Namibian Sun

Inside the space telescope's control roomJames Webb set for Christmas launch Scientists believe the James Webb Space Telescope will lead to many discoveries "far beyond what we've seen before". I'm most excited about the things that we are not predicting right now. - Klaus Pontoppidan, Science leader: Webb project

Lucie Aubourg - "White-knuckle" - That's how Rusty Whitman describes the month ahead, after the launch of the historic James Webb Space Telescope, now tentatively set for Saturday.

From a secure control room in Baltimore, Maryland, Whitman and his colleagues will hold their breath as Webb comes online. But that's just the beginning.

For the first six months after Webb's launch, Whitman and the team at the Space Telescope Science Institute will monitor the observatory around the clock, making tiny adjustments to ensure it is perfectly calibrated for astronomers across the world to explore the universe.

The most crucial moments will come at the beginning of the mission: the telescope must be placed on a precise trajectory, while at the same time unfurling its massive mirror and even larger sun-shade - a perilous choreography.

"At the end of 30 days, I will be able to breathe a sigh of relief if we're on schedule," said Whitman, flight operations system engineering manager.

He leads the team of technicians who set up Webb's control room - a high-tech hub with dozens of screens to monitor and control the spacecraft.

US$10-BN MACHINE

In the first row, one person alone will have the power to send commands to the US$10 billion machine, which will eventually settle into an orbit over 1.5 million kilometres away.

In other stations, engineers will monitor specific systems for any anomalies.

After launch, Webb's operations are largely automated, but the team in Baltimore must be ready to handle any unexpected issues.

Luckily, they have had lots of practice.

Over the course of a dozen simulations, the engineers practiced quickly diagnosing and correcting malfunctions thought up by the team, as well as experts flown in from Europe and California.

During one of those tests, the power in the building cut out.

"It was totally unexpected," said Whitman. "The people who didn't know - they thought it was part of the plan."

Fortunately, the team had already prepared for such an event: a back-up generator quickly restored power to the control room.

Even with the practice, Whitman is still worried about what could go wrong: "I'm nervous about the possibility that we forgot something. I'm always trying to think 'what did we forget?"

8 760 HOURS

In addition to its job of keeping Webb up and running, the Space Telescope Science Institute - based out of the prestigious Johns Hopkins University - manages who gets to use the pricey science tool.

While the telescope will operate practically 24/7, that only leaves 8 760 hours a year to divvy up among the scientists clamouring for their shot at a ground-breaking discovery.

Black holes, exoplanets, star clusters - how to decide which exciting experiment gets priority?

By the end of 2020, researchers from around the world submitted over 1 200 proposals, of which 400 were eventually chosen for the first year of operation.

Hundreds of independent specialists met over two weeks in early 2021 - online due to the pandemic - to debate the proposals and pare down the list.

The proposals were anonymised, a practice the Space Telescope Science Institute first put in place for another project it manages, the Hubble Telescope. As a result, many more projects by women and early-career scientists were chosen.

"These are exactly the kind of people we want to use the observatory, because these are new ideas," explained Klaus Pontoppidan, the science lead for Webb.

OBSERVATIONS

The time each project requires for observations varies in length, some needing only a few hours and the longest needing about 200.

What will be the first images revealed to the public? "I can't say," said Pontoppidan, "that is meant to be a surprise."

The early release of images and data will quickly allow scientists to understand the telescope's capacities and set up systems that work in lock step.

"We want them to be able to do their science with it quickly," Pontoppidan explained. "Then they can come back and say 'hey - we need to do more observations based on the data we already have.'"

Pontoppidan, himself an astronomer, believes Webb will lead to many discoveries "far beyond what we've seen before."

"I'm most excited about the things that we are not predicting right now."

Before the Hubble launched, no exoplanets - planets that orbit stars outside our solar system - had been discovered. Scientists have since found thousands.

What will the James Webb Space Telescope reveal? – Nampa/AFP

Chips are down in McDonald's Japan

Tokyo - A new kind of chip shortage has hit Japanese supply chains, with McDonald's forced to ration fries in the country as Covid-19 and floods in Canada squeeze potato imports.

McDonald's Japan said it will only sell small-sized French fries for a week from today to avoid shortages.

