Bodies recovered from Orange River

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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The bodies of four girls who drowned in the Orange River on Sunday have been found by police divers.

The victims - aged 13, 15, 16 and 17 - drowned during an outing with the father of one of the girls.

According to the //Karas Region's crime investigations coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Rudolf Isaack, divers recovered the bodies yesterday afternoon.

The police chief, Lieutenant-General Sebastian Ndeitunga, has issued a stern warning to parents who allow their children to swim unsupervised, saying the nation can no longer sit with hands folded while youngsters drown unnecessarily.

According to police reports, at least seven children have drowned in the country in just one week.

Three days before the Orange River incident, three girls - aged 11, 13 and 15 - drowned in flooded sand pits left behind by sand miners in the Ohangwena Region.

Ndeitunga said it is sad that some adults still advise children to swim in rivers where they are often unable to swim against the stream.

“The water of a river is constantly in motion and not everybody can swim against the course of a river. As a result, it is very difficult for people who are not professional swimmers to survive in a river; particularly people who live inland and are not used to swimming in rivers,” he said.

He also cautioned parents and caretakers of minors, who live near to rivers, to keep an eye on their children so they do not swim unsupervised.

“Some of the children are drowning because of the carelessness of their parents or caretakers. The bottom of rivers is muddy; if you go and step in there, then you [get stuck].

Maybe that is what happened with the children who drowned in the north and the four in the Orange River,” he said.

Ndeitunga acknowledged that people want to go swimming to escape the summer heat, but warned weak swimmers to stay out of rivers and the ocean.

JEMIMA BEUKES

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You have all failed

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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You have all failed

Much has been said about the much-publicised clash involving safety minister Charles Namoloh, former president Hifikepunye Pohamba and head of state Hage Geingob during the recent memorial service in honour of struggle icon and former PLAN commander Matias 'Mbulunganga' Ndakolo. What was meant to be a moment of deep reflection on the selflessness of former combatants, and the immense contribution of veterans of Mbulunganga's stature, was overshadowed by remarks made by the three leaders, leading to a social media uproar. Firstly, General Namoloh cannot be wronged for calling out his own government on the way war veterans are being treated. Many people before him have bemoaned the fact that government cared little about the plight of war veterans immediately after Namibia's independence. Despite their enormous contribution, you will still find former freedom fighters complaining that the government is not doing enough to cater for their welfare. Yes, government has come up with so-called attractive packages to assist war veterans, but the question still lingers: Are we doing enough to ensure that an effective and cohesive assistance programme truly exists for them? It took the late Mbulunganga more than 15 years after Namibia's independence to get decent housing, with the assistance of the National Housing Enterprise (NHE). He is not the only one. The late struggle veteran Simeon Lineekela Shixungileni, who was a former second-in-command of the South West Africa Liberation Army also died a pauper, as there was little action on the side of government when it came to his welfare. The bottom line is that many of our struggle legends are still facing serious hardships in the post-independence era. The majority of them have been neglected and they continue to suffer from a range of health problems. Let us respectfully honour them while they are still alive, instead of shouting words of praise when they are no longer with us. The formidable giants and stalwarts of our liberation struggle deserve to live with dignity, because they too fought for a better Namibia.

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Swapo battle heats up

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Swapo battle heats up845 respondents added to congress court case Those to be added as respondents include leaders of the Team Swapo and Team Harambee pre-congress factions, as well as delegates.

The two disgruntled Swapo members who have dragged the party to High Court over the disputed 2017 elective congress have issued notice that they intend to add a further 845 respondents to the court matter.

In a legal notice published in a local newspaper, Mirjam Shituula and Selma Namboga have given those mentioned until 25 January 2019 to show why they should not be added.

Those to be added to the current respondents - Swapo and its secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa - include President Hage Geingob, vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as well as deputy secretary-general Marco Hausiku. Former SG Nangolo Mbumba, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and a host of senior party officials, and even those on the slate that contested unsuccessfully against Geingob's Harambee faction have been added as respondents.

These include Nahas Angula, Jerry Ekandjo and Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, who were the leaders of Team Swapo in the run-up to the congress.

On 27 November, Shituula and Namboga, who are also acting on behalf of Swapo leaders Nambata Angula and Seth Boois, unsuccessfully sought to have the party's recent extraordinary congress halted.

They also applied to have outcome of the top four and central committee elections of 2017 congress declared unconstitutional, invalid and null and void. This main application is still before court.

However, Judge Thomas Masuku informed the applicants that the case could only proceed once all those that who would be affected by the outcome had been notified. This is known as a joinder application.

The party's legal counsel contended that all necessary respondents were not listed in the court papers.

During the court proceedings in November Swapo's legal counsel, South African advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, told the court that the case could not proceed if those who enjoyed the benefits of the 2017 Swapo congress were not called to appear before court.

“Whatever the decision the court gives will affect them,” he said.

The 2017 congress elected Geingob as party president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as vice-president, Shaningwa as SG and Marco Hausiku as deputy SG.

The disgruntled Swapo members argue that the congress and its elections were fundamentally flawed and unlawful.

The two applicants, along with Angula and Boois, had earlier in the year petitioned Shaningwa by demanding an independent audit of the outcome of the congress.

Shaningwa had responded that the central committee would consider the petition. However, the group argued that it was in fact the composition of the current central committee that was being disputed and therefore it could not decide on the matter.

It suggested that the central committee elected in 2012 should deal with the issue. There was also a subsequent letter which still failed to resolve the issue, leading to the urgent court application, following Shaningwa's announcement of the dates of the extraordinary congress, which took place from 30 November to 1 December.

In their founding affidavit, the group claimed material irregularities had been unearthed during the 2017 congress, which included at least eight regional governors unlawfully participating, as well as four youth wing delegates being allowed to stand for the central committee when they were no longer eligible to be members of the wing, as they were over 35, while governors are ex-officio members of the regional executive committees.

