Namibian Sun

I will not chase him like a goat - El JesusAmbunda plans assault against Fultan Local pugilist Paulus Ambunda is not fazed by his US opponent's unbeaten streak.

Former world champion Paulus 'El Jesus' Ambunda will take on undefeated rising featherweight boxer Stephen Fulton in a 12-round showdown on 11 May at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia.

Ambunda, who fights out of AC Boxing and Fitness Gym, is set to defend his International Boxing Federating (IBO) Super Bantamweight title against Fulton and says he has plans to end the American's unbeaten run.

“This guy has never gone more than 10 rounds in the ring. I however, have been there too many times. In order to be a great boxer, you should be able to go the long run and to feel the pain,” said Ambunda.

The Namibian further said that Fulton would not come near his body as he was ready for him. “I will not run after him like a goat. I know that he will be running the whole night and I will cut his running,” said Ambunda.

At the age of 38, Ambunda is unstoppable, having beaten Singaporean fighter Muhamad Ridhwan to capture the coveted IBO super bantamweight world title.

He was again meant to cross paths with Ridhwan but the rematch was called off with their international partners RingStar Promotions immediately negotiating for Ambunda to fight Fulton in America.

This will be Ambunda's first time fighting professionally in America. If he steps up once more to show his experience he will add another record to his list of accolades.

The Namibian boasts 27 wins and two losses from 29 fights, whereas the 24-year-old Fulton has a clean record of 15 fights, with seven coming from knockouts. He last fought Marlon Orlea in January.

In an interview with international media Fulton said he was not nervous about the fight.

“I'm laid back and this is not new to him. The world title is new to me, not considering the things I have been through. I'm confident in and out of the ring,” he said.

The two boxers will be the main supporting bout for Jarrett Hurd against Julian Williams. Hurd will be defending his International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Association Super World Super Welterweight Title and IBO titles.

But that's not all to entice Namibian fans because on the same night, Sakaria 'Desert Storm' Lucas, who has been inactive for about a year, will get a chance to exchange leather in Zimbabwe against Ndodana Ncube. Lucas has a clean record 21 fights, all of which he has won with 14 knockouts. His last fight was against South African Tello Dithebe.

His opponent Ncube has seven fights, six wins and one loss and last fought in March against his countryman Emmanuel Chisiya.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Ekunkililo omolwa ompumbwe yoondya

Olopota ompe yoCrop Prospects, Food Security and Drought Situation Report oya holola kombinga yompumbwe yoondya sha landula omuloka gwa nkundipala neteyo itali ka kala ewanawa nuumvo.

Olopota oya holola kutya eteyo lyepungu, iilya niilyaalyaka otali ka kala pevi noonkondo noopresenda dha thika po 53 nuumvo okuyeleka noomvula dha piti.

Olopota oya tsikile kutya nonando egamenenepo lyoondya momagumbo oli li hwepo ngashiingeyi, onkalo okwa tegelelwa yuuke kuuwinayi okuza momwedhi twa taalela.

Omolwa onkalo yoshikukuta ndjoka tayi tsikile, aalimi yomapya okwa tegelelwa yaka mone eteyo lyankundipala nonkalo yuulithilo moshilongo otayi nayipala noonkondo sho iitopolwa oyindji inayi mona omuloka gu li nawa noshilongo.

Iitopolwa unene mbyoka kwa tegelelwa yi ka kale nonkalo yuulithilo ya nayipala nonando oya kala hayi kala hwepo ongaashi Zambezi, Kavango West oshowo Kavango East.

Oolopota oya tsikile kutya eteyo lyepungu miitopolwa ngaashi Zambezi, Kavango East oshowo Kavango West otali ulike eshuno pevi noopresenda dha thika po 79.

Eshuno pevi ndyoka olya etithwa komuloka gwa nkundipala ngoka gwa loko omvula ya piti oshowo moshikako shomuloka shonuumvo oshowo omapuka ngoka ga yonopo iikunwa yomomapya miitopolwa yimwe po.

Eteyo liilya nalyo okwa lopotwa kutya otali kala pevi noopresenda dha thika po 78 omanga iilyaalyaka tayi kala pevi nopresenda dhi li po 75.

Eidhopomo lyepangelo

Olopota oya holola kutya Ombelewa yOmuprima oya gongele ootona dhiilya dha thika po3 799 moompungulilo dhehangano lyoAgro-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA).

Epangelo olya tseyitha woo ooprograma dhekondjitho lyoshikukuta dha nuninwa okugandja omakwatho kaakwashigwana mboka taya gumwa noonkondo koshikukuta. Oprograma ndhoka otadhi kala miilonga pokati kaApilili gwonuumvo sigo oMaalitsa gwo 2020, na omwa kwatelwa egandjo lyomakwatho goondya, omeya, omayambidhidho getulo momalanditho iimuna oshowo omayambidhidho giikulya yiimuna.

Olopota oya holola kutya oprograma ndjoka otayi landula omayambidhidho goondya ngoka ga tulwa miilonga kepangelo miitopolwa ngaashi Omaheke, Erongo, Kunene, Otjozondjupa, Hardap oshowo

//Karas pokati komwedhi Novemba 2018 oshowo Maalitsa 2019.

JEMIMA BEUKES

AaChina ya londothwaOndjahi omolwa edhipago lyOmuNamibia kAaChina Edhipago lyomulumentu omunyasha OmuNamibia ngoka a dhipagwa kaagandji ye yiilonga aakwashigwana yaChina, olya kondemwa nomuthindo kehangano enene lyaaniilonga moshilongo.

Amushanga-ndjai gwehangano lyoNational Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), Job Muniaro, okwa gandja ekunkililo kaanangeshefa aakwashigwana yaChina opo ya lundulule omaihumbato gawo nenge ya thige po oshilongo nenge ya taalele oshigwana shAaNamibia shoka sha loloka omaihumbato gawo gonayi.

Sho a popitha iikundaneki mEtiyali, Muniaro okwa popi kutya aaningi yaaniilonga aapika moNamibia, oya pumbwa okuhulitha po omaihumbato ngoka nokutameka okusimaneka ooveta dhoshilongo.

“Oshikumungu oshoongangala ndhoka hadhi ithanwa AaChina shoka sha holoka moKavango East. Otatu kondema noonkondo oshiningwanima shoka, China mwene oku na egeelo lyeso moshilongo she na otaye ya muka nokudhipaga. Omolwaashoka kutya katu li moChina sho ka ye na uumbanda wokudhipaga? Omuniilonga ina pitikwa okupopya kombinga yomaihumbatelo gonayi piiilonga? Ngele owa popi oto mono oholo. Ngoka omukalo guusatana.”

Muniaro okwa popi kutya omaupyakadhi ngoka Namibia a taalela miikaha yAaChina itaga hulu ngele AaChina inaya kuthwa mo moshilongo nongele ongaaka naya ihumbate nawa.