"Due to large-scale flooding near the Port of Vancouver ... and the global supply chain crunch caused by the coronavirus pandemic, there are delays in the supply of potatoes," it said in a statement.

The company said it has taken the measure to ensure that customers can still order fries, even though the "stable procurement of resource materials" is proving difficult.

The restriction comes during the busy year-end period, with schools and offices beginning to close for the holidays.

It will also be in place on Christmas Day - commonly celebrated in Japan with a hearty serving of another US fast-food behemoth, Kentucky Fried Chicken, which is heavily marketed around the festive period.

Meanwhile, a pandemic-fuelled global microchip shortage continues to plague auto giants including Japan's Toyota, which has announced production cuts due to the crisis and supply chain issues in Southeast Asia. – Nampa/AFP

Soweto's ice cream vendor keeps generations smiling

Soweto - The melody of Sipho Mtshali's ice cream van has drawn hordes of Soweto children since South Africa's violent apartheid years, flocking to lap up creamy, soft servings.

Decades later, Mtshali is still going strong.

Now 63, Mtshali says he has worked "Monday to Monday" for the past 45 years, driving through the hilly township that spawned South Africa's first black president, Nelson Mandela.

Even during the violent liberation struggle that rocked Soweto during the 1970s, he stayed the course.

Only the winter weather occasionally stops him.

"If it's cold, you get the rest," said the native of Soweto, where students rose up against white-minority rule in 1976.

But politics have never been Mtshali's thing.

"I have seen people grow up from the ice cream car," he said, noting that prices were lower during apartheid, which officially ended in 1994.

Today he charges R8 for a swirly serving of strawberry or vanilla.

Add a couple of rand for a sprinkle of hundreds-and-thousands or another crunchy topping.

LIFELONG CALLING

Mtshali fondly recalls the round baby faces of his first customers, now adults, who today send their children to his van, coins in hand.

"They were young when we started," he said, serving some people directly through their car windows.

Under a bright summer sun, Mtshali drives slowly past small, identical, brick and iron-roofed houses built for black labourers on the outskirts of Johannesburg during apartheid.

He has to cut the engine to switch on his Italian ice cream machine.

"Can't do both at the same time," he muttered, blades churning in the background.

The small technical glitch does not dent his passion for the smiles he generates.

"As long as I'm alive I'm gonna do it," he said. "Everybody is happy with ice cream."– Nampa/AFP

Keeping it real I have to admit, when I conceptualised this edition, one of my main concerns was leaving out notable achievements. Even with the pandemic, a lot happened in the arts and entertainment space this year, and it is practically impossible to summarise it all in a four-pager.

So, after some reflection, I had to really remember why I am here, and I also had to re-evaluate my responsibilities and loyalties.

In case you’re not aware, this industry is very small. A few calls from the right people and you could be ‘cancelled’. So, there was some level of risk connected with the execution of this tjil awards concept, but I gladly took it on.

I had to realise that my biggest responsibility is to the readers - the fans of culture and the people who care enough to buy our content, attend shows, buy CDs, stream and purchase music on digital platforms as well as those who retweet posters and even tolerate the not-so-good things our beloved creatives spew out into the world sometimes.

Doing a wrap-up edition of tjil was about more than just creating an edition that will get people talking - it was an obligation. Because what is art if it is not criticised, applauded and debated?

In this edition, I acknowledge and applaud Namibian creatives for the content they served us this year. Naturally, with a concept of this kind, I anticipate readers to have opinions on the categories I went for and the creatives I identified. But that is the point of this edition, to open up conversation and review where we went right and wrong.

I would also like to applaud fans of the local entertainment industry for the continuous support offered to our creatives this year. From music, fashion, content creation and lifestyle. The same applause goes to creatives, who despite the uncertainty brought by the pandemic still continued to entertain us. Covid-19 has changed the way we do things, and once again I applaud the industry as a whole for adapting to the new normal. As much as the pandemic slowed us down in terms of progress, it also gave birth to concepts that thrive within new regulations, such as online shows.

To our loyal readers, thank you for your continuous love and support. I wish you a happy Christmas and a prosperous new year.

michael@namibiansun.com; @MichaelMKAY on Twitter

Albums of the year Battle of the catalogues This was the year Namibian music truly produced volumes of work like never before. Here are some of the best cuts from a momentous 12 months.

