Namibian Sun

EVM hacking a 'farce'Opposition backs out of hacking challenge Opposition parties opposed to the use of electronic voting machines have backed out of the ECN's hacking challenge at the last minute, saying they were not provided with the machines' specifications.

Opposition parties have rejected the Electoral Commission's “hacking challenge” at the last minute, saying the ECN had not provided them with the specifications of the Indian-manufactured electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Going to court to stop the use of EVMs in this year's elections remains the last resort, they say.

The parties have also demanded to join the ECN in the room where the results are tallied before being announced. Henk Mudge of the Republican Party (RP) said the ECN was not very accommodative and was hell bent on going to the polls with the EVMs despite serious concerns raised by the parties. “We do not trust the EVMs. We are convinced that they can be manipulated and used in favour of the ruling Swapo party,” he said. Asked whether the parties would take the matter to court, Mudge said they would first explore other options. Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) secretary-general Manuel Ngaringombe said they would only approach the court if they were convinced they had an airtight case.

“We do not want to go to court and lose on technicalities,” he said.

He said the ECN did not want to allow them to use “foreign objects” such as USB memory sticks during the hacking challenge.

“They told us the intellectual rights of the machines belong to the Indian companies and we can only get the scope from them. How can we hack a machine if we do not have the scope and specifications with us? They also said we may not break the seal of the machines. The hacking challenge was a farce,” he said.

“We want access to the tally centre. For now ECN does not allow any one of the political parties but we do not know if they are going to take their good friends Swapo into the room,” Ngaringombe said.

ECN chief electoral officer Theo Mujoro said the opposition parties missed a great opportunity to prove their misgivings about the EVMs by pulling out of the hacking challenge.

“We invited nominees of registered political parties to demonstrate their claims that the EVMs could be tampered with under the technical and administrative safeguards of the ECN within the existing administrative and security protocols put in place by the Commission,” he said.

Mujoro added that it was unreasonable of political parties to expect permission to connect foreign devices, or to replace or alter any components of the EVMs, in order to hack the machines. According to him the ECN would not make available any circuit board diagrams to third parties or facilitate physical access, as demanded by some political parties.

“Allowing political parties to do that would be in violation of proprietary and intellectual property rights which the ECN must observe in terms of the contract agreement with the manufacturer,” he said.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Company news in brief

Nedbank’s South African profit stagnates

Nedbank called for more urgent government action to fix South Africa's struggling economy yesterday after first-half earnings at its main domestic operations flatlined.

More of Nedbank's corporate and retail clients defaulted on their debts or swerved riskier investments due to a tough economic environment as unemployment rose to an 11-year high and South Africa had its worst quarterly contraction in a decade.

Nedbank said headline earnings at its retail and business bank and corporate and investment bank, the engines of its operation, rose by just 0.3% and 0.1% respectively.

Nedbank's performance was bolstered by its businesses elsewhere in Africa, which grew headline earnings by 19.6%, helping to lift headline earnings per share - the main profit gauge in South Africa - by 3.5% to 1 435 cents.

Nedbank has benefited from a turnaround at its west African associate Ecobank, which contributed R264 million to headline earnings. – Nampa/Reuters

Diageo pledges for green projects in Africa

British drinks giant Diageo announced Monday it would inject nearly a quarter of a billion US dollars into sustainability projects at 11 of its African breweries, its largest green investment in a decade.

The London-based spirits maker committed to spending 180 million pounds (US$219 million) on renewable energy and water recycling systems at breweries in seven countries to reduce its carbon footprint.

The alcohol multinational said biomass boilers using sustainable fuels would be installed at three breweries in Kenya and neighbouring Uganda, replacing dirtier sources of energy production.

Solar panels would be rolled out at facilities in six countries, starting with Kenya and Ghana, producing up to one-fifth of each breweries' energy needs.

Fifty-million pounds would be provided upfront to kick-off the projects spanning 11 breweries in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Seychelles, Nigeria and Ghana. – Nampa/Reuters

China gets majority interest in W. African licences

Australian oil and gas explorer FAR Ltd, which holds a stake in licences for oil drilling off the coast of West Africa's Guinea-Bissau, said a unit of China National Offshore Oil Corp will take a majority stake in the projects.

CNOOC will get a 55.6% stake in the Sinapa and Esperanca licences from Sweden's Svenska Petroleum Exploration AB, whose interest will be reduced to 23.03%, FAR said in a statement yesterday. It did not disclose financial details.

The Chinese oil producer can opt to become the operator of the joint venture after an upcoming offshore drilling campaign is completed.

CNOOC's interest will be converted to a 50% stake if there is a commercial discovery, FAR said.

FAR will continue to hold a 21.42% stake in each of the licences. – Nampa/Reuters

Marriott cuts full-year forecast for key revenue

Marriott International Inc on Monday cut its full-year outlook for a key revenue measure that indicates pricing power as the world's largest hotel chain faces the impact of weakening business travel due to slowing global economic growth.

Shares of the company fell 3% in extended trading after the hotel chain said it now expected revenue per available room (RevPAR) to grow in the range of 1% to 2% in 2019 compared with the prior estimate of 1% to 3%.

Net income fell to US$232 million, or 69 US cents per share, in the second quarter ended June 30, from US$667 million, or US$1.87 per share, a year earlier.

Marriott recorded a US$126 million non-tax accrual in the quarter for the fine proposed by the UK Information Commissioner's Office in relation to the data breach in its Starwoods hotels reservation system.

Revenue fell to US$5.31 billion from US$5.41 billion a year earlier. – Nampa/Reuters

Deutsche Post raises 2019 forecast

Deutsche Post DHL said yesterday it expects a further improvement in earnings in the second half of 2019 due to restructuring measures and a rise in German postage and parcel prices.

The German post and logistics group reported a 3% rise in second-quarter sales to 15.5 billion euro (US$17.37 billion) while operating profit rose by 2.9% to 769 million euro, topping the 727 million average forecast from analysts.

The company, which is partly state-owned, said steps taken to improve productivity and an increase in the German postage rate for letters from July 1 would help in the second half of the year, despite weak economic growth.

US rival FedEx Corp warned in June that US-China trade tensions and the non-renewal of its contract with Amazon.com Inc would hurt its fiscal 2020 performance.

