Namibian Sun

England's long wait for a first international trophy since 1966 could be just days away at the Nations League finals in Portugal, but Ronald Koeman's resurgent Netherlands present a hazardous hurdle for the Three Lions in Today's semi-final in Guimaraes.

A run to the semi-finals of last year's World Cup and memorable victories over Spain and Croatia to make the last four of another tournament within 12 months, have raised expectations that Gareth Southgate is coaching the generation to finally end England's wait for glory.

By contrast, the Dutch have had a lean few years after failing to make it to Russia last year or qualify for Euro 2016.

Even though the Dutch lost a thrilling opening Euro 2000 qualifier 2-3 to Germany in March there are no fears they will miss out for a third consecutive major tournament.

The side captained by the imperious Virgil van Dijk is also blessed with the core of an Ajax side that were seconds away from facing Van Dijk's Liverpool in the Champions League final.

Tottenham robbed the Eredivisie of its first Champions League finalist since 1996 with a dramatic late semi-final, second leg winner in Amsterdam as the Premier League dominated European competitions this season.

But there is no guarantee English success will carry over to the international stage.

Indeed, there were as many Dutchman as English players in Liverpool's starting line-up as they lifted the European Cup on Saturday with Van Dijk and Georginio Wijnaldum.

One of Koeman's first acts when taking charge of his country last year was to make Van Dijk his skipper, having worked with him at Southampton.

“When you look at Virgil now, this is a big, big personality on the pitch. He is a leader,” Koeman told The Guardian.

“That is why I made him captain. I knew him from Southampton. I thought: 'He can do more - he can carry more responsibility. He is strong; he has a great character and enjoys the responsibility'.”

NAMPA/AFP

Ready, steady, goPetrus Kavhura Cup kicks off this weekend Teams from the northern parts of Namibia are ready to challenge for the annual Petrus Kavhura Cup.

The annual Petrus Kavhura Cup (PKC) returns this Saturday, with teams from the Kavango East Region set to battle it out for top prizes.

Recognised by the sports ministry and the Namibia Football Association (NFA), under the Kavango East Region second division, the cup is aimed at developing sport at a rural level.

The PKC is played in the Ndonga-Linena and Ndiyona constituencies, with over 30 teams competing against each other annually.

This year, the tournament will kick off with the elimination rounds at the Nyondo soccer field this coming weekend, starting with the teams from Pool A.

Young Kangweru FC takes will take on M Stars in the first match of the competition at 08:00.

The second match will be between Diva United and Kangiringiri FC at 10:00.

This match will be followed by an encounter between Kanyumara FC and Rumbamba FC at 12:00.

Young Heroes FC will conclude the Pool A matches against Triple A FC at 14:00.

The tournament will continue with Pool B matches next weekend.

Shitemo United FC are set to battle Kagcuva FC at 08:00 in the first match of 15 June.

Makandu FC and Shitemo Blue Eagles FC will then clash in the second match of the day at 10:00, followed by Power Stars FC against John Mbambi FC at 12:00.

Mokorabi Tiger FC and Koro FC will bring the curtain down on the elimination rounds at 14:00.

The winners of the elimination rounds will qualify for the round of 16. Each team is allowed to register a maximum of 30 players to utilise during the tournament.

The champions of the competition will walk away with N$10 000, while the runners-up take home N$6 000.

The third-place finishers will get N$4 000 for their efforts, while the fourth-place finishers will be compensated with N$2 500.

Last year's winners Rucara Brave Fighters walked away with a floating trophy, 30 gold medals and N$10 000.

Makandu Young Stars received 30 silver medals and N$6 000, while Gumma Golden City, who have won the tournament twice since its inception in 2016, finished third and walked away with 30 bronze medals and N$4 000.

Power Stars finished fourth and were awarded N$2 500. All the quarterfinal losers received consolation prizes of N$1 000, while the round of 16 losers received N$700 each.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

Onkalo yopolotika tayi lunduluka moshilongoOmbepo yaahogololwa yiithikamena tayi pepe moshilongo Ope na ompito onene opo Hage Geingob a ninge omupresidende gwotango gwongundu yoSwapo ta mono omawi ge li pevi momahogololo guupresidende ngoka twa taalela moshilongo.

Onkalo yopolotika moshilongo unene tuu mongundu yoSwapo ndjoka ya etitha nokupendula po ompito yaahogolololwa yiithikamena nenge aahogololwa ye li ompinge nomupresidende gwongundu pethimbo lyomahogololo ngoka twa talela, oya tulitha moshiponga iizemo yomahogololo gomupresidende Geingob pethimbo lyomahogololo gonuumvo okuyeleka nomahogololo gomomvula yo 2014.

Momahogololo ngoka ga ningwa omvula yo 2014, Geingob okwa mono omawi gomahogololo ge li poopresenda 87.73 omanga ongundu yoSwapo ya mono oopresenda 80.01 miizemo yomahogololo gomutumba gwopashigwana. Nonando ongaaka onkalo oya lunduluka.

Omundohotola Panduleni Itula, okwa holola nale kutya otaka kutha ombinga methigathano lyomahogololo ngoka onga omuhogololwa iithikamena na okwa tindi okuhulitha po uukwashilyo we nongundu yoSwapo.

Natango otaku fekelwa kutya omukomeho nale gwoNational Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), Evilastus Kaaronda, ngoka ngashiingeyi e li omukomeho gwoNamibia National Labour Organisation (Nanlo), otaka tseyitha ekuthombinga lye mOsoondaha twa taalela. Kaaronda okwa tindi okuzimina nenge okutinda omafekelo ngoka ihe okwa popi kutya otaka ninga etseyitho enene momasiku 16 gaJune.