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

WINDHOEK

Grey – Waters

One of the artists who worked the hardest this year, Waters released an EP and an album. Besides his unquestionable talent, what contributed to this body of work standing out was the rollout plan. He had private listening sessions with key industry people who endorsed the album before it came out. Because he was one of the artists frequently booked this year, this gave him a chance to perform songs from the album as well, and Namibia responded positively.

Messiah – Gazza

Gazza once again changed the way music is commercially released in Namibia with his 2021 album ‘Messiah’. Partnering with KFC Namibia for the rollout of the album, he gave us something that has never been done before.

The highly anticipated offering is packed with 16 songs and boasts features from Blacksheep, Lioness, SheCantGo, Nurangere and more. In a music climate dominated by amapiano, it’s commendable that he chose to be different and not ride that wave.

Ghetto Love – TopCheri and Manxebe

TopCheri and Manxebe are frequent collaborators so it came as no surprise that the two decided to record a joint album. The project spawned the hit songs ‘Ethandje’, ‘Komesho’ and ‘Happy’. It’s also worth noting that the collaborative project was released under PAC Music and Vuma Music, imprints owned by TopCheri and Manxebe respectively.

Die Hele Box – Exit and Samuele Ngodji

In an industry filled with egos, it was refreshing to see that Namibians embraced the spirit of working together, and joint albums were a phenomenon. Veteran kwaito artists Exit and Samuele Ngodji partnered up once again to demonstrate that we are stronger together. The album trended online and it was one of the top selling offerings of the year.

Katutura’s Favourite Son – Cassidy Karon

For his second solo album, Cassidy Karon aimed for his usual thought-provoking impact and continued to embrace his beloved Katutura. In 2021, it’s hard to pinpoint another hip-hop album in Namibia that has managed to make people of Katutura be proud of where they are from like Karon managed with this album. Not limiting his sound to hip-hop, the project is heavily influenced by kwaito, an element critics attribute to the album’s relatability.

Events of the year

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

WINDHOEK

From fashion shows to online music shows, Namibian event organisers were once again challenged to think outside the box this year in order to continue having events that could thrive under Covid-19 regulations.

Below are some events that stood out this year - from their turnout, stage designs and overall buzz the spectacles created.

MTC Windhoek Fashion Week

The sixth edition of MTC Windhoek Fashion Week was definitely the biggest fashion show hosted in the country, and fashion enthusiasts flocked to Maerua Mall to celebrate Namibian fashion designers and their creations. The show also featured designers from other African countries. The organisers pulled out all stops to demonstrate the growth of Namibian fashion.

Hunter’s tjil Sessions

Namibian Sun’s tjil and Hunter’s Namibia partnered up for a live music show that gave a platform to 14 performing artists. The show had eight episodes in total and was broadcasted live on Namibian Sun’s Facebook page. Due to regulations, the show was only open to the public twice when regulations permitted.

Katutura Fashion Week

The third annual Katutura Fashion Week took place on 26 and 27 November and featured some of the best upcoming fashion designers from the College of the Arts (Cota). The two-day event was hosted at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre, and boasted a good turnout. We cannot wait for next year’s event. The emerging Cota students really got next.

EDITORIAL: What a year… 2021 gave us a taste of the good, the bad and the ugly life has to offer. From job losses and suicides to corruption, gender-based violence and other social ills, it is surely our hope that 2022 will be a better year for us all.

Like all other industries, this was not an easy year for the domestic press corps as far as sustaining operations was concerned. But the biggest challenge was certainly the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many would agree that 2021 was a test of character for the media. As frontline workers, we were thrown into the deep end by having to balance between doing our jobs and protecting ourselves from the virus.

It is heart-warming to be able to confidently say that the media placed their heads on the Covid-19 chopping block to ensure that the industry continues to entertain, inform and educate the nation.

As usual, the media drew both positive and negative criticism for its reporting. As an industry, we will be the first to admit that more needs to be done to develop the industry into a system that enjoys the trust of the public. Only then can we talk about true media freedom.

On the upside, it is an open secret that our media industry has over the years been a vanguard as far as protecting public resources is concerned. This is proven by the number of high-profile corruption and fraud cases that were exposed by journalists - some of which never would have seen the light of day otherwise.