JEMIMA BEUKES

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5 ways to get your exam results

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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5 ways to get your exam results Namibia Media Holdings (NMH), through My Zone, this year offers students and the public five different ways to view the Grade 10 and Grade 12 NSSCH examination results that will be released on 20 December.

1. Buy our special results editions containing infographics on key examination statistics.

2. SMS the name of the exam, your candidate number or surname and first name to 99099. Service provided by DMS.

3. Get your results certificate at zone.my.na/results.

4. Calculate your admission points for university at zone.my.na/results. Results for the Grade 12 NSSCO exams will be added in January 2019.

5. View the full results in PDF version at zone.my.na/results.

WIN A BURSARY

The names of grade 12 students who use the admission points calculator will be entered into a draw to win five bursaries of N$10 000 each – sponsored by Shoprite Checkers.

Students in Namibia who wrote examinations of the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) in South Africa can also use the admission points calculator by entering their marks and will also qualify for the bursaries up for grabs.

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Civil society 'dormant'

December 18, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Civil society 'dormant'

Civil society organisations (CSOs) in Namibia have remained mostly dormant during the past two years, due to diminishing foreign donor funding.

According to a new report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) the financial sustainability of the Namibian civil society worsened significantly last year as foreign donors continued to withdraw funding. The report, authored by IPPR director Graham Hopwood, says the entire political and funding climate within which Namibian civil society functions deteriorated in 2017, the year for which the assessment was done. The CSO Sustainability Index report says that civil society's organisational capacity, service provision and infrastructure also declined as a result of deepening financial problems.

However, Hopwood notes that despite these challenges, advocacy by CSOs gained in prominence due to an increase of lobbying for access to information and whistle-blower protection, as well as the emergence of pressure groups such as the Landless People's Movement and the Affirmative Repositioning movement.

He says the organisational capacity of CSOs deteriorated last year, mainly due to the closure of capacity-building organisations and constraints caused by persistent funding problems.

Several leading capacity-building organisations were either defunct or temporarily inactive in 2017.

For example the umbrella body for CSOs, the Namibian Non-Governmental Organisations Forum (Nangof) Trust, closed its office at the end of 2016 when support from the European Development Fund ended.

Although several components of the Nangof Trust continued to operate, it was basically dormant in 2017, says Hopwood.

The Civil Society Foundation of Namibia, set up in 2013 to offer training and funding to grassroots organisations, shut down at the same time because its funding from the EU ended.

Furthermore the Namibia Institute for Democracy, which usually offers training to CSOs, also entered a period of dormancy in 2017 because of funding shortfalls.

“Compounding this difficulty was the tendency of donors and international CSOs to overlook the needs of Namibian CSOs for capacity-building support.”

According to Hopwood some international organisations competed for funding against domestic organisations and organised activities in areas in which established Namibian CSOs already operated, effectively undermining their work.

He says since these international organisations receive technical support and funding for overhead costs from their head offices, they are better resourced than local CSOs and therefore more credible to donors.

“As a result, Namibian CSOs must increasingly rely on funding for short-term projects, which usually does not include allowances for operating expenses such as rent and utilities. The net result for Namibian CSOs is unreliable incomes, staffing uncertainties, and management and oversight problems.”

Hopwood says because of the general lack of funding, Namibian CSOs increasingly operated in an ad hoc manner and did not undertake longer-term strategic planning in 2017.

According to him many organisations focused on dealing with the next crisis or finding the next pay cheque rather than planning ahead.

He says many CSOs found it difficult to secure and retain experienced staff in 2017.

In the face of uncertain funding, even health-sector organisations, which were once regarded as the most securely funded CSOs, began to complain that their capacity to employ workers on full-time, long-term contracts was reduced.

“CSOs getting by with part-time or temporary staff struggled to meet the demands of donors for complex risk assessments, log frames, plans, and other documents needed for their applications and reports on larger grants.”

Hopwood says although there is no clear data on the overall amounts and purposes of donor aid for the Namibian CSO sector, work in the areas of human rights, democracy, and governance seemed to be hardest hit by funding shortfalls.

“Namibian CSOs have few alternatives to donor aid, and there is a general sense of pessimism about future funding prospects.”

On the other hand, the public image of CSOs did not change much in 2017.

The Namibia Institute for Democracy (NID) reported in 2015 that 568 CSOs existed in Namibia.

Of these only about 10% were strong, established organisations and half of these worked in the area of healthcare and HIV/Aids, while 10% were active in economic and social justice, democracy, governance and human rights.

Since 2015 there has been no formal survey of civil society to establish the overall number of CSOs or identify the sectors in which they work.

According to Hopwood the IPPR identified 60 active CSOs in the Windhoek area that are able to contribute to consultations involving the African Peer Review Mechanism. The largest sectors were democracy and human rights, labour (including trade unions), healthcare and HIV/Aids.

“There appears to be few active CSOs outside the capital, although no survey has been undertaken to confirm this.”

Hopwood also points out that the government seems to take a haphazard approach to consulting civil society on laws and policies.

Although CSOs were sometimes asked to comment on key issues, such as the Black Economic Empowerment Policy last year, at other times consultation was non-existent or, at best, ad hoc.

“CSOs continued to have trouble accessing government representatives, mainly because many politicians and top officials do not understand the concept of civil society advocacy.”

