Namibian Sun

Child porn probe not finalisedVictims being counselled by social workers Johann Wickus Maree faces 40 charges - eight of child rape, eight of indecent assault, eight of immoral practices, eight of trafficking in persons and eight of allegedly using or forcing children to take part in pornographic activities

NAMPA

WINDHOEK

Investigations into the case of a Windhoek resident who was arrested in May for allegedly being involved in the production and sale of child pornography on the dark web are still ongoing.

The accused, 49-year-old Johann Wickus Maree, made his second appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court on Friday, where the matter was postponed to 4 December to afford the investigation team enough time to complete their investigations.

Maree appeared before Windhoek magistrate Ivan Gawanab.

Prosecutor Sylvia Kauluma informed the court that all statements have now been obtained from the victims involved in the case, but the children are still receiving counselling from several social workers.

According to Kauluma, this is the reason why the police were unable to complete their investigations on time.

Refused bail

It was also made public that Maree has now secured State-funded legal representation, but the Legal Aid-sponsored defence lawyer was not present in court on Friday.

On 5 May, Maree was refused bail when he made his first appearance.

Bail was refused after the State strongly objected because of the serious nature of the charges and because it would not be in the interest of the public or the administration of justice to release him while police investigations were still ongoing.

Other grounds for the refusal of bail were that the accused may abscond from Namibia, because he has family members and relatives residing in South Africa and Australia.

40 charges

It was also reported that a further 14 victims are yet to be identified by the investigation team.

Maree faces 40 charges - eight of child rape, eight of indecent assault, eight of immoral practices, eight of trafficking in persons and eight of allegedly using or forcing children to take part in pornographic activities.

Besides allegedly producing and selling child pornography on obscure internet websites known as the dark web, he is also reported to sustain himself by working as a freelance photographer who specialises in school and sport event photography.

It is alleged that Maree filmed an unspecified number of children aged between nine and 17 while they engaged in sexual acts with each other and with him, before selling the footage on the dark web.

About 20 of the young victims have so far been identified by police detectives.

Maree was arrested in Windhoek's Cimbebasia residential area.

New Covid-19 wards for Walvis

LEANDREA LOUW

WALVIS BAY

Erongo governor Neville Andre officially opened two prefabricated 24-bed Covid-19 wards in Walvis Bay last week.

The facility, located behind the Walvis Bay State Hospital, was funded by the health ministry to the tune of N$12 million, and took around three weeks to complete.

Andre said government had made available a N$727 million emergency Covid-19 budget for the health sector, with special emphasis on planning, monitoring, communication, community engagement, surveillance, infection control and prevention and case management, as well as monies for operational and logistical support.

“With the increase in Covid-19 cases in our region and Walvis Bay as epicentre of the pandemic, there is a dire need for additional beds. As a response, our government availed the state-of-the-art military hospital, which, without a shadow of doubt, brought relief to our healthcare facilities.

Additional beds were provided via the conversion of the Kondja ward by the Erongo Care Initiative, while the Walvis Bay municipality availed their bungalows to be used as quarantine facilities. This helped us tremendously during the early days when we needed more beds,” the governor said.

Looking beyond Covid

Andre implored the health director and her team to take good care of the facilities. “It is our hope that all those who enter these premises and facilities will be healed.

“These facilities are also done with the future in mind. The equipment to be utilised as well as health personnel who are part of these facilities should be retained to strengthen our healthcare system well beyond the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

Tribute

The governor also paid tribute to the late Sebedius Gariseb, who died to Covid-19 complications. He was one of the frontline soldiers who were instrumental during the Covid-19 food distribution programme.

He also thanked those who continue to risk their lives to ensure the safety of others and urged them to keep doing good work.

“Our healthcare workers and professionals at the forefront of fighting Covid-19, including the cleaners, ambulance drivers, porters, mortuary workers, administrators and staff nurses, and all those involved in the value chain, keep our health facilities functional. We appreciate what you are doing.”

Andre also pleaded with members of the community to take extra caution to minimise the risk of infection.

“We urge the public to continue to follow basic personal hygiene habits, such as the regular washing of hands, sanitising, wearing a mask when in the public, avoiding large gatherings and practicing social and physical distancing.”

Andre called upon residents to take personal responsibility for their well-being and that of those around them.

leandrea@republikein.com.na

AfDB re-elects Adesina after controversySecond term for Nigerian The AfDB’s president bid was clouded by whistleblower allegations - later rejected - that graft, poor management and favouritism had flourished under his watch.

Abidjan - African Development Bank (AfDB) head Akinwumi Adesina was re-elected Thursday for a second five-year term, after a prolonged storm about governance that was resolved by an independent inquiry.

Adesina, a 60-year-old former Nigerian agriculture minister, "obtained 100% of the votes of all regional and non-regional members of the bank," the AfDB said after its annual meeting in Abidjan, adding that his next term will begin on September 1.

Adesina was the sole candidate, but his bid for a second term had been clouded by whistleblower allegations - later rejected - that graft, poor management and favouritism had flourished under his watch.

Adesina, the son of a farming family, in 2015 became the first Nigerian to head the bank, one of the world's five biggest multilateral lenders and an important but often unseen player in economic development.

He gained continent-wide recognition last October when the AfDB secured UA$115 billion in funding pledges, a move that doubled its capital and cemented its triple-A credit rating.

But criticism of his managerial style emerged after the bank was shaken by a string of departures when he took over.

