Namibian Sun

Mali expels ECOWAS representative Mali’s transitional government has given the special representative from West Africa’s main regional bloc 72 hours to leave the country over “actions incompatible with his status”, the foreign ministry said on Monday.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been pressing Mali to respect its commitment to have presidential and legislative elections next February following last year’s military coup.

Mali’s interim authorities have pushed back, saying this week that they would confirm a date for elections after national consultations in December.

“He is engaged with groups, individuals from civil society, from the world of politics and even from the world of the press, who undertake actions hostile to the transition and which are not in line with his mission,” Mali Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop told the state broadcaster.

Reuters was not immediately able to reach the ECOWAS representative, Hamidou Boly, to respond to the allegations.

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, who chairs the bloc, visited Mali’s capital Bamako earlier this month to push for elections to be held on time. ECOWAS has been approached for comment.

A spokesperson for Mali’s M5-RFP political coalition, which led anti-government protests that culminated in last year’s coup, accused Boly of supporting the former regime, and called on the government to withdraw the country from ECOWAS.

“He is an enemy of Mali, he is against Mali, he is here to divide us and not to unite us,” said M5-RFP spokesperson Jeamille Bittar.

Mali’s transition back to democracy following the overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020 is being closely watched in a region that has seen several recent military coups and where Islamist militancy is on the rise.

The process was dealt a setback in May when the colonel who led the initial coup, Assimi Goita, ordered the arrest of the interim president and then took over the role himself.

“Mali reiterates the willingness of the government to maintain dialogue with ECOWAS and to work together for the success of the transition,” the foreign ministry’s statement said. -Nampa/Reuters

Geingob urges NFA to fix mess Football and children close to president’s heart The patron of the Namibia Football Association, President Hage Geingob, has expressed dismay over the current situation at Football House. JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

WINDHOEK

President Hage Geingob has advised Namibia Football Association (NFA) leaders to work things out and get football started.

He said this at the launch of the 2021 Hage Geingob Cup, which was not played last year due to the pandemic and infrastructure problems.

The head of state expressed his disappointment over the fact that Namibian football has continued to experience infighting and division among its leaders.

Geingob told NFA first vice-president Isak Fredericks to convey his frustrations to the entire NFA executive.

“We do not have football, Mr Fredericks, and our stadiums are down and people play in South Africa.

“I was told to entertain what is happening in football as a patron, but please be informed that Fifa does not allow politicians to interfere in football.

“We can give money but we can’t choose who is right or wrong, so please, Mr Fredericks, take this to your colleagues and tell them we want football to be played.

“We are really disappointed and we would like to see the premier league to be played,” Geingob said.

Divisions in the NFA executive have resulted in league football coming to a standstill.

The fact that there are no suitable football stadiums has further added to the chaos that has engulfed the country’s football.

Dividing funds

Like last year, the 2021 Hage Geingob Cup funds will be used for a corporate social responsibility cause.

This after it was announced that the national team will not be able to play due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a lack of suitable stadiums in the country.

N$1.6 million from MTC, N$1.5 million from Namibia Breweries Limited and N$350 000 from Bank Windhoek will be used to buy food parcels and other essentials for 23 orphanages across the country.

“Who would have thought that something incepted for a soccer match has turned into something providing charity for those who are in need?

“Thank you very much MTC, Bank Windhoek and Namibia Brewery Limited for your support during these difficult times

“As I said, I am a little bit touched because of the Hage Geingob Soccer Cup, but what you are doing is more important because the times we are going through are tough.

“You have come to the aid of those in need and that is very important for solidarity,” Geingob said.

The 23 orphanages were recommended by the ministry of gender and child welfare.

Outapi, Ongwediva, Otjiwarongo, Tsumeb, Otavi, Rehoboth and several other towns are to benefit from the initiative.

MTC has continued to reaffirm its support towards the competition and the social responsibility which has followed.

“In 2013, we made a commitment with the Namibia Football Association, whose aim is to ensure that the beautiful game of football remains pivotal within our communities.

“We had done so – in the ensued spirit; of what sport and especially soccer embodies towards the precinct of nationhood and unity.

“It is our commitment to engaging with the entire sports ecosystem in ways that drive positive change, strengthen respect for social cohesion and help shape the aspirations of future leaders through sport,” MTC’s John Ekongo said.

Bank Windhoek managing director Baronice Hans said the bank has been keen to change lives through its N$7 million social corporate responsibility fund.

Marco Wenk, managing director if Namibia Breweries Limited, expressed joy over their involvement, stating that it has always been something close to the company’s heart.

Eagles soar!

Limba Mupetami

WINDHOEK

Namibian fast bowler Ruben Trumpelmann set a new record in T20 international cricket yesterday when he took three wickets, kicking off a nail-biting match against Scotland.

Namibia (11/6) won the match with four wickets and five balls remaining.

Captain Gerhard Erasmus initially won the toss and elected to field, with 23-year-old Trumpelmann making quick work of the Scots in the very first over at Zyed International Stadium.

The left-arm pacer sent Scotland’s George Munsey, Calum MacLeod and skipper Richie Berrington back to pavilion, becoming the first bowler in T20 history to take three wickets in the opening over of a match.

The Namibians reached the second round for the first time after winning matches against the Netherlands and Ireland.

The next match will be against Afghanistan on Sunday, Pakistan on 2 November and New Zealand on 5 November, with the last match of the group set to be a scorcher against India on 8 November.

The semi-finals will take place from 10 to 22 November, with the final slated for 14 November.

Having secured their place in the Super 12 stage, the Eagles have also guaranteed a spot in the 2022 World Cup in Australia.

