Ambunda to consider retirement at 41

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Ambunda to consider retirement at 41

International Boxing Organisation (IBO) super bantamweight world title-holder Paulus 'El Jesus' Ambunda says he will only consider retiring at the age of 41.

The 38-year-old boxer, who is currently preparing for a World Boxing Council (WBA) silver featherweight world title fight against Muhammad 'Chosen Wan' Ridhwan, has vowed to win all his remaining clashes.

Ambunda will battle the Asian in the Singapore Indoor Stadium on March 31.

“Well, as a boxer you always have to plan your retirement, but I do believe it is too soon to think of that.

“I will however like to retire at 41, in order to give a chance to my upcoming boys to shine.

“At the moment, I still feel strong and do believe I have whatever it takes to win everything,” Ambunda said.

The boxer said he is more than focused on his next fight, given that it is an opportunity he has waited a very long time for.

He expressed joy about the fact that he will be able to fight for a prestigious title against a boxer he already defeated last year.

Ambunda beat Ridhwan to claim the IBO super bantamweight (up to 55kg) world title in October last year.

The two boxers, however, agreed to fight in the featherweight division this time around.

“I have been in camp preparing for this fight because I do want that title so badly.

“I will go into that fight at the end of March with all my energy and desire to bring the title to Namibia.

“I will fight as if it is my first professional fight, meaning I will be coming with thunder and fire at the same time,” Ambunda added. He has a record of 27 wins and two losses from 29 fights.

His opponent has a record of 11 wins and one defeat.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

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Active Warriors please Mannetti

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Active Warriors please MannettiNational players get much-needed club game-time Brave Warriors mentor Ricardo Mannetti's job of keeping his charges in top form is getting easier, as most of his core players have signed with clubs, hence guaranteeing them much-needed game-time.

Ricardo Mannetti's policy of not calling up players without clubs has propelled most Brave Warriors stalwarts to seek clubs locally and beyond the country's borders, in order to secure their spots in the national set-up.

Last year impactful players like Awillo 'Willy' Stephanus, Petrus Shitembi and Sadney Urikhob were without clubs.

They were thus given time to seek out clubs before next month's crunch 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against Zambia.

Stephanus and Shitembi have both joined Lusaka Dynamos in Zambia, where defender Teberius Lombard also plies his trade.

Both Stephanus and Shitembi signed six-month contracts. Stephanus signed in early January and Shitembi just a week ago. Stephanus said he signed a short-term contract with an eye on more lucrative deals in the future, and is banking on bigger and better offers in the future, if the Brave Warriors qualify for Afcon 2019.

Shitembi added that he is pleased with his move and will give his best.

“I'm hoping to make the most of it and keep my chances open of retaining my place in the national Afcon squad,” the midfield maestro said.

Urikhob was last seen playing for Simba FC, a Tanzanian side.

Mannetti, however, said Urikhob is still hunting for a new club, which is not good news.

“I want all the players to be active and match fit, in order to have an impact. We are not playing a small country, as Zambia is a strong team.

“It's good that players have received contracts. It's a professional league. It will entice more players, giving them good salaries for their talent and services.”

Mannetti added that he doesn't mind where the players play, as long as they are active.

“Whether they are signed in South Africa, Zambia or anywhere else, it doesn't matter, as long as they are playing football; I just want them to be active.

“I know the players, I know who is good enough and what we need; it's just important that players are active and match fit,” Mannetti added.

Namibian players plying their trade outside the country include Deon Hotto (Bidvest Wits), Larry Horaeb, Peter Shalulile, Denzil Haoseb (Highlands Park), Virgil Vries (Kaizer Chiefs), Riaan Hanamub (Jomo Cosmos, SA first division), Ananias Gebhardt (Baroka FC), Benson Shilongo (Ismaily, Egypt), Hendrik Somaeb (Zemun, Serbia), Max Mbaeva (Golden Arrows), Itamunua Keimune (Dira Dawa, Ethiopia), Lloyd Kazapua (Maccabi) and Wangu Gome (Cape Umoya).

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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A test of character

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Young African FC have the right

≪ Previous: Active Warriors please Mannetti

A test of characterTigers plan to grab Magic by the throat The 2018/19 Namibia Premier League season continues tonight when Tigers take on Tura Magic.

Tigers, mentored by Peter 'Oubaas' Mokwena, will face Tura Magic, led by assistant coach Gareth Eichab, tonight at the Sam Nujoma Stadium at 20:00.

The two clubs are both looking to secure maximum points and hopefully move up the table, with Magic occupying sixth spot on 14 points and Tigers currently in ninth spot on 11 points.

This will be Mokwena's first match in charge after the club lost Mervin Mbakera on Monday.

Mbakera took over as head coach after Woody Jacobs resigned from the Shandumbala-based outfit before the start of the season.

“There are two teams that never want to face Tigers, and they are Blue Waters and Magic; the reason being that the owners of the latter branched out from Tigers.

“For that same reason Magic are our young brothers, but they will want to be on top of us when we compete. But we are ready and will go out to collect maximum points.

“This is my first game after taking over as head coach at the club, but I was also a caretaker coach for some time when Jacobs left for South Africa and I'm looking forward to the challenge.

“For a long time fans wanted me to take over the club, and now I'm here, so they should come in their numbers and rally behind the team,” Mokwena said.

Eichab, who is standing in for head coach Mohammed Gargo, said they are equally ready as they didn't have a match last weekend, and have had ample time to prepare for the clash.

“We respect Tigers but we are heading into the match to play great football and to collect points.

“If we lose, we go down on the log as the points' gap between Tigers and us is not that big,” Eichab said.

Gargo, who has been mentoring Magic since November last year, has missed four matches after leaving for Ghana in December because of a family emergency. Those close to the Magic camp are not certain of his return.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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Young African FC have the right

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Diergaardt appointed u-20 coach

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Young African FC have the right

Allow me space in your newspaper so that I raise my personal views on the legal fracas in Namibian football.

Though the building blocks of football is the athletic skills of the players, the mortar holding these blocks together is a nexus of contracts between the players, clubs, the Namibia Premier League (NPL) and the Namibia Football Association (NFA).