A 15-page report by whistleblowers earlier this year triggered an internal inquiry by the bank's ethics committee, which cleared him.

External investigation

The United States then intervened, calling for an external investigation.

A three-person outside panel, led by former Irish president Mary Robinson alongside The Gambia's chief justice Hassan Jallow and the World Bank's former integrity vice president, Leonard McCarthy, carried out its own review.

Its report, issued last month, said Adesina had been correctly investigated and that the panel "concurs with the [ethics] committee in respect of all the allegations" against him.

In its statement on Thursday, the head of the AfDB's board, Niale Kaba, who is also the Ivory Coast's development minister, said she was "delighted" that Adesina had been re-elected.

"As shareholders, we firmly support the Bank and will give Mr Adesina every necessary support to pursue and carry out his persuasive vision for the Bank over the next five years," she said.

Buhari

Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari in a statement on Thursday congratulated Adesina on his re-election, saying "he deserves it."

Buhari thanked the African Union for backing the AfDB president and the "shareholders of the bank who worked tirelessly to ensure the return of the visionary leader."

He said Adesina's versatility and experience at both national and international levels would serve to energise the pan-African financial institution, urging him to "remain focused and steadfast".

The AfDB said that during Adesina's first term, lending by the bank had benefited the lives of 335 million Africans in areas such as access to electricity, transport and sewerage.

The 56-year-old institution estimates that Africa could lose at least US$173 billion in GDP in 2020 and US$236 billion in 2021 as a result of the economic fallout from the Covid-19 crisis.

The bank set up a coronavirus funding mechanism worth up to US$10 billion in April. – Nampa/AFP

Cain and Abel relived in Tsumeb

OGONE TLHAGE

WINDHOEK

A man stabbed his own brother to death this past Friday at Nomtsoub in Tsumeb.

According to the police crime report that was released yesterday, the incident happened at around 19:00, when the suspect stabbed his brother with an okapi knife for unknown reasons.

The victim was taken to hospital, but succumbed to his injuries. Police investigations continue. Meanwhile, a 79-year-old was stabbed to death at Noordoewer over oryx horns.

An argument ensued after the victim came out of his house with the horns. He was stabbed twice in the chest by the suspect, who has been arrested.

Robbery

A case of robbery with aggravated circumstances and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was reported in Oshakati, after a 34-year-old businessman was attacked while asleep in his home.

Three suspects managed to rob the victim of his vehicle, cellphone and cash to the value of N$22 000.

A 27-year-old suspect has been arrested, while two others are on the run.

Tied up

A case of housebreaking with intent to rob and armed robbery was registered in Klein Windhoek, after a 40-year-old man was accosted by three unknown suspects who gained entry into his flat by cutting through the burglar bars. The victim was tied up and the suspects made off with a laptop and cellphone.

Rapes

Two rape cases were reported in Zambezi, involving 15-year-old and 27-year-old victims.

In the first incident, which occurred at the Choto Compound, the teenager was raped after her boyfriend was attacked and beaten unconscious by a group of unknown suspects. The victim tried to flee, but one of the suspects caught up with her, stabbed her in the neck with a knife and dragged her into bushes nearby, where he raped her.

No arrests have yet been made and police investigations continue. At Nepara village, the 27-year-old woman was raped after a 23-year-old man entered the house she was sleeping in. The suspect was arrested and police investigations continue.

Culpable homicide

A case of culpable homicide was registered in Aroab after a car overturned, resulting in the death of one of the passengers. The driver and three other passengers sustained slight injuries and were transported to the Keetmanshoop State Hospital.

Hydraform surfaces againCops halt Oshakati registrations The company said it would not obey police orders to stop registrations in Oshakati, as no case has been opened against it.

TUYEIMO HAIDULA

OSHAKATI

Police in the Oshana Region have stopped operations at Hydraform Interlocking Solutions' office in Oshakati and warned residents against associating with the building scheme, including paying money to the company.

This comes after the Oshakati town council distanced itself from the company, which is registering people for a low-cost housing project.

Those who registered were told that the town council had given the company land to start building in August at Ekuku, Ehenye, Extension 16 as well as in Ongwediva and Ondangwa.

Not the first time

This is not the first time this company has promised affordable houses to Namibians.

In 2013, Hydraform used the same modus operandi with more than 4 000 people from Rehoboth, Groot Aub and Gobabis, who flocked to its offices to register for houses. A year later, the houses had still not been built.

The same amounts have been charged to the Oshakati, Ongwediva and Ondangwa residents who signed up. They paid between N$250 and N$500 non-refundable registration fees each, depending on the size of the house they had chosen.

Hydraform Interlocking Solutions' spokesperson, Daniel Isaaks, insists houses were built in other towns, adding that people should bear in mind that land delivery throughout Namibia is a slow process, which is why the company has not met the needs of the targeted market yet.

This could not be confirmed, as officials of the Rehoboth town council were not reachable. Isaaks showed letters dating back to 2017, which indicate that the Rehoboth municipality gave permission for the company to build show houses by no later than March 2019.

Wary

Oshakati municipality spokesperson Katarina Kamari said the council has not allocated land to any developers and the last time it did that was in 2017. She warned residents to beware of scammers who present themselves as property developers.

Kamari issued a statement in which she said that the council had not provided any land to Hydraform to build houses within the boundaries of Oshakati.

She said residents should contact the council's planning and property development department for verification if they have any doubts about a project. “All council-approved developers require no deposit or administration fees for applications or assessment of affordability,” Kamari said.

