FNB temporarily closes Klein Windhoek branchTaking the necessary health and safety measures Customers continue to be encouraged to make use of all available ­electronic platforms including online banking, ­cellphone banking, the FNB App, ATMs and Point of Sale devices at retailers ­countrywide. FNB Namibia took a necessary health and safety measure action in temporarily shutting down its Klein Windhoek branch for a week beginning Monday, 6 July 2020, as a precaution to protect staff and customers from possible Covid-19 infection.

An FNB Namibia employee, who was contact-traced by the health ministry after a suspected contact two weeks ago with a since-diagnosed Covid-19 case, will receive testing and the branch has been closed to undergo strict sanitisation.

As a precautionary measure, all staff members of FNB's Klein Windhoek branch have been asked to self-isolate, until the results of the staff member's test is released. All contact tracing will be managed via the health ministry should this staff member test positive.



Reopening

The Klein Windhoek branch will reopen, fully sanitised and with a roaming FNB team on Monday, 13 July 2020 for any customer business that cannot be managed digitally. Customers continue to be encouraged to make use of all available electronic platforms including online banking, cellphone banking, the FNB App, ATMs and Point of Sale devices at retailers countrywide.

FNB thanks all customers and employees that continue to practice good health and safety measures, and who adhere to the strict guidelines issued on hand sanitisation and the wearing of masks. Customers and employees are reminded that if they have any suspicion of illness or that they may have come in contact with a suspected Covid-19 case, to please report this immediately to the national Covid-19 hotline: 0800 100 100

FNB Namibia was one of the first financial institutions to ensure staff and customer safety at all operating premises, strict adherence to sanitisation, mask-wearing and social distancing rules countrywide.

FNB Namibia is a founder funder of the HOPE Fund (Health optimisation in a Pandemic Emergency), which has committed more than N$10 million to date to support Namibia's pandemic preparations.

Still no yellow brick road for uraniumRestart plan for Langer Heinrich ready Paladin Energy says it is ready to restart the Langer Heinrich mine, but only at the right uranium price and if the company secures favourable term contracts. While global nuclear organisations talk about recovery, this is a very long-term outlook – over the 10-20 years. – Cirrus Securities Jo-Maré Duddy – Paladin Energy, the majority shareholder in Langer Heinrich, at the end of June said it needed US$81 million or around N$1.4 billion to restart the local uranium mine.

The mine ceased production in May 2018 due to the persistent low uranium price. More than 300 workers were retrenched when Langer Heinrich was put on care and maintenance.

Paladin, an Australian-based global uranium miner, owns 75% of Langer Heinrich, while CNNC Overseas Uranium Holding Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), has the rest.

In an announcement on the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) and Australian bourse (ASX) where Paladin is listed, the company last month said its restart plan is completed and “marks the completion of an extensive work package aimed at delivering a reliable mine restart to bring the globally significant Langer Heinrich Mine back into production under the right uranium pricing environment”.

When Paladin’s board in February last year approved a prefeasibility study to restart Langer Heinrich, it said the mine could be back in full swing as early as the middle of 2021 should the uranium price recovered.

In its latest announcement, such indications are absent.

Price

“Given the commercially sensitive and confidential nature of the company’s ongoing discussions with potential customers, the company will not be providing guidance on the hurdle price required to support a decision to restart the Langer Heinrich Mine,” Paladin said.

It added that the current spot pricing of around US$34 per pound and term pricing of about US$39 per pound as reported by TradeTech “would not deliver the economic returns required for the company to restart the Langer Heinrich Mine”.

However, Paladin remains poised to take advantage of the growing structural uranium supply deficit in global markets, the company said.

“Spot prices have increased by 36% since the start of January 2020 to approximately US$34/lb U3O8. The company notes continued primary production cuts and US utility contract coverage reaching critical lows,” Paladin continued.

In its latest quarterly bulletin released in June, the Bank of Namibia (BoN) said the spot price of uranium declined on a yearly basis, while it increased on a quarterly basis in the first quarter of 2020.

“The yearly decline in the uranium price by 6.6% to an average of U$25.59 per pound in the first quarter of 2020 was due to global excess supply of the metal,” the central bank said.

On a quarterly basis, the price increased by 2.1%.

The BoN attributed this to the Canadian Mining and Energy Corporation’s (Cameco) decision to close the Cigar Lake mine, which produces about 13% of the global uranium supply. Further, Cameco’s decision to shut down some of its operations at the Port Hope fuel service facility in March 2020 also contributed to the increase in uranium price.

“In addition, Kazatomprom, the largest uranium producer, also announced that it was reducing operational activities at its uranium mines in Kazakhstan for about three months,” the BoN added.

According to the BoN, spot uranium prices rose further to an average of US$34.25 per pound in May 2020 as the market responded to the reductions in supply.

Buyers

Besides the right price, Paladin also needs sufficient term contracts.

Langer Heinrich currently has a life of mine uranium offtake with CNNC Overseas Uranium Holding Limited, Paladin said in its recent announcement.

“The offtake is for up to 25% of future production at approximately the then prevailing uranium spot price. The details of the offtake agreement are commercially sensitive and confidential,” Paladin said.

The restart of Langer Heinrich Mine will only be considered on the company securing additional term contracts with sufficient tenor and value to underpin an appropriate return to all stakeholders, Paladin emphasised.

“The tenor, structure and pricing of the proposed term contracts are subject to bilateral negotiations with potential customers and are commercially sensitive and confidential,” it added.

Paladin, however, maintain that Langer Heinrich “remains competitively positioned versus other suspended mines, highlighted through modest restart capital and competitive operating costs, further underpinned by a proven product quality and a globally significant operation with lower incentive prices than greenfield projects”.

Figures

Paladin said it “remains in a healthy financial position”.

This includes US$35 million in cash at the end of May this year, a “significant runway to execute” its strategy. Paladin further said it has a “greatly reduced cash burn” for its 2021 financial year with a cash spend forecast of less than US$10 million. At the end of May, Paladin also had US$145 million of senior debt repayable in January 2023.

The US$81 million pre-production cash expenditure to restart Langer Heinrich will be spent as follow: US$34 million for operational readiness “required to mobilise the work force, undertake maintenance and provide the working capital requirements to commence production”, as well as discretionary capital of US$47 million “specifically aimed at improving process plant availability and reliability to lift production capacity by more than 10%”.

Paladin said the restart plan has confirmed a 17-year mine life for Langer Heinrich with peak production of 5.9 million pounds of U3O8 (triuranium octoxide or yellowcake) per year for seven years.

The life of mine plan outlines three distinct operational phases, Paladin said: Year 1 for ramp-up, years 2 to 8 for mining and years 9 to 17 for stockpiling.

Paladin CEO, Ian Purdy said: “The completion of the Langer Heinrich Mine Restart Plan is a significant step forward for the company and completes the vast amount of study work undertaken over the past 18 months.

“The operational and economic parameters identified in the chosen restart plan show the strategic significance of the Langer Heinrich asset and highlight the potential economic returns that can be delivered under the right uranium price environment.”

Namibia

Even before the onslaught of Covid-19, economic analysts Cirrus Securities had their reservations about a rosier outlook for uranium this year.

In Cirrus’ economic outlook for 2020, released in January, the analysts still expected uranium output in Namibia to grow by 17.5% this year given the low growth base of -4.4% in 2019.

In its economic outlook update in April 2019, the BoN anticipated growth of 14.2% for uranium in 2020. A year later, the central bank expects growth of -22.4%.

“The uranium mining sector is anticipated to post a poor performance during 2020, largely due to water supply constraints. Other factors affecting the sector include persistently low international price for uranium and Covid-19 induced restrictions that are expected to negatively impact shipping logistics,” the BoN said in its economic outlook update in April 2020.

According to BoN stats, Namibia in the first quarter of this year produced less uranium both year-on-year (y-o-y) and quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) as a result of water supply constraints.

“Uranium production declined significantly by 26.3% and 32.8% both y-o-y and q-o-q, respectively, to 1 181 tonnes in the first quarter of 2020,” the latest quarterly bulletin states.

Export earnings from uranium equally nosedived both on an annual and quarterly basis during the first three months of 2020, “largely due to lower volumes of uranium exported owing to logistical challenges”.

