The year of accountability

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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The year of accountability They say leave history in the past and I'm just wondering how many of us are willing to do exactly that.

The new year comes with new opportunities and exciting ventures for one to start over, as a gift from Mother Nature, but many still fail to see this blessing in disguise. Almost everyone this year is feeling positive about 2019, compared to 2018, and that's great. I don't know if in reality we are all just growing and learning to be responsible, but believe in whatever rocks your boat.

This year, compared to the others, let's do great things. Let us leave our comfort zones and take risks here and there. Like, for once, ask for help when you need it. You will be surprised how many people are going through what you are going through. You know that business idea you had, go for it. That trip you have wanted to take? Book your flight and go live your best vacation life in Seychelles.

For this year, may we all be responsible and accountable for our actions. Let us start thinking about where we come from, who brought us up and how we to appreciate them. Go and renovate your parents' home if you can. Start sending them money if you can. You can also start saving up to build your own spaces back home, cement is super cheap hey.A

Lastly, know that at the end of the day you are still human and bound to make mistakes. Don't beat yourself up, because you know what, nobody is perfect. Mess up but don't make it a habit. Otherwise you will be having resolutions lists from five years ago and that says much about you as a person.

With that said, may you live your best life in 2019 and may you make the most of it.

june@namibiansun.com

June Shimuoshili

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Local brands must consider strategic partnerships

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Local brands must consider strategic partnerships It's about time that brands in Namibia consider strategic partnerships to maximise on their brands, products, business and services, as this allows you to tap into each other's resources and audience.

When choosing a partner, it is important that your goals align with each other and the interest to work together must be mutual. It's not always easy to work with a new partner for first time, because people have a way of doing things, but now you must consider each other before making a decision or doing something.

Industry creatives should consider collaborations with their peers going forward, to get new clients or endorsements. You can offer more to a brand and give more value if it's more than one person, as they say: two is always better than one.

The most important aspect of strategic partnerships is that the partners must agree on a common goal.

A successful partnership isn't all about a shared goal and target audience, but also a clear way to provision, administer, service and support, which is often complex when split between two organisations.

This is the year you need to start searching for that partner that you know will add value to your brand and you to theirs. The days of being lone wolf has ended and the days for a squad-focused strategy have started.

Two is always better than one…

*Lito enjoys writing and contributes to @vaultzconnect



Lito

Zodwa falls for Namibia

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Zodwa falls for Namibia After being deported from Zambia last year and being banned from several other neighbouring countries, Zodwa Wabantu couldn't help but feel nervous when she touched down in Namibia.

Zodwa told TshisaLIVE that even though she had travelled to Dubai, America, the UK and Australia, she felt Africa still did not embrace her and she was scared that Namibia would be another country to turn her away at the border.

“After I was deported from Zambia, I was scared it would be the same. I had my eyes and ears to the ground to see how the people would react. My first thought was I am going to land and they will send me straight back home.”

But she found that the country was welcoming and even embraced her often racy dress and booty-shaking dance moves.

“It was the first time I was not judged outside of SA. I mean by countries in Africa because after Zambia, I thought God was saying that these countries don't want me and I must focus on other parts of the world.”

Zodwa said she was glad she didn't let such thinking stop her from accepting the invite to Namibia, where she even went topless to join the women of the Ovahimba tribe.

She tried to post pictures of her time with the tribe but the content was blocked by social media sites that deemed it inappropriate.

Despite this setback, Zodwa said it was a lesson in African values and how people were quick to judge each other for going naked when it is steeped in African traditions.

“I felt comfortable there. Why do we westernise ourselves and abandon who we are and where we come from? We still go around naked.

It was a place where they could relate to me and where I felt comfortable.”

She gave the women N$2 000 for food and other needs and wants to go back soon to be “a resident” of the tribe.

Timeslive

Kasi Vibe grows creative industry

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Kasi Vibe grows creative industryVolume five to make connections through diversity Volume five of the Kasi Vibe Festival will take place at the Sam Nujoma Stadium from 1 to 3 March. The fifth volume of the much-anticipated Kasi Vibe Festival is fast approaching and the organisers say the event grows bigger and better from one edition to the next.

According to Kasi Vibe Festival public relations officer Salmi Shigwedha, the reception and growth of the event is noteworthy and the aim of the festival becomes reality with each volume hosted.

“In terms of numbers of applicants, we were literally begging people to apply for stalls for the first volume, but now applications are pouring in and this is great for us,” Shigwedha said.

In terms of creativity, the organisers say the number of applications they receive that are not for food and beverage stalls are still very little and this is something they want to work on for the upcoming volume.

The theme for volume five, slated for 1 to 3 March, is branding connections through diversity, and the organisers plan to stick to it.

The Kasi Vibe Festival is a youth entrepreneurship and empowerment event that brings together young entrepreneurs.

The initiative aims to get Namibians from different backgrounds to come together to support one another's business ideas, and it is also a platform for young business owners to connect and engage with one another.

For this volume, the organisers are giving away 10 free stalls. One of the free stall recipients is Kevin Shivute, the joiner on steroids with his company Brynt Interior Concepts.

Shivute said the opportunity is overwhelming and thanked the Kasi Vibe organisers for giving youth a chance to showcase their skills.

June Shimuoshili

Company news in briefs

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Company news in briefs Embraer warns of little or no profit

Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA said on Wednesday it expects to keep US$1 billion in cash after paying off all of its debt once a proposed US$4.2 billion deal with Boeing Co closes, although it warned of little or no profit in the next two years.

Embraer expects earnings to break even before paying interest expenses and taxes in 2019, which UBS analysts said "falls below expectations". The measure, known as EBIT, is expected to rise to between 2% and 5% of revenue in 2020, the company said in a securities filing.