Natango otaku fekelwa kutya Omukomeho nale gwoshiputudhilo shoNamibian Institute of Public Administration and Management (Nipam) Dr Joseph Diescho, otaka ka tseyitha ekuthombinga lye methigathano ndyoka.

Omunongononi gwekotampango, Nico Horn okwiinekela kutya ohole yaGeingob oya shuna pevi konima yomahogololo, ihe okwa tengeneke kutya Geingob itaka mona omawi geli pevi lyoopresenda 65. “Shoka wu na okuuvako ooshooka kutya aantu yokombanda yomusinda omutiligane itaya ka hogolola aaahogololwa mboka yiithikamena, omawi gomupresidende ogo owala taga ka shuna pevi ihe itaga yi pevi noopresenda 65.” Ndumba Kamwanyah naye okwa holola omaiyuvo ge kutya ongeyo ndjoka yi li mokati kaanyasha oshowo uutondwe wa taalela epangelo lya Geingob oyo unene tayi ka guma noonkondo iizemo yaahogololi ye.

Okwa popi kutya etseyitho ndyoka lya ningwa omasikuga piti opo aaanashilonga ya gandje oshali shoopresenda 2 omolwa oshikukuta shoka sha taalela oshilongo oshimwe sha tulitha pevi ohokwe yaGeingob.

Henning Melber na ye okwa popi kutya ngele okwa kuthwa ombinga kaahogololwa yiithikamena pethimbo lyomahogololo guupresidende moshilongo, shoka otashi ka guma omawi gaGeingob ihe itaga ka guma sha nokutulitha moshiponga ehogololo lyaaleli yoongundu dhompilameno ngaashi McHenry Venaani oshowo Bernadus Swartbooi. “Mboka oye na aayambidhidhi yawo mboka itaye ke ya thiga po. Ngele hasho nena aahogolili otaya ka ya mekanka nokukala inaya hogolola Geingob ihe aahogololwa mboka yiithikamena, nopehulilo eyooloko otali ka kala eshona. Otandi ka kala nda kumwa noonkondo ngele inapu holoka omalunduluko momahogololo,” Melbera popi. Okwa gwedha po kutya oshikando shotango momvula yomahogololo omananathano ngoka ge li moSwapo taga holoka kombanda. Kamwanyah okwa popi kutya aahogololwa yiithikamena otaya gandja ompito yehogololo kaahogololi opo ka ya kale owala ya tala komuhogololwa gumwe, ihe etokolo lyawo okukutha ombinga olya pumbwa okukala lyiikolelela kiikumungu yontumba. Kamwanyah okwa kunkilile kutya aahogololwa yiithikamena inaya kutha owala ombinga molwaashoka oya ndopa okumona oompito moongundu ihe naya kale nohokwe yokweeta omalunduluko moshigwana nokutunga oshigwana. Kamwanyah okwa popi kutya ke na einekelo enene ngele omawi gaGeingob otaga ka gumwa unene konkalo ndjoka. Okwa popi kutya oshidhigu okutengeneka ngaashiingeyi molwaashoka keshi kutya otaya ka longitha oompito dhini po, yo otaya ka kala ya taalela Goliata molupe lwaSwapo, sho Swapo e na eyambidhidho enene unene momikunda monooli yoshilongo ihe Swapo ota vulu okutaalela uupyakadhi mOvenduka, mokati kaanyasha naalongwantu.

JEMIMA BEUKES

U-turn on Fysal, Namsov outAMTA fails to save deal with fishing company Namsov decided to vacate the Ongwediva fresh-produce hub premises last Wednesday.

The Agro-Marketing Trading Agency (AMTA) has given Fysal Fresh Produce another three-month contract to operate from its Ongwediva fresh-produce hub, but could not save a trial agreement with Namsov from falling apart.

Last Friday Fysal Fresh was ready to end their operations at the hub, but the agency has now extended their contract by three months.

In February last year, Namsov and Fysal entered into a trial agreement to operate from the hub.

Fysal Fresh signed a yearlong agreement, while Namsov signed a six-month contract, both of which could be renewed depending on supply and demand.

Namsov set up a fish-supplying point, but after their contract ended things fell apart with the AMTA management and the two entities did not renew the contract on time.

A source said AMTA had been frustrating Namsov's operations.

“The operations have been fine for the first six months. After that we were told to close the operations, while the two entities were reviewing the contract. It took about three months before we were informed to start operating again. It was so frustrating because one day we were working and the following we were told to stop,” the source said.

Namsov decided to vacate the fresh-produce hub premises last Wednesday.

AMTA managing director Lungameni Lucas has written a letter to Namsov apologising and begging them to continue operating from the hub, because their services are crucial to AMTA.

“AMTA would like to inform you that your services at the hub have been considered favourably and hereby is informing you to continue operating at the hub for the next three months, while we are in the process of finalising the contract,” Lucas wrote.

“You have been one of our valuable clients by contributing toward our company's success, as well as the community of the region… regardless of the shortcomings experienced. We apologise sincerely for any inconvenience caused and trust you will be able to reconsider continuity with AMTA.”

Namsov was, however, unmoved and are relocating their fish-supplying facilities from the hub.

Namsov's Herman Smidt confirmed this.

“We had a pilot project at AMTA Ongwediva, but we decided to end it and we are relocating somewhere else in town,” Smidt said.

AMTA spokesperson Meke Namindo could not provide any detail, saying she has not yet been briefed by the technical staff.

Fysal Group CEO Ismael David Fysal told Namibian Sun they were ready to retrench 60 employees and end their AMTA operations, when they were approached for a contract extension on Friday.

“It was a confusion on Friday when the AMTA people asked us if we can stay for another three months to keep the place busy again. We were busy relocating our facilities and sent some employees to their houses,” Fysal said.

“To avoid operating on the premises illegally, I asked them to put it on paper, which they did on Monday. They said that within a month they will tell us what will happen to us after the three months.”

