Namibian Sun

Namibia to share prison lessonsTrailblazing human rights reforms Namibia has made good strides, with international help, to reform its prisons.

Namibian Correctional Service (NCS) commissioner-general Raphael Tuhafeni Hamunyela will be among hundreds of delegates from all over the world meeting in Vienna this week to participate in meetings and events related to the 28th session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ).

Every year, UN member states meet in Vienna and agree on resolutions to guide work related to different issues that include new trends in cybercrime, corruption, money laundering, human trafficking, organised crime and other threats.

With financial support from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Hamunyela will become the first NCS commissioner-general to attend.

He is scheduled to speak at three side events related to health in prisons and the revised UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.

Hamunyela said last week he is grateful for the opportunity to be on a global platform to tell “Namibia's good story” in this regard.

In 2016, Namibia became the first SADC member state to develop and launch a health policy and strategic plan for the NCS. Since then, other African countries have been turning to Namibia for technical support in developing their own guidelines.

He stressed that upholding the human rights and dignity of people in incarceration was the key to successful reform.

“Unless an inmate feels safe and is treated humanely, all efforts towards rehabilitation and reintegration will fail. To achieve that, we need to do things differently,” the commissioner-general said.

He stressed that the NCS was committed to providing exceptional correctional services that empower offenders to effectively reintegrate into society as law-abiding citizens.

Hamunyela said facilities that accommodate inmates should not be places of punishment.

“While inmates are in our facilities, we connect them to their families and communities so that when they are released they can readily follow post-release programmes for successful reintegration,” he explained.

The NCS is implementing the prisoner rehabilitation component of the UNODC through the Doha Global Programme, which is financially supported by the State of Qatar.

While doing time in correctional facilities, some inmates acquire useful skills. Once they leave, the NGO helps them find suitable employment and access health-related services.

In Namibia, after an initial assessment mission undertaken in 2018, the UNODC identified - jointly with the NCS - three projects in Windhoek, Gobabis and Walvis Bay. In Walvis Bay, the NCS already had a card-making project for inmates, so the UNODC rendered technical support and provided two laptops, a silhouette machine, two printers and other raw materials in February.

Additionally, the UNODC is helping to set up a soap manufacturing project at the Windhoek Correctional Facility.

Also in Namibia, the UNODC is helping the NCS to set up a hydroponics project to grow vegetables in Gobabis.

The Gobabis project is expected to produce vegetables that can be consumed by inmates to boost nutrition or they can be sold to the public.

*Moses Magadza is a communications officer for the UNODC regional office for southern Africa.

Moses Magadza

Kunene's Sida Di/Goan initiative lauded

President Hage Geingob expressed delight with the Sida Di/Goan initiative, which specialises in repairing the broken chairs, tables and beds of schools in the Kunene Region.

The initiative, which was founded by the governor of Kunene Marius Sheya in December 2018 and translates to 'Our Children, Our Responsibility' from Khoekhoegowab, was on Friday officially launched by Geingob at Kamanjab.

Geingob, during the launch, said the initiative is extraordinary as it cuts on the costs of purchasing new items, which are usually expensive and that the replication of this initiative in the other 13 regions is an absolute must and should be spearheaded by each regional governor.

“It is a worthy emulating example. It only needs human resources for labour,” he said, referring to the 14 volunteers who carry out the repairs.

On his part, Sheya announced that the programme has so far repaired a total of 2 000 school tables, 2 000 chairs and 216 beds for hostel dwellers, which were all broken and discarded at different school yards in Kamanjab.

Education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa at the same event vowed to set aside a budget for this programme in each region going forward.

She said the challenge of broken chairs, desks and beds for hostel dwellers is an eyesore at most of the government schools, and therefore, repairing them with volunteers without going on tender would be the way forward.

At the same event, the Chinese ambassador to Namibia, Zhang Yiming pledged a donation of 40 000 schoolbags to be given for free to different schools across the country.

Yiming said the Chinese government made N$100 000 available this year towards the Sida

Di/Goan initiative.

“Before September this year, we from the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation plan to raise funds from ordinary Chinese online, so that we can use the money to buy and donate 40 000 fully equipped panda pack schoolbags to learners in Namibia,” he said.

Yiming also said his government strongly believes that the future of any country lies in the hands of the young people, therefore, Yiming expressed his wish to see all school-going Namibians carry their books and other learning tools in secure schoolbags.

The fisheries minister Bernhardt Esau also handed over a total of 1 387 new school mattresses to the school hostel dwellers in the Kunene Region in order to support the initiative.

The mattresses were purchased by the Namibia Fish Consumption Promotion Trust in collaboration with the ministry at a cost of over N$478 000.

The trust also donated 12 new computers to the Kunene Region's directorate of education, worth over N$221 000.

Esau commended the Sida

Di/Goan initiative, saying it is a gesture of commitment towards education for all in the country.

Lingua marketing day a huge successA time to innovate, learn and have fun! International Training College Lingua recently held its annual marketing day, where students manned various stalls in order to enhance their entrepreneurial skills.

Evany van Wyk

On 16 May, the annual International Training College Lingua marketing day was held at the main campus in Windhoek.

This day is held to hone the entrepreneurial skills of the students and expose them to the practical side of the theory they are taught in class.

Both the travel and tourism and business department students took part in this event, as they all do marketing courses.

Holly Tshuma from the travel and tourism department and Braveman Mpafa from the business school were the two coordinators for the event.

“If the students gain this experience, they don’t have to walk out of college and work for someone else. They can create job opportunities for themselves and also for other people,” said Tshuma.

About 100 students got the opportunity to prove that they had been listening in class, when they were given the task of opening their own small businesses in the form of stalls.

The students were divided into different groups and each group consisted of seven members. Sabina Kapenda, one of the participating students, gave The Zone her opinion on the day.

“We’re all really having an amazing day. We are experiencing a part of the real business world and we are learning how to deal with the problems that might pop up,” Kapenda said. Her group’s stall sold a wide variety of foods.