Deutsche Post is not immune to slowing momentum in global trade due to the conflict but its broad portfolio helps, finance chief Melanie Kreis told journalists. – Nampa/Reuters

A two-edged sword

No one living in Namibia during this time is immune to the ongoing struggles faced by citizens.

Much has been said and written about stalled government projects, due to a lack of funding, joblessness and other woes that encapsulate these trying times. President Hage Geingob criss-crossing the country to meet with citizens and Swapo hacks has divided many. Some see this as a plain and simple political campaign, on both fronts, given that the Swapo electoral college is set to take place next month and the 2019 general election in November. What has been quite interesting is that instead of stage-managed town hall and regional meetings, we have had citizens opening up about the myriad of challenges they face. There have even been shocking corruption allegations levelled against town leaders. Having said that, the nagging suspicion remains that having an outlet will not translate into real change. And indeed, we are entering the season of promises, as political parties and their presidential candidates pull out all the stops to promise us the moon and the stars. Geingob is walking a tightrope here, because as much as state machinery can be used to meet with the public at taxpayers’ expense, it is not a short walk to the electorate making a conscious calculation that the incumbent is part and parcel of their current circumstances. Thus these engagements can become a two-edged sword for the president. Clearly having the space to vent will not be enough for ordinary citizens. Having said that, Geingob is also in a race against time to translate the multi-billion-dollar pledges at the recent economic summit into tangible benefits for the economy and job-creation. As much as everyone expects the Swapo juggernaut to roll over all-comers at the polls, and that Geingob will win a second term with a reduced majority, life does not stop and start at the convenience of politicians and their gimmicks. We need real jobs, real change and real hope.

Zim secures more electricity imports to ease outagesWeekly debt payments Zimbabwe owes more than US$70 million to Eskom and Hydro Cahora Bassa of Mozambique for past power supplies. We have been able to ring-fence adequate resources to pay for at least 400 megawatts of electricity a month. - George Guvamatanga, Secretary: Finance ministry

HARARE - Zimbabwe will ramp up its electricity imports over the next few weeks, potentially easing rolling power cuts, after it agreed to make payments to clear its debt to a regional power utility, a treasury official said on Monday.

The Southern African nation has endured 18-hour daily power cuts since May as a result of a prolonged drought that has reduced output at its largest hydro plant and ageing coal-fired generators that keep breaking down.

Foreign power companies also stopped supplying Zimbabwe with electricity in 2017 after the country failed to pay its bills, although Zimbabwe resumed limited imports of 300 MW a month last week.

George Guvamatanga, secretary for the ministry of finance, told business leaders in Harare that Zimbabwe had agreed to make weekly payments to clear its debt to a regional power utility, which would start providing at least 400 MW of electricity a month, starting from this week.

That would take total imports to 700 MW a month.

Guvamatanga did not name the supplier. Zimbabwe typically buys electricity from South Africa's Eskom and Hydro Cahora Bassa of Mozambique.

Zimbabwe owes more than US$70 million to Eskom and Hydro Cahora Bassa of Mozambique for past power supplies.

"I think the arrangement that we have put in place now on electricity should hopefully guarantee us increased supply from tomorrow or Wednesday," Guvamatanga said.

"Working with the mining sector we have been able to ring-fence adequate resources to pay for at least 400 megawatts of electricity a month."

Eskom

Power shortages, along with drought and a severe US dollar crunch, will result in the economy shrinking this year, the finance minister said last week.

Energy and power development minister Fortune Chasi was in South Africa at the end of July to try negotiate for a power deal with Eskom. He did not immediately respond to calls and messages on his mobile phone on Monday.

Eskom, which is itself struggling to meet South Africa's electricity needs, had no immediate comment.

The government said last week that power utility ZESA Holdings was accessing 300 MW during off-peak hours from the Southern African Power Pool, a regional industry collaboration linking up national grids.

Guvamatanga said for now Zimbabwe would have to rely on electricity imports, which required foreign currency that is in short supply.

Last week finance minister Mthuli Ncube announced a three-fold increase in electricity tariffs, as the government seeks to raise more funds for power generation. – Nampa/Reuters

Mozambique kicks off construction of gas project

Palma - Mozambique on Monday started constructing a multi-billion-dollar liquefied natural gas project offshore, operated by the US energy giant Anadarko on the country's remote northern coast.

President Filipe Nyusi laid the foundation stone in Palma in the Cabo Delgado province, hailing the US$25-billion Rovuma basin LNG project.

"With this project, Mozambique will change, Palma will change," he told thousands of guests who witnessed the project launch in the impoverished region, just two months before national elections.

The country's gas deposits are estimated at 5 000 billion cubic metres and would make Mozambique a major exporter of liquefied natural gas.

Annual production is expected to start in 2024 with an estimated output of 12 million tonnes.

The government is predicting strong future growth for the former Portuguese colony on the back of its resource bounty.

Mozambique is hoping the discovery of the gigantic gas reserves at the beginning of the decade will bring about economic rebirth in the southeast African nation.

The project is forging ahead despite Islamist insurgent attacks that have claimed more than 250 lives and frustrated operations.

A shadowy jihadist group has targeted the Muslim-majority Cabo Delgado province since October 2017.

Convoys carrying contractors for Anadarko have been attacked at least twice, although the company has previously told AFP it does not believe it had been deliberately targeted.

Anadarko has previously said Mozambique's natural gas reserves, "are among the best and the largest in the world". – Nampa/AFP

Procurement under fire

Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) executive director Graham Hopwood has questioned the effectiveness of the country's public procurement system, in the light of recent revelations that a total of N$750 000 was paid into the private bank accounts of three justice ministry officials to pay a software supplier.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) recently concluded there was no intention to swindle the money from the ministry.

The ACC said an explanation and supporting document provided by justice ministry executive director Issaskar Ndjoze explained the circumstances that compelled the ministry to make payments to the Singaporean company via the personal bank accounts of the officials in question.

Speaking during the launch of the sixth edition of Procurement Tracker Namibia (PTN) this week, Hopwood said the incident shows that the procurement system was completely bypassed.

“Obviously you could not have the executive director, formerly the PS in the ministry, directing money into individual officials' accounts, if there was a proper procurement system operating. The underlying point for us is that the procurement system is clearly not working in the justice ministry,” he said.

The PTN interrogated a government meeting that took place in July to address the troubles that have plagued Namibia's public procurement system, which was a clear signal that these issues can no longer be swept under the rug.