In 2018, Embraer failed to meet several of its projections, coming up at least US$250 million short of its revenue forecast in its executive jet division and US$200 million short in its defense division.

The company burned through twice as much cash as expected, with final negative cash flow of about US$200 million for 2018. But it hopes to reverse that trend with Boeing money, forecasting positive cash flow of US$1 billion if the sale goes through.

Embraer is finalising a deal to sell 80% of its commercial aviation division, its most profitable unit, to Boeing for US$4.2 billion, which would expand the intense competition between the US planemaker and Airbus SE in smaller passenger jets. – Nampa/Reuters

Market turmoil hits BlackRock's bottom line

BlackRock Inc, the world's largest fund manager, reported a smaller-than expected quarterly profit on Wednesday due to financial market turmoil, but investors celebrated the company's strong sales of relatively low-fee funds.

Sinking performance in late 2018 led investors to pull cash from the company's typically higher fee funds aimed at beating the market but people put record cash in the company's generally lower-cost exchange traded funds (ETFs).

Overall, the company sold US$43.6 billion in stock, bond and other "long-term" investment funds, more than the US$10.6 billion sold the quarter prior.

Still, weaker investment performance and the company's own price cuts hurt. The company collects fees as a percentage of assets under management, which are now just under US$6 trillion.

The S&P 500 fell more than 10% in the three months ended Dec. 31. – Nampa/Reuters

Ford sees weaker-than-expected Q4

Ford Motor Co forecast a weaker-than-expected fourth quarter profit and provided a cloudier 2019 outlook due to tariff costs and uncertainty over Britain's exit from the European Union, sending shares down more than 3.5% on Wednesday.

The No. 2 US automaker, which is restructuring its operations globally, disappointed analysts by not providing a detailed financial forecast for this year, simply saying earnings and revenue could improve. It said, however, that tariffs could erode 2019 earnings by about US$700 million.

This is in contrast to Ford's larger US rival, General Motors Co, which last week forecast higher 2019 profit that far surpassed analyst estimates.

A volatile U.S. trade policy environment and uncertainty around Brexit could impact its performance in 2019, said Ford CEO Bob Shanks.

Ford is the top selling automotive brand in Britain, and a no-deal British exit from the European Union, while unlikely, would be "catastrophic", he said. – Nampa/Reuters

EU would be wrong to block Siemens-Alstom deal

The European Commission would be making a mistake if it blocks the merger between Siemens's rail business and France's Alstom, France's government's spokesman said on Wednesday.

"A rejection by the European Commission would be an economic mistake but also a political failure. It would send the wrong signal to the people of Europe at a time Europe ... has failed to protect European citizens... its companies," government spokesperson Benjamin Griveaux told reporters.

Antitrust commissioner Margrethe Vestager in December voiced doubts over the impact that the Franco-German deal would have on other high-speed train sector. – Nampa/Reuters

Goldman Sachs reports higher trading revenue

Goldman Sachs topped analysts' revenue estimates on Wednesday as stronger equities trading revenue cushioned bond trading losses, making it the only Wall Street bank so far to show growth in fourth-quarter trading revenue.

By contrast, the trading units at JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup took a beating in the fourth quarter, as sharp losses in bond trading outweighed any gains from stocks trading.

At Goldman, which is more sensitive to market fluctuations than its peers, overall trading revenue rose 2% in the three months ended December.

Equities trading revenue jumped 17% to US$1.60 billion, while bond trading revenue slid 18% to US$822 million, far from its peak of more than US$6 billion.

Goldman's net earnings attributable to common shareholders reached US$2.32 billion or US$6.04 per share in the three months ended Dec. 31, compared with a loss of US$2.14 billion or US$5.51 per share a year earlier. – Nampa/Reuters

Marriott looks to reboot loyalty plan after cyber attack

Marriott International Inc will relaunch its loyalty programme under a new brand name, the company said on Wednesday, as it seeks to undo the damage to its name from a massive cyber attack that led to millions of customer records being stolen.

The world's biggest hotel chain said the new brand, Marriott Bonvoy, will replace the existing loyalty programmes’ Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest - integrating the three brands into one name, with the launch on Feb. 13.

The company, which owns the Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis luxury hotel brands, disclosed earlier this month that fewer than 383 million customer records were stolen in a cyber attack on its Starwood Hotels reservation system.

Marriott has phased out the Starwood reservations database after it acquired the hotel chain for US$13.6 billion in September 2016. The hack began in 2014, a year before Marriott offered to buy Starwood. – Nampa/Reuters

From cub to Lioness

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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From cub to LionessRapper rides wave of success Rapper Lioness talks about her music career, which is definitely on the rise. Lioness is the 'baddest' female rapper in Namibia and she has been living up to her name in the male-dominated industry.

She had a marvellous 2018 and managed to finish her medical school studies, while also being a part of the Coke Studio experience. The latest wave she is riding is being part of the 100 emPawa Africa project with internationally renowned Mr Eazi from Nigeria.

She sat down with tjil this week.



tjil (t): If you could describe last year in a sentence, what would you say?

Lioness (L): Last year was life-changing.



t: What was most memorable about 2018?

L: The most memorable was completing medical school. That was so liberating for me, because I had worked against the odds and made it despite doubts from people, and honestly a little doubt from myself. I had a lot of young ladies and men tell me I'm their inspiration and it was a win, not just for my family and myself, but for them too. It proved that they can do anything, if they work extremely hard.



t: What is the one thing you would want us to leave in 2018?

L: I want us to leave self-doubt in 2018, which affects everything; the way you look, your goals and even affects your achievements in the sense that you don't appreciate and celebrate any victory.



t: Being one of the most celebrated artists comes with your music being pirated and copied. What's your take on people literally stealing from you in the name of love for your creativity?

L: Well stealing music from an artist is probably one of the most hurtful ways you could insult an artist. We work so hard consequently leading to sleepless nights and financial debt to put out our greatest pieces of work.

