Black Africa comfortable at the top

February 17, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Black Africa comfortable at the topStars play catch-up The weekend's football results left some clubs hanging on for dear life in the premier league, while others have joined the chase to reach the summit. The MTC Namibia Premier League (NPL) has taken an interesting twist, with former league champions Black Africa gaining a ten-point lead following a 2-0 victory over Mighty Gunners on Friday.

African Stars, who were 13 points behind log leaders Black Africa, managed to cover some ground with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Orlando Pirates in the Katutura derby on Saturday. But the defending champions will have to gain more points before they can trouble Black Africa, who are playing with purpose.

African Stars have two games in hand though, which could reduce the gap between them and Black Africa to four points if both teams continue winning.

Things are looking good for Black Africa at the moment, with a goal difference of 23 from the 13 matches they have played.

African Stars, on the other hand, have a goal difference of only five, which makes their task of chasing Black Africa a mighty one.

“It was not a difficult match playing against Orlando Pirates but I am happy with the result.

“We still have ground to cover if we are to reach Black Africa and I remain confident that the players can do that for us,” African Stars coach Bobby Samaria said.

Mighty Gunners' hopes of giving a good chase for the title remain intact despite suffering a 2-0 defeat to Black Africa on Friday.

Gunners are just one point shy of African Stars and 11 behind Black Africa, with a game in hand.

Life Fighters, Tura Magic, Citizens and Julinho Sporting all look set to have a say in who takes the title this season, given that they are fewer than twelve points from the log leaders with games in hand.

Things at the bottom half of the table are beefing up, with Orlando Pirates and Civics still in the relegation zone.

Orlando Pirates' shocking season continued as they bowed 0-1 to African Stars to remain at the bottom with only six points from 12 matches so far.

The Buccaneers will take heart from their performance over the weekend though, given that they played much better than in their previous matches.

The weekend also saw Unam beating Karasburg's Young Brazilians 3-0.

The result meant that Young Brazilians are far from safety given that they are just five points ahead of Orlando Pirates.

There is a fierce relegation fight ahead between the clubs at the bottom half of the table.

Okahandja United eased some of the pressure on them with a 1-0 victory over Citizens on Saturday.

The newly promoted side are now just six points ahead of Orlando Pirates and still have much to do to avoid sliding back into the relegation zone.

Citizens boss Dawid Goagoseb said the defeat was not what the team had planned but the players were ready to bounce back.

“It is never easy playing away from home and that cost us three points over the weekend.

“We are however still confident that we can dust ourselves off and look ahead to the next match.

“The situation at the club is now stable and all the players are happy,” Goagoseb said.



JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

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Okahandja waits for Rundu

February 18, 2019, 6:34 am

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Okahandja waits for Rundu Some Okahandja town councillors were waiting for their turn to meet with Swapo’s top brass after they went against the instruction of the party secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa and elected incumbent Congo Hindjou as new mayor of the town. Shaningwa issued a directive last week that Sophia Upithe be elected as mayor. While Okahandja waited outside the party headquarters, the Rundu councillors were addressed by Swapo top brass inside following their their defiance to adhere to a directive that the town’s structure remain in place. Okahandja and Rundu town councils were summoned to Swapo headquarters for an urgent meeting this afternoon.
Namibian Sun could not source any information on what would transpire and sources remained tight-lipped.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Trials are legit - Elago

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Trials are legit - ElagoTryouts next month for Leeds-based UK Pro Academy The UK Pro Academy trials next month in Windhoek are a once in a lifetime opportunity for Namibian players. LIMBA MUPETAMI



Men and women footballers aged between 14 and 22 are invited for trials at Soccer House from 16 to 17 March.

A recent partnership agreement between the Otjomuise Football Academy and UK Pro Academy will see a delegation of scouts and coaches from the Leeds-based academy coming to Namibia to host trials in Windhoek.

According to Otjomuise Football Academy president Sacky Elago the trials are legit, despite criticism and skepticism from certain individuals.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Namibian youth players. We have never, ever had a foreign football academy hosting tryouts in Namibia; the only way to secure trials with these academies is usually to take a flight to their country,” said Elago.

“Of course we are getting a lot of criticism, especially from fellow clubs, that this is a money-making scheme, but professional clubs that host open tryouts all over the world require a certain registration fee; after all these guys will travel to Namibia at their own expense.”

Elago added that people are also asking why the tryouts are not exclusively for his academy and why he wants to include players from other teams.

“Namibia is a small country with limited opportunities and we are not helping to develop the game if we limit this opportunity to our players, plus we are also aware that there are talented players out there who are not registered with us,” Elago said.

“We feel there are a lot of players throughout the world who will never have the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of the right people and that is why we travel the world with our qualified talent identification scouts to give opportunities to players who aspire to turn their much-loved hobby into a career.

“We look forward to visiting Namibia for the first time and cannot wait to uncover hidden footballing talent,” said Tim Summerfield, the director of UK Pro Academy.

UK Pro Academy offers a professional player development training pathway for talented players who have aspirations of becoming professionals. This is done through its UK-based residential football academy programme.

Players that are selected from the tryouts are invited to reside in Leeds, where they will go through professional football training. They will also play trials for UK and US-based clubs during their stay.

Every player participating is required to pay a registration fee of N$300, interested players should request an application form from info@ukproacademy.com.

All players are instructed to submit a completed registration form and pay the registration fee on 16 March at the venue. No bank deposits are required. No forms will be available at the field.

Civics threat to Top 8 Cup

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Civics threat to Top 8 Cup Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

Civics FC have threatened to take legal action against the Namibia Premier League (NPL) if they are not given a chance to compete in the Standard Bank Top 8 Cup at the expense of relegated Young African.

