Namibian Sun

Geingob can still be anti-corruption champVoluntary system of ministers declaring assets ‘not working’ Namibians must hold politicians - including the president - accountable at all times regarding corruption, IPPR’s Frederico Links said.

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) believes President Hage Geingob, being at the start of his second term, can still take steps to eventually emerge as an anti-corruption champion.

IPPR director Graham Hopwood launched the Namibian Governance Report 2015-20 last Friday, which points out that these steps include the removal of corrupt members of parliament, an inquiry into the fisheries sector as well as to operationalise the Whistle-blower law.

Other steps include making public declarations by ministers mandatory and the establishment of an ownership register.

“The voluntary system of ministers declaring is not working. We know the Fishrot figures were lying because they had farms [all] over Namibia and luxury homes and estates up to Cape Town which never appeared in declarations they gave as MPs. So there has to be a new approach to the issue of declaration of assets,” he said.

‘Hold politicians accountable’

The Fishrot bribery scandal, which involves two former Cabinet ministers, is seen as the biggest corruption scandal in Namibia.

IPPR researcher Frederico Links said corruption has to be talked about, even if there is a sense that nothing is being done to address it.

“You get the sense that there is a slow implementation and these are the things that continuously affect the quality of our government. These feelings and topics keep coming up in presidential statements and we really need to challenge it and demand that it does not reflect what happens as actual tangible deliverables on anti-corruption,” he said.

Links emphasised that Namibians must hold politicians - including the president - accountable at all times and not just take their word for it.

jemima@namibiansun.com

Shannon’s boyfriend threatened

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

A group of people allegedly threatened to kill the boyfriend of murder victim Shannon Wasserfall in Kuisebmond on Friday.

It is alleged that the main suspect, a 25-year-old man, is related to the late Wasserfall’s father.

The suspect and his friends reportedly arrived at the complainant’s home and demanded to talk to him.

When the complainant refused to open the door, the suspect allegedly tried to break down the door but could not enter the house.

The suspect was carrying a machete and allegedly threatened to kill Wasserfall’s boyfriend. The machete was confiscated and the suspect was arrested.

Rapes continue unabated

At Wanaheda, a 42-year-old member of the Namibian Defence Force was arrested on Friday after he allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl from the Havana location. The suspect allegedly lured the victim into his room with the promise of food.

In Walvis Bay, a 28-year-old woman was raped at gunpoint by a man who had broken into her shack on Saturday night.

At Katima Mulilo, a 17-year-old girl was raped by four men on Saturday. According to the police, she was walking from a nightclub to the old National Housing Enterprise houses when the four men grabbed and threatened her with knives. They dragged her into the bushes and raped her. No arrests have been made.

In another incident, on Friday, a 33-year-old man allegedly raped his 29-year-old ex-girlfriend at Hoachanas.

It is alleged that the man met the woman at a bar and asked her to go to his house. When she refused, he dragged to his house and raped her. The suspect allegedly threatened to kill her if she reported the matter to the police. He has been arrested.

Open another SME bank - Namwandi

TUYEIMO HAIDULA

ONGWEDIVA

THE chairperson of the International University of Management (IUM) David Namwandi last Saturday said Namibian business people should partner up and form corporative and commercial banks.

Namwandi was speaking at the official opening of Chicco Mall, owned by businessman Erastus ‘Chicco’ Shapumba, in Ongwediva.

The mall, which was built for N$140 million, has been in operation since last year.

Namwandi said business people should not be discouraged by the failed SME bank but forge on and start another bank as it might work out.

“Just because something failed it doesn’t mean it will not work. Why not put hands together and industrialise our country? I urge our businessmen and -women to therefore emulate other nations of the world and form joint ventures aimed at increasing sales volume and eventually profit after tax for the shareholders,” he said.

‘Think out of the box’

Namwandi said Namibians should think out of the box and note that an expansion of shopping malls in the country is a plus to foreign exporters.

“It indirectly grows their market and eventually creates employment for their people. Imagine if we had massive manufacturing industries. This could have been a plus to our economy as it would have created a positive balance of payment,” he said.

“Pride must be put aside and give service to the people for the benefit of this nation. Namibians, let us learn to support each other. Let us work together and form join ventures. Namibia is all we have, so let’s build it because no one will do it for us.”

Make trading easy

Speaking at the same occasion, Shapumba encouraged local authorities to make trading easy for business people.

He said local authorities should help business people to build. He used the Ongwediva town council as an example, saying he built the mall with no assistance.

He said the town promised to build 300 houses at Omatando area for those who would be using the services the mall offers.

Shapumba also used the platform to denounce practices by local authorities of giving too many plots to developers, saying it hampers service delivery when the developer is unable to develop the plots.

Regarding the 300 homes, council spokesperson Jackson Muma said they have started the process of compensating landowners at Omatando. Valuators from the land reform ministry have so far identified 34 traditional landowners who will be compensated, he added.

tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

More relief from the price monsterAnnual inflation decreased to 2.3% in October A decrease in inflation does not necessarily mean that prices have decreased, it has rather increased at a slow pace compared to the previous period. A decrease in prices is known as deflation.