However, not all things go your way and not everyone is honest. Some still dismiss how wrong it is. I thank everyone who buys my work; truthfully I appreciate you.





t: You dropped your much-anticipated debut album last year. What was the process like for working on it?

L: My album was compiled during a very trying time. I was finishing off medical school at Unam; I was doing so many shows as well as battling some personal demons. It was quite frustrating and I really felt what being an independent artist felt like; paying for all the expenses incurred by myself. I also had to deal with artists dropping out of features. I had people tell me they weren't necessarily fond of the direction of the album and its sound. I had to be so level-headed to understand what constructive criticism and pure dislike was. There was a very fine line between those two concepts. I was burned out and toward the end of my album I didn't want to release it. I felt so insufficient and doubted myself so much. I had the help of my brothers KP Illest and Skrypt, who took time out of their own schedules to help me out. They saw the struggle, tears and victories. I couldn't have done it without them.



t: You were also the first Namibian hip-hop artist to feature on Coke Studio Africa. What was the interaction like with other female artists you met?

L: It was absolutely amazing. I worked so hard over the years and it paid off. To think I was handpicked by the team and big bosses; that was unbelievable. I worked with all sorts of women from different countries and I learned how to work on an international level. It was truly an experience of a lifetime and I believe it opened up so many unknowns about the industry and how it works. Their professionalism is unmatched; it's like nothing I've ever experienced.



t: What was the highlight from your trip to Kenya?

L: My highlight was meeting the whole Coke Studio crew and how they knew so much about me, and obviously meeting Mr Eazi.



t: You were selected as one of the 100 artists by Mr Eazi for his emPawa Africa project. How did you receive the news and what does it mean for you?

L: It is a huge platform. I am the only artist from Namibia, so that means more people are becoming acquainted with Namibian music and what it has to offer. I had put my video up and two weeks later I was the last artist to be chosen, as I was entry number 100. That was amazing.



t: What is the importance of such initiatives in the music industry?

L: It really helps artists, exposing them to other countries and offers that may be availed to them. Everyone is always scouting for new talent. Mr Eazi handpicking them means that you as an artist may be doing something right, since he is so knowledgeable about the industry and what true talent is.



t: What are you looking forward to most this year and what would you want to achieve most?

L: I really hope to make international connections, work with all sorts of artists and in different genres. I'd like to also engage with other forms of art, mainly fashion, and expand my brand. I want to travel and learn more about the industry on an international level. I would like to complete my residency; I just have to manage my time strictly and really work on discipline. It wasn't and won't be easy, but with consistency I believe I can achieve what I'd like to. I was and still would like to be that hope to artists.



June Shimuoshili

Kunene boasts with largest conservancy area

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Kunene boasts with largest conservancy areaConservancies cover 100% of some communal areas Communal conservancies continue to expand, increasing the number of people who benefit from natural resource use. More than 59 000 people live in conservancies in the Kunene Region, which has the largest area coverage of communal conservancies in Namibia.

Conservancies cover an area of 58 943 square kilometres in the Kunene Region and a total of 59 207 people live in these conservancies.

According to the 2017 State of Conservation in Namibia report, 79.5% of communal land in the region is covered by conservancies, while 81.7% of communal area residents live in conservancies.

The Khomas Region has no conservancies.

The report says community conservation continues to expand, increasing the number of people who benefit from natural resource use, as well as the area under conservation.

“Increased landscape connectivity created by new conservancies across Namibia is vital to ensuring environmental resilience and countering the impacts of climate change.

“These developments are major contributors to Namibia's efforts to fulfil its constitutional commitment to safeguard the environment while at the same time achieving economic growth and rural development,” it reads.

Following on the heels of the Kunene Region is Otjozondjupa, where conservancies cover 41 059 square kilometres.

The region has 36 991 people living in conservancies. According to the report 100% of communal land in that region is covered by conservancies, while it also has 100% of communal residents living in conservancies. Conservancies cover 18 404 square kilometres in the Omaheke Region, with a total of 6 750 people living there. In the region conservancies cover 42.5% of communal land while 21.9% of communal residents live in conservancies. In the Erongo Region conservancies cover 17 289 square kilometres and there are 6 842 people living in them. The report says 91.5% of communal land in the region is covered by conservancies and 55.8% of communal area residents live in conservancies.

Conservancies in the Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshana and Oshikoto regions together cover 13 095 square kilometres.

There are 51 244 people living in these conservancies.

These conservancies cover a mere 24.7% of communal land while only 5.2% of the regions' communal residents live in conservancies.

In the Karas Region there are 4 558 people living in conservancies that cover 6 550 square kilometres. This represents 41.7% of communal land that is covered by communal land and 32.8% of communal residents that live in conservancies.

The Zambezi Region has 32 770 people living in conservancies. The area covered by conservancies in the region is only 4 092 square kilometres, representing 39.4% of communal land.

A total of 33% of communal residents live in conservancies.

Conservancies cover 1 424 square kilometres of the Hardap Region and have a population of only 812 people.

This means that 18.4% of communal land in Hardap is covered by conservancies and 10.5% of communal residents live in conservancies.

The Kavango East and West regions have the smallest area coverage of conservancies at 1 196 square kilometres, and 17 126 people live there. According to the report 5.7% of the regions' communal land is covered by conservancies and only 2% of communal residents live in conservancies in these regions.

The report says in the communal areas of some regions, the entire population lives in conservancies, which show great variations in size, population density and land-use activities.

“The diversity and abundance of game and other natural resources differs significantly, influenced by differences in climate, topography, soils and water availability.”

It says that the relationship of conservancies to urban areas and infrastructure development also varies.

In the north-central regions, more than 40 000 people live in conservancies, although this represents only around 5% of people in the densely populated area, many of whom live in urban centres. Other regions have only small communal areas, or none at all.