With 2021 almost out of the way, we wish all Namibians a restful festive season. May we recharge our batteries to face whatever 2022 has in store head-on.

2021 in visualsThe year through a lens In 2021, Namibia confronted the second year of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic that resulted in too many deaths and inhumane burial protocols. This while President Hage Geingob’s State of the Nation Address ended in chaos and manhandling. Namibian Sun editors selected some of the most dramatic images from an unforgettable...

OGONE TLHAGE

WINDHOEK

The year 2021 provided many uncertainties, and was full of news events that shocked, angered and, in some cases, cheered up Namibians.

While many would argue that the bad outweighed the good, many lessons can be drawn from how we navigated the stormy waters of 2021.

While Covid-19 hogged media headlines daily, the uncertainty brought by the pandemic gave many people sleepless nights. Photojournalists had their cameras flashing non-stop throughout the year, with newsmakers providing enough material to savour. A wise man once said “a picture tells a thousand words”. The following collection of shots captured during 2021 sums up the year through the camera lens.

Gambia seeks to diversify tourism sector Stuck in pandemic doldrums Business in The Gambia is beginning to crawl back to life this year, but it remains vulnerable. We had no tourism season last year. - Adama Njie, Marketing director: Gambian Tourism Board.

Laurent Lozano - On a beach outside a luxury hotel near Banjul, the sun loungers lie empty beneath the palm trees and straw parasols, and the waves roll in undisturbed by bathers.

The smallest country in Africa, The Gambia promises sunshine and good times in abundance, but its major clientele - holidaymakers fleeing the chill in Britain - have stayed away.

The tourist season should have hit its stride in October, but business has been hit for the second year running by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This is a typical Gambian beach," says Malleh Sallah, boss of the four-star 140-room Tamala Hotel, his arms outstretched.

Before the virus came, he says, the beach was full.

Today, just one Ivorian and a Dutch couple are there to contemplate the Atlantic. Away from the sand, there are more visitors in the restaurant and by the swimming pool.

A sliver of land about 480 kilometres long surrounded by Senegal, The Gambia is one of the poorest countries in the world.

Its economy depends deeply on tourism, with the industry accounting for over 15% of national GDP in 2019, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

‘SMILING COAST’

Most tourists, attracted by long white beaches and its English-speaking population, have traditionally come from former colonial master Britain. The country pitches itself as "The Smiling Coast," for its welcoming people.

But virus-related travel restrictions have wreaked havoc on the crucial sector, prompting the government to try to lure visitors from other countries, including from within Africa.

Tourist arrivals fell from 235 000 in 2019 to below 90 000 in 2020, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says. Some 19% of businesses in all sectors across The Gambia folded.

The tourism industry had already begun to struggle in 2019 after the collapse of British tour operator Thomas Cook.

But the following year was a job killer.

"The hotel industry was dead," says Sallah.

"We had no tourism season last year," says Adama Njie, marketing director at the Gambian Tourism Board.

Tourism minister Hamat Bah told AFP the country lost some 200 000 jobs during the pandemic, which also led to an uptick in crime.

About 20 000 people - nearly one percent of the Gambian population - also fell into extreme poverty, the IMF says.

SLOWLY PICKING UP

Business is beginning to crawl back to life this year, but it remains vulnerable.

Sallah is a co-owner of the Djeliba Leisure Group, which has five hotels. Of a thousand people employed before the pandemic, just one in four have kept their jobs, he said.

Three of the group's hotels, which closed for seven months during the pandemic, had recently re-opened their doors, a sign of progress. The Tamala is 70% occupied, although at peak season, it is usually full.

Njie said that across the nation, turnover in the tourism was about a third of the level it once was but was slowly picking up.

Part of The Gambia's new strategy is to attract visitors from elsewhere in Africa, such as neighbouring Senegal, or Nigeria and Ghana, which are less affected by travel restrictions.

The shift in emphasis appears to be bearing fruit. Sallah said that 80% of occupied rooms were currently filled with West African guests.

CHANGING PROFILE

Michael Assade Akouo, the Ivorian guest at his hotel, told AFP he had travelled to The Gambia for work, but wanted to discover the country while he was there, complimenting its "beautiful beaches".