The new Venue is where it’s atFunky, Fresh and Affordable SAGMJ Compact car of the year 2021

Staff reporter

With the all-new Venue, Hyundai makes its SUV debut in the A-segment. It conveys a fun, yet functional design in a versatile and modern compact vehicle.

The all-new Venue with its bold and unique character might be small in size, but it is big on practicality and personality. It offers a unique, entry-level vehicle for consumers seeking savvy design with an abundance of safety, convenience and connectivity features.

As Hyundai’s most affordable SUV to date, Venue is aimed at urban adventurers with a taste for savvy, trendy design that stands apart, as well as offering a remarkable driving experience.

Hyundai’s naming theme for SUVs has typically been a city or place. “Venue” refers to a “place” people want to be seen in. The vehicle embodies the characteristics of “the place to be”, while reaching the final desired destination, wherever that may be.

“The Venue is an exceptional small SUV that offers a powerful and very efficient turbocharged engine, outstanding comfort and convenience levels and many safety features,” says Stanley Anderson, sales and operations director of Hyundai Automotive South Africa.

“We enter this very competitive market segment with great confidence in the Venue. Our Creta mid-sized SUV has proven how good design, quality build and practical features can draw new and existing Hyundai customers to our brand. The Venue, our new small SUV, is expected to repeat that outstanding performance.”

Bold, attractive exterior

The design of the new Venue exhibits compact but confident body forms, delivering a new interpretation of Hyundai’s signature design language. The side profile exhibits full-volume wheel arches and strong character lines, while the bold and beautiful cascading grille incorporates Hyundai’s signature forward-looking visage found on both the Kona and Santa Fe SUVs.

The unique front lamp layout separates the turn lamps and headlamps and features optional premium LED headlights with LED daylight running lights for the Glide version, as well as fog lamps. The unique Venue body character line carries through the profile to the tail lamps.

The Venue is available with striking 16-inch alloy wheels as standard equipment on the Fluid and Glide versions, and 15-inch steel wheels for the Motion.

Its impressive aerodynamics visualized by the rear shark-fin spoiler and rear fascia asymmetric block help improve efficiency while maintaining its unique sense of style.

Interior and convenience features

The Venue’s inviting interior offers intuitive controls and forward-thinking design, excellent use of dimensions to create ample space for driver and both front and rear passengers, and decent sized luggage area that adds to the practical nature of the car.

The leather-wrapped steering wheel has audio controls and – in the Fluid and Glide derivatives – cruise control buttons to make a long road trip much easier for the driver.

The infotainment system features either a 3,8-inch mono LCD display in the Motion derivative, or an 8-inch Display Audio touchscreen system and rearview monitor for the Venue Fluid and Glide versions. The 8-inch display in the Fluid and Glide includes both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functions for intuitive operation of the most commonly used smartphone functions, including app-based navigation, streaming audio and voice-controlled search capabilities.

Consumers will appreciate available convenience features such as Dual USB ports, a 3,5-inch TFT instrument cluster display to illustrate useful information, a rearview camera and Bluetooth hands-free phone operation. The leather-wrapped steering wheel feels comfortable and luxurious.

Glovebox cooling, rear air condition ventilation ducts and automatic cruise control with buttons on the steering wheel also form part of the convenience features in the Fluid and Glide derivatives of the Venue.

Safety

The Venue includes an abundant list of standard safety features including six airbags – front (2), side-impact (2) and side air curtain (2) – for the Fluid and Glide options, seatbelt pre-tensioners with force limiters, Isofix child seat attachments, and an Advanced Braking System (ABS) to deliver safe car control in difficult road conditions. The Motion derivative comes with two airbags – one each for the driver and front passenger.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is a standard feature in all derivatives, as well as Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) which balances braking forces at each wheel when the car is dynamically loaded, and Brake Assist which provides maximum ABS-level braking force to the driver when an emergency stop is necessary. All Venues also come with Hill Start Assist Control.

Engine and drivetrain

Fuel economy is an important consideration for customers who purchase an entry-level vehicle. The Venue won’t disappoint thanks to Hyundai’s three-cylinder turbocharged Kappa 1.0 T-GDI engine. It delivers 88 kW at its peak performance around 6 000 r/min., and maximum torque of 172 Nm in a range from 1 500 to 4 000 r/min.

The engine can be paired with either a six-speed manual transmission, or seven-speed automatic dual clutch transmission (DCT) in the Motion and Fluid versions. The top-of-range Glide derivative only uses the DCT transmission.

COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

BioNTech to construct factory in Africa

BioNTech on Tuesday signed an agreement with the Rwandan government and Institut Pasteur de Dakar in Senegal on the construction of the first mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility in Africa starting in mid-2022, to help the continent ease health inequalities compared with other world regions.

BioNTech, which developed the western world's most widely used Covid-19 shots with partner Pfizer, will initially build a production line with an annual capacity of 50 million doses that could be used to make vaccines for such diseases as malaria and tuberculosis as well as for Covid-19, the company said in a statement and through a spokesperson.

This will be branched out into a wider production network making several hundred million mRNA vaccine doses per year with the goal of transferring ownership and know-how to partners on the continent, the biotech firm added.

"Our goal is to develop vaccines in the African Union and to establish sustainable vaccine production capabilities to jointly improve medical care in Africa," BioNTech Chief Executive Ugur Sahin said.

The partners may decide to make mRNA vaccines against other diseases such as malaria or tuberculosis depending on future development progress and medical needs, a company spokesperson said. -Nampa/Reuters

BP makes US$500 mln in Q3

BP's trading team made at least $500 million in the third quarter of 2021, two sources with knowledge of the company's trading results said, as the energy major benefitted from a gas crisis that has left consumers and industries smarting.

