Namibian Sun

Sustainability of sovereign wealth funds TOM ARNOLD AND SIMON JESSOP

Risks don't come much longer term than climate change, so you might expect sovereign wealth funds to be all over it, as investment giants with decades in their sights.

Yet the world's biggest sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) are making only patchy progress in adapting investment plans to account for environmental, social and governance factors, according to data on energy investments, an ESG analysis of the equity holdings of some of the funds, plus a survey of the players.

Such data provide snapshots into the complex and often opaque world of sovereign funds, which collectively hold nearly US$8 trillion in assets.

The industry has invested US$7.2 billion in renewable energy since 2015, for example, less than a third of the amount poured into oil and gas, data from the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF) showed.

The Antipodean funds, which publicly disclose their investments, scored highly in the ESG analysis of major corporate holdings. New Zealand also said it planned to cut the emissions intensity of its overall portfolio by 40% by 2025, referring to a measure of emissions proportional to revenue.

Middle Eastern funds face a tougher task to decarbonise their portfolios, given their economies' longstanding reliance on fossil fuels. They did not disclose climate targets, although most are planning to beef up their ESG focus.

The Reuters survey showed a divergence in funds' broad approaches to companies with poor ESG ratings; Hong Kong Monetary Authority's fund (HKMA) and Singapore's GIC prefer to try to drive change from within, while the Antipodean and Norwegian funds are more prepared to twin that approach with excluding stocks.

Any failure or lag in future-proofing portfolios could threaten the long-term performance of SWFs, established to safeguard wealth for generations to come and to buttress state revenues, according to many investment specialists. -Nampa/Reuters

Warriors coach appointment ‘soon’

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

WINDHOEK

The Namibia Football Association (NFA) executive is expected to recommend and endorse the appointment of a new national team coach before the end of August, president Ranga Haikali said.

Six shortlisted coaches were interviewed for the top spot this week.

About a fortnight ago, Namibian Sun reported that Bobby Samaria, Collin Benjamin and Ali Akan are among those shortlisted for the job.

Sources say the three are allegedly accompanied by three foreign nationals whose identities are being kept under wraps.

This newspaper has, however, learnt that Zambian national Winston Nyirenda, a certain Hans from Holland and another European, whose name remains uncovered, are alleged to have gone through the interviews.

Haikali - who could not confirm the names of the foreign coaches – said he expects the coach appointment to be completed before Namibia’s next World Cup qualifier assignment.

“I can actually not tell you who the names are because that is with the human resources consultancy doing the appointments and recommendations.

“As the NFA, we will need to host an emergency exco meeting to endorse the appointment of the new coach upon recommendations from the HR company,” Haikali said.

Racing against the clock

The NFA is racing against the clock to have a coach appointed permanently ahead of the country’s first qualifier match to be played on 1 September.

There have been reports that the appointment could be delayed if not completed within the next two weeks.

The national team is currently under the leadership of interim coach Samaria.

Namibian Sun understands some of the football association’s leaders are gunning for the renewal of Samaria’s interim contract until the first phase of the qualifiers are done, or at least until December.

A vacuum in communication between those heading the association is suspected to be among the things that have delayed a concrete decision.

Sources have also not ruled out the possibility of the coach only being appointed after the qualifiers.

Haikali, however, downplayed this possibility with optimism that Namibia could be playing with a permanent coach by the beginning of next month.

The national team has been without a permanent coach since the acrimonious exit of former Cosafa Cup winning coach, Ricardo Manetti, at the end of March 2019.

This led to the appointment of Samaria as acting coach after Benjamin refused to take on the hot seat on an acting basis.

Fixtures

The Brave Warriors’ immediate assignment is against Congo in the World Cup qualifiers in South Africa.

Namibia will then battle Togo away on 5 September, before taking on Senegal on 6 October.

The Warriors will play host to Senegal on 10 October for the return leg before playing Congo away on 11 November.

Brave Warriors’ last group match will be at home, against Togo on 14 November.

The team will, however, play its home games outside Namibia’s borders after the national stadiums were declared unfit for international matches.

Adored Olympic team returnsMission accomplished at Tokyo Games The Tokyo Olympic Games are done and dusted; Team Namibia returned home yesterday with fans waiting at the Hosea Kutako International Airport as well as along the parade route to get a glimpse of the stars.