“Muka omoNamibia kamu shi moChina. Namibia olyAaNamibia. Ito uvu omutungi OmuNamibia a ya koChina e ta yahwa omuniilonga OmuChina ngoka a li ta nyenyeta. Ano oshike shi li po?”

Okwa popi woo kombinga yomaindilo gaaleli yopolotika mboka taya pula opo AaChina yiidhidhimikilwe.

“Aniwa ya simanekeni, omolwashike oshiwanawa? AaChina naya tseye kutya aaniilonga yomoshilongo muka oya loloka,” Muniaro a popi.

Pethimbo lya faathana omukomeho gwoAffirmative Repositioning (AR), Job Amupanda okwa nyana omukalelipo gwaChina moNamibia, Zhang Yiming, omolwa omaihumbato ge getangalalo moNamibia.

Shoka osha landula etokolo lya ningwa kuZhang opo a tume osheendo shaanambelewa AaChina koRundu, sha landula edhipago lyomunamivo 32, Haushiku Muyevu, mEtitatu lya piti.

Aanangeshefa yaali oya tulwa miipandeko omolwa edhipago ndyoka naya holoka mompangu yaMangestrata gwaRundu mEtiyali.

Oya tindilwa omboloha noshipotha shawo osha undulilwa komasiku 22 gaJuli.

Aatamenekwa oya tumbulwa komadhina kutya oXuefeng Chen (29) oshowo Zhenhai Zhou (31) na oya holoka komeho yomupanguli, Sonia Samupofu, taya tamanekelwa oshipotha shedhipago oshowo ekuthomo lyondjembo opamwe niikuti.

Epangelo olya tindi omboloha kutya omakonaakono gopolisi ogeli natango petameko oshowo kutya oshipotha shoka oshinene na oshi li sha landulwa koshigwana.

Natango okwa hololwa uumbanda wegameno lyaatamanekwa mboka ngele oya mangululwa.

Chen oshowo Zhou oya tulwa miipandeko momasiku 17 gaApilili konima sho ya dhipaga Muyevu poAndara.

Muyevu okwa li aniwa a pula ondjambi ye naashoka osha e ta oontamanana.

Amupanda okwa shangele omukanda omukalelipo gwaChina omolwa egameno lye lyAaChina mboka ye li moNamibia, nonando otaya pogola oompango.

Amupanda okwa lombwele omunambelewa ngoka kutya oshigwana itashi ka tegelela we aanapolotika ya katuke oonkatu molwaashoka osha loloka omaihumbato gonayi tya ningwa kAaChina.

MoRundu ongundu hayi ithanwa Muzokumwe Volunteers Organisation oya gandja omukandanyenyeto gwawo kompangu taya holola ongeyo yawo omolwa oshiningwanima shoka.

Omunashipundi gwongundu ndjoka, Paulus Mbangu okwa popi kutya kape na shoka tashi popile aatamanekwa mboka sho ya longo oshimbuluma shoka.

“Edhipago ndyoka olya longekidhwa. Nakusa Haushiku Andreas Muyevu okwa li omusamane, omumwayinamati nomukongi gwomboloto mofamili. Iniilongela okusa momukalo gu li ngaaka fa oshinamwenyo, pwaana ohenda okuza kaadhipagi ye mboka ya e tha a hulithe owala ngaaka pwaahena ekwatho lya sha.”

Omukandanyenyeto gwawo ogwa shainwa kaantu ya thika po 300.

JEMIMA BEUKES & KENYA KAMBOWE

Moz braces for new storm

AccuWeather reports that northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania will be hit by Tropical Storm Kenneth later this afternoon or evening as it moves in from north of Madagascar to the south-eastern African coastline.

Yesterday, Kenneth dropped a lot of rain along Madagascar's northern coastline and into the evening Mayotte and the Comoros received heavy rainfall.

“Mayotte may dodge the worst conditions as the strengthening storm tracks north of the island, bringing 25-75 mm of rainfall and gusty winds. Comoros will endure a longer period of stormy weather as Kenneth may strengthen into a tropical cyclone or intense tropical cyclone, producing 75-150 mm of rainfall and damaging winds. Wind gusts up to 130 km/h will be possible across the islands,” the website reported.

Dangerous seas will batter the islands' coastal locations today.

“Further strengthening is possible into Thursday as the storm approaches the southern coast of Tanzania and northern coast of Mozambique.”

Kenneth could make landfall as early as midday today near the border of Tanzania and Mozambique. If Kenneth tracks slower and has more time to strengthen, landfall may not occur until tonight.

Areas near and just inland of this landfall location will be at risk for flooding rainfall, mudslides and damaging winds.

“Locations from Lindi, Tanzania, to Pemba, Mozambique, are most likely to experience the worst of this storm,” AccuWeather says.

While interaction with land will cause Kenneth to weaken as it slowly drifts inland from the coast, torrential rainfall can still trigger flooding and mudslides for locations such as Masasi and Tunduru in Tanzania and Marrupu and Montepuez in Mozambique.

Kenneth may stall or meander over areas just inland from the coast in northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania this weekend.

Rainfall amounts of 200-300 mm are expected from Wednesday through Sunday. AccuWeather says this “amount of rainfall can result in life-threatening flooding and lead to homes being inundated by floodwaters”. There will also be an elevated risk for mudslides in areas of rugged terrain.

The areas that are most at risk from Kenneth were largely spared from any of former Tropical Cyclone Idai's destruction in March.

Many locations in central Mozambique, including Beira, suffered catastrophic damage and are still trying to rebuild and recover from Tropical Cyclone Idai more than a month after the storm's landfall.

Mozambique was particularly hard hit by Idai. According to the United Nations, more than 1 000 people died in the region and at least 131 600 people are still sheltering in 136 displacement sites. More than three million people were affected by Idai in the sub-region. Hundreds are still missing.

Cholera and malaria took hold with a combined 12 000 cases reported since 27 March.

The UN says the number of school-age children affected has risen to 305 700 with more than 3 340 classrooms destroyed.

– Additional reporting by OCHA/AccuWeather

STAFF REPORTER

Easter crashes decline44 road accidents reported There was a considerable decline in road accidents this past weekend, statistics show.

The number of car crashes on Namibian roads took a drastic nosedive this past Easter weekend compared with previous years.

A total of 44 crashes were reported, compared to 68 in 2018 and 64 in 2017.

Compared to last year however, the total number of fatalities over the 2019 Easter weekend increased by 60%, with eight people who died in accidents compared to five over the same weekend last year.

This is in marked contrast to the 72% decline in fatalities over the Easter weekend between 2017 and 2018.

In 2017, road authorities recorded 18 deaths as a result of car accidents over the Easter weekend compared to five in 2018.

The number of persons who sustained injuries as a result of accidents over the Easter weekend this year totalled 99, compared to 98 last year and 177 in 2017.