The report adds that only five conservancies in Namibia are less than 100 square kilometres in size.

Nine of the 83 registered conservancies are between 5 000 and 9 000 square kilometres, which is between 65 and 120 times the size of an average commercial farm in Namibia.



ELLANIE SMIT

SBS Namibia lets you register during roadshow

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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SBS Namibia lets you register during roadshow Southern Business School (SBS) Namibia is making enrolling and registration for tertiary education in Namibia easier. The institution realises there may be logistical constraints to students registering in person, especially if registration only takes place in Windhoek.

Prospective students around Namibia, not just in the capital, Windhoek, can now register for the tertiary education course of their choice at locations around the country.

The roadshow and the SBS Namibia office at Ongwediva and Windhoek will truly cover all of Namibia. There are a total of 15 locations across the country.

Registration runs until 16 March 2019 and before that the roadshow commences on 19 January in Omuthiya. Each of the Northern towns where the roadshow makes a stop will give students the opportunity to register from 09:00 until 17:00. During this roadshow, from 19 January till 16 March, the Ongwediva office will be opened every Saturday for registrations, queries and information, and the same goes for the Windhoek office.

SBS Namibia realises that a lot of the potential students are professionals with full-time jobs and getting away to register during the week is not always easy, due to other commitments.

There trained staff will come to you through the roadshow. The staff will assist students in helping to find out more about SBS, its courses and qualifications. You can meet the team or register and pick up your study material or make payments; it can all be arranged. Any general enquiries will also be handled on these days

Southern Business School Namibia provides opportunities for people to study at their own pace, at their own convenience, ensuring it fits in with their lifestyle - providing affordable access to recognised qualifications for students and people, who want to improve themselves and qualify for that sought-after promotion or pay grade increase. There has been a major upswing in people enrolling in distance education, as they see the possibilities for themselves and it enables them to reach their full potential.

“The Southern Business School Namibia Roadshow provides the perfect solution for students to register with us,” said Albin Jacobs, director of SBS Namibia.

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Okakarara can become a logistics hub: Kandorozu

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Okakarara can become a logistics hub: KandorozuUpgrading of roads is vital Development projects will hopefully help with rampant unemployment in the Okakarara Constituency. Vetaruhe Kandorozu, Okakarara constituency councillor: “We are also waiting for the Namibia Training Authority, which has allocated N$100 million for the construction of a hospitality centre at Okakarara.” The town of Okakarara in the Otjozondjupa Region has the potential to be transformed into a logistics hub, should all important roads leading to it be tarred.

This was said by Okakarara constituency councillor Vetaruhe Kandorozu in an interview with Nampa on Monday.

“That is why we want the road from Okondjatu to Okakarara to be upgraded to bitumen standard because our idea is to set up a location for warehouses where the deliveries of goods will be done as well as a pick-up point for the coastal line, northern and southern parts of Namibia, Angola including other parts of Southern Africa,” he said.

He revealed that after a financially draining 2018, his office is engaging foreign investors who want to set up a solar manufacturing plant at a very small scale first to test the market.

Should it go their way, the solar manufacturing plant would create employment for the inhabitants of the town, he said. He added that Okakarara needs a shopping mall and called on businesses to invest in the town.

Other prospects that could create employment are road works that are to start in the constituency, such as the road between Okondjatu and Okakarara and the one between Okahandja and Okondjatu.

“We are also waiting for the Namibia Training Authority, which has allocated N$100 million for the construction of a hospitality centre in Okakarara. So maybe, if some of these projects get started, they will serve as a turbine to turn around the belt for other activities to come on board,” Kandorozu said.

Like in the rest of the country, access to housing and land remains a contentious issue in the constituency, as there is no money to service plots.

Kandorozu added that a businessman was allocated three hectares at Okondjatu last year for the construction of an accommodation facility and a service station. -Nampa

DRC at crossroads – Geingob

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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DRC at crossroads – Geingob'Respect the constitution of DRC' SADC leaders met in Addis Ababa yesterday to discuss the political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The SADC chairman and Namibian head of state, Hage Geingob, who has declared 2019 'The Year of Accountability' for Namibia, says other SADC members could draw parallels between that declaration and what they do in their countries.

Speaking at the SADC Double Troika Summit in Addis Ababa yesterday, which discussed the recent election in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Geingob said the DRC was at a crossroads.

Geingob believes it is the job of SADC to assist the people of the DRC and reconcile their fears and aspirations created by last month's election.

“The people of the DRC are waiting and the world is watching. It is against this background that as chair of SADC, I decided to call the SADC Double Troika Summit, initially to take place at Windhoek, but now taking place here in Addis Ababa,” he said.

After a long delay, the DRC's Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) declared opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi the winner of the country's first democratic elections in 20 years.

The runner-up, Martin Fayulu, rejected the vote as an electoral coup and asked the Constitutional Court for a recount.

Geingob yesterday said he therefore proposed that SADC deliberate on this important matter.

“We consider, among others, that the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo count on all of us to assist in ensuring an atmosphere that will put an end to conflict and instability in the DRC, and place that sisterly country on the path of peace and sustainable development. Therefore, their security, socio-economic aspirations should remain paramount,” he said.

Geingob emphasised that the fact that DRC held relatively peaceful elections was in itself a success.

He commended outgoing President Joseph Kabila for having kept his word and creating a conducive atmosphere for the holding of elections.

The SADC Troika Summit subsequently issued a statement calling upon the international community to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC in accordance with the African Union (AU) Constitutive Act and the SADC Treaty.

The Summit said it was aware of the election petition filed in the Constitutional Court challenging the election results and urged the Congolese people and all political stakeholders to remain calm.