IPPR research associate Frederico Links said there are immense gaps at very strategic points in the public procurement system.

He also questioned government's commitment to fighting corruption head-on, adding that irregularities, such as with the justice ministry incident, are swept aside as “administrative issues”.

Former Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) CEO Tarah Shaanika told Namibian Sun in a separate interview that the Central Procurement Board (CPB) of Namibia has no proper capacity.

“The Public Procurement Act created a mess. Procurement in the country is very slow and this frustrates suppliers and a lot of businesses,” he said.

CPB chairperson Patrick Swartz confirmed there is limited capacity at the tender board and also at public offices.

According to him there is often no cohesion between the board and some public entities, which can frustrate the process.

“When we are not clear on what must be procured, then it becomes difficult to just rubber stamp projects,” he added.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Local beef too expensive for Angola

President Hage Geingob has poured cold water on plans to supply beef to Angola, saying this had happened in the past, but was stopped by the neighbouring country because of high prices.

The head of state was speaking at a town hall meeting at Ongwediva on Monday, where he answered questions posed by Namibian National Farmers Union (NNFU) president Jason Emvula.

Emvula said there is a demand for Namibian beef in Angola, but no supply coming from the Land of the Brave. He therefore urged Namibia to consider supplying beef to Angola, which has also been mooted in the past by Omusati governor Erginus Endjala and others. In July 2017 it was also reported that Angola had planned to put a ban on its importing of meat from other countries, to make way for Namibian imports.

Geingob said on Monday that Angola used to buy beef from Namibia, but they stopped.

“Angolans like our meat and they used to buy from us, but our meat is expensive and that is why they stopped buying from Meatco. It is better for them to get their beef from Brazil than from Namibia,” the president said. Geingob and his cabinet delegation did not suggest any ways in which Namibian beef could be made more affordable for the Angolan market. Endjala said last year he was ready to facilitate talks with Angola, which has over the years demanded beef exports from the Northern Communal Areas (NCA).

Endjala, who was speaking during the handing-over ceremony of the Outapi abattoir, said beef exports had failed to take off in the past, because of the lack of a proper beef value chain in the northern regions.

He said the growing Angolan demand for NCA beef was exacerbated by the closure of the Oshakati and Katima Mulilo abattoirs, which used to be operated by Meatco.

“Since Meatco closed its operations we have had an issue of a market. My office have been approached several times by our Angolan counterparts demanding for Namibian beef to enter into their market, but for too long we were not having facilities in the NCA to pursue this deal.”

“With the opening of this abattoir, it is now an opportunity for Namibian beef to enter the Angolan market. I am ready to facilitate these negotiations,” Endjala said that time.

He said Angolan meat agents also attended the Outapi event.

This impressed agriculture minister Alpheus !Naruseb who said government has done its part by investing in the beef value chain development facilities in the NCA, and the onus is now on operators and farmers to make sure the facilities are put to good use, for the benefit of all stakeholders.

ILENI NANDJATO

Killer sues for N$3.5mBlames negligence for his blindness A convicted murderer serving two life sentences wants damages of N$3.5 million after he went blind, allegedly as a side-effect of TB medication.

A man who is serving two life sentences for killing his son and daughter 10 years ago, is suing the correctional services and the safety ministry for N$3.5 million for the loss of his eyesight.

Jonas Penovanhu Shinana (35) was found guilty in November 2017 of murdering his two children, Matheus Shinana (6) and Emilia Naatye Shinana (4) by slitting their throats just before Christmas in December 2009.

He was convicted of two counts of murder in 2017 and is serving two life sentences.

Shinana, who unsuccessfully tried to kill himself before his arrest, denied guilt during his trial.

He filed his multimillion-dollar lawsuit in March 2017, while his trial was ongoing.

He is asking the court for damages of N$2 million for his blindness, which he blames on negligent medical staff at the Windhoek Central Prison.

He is suing for another N$1 million for loss of amenities in life, N$100 000 for post-traumatic stress and N$400 000 for general damages and wrongful stripping of his dignity.

Shinana claims he went blind because medical staff did not provide him with the necessary urgent care after he reported eye problems in January 2015, after he had been put on TB treatment which allegedly contained an ingredient that harmed his eyesight.

Argued

The defendants have filed papers denying any wrongdoing and claiming Shinana was provided with sufficiently quick medical help.

In an amended plea filed by the safety and security ministry and correctional services, they argue Shinana's blindness “was a gradual process and did not happen in one day or a week”.

They state further that Shinana “was unreasonable in taking too long to register the complaint about his deteriorating eyesight and painful eyes” and that he himself “brought about his own loss of eyesight”.

Shinana argues that the TB medication he was given contained a substance that could, as a side-effect, damage his eyes and that he was never warned about that.

He claims that when he first complained of itchy and sore eyes in January 2015, he was told to “be a little more active, do some exercise”.

He further claims he was later told “there is no sign of eyesight problems and they proceeded to prescribe me Panado pills”.

In March, he was eventually referred to the Windhoek Central Hospital and underwent a scan which indicated abnormal swelling. He claims this condition was traced back to the TB medication he had been taking.

“After numerous follow-ups at the Windhoek Central Hospital, I was informed that I had lost about 80% of my eyesight and I was declared legally blind.”

Shinana claims that the staff at the prison's medical ward “neglected to properly perform their duties” and refer him to an eye specialist when he first complained of problems.

He accuses the staff of having violated his right to human dignity, and says he is finding it hard to adjust to the loss of eyesight and is suffering from depression.

Blind

An expert witness, due to testify on Shinana's behalf, Dr Willie Bruwer, confirms in his witness statement that Ethionamide, as prescribed to Shinana, has the potential to lead to optic neuritis.

Bruwer's statement notes that he was unable to find any evidence that Shinana was advised of the possible side-effects of the medication.

The doctor says it would have been diligent to immediately send the plaintiff for eye tests when he complained of itchiness and reddish eyes.

“It is medically possible that delay may have led to the plaintiff's current condition, as early removal of the causative agent may have stopped the process,” Bruwer notes.

In the amended plea filed by the defendants, they state that Shinana was not diagnosed with TB in August 2014 as he claims, but that his treatment, which ceased in December 2009 when he was arrested, was simply continued. They say his eye damage was not as a consequence of any negligence but that Shinana brought about “his own loss of alleged amenities in that he took too long to register his complaint about his itching eyes and impaired vision”.