No land made available

Oshana governor Elia Irimari told Namibian Sun that the regional council had not made land available to Hydraform either.

His office, through chief regional officer Martin Elago, subsequently issued a statement, which read: “The regional council has not granted any permission to Hydraform Interlocking Solutions in any of its three local authority areas (Ondangwa, Ongwediva and Oshakati) or its two settlement areas (Eheke and Uukwangula).”

Elago reiterated that the regional council's housing application forms are free of charge and can be obtained from the settlement area offices and on their website.

Disappointed

Isaaks expressed disappointment with the regional council for distancing themselves from the company, saying they had agreed on a business model. Isaaks said the Oshakati municipality was invited when they made a presentation to the regional council, but did not show up.

“We have not applied for land from the Oshakati town council as yet because we are busy with the process of data collection, which is done via WhatsApp and online registration,” he said.

Isaaks said initially their focus was on residents who had plots already and were struggling to build on them. However, when Namibian Sun accompanied some residents to register for houses, the women doing the registration promised them plots as well. Isaaks added that they had not promised 16 000 houses, labelling it as “fake news”.

Isaaks said the company would not obey police orders to stop the registration, as no case has been opened against them. “We are a legally registered company that pays tax, so I see no reason why we must terminate our business operations,” he said.

tuyeimoivawa@gmail.com

Revised quality policy get green lightSub-standard imports targeted Cabinet also approved the National Competition Policy and directed the ministry of industrialisation and trade to expedite the finalisation of the Consumer Protection Bill.

Cabinet has approved the revised National Quality Policy to ensure that products traded or manufactured by local enterprises are in compliance with the set standards under the Growth at Home strategy.

The policy submitted by the ministry of industrialisation and trade further aims to ensure that all imports should be subjected to quality compliance tests in order to reduce sub-standard products entering the Namibian market.

The minister of information and communication technology, Peya Mushelenga, on Thursday gave an update on cabinet decisions at the Covid-19 Communication Centre in Windhoek.

Cabinet further approved the National Competition Policy and directed the ministry of industrialisation and trade to expedite the finalisation of the Consumer Protection Bill.

Other decisions

Cabinet said it has taken note of the outcome of the meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Committee of Ministers for Finance and Investment and Peer Review Panel held on 15 July 2020 through virtual format.

“Cabinet took note that Namibia will only sign the draft agreement to operationalise the SADC Regional Development Fund once the economic and financial situation has improved, and cabinet took note that the Report of the Committee of Ministers for Finance and Investment will be presented to Council in Maputo, Mozambique during August 2020,” Mushelenga said.

Cabinet authorised the minister of finance to table the annual reports of the Agricultural Bank of Namibia and Namibia National Reinsurance Corporation for the 2018/2019 financial year in the National Assembly (NA).

It also authorised the minister of finance to table the annual report of the Lüderitz Waterfront Development Company for the 2017/2018 financial year in the NA. - Nampa

Jauch 'back from the dead'Labour expert praises doctors, nurses after Covid recovery An emotional Herbert Jauch has praised the medical staff who treated him for Covid-19.

OGONE TLHAGE

WINDHOEK

Labour expert Herbert Jauch, who has recovered from the coronavirus, said the doctors and nurses who treated him brought him “back from the dead”

He told medical staff they helped him evade death by putting their own lives on the line, after being released from Lady Pohamba Private Hospital. “Ten days ago, when I came here, there was nothing left of me, my body was gone,” he said.

Giving thanks to the medical team that assisted him, Jauch said their sacrifices saved his life.

“The nurses and doctors did everything to save me; they brought me back from the dead. You sacrificed everything; your life, your health. Thank you so much,” an emotional Jauch said as he was being discharged.

Exercise caution

By Saturday, Covid-19 had claimed 69 Namibian lives, while the country had recorded over 7 000 cases. During an address on government's measures to address the global pandemic, President Hage Geingob on Friday urged Namibians to exercise caution in order to limit the spread of the virus.

SACU and the revenue pool explained

The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) is the oldest functioning customs union in the world.

The first union was formed in 1910, which makes the current union 110 years old. Current members benefitting from the union are: Botswana, eSwatini (previously Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa.

Following the normalisation of relations in South Africa in 1994, the member countries agreed that a democratic arrangement should be negotiated. The renegotiations commenced in 1994 and a new SACU Agreement was signed during October 2002 in Gaborone, Botswana.

Impact of SACU on trade

The main feature of a customs union is that customs and excise duties are not levied by a member on products which are manufactured, produced, grown or otherwise originate in another member state.

Namibian products exported to Botswana, for example will not be subject to customs duties on importation into Botswana. Goods imported from South Africa by Namibia are likewise not subject to customs duties in Namibia.

This supports the principle of duty-free movement of goods between the SACU member states. Import value-added tax (VAT), however, is a domestic tax and remains payable on importation, whether from another SACU member state or beyond.

SACU revenue pool

The customs union Agreement provides that all customs, excise and additional duties must be paid in a common revenue pool.

South Africa has been appointed to manage the pool. All transactions in and out of the pool must be reported to the SACU Secretariat (in Windhoek) and are audited on a regular basis.

Revenue-sharing formula

The SACU agreement provides for transparent revenue sharing formula. The formula consists of three components, namely:

The customs component:

The customs component further consists of customs duties collected or leviable on goods imported into the common customs area.