The constitutions of the NPL and the NFA ought to provide foundational support for the structure and governance of Namibian football.

The NFA and the NPL can't operate in a vacuum without proper legal structures.

The NFA established the power of pater familias within the Namibian football community and it is its duty to establish the mechanism for the resolution of disputes like the Players Status Committee, the National Dispute Resolution Chambers (NDRCs), all the standing committees as per article 42 of NFA constitution and judicial bodies as per article 58 which includes the Appeal Committee. All these structures mentioned above do not exist nor are they properly functional in today's Namibian football. These structures are the cardinal pillars of the existence of our football and how did we allow our football to take place for years without its cardinal pillars?

It is without fear or favour that I am submitting to Namibians out there that we have a serious crisis in our football and it was bought about by people who egotistically think the game belongs to them, by abusing and raping the system by bribing those with voting cards.

It is time for us to let the cat out of the bag. The chairman and vice-chairman of the NPL are lawyers by profession; the chairman happen to be part of the executive committee of the NFA - a structure which denied a club like Young African FC the right to appeal, as they failed to establish the Appeal Committee and other legal structures. This was done out of arrogance and the fact that they all fear the secretary-general of the NFA and do not hold him accountable for the implementation of these structures.

It is a disgrace that legal minds are running football, yet they allow a bulldozer to direct them where to go. I respect the rule of law and the audio alteram partem principle. The secretary-general of the NFA has no power to write to Young African FC and direct them to refer the case to the Tribunal Arbitral du Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland without the appeal being listened to.

As per the NPL constitution article 53.1 “the NFA Appeal Committee is responsible for hearing appeals against decisions from the NPL Disciplinary Committee.”

And article 53.2, a “decision pronounced by the Appeal Committee may be appealed to the arbitration of the NFA, or in the absence of such a tribunal, to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, as specified in this constitution”.

In simple terms it means there must be an Appeal Committee as per article 61 of NFA constitution and also an arbitration of NFA, as per article 63 of the NFA constitution. These are two separate bodies which are tasked to have different jurisdictions.

Young African FC has the right to seek justice trough the High Court to compel NFA Appeal Committee to listen to its case. They must first exhaust all local channels before moving on to the next step, the CAS.

Fifa and CAF are party to the case because it is their duty to compel their member (the NFA) to establish these structures.

Young African FC's legal representatives must be careful with their submission to the High Court, as this is not any easy case. I know they have the right to ask for an interdict against the league until their appeal case is heard on urgent bases.

Unfortunately Young African FC's leadership were very vocal in the past not for these structures to be established, but now they are the ones to be prejudiced by this fracas.

In Otjiherero we say: “oKuhina kutjiua kuanjaa esena, Tjitjikutuara kePembe kotjii, aUhetji moTjimunu.”

Other clubs and anyone from football must learn from these happenings and learn to argue based on facts not with emotions. I rest my case!

I wonder why MTC, FNB, Standard Bank, Debmarine Namibia and Namibian Breweries Limited spend their money in a chaotic system, yet their organisational policies do not tolerate such administration.

*Olsen Kahiriri is a masters of sports management and law graduate from the Instituto Superior de Derecho y Economia (ISDE) in Barcelona, Spain. The opinion submitted is his personal views as a labour and sports consultant.

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Diergaardt appointed u-20 coach

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Geingob a gunu oominista dhe

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Diergaardt appointed u-20 coach

Johan Diergaardt is excited to take on the role as the new head coach of the under-20 national rugby side.

Diergaardt's contract term is uncertain but he is tasked to prepare the team for Rugby Africa's U-20 Barthés Trophy, which doubles up as a qualifier for the World Rugby U-20 Trophy.

“It is a privilege to work with youngsters and to implement development structures. I'm not sure about the contract but I know that Namibian rugby needs me. We have a lot of time to prepare the team for the Barthés Trophy,” Diergaardt said.

Diergaardt is the most successful coach in Namibia. He is the former national World Cup coach (2011) and won the Nations Cup during 2010.

At club level, he won three successive trophies with Unam Rugby Club. He has a level three qualification accredited by World Rugby.

In a statement, the Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) wished Diergaardt well with his efforts to elevate Namibia to its rightful place in world rugby.

As a first step, he has called for trials through the NRU for all u-20 players who are eligible to play for Namibia. The trials will be held at the Hage Geingob Stadium on Saturday, 16 February as from 09:00.

Players are requested to bring along their Namibian passports and playing kit.

They can register for the trials by emailing wjeffery@unam.na or by calling 081 275 6400 or 061-206 4512 for further information or queries.

The U-20 Barthés Trophy will be held from 2 to 8 April in Kenya and the World Rugby U-20 Trophy tournament will be held in Brazil from the 9 to 21 July.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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Geingob a gunu oominista dhe

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Omalombwelo gaShaningwa inaga tulwa miilonga

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Geingob a gunu oominista dhe

Omupresidende Hage Geingob mEtiyali okwa ponokele nomalaka aatoolinkundana kutya oye li ompinge nepangelo lye.

Omutse gwoshilongo ogwa popi woo kombinga yaanambelewa aakuluntu mepangelo, mboka a popi kutya ohaya adhika pomahala ga puka ye li kohi yondhungo.

Sho a li ta popi pomutumba gwotango gwokomvula tagu ithanwa 'decision-making cabinet meeting', megumbo lyepangelo mEtiyali, Geingob okwa holoka uuvithwa nayi komanyano ga ningwa sha landula oolopota ndhoka dha pitithwa sho a popi kutya okwa hala okuhulitha po onkalo yomalukanda noombashu.

Geingob okwa yamukula woo kokatumwalaka kamwe hoka ka tuminwa koshifokundaneki kutya omolwashike opo a ahala okuungaunga noombashu ngashiingeyi, ta yamukula kutya ina pumbwa okundungikwa kombinga yoombashu molwaashoka omo a valelwa na ohayi a ka talele po aakwanezimo ye mboka haya zi moombashu, naashoka otashi vulu okukolekwa kaanambelewa ye yegameno.