Fysal is the last remaining private agent to operate from AMTA's Ongwediva fresh-produce hub since February, and will now be operating alone until the end of August. The other agent vacated the premises in February after a cabinet directive.

In February last year, AMTA entered into a public-private-partnership agreement with Fysal Fresh to operate from its fresh-produce hubs nationwide, which joined four other agents that were already operating at the hubs. Although Fysal Fresh was only given a one-year contract, the deal was heavily criticised in some circles. Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila visited the Ongwediva hub in September last year after receiving complaints that Fysal Fresh was sourcing produce from South Africa and trading it at the government hub.

ILENI NANDJATO

Desperate scramble to survive

Hundreds of subsistence farmers and vendors in the two Kavango regions have been forced to scramble for cabbages at a local cooperative, so they can resell them and feed their families amid the national drought emergency.

The desperate women camped from 03:00 in the winter cold, so they could buy cabbages at the cooperative.

Hundreds of women from various villagers flocked to the Salem Cooperative this week at Uvungu-vungu, situated about five kilometres east of Rundu.

Most of them are subsistence farmers and vendors operating at various open-markets in Rundu, while others travelled from as far as Calai in southern Angola to camp at the cooperative in hope of buying vegetables to resell.

The cooperative is a 34-hectare piece of land that has been divided amongst 43 small-scale farmers.

The farmers normally inform the women that a certain vegetable is ready for harvesting on a particular day. The women then camp at the cooperative the day before the harvest.

The women described this as “survival of the fittest”, as those who are slow return home with nothing.

One of the small-scale farmers at the cooperative, Laurentia Nkandanga, said the demand for vegetables has increased drastically over the past few years.

Nkandanga attributed this to the ongoing drought conditions in the country, which has left many subsistence farmers without their mahangu harvests.

“Some of these women are not regular vendors, they just emulated those selling vegetables in the town, as they have no other means to survive,” Nkandanga said.

“Most of these first-timers were forced because of the current drought situation, as they did not harvest anything from their mahangu fields. The other crops such as mutete and maize also did not make it this year, due to the poor rainfall, and that is why you see these women scrambling for the cabbages.”

Nkandanga explained that some of the women are so desperate, they even go to the extent of wanting to buy “premature vegetables”.

“The women would come to the cooperative every day, inspecting the fields, and if they see a vegetable that is satisfying to them and premature according to us, they will beg you for it, but we advise them to wait,” Nkandanga said.

Some of the women who spoke on condition of anonymity explained that being vendors is their only hope, as they and their husbands are unemployed, with no prospects for finding employment.

“Our children go to school and as mothers we have to do anything possible to provide for them. We will sleep in the cold, waiting to scramble for the vegetables with fellow women for as long as we can, because we have to provide for our families. Some of us have husbands but they too are unemployed,” they said.

Some said their husbands escorted them to the cooperative in the wee hours of the morning.

Nkandanga, who spoke on behalf her fellow cooperative members, said they are faced with water challenges. She said the current water pump, which is pumping water from the Okavango River about a kilometre away, has low pressure and they cannot effectively water the entire 34-hectare piece of land.

Nkandanga said this is the reason why they cannot have bumper harvests and sell to more desperate women.

“We really have a water crisis, as the pump we are using is not that good,” she said.

She called on Good Samaritans to assist the cooperative with a water pump, as this will assist many families living in poverty in the Kavango regions and elsewhere.

The cooperative was established in 1985, when the Sambyu Traditional Authority donated the land to the then government, so it could be used to empower women.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Chinese Red Cross offers drought aid

The Chinese ambassador to Namibia, Zhang Yiming, yesterday announced that China's Red Cross Society has decided to donate US$150 000 to the Namibian government for drought relief.

Yiming said this money would be handed over to the Office of the Prime Minister as soon as possible.

“We are still assessing the drought situation throughout the country. China is considering providing further possible assistance, maybe including urgent food assistance, after the complete assessment,” Yiming said.

Yiming said founding president Sam Nujoma recently appealed to the Chinese government to speed up the process of establishing a new seawater desalination plant to help relieve the drought.

He said other Chinese financial institutions, like the China Africa Development Fund (CADF), have also offered assistance to help the Namibian government build desalination plants “in the near future”.

“With these kinds of cooperation we hope to effect relief in this crisis,” Yiming said.

CATHERINE SASMAN

Tourism focuses on waste managementClean environment essential to attract visitors Sustainable waste management is vital to preserve the environment and ensure that Namibia remains a top tourist destination.

JANA-MARI SMITH

As Namibia’s tourism industry continues to grow, the link between waste management and sustainable tourism is gaining increasing attention.

Speaking at the Tourism Network Conference hosted at the 2019 Namibia Tourism Expo yesterday, several speakers highlighted the crucial role of sustainable waste management in preserving the environment and ensuring that the country remains a top attraction for visitors.

The benefits of reusing and recycling waste were discussed too.

Sem Shikongo of the environment and tourism industry, who facilitated the networking event, said it would serve as a platform to “discuss and rethink waste”.

Hazel Milne of Eco Awards Namibia said in her experience “waste management often is the stepchild of sustainable tourism. It’s that part that people shy away from.”

She listed a number of best practices in waste management that Namibians within the tourism industry, as well as in private households and businesses, can implement to help reduce, recycle and reuse waste.

She said although some tour companies and other institutions have implemented sustainable waste management systems, the fact is that every single Namibian can do something to help address the global problem of waste accumulation.

Milne said recent studies have shown that three billion people in the world live without access to waste management services, while 50 million people live on or next to massive waste dumps.

“Waste has a greater health impact than malaria worldwide,” Milne said.