The share of member countries is calculated on the value of imports from other SACU member states as a percentage of total intra-SACU imports for a specific year.

The excise component:

The excise component consists of all excise duties collected or leviable on excisable goods produced or manufactured in the common customs area.

Each member country’s share is based on the gross domestic product (GDP) of each country as a percentage of the total GDP on all SACU member countries.

The development component:

A fixed percentage of the excise component is withheld to fund the development component.

Each member country receives a share of the development component, but the distribution is weighted in favour of least developed members.

Details on how each member country’s share of the revenue pool is set out in Annex A to the SACU Agreement, 2002.

* Chantell Husselmann is the country senior partner at PwC Namibia.

Africa Briefs

Worst power cuts on record in SA

South Africa has endured its worst power cuts on record this year, research by the country's national science council showed on Friday.

The power cuts by ailing state utility Eskom are one of the biggest challenges facing president Cyril Ramaphosa as he tries to revive investor confidence in Africa's most industrialised economy.

Analysis by South Africa's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) found that 1 498 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of energy had been shed so far in the first eight months of 2020, more than 1 352 GWh in the whole of last year and 1325 GWh in 2015, the previous two worst years on record.

The CSIR estimates planned power cuts, known locally as load-shedding, cost the economy up to R120 billion last year.

The CSIR predicts load-shedding will continue for two to three years, depending on the actions the government takes to address the electricity shortfall. – Nampa/Reuters

Angola to join transparency group

Angola plans to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), an international effort to fight corruption in revenues from oil, gas and mineral extraction.

Tete Antonio, Angola's minister of foreign affairs, announced the move on Twitter late on Friday and said Angola "has clearly demonstrated its commitment to promote the open and accountable management of its natural resources for the benefit of its people."

EITI, formed in 2003, has more than 50 implementing countries.

Angola's president João Lourenço has embarked on an anti-corruption drive since taking power from Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who stepped down in 2017 after a near four-decade rule.

Africa's second-largest oil exporter is also working to stem a steady decline in oil output due to a lack of investment. – Nampa/Reuters

Malawi to lift air travel, school restrictions

Malawi will allow airlines and schools to resume operations from Sept. 1, as it seeks to limit the economic and social damage from its coronavirus lockdown, authorities said on Thursday.

Schools and airports have been closed since March, when the government imposed a lockdown to try to contain the epidemic.

Malawi has recorded 5 474 cases and 173 deaths from the virus so far, although the real figure may be higher as fewer than 50 000 tests have been conducted.

The main international airport in the administrative capital Lilongwe will now open to limited flights next week.

The school closures left more than 5 million pupils across all levels out of class. – Nampa/Reuters

Nigeria postpones international flight restart

Nigeria on Thursday delayed the resumption of international flights until September 5, aviation authorities said, citing logistical problems.

The vast west African nation of 200 million inhabitants shut its airspace in March as part of measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, Aviation minister Hadi Sirika said on Twitter international flights would resume on Sunday from Lagos and Abuja.

But the head of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authorities (NCAA), Musa Nuhu, told reporters in Abuja on Thursday "international flights [are] now shifted to September 5".

"While airlines and airports were ready, other non-aviation logistics require the one-week extension to be ready."– Nampa/AFP

'I can't remember being raped'Booze-filled teachers' party leads to alleged sex attack The mother of two said her last memory of the night was being offered a lift by a colleague, before waking up naked in her bed.

Kenya Kambowe

NDIYONA

A 31-year-old teacher says she is a broken woman after allegedly being raped by a booze delivery man, who she has no recollection of interacting with at a party hosted at her school.

The mother of two from Guma village in Kavango East, was testifying before Magistrate Sonia Samupofu in the Ndiyona Periodic Court during the bail application of Johannes Kativa (38). The incident took place on 30 July, however, Kativa was only arrested on 4 August after the victim, who said she was “very drunk” and has no recollection of what happened, was informed about the alleged rape by her son and a neighbour.

There was no indication of how many teachers attended the party and whether Covid-19 regulations were adhered to.

Woke up naked

Prior to the alleged rape, the victim said she and her colleagues were having a party at the school she teaches at, and she consumed alcohol, something she does only occasionally.

She was in an especially jovial mood after receiving her results from the University of Namibia (Unam). They were also celebrating the birthdays of teachers who were born between January and July, and who were unable to host festivities because of the Covid-19 regulations, the victim said.

Her last memory of the night was being offered a lift by a colleague.

The victim also testified last week that she recalls waking up and seeing her 13-year-old son holding a panga, which she managed to take from him. She then placed it under her mattress and went back to sleep.

She told the court that on the morning of 31 July, she found her son sleeping in the sitting room.

The boy asked her several times: “Mom, don't you remember what happened last night?”

'He loved it'

The victim said her son refused to shed more light on the incident at the time, and she got ready for school.

On her way, the accused called her and informed her that he wants to return her watch.

“I asked him what happened and he told me that we had three rounds of sex and that he loved it. He also said he wanted to give back my watch and that he wanted his underwear and boxer shorts back,” she testified.

Days later, she went to the police and opened a case of rape after learning from her son and neighbour what happened.

'Lost faith in men'

With tears in her eyes, the victim told the court she does not want Kativa to be granted bail because he destroyed her life. She said she lost her dignity and that the situation has negatively impacted her relationship with her son, who has lost faith in men.

“As a teacher and a mother, who was well-respected in the community, the accused has taken away my dignity. He destroyed my life and I shall not get my dignity back,” the victim said.