The number of accidents over the congested weekend on Namibian roads has seen a steady decline over the past few years, with 81 crashes reported to the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund in 2016, 64 in 2017, 68 in 2018 and 44 this year.

On Friday, Titus Makili (51) died after the vehicle he was in overturned and burst into flames. The police on Tuesday confirmed that the accident occurred on Friday morning around 60 km before Otjiwarongo, after the 49-year-old driver lost control of the double cab in which he was travelling with five others, including Makili, another adult and four children.

The other passengers survived.

On Saturday, Lukas Nambwanga (40), a member of the Namibian Defence Force died when the double-cab he was driving overturned.

Nambwanga's two-year-old son, Olavi Namgwanga, and his partner, Theresia Alfeus (31) also died at the scene of the accident, on a gravel road near Ongwediva.

Three other passengers who had been in the vehicle at the time were admitted to hospital for injuries.

Aupaki Kaemupe (31) died on Saturday after he was run over by a car near Kamanjab.

The driver of the vehicle left the scene.

Kaemupe was admitted to hospital but did not survive. The police continue to investigate and are attempting to locate the hit-and-run driver. Five South Africans sustained slight injuries on Friday, after the Land Cruiser they were travelling in overturned on the gravel road between Maltahöhe and Helmeringshausen.

The Easter weekend was preceded by a multi-stakeholder road safety campaign, the Easter

Public Passenger Transport Campaign, spearheaded by several road safety partners including the police and the MVA Fund in collaboration with transport associations, private sector agencies and volunteers, to clamp down on the number of accidents during the period.

Last week, in a public statement urging motorists to drive safely, MVA Fund's Surihe Gaomas-Guchu, appealed to passengers using public transport to “speak up for their own safety as they risk death or serious injury by condoning bad driving behaviour”.

She said the fund and other stakeholders “remain concerned about the recent upsurge in mass casualties involving public transportation and request all role-players to ensure that lives are not lost this Easter”.

The Easter passenger transport campaign focused not only on increasing road safety awareness to all drivers and motorists, but was particularly focused on passengers dependent on public transport during high traffic periods especially on the national roads.

Nightclub shooting suspects in court

Three suspects appeared before the Rundu Magistrate's Court on Tuesday on charges stemming from a deadly fight at a local nightclub.

The incident claimed the life of Markus Siwarongo Likuranu (26), while others were seriously injured.

Simon Nzamene Ngongo (29), Linus Leonard Neumbo (40), and Moses Mungenyu (33) appeared before Magistrate Sonia Samupofu.

Ngongo, a security guard, faces charges of murder, attempted murder and discharging a firearm in a municipal area.

Neumbo is also accused of discharging a firearm in a municipal area.

Mungenyu faces a charge of attempted murder. He allegedly drove a car into the group of people who were fighting outside the nightclub. Two people sustained serious injuries.

Ngongo and Mungenyu were denied bail. Their cases were postponed to 22 and 25 July respectively.

Neumbo was granted bail of N$4 000 and his case was postponed to 6 June.

Police investigations continue.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Nandi-Ndaitwah motivates budgetInternational relations to get N$941.2m Around 15% is to be used for capital projects including acquiring properties abroad.

The ministry of international relations and cooperation has budgeted a total amount of N$941.2 million for the 2019/20 financial year.

This marks an increase of N$57 million from the 2018/19 financial year budget vote.

Of this money an amount of N$67 million will go towards support services at the ministry headquarters and for the promotion of Namibia's image.

“Our aim is to have the ministry of international relations and cooperation as an institution of excellence. To this end and under this programme, the ministry will appoint nationals with appropriate qualification and experience in the field of diplomacy, to spearhead the establishment of Namibian Diplomatic Academy by the year 2022,” said international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah when she delivered her budget motivation in parliament this week.

She added that the ministry faced challenges in executing its operations and had competing priorities that needed to be implemented with the available resources.

According to her 15% of this budget is earmarked for the development budget and will be used for capital projects at headquarters and at diplomatic missions and posts abroad.

“The ministry's focus will be on acquisition of properties as a priority area, in order to reduce the rental cost which is extremely high in foreign countries, as well as to generate revenue in order to ease pressure on Treasury.

“For example, where possible, space at chanceries will be rented out to generate income. This revenue will then be partly utilised for the operations of our diplomatic missions and posts,” she said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah added that the remaining 85%, or N$796.2 million, would be used for the operational budget and would cover the various programmes of the ministry.

These programmes include regional and bilateral relations and cooperation, for which N$18 million is budgeted.

Through this programme the government promotes bilateral relations and cooperation and promotes trade and investment, tourism and people-to-people contact.

It also covers state, official and working visits, coordinates outbound and hosts inbound joint commissions of cooperation and political and diplomatic consultations.

“In our pursuit of sustained economic growth, our diplomatic missions are tasked to pursue economic diplomacy by, among others, sourcing markets for Namibian products. It is through these mechanisms that the ministry reviews progress and seeks new opportunities to advance effective collaboration and cooperation with our bilateral partners,” Nandi-Ndaitwah explained.

She added that her ministry had budgeted N$109.2 million for multilateral policy coordination, which handles Namibia's participation at various regional and international conferences and meetings, such as the EU Political Dialogue, Non-Aligned Movement Conference, Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, and TICAD.

She explained that as a member of the international community, Namibia continues to participate in the activities and programmes of the United Nations in order to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security, promote respect for human rights, advance justice and international law, and promote multilateralism.

Furthermore, the ministry has budgeted N$14.2million for its protocol and consular programme, which is responsible for state protocol as well as the extension of privileges and immunities to diplomats and members of international and regional organisations.

National events such as Independence Day celebrations, Cassinga and Heroes' Day commemorations and state funerals also fall under this programme.

The ministry has further earmarked N$587 190 for the operational costs of Namibian missions and posts abroad.

According to the minister the money will be used to lease office space, pay for staff accommodation and remuneration, pay school fees and medical costs for staff and their dependents, as well as for maintenance of vehicles and equipment.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Tense standoff at NWRTroubled times between board, suspended MD It appears tension between the NWR MD and the board has been mounting for several months.

The Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) board has appointed Matthias Ngwangwama as the acting managing director following the suspension on Tuesday of Zelna Hengari.

In a brief statement released late on Tuesday, NWR board chairperson Leonard Iipumbu confirmed Hengari's suspension with full pay, on the grounds of a pending disciplinary investigation.

Iipumbu said the board did not “at this stage wish to divulge the nature of the investigations”, which however have widely been linked to a joint venture Hengari signed with Sun Karros. Hengari's was handed the suspension notice, dated the previous Thursday, on Tuesday morning while attending an executive meeting.

Her indefinite suspension was implemented before the start of today's annual general meeting (AGM), where she was set to announce an operational profit based on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation, of close to N$30 million, for 2018, for NWR.