“The Summit recognised and underscored the role of the Constitutional Court of the DRC and called upon the international community to respect the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the internal legal and political processes for the finalisation of the electoral process,” the statement read.

JEMIMA BEUKES

LongRich model under investigation

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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LongRich model under investigation The Bank of Namibia is assessing the activities of LongRich to establish whether it is legitimate or a pyramid scheme, BoN spokesman Kazembire Zemburuka has said.

LongRich is a Chinese company that distributes a variety of household cleaning products, personal care products and pet care products.

“The bank has conducted a preliminary assessment on the business model of LongRich and once that process has been finalised, the bank will communicate its findings to the public,” said Zemburuka.

People can join LongRich by paying a specified amount into a local business account that starts at a minimum of N$1 000. Members are then encouraged to recruit other people to join LongRich and are paid a weekly “signing fee” for signing up new members.

Members are also promised free trips, car, cellphone and house allowances as well as study opportunities for up to four of their children in China.

Members are further encouraged to buy and sell LongRich products.

When trying to gather additional information, Namibian Sun found that LongRich does not have a single official website and operates in a way similar to Amway and Herbalife, where existing members are urged to recruit new members for monetary incentives.

Existing members are expected to buy LongRich products themselves and sell to other LongRich members or the public.

Botswana-based publication Mmegi reported in 2016 that LongRich had swindled many Botswana nationals.

According to the publication, amounts ranging from a thousand to a million pula had been deposited into the now defunct scheme, while members were not deriving any benefits from their involvement in the scheme.

OGONE TLHAGE

Opposition gears up for polls

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Opposition gears up for polls Opposition parties are already mobilising, in the hope of breaking Swapo's two-thirds majority at the polls later this year.

The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) says it plans to launch its 'take Namibians to the polls' strategy in the coming days.

PDM president McHenry Venaani said yesterday his party's strategy to ensure that frustrated Namibians vote in this year's presidential and National Assembly elections is already in full swing.

He said consultative meetings have already taken place in two regions with the party's regional coordinators.

“We are waiting for the programme from the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN),” said Venaani.

Swanu is likely to lean once more on the power of its socialism ideology and its 50-year-old manifesto.

Swanu secretary-general Dr Tangeni Iijambo said Swanu had always used its socialist manifesto to attract voters.

“We are socialist and we actually see there is something wrong, the way people are manipulated and lied to. For us, we believe socialism is the ideology that will rescue the country,” he said.

United People's Movement (UPM) vice-president Jan van Wyk said his party was on a quest to find all the unregistered voters in its constituencies.

The party also has a 'don't stay away' strategy with which it plans to motivate passive and frustrated Namibians who plan to stay away from the polls.

“We are telling them to go and vote; even if they do not vote for the UPM, they must go and vote for any other opposition party. We must work hard to break Swapo's two-thirds majority,” he said.

The UPM's official mobilisation activities will kick off next month, Van Wyk said.

Swapo secretary-general Sofia Shaningwa said the party had programmes in place, but would announce them in due course.



Voter apathy

Voter apathy has been a serious problem in the past and many registered voters did not cast their ballots in previous elections.

In 2015 fewer than 380 000 voters made it to the polls for the regional and local authority elections, with the turnout dropping by 2%, when compared to 2010.

In fact, only 36% of the 1 267 335 registered voters, excluding the 215 964 voters from 26 uncontested constituencies, made it to the polls in 2015.

Political commentator Frederico Links said while there was lot of talk about voter apathy during previous elections, the stay-away vote was not significant at all.

He added that social media rants created the impression that Namibians have lost hope and would rather stay away, which is a problem.

“If we talk about a proportion of 15% of people on social media who say they will not go and vote; those people are saying it and saying it publicly, and this is probably an indication that they feel their vote is wasted,” he added.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Environment matters

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Environment mattersKatali speaks on his passion for the environmental management industry Immanuel Ndakondja Katali, the man behind INK Enviro Consultants, speaks to Careers about his passion for the industry. Tunohole Mungoba Immanuel Ndakondja Katali is the founder and managing director of his own environmental consulting firm called INK Enviro Consultants.

At the age of 27, Katali runs and operates INK Enviro Consultants in Windhoek, specialising in environmental impact and socio-economic assessments.

Having spent most of his life in Windhoek, Katali, he is well-aware and accustomed to the fast-paced life in the capital, enabling him to adjust and cope with the world of deadlines that is critical for any consulting business.

After matriculating from Jan Mohr Secondary School in 2009, he enrolled at the University of Namibia (Unam), where he pursued an honours’ degree in geography, environmental studies and sociology.

“Apart from being passionate about the environment and the sustainability of it, my favourite subject in high school was geography and it is due to this passion that I chose to pursue any field related to geography, hence the geography and environmental studies course,” he said.

“It was during my time at Unam that I gained the theoretical knowledge of the environmental management industry, and in particular environmental impact assessments.

“Learning the importance of conserving the environment for sustainability allowed me to have the desire and strong will to learn, in order to play my part in making a difference as a positive step towards achieving environmental sustainability,” Katali added.

After working for a number of different experts in the environment management industry, he decided to take a great leap and become his own boss.

“It came to a point in my career where I felt I have gained enough experience and the know-how to be able to set new exciting challenges, greater targets and have a long-term vision within the industry,” he explained.

According to him, one of the most challenging experiences in the industry is finding the balance between physical wealth and emotional and natural wealth.

“In addition to that, a balance between environmental sustainability and what the client wants and needs. I have learned to cope with this challenge by being subject to ethics and being transparent in any assessment that I am conducting,” Katiti tells Careers.

“One of the greatest joys is knowing that you have addressed all the potential impacts of a project, by developing effective mitigation measures as part of the environmental management plan. At the end of the day, you have done your part in conserving the environment and as much as possible, minimising potential impacts associated with a project and therefore meeting client expectations and delivering an environmental clearance certificate.”