She added the accused never courted her before, saying she would have rejected him.

Drinking and dancing

Kativa, who is a father of six, told the court that on the evening of 30 July, he was invited to the school by a teacher, who wanted him to deliver more alcohol.

Upon arriving, he joined the party and started to drink and dance.

While on the dance floor, the victim approached him and they started dancing, he said.

In the presence of the other teachers, the victim asked him to escort her home, he added.

They were offered a lift by another teacher.

Threatened with a panga

Kativa said they found the victim's two children watching television at her house.

He was offered a chair, and minutes later, the victim allegedly vomited on herself.

She was offered water and the children then went to sleep.

It was then, Kativa said, that the victim told him to follow her into her bedroom and they had sex.

While they were busy, the victim's son came into the room with a panga and threatened him, he said.

He said the boy then called a neighbour, and returned with a stick.

Kativa said with the situation deteriorating, he had to go home, as the boy wanted to fight with him.

Kativa testified that the next morning, the victim called him, wanting to know whether he had arrived home safely and whether his wife knew about what had happened.

Variety Matamata is the prosecutor, while Kativa is represented by Beatrix Bianca Boois from BB Boois Attorneys.

Samupofu remanded the matter to 21 September.

Fishrot Six throw toys out over magistrate

OGONE TLHAGE

WINDHOEK

Lawyers representing the so-called Fishrot Six have threatened to approach the Magistrates' Commission, should a new presiding officer not be appointed for their next court appearance on 4 September.

This emerged in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court on Friday, where former Investec managing director James Hatuikulipi, former Investec business manager Ricardo Gustavo, former fisheries minister Bernhardt Esau, his son-in-law Tamson Hatuikulipi, Pius Mwatelulo and former justice minister Sacky Shanghala made an appearance before Magistrate Venatius Alweendo.

Florian Beukes, who is representing Esau and Tamson, said there was an understanding that a different magistrate would be presiding over the matter. The accused had previously requested a new magistrate who has not presided over any of their previous court appearances.

Beukes and advocate Tinashe Chibwana, who is representing James, Shanghala and Mwatelulo, both said they will engage the Magistrates' Commission.

Alweendo, however, said an arrangement would be made for another magistrate to hear the matter.

The Fishrot Six matter is one of four cases linked to the bribery scandal currently before the courts.

It was previously revealed that between 2012 and 2013, Namibia entered into a joint-venture for horse mackerel fishery with Angola, which was being represented by Namgomar SA Pesca, a sister company to Namgomar Pesca Namibia, created in 2014.

Namgomar Pesca Namibia then entered into an agreement with Icelandic seafood company, Samherji, which allegedly paid more than N$100 million in kickbacks to businesspeople and politicians in exchange for access to Namibia's fishing quotas.

Not market-related

Gustavo runs Namgomar Pesca Namibia. He is a director and only employee of the company.

The catching agreement was signed in 2014, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigator Karl Cloete testified previously.

Gustavo and his co-accused allegedly travelled to Angola in June 2014 to finalise the deal. The agreement stipulates that the company would pay N$500 per metric tonne for a period of 10 years.

“During our investigations, we uncovered that the price for that particular agreement was not market-related, as other companies paid N$3 000 per metric tonne over a period of 10 years,” Cloete testified at the time.

ACC bribery case

Meanwhile, James, Jason Iyambo and police reservist Sakaria Kokule also appeared on Friday in connection with a separate Fishrot matter relating to the attempted bribery of an ACC investigator, who was allegedly offered N$250 000 to hand over bank cards linked to James and Mwatelulo and their businesses, as well as a handwritten document titled 'total allocation'.

Alweendo remanded the matter to today for a pre-trial conference.

Covid didn't kill my baby - grieving mom

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

Lavinia Kanyumbo, the mother of three-month-old Shiloh-Dean Ponhele, who was announced as Namibia's youngest recorded coronavirus-related death over the weekend, is disputing the health ministry's version of how her baby died.

She is adamant that his condition deteriorated after he was given an immunisation injection by a student nurse and that the family has been battling for over a week to get answers on the cause of death from the ministry, before hearing on Saturday via social media that he was allegedly a Covid-19-related fatality. Even more strange, Kanyumbo said, is the way the burial was handled.According to her, relatives were allowed to “identify” the child at the state mortuary, despite claims that it was a Covid-19 death.

“We were allowed near the grave for the burial. That really hurt me, because in my house there are little children and we were not even quarantined or sensitised. Ever since the body of the baby was collected, we have not received any call or visit from health officials,” she said. She added the officials who buried her child and “vanished” without explaining anything.

'Routine immunisation'

Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula announced the baby's death on Saturday as a Covid-related fatality, saying the infant was presented to a local health facility on 17 August with symptoms that included loss of appetite and vomiting.

He said the baby was also due for a routine immunisation, which was administered.

“The baby later developed a fever and died at home on 21 August. He was swabbed posthumously on 24 August and the results came out as positive on 26 August,” Shangula said on Saturday.

But yesterday, when called for comment on Kanyumbo's allegations, the health minister said they are investigating the matter and, as such, he cannot say anything more at this stage.

“I cannot give you any response now, because we are still investigating. The team should meet by tomorrow and they will provide a report,” he said.

'He died in my arms'

Kanyumbo said her son was attended to by a student nurse at the Hakahana clinic in Windhoek, where he was given an injection which caused his leg to “jump” as if he had suffered an electrical shock.