Shinana is represented by Taimi Iileka of Sisa Namandje and Co., while Freddy Kadhila was appointed as the government attorney.

The case is being heard by High Court Judge Shafimana Ueitele. The matter is set down on the action floating roll for this week.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Namibia faces water bankruptcyRanked in ‘red zone’ on global list About 580 000 Namibians bore the brunt of the drought last year, which caused an economic loss of nearly N$900 million. Despite the existence of a Disaster Risk Management Act (from 2012), a continuous monitoring on national level of disaster-affected persons has not been established. – Namibia Statistics Agency

Jo-Maré Duddy – Namibia is one of 27 countries worldwide that faces high levels of water stress, where on average more than 40% of available supply is withdrawn every year.

This is according to the World Resources Institute (WRI), a US think-tank who yesterday released its Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas. The new Aqueduct data includes both surface and groundwater stress for the first time.

Out of 164 countries surveyed, Namibia was ranked 37th.

Water stress levels in the first 17 countries on the list are “extremely high, where irrigated agriculture, industries and municipalities withdraw more than 80% of their available supply on average every year. These countries are home to one-quarter of the world’s population. African countries in this block are Botswana, Libya and Eritrea.

Namibia, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Niger and Egypt are African countries in the second worst affected group where water stress is high.

The reasons for these crises go far deeper than drought, the WRI says. “Through new hydrological models, WRI found that water withdrawals globally have more than doubled since the 1960s due to growing demand – and they show no signs of slowing down.”

Official numbers

The international data follows shortly after the release of a report by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), measuring the country’s progress on sustainable development goals.

The figures show that 780 000 Namibians were affected by drought 2013, followed by the same number in 2014. In 2015, the drought affected the lives 1.36 million people, and again in 2016. According to the NSA, 580 000 Namibians bore the brunt of the drought in 2017, followed by the same number last year.

The total economic loss of natural disasters in Namibia peaked in 2015 and 2016, with US$124 million – about N$1.8 billion - recorded for each year. The yearly economic loss for 2017 and 2018 was N$60 million or nearly N$900 million.

The NSA calculated the impact of the drought and other natural disasters to measures Namibia’s progress against the targets of Vision 2030. By 2030, Namibia had to build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters.

“The data shows that Namibia’s population is vulnerable to disasters such as droughts and floods. However, despite the existence of a Disaster Risk Management Act (from 2012), a continuous monitoring on national level of disaster-affected persons has not been established,” the NSA says.

Global picture

"We're currently facing a global water crisis," Betsy Otto, director of WRI's global water programme, said yesterday.

New data in WRI's Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas showed the lion's share of the most thirsty countries are located in the largely arid Middle East and North Africa region.

Qatar is the most water-stressed country, followed by Israel and Lebanon.

The world's water supplies are threatened by many factors, from climate change to mismanagement in the form of water waste and pollution, Washington-based WRI said.

A high reliance on depleting groundwater supplies - difficult to measure and manage because they are buried deep - is an additional concern, Paul Reig, who leads work on the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, told journalists.

Nearly a third of the world's fresh water is groundwater, according to the United States Geological Survey.

"Because we don't understand [groundwater], and don't see it, we manage it very poorly," Reig said.

Water stress poses serious threats to human lives, livelihoods and business stability, the WRI says.

“It’s poised to worsen unless countries act: Population growth, socioeconomic development and urbanisation are increasing water demands, while climate change can make precipitation and demand more variable.” – Additional reporting by Nampa/Reuters

jo-mare@republikein.com.na

Suspended Zimbabwe make way for Namibia The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that Namibia will compete in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019, replacing Zimbabwe which has been suspended.

The event, which gets under way in Scotland later this month, will see Namibia join hosts Scotland, Bangladesh, Ireland, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and USA to compete for the two remaining spots at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020.

Namibia step into the frame after their finishing spot in the Africa regional pathway having lost the final of the women's African Qualifier to Zimbabwe. This maintains the balance of regional representation in the global qualifying events.

In the men's T20 World Cup Qualifier, Nigeria will take the 14th and final spot in place of suspended Zimbabwe. The event gets underway in the UAE in October. Nigeria will join hosts UAE, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jersey, Kenya, Namibia, Netherlands, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Singapore and two teams from the Americas Final due to be held later this month.

Nigeria came third in the Africa Men's Final and as such become the third African team in the global qualifier along with Kenya and Namibia, again retaining the regional representation for the event.

Nampa/ANA

Sport injuries in spotlightConcussions and heart attacks Athletes are at risk of dying or cutting short their careers because of serious injuries.

People in the medical industry and sport administrators have recommended proper emergency assistance at sport fields.

It is believed that in some cases a life could have been saved or players could have continued with their careers if proper medical assistance had been provided in time.

Namibia has had relatively few cases were a player has died on the field or days after a match from injuries sustained on the field, but recent events have forced pundits to speak out about player safety.

Concussion and heart attack are some of the most serious health risks, requiring proper medical examination before a player is allowed to resume play.

Brave Warriors medic and physiotherapist Munashe Chinyama has strongly recommended training of medics.

Chinyama is adamant that the risk of death or career-ending injury can be reduced by having skilled medical officials on the field.

Chinyama says the topics of concussion and cardiac arrest are high on Fifa's and Caf's agenda.

“We have had a few incidents with the Brave Warriors but we managed to provide emergency assistance. Cardiac arrest and concussion are very serious things and can kill a player. I have encountered concussion incidents and even cardiac arrest cases with some of our players. That is why it is recommended that medics get proper training on these life-threatening conditions in order to reduce the loss of lives,” Chinyama says. The recommendations come after a 23-year-old soccer player died after another player collided with him during the Winter Cup Tournament that was held at Groot Aub on Saturday.

Johannes Rooinasie and another player from his team both went for the ball and clashed in the air. Rooinasie fell on the ground unconscious. He was taken to the Groot Aub clinic and was declared dead upon arrival. One of the most worrying aspects is the social leagues where people play without any medics or an ambulance. Namibia is one of the countries with many social football activities where players are allowed to have a beer before, after or even during a match.

“The boozers league is one of those places where things like concussion and cardiac arrest can prove fatal. These guys play with hangovers or even intoxicated and that, combined with a serious injury, can prove fatal,” Chinyama warns.