The one thing that stood out at the event was the excitement that each of the students as well as customers showed. There was music and dancing and the students really put in the hard work. According to Albe Jacobs, who came to support her boyfriend’s stall, she had no regrets about attending the event.

“I really am enjoying myself,” Jacobs said at the time.

She added the fact that she was surrounded by her peers, and the event was informal, were what made it such a blast.

The students invested their own money in the stalls and put in the hard work to ensure they made a profit. Some of the students went all out with decorations and coordinating outfits to make their stalls more attractive. “The students did very well. Some of them came in quite early to set up their stalls, which really shows their dedication and commitment,” said Tshuma.

She added that the marketing day definitely has a fun element to it and that’s why students are so invested in the event.

Various lecturers visited the stalls and graded the students based on a number of factors. Students will also be required to submit business reports in class, in which they explain how they ran their businesses. One thing is for sure, the Lingua students will be more than prepared for the real business world once they graduate.

A competitive cultureFNB Classic Clashes continue to exhilarate The official launch of the 12th edition of the FNB Classic Clashes was hosted at the Windhoek Technical High School sports field on 18 May, where the first game was also played between HTS and Grootfontein Agri College.

Ester Kamati

FNB Classic Clashes was established in 2008 by First National Bank (FNB) of Namibia as an initiative to give scholars a platform to socialise and have fun, as well as showcase their skills in various sport codes, including soccer and netball. The fun element was evident as Hozala Marketing kept the energy high and excited the crowd with dance performances, as well as T-shirt and cash giveaways, courtesy of FNB, at the launch.

Ronelle Bezuidenhout, the head of department for science and sports at HTS, said sport teaches us to except defeat and also celebrate victory. She quoted Jesse Owens by saying: “Friendships born on the field of athletic strife are the real gold of competition.”

Joel Mathews, the chairperson of the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC, who read a speech on behalf of sports minister Erastus Uutoni, thanked FNB for their continuity and consistency in terms of the project.

“It is indeed encouraging to see that our banking sector continues to contribute vastly towards sport development and this is commendable,” he said.

He added that the FNB Classic Clashes will continue to enjoy the support of the sports ministry.

“It is through sports like this that we will be able to spot the next generation of Frankie Fredericks’ and Hilaria Johannes’.

Grootfontein Agri College coach Jean-Pierre Botha said before the rugby game that he was confident in his team, even though he knows that HTS is a force to be reckoned with.

Grootfontein Agri College are taking part in the Classic Clashes for the first time this year and showed pure skill and drive, which saw them record a 25-15 victory.

“You should be grateful for the opportunity you got to compete with other schools in a way that you get to learn from your mistakes,” said reigning Miss HTS, Mirjam Matheus.

She added that losing does not make one less valuable.

Gordon Pokolo, the manager for sponsorships and promotions at FNB, highlighted that the FNB Classic Clashes grew from seven participating teams in the first year to 42 schools from across the country this year, through keeping the element of sports rivalry alive between the schools.

The enjoyment of the kids and giving them the platform for them to showcase their talents are what Pokolo mentioned as his biggest pride when it comes to the tournament.

He also advocated for good sportsmanship between the teams and simply for them to enjoy themselves throughout the tourney.

Trucker recalls terrible crash

Six people, including a five-year-old girl, died in an accident on the B1 road between Otjiwarongo and Okahandja on Sunday afternoon.

According to the spokesperson of the Namibian police, Deputy Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi, the accident occurred about 70 km from Otjiwarongo on the Okahandja road at 13:49 on Sunday.

It is alleged that a Toyota Corolla collided head-on with a truck, killing all six occupants.

“There were five adult males and one minor travelling in the sedan vehicle,” Kanguatjivi said.

He said the Toyota was travelling from the direction of Otjiwarongo, while the truck was heading in the opposite direction.

The 37-year-old truck driver, who was alone, escaped the accident unhurt. “According to the driver of the truck, Lazarus Ndeuyepa, he was driving straight when he suddenly saw the Corolla in his lane with smoke coming out under it.”

Kanguatjivi said that according to Ndeuyepa, he tried to avoid the collision by moving to the left side of the road, but the Corolla crashed into his truck.

Four of the deceased have been identified as Johannes Natangwe, 56, Sakeus Natangwe Kapadhi, 20, Simon Senale Amadhila, 39 and the five-year-old Emvula Frieda Naango.

The other two males aged 55 and 56-years-old respectively have not yet been identified.

Police investigations into the cause of the accident continue.

ELLANIE SMIT

Nakuumba still open to Angolan land deal

Local businessman Titus Nakuumba says he is still open to negotiating with government for the purchase of his land situated in Luanda's Polo Industrial Area.

Government, through the ministry of industrialisation, had intended to pay the property developer N$117 million for his land in Viana, which consists of a plot measuring 14 000 square metres and mini buildings on 20 000 square metres.

Finance minister Calle Schlettwein asked the industrialisation ministry to abandon the property deal in June last year, saying no treasury approval was granted. According to him, procurement rules were also not followed.

The N$117 million deal would have included N$52 million for insurance cover. Government intended to create a business park consisting of offices, workshops, housing units and warehouses.

Nakuumba said this week that he was open to further engagements with government and said he was willing to conclude a deal that would be mutually beneficial to both parties.

“They asked for four years to pay off, I agreed. We can even give government eight or 10 years to pay off,” Nakuumba said.

He would not be drawn into answering whether the deal had completely been cancelled by government.

“We are willing to meet government if they are serious about this. Perhaps our brothers and sisters can find a place to trade their Namibian produce, as opposed to the current way of doing business in Angola of paying a year of rent upfront,” he said.

“The property is fit and ready for the purpose they want and this is confirmed also by the multi-ministry representatives that visited the property for evaluation.”

A high-ranking official in the industrialisation ministry said this week that government's intention to buy huge tracts of land as well as a building in neighbouring Angola would have resulted in a monumental flop.

The official made the comments when asked whether the ministry would in future revisit the Angolan land deal if the country's financial situation improves.

“The deal had to be called off. What will we do by investing that much money, to sell what in Angola?” the official, who preferred anonymity, said.