“He was perfectly fine when we took him to the Hakahana clinic,” she said, adding that after the injection was administered, the baby was in a lot of pain and could no longer move his leg.

She said her son's fever spiked after the immunisation, but she dismissed it as a usual side-effect.

The baby's fever got worse over the next four days, fluctuating between 38 and 39 degrees, but dropped sharply hours before his death.

“On the evening of 20 August, he became very quiet and around 05:00 the next morning, he died in my arms.”

No Covid symptoms

Kanyumbo further accused the health ministry of being dismissive and refusing to give them answers relating to the child's death.

She also vehemently denies the symptoms cited by the health ministry in its Covid-19 update.

“I haven't mentioned vomiting or a loss of appetite. Imagine, my son died on 21 August and the death is announced on social media while the family is trying to get answers from the ministry. Even when the police came to get the body, they tried to steer the conversation into Covid-19, even though there were no symptoms or indication that the child had Covid-19,” she said.

The baby's death certificate lists no cause of death, and states his relationship to Kanyumbo as unknown.

“We were trying the whole week to find out what exactly the child died of,” she said.

jemima@namibiansun.com

Virus severely pelts Swakara farmersCash flow dries up Out of 30 621 total pelts on offer, only 3 228 pelts were sold via the electronic auction held at Copenhagen Fur in April. In order to revive and sustain the Swakara industry, role players including government should invest in skills and infrastructure development for Swakara producers. - Agribank

Swakara farmers have been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, with the largest crisis being a lack of cash flow, the Agricultural Bank of Namibia (Agribank) has said.

In a media statement Agribank said the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing difficult conditions such as a drastic decrease in price due to turmoil in the global fur market and the global economic situation.

The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a scheduled April 2020 auction being migrated to an electronic platform.

“Local and international borders were closed and out of the 30 621 total pelts on offer, only 3 228 pelts were sold via the electronic auction held at Copenhagen Fur on 22 April 2020. Some pelts were deferred to the September auction,” the statement said.

It further said since production continues in anticipation of the next auction, farmers might produce more pelts than they could market, or they may face pelt storage challenges such as prolonged storage and spoilage of pelts.

Incentives needed

“In order to revive and sustain the Swakara industry, role players including government should invest in skills and infrastructure development for Swakara producers. This includes promoting the youth to venture in this unique and valuable business for the country,” Agribank advised.

It further noted that attractive production and marketing incentives for farmers will be important to ensure the sustainability of the industry and that this could be an opportunity for Agribank to inject financial resources into the Swakara farming production system in order to revive the industry.

Swakara farming is prominently undertaken in the Hardap and //Kharas regions.

The statement said the regions’ climatic and rangeland conditions are characteristic of arid environments, with erratic and little rainfall and extreme temperatures. The Swakara sheep is a robust breed, able to thrive despite the dry desert conditions in the //Kharas and the Hardap regions of Namibia.

Agribank said in some parts, conditions are so harsh that no other livestock or crop can be profitably cultivated but Swakara, thriving as a perfect product in the harsh conditions. - Nampa

Wrap-up: The first virtual NAMAs

STAFF REPORTER

WINDHOEK

Sally Boss Madam and Adora walked away with the first virtual Namibia Annual Music Awards (NAMAs). Sally won best Afropop in a tightly contested category, while Adora walked away with best collaboration.
PDK came out smashing on the night with their collaboration with Athawise and Top Cheri, while KP Illest performed a remix of his song with Ice Prince, but this time with Lioness - who owned the stage.
Adora, Bertholdt, Monique English and Sally also brought their A game with smashing performances.
“We would like to congratulate all the nominees for best Afropop and best collaboration, sponsored by Standard Bank and NWR respectively. They are all deserving winners.
“Congratulations to Adora and Sally Boss Madam for emerging victorious on the night,” NAMAs executive Tim Ekandjo said.

Safety first
“We would like to assure the public that the virtual NAMAs are being conducted with very strict safety measures that adheres to Covid-19 regulations. Mics are being sanitised, temperatures of all artists are checked, no guests are allowed, we have an attendance register in place and no dancers are allowed.
“In the case of collaborations, only the main artist will be allowed to sing without a mask and all crew in the venue wear masks.”
The next virtual show will take place on Friday, 4 September, to crown the best single and best traditional categories, followed by best gospel and the Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday, 5 September.
Tickets are available at Webtickets for only N$10 per show.

Hosea Kutako ready for tourists

OGONE TLHAGE

WINDHOEK

The Namibia Airports Company says it is ready to welcome tourists back after President Hage Geingob announced that the country will once again be accessible through the Hosea Kutako International Airport from tomorrow.

NAC spokesperson Dan Kamati said that necessary measures have been taken to comply with the Covid-19 state of emergency regulations.

“Mandatory thermal screening at arrival and departure points will take place and social distancing of 1.5 metres will continue to be observed, as well as indicated distance seating,” he said.

Although Kamati did not point out specifically whether airlines such as Qatar Airways, KLM and Ethiopian Airlines will resume their flights to Namibia, he said there had been willingness to do so.

“The NAC has not received any airlines scheduled ahead of the reopening, but they have expressed their willingness to resume flights and we are anticipating [that by] mid-September 2020,” he said.

Applications open for Hack Ur Culture Hackathon The Goethe-Institut Johannesburg is inviting creative and tech pioneers to apply for the Hack Ur Culture Hackathon, taking place on 24 September.