This figure is N$10 million more than the close to N$20 million operational profit recorded for 2017.

Bad feelings

Minutes from a meeting held in mid-April and which was attended by public enterprises minister Leon Jooste and several deputies, indicate a wholesale breakdown in the working relationship between the board and Hengari.

Jooste at the meeting was informed that “of late there had been no trust between the managing director of NWR and her board and that the working relationship between the board and the MD was non-existent”.

The minister was also at the time informed that there were fears expressed that Hengari, if “not charged, she would interfere with the investigation process levelled against her”.

Resolutions following the meeting show the ministry supported Hengari's suspension on two conditions, namely that parallel to the suspension, an early termination of Hengari's contract be negotiated, which is slated to expire in mid-July, and that a disciplinary process be put in motion. Moreover, the meeting concluded to advise NWR to seek “proper legal advice”.

Hengari's suspension follows after Sun Karros Lifestyle Safaris in March brought an urgent application before the High Court after the NWR abruptly terminated a joint-venture (JV) agreement between the two companies.

Papers filed by Sun Karros at court showed the company had invested more than N$43.4 million in the construction of a glamour camping (glamping) resort at Sesriem, one of five to be constructed in terms of the JV that was signed on 11 June 2018. The facility is set to open on 1 July this year. To date, Sun Karros has constructed 20 “glamorous tents, a restaurant, small pool and 10 camp sites at Sesriem”.

The NWR board laid the blame of the agreement's cancellation squarely at Hengari's door, claiming the deal was approved “without the knowledge and authorisation of the board of directors of NWR and the minister of environment and tourism”.

The joint venture was restored following the threat of court action and meetings between the board and Sun Karros.

In the notice of suspension seen by Namibian Sun, Hengari was informed the investigation against her was grounded on allegations of “irregularities or misconduct” linked to the Sun Karros partnership, including allegations that the joint venture was not in line with the provisions of the Public Private Partnership Act, 4 of 2017.

Papers seen by Namibian Sun show that following a meeting between the NWR board and Struwig on 5 April, the parties had agreed to find an “amicable solution to the problems surrounding the glamping agreement”, and that going forward the parties would seek exemption from the finance minister for the joint venture “compliance issues”.

The parties also agreed to “enter into an interim agreement whilst they negotiate the terms of the main agreement, such as term, management agreement, participation percentages and limiting the agreement to Sesriem”. Further, that the agreement be limited to Sesriem and that any further projects to be undertaken are in compliance with applicable legislation.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Nama, Ovaherero provoked by Geingob

The Nama and Ovaherero people have taken offence at a remark made by President Hage Geingob during his State of the Nation address (SONA) last week.

The president had said Germany would not pay reparations to “line the pockets” of individuals.

Contrary to the two communities' statement yesterday, Geingob spoke about genocide and emphasised that should Germany tender an apology, Namibia would have to decide whether it was indeed a sincere apology.

During the SONA Geingob said: “I don't think Germany will give any money, cash. So many people are thinking that it will be cash and 'we will put in my pocket' but it is not the case. They are talking about projects.”

The two communities insist that Geingob deliberately mocked the Nama and Ovaherero case against Germany and accused him of casting aspersions on the integrity of this case by asking who was paying for the appeal.

At a joint media briefing yesterday, Ovaherero Paramount Chief Vekuii Rukoro and Goab Johannes Isaack of the Nama Traditional Leaders Association said they took Geingob's sentiments to be an endorsement of Germany's “no genocide and no reparations” position towards the victims of the 1904-08 Nama and Ovaherero genocide.

“[This] will haunt him to his grave. He said this before, albeit clandestinely, when he fumed in 2017 'what ancestral land are you talking about'. Like an enlisted agent, he literally and faithfully camp gained in favour of the so-called development projects model (sic),” they said.

The group further accused Geingob and his predecessors of deliberately marginalising their communities.

They claimed that had it not been for their resourcefulness, their people would have been sweeping streets to make a living.

“Our ancestral land is dished out to CEOs, ministers and top servants who are not known to have lost land on a wholesale scale. Our ancestral land is sold to Russians and other foreign nationals,” the two traditional leaders said.

They also accused Geingob of lying to the nation that the genocide resolution passed in parliament in 2004 was the result of his discussions with the late Herero paramount chief Kuaima Riruako.

“In fact Geingob never supported the cause of the victim communities to spearhead demands from Germany's admission of guilt for genocide and commitment to reparations. At the time the president was a backbencher in parliament and whatever he mumbled never added up to a paragraph,” they said.

The two also accused Geingob of denying the genocide by using words such as “atrocities” and consistently referring to “so-called genocide” when he addressed the matter.

“The president cannot deny genocide and profess to negotiate on our behalf, or pretend to support our cause. The president comes forward as a scholar yet he struggles with basic understanding of genocide and challenges us to 'bring your scholars' as if we purportedly lack scholarship from amongst our number,” they said.

Presidential press secretary Alfredo Hengari responded that President Geingob cared about unity and an inclusive approach to leadership.

“By throwing wild accusations, the statement ignores maliciously the historic role and continuous efforts of President Geingob in our nation-building projects. It takes a number of serious issues lightly. In light of that we shall consider as to whether we will issue a response or not.”

JEMIMA BEUKES

Namport impresses MasisiBotswana, Namibian presidents visit Walvis Bay harbour President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana, accompanied by Namibian counterpart Hage Geingob, yesterday visited the port of Walvis Bay to inspect Botswana's dry port.

Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi has commended Namibia on its efforts to provide landlocked countries with dry ports.

He was speaking during a visit to the Namibia Ports Authority (Namport) in Walvis Bay yesterday.

He was accompanied by President Hage Geingob, who said they were both on leave and saw fit to visit the port of Walvis Bay yesterday afternoon.

It was Masisi's first visit to the Botswana Dry Port as well as the container terminal on reclaimed land.

“It is an impressive move. We accepted an offer to establish a dry port facility in Walvis Bay and are utilising and optimising the port for this purpose.

I am impressed by the developments happening here because it is not for the good of Namibia alone.”

The visiting president said his country made use of South Africa's Durban harbour in the past because there was no alternative.

“Since the dry port has been operational, the volumes are growing. With enough volume, we'll be able to tap into the new container terminal along with the fuel storage facility.

For some time now we have been transporting fuel through Namibia.

It is in our strategic interest to have options and grow these options.

The opportunity exists even more now and we are calling on the private sector to build it and use it.

It's a very logical move. There is no reason why there should be any differences created by so-called borders.

Look at the San people. They're smarter than us by not recognising the border.”

Namport's N$4 billion container terminal is about 96.5% complete and is expected to be commissioned in August.

The construction of the container terminal started in 2014.

About 20 Namibian engineers are on site every day to check that the terminal is built according to Namport's specifications by the contractor, CHEC.