Prosper Mageza of the Tour and Safari Association of Namibia (Tasa) said the organisation encourages its members to practice sustainable tourism, which is closely linked to waste management.

“Savvy travellers are now choosing to book more tour destinations that preserve the environment instead of harming it,” he said.

Harm

Mageza warned that a lack of waste management, especially in national parks, poses a threat to animals, the natural environment and people.

He shared photos of rubbish accumulated at popular travel destinations such as Etosha National Park, and said improper waste management can unleash a host of problems.

One of these he said, is the threat rubbish poses to wildlife and to guests, as wildlife are often attracted to waste left behind by guests, and in turn pose a threat to people.

Broken, insufficient and badly labelled rubbish bins are the key drivers of these problems.

Recently, he said, rangers had to shoot a baboon that had been attracted to a guest camp by food waste and posed a threat to the guests.

“The threat is real, especially for the animals. Not just in Etosha, it’s everywhere you go.”

He said improper waste management can also lead to water, air and soil pollution, as well as the spread of diseases.

Mageza called on tour operators to reduce waste and help promote recycling and reuse.

He said a 2009 study found that 55% of waste dumped at Kupferberg on the outskirts of Windhoek was non-recyclable material. This shows that although recycling and reuse are essential, reducing waste is the best way forward.

“If we can reduce more waste then we won’t have so much to reuse and recycle.”

Mageza suggested a number of steps the tourism industry can take to become proactive in waste management, including creating awareness and offering guests and staff incentives to be more environmentally responsible.

Daniel Kavishe, group economist at First National Bank Namibia, opened the networking conference by saying that waste can be used in innovative ways to generate energy while at the same time keeping towns clean.

“There is more that we need to think about when we talk about waste,” he said.

He added that preserving the natural landscapes Namibia’s tourism industry depends on is vital to ensuring that the sector continues to grow.

The conference also included talks by Benedict Libanda of the Environmental Investment Fund on the green economy; by the managing director of Old Mutual Short Term Insurance, Riaan Vermeulen, on insurance solutions for tourism businesses; and by Lisa Scriven of Utopia Consulting on waste management and sustainable tourism.

Nored awards bursaries worth N$280 000

The Northern Regional Energy Distributor (Nored) (Nored) has awarded its first-ever bursaries worth N$280 000 to three students at the University of Namibia (Unam).

The three students from Unam's José Eduardo dos Santos campus in Ongwediva are third-year bachelor of accounting student Selma Shikongo and second-year bachelor of science (electrical engineering) students Josephat Simeon and Elago Petrus.

During the awarding of the bursaries at Ondangwa yesterday, Nored CEO Fillemon Nakashole said the company received 57 applications and that the three beneficiaries were selected because of academic performance, determination, financial need, affirmative action and diversity.

Nakashole said in 2017 Nored approved a training and development policy to offer external bursaries to prospective students.

“This policy was developed towards the development of human capital for the betterment of Namibian youth at various institutions of higher learning. Nored has committed itself to supporting government's efforts towards its national development goals of education, in making sure that it offers study opportunities through its bursary development scheme to deserving students,” said Nakashole.

“I would like to warn the recipients to fully understand that the bursary conditions are clear, that you forfeit the bursary if you fail, so please focus on your studies and don't end up burdening your parents.”

He said the bursaries will cover registration and tuition fees, books and transport, as well as accommodation, meals and semester allowances.

He added that apart from the bursary scheme, Nored has also established strategic partnerships through memorandums of understanding with all vocational training centres within their areas of operation, in order to offer job-attachment opportunities to students in the electrical, human resources and administration fields.

Dr Petrina Johannes, the dean in the faculty of engineering and information technology (IT) at Unam, said they appreciate Nored's efforts.

She said the bursaries came at a time when there is confusion around Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) funding.

“We are feeling grateful for what Nored has done. It is showing that corporate companies believe in the education of the Namibian nation and they are willing to support it. It is really a great thing that came at a time when many are really in need,” said Johannes.

Martha Shivute, a parent to one of the beneficiaries, said she is happy because she is unemployed and they were struggling to pay tuition fees.

“When my son started at Unam last year it was a struggle. We were going to people's houses, begging for money, but we only managed to pay half of the money. This is now good news and we are grateful for what Nored has done,” said Shivute.

ILENI NANDJATO

PG to decide on ivory case

The matter involving a Windhoek oncologist charged with illegal possession of three elephant tusks will be submitted to the prosecutor-general for a decision.

Dr Thomas John Brown van Wyk (44) appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court yesterday on a charge of possession of controlled wildlife products.

State prosecutor Ntelamo Laura Mabuku informed the court that investigations into the matter had been finalised. She said the State was of the opinion that the matter should be submitted to the prosecutor-general for a decision.

The defence and state also agreed to the disclosure of evidence to be provided today.

Magistrate Vanessa Stanley postponed the matter to 19 June. Van Wyk was arrested after his house at Auas View was searched in his absence at the end of January. T

he search was conducted after the police had received a tip-off.

Three elephant tusks were found, for which Van Wyk apparently did not have permits.

Van Wyk, who was at work during the search, handed himself over to the police after consultations with his lawyer. He was granted bail of N$50 000.

ELLANIE SMIT

Rundu heeds Mushelenga's ultimatumCouncil's management committee filled Rundu deputy mayor Toini Hausiku has been sworn in as the final member of the town council's management committee.

Rundu deputy mayor Toini Hausiku has resigned in order to take up the vacant seat on the town's management committee, which has been in limbo amid internecine infighting between Swapo councillors.

This new development comes after urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga gave the councillors an ultimatum to finalise the management committee by this Friday, or face the consequences.

The minister said late last month that if Rundu failed to comply, he would invoke the provisions in section 92 of the Local Authorities Act, which among others can be used to remove or suspend local authority councillors if they fail to comply, as well as appoint any other person to perform any duties before an election is held within three months.