“We cannot invest so much, to sell what in the bundus? Officials were not informed of the deal.”

The official also likened the Angolan land deal to the acquisition of the Business and Intellectual Authority (Bipa) head office in Wanaheda, for which it paid an arm and a leg for.

According to the official, because Schlettwein had been both trade permanent secretary and deputy finance minister, he was aware that the Angolan land deal was not be feasible.

OGONE TLHAGE

Rundu water warThousands without water for days Illegal settlers on council land claimed that the suspension of water provision was putting their lives at risk.

Thousands of Tumweneni informal settlement residents, who are illegally occupying Rundu town council land, have had their water supply restored, after complaining that their lives were being put at risk.

This was after they were deprived of water for five days at the behest of the town council.

NamWater fills up the community's 10 000-litre water tank about three times a week at a cost of N$375 per trip and has been doing so since January. Two weeks ago, NamWater stopped supplying water to the informal settlement situated on the outskirts of Rundu. About 700 households have settled there since July last year.

Acting Rundu CEO Sikongo Haihambo had informed NamWater that it was not within the parastatal's mandate to supply water directly to Tumweneni, as the occupied land is within the town council's boundaries. However, last Wednesday evening at around 19:00 NamWater's regional head for the two Kavango regions, Johannes Muremi, escorted a water truck to Tumweneni to restore the community's water supply. This was done without prior payment. NamWater spokesperson Hieronymus Goraseb said the water supply was restored after they investigated the matter.

Goraseb said no prior discontinuation notice was issued to the community. It was also alleged that the area is not within the town's boundaries and that the community has no alternative source of water.

“The supply of water to the community on the outskirts of Rundu was discontinued at the request of the Rundu town council, on the assumption that the community is within the Rundu townlands,” Goraseb said. “However, the affected community complained about the suspension of their water supply, indicating that they received no notice of suspension, and that they are living outside the boundaries of Rundu and that there is no provision of water to them from any other source but through the NamWater tankers, and that this suspension would be putting their lives at risk.”

Goraseb said NamWater then investigated the matter and resolved to resume the affected community's water supply, until such time that due process is followed and completed, which would resolve the issue properly. Haihambo said he is not aware of the latest developments.

“I don't know what NamWater is doing. I have taken note of it and will follow it up,” Haihambo said.

He also gave the council's version of the saga last week, before the water supply was restored.

He said he had engaged with NamWater based on the fact that it was not in the mandate of the state-owned enterprise (SOE) to sell water directly to residents living on townland, without going through the council. Haihambo said the council is mindful of the fact that some of these services are very basic, but it had to strike a balance between maintaining order and fuelling lawlessness.

“The supply of water has not been facilitated through us, so every SOE and local authority has their respective mandate,” he said.

Haihambo said he became aware of NamWater directly supplying Tumweneni a few weeks ago.

“On my side it was just a few weeks ago; I have been seeing a tank there, but I did not know who was supplying it with water, assuming that it was individuals, but when I realised that it was the SOE, I then communicated with their regional office,” he said. Haihambo said what was needed was a coordinated approach towards service delivery, because they do not want to have conflicting outcomes. Haihambo said they will have a meeting with the Tumweneni informal settlement committee in the course of this week.

“As we speak we are looking at interacting with the committee. We are looking at having a meeting with them. As to whether the meeting will turn out fruitful, it is very difficult to tell. It is going to depend on the willingness of the parties to have sober minds and to listen to each other and be law-abiding,” Haihambo said.

The community indicated they moved to Rundu in search of job opportunities. Some indicated they were born and bred in Rundu and have been applying for land since 2002. They further explained that some of them have secured labourer jobs, but cannot afford to pay the exorbitant rental prices in town.

“They call it illegal land grabbing, but we see it as looking for shelter.”

KENYA KAMBOWE

You can’t Photoshop feelings Pull out quote: “The only certainty is uncertainty and yet we are not navigating this frailty successfully or sustainably.” Justicia Shipena

I came across a man at a workshop I attended and he said to me: "Write what you are feeling. Tell the truth. Write like nobody's reading."

And just like that I was invited to show up authentically to my pain. It was a simple act, but nothing short of a revolution for me. It was this revolution that started in this blank notebook that shaped my life’s work.

The secret, silent correspondence with myself. Like a gymnast I started to move beyond the rigidity of denial into what I have now come to call emotional agility. Life's beauty is inseparable from its fragility. We are young until we are not. We walk down the streets sexy until one day we realise that we are unseen.

We nag our children and one day realise that there is silence where that child once was, who is now making his or her way in the world. We are healthy until diagnosis brings us to our knees. The only certainty is uncertainty and yet we are not navigating this frailty successfully or sustainably.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) tells us that depression is now the single leading cause of disability globally, outstripping cancer and heart disease. At a time of greater complexity and unprecedented technological, political and economic change, we are seeing how, more and more, people are tending to lockdown into rigid responses to their emotions.

On the one hand we might obsessively brood on our feelings - getting stuck inside our heads. Hocked on being right or victimised by our newsfeed. On the other hand we might bottle our emotions, pushing them aside and permitting only those emotions deemed legitimate.

Many of us either judge ourselves for having so-called ‘bad emotions’ like sadness, anger or even grief, or actively try to push aside these feelings. We do this not only to ourselves but also to the people we love; we may inadvertently shame them out of emotions seen as negative, jump to solutions and fail to help them to see these emotions as inherently valuable.

Normal, natural emotions are now seen as good or bad. However, being positive has become a new form of moral correctness. People with cancer are automatically told to just stay positive. Women are told to stop being so angry and the list goes on. It's a tyranny. It's a tyranny of positivity and it's cruel, unkind and ineffective. We do it to ourselves and we do it to others.

If there is one common feature of brooding, bottling or false positivity, it’s this: They are all rigid responses. If there is a single lesson we can learn from the inevitable fall of apartheid, it is that rigid denial doesn’t work.

It’s unsustainable for individuals, family and societies. As we watch the ice caps melt, it is unsustainable for our planet. When emotions are pushed aside or ignored, they get stronger. You might think you’re in control of unwanted emotions when you ignore them, but in fact they control you.