Export earnings from uranium fell by 72% and 78% to N$645 million, y-o-y and q-o-q, respectively, the BoN said. Logistical delays at ports owing to the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in only 428 tonnes exported, a drop of 73.8% y-o-y and by 77.7% q-o-q.

“The annual and quarterly developments were explained by logistical and supply chains challenges as a result of the measures imposed to mitigate the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, aggravated by weak global demand and limited supply,” the BoN said.

Cirrus said spot prices for uranium remain depressed, well below profitable levels for Namibia’s mines.

“While global nuclear organisations talk about recovery, this is a very long-term outlook – over the 10-20 years. We do not foresee a short-term recovery,” Cirrus said.

Namibian police never learn Newspaper column inches have been exhausted with stories of victims of violence who were turned away by police and later got murdered.

In 2018, five members of a Rundu family were killed after the police were twice notified that a young man was acting violently towards other people in the house.

It was reported at the time that a female member of this family went to the police station twice earlier that day, but police officers, who were consistently on their mobile phones, chatting with their feet on the table, told her there were no vehicles.

As fate would have it, five people in that house, including minor children and their grandmother, were butchered. After learning of the killings, 12 police cars showed up at the scene.

Yesterday, we reported about a woman who decided to camp at a police station in Ondangwa because she refused to go back home, where an alleged abusive boyfriend awaited.

Lazy police officers, on a typical lazy Friday, told the victim to go back to the very place she fled from and to return on Monday this week. Not even the fact that she had her minor children with her moved the constables.

This means the woman could have endured an entire weekend of abuse, which could end in a fatality, as officers picked their noses waiting for knock-off time.

We have a police force that has no courage or empathy for the communities it serves. And as long as this attitude persists, we can forget about so-called safety and security as citizens.

Prinsloo leads as new MD of Namibia DiariesBig challenges lie ahead for the industry Committing to ensuring the presence of a sustainable industry that is able to provide food security, notwithstanding the challenges and uncertainty farmers are currently facing. If you really want something and envision it, you can have it. Leonie Prinsloo, MD: Namibia Dairies. Phillepus Uusiku

The role of managing director (MD) of Namibia Dairies, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, was officially taken over by Leonie Prinsloo who had formerly held the position of head of marketing.

Coming from the world of telecommunications, Prinsloo joined O&L in 2011 as brand manager at Namibia Dairies.

Thereafter, she became the company’s head of marketing and also served as acting head of marketing for Hartlief for three months before her promotion to MD.

The new MD pointed out that “If you really want something and envision it, you can have it”. A demotion at one point in my career did not scare me, because I knew what was needed to get where I wanted to be.

Prinsloo expressed her enthusiasm in taking on the position, but acknowledged that big challenges lie ahead for Namibia Dairies and the dairy industry as a whole. “I am very excited to be starting in this new role, but I know it will not be an easy journey”, she added.

It is a major responsibility and I feel very humbled and honoured to have been chosen to lead in this role and to be welcomed as a woman in leadership.

“I think women have so much to bring to the world of leadership. I believe it is no longer a man’s world, but a leader’s world and I am glad to see it rising in all spheres of society, whether it be in business or government”, she said.

Sustainability, challenges

Prinsloo is firmly committed to ensuring the presence of a sustainable industry that is able to provide food security, notwithstanding the challenges and uncertainty farmers are currently facing.

“We need to find new opportunities to combat the present risks and that is why, in the case of Namibia Dairies, we will be diversifying our portfolio and business focus”, she added.

In order to keep offering our products at affordable prices we need to focus on what we can do and find partners for the activities we can no longer optimally perform.

We can extend our product lines to bring customers new products under the brands they have come to know and love, thereby maximising the potential of our existing brands. That is part of what I am looking forward to the most, she said.

A lesson that Prinsloo will be carrying with her as MD is that perseverance is key to survival. According to Prinsloo, “My past experiences of being a single mother, completing my master’s degree and the challenges I have faced professionally have shaped me into an absolute survivor.

The reality of downsizing survivor syndromeRetrenchments This article sheds some light on the effect downsizing and retrenchments have on those not retrenched. Organisations need to take cognisance of the fact that the way they treat employees being laid-off sends a message to those left behind and to those who would like to join the organisation in future. Lisa Matomola



The increasing news and media reports on companies who are downsizing and/or cutting jobs across Namibia are a startling reflection on the faltering Namibian economy, which through Covid-19 experienced another severe punch.

To try dealing with the impact, be competitive, efficient and sustainable through these trying times, organisations choose (or feel forced) to downsize and restructure their business models and processes.

But what about the people that are impacted through these measures?

This article will not address the psychological impact of those retrenched, but rather shed some light on the effect downsizing and retrenchments have on those not retrenched; those who were spared.

These employees are, more often than not, left with countless questions and concerns which may potentially negatively affect the organisation in particular where the people factor was not addressed with those remaining – the ones who are now supposed to continue driving the success of the company.

So, the question is, how should organisations manage survivors of downsizing?

At a first glimpse downsizing may look sustainable and favourable for organisations and the employees who were not retrenched may be labelled as “the lucky ones”.



Studies

When taking a closer look at the “survivors”, it however becomes clear that downsizing instils fears in these employees left behind. This is referred to as “downsizing survivor syndrome”.

Various studies have published findings on survivor syndrome.

The emotional strain downsizing has on survivors can be immense.The entire process or series of events, from losing co-workers to increased workload or additional responsibilities may all lead to direct physical and physiological effects.

This in turn may lead to absenteeism, decreased quality of work and/or decreased productivity.

Organisations should be alert of the potential reactions of the survivors, which could include expression of grief for those laid off, feelings of resentment and anger towards their employers. All of which may somewhat diminish trust between the employer and employees.

The aftermath of the downsizing also brings about the obvious fear of job security. Employees may continuously be faced with the fear that “they are next in line to leave” and with increased anxiety, motivation deteriorates and job satisfaction fades.



Immediate reactions

It is likely that when downsizing happens, survivors left behind are likely to work harder and employees will put in more effort and increase productivity. However, Applebaum et al (1997) argues that this is normally short-lived as employees do it to stay safe and to keep their jobs.

The negative factors that result due to downsizing can have a huge impact on the organisation if not addressed earlier and with urgency, preferable immediately following the retrenchments.



Dealing with s­urvivors

Susan Peppercorn (article from Harvard Business Review) advises leaders to exhibit care towards employees and to be willing to adapt and readjust in order to prioritise people over profits during this time.

Organisations need to alleviate any fears and provide assurance to employees to safeguard against the compromise of the trust relationship.

Several studies conducted by Bujang & Sani (2010) and Maertz et al (2010) all recommend that the organisation has a responsibility to communicate to those remaining on the next steps with regards to retrenchments and/or downsizing. Communication should be continuous to avoid major surprises and for employees to remain informed. “Over communication” should be the key message here.

Survivors of the downsizing also want to know how the organisation is taking care of those laid off, the support they are offering them and if possible, be included in this process.

For those employees taking on new responsibilities, support structures are required, and help availed where possible to ensure employees are equipped to perform their duties with minimal strain. Support from leadership and line managers will assist to motivate increased productivity and maintain overall well-being.



'Sending a message'

Organisations need to take cognisance of the fact that the way they treat employees being laid-off sends a message to those left behind and to those who would like to join the organisation in future.

Organisational reputation damage is likely, along with mounting trust issues for those remaining.

Therefore, proper communication should happen with the strategic direction of the organisation – during and well after the downsizing, to prevent as far as possible, the onset of downsizing survivor syndrome.

*Lisa Matomola is the manager: people & organisation at PwC Namibia. She wrote this article in collaboration with P&O consulting team Namibia.

Contact her at lisa.matomola@pwc.com

Ondangwa council in rematch with 'Hitman' ILENI NANDJATO

ONDANGWA



The dust is refusing to settle in the land conflict between the Ondangwa town council and former World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight world champion Paulus 'The Hitman' Moses. After years of tit-for-tat scuffles, the council last week tore down his fence and confiscated the poles.





The council has accused Moses of constructing his house near the Ondangwa airport illegally, while he claims the council is trying to take away land he rightfully obtained from the traditional authority.

According to Moses, he acquired the land in 2000 when his grandmother died. He said the land was transferred to his name before he started building his house in 2005.

“I have the land ownership documents from the Ondonga Traditional Authority and the customary land right from the lands ministry. Before that piece of land was proclaimed as townland, I was already there,” he said.