PHILLEPUS UUSIKU

An increase in the prices of goods and services is known as inflation which reduces the purchasing power of the domestic currency.

This implies that consumers will have to cut down on their consumption levels or alternatively increase their budget if they wish to maintain their consumption levels.

The annual inflation rate for October 2020 stood at 2.3%, down from 3.0% recorded in October 2019, a decrease of 0.7 percentage points, this according to Namibia Statistic Agency (NSA) in their Namibia Consumer Price Index (NCPI) report.

The slowdown in the annual inflation rate between October 2019 and October 2020 resulted mainly from decreases reflected in the price levels of clothing and footwear which accounts for 3.1% of the basket that declined by 6.1%compared to 0.9% recorded in October 2019, NSA says.

In addition, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, which accounts for 28.4% of the overall basket declined by 1.3% compared to an increase of 1.9 percent recorded in October 201, NSA pointed out.

Commenting on the inflation statistics, Cirrus Capital (CC) notes that as rent prices remain deflationary for the year and account for nearly a quarter of the NCPI basket, the housing and utilities line remains an anchor for price increases.

“We believe this pressure will remain for the foreseeable future, given the deflationary housing market and pressure on household incomes driven by the ongoing macro environment which includes salary cuts and job losses”, CC said.

Furthermore, the transport category which accounts for 14.3% of the overall basket of NCPI also reflected a decline of 1.2% in October 2020 compared to an increase of 1.5% registered in October 2019.

Lastly, education which accounts for 3.6 % of the basket increased by 7.0 percent in October 2020 compared to 12.0 recorded in October of last year, NSA says.

Zones

Annual inflation in all the three Zones decreased. Zone 1(Northern regions) recorded the highest annual inflation rate of 2.6%, followed by Zone 2 (Khomas) with 2.4%, while the least inflation rate was registered in Zone 3 (//Kharas, Erongo, Hardap and Omaheke) at 1.8%, NSA pointed out.

The slowdown in the annual inflation rate of Zone 1 was mainly reflected in the price levels of clothing and footwear from 1.8% to -10.2%, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuel from 0.9 to -2.6%.

The decrease in Zone 2 was mainly beheld in education from 15.2% to 6.4%, hotels, cafes, and restaurants from 3.9% to 0.5%, clothing and footwear from -1.5% to -3.6%.

Lastly, the slow down in Zone 3 was mainly emanated from decreases recorded in all the groups, except for communication and recreation and culture that increased from 1.6% to 3.4% and 1.1% to 4.1%, respectively.

Also commenting on the statistics, IJG Research notes that inflationary pressure in Namibia remains weak and continues to trend below South African inflation.

“While risks remain to the upside, we see these as muted in the short term in what is currently a very accommodative global monetary environment’, IJG says.

Oil prices and a further escalation of the US-China trade war remain the largest risks in the short-term, while domestic and South African fiscal deterioration pose medium-term risks as debt levels increase unchecked, eating into the already limited productive portion of expenditure, IJG pointed out. – phillep@nmh.com.na

Archiving at its bestSecuring information of the past, present and future Last Friday, Namibia Media Holdings opened the NMH MediaTech Library, Kiosk and Studio at their headquarters in Eros.

Monique Adams

The NMH MediaTech Library, Kiosk and Studio is a place where anyone can go and do their assignments, scroll through the archives of old newspapers and enjoy refreshments at the kiosk. It is open to all, especially to the youth of Namibia, as it is indeed a friendly and calm space to catch up with work or assignments.

The production director and training officer at NMH, Alexander Fase, thanked the CEO of NMH, Albe Botha, for coming up with the idea of the information centre, and Ernst Venke who donated all of his archived newspapers and dedicating two months to gathering all this material.

“I am extremely proud of Thusnelda, Fransina and Bronwyn who have put so much effort and passion into the archiving; they will always be here to assist. The many visitors during the day from Windhoek and outside Windhoek, students working on assignments, or companies looking for their own information in our archives. Lastly the journalists, marketing department and production department who are constantly looking for information,” Fase said.

Botha was extremely proud to see the fruition of a project that had been going on for months.

“We have been working on this project ever since the lockdown and to see it finished and ready for the public brings so much joy to me.

“As a world we are moving into a digital space and people find it difficult to concentrate because their faces are stuck to the screens, but this new information centre will allow people to be able to read, which is very important. I urge the youth of Namibia to make their way to the centre as they will really benefit from being here,” Botha said.

Education for all Namibian government continues to invest in education

Enzo Amuele

The construction of a block of pre-primary classrooms, four toilets and two storerooms at the Môreson Special School in Windhoek has been completed.

The block, which was built by the Namibian government with funding from the European Union, (EU) was inaugurated on 12 November.

The school is home to 175 learners and has seen tremendous changes in learners over the years.

The deputy minister of education, arts and culture, Faustina Caley, commended the school's efforts in regard to inclusive education.

“It is unbelievable to notice the many projects that you have embarked upon to provide opportunities to children with special needs for them to experience a sense of self-worth and to contribute to the overall development of the country in their way,” she said.

She added that the new centre will give learners the opportunity to master their developmental skills and early learning, related to various developmental domains.