Natural gas and power prices soared to an all-time high in Europe and parts of Asia in August as the global economy recovered from the pandemic and energy consumption increased faster than supplies.

Low gas stocks after a cold winter and hot summer as well as poor renewables output contributed to the rally.

The increase in power bills sparked protests in Spain and put European governments under pressure to find ways to protect consumers and industry and calm the markets. European Union countries failed to agree on a bloc-wide response on Tuesday. read more

In China, the government has taken measures to increase coal output and reform power markets to ensure homes are heated this winter. -Nampa/Reuters

Visa beats profit estimates

Visa Inc's quarterly profit topped Wall Street expectations on Tuesday, as a recovery in travel and an improving global economic picture drove volume growth at the world's largest payment processor.

But cross-border travel was still well below pre-pandemic levels, Visa said, with regions such as the Asia Pacific remaining closed.

"Our business has been on a recovery track for the past three to four quarters. However, we are not back to normal yet globally," Chief Financial Officer Vasant Prabhu told analysts on a call.

"The timing of reopening in key countries across Asia, both domestically and for cross-border travel is a key variable."

In a sign of resilience, however, debit and e-commerce activity outperformed in the quarter even as in-store shopping picked up and credit card volumes recovered. -Nampa/Reuters

GM to boost EV profile

General Motors said on Tuesday it would install up to 40 000 electric-vehicle charging stations in the United States and Canada, as part of the automaker's US$750 million commitments to bolster its presence in the rapidly growing sector.

The announcement comes just months after the No. 1 US automaker said it had signed agreements with some companies to offer its customers access to nearly 60 000 charging points across the same regions.

The company said on Tuesday it would expand home, workplace and public charging infrastructure through its Ultium Charge 360 ecosystem, adding that it would focus on installing them in rural and urban areas with limited access to support widespread adoption of EVs.

The charging stations will be available to all EV customers, and not just those who purchase vehicles from GM, the carmaker said.

Earlier this month, GM said it plans to double its revenue by 2030, indicating that it can build profitable software-driven services and take on Elon Musk's Tesla Inc.-Nampa/Reuters

Alphabet earns record profit

Google owner Alphabet Inc on Tuesday reported higher than expected third-quarter ad sales, a sign that the business is overcoming new limits on tracking mobile users and that online shopping is as popular as ever heading into the holiday season.

Through its search engine, YouTube video service and partnerships across the Web, Google sells more internet ads than any other company.

Demand for its services surged in the past year as the pandemic forced people to spend more time online, and their new habits have persisted.

Google advertising revenue rose 41% to US$53.1 billion during the third quarter. Alphabet's overall sales jumped to US$65.1 billion, above the average estimate of US$63.3 billion among analysts tracked by Refinitiv.

"The consumer shift to digital is real and will continue even as we start seeing people return to stores," said Philipp Schindler, Google's chief business officer.-Nampa/Reuters

Bush encroachment poses challenge and opportunity

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

Bush encroachment is one of the main agricultural challenges in Namibia and is causing massive economic and ecological damage.

It is estimated that more than half of the country’s prime rangeland is affected by the excessive expansion of bush at the expense of other plant species, especially grasses.

Bush encroachment affects 30 to 45 million hectares, which is more than a third of Namibia’s total land

Opportunities for engineers, entrepreneurs and research on biomass utilisation were shared at an event hosted by the Namibian University of Science and Technology (Nust) in Windhoek on Friday.

Researchers presented findings of a three-year project exploring sustainable biomass utilisation.

The Nust project, titled Biomass Utilisation by Sustainable Harvest (BUSH), ran from November 2018 to July 2021.

This project was financed by the GIZ project on Bush Control and Biomass Utilisation (BCBU) to the tune of N$5.3 million.

Opportunity

“While bush encroachment constitutes an immense challenge for Namibia, it also opens significant commercial, as well as unprecedented socio-economic and ecological opportunities,” said Professor Hannes van der Walt, dean of the Faculty of Engineering.

The most significant consequences of bush encroachment are reduced carrying capacity of affected rangelands, groundwater recharge and biodiversity loss, increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and desertification.

Over the past two decades, the Namibian government has been implementing activities tailored to combat bush encroachment.

Job creation

Environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti said as the bush biomass sector grows, they have to ensure that scientific research capacities are built that can support that growth.

“The Nust BUSH project showed that the development of innovative technology in the field of bush biomass utilisation can come from within Namibia for a wide range of value chains that can be taken up now by the private sector to make an economically feasible case,” he said.

Bush thinning can translate to a huge potential for job creation, if the harvesting of biomass is done with small, effective, manual bush thinning tools, rather than with large expensive machines. Consequently, the sub-project ‘Optimisation of Manual Bush Control Methods and Technologies’ has developed a prototype for a trolley-mounted hydraulic cutter.

Evert Strydom, principal investigator of the BUSH project, suggested further research on this cutter so that Namibia will have its own locally produced machinery, developed for its specific conditions, by the country’s own engineers.

“We want it to be easy to manufacture and accessible to everyone.”

Biochar

A sub-project on biochar production, processing and testing, led by Dr Ibo Zimmermann, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Natural Resources and Spatial Sciences, looked at how biochar can create income for farmers and entrepreneurs as well as benefits for crop and rangelands.

The project developed prototypes for stoves that heat water or allow cooking while producing biochar. Ultimately, this can make biochar production accessible to many Namibians.

Biochar can also be instrumental in rangeland restoration and horticulture production. Adding biochar to soils can create housing for beneficial microbes, return minerals and increase water-holding capacity. However, the research showed that these benefits will only be realised in the long term.

Power generation

Furthermore, a techno-economic assessment of bio-gasification technologies based on encroacher bush was conducted.