Internal pain always comes out. Always. Who pays the price? We do. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-happiness. I like being happy; I’m a pretty happy person. But when we push aside normal emotions to embrace false positivity, we lose our capacity to develop skills to deal with the world as it is, not as we wish it to be.

I have had many people telling me what they don’t want to feel. They say things like: “I don’t want to try because I don’t want to feel disappointed.” Or: “I just want this feeling to go away.”

“I understand,” I say to them, but you have dead people’s goals. Only dead people never get unwanted or inconvenienced by their feelings. Only dead people never get stressed, never get their hearts broken and never experience the disappointment that comes with failure.

Tough emotions are part of our contract with life. You don’t get to have a meaningful career or raise a family, or leave the world a better place, without stress and discomfort. Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life.

Taking collective responsibility

It is indeed encouraging to see Namibians in general expressing their support and speaking out in defence of sexual assault survivors. Stigma can compound the pain of sexual assault victims and it is extremely difficult for many of them to come forward and share their ordeals. In most cases, victims are shamed and to some extent are blamed by society. However, this is fast becoming a thing of the past, thanks to Namibia's #MeToo movement, which was recently launched to provide a host of specialist support services to survivors, including legal and psychological support. This is a positive step in the right direction. By 8 May, as a result of the formation of the alliance, seven cases of rape were being investigated by the police, stemming from the more than 200 stories of sexual assault shared on social media. It must be said that a day hardly goes without a woman or child becoming a victim of rape in Namibia. Sexual assaults on our women and children are real and pervasive in our society. It is sad that women are often rendered voiceless when it comes to their experiences of sexual crimes, given the horrifying culture of fear and intimidation still prevailing in our communities. Violence against women is a dark stain on our reputation as a nation. We need to agree that the fight against abuse cannot be left to law-enforcement officials only. Men, in particular, must be actively involved and be part of the solution to help the country’s crime-fighters tackle sexual offences against women and children. The #MeToo movement is just one of many initiatives that are needed to fight this terrible scourge. Collective responsibility is required in order for sexual abuse to be eradicated from society; hence the need to roll out campaigns that will be effective in not only teaching men and boys how to respect women, but also foster a culture in our society that is clear in its condemnation of sexual crimes.

Live for the moments, not the milestonesLaughter is the best medicine for Unam’s top medical student Carla van Zyl, the top medical student at Unam for 2018, believes in hard work and taking time to celebrate the moments in life others tend to forget.

Mariselle Stofberg

Carla van Zyl is the top medical student from the class of 2018 at the University of Namibia (Unam).

This motivated, driven and passionate student has worked hard throughout her studies and recently graduated from Unam.

Van Zyl was born on 7 July 1994 in Windhoek. She matriculated from Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaatskool in 2012 and went on to study medicine at Unam the following year.

“Unlike many others, I struggled to decide what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I tore ligaments in my knee in 2011 and that sparked my interest in medicine. By accident I stumbled across the career that chose me instead of me choosing a career,” she said.

Van Zyl believes hard work is the only way to achieve your dreams. “I worked hard every day during my studies to make a success of them. I would never have been able to reach my dreams without the support of the people in my life.”

It was the support she received from her loved ones that helped her during all the long nights of studying and hard work.

“There was always someone who would bring me coffee, help to call me awake at 03:00 in the morning to continue studying or working, provide a shoulder to cry on, motivate me and encourage me to never give up.”

Laughter was definitely the best medicine for this aspiring doctor to manage the stress during her studies. “When things get rough I take a day off and spend that with my friends and loved ones. Laughing with them and just enjoying their stories helps me when things get too much.”

Apart from spending time with her loved ones, Van Zyl enjoys DIY projects and being creative in her free time. “I love creating something beautiful. I also enjoy reading and can easily finish a book in one day.”

Namibian ophthalmologist, Dr Helena Ndaipovanhu Ndume has always been one of her biggest inspirations.

“As a Namibian female she has made an enormous impact in the medical field which used to be very male-dominated. She proved to people that everyone is equal and that success is not determined by your gender, but rather your determination and hard work.”

Van Zyl is still waiting to start with her two-year internship at a state hospital, which is a requirement for medical students after completing their studies.

“We are still waiting for the positions to open up to allow us to start at the hospitals where we’re placed.”

Van Zyl encourages young people to pursue a career that they are really passionate about. “Never allow others to determine your career choices, because you need to do this for the rest of your life. This is the one decision where you are allowed to be selfish.”

She further wants to encourage prospective students to use every second you are given while at university and also to use the opportunity to make friends. “These friends will help and support you throughout your studies, because no one else will really understand the challenges you are facing better than your fellow students. You can cry and laugh together and with them you can face the workload and achieve success.

“Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of moments. This quote by Rose Kennedy is the motto I try to follow every day. I live for the moments, not just the end goal or dream. These moments are linked to your goals and make life special,” she added.

Fun facts about Carla

· She sees herself as a ‘kaalvoet plaaskind’ and the first thing she does at home is take off her shoes.

· She loves sport and participated in every type of sport available and even played national hockey while in school.

· She’s very loyal and believes in high school sweethearts and has been in a relationship with her sweetheart for seven years.

· She believes coffee should never be wasted and drinks hers dark and bitter.

· She’s a very neat and organised person, except when it comes to her closet.

Family pained by undignified burial

The family of the 78-year-old man, who was initially suspected to have died of Congo fever, have held a memorial service for him at his homestead at Onethika B near Ontananga in the Oshikoto Region.

Elifa Kuyewa Iita Shiindi died on 7 May, after he arrived at the Ondandjokwe Lutheran Hospital. He was given an undignified burial shortly afterwards, with his body being ushered into an isolated Niitewa cemetery grave by a front-end loader.

He subsequently tested negative for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), according to blood test results from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in South Africa.

His family and community members said they were shocked to hear about his death and burial on the same day.

His widow Johanna said her husband started complaining of chest pains on 7 May.