The cup is slated for this coming weekend at the Sam Nujoma Stadium, with the top eight 2017/18 season clubs pitted against each other.

Namibian Sun is in possession of a copy of a letter sent to the premier league’s office on 15 February by Civics, who are demanding a spot in the competition following Young African’s relegation.

Civics said the league should have granted them the points of the matches they played against Young African, which would have secured them a place in the top eight.

“We refer to the ruling delivered by the NPL Disciplinary Committee that reads as follows: “Young African Football Club forfeits points for all the matches that the player Simon Tapiwa played under the fraudulent cloud or playing in the name of Albert Mujikirera and that the points be deducted that were gained by the accused member and must be awarded to the opponent whom they were playing against in each match,” the Civics letter reads.

The club questioned NPL chairman Patrick Kauta’s decision to not enforce this.

Civics further accused the league chairman of failing to adhere to the NPL constitution.

“We believe that the exclusion of our club from the competition violates our right to participate in the Standard Bank Top 8 Cup.”

The Khomasdal-based club is demanding an urgent written undertaking from the NPL executive that it will not proceed with the tournament, but rather refer the matter to the dispute resolution chamber for a proper interpretation of the disciplinary committee ruling.

“Please be advised that should we not receive the aforementioned undertaking by Tuesday, 19 February 2019 at 16:00, we will left with no option but to seek an appropriate remedy to protect the right of our club to participate in the Standard Bank Top 8 Cup.”

NPL administrator Tovey Hoebeb was unable to shed more light on the matter, but said Kauta was working on a response.

Olympics, RWC can be Tokyo's springboard

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Olympics, RWC can be Tokyo's springboard The 2020 Olympics can “usher in a new Tokyo” and, along with this year's Rugby World Cup (RWC), leave behind a legacy similar to that of the 1964 Summer Games, the city's governor Yuriko Koike said on Monday.

“These two major events will serve as a springboard to transform our city. This year, 2019, will be key in making those Games a success and ushering in a new Tokyo,” Koike said. “But the metric for success will not be limited to just the competition itself; we want to lead Japan beyond 2020, change the way Tokyo thinks and transform our society.”

The last time Tokyo hosted the Olympics in 1964, the games provided the city with the opportunity for a rebranding, shaking off a war-ravaged reputation and showing a modern face to the world.

A building boom transformed Tokyo prior to those games, the high-speed Shinkansen train began to run and a growing middle class snapped up refrigerators and other appliances, including televisions, to watch the games.

This time, the legacy may be more of an intangible nature.

“The previous Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 1964 left a legacy of urban infrastructure, like the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway and the Shinkansen bullet train network,” said Koike, a former defence and environment minister.

“I intend for the Tokyo 2020 Games to leave a more intangible legacy. I also intend for the 2020 Games to leave a cultural legacy and for the Games themselves to be a celebration of culture.”

Koike is focusing on making Tokyo more diverse and has also pushed for a swathe of environmental programmes in order to rebrand the city as a leader in the fight against climate change. She also sees the Paralympics as a chance to make Tokyo, notoriously difficult to navigate for citizens and visitors with disabilities, more accessible.

“I believe that the Paralympics, in particular, will be a key event that determines the success of the Tokyo 2020 Games,” said Koike.

“This will be the first time that a city has hosted its second summer Paralympics and as the city with that honour, Tokyo aims to lead the country in strengthening barrier-free standards in lodging facilities.”

One of the recent regulations implemented by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is the 'Open Stay Tokyo' project, which looks to increase the width of doors and corridors within hotels to accommodate wheelchair uses.

The Tokyo Olympics open on July 24 next year.

NAMPA/REUTERS

Milicic named interim coach

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Milicic named interim coach Football Federation Australia (FFA) said on Monday that Ante Milicic has been appointed to take charge of the national women's side through to this year's World Cup, following the sacking of Alen Stajcic.

Milicic, an assistant coach for the men's team at the last two World Cups, will oversee his first three matches with the 'Matildas' in the coming weeks when Australia meet New Zealand, South Korea and Argentina at the inaugural Cup of Nations on home soil.

“It is an honour to be appointed head coach of the Westfield Matildas and I'm determined to make the most of this opportunity together with the squad and staff,” the 44-year-old said in an FFA media release.

“Australia has many fantastic players right now and I know that the squad that is ultimately selected will be eager to seize their chance in France. With three matches coming up in quick succession at the Cup of Nations, the friendly tournament will provide our group with the opportunity to set its standards both on and off the pitch, as we look ahead to the Fifa Women's World Cup with great belief and optimism.”

The football federation moved to sack Stajcic a month ago, blaming the former boss for the development of “cultural” problems around the squad in the wake of a confidential survey of national players.

Stajcic has called for an independent inquiry into his firing.

NAMPA/REUTERS

Van Dijk leaves gaping hole

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Van Dijk leaves gaping holeLiverpool to face Bayern without star defender Virgil van Dijk has been banned from taking part in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie against Bayern Munich tonight, after being booked three times so far in the competition. Fortress Anfield has become even more impenetrable for visiting sides in the 13 months since Liverpool made Virgil van Dijk the world's most expensive defender, but the commanding Dutchman's absence for Bayern Munich's visit in the Champions League leaves Jurgen Klopp with a selection headache.

In stark contrast to their Premier League form, where Liverpool have been beaten just once all season, Klopp's men lost all three of their group games on the road against Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain and Red Star Belgrade to underline the importance of taking a lead to Germany for the second leg.