Okwa popi kutya olundji aatoolinkundana ohaya shanga owala shoka yahala okushanga molwaashoka ihaku yelekwa oshiyetwa po shomuntu, ngaashi a hala okutya uuna taku ningwa oonkundathana niikundaneki.

Geingob okwa nyanwa koyendji moshilongo konima sho a holola kutya okwa hala okweeta pehulilo onkalo yomalukanda moshilongo, naantu oya popi kutya ke na shili ohokwe yokuhulitha po omalukanda ihe ota ningi omahwahwameko gomahogololo.

Geingob okwa popi woo kombinga yoominista dhe oshowo aanambelewa yamwe po mepangelo mboka taya longitha pambambo omaliko gepangelo mwakwatelwa omalweendo gokuya pondje yoshilongo niihauto yepangelo. Okwa gwedha po kutya aanambelewa yamwe otaya adhika ya kolwa pomahala gontumba.

Okwa popi kutya kashi li mondjila aanambelewa mboka yakale pomahala gaayehe omanga yeli kohi yodhungo, nenge taya longitha omalaka omawinayi mokati kaantu, nenge taya longitha iihauto yepangelo okutaaguluka oongamba.

Moomvula dha piti, omunahsipundi gwoNational Council, Margaret Mensah-Williams okwa longitha ohauto ye yiilonga okuya koCape Town. Pethimbo ndyoka Okomisi yoAnti-Corruption Commission (ACC) oya popile, Mensah-Williams sho a longitha ohauto ye okuya molweendo pondje yoshilongo.

natango omupeha minista muundjolowele, Juliet Kavetuna okwa li a popi kutya kape na shoka sha puka okulongitha ohauto ye yiilonga yomashete mokuumbata oosamende dhe.

Geingob okwa popi woo kombinga yoominista ndhoka ihadhi vulu okumonika kiikundaneki nokugandja omauyelele ngoka taga pumbiwa.

“Olundji ohandi uvu taku popiwa kutya minista ina vula okumonika a gandje uuyelele. Moshinima shili ngaaka otwa pumbwa okulunduluka onklao yomudhigululwakalo gwetu ngoka e tatu kala aluhe nokugandja uuyelele.”

JEMIMA BEUKES

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Omalombwelo gaShaningwa inaga tulwa miilonga

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Omalombwelo gaShaningwa inaga tulwa miilongaA hala Hindjou a kuthwe uumayola Otashi ulike kutya amushanga gwongundu yoSwapo, inaya moonkundathana naakwatakanithi yongundu miitopolwa, pethimbo a gandja elombwelo li na sha nomahogololo oshowo omaganithilo miilonga gaaleli yoondoolopa.

Shoka osha landula natango sho amushanga a tumu elombwelo komukwatakanithi gwongundu yoSwapo mOtjozondjupa, Susan Hikopua oshowo koshitopolwa shaKavango East kuOtillie Shinduvi, shi na sha nomahogololo gookansela oshowo eganithilo miilonga lyawo mondoolopa yaKahandja oshowo moRundu.

Omalelo ngoka goondoolopa ndhoka mbali oga kala geli mehalakano, sha landula omakondjithathano ga holoka konima yomalombwelo ngoka ga gandjwa kuShaningwa.

Shaningwa okwa gandja omalombwelo muNovemba gwomvula ya piti, kutya naku ningwe omalunduluko mOkahandja omanga inaku ningwa omalunduluko gasha moRundu.

Ookansela yoondoolopa ndhoka mbali oya tindi elombwelo ndyoka.

Mombaapila ompe ndjoka ya shangwa momasiku ga ne gaFebruali, Shaningwa okwa hololele Hikopua naShinduvi kutya iikumungu mbyoka oya kundathanwa momutumba gwelelo lyongundu, na okwa tokolwa kutya omalombwelo ngoka a gandja oga pumbwa okutulwa miilonga.

Okwa popi kutya omalombwelo ngoka oga pumbwa okukala ga tulwa miilonga andola esiku lya landula, momasiku ga 5.

“Eganithilo miilonga lyookansela olya pumbwa okuningwa omanga omasiku ga 7 gaFebruali inaga thika ngaashi elombwelo lya zile kombelewa yamushanga-ndjai,” Shaningwa a popi.

Aakomeho yaali miitopolwa moka oya popi oohapu dha faathana kutya monakuziwa oya kala haya kundathanwa nayo tango uuna taku ningwa omalongekidho gasha nenge omalunduluko gasha, oya pula kutya otaya ka vula ngiini okutula miilonga omalombwelo ngoka ngele kaye na shoka ya li ya lombwelwa.

Hikopua okwa pula woo kombinga yelombwelo lyaShaningwa sho a pula opo mayola gwaKahandja, Johannes 'Congo' Hindjou a kuthwe oshinakugwanithwa shoka nokuningwa oshilyo shelelo lyondoolopa.

Okwa popi kutya nena ngele Hindjou okwa kuthwa oshinakugwanithwa shoka nena otashi ti ope na gumwe gwomiilyo iyali yongundu yompilameno taka ganithilwa miilonga onga oshilyo sha gwedhwa po shelelo lyondoolopa.

Namibian Sun okwa tseyithilwa kutya Shaningwa okwa li moompata dha kwata miiti pethimbo lyomutumba gwelelo lyongundu yoSwapo, omolwa omukulukadhi gwomupeha amushanga Marco Hausiku, Toini ogumwe gwomwaamboka itaya popile omalombwelo ngoka a gandja moRundu.

Shaningwa okwa popi natango kombinga yomumwayinakadhona gwaShinduvi, Anastasia Shinduvi-Foya, ngoka naye a tindi omalombwelo ge.

Shinduvi-Foya okuli omunashiOnzo yimwe ndjoka ya holola kutya omupresidende Hage Geingob naye omo a li momutumba ngoka gwelelo lyoSwapo gwa ningwa, oya popi kutya Geingob okwa gandja omayele kuamushanga Shaningwa opo a talelepo iitopolwa mbyoka omanga ina ninga omatokolo goludhi ndoka.