ELLANIE SMIT

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Chief Justice Shivute’s car in cell phone fight

December 19, 2018, 3:51 am

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Chief Justice Shivute’s car in cell phone fight

The Ondangwa police on Monday registered a case of malicious damage to property after an angry man smashed the windscreens of a bakkie belonging to Chief Justice Peter Shivute outside the ‘I am me bar’ at Okapya village near Ondangwa.
Nandago Petinen, 37, was with Shivute’s car at the time and is the complainant in case.
“A fight broke out between Petinen and the suspect about a stolen cell phone, which was later found in the Petinen’s possession and he subsequently ran away,” Sergeant Frieda Shikole of the Oshana police explained.
This, Shikole said, prompted the suspect to smash all windows of the vehicle, including the canopy.
The value of the damage is estimated at N$15 000.
On the same day, Andreas Nyanyukweni Kandjumbwa, 44, died after the sedan he was driving overturned on the Ondangwa-Oshikango B1 road on Monday.
Shikole said the crash took place at about 19:45 near the Indangungu village, from where Kandjumbwa hailed.
“The deceased lost control of the car,” Shikole noted, adding he was alone in the car.
His next of kin are informed and a culpable homicide case has been opened at Ondangwa.
NAMPA

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Solskjaer named United caretaker

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Solskjaer named United caretaker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was on Wednesday named as Manchester United's caretaker manager until the end of the current season following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.

The former United striker will take charge of the first team with immediate effect and will remain in place while the club looks for a new full-time manager. Mourinho was axed on Tuesday after just two-and-half years in charge at Old Trafford, with the 20-time English champions languishing in sixth place in the Premier League, 19 points behind leaders Liverpool. Solskjaer, 45, will be joined by Mike Phelan as first-team coach, working alongside Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna.

“Manchester United is in my heart and it's brilliant to be coming back in this role. I'm really looking forward to working with the very talented squad we have, the staff and everyone at the club,” said the Norwegian.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said: “Ole is a club legend with huge experience, both on the pitch and in coaching roles.

“His history at Manchester United means he lives and breathes the culture here and everyone at the club is delighted to have him and Mike Phelan back.

We are confident they will unite the players and the fans as we head into the second half of the season.” United appeared to accidently announce the appointment on their website on Tuesday, with a video appearing on the club's official website celebrating Solskjaer.

A video of him scoring the winner for United in their 1999 Champions League final triumph against Bayern Munich was accompanied with the headline 'The most famous night of Ole's career'.

Norwegian prime minister, Erna Solberg, also appeared to confirm Solskjaer's appointment, writing on Twitter: “Great day for Norwegian football. Good luck keeping control of the Red Devils.”

Solskjaer joined United as a player from Molde in 1996 and was part of the team that won the treble of the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in 1998/99.

The Norwegian's first game in charge of Manchester United will be Saturday's trip to former club Cardiff.

He managed the Bluebirds between January 2014 and September 2014, failing to stop them being relegated from the Premier League, returning to Molde in 2015.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino and former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane are among the bookmakers' favourites to take the United job at the end of the season.

NAMPA /AFP

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Forget local rivalries - Moeti

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Forget local rivalries - MoetiBA, Pirates must support Stars The Sam Nujoma Stadium is set to come alive with a battle between South Africa and Namibia's finest.

Former Black Africa chairman Cassius Moeti says it is every Namibian's obligation to support African Stars in the Confederations of African Football (CAF) Champions League preliminary round, regardless of which local club they support.

The Reds are set to host one of South Africa's biggest football clubs, Orlando Pirates, at the Sam Nujoma Stadium at 16:00 in the final leg of the preliminary round on Saturday.

African Stars as a club, however, has its own foes which include Black Africa, Tigers and the local Orlando Pirates.

It is a rivalry that has been there for decades, which has seen supporters of this clubs clashing on several occasions. With African Stars the only Namibian team in the champions league, Moeti has urged all Namibians to flock the Sam Nujoma Stadium in support of the 'Reds'.

“Look, there have been local rivalries between many of these teams and their fans probably despise each other.

“The champions league game between African Stars and Orlando Pirates has however outgrown this and is on a national level.

“This is more about Namibia facing South Africa than Orlando Pirates facing African Stars,” Moeti said.

It is for these reasons he believes that every Namibian football lover must rally behind African Stars given that they are representing Namibia and not just their fans.

The two teams played to a goalless draw last weekend in South Africa.

African Stars surprised everyone with an eye-catching performance against one of South Africa's lethal counter-attacking teams.

The team stood its ground despite several scares from the home side in Johannesburg.

The team however faces another test and will have to ensure that Orlando Pirates does not get a vital away goal during the match.

Stars will be booted out of the competition with a draw, while a defeat will also end their dreams of playing in the group stages.

A win for the Namibian side against Pirates will guarantee them a place in the CAF Champions League group stages. “I wish African Stars all the best of luck and hope that they can win for Namibia.

“Playing in the group stages of the champions league will definitely lift Namibia's football profile.”

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

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African to meet Citizens today

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

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African to meet Citizens today

MTC Namibia Premiership will see Young African and Civics clash today at the Sam Nujoma Stadium at 20:00.

The two are both looking to collect points as the end of the first leg nears, however African seems more likely to win as they occupy the 8th spot on the log whereas Civics is at the bottom of the log.

The Gobabis outfit African led by Marley Ngarizemo have so far seven goals while struggling Civics led by Brian Isaacs sit with two points and it's a bottom feeder.

This makes African the better team on paper and the most likely to pull off a win on the expense of Civics who have a lot of work to do if they want to refuse the Gobabis outfit a win.

On Tuesday, Okahandja United lost 1-2 against Young Brazilians, while Tura Magic beat Julinho Sporting 3-1.

Both matches were played at Sam Nujoma Stadium.

Unam and Black Africa will also cross swords on Friday at 18:00 (Sam Nujoma Stadium) and Mighty Gunners will face Citizens at Mokati Stadium in Otjiwarongo at 17:00 on the same day. Blue Waters and Life Fighters are scheduled to play at Kuiseb Stadium at 16:00 on Saturday.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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Kapako, Tondoro take top honours in Governor's Cup

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Ookansela taya kondjithathana omanga aakwashigwana taya mono iihuna

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Kapako, Tondoro take top honours in Governor's CupMpungu Constituency next in line The second Kavango West Governor's Cup, themed 'Battle of the Constituencies' was won by the Kapako and Tondoro constituencies.