Over 100 players have been recorded to have died on the pitch or after, with the first case dating back as far as 1889 when William Cropper ruptured a bowel in a match against Grimsby Town and died the next day. Hocine Benmiloudi of Algeria was the first African player to be recorded to have died on the field on 5 November 1981. Benmiloudi died during the Ligue 1 match against USM Aïn Beïda in Stade 20 August 1955 (Algiers), from severe food poisoning.

One of the most famous cases was when Cameroons Marc-Vivien Foé collapsed while playing in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final between Cameroon and Colombia.

The player died shortly afterward in hospital and an autopsy later revealed the cause of death was hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart). MTC Namibia Premier League spokesperson Andre Gariseb says it is important for all sport events to have a medic.

He feels that all sport codes must make provision for emergency assistance.

The Namibia Premier League makes provision for safety measures and has a medic and an ambulance present at every match.

“We heard about the unfortunate passing of the young player and it is never good to hear something of that nature happening,” Gariseb says.

“I advise people hosting local tournaments or even social leagues to always have a medic and an ambulance in place.

“The important thing is to have a contact medic who can give emergency assistance whenever a scenario involving an injury arises.

“As the NPL, we hire professional medics to make sure that the player's safety comes first.”

Boxing is another dangerous sport, as was illustrated by the recent deaths of Russian boxer Maxim Dadashev and Argentine boxer Hugo Santillan after suffering injuries during fights.

Boxing promoter and manager Risto Ashikoto has also advocated for the importance of medical check-ups before and after the fight.

“I know that boxers die even when a medic or a doctor is there but the most important thing is the check-ups after and before the fight. Sometimes a boxer just goes home after a fight without any check-ups and this can prove deadly.

“That is why it is very important that any person hosting a boxing event has a qualified doctor and medic at the ringside,” Ashikoto said. jesse@namibiansun.com

Haingura blasts normalisation committee

A member of the former NFA Exco, Mpasi Haingura, has accused the Fifa Normalisation Committee of maladministration.

Haingura expressed dismay over the way the committee is handling football affairs.

Namibian Sun is in possession of a lengthy letter in which Haingura fumes at the committee for decisions he believes were wrong and unfair.

“As a former football leader myself I have serious reservations about the current administration of football under the Fifa Normalisation Committee.

“All football lovers were happy when Fifa appointed the normalisation committee as a result of the impasse that existed within the former Exco.

“The committee has already compromised on its impartiality of serving at the same time as an independent electoral body by allowing third forces to unseat duly elected executive members in the region,” the letter reads.

Referring to the change of leadership in Oshana Region, Haingura alleges proper procedures were not followed before endorsing the change of leadership.

Another concern was the alleged illegal suspension of the Erongo Exco during a meeting which took place on 13 July in Walvis Bay.

“The trigger-happy NC has been captured by third forces to drive an agenda of leadership change in member regions that are not in favour of preferred candidates.

“The NC has already failed the impartiality test due to the daylight forceful efforts of changing leaderships in member regions that is not in the camp of their favourite candidate regardless of the degree of the so called anomies (sic),” Haingura writes.

Haingura insists that the NC is an interim committee and that their core mandate is to convene an elective congress as early as possible.

Haingura feels that the interim committee's clinging onto power has negative implications for football governance and stakeholder relationships.

“My only plea to the NC is to exercise their responsibility with a duty of care and continue emphasising their impartiality.”

The mandate of the normalisation committee was initially to run the affairs of the NFA until no later than 31 May.

It was tasked to ensure that the members of the NFA, whose executive committees are out of mandate, organise and conduct the relevant elections.

The committee, however, encountered constitutional hiccups within the country's football regions, which delayed the national process of electing new leaders at the football association previously led by president Frans Mbidi and former secretary-general Barry Rukoro.

The NFA, whose affairs are currently being run by the Fifa Normalisation Committee, will be holding a congress on 31 August to elect a new leadership.

Fifa Normalisation Committee vice-chairperson Franco Cosmos rebuffed the allegations made by Haingura.

“There are no third forces here because we were appointed by Fifa and not forces. We give our monthly reports to Fifa and if they were unhappy with what we are doing, they would have not extended our stay.

“People come up with these things because things are now being done in an orderly and legal manner which does not suit them,” Cosmos said.

JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

Hockey receives huge injectionSponsorship allows for thorough preparation Namib Desert Diamonds has sponsored the national women's inline hockey team to the tune of N$179 000.

The Namibia senior women's inline hockey team received a sponsorship of N$179 000 from Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) yesterday to prepare for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualifiers in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

The team also received national colours ahead of the competition, which will take place from 12 to 19 August and which will also serve as a Commonwealth Games qualifier.

The general manager of human capital and administration at Namdia, Irwin Haihambo, said they see sport as a unifier and want to help develop brilliance in sports which will contribute to it being globally competitive.

“Integrity, passion and commitment are just some of the values cultivated through sport, which benefit young women both on and off the field. “The women's hockey team has been performing exceptionally well and the sponsorship will be for purposes of covering accommodation, meals, training gear, sweater tops and pants, among others,” he said.

Haihambo added that the company had recently established the Namdia Foundation, a non-profit organisation that strives to advance the lives of Namibian people through health, education and sport. “All our social responsibility activities will flow through this organisation and aim to make a meaningful difference,” he said.

Team captain Magreth Mengo said their sights are set on qualifying for Tokyo and the Commonwealth Games.

“The commitment shown by the players has been great. We have proven that we are number one in Africa when it comes to indoor hockey. Now we also want to become number one in inline hockey,” she added.

Mengo said that the squad would maintain discipline and strive to be great ambassadors on and off the field.

She also promised the nation that they would return with a gold medal after the tournament. “We are a small nation, but we want to prove that we can do better,” she said.

The senior men's team will compete in the same competition, but they were not available to receive their national colours.

At the same event, the Namibia Swimming Union also received colours for a group of four junior swimmers who will compete in the seventh Fina World Junior Swimming Championship in Budapest, Hungary.

The competition will take place from 20 to 25 August, with close to 95 countries expected to take part.

The team coach, Janis Stergiadis, said it was pleasing to see young swimmers coming through the ranks.

“I see a bright future for Namibian swimmers.

This particular group has trained very hard and we want to produce the next Frank Fredericks in swimming,” he said. He added that there was hope for at least one swimmer to qualify for Tokyo.