Katali envisions INK Enviro Consultants striving “to be the independent environmental consultant of choice to all our clients and a reputable name in our industry”.

“Our focus on client-driven quality aims to ensure complete satisfaction, while creating opportunities for our mutual long-term success.”

Badenhorst is passionate about learning and growing

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Badenhorst is passionate about learning and growing Justicia Shipena



In 2012, Nicoline Badenhorst started her career journey as a CA-stream trainee after completing her honours degree at the Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

After she completed her studies, she spent four months in the United States on an exchange programme and returned in May 2015 as an assistant manager in audit.

“When an opportunity to help out on the risk advisory side arose, I quickly found my passion for IT audit and moved to risk advisory, first provisionally in October 2015 and permanently in February 2016, where I have been working since then together with my colleagues and friends on growing the advisory side of Deloitte,” she said.

Badenhorst is currently the IT audit manager at Deloitte Namibia where she has been working for seven years to date. Her roles include planning, managing and overseeing IT audits for external audit support, ad hoc assignments for internal audit support, and any other IT-related projects in which she directly engages with clients.

She told Careers that she also helps out with anything that looks interesting or where her colleagues run out of hands or need some specialised skills.

“I don’t see my job to be a list of things I should be doing; my job is, at the end of the day, to make sure that all of the people around me can succeed, and if that means handling things that are out of the ordinary, all the better,” she said.

Badenhorst said transitioning from a traditional financial auditor to an IT audit specialist wasn’t easy, as she first had to prove herself to a lot of people, both from a technical skills and managerial perspective. However she prevailed and is now happy in her position.

Badenhorst added her greatest accomplishment is seeing how far those at the company gone, compared to when she started at Deloitte in 2012.

“IT often got the undeserved reputation of just being an additional cost that doesn’t really add value. Now, more and more auditors and clients understand how IT can really drive their business to the next level - be it through cost reductions or through strategic changes to how they operate. We’ve become valued advisors,” she said.

Her typical day in the office includes spending time coaching trainees and consultants on audit methodology or on specific methodology.

She added that she either drafts proposals for clients on projects they’ve requested or delivers some of the more complex engagements herself. When she does proposals, she does not want a one-size-fits-all exercise, but wants to know that what she plans to help her clients with is exactly what they need, so it takes up a fair amount of her time.

Some of the time in the office she spends on planning engagements, doing a bit of problem-solving or ‘fire-fighting’ or otherwise looks for anything that’ll make someone’s life easier.

Badenhorst said each and everyone in the department is unique in their skillset and interests, and that’s what makes the department special.

“We respect each other for our abilities, are quick to jump to each other’s aid and overall we all want each other to succeed. It’s a very inspiring balance of friendly competition and goal-oriented teamwork,” she said.

Badenhorst said she is inspired by the beautiful world and all that she needs each day is to be reminded that no matter what happens, she has friends and family that will support her through the good and bad times. She said everything in her life happens for a reason, which makes her know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is a God who is looking out for her.

She urges young people out there to decide what they want and stick with it.

“Do whatever it takes to remind them to never give up. Write it down where you can see it when you’re down or when things don’t go your way. Remember that if life were easy, we wouldn’t learn anything ever, so embrace the adversity and make it yours,” she said.

She plans to be the best possible version of herself and seize every opportunity that comes her way to learn, grow and improve.

Corruption - A social disease

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Corruption - A social disease How to create reckoning during the Year of Accountability?

This article focuses on options to capitalise on the recently proclaimed ‘Year of Accountability’. Given the fact that the previous three articles in this column has centred on the topic of accountability, the President is spot-on to declare 2019 the Year of Accountability.

The Namibia public sector is in a serious accountability crisis that is affecting not only governance at all levels, but is contributing to the trend of reduced transparency, and increased lawlessness as well as the arbitrary application of the law. Politicians and board members are not being held accountable for their actions as has been evident during numerous occasions during 2018. Probably due to vested interests of those that appoint board members (ministers) and board members’ vested interests towards the ruling party, most of them seem toothless.

It is time for the President to intervene to act on his promise of ‘2018 The Year of Reckoning’ of which we have not seen very much during 2018. If the President is serious about changing the status quo of accountability (that includes reckoning) and governance of the 99 SOEs, this is the time to do. Ministers need to reflect and rectify their accountability/reckoning deficit before we continue with 2019. If not, old habits are most likely to be retained during the election year - in digging up the past historic struggles of political ideology with limited economic accountability towards the public. We have trajected down the slope of reduced political accountability since Independence. This is evident from the state of reduced public service delivery at all levels of government, e.g. corrupt local government authorities such as Okahandja, Grootfontein and Karibib. More evidence include the numerous financial bankrupt SOEs and suspended, including corrupt CEOs that have left with golden handshakes, e.g. TransNamib, the Namibian Airports Company and Air Namibia.

With such a low baseline of accountability as described, options about how to improve are numerous. Ministers and Members of Parliament (MPs) can have scorecards. They can be rated in terms of the performance of their appointees, financial control and quality of contributions. Ministers can be rated in terms of value for money (a public service value) provided to and by the offices/ministries/agencies they are accountable for. Performance Effectiveness Measures (PEMs) for ministers/deputies, their institutions and MPs can be introduced. These measures should be enforced and corrective penalties against ministers and MPs should be taken - which is currently not the case – as the President has praised his ministers end of 2018. Citizens and the media should have access to these PEMs because political and public accountability are meaningless if it is not transparent and if the end user, the citizens, do not have an opportunity to debate it.

Ultimately, the President is accountable. It is for him to provide clear direction about how to hold ministers/deputies, MPs and government accountable. Are we expecting too much? Time will tell.

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Vote to secure your destiny

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Vote to secure your destiny The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) announced this week it will start conducting supplementary registration for voters in July, ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections later this year.

