ya humbate oondokumende dhoka dhopaveta, aavali taya ende pamwe naanona naya kale aluhe taya vulu okudhimbululwa kutya oyo aavali yaanona mboka. Forsingdal okwa tsikile kutya kwiikolelelwa kompangu yoImmigration Control Act 7 yomomvula 1993, omunambelelwa gwiikwameno ota vulu okupula opo uulikilwe onzapo yondjokana nenge onzapo yevalo.

Okwa tsikile kutya oombaapila ndhoka otadhi pumbiwa owala kaavali mboka taya yi naanona momalweendo taya taaguluka oongamba, ta popi kutya oveta ndjoka ohayi longo woo nomiilongo yilwe.

South Afrika omasiku ngaka okwa yelulula koompango dhe dhilwe ngele tashi ya komalweendo ga kwatelamo aanona, onga oonkambadhala okuya moshipala eyako lyaantu okuza moshilongo nenge okuya moshilongo.

Oshishiindalongo shoka osha li sha tula miilonga ompango mo 2015 ndjoka tayi utha omuvali ngoka e li molweendo nokanona a kale nombaapila yonzapo yevalo yokanona yuudha, oshowo ombaapila tayi ulike epitiko okuza komuvali omukwawo ngoka keepo kutya okwa gandja ezimino mukwawo a ye molweendo nokanona.

Okuya muDesemba gwonuumvo, oompango dhimwe po odha yulululwa, ihe nonando ongakala omalelo goshilongo shoka otaga pula aavali ya kale ye na oondokumende dhoka molwaashoka otashi vulu okupulwa.

Omalundululo gamwe ngoka ga ningwa ongaashi kutya aanona mboka taya yi momaweendo okuza kiilongo yimwe hoka haku pulwa oovisas, itaya ka pulwa wo oondokumende ndhoka ngele oye na oovisa molwaashoka ohadhi pulwa nale uuna taku ningwa omaindilo goovisa ihe mboka taya zi kiilongo hoka ihaku pulwa oovisa otaya ka pulwa opo ya gandje oondokumende dhoka.

ELLANIE SMIT

Planning for El Niño

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Planning for El NiñoFloods, droughts take centre stage If the predicted El Niño occurs, some countries in the region will experience either drought or floods. The potential impact of the looming El Niño on Namibia and the rest of the SADC region took centre stage at a regional disaster preparedness workshop this week.

The workshop started in Windhoek on Monday.

The permanent secretary in the prime minister's office, I-Ben Nashandi, opened the three-day workshop, saying the lack of rain in Namibia this season was of great concern.

“This should not only be a concern to Namibia, but to SADC as a whole,” he said.

Nashandi said if the predicted El Niño occurs, some countries in the region will experience either drought or floods.

“The outcome of this workshop should provide SDAC and its member states opportunities to make the correct decisions, whatever occurs as a result of the predicted El Niño. Our joint planning is important in coming up with a regional approach to disasters.”

The director of Food Agriculture and Natural Resources (FANR) at the SADC Secretariat, Domingos Gove, said dry spells, drought and disease outbreaks were already affecting the region.

These included Ebola in the DRC, cholera in Zimbabwe and hepatitis E in Namibia, which all have national and regional implications.

“All these are happening when some member states have not yet recovered from the impacts of reduced food production in the 2017/18 production year due to dry spells and the impact of fall army worm,” said Gove.

According to him the memories of the El Niño-induced drought of 2015 and 2016 are still very fresh.

Gove said the 2018/19 seasonal climate forecast projected El Niño conditions, and below-normal rains and high temperatures have already been experienced in October and November.

“The December to February scenario paints a similar hopeless picture in terms of rainfall performance and, by implication, food production.”

He said that was why the SADC Secretariat, in collaboration with the Namibian government and the Regional Inter-Agency Standing Committee (RIASCO), organised this workshop to coordinate regional and national disaster-response planning for the 2018/19 season.

The specific objectives were to review national and regional seasonal disaster contingency plans for the 2018/19 season, with specific focus on the potential impact of El Niño and the management of outbreaks.

The workshop also aimed to develop a monitoring mechanism for tracking seasonal developments, and to facilitate the sharing of tools, experiences and lessons learned in the region.