LEANDREA LOUW

Drought's destructive force

Times are really tough for both commercial and communal farmers. In fact, this silent disaster called drought has been wreaking havoc for several years now thanks to the spatial distribution of rainfall around the regions of our country. Many communal farmers have totally given up hope of any harvest after what can only be described as a brutal mid-season dry spell. In northern Namibia, for instance, the usual sight of lush green grass and mahangu crops has now turned to dust, while animals have been left with no pastures to graze in.

The latest Crop Prospects, Food Security and Drought Situation Report has added to the woes of farmers by painting a grim and horrible picture for local farmers. The report has predicted massive reductions for all crop-producing areas in the expected harvest season, including cereal production, driven largely by the poor rainfall in the last year. The report states that combined cereals such as maize, pearl millet and sorghum production shows that Namibia can expect a reduction in harvest of at least 53% of last season's harvest and over 42% below the average production.

Due to the prevailing drought conditions all major communal crop producing regions and commercial grain-fed cereal crop producers are expecting a massive reduction in the expected harvest, the report highlighted. This is a clear warning of dire food shortages. The damage has been done and the relenting heat wave, which has devastated crops, will continue wreaking havoc. It is against this background that we join the desperate farmers in calling on government to once and for all declare the drought situation a state of emergency, because what we are experiencing now is a terrible national disaster. Our people are reeling under acute drought and the authorities should adopt a proactive attitude and heed the call of struggling farmers, in order to mitigate the impacts caused by the dry-spell.

NCCI divisions deepenMassive defection on the cards The Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry seems to be at risk of splitting.

A deteriorating relationship between the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry secretariat and a group of entrepreneurs in the north is threatening the future of the once united business lobby group.

The clash of heads has been triggered by the apparent non-recognition of the NCCI northern branch by the national secretariat in Windhoek. NCCI president Sven Thieme recently labelled the highly proactive NCCI northern branch under the chairmanship of Tomas Koneka Iindji as illegal.

“NCCI branches operate in towns and not as regional structures or entities. The NCCI is one united organisation that strives at all times to represent Namibia's business community in an efficient and effective manner,” Thieme was quoted as saying.

Namibian Sun now understands that northern business people have passed a vote of no confidence in the NCCI secretariat with plans reportedly afoot to establish an independent lobby group to serve the interests of the northern-based entrepreneurs.

The NCCI secretariat has been accused of not advancing the interests of Namibian businesses. Iindji said it was surprising that Thieme had only realised now that the northern branch was supposedly illegal.

“It is surprising that the NCCI president just realised, when his term expired, that the NCCI northern branch is illegal and I should stress out that it is within that unifying body of NCCI northern branches which put them into power and one wonders what are they talking about but we will meet up at the AGM (Annual General Meeting) slated to take place next month or so,” Iindji said.

“Unfortunately, Thieme, if we follow the constitution of the NCCI to the letter that he so claims to represent, is myopic of the historical realities behind the establishment of NCCI northern branch,” he added.

The NCCI northern branch was established as a representative committee for the northern regions of Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati and Oshikoto following a board decision in 2008.

Business people who spoke to this publication said their interests were better served by the northern branch in its current state.

According to them, the branch had been in existence in its current state for a long time.

“The northern branch started operating a long time ago,” said NCCI northern branch member Gerson Okawu when contacted.

“We do not know what is happening. The northern branch has been giving us assistance for a very long time. I do not have any problems with the branch,” he said.

Business tycoon Banda Shilimela echoed Okawu's sentiments saying: “To my knowledge this was not an Iindji initiative. It has been operating for a very long time. In my own opinion, the northern branch is very conducive in supporting businesses based in the north. The support that the branch gives northern businesses is tremendous and no one can give northern businesses better support.”

Breakaway threats

Thieme encouraged those who are unhappy with the decisions taken by the secretariat to branch out on their own.

“The constitution allows for freedom of association, anyone who wants to create an association is most welcome,” he said.

“If there are people that want to move away, break up, good luck,” he said.

Meanwhile, the NCCI's new CEO, Charity Mwiya, has dispelled concerns that a breakaway by the northern business people from the secretariat was in the offing.

“There is no such thing as a breakaway faction,” Mwiya said.

According to her, the NCCI was improving how it will go about auditing and said those opposed to her leadership felt that they may be exposed by what will be unearthed as the NCCI secretariat makes changes to improve its transparency.

“When it comes to auditing, we cannot have different accounts, the moment I took over we have tried to do things in a transparent manner,” she said.

“The chamber's strength lies in its unity so going forward, the secretariat must be strengthened,” she said.

According to her, there are members within the NCCI who are disgruntled about the changes that are being made.

The NCCI is a lobby group for local businesses and has identified itself as the voice of the Namibian business sector.

OGONE TLHAGE

Public procurement lacks transparency

An independent policy watchdog in Namibia continues to shine a spotlight on the serious troubles crippling Namibia's public procurement system and the body in charge, which has been riddled with lack of transparency and accountability despite the new regime's stated goals of enhancing those qualities.

The latest issue of the Procurement Tracker, an quarterly initiative launched in 2018 by the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) to monitor and track developments and issues within the Namibian public procurement sphere, states that successive reviews of the procurement systems in place and the body managing the processes “suggest a system in trouble and even in turmoil.”

The April Procurement Tracker notes that even though the 2015 public procurement law was meant to usher in a new era of enhanced transparency and accountability around public resources, “it's clear that the levels of transparency witnessed fall far short of the stated intentions of the Public Procurement Act.”

“At the heart of the systemic troubles is the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN), which has not publicly issued any sort of audit or accountability report to date, but which has attracted all the wrong headlines over the last 12 months, painting a picture of an organisation afflicted by severe organisational and management dysfunctions,” IPPR research associate Frederico Links writes in the report.

The Tracker states that an overview of numerous reports on the CPBN have “exposed an agency characterised by non-compliance with rules, lack of internal accountability, a governance culture of secrecy, persistent executive level infighting and institutional paralysis, coupled with perennial understaffing and lack of expertise.”

Referring to finance minister Calle Schlettwein's budget statement in March, Links says the minister “effectively, but understatedly, admitted that the new public procurement system was not functioning as it should.”

Schlettwein noted that “implementation and capacity challenges arose” during the implementation of the procurement system and assured the country that measures would be implemented to improve and enhance the functioning of the system.

The IPPR's Tracker warns that with the Namibian government's announcement of an increase in development spending for the 2019/20 financial year, “dealing with the systemic weaknesses of the public procurement system should now become an overriding priority.”

Links said despite Schlettwein's statement that “the public procurement law and institutional arrangements are in place, creating enhanced objectivity and transparency in the procurement process”, in fact the public procurement system has been shown to “substantially fail the transparency test.”

One by one

The first issue of the Procurement Tracker, published in July 2018, dealt with the implementation of the act.