Hack Ur Culture is a virtual platform that brings together galleries, libraries, archives, museums (Glam institutions) with creative minds and tech enthusiasts to bring about collaboration and innovation deriving from open cultural data.

This cultural heritage hackathon hopes to help shape the future of African Glam institutions.

Covid impact

In 2020, Glam institutions have been severely hurt by the Covid-19 pandemic, losing their audiences since the start of the lockdown. This extended period without foot traffic through their doors has forced Glam institutions to consider what a virtual future looks like.

This is an opportunity for brave young minds to lead the development of innovative solutions that will be used by some of the continent’s most reputable Glam institutions.

With digital experiences and a shared economy at the heart of this initiative, it provides the opportunity to make cultural heritage data more accessible to all.

The focus will also be on how African cultural heritage can be brought to the forefront of virtual experiences.

Interested?

The hackathon is open to enthusiastic young professionals in the creative and cultural industries across sub Saharan Africa. They are looking for game developers, app developers, designers, researchers, media makers, journalists, writers - all are welcome to form teams and register to participate.

The hackathon will run for three weeks, with final project submissions due on Sunday, 18 October, at 23:59. There will be a virtual prize-giving to announce the winners on a date yet to be announced.

The winning team earns a spot to participate in the Coding Da Vinci hackathon taking place in Germany in 2021 in April or August, depending on international travel restrictions.

Additionally, there will be supporting awards for impressive projects that will receive exciting cash or product prizes to be announced in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the winning projects will be featured in the Fak’ugesi 2020 exhibition.

Impactful learning

The goals for the hackathon include helping to make cultural heritage data open and accessible to the public, delivering impactful learning and development, putting the question of cultural heritage data on the agenda and offering a platform for experimentation to discover what is possible for the future of Glam institutions.

Focus areas that will be addressed through the hackathon include bringing new levels of awareness to Glam institutions and their collections to engage new and younger audiences.

Through this, the hope is also to offer Glam institutions new platforms

and digital products that can transform traditional Glam experiences into new

meaningful virtual experiences, managing the ever-increasing collections.

This in hopes to find new entertaining ways to make learning about cultural heritage fun and engaging.

The initiative further aims to create an open data resource library to discover African heritage artefacts and experiences with the correct naming convention in native languages.

For more updates, follow @goethejoburg and @credipple. Applications are available via airtable.com/shrYByLOz5rwLslyx.

Investing in film creatorsA love for cinematography Opeyemi Toriola is a final-year student at the College of the Arts, and a recipient of a bursary programme offered by the Namibia Film Commission. He shares his story and hopes as a cinematographer in Namibia.

Ester Kamati

WINDHOEK

Recounting his first year at College of the Arts (Cota) as a rough time, specifically financially, Opeyemi Toriola is grateful to have strong forces such as Cota and the Namibia Film Commission (NFC) driving him to achieve his goals.

He shared that there were times when he would pay N$500, N$200 or even N$100 at towards his tuition because that was all he had.

He further highlighted individuals who have been instrumental in ensuring that he keeps his head up during these times through words of encouragement.

“Don’t give up, keep pushing, keep trying.” These are the words that have kept Toriola positive and trusting in his skills and capabilities.

He said he believes in always pushing boundaries and challenging himself to do better than what he already knows.

“I feel really grateful to have all these instrumental characters within the college system around me,” he said, adding that they have encouraged him with their words of wisdom and understanding to help him move forward.

Blessed

“I feel blessed, favoured and grateful,” he said, adding that the support from the NFC and Cota, he can smile as he will be graduating next year.

Toriola looks forward to a lot of productions in his career in cinematography and video editing. He has been active in the production industry, securing gigs to edit video footage and putting his cinematography skills to work.

“One of the things that keeps driving me is to see Namibian citizens embracing, loving and seeing potential and greatness in the arts industry. I am very eager to impart my knowledge.”

He added that he sees himself lecturing at the university someday, which is one of his dreams. “I believe that the Namibian filming industry is very powerful compared to many industries across Africa.”

Creative tools

Toriola said the country is blessed with many creative tools that can be used in production. He, however, added that many people are not doing enough to embrace the arts industry in the Land of the Brave, as young people make comments like “why should I watch a Namibian film?”

To this end, he aims to create quality content which triggers a lot of eye-opening change to the mindset of the youth in Namibia in order for them to love, embrace and see potential in the arts industry of Namibia.

He further said this can only happen if locals start appreciating their productions. “The only reason why Nollywood is Nollywood is because Nigerians watch it. The reason South African movies are trending is because South Africans watch them.”

He emphasised that Namibian productions can only go far if locals start to celebrate and pride themselves in these productions, and he intends to play his part during his journey as a cinematographer, editor and content creator to produce eye-opening content for the Namibian viewing public.

Bursary programme

The NFC’s contribution its bursary programme has proven vital in realising this young man’s dreams. The beneficiaries of the programme include Toriola’s classmates, and he recounts the challenges they encountered collectively through financial difficulties, despite being great at what they do.

Opportunity plays a vital role according to Toriola, who mentioned that a lot of people have dreams to become a great contributor to the arts but due to a lack of opportunity, they do not realise their dreams nor reach their full potential.

He described the NFC as a source of life for many in realising their capability and leaving a footprint in the industry of film and arts as a whole.

“I am very grateful to the NFC and Cota for making sure that we do not let the potential that comes out of the arts industry die.”