“We have been training for this moment for the last two years in order to improve our team. It was not easy to qualify. Training while holding your breath is not easy, but hard work pays off,” swimmer Ronan Wantenaar said.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

Amukoto ta katukilwa oonkatuAanambelewa taya longitha aniwa oombelewa dhawo muuwanawa wawo yene Omunashipundi gwokomitiye yelelelo mondoolopa yaMuthiya, Beata Nashongo, okwa popi kutya otaka katukila oonkatu kansela nale Moses Amukoto omolwa okupopya pethimbo lyomutumba ngoka gwa ningwa nomupresidende mondoolopa ndjoka kutya oha longo uulingilingi omanga mayola Katrina Uusiku a popi kutya itaka katuka oonkatu dha sha.

Amukoto okwa popi pethimbo lyomutumba gwa ningwa noshigwana kOmupresidende Hage Geingob mOmuthiya omwedhi gwa pi kutya, Nashongo oshowo Uusiku oyo taya dhana onkandangala onene muulingilingi mondoolopa ndjoka.

Nonando Geingob okwa pula Amukoto opo ka taandelithe omalundililo ita vulu okugakalela po, Amukoto okwa ndjiki oonyala mevi nokutsikila okupopya.

“Mayola gwaMuthiya oha longo uulingilingi, oku na ooplota dhi vulithe putano ina futa sha omanga omunashipundi gwelelo lyaMuthiya naye oha longo uulingilingi. Omuntu ngoka ta vulu okukoleka shika Omunambelelwa Omukuluntu gwelelo lyondoolopa. Inandi tila sha na onda pyakudhukilwa kehe shoka tashi ya,” Amukoto a popi.

Nashongo okwa popi kutya otaka katukila Amukoto oonkatu, ihe ina tumbula kutya oonkatu dholudhi luni.

Nashongo ota lundilwa kutya okwa longitha oonkondo dhe dhopambelewa mokukondjitha ekuto miilonga lyamenindjela gwiiyemo noonzo dhopauntu, ngoka e ya omutiyali okuza mokakonaakono, niitsa yoopresenda 66.6 omanga omuntu gwotango a zi mo niitsa 77.8.

“Ohatu kutu miilonga twiikwatelela kompumbwe yelelo ihe kashi shi kutya ongele tu shi omuntu. Otandi ka kwashilipaleka kutya edhina lyandje olya yelekwa na itandi mwena otandi ka katukila Amukoto oonkatu,” Nashongo a popi.

Oshifokundaneki shoNew Era osha lopota kutya Omunambelewa Omukuluntu gwElelo ndyoka, Samuel Mbangi ngoka ta thigi po iilonga, momukanda ngoka a shangele ominista yeyambulepo lyoondoolopa niitopolwa, Peya Mushelenga okwa tothamo kutya Uusiku, omupeha gwe Heskiel Nanyeni, Nashongo oshowo oshilyo shokomitiye yelelo Enos Shipahu otaya longitha pambambo oompito dhawo miilonga omolwa uuwanawa wopaumwene.

Okomisi yoAnti-Corruption Commission (ACC) otayi konaakona iipotha yuulingilingi mOmuthiya sha landula sho iilyo yimwe yoSwapo ya ningi omanyenyeto.

Momasiku 22 gaJuni nuumvo ongundu tayi iyithana Swapo Party Members, Supporters, Veterans and Sympathisers moshikandjo shaMuthiya, tayi kwatelwa komeho komukwatakanithi gwongundu moshikandjo shaMuthiya, Magnus Nangombe oya gandja omukandanyenyeto gwawo komukwatakanithi gwongundu yoSwapo moshitopolwa shaShikoto, Armas Amukwiyu, taya nyenyeta elelo lyondoolopa yaMuthiya.

Amukwiyu naye okwa kwatelwa mo momanyenyeto ngoka kutya okwa longo uulingilingi, sho e li gumwe gwomiilyo yokomitiye yokugandja ootendela.

Momukandanyenyeto ngoka gwa pewa Amukwiyu, ongundu oya popi kutya ope na uulingilingi nomaihumbato omawinayi taga ningwa kookansela yaheyali mboka ya kalela po ongundu yoSwapo mOmuthiya, nomaihumbato ngoka otaga teya po ethano lyongundu na otaya pula Amukwiyu a gune ookansela mboka.

Omalundilo

Ongundu otayi lundile mayola gwondoolopa Katrina Uusiku mokuhwahwameka elelo li kute miilonga omusamane gwe Thomas Uusiku, nonando ineshi enditha nawa mokakonaakono.

Natango ongundu oya popi kutya mayola okwa hwahwameke opo omusamane gwe a tumwe komadheulo gokuhinga eshina lyograder koSouth Afrika kongushu yoshimaliwa shooN$100 000 iimaliwa ya futwa kelelo lyondoolopa.

Natango aniwa mayola ngoka oku na ooplota odhindji mondoolopa moka, nonando ina futa oshimaliwa sha sha mokulanda ooplota ndhoka.

Omupeha mayola gwondoolopa Hisikiel Nanyeni, ngoka a li nale mayola okwa popiwa kutya naye okwiipe oplota ndjoka ina futila sha mondoolopa moka.

Omunashipundi gwokomitiye yelelo lyondoolopa, Beata Nashongo, ota lundililwa uukombunda mokukuta miilonga aaniilonga yelelo lyondoolopa.

Kansela Enos Shipahu ota lundililwa ekwatelo komeho lyelanditholyehala lyoSwapo Party Women's Council property, lyonomola 2 mOmuthiya Proper, konima sho a Shaina oombaapila dhelanditho lyoplota ndjoka onga ombangi. Shipahu natango ota lundila kutya okwiikuthile ooplota odhindji mondoolopa inedhi futila.

Kansela Samuel Shivute, omunashipundi nale gwokomitiye yelelo lyondoolopa ndjoka, ota lundililwa ekwatelo komeho lyelanditho lyoplota yongundu yoSwapo, natango ota lundililwa woo egandjo lyooplota kaakwanezimo ye omanga a li omunashipundi gwokomitiye yelelo.