Limba Mupetami

WINDHOEK

A group of four athletes - Olympic silver medallist Christine Mboma, 200m finalist Beatrice Mboma and marathon runners Helalia Johannes and Rainold Thomas – landed in Windhoek yesterday with their coaches Henk Botha and Robert Kaxuxuena after competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

The group was welcomed home by jubilant family members, supporters, sportsmen and -women, and government officials.

The star of the show, Mboma, who gave an emotional speech, thanked her family - who travelled from Rundu to welcome her - her coach, various sponsors as well as Namibian fans who have been supporting them throughout their journey.

For the motherland

Staying by Mboma’s side throughout the afternoon, Botha said: “I never asked them for medals or for records, but on the day of the final, I told them to think about the way their performance was uniting the whole country. I told them to run for the country.

“And they did just that. It really hasn’t been easy. I have to acknowledge Johannes and Thomas as well. I have never experienced heat like I did in Tokyo, but they performed tremendously well considering the fact that we were just a small group of people trying to help each other,” he said.

New era

Sport minister Agnes Tjongarero thanked Team Namibia for their performance. “Olympics meant that the many hours you spend training finally bore fruits and as such you were amongst the best in the world in your respective disciplines. When you lined up in your respective heats, vying with others for a place in the next round, please know that you were not alone in those heats. Every Namibian in this vast land of ours was offering a silent prayer on your behalf, that you could emerge victorious and make it to the next round.

“When you did not make it through, although you were disappointed, your countrymen and -women were still immensely proud of you, because Namibia was represented and the whole world knew.

“Namibia might be small in population but we carry a sizeable presence, which was felt all across the world,” she said.

Mboma, Masilingi and Botha received diplomatic passports from the government upon their return.

NSSU to compete in ISF in SerbiaChance to shine for young athletes Local junior athletes are getting ready for the World School Sport Games to be held in Serbia.

NAMPA

The Namibia School Sport Union (NSSU), as a member of the International School Sport Federation (ISF), will send a team of 27 members to participate in the World School Sport Games.

The games will see athletes compete in athletics and chess and will be held in Belgrade, Serbia, from 11 to 19 September.

NSSU national coordinator Solly Duiker says the Covid-19 pandemic decimated the school sport calendar and annual events and competitions had to be cancelled.

“Subsequently, the envisaged school sport leagues could not be launched and participation in international competitions such as the Confederation of School Sport Associations of Southern Africa (COSSASA) games could not be realised,” he said.

He added that to rise above the negative effects of the pandemic and to inspire and give hope to Namibian children, the NSSU resolved to send a team of athletes to the inaugural World School Sport Games in Serbia.

Duiker explained that due to the prohibition of contact sport in Namibia and the availability of resources, NSSU will only compete in two sport codes - athletics and chess.

“The delegation of 27 members of boys and girls and officials was selected during the national competitions held earlier this year,” he said.

Costs for travelling, accommodation and medical insurance will be borne by the NSSU but efforts are under way to source additional funding from both the sport ministry and corporate Namibia.

“No athlete is or will be required to solicit funds to fund their participation in the games. I therefore call on regions that are holding fundraising campaigns in the name of ISF World School Sport Games to discontinue immediately,” Duiker said.

He also stated that the NSSU remains an important foundational stepping stone in the development of sport in Namibia.

Thus, participation in the inaugural World School Sport Games will enable the NSSU to fast-track or accelerate athletes’ development through international exposure to high-level competitions and ensure long-term athlete development.

PSG hold their breath in Messi waiting game

NAMPA / AFP

Paris Saint-Germain supporters have been gathering in anticipation of the arrival of Argentina superstar Lionel Messi after his emotional Barcelona departure at the weekend.

Members of the PSG faithful assembled outside the club's Parc des Princes home and at an airport to the north of the French capital on Monday as the Qatari-owned outfit looked set to add the 34-year-old to a squad that already includes Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Paris is expected to be Messi's next destination after his tearful exit from the side he has represented throughout the 17 years of his glittering professional career.

However, on Monday journalists from AFP TV spotted him still at his home near Barcelona alongside his family as well as his friend and former teammate, Luis Suarez.

Later, French media reported that he had left for Ibiza to hold discussions with the Parisian club.

Missing piece

Following last week's announcement by Barca that they could not afford to keep their all-time top goal-scorer, PSG emerged as the favourites to sign Messi, helped by the deep pockets of their Qatari owners.