“Later on he became serious and started discharging blood when he was coughing. We decided to take him to Onandjokwe hospital. Just when we arrived at the hospital he was pronounced dead, and after I told the doctors what his complaints were, they just told me they are suspecting that he died of a deadly disease and he had to be buried that moment,” she said.

“It was difficult to take but due to fear we had to do as the health officials told me. I and few of my grandchildren spent a few days in the isolation unit at the hospital for observation. This is a painful moment in my life, as I will not be able to accord my husband the kind of burial I wish too.”

This past Friday the family held a memorial service and on Saturday a few family members went the grave to lay a wreath.

Speaking at the memorial service, Johannes Mbulu said he was shocked to hear about Shiindi's death and burial.

“It was around 11:00; I was traveling from the grazing area using the way that passes by Shiindi's house. I found him seated in front of his house surrounded by his grandchildren and his wife.

When I stopped he told me that he was not feeling well and was looking for transport to Onandjokwe hospital. Unfortunately I was only going home. I, however, took him until the cuca shops to make it easy for him to get transport,” said Mbulu.

“I later heard Shiindi passed on and was already buried. I could not believe it because it was something I have not heard about before.”

Frans Iimene said he offered Shiindi and his wife a lift to the hospital.

“When we got to the hospital, I just dropped them and went to Ondangwa. After a while I received a text massage saying Shiindi was no more. I stopped and called. When I called meme Johanna told me that they were busy preparing the burial and that she will call me later. It was just hard and difficult to believe,” Iimene added.

ILENI NANDJATO

Deadbeat dadsThe shame of absent fathers Nearly half of Namibian households are run by single mothers.

Although Namibian law holds both parents equally responsible for meeting the basic needs of their children, nearly half of households are run by single mothers, many of whom face severe financial struggles that compound the challenges they are already confronted with.

“The absence of men as fathers in Namibia is a well-known fact,” James Itana of the Regain Trust told Namibian Sun. “Most children in Namibia are being raised by single mothers.”

He said: “The sad reality is that for mothers who come from a lower economic status, the burden to take care of children is immense, considering the fact that they do not have the economic means to do so.”

Anna de Koker (40), like many Namibian women, is a single, unemployed mother of four young children aged five, four, and one, and a baby she is raising alone in single-room shack in Havana.

Although she briefly received help from the father of her youngest child he is recovering from a knife attack and has not been able to help for months. The two fathers of the older three siblings never helped her in any way.

She also has three adult children, aged between 19 and 22, who she raised without the support of their father.

Last week, De Koker admitted there was no food at home, only “a 25-litre water can that is half-empty.” This, she said, is not an unusual situation. She admitted that she has considered sending the children to their grandfather, but does not have the funds to do so now.

She is a food bank beneficiary but none has been delivered the last couple of months for unknown reasons.

She claims that she has given up asking the fathers to help, and visits to the gender ministry and other related government agencies, proved unsuccessful in compelling them to pitch in.

“I don't have the strength for those men anymore. I just feel I will raise them alone. I don't want to ask them for help anymore.”

Hard life

Accessing grants and court orders to compel fathers to pay maintenance or help otherwise, is a near insurmountable challenge for many women who don't have the financial, emotional or other resources required.

“The procedures involved do tend to be lengthy and can deter parents from following through with their complaints,” Itana said.

He advised that a number of organisations, including the Regain Trust, the Legal Assistance Centre and Lifeline/Childline as well as the gender ministry can assist.

Charlemaine Husselmann of Lifeline said De Koker qualifies for grants but “the process is tedious due to excessive paperwork and interventions from social workers.” She added that father's refusing to pay maintenance is a “very common problem”.

Ideally, De Koker could find a job, Husselmann said, but considering the economy and her circumstances this would be a “huge challenge”.

Criminal or social?

De Koker recently came under scrutiny when neighbours reported a possible case of child neglect. Police and paramedics found the four children locked up alone in her shack. The family spent a week at a state hospital.

They were discharged a week later but, De Koker claims since then there have been no follow-up visits by social workers or the police.

Husselmann underlined that although structures are in place to assist mothers like De Koker, social workers and police are “often overworked and understaffed and it is always a challenge to avail enough social workers and police to take up a case and ensure that there is proper case management and follow-through”.

Criminally charging De Koker for alleged child neglect moreover would not have “solved the bigger issue at hand which in my opinion is that men in Namibia are not being held accountable for their actions”, Itana said.

He said ideally the family should receive the necessary psychosocial support services from the relevant government institutions.

Husselmann added that in a case like this, proper case management and interventions are needed to ensure the “needs of both Anna and her children are met”.

Itana said it “is important not to judge people too quickly, since we do not understand the complexities they are dealing with. She herself could be a survivor of gender-based violence.”

Husselmann cautioned: “What happened to the children was due to the economic and social system they and their mother found themselves in. Without support from social workers and the ministry of gender this situation will continue.”

A vicious cycle

The children bear the biggest brunt of absent fathers and state or other assistance.

“We often see children who grow up in such circumstances continue to find themselves in these impoverished conditions, if strong and appropriate interventions are not taken,” Husselmann warned.

Moreover, the children are frequently pushed to “engage in toxic behaviour such as resorting to a life of crime or end up begging on the side of the road which continues the cycle throughout their lives.”

Itana stressed that the implications are numerous, but among them are tendencies to drop out of school, which impacts their education and chances for future employment, and will continue the “cycle of poverty”.

Moreover, a lack of nourishment could lead to stunted growth and many often deal with low self-esteem issues, he said.

Itana emphasised that a father's participation in raising children should not “be regarded as merely helping the mother, but should be seen as a mandatory responsibility and duty. Therefore men cannot and should never be allowed to take a backseat where their parental duties are concerned.”

JANA-MARI SMITH

ACC defends 18-tonne timber seizure

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is defending its seizure of 18 tonnes of rosewood imported into Namibia for shipment to China because it was part of a cross-border investigation into a number of crimes, including potential forgery and fraud.

This is revealed in legal documents filed by the ACC at the Windhoek High Court, after a Namibian businessman sued the ACC last year in an attempt to compel the return of the timber detained in December 2017 at Walvis Bay and have the warrantless seizure and detention declared unlawful.