Fence reawakens feud

“In 2005, I applied for water connection from the town council, which was approved and connected; then I started building my house.”

Moses said he only heard from the town council in 2015, when his house was nearing completion.

He added they resolved the matter, but last week the council stopped him from erecting a fence on his land.

“They stopped my people who were erecting the fence and they demolished my fence and confiscated the poles. I am not against town development, but the town council must respect me as the customary landowner,” he added.



Within townland

“The town council officials are telling me that the land is within the townland and any development I am putting up, I have to first consult them,” Moses said.

He added that he was only putting up the fence to protect his house from cattle that roam the area.

The council made him sign a letter that if the area is developed in future, he will not be compensated for the fence, he said.



Failed to consult

Ondangwa town council CEO Ismael Namgongo confirmed the conflict with Moses, but refused to shed more light on the issue.

However, Namgongo said they removed the fence because Moses failed to consult the council before erecting it.



“Anything happening within the townland, whether the place is serviced or not, has to pass through the town council office. For any structure, we need to have a development plan. This is done to prevent town council development colliding with residents' plans,” Namgongo said.



“All he has to do is to come to the office and talk to us, we can help him.”

Massive cold front on the way ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK



A massive cold front is developing in the South Atlantic and is expected to reach Namibia early on Friday.

It brings with it near-freezing temperatures. The public has been warned to take the necessary precautions.

Forecasters say this will be the most eventful winter weekend in southern Africa in many years.

According to South African Weather, Rainfall and Storm Reports, the “mammoth” cold front “is not only staying on course, but is also strengthening substantially”.





Cold and moist

Namibia Meteorological Services forecaster Odillo Kgobetsi told Namibian Sun that the arrival of the cold front over the Western Cape in South Africa tomorrow will affect prefrontal clouds early on Friday over the southern extremes of Namibia.

“Cold and moist air will be in circulation in the south and western plateaus. Rain will set in the southwestern half of Namibia later on Friday. It will become extremely cold in the south, central and eastern regions on Saturday,” he said.

The weather office has also warned that cold conditions are expected in the west tomorrow, becoming very cold with frost in places over the southern, central and eastern regions on Friday and over the weekend.

Showers and thundershowers are expected over the southern coastal areas and the //Karas Region on Friday, it added.

'Fitty' offers N$16m bail guarantee• Youthful businessman denies Fishrot links The Fishrot accused, who is worth N$40 million, says being freed on bail will help him mobilise resources to prove his innocence. JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK



Fishrot accused Tamson 'Fitty' Hatuikulipi – whom the State argues was an integral part of the fishing quota bribery scandal – has offered N$16 million worth of unbonded immovable properties as surety for his bail application.

The 39-year-old owns 22 immovable properties across the country, with a combined value of N$40 million.

On Monday, his father-in-law Bernhardt Esau, the country's former fisheries minister, offered his entire wealth of N$23 million as surely for his bail, in addition to N$50 000 in cash.

Hatuikulipi denied the State's version that he benefitted from Fishrot. It would thus be in the interest of the administration of justice if he is granted bail to allow him to mobilise financial resources to prove his innocence, he said.





Stefansson a drug addict

Hatuikulipi described Johannes Stefansson, the Icelandic whistle-blower who implicated him, as a drug addict who confessed his addictions. His versions can thus not be trusted, he said.

On financial transactions linking him to his cousin James Hatuikulipi, the former board chairperson of Fishcor, the state-owned company through which the alleged fishing quota bribes were facilitated, Tamson said there was nothing untoward about relatives 'borrowing' each other money.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is objecting bail for the two men.



Namgomar Pesca

Presenting his evidence in court yesterday, ACC senior investigator Willie Olivier said former justice minister and Fishrot accused Sacky Shanghala and James had travelled to Luanda to negotiate with Angolan authorities about setting up Namgomar Pesca, a joint fishing venture between the two countries.

He said while Namgomar was a government-to-government entity, minutes show that Tamson and James, who are not government officials, attended the meeting in Angola that culminated in establishing the venture.

“It was required by the Namibian authorities to finalise a cooperation agreement on the issuance of quotas. Tamson attended the meeting but was never a government employee and I do not know why he attended this meeting. The same with James,” Olivier testified.

“Investigations found that that there was a well-thought-out plan to use Nangomar to launder money,” the investigator told the court.



Did not exist

The plan involved organising certain businesses, entities and bank accounts that had to be established to get the money rolling in.

“Esau would be accompanied by Shanghala, then the Law Reform and Development Commission chairperson, to a meeting held in 2013 in Angola. The meeting was in Luanda and [it was] here where it was agreed to establish the JV company, Nangomar Pesca.”

“According to our investigation, Namgomar was awarded quotas and did not exist in Angola. Instead, another Namgomar entity [Namgomar Limidada] existed, and its shareholders were family members of the former Angolan fisheries minister [Victoria de Barros Neto].” Shanghala signed documents pertaining the JV agreements, while he did not have such authority, the ACC said.

Only the minister of fisheries or attorney-general could have signed those agreements on behalf of the Namibian government.



'Exploiting marine resources'

“… It is my pleasure to introduce to you the entity Nangomar Pesca to operate in both Namibian and Angolan waters. We have teamed up with Samherji,” a letter by Shanghala to now his co-accused Ricardo Gustavo read.

Gustavo was a sole director of Namgomar Pesca.

“We therefore look forward in exploiting the marine resources to ensure food security,” Shanghala allegedly further wrote.

Esau wrote to the Angolan government that he had allocated 7 000 metric tonnes to Paw Print Investments, which investigators say was owned by Namgomar Pesca, De Barros Neto's family and Gustavo.

The company was not nominated for quotas, ACC said.

The original document awarding quotas to Nangomar Pesca was found in the office formally occupied by Esau, Olivier told the court.

In the letter, Gustavo replied to Esau instead of the permanent secretary of fisheries.

Food security crucial in a selfish worldEnsuring sustainability in the long run The government is promoting broad-based economic development interventions that are supportive of the agriculture, food safety, growth at home and the food security and nutrition policies and strategies. These policies and strategies are addressing aspects of food production, processing, distribution, marketing and consumption of safe food. Percy Misika, executive director: Ministry of Agriculture, water and Land Reform. The world has entered an era of “every country for itself”, leaving Namibia with no choice but to pursue policies that are aimed towards food self-sufficiency.

This was said by Percy Misika, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform’s executive director in response to questions by this agency on how Namibia intends to become food self-sufficient.

To achieve the right to adequate food in the context of national food security, the government is promoting broad-based economic development interventions that are supportive of the agriculture, food safety, growth at home and the food security and nutrition policies and strategies.

Misika said the government has also adopted a holistic and comprehensive approach to boost local food production by investing in productive activities and projects to improve livelihoods.

Masika further pointed out that in order to achieve this, “the ministry is applying a multi-stakeholder approach and has identified roles and involvement of relevant stakeholders encompassing the private sector and producers, drawing together their know-how with a view to facilitate the efficient use of resources.”

Programmes

To further boost food production, the ministry embarked on several programmes aimed at supporting local producers. Among them is the dry land crop production programme aimed at enhancing crop production and productivity.

It is envisaged that food security will be enhanced through provision of subsidised agricultural inputs and services in the 10 crop growing regions including Kavangos east and west, Zambezi, Kunene, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Otjozondjupa and Omaheke.

The programme has a total of 167 tractors and various implements such as rippers, ploughs, planters and fertiliser applicators that are procured by Government.

Next is the horticulture production programme aimed at enhancing market-driven horticulture produce through improved productivity, product quality and competitiveness.

This is to ensure food and nutrition security, crop diversification and employment creation.

Under this programme, producers are supported through subsidies throughout the entire horticultural commodity value-chain - including subsidised irrigation material, seeds, fertilisers and pesticides.

Additionally, the ministry provides various technical trainings for farmers in irrigation, pest management, pesticide application, animal nutrition, livestock husbandry, hydroponic fodder production and conservation agriculture among others.

“These policies and strategies are addressing aspects of food systems including the production, processing, distribution, marketing and consumption of safe food,” Misika noted.

Official statistics indicate that Namibia imports about 70 per of its daily consumables from neighbouring South Africa. The status quo is not sustainable, Misika conceded.