Addressing the guests and learners, the governor of Khomas Region Laura Katjirua said these education facilities consist of more than just the physical structures.

“It is rather an integral component of the condition of teaching and learning and a place of experience to create an educational social climate for the learners, educators and community at large,” she said.

The school’s principal, Anita Kreft, said it takes time to see change within the learners and it does not happen overnight.

She thanked the ministry and all stakeholders who played a role in the construction.

PDM condemns BDF ‘Shoot to kill’ policy threatening peace in region All anti-poaching methods must be developed and carried out in a manner in which wildlife and human life are equally respected, Ngaringombe said.

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) has condemned Botswana’s ‘shoot to kill’ policy which has taken the lives of 37 Namibians, including three fishermen from Zambezi Region and a Zambian national last week.

The fishermen, brothers Tommy, Martin and Wamunyima Nchindo, and their cousin Sinvula Muyeme, were shot and killed along the Chobe river by the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) on 5 November.

The Nchindo men’s mother collapsed shortly after hearing of the shooting, and was laid to rest with her sons last weekend.

The PDM also called on President Hage Geingob to lobby the government of Botswana to immediately cease its policy.

‘Dangerous’ policy

In a statement released on Monday, PDM secretary-general Manuel Ngaringombe said the policy is dangerous and will inevitably erode the peace in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, and the good relations between Namibia and Botswana.

He added that the aggression of the BDF along Botswana’s borders has taken far too many lives and must be condemned unequivocally and without reservation.

“The status cannot be allowed to continue any longer. Botswana’s policy of ‘shoot to kill’ presents a serious threat of destabilising peace and stability in the SADC region. While we do understand that poaching poses a serious threat to both the economy and social livelihood of a country, anti-poaching methods must equally not be done in a reckless manner that may have unintended consequences,” he said.

Respect animal, human life

Ngaringombe added that all anti-poaching methods must be developed and carried out in a manner in which wildlife and human life are equally respected, especially when it involves complex cross-border issues such as the one at hand.

“The PDM will continue to render any and all assistance to the Nchindo family. This is the most unfortunate of tragedies. While the five members of the Nchindo family have now left us forever, we remain committed in ensuring that a similar tragedy never occurs again,” he said.

Meanwhile, villagers awaiting the remains of the deceased men attacked truckers from Botswana at the border last Saturday.

Some of the drivers had to be rushed to nearby health centres to be treated for injuries.

Police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga has condemned the incident as regrettable.

jemima@namibiansun.com

Public debt a silent threat One of the reasons President Hage Geingob is opposed to the classification of Namibia as an upper-middle income country is because of how difficult it would become to borrow money at lenient interest rates.

Lower-ranked countries enjoy an avalanche of preferential treatment in the international financial market and receive better development aid than those ranked above them.

While it is true that Namibia’s current classification is based on a distorted picture of economic stability - because the wealth of a few rich people has numerically been applied to even kids who sleep on empty stomachs under bridges - government has not done enough to avoid the consequences of this notion.

The country’s public debt now stands, conservatively speaking, at 68.8% of the gross domestic product. This is nearly double the 35% national threshold the country set for itself over the years.

Neighbours Zambia made headlines over the weekend for defaulting on their Eurobond, but it would be foolhardy of Namibia to think this reality is miles away.

Unless the rate at which we are borrowing from the likes of China and the African Development Bank is arrested, we will in near future become a nation no financier wants to receive a phone call from.

Debt is a liability, especially when the debtor is unable to contain it, let alone repay it. We would either be denied borrowing more, or be allowed to do so, though at stringent and unbearable conditions.

Corruption - A social disease (Part 168): Policy making procedures must be reviewed

Johan Coetzee - What may the deterioration of the public service morale and competency levels, an increase in political interference and an increase in corruption have in common?

There can be quite a few commonalities. Decision making (governance) for policy implementation is one.

A deterioration in public policy implementation is taking place contrary to international trends such as the knowledge-based economy, e-governance, value added governance, network governance and sustainable governance as reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (UN).

A review of the policy making process is required.

AN INTEDEPENDEND AND INTERRELATED SYSTEMS

Policy is a process that is part of a larger system that can be found in philosophy as well as processes and practices as reflected in portfolios, programmes and projects.

Public policy making and implementation are processes of a value chain that requires cross checks and balances between all six phases (but not limited to) identification, agenda setting, formulation, adoption, implementation and monitoring, and evaluation/assessment. Currently there is limited commitment to measure indicators for improved implementation.

Although indicators can be improved at all levels, some contributors to limited implementation are vested in the implementation or rather non and limited implementation and repetitive policy and project implementation oversights.

Over the years Namibians have observed excellent plans such as Harambee. However, the momentum to monitor ongoing implementation of plans and institutionalising it into policies and workable programmes and projects to rectify shortcomings are evident in a graveyard of unachievable outputs and outcomes.

Covid-19 and resulting inconsistent implementation is still fresh in the memories of Namibians. The recent opening and closing of boarders is a prime example of such incoherence.

LEGISLATION AS ENABLER

An increase is observed in legislation that is vague, open for discretion, an administrative nightmare to implement and challengeable in court, for example changes to the Marine Resources Act that legalized the corruption of Fishrot.