Hausiku's swearing-in as a member of the management committee was confirmed by Rundu acting CEO Sikongo Haihambo.

“Councillor Toini Hausiku was sworn in by Magistrate David Munsu as the third member of the Rundu town council management committee on Friday, 31 May, thereby completing the composition of the management committee in terms of the Local Authority Act, Act 23 of 1992,” Haihambo said in statement.

“Councillor Hausiku voluntarily relinquished her position as deputy mayor on 28 May. Hausiku became an ordinary councillor and thereby became eligible for appointment in any vacant position on the council.”

Hausiku joins Swapo councillor Anastacia Foya and All People's Party councillor Mathews Wakudumo on the management committee.

Foya was elected chairperson. The council will be operating without a deputy mayor until further notice.

It has been without a complete management committee since November last year, due to the political game of thrones unfolding among the town's five Swapo councillors.

The councillors have been on each other's throats following a November 2018 directive from Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa, who instructed that no changes should be made to the then office-bearers structure and that Verna Sinimbo should be retained as mayor.

Hausiku, Foya and Isak Kandingu, who was later elected as mayor in direct defiance of the directive, dug in their heels and refused to implement Shaningwa's instruction.

This infighting escalated to a point where a frustrated Haihambo tendered his resignation. He is expected leave the local authority by end of this month.

Among those who attended Hausiku's swearing-in ceremony were Kandingu, Foya, Wakudumo and Haihambo.

Sinimbo, fellow Swapo councillor and former deputy mayor Ralph Ihemba, as well as Reginald Ndara from the Rundu Concerned Citizens Association (RCCA) were all eligible for the vacant position on the management committee.

They were not present at the swearing-in ceremony.

Ihemba refused to comment.

“Speak to the mayor; I am not in charge of the council,” he said.

Sinimbo told Namibian Sun she was not aware of the latest development.

“I am not aware; talk to the political head. I was at the farm,” she said.

Attempts to get comment from Ndara proved futile at the time of going to print.

KENYA KAMBOWE

TB hospital nears completion

A long-awaited TB hospital at Keetmanshoop is expected to be completed by September this year, says the //Karas regional health director, Dr Refanus Kooper.

According to Kooper the N$38 million building is 96% complete.

Kooper, who doubles as the chief medical officer at the Keetmanshoop State Hospital, told Namibian Sun that the isolation ward would significantly reduce the spread of TB.

The construction project, which had been scheduled for completion in 2014, came to a standstill in February that year because of disagreements between the contractor and the consulting team.

Kooper says the ministry has informed the regional office that a new contractor will take over the project.

“We are just waiting for approval for all the procedures to continue the construction. The tender has been advertised. I think they have identified somebody who can finish the construction,” he said.

The building will have a waiting area, rooms for patients, a pharmacy, a small kitchen, a gymnasium, a laundry room and a courtyard for long-term patients.

The project was part of the Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (TIPEEG) funded by the government through the ministry of health and social services.

TB burden

During this year's commemoration of World TB Day, USAID country representative Dr Randy Kolstad said it is estimated that Namibia has the 11th highest TB incidence rate in the world. Last year former health minister Dr Bernhard Haufiku said about 36% of HIV-positive Namibians also have TB. According to him the biggest threat is drug resistant TB. The Namibian newspaper reported in 2018 that about 700 people had died from tuberculosis-related infections in Namibia that year, while over 8 800 new TB infections were recorded in 2017.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Let’s pull together on water

There was much justified moaning and groaning earlier this year when the City of Windhoek sent out its water accounts, which reflected the implementation of a drought rate from 1 August last year, without little or any publicising of the measure.

Residents queued relentlessly as they queried sky-high accounts, which later led to the City announcing it would be implementing the drought rate tariffs from 1 January.

Be that as it may, the undeniable fact is that the City is in a water crisis, and we all need to pull together to make a difference.

The City warned this week that taps will run dry unless residents cooperate to achieve the mandatory 15% monthly water savings target.

“Overconsumption is worrisome, because it means we are overexploiting our last resource, which is the boreholes,” City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya said.

The municipality’s water report for the week that ended 27 May showed a 10% overconsumption, despite persistent warnings about the urgency of saving every possible drop.

The weekly target consumption is 465 000 cubic metres but the actual consumption recorded that week was above 500 000 cubic metres.

This is worrying indeed, and will have grave impacts on residents and business activities. The fact the City’s bona fides, in initially implementing higher drought rate tariffs without a widespread public awareness campaign, can be questioned, should not deter us from saving water.

It is our wholesale responsibility to ensure the crisis does not escalate to the point where lives and livelihoods are threatened.

It is up to us as business owners, government entities and residents to stave off this impending catastrophe.

Further, it confounds and bemuses that, as country, we have not fully invested in proper infrastructure and alternative water supplies, including through desalination and harvesting the precious liquid from unused aquifers, among others.

Until when will be left to the mercy of our climatic conditions, which continue to be characterised by sporadic rainfall, if any?

Clearly more foresight and will is needed in this regard.

RTA winners announced Top establishments shine The Responsible Tourism Awards aim to acknowledge and reward tourism operators in accommodation establishments who practise ecotourism and invest in the communities where they operate.

STAFF REPORTER

The winners of the 2019 Responsible Tourism Awards (RTA) were announced at the Namibia Tourism Expo yesterday.

In the category for accommodation establishments Wolwedans Collection (Dune Camp) walked away as the winner while the runners-up were Wilderness Safaris Desert Rhino Camp and Gondwana Kalahari Anib Lodge.

Wolwedans Dune Camp provides the perfect base from which to explore vast stretches of pristine nature where guests can encounter small and large desert dwellers, intriguing flora and fascinating geology.