Three wins at Anfield pulled them through to the last 16 and Van Dijk has yet to taste defeat in 25 premier and Champions League games on home soil as a Liverpool player, while being part of a defensive unit that kept 16 clean sheets, to tighten up a leaky defence that undermined Klopp's first two years in charge.

“Straightaway he was organising the defence, he was the leader at the back, and as time has gone on he is even more important,” said former Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia.

“He gives confidence to the players and makes many other players play better. It is very difficult to find a weakness. He is the ultimate centre-back.”

Missing the £75 million man is a big enough blow, but Liverpool will also be without Joe Gomez and most likely Dejan Lovren through injury.

Gomez underwent surgery on a lower leg fracture earlier this month, while Lovren has not featured since suffering a hamstring injury on 7 January and did not travel with the rest of the squad for a warm weather training camp in Marbella this week. A makeshift centre-back pairing of Joel Matip and Fabinho are therefore likely to be tasked with stopping another former pupil of Klopp's, Robert Lewandowski.

The prolific Pole won two Bundesliga titles under Klopp when the pair were together at Borussia Dortmund and also lost the Champions League final against Bayern in 2013 before Lewandowski was lured to Bavaria a year later.

Bayern have been dominant in the Bundesliga since Klopp's Dortmund won back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012, but are playing catch-up in the title race to Lucien Favre's outfit this season.

“Of course over the years I have watched a lot of Bayern games and this season as well,” said Klopp.

“They were six times in a row champions of Germany, which is not easy, and they were one of the teams in the last 10 years who were pretty much all the time in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the Champions League.”

However, while Lewandowski, the in-form Kingsley Coman and the creativity of James Rodriguez and Leon Goretzka could pose plenty problems for Liverpool's undermanned defence, it is at the other end Bayern could also be exposed.

Ajax's youngsters exposed Bayern's weakness against pace in the Champions League group stages, while Bayer Leverkusen and Augsburg have also given Klopp extra encouragement in recent weeks in the Bundesliga.

As Van Dijk kept the back door shut, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane fired Liverpool to the Champions League final last season.

Without their talismanic defender, all three will need to shine more than ever to give Klopp's men a lead to defend when Van Dijk returns for the second leg on 13 March.

NAMPA/AFP

Itaya popile ekonaakono ndyoka ya ningilwa

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Itaya popile ekonaakono ndyoka ya ningilwaAailongi mboka otaya pula eidhopomo lyOmuprima Aailongi yuunamiti mboka taya pataneke ekonaakono ndyoka ya ningilwa muNovemba gwomvula ya piti oya adha etsokumwe noMedical and Dental Council of Namibia oshowo yalwe mOmpangu yoPombanda yaVenduka. JANA-MARI SMITH

Shoka osha landula eindilo lyomeendelelo ndyoka lya ningwa momwedhi Januari.

Oongundu ndhoka odha tsu kumwe kutya aailongi mboka itaya ka ningilwa ekonaakono etiyali omwedhi nguka, sigo oshizemo sheindilo ndyoka lya ningwa sha gandjwa muApilili.

Uupyakadhi wekonaakono ndyoka lya ndopwa kaailongi 205 yomaiilongi 207 mboka ya shanga ekonaakono ndyoka muNovemba owa hololwa pethimbo lyehololomadhilaadhilo ndyoka lya ningilwa mOvenduka, naailongi oya pula Ombelewa yOmuprima opo yiidhope moshikumungu shoka.

Aailongi mboka oya popi kutya ekonaakno ndyoka kalya li pauyuuki na olya li tali tongola na inaya pewa ethimbo lya gwana opo yiilongekidhe.

Oya pula kutya ekonakono ndyoka lya ningwa kwiikwatelewa koshike na olya ningwa po koolye.

Oya popi kutya natango ekonaakono ndyoka otali tongola sho aailongi yuunamiti mboka ya dheulwa moshilongo itaya pumbiwa okushanga otutsa ndjoka.



Ekonaakono ndyoka olya tulwa miilonga momvula yo 2016 koHealth Professions Council of Namibia opo kukwashilipaleke kutya aailongi mboka ya dheulwa pondje yoshilongo oyaadha iipumbiwa omolwa omalimbililo ga hololwa ombinga yongushu yomadheulo okuzilila piilongo yopondje.

Mondokomende yompangu ndjoka ya gandjwa pehala lyoHealth Professions Council of Namibia, Dr Cornelius Vatileni Weyulu, okwa yelitha kutya omakonaakono ngoka ohaga ningwa okututsa uunongo nongushu yomadheulo gaailongi mboka ya dheulwa pondje yoshilongo.

Okwa popi kutya omakonaakono ga ningwa oga holola kutya aailongi 200 mboka ya mono oonzapo dhawo dhuulongelwe moshikondo shuunamiti miilongo ngaashi Russia, China oshowo Ukraine, oopresenda 99 dhaiilongi mboka inaya mona iitsa yokuya taambulitha moskola yuunamiti yoshiputudhilo shoUniversity of Namibia.

Okwa popi kutya kwiikwatelelwa kondjokonona yonakuziwa aailongi oyendji mboka ya dheulwa miilongo yimwe yo yaEuropa oshowo moChina okwa nongelwa ya pewa elongo lyongushu yopevi, nolundji ohaya kala ya pumbiwa opo ya longe moshikondo shuunamiti.

Ondokumende ndjoka oya holola kutya nonando aadheulwa mboka oha ya mono ondjambi yi thike pondjambi yayakwawo, omolwa ongushu yomadheulo ngoka ya mono ihaya vulu okulonga iilonga iinene molwaashoka inaya dheulwa opo ya vule okulonga iilonga yopombanda moshikondo.