The National Equitable Economic Empowerment Framework (NEEEF) and Bill (NEEEB) and the implementation thereof will not contribute to successful policy implementation, because the bill in its current form is unsustainable and an administrative nightmare.

A lot of legislation are outdated and originated from the Apartheid era. Such legislation needs to be scrapped and/or revised, like the Terrorism Act.

Successful policy formulation and implementation starts with sound and legitimate legislation that represents the will of the people, not the will of a government that wants to score political points. People resist such legislation and policies and its implementation.

The Procurement Act is an example of legislation that probably created more uncertainty and loopholes.

ACCOUNTABILITY AND POLICY MONOPOLIES

To improve policy making and implementation, accountability should be increased. Delegation should be used to make that possible.

Policy making is a system and systems engineering can be used to improve it.

The current system of policy making has almost no ability to rectify itself because public servants seems to shy away from accepting accountability (maybe because they are just following instructions, political interference and protecting their jobs), are not reprimanded for no or partial implementation and those in control of the policy making process (senior public office bearers), also protect their positions and they are protected by the politicians that appoint them and to whom they report.

Adequate checks and balances are not in place to rectify policy failures. Monopolies in policy implementation should be minimized to provide more checks and balances for improved implementation. Such monopolies prevent self-correction and/or rectification.

RETHINKING THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

The approach that government should be the main driver of policy formulation and implementation should be aligned with international trends of value-added governance and network governance where government is just one player in the policy making process.

Government is supposed to only facilitate the social dialogue for enabling all stakeholders to participate. Government is not supposed to drive the process of policy formulation. This should be done by the public in the form of active interest groups and making use of social media platforms.

Interest groups and advocacy groups are not adequately involved and not respected by Government for their input. The absence of senior public officials attending interest group presentations is evident and demonstrated over decades the inability of Government to facilitate policy formulation based on ongoing social dialogue for continues improvement of public policy based on research, international trends and best practices. Interest groups tend not to receive feedback regarding policy formulation.

Government rather entertains a short process of public consultation before implementation. The process is also too centralized and driven by Government instead of being tested and verified based on public demand.

For example, NEEEB seems not be driven by the public, but rather by political opportunism.

A new culture of democratic policy formulation should be facilitated.

jcoetzee@nust.na

Oranjemund transformation on the moveMindset change needed Residents of the former Namdeb-town are used to getting services for free.

Suzith Tjitaura – Oranjemund is on track in its transformation from a mining-run town to a normal local authority, says its mayor, Henry Coetzee.

When the town was declared a local authority in 2012, a transformation programme with three pillars was initiated as part of its strategic plan namely the transfer, transit and transformation.

“The transfer pillar speaks to the transfer of assets from Namdeb to council,” Coetzee said.

He said the council is still in negotiations with Namdeb for the transfer of the assets. However, a number of assets were already handed over to the town council, such as the bulk service infrastructure of water and sewage.

The transition pillar regards the community transition from a mining town to a normal local authority with a special focus on community participation and direct influence on matters that are affecting them, such as safety and security, public health and housing.

Coetzee said the council has serviced 820 erven with water, electricity and sewage thus far. It is working with the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia to build low-income houses, of which 100 erven have been allocated to members of the federation.

“In the future council will go into public-private partnerships for the provision of housing. We want our people to own their own properties or houses and will soon commence with the flexible land tenure system programme where land will be made available cheaply and we can accommodate more people to have land registered in their names cheaply as well,” said Coetzee.

The Oranjemund council has also availed land for the construction of houses for employees of the ministry of health and social services.

CHALLENGES

“The transformation pillar speaks to economic diversification and the pillar is important for the sustainability of the town and its people,” said Coetzee.

Plans being pursued under this pillar through technical studies and other due diligence are industrial, housing development, agriculture, infrastructure development, commercial, hospitality, industrial development, beach development, SME development, manufacturing and renewable energy.

The challenge council continues to face is that the residents at the town are not willing to pay for services, as their mindset is stuck in the past when they were receiving services for free, Coetzee said.

“People should really change their mindset. For 80 years Oranjemund was run by a private company. Namdeb is a financial giant and our people are used to getting services for free,” he said. - Nampa

Expanding your territory Elizabeth Joseph

The expansion of my territory is a term I’m very well acquainted with. And the last few months have been a complete test of this.

Having relocated to a smaller and slower town in the south of Namibia called Keetmanshoop has allowed me to have a) absolute freedom and peace; but also b) extreme FOMO.

This tiny place, with fewer people and less nightlife than I’m comfortable with, has taught me so much in such a short amount of time.

There is absolutely nothing acceptably enjoyable to do here except “grow” and apparently find yourself.

These are all things that I believe one can do anywhere anyway, but here in this small town there are so few distractions, especially for me, that I find myself taking more walks and watching the sun rise and set as I rush to finish reading a powerful novel.

I have more time for self-care Saturdays and binging my favourite TV shows. I also have ample time to work on my master plan that will make me known as a professional all over the south and the country. Okay, maybe I’m being a tad bit ambitious, but why not?