This technology is highly relevant for electrification of off-grid communities and businesses such as hospitality operations. With gasification, Namibia can develop a powerful renewable energy source.

Based on the assessment of the technology for producing animal feed from bush, project findings can help farmers in their decision of purchasing the appropriate machinery for the production of bush feed.

Research finding showed that Namibian conditions are very challenging and that many imported machines struggle.

It is important for farmers to realise that the costs of running imported machines will be considerably higher than what is noted in the manufacturer’s specifications.

One sub-project looked into the opportunity of producing wood-plastic composites. These are mixtures of thermoplastic polymers and wood pulp.

They can be manufactured in different colours, shapes and sizes and can be used for a wide variety of applications, including windows, door frames, fences, landscaping timbers and furniture.

NAB promotes sale of local fresh produce

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

In an effort to effectively promote the sales of locally produced fruit and vegetables, the Namibia Agronomic Board (NAB), in collaboration with the Namibian Association of Traders in Fresh Produce (NATFP), embarked on implementing eye-catching displays of Namibian fresh produce in grocery shops across the country.

This was aimed at guiding consumers to spot local fresh produce on the shelves when shopping and to subsequently promote the sales of locally produced products in the country.

The NAB says that the eye-catching display initiative is a component of the Namibian Horticulture Market Share Promotion (MSP) Scheme which is being implemented by the NAB with the aim to promote the sale of locally produced horticultural products.

According to the NAB, the initiative was introduced in 2012, but the implementation by traders has been slow and it has lacked uniformity, with each store using its own signage to guide consumers.

Standard signage

“This has in some instances resulted in consumers getting confused and they have not been able to locate Namibian fresh produce on the shelves. Therefore, through collective efforts by the NAB and the NATFP, standard signage was developed and approved by the NAB board for implementation by all shops countrywide.”

In order for the NAB to encourage traders and fast-track the implementation process of this crucial project, all NATFP members are subsidised for the purchasing of the standard signage.

The subsidy entails that the NAB pays the full cost of one shop per trader and if such a trader has more shops, the NAB will only pay N$1 000 per shop.

The NAB says a total of 59 orders have been received and subsidised by the NAB to date, with more orders expected before the end of November.

All shops that are already implementing their own signage are permitted to continue using such signage for a maximum period of six months, after which they are expected to replace the signage with the approved standard signage by March 2022.

To further enhance governance and ensure compliance to this requirement, the NAB’s compliance inspectors will commence with the inspection of shops from effective 1 December and non-compliant shops will be subjected to punitive measures.

SASSCAL’s capacity must be strengthened

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

To build on the achievements of the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptative Land Management (SASSCAL), there is a need to continue strengthening its capacity to make it a more effective and efficient institution.

This will only be possible if member states continue to honour their financial obligations towards the operations of the Institution.

This is according to deputy agriculture minister Anna Shiweda, who was speaking at the opening of the second ordinary meeting of the council of ministers of SASSCAL. The meeting was held virtually.

“We are fully aware that all our national economies are going through difficult and challenging times due to the impact of Covid-19. However, where possible, we should try to find room to accommodate SASSCAL on our priority lists of programmes and projects,” Shiweda said.

At the council’s first meeting, held last year in Windhoek, a resolution was taken to transform SASSCAL into an international organisation.

“According to the treaty, this can only be realised if all member states sign and ratify the treaty. It is, therefore, imperative for us as ministers of SASSCAL to fast-track the process of ratification.”

Climate change

Shiweda further said climate change remains a global challenge.

Given the existential threat of this phenomenon to the environment and humanity, global citizens are left with no other option but to adapt to climate change and find ways to mitigate and minimise its impact.

“For this reason, SASSCAL is a relevant and important institution as it will assist our government to strengthen and fine-tune our policies and strategies to reduce the impact of climate change and climate variability.”

Shiweda added that it crucial for ministers of SASSCAL to continue providing adequate policy guidance and support in order to make it a robust institution in the area of climate change.

She said a stronger SASSCAL would put its member states in a better position to contribute significantly towards the realisation of the objectives of the Paris Declaration on Climate Change, and to the attainment of the targets of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Water management

“Namibia takes note of the progress made, and the achievements attained by SASSACL since its inception. We also appreciate the benefits that member states derived from the SASSACAL programmes and projects so far.”

She highlighted one of the benefits Namibia accrued from the research portfolio, namely the School on Integrated Water Resources Management, which was established at the Namibia University for Science and Technology, and said this would soon be transformed into a Centre of Excellence for the SADC Region.

“I am delighted to announce that the first PhD programme was launched on 11 October. While this school will serve all SASSCAL member states, Namibia is honoured to host it.”

Woman farmer makes her markDefying outdated traditions Agnes ‘Supii’ Tjiramba has been farming in the Gobabis District for 20 years.

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

Agnes ‘Supii’ Tjiramba is a determined full-time farmer who aspires to leave a mark in a male-dominated agriculture industry through her contribution to the country’s food security and job creation.

She is one of Agribank’s Livestock and Post-Settlement Loan beneficiaries.

According to Agribank she was resettled two decades ago on farm Grootrooibelt Unit C in the Gobabis District in the Omaheke Region.

Tjiramba farms mainly with large stock and has ventured into other income-generating activities such as charcoal production, horticulture and aquaculture.

She also plans to add poultry to her farming ventures very soon.

“We have a national duty to feed the nation as resettled farmers now that we have a piece of land, that I may say we got for free from the government, because our payment is close to nothing. We all need to produce,” she says.

Tjiramba says her passion for farming started at a young age when she helped her parents with farm chores. She formally embarked on her farming journey as a subsistence farmer at her grandmother’s homestead when she obtained a livestock loan from Agribank.