The charm of the camp lies in its tranquil, intimate atmosphere, capturing the romance of a bygone era.

During its most recent sustainability assessment by Eco Awards Namibia, Wolwedans Dune Camp scored very well – achieving full marks in the sections for Management, Conservation, Energy and Guiding – over 90% overall.

In the category for tour operators the winner was Pack Safari while the runners-up were Sense of Africa (Tourvest) and Wild Dog Safaris.

Pack Safari is an established, reputable Namibian inbound tour operator with extensive experience and broad knowledge of Southern Africa.

Pack Safari designs superior tours, incorporating the most inspirational places, nature and cultures that Southern Africa has to offer.

Although Namibia is the heart of their operation, their expertise and passion extends past Namibia’s borders, into South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The combination of their love for places and people, and their keen dedication to unsurpassed service, ensures that each tour is unique and extraordinary.

During the recent sustainability assessment by Eco Awards Namibia, Pack Safari achieved an excellent score against internationally benchmarked criteria.

The Responsible Tourism Awards, initiated by Namibia Media Holdings (NMH), aim to acknowledge and reward tourism operators in accommodation establishments who practise ecotourism in their operations as well as those who invest in the communities where they operate.

The awards are linked to the Namibia Tourism Expo, an annual event which brings together tourism operators from Namibia and neighbouring countries to network and market their products and services.

PM calls crisis meetingHigher education, finance, NSFAF to meet with students Several government stakeholders will be meeting with the Nanso leadership to thrash out solutions to the NSFAF funding crisis, which has left 12 000 students out in the cold. JEMIMA BEUKES

The government higher education funding crisis has deepened, with tertiary institutions saying they will be severely impacted, while the Office of the Prime Minister has called an urgent meeting to bring the relevant stakeholders to the table.

The reduction of government funding to students will have a severe impact on the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) the institution’s spokesperson, Kaitira Kandjii, said this week.

The chairperson of the International University (IUM) of Management David Namwandi also said the financial crisis is affecting everyone and not students.

More than 12 000 first-year university students may not receive financial assistance during the current financial year, unless the government covers the N$641 million shortfall being experienced by the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF).

Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) president Ester Simon told Namibian Sun a meeting has been called by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) for next week.

The meeting will be between the higher education and finance ministries, Nanso and NSFAF.

Nanso has also invited a host of young professionals in various fields who can provide information, statistics and evidence on how the NSFAF funding crisis will affect students and the country’s economy.

“We need to be fully prepared when we sit down with them. Right now students are panicking and are in limbo, because they are uncertain about their future,” Simon said.

Meanwhile, Nust’s spokesperson Kandjii has told Namibian Sun that income from students is crucial for the university to deliver excellent services to its students.

“With the reduced subsidy from the government, any income stream becomes vital for the university to effectively run its operation and deliver on its mandate.

“Close to 1 000 NUST students will be affected by the NSFAF move of cutting support to students, particularly the first-year students who urgently need support and funding,” he said.

Kandjii added that the university’s executive management was exploring ways to deal with the situation.

“NUST is sympathetic to any of its students who do not have funding or adequate financial support, as the lack thereof affects their academic performance and also determines whether a student will be dropping out or staying on at the university and graduate.

“Therefore, the university is on a fundraising drive to raise funds for its needy students and three weeks ago held a golf day to raise funds for its students to support them with bursaries to enable them to pay for their accommodation, food, schoolbooks and medical needs,” he said.

Meanwhile the founder of IUM Dr David Namwandi has put his hopes for struggling students on a “divine intervention.”

He added that they are aware that the country is going through financial difficulties.

Namwandi who is also a former education minister said IUM is used to financial hiccups and as a result the institution has long adopted very prudent financial policies.

“We sympathise with the students who are entirely depended on the NSFAF funding. We know this financial crisis affects everyone. Not only the student’s even ordinary people in the country. So the pinch that is felt by the students is felt by the government and everybody,” he said.

Expo celebrates 21 years with focus on recycling

ELLANIE SMIT

This week thousands will flock to the Windhoek Showgrounds where the country’s biggest tourism gathering, the Namibia Tourism Expo, officially opened yesterday, promising loads of activities for visitors.

Now in its 21st year the expo is taking place under the theme ‘Recycle’ from 5 to 8 June.

Speaking at the opening of the expo, tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta said this year’s theme is of utmost importance, not only for the tourism sector but also for the country at large, where a culture of recycling is just beginning to emerge.

He said Namibians need to change their “throwaway mentality” and the culture of overconsumption.

Shifeta specifically referred to solid waste management and said it is one of the most serious environmental issues, which if left unattended, will have adverse impacts on the environment and socio-economic well-being of Namibians.

He said the tourism sector is one of the sectors which is dependent on a clean environment, and can therefore suffer long-lasting negative impacts caused by pollution and a lack of waste management.

“When visitors come to our country, we notice a growth in statistics on an annual basis; it is of utmost importance to create a lasting impression of a clean destination in Namibia. It is very important that we all uphold the principles of reducing, recycling and reusing waste. When we follow these principles we are not only helping to combat serious environmental problems such as global warming, but we could also create treasures from trash and turn waste into wealth,” Shifeta said.

According to him, awareness on the importance of recycling needs to be raised in companies, shops and schools.

He further welcomed the Namibia Town of the Year competition, and challenged towns to compete to become cleaner.

Shifeta said this initiative promotes communities to work together to improve the attractiveness of their towns for tourism development and to build better relationships amongst all involved.

He said the root causes of waste and pollution can only be addressed if all sectors - from education, culture, industry, mining, environment, fisheries and agriculture - work together in a synergistic manner.