Oonkambadhala okumona omayamukulo okuza kuShaningwa odha ponyo.

KENYA KAMBOWE

>

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Justice delayed

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Edgars owners mum on shop closures

≪ Previous: Omalombwelo gaShaningwa inaga tulwa miilonga

Justice delayedGeingob wants better service delivery at courts The head of state says the lives of Namibia's most vulnerable citizens cannot be safeguarded when criminals are released because of a backlog of cases.

President Hage Geingob says he is aware of the frustrations being experienced by the public with regard to several aspects of the criminal justice system, such as the long delays in finalising cases in the lower courts.

Geingob, who opened the 2019 legal year yesterday, said these issues need to be addressed.

He said the public's frustration can be attributed to the long delays between arrest, the appointment of legal aid counsel and the finalisation of criminal cases.

“Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said.

Geingob therefore urged all institutions involved in the criminal justice system to cooperate and coordinate their activities with the aim of ensuring that people are better served by the system.

He said the service delivery of the judiciary could be improved by eliminating the backlog of court cases.

“I understand that there is an issue of underfunding which causes these delays in resolving criminal dockets. I am aware that often times, judicial officers and prosecutors are faced with the choice of warehousing untried accused persons in custody or releasing them to the public, therefore, this is one of the main issues that need to be tackled. This is an area which requires greater accountability.”

Geingob said the lives of Namibia's most vulnerable citizens cannot be safeguarded when criminals are released because of a backlog of cases.

He further stressed that the separation of powers between the three organs of state, and the independence of the judiciary, are sacrosanct.

“Most of us here know the importance of an independent judiciary. We would want the public to be confident in the judicial system and this starts by having a judiciary that is free from improper influence from the other branches of government, or from private or partisan interests.”

According to him Namibia has made the monumental move to establish an independent body of the judiciary which separates it from the ministry of justice. This is in line with Article 78 (5) of the Namibian Constitution. Geingob said these two institutions remain jointly responsible for upholding the rule of law, but the Office of the Judiciary is administratively and financially independent.

He said the true measure of the independence of the judiciary and its ability to uphold the rule of law is the manner in which the judiciary interacts with the legislature and the executive.

According to him such interaction is governed by the principle of the separation of powers, which is firmly entrenched in the constitution and recognised by the courts.

“We have chosen constitutional democratic rule over autocracy. We have chosen the rule of law over arbitrary use of governmental power.

“We have chosen respect for human rights over brutality and denial of freedoms and civil liberties. We have made these choices because we are aware that in this 21st century, security, peace and harmony, as well as the establishment of robust and incorruptible processes, systems and institutions, are keys to sustained economic growth and improvement of the social wellbeing of our people.”

Geingob also said as the year of accountability commences, deep introspection is required on whether there has been sufficient transformation in the justice sector to reflect the changing dynamics of a nation that has emerged from a divisive past. He said reflection is also needed on whether enough is being done to ensure access to law and access to justice for all.

“Is justice being applied fairly, justly and swiftly?” he asked.

Geingob added that all unjust laws of past regimes must be replaced with just laws.

“Our people cannot continue to be subjected to archaic and discriminatory laws anymore.”

He said it is also imperative that laws are introduced to help combat the social ills that are hampering socio-economic progress in Namibia.

“As I recognise the efforts and commitments made with the view to improving the wellbeing of our citizens, I note with concern the prevalence of incidents of gender-based violence within our communities.”

According to Geingob it is a source of great concern that innocent lives are being lost, especially those of women and children, as a result of gender-based violence, perpetrated mostly by men.

“I am, however, pleased by the various initiatives introduced by the stakeholders in the criminal justice system as part of the process of intensifying the ongoing campaign to combat gender-based violence in our country.”

He urged all stakeholders to continue working tirelessly to find solutions to these “heinous crimes”.

Geingob also reaffirmed the government's commitment to the promotion of an efficient and effective administration of justice.

ELLANIE SMIT

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Edgars owners mum on shop closures

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Man allegedly stones girlfriend to death

≪ Previous: Justice delayed

Edgars owners mum on shop closures

Edcon, the group that owns Edgars, CNA and Jet, is refusing to comment on whether it will close any of its shops in Southern Africa.

Edcon currently finds itself in a cash crunch and has had to rely on banks and entities to which it had sold debt to stay afloat owing to slowed growth in South Africa.

The group previously announced that it would close several of its franchises, including Boardmans.

When approached on the possibility of more closures, Edcon would not comment.

“Edcon will not be making any further announcements on specific store closures or openings,” the group said in an emailed response.

The Sunday Times reported in mid-January that Edgars, Jet and CNA outlets faced the risk of closure, with the loss of an estimated 140 000 jobs, as a result of their failure to pay high rental fees.

Edcon reportedly planned to downsize some of its shops in what was seen as an ambitious revamp. This was said to form part of the retailer's ongoing restructuring to take it back to profitability and convince investors that a leaner business is viable.

The non-food retailer had also set a plan in motion to reduce its footprint in shopping centres in its native South Africa.

“Edcon's restructuring and recapitalisation process is continuing. The Edcon board has approved the structure of the proposed recapitalisation plan, and in response lenders have extended waivers to allow time for implementation. This will allow sufficient time for the number of necessary due diligence and governance processes to be completed,” the group said.

The Public Investment Corporation, which manages the pension funds of government employees in South Africa, may provide a much-needed injection of N$1.8 billion to keep Edcon afloat.

The group operates 187 outlets in Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Overall, the group owns approximately 1 200 stores. It employs around 30 000 permanent and casual workers.

STAFF REPORTER

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Man allegedly stones girlfriend to death

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Technology drives disease control

≪ Previous: Edgars owners mum on shop closures

Man allegedly stones girlfriend to death

A 41-year-old Angolan man was arrested at Okakwa in the Omusati Region on Tuesday after he allegedly stoned his girlfriend to death and torched two huts before fleeing the scene.

The victim was also an Angolan national. Inspector Linekela Shikongo of the Namibian Police in the region said the incident took place around 02:00 at Okakwa in the Okahao Constituency.