The managing director of Devils Claw Maramatwa Investments (DCM), Pedro Ronald Sangoya, brought the case in June 2018 after the seizure of a consignment of “mukula” timber that he had transported from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for shipment to China. Mukula is a common name used for African rosewood in Zambia. However, the ACC, in heads of arguments filed this year, argued that the timber formed part of an ongoing investigation that “involves a contravention of a plethora of criminal breaches within and without the borders of Namibia”.

The ACC officer in charge said the investigation involved authorities from various countries, including Namibia, Zambia and the DRC, and was continuing.

“The detention and search of the timber was done procedurally and in terms of the law as there was a suspicion various crimes were committed in transporting the consignment,” the ACC officer said.

The ACC said the timber formed part of “exhibits for purposes of criminal investigations” and would be crucial once criminal charges were brought.

Lawyers for the ACC and the finance minister, the second respondent in the case, are asking the court to dismiss the claim with costs.

Long journey

In his founding affidavit Sangoya traces the timber's departure from the DRC in 2016 to Namibia, which included multiple and costly holdups.

He said the lengthy storage of the consignment was costing him thousands of Namibian dollars and could threaten his solvency.

Sangoya stated that the DRC timber deal originated after a man, only known to him as Emha, had informed him of the opportunity to export timber from the DRC to China via Walvis Bay.

Sangoya said his company exported a number of these consignments over the course of four months.

In May 2016, however, the container now in possession of the ACC was detained by the Zambian authorities as part of that government's “clampdown on the export of timber sourced from that country”.

He claimed that following a series of diplomatic interventions from the Namibian government, the trucks were released on 9 May 2016.

However, the trucks continued to be detained until January 2017 “pending finalisation of the diplomatic agreement, whereupon release the Zambian army escorted about 42 Namibian-bound trucks to Katima Mulilo”.

Sangoya claims that the six-month holdup cost him roughly N$700 000, which he could not afford to pay, and as a result the consignment was offloaded at Katima Mulilo, where it remained for the next 11 months.

Sangoya claimed he finally contracted a transport company to pick up the timber and take it to Walvis Bay, where it was seized by the ACC. He further claimed that during the 11 months the stock was held up at Katima Mulilo, the export permit from Zambian authorities required at Walvis Bay had expired. He was advised to approach a “clearing agent only known to me as 'Mambo',” who was paid around N$55 000 as a brokerage fee to provide the required paperwork.

Final delay

The ACC argues the search and seizure was based on a “reasonable suspicion that a number of criminal offences were committed”.

“It was during the festive season when magistrates are usually unavailable at court. I exercised my discretion judiciously and sedulously in the circumstances to avoid the dissipation of evidence,” the officer in charge added. Sangoya noted in responding court documents that during the ACC's confiscation of the timber he was neither informed that he was a suspect, nor informed of his right to legal representation. He argued that it would be shown the ACC had not exercised their powers lawfully.

Yesterday the case was postponed to 18 July for an opposed motion hearing. Kadhila Amoomo is acting on behalf of DCM Investment while Jabulani Ncube is acting on behalf of the ACC. Judge Thomas Masuku presides.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Namibians remanded for uncut diamonds named

ELLANIE SMIT

Two Namibians arrested over the weekend in South Africa for allegedly being in the possession of uncut diamonds worth N$1.5 million have been remanded in custody.
Mesias Amweenye (46) and Demetrius Ngenokesho (53) made their first appearance in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court in Cape Town on Monday. Their case was postponed to 27 May.
The two men were arrested on Friday by the Western Cape police during a stop and search operation.
According to a South African Police Service (Saps) statement, members attached to the Western Cape Flying Squad were busy with a stop and search operation in Voortrekker Road, Bellville on Friday afternoon when their attention was drawn to the two suspects.
“The men were questioned and they appeared nervous. This prompted the members to conduct a body search, which resulted in the discovery of two small bags with 27 diamonds.”
The circumstances surrounding the matter and the origin of the diamonds are still under investigation.
Both suspects have already appointed legal representation.

Bidvest Nam to delist from NSX

Bidvest Namibia will delist from the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) on 11 June, the company said in an announcement on the local bourse.
This follows a binding offer in March from the JSE-listed Bidvest Group Ltd to acquire all of the outstanding ordinary shares of BVN not currently held by the Bidvest Group.
Bidvest Namibia is listed on the Overall Index of the NSX. At the close of business on Monday, it had a total market capitalisation of more than N$2.1 billion, making it the fourth biggest company on the index.
Bidvest Namibia closed Monday at N$9.94 per share.
Read the full report tomorrow in Market Watch.

Mutoya sings Rasa praises LIMBA MUPETAMI

African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 CEO Stanley Mutoya has praised the Regional Annual Sport Awards (Rasa) on the eve of the 2019 edition taking place in Windhoek.

Mutoya said the event has become a household brand in Africa, as AUSC Region 5 is the only region hosting an event of this magnitude.

He added the event always allows for interaction with top athletes in the region. “The likes of South African Olympic champion Caster Semenya, who has won awards twice, as well as Wayde van Niekerk, have and will grace the sports event,” Mutoya said. He said Rasa has grown in leaps and bounds since its inception in 2016, when only five countries participated. Now all 10 Region 5 countries participate.

“We started with only a few countries, but now we have 10; all of which are now hosting national sports awards, which automatically qualify them for Rasa.”

Mutoya said the awards event has pushed many athletes to growth internationally, which allowed them to be nominated. With many events being hosted, finance plays a big role and Mutoya said they have received attention from big corporates like Nike, which is also expected to jump aboard the Rasa ship.

Namibian para-athlete Ananias Shikongo is nominated in the sportsmen of the year with a disability category with South African Ndodanzi Jonathan Ntutu (athletics T12) and Angolan footballer Celestino Elias Antonio.

He said he is exited and hopes to walk away the victor. The Region 5 awards include categories that will recognise athletes, coaches, member countries implementing regional programmes, as well as journalists and teams that have produced outstanding performances at regional and international level. The nominees are drawn from the winners of sports awards held in the 10 member countries - Namibia, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The previous three editions of awards event were pre-recorded, but this Saturday it will be broadcast live by the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). The awards are now being hosted on rotational basis, after South Africa hosted all the previous editions.