Moving away from everything and everyone I know initially brought me so much peace. I was at a point of my life where I lusted after adventure and exciting change. In short, I wanted to run as far away from the life I had made for myself in the big city because I felt like there was so much more I could do.

What I didn’t expect was that I would be stuck in a furnace, on the outskirts of town (literally the last known road). Don’t judge me for calling my home a furnace before you’ve visited Keetmanshoop when it’s 35 degrees and more on an average day, with no AC or fan in sight.

I wasn’t prepared for the constant want to fight against the peace and quiet because to be quite honest, till now I am not sure what my neighbours do because I don’t see these people. Ever.

I didn’t expect to sit dead centre of my living room floor and cry, wishing I was back with my friends, having a cold one at our favourite spot, talking about our dreams and aspirations.

To be fair, I did agree to move here. I wanted this, but sometimes the things you want more than anything else turn out to be the most difficult challenges. As humans we constantly want to challenge ourselves without wanting to fight through the difficult times.

Yet, despite all these difficult times I’ve experienced in the last two months, some of the most beautiful and pure lessons have created themselves right here.

For a long time, I had forgotten what it felt like to do things for Elizabeth. Have you ever felt like that? Like doing anything for yourself is selfish. Like there’s this constant demand to be only that which people want you to be…

Well, I was there. Now, on weekends, instead of recklessly gallivanting through the town at ungodly hours, chasing the next move, I do self-care. I get lost in a novel and fall asleep at 06:00 on a Saturday morning. I then roll out of bed a little later than I usually would.

I do things that make me happy for a change. And, above all else, and probably my favourite part, I save. I save so much money, which makes me content because every day I am one step closer to reaching my goals.

Life as a new resident

The sense of community in Keetmanshoop still surprises me. The fact that I can go to the shop and have every passer-by greet me, irrespective of their age, ethnicity or social status.

In the beginning it definitely unsettled me because I thought that people wanted something from me, until a friend told me that in a small town such as this, people take community very seriously.

Although gossip spreads like a wildfire here, so does generosity and regard. So many people have invited me into their homes and families that I’m beginning to have a bigger family than I had ever dreamed of.

I have met so many amazing people already and I still have a long, long time here, so the fact that I know I have so much time to expand my territory, both in my professional and personal life, brings me so much joy.

The challenges that are worth taking normally scare you cold, but what is life without thrill and wanderlust anyway?

With that said, find that one thing that sets your soul on fire, close your eyes and never look back or regret anything. Finally, be good to yourself, and others.

This week, My Zone asked a few young people what they think can be done to root out racism in schools and society.

Mariane Kapenda

I think by better educating students about racism because the root of the problem is a lack of knowledge on the matter. Kids don’t just decide to be racist, it’s actually the environment they grow up in. Maybe talking to the parents about it could also help.

Ashley Schwartz

The only way to root out racism in schools is through the school system itself. Firstly, let us teach black children that they matter; their success does not depend on their skin colour. Let us teach the children that it is okay to have a different set of values. They do not need to compare themselves with other races.

Natasha Shetunyenga

It starts at home. I do not think enough is being done to educate children at home about racism. Parents should take the initiative and teach their children about racism. The education system must first understand the problem in the schools. The system must prepare student teachers to teach kids of all different races.

Armando Garobeb

To eradicate racism not only in our schools but from our society, we should stop teaching one part of history and think justice has been served. We should stop forcing ideas onto our fellow human beings.

Chenjerai Mabhiza

We must develop our own thinking mantra and live our lives from the comfort of our own brain senses. A man that first sees skin colour instead of recognising God's creation in front of him is a man that is not ready to live in this society.

Gratchel Eiseb

In order for us to eradicate racism we should stop painting our spiritual guides in colour and hanging these paintings on the walls of our houses. Because we’re doing damage to the brain. To eradicate this social injustice, we must first of all take a good look at ourselves and remember that the words created to separate us were only made by men who wanted to weaken us. Because to conquer, you have to divide.

Fishrot briber pleads guiltyState may consider accused as its witness The man who was arrested for offering an ACC investigator N$250 000 to access James Hatuikulipi’s bank cards has confessed to his sins.

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

Jason Iyambo, who attempted to bribe an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigator in January to get hold of bank cards belonging to Fishrot accused James Hatuikulipi and Pius Mwatelulo, has pleaded guilty to the charge.

Court records show that Iyambo admitted to having tried to bribe ACC investigator Junias Iipinge with N$250 000 in exchange for bank cards assigned to former Investec managing director Hatukuilipi, as well as others belonging to Pius Mwatelulo.

Specifically, the items Iyambo is alleged to have wanted to get hold of are two Investec bank cards issued to Hatuikulipi, two Bank Windhoek cards issued to Mwatelulo and a handwritten document titled “allocation from the Anti-Corruption Commission”, The Namibian reported in January.

When Iyambo was arrested, Hatuikulipi and Mwatelulo were already in jail after being arrested in November 2019 as part of the so-called Fishrot bribery scandal.

Possible deal

Having admitted guilt on the charge of corruptly giving gratification as inducement, Magistrate Ivan Gawanab accordingly found Iyambo guilty.