“Like with all other countries, Namibia is aiming at guaranteeing the availability of food in quantity and quality sufficient to satisfy the dietary needs of individuals’ physical and economic accessibility for everyone,” said Misika. - Nampa

Khorixas town council to prioritiseDevelopment budget of N$13 860 000 Priority areas amongst others include the construction of service infrastructure and servicing of land. The Khorixas town council plans to spend its development budget of N$13 860 000 for the 2020/21 financial year on priority areas such as servicing land, the council's chief executive officer, Andreas Howoseb has said.

This money forms part of its capital budget of N$ 63 548 887. Howoseb mentioned that priority areas amongst others include the construction of service infrastructure and servicing of land.

The town council will also prioritise the employment of unemployed youths at the capital projects during the current financial year to tackle the issue of unemployment being experienced at the town,” he said.

Howoseb said unemployment has increased due to a lack of tourism caused by the Coronavirus pandemic as most inhabitants depend on the income from tourism activities.

As Covid-19 is expected to be around for some time, local authorities were tasked to provide water to the residents in order to mitigate the impact. As a result, the council has utilised resources for this call that were planned for other purposes, Howoseb added.

“This call required realignment, recapitalisation and refocusing on sectors that were negatively affected by the pandemic. Provision of water will continue to be critical as we move forward.

The second aspect is sanitation, which is critical in ensuring the good health of the residents. Both these essentials do not come cheap,” he said.

Howoseb added that there has also been a reduction in the capital budget allocation, which means that achieving envisages goals of the development budget will be slower due to financial shortages.

“One has to have an understanding of this because the priorities of the government are also affected by the pandemic and the need to keep the population safe,” said Howoseb. - Nampa

Tourism drought needn't shrivel sectorSurviving Covid wasteland Despite the devastation caused by Covid-19, voices in the local industry still believe the country could in the medium term bounce back as a fierce competitor in tourism, provided Namibia plays its cards right and right now. Doing nothing and hoping for the tourism private sector to stem growth alone, will not be sufficient. – Bernd Schneider, Tourism expert Jo-Maré Duddy



Without a coordinated, dedicated national effort – which includes a whole government and society – to remove barriers that hinder tourism growth, the local industry will fall behind its direct competitors in the region and even on an international level.

Tourism expert Bernd Schneider sounded this warning in a concept paper sent to all relevant stakeholders and government entities of the highest level last October. He is also the chairman of the Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations (Fenata) and the interim chairman of the Tour and Safari Association of Namibia (TASA).

“If Namibia wants to remain a sought-after travel destination, doing nothing and hoping for the tourism private sector to stem growth alone, will not be sufficient,” Schneider said.

If Schneider's words were crucial then, they are critical now. The Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in travel bans, lockdowns, job losses and retrenchments in an economy already riddled by a prolonged recession, has Namibia's tourism sector on its knees.



'Extremely bad'

Schneider describes the prevailing situation in the local tourism industry as “extremely bad”.

“Nearly all tourism entities had hardly any income in the last three months. This includes, among others, accommodation establishments, tour operators, activity operators, tour guides, hunting operations and even souvenir vendors and craft shops,” he says.

Prior to Covid, Namibia's tourism sector provided about 122 000 jobs or 15.7% of total employment in the country, according to Schneider's paper, “Unlocking Namibia's Tourism Potential”. The entire industry contributed nearly 11% to the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

The impact of Covid-19 has changed all of that.

Official statistics in Namibia only measures hotels and restaurants as a proxy for tourism. In April 2019, the Bank of Namibia (BoN) forecast growth of 1.6% for hotels and restaurants in 2020.

In its latest economic outlook update released in April 2020, the central bank forecasts growth of -58% for this year. Money-wise, this ­estimation means that hotels and restaurants' contribution to the GDP at current prices will drop by more than N$2.2 billion to around N$1.7 billion.

Life after corona

Despite the devastation, voices in the local industry still believe the country could in the medium term bounce back as a fierce competitor in tourism, provided Namibia plays its cards right and right now.

“We are convinced that given our set-up – a country with wide open spaces, sparse population, sunshine in abundance and a good infra-structure – Namibia may well be seen as most ideal post-Covid destination to escape to from the shackles of lockdown and overcrowded spaces,” says the chief executive officer of the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN), Gitta Paetzold.

“Namibians are prepared to receive hunting clients/tourists in a safe and hygienic environment, meeting international requirements. Namibia has wide open spaces, a small population and great weather to provide ideal cir­cumstances for a wonderful experience,” the chief executive officer of the Namibia Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA), Tanja Dahl, adds.

Schneider is convinced that Namibia hasn't ­suffered any reputational damage as tourism destination due to the Covid pandemic.

“Actually, I believe quite the opposite is true.

“Namibia has an abundance of untouched nature, the country is sparsely populated and our tourism industry is primarily based on nature-based activities and tours. These are all characteristics which will be much sought-after in the post-Covid tourism world,” he says.



Recovery

Recovery won't happen overnight, though.

Schneider says they work on realistic projections that international tourism will only return to the 2019 levels by mid-2023. The BoN only provides projections for next year and forecasts that hotels and restaurants will remain in recession. It expects growth of -1.4% in 2021.

“Since this is a world-wide pandemic, many of the supply chains in tourism have also been negatively affected by the world-wide border closures and the disposable income of potential clients has been eroded away. Even though countries are starting to open their borders again, the stream of international travellers will only gradually increase, as there are still many uncertainties for travellers,” Schneider says.

Paetzold agrees: “We are also fully aware of the fact that the hunger for travel – while the desire may still be strong – is dampened by fear of the unknown, the inconvenience of the 'new norm' and precautions, as well as the financial shackles faced by all.”

In his paper, Schneider maintains that ­tourism's contribution to the GDP could increase from 11% to 25%, provided a “coordinated, ­dedicated approach towards tourism development in Namibia” is adopted.



“This would mean an additional N$22 billion increase in Namibia's GDP,” he says, adding it would lead to significant employment opportunities through-out the country.

“If managed carefully, which includes ensuring the natural environments and wildlife remain protected and well taken care of, tourism can be the golden ticket towards a very prosperous Namibia – not only for a few industry leaders for a relatively short period of time, but for the broad population as a whole, irrespective of the region or area they stay in for many years to come,” Schneider says.



Way forward

Tourism in Namibia has for the last 30 years grown consistently, primarily based on the natural wonders that Namibia has to offer, ­Schneider says.

“Unfortunately, this growth is beginning to stagnate and, if not properly addressed, will turn into a decline,” he warns.

“The change in how people travel, but much more so the ever decreasing quality of the visitor experience in Namibia, need to be addressed to ensure further tourism growth,” Schneider says.

Successful and upcoming tourism destinations all have one thing in common, he says: “They have committed substantial resources towards tourism development, paired with a coordinated and dedicated national drive to clear hindrances and create an enabling policy environment that encourages tourism growth.”

According to Schneider: “To remain a sough-after and competitive travel destination, Namibia will need to do much more in regard to tourism development, than it currently does. It is no longer sufficient to promote the unique landscapes, the wildlife and diverse cultures to attract the interest of potential tourists.”

The success of tourism in Namibia depends on different factors, many of which fall completely outside of the authority and control of the ministry of environment and tourism, he says.



Coordinated effort

“A baseline starting point and an absolute necessity to ensure further growth, is a coordinated, dedicated national effort to remove all the currently existing blockages towards further growth.”

Establishing the Namibian Tourism Competitive Advisory Council (NTCAC) and the Inter-Ministerial Council on Tourism (ICT) has been a “very important step towards this coordinated effort, but the last two years have proven that these two bodies, in their current form, are unable to achieve the desired outcome”, ­Schneider says.

“The basic concept is correct, but the terms of reference, the mandate, as well as the authority, of both the NTCAC and the ICT, have to be revised.”

Schneider continues: “One of the key concerns towards more tourism development is that substantial finances are required to make the necessary improvements.”

He suggests the establishment of a Tourism Development Fund, which is completely detached for the general government finances. The fund could be primarily fed by a tourism development levy – which could be charged over and above park entrance fees and entrance fees to heritage sites – and supported by international development agencies and tourism service providers.

“The Covid pandemic is a short-term crisis, which unfortunately has a significant impact on tourism and our country, but in the medium and long term, tourism is the economic sector that has the best chance of wide-spread employment creation and overall socio-economic upliftment,” Schneider says.