They see him as the missing piece in their jigsaw as they chase the Champions League, the trophy they want more than anything else.

Off the field, his rumoured move has added 1.2m followers to PSG's social media accounts since Friday.

"I’m happy if he arrives at Paris," new PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma told Sky Sports Italia on Monday outside his Parisian hotel.

"He is the strongest in the world, I’m excited and happy at the thought of having him in the team," he added.

Messi conceded at his tearful farewell news conference in Barcelona on Sunday that joining PSG was a "possibility".

In reality, with Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City having ruled themselves out, they are about the only club who can afford what is expected to be a deal worth 35 million euros ($41 million) a year.

"I gave everything for Barcelona from the first day that I arrived right to the last. I never imagined having to say goodbye," Messi said.

"I have still not come to terms with the reality of leaving this club now - I love this club."

He leaves Barcelona with 672 goals in 778 appearances, a record tally for one club.

Record setter

Messi won 35 trophies at the Camp Nou after joining Barca aged 13, but his last appearance was a damp squib: a 2-1 home defeat behind closed doors against Celta Vigo in May.

His trophy tally includes four Champions League and 10 La Liga titles.

"The greatest of all," wrote Messi's old Barcelona teammate Dani Alves - who won the Olympic gold with Brazil in an Instagram message on Monday.

One group of Barcelona fans, represented by a Parisian lawyer, announced their intention to lodge a complaint with the European Commission in connection with the rules of financial fair play that Barcelona and PSG must follow.

Despite offering to cut his salary by half to seal a new five-year contract which the club carrying debts of 1.2 billion euros ($1.41 billion) and the player had agreed on, the deal foundered on strict Spanish league salary cap rules.

Messi's arrival would make PSG even more obvious favourites to reclaim a French title they missed out on last season to Lille.

'Don’t be that cautious in life' Wetumwene Shikage - Since Bonifatius Kantori Paulino joined Alexander Forbes Namibia as the managing director of investments, he spent some time to familiarise himself with the areas of responsibility of the position.

He also took time to understand the whole business of the group. This entailed reading a lot of documents and attending several meetings which he says was an exciting journey.

Paulino says that throughout his long career, he has worked smartly and eventually managed to accomplish many of his goals and successes which have contributed to the growth of his professional career. Just like many other career experts and professionals, Paulino also encountered many challenges which helped him to strengthen his character.

“Throughout my career, I have been proud of being a team player, jointly achieving organisational goals and objectives being in the business and sporting fields,” he says.

Paulino’s daily busy workload and schedule also includes watching news on television, reading newspapers, and perusing company documents to prepare for upcoming meetings. He also keeps fit by going to the gym or jogging, and when time permits, he plays a round of golf. Paulino also dedicates time to family.

Educational Background

Paulino’s formal education began at Döbra Roman Catholic School from January 1975 until November 1979. He obtained a National Senior Certificate with Matriculation Exemption in English, Afrikaans, German, Mathematics, Physical Science and Geography.

Post matriculating, he studied at the University of Zululand in South Africa from February 1980 to November 1983. Thereafter, he obtained a Bachelor of Law (B.Juris) and also an MA Degree from the University of Warwick in the UK . He also has a diploma in Management Development Programme (MDP) from the University of South Africa (Unisa).

While working at Rössing Uranium Limited, he attended several supervisory, management, leadership and media handling training programmes.

Since he joined Namfisa as an executive, he has also attended various training programmes in strategic leadership, microfinance, unit trusts, securities market development, bond market development and market conduct supervision.

Paulino advises those who wish to follow in this career path to take it as it comes. “Don’t be that cautious in life. Go out and explore the world,” he says.

Luhonono Combined School condition disappointing

HOFNI IIPINGE

About 187 pupils at Luhonono Combined School in the Zambezi Region are living in makeshift shelters after a contractor abandoned the construction of the school hostel

As Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) secretary for education, I am very disappointed by the contractor who abandoned the school, leaving our learners traumatised by the condition of their shelter.

Education is a right, not a want - Article 20 of the Namibian Constitution has said it all. Therefore, this contractor should be dealt with according to the relevant laws. The government needs to pull its socks up and make an example of some of these useless and untrustworthy contractors by imposing heavy penalties to the extent that this contractor will be blacklisted and never get a job in Namibia again.