It stressed the lack of transparency within the public procurement realm “even as the new procurement dispensation was meant to inject greater transparency into public procurement practices.”

The issue noted that “with exemptions and other forms of discretionary decision-making reportedly having become the norm in public procurement since 1 April 2017 and aside from public entities publishing tender notifications in some newspapers, by some estimations, the transparency situation is even worse now than what it was under the old Tender Board of Namibia system.”

No compliance

The launch issue also noted that while the procurement law calls for the implementation of various transparency inducing mechanisms, by July 2018 “such mechanisms are hardly visible across the public sector, such as a reasonably detailed accounting of procurement practices on public entities' websites, through listings and summary reports.”

In July 2018, even the CPBN did not maintain a functional website.

The latest edition notes that to date the practice “hardly seems to have improved”, and while many public entities advertise their public procurement calls in national newspaper, they mostly still do not make such calls available on their websites, in line with legislative requirements.

According to the IPPR's research, the agriculture ministry issued 38 procurement calls between April 2018 and March 2019, which while advertised in newspapers, have not been listed on the ministry's website.

There is still almost no information available publicly on direct procurement activities of state bodies and exempted procurement initiatives, which the IPPR research has shown to “still account for a large proportion of state sector purchasing of goods and services.”

Further, as of March this year, procurement “corruption and waste, and the use of exemptions, continue to undermine government claims of systematic improvements,” the procurement tracker states.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Veteran poet, journalist dies

Namibia's celebrated poet and one of the country’s first black journalists, Mvula Ya Nangolo, has passed on. Ya Nangolo died early this morning at his house. He was 75. Mbeuta Ua-Ndjarakana, the executive director in the ministry of information, confirmed Ya Nangolo’s passing. Ya Nangolo was also a former special advisor to the minister of information. He was born at Oniimwandi on 9 August 1943 grew up in Lüderitz and Windhoek before leaving for exile in 1963. His first collection of poems, 'From Exile', was published in Zambia. 'Thoughts from Exile' was published just after independence.
JEMIMA BEUKES

It's a tough pool - DaviesRugby challenge returns this weekend The coach of the Windhoek Draught Welwitschias, Phil Davies, says they are in a very tough pool ahead of the SuperSport Rugby Challenge at the Hage Geingob Stadium.

The Windhoek Draught Welwitschias and Xerox Golden Lions will meet tomorrow in one of the opening matches of the third edition of the SuperSport Rugby Challenge, which Namibia will use to prepare for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in September.

“We're in a tough pool with the likes of Griquas Bulls and Lions. This is a great opportunity for the players as we are preparing for the World Cup. I'm very excited for the first match,” said Davies.

“With the schedule ahead our goal is to have the team ready and for the rugby-loving nation to come and watch the players as they have done well to be the reigning best in Africa and to successfully qualify for the World Cup,” he added.

The tournament format has changed from previous years, as the competition will this year be split into two sections, North and South, with the top two teams from each section progressing to the semifinals.

To add more flavour to the already diverse venues that will see action, matches will be played at Namibia's home base in Windhoek, while the Zimbabweans, playing in the competition for the first time and featuring in the South Section, will use False Bay Rugby Club in Cape Town as their base for the duration of the tournament.

Defending champions Pumas will spearhead the North Section alongside the Down Touch Griffons, Leopards, Vodacom Blue Bulls, Namibia, Xerox Golden Lions XV, Tafel Lager Griquas and Valke.

The South Section will consist of the Toyota Free State XV, Cell C Sharks XV, SWD Eagles, DHL Western Province, Boland, EP Elephants, Border and Zimbabwe.

Tickets for adults cost N$50 in advance and N$70 at the gate. Tickets for children cost N$10 and N$20 at the gate.

In the opening match today, the Pumas and Blue Bulls will contest it out at 19:00. In Saturday's matches, the Tafel Lager Griquas will play the Valke (14:30)

Toyota Free State will face the Cell C Sharks at 15:00, whereas the Down Touch Griffons and Leopards will play at 16:15.

On Sunday, the Eagles have a date with Western Province at 12:00, while the Boland Cavaliers will play the Elephants at 14:00

The provincial squad for the match includes:

Front row:

Jason Benadie, Andre Rademeyer, Gerhard Thirion, Niel van Muren, Calla Freygang, AJ de Klerk.

Back five:

Ruan Ludick, Mahepisa Tjeriko, Prince Goaseb, Rohan Kitschof, Thomasau Forbes, Max Katjijeko, Leneve Dames (vice-caption).

Halfbacks:

JC Winkler, Eugene Jantjies, PW Steenkamp, Cliven Loubser.

Outside backs:

Chris Arries, Darryl de la Harpe (captain), Jander du Toit, PJ Walters, Oderich Mouton, Chrysander Botha and Macho Prinsloo.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Magic and Tigers face offMatches galore in NPL Some teams are expected to slide deeper into the relegation zone, while the title race can take a different twist this weekend in the MTC Namibia Premier League.

Tura Magic and Tigers will battle it out for three points in the MTC Namibia Premier League at the Sam Nujoma Stadium at 19:00.

Tigers go into the match a confident team after beating Civics 2-0 in their last premier league match and after having secured a place in the final of the Standard Bank Top 8 Cup.

Tura Magic are also a much improved side after beating Eleven Arrows 2-1 last weekend.

It is billed as a top-half-of-the-table clash with plenty of attacking talent on both sides.

Eleven Arrows will host Unam FC at the Kuisebmond Stadium at 19:00, followed by Blue Waters and Orlando Pirates at the same stadium at 21:00.

Young Brazilians will travel all the way from Karasburg to Rundu where they will play against Julinho Sporting FC at 21:00 tonight.

The premier league will continue tomorrow when African Stars will play Okahandja United at the Nau-aib Stadium at 15:00.

A win for Stars would put pressure on rivals Black Africa, who will play against Life Fighters at Otjiwarongo, also at 15:00.

At the moment, only two points separate the two teams with a handful of matches remaining before the end of the season.

The Sunday league matches will start with a match between Eleven Arrows against Orlando Pirates at the Kuisebmond Stadium at 13:00.

Blue Waters' match against Unam FC will follow the Pirates game at 15:00.

Young Brazilians will travel from Rundu to play Tura Magic at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Sunday at 15:00, while Black Africa will host Civics at the same stadium at 17:00.

Black Africa will be hoping to maintain their lead at the top of the table, given that Stars are breathing on their necks as the race for the title intensifies.

Life Fighters will entertain Julinho Sporting at the Mokati Stadium in their second match of the weekend at 15:00.

The Otjiwarongo-based team have top-four ambitions and will be keen to conclude the weekend with a victory.

Okahandja United, who are just a few points away from the drop zone, are also eager to salvage three points against Mighty Gunners at Okahandja on Sunday at 16:00.

The match between Tigers and Citizen FC match will close off an action-packed weekend at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Sunday at 19:00.

JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

Sam Nujoma half-marathon launched

MTC, in collaboration with Athletics Namibia (AN) and the Namibia Sport Commission (NSC), launched the Dr Sam Nujoma Half-marathon in Windhoek yesterday.

The marathon, which did not take place last year, resumes this year and is scheduled to take place on 12 May, starting at Dr Augustinho Neto Park at Ausspannplatz, Windhoek.

According to MTC's corporate affairs manager, John Ekongo, the half-marathon is in honour of founding president Nujoma and this year it coincides with his 90th birthday.

The marathon is open to Namibians as well as international athletes.

As the sole sponsor of the event, MTC this year committed N$139 000 in cash and N$55 717 in kind to the event, which adds up to a total sponsorship of N$194 717.

“As it has been in the past, this gesture forms part of our corporate social responsibility and we are proud to be committed to this cause,” said Ekongo.

Ekongo added that MTC is committed to the development of sport and that the marathon does not just provide an important platform for athletes to compete and test their abilities, but also to honour the founding president.

“The half-marathon is one of the prime events on the athletics calendar in Namibia. The event, named after the founding president, is aimed at honouring him and the disciplined and healthy lifestyle he leads.

“As such the event promotes healthy lifestyles for all Namibians and thus contributes to the efficiency of the Namibian economy and economic development,” said Erwin Naimhwaka, president of AN.

According to Naimhwaka, the event provides an opportunity for national and international athletes to showcase their talents and to prepare for international events.

“Furthermore, the event represents mutual cooperation between corporate and sports in Namibia developing their potential through shared value activities,” added Naimhwaka.

AN urged all energetic and health-conscious athletes to register for the race, and invited more sponsors to come on board.

The event will offer routes of 21 km, 10 km and 5 km, and the organisers promised exciting prizes for the winners.

Runners can register online at www.eventstoday.com.na. Registrations are open until 8 May. Participants should collect their registration numbers on 11 May, a day before the event.

More information on the race is available online at www.athletics-namibia.com.na.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Etopoko moNCCIOshitayi shoNCCI monooli kashi li aniwa pamulandu Ekwatathano kali li nawa pokati kelelo lyehangano lyaanangeshefa moshilongo lyoNamibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry oshowo ongundu yaanangeshefa monooli, otali yi moshipala onakuyiwa yuukumwe mehangano ndyoka.

Onkalo yomananathano netopoko oya etitha etithwa sho ngashiingeyi sho elelo lyoNCCI itali taambako oshitayi shoNCCI shoka tashi longele monooli.

Omupresidende gwoNCCI, Sven Thieme omathimbo ngaka okwa popi kutya oshitayi shehangano ndyoka monooli kohi yomunashipundi, Tomas Koneka Iindji kashi li paveta. “Iitayi yaNCCI ohayi longele moondoolopa ihe hamiitopolwa. NCCI ehangano lya hangana ndyoka tali kalelepo uuwanawa waanangeshefa AaNamibia,” Thieme a popi.

Oshifokudaneki shoNamibian Sun oshuuvu kutya ongundu yaanangeshefa mboka monooli oya ningi omahogololo ngoka taga utha eitongolomo moNCCI nokukala nongundu yawo yiithikamena ndjoka tayi kalelepo uuwanawa waanangeshefa moshitopolwa shoka.

Elelo lyoNCCI olya lundilwa kutya itali kalelepo uuwanawa waanangeshefa yaNamibia, naIindji okwa popi kutya otashi kumitha sho Thieme opo owala a mono ngashiingeyi kutya elelo lyoNCCI monooli kali li paveta.

“Otashi kumitha sho omupresidende gwoNCCI opo owala a mono kutya oshitayi shoNCCI monooli kashili paveta, sho oshikako she tashi thiki pehulilo. Otandi tsu omuthindo mpaka kutya oshitayi shonooli shoka kashi li paveta osho she ya tula koshipundi nomuntu ngashiingeyi oto limbililwa kutya otaya popi shike ihe otatu ka tsakanena kOmutumba gwoKomvula ngoka tagu ningwa momwedhi twa taalela nenge komeho,” Iindji a popi.

Oshitayi shoNCCI monooli osha totwa po onga okomitiye yokukaleapo aanangeshefa miitopolwa ngaashi Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati oshowo Oshikoto sha landula etokolo ndyoka lya ningwa omvula yo 2008.

Aanangeshefa mboka ya ningi oonkundathana noshifokundaneki shika, oya popi kutya uuwanawa wawo owa kalelwa po hwepo koshitayi shoka. Oya popi kutya oshitayi shoka osha kala miilonga uule wethimbo ele.

“Oshitayi shomonooli osha tameke okulonga nale,” Gerson Okawu ngoka e li oshilyo shoshitayi shoNCCI monooli a popi.

“Katu shi shoka tashi popiwa. Oshitayi shomonooli osha kala nokutupa omayambidhidho ethimbo ele ngashiingeyi. Kandi na uupyakadhi wa sha noshitayi shika.” Omunangeshefa Banda Shilimela, naye okwa yi moohapu dha Okawu na okwa gwedha po kutya oshitayi shoka pauyelele mboka e na kashi shi oshiyetwapo shaIindji molwaashoka osha kala miilonga ethimbo ele ngashiingeyi. Okwa popi kutya oshitayi shoka ohashi yambidhidha aanangeshefa monooli, na ke wete pe na gumwe taka vula okugandja eyambidhidho ngaashi ndyoka kaanangeshefa mboka.

Omatilitho gokuthiga po olutu

Thieme okwa tsu omukumo kutya ngoka ina nyanyukilwa omatokolo ngoka taga ningwa kelelo lyehangano, otaya vulu okwiitopolamo nokukala kuyoyene na okwe ya halele ompolo.

“Ekotampango otali gandja emanguluko naangoka a hala okutota po ehangano lye okwa manguluka.” Omunambelewa Omukuluntuwiliki gwoNCCI, Charity Mwiya, tindi omapopyo getopoko ko kehangano koshitayi shomonooli.

'Kape na etopoko'

Pahapu dhe okwati, NCCI ota lundulula nkene e na okuninga omakonakono gelongitho lyiiyemo naamboka yeli ompinge nelelo lye, oye wete kutya otaku ka hololwa iilonga yawo polweela sho elelo lyoNCCI tali kambadhala okweeta puuyelele iilonga yehangano ndyoka.

“Ngele tashi ya komayalulo itatu vulu okukala nomayalulo goombaanga ga yooloka. Sho nda yi koshipundi otwa kambadhala okuninga iinima polweela.”

Okwa tsikile kuya ope na iilyo yimwe mboka inayi pandula omalunduluko ngoka taga ningwa mehangano.

NCCI ongundu ya kalela po aanangeshefa yomoshilongo na ohayi iyithana kutya ewi lyaanangeshefa yaNamibia.