ILENI NANDJATO

Onyama yaNamibia oyi na ondilo kuAngola

Omupresidende Hage Geingob okwa popi kombinga yoompangela dhokutuma onyama yongombe yaNamibia momalanditho gaAngola, ta popi kutya shoka oshi li sha ningwa monakuziwa ihe osha kankamekwa koshishiindalongo Angola omolwa ondando yi li pombanda.

Omutse gwoshilongo ogwa li tagu popi pethimbo lyoshigongi naakwashigwana shoka sha ningilwa mOndoolopa yaNgwediva mOmaandaha, moka a yamukula komapulo ngoka ga pulwa kOmupresidende gwoNamibian National Farmers Union (NNFU) Jason Emvula.

Emvula okwa popi kutya pe na ompumbwe yonyama yongombe yaNamibia moAngola, ihe kape na onyama hayi tumwa momalanditho goshilongo shoka okuza moNamibia. Okwa pula Namibia a tale ketumo lyonyama ye moAngola, shoka sha yambidhidhwa woo kuNgoloneya gwoshitopolwa shaMusati, Erginus Endjala oshowo yakwawo yalwe. MuJuli gwomvula yo 2017 okwa li kwa lopotwa kutya Angola ota pangele okuhulitha po ekutho lyonyama miilongo yilwe opo a gandje ompito kuNamibia a vule okutuma onyama ye momaalanditho goshilongo shoka.

Geingob okwa popi mOmaandaha kutya Angola okwa li ha landa onyama kuNamibia ihe okwe shi hulitha po.

“Angola okuhole onyama yetu na okwa li ha landa okuza kutse ihe onyama yetu oyi na ondilo naashoka osho ya hulitha po okulanda okuza kuMeatco. Oshihwepo kuyo okukutha onyama yawo kuBrazil pehala lyaNamibia,” omupresidende a popi.

Geingob pamwe nosheendo she inaya gandja omayele gasha moka onyama yaNamibia tayi vulu okutumwa moAngola kondando tayi vulika momalanditho gaAngola.

Endjala omvula ya piti okwa li a popi kutya okwa pyakudhukwa okukwatela komeho oonkundana dhoka dha kala oomvula taku pulwa etumo lyonyama okuza moNorthern Communal Areas (NCA), moAngola.

Endjala okwa li a popi pethimbo kwa patulula pambelewa okatomeno mOutapi, ta popi kutya ompumbwe yonyama moAngola oya hwahwamekwa unene kepato lyuutomeno mOshakati oshowo moKatima Mulilo, mboka wali hawu longithwa kuMeatco.

“Konima nkene Meatco a pata uutomeno moka otwa kala tu na ompumbwe yomalanditho. Ombelewa yandje oya pulwa iikando yontumba kaashiinda yetu yaAngola, taya pula etumo lyonyama yetu yongombe momalandithi gawo, ihe omolwa ompumbwe yomandiki monooli inatu vula okupula komeho naashoka.”

Okwa tsikile kutya sho okatomeno hoka ka patululwa okwa pyakudhukwa okukwatela komeho oonkundathana dhetumo lyonyama moshilongo shoka.

ILENI NANDJATO

Mail backlog: Suck it up, says NamPost

NamPost says it is not responsible for delayed delivery of mail and packages because the hold-up is caused at the South African International Mail Centre in Johannesburg.

“NamPost only operates in Namibia,” NamPost spokesperson Wilson Shikoto said on Tuesday when asked about reported delays of up to two years.

Shikoto said the Johannesburg mail hub operates all mail coming into the Southern African Development Community (SADC) from Europe, Asia, or elsewhere.

Last November the South African Post Office (SAPO) acknowledged a mail backlog, which it ascribed to a workers' strike earlier in that year.

SAPO said there was a backlog of almost 38 million pieces destined for other SADC countries. It promised to clear the backlog before the end of last year, but later said it could not do so for various reasons.

“We do not have control over the Johannesburg hub. We operate under the Universal Postal Union (UPU), which is our only recourse,” Shikoto said this week.

He said because of the backlog in Johannesburg, NamPost earlier this year decided to ferry mail by road in NamPost's own trucks because of complaints from its customers.

That is why, he said, some customers are now receiving delayed mail and parcels.

“We understand this is not a good experience, but we continuously engage UPU. One day things will get sorted out. In the meantime customers just have to wait; it is a challenge,” Shikoto said.

CATHERINE SASMAN

Schools struggle to pay bills

The country's pressing economic woes are responsible for the temporary three-day suspension of municipal services to nine Windhoek schools last week.

Regional director of education Gerard Vries told Namibian Sun that the Khomas directorate of education, “like the other institutions in the country, faces a major budgetary downward revision which impacts operations.”

He said utility bills were competing against an array of other creditors for payment.

In a public statement issued last week the education ministry admitted that the City of Windhoek had cut electricity and water to schools for non-payment of a N$55 million debt.

In response, ministry and municipality officials met on Thursday, a day after the services had been suspended, and agreed to an immediate N$30 million payment to be made on Thursday this week.

The remaining N$25 million will be paid in N$5 million instalments on top of the regular monthly bills, the ministry confirmed.

In November last year, the Khomas education directorate faced a similar dilemma.

At the time, Namibian Sun reported that schools faced a potential suspension of services due to a N$32.5 million unpaid utility bill.

Then, in January this year, Vries asked the municipality to put on hold the threatened suspensions, explaining that the regional directorate had not received money from the finance ministry to pay the utility bills.

“The economic downturn in the country remains prevalent and on the previously listed dates part payments were affected by the education ministry,” Vries said this week.

Asked about the impact of last week's suspension, he said hostels were hard hit, as food preparation had to be done elsewhere.

“Similarly, disconnection of water to schools affects health and hygiene in ablution facilities as well as availability of water for learners at drinking fountains.”

The electricity cuts affected photocopying of worksheets and question papers, cold storage at hostels, study time during the evenings and interrupted phone and internet connectivity.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Overcrowded and under-resourcedLack of furniture, huge classes Rundu's Sauyemwa Combined School has 2 463 learners and 56 teachers.

Sauyemwa Combined School in Rundu's Sauyemwa location is faced with a number of challenges, with overcrowding topping the list, which has caused disciplinary issues, including teen pregnancies and alcohol and drug abuse.

On a recent visit to the school, Namibian Sun observed a situation where learners were sitting on broken chairs and sharing desks, while it was difficult for teachers to move around freely.

The school enrolled 2 463 learners this year and has a teaching staff of 56.