The contractor needs to be brought forth by the ministry of basic education and the Central Procurement Board of Namibia, as this body is the custodian of awarding this big tender to this useless contractor. The ministry should take action to deal with such contractors’ behaviour and make sure all the money paid is recovered without delay.

We are not a charity government to donate money like that. What happened to transparency and accountability in this country?

As a secretary for education, I am calling upon the ministries of basic education, finance and justice to make sure the project is not delayed due to these criminal allegations but to give a tender to someone clean with a clean background to complete the hostel while dealing with the failed contractor and recovering tax payers’ money.

Namibia, we need to be patriotic. Love your country and its people. We should stop this nonsense of wanting to be a millionaire within a day using state funds.

Government officials who are awarding tenders to their incompetent friends must be identified and dealt with accordingly. As a country we cannot afford to lose more funds through corruption any longer; it's high time for government to restrategise and come back to the drawing board with clear vision of what exactly we want to achieve as a country.

Our learners and our country's young people, men and women, members of the public have become victims of poverty. Suffering on other people's expense due to mismanagement of resources and unequal distribution of wealth. Equity, democracy, quality and excess are the keys to our Swapo government ideology, but there are individuals trying to implement what is not of the nation’s interest.

I am calling the Anti-Corruption Commission to tighten its mandate this time around and clean up all this nonsense being entertained by individuals for the sake of progress.

All contractors in Namibia should present the love and patriotism toward this country and its people, donating money and sponsoring Christmas for individuals to go buy expensive cars and building expensive houses they do not not deserve must come to an end.

I am calling all peace-loving Namibians to come together and fight these evil spirits of corruption and incompetence within the government and private sectors.

Rotten apples should be rooted out of the government system as they are the enemies of progress to prosperous and industrialised Namibia

* Hofni Iipinge is the SPYL secretary of education.

Customer service in Namibia on life support

CYRILL F. TSAUSEBIn Namibia, it is quite common to walk into a shop, police station, government building or any other public building where some sort of service is required, and expect disrespect and callousness - and to be treated less than human or even get into some sort of argument with the staff working there all because they don’t have customer service skills. It seems rudeness and having poor manners has been so normalised in our society, that it doesn’t even surprise any of us to encounter this sort of scenario everywhere we go.

Imagine walking into a police station to report a crime or to open a case, and being greeted by a police officer who immediately treats you like you’re their worst enemy, and you wonder what you ever did to this person; or imagine you go to a grocery store or your favourite clothing store and you simply ask a salesperson for help in finding a certain product, and they give you that look - you know the one – like you’re the source of all their problems in their life.

Sometimes I wonder if that’s just how we are as Namibians because of the way our society is set up, like how we are raised because of the hardships we face in this country, or because our education system does not do a good enough job of teaching our children about human decency and the most basic trait every human being should possess – kindness.

I know we all have difficulties in our lives and that we’re all just trying to survive day-by-day but there is simply no reason to wake up in the morning and choose to be rude towards strangers and speak to people any way we like, we’re not savages.

The way we conduct with other people in our society is a choice and as a citizen of a country that is a tourist attraction, I feel it is important to go back to our roots of what makes us human and understand that as social creatures, we won’t always see eye to eye, but that civility can go a long way.

We should also teach our children how to be gracious and polite and show them that having excellent social skills can be the key to unlocking great friendships and help with networking, things that can take you far in life.

Cattle are cornerstone of agri sectorMeat board eyes exports to Middle East, China A study has revealed that Namibian abattoirs can attain reasonable profit margins from exploiting new markets in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and China.

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

The agriculture and forestry sectors contributed 6.5% - about N$11.4 billion - towards the 2020 gross domestic product (GDP) of N$176.3 billion.

Further analysis revealed that livestock production accounted for N$6.3 billion or 54.7% of the GDP, most of it from the beef sector.

According to the Meat Board, the small stock sector has had an unfortunate and severe decline in numbers and profitability due to the impact of climate change and policy interventions.

“As a result, the cattle sector remains the cornerstone of agricultural production in the country.”

The Meat Board further said the economic benefits between north and south of the red line depict great disparities with substantial differences in return on investment.

“This is due to the fact that cattle north of the veterinary cordon fence [VCF] have limited market access due to the disease status of the area.”

The Meat Board, therefore, conducted a study on the viability of exporting bone-in fresh or chilled as well as frozen beef to Middle-Eastern countries such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar as well as China.