Kapako Constituency, host of the 2018 Kavango West Governor's Cup, won the football competition after defeating Ncuncuni Constituency 5-0 in the final on Sunday.

Kapako's danger man, Karara Thomas, scored four goals, while the fifth goal was scored by captain Morosi Eugen to lift the trophy for the first time.

In the third-place playoff, Nkurenkuru Constituency defeated Tondoro Constituency 4-0.

Kapako walked away with N$5 000, a floating trophy and gold medals, while Ncuncuni took home N$3 000 and silver medals, N$2 000 and bronze medals went to Nkurenkuru.

In the netball tournament, Tondoro Constituency won the title by defeating Ncuncuni Constituency 24-23 in a tightly contested final. Nkurenkuru took third place.

Tondoro walked away with N$2 500, a floating trophy and gold medals. Ncuncuni settled for N$1 700 and silver medals, while Nkurenkuru received N$800 plus bronze medals. The football individual awards went to Kanzware Otto from Musese (best under-17 player), while the goalkeeper of the competition was Ndjamba Gerson from Kapako. The top goal scorer was Karara Thomas from Kapako with five goals, and the player of the competition was Morosi Eugen from Kapako.

The best coach of the competition was Muronga Nathanael Sindimba from Kapako.

One of the organisers, Egidius Nambara, said the competition was a huge success.

“Next year's competition will be held in Mpungu Constituency and we plan to make the competition bigger and better.

“We are at the same time inviting private businesses and individuals who love sports and would want to sponsor this competition to come on board through the office of the governor of Kavango West,” Nambara said.

The first edition of the Kavango West Governor's Cup was held last year in Nkurenkuru Constituency. The Cup was won by Mankumpi Constituency.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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Ookansela taya kondjithathana omanga aakwashigwana taya mono iihuna

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Swapo onkene ta kondjithathana

≪ Previous: Kapako, Tondoro take top honours in Governor's Cup

Ookansela taya kondjithathana omanga aakwashigwana taya mono iihuna

KENYA KAMBOWE

Ehangano lyiipambele yaakwashigwana moRundu olya popi kutya omananathano ngoka ge li pokati kookansela yoSwapo, otaga ulike kutya okukala wuli pokantu yontumba yelelo osha simana shi vulike oompumbwe dhaakwashigwana.

Shoka osha landula sho kwa undulilwa komeho natango omahogololo gaaleli mondoolopa ndjoka, ngoka ga li ge na okukalako omwedhi gwa piti.

Ekateko lyomahogololo ngoka li li oshizemo shokwaahatsa kumwe pokati kookansela yoSwapo melelo lyaRundu omolwa elombwelo ndyoka lya gandjwa kuamushanga gwongundu, Sophia Shaningwa.

Nonando ongaaka ookansela oya tindi okulandula elombwelo ndyoka, na oya tokola okwiitekamo momahogololo omwedhi gwapiti.

Shaningwa okwa hala opo Verna Sinimbo, a shune koshipundi onga mayola gwondoolopa, ngoka a longa nale onga mayola uule woomvula ndatu.

Omunashipundi gwoRundu Concerned Citizen Association (RCCA), Reginald Ndara okwa popi kutya omakondjithathano ngoka otaga ulike kutya ookansela oya simaneka unene oompito dhawo shi vulithe oompumbwe dhaakwashigwana, molwaashoka oyali ye na okukala taya kongo omikalo dhokukandula po uupyakadhi mboka wa taalela aakalimo yondoolopa ndjoka, nopehala otaya kondjele oompito dhelelo.

Omahogololo omatiyali gaaleli yondoolopa ndjoka oga li ge na okukalako mOmaandaha ihe natango oga undulilwa komeho.

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Swapo onkene ta kondjithathana

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Swapo onkene ta kondjithathanaYa hala okongresa yi kuthwe oonkondo Momusholondondo gwaayamukuli moshipotha shompangu moka kiilyo iyali tayi pataneke omutumba gwokongresa yoSwapo ngoka gwa ningwa omvula ya piti, omwa gwedhwa ishewe aayamukuli yamwe.

Ngashiingeyi momusholondondo moka omwa gwedhwa Omupresidende Hage Geingob, Omupeha Presidende Nangolo Mbumba oshowo Omuprima Sara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. Iilyo mbyoka iyali oya gandja etseyitho mompangu kutya oya hala okugwedha ko komusholondondo gwaayamukuli naayamukuli ya thika po 845.

Moshinyolwa sha nyanyangithwa mushimwe shomiikundaneki moshilongo Mirjam Shituula oshowo Selma Namboga oya popi kutya oya gandja sigo omasiku 25 gaJanuari 2019 kaayamukuli mboka opo ya vule okupopya kutya omolwashike inaya gwedhwa mo momusholondondo. Omupresidende Geingob, omupeha presidende Mbumba, Omuprima Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, ongundu yaanenentu moSwapo oshowo yamwe po mboka ya li taya kondjitha ongundu yoHarambee oyamwe ye li mo momusholondondo ngoka mwa kwatelwa Nahas Angula, Jerry Ekandjo oshowo Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana. Mirjam Shituula naSelma Namboga, oshowo ngoka e li pehala lyaakomeho yoSwapo Nambata Angula naSeth Boois, oya ka konga ekwatho lyompangu opo okongresa ndjoka yi kalekwe na oya hala iizemo yokongresa yomvula ya piti ndjoka ya ningwa kongundu ndjoka yi kuthwe oonkondo.