Groot Aub to host tournament LIMBA MUPETAMI

WINDHOEK



The Groot Aub Football Challenge series Powered by Dad Man will take place this weekend.

The aim of the tournament is to give a platform to footballers to showcase their talents.

The tournament started in Karasburg with Ernst Jahs Combined School winning the Karasburg series and Black Arrows winning the Keetmanshoop Edition.

After the Groot Aub edition Windhoek will get a chance to conclude the series of tournaments.

Since the flagship league of Namibia has been idle for over a year it is a good opportunity for players to gain match fitness in anticipation of the kick-off of organised football in the country.

The tournament is open to any team. Vendors can sell their food items by paying $150 per stall.

Matches will be handled by Namibia Football Association officials.



Prizes are as follows:

Groot Aub Challenge Powered by Dad Man: amount N$10 000, whereas the entry fee is N$450. Closing date for entries is Friday at 15:00. Only teams which pay the registration amount will be in the draw.

The winners will walk away with N$5 000, a trophy and 20 gold medals.

The runners-up will take N$3 000 and 20 silver medals. The semi-finalists will walk away with N$1 000 each.

The last home team standing will receive N$800. Entry fee at the gate is N$10 per person and N$5 per vehicle. However, there will be no entry without a mask. For more information, call 081 208 1681 or 085 208 1681.

One Exco member proposed NPL chop• Big decision to be made The future of the Namibia Premier League (NPL) hangs in the balance following the latest expulsion proposition. JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

WINDHOEK



There is allegedly only one member in 10 of the Namibia Football Association (NFA) executive who submitted a bid for the expulsion of the NPL at next week's congress, a source has revealed.

The source said this following a report in yesterday's New Era that the possible expulsion of the NPL will be top of the agenda at the NFA extraordinary congress slated for 16 July.

At this point, it remains unclear whether the league, which is under suspension, will eventually face the chop as per Article 15 of the NFA statutes, which states that the congress may expel a member.

As things stand, however, the source strongly believes that the expulsion will only happen if the member who proposed it in the first place gets backing from the rest of the congress, which requires a more than 50% vote to expel the premier league.

“I understand that the NFA member who submitted the proposal is also not a member attached to any other member of the NFA.

“He is the one that is really pushing for the expulsion of the league and he also submitted the agenda point.

“I can safely state it is not all the executive members who are in support of the expulsion.

“I also understand that this specific member strongly wanted the NFA to expel the league in order for them to start up their own league with new executive members,” the source alleged.

NFA SG mum on allegations

The NFA acting secretary-general Franco Cosmos refused to comment on the allegation that only one member is pushing for the expulsion of the league.

Cosmos said the congress would mainly touch on the new Fifa regulations due to the coronavirus and how the NFA can adopt them.

He added that the NPL and the NFA issue would also be on the agenda at the congress.

“I will not be able to tell you which member submitted the proposal for the league's expulsion but I can confirm that it is on the agenda.

“This does not mean that the expulsion will be a final decision but it just means that members can make a decision regarding that.

“I also do not believe that anything about starting a new league was discussed, while these issues between NPL and NFA are not resolved at the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” Cosmos said



Can be a collective decision

“If it was just one member who made the submission, it could really also not tell the outcome of the meeting, because they could have possibly made a collective proposal but only one member submitted it to avoid a repeat on points of the agenda,” Cosmos added.

I'm president, coach and player – Ibrahimovic• Confidence throughout the way Zlatan Ibrahimovic ignited a late comeback against Serie A leaders Juventus and then declared that if he had been at AC Milan from the start of the season, they would be Italian champions. NAMPA/AFP



With Milan two goals down on Tuesday, Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted a 62nd minute penalty for his sixth goal this season. Four minutes later he set up Franck Kessie for the equaliser then immediately headed for the bench where he spent the rest of the match giving advice to team-mates as Milan scored twice more for a 4-2 victory.

Rafael Leao hit Milan's third goal in five minutes as Ibrahimovic reached the bench and Ante Rebic added the fourth in the 80th minute behind closed doors at the San Siro.



Bold speech

“I'm president, coach and player but I'm only paid as a footballer,” Ibrahimovic, who rejoined Milan from LA Galaxy on a six-month contract at the end of December, told broadcaster DAZN after the game. “If I had been here from the start we'd have won the Scudetto.”

“I'm old, it's no secret, but it's just a number,” said the 38-year-old Swede. “I played more today than the last game. I feel good, to be honest, and I'm trying to help the team in every way.”

Speculation surrounds the future of Milan coach Stefano Pioli and Ibrahimovic was coy on whether he would be back next season.

“There's still a month to go and let's see, there are things here that we're not in control. Playing without fans is a shame, a strange situation,” Ibrahimovic said. “It could have been the last time you see me live at San Siro.

“I like playing in this Milan team, I do what I can do intelligently, I arrive and then if I don't make a difference I don't like it. I want to help my team-mates and the fans.”



As it stands

The defeat meant Juventus wasted the chance to move 10 points clear at the top of Serie A after second-placed Lazio's shock defeat at Lecce, but Cristiano Ronaldo's side sit seven points clear with seven matches remaining and remain on track for a ninth straight title.

Maurizio Sarri's men had led through goals from Adrien Rabiot and Ronaldo early in the second half.

“I think our first 60 minutes were world-class,” Sarri told DAZN. “We were in total control and had this blackout. There's not even much use thinking too much about it, because we have another game in three days.

“It's usually not even possible to find the reasons for these inexplicable blackouts.

“The defence was fine up until the 62nd minute, as we didn't allow Milan a single chance before then. The blackout hit everyone. You can change all 11 players at that moment and it won't make a difference.”

The loss snapped the Turin giants' seven-game winning run in the league.

Milan boosted their hopes of European qualification by moving above Roma and Napoli into fifth and Pioli said he was focused only on the remaining games.

“I'm not remotely thinking about August 3 or the future. I am thinking of the next game,” the coach said. “There have been some tough moments, but I love what I do.”

Cricket Namibia brings new tournament LIMBA MUPETAMI

WINDHOEK



Cricket Namibia has introduced a new tournament to keep fans entertained after the annual Walvis Bay Salt Refiners Cricket Festival was cancelled.

The annual XCO & APS Junior Cricket tournament for Under-11 and -13, which will take place from 21 to 25 August in Windhoek, will be sponsored by XCO Namibia & APS.

The entry fee is N$800 per team.



Team Entries:

Teams which consist of 11 players can enter. Teams which consist of six to eight players can also enter for six-a-side games and combined games.

Fixtures will be arranged to maximise playing opportunities. In addition, teams can enter from: schools, clubs, and private academies or individually.

A player may play for a specific team if he or she turns 11 or 13 in that respective calendar year or younger. Bye laws will be adapted to increase opportunities for all players.

One umpire per game will be provided by Cricket Namibia and therefore the coach of the fielding side will stand square leg. Scoring method will be electronic: two scorers per game. Home team will score electronic and second team's scorer will do book or paper scoring.

The official opening will be on 21 August at 18:30.

Teams need to arrive by 18:00. All teams that enter will be liable for their own transport, accommodation, water and all meals. Registration forms will be distributed in due time.



Payment details

Details for payment are Namibia Cricket Board – tours – Nedbank Main Branch (461 609), account number: 11000093337. Reference: school or team – XCO & APS tournament.

Summary of team's responsibility: transport, accommodation, meals, one umpire and one scorer per team.

Expenses by tournament administrators: balls, 1x umpire per game, match preparation, fields, prize giving

Please contact Cricket Namibia for entry forms. Entries will close on the 30 July.

What are you talking about?' Kyrgios blasts Thiem in virus row NAMPA/AFP



Outspoken Australian Nick Kyrgios questioned Dominic Thiem's intellect yesterday after the world number three told him to stop criticising fellow tennis stars Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic for taking risks with Covid-19.

Kyrgios said Thiem wasn't on the same “intellectual level” after the Austrian called his criticism “cheap” and claimed it was “bad luck” that Zverev was caught partying after promising to self-isolate.

Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all tested positive for Covid-19 after last month's Adria Tour, an exhibition series with minimal social distancing where Thiem and Zverev also played.



Defensive

“Kyrgios has really done a lot of nonsense himself. That's why I understand even less when he interferes everywhere,” Thiem told German media this week.