The study revealed that abattoirs can attain reasonable profit margins from exploiting these markets.

“The Meat Board and the directorate of veterinary services are engaged with efforts to open up these markets for the benefit of farmers north of the fence.”

It said this effort - once implemented - will increase the economic cake from cattle in this region.

Access to premium markets

In contrast, the Meat Board said meat processors south of the red line enjoy access to premium markets, collecting considerable margins.

In 2020, a total of 12 853 tonnes of beef was produced by export abattoirs of which 65.5% (8 421 tonnes) was exported to various destinations.

This compared to 2019, when 29 158 tonnes of beef were produced by export abattoirs, of which 91.4% (26 638 tonnes) was exported.

The Meat Board said in order to attain value chain equity, the existing economic cake needs to be expanded to guarantee sufficient throughput for export facilities, thus ensuring economies of scale for meat processors.

“The retention of live cattle can best be attained through a market-based price mechanism that rewards livestock producers competitively, creating a pull-away factor from weaner exports towards export abattoirs.”

Namibia receives doctors from UK

NAMPA

WINDHOEK

The ministry of health and social services on Monday received a team of medical emergency doctors from the United Kingdom to assist Namibia in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

The team of 10 specialists was sent to Namibia following a request by the health ministry to development partners in June this year to provide support to the country, which was then at the peak of its third wave of Covid infections.

Speaking at an event held to welcome the doctors, the minister of health and social services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, said although Namibia is beginning to see a downward trend in the number of new hospital admissions and new cases being reported, the number of deaths is still high and needs to be brought down.

It’s not over

“We also need to continue with our vigilance until we lower the number of new infections significantly. It is for this reason that we are grateful to receive this much-needed additional support for capacity building, on-site training and teaching, as well as managing Covid-19 patients in Namibia.

“You have indeed come at the right time and I anticipate that the team will not only teach and train but also you may learn from those on the ground and there may be skill and knowledge exchange,” he said.

Speaking at the same event, UK High Commissioner Charles Moore said Namibia had seen the loss of many lives in recent weeks. He said the country was also struggling with misinformation.

“We are hoping that now we at the beginning of the end and we can see some improvements already, which are promising.

“It is therefore an ideal time for the emergency team to visit because, with their diverse experience and collective knowledge, it will provide some capacity building and advice that Namibia most desperately needs,” Moore said.

The team will help to strengthen the capacity of health facilities in Namibia and will deliver direct support to specific health structures such as providing additional staff to the intensive care units.

COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

Vodafone to bring back roaming charges

Mobile phone operator Vodafone said on Monday it would reintroduce European roaming fees for new and upgrading British customers in January, following the lead set by rival EE.

Roaming charges were completely abolished in the European Union in 2017, saving holidaymakers and business travellers millions of pounds a year in total additional fees for using their smartphones outside Britain.

But fee-free roaming was not protected in the Brexit agreement Britain signed with the EU.

Vodafone's UK Chief Executive Ahmed Essam said the majority of its customers were not regular roamers - fewer than half roamed beyond Ireland in 2019 and they were paying for something they didn't use.

"So, we think it's fairer to give people more choice over what they pay for, either opting into a price plan that includes free roaming, or paying for roaming only when they roam," he said.

Eight- and 15-day passes would be available at 1 pound per day, Vodafone said, adding that roaming would remain inclusive in the Republic of Ireland for all customers. All major operators said after the Brexit referendum they had no plans to reintroduce the charges.

EE, however, said in June it would reintroduce the charges for new and upgrading customers from January. -Nampa/Reuters

Tourism bosses fight over fraud claims

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

The Hospitality Association of Namibia (Han) has provided tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta with “indisputable evidence of fraud” by the founder of the Namibia Travel and Tourism Forum (NTTF), Nrupesh Soni.

The report from a cyber investigators firm, Cynetio Cyber Security Solutions, was sent to Shifeta last week following countless threats against Han, its executive committee said in a letter addressed to the minister.

“The Han executive committee has been fully aware of all correspondences, the slander and social media discreditation against the Han CEO since 2020, actions which Han regards as not only an attempt to harm the image of one person, or the association, but due to its public display on social media, also reflects negatively on the image of Namibia and its tourism industry in general.”