“It is alleged that the suspect beat the deceased with a brick on the head several times and she died on the spot. Thereafter, he set the sleeping hut and cuca shop hut which belonged to the deceased on fire,” he explained. He said the two huts were completely destroyed.

The suspect was arrested around 04:00 at Oshuukwa village, also in the Okahao district, and was to appear in the Okahao Magistrate's Court yesterday. The next of kin of the deceased have not yet been informed and police investigations into the matter continue.

In a separate incident, police at Onesi arrested a 25-year-old woman on a charge of attempted murder which occurred at Omadhiya village on Monday.

Shikongo said the suspect, who was due to appear in court at Outapi yesterday, allegedly dumped her one-week-old baby into a pit latrine and left her there to die.

“The owner of the house went to the toilet when he heard a baby crying and called the police, who removed the baby from the pit latrine,” he said.

The baby was taken to Tsandi District Hospital and is in a stable condition. The suspect is in under police guard in the same hospital.

NAMPA

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Technology drives disease control

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Chief Kooitjie to rest among family

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Technology drives disease control

In order to facilitate the collection of specimens and the reporting of animal diseases, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) is currently upgrading its internet-based World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS), which will make animal health control easier.

The OIE announced this last month during the 11th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in Berlin, Germany, attended by the ministers responsible for veterinary services from 74 member countries.

The gathering looked at digitalisation and smart solutions for future farming.

The OIE is an intergovernmental organisation that coordinates, supports and promotes animal disease control.

Namibia is also a member, but is not clear whether the agriculture ministry attended the Berlin gathering.

OIE deputy director-general Dr Jean-Philippe Dop said in a statement that the ministers who attended the meeting expressed their support for the ongoing upgrading of the WAHIS, by acknowledging its key contribution to more sustainable, responsible and efficient livestock production.

The participants also entrusted the OIE with the task of pursuing the implementation of global digital strategies that promote and enhance the exchange of information, thereby contributing to strengthening the cross-border fight against animal diseases.

“As we enter 2019, the spread of the epizootics of African swine fever (ASF) is an example of the various sanitary concerns with which veterinary services and animal health experts have to deal.

“When confronted with a disease that has such a serious socio-economic impact on countries, especially on the livelihood of pig farmers, the ability to quickly assess the evolution of the situation is key to stem its spread.

“In this regard, the efficient management and control of the disease requires that countries share transparent information about their animal health situation, so that it can be made available to the international community in a timely manner,” Dop said.

The OIE said the refreshed and renovated WAHIS platform will make it easier for countries to collect and report information, as well as upload data from their own databases.

The new interface will also allow for data to be viewed, analysed and extracted more rapidly, and in different formats.

“The OIE-WAHIS will provide high-quality and reliable geospatial data, which will enable OIE member countries to undertake comprehensive risk analyses. Maps will be interactive, allowing for a dynamic display of information on animal diseases. Data from the OIE-WAHIS will be usable in a variety of analytical programmes,” Dop added.

The OIE-WAHIS will also provide straightforward and standardised ways to interconnect with other international or regional information systems and integrate other valuable data sources, so that users can share and mutually enrich data, in collaboration with OIE stakeholders.

The genomic data linked to epidemiological data in the WAHIS will strengthen disease traceability and contribute to analyses on genetic epidemiology.

ILENI NANDJATO

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Chief Kooitjie to rest among family

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Chief Kooitjie to rest among family

NAMPA

The late chief of the #Aonin (Topnaar) Traditional Authority and chairperson of the Nama Traditional Leaders Association (NTLA), Gaob Seth Madawa Kooitjie, will be laid to rest on 16 February.

In an interview, the late chief’s personal assistant, Justine Kuiseb Delta, said Kooitjie will be buried at Farm Soutrivier, about 30 kilometres from his home village, where his parents and other family members are buried.

Soutrivier is situated approximately 95 kilometres from Walvis Bay on the D1983 road.

“We are expecting mourners from all corners of Namibia as well as from abroad, who are expected to arrive as from 10 February in order to attend the late chief’s memorial and funeral services,” Delta added.

The first memorial service will be held at 18:00 on 10 February at Kooitjie’s home in Narraville, Walvis Bay, followed by another one on 14 February, which will be held at the Narraville Rugby Field at 19:00.

“An overnight wake is also expected to take place at Chief Kooitjie’s homestead in Homeb on 15 February at 19:00, before the funeral church service on Saturday.”

Homeb is situated approximately 125 km from Walvis Bay.

Chief Kooitjie died of an asthma attack close to midnight on 24 January.

He succeeded his father Esau Saneseb Kooitjie as chief in 1980 and served as the NTLA chairperson until his passing.

The late chief orchestrated and oversaw many successful coronations of various Nama chiefs.

He is survived by his wife Diane, three children - Len, Claudia and Luciano - as well as five grandchildren.

He was 65 years old.

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Farmers in 'terrible situation'

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Farmers in 'terrible situation'UPM says drought should be declared a national disaster The UPM has taken note of the terrible situation farmers are experiencing across the country, as some have not received any rain for several years.

The United People's Movement (UPM) has expressed concern over the severe drought, saying that it should be declared a national disaster.

The vice-president of the UPM, Jan van Wyk, says the party has taken note of the terrible situation farmers are experiencing across the country, as some have not received any rain for several years.

“Some areas received little rain during the 2017/18 rainy season, which resulted in farmers losing huge numbers of livestock and game,” said Van Wyk.

According to him it is important that the government come on board to assist farmers in all areas, as some farmers are selling livestock as a matter of urgency and this could result in massive job losses in the agricultural sector.

“This trend will seriously affect revenue and national reserves. The UPM appreciates efforts from various stakeholders to come to the rescue of some farmers. However, national programmes through the government should come into operation as a matter of urgency.”

The UPM suggested that farmers should start destocking and only keep a small number of breeding stock with which to restart farming once the drought ends.

Van Wyk further said that the government should implement a programme to help farmers to restock as soon as their farms have recovered.

“The UPM, however, would like to request the government to concentrate on helping the farmers and not to start with a feeding programme in urban areas, referring to it as drought relief as was the case during 2016.”

The Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) and the Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers' Union (NECFCU) have warned that the current drought is a “national crisis”.

The two unions drafted an emergency drought action plan, which was discussed with agriculture minister Alpheus !Naruseb this week.

They said the difference between the current drought and previous ones is that no part of Namibia has received good rains this season.

According to the unions, Namibia has experienced below-normal rainfall for five of the seven years since 2013. This has depleted the growth reserves of rangelands, as well as carry-over fodder on the veld. Also, the foot-and-mouth outbreak in South Africa has resulted in producer prices of sheep and weaners dropping by about 30% in comparison to December 2018.

The unions said farmers should urgently reduce their livestock.

However, a recent weather outlook published by weather expert Johan van den Berg of Santam Agriculture in South Africa predicted a “sharp improvement of rainfall conditions for most of the summer rainfall areas for weeks to come”.

Van den Berg said the probability of rain in central and northern Namibia in February and March has improved notably from previous forecasts. The chances of rain in southern Namibia remain poor, though. The report, which was issued in late January, links the improved outlook to El Niño conditions which have weakened rapidly since the second part of December 2018 and are now in the neutral range or just outside the neutral range.

Van den Berg said February and March are historically the dominant rainfall months for the central and western parts of the country, and it seems there is a high probability of that occurring this year.

ELLANIE SMIT

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Company news in brief

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Company news in brief

EU rejects French/German railway merger

France's finance minister says EU authorities have decided to reject a merger between France's Alstom and Germany's Siemens railway activities. Bruno Le Maire said yesterday on the France 2 television station that he considered the decision to be "an economic mistake".

Le Maire said the ruling will block the creation of a European rail giant that could have been able to compete with Chinese giant CRRC. "It's going to serve China's economic and industrial interests," he said. EU authorities had raised concerns about competition in Europe in the rail sector. Alstom is best-known for France's TGV and Siemens for Germany's ICE high-speed trains. -Nampa/AP

Trade war, diesel woes trouble Daimler

Automaker Daimler AG says fourth-quarter net profit fell 49% to 1.64 billion euro (US$1.87 billion), as the company's Mercedes-Benz luxury car business was buffeted by diesel woes and global trade conflict. Revenue reported yesterday rose 7% to 46.6 billion euro and the company said demand for its products remained strong.

The company's luxury car division, the mainstay of its earnings, saw profit fall as it faced multiple challenges. The US-China trade war meant new import taxes on cars made in the US and sold in China. Bottlenecks in getting cars certified for emissions procedures also impacted the business. For the full year, net profit fell to 7.6 billion euro from 10.6 billion in 2017. Revenues rose 2% to 167.4 billion euro. -Nampa/AP

Japan tech giant SoftBank profits decline

Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp. reported a 23% decline in fiscal third-quarter profit yesterday, as adjustments in its major investment funds eroded income. SoftBank Group, which has invested in British IoT company ARM and US wireless company Sprint, had October-December profit of 698.3 billion yen (US$6.4 billion), down from 912.3 billion yen in the same period the previous year. Quarterly sales totalled 2.5 trillion yen (US$23 billion), up 4% from 2.4 trillion yen.

Late last year, SoftBank raised more than 2 trillion yen (US$18 billion) at an IPO of its Japanese mobile company. The IPO compares with some of the world's biggest, including China's Alibaba Group, which raised about US$20 billion when it went public in 2014, and Facebook, which raised US$16 billion in 2012. SoftBank offers internet and solar electricity services, and was the first mobile carrier to offer the Apple iPhone in Japan. It is also behind Pepper, the talking companion robot.

Money-laundering scandal stains ING results

Dutch bank ING posted a slight fall in profits for 2018 yesterday, following a multi-million-euro settlement with Netherlands authorities in a money-laundering investigation. Earnings fell by 4.1% to 4.7 billion euro (US$5.4 billion) last year despite growth in its client base, the Amsterdam-based lender said in a statement. In September ING paid a huge 775 million euro to settle a criminal investigation which found that ING had failed to take adequate measures to prevent money-laundering.

Despite the scandal, ING said it had expanded its client base by one million customers in 2018 to reach 38.4 million worldwide. ING posted a 2.2% rise in turnover for 2018 to 18 billion euro. The money-laundering row saw ING axe its chief financial officer Koos Timmermans after a two-year probe by Dutch authorities that found many white-collar crime suspects held accounts at the bank. The case threatened to seriously damage ING's reputation and triggered calls for the resignation of its directors. ING employs more than 52 000 people in 40 countries around the world. -Nampa/AFP

Ariane rockets telecoms satellites into orbit

Two communications satellites, one for India and another for a consortium from Saudi Arabia, Greece and Cyprus, were successfully put into orbit by the European aerospace firm ArianeGroup, the company announced. Competition by commercial operators in the lucrative rocket industry has intensified in the past few years, particularly since the launch of Elon Musk's reusable SpaceX.

An Ariane 5 rocket with a payload of nine tonnes lifted off from the Kourou space centre in French Guiana on Tuesday, the first of five launches scheduled for this year, ArianeGroup said. One satellite, belonging to a Saudi governmental scientific body and the Greco-Cypriot operator Hellas Sat, is to supply television, internet and telephone communications for the Middle East, South Africa and Europe for the next 15 years.

The other is a communications satellite designed and built by the Indian Space Research Organisation. "This first launch of 2019 demonstrates once again our capacity to perfectly adapt the Ariane 5 launcher to answer the needs of each client," said ArianeGroup executive president André-Hubert Roussel. Ariane 5 rockets are to be replaced in 2020 by the Ariane 6, which will be an estimated 40% cheaper. Still, the ArianeGroup announced in November it would cut 2 300 jobs by 2022, as the development of the new rocket nears its end and orders for new launches have slipped in the face of competition. -Nampa/AFP

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Namibia lags behind on human trafficking data

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Namibia lags behind on human trafficking data ELLANIE SMIT

A new global study on human trafficking has expressed concern that women and children are being trafficked within Namibia, for forced labour and sexual exploitation, which includes forced prostitution.