Iyambo is set to return to the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court this Thursday for sentencing.

It is alleged that Iyambo worked in cahoots with Sakaria Kuutondokwa Kokule, a police reservist who was also arrested as a result of the alleged attempt to offer the ACC officer a bribe.

Kokule and Hatuikulipi are Iyambo’s co-accused in this matter, and both men pleaded not guilty when they appeared in court on 10 November.

Namibian Sun understands the State is offering Iyambo a deal to become its witness in the matter.

‘Not guilty’

According to court documents, Iyambo was found guilty of bribing of a public officer, but the State indicated it would not lead evidence against him on the first count.

Iyambo pleaded not guilty to the first count, which is the improperly influencing an authorised officer.

He will be put on a new case and will be separated from Hatuikulipi and Kokule’s trail, who have not pleaded to any of their charges.

It has also been decided that Iyambo would be discharged on count one in line with Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

This provision states that if, at the close of the case for the prosecution at any trial, the court is of the opinion that there is no evidence that the accused committed the offence referred to in the charge or any offence of which he may be convicted on the charge, it may return a verdict of not guilty.

jemima@namibiansun.com

Covid’s grip on Rehoboth worries Shangula

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

The situation in Rehoboth - where more than 60 Covid-19 cases and one death have been recorded in a week - is threatening to spiral out of control and has prompted the health ministry to intervene.

Recording the highest number of Covid-19 cases on Monday – 18, four more than the previous day – Rehoboth has been leading the country’s coronavirus updates for the last five days.

Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula yesterday told Namibian Sun that he is “terribly worried” about the situation at the town.

“All those cases emanated from one single funeral. We have a plan for Rehoboth, which we have discussed with my technical team this morning. We are devising a programme,” he said.

Clustered infections

“I am very worried about Rehoboth, that is the only place in the whole country where you have clustered infections of Covid-19,” Shangula said.

The minister is, however, confident that the ministry can manage the situation to prevent it from getting out of hand and spreading to other places.

“There are already some activities that are going on there. I tasked my team this morning to ensure an elaborate plan is worked out, which may include - but is not limited to - mapping the geographical spread of the Covid-19 cases and to attend to those immediately,” he said.

jemima@namibiansun.com

Mberirua advises against Air Nam liquidation

OGONE TLHAGE

WINDHOEK

Air Namibia’s interim CEO Theo Mberirua has cautioned against liquidating the national flag-carrier.

He said once the airline’s legacy debts have been addressed, the company will be on course for success.

“It is possible to create a self-sustaining, lean airline; all we need is operational expenditure,” he said during a sit-down with Namibian Sun as he made a case for the future of the airline.

Mberirua acknowledged that government’s patience with the airline could be growing thin, but said, with a last throw of the dice, there was still hope for it to be turned around successfully.

“We don’t need billions to restart, we need close to N$300 million. Most of that is also for maintenance. Air Namibia, as a business, there is nothing wrong with it. It cannot be closed because of the past. If we are thrown a lifeline, it may be the last time; we cannot mess around any more,” he said.

Ring-fencing

Aiding the airline’s planned turn-around was the fact that leases on two of the four Airbus A319 aircraft in its fleet had also been honoured, he said.

Air Namibia’s fleet currently includes two Airbus A330 aircraft it uses to fly to Frankfurt, Germany; four Airbus A319s it uses for regional flights to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia, and four Embraer 135 regional jets deployed domestically and between Gaborone, Botswana and Durban, South Africa.

“Going forward, we will have six aircraft belonging to Air Namibia, fully paid-off. The burden of the lease [agreements on the two aircraft] or hire purchases goes away. These were huge amounts. All we need is operational expenditure,” Mberirua said.

With a reduction in the demand for air travel, Air Namibia, he said, would look at leasing its bigger aircraft in favour of smaller aircraft.

‘Not as easy as it sounds’

“There are potential asset swaps for the A319s. Once demand recovers, the aircraft will be returned. That will be the chess game that we will be playing,” Mberirua pointed out.

Cautioning against the airline’s liquidation, he further said government would be saddled with having to honour guarantees Air Namibia had backed while also leaving its 700-strong staff complement unemployed.

“Liquidation is not as easy as it sounds,” he said, citing the South African government’s efforts to restart its national flag-carrier, South African Airways.

Botswana must observe international law – Geingob

STAFF REPORTER

WINDHOEK

As a member of the United Nations, Botswana has an obligation to observe international law and align to principles of democracy.

This according to President Hage Geingob, who in a statement read on his behalf at Impalili Island yesterday, said in a democracy, anyone is “innocent until proven in a court of law”.

The statement was read at a memorial service for the four men who were shot and killed a week ago by the Botswana Defence Force (BDF).

“We believe that those who are alleged to have transgressed must be brought to justice using the due process of law.

“It is for this reason that those who crossed into Namibia illegally are arrested and charged before the courts of law,” Geingob said, in what is his strongest pronouncement on the matter yet.

‘Unfortunate’

“It is unfortunate that Botswana adopted a policy ‘to shoot to kill’, which is inconsistent with the international and regional core principles of peaceful co-existence and stability,” the president said.