“Sharing information, harmonising policies and legislation and sharing efforts and resources to halt and reverse the challenge of waste and pollution within the borders of destination management. All of us, both in the public sector, civil sector, communal sector, private sector and collectively as individuals, have a role to play. Let us use tourism as a unifier for this cause, as tourism is everyone’s business.”

Shifeta added that the tourism sector is negatively affected by litter and irresponsible waste disposal and therefore encouraged the sector to spearhead the initiative of a cleaner Namibia by embracing the three principals of recycle, reduce and reuse.

According to him the ministry is leading by example and in 2018 banned plastic bags within national parks.

“Furthermore I call upon the sector to use this platform to network and seek for opportunities that will grow their businesses and improve on service delivery. Our tourism sector must not remain stagnant, if we are to attract more tourists to the country.”

He also called on everyone to be environmental ambassadors within their communities.

“We want a country that we are proud of and we must make the effort to do it, and we can do this, with the public and private sectors. We can maintain where we are, overcome the shortcomings, and we can make Namibia a better place to be, for ourselves and for our visitors.”

At the opening of the expo the winners of the Responsible Tourism Awards in the categories for accommodation and tour operators were also announced, while the #Hashtag Festival was also launched.

Since its inception in 1998, the expo has grown exponentially and has earned a superb reputation for offering the only centralised marketing platform for Namibia’s tourism industry, in particular travel and hospitality.

The Namibia Tourism Expo is hosted annually by Namibia Media Holding (NMH) and the main sponsors of the event are Old Mutual and FNB Namibia.

Chinese ambassador decries ‘economic bullying’

CATHERINE SASMAN

The Chinese ambassador to Namibia, Zhang Yiming, has put all the blame for the increasingly acrimonious China-US trade talks on the administration of President Donald Trump.

Speaking at a press conference in Windhoek yesterday, he said the United States’ behaviour was disrupting global industrial chains of supply and placing developing countries in an unfavourable trade status.

“As for African friends, when it is dark in the West, it is bright in the East,” Yiming said, calling on African countries to “take the express train of Chinese development and share its benefits”.

He said while the standoff between the two economic giants continued, China and Namibia had complementary economic advantages.

He said China offered a market of 1.4 billion people, adding that Namibia was of great priority and interest to China due to its vast land and rich natural resources.

“Exporting agricultural products such as oysters, beef, and grapes to China is of promising future and full of vitality. There is also great potential for China-Namibia agriculture and tourism cooperation,” Yiming said.

China will host its first China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and the second China International Import Expo in June and November respectively.

Asked whether he was suggesting that African governments should take sides in the stalled trade talks with the USA, Yiming said: “Our purpose is to clarify our standing positions from our own perspective. I think our African friends and people in the world are fully intelligent to know yourselves who is the real friend who concentrate on development and prosperity in the world.”

Friction, not war

Yiming said the ongoing trade negotiations with the US was not a “war” as it was touted in international media, but a “friction”, which would inevitably involve other economies, including the African region.

Yiming said he wanted to “explain the truth of the trade friction, to win an understanding and support of everyone, to jointly oppose the economic bullying of the United States, and to maintain a sound world economic order”.

“As the two largest economies, China and the United States have the responsibility to establish a good international economic trade order and to promote the stable growth of the world economy,” Yiming said.

He said since 2017 the Trump administration in the US had been threatening additional tariffs and other measures and “provoked” frequent economic and trade frictions with other major trading partners.

Since February 2018, 11 rounds of China-US economic and trade consultations had been conducted and the two sides had agreed on most parts of a possible deal.

However, Yiming said, at the beginning of May this year when the consultations were about to be concluded, the US suddenly launched a tariff threat and started to bargain “recklessly again”.

On 10 and 13 May the US imposed additional tariffs on imports from China, amounting to US$500 billion.

Yiming said recently the US administration imposed “long-arm jurisdiction” and sanctions against Huawei and other Chinese companies on a “fabricated basis of national security”.

“In the face of the US’ unreasonable bullying, China has to take the necessary countermeasures,” Yiming said.

These measures included China’s announcement on 31 May that it would establish an “unreliable entity list system”, which Yiming said was “perhaps the best counterattack” to get “unscrupulous spoilers” and “untrustworthy people” bound by the rules of trade talks.

Yiming said the US, not China, had “unilaterally provoked” the escalated “frictions” and that it was the US, not China, who had backtracked on consensus reached.

“Even during the consultations the United States was performing hegemony and intimidation to the fullest. The United States has repeatedly violated consensus and changed its face. It is changing face like a young baby. The more the US government is offered, the more it wants,” Yiming said.

He said the US had repeatedly ignored China’s core concerns, persisted with exorbitant demands, maintained the additional tariffs imposed, and insisted on including mandatory requirements concerning China’s sovereign affairs, which Yiming said led to unsuccessful negotiations.

Moving forward

Yiming said what mattered now was how to manage the differences for a win-win outcome.

“China is willing to adopt a cooperative approach,” Yiming said, but this approach had “its own bottom line”.

“China cannot make concessions on major principle issues. China has made it clear that there is no winner in the trade war. China does not want a trade war, but is by no means afraid of fighting one. China is open to negotiation, but it will fight to the end if needed.”

Yiming said the United States’ “extremely selfish behaviour” violated the rules of the World Trade Organisation and damaged the bilateral trading system.

CAF boss apprehended in Paris

CAF president Ahmad Ahmad was reportedly arrested on allegations of corruption in Paris on Thursday morning. It is believed the arrest is in connection with the contract unilaterally broken by CAF with German sportswear giants Puma to engage with the company Technical Steel, based in La Seyne-sur-Mer.
This comes on the back of plenty of controversy surrounding the CAF Champions League final, which has been ordered to be replayed after the Africa Cup of Nations.
The second-leg clash between Esperance de Tunis and Wydad Casablanca was cast under the spotlight when the Moroccan outfit walked off the pitch in protest to the referee's decision not to award a goal, while the VAR system was not in operation.
The match was resultantly awarded in favour of Esperance, who reclaimed their title won last year, but the continental football governing body has since requested the trophy and medals be returned ahead of the replay at a neutral ground.