Voter education is crucial for any election and more so in a representative democracy where the citizenry elect public officials. A lack of voter education may lead to a substantial number of invalid votes in an election, hence the need by the ECN to conduct a more effective campaign this time around. An effective voter education campaign is necessary, especially to sensitise young and first-time voters who may be apathetic, and to ensure that the polls are democratic and successful. More than 60% of those likely to vote in the general elections are young Namibians and it is only fair that they are made to understand the significance of voting and what it means for our democracy. Apart from printed materials in the mainstream media, the ECN has to do more and engage student movements and community groupings, among others, to promote a non-partisan voter education campaign. Bar the presidential and parliamentary elections of 2014, there have significant signs that the enthusiasm to vote in local and regional authority elections has been waning in the country, as demonstrated during the Windhoek West by-election in 2014 in which only 3 398 out of the 27 000 registered voters cast their ballots. In 2015, during the regional authority elections, only 36% of the 1 267 335 registered voters - excluding the 215 964 voters from 26 uncontested constituencies - showed an interest in exercising their democratic right to cast their ballots for councillors in their respective constituencies. While it is true that many young people are disengaged and disillusioned with politics, owing to dismal campaigns and failure of politicians to inspire the electorate, there is no doubt they can gain greater control over their future through exercising their democratic right to vote. We urge all eligible Namibians to register to vote, in order to secure their destiny.

Parents angry about Andimba School hostel

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Parents angry about Andimba School hostel Some parents are accusing the Andimba Toivo ya Toivo Senior Secondary School at Ondangwa of denying grade 12 learners hostel accommodation.

They complained to Namibian Sun that the school authorities waited until the beginning of the new school year to send their children packing, instead of warning them in advance.

They said they had to find alternative accommodation at short notice and some learners therefore could not go to school for the first week of the term.

“When the school started my child went to school on Monday to report for hostel. To my shock he came back home claiming that they were told there was no place for them in the hostel as the school accommodated many grade 10 and 11 learners,” said one parent. “I thought the child was not telling the truth, or perhaps he had misbehaved. I went to school myself and I was told that the school had decided to take out some of the grade 12 learners to make space for grade 10 and 11 learners.”

Another parent said the school should have informed them of the problem at the end of last year so that they could have made alternative arrangements.

“I am from Onamutai village and I could not find anybody to accommodate my child in Ondangwa.

Every day the child is forced to spend N$84 on a taxi to and from school. She has to pay N$12 from Onamutai to Adolfi, and N$18 from Adofi to Ondangwa, where she is charged an extra N$12 because there is no taxi rank at the school,” said the parent.

She said the process was frustrating learners and parents and was very costly.

Andimba School principal Walde Shapaka denied the allegations.

“The only learners we removed from the hostel were those that live within the town of Ondangwa.

Last year we made a mistake by accommodating learners from Ondangwa in the hostel at the expense of those that come from far places.

“It is our wish to have all the grade 12 learners in the hostel but we cannot afford it. Our school has over 1 000 learners but the hostel capacity is only 560, meaning over 400 learners have to stay outside. Therefore those who come first get preference to stay in the hostel,” Shapaka said.



ILENI NANDJATO

New year, new CV

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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New year, new CV In the modern era, the job market is fast and competitive and opportunities come in a blink of an eye.

If you are not ready to grasp them, it might take a while before another opportunity presents itself.

So how do you better position and prepare yourself for another opportunity? The solution is to make sure that you have an up to date, modern and visually appealing CV. Your CV needs to be customised for the role you are applying for.

Gone are the days when you can send the same CV without ensuring it is relevant to a specific role and without highlighting the competencies, skills and abilities that match the advertisement or vacancy.

A CV is a personal marketing document to showcase your skills, notable achievements and work experience.

“It should be a clear, concise, well-formatted and up-to-date representation of yourself as a strong potential candidate to support your candidacy for the position,” said Bank Windhoek human resources business partner manager, Retuura Ballotti.

Your CV should be seen as a tool to sell yourself to the employer. Below Ballotti shares some pointers on how to stand out among the rest of the competition.



Social media platform visibility

Nowadays, once your CV reaches the human resources department, a LinkedIn profile search is usually conducted to assess your credibility in the job market, your interests and endorsements from previous employers, peers and colleagues. Make sure that your LinkedIn page has a professional picture and describes your abilities, ambitions and achievements that support your CV. As a social media platform geared towards professionals, LinkedIn is used by employers and recruiters who are looking for job candidates.

Edit, edit and edit again

Your CV needs to be grammatically correct before submission, as well as formatted correctly. Spelling, formatting and accuracy of details are critical. Include current information on your academic background, professional associations, attendance of workshops, your skills and experience in a professional working environment, any other relevant achievements from the previous year. Make it short and professional, aiming not to exceed three pages. When your CV is long and longwinded it acts as a deterrent to the recruiter.

Stand out and sell yourself

As you grow, your CV needs to grow with you. Career ambitions shift and change and you acquire new interests, so your CV must also reflect this. The mistake that many make is to apply for each and every position. It is important to analyse the role before applying and assess your suitability. If after this analysis you believe that your suitability is at least 80%, only then apply for the position. Do not be focused on the seniority of the role or the job title, rather focus on finding a match to your abilities and skillset.

“When applying for a senior role, position your CV to highlight your readiness to function at such a level. Tell them why you are the best person for the job by using examples of how you can demonstrate your growth and suitability for the role,” said Ballotti.

Ensure that your CV is visually attractive. “Pinterest is another social media platform that can offer you modern templates to make your CV more appealing,” she added.

If you have upgraded your computer, foreign language and soft skills, add them to your CV. Also include awards, achievements and other relevant positive information accomplished last year. Moreover, add professional development activities, certificates, degree courses and in-service training completed last year. This will boost your chances of getting the position.