Geingob added that he had previously raised the issue with former Botswana president Seretse Khama Ian Khama.

“I had engaged him to consider revoking Botswana’s ‘shoot to kill’ policy towards potential transgressors of Botswana’s territorial sovereignty,” he said.

Geingob said current Botswana president Mokgweetsi Masisi is amenable to revoking the policy, through which 37 Namibians are said to have been killed by BDF over the years.

“I look forward to an urgent diplomatic solution to the problem at hand,” the Namibian leader said.

Covid consumes billions in exportsChina still biggest market Namibia exported goods worth nearly N$6.4 billion for August, the lowest since April this year.

Jo-Maré Duddy – Trade disruptions due to the global Covid-19 pandemic contributed to a slump of about N$7 billion in Namibia’s export earnings for the first eight months of the year.

Data released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) shows the country exported goods to the tune of N$54.2 billion from January to the end of August, nearly 11.5% less than the same period in 2019.

The NSA’s latest figure reports exports of nearly N$6.4 billion for August, the lowest since April this year.

Namibia imported goods worth nearly N$65.2 billion during the first eight months of 2020, down about N$9 billion or 12% compared to the same period last year.

The total trade deficit for the period under review came in at just above N$11 billion, compared to nearly N$13 billion for the first eight months of 2019.

MILK

Namibia imported dairy products worth about N$61 million in August. This exceeds the monthly average of N$56 million recorded during the past year, the NSA says.

Compared to August 2019, dairy imports increased by N$16 million or nearly 36%.

Milk constituted nearly N$27.8 million or 45.5% of dairy imports in August 2020.

Republikein reported earlier this month that only a handful of milk producers remain in Namibia. They met with the minister of agriculture, water and forestry, Calle Schlettwein, to discuss urgent measures to save the industry which is suffering from high input costs.

The NSA says dairy imports exceeded N$61 million in October and November last year, and again in March in July this year.

Nearly 26% of August’s dairy imports was cheese, followed by yoghurt (9%), dairy spreads (7.7%) and butter (3.6%).

South Africa, Sweden, Denmark, Zimbabwe and Portugal were the main dairy import markets.

EXPORTS

Non-ferrous metals was Namibia’s top export product in August, generating more than N$2.1 billion in foreign earnings. This is 0.7% less than in August 2019.

Representing nearly 34% of total exports, these metals were destined for Chinese and Belgium markets.

Of the total value, nearly N$2.08 billion was re-exports.

Re-exports are goods imported and subsequently exported without having received any significant industrial transformation.

“Activities in the intermediate country that may benefit from re-exports include but not limited to the following: sorting, re-packaging, storage, transport and trade mediation services. This implies that the country’s services sector greatly benefits from activities of re-exports. Additionally, re-exports serve as an indication of favourable cooperate tax in the intermediate country,” the NSA says.

Fish worth N$630 million was exported, down 36.5% on an annual basis. Live animal exports amounted to N$128 million, dropping 31% year-on-year. Only N$84 million worth of meat and meat products were destined for foreign markets, nearly half the value of August 2019.

MARKETS

China remained Namibia’s most important export market, accounting for 41% of all exports in August. More than N$2.6 billion were earned in exports to the superpower.

South Africa, with exports of N$1.05 billion, was the second biggest destination, followed by Botswana (N$840 million), Spain (N$315 million) and Zambia (N$277 million).

BRIC (Brazil, Russia India and China) emerged as the most important regional market with 42.3% of all exports, mostly copper and uranium.

The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the European Union (EU) followed in the second and third positions, accounting for a market share of 29.8% and 12.5% respectively. Exports to SACU comprised mainly of diamonds, non-monetary gold and live animals, while fish, diamonds and copper were responsible for the large volume of exports to the EU, the NSA says.

SADC-excluding-SACU followed in fourth place with a share of 7.7% due to high exports of fish.

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) came in fifth position with a market share of 7.1%. Fish remained the largest export commodity to COMESA, according to the NSA.

Green scheme: ‘Improve projects’ You need to improve your production to be able to pay your input. – Calle Schlettwein, Agri minister

RUACANA – The minister of agriculture, water and land reform, Calle Schlettwein, says most of the green schemes in the Omusati region are under-producing due to management issues and are in need of improvement.

Schlettwein made these remarks on Sunday during his visit to the agricultural green scheme projects at Etunda in the Ruacana constituency.

Etunda is Omusati’s main green scheme project, where several small-scale farmers are engaged in the production of, among others, maize and vegetables.

It is where an asparagus plantation, introduced by a Spanish company in 2017, is located.

“You need to improve your production to be able to pay your input,” Schlettwein said during his visit to the asparagus factory at Ruacana town, adding that the management should be able to know what is expected to be done on the farm.

‘PLOUGH BACK’

Regarding the asparagus plantation, Schlettwein said it is a commendable initiative as it is diversifying production, adding value to the product and it has secured a good market in Europe.

“We hope it will plough back into the economy and eventually create job opportunities for our people,” he said.

The asparagus project has 17 permanent workers and can provide work to 400 casual workers during harvest time.