Ohashi etitha yakwawo yamwe ya longe iilonga oyindji opo ya thitike omwaka ngoka gu li po.

Kombinga yomanyenyeto kutya aadheulwa yomoNamibia ihaya ningilwa omakonaakono ngoka, okwa yamukula kutya aadheulwa moshilongo ihaya shanga ekonaakono ndyoka molwaashoka omusindalongo ngoka hagu longitha miiputudhilo yomoshilongo ogwa ziminwa koMedical and Dental Council.”

Weyulu okwa tsikile kutya ndyoka olyo eyooloko pokati kaailongi yuunamiti ya dheulwa moshilongo naamboka ya dheulwa pondje yoshilongo.



Weyulu okwa lombwele ompangu kutya ekonaakono ndyoka lya shangwa kaiilongi mboka olyo woo lya li lya pewa aaiilongi mboka ya dheulwa moUnam noyendji oyeli piti.

Okwa tsu omuthindo kutya ekonaakono ndyoka oli li omulandu ngoka gu na okupitwa kaailongi ayehe moshikondo shuunamiti.

MuNovemba gwomvula ya piti, aadheulwa moshikondo shuunamiti pondje yoshilongo ye li 207 oya shanga ekonaakono lyuule womasiku gaali, na olya pitwa owala kaantu yaali. Mokati kaailongi 205 mboka ya ndopa, 42 oya li taya vulu kushangulula.

Yane yomaiilongi mboka ya ndopa, Natalia Iileka, Elizabeth Kambonde, Ndeshi Shatona oshowo Kolin Kazeundja, muJanuari oya ningi eindilo noMedical and Dental Council, taya pataneke iizemo oshowo aataleli yiizemo mbyoka taya pula opo yi kuthwe oonkondo.

Mboka oya pula opo ekonaakono ndyoka lya li li na okuningwa muJanuari li kalekwe manga na oya ka konga ekwatho lyompangu.

Metsokumwe ndyoka lya adhika koombinga adhihe ndhoka olya totha mo kutya okwa totwa okomitiye koHealth Professions Council of Namibia, opo yi tale komanyenyeto ngoka.

Natango oonakunyenyeta mboka itaya ka kutha ombinga mekonaakono etiyali ndyoka tali ningwa momwedhi nguka.

Mboka yahala okukutha ombinga mekonaakono ndoka tali ningwa momasiku 21 sigo 22 gomwedhi nguka, otaya vulu okushininga ngele yo inaya hala okutegelela oshizemo shompangu.

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Oohi dhaNamibia odhili natango pondondo ombwaanawa - Esau

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Oohi dhaNamibia odhili natango pondondo ombwaanawa - Esau Erwin Leuschner

Ominista yOohi nOonzo dhOmomeya moNamibia oya popi kutya oohi dhaNamibia odhi na uundjolowele na ohadhi kondololwa nawa. Minista Bernhardt Esau okwa popi ngaaka pethimbo a popitha oshikondo shoohi mepopitho lye lyokomumvo ndyoka lya ningilwa mEtitano lya piti mOmbaye.

Esau okwa popi poshituthi shoka kutya nuumvo omaindilo guuthemba wokukwata oohi agehe ngoka taga ka gandjwa otaga ka tongololwa nawa.

Okwa popi kutya mboka yali ye na uuthemba mboka ya pu ongushu oomvula 7 nenge 20 dha piti, oya pumbwa okugandja uumbangi kutya oya pondola po shike muule wethimbo ndyka.

Aakuthimbinga omathele oya kala pomutumba ngoka gwa ningilwa mOmbaye na oya li ya tegelela etseyitho lyetopolo lyuuthemba wokukwata oohi.

Minista okwa popi kutya oye li ponkatu ya hugunina yokumanitha na otaya ka ninga etseyitho muule woomwedhi oonshona twa taalela.

Esau okwa popi kutya oya mono omaindilo ga thika 5 193 omanga monakuziwa ya kala ha ya mono omaindilo ge li po 2 000 ngoka ge ya kutha ngoka ga kutha uule womvula okumanitha.

Okwa tsikile kutya mboka yapungula moshikondo shoka nokugandja oompito dhiilonga naya kale ya kwashilipalekwa kutya minista okwa tokola okukaleka po oompito dhoka dhiilonga omanga mboka kaye na shoka inaya ninga po otashi ka kala omupya omunene kuyo.

Minista okwa popi kutya oya nongela ekwato lyoohi kali li paveta tali ningwa koongamba dhoshilongo naAngola, na ohali ningwa olundji uusiku, ta popi kutya mboka haye shi ningi ya pumbwa okushi hulitha po molwaashoka epangelo otali katuka oonkatu.

Esau pethimbo lyoshipopiwa she okwa holola kutya oshikondo shoohi moshilongo oshili pondondo yili nawa, kakele koohi dhopilchard dhoka ondjele ya kala nokushuna pevi muule woomvula dha piti.



Okwa popi kutya kaye na ontseyo kombinga yoohi dhosardines ngele omwaalu nago ogwa shuna pevi nenge odha yi kohi yomeya unene.

Nuumvo omwaalu gwoohi ndhoka tadhi kwatwa ano total allowable catch (TAC) oyi li pootona 349 000 dhohorse mackerel. Oohi dhoohake omwaalu ngoka tagu pitikwa okukwatwa ogu li pootona 154 000 omanga oohi dhoomonkfish odhi li potona 8 000.