Update your CV regularly

Study your CV and update it regularly, even if you have been in the same position. Seek out new projects and experiences so that you can update your CV, as this will give you exposure to new challenges and responsibilities. “Bank Windhoek will always give any candidate an opportunity to join the bank who meets the requirements and brings value to the role and organisation. With an updated and visually appealing CV, you could increase your chances of moving into a self-actualised career,” Ballotti said.

Not a walk in the park

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Not a walk in the park Meyer makes SME dreams come true Danny Meyer’s primary role is to develop programmes, initiatives and activities that will help Namibians of all ages start and grow a business. Elizabeth Joseph



Business and economics have always fascinated Danny Meyer, the founder of SMEs Compete.

For as long as he can remember, Meyer has always harboured a desire to venture into business.

“Then when an opportunity presented itself, decades before most of the readers of your publication were even a twinkle in their mother's eye, I embarked on my entrepreneurial journey.” Meyer said.

Since then hardly a day has passed without excitement, in one form or another.

So while it does not require any tertiary education for one to venture into and make a success of a business, the importance of gaining skills and knowledge, eventually even a diploma and a degree, must not be underestimated, Meyer said.

“There are many ways to learn on your entrepreneurial journey, starting with attending business skills development programmes such as those run by SMEs Compete - all home-grown and developed to suit the needs of Namibia's fledgling and budding entrepreneurs who are operating in this business environment.

“Resultantly our training is inclusive and the content practical in nature, with knowledge gained easily applied in business, irrespective of the size or nature of the enterprise,” he said.

His roles

Meyer’s primary role is to develop programmes, initiatives and activities that will help Namibians of all ages start and grow a business.

He also helps colleagues and others with an interest in enterprise and entrepreneurial development implement and run their programme or activity.

Ancillary roles include the provision of business mentorship and growth support to entrepreneurs across Namibia, including to colleagues and interns.



Overcoming hurdles

“Balancing the long hours of work that inevitably result from starting and running a business with the needs of a family and family life more broad. In the process of engaging in this balancing act, avoid neglecting one or the other.

“Being an entrepreneur is not an eight-to-five job, so finding time to routinely socialise with family and friends, or to regularly engage in a sport or hobby, is also rather challenging. As for accomplishments, well there is little to beat seeing your business creation flourish.

“At SMEs Compete, the greatest satisfaction for me is to see first-hand the entrepreneurs’ one works with, grow their enterprise. And thereby to marvel at the contribution that they make every day towards the development of Namibia's economy,” Meyer said.

A day in the office

As the nature of SMEs Compete's work is to help entrepreneurs create wealth and jobs, in a manner tailored to the needs of the entrepreneur, no two days are alike, according to Meyer.

He says they respond to the needs of individuals, and although some can, most of those needs cannot be anticipated or predicted.

“My day at the office starts circa 07:00 and typically ends at 19:00, although it reduces time-wise on Saturdays and Sundays.”

Meyer says that having the benefit of being a little older and having more knowledge is the only thing that sets him apart from his colleagues. Other than that they work as a team, striving for a common goal.

“I have the benefit of age on my side and with age comes knowledge and hopefully wisdom too. In reality there is really nothing that sets me apart from colleagues. We are all the same and work towards striving for a common goal - promoting entrepreneurship and an enterprise culture,” he said.

Advice

“If you feel that entrepreneurial pull, consider yielding to it. Be bold and be brave. Don't shy away from taking that first step on your entrepreneurial journey. If the will exists there is going to be a way to find the means to venture into business - that needed funding or resources - but don't go into business for the wrong reason, such as the failure to find a job or to secure employment.

“Some misguided person will tell you that with some training, an equipment grant and a little seed funding or a micro-loan you can start and will run a business with ease,” Meyer added.

The future

He hopes to help his partner Claudine Mouton with growing SMEs Compete and tweak and improve the business model, thereby underscoring the organisation's viability and sustainability in the long run.

In the longer term he wants to replicate the SMEs Compete business model in other countries in southern Africa.

“Although foreign investment helps, it is grassroots entrepreneurship that grows an economy.”

Meyer loves economics and entrepreneurship. He also enjoys reading, writing, history and community service through the Rotary Club, as well as travelling and exploring new places, all and any music, the arts and the theatre.

Retail industry records negative growth

January 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Retail industry records negative growth The wholesale and retail trade sector in Namibia has recorded various degrees of negative growth for eight consecutive quarters, a policy analyst at the Namibia Trade Forum, Claudia Boamah, has announced.

She said the sector contracted by 5.8% in the third quarter of 2018, which is worrying when one takes into account the fact that it has the potential to grow almost 15% a year.

According to Boamah, recovery looks unlikely in the near future as Irwin, Jacobs, Greene Capital and the Institute for Public Policy Research's leading indicator points to further weakness in the economy as it remains below 50 index points.

The revenue of supermarkets and clothing retailers on average grew by a mere 2%.

Although vehicle sales improved on an annualised quarterly basis, growth in that subsector remains negative.

According to the Forum’s statement, the sector's growth improved by 250 basis points from -8.3% during the third quarter of 2017.

Domestic demand continued to decline as consumption by households and the government slowed down, the statement further read.

A critically high level of unemployment and slow rate of income growth underpin lower demand by households and contractionary fiscal policy can account for the reduction in public-sector spending, it pointed out.

It suggested that the collapse of retail tourism by the Angolan consumer was also a major contributing factor to the weakness in the retail sector.

“In light of the grim macroeconomic conditions, domestic business sentiment came down from an earlier spike in 2018,” the statement added.

Considering that the main factors contributing to the slowdown in the retail sector are either structural, necessary or beyond the country's control, it would be unrealistic to expect a complete reversal in the negative growth trend in the near future, it said. -Nampa