“Our main market is Europe, but there is room for the product [asparagus] to be introduced to local people to become aware of it before we start supplying the local market,” said the project’s technical officer, Giel Boshoff.

Namibia is the only country producing asparagus in Africa, while other countries in the world are Spain, Peru, Argentina and China. - Nampa

Making the lives of the Namibian youth betterDo it for the Kids Namibia movement As founding member of ‘Do it for the Kids Namibia’, Robert Haihambo continues to devote himself to advocating for vulnerable children. Monique Adams

The statement “never forget where you come from” is something Robert Haihambo frequently reminds himself of.

‘Do it for the Kids Namibia’ is a voluntary youth movement that helps the less fortunate children in the community through targeted programmes.

The most important founding members that assisted with the implementation of the pilot programme were grade 11 and 12 learners from Delta High School in Windhoek as part of a life skills project.

Haihambo, the founding member of the movement, convinced other learners to come on board and the concept was born mid-October 2018 in Okuryangava in the Tobias Hainyeko Constituency.

“It all started with a burning desire that turned into a vision; a desire to bring forth change in the lives of less privileged kids in the community. I sought to make this desire a reality by soliciting the cooperation of fellow youth/peers from learners, students and graduates,” Haihambo says.

The ‘Do it for the Kids’ programme was established after members identified a huge gap in the community. When children would return from school in the afternoon, they became involved in unproductive, and often disruptive, activities.

The programme was established to promote the idea of children becoming the “champion in the house” and to assist in children’s development, with specific focus on education, sports and cognitive skills.

The movement aims to bridge the accessibility gap in knowledge among under-privileged children. The aim is to foster development that might otherwise be inaccessible or unaffordable to these children.

“We have 75 registered volunteers, comprising learners, students, graduates and industry professionals. The pool is bigger, but active volunteers are few due to change of location. As our reach grows, we will take advantage of the spread-out pool of volunteers. In the future we will incorporate tertiary students in the programme,” Haihambo says.

Their aim over the next five years is to scale nationally by increasing the capacity in terms of human, financial and technical resources to increase their cooperation with players in the area of children’s development, both locally and internationally, and increasing their impact at the grassroots level of development.

The programme has had its fair share of achievements and struggles but their love for kids and being able to see the impact they have helps them to overcome the challenges.

“Do it for the Kids is not just my baby, and not just the co-founders’ baby, but is our combined platform to change our communities directly, practically and sustainably. To be part of the movement is simple: if you have a desire to change a kid’s life in our core areas or any area you feel passionate about, the platform serves you to impact and nurture that desire into a practical and direct action,” Haihambo says.

If anyone would like to contribute, they can make contact by visiting their Facebook or Instagram pages at DoitforthekidsNamibia, or email by Doitforthekidsnamibia@gmail.com or contact the co-founders, Robert at 081 465 9735 and Rauna at 081 417 9507.

Monique Adams

The statement “never forget where you come from” is something Robert Haihambo frequently reminds himself of.

‘Do it for the Kids Namibia’ is a voluntary youth movement that helps the less fortunate children in the community through targeted programmes.

The most important founding members that assisted with the implementation of the pilot programme were grade 11 and 12 learners from Delta High School in Windhoek as part of a life skills project.

Haihambo, the founding member of the movement, convinced other learners to come on board and the concept was born mid-October 2018 in Okuryangava in the Tobias Hainyeko Constituency.

“It all started with a burning desire that turned into a vision; a desire to bring forth change in the lives of less privileged kids in the community. I sought to make this desire a reality by soliciting the cooperation of fellow youth/peers from learners, students and graduates,” Haihambo says.

The ‘Do it for the Kids’ programme was established after members identified a huge gap in the community. When children would return from school in the afternoon, they became involved in unproductive, and often disruptive, activities.

The programme was established to promote the idea of children becoming the “champion in the house” and to assist in children’s development, with specific focus on education, sports and cognitive skills.

The movement aims to bridge the accessibility gap in knowledge among under-privileged children. The aim is to foster development that might otherwise be inaccessible or unaffordable to these children.

“We have 75 registered volunteers, comprising learners, students, graduates and industry professionals. The pool is bigger, but active volunteers are few due to change of location. As our reach grows, we will take advantage of the spread-out pool of volunteers. In the future we will incorporate tertiary students in the programme,” Haihambo says.

Their aim over the next five years is to scale nationally by increasing the capacity in terms of human, financial and technical resources to increase their cooperation with players in the area of children’s development, both locally and internationally, and increasing their impact at the grassroots level of development.

The programme has had its fair share of achievements and struggles but their love for kids and being able to see the impact they have helps them to overcome the challenges.

“Do it for the Kids is not just my baby, and not just the co-founders’ baby, but is our combined platform to change our communities directly, practically and sustainably. To be part of the movement is simple: if you have a desire to change a kid’s life in our core areas or any area you feel passionate about, the platform serves you to impact and nurture that desire into a practical and direct action,” Haihambo says.

If anyone would like to contribute, they can make contact by visiting their Facebook or Instagram pages at DoitforthekidsNamibia, or email by Doitforthekidsnamibia@gmail.com or contact the co-founders, Robert at 081 465 9735 and Rauna at 081 417 9507.