According to acting school principal Paul Malembu their biggest challenge is the high number of learners, while other challenges include indiscipline, a high rate of absenteeism and not enough ablution facilities and classrooms

The school, which was established in the 1970s, still does not have an administrative block and teachers have to use storerooms for their administrative duties. The school only has four toilets.

Malembu said the initial capacity of the school was 1 200 learners. However, they have accommodated double that over the years, which has affected the teaching and learning environment.

The education ministry's staffing norm is one teacher per 30 learners, which is not the case at Sauyemwa Combined School, where it is around 60 to 70 learners per teacher.

“The biggest challenge is that the school is overcrowded; now we have problems in terms of classrooms. We don't have enough classrooms to accommodate the learners. We are understaffed. The other challenge that we have is that we don't have enough learning materials to give to the learners,” Malembu said.

He said the overcrowding also results in high levels of indiscipline amongst the learners, which has a negative effect on the quality of education.

“Where it is overcrowded, good learning and teaching will not take place,” Malembu said.

Malembu said teenage pregnancies as well as alcohol and drug abuse are common amongst learners at the school.

He said the school's management knows of 10 cases of teenage pregnancies this year, but added the number could be more.

Malembu said they are in the process of disciplining a number of learners, who were caught red-handed consuming alcohol during a recent entrepreneurship day event held at the school.

Malembu said in order to address the situation, the school has established a relationship with social workers from the child welfare ministry, who occasionally visit the school and engage the learners.

Malembu stressed that more classrooms should be constructed, with adequate furniture, and that the number of teachers must be increased.

He said the school should also be well-resourced in terms of learning and teaching materials.

When contacted for comment, Kavango East education director Fanuel Kapapero said overcrowding is a serious challenge the region is faced with.

Kapapero said a number of schools, especially in Rundu, accommodate 2 000 or more learners, which means that more schools needed to be constructed in the region.

“We need more schools to be constructed to tackle the overcrowding situation,” he said.

Kapapero said a tender for the construction of a new senior primary school at Sauyemwa was recently advertised, which will reduce the burden on Sauyemwa Combined School.

Kapapero also revealed that for the past three financial years there was no budget for the procurement of school furniture.

He said schools, therefore, have to find ways to repair their broken furniture.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Schlettwein upbeat on summit outcome

Finance minister Calle Schlettwein is optimistic that the policy changes, announced at the recent economic summit will remove impediments for foreign investments which will go a long way to create jobs, for the Namibian youth in particular.

He said part of the policy changes announced are centred around how small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) and the youth are placed in a preferred position to partake in the economy.

“I believe those two together will make a significant impact. I think this signals a paradigm shift in how we do things. This also shows we are a responsive government which listens to the private sector who complained about policy interventions and a policy environment making it difficult,” he said.

He added that it was good to see that the private sector in turn came forward with commitments of significant investment enhancements.

Former CEO of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) Tarah Shaanika said the summit can only be a success if the recommendations are implemented immediately.

“I hope this time we will look seriously at the recommendations and implement them as soon as possible. My past experience showed that events like these were just talk shows and had no significant impact,” he said. According to him the investment climate in Namibia is not good at the moment because of red tape which makes it difficult for investors to come on board.

He added that an option would be the suspension of the Central Procurement Board of Namibia which in his view has no capacity.

“The Public Procurement Act created a mess. Procurement in the country is very slow and this has frustrated suppliers and a lot of businesses,” he said. He also pointed out that the fight against corruption must be intensified.

“We see that civil servants make money through government transactions. We have instances where civil servants ask to be paid to process transactions. In other words, to be bribed to do their job,” said Shaanika.

He further added that he is hopeful that investors would now come on board now that the 25% equity clause was removed from the much-anticipated New Equitable Economic Empowerment Framework (NEEEF) Bill.

“Generally NEEEF is necessary and long overdue; it is no question that inequality is a problem in the country.” President Hage Geingob said NEEEF is expected to be tabled before the end of the year.

The framework had initially contained an ownership pillar that would have forced businesses to cede a 25% equity stake to previously disadvantaged Namibians.

Geingob indicated that the other pillars of the framework would remain intact.

The summit attracted and validated an investment commitment of N$20 billion, of which N$9 billion is foreign investment that will go towards projects expected to revive and grow the Namibian economy over the next two years.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Poverty remains omnipresentKunene, Kavango and Omaheke bear the brunt While there has been a relative improvement in the country's poverty indicators, some regions have shown an increase, in particular with regards hunger.

Although Namibia is making strides to reduce poverty, albeit slowly, the latest figures (2017) show that more than 10% of the country's people lived below the international poverty line of N$27 (US$1.90) per day.

Hunger is still a big challenge, with almost a quarter of the residents of Kavango East living below the food poverty line in 2016.

This was contained in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Baseline Report 2019 that was launched by the National Statistics Agency last week.

In 2016 the overall poverty rate stood at 17.4% while 10.7% were severely impoverished.

The report also shows that while the rest of the country has slowly moved out of poverty, it worsened in the Omaheke Region between 2010 and 2016.

The number of severely poor people also increased in the region, from 19% in 2010 to 28% in 2016.

Kunene appears to have suffered the same fate, with the number of poor people increasing from 36.8% in 2004 to 41.1% in 2016. The number of severely poor people in that region increased from 15.9% in 2010 to 25% in 2016.

On the other hand, poverty levels have dropped significantly in the Khomas Region. In 2004 it was reported that 8.1% of the region's people lived under the poverty line; in 2010 the number stood at 10.7% and in 2016 at 4.8%. Severely poor people also dropped in number, from 4% in 2010 to 2.2% in 2016.

Positive results were reported in the //Karas Region, where the percentage of the severely poor dropped from 21.7% in 2016 to 6.3% in 2016.

The report states that the number of people who lived in improvised houses or shacks had increased by 3.6% between 2010 and 2016. It also states that improvised houses are most prevalent in the Erongo, Khomas and Omaheke regions.

It shows that per capita consumption from subsistence farming increased significantly by more than 60%, from an annual consumption of N$6 254 per capita in 2010 to N$10 063 in 2016.

The good news is that the number of people living below the food poverty line in Namibia has decreased from 11% in 2004, to 7.2% in 2010 and 6.1% in 2016.

The hungriest people are in Kavango East, where 22.9% live below the food poverty line.

JEMIMA BEUKES