Nonando ongaaka omupanguli Thomas Masuku okwa tseyithile aaningi yeindilo ndyoka kutya oshipotha shoka otashi vulu owala okupula komeho uuna ayehe mboka ya tulwa momusholondondo ya tseyithilwa. Ongundu yoSwapo mombaapila dhawo dhompangu oya popi kutya aayamukuli ayehe moshipotha shoka kaya Ii ya tulwa momomusholondondo gwaayamukuli, na omwa tulwa owala amushanga gwongundu ndjoka Sophia Shaningwa oshowo ongundu tayi pangele. Omukalelipo gwaSwapo gwiikwaveta advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, okwa lombwele ompangu kutya oshipotha shoka inashi pumbwa okutsikila komeho ngele mboka ya tyapula uuwanawa yokongresa yaSwapo yomo 2017 inaya tulwa mo momusholondondo gwaayamukuli, nena oshizemo netokolo kehe lyompangu ndyoka tali ningwa otali ke ya guma. Okongresa yo2017 oya hogolola Hage Geingob onga omupresidende, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah omupeha presidende, Shaningwa (amushanga-ndjai) oshowo Marco Hausiku omupeha amushanga-ndjai. Iilyo yoSwapo mbyoka oya popi kutya omutumba gwokongresa ngoka gwa ningwa muNovemba gwomvula ya piti, inagu ningwa pamulandu nopauyuuki.

Iilyo mbyoka pamwe na Angula oshowo Boois, oya li ya pula kuyele nuumvo Shaningwa opo ku ningwe omakonaakono kombinga yoshizemo shokongresa ndjoka.

Shaningwa okwa li a yamukula kutya elelo lyopombanda otali ka tala keindilo ndyoka.

Mboka oya yamukula kutya elelo ndyoka opo lya hogololwa itali vulu okutala koshikumungu shoka ngele oshe ya guma, na oya pula opo onkalo ndjoka yi konaakonwe kelelo ndyoka lya hogololwa mo 2012.

Momusholondondo gwomanyenyeto gawo kombinga yokongresa ndjoka ya ningwa mo 2017, mboka oya popi kutya omwa kwatelwa oongoloneya yahetatu yiitopowa mboka ya kutha ombinga mokongresa ndjoka shaaheli paveta oshowo iilyo ine yelelo lyaanyasha yoSwapo, mboka ya pitikwa okukutha ombinga momahogololo gokomitiye yelelo nonando kaya li yeli poomvula dhokukala iilyo yewawa lyaanyasha, molwaashoka oye li pombanda yoomvula 35.

Mboka oya tsikile kutya okwa longwa uulingilingi pethimbo lyomitumba dhiitopolwa ndhoka dha ningwa omanga inaku ningwa okongresa.

Oya popi kutya omisholondondo dhaakuthimbinga mboka ya li ya hogolololwa odha lundululwa nopomahala gaakuthimbinga yamwe opo tulwa aantu yamwe ye ya pingenepo.

JEMIMA BEUKES

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The call for new socialism

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

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≪ Previous: Swapo onkene ta kondjithathana

The call for new socialism Swapo grapples with ideological positioning

The recently held Swapo extraordinary congress adopted a number of resolutions.

One of the key resolutions accepted at the Ramatex gathering was a draft proposal on what the ruling party stands for in terms of its ideology and the amendment of the party constitution to accommodate such an ideological doctrine.

A member of the Swapo think tank Vinson Hailulu was tasked with the daunting task of conducting comprehensive research and analysis on the subject matter and present to the highest policy-making body of the party, the congress, an appropriate ideology of the ruling party he helped author.

Namibian Sun this week caught up with Hailulu to provide detailed insights on the work that has gone into the crafting of the new ideology of Swapo, which is Socialism with the Namibian Character.

Namibian Sun: How long did the research take?

Vinson Hailulu: It took me more than five months. As a committed cadre of the party and a member of the think tank, I volunteered my professional services to do the research and came up with the draft ideology as directed by the Swapo Party leadership. I should however put it on record that, I am speaking from a perspective of a researcher and not on behalf of the party. So, for any policy related matters I refer you to the secretary-general of the party.

NS: Can you tell us a bit about the changing face of socialism?

Socialism started changing its face fundamentally, following the collapse of communist hegemony in the former Soviet Union and socialist countries in Eastern Europe and the fall of the Berlin Wall between 1989 and 1991. This was the end of communism which essentially resulted in the end of the Cold War. This trend naturally was the emergence of the pro-capitalist regimes in countries that were formerly under socialist/communist rule.

What the communists did was to recast themselves into ideological formations that were referred to as social democracy and democratic socialism as opposed to communism.

The reunification of Germany, unification of Yemen, breakup of Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, among others, were the physical effects of the collapse of socialism and communism in the world geo-political arena. The collapse of communism in Europe, also affected African and Middle East states where socialism was practised. African countries like Angola, Benin, Congo Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Somalia as well as Middle East countries like Yemen and Afghanistan were affected accordingly.

The Swapo Party in Namibia was not an exception and hence had to give up its socialist ideology it had adopted during the liberation struggle from its constitution. The demands by the Western powers for Swapo Party to give up its socialist ideology also became a fundamental condition for Namibia to gain its independence.

There was essentially a spread of Western culture and capitalism into former communist countries, including Russia, subsequent to the collapse of communism in the world.

NS: Can you give us examples of Chinese successes where they have shaped socialism to the benefit of their economy?

VH: Following the collapse of communism in Europe and the realisation of the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of socialism as advocated by its founding fathers (Lenin, Engels, Marx), China started major political reforms in the 1970s, leading to the introduction of economic reforms and the adoption of the current socialist market economy.

The socialist market economy, also referred to interchangeably as state capitalism, is underpinned by three major elements namely, the state-owned sector, a regulated open market economy, as well as provision of incentives to local private companies.

In the state-owned sector, commercial activities are primarily undertaken by the state through their state-owned business enterprises which control the means of production on behalf of the state. That is why you see Chinese state-owned companies doing business in other countries, including Namibia, on behalf of the Chinese state.

The regulated market economy approach has enabled China to open up their economy to promote and attract foreign investors to invest in the Chinese economy within the confines of certain government regulations.