“It would be better for him to come clean instead of always criticising others.”

The Australian shot back on Twitter. “What are you talking about @ThiemDomi? Mistakes like smashing rackets? Swearing? Tanking a few matches here or there? Which everyone does? “None of you have the intellectual level to even understand where I'm coming from. I'm trying to hold them accountable.”



Calling each other out

Kyrgios added: “This just shows what a joke @ThiemDomi @AlexZverev & @DjokerNole think this is, 2 of them partying like potatoes during a global pandemic.

“People losing lives, loved ones and friends, and then Thiem standing up for the 'mistake'. These guys are the 'top' of our sport. SMH (shaking my head).”

Last week Kyrgios also exchanged verbal blows with German legend Boris Becker, who called him a “rat” for singling out Zverev. “@TheBorisBecker is a bigger doughnut than I thought. Can hit a volley, obviously not the sharpest tool in the shed though,” he fired back. Zverev vowed to self-isolate after the Adria Tour, only to be filmed days later in a busy bar in footage that went viral.

Ooskola dhopevi dha tameke Osha li enyanyu enene kiipala yaanaskola yoondondo dhopevi, sha landula sho ootundi dha tameke mEtiyali lyoshiwike shika, okuza oshikunino sigo ondondo ontitatu. JUSTICIA SHIPENA

OVENDUKA



Oshitopolwa oshitiyali shetameko lyooskola osha tulwa miilonga oshiwike shika, sha landula sho ooskola dha kalekwa uule woomwedhi, okuza momwedhi Maalitsa, omolwa ombuto yo Covid-19.

Pahapu dhaRomanus //Garoeb, omukuluntuskola poskola yedhina Martti Ahtisaari Primary School, aalongi oya li ya nyanyukwa okumona aanaskola yawo mboka ya galukile kootundi.

“Osha faathana naasho nda talelepo oongulu dhoskola aanaskola oya li ya nyanyukwa okugalukila kootundi. Oshi li uuthemba womunona kehe opo a mone elongo na otwa nyanyukwa okukalekapo uuthemba mboka.”

//Garoeb okwa popi kutya omanga oskola inayi tameka, oya ningi omutumba naavali kombinga yomilandu omipe, nankene tadhi ka longithwa.

Okwa popi kutya oya wapaleke oongulu dhoskola mekwathelo lyaavali na oye na okandjembo kokukutha uupyu waanaskola oshowo iiwapalekitho yokiikaha.

Okwa tsikile kutya uuna aanaskola ya thiki poskola aalongi otaye ya thindikile koongulu dhawo, nokukwashilipaleka kutya aanaskola oyiikala kokule. Omukuluntuskola okwa popi kutya aavali otaya thigi aanona yawo pondje naanaskola mboka ye na uupyu wuli pombanda yoodegrees 38 aavali yawo itaya ningwa nayo ekwatathano mbala.

Okwa tsikile kutya omanga oongulu dhi na okukala aanaskola o 40, oskola oya tokola okutopola aanaskola noongundu dho 19 nenge 20. Ootundi otadhi hulu po 14:00 molwaashoka ngashiingeyi oye na oongundu mbali.

Oskola yaMoses van der Byl Primary School oya tula miilonga omulandu gwootundi dhopaali, yotango tayi tameke potundi 07:45 sigo 10:05, omanga ootundi dha landula ko okuza potundi 11:00 sigo 13:30.

“Aanaskola itaya yi pefudho molwaashoka pethimbo mpoka ye na okuya pefudho otaya pitimo,” Desire Goagoses, omulongiskola poskola ndjoka a popi.

Okwa popi kutya aanaskola inaya pitithwa okugumathana nenge okukala pamwe oshowo okutopolwa iilongitho. Otundi aluhe yotango ohaku longwa omilandu dhokwiigamena okuza kombuto nesimano okukaleka miilonga omilandu dhoka.

Hitman molugodhi nelelo lyaNdangwa ILENI NANDJATO

ONDANGWA



Omudhengingonyo nale gwoWorld Boxing Association (WBA) a simana Paulus 'The Hitman' Moses okuli molugodhi italu hulu nelelo lyondoolopa yaNdangwa, ndyoka tali popi kutya okwa tungu egumbo lye popepi nokapale koodhila mondoolopa ndjoka, shaaheli paveta, omanga Hitman ta popi kutya elelo lyondoolopa olya hala okukutha po oshitopolwa she shevi shoka a mono okupitila melelo lyopamuthigululwakalo.

Moses okwa popi kutya okwa mono oshitopolwa shoka shevi momvula yo 2000 konima sho yinakulu a hulitha nevi olya lundululilwa medhina lye momvula yo 2005 omanga ina tameke okutunga egumbo lye.

“Ondi na oondokumende dhuumwene wevi okuza kelelo lyaNdonga oshowo uuthemba wuumwene wevi okuza kuuministeli womavi. Omanga evi ndyoka inali ningwa oshitopolwa shondoolopa opo nale ndi li,” Moses a popi.

“Momvula yo 2005 onda ningi eindilo lyomeya okuza kelelo lyondoolopa na olya zimina nomeya oga kwatakanithwa na onda tameke okutunga egumbo lyandje.”

Moses okwa popi kutya okwa uvu owala kelelo lyondoolopa momvula yo 2015 sho egumbo lye li li pokupya okutungwa. Oya manitha oshikumungu shoka, ihe oshiwike sha piti elelo olye mu indike okutula odhalate pevi lye.

“Oya yi moshipala aantu yandje mboka ya li taya tulako odhalate na oya kutha po odhalate yandje nopala.

“Kandi li ompinge neyambulepo lyondoolopa ihe elelo lyondoolopa nali simaneke ndje onga mwene gwevi.”

Okwa tsikile kutya aanambelewa yondoolopa otaye mu lombwele kutya evi ndyoka oli li meni lyoongamba nakehe shoka ta ningi po oku na okutseyithila elelo lyondoolopa. Okwa popi kutya okwa li owala ta tula egumbo lye meni lyodhalate opo a gamene egumbo lye okuza koongombe dhoka hadhi endaenda momudhingoloko ngoka. Elelo lyondoolopa aniwa olye mu shainitha ombaapila kutya ngele ehala ndyoka olya yambulwapo monakuyiwa itali futilwa.

Omunambelewa omukuluntu gwelelo lyaNdangwa, Ismael Namgongo okwa koleke iikolokosha pokati kelelo naMoses ihe okwa tindi okugandja uuyelele owundji koshikumungu shoka.

Namgongo okwa popi kutya oya tokola okukutha ko odhalate ndjoka molwaashoka Moses okwa ndopa okuya tseyithila, na okwa popi kutya shoka ta vulu okuninga okuya kombelewa yawo opo ya ka popye, ota vulu okukwathela.

Fishrot bribes: A replay• A deep dive into an underworld of corruption An Al Jazeera investigation into the corrupt powerbrokers and global business elites defrauding the Namibian people. JAMES KLEINFELD



I first met Johannes Stefansson on a typically crisp and windswept day in May in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik. As rain fell intermittently outside the makeshift office where we were meeting, Johannes was preparing himself, and the five assembled journalists, for the battle of his life.

His animated enthusiasm belied the severity of the allegations he was about to bring forward: that, on the instructions of his superiors, he had paid millions of dollars in bribes to well-connected figures in Namibian politics in order to secure the country's lucrative fishing grounds for his former employer, the Icelandic fishing conglomerate Samherji.

“We are in this all the way,” he would say often, underlining his determination to see his former colleagues and business partners face justice for what he claims was a large-scale criminal enterprise defrauding the Namibian people of the proceeds of their country's natural wealth. Facing Johannes was a formidable array of vested interests, political power and financial behemoths, all in league, Johannes claims, with the murky underworld of the South African mafia.



The whistle-blower

I was introduced to Johannes by Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor-in-chief of the whistle-blowing group WikiLeaks. Coming straight from Belmarsh Prison, where his erstwhile colleague Julian Assange continues to languish, he met me in London's Fitzrovia. He told me about Johannes's journey in one of Iceland's largest fishing companies, Samherji; from his long career as a fisherman on board Icelandic trawlers around the world, to managing Samherji's subsidiaries in Morocco and Namibia, to eventually leaving the company in disgust at what he considered to be the corrupt corporate culture.