She then ventured into commercial farming after she was resettled at her current farm in 1999. Later, she received a post-settlement loan from Agribank, which enabled her to set up systems before becoming a full-time farmer in 2008.

Currently, she has 12 permanent employees, and sometimes she recruits casual workers.

Sustainability

She adopted a rotational grazing system at her farm, where she divided the grazing land into ten camps, with each holding between 80 and 130 head of cattle based on the carrying capacity of the land.

Tjiramba says her venture into charcoal production has drastically improved her rangeland and reduced bush encroachment, and for this reason, she recorded zero livestock deaths during the drought of the year 2019.

Challenges

She says low commitment from her employees and lack of finances to optimise maximum production are some of the challenges she is battling with.

“Being a woman in this male-dominated industry and being from a background where women were not allowed to farm or own land, put me in a disadvantaged position.

“However, I have been, and will continue to push through. I want, when I retire, to be able to write a book about myself as a woman in agriculture.”

She said some of her best experiences in farming include the freedom to think independently, being innovative, being her own boss, and the ability to feed her family and the nation at large.

She advises other women and the youth to consider agriculture as a business opportunity to venture into and to work extra hard to become economically independent. She also appeals to the authorities to enable more women and young people to own land and participate in economic opportunities in farming.

US consumer confidence rebounds in OctStepping up spending The consumer confidence index increased to a reading of 113.8 in October from 109.8 in September. Consumers are more upbeat after a rocky third quarter and this argues for a strong finish for the economy in 2021. Christopher Rupkey, Chief economist: FWDBONDS

LUCIA MUTIKANI

US consumer confidence unexpectedly rose in October as concerns about high inflation were offset by improving labour market prospects, suggesting economic growth was picking up after a turbulent third quarter.

The survey from the Conference Board on Tuesday showed consumers eager to buy a home and big-ticket item such as motor vehicles and major household appliances over the next six months. The share of Americans planning to go on vacation was the largest since February 2020, just before the nation was slammed by the first wave of Covid-19 infections.

A resurgence in coronavirus cases over the summer, driven by the Delta variant, and supply-chain constraints related to the pandemic restrained economic activity last quarter.

"Consumers are more upbeat after a rocky third quarter and this argues for a strong finish for the economy in 2021," said Christopher Rupkey, chief economist at FWDBONDS in New York. "Consumers know the tight labour market has their backs. Those forecasting a recession from the drop in the confidence late in the summer will have to back off that call."

The consumer confidence index increased to a reading of 113.8 this month from 109.8 in September, ending three straight monthly declines. The measure, which places more emphasis on the labour market, remains below its peak of 128.9 in June. The rise contrasted with the University of Michigan's survey of consumers, which showed sentiment falling early this month.

Outlook

The rebound in confidence coincided with an ebb in coronavirus infections. Consumers were upbeat about both current conditions and the short-term outlook. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast that the index would dip to 108.3.

The Conference Board's so-called labor market differential, derived from data on respondents' views on whether jobs are plentiful or hard to get, raced to a reading of 45 this month, the highest in 21 years, from 43.5 in September.

This measure closely correlates to the unemployment rate in the Labor Department's closely watched employment report.

Combined with declining new claims for unemployment benefits, it raises hopes that job gains picked up this month after employers hired the fewest workers in nine months in September. Slower job growth has been blamed on pandemic-related labor shortages. There were 10.4 million job openings at the end of August.

"This is another sign that job growth reaccelerated in October," said Ryan Sweet, a senior economist at Moody's Analytics in West Chester, Pennsylvania."It points toward a decline in the unemployment rate in October."

Stocks on Wall Street were trading mostly higher. The dollar (.DXY) rose against a basket of currencies. US Treasury prices were mixed.

Consumers' inflation expectations over the next 12 months jumped to 7.0%, the highest in 13 years, from 6.5% last month.

Despite perceptions of high inflation, consumers planned to step up spending. Buying intentions for motor vehicles rebounded from a nine-month low. More consumers intended to purchase household appliances like washing machines, television sets and refrigerators over the next six months.

Prices

Some economists speculated that higher prices were forcing consumers to bring forward purchases to avoid paying even more for goods. The rebound suggested consumer spending would regain steam after an apparent sharp deceleration last quarter.

Economists believe the government's snapshot of third-quarter gross domestic product growth on Thursday will likely show that consumer spending stalled last quarter after growing at a robust 12% annualized rate in the April-June period.

With spending weak, third-quarter GDP growth estimates are mostly below a 3% rate. The economy grew at a 6.7% pace in the second quarter. The anticipated slowdown would reflect widespread shortages, including for goods such as motor vehicles and some household appliances, as well as the Delta variant's hit to spending on services like air travel and hotel accommodation.

"Slower growth doesn't imply a weak economy," said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economics in Holland, Pennsylvania. "There is nothing soft about it, at least when it comes to demand."

Consumer spending this quarter is also likely to be boosted by increased demand for travel. The percentage of consumers saying they plan to take a vacation in the next six months increased to 47.6%. That was the highest figure since the pandemic started and was up from 42.3% in September.

They mostly planned trips in the United States and intended to either drive or fly to their destinations.

There was good news on the housing market. In a separate report on Tuesday, the Commerce Department said sales of new single-family homes surged 14.0% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 800 000 units in September. -Nampa/Reuters

Commercial farmers lack support in elephant conflict

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

There is currently no support available to commercial farmers to deal with human-elephant conflict, yet around 400 elephants occur permanently or frequently on commercial farms.

Namibia’s elephant population has increased from 7 000 since independence to an estimated 24 000.