Medical graduates settle until appeal

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Medical graduates settle until appealNo new evaluations until ruling The foreign trained medical graduates have agreed to wait for the outcome of their appeal to the medical council. Foreign trained medical graduates protesting a pre-internship test they failed in November 2018, which they criticised as unfair and discriminatory and want annulled, have reached a settlement with the Medical and Dental Council of Namibia and others at the Windhoek High Court.

Following the launch of an urgent application in January, the parties agreed that the graduates would not have to undertake a second round of pre-evaluations this month, pending the outcome of the appeal hearing in April with the Medical and Dental Council of Namibia.

The issue of the pre-internship evaluations, which 205 of 207 foreign trained medical graduates failed to pass in November, was also raised during a protest march last week in Windhoek, where dozens of these graduates marched to the prime minister's office to intervene in the matter.

The graduates allege that the test was unfairly structured and they were not given sufficient time to prepare. They are also questioning the conditions under which the exams were held, and the authorities who set up the test.

Further, the graduates have said it is discriminatory that locally trained medical students are not required to take the test.

The pre-internship evaluations were instituted in 2016 by the medical council to ensure the foreign trained graduates meet local standards after concerns were raised about the poor quality of training received in foreign facilities.



Necessary standards

In an affidavit submitted on behalf of the council, Dr Cornelius Vatileni Weyulu, registrar with the Health Professions Council of Namibia, explained the evaluations are held to test the “aptitude and competency” of foreign trained medical graduates to ensure that “competent medical professionals enter the medical profession”.

He noted that a study conducted of more than 200 of the graduates who obtained their qualifications in Russia, China and the Ukraine, found that the majority, 99%, of these graduates, did not “meet the basic entry requirements for admission” into the University of Namibia's medical school. He said past experience proved that medical graduates who studied elsewhere, particularly Eastern Europe and China, are often “poorly trained” and have “been found wanting as interns in many a respect”.

The affidavit underlined that although these interns would earn the same salary as others, because of the “poor nature of their training, graduates trained in Eastern Europe and China would not do serious ward work. Most of them cannot. They are not qualified to do serious ward work”.

This would result in others doing “double work to cater for the gap created by the incompetence of the European and China-trained students”.

He addressed one of the complaints of the current crop of foreign trained graduates who failed the evaluation in November, that locally trained graduates are not required to undergo the same evaluation.

“This is essentially because the curriculum under which the Namibian students are being trained has been approved by the Medical and Dental Council.”

Weyulu further explained the practical training they undergo as students in hospitals is regularly reviewed and approved by the council.

“That is the distinction between foreign trained graduates and graduates trained in Namibia.”

Weyulu informed the court further that the same test that the graduates took in November last year, was given to graduates from the Unam, which the majority, except for “one or two” passed.

He underlined that the evaluation “is a standard examination that any medically trained person should be expected to pass”.





JANA-MARI SMITH

Reho Spa coming along

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Reho Spa coming along The urban and rural development ministry representative in the Rehoboth town council, Nathalia /Goagoses, has announced that the first phase of the Reho Spa renovations are expected to officially kick off on 26 February.

An expression of interest for the first phase of renovations to the resort was issued last month.

/Goagoses, who stepped in when the council was dissolved in March last year following serious allegations of corruption, said the council has managed to save some money following a robust crackdown on local businesses and residents who have for years failed to pay their rates and taxes.

“We are now using our savings and we are also assisted by the ministry to start the new phase of renovations. If we can source a really good contractor then we can start as soon as possible,” she said. /Goagoses has repeatedly assured the town's residents that she is incorruptible and will hunt down those who owe the council money. And hunting down she did. She has also been praised widely for her non-apologetic approach and for taking on the town's big business establishments and even government ministries. “I have disconnected their services and they came in and made arrangements. Even education came to make arrangements. I have disconnected the services of the police station and some service stations,” she said.

“Our revenue stream has really improved. We are now able to make arrangements with NamPower and NamWater which we could not do for years. I am also meeting with the Chinese company this week to sort out their issues,” she said.



Iron fist

Meanwhile a local activists and community journalist Johan Morkel have accused /Goagoses of peddling “lies” and failing the community.

In his newspaper the Volkster, Morkel alleges that /Goagoses, who promises an open-door policy, is never available for meetings with local residents.

“Instead, they are greeted with a dictatorial approach and their pleas for proper sanitation are ignored. Lives and the health of residents are put at risks because of this attitude,” he said.

According to him the town's roads have also not been scraped for months and livestock are roaming the town with no effort from the council to address this.

Morkel also accused /Goagoses of threatening him and failing to give him an audience.

/Goagoses on the other hand said she is not willing to have an audience with a drunken and disrespectful person.

“I asked him to put his questions in writing and send it to the public relations department,” she said.

Company news in brief

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Company news in brief MTN: SA's ex-ambassador to Iran arrested

Pretoria's former ambassador to Iran has been arrested in South Africa on charges he took a bribe to help telecoms company MTN win a US$31.6 billion licence to operate in Iran.

Yusuf Saloojee, now retired, was arrested on Thursday, police said on Friday, in the latest legal blow for MTN, which has faced a host of such problems in recent years. It denies the latest allegations.

Police said Saloojee was given R1.4 million to help MTN win the 15-year contract to operate in Iran, worth US$31.6 billion, from Turkish mobile operator Turkcell. He used the money to buy a house in Pretoria, police said.

The arrest is the first concrete development since June 2018 in connection with allegations of corruption involving MTN.

In Uganda, police said on Friday that the chief executive of MTN Uganda had been deported over national security concerns. The company has also faced costly disputes over unregistered sim cards, tax and dividend repatriation in Nigeria. – Nampa/Reuters

GPI to close Dunkin', Baskin Robbins in SA

South Africa's Grand Parade Investments (GPI) Ltd plans to close its loss-making Dunkin Donuts and Baskin Robbins franchises in the country after failing to find a buyer, and will focus on its Burger King outlets, GPI said on Friday.