Kickoff

'Learning curve' continuesWelwitschias head into mission impossible against Valke A dismal SuperSport Rugby Challenge campaign comes to an end tomorrow for the Windhoek Draught Welwitschias.

The fifth-placed Valke will head into tomorrow's SuperSport Rugby Challenge match against the Windhoek Draught Welwitschias as firm favourites.

Nobody expects the Namibians to put up a meaningful challenge, given that their first-choice players are currently in Uruguay for the World Rugby Nations Cup, where they lost 25-39 to Argentina earlier this week.

The Welwitschias go into the last match of their SuperSport Rugby Challenge season after a string of dismissal performances, with not much light at the end of the tunnel. They are yet to record a win, after consistently being thumped, and have been occupying the bottom of the log since the competition kicked off.

Johan Diergaardt, who is in charge of the Namibian team, said everyone should remain positive as it is a learning curve for the players.

“The matches have allowed the players to measure themselves and to see where they stand. It is a wake-up call for all of us, as the players need strength and conditioning,” he said.

Diergaardt added that most of the players are aged between 21 and 22 and that critics should stop looking at the scoreboard, but rather the opportunity presented for growth and development.

The Namibian team is using the SuperSport Rugby Challenge as preparation for the 2019 Japan Rugby World Cup.

However, they have been anything but convincing and will probably breathe a sigh of relieve that their participation in the tournament is now at an end.

They were defeated 40-23 by the Golden Lions in their opening match. In their second match they suffered another defeat to the Bulls (21-87).

In their third match, Griquas defeated them 24-61.

Their fourth match was no different, even though it was a closely contested one against the Griffons, who won 34-24.

In their fifth match, the Leopards whipped the Namibians 81-8. Their sixth match last weekend saw log leaders, the ISG Pumas, running riot against the Namibians (106-0).

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Namibian kickboxers off to world champs

The Namibian Kickboxing Federation (NFK) has selected a national team to participate in the 51st Battle of Atlanta World Championships set for June 14 to 15 in the United States.

The team will depart on 12 June. Three title belts are on the line and two will be contested by Namibians.

Two of Namibia's best kickboxers will take part in the main events. In the featherweight division Delano Müller will fight Stan Rakov from Cincinnati. In the super lightweight division Lesley !Hoaëb will fight Johannes Gottwald, the current world champion from Germany.

The Namibian national team, which will be taking part in the point and continuous sparring categories, is Stephanie Schoonbee, Ankia Rentzke, Jan Willem van Zyl, James-Dean Goagoseb, Giano Alcock, Müller and !Hoaëb. Philip Müller is the coach and Cherry-Lee Alcock the team manager.

The championships are one of the toughest. “For years, the Battle of Atlanta has been home to some of the greatest fighters and competitors.

“From Chuck Norris to Evander Holyfield, Don Wilson, Bill 'Superfoot' Wallace, Joe Lewis, Jeff Smith and Jean Claude van Dame, more champs and stars have graced these halls than anyone can count,” the NKF said in a statement.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

'Genius' Ronaldo bags hat-trickPortugal advance to Nations League final Cristiano Ronaldo predictably took centre stage against Switzerland, as he struck twice in the final two minutes.

Portugal manager Fernando Santos hailed Cristiano Ronaldo a “football genius” after his 53rd career hat-trick sent Portugal into the final of the Uefa Nations League on home soil in Porto with a 3-1 win over Switzerland.

The hosts had to withstand a huge moment of video assistant referee (VAR) controversy as after Ronaldo's free-kick opened the scoring, Portugal thought they had the chance to double their lead from the penalty spot.

Instead German referee Felix Brych reversed his initial decision and awarded a spot-kick at the other end for an earlier incident, which Ricardo Rodriguez converted to seemingly send the game into extra-time.

“I was his coach in 2003 and I could see where he'd go,” said Santos. “He's a genius. There's genius paintings and sculptures and he's a football genius!”

Portugal made it to the last four without their all-time record goal-scorer as Ronaldo took a hiatus from international football to concentrate on his first season at Juventus.

However, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner returned to the national team in March and was always likely to be the centre of attention, particularly on a day when it was reported a rape lawsuit against him had been dropped.

A lawyer for the American woman who claimed she was sexually assaulted by Ronaldo - accusations he has strongly denied -later dismissed the report, saying the case had not been dropped.

In front of an adoring home crowd, Ronaldo put the spotlight back on his performance on the pitch, as he opened the scoring with a brilliant free-kick.

The Portugal captain is, however, no longer his country's only star name, with Bernardo Silva starring for Manchester City, where he could soon be joined by Joao Felix.

City are reportedly set to pay Felix's 120-million-euro (US$135 million) buyout clause at Benfica, but the 19-year-old missed a glaring chance to mark his international debut with a goal just before the break, as he blasted over from Ronaldo's pass.

Switzerland had posed a threat themselves in the first half, with Xherdan Shaqiri, fresh from winning the Champions League with Liverpool, particularly lively.

However, it took the help of VAR to get them back in the game just before the hour mark.

Brych had waved away appeals for a foul by Nelson Semedo on Steven Zuber before awarding Portugal a penalty, as play broke down at the other end, but overturned his initial decision.

Rodriguez drilled home the resultant spot-kick, much to the fury of the home supporters at the Estadio do Dragao.

The Swiss could have gone in front when Benfica forward Haris Seferovic headed just wide.

In contrast, Portugal had one of the deadliest finishers in football history on the end of their chances.

NAMPA/AFP