But the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2018, recently released by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, says actual data on the extent of human trafficking and smuggling in Namibia is difficult to obtain.

The global study indicates that globally the number of reported trafficking victims has increased.

“This might mean that more people are being trafficked, but also that national capacities to detect this crime and identify victims are improving in some countries. Increases in trafficking convictions have also been recorded in Asia, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East,” says the report.

According to the report most of the detected trafficking victims in sub-Saharan Africa continue to be children.

More than 50% of the victims detected in 2016 were children, in near-equal shares of boys and girls.

An analysis of the data by geographical area shows that child trafficking is far more commonly detected in West Africa than in the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.

Also, East African countries detect larger shares of adults, nearly equally split between men and women. On the other hand, countries in Southern Africa tend to detect more women, as well as men and boys in similar numbers.

“Girls are rarely detected in East and Southern Africa, whereas in West Africa, they are the most frequently detected victim profile. Countries in West Africa tend to detect far more victims than other countries in sub-Saharan Africa.”

According to the report most of the victims detected in sub-Saharan Africa in 2016 were trafficked for forced labour (63%), while trafficking for sexual exploitation accounted for less than one third of the detected victims.

The second largest group of victims, predominantly women, were trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

The report notes that most traffickers are male, but compared to other regions, larger shares of female offenders continue to be reported in sub-Saharan Africa.

Data on the citizenships of the persons convicted of trafficking show that most are citizens of the country where they were convicted.

For the more than 180 people who were convicted in 13 countries in sub-Saharan Africa in 2016, 84% were citizens of these countries, while 16% were foreigners. The foreign traffickers were mainly citizens of other countries in the sub-region.

According to the report victims from sub-Saharan Africa were detected in, or repatriated from, more than 60 countries within and outside of Africa.

“This makes sub-Saharan Africa a relevant origin for detected cases of trafficking in persons globally.”

The report says the current legislation on human trafficking in Namibia covers all forms of trafficking indicated in the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol.

“According to the International Organisation for Migration in 2015, actual data on the extent of human trafficking and smuggling in Namibia is difficult to obtain.

“However, the health ministry identified 17 cases of reported human trafficking offences. Of these, seven were recorded in the Omaheke Region, eight in the Kunene Region and two in the Khomas Region.”

The report says the Human Rights Committee expressed concern in 2016 that women and children were trafficked within Namibia for the purpose of forced labour and sexual exploitation, including forced prostitution.

Namibia was last year again placed on an international list as one of the nations that are failing to effectively combat human trafficking.

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Parties can’t force councillors - Shakumu

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Parties can’t force councillors - Shakumu

KENYA KAMBOWE

Lawyer Silas-Kishi Shakumu says there is no legal basis on which political parties can force councillors to maintain or change the status quo when it comes to the election and swearing-in of local authority office-bearers.

Shakumu’s comments come just days after Swapo gave its Rundu and Okahandja councillors an ultimatum to follow previous directives by its secretary-general, Sophia Shaningwa, which they have so far defied.

Shaningwa instructed in November last year that changes should be made to the Okahandja office-bearers structure, while Rundu’s structure should remain the same.

According to Shaningwa’s latest letters, dated 4 February, she indicated to Swapo Otjozondjupa regional coordinator Susan Hikopua and the party’s Kavango East regional coordinator, Otillie Shinduvi that both matters were discussed during last Wednesday’s Swapo politburo meeting, where it was decided her earlier directives should be adhered to.

The deadline for implementation is today.

Shaningwa instructed the Okahandja council to demote mayor Johannes ‘Congo’ Hindjou to an ordinary council member, while in Rundu, Verna Sinimbo should retain her position as mayor, without any other changes.

Shakumu, who is well versed with the Local Authorities Act and has trained local authority councillors over the years, argues there is no legal basis for any political leadership to impose on councillors whom should occupy which position.

“The political leadership has no legal basis to force the councillors to maintain or change the status quo. To do so would amount to the taking over of the councillors’ responsibilities,” Shakumu says.

He further argues that once councillors are sworn in after the local government elections, they are no longer under the direct control of political parties.

“Once councillors are sworn in, they are no longer functioning on political party lines. They are one and can nominate and vote for each other, irrespective of their political affiliation. To leave that function to the party leadership is to totally undermine the intelligence, capacity and judgement of those individuals we elected to represent us on the council,” Shakumu says.

“The councillors themselves know each other better than anyone else and hence only they are in a better position to decide, based on the past 12 months they have served, who is capable to lead the pack.”

Shakumu says the judiciary has also pronounced itself on the meddling of political parties in the affairs of councils, which has been described as unauthorised and unwarranted.

“The swearing-in of the local authority councillors should take place no later than Thursday, 7 February 2019, as earlier directed by the office of the secretary-general,” Shaningwa wrote in her 4 February letters to Hikopua and Shinduvi.

When contacted for comment earlier this week, Hikopua and Shinduvi said the letters were passed on to the respective Swapo district executive committees.

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Green light for railway rehab

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Green light for railway rehabNew line in poor state TransNamib is to start rehabilitating the northern railway line, which is apparently not suitable for passenger trains at the moment.

ILENI NANDJATO

TransNamib has received the go ahead from the works and transport ministry to rehabilitate the Tsumeb-Oshikango railway line, which is reportedly in a bad state.

The northern railway line was apparently laid too low, making it unsuitable for passenger trains.

On 14 January masses of unemployed people flocked to TransNamib in Ondangwa to apply for 40 posts that were announced over the radio.

The posts were long-term contracts to repair the 315-kilometre railway line between Oshikango and Tsumeb.

In 2002 the government embarked up on the N$1.4 billion Northern Railway Line Extension Project. This was a three-phase project, with phase one (the 246 km Tsumeb-Ondangwa railway line) and phase two (the 60 km Ondangwa-Oshikango railway) already completed.

Phase three, the 28 km line between Ondangwa and Oshakati, is currently under construction.

TransNamib spokesperson Ailly Hangula-Paulino did not respond to questions sent to her about the rehabilitation project.

Works ministry spokesperson Julius Ngweda acknowledged that the ministry was aware of the northern railway rehabilitation.