According to the National Elephant and Conservation Plan recently launched by the environment ministry, there are around 60 elephants in the Omatjete area, 200 in the Kamanjab area and up to 100 in the Mangetti and north-eastern Grootfontein areas.

The report said many conflicts involve resettled and commercial farmers who are generally heavily indebted and cannot sustain continuous repairs to fix the damage done by elephants.

“There are indications that some farms have become unusable or that production is scaled down to a part of a farm.”

According to the Overview of Elephant Conservation and Management in Namibia report released by the ministry last week, public consultations held last year indicated that at least 180 freehold farms have been affected by free-moving elephants.

“With about 31% of Namibia’s elephant population and about 65% of the known elephant distribution range occurring outside formally protected areas, primarily on communal and some free-hold land, it is not surprising that one of the major challenges experienced for elephant management in Namibia is human-elephant conflict,” the report read.

This, it said, is experienced through the raiding of crops, disrupting livestock production and occasionally killing livestock, destroying water supplies, demolishing grain stores and houses, injuring and even killing people.

“The costs of such conflict can be significant.”

Food and water

However, the report noted that there is currently no consolidated national database on incidents of human-wildlife conflict or human-elephant conflict so information needed to be extracted from different sources.

“Furthermore, although elephants are responsible for a considerable amount of infrastructure damage, detailed data on this damage is also not available as offset payments for infrastructure are not included in the Human-Wildlife Conflict Self-Reliance Scheme.”

According to the report, elephants mostly come into conflict with humans over food and water, causing losses of crops or damage to infrastructure.

“They are also considered a threat to people’s safety, although data from offset payments made by the environment ministry through the Game Products Trust Fund indicates that elephants account for only 8% of the reported cases of loss of life due to human-wildlife cases.”

Crocs most deadly

Crocodiles are responsible for the majority at 68%, followed by hippos (20%) and leopards at 4%.

Meanwhile, data from the ministry suggests that 97% of crop damage in communal land outside conservancies is caused by elephants.

According to the data, the estimated value of the crop losses, based on the offset values, was more than N$2.1 million in 2018, and more than N$1.7 million in 2019.

ellanie@namibiansun.com

Nearly N$2m for new school blocks ESTER KAMATI

WINDHOEK

The Japanese embassy on Tuesday handed over two classroom blocks to Windhoek-based MH Greef and Bet-El primary schools.

The new school block at MH Greef, to the tune of N$1 040 000, consists of five classrooms and one storeroom. The classroom will be used for grade three learners who had been making use of a container for over 40 years, which has become dilapidated. The school has 1 200 learners, offering pre-primary education up to grade seven.

Bet-El Primary School, located in Katutura, on the same day received to a brand-new classroom block with four classes and a storeroom valued at N$854 000. Each of the classrooms can accommodate up to 40 learners.

The classrooms are all equipped with a chalkboard and chairs and tables, donated by the education directorate in Khomas Region.

The schools each received a 10 000-litre water tank, which they will use for agricultural purposes to fuel their school feeding schemes.

55 schools benefit

At the handover, the Japanese ambassador to Namibia, Hideaki Harada, said funding for the project had been provided through the Japanese Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects, which was established to support relatively small projects which directly impact the well-being of communities at grassroots level.

The two schools formed part of now 55 which have benefitted through this scheme since it was introduced in 1997.

So far, the Japanese embassy has built 51 classrooms in 12 schools in the region.

“I am pleased to witness well-structured school blocks which were built during the Covid-19 lockdown period,” he said.

MH Greef principal George Kandetu said the school is left with a further obligation to build an additional two classrooms, totalling seven in total. “We are currently networking with corporate entities and our parent community to fulfil our obligation.”

Khomas education director Paulus Nghikembua said a classroom is a vehicle to get learners where they want to be in future.

He added: “It’s not about the classroom- how beautiful it is, how conducive it is. It is how well the learners learn when they are in those classrooms”.

He challenged the schools to ensure the provision of quality education.

Meanwhile, MH Greef also inaugurated two classrooms for pre-primary recently, which were constructed by the Namibia Correctional Service. An ablution block, donated by the Namibia Training Authority, is still under construction.

ester@myzone.com.na

Fake qualifications: Swakop Uranium on self-cleanse Only 88% of staff has complied Staff members are expected to submit certified copies of their qualifications and personal documents by no later than 15 November.

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

The Swakop Uranium's Husab mine has embarked on a skills audit which may see a number of staff facing fires if it is found that qualifications were forged. So far, only 88% of staff complied with the exercise since it was rolled out in 2020.

The mine management informed staff this week a total of 178 documents have been processed during the verification process with the education ministry, which kicked off last month.

Staff members are expected to submit certified copies of their qualifications and personal documents by no later than 15 November.

Ebben Zarondo of the Mine Workers Union (MUN) said yesterday they are in the dark about this exercise and only learnt about it through social media.

“There was no formal communication from the regional structure. I will wait until I am informed. If it is done lawfully, there is nothing we can do. I will follow up with the management to hear how it will be conducted, whether it will include all employees or whether only certain employees targeted,” he said.

Best practices

Swakop Uranium’s public relations officer Frieda Abraham confirmed that the exercise is underway, adding that it is part of the company’s efforts to move towards its vision to be a world-class uranium producer, which involves regular reviews of its business systems and compliances.

“Verification of qualifications is a best practice principle within industries. The company has embarked on a process of verifying the authenticity of educational qualifications. At this stage, there is no employee who was dismissed as a result of this verification process.

“Yes, there will be some incidents where employees may be required to produce original documents if verifications are unable to trace certificate or document numbers.

“If any irregularities are reported/verified, the company’s internal disciplinary processes will take its course,” she said.

Abrahams also dismissed claims from employees that this is a clandestine attempt at downscaling company operations without financial implications.