GPI signed a franchise agreement with Dunkin' Brands Group Inc, which owns Dunkin' Donuts and ice cream company Baskin Robbins, in 2016, betting that South African demand for snacks and drinks from international chains would hold up, despite pressures on disposable incomes.

But a recession in 2018, elevated household debt, higher fuel prices, the introduction of sugar tax and an increase in value-added tax from 14% to 15% has squeezed consumer spending and hit earnings and margins at the chains.

For the year ended June 30, 2018, the Dunkin' Donuts business made a loss before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of R24.9 million, while the Baskin Robbins business made a loss of R18.6 million on the same basis. – Nampa/Reuters

Uber posts US$50 bn in annual bookings

Uber Technologies Inc had $50 billion in total bookings for its ride-service and food-delivery businesses last year, a testament to the size and global reach of the company as it prepares to woo investors in one of the biggest public stock listings to date.

But figures released by the company on Friday showed revenue grew just 2% in the fourth quarter, a sign that Uber continues to heavily subsidise rides in competitive markets, raising questions about its future growth prospects.

Uber's full-year revenue for 2018 was US$11.3 billion, up 43% from the prior year. Its losses before taxes, depreciation and other expenses were US$1.8 billion, an improvement over the US$2.2 billion loss posted in 2017.

Uber highlighted the annual bookings figure, which was up 45% over 2017, in its release on Friday of a smattering of selected figures for its fourth-quarter and full-year results, a practice it has had for the last several quarters as it anticipated going public. The full-year figures are particularly important to show potential investors the trajectory of the business, as opposed to Uber's more erratic quarterly results.

Uber in December filed confidentially for an initial public offering, which may come as early as the second quarter this year. It is racing neck-and-neck with rival Lyft to become the first ride-hailing IPO.

"Uber needs to show it can control costs and can make money, basically provide a strong argument that its business model is not broken and that it can achieve and sustain profitability despite issues with drivers, customers and politicians," said David Brophy, professor of finance at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. – Nampa/Reuters

PepsiCo says investments to drive sales

PepsiCo Inc said on Friday increased investments in advertising and products aimed at boosting sales growth would lead to a fall in profit this year.

In his first major strategic move after taking over as chief executive officer, Ramon Laguarta unveiled plans to cut jobs and restructure plants to save US$1 billion annually through 2023 and fund its investments in a bid to claw back market share from larger rival Coca Cola.

Pepsi and Coca-Cola are spending heavily to market low-sugar colas and flavoured waters to keep up with changing consumer preferences towards healthier beverages.

Although increased advertising is helping sales, it is pressuring margins that are already squeezed by rising commodity and freight costs.

The company said it expects 2019 adjusted profit per share to drop 3% to US$5.50, while analysts on average had expected a 3.5% rise to US$5.86 per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. – Nampa/Reuters

Mattel warns of weak 2019

Mattel Inc on Friday issued a disappointing 2019 forecast and said demand for its iconic Barbie doll was slowing, triggering an 18% drop in its shares, their worst day in nearly two decades.

The forecast comes barely a week after the company said strong holiday sales of Barbie drove a surprise fourth-quarter profit, which sent its shares up 23% the following morning.

On Friday, the El Segundo, California-based toymaker said gross sales for 2019 would be flat on a constant-currency basis, with weakness in Thomas & Friends and American Girl offsetting comparatively stronger sales of Barbie and Hot Wheels.

Even then, Barbie and Hot Wheels won't sell as much as they did in 2018, chief financial officer Joe Euteneuer said in an investor presentation.

Both Mattel and rival Hasbro Inc have continued to be haunted by the collapse of Toys "R" Us as they have failed to find newer avenues to sell their toys. They also face pressure as more children shun traditional toys to play games on tablets and mobile phones.

Mattel has been aiming to cut at least US$650 million in net costs by the end of 2019 through job cuts and other means. – Nampa/Reuters

Hanno Rumpf had 'unbending principles'

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Hanno Rumpf had 'unbending principles'Described as a gentle giant Hanno Rumpf's memorial service remembered a principled, dedicated gentle giant. International relations minister and deputy prime minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has described the late Hanno Rumpf as a man of unbending principles.

Rumpf died on 8 February and was laid to rest in Windhoek on Friday, where Nandi-Ndaitwah spoke of his “unshaken and principled dedication” to Namibia and its people.

At independence, Rumpf joined government as one of the first batch of permanent secretaries in a free and independent Namibia.

He served as environment PS from 1990 until 1995. Rumpf then took up the role of trade PS from 1995 until 1999 and then a PS of the National Planning Commission until 2003. He then joined the international relations ministry as the ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Austria and the United Nations in Vienna.

Rumpf subsequently served as ambassador to the European Union in Brussels and the Benelux countries. He retired in 2015.

“During his various diplomatic tours of duty, he endeared himself as a gentle giant, both intellectually and through the warmth of his caring character, to his peers and interlocutors at all levels. Through his unshaken and principled dedication and commitment to serving the people and the government of Namibia, he distinguished himself as a forceful and ardent voice and promoter for socio-economic development, progress and the well-being of the people of his country,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

She added that Rumpf, even after his retirement, had continued to impart his vast knowledge and diplomatic expertise into the ministry. He had also served as a member of the Namibian Association of Retired Ambassadors.