The typical European tourist appears to be changing too. Dutch, and to a lesser extent German visitors, are beginning to replace the British, Njie said.

With just over 10 000 confirmed Covid cases recorded since the start of the pandemic, travelling to The Gambia is perceived as safe.

But Njie warned tourism's recovery would depend both on how The Gambia continues to combat the pandemic, and on how other countries respond to new virus variants.

"What comes [next] will be dictated by what Covid will bring," he said. – Nampa/AFP

From Namibia to the worldPushing the vision The duo had the country’s music scene in a chokehold this year with their catchy songs, complemented with a creative explosion of videos.

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

WINDHOEK

In 2021, Namibia yearned for a rebirth. A change of some sort, from a devastating pandemic that had us questioning everything, including this thing of ours – show business.

The way business is conducted in entertainment has changed and the Namibian music industry needed new ambassadors, or at least an alternative profile to choose from. And more importantly, Namibia needed to smile again.

We had lost the ability to celebrate little successes. Within the panic and uncertainty, something was brewing at Andrew on the Beat’s studio, and Ethnix Namibia was creating soundtracks for Namibian music consumers for different occasions.

Made up of Page and Etjo, the duo’s ability to paint that so vividly with their first single of 2021, ‘Ohole So Nice’, secured them the nation’s attention immediately. And from there, they took us on the path we should have taken from the very start.

Many musicians do not quite understand the burden of defining a new era, of being a game changer. The need to challenge the status quo is perhaps why it took Ethnix Namibia such a long time to make sense or appeal to the masses.

But they understood the importance of breaking out and standing alone - beyond just being musicians, but as individuals.

Their music is an organic expression of their unique perspective on life.

Investing time and resources

When the duo released their debut album ‘Made In Namibia’, major labels and corporates didn’t show them love from the onset, but that did not discourage them from investing time and resources in their art and growing their fan base.

This year, they set the tone with ‘Ohole So Nice’ and right after they released their second single, ‘Open Up’. Without any major label or corporate backing, the song became the biggest Namibian track of 2021, eventually garnering over 1.3 million views on YouTube.

In a conversation with tjil, Page said he attributes the duo’s success in 2021 to hard work, dedication and the passion to push the vision as far as possible.

“We also attribute our success to a manager who knows what they are doing and our producer, Andrew On the Beat,” he said, adding that his highlights from their 2021 achievements are scoring a feature with South African duo Blaq Diamond and travelling to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban for private house parties hosted by Russian Bear.

New year, new music

Etjo echoed his sentiments, adding that the opportunity that came with the Russian Bear victory was her highlight as well.

“The trip to South Africa was definitely a stand out. I learnt a lot and the experience was epic,” she said.

The duo confirmed that they are working on their second studio album.

While they couldn’t disclose many details, they hinted that it might be released during the first quarter of 2022.

From Namibia to the worldPushing the vision The duo had the country’s music scene in a chokehold this year with their catchy songs, complemented with a creative explosion of videos. MICHAEL KAYUNDE

WINDHOEK

In 2021, Namibia yearned for a rebirth. A change of some sort, from a devastating pandemic that had us questioning everything, including this thing of ours – show business.

The way business is conducted in entertainment has changed and the Namibian music industry needed new ambassadors, or at least an alternative profile to choose from. And more importantly, Namibia needed to smile again.

We had lost the ability to celebrate little successes. Within the panic and uncertainty, something was brewing at Andrew on the Beat’s studio, and Ethnix Namibia was creating soundtracks for Namibian music consumers for different occasions.

Made up of Page and Etjo, the duo’s ability to paint that so vividly with their first single of 2021, ‘Ohole So Nice’, secured them the nation’s attention immediately. And from there, they took us on the path we should have taken from the very start.

Many musicians do not quite understand the burden of defining a new era, of being a game changer. The need to challenge the status quo is perhaps why it took Ethnix Namibia such a long time to make sense or appeal to the masses.

But they understood the importance of breaking out and standing alone - beyond just being musicians, but as individuals.

Their music is an organic expression of their unique perspective on life.

Investing time and resources

When the duo released their debut album ‘Made In Namibia’, major labels and corporates didn’t show them love from the onset, but that did not discourage them from investing time and resources in their art and growing their fan base.