As he left Samherji in 2016, Johannes recognised the significance of the data on his laptop. Emails, memos, presentations, photos and videos would all come to constitute the Fishrot Files, an archive of more than 30 000 documents hosted on WikiLeaks, providing the documentary evidence to back up Johannes's claims of the corruption he facilitated during his time at Samherji.

As Kristinn trawled through the thousands of documents, he began to seek potential media partners. The natural partners in Johannes's and Kristinn's native Iceland were Kveikur, the investigative series of RUV, the state broadcaster, and the weekly magazine Stundin. And it was to Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit that WikiLeaks turned to raise the profile of this important leak, give it worldwide coverage and take the investigation in an entirely new direction.

Approximately 10 000 kilometres south, over the equator, Namibia is a vast territory on Africa's southwest coast. Its modern history is stained with the bloody legacy of foreign domination, from the massacres inflicted by the German Empire in the early 20th century, to the racial segregation imposed by the South African apartheid regime.

After a protracted independence struggle fought by the South West Africa People's Organisation (Swapo), the country finally gained independence from South Africa in 1990, and Swapo has won every national election since.



The 'sharks' among Namibia's fish

I met the executive director of the Tax Justice Network Africa, Alvin Mosioma, who explained to me how African economies have been victims of what has come to be known as “state capture”, whereby “a very small clique of the elite are able to determine the decisions which a government makes”.

In the context of the Namibian fishing industry, the members of this clique are the so-called “sharks”, the figures implicated in the Fishrot files. They are the now former Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Bernhardt Esau, former Minister of Justice, Sacky Shanghala, state-owned fishing company Fishcor's now former chairman James Hatuikulipi, and their close associate, Tamson Hatuikulipi who is Esau's son-in-law and James Hatuikulpi's cousin.

Johannes speaks of how his former employer Samherji used their privileged connections with these powerbrokers to facilitate their entry into - and ultimately capturing a significant portion of - the Namibian fishing industry.

With James Hatuikulipi installed as the chairman of Fishcor, the state-owned company began selling large quantities of quota at below-market prices. Almost at the same time, the power brokers, led by Sacky Shanghala, pushed through a bilateral agreement with neighbouring Angola, profiting from a little-used loophole in Namibia's fishing regulations allowing Samherji to bypass the competitive tendering process and catch greater harvests of Namibian fish.

In return for these generous allocations of fishing quotas, the “sharks” and others in their entourage collectively earned more than US$10 million in what Johannes claims were “bribes”.



The undercover investigation

With Johannes's powerful testimony and the abundant documentary evidence to back it up, Al Jazeera decided to investigate further the allegations of corruption in the Namibian fishing industry.

The mission was simple: to see if Al Jazeera could replicate the successes of Samherji, gaining access to Namibia's lucrative fishing grounds by offering kickbacks to well-connected individuals in the industry.

In just three months, our undercover reporter “Jonny”, posing as a Chinese investor, negotiated a joint-venture partnership with local fishing company Omualu, managed by Sacky Kadhila.

Media reports from 2014 show that Namibia's Anti-Corruption Commission had been investigating Kadhila's company for allegedly paying US$65 000 to a director at the ministry of fisheries. Al Jazeera does not know what this alleged payment was for, or indeed what came of this investigation, but what is known is that Kadhila told Al Jazeera's undercover reporter he could “find somebody in the ministry that we could place in our company ... that person is only for the influence, to ensure that Omualu always gets a quota”.

The need to line the pockets of public officials in order to gain preferential access to fishing quotas led our fake investor to the CEO of Fishcor, Mike Nghipunya, and minister of fisheries Bernhard Esau. For his efforts to secure quotas, Nghipunya is offered a 20-percent stake in the proposed joint venture, as well as a one-off payment of US$500 000. Likewise, to enter into the good graces of Minister Esau, our Chinese investor offered him a gift of a limited-edition iPhone and promised to make a US$200 000 donation to the ruling Swapo party in the run-up to the country's general elections, held on 27 November.

Outing himself as a proxy for the minister, Kadhila remarked that Esau “thought very highly” of our undercover investor, and assured us that he would do “whatever it is that we would require from him to assist us”.



Dancing the corruption tango

As Al Jazeera exposes the corrupt powerbrokers in the Namibian fishing industry, it is important to not lose sight of the dual nature of corruption.

As Alvin Mosioma told Al Jazeera: “All too often, we tend to focus much more on the beneficiary of corruption and not the supplier of corruption.” In other words, in the dance of corruption, “it takes two to tango”.

On one side, you have the powerful political elites who have captured democratic processes, while on the other, you have powerful business elites who, for the right price, can bend the rules to work in their favour.

As for the activities of Samherji, the leaked documents show how they conducted their operations in Namibia with full knowledge of the prevailing corruption. Memos written in Icelandic for Samherji's senior management attest to the powerful role played by the so-called “strategic group” - comprised of Minister Esau and his associates - in ensuring Samherji's favourable position in the industry.

“Frontmen” were used so that Samherji's Namibian subsidiaries could, on paper, be majority-owned by Namibians, meeting the standards of “Namibianisation”. And yet, despite the bounty of profits Namibia provided for Samherji, a leading company executive was found in a draft presentation to have described the Namibian people as “happy lazybones”.

While Samherji may not have invaded Namibia by force, set up a colonial administration or brought large numbers of Icelanders to settle there, in many ways, its corrupt business practices are neo-colonial: treating the local population and institutions with contempt and considering respect for local laws and regulations as optional. The company structure was set up in such a way as to avoid paying as much tax as possible, taking advantage of double tax treaties with tax havens like Mauritius, the Marshall Islands and Cyprus to reduce their tax liabilities to a fraction of what Namibian corporations have to pay.



The South African mafia

In anticipation of breaking his silence on the corruption he admits to facilitating, Johannes sought the legal services of the world-famous politician, lawyer and anti-corruption activist Eva Joly. The naturalised French citizen of Norwegian origin, who once ran for the French presidency, told me of the “huge risks” that Johannes faces by blowing the whistle.

In the months before July 2016, when Johannes departed Namibia for good, he spent some time in Cape Town, South Africa, where he undertook negotiations with a local businessman, Allie Baderoen, who was interested in entering into a business partnership with Samherji in the South African fishing industry. While the negotiations ultimately led nowhere, these relationships were to have serious consequences for Johannes's life, as he came to appreciate the interconnected worlds of business and the mafia in South Africa.

After leaving Namibia, Johannes moved to Cape Town and struck up an unexpected friendship with a former Congolese soldier, Christian Yema Y'Okungo, who now works in private security in South Africa. While he was negotiating his termination agreement with Samherji, Johannes began to hear rumours about himself - that he abused drugs and alcohol.

Christian, who Johannes refers to as his “brother”, warned him of the impending danger to his life as he began to extricate himself from the web of corruption, he had been a party to in neighbouring Namibia.

To this day, Johannes and Christian enjoy an extremely close relationship and speak on a daily basis. Whenever Johannes travels abroad, Christian calls upon local Congolese expats to provide him with tight security.



Acute health symptoms

According to Johannes, shortly after finally terminating his employment with Samherji in December 2016, he began to suffer acute health symptoms, including seizures, collapses and uncontrollable shaking. He went to a doctor in Cape Town who told him his symptoms were unexplainable, and a doctor in Iceland later told him that his symptoms resembled those of someone who had been poisoned, although a definitive diagnosis was not forthcoming.

Close friends of Johannes who witnessed the rapid deterioration of his health continue to be astounded by his eventual recovery, convinced that he should have succumbed to his life-threatening symptoms.

Suspicions that he was poisoned have occupied Johannes since he left Africa at the beginning of 2017, but definitive proof, not to mention evidence of the culprits, has been elusive.

A curious document sent to Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit in early November, two weeks after it reached out to people to respond to the allegations against them, may provide some insight into the forces Johannes was up against.



'Prostitute debt'

Tamson Hatuikulipi, who was Samherji's conduit into the local industry, sent us an affidavit, signed by Johannes's “brother” Christian at a Cape Town police station. The affidavit made a series of allegations against Johannes: that he is an alcoholic, a drug addict, and that his purported addiction to prostitutes led to him being R75 000 in debt to Cape Town pimps.

Johannes strongly denies all such allegations and, indeed, has long been expecting them.