OGONE TLHAGE

Iiponga mehuliloshiwike lyapaasa ya shuna pevi

Omwaalu gwiiponga yomoondjila mbyoka ya lopotwa pethimbo lyehuliloshiwike ele lyapaasa, ogwa shuna pevi okuyeleka noomvula dha piti pethimbo lya faathana. Iiponga yi li 44 oya lopotwa pethimbo ndyoka okuyeleka niiponga yi li 68 ya lopotwa mo 2018 oshowo 64 ya lopotwa momvula yo 2017.

Noonando ongaaka omwaalu gwaantu ya hulithile miiponga ogwa londa pombanda okuyelele nomwaalu gwaantu ya hulithile miiponga ya holoka omvula ya piti mopaasa.

Nuumvo aantu yahetatu oya hulithila miiponga mbyoka omanga omvula ya piti mwa hulithila aantu yatano.

Omwaalu ngoka oga kalela po eshuno pevi lyomaso gaantu ya hulithile miiponga mbyoka pokati komvula yo 2017 no 2018.

Momvula yo 2017 omalelo goondjila oga lopota omaso ge li po 18 onga oshizemo shiiponga yomoondjila mehuliloshiwike lyapaasa, okuyeleka nomaso gatano ngoka ga lopotwa omvula ya piti.

Omwaalu gwaantu mboka yeehamekelwa miiponga mopaasa nuumvo ogu li paantu 99 omanga omvula ya piti kwa lopotwa aantu 98 momvula yo 2017 okwa lopotwa aantu yeli pe 177.

Omwaalu gwiiponga ya holoka pethimbo lyopaasa nuumvo okwa dhidhilikwa gwa shuna pevi okuyeleka niiponga mbyoka ya holoka muule woomvula ntano dha piti, nehangano lyoMotor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund olya lopota iiponga yi li 81 momvula yo 2016, 64 mo 2017, 68 mo 2018 oshowo 44 nuumvo.

Metitano, Titus Makili (51) okwa hulitha konima sho oshiyenditho she sha gu nokugalangata na osha yaka omulilo. Opolisi mEtiyali oya holola kutya oshiponga osha ningilwa oshinano shookilometab 60 okuya mOtjiwarongo, konima sho omunamimvo 49 a nyengwa okukondolola oshiyenditho moka mwa li Makili nayakwawo yalwe yatano mwa kwatelwa omukuluntu oshowo aanona yane.

Aafaalelwa yalwe oya hupu moshiponga shoka.

Molyomakaya, Lukas Nambwanga (40), oshilyo shoNamibian Defence Force osha hulitha sho ohauto yiikoto iyali ndjoka a li ta hingi ya gu. Nambwanga, okamona kokamati koomvula mbali, Olavi Namgwanga, oshowo kuume ke, Theresia Alfeus (31) oya hulithile woo moshiponga shoka sha ningilwa mondjila yomamanya popepi nOngwediva. Aafaalelwa yalwe yatatu mboka ya li mohauto pethimbo lyoshiponga oya taambelwa moshipangelo sho ya ehamekelwa moshiponga.

Aupaki Kaemupe (31) okwa hulitha mOlyomakaya konima sho a lyatwa kohauto popepi noKamanjab.

Kaemupe okwa taambelwa moshipangelo ihe ina hupa, opolisi otayi konaakona nokukonga nakuhinga ohauto ndjoka ye mu pumu.

Aakwashigwana yaSouth Afrika yatano oya ehamekwa kashona sho ohauto moka ya li ya gu kondjila yomamanya pokati kaMaltahöhe oshowo Helmeringshausen mEtitano. Ehuliloshiwike lyapaasa olya tetekelwa kehwahwameko enene lyegameno lyomoondjila, tali ithanwa Easter. Public Passenger Transport Campaign, ndyoka lya ningwa kaakuthimbinga ya yooloka mwakwatelwa opolisi, MVA Fund omangano gomalweendo, omahangano gopaumwene naakuthimbinga.

Ehwahwameko ndyoka olya nuninwa okuya moshipala iiponga yomoondjila. Momukanda gwiikundaneki moka a pula aahingi ya hinge nawa, omunambelewa gwoMVA Fund, Surihe Gaomas-Guchu, okwa pula aafaalelwa miiyenditho yaayehe ya popye omolwa egameno lyawo molwaashoka oye li moshiponga sheso nenge ehameko uuna taya idhidhimikile okuhingwa okuwinayi.

Okwa popi kutya ehangano lyawo oli li momalimbililo omolwa ekanitho lyoomwenyo odhindji oshowo omayehameko omolwa iiponga tayi ningwa kiiyenditho yomalweendo gaayehe.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Counting the cost of theftStaff fingered in criminal activities Business owners in the Northern Industrial Area are fed up with frequent break-ins as well as shoplifting.

Windhoek's Northern Industrial Area may be the best place to source a range of goods during business hours, but at night the area becomes a crime hotspot, according to business owners.

They complain of frequent break-ins, as well as shoplifting.

Linda Kruger, who runs a shop selling cleaning materials, says she has noticed a spike in crime in the area, particularly over the Easter weekend.

“These past weeks have been absolute chaos. The Northern Industrial Area has been a hotbed of crime recently. The theft that occurs at my business as far as I can tell has been brazen and I refuse to implicate any of my staff members,” she said.

Kruger, whose business is located across from the police garage, says not even the police presence deters thieves.

“Right through the night it is busy, they are not even afraid of the police presence in the area. I don't like it anymore, I am fed up,” she says.

Kruger says the constant vigilance distracts her attention from other aspects of her business.

“I have to constantly check the cameras. It takes my time away from focusing on other critical matters. I look at my cameras the whole time. It costs us time and money that could have been deployed elsewhere,” she says.

Over at the Fresh Produce Market, manager Jandré Cornelissen says shoplifting and other thefts have a large impact on their bottom line. After a recent burglary, Cornelissen had to fork out N$30 000 to replace security equipment.

“We have incidents where staff members eat loose items in the shop. Those items cost money and we have to package our produce just to avoid this.

“The wrapping costs money and it adds to the price that customers have to pay. Sometimes staff members also eat items in the name of so-called quality checks. This affects us,” he says.

“We had to replace our security system recently. We suffered a break-in and this is expected to cost us a lot, certainly close to N$30 000 just to replace the security system and this has a huge impact. If we claim from the insurance it just affects our premiums,” he said.

Carmen Bester, the financial manager at Swachrome, says that business also suffers financially because of theft. Ben van Niekerk, who runs a bakery in the area, feels that owners must introduce measures to guard against theft.

“It is the responsibility of all business owners to create a healthy, secure and controlled environment within their businesses to ensure that these issues are managed.

“Theft takes place anywhere in world. Owners who underpay their staff and lack in control systems will have more of these issues than others,” Van Niekerk says.

OGONE TLHAGE