ELLANIE SMIT

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Neeef still alive – PM

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Neeef still alive – PM Despite reserving N$700 000 for the implementation of the New Equitable Economic Empowerment Framework (Neeef) Bill in 2018, failure to do so does not mean that the bill is dead, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has said.

She made these comments in a recent interview Nampa, in which she explained why the Neeef Bill could not be tabled in the National Assembly (NA) in 2018 as planned.

The NA concluded its business for 2018 last month, having passed 20 bills this year. The Neeef Bill was not one of them.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila indicated that the delay in the tabling was because they had to accommodate conflicting views.

“When you have an issue that is difficult, where you have different views, it is important to take everyone along. And when you do that, sometimes there are costs that you have to bear and in this particular case, the cost that we are incurring is the cost of timeliness.”

According to her, it is better for the government to take more time and have everyone on board.

Consultations on the bill were finalised and a report was submitted to cabinet for approval and input.

“(But) when the report came to cabinet, there was some more input and cabinet decided that a technical committee look at it again,” the PM said.

The former treasury boss promised that the revamped Neeef Bill would be tabled in the NA next year.

“It (Neeef) is still alive. Definitely, there is no going back. As I have indicated, it's a matter of details.”

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said Neeef in essence seeks to ensure that Namibia's resources are shared equitably and in a sustainable fashion.

“Nobody should think that we are going to take away their things,” she said. The government has been accused of bowing to external pressure when it removed the 25% equity clause in the bill.

Rally for Democracy and Progress secretary-general Mike Kavekotora earlier this year said Neeef had collapsed, and what was left was a mockery of the original plan.

Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani said Neeef was meaningless without the 25% clause, while Swanu's Usutuaije Maamberua also said the government did not have the guts to implement the Neeef Bill.

NAMPA

Edgars jobs safe, for now

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Edgars jobs safe, for now Edgars stores across southern Africa, which include its Namibian operations, will not close as was earlier reported this past weekend.

The announcement was made by Edcon CEO Grant Pattison, who said the company was on the road to recovery.

The Sunday Times reported over the weekend that Edgars, Jet and CNA stores faced the risk of closure with an estimated 140 000 job losses imminent, as a result of its failure to pay high rental monthly fees.

Namibian Sun asked Edcon media spokesperson Michael Rubenstein how the risk of Edgars shops closing in South Africa would affect its operations in Namibia. Pattison responded to the query. Edcon currently has a number of Edgars, Jet and CNA stores in operation across Namibia. Pattison said his company's balance sheet recovery programme has been underway for some time, as it continues to focus on completing a recapitalisation of Edcon. “Part of the process is the continuing discussions with various stakeholders, which include lenders, landlords, potential new investors and others, as we explore and discuss various options,” Pattison said.

“These discussions are advancing and significant progress is being made, with all stakeholders indicating their support and strong commitment to the process. Edcon had offered a 5% stake to its landlords in the business in exchange for a two-year agreement on rentals, the Sunday Times reported this past weekend. This would help Edcon secure N$1.9 billion in emergency funding from banks.

The 89-year-old company, South Africa's biggest non-food retailer, has long struggled to stay afloat amid weak consumer spending and economic growth in South Africa, and had to be taken over by banks and bondholders in 2016 to avoid collapse. It announced plans this year to close some stores and to cut floor space by 17% over five years.

OGONE TLHAGE

Concerns raised over rangeland management

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Concerns raised over rangeland management Namibia's rangelands continue to become less productive, less profitable and riskier over time.

This is according to a presentation by Colin Nott, the coordinator of the Namibia Rangeland Management Policy and Strategy.

He gave the presentation at the 22nd Rangeland Forum.

“On a national scale we are managing our rangelands incorrectly and the livestock industry is in decline,” Nott said. He said farmers are going out of business and those that do not change and adapt the way they are doing things will also go under in the near future.

According to him cattle farmers have to be 7% more efficient each year and sheep farmers 2% more efficient, to maintain the same level of profitability.

Nott said markets are not working in the best interest of the farmer. He added that communal areas cannot, as yet, apply sound rangeland management effectively at scale.

“But our rangelands can be made more productive. To stay farming we need to focus on profitability.”

According to Nott, to be productive, the needs of grass plants, the soil and animals must be met.

“We have to change our mindsets and what we are doing to meet these needs.”