I'm appreciated at Swallows – VriesHard work, discipline and dedication pay off Namibian international Virgil Vries said he will stick to the basics and enjoy himself as his club gears up for the new PSL

Limba Mupetami

WINDHOEK

Moroka Swallows Football Club goalkeeper Virgil Vries has been in a great mood since his club gained promotion to the Absa Premiership after winning the GladAfrica Championship last Sunday.

Vries said it was not easy getting to the good place he is at right now with the Covid-19 pandemic as well as his exit from Kaizer Chiefs following an error-riddled season with the club.

“It was difficult in the beginning; we tried to adjust and manage, but eventually with the possibilities Covid-19 testing brings, we could increase numbers on the training ground and have a full team at training. That's how we got around it.

“The fact that you go to the field without seeing your fan base was another factor, but as footballers, you get used to it, as it's the new normal.”

Changes

Vries said there is a lot he changed before joining the club and that's what he wants to focus on. “I want to remain focused, humble, keep my feet on the ground, work hard and stay out of unnecessary things. That has been my key to success. “I have been working hard. I have lost a lot of stuff. I have been going through a lot, but my confidence is back. I'm going through my games, checking where I can get better. The goalkeeper coach is really phenomenal. He is pushing me. He really wants the best for me and ensures that I'm in the right frame of mind and that I'm happy,” the Namibian added. He further said that it's all about energy. “The energy you get is what you push out in the world. The energy we have at the club and in the goalkeeping department is what we are pushing out. That performance is not only from my side, but the rest of the goalkeepers are contributing to our clean sheets. They push me as well as much as I push myself, as we only want what's good for the club and the brand,” Vries said.

Great philosophy

“We have a philosophy of only focusing on the next game. We have a good coach; he is well structured and he knows how to get his points. “This can only motivate you as a player. Being number 14 and then moving to number one, it's amazing. Each and everyone is happy, as each and every player has contributed to the success of the club.”

Find common ground

Even though things are looking up for him in South Africa, the Namibian has not forgotten where he comes from and sends a message to football leaders and players: “I hope they can find common ground and solve these disputes. As much as we are faced with Covid-19, playing football is for the player's bread and butter.

“I want to advise the players to remain professional, even in this situation. Keep on working, hoping and praying that this gets better. Your mind should always be in the right state. You don't want to be caught off guard. Keep focused and be ready for whatever is thrown at you.”

Looking ahead

Asked whether he will ever venture into coaching, Vries said it's not something he has thought of, but that he would like to continue inspiring and encouraging youngsters.

He also sends a positive message to aspiring footballers in Namibia, in particular to those in Keetmanshoop, his town of birth.

“I want each and everyone to see God's work through my story, because without Him, none of this would be possible.

NSC mum on mooted league

Limba Mupetami

WINDHOEK

The Namibia Sport Commission (NSC) was supposed announce their position on the recently formed Namibia Premier League's (NPL) membership application yesterday, however, the press conference was postponed to Thursday with little to no explanation.

NSC chief administrator Freddy Mwiya did not respond to questions on why the announcement was delayed.

He also kept mum on whether rumours of influence from those supporting the NPL's quest to form a breakaway league were true.

Over the weekend, football governing body Fifa announced that they do not support the breakaway league, stating that all leagues on the territory of the Namibia Football Association (NFA) must be subordinated to and recognised by the NFA.

Celebrating young Nambian creatives For the kids by the kids Justicia Shipena

A Namibian children's show telling local stories via entertoyment and education, Waka Waka Moo, in collaboration with Standard Bank Namibia, will be hosting Namibia's first ever Standard Bank Waka Kids Choice Awards.

The award ceremony, which is slated for 12 December at the National Theatre of Namibia, aims to celebrate young creatives across the country. According to Waka Waka Moo founder Luis Munana, the awards will feature shortlisted categories in two segments. “Children will select the top performers of their choice and they will also reward fellow kids, teachers and schools,” he said.

He added that the first segment has seven categories, namely: Kids Choice for top artist, radio station, TV show/programme/movie, Namibian public figure, cool advert, athlete and corporate company.

Inclusive

“We are trying to be as inclusive as possible, but the primary focus is on the kids, however, there are some adults who are influencing kids positively in Namibia and we have to recognise them. It is open to children from grades four to 12 countrywide,” he said.

He added that once a child has been nominated, there is a committee set up, which consists of Standard Bank, ministry of education, arts and culture and Namibia Film Commission representatives, amongst others, who will analyse the entries.

“Once the shortlist is put together and we have our nominees, we will then leave it to the public to vote.”

Driving growth

Magy Mengo, the marketing and communications head of Standard Bank, said the bank is here to drive Namibia's growth and in doing so, growing children into the right direction as well as involving them in the process of growth.

“Our kids are the leaders for tomorrow, so we need to impact them positively, hence we decided to come on board for this,” Mengo said.

Up for grabs

Munana said the prizes for each category are valued at N$1 000, with a Standard Bank Waka Kids Choice Awards trophy.

“The winners are also awarded with a mentorship programme, depending on what category they win. This person will then help them sharpen their skills. Aside from that, there will also be vouchers from different institutions,” he said.

The Standard Bank Waka Kids Choice Awards is derived from an annual American children's awards ceremony show produced by Nickelodeon called The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, commonly known as the Kids' Choice.

The show honours the year's biggest television, movie and music acts as voted by viewers of Nickelodeon networks worldwide.