“Those of us who had the privilege of working with Ambassador Hanno Rumpf gained immeasurably from his wisdom. His personal warmth, humanity and charm will forever remain in our minds. We were inspired by his example as a comrade, consummate professional and diplomat par excellence. The lives of illustrious figures such as Ambassador Hanno Rumpf must continue to inspire us all, especially the youth. Their commitment for a better life drove them, and they never asked what their country can do for them, but what they can do for their country and its people,” Nandi-Ndaitwah added.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Have an adventure with Wild Dog Safaris

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Have an adventure with Wild Dog Safaris Specialising in camping tours, Wild Dog Safaris is definitely the way to see Namibia for those who are more adventure-minded.

With 20 years of experience, you can be assured that your visit to Namibia will be an unforgettable experience. Originally run as a small family business, it has grown to become one of Namibia's largest adventure camping safari outfits.

A great way to see the country is booking one or more of the scheduled tours offered and visiting some of the best Namibia has to offer in the expert care of an experienced guide.

If travelling in a group is not your thing, Wild Dog Safaris will create a private itinerary to suit your interests and desires.

During a recent sustainability assessment by Eco Awards Namibia, Wild Dog Safaris achieved an excellent score against internationally benchmarked criteria.

The outstanding assessment score enabled Wild Dog Safaris to qualify for entering the 2019 Responsible Tourism Awards (RTA), hosted by Namibia Media Holdings.

This year's RTA finalists will be announced in March, and the winners will be announced at the official opening of the 2019 Namibia Tourism Expo in June.

Katjavivi denies Diescho's allegation

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Katjavivi denies Diescho's allegation National Assembly speaker Professor Peter Katjavivi has emphatically denied that he was responsible for Professor Joseph Diescho's non-participation at a Unesco conference last year.

Diescho, who left for Germany earlier this month while claiming a witch-hunt against him following a public feud with President Hage Geingob, claimed that Katjavivi had “advised” Unesco against his participation.

“Last year I was invited by Unesco to participate in a project. I was then told that the speaker of the National Assembly advised them that having me would not go down well with the State House. I could not even participate in the conference,” Diescho said in response to questions sent to him. Katjavivi in a letter to Namibian Sun said it was regrettable that he had not been given the opportunity to respond to Diescho's assertion in the article 'Diescho leaves the country' published on 5 February.

Commenting on Diescho's allegation, Katjavivi stated: “That is not true. I do not engage with partners regarding participants to their conferences. I also do not refer to the president or State House as some sort of leverage on matters.”

Katjavivi also deputed Diescho's claim that he had “gone into exile” in Germany, saying that he understood Diescho would be assisting in the organisation of a conference on Africa to be held in Germany.

“There is no African conference in Germany that I am aware of,” Diescho responded.

Catherine Sasman

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Radio: The theatre of the mind

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Radio: The theatre of the mind Elizabeth Joseph

On 13 February UNESCO celebrated the eight edition of World Radio Day under the theme ‘Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace’.

On this day people around the world celebrate the radio and how it shapes our lives. Radio informs, converts and unites. It brings together people and communities from all backgrounds to nurture positive dialogue for change.

More specifically, radio is the perfect medium to counter the appeals for violence and the spread of conflict, especially in regions potentially more exposed to such realities.

Broadcasts that provide a platform for dialogue and democratic debate about issues, such as migration or violence against women, can help to raise awareness among listeners and inspire understanding for new perspectives in paving the way for positive action. The medium can also be utilised corporately for advertisements as well as announcements.

Radio programming builds tolerance and surpasses the differences separating groups by uniting them under common goals and causes, like ensuring education for one’s children or addressing local health concerns.

In the spirit of celebrating World Radio Day 2019, an event open to the public took place at the College of the Arts (Cota), where a panel discussion was held based on a community vox pop, which highlighted some of the concerns members of the public and radio listeners had. The discussion was moderated by the chairperson of the Namibia Community Broadcasters Network, Levi Katire.

Among the panellists were UNESCO representative Djaffar Moussa-Elkadhum, director of print media affairs in the information ministry Tjiaui Kaambo and a member of the European Union delegation, Ambassador Jana Hybaskova.

A question on how government makes sure there is a fair distribution of radios all over Namibia was answered by Kaambo. He said government has already made sure that radios are distributed.

There are, however, a small amount of villages in the far north as well as in the south that don’t have access to radios, but government has done its part.

“We, as the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, have gone the extra mile to make sure there is access to radio in most of the regions. Other than that, it is up to the broadcasters to make sure that they don’t miss the plot in terms of their coverage,” Kaambo said.

Hybaskova said they need people who are willing to join hands with them to make sure their livestock support project is implemented. Their target market is farmers, mostly in the far north of Namibia. The project aims to inform farmers how to do extension services.

“We need the information to reach farmers, especially in the Kavango East and Kavango West constituencies,” she said.

Editors' Forum of Namibia (EFN) chairperson Joseph Ailonga answered when Hyaskova asked what the levy will be in order for this to become a reality. He said that when an organisation approaches a broadcaster, it is important to look at the financial state of the group and then quote them accordingly, because important information cannot be limited by a lack of funding.

Truekrav hosts GBV talk

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Truekrav hosts GBV talkWomen take a stand against gender-based violence Truekrav Namibia provides combat training, and members receive physical and psychological coaching to survive an attack. Mariselle Stofberg Truekrav Namibia, in cooperation with the Namibian Women’s Society and Kosmos, hosted a gender-based violence (GBV) talk on Thursday at the NG Church in Pioneers Park.

Francois Dames, an instructor at Truekrav Namibia, emphasised the importance of this event by saying every women attending has already taken the first step to stand up and say no to GBV.