Cloud of confusionNon-starting first division streams cause promotion chaos The non-starting first division streams have created a ring of confusion around who will be promoted to the NPL.

MTC Namibia Premier League (NPL) chairman Patrick Kauta confirmed yesterday that the bottom three clubs will be relegated from the league regardless of what happens with the country's first division streams.

As things stand, the first division streams are yet to kick off and remain shrouded in uncertainty.

“Three teams will be relegated by Sunday and that is the final decision, even if the first division fails to start.

“The (premier) league will have to commence for the 2019/20 season with 13 clubs if the first division promotions do not take place,” Kauta said at a media briefing yesterday.

Kauta cited the rules and regulations that govern the premier league.

Rule 1.1.1 states that the league shall consist of no more than 16 clubs.

“The club which, at the end of the 2018/19 soccer season, placed number 14, 15 and 16 on the final log standings of the MTC NPL shall be automatically relegated to the league below the NPL,” the rule states.

Rule 4.2 says “any matter relating to the promotion or relegation of a club to or from one league to another, and for which no provision is made herein, shall be decided by the executive committee of the association whose decision shall be final.”

As a result, the NPL and the Namibia Football Association (NFA) normalisation committee will have to sit and decide whether first division football will be played during the months of June and July to allow for clubs to be promoted.

A taskforce from the NPL and normalisation committee was appointed to oversee and find workable ways for the relegations and promotions to take place by April.

The two parties have, however, on occasion failed to meet to discuss the way forward on the first division since the plan was initiated.

It was finally announced yesterday that NPL CEO Herald Fuelle and executive member Bony Paulino were set to meet with the normalisation committee to discuss the way forward.

Fuelle said that it was possible to start the first division streams during June and have them concluded before the start of the 2019/20 premier league season.

The first division must consist of three streams, namely the Southern Stream First Division, Northwest Stream First Division and the North East Stream First Division.

The southern stream must consist of 12 clubs or the number of sides agreed by the NFA.

The regions forming the southern stream are Khomas, Omaheke, Hardap, //Karas and Erongo.

The northwest stream must consist of 12 clubs or the number of clubs agreed by the NFA.

The regions forming the northwest stream are Otjozondjupa, Kunene, Oshana and Omusati.

The northeast stream is the only one allowed to have 13 clubs or the number of clubs agreed by the NFA. It comprises of the Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Kavango West, Kavango East and Zambezi regions.

Pirates relegated

Premier league giants Orlando Pirates have been relegated following a 0-1 defeat to Mighty Gunners, which ensured they will finish at the bottom of the log.

Civics who is just above Orlando Pirates and Blue Waters will take the relegation battle to the wire, while Young African were demoted earlier in the season.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

Legendary Lauda diesFormer F1 champ leaves behind extraordinary legacy Legendary Formula One driver Niki Lauda has died at the age of 70, his family said in a statement released to Austrian media early yesterday.

Three-time Formula One champion Niki Lauda, who recovered from a near-fatal accident to become one of motor racing's greatest drivers, has died.

“With deep sadness, we announce that our beloved Niki has peacefully passed away with his family on Monday,” a family statement said.

Lauda's death comes eight months after he underwent a lung transplant.

“His unique achievements as an athlete and entrepreneur are and will remain unforgettable; his tireless zest for action, his straightforwardness and his courage remain,” added the statement.

“A role model and a benchmark for all of us, he was a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather away from the public, and he will be missed.”

Austrian Lauda won the Formula One drivers' world championship three times - in 1975 and 1977 for Ferrari and in 1984 with McLaren.

“All at McLaren are deeply saddened to learn that our friend, colleague and 1984 Formula 1 world champion, Niki Lauda, has passed away. Niki will forever be in our hearts and enshrined in our history. #RIPNiki,” his former team tweeted on their verified account.

Lauda had been the non-executive chairman at Mercedes F1 since 2012 and he was instrumental in bringing in Lewis Hamilton to spark a run of success that has brought five consecutive world drivers' and constructors' championships.

“A legend has left us. Rest in peace Niki #nikilauda,” tweeted 2009 world champion and former McLaren driver Jenson Button, as social media exploded with the news of his death.

Former motorcycling world champion Casey Stoner said on Twitter: “RIP Niki Lauda, a true icon and motorsport legend. Thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this time.”

During his driving career, Lauda suffered horrific injuries on 1 August 1976 when, having already won five races that season, his vehicle burst into flames on the Nuerburgring in Germany.

He had severe burns to his face and hands, and inhaled toxic fumes which damaged his lungs.

Despite being given his last rites in hospital he made an almost miraculous recovery to race again just six weeks later, still bandaged and in intense pain.

He missed only two races that season but was unable to hold off the challenge of Britain's James Hunt, who went on to claim his only world title.

The rivalry between the two men, which demonstrated the Austrian's extraordinary courage and fighting spirit, was portrayed in the 2013 film Rush by American director Ron Howard.

The next season, in 1977, Lauda went on to win his second Formula One world championship with Ferrari.

He quit Formula One at the end of 1979 to pursue his second passion, civil aviation.

But he came back to the race circuit in 1982, this time with McLaren, and won his last world championship with them in 1984.

Lauda underwent an emergency lung transplant in a Vienna hospital on 2 August last year after contracting an infection in his lungs, which were scarred and weakened by the effects of inhaling high temperature smoke during the 1976 accident.

Years before he had also received kidney transplants. When one failed, a second kidney was donated by his then-girlfriend Birgit Wetzinger, a former flight attendant, who he married in 2008.

Besides their twins, a boy and a girl born in 2009, Lauda also had three other sons from previous relationships.

NAMPA/AFP

Cosafa squad handed opportunity to shine

The Brave Warriors squad to compete at the upcoming Cosafa Cup tournament from 25 May to 8 June in Durban was announced yesterday by the Namibia Football Association (NFA).