“The railway line was completed some time ago and has been in use since then. Usage means maintenance must be carried out in order to keep the infrastructure up to standard,” said Ngweda.

He could not say how much the rehabilitation work would cost, adding that such information could only be obtained from TransNamib.

Usually the rehabilitation and upgrading of railway lines is done by D&M Rail Construction, which was also involved in the initial construction of the northern railway line.

D&M Rail managing director Dawie Möller said they were not informed that the railway line is not in a good state.

“We do not know about any rehabilitation work to the northern railway line. We just learn about it when hundreds of unemployed people flocked to our Otjiwarongo office, saying they heard we were recruiting for the northern railway rehabilitation, but we were not hiring, and we do not know where they heard it,” Möller said.

Ngweda said: “The ministry of works and transport entered into a management agreement for TransNamib to manage, maintain, repair and do other work on the railway infrastructure. The maintenance and repair work is part of TransNamib’s annual plan of activities.”

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Banks sued for rand manipulation

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Banks sued for rand manipulationSouth Africa initiates prosecution Standard Chartered Bank has admitted currency manipulation to the New York State Department. South African Competition Commission: “The commission found that the respondents manipulated the price of bids and offers through agreements to refrain from trading and creating fictitious bids and offers at particular times.”

The Competition Commission of South Africa says Standard Chartered Bank has pleaded guilty to currency manipulation, including of the South African rand, citing a consent agreement between Standard Chartered Bank and the New York State Department of Financial Services.

"The commission will consider the impact of the order on the ongoing forex litigation with the banks in South Africa. In February 2017 the commission referred to the tribunal for prosecution a collusion case against Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited, BNP Paribas, JP Morgan Chase & Co, JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A, Investec Ltd, Standard New York Securities Inc, HSBC Bank Plc, Standard Chartered Bank, Credit Suisse Group, Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd, Commerzbank AG, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Nomura International Plc., Macquarie Bank Limited, ABSA Bank Limited (ABSA), Barclays Capital Inc and Barclays Bank plc (the respondents)."

The commission also said it had investigated price-fixing involving the South African rand since April 2015.

"The commission found that from at least 2007, the respondents had a general agreement to collude on prices for bids, offers and bid-offer spreads for the spot trades in relation to currency trading involving the US dollar/rand currency pair.”

Further, the commission found that the respondents manipulated the price of bids and offers through agreements to refrain from trading and creating fictitious bids and offers at particular times.

Citibank pleaded guilty and was fined more than R69 million and it committed to cooperate with the commission and make witnesses give evidence against the other banks.

"Since February 2017, the commission has been engaged in protracted litigation with the rest of the banks, including Standard Chartered Bank, on pre-trial issues such as jurisdiction of the South African authorities and disclosure of the commission's evidence." - Nampa/ANA

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Access denied

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Access denied

Any country, or for that matter its president, cannot rightfully claim to be serious about fighting corruption without implementing an access to information law.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) research report titled ‘Access Denied - Access to Information in Namibia’ makes for interesting reading indeed.

The main findings were that 80% of all organisations and institutions did not respond or could not provide the information requested from them. Nearly 60% of the targets simply did not respond to information requests in any meaningful way.

The level of unresponsiveness (75%) to information requests by government departments remains worrying, the report, which was released in December 2017, said further.

Roughly 85% of public enterprises approached for information were unresponsive, “which contradicts the prevailing narrative of improving governance, transparency and accountability”.

The combined unresponsive/information-not-available rate amongst state agencies and special offices was also slightly above 85%. “This must surely raise questions about the levels and quality of oversight of public assets and resources. Out of the 14 regions, just one, Erongo, responded with the information requested, and in a reasonable time.

“The fact that almost 80% of private companies did not respond, withheld the information requested or did not have such information available suggests that transparency is also not a priority for the Namibian private sector,” IPPR noted in its findings.

It also said that from an international commitment standpoint, it is clear that Namibia has willingly placed itself under quite a lot of pressure, “as a signatory to all these declarations and conventions, to create and implement a formal access to information policy and legislative frameworks”.

Namibia Media Trust strategic coordinator, Zoe Titus, said recently that if President Hage Geingob wants to make an impact on transparency and the fight against corruption, government should pass the access to information law.

We agree. What is clear is that information remains inaccessible, which has a massive impact on media freedom in Namibia, and without such a law, we are simply paying lip service to the fight against graft.

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Water crisis at Omuntele

February 6, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Water crisis at Omuntele Groundwater too saline to drink Cattle herders in the Omuntele farming area in the Oshikoto Region are appealing for drinking water to be supplied to them.

ILENI NANDJATO

Due to the prolonged drought and damage by elephants, livestock herders in the Omuntele farming area are in dire need of water.

Water from the usual sources has become too salty for human consumption.

This was confirmed by Omuntele constituency councillor Sacky Nangula, who said farm owners had approached his office with pleas that the regional council supply cattle herders with drinking water.

He said the Rural Water Supply office at Onankali had made available a 10 000-litre tank truck that supplies water to the Oshikoto Region.

Nangula said the situation is now worse because of the prolonged drought.

He said elephants from the Etosha National Park have started grazing in the farming area and have mixed the water with sand.

Nangula said his office had requested for the area to be supplied with a water tank.

“The area is experiencing drought as it has not received sufficient rainfall yet. The water that is there has become too salty and unfit for human consumption.

“The farm owners have reported to my office that their livestock caretakers are suffering and we should help because of the elephants that are tampering with the water sources,” Nangula said.

“I made an effort to contact the Rural Water Supply office and they have promised that they will help; it’s only that currently the tanker has broken down and after it is repaired they will be helped.”

Omuntele and Omuthiya get water from Oshakati through the Ondangwa reservoir, via the Oshali-Okatope pipeline.

However, the grazing area has no clean water due to supply pressures.

Nangula said the most affected areas are Omutomboli, Omapopo, Okuma, Onanzi and Omuthiya gwaShitayi.

He said for now livestock can still drink the saline water, but the problem may get worse if the situation continues for much longer.

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