He stressed that although grass plants are needed for grazing, they also need time to recover.

According to him recovery time is needed to allow plant reserves to be restored.

Time is also needed for new seedlings to become established and to decrease plant spacing.

Recovery time also improves biodiversity and the quality of grass, and reduces input costs over time.

“If plants are severely grazed in the growing season, they will need a full year to recover. If plants are less severely grazed, then the recovery period will automatically be reduced.”

Nott said further that the impact of animals on rangelands can also be curbed to achieve improved grass production, biodiversity, break capping and an improved water cycle.

He said the impact of animals plays an important role in the bush-to-grass ratio and therefore has major implications on how bush thinning and aftercare is done.

Nott added that bush thinning is a key aspect that increases livestock production in certain parts of the country.

ELLANIE SMIT

Govt acquires Neckartal farmland

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Govt acquires Neckartal farmlandAll set for irrigation project in the south The government has bought about 5 000 hectares of farmland around the Neckartal Dam for the development of an irrigation scheme. The government has bought land around the Neckartal Dam that will be used for irrigation farming.

Agriculture ministry spokesperson Jona Musheko says purchase agreements for 5 000 hectares of privately owned land have been finalised. All that is now left is for the land to be transferred to the government.

“The [Neckartal] project team has already submitted the request letter to the Office of the Attorney General for the transfer of the commercial land to the government. The commercial farmers have already signed sale agreements with the government,” he said.

Irrigation activities will start as soon as the land has been transferred.

“Once the land is transferred to and registered as government property, AgriBusDev will spearhead the commencement of the project's phase two, which involves the irrigation scheme,” Musheko says.

The Windhoek Observer reported in April this year that government would probably have to pay a premium for the land in order to start an envisaged 5 000-hectare irrigation project that will be facilitated by AgriBusDev.

The government is said to have paid N$955 727 in compensation to 18 communal farmers who occupied 3 900 hectares of grazing land around the Neckartal Dam site, the Windhoek Observer reported.

“The 18 communal farmers have since been successfully relocated or resettled and paid under the Compensation Policy Guidelines for Communal Land as approved in terms of Cabinet Decision,” agriculture ministry permanent secretary Percy Misika said at the time.

The dam will supply water to a 5 000-hectare irrigation scheme, to grow mainly fruit, and is expected to employ close to 800 people permanently and about 1 000 more seasonal workers during harvesting.

It was built at a cost of over N$5.6 billion.

OGONE TLHAGE

Councillors squabble as residents suffer

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Councillors squabble as residents sufferSelf-interest instead of public service Swapo councillors at Rundu are jockeying for position instead of trying to fix the serious problems at the town, a civic organisation says. A Rundu civic organisation says the ongoing infighting between Swapo councillors at the town shows that holding a certain position is more important to them than addressing the needs of the masses.

This follows the repeated postponement of the annual election of office-bearers at the town, which was expected to take place last month. The delay is the result of disagreement between the five Swapo councillors over a directive from the party's secretary-general, Sophia Shaningwa.

The directive was that the councillors should retain the incumbent office-bearers.

However, some councillors decided otherwise and defied the directive by boycotting the first scheduled election last month.

The SG's instruction to retain Verna Sinimbo, who has served as mayor for the past three years, is said to be the core reason for the infighting.

Rundu Concerned Citizen Association (RCCA) chairperson Reginald Ndara says the infighting demonstrates that the councillors value positions more than the needs of the people.

Ndara, who serves as the RCCA's representative on the town council, says the councillors should shift their focus to the people.

“This is an indication that the Swapo local authority councillors at Rundu are not serious about the execution of their responsibilities, as mandated by the residents.

“Instead of engaging themselves in constructive discussion, in order to find workable solutions to the problems experienced by the residents of Rundu, they are busy fighting amongst themselves for positions,” Ndara said.

“This can only be described as a lack of leadership and management skills on the part of the Swapo councillors of Rundu.”

Ndara argues that residents should be offered municipal services by their elected leaders and not be subjected to observing infighting over positions. Ndara said since the inception of council in 1992, residents have borne the brunt of many problems caused by the Swapo-dominated council.

A second election of office-bearers was scheduled for Monday, but it was again postponed until further notice.



KENYA KAMBOWE