“It’s not about just one or two women speaking up about gender-based violence. It’s an entire movement of women saying this is enough.”

“This is not an occurrence only taking place in Windhoek or the northern parts of Namibia. It saddens me to know this is happening across our country,” Dames said.

Truekrav is an independent studio that provides combat training, and members receive physical and psychological coaching to survive an attack.

“I’ve decided to organise this talk to raise awareness on the circumstances in and around Windhoek. I would like to empower the women of this city, and equip them with the tools necessary to physically and mentally prepare them to handle these situations,” Dames said.

“It does not matter how strong, or big or fast your aggressor is. With the right tools and techniques you can overpower any attacker. You can’t always control of what happens, but you can control your reaction, and that is what Truekrav teaches you.”

Dames has worked with many victims of GBV, and has helped them to work through the trauma by empowering them with ways in which they can protect themselves, both physically and mentally.

He works closely with many safe houses, councillors and churches, which can help victims of GBV.

Dames further said that you can protect yourself by empowering yourself with the necessary skills that you can use in any given circumstance.

“Women are strong. You don’t need to become a violent person to protect yourself, because you are strong enough, and with the right skills you will be able to withstand any attacker.

“Men believe women are physically weak and vulnerable, but with Truekrav you learn techniques that don’t necessarily require strength. It promotes emotional intelligence to calmly process a situation before you react,” says Constable Katrina Nomboga of the City Police, who also attended the event. Truekrav has been working closely with the City Police, and hopes this partnership will continue to grow in the future.

CANA Zone IV champs kick off

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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CANA Zone IV champs kick off The Confédération Africaine de Natation (CANA) Zone IV Championships started on 16 February at the Olympia swimming pool in Windhoek. A total of 14 SADC nations with nearly 550 athletes are taking part in the championships, which hosts four disciplines - swimming, open water swimming, water polo and masters swimming. Justicia Shipena



Speaking at the opening ceremony, CANA Zone IV secretary-general and treasurer Shaun Adriaanse said zonal swimming events are crucial and essential for the development of young people.

“Many of our world-renowned swimmers all developed their extraordinary aptitudes and determination at junior level and I am certain some participants competing in the championships will do so,” he said.



Emma Katema-Gaomas, executive director in the sports ministry, said sport is a contributor to youth employment, as well as economic growth, hence the championships present an opportunity for Namibia to showcase its potential so it can attract investments.

Katema-Gaomas added that water sport is perceived to be reserved for a few privileged individuals, but the government would like to see inclusivity, in order to allow all youth to partake in the sport code.

She also urged the athletes to perform to the best of their abilities to soar to greater heights.

“Great people were not born great, they became great by making decisions to pursue their dream in life and by refusing to give up,” she said.

City of Windhoek councillor Teckla Uwanga urged the foreign participants to share in the diverse culture and hospitality of Namibia.

“I hope you take good memories of our hospitality back home when you leave and will someday come back to visit,” she said.

Uwanga said the championships would show there is a lot of talent within the region and beyond. She wished all the athletes the best of luck. The championships are set to conclude tomorrow.

Aussenkehr housing 'a crisis'

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Aussenkehr housing 'a crisis' Urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga has described the housing situation in Aussenkehr as a crisis that must be addressed urgently.

Mushelenga visited the grape farms situated on the banks of the Orange River at the weekend to assess the living conditions of the harvesters.

During his visit he met with grape company managers and local construction companies to discuss the housing crisis at Aussenkehr.

Despite several appeals by the government to grape farm owners to build houses for their workers, most workers still live in reed huts or shacks with poor sanitation and use buckets or the open veld as toilets. “The situation is really a crisis if you look at the structures that people are living in.

“There is an urgent need for houses.

“And I told these companies that they must know these are agricultural workers and the houses must be within their means,” Mushelenga said.

He said he was deeply disappointed at the vandalism of a still non-operational purification plant worth N$8.8 million and two demo houses.

According to him there was no explanation why the purification plant had not been guarded. No security officer was assigned to guard the demo houses that had been built at a cost of N$400 000.

About 7 000 plots have been demarcated at Aussenkehr since 2004, of which 3 000 have been connected to the sewerage system and 250 to water and electricity networks.

Karasburg West constituency councillor Paulus Ephraim agreed that the housing crisis at Aussenkehr was serious.

“We were supposed to build houses a long time ago, but there was a hold-up with an agreement. Nobody wanted to build until that agreement was signed.

“That draft agreement is now in the minister's office and the minister said he would come back to us within seven days,” he said.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Shorter Ondangwa trade fair planned this year

February 18, 2019, 2:00 pm

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Shorter Ondangwa trade fair planned this year ONDANGWA – The ninth edition of the Ondangwa Trade and Industrial Exhibition (OTIE) will take place from 29 April until 4 May this year.

The town’s spokesperson, Petrina Shitalangaho, told Nampa on Sunday they are shortening the event from nine to six days after stakeholders made the request citing the current unfavourable economic situation in the country.

A gala dinner where funds will be raised for the hosting of the show will take place on 2 March at the Ondangwa Trade Fair Hall.

“Last year’s gala dinner raised over N$500 000 in pledges,” Shitalangaho said.

Vice-president Nangolo Mbumba will be the main speaker during the gala dinner, while prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila will officially open the exhibition on 30 April.

Shitalangaho said the purpose of the OTIE is to generate funds to grow and sustain local businesses, including small and medium enterprises.

“It is a platform where the business community and manufacturers can interact and market their products, and also attract investors,” she said.

Some of the new activities planned for this year include go-karting and helicopter flights. - Nampa