A few days after Al Jazeera sent Tamson Hatuikulipi the letter requesting his response to the allegations against him, Christian says that his family were threatened by figures associated with the Cape Town mafia. Evidence allegedly implicating him in criminal activity would be shared with the police, he was told. Thus, with the threat of physical violence and imprisonment, Christian was blackmailed into signing an affidavit with false allegations against his close friend.

Attached to the forced affidavit was a purported certificate from a “medical surgery” in the Cape Town suburb of Kraaifontein, which alleges that Johannes sought “drug rehabilitation” treatment in December 2016 - as false rumours of Johannes's drug addiction reached a crescendo, and a few days before his health took a swift turn for the worse. A cursory glance at the document indicated some red flags: The address of the “medical surgery” is non-existent, the name of a doctor absent, and the telephone number provided is not active. These suspicions have since been corroborated by the Health Professions Council of South Africa, which was unable to find evidence of the existence of this “medical surgery”.

Why somebody would seek to forge a medical record attempting to portray Johannes in a bad light, and attach such a forgery to an affidavit signed under threat of blackmail made by figures associated with the mafia; and how such a forged document and forced affidavit would come into the possession of Tamson Hatuikulipi mere weeks after receiving a letter presenting him with evidence of his alleged criminality; and why Tamson Hatuikulipi would find it necessary to send such an obvious forgery to Al Jazeera are all legitimate questions that, for the time being, can only be answered with speculation.

Caryn Dolly, who has spent six years reporting on the Cape Town mafia, focusing on links between the criminal underworld and police services, told Al Jazeera that allegations have been made linking the Cape Town mafia with certain police officers. “It is not clear just how common it is for underworld figures to blackmail others into making affidavits against their rivals,” she said, “however, claims in this vein have definitely surfaced in Cape Town”. But, for his part, Johannes remains unperturbed by these attempts to silence him. His lawyer Joly plans to bring him to the Fishing Committee of the European Parliament, where he can share his singular expertise on corruption with politicians. In the meantime, she speaks of his courage in blowing the whistle: “He knows why he is doing this; he knows that he is doing this for the ordinary people in Namibia. He thinks that fighting corruption is paramount for the development in Africa.”



The response to Al Jazeera's allegations

Since Al Jazeera first presented the accused parties with evidence of their alleged wrongdoing, the response has been swift and overwhelming: Minister of Fisheries Bernhard Esau and the minister of justice have both resigned from their cabinet positions; James Hatuikulipi has resigned as the chairman of Fishcor, and has also resigned from his job as the managing director of Investec Asset Management.

In the run-up to elections in Namibia, the #Fishrot affair has caused outrage in the country, leading to protests in the capital, Windhoek, with hundreds of people marching to the Anti-Corruption Commission demanding decisive action against corruption in the country.

On the day of the elections on November 27, most of the Namibians implicated in the investigation were arrested on charges of corruption, money laundering and fraud.

All the Namibians featured in the Al Jazeera investigation deny all wrongdoing.

Sacky Kadhila told The Namibian newspaper that he knew from the start that our undercover reporters were “fake businessmen”. “I played along ... in order to confirm my suspicions,” he wrote. He added that he had reported the matter to the president's lawyer, Sisa Namandje, who in turn claimed he had alerted police. In Iceland, the scandal has led to the suspension of Samherji's long time CEO Thorsteinn Mar Baldvinsson, pending an internal investigation.

On 12 November, Samherji released a statement, saying: “Samherji will co-operate with the relevant authorities that may investigate the fisheries industry in Namibia. If such an investigation will take place, Samherji has nothing to hide.”

The revelations, reported by Iceland's national broadcasting service RUV and the weekly magazine Stundin, have profoundly shocked this small island nation of 350 000 people. One of the few European countries with no history of colonialism or warmongering, Iceland has long prided itself on its purported “innocence”.

Halldora Mogensen, an Icelandic MP with the Pirate Party, put it bluntly: “The myth of Iceland's innocence is dead.”



*This is an edited version of an article that was first published by Al Jazeera News on 1 December 2019

COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF DHL to cut 2 200 workers

German logistics company DHL plans to cut as many as 2 200 jobs of UK-based workers at Jaguar Land Rover factories, the Unite trade union said.

The job cuts comprise just under 40% of the entire DHL workforce on the contract, the union said. DHL indicated that the half of the job cuts are due to a decline in car production and half are the result of anticipated efficiency savings, the union added.

“DHL must not attempt to make permanent full-time staff redundant while continuing to outsource work to sub-contractors,” Matt Draper, unite national officer for logistics, said.

Last month India's Tata Motors Ltd said it expected to shed about 1 100 temporary jobs at Jaguar Land Rover after it raised the cost-cutting target at its luxury unit by 1 billion pounds (US$1.3 billion) to ride out the disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

DHL and Jagaur Land Rover were not immediately available for comment. – Nampa/Reuters

US airlines move toward federal loans

The largest US air carriers have all signed letters of intent on federal loans to help them weather the novel coronavirus, with United Airlines warning employees that a surge in outbreaks was hitting bookings, threatening a travel rebound and jobs.

It expects travel demand to remain depressed until a widely accepted Covid-19 treatment or vaccine is found, with no straight line to an industry recovery.

US airline shares closed 5% lower on Tuesday, with United down 7.6%. While travel had picked up in some areas over the past two months from pandemic-driven lows in April, United has seen reservations for travel within the coming month slide after New York.

The slump was most pronounced at United's Newark hub, where near-term net bookings were just about 16% of year-ago levels as of July 1. Raymond James analyst Savanthi Syth said the bookings trend was likely much broader than the New York area.

Andrew Nocella, United's chief commercial officer, told employees at a virtual town hall meeting on Tuesday that its network would be slightly more impacted than other US domestic airlines, sources said after the meeting. – Nampa/Reuters

Facebook boycott organizers

Organizers of a growing Facebook Inc advertising boycott said they saw no commitment to action after meeting with Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.

More than 900 advertisers have signed on to the Stop Hate for Profit campaign, organized by social justice groups including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Free Press, to pressure the world's largest social media network to take concrete steps.

“They showed up to the meeting expecting an A for attendance,” said Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change, one of the boycott organizers, during a press call following the meeting.

The campaign, which calls for advertisers to pause their Facebook ads for July, has outlined 10 changes it wants from Facebook, including allowing victims of severe harassment to speak with a company employee and giving refunds to brands whose ads show up next to offensive content that is later removed.

Color of Change said in a statement the only recommendation Zuckerberg and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg attempted to address in the meeting was establishing a civil rights position within the company, but they would not commit to making it a senior executive job or defining the role. - Nampa/Reuters

ADNOC to boost oil exports

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) plans to boost its oil exports in August, the first signal that OPEC and its allies are preparing to ease record oil output cuts next month, three sources familiar with the development told Reuters.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, known as OPEC, have been cutting oil output since May by a record 9.7 million barrels per day after the coronavirus crisis destroyed a third of global demand.

After July, the cuts are due to taper to 7.7 million bpd until December although a final decision has yet to be taken. Key OPEC+ ministers hold talks next week.

Industry and trading sources said ADNOC plans to raise its crude oil exports by as much as 300,000 barrels per day in August, citing oil loading programmes by the company.

Gulf OPEC producer the United Arab Emirates will pump according to its output quota under the OPEC agreement, which is 2.590 million bpd, up from 2.446 million in July, the sources familiar with ADNOC's exports and production plans said. – Nampa/Reuters

Uber launches grocery delivery

Uber Technologies Inc further expanded delivery offerings, launching an app-based grocery service in several Latin American and Canadian cities, with the United States to follow later this month.

The company's latest foray into the delivery space is in partnership with Corner shop, a Chilean online grocery provider that Uber has held a majority stake in since October.

Customers in Canada's Montreal and Toronto, eleven Brazilian cities, including Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, four Chilean cities, Colombia's Bogota and Peru's Lima will be able to order groceries from local stores and chains through the Uber Eats app.

In Canada, groceries can be ordered from large chains Walmart Inc and Metro Inc. A launch in U.S. cities is expected later in July, beginning with regional merchants in Miami and Dallas, an Uber spokeswoman said.

Uber said it had some 9,500 active merchants, with grocery-convenience orders increasing by more than 176% since February across the Uber platform. Uber's grocery delivery push comes at a time when its core ride-hailing business is under pressure around the globe because of Covid-19. - Nampa/Reuters