It further said the association believes it is their responsibility to now share the actions and intentions of Soni, to enable authorities and the industry to take informed decisions before engaging further with individuals and entities claiming to work for the good of Namibia’s tourism sector while continuously discrediting elements within it.

According to Han, its role and activities have come under constant and repeated attack by Soni, who on various platforms attempts to discredit the association and its CEO, Gitta Paetzold.

Denial

Speaking to Namibian Sun, Soni denied the allegations made in the report and questioned its timing, saying that it was done to discredit him.

“I find it ironic that somehow Han decides to send this email four months after the date on the document, a document that does not have any contact information of the company or any other information. This is just a bunch of publicly available information put together,” he said.

He questioned why it was critical for Han to release the report now.

“Is it because now the forum is starting new initiatives with the ministry, so Han finds it important to discredit myself and the initiatives?

“I am not going to even try to defend myself from these alleged accusations as it is clearly meant to plant the seeds of distrust among the industry and further fragment the sector.”

Paetzold said the report was provided to the police, but no formal charge has been laid.

The tourism ministry has been asked to respond to the concerns raised by Han, but no feedback has been received.

Opposition against red line removal continuesVCF removal to lead to significant income loss The veterinary cordon fence is used as an animal disease control measure against foot-and-mouth disease and bovine lung sickness.

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

The loss of the official disease-free status through the inactivation or removal of the veterinary cordon fence (VCF) – also known as the red line – will have dire consequences for the Namibian livestock sector and Namibia at large.

This according to the Meat Board of Namibia, which added that for the area north of the VCF to also obtain disease-free status, the porous border with Angola and the regular movement of livestock across this border will have to be permanently stopped.

“If there is livestock movement across this border, the VCF will have to stay intact to maintain official disease status and access to lucrative livestock and meat export markets.”

The VCF is used as an animal disease control measure against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and bovine lung sickness (CBPP).

According to the Meat Board, the biggest and most costly animal disease outbreak ever experienced in Namibia occurred between 1961 and 1964 when FMD was diagnosed in the eastern Windhoek district.

“This outbreak - which caused immeasurable economic losses to the country - should serve as a reminder of what can be expected should another outbreak occur in the FMD-free zone south of the VCF.”

FMD is caused by a virus carried by the African buffalo, the board said. Contact between cattle and buffalo is the most common method the virus is spread.

FMD can also be spread by animal products such as meat, milk, hides and skins. The free movement of buffalo in the Zambezi and Kavango East regions as well as the porous border with Angola leads to regular contact between these animals, resulting in regular FMD outbreaks.

Loss of income

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) recognises the area south of the VCF as free from FMD without vaccination, free from CBPP as well as free from small ruminant pest (PPR).

This official status enables Namibia to trade in meat with some of the world’s most lucrative markets. The VCF and the control across this line play a critical role in obtaining and maintaining this disease-free status.

An outbreak of diseases like FMD south of the VCF will lead to immediate suspension of this status. In turn, this will result in significant loss of income from lucrative markets such as the European Union.

“This will mean no more meat or weaner exports as well as the immediate collapse of the N$6.3 billion livestock sector and N$985 million meat-processing subsector which has developed over several years,” the Meat Board said.

Historically, the export of livestock has contributed two-thirds of agricultural exports by value. Livestock farming remains an important foreign exchange earner for Namibia.

Kwanyama queen fed up with crime

TUYEIMO HAIDULA

OHANGWENA

Oukwanyama Queen Mwadinomho Martha ya Kristian Nelumbu is pleading with her subjects to stop committing heinous crimes.

Nelumbu said her heart is heavy and she feels bad that police reports are constantly filled with merciless killings, theft and other violent crimes.

She made the remarks at a handing-over ceremony for 50 bags of flour and boxes of fish to Kwafela Oshiwana Foundation, which she donated to the Angolan refugees living at Etunda.

The foundation - under the leadership of Dr Ben Mulongeni - will hand over the donations this week.

“I feel bad. My heart aches. Every day and night. Ohangwena people are stealing. They are killing themselves. This makes my heart heavy. Please tell my people I am angry. And they need to do better,” she lamented.

Nelumbu also used the platform to express her disappointment in the increasing number of baby dumping cases, adding that she currently houses eight abandoned children at the palace.

Not progressive

“The problem is these things differ. Someone would just abandon the child instead of telling the other side of the child’s family that they are unable to take care of the child,” she said, adding that this is not progressive for the child who deserves to receive love and care.