“Swakop Uranium has no intention of downscaling the workforce. The public is encouraged to apply for any vacancy published on the Swakop Uranium postal which they are qualified for.”

jemima@namibiansun.com

Some airlines risk failure due to emissions Shareholder activism Several companies have already announced plans to quickly cut business travel emissions by as much as 70%. The pressure from customers and governments and investors is going to probably demand an acceleration of the journey to net zero. David Wills, Advisory executive: Envest.

JAMIE FREED

Some airlines risk failure if they do not cut carbon emissions quicker in the next three to five years due to a mismatch between short-term corporate travel targets and the airline industry's 2050 net zero target, an industry report said.

Airlines are also at a rising risk of shareholder activism at a time when major fund managers such as BlackRock Inc, Vanguard Group Inc and State Street Corp have publicly expressed concerns about climate change, the report from CAPA Centre for Aviation and Envest Global released on Wednesday said.

"The pressure from customers and governments and investors is going to probably demand an acceleration of the journey to net zero, which is clearly going to put pressure on airlines," said David Wills, advisory executive director at Australian carbon reduction strategy firm Envest.

"The conditions are right for airlines who get it wrong to find themselves in a potential failure situation," he added.

Several companies, such as HSBC Holdings plc, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd, Bain & Company and S&P Global Inc, have already announced plans to quickly cut business travel emissions by as much as 70%.

Qantas Airways Chief Executive Alan Joyce said last week that his airline was developing a 2030 emissions target.

"Our view is that smart airlines will pivot to reinforcing not only 2050 but enhancing their definitive views on 2030, because they will be looking to engage with their corporate customers more," said Brett Mitsch, Envest's executive director of investment.

The CAPA/Envest report found the top quartile of 52 global airlines examined emitted an average of 30% less per passenger kilometre flown in 2019 than those in the bottom quartile.

Low-cost carriers like Wizz Air, Ryanair and AirAsia with newer fleets and higher load factors were among the best performers, while the worst included Turkish Airlines, Japan Airlines Co Ltd and British Airways.

The report said JAL was able to break even with a carbon price of more than US$160 per tonne based on 2019 earnings, whereas many airlines with lower profit margins would have reported a loss at a carbon price of US$30 per tonne. -Nampa/Reuters

Jacob Zuma's application dismissed

A South African judge on Tuesday dismissed an application by former president Jacob Zuma to have the prosecutor in his arms deal corruption trial removed.

Zuma, ousted by the governing African National Congress in 2018, had argued that the prosecutor was biased against him and submitted a "special plea" to the Pietermaritzburg High Court to have him replaced.

The former president, 79, pleaded not guilty to charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering in the long-running case over the 1990s deal for military equipment.

"The special plea is dismissed," Judge Piet Koen said. "It is obviously in the interests of all the parties the accused, the state representing the general public that this matter be resolved as soon as is reasonably possible. It has been hanging around too long."

Zuma was briefly jailed earlier this year for contempt of court for refusing to appear at a separate corruption inquiry, but he was granted medical parole after being hospitalised for an undisclosed condition.

Zuma, whose decade in power was marred by scandals, was at the Pietermaritzburg court to hear whether his application would be granted. Dressed in a dark suit and red tie, he was silent as Koen read out his judgment. Lawyers for the accused and the state retired to discuss when the case could proceed to trial. -Nampa/Reuters

High inflation expectations in UK

The British public’s expectations for inflation over the next year jumped to the highest since 2008 this month, bank Citi said on Tuesday, something the Bank of England will note as it meets to decide whether to raise interest rates next week.

Expectations for inflation over the next 12 months rose to 4.4% in October from 4.1% in September, Citi said, based on its monthly survey with pollsters YouGov, conducted on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22.

But expectations for inflation in five to 10 years’ time dipped to 3.7% from 3.8% in September. Inflation in many countries is on the rise as the global economy reopens from its coronavirus shutdowns.

The BoE’s chief economist, Huw Pill, said last week he thought consumer price inflation in Britain could go above 5%, more than double the BoE’s 2% target, before falling back.

Economists at Citi said the BoE looked at a broad range of indicators when assessing inflation expectation risks and Tuesday’s survey reading on its own was unlikely to increase the pressure for a near-term rate hike.

“However, it is also unlikely to trigger a major dovish re-assessment either, especially with financial market measures continuing to increase,” they said.

Investors are pricing in a rate hike by the BoE on Nov. 4 which would take Bank Rate to 0.25% from its current all-time low of 0.1%. Most economists polled by Reuters think the BoE will wait until early 2022 before moving. -Nampa/Reuters

NWR influencer programme a successInfluencers offered complimentary accommodation, meals and activities “NWR is pleased to have collaborated with the social media influencers. They assisted us in providing insights into our resorts and drove sales from their respective social media followers,” the company’s spokesperson said.

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

Namibia Wildlife Resorts’ (NWR) first-ever social media influencer programme has generated great interest in its establishments.

According to NWR, the programme was supposed to start on 1 July, but due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, it was postponed to 1 August and is ending this month.

It saw the company collaborate with 10 influencers who had the opportunity to visit any five of its establishments under the different classifications offered by NWR.

NWR offered each influencer complimentary accommodation, meals and activities, while they in return created relevant content that was shared on their platforms.

“NWR is pleased to have collaborated with the social media influencers. They assisted us in providing insights into our resorts and drove sales from their respective social media followers. We must equally acknowledge and thank each social media influencer for availing their professional services at no monetary cost. We truly appreciated their understanding, though we recognise that we will have to look at ways of remunerating them in the future,” NWR spokesperson Mufaro Nesongano said.

‘Wonderful journey’

The influencers were also excited to have been part of the journey with NWR.