The provision of incentives to local private companies ensures that the local private enterprising is encouraged and supported through access to funding and other incentives in order to play a meaningful role in growing the economy.

Both state-owned and privately-owned enterprises are supported by the government to be competitive by providing financial instruments and subsidisation implemented through institutions such as the EXIM (Export and Import) Bank and Development Bank of China just to mention a few.

It is by practising this ideological orientation that the Chinese government has managed to build a competitive and advanced economy in the global economic arena.

NS: What is the comparative analysis of capitalism? And according to your research, what are the findings?

VH: Capitalism is a market-based economy underpinned by private and corporate ownership of the means of production.

My research concluded that there exist different capitalist economic models around the world. Without going into details, there is Anglo-Saxon capitalism, which is practised in English-speaking countries like the US, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong. There is also social market economy, which is sometimes referred to as a German capitalist model practised in Germany, the Netherlands, France and Belgium. The Nordic model also called Nordic social democracy is practised in countries such as Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland.

Each ideology has its unique characteristics. Some have low levels of regulation like the Anglo-Saxon model, which also has a public sector providing fewer services.

They have strong private property rights. The Nordic model has very strong social safety net provision for the public such as free education and universal healthcare. You also find a very high public expenditure in this model and the taxation systems are modelled to support the state welfare programmes.

NS: Having done the comparative analysis of socialism and capitalism, what was your ideological proposal to the Swapo Party?

VH: The overall conclusion of my research and ideological analysis is that there is no pure capitalist system nor is there pure socialist system.

All ideological systems had to be to be tailor-made to fit particular and unique social, economic, political and even cultural conditions of a country concerned.

Hence, taking into account the Namibian political, social, economic, political cultural and historical context, I proposed to the party leadership that the ideology of Swapo Party should be Socialism with a Namibian Character. It employs the open market principles and techniques to develop the Namibian economy.

This ideology is underpinned by the principles of justice, economic, inclusivity and shared prosperity which the state plays a significant role through the ownership of the means of production (by state-owned entities); providing the social safety nets and maintaining the traditional role of the state of developing and providing social and economic infrastructure, defence and security.

Under this ideological framework, the state shall bear the responsibility of macroeconomic management and setting a policy and regulatory framework to regulate the market.

The ideology is to be used as a tool to, inter alia, advance political, economic and social empowerment; to protect and sustain the environment and ecological systems for the livelihood of the current and future generations; to advance the interest and plight of women, youth and the Namibian child (especially taking into account the alarming social evils such as gender-based violence, human trafficking, so-called passion killings); and to promote and protect the interest of labour.

NS: How in your opinion, will this socialist ideology with a Namibian character adopted by the recent Swapo Party extraordinary congress, serve the party and Namibia at large?

VH: This ideology will give clarity to all members of Swapo Party in terms of the ideological position of our party and more importantly, it will guide the Swapo-led government in coming up with policies and development programmes that are in tandem with the ideological orientation of the party.

For example, this ideology will set a clear tone in terms of how government must handle state-owned enterprises considering their role in managing and controlling the means of production on behalf of the state.

It will also set a clear tone when it comes to policies around the protection of the environment and ecosystems of the country.

We have for instance in Namibia the issue of phosphate mining and sand mining under consideration by the government, so these policy considerations should be done within the ideological framework of the ruling party.

The political and economic empowerment through devolution of power to sub-national governments being the local and regional authorities, and to parastatals, is to be influenced by the set ideology.

For instance this ideology will also positively influence the way Namibian workers will be treated by employers and the government will be expected to champion such efforts more aggressively than ever before, not to mention the promotion of the interest of the youth and that of the women of Namibia.

*Vinson Hailulu is the founding CEO of Oshakati local authority. He is also the first black CEO of the City of Windhoek and is a former CEO of the National Housing Enterprise. He holds a Master's degree in Public Management, majoring in economics and innovation in the public sector, obtained from Harvard University in the US.

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Telecom Namibia expands mobile network coverage

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Telecom Namibia expands mobile network coverage

Telecom Namibia, under its TN Mobile brand, has extended its 3G and 4G connectivity across the country by upgrading 22 mobile sites erecting ten new base stations.

In the last few months, Telecom Namibia has invested in infrastructure development as part of its network modernisation programme, focusing on two key areas: the expansion and the enhancement of its networks.

“On network enhancement, we are reviewing the network architecture to better optimise its performance and mitigate against network strain, as more and more customers continue to use our services.

Our network optimisation efforts will result in Telecom Namibia consistently delivering a quality mobile service and experience,” the company says.

New 4G mobile base stations were installed at Ongwediva, Tsumeb, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Rossmund, Ongha, Katima Mulilo, Katima Mulilo Unam Campus and Windhoek's Olympia, Otjomuise and Pionierspark suburbs.

Telecom Namibia recently also upgraded to the latest 4G technology, equipment and software at 24 network sites around Arandis, Henties Bay, Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Rossmund, Langstrand, Walvis Bay Airport and Talismanus to cater for its fast-increasing data subscriber growth.

The towns of Lüderitz, Uis, Omaruru, Rehoboth, Nkurenkuru and Okongo were upgraded from 3G to 4G services, while additional 4G sites were switched on at Ongwediva, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Katima Mulilo and Windhoek's Katutura, Rocky Crest and Kleine Kuppe suburbs.

Capacity upgrades were done on other 4G base stations in Rocky Crest, Suiderhof, Pionierspark and Kleine Kuppe in Windhoek.

The 3G network has been extended to the rural settlements of Chinchimane, Otuani, Anabeb, Otjomatemba, Onyuulaye, Onkani, Omatjete, and Okombahe, bringing much-needed mobile communication services to these rural communities.

At the end of August 2018, Telecom Namibia extended its 3G service to Mpacha airport, about 18 km southwest of Katima Mulilo.