Nelumbu said she told two women who approached her to leave their children at the palace to first inform the children’s families to ascertain whether they have the means to take over the child-rearing.

She added that some people dump babies in the bushes. Of the eight children currently at the palace, one was found dumped in the bushes and the others were dropped off at the palace by their mothers.

Meanwhile, chairperson of Oukwanyama Traditional Authority George Nelulu begged Namibians to get on board and come to the aid of the Angolan immigrants currently seeking refuge at Etunda, saying the situation has become critical and cannot be left to few individuals any more.

“If you have anything to give, please come through at the office to save our people. Angola played a huge role in Namibia’s independence and we cannot turn a blind eye. Things don’t look good for them. It is very critical,” he said.

- tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

SADC Ordinary Summit to be hosted in Malawi

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

The 41st session of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government will be hosted in Malawi on 17 and 18 August, with a limited number of attendees allowed under strict Covid-19 protocols.

The session will take place under the theme ‘Bolstering Productive Capacities in the Face of the Covid-19 Pandemic for Inclusive, Sustainable, Economic and Industrial Transformation’.

During the session, Malawian president Lazarus Chakwera is expected to take over as SADC chair from incumbent Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, president of Mozambique.

Another highlight will be bidding farewell to SADC executive secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax after serving for eight years, while her successor will be sworn in at the same occasion.

According to a media statement, the summit will be followed by a council of ministers meeting which will also be held in a hybrid fashion, allowing delegates to attend in person as well as through virtual platforms.

The theme of this session seeks to accelerate the implementation of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020–2030, in particular the industrialisation and market integration pillar.

Taking stock

“The summit will take stock of progress made in promoting and deepening regional integration in line with SADC’s aspirations as espoused in the RISDP 2020–2030 and Vision 2050, which envisage a peaceful, inclusive, competitive middle- to high-income industrialised region where all citizens enjoy sustainable economic well-being, justice and freedom,” the statement read.

jemima@namibiansun.com

Off-duty cop shot over taxi fare

NAMPA

WINDHOEK

An off-duty police officer was allegedly shot by a taxi driver at Omaruru in the Erongo Region on Sunday, the Namibian police has revealed.

Police commander for community affairs in the region, Ileni Shapumba, in an incident report on Monday said a 48-year-old suspect is alleged to have shot constable Fredrich Abraham (35) over unpaid taxi fare.

“It is alleged that the suspect, who is a taxi driver, shot the victim behind the right ear, causing serious injuries. Reportedly, an argument occurred between the taxi driver and the victim over taxi fare the victim did not pay.

“The driver then decided to offload the victim with his luggage from the car before they arrived at the victim’s destination,” Shapumba said.

Allegedly, during the confrontation, the suspect observed the victim placing his hand in his jacket and it was at this point that the suspect allegedly took out his pistol and shot at the victim, he said.

A case of attempted murder was opened and the suspect was expected to appear in the Omaruru Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

The incident reportedly occurred around 18h45 near the Omaruru municipal building.

Police investigations continue.

Tired of living in tentsList causes consternation Victims of the Twaloloka fire will move into their houses next month.

Leandrea Louw

WALVIS BAY

The residents of the Otweya informal settlement - formerly known as Twaloloka – of Walvis Bay say they are tired of living in tents.

The group has been accommodated in tents after a devastating fire destroyed 153 shacks in July 2020.

Government, through the Office of the Prime Minister, passed a resolution to build houses for the fire victims, and the project was completed. The residents were supposed to move in by Tuesday, 10 August, but this has been postponed to September.

Despite expressing their displeasure about the long waiting period, the residents remain optimistic as they gathered on Monday to clean the completed houses.

But division is brewing among the residents after a dispute about the authenticity of a list of beneficiaries erupted.

Initially, 21 people were omitted from the list. This has been rectified through a Cabinet resolution passed at the end of July. The resolution stated that an additional 21 houses will be built, with the beneficiaries totalling 141.

Not here for politics

Meanwhile, a press conference called by Affirmative Repositioning (AR) activist Andemale Shikongo angered the residents.

“Those people who are calling the media here without informing us – that is the problem. We are not here for politics nor are we politically driven. We have been staying in the tents for a year, but those who are calling the conference are not staying here,” the residents said.