“Being an influencer for NWR allowed me to explore Namibia to such great lengths. I got to see breathtaking places such as Dolomite, Onkoshi and Sossus Dune Lodge,” Nakanyala Ndapewa said.

Elizma Burger added that travelling with NWR was a wonderful journey for her.

“I had the opportunity not only to experience the beauty of Namibia, but also to meet wonderful people. My trips were wonderful. I certainly created memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

Marsy Rita said being a part of the programme was a privilege.

“Discovering Namibia again during the pandemic made me appreciate what the tourism industry had done and is still doing to keep afloat. The programme was fun, though what was even better was knowing that my posts sparked some interest in Namibia and outside of Namibia.”

Meanwhile, Lourens Gebhardt said his experience visiting the NWR establishments was a memorable one.

“I had the chance to explore the beauty of some NWR facilities. This provided me with the knowledge on how to sell the tourism industry well. I must commend the NWR staff for being so friendly; I will surely visit them again.”

ellanie@namibiansun.com

EDITORIAL: Kudos, Tom Alweendo One of the worst traits within us Namibians is that we barely share in the pains of others. We generally do not give a toss about issues that affect others and not ourselves or our immediate communities.

For perspective, look at the red line issue. People on the northern side of this colonial demarcation are carrying their cross alone – like Jesus on crucifixion day. Namibians look away when the burden is not on their shoulders, just like the people of Judea did to God’s only child.

Another issue is that of genocide. Instead of marching together with the descendants of genocide victims and helping to advance their cause against a powerful foreign nation, we make TikTok videos portraying ourselves as distant cousins of Ovaherero who must thus have a bite at Germany’s sour cherry that is the reparation package. Plain stupid and insensitive.

We thus commend the bravery of mines minister Tom Alweendo who listened to his conscience rather than his stomach and called the reparation package for what it truly is – a dry joke!

Tom is not a descendant of the victims but he understands that this tragedy cuts deeper into the flesh of our oneness and that the scars of those atrocities are glaringly evident on the entire face of Namibia.

Indeed, we must adopt the spirit of Ubuntu. Unlike Cain who asked God “am I my brother’s keeper?” in reference to Abel, we should indeed be the shepherds of our compatriots!

Bank Windhoek's credit rating stableGlobal Credit Rating The rating affirmation balances the Group's solid and entrenched position as a leading financial services provider in Namibia and good asset quality. Despite tough economic challenges in 2021 made even worse by the pandemic, our staff and customers made sure that we navigated the challenging environment together. Claire Hobbs, Chief Treasurer: Bank Windhoek

STAFF REPORTER

Global Credit Rating (GCR), in its recent review of Bank Windhoek, a member of Capricorn Group, affirmed the Namibian long and short-term issuer ratings of Bank Windhoek Limited at AA(NA)/A1+(NA). At the same time, the South African national scale long-term issuer rating has been affirmed at A(ZA). The outlook was assessed as stable.

Bank Windhoek's Chief Treasurer, Claire Hobbs, said that as one of the biggest banks in Namibia leading the market in credit extension, the Bank is proud of the achievement. "Despite tough economic challenges in 2021 made even worse by the pandemic, our staff and customers made sure that we navigated the challenging environment together," said Hobbs.

GCR added that the Bank's growing emphasis on renewable energy and sustainable projects and listing the first Sustainability Bond in the southern African region differentiates it from peers and continued leveraging off its Bond programme and focus on these projects could uplift the business profile assessment for the Environmental Social Governance (ESG) characteristics in the future.

"Backed by its parent company, Capricorn Group, Bank Windhoek's ratings reflect the credit profile of Capricorn Group. The Bank's contribution to the Group's net profit after tax for the 2021 Financial Year of 68 percent and assets of 79 percent is significant," said the review, adding that GCR views it as the Group's core operating entity and flagship brand. GCR further said that the rating affirmation balances the Group's solid and entrenched position as a leading financial services provider in Namibia and good asset quality.

Established in 1996 GCR as the African arm of the New York Stock Exchange, the credit agency has since established itself as the leading rating agency in Africa. GCR has the most extensive rating team in Africa through its local presence in Mauritius, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal, and Zimbabwe. In South Africa, GCR is registered as a Credit Rating Services Provider by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority. GCR is also recognised as an eligible External Credit Assessment Institution (ECAI) by the South African Reserve Bank. It is also a founding member of Europe-based ARC Ratings, registered with the European Securities and Markets Authority.

French consumer confidence falls in Oct

French consumer confidence in October fell back below its long-term average on Wednesday as households fretted about the impact of rising prices on their ability to save in the future.

Six months from a presidential election, the data will be closely watched by the government which has tried in recent weeks to cap energy and electricity prices and help lower income families pay winter heating bills and cope with inflation.

The INSEE official statistics agency said consumer sentiment fell 2 points to 99 in October from 101 in September. Fourteen analysts polled by Reuters had forecast a figure of 101 for the October reading.

Spiralling energy prices have led to a pick-up in inflation in Europe. Prime Minister Jean Castex last week announced a 100 euro grant to help lower income families cushion the pain of rising gas, electricity and gasoline prices.

The grant was on top of an expansion of France's voucher scheme to aid households with their heating costs during cold winter months and curbs on electricity rates.

Even so, some families say they are cutting back on groceries, refuelling their cars less and using the heating more sparingly to make ends meet.

The INSEE data showed a sharp fall (-9 points) in household's confidence in their ability to save and a more moderate dip in sentiment about their future outlook.

On a more positive front for President Emmanuel Macron, consumer concerns about unemployment again fell heavily as the economy bounces back from the Covid-19 pandemic. -Nampa/Reuters