The 2G mobile services at Oshivelo, Onathinge, Oniipa, Omungwelume, Oshigambo, Ondobe, Endola, Omundaungilo and Oshikuku were upgraded to 3G, giving customers additional features such as mobile internet access, video calls and mobile TV.

In November 2018, the 2G mobile services at Trigbaken, Namibfontein, and Trekkopje were upgraded to 3G, while the towns of Karibib and Usakos were upgraded to 4G, giving TN mobile customers travelling between Windhoek and the coast minimum 3G coverage along the B2 route.

Telecom Namibia plans to roll out about 50 new mobile base stations to improve its 3G and 4G coverage in strategically selected areas across the country.

The network expansion and densification are strategic for Telecom Namibia, with the goal of enhancing speeds, capacity, quality, reliability, reach and, ultimately, customer experience.

Telecom Namibia says it will continue to add more network sites to increase and enhance its data and voice quality network throughout the country with an additional investment as part of its five-year Strategy Plan 2018/19 – 2022/23.

This includes connecting all parts of the country, particularly remote areas where access to ICT services is limited.

STAFF REPORTER

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Unions don't comply with the law

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Unions don't comply with the law The permanent secretary in the ministry of labour, Bro-Matthew Shinguadja, has lashed out at certain unions representing security guards, saying they are not complying with the labour law.

This follows a joint complaint by the Namibia Independent Security Union (NISU) and the Namibia Security and Watchmen's Union that security companies are not paying the minimum wage.

Hitting back, Shinguadja said the unions themselves were guilty of not complying with the Labour Act.

He added that no congresses had been held to elect new union leaders as required by law.

“Do these unions comply with the Labour Act? They are not in compliance. Those leaders are also illegitimate in terms of their standing,” Shinguadja told Namibian Sun telephonically.

Shinguadja also claimed that security union bosses were not submitting their annual tax returns on time. He also reiterated an earlier correspondence with the unions, saying that since the matter was before court, the ministry not get involved.

“They know exactly what the situation is; the issue is before court,” he said.

In response, Simon Kandondo of NISU said they were aware of the court case but it only involved one security company and not the entire industry.

“I don't know what he is talking about but there is only one case and it is for Rubicon. What about the other companies? Even the PS knows, he cannot use the case of Rubicon,” Kandondo said.

Kandondo admitted that his union had not submitted its annual tax return on time.

He said his union had been unable to hold a congress to elect new leaders but it would be done as soon as possible.

OGONE TLHAGE

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ACC secures conviction and new arrest

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

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ACC secures conviction and new arrest

Willem Matthias Thomas, who fraudulently invoiced the Henties Bay municipality for N$788 995.96 in respect of construction work on a fire station at the town, has been sentenced to two years in jail, wholly and conditionally suspended, along with a fine of N$20 000 and three years' imprisonment should he fail to pay the fine.

A statement released by the Anti-Corruption Commission says a complaint was received on 22 December 2014 regarding the fraudulent invoice. Following a probe, the file was handed to the prosecutor-general on 5 May 2015.

At the outset, three accused were charged but charges were withdrawn against the other two, with only Thomas standing trial in the Swakopmund Magistrate's Court.

Thomas was convicted on 24 September on a charge of knowingly providing a document to an agent which contains falsifications in order to mislead.

On Friday, 14 December, the commission said it arrested Selwyn Neville Mouton, 42, a revenue protection officer at the City of Windhoek's electricity department following a sting operation.

It is alleged that Mouton tried to solicit payment of N$5 000 from an electricity subscriber of the City in order not to disconnect the subscriber's electricity due to arrears.

Mouton appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court on 17 December. The matter was postponed to 25 January and Mouton was granted bail of N$3 000.

STAFF REPORTER

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Storm leaves family homeless

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Storm leaves family homelessStrong wind rips off roof Pensioner Johannes Nangombe is appealing for help after a storm ripped off his roof and soaked his family's belongings on Tuesday.

A family of ten from Mayana village in Kavango East Region were left homeless after a storm destroyed their homestead on Tuesday.

When Namibian Sun visited the family yesterday morning, they had just returned home from Rundu, about 20 km away, where they had spent the night.

The entire roof of their two-bedroom house had been ripped off by strong wind, leaving the family's belongings and food exposed to the rain.

The owner of the house, Johannes Nangombe (75), was in tears when he spoke about what had happened.

Nangombe said if he was still young and employed he could have repaired the house, but he depended on a state pension to take care of his family.

“I built this house when I was young and physically strong but now I am old and not that strong anymore. My monthly grant is not enough to sustain me and my family. We need help,” Nangombe said.

Nangombe said the storm began around 18:00.

“I was seated under this tree when it all started. It was very windy and it was best for one not to move around to save the things that were being blown away.

“I could not see, nor could I hear what others were saying because my ears were filled with sand. I just had to hold onto this tree until it stopped.”

Nangombe added that his wife, Loide, had hung up the laundry just before the storm hit. Most of the clothes were blown away by the wind and could not be found.

“My wife was doing laundry but some of the clothes are missing. Some of them were scattered in the mahangu field,” Nangombe said.

He appealed to the public to help his family repair their home. Any kind of donation would be appreciated but the most immediate need is corrugated-iron sheets to replace the roof. Because the walls were also damaged, Namgombe said cement donations would be appreciated.

“It's the rainy season and we were expecting to start ploughing but now we have taken a step back as we first have to restore our home. We are therefore calling on fellow countrymen and women to help us,”Nangombe said.