They emphasised that those who will benefit from the houses are fire victims. “There have been rumours that we kamma put our family members on the list. As soon as these rumours surfaced, we called governor Neville Andre and the police to do a thorough count of who is actually living here. We are strictly using the list we compiled after the fire,” Jolokeni Johannes, an Otweya committee member said.

Johannes also reprimanded the media, saying: “People call you and tell you lies. It’s only the committee members who have been appointed to talk on behalf of the fire victims”.

leandrea@republikein.com.na

Kenyan parliamentary panel backs central bank

Kenya has moved a step closer to regulating digital lenders after a parliamentary committee backed a law giving the central bank power to regulate them following complaints from borrowers who can pay annualised interest rates of more than 100%.

Users of mobile phone-based micro-lenders, which include the Silicon Valley-backed Tala, have surged to 2 million in 2019, from 200 000 in 2016, the central bank said.

But the dozens of lenders are not covered by any of the existing regulatory laws.

"The central bank of Kenya will be obligated to ensure that there is a fair and non-discriminatory marketplace for access to credit," the finance and national planning committee said in a report on the proposed law seen by Reuters on Monday.

The recommendation is almost certain to pass through parliament since the government has a sizeable majority of lawmakers on its side.

Apart from charging high interest rates, consumers say the lenders have been infringing on their data privacy by bombarding the contacts they have saved on their mobile phones with calls and messages when they default.

"Licensing of digital lenders is necessary in ensuring that they are properly regulated," the committee said. -Nampa/Reuters

Dye-stained ZAR banknotes could be circulating Public cautioned against the use and acceptance Given that Namibia uses the South African rand as legal tender, looted South African banknotes could make their way into the country. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected dye-stained South African banknotes to the nearest Namibian Police station or to the BoN. Kazembire Zemburuka, deputy director for corporate communications: BoN

STAFF REPORTER

Due to substantial looting of businesses in neighbouring South Africa, stained South African rand (ZAR) banknotes may have ended-up in Namibia. The Bank of Namibia (BoN) is warning the public and other interested parties against the use and acceptance of the banknotes.

According to Kazembire Zemburuka, deputy director for corporate communications at the central bank, an obvious potential exists, given that Namibia uses the South African rand as legal tender, for looted South African banknotes to make their way into the country.

“Therefore, the bank is hereby cautioning members of the public and the business communities to be on the lookout for dye-stained South African banknotes and refrain from accepting such money as they are unusable in their current state.” he said.

Automated Teller Machine (ATM) currency protection devices (CPDs) were activated by looters in South Africa during the civil turmoil, resulting in dye-staining of the money. CPDs are put in ATMs and cash carrier devices to stain banknotes blue, green and red in the event of an attack, Zemburuka pointed out.

Furthermore, the BoN introduced the Dye-stained Banknote Policy in 2020, which governs how such protection devices can be used locally as a means of currency protection against, theft, robbery and other related crimes in Namibia. It is against the same Policy to use or accept dyed banknotes for payments, he added.

Given the extent of the turmoil and the damage to ATMs and other infrastructure in South Africa, it is reasonable to assume that dye-stained banknotes may be used locally.

Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected dye-stained South African banknotes to the nearest Namibian Police station or to the Bank of Namibia for verification, he concluded.

EDITORIAL: Sport and the irony of politics Yesterday’s scenes of politicians jostling for a piece of Olympic medallist Christine Mboma and others – while presiding over a country that doesn’t have international standard sports facilities – were ironic.

The suspension of the use of the Sam Nujoma and Independence stadiums from hosting international football matches by international governing bodies is Exhibit A of how things have degenerated in this country.

Authorities have neglected the very foundation upon which our diversity has always defied the odds of division and embraced our oneness as a nation.

This negligent state of affairs is now going to cost the taxpayer more than it would have to repair the two stadiums that always brought Namibians – black, white or khaki – under the unifying banner of nationhood on match day.

The national teams playing their ‘home’ matches on foreign soil diminishes their chances of progressing to continental and global championships, which are usually the window through which Namibian talent is spotted by international scouts.

Playing Brave Warriors matches in Johannesburg - as was announced yesterday - means the taxpayer must cater for plane tickets, hotel accommodation and fees to use Orlando Stadium.

Facilities like the Independence Stadium were inherited by the new government at independence, but the liberators ran them into the ground. As matters stand, the stadium is only fit for political events where worshippers flock to tie the shoelaces of their masters.