The 20-man squad has been presented with a chance to showcase their individual brilliance and cement a place in the squad, with more competitions on the horizon.

Senior players like Lloyd Kazapua, Larry Horaeb, Charles Hambira, Absalom Iimbondi, Dynamo Fredericks and Sadney Urikhob are expected to take the lead in an inexperienced squad.

The youthful squad includes newcomers like Namibia Premier League (NPL) top scorer Issaskar Gurirab, McCartney Naweseb and Llewelyn Stanley. These players will have a chance to fight to become permanent fixtures in the team.

Namibia is in Group B with Mozambique, Malawi and Seychelles.

Angola out

In other news, Angola have withdrawn from Group A, citing the need to finalise their domestic league season and their preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

The short notice has placed the organisers in a tight spot, and despite canvassing far and wide across the continent for a replacement, the timeframe simply did not allow the organisers to find a replacement for the tournament that gets under way in Durban this weekend.

This means that Group A will now feature only three teams - eSwatini, Mauritius and Comoros; giving one of these sides an excellent opportunity to reach the quarterfinals where they will face defending champions Zimbabwe on 1 June.

The change has also forced a revision of the fixture list, with the tournament now kicking off with a clash between eSwatini and Mauritius at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday at 16:30.

Comoros will then tackle eSwatini on 27 May at 17:00, before Group A is completed with a match between Comoros and Mauritius two days later at 17:30. All the group matches will be played at the King Zwelithini Stadium.

Three-time winners Angola have missed two previous Cosafa Cup tournaments - the very first one in 1997 and also in 2015.

Namibia's squad is as follows: Lloyd Kazapua, Ratanda Mbazuvara, Larry Horaeb, Charles Hambira, Vitapi Ngaruka, Ivan Kamberipa, Emilio Martin, Aprocious Petrus, Edmund Kambanda, Absalom Iimbondi, Aubrey Amseb, Dynamo Fredericks, Marcell Papama, Wesley Katjiteo, Llewelyn Stanley, Issaskar Gurirab, McCartney Naweseb, Junias Theophilus, Joslyn Kamatuka and Sadney Urikhob.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Ofamili yuuvithwa nayi kefumbiko lyaali pasimanekoIizemo oya holola kutya ina hulitha komukithi ngoka Ofamili yomunamimvo 78 omulumentu ngoka kwa li kwa fekelwa kutya okwa hulitha kombuto yoCongo fever, oya ningi oshituthidhimbuluko shanakusa gwawo pegumbo lye momukunda Onethika B popepi nOntananga moshitopolwa shaShikoto.

ILENI NANDJATO

Elifa Kuyewa Iita Shiindi okwa hulitha momasiku 7 Mei, konima sho a thiki poshipangelo shOndandjokwe Lutheran Hospital. Okwa fumbikwa konima yethimbo meendelelo momayendo gaNiitewa.

Iizemo yomakonaakono ngoka ga ningwa okutala ngele oku na ombuto yoCrimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF)oya holola kutya kali e na omukithi ngoka, sha landula omakonaakono ngoka ga ningwa koNational Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) moSouth Africa.

Ofamili ye naakwashigwana yamwe oya popi kutya oya li ya haluthwa konkundana yeso lye nefumbiko lye esiku lya faathana.

Omuselekadhi gwanakusa, Johanna okwa popi kutya omusamane gwe okwa tameke ta nyenyeta kutya ota ehama montulo momasiku ga7 gaMei.

“Konima okwa gomboka noonkondo na okwa tameke ta zi ombinzi sho ta kokola. Otwa tokola oku mu fala koshipangelo shaNandjkokwe naasho twa thiki poshipangelo okwa hulitha. Konima onda lombwele oondohotola kutya okwa li ta ehama shike, na oya lombwelendje kutya otaya fekele kutya okwa si komukithi omudhipagi na okwa pumbwa okufumbikwa pethimbo ndyoka.”

“Osha li oshidhigu okutaaambako ihe omolwa uumbanda otwa ningi ngaashi aanambelewa yuunamiti ya lombwelendje. Ngame pamwe naatekulu yandje yamwe otwa ningi omasiku mewalanda lyiikalekelwa moshipangelo tatu konaakonwa. Osha li ethimbo edhigu monkalamwenyo yandje molwaashoka inandi vula okuningila omusamane gwandje efumbiko lyopauntu,” omuselekadhi a popi.

Metitano lya piti, ofamili oya ningi oshituthi shokudhimbuluka nakusa nayamwe oya yi komayendo nokutulamo oongala kombila yanakusa.

Sho a popi pethimbo lyoshituthi shoka sha ningwa, Johannes Mbulu okwa popi kutya okwa li a haluthwa konkundana yeso lyaShiindi oshowo efumbiko lye.

“Osha li lwopotundi onti:11, onda li tandi ende okuza komidhingoloko dhuulithilo, tandi longitha ondjila ndjoka ya enda pegumbo lyaShiindi. Onda a dha a kutumba pontu yegumbo lye a kundukidhwa kaatekulu oshowo omukulukandi gwe. Sho nda thikama okwa lombwelendje kutya kuuvite nawa na ota kongo olefa yoku mu fala moshipangelo. Omupya omunene onda li owala tandi yi kegumbo, onkene onde mu faalele sigo opuundingosho opo shi mu ningile oshipu okumona olefa. Konima onda uvu kutya Shiindi okwa hulitha na okwa fumbikwa nale. Kanda li ndiitaala molwaashoka oshinima opo tandi shi uvu lyotango.”

Frans Iimene okwa popi kutya okwa gandja olefa kuShiindi oshowo omukuladhi gwe, noku ya fala koshipangelo.

“Sho twa thiki poshipangelo onde ya helula owala na onda yi kOndangwa. Konima yethimbo onda mono etumwalaka kutya okwa hulitha. Onda thikama e ta ndi dhenge ongodhi. Sho nda dhengele meme Johanna okwa lombwelendje kutya oyiipyakidhila nokulongekidha efumbiko na ota dhengelendje nale. Osha li oshidhigu okuuvako,” Iimene a popi.