KENYA KAMBOWE

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Back to the drawing board

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

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Back to the drawing board

Another poor performance. Education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa yesterday modestly admitted that all is not well when it comes to the performance of learners in grade 10. During the official announcement of the examination results of the 2018 academic year for the grade 10 Junior Secondary Certificate and grade 12 higher level (NSSCH), the minister bemoaned the state of affairs, saying it was time to go back to the drawing board “to see what we are doing right and what we are getting wrong”. Although about 66% of the candidates who sat for the grade 12 high level examination qualified for university, the same cannot be said about the dismal performance of grade 10 learners. Hanse-Himarwa yesterday announced there has been a slight drop in the pass rate of grade 10 full-time candidates in 2018 as only 53.3% qualified for grade 11 in 2019. In 2017, the pass rate for grade 10 stood at 55.3%. This means that out of the 40 599 candidates who sat for the JSC examination in 2018, only 23 911 qualified for grade 11. This is clearly no cause for celebration and speaks greatly of the quality of our education. Many factors, including poor teaching, lack of parental support and the sheer lack of commitment on the side of the learner are certainly to be blamed for the status quo. A good education is the foundation of every qualified professional in this country and it is high time that considerable efforts are made to ensure that stakeholders adopt a number of programmes to help address such learning weaknesses. Those who have not succeeded this time around should take advantage of the second chance and improve their subjects, among other options provided by learning institutions.

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66% qualify for university

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

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66% qualify for universityOnly 6.1% of the candidates ungraded The education minister is delighted with the performance of this year's grade 12 higher level candidates.

More than 11 800 grade 12 students who sat for the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Higher Level examinations have qualified for university admission.

Of the 17 968 candidates who were registered for the grade 12 higher level exams this year, 66% qualified for university.

This was announced yesterday by education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa when she released the results.

The number of learners who qualify for university is expected to increase when grade 12 ordinary level results are released early next year.

“It is amazing and a very good performance. I am really very proud,” Hanse-Himarwa said.

A total of 17 968 candidates, comprising of 16 932 full-time and 1 036 part-time candidates, were registered for the grade 12 higher level examinations.

The number of higher level candidates exceeded the 2017 figure by 1 672, representing a 10.3% increase.

According to Hanse-Himarwa the 2018 results indicate an improved performance at grades 1, 2 and 3, whereas there was a slight drop of 0.6% at grade 4.

Only 6.1% of the candidates were ungraded.

According to Hanse-Himarwa the number of graded entries decreased from 94.5% in 2017 to 93.9% this year.

“This year 85% of the part-time candidates were graded in different subjects,” she said.

The results further showed that 66% of candidates obtained a grade 3 and better, in comparison to the 65.8% of last year.

“The outcome of 66% for grades 1 to 3 is commendable and the candidates are congratulated for a job well done.”

Grade 3 is the minimum requirement for admission to university. Hanse-Himarwa described the results as “beautiful”.

“Therefore, in combination with higher level and ordinary level subjects a significant number of candidates may qualify for admission to universities.”

Hanse-Himarwa encouraged learners who successfully completed grade 12 to seek admission for further studies at institutions of higher learning locally, regionally and internationally.

She also urged all schools to do a thorough analysis of the results and come up with ways to improve their performance in all subjects.

The top-performing candidates in the grade 12 higher level exams are: Sharzaan Putter from Windhoek Gymnasium (the best overall performer), Kyana Diehl from St Paul's College (the best female performer based on six higher level subjects) and Marco Kersten from Delta Secondary School (best male performer based on six higher level subjects).

Michael Olajide from St Boniface College is the best male performer based on five higher level subjects and Johane Berry from Windhoek Gymnasium is the best female performer based on five higher level subjects.

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'Drunk' crew delays flights by 6 hours

December 19, 2018, 2:00 pm

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'Drunk' crew delays flights by 6 hours

Flight delays of several hours were experienced by Air Namibia on Monday because of flight crew who had looked a bit too deep into the bottle.

Air Namibia spokesman Paul Nakawa confirmed the incident to Namibian Sun and said that the SW722 early-morning flight from Johannesburg to Windhoek was delayed by almost six hours due to an incident involving the flight crew.

He said Air Namibia conducted a random alcohol test that morning and two cabin crew members as well as the first officer tested positive for alcohol.

Another cabin crew member refused to take the test.

“The four flight crew members were immediately removed from their flying duties, as they were unfit to carry out their duties,” said Nakawa. According to him Air Namibia had to send another crew from Windhoek and as a result the flight from Johannesburg to Windhoek was delayed by five hours and 52 minutes.

The incident also affected the Windhoek-Luanda route and the Windhoek-West Africa (Lagos and Accra) route, delaying flights by up to seven hours.

“The four crew members were flown to Windhoek as passengers,” said Nakawa.

Upon arrival in Windhoek the crew members who had tested positive for alcohol were informed of the allegations against them and were given 24 hours to submit why Air Namibia should not suspend them.

Their actions were against the company policy and international aviation regulations.

According to Nakawa they specifically breached the Air Namibia Cabin Crew Manual, which states that cabin crew are not permitted to drink alcoholic beverages for eight hours before going on duty.

“Operating cabin crew will not, under any circumstances, be permitted to consume alcohol on board a company aeroplane,” said Nakawa.

He said Air Namibia, being the national flag carrier that complies with all local and international regulations, does everything within its power to ensure safe operations. “Safety is at the heart of our operations. We do not condone such behaviour and hence the reason why the airline acted swiftly to this unfortunate incident.

“The people we put on our aircraft must adhere to international standards of ICAO at all times, and our manuals are clear on flight crew's conduct,” said Nakawa.

“Crew members are not only servers of tea and coffee, they are safety officers first. And that is why you will find that our safety record as an airline is impeccable.

“To this end, we do what is required from us as a responsible airline. But unfortunately, when we have done everything that we could, we cannot take further responsibility for our staff who breach the provisions of their employment,” said Nakawa.

He stressed that the crew members would have to take responsibility for their actions.

“We hereby wish to sincerely apologise and reassure our passengers that it is indeed safe to fly with Air Namibia. We are conscious of the safety of our passengers, and would never release an aircraft to the skies if it is not safe to do so,” said Nakawa.

ELLANIE SMIT

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