This year, they set the tone with ‘Ohole So Nice’ and right after they released their second single, ‘Open Up’. Without any major label or corporate backing, the song became the biggest Namibian track of 2021, eventually garnering over 1.3 million views on YouTube.

In a conversation with tjil, Page said he attributes the duo’s success in 2021 to hard work, dedication and the passion to push the vision as far as possible.

“We also attribute our success to a manager who knows what they are doing and our producer, Andrew On the Beat,” he said, adding that his highlights from their 2021 achievements are scoring a feature with South African duo Blaq Diamond and travelling to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban for private house parties hosted by Russian Bear.

New year, new music

Etjo echoed his sentiments, adding that the opportunity that came with the Russian Bear victory was her highlight as well.

“The trip to South Africa was definitely a stand out. I learnt a lot and the experience was epic,” she said.

The duo confirmed that they are working on their second studio album.

While they couldn’t disclose many details, they hinted that it might be released during the first quarter of 2022.

The Covid-19 ArmageddonThe good, bad and the ugly of 2021 It’s been a year like no other. But despite the challenges, the past 12 months have also seen big wins for the culture, sports, human rights and environment sectors – and even health, to a certain extent.

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

The year 2021 will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the worst ever, and for many families who lost loved ones as the third wave of Covid-19 raged, this year came right out of the pits of hell. But all was not doom and gloom as Namibia finally clinched her first Olympic medal since 1996 when teenager Christina Mboma kicked dust into the eyes of experienced athletes in Tokyo. Then there was the parliament scuffle that saw Landless People’s Movement deputy leader Henny Seibeb dragged out of Parliament as well as slapped by a female MP. Namibian Sun’s 2021 timeline gives you a glimpse into one hell of a year.

January

7 January: Former defence minister Peter Vilho ducks questions about a questionable N$200 million payment from the ministry to its company August 26.

26 January: In an affidavit, leading lawyer Sisa Namandje told the ACC that he did not know of Fishcor’s N$15 million until December 2019, after the Fishrot scandal had come to the fore.

28 January: Former attorney-general Sacky Shanghala, who is in jail awaiting trial for the Fishrot bribery scandal, has demanded that the State pay his legal costs on the basis that he was acting in his official capacity.

February

3 February: Businesswoman Ally Angula was dragged to court over N$800 000 she owed her friend, First Lady Monica Geingos.

11 February: Cabinet approves Air Namibia’s liquidation to ensure the airline does not fall in the hands of Belgium’s Challenge Air.

11 February: Nudo president Utjiua Muinjangue says she is aware of a plot to unseat her, claiming it was because she is a woman.

March

3 March: The prosecutor-general Martha Imalwa has seized assets belonging to the Fishrot accused, including former justice minister Shanghala’s engagement ring.

3 March: “Ek sal jou moer [I will beat you up]. Let’s go outside. You don’t know me,” Landless People’s Movement’s Henny Seibeb challenges environment minister Pohamba Shifeta to fist fight outside chambers.

19 March: Namibia’s kicks off its Covid-19 vaccination campaign.

April

1 April: President Hage Geingob summoned defence minister Vilho to explain his undeclared bank account in Hong Kong.

9 April: Embattled former defence minister Vilho steps down after being relieved of his duties for alleged corrupt activities.

15 April: The National Assembly broke into pandemonium during President Geingob’s State of the Nation Address, during which the presidential head of security Johan Ndjaronguru manhandled and carried LPM’s Seibeb from the chambers.

May

18 May: Two managers from NIPDB travelled to Dubai only to attend virtual meetings from their hotel rooms.

24 May: LPM leader Bernadus Swartbooi said there appears to be a well-coordinated agenda to paint his party as tribalist.

28 May: Germany officially recognises the Nama and Ovaherero genocide and offers to pay financial aid worth N$18.4 billion.

June

2 June: State hospitals ran out of oxygen supplies

14 June: Swapo co-founder Mburuma Kerina succumbs to Covid-19.

16 June: Nam surpasses India as Covid infections soar

18 June: Ovaherero Traditional Authority paramount chief Vekkui Rukoro succumbs to Covid-19.

24 June – Namibia runs out Covid-19 vaccine doses.

July

5 July: The OTA overturned the planned burial of the late Kerina at the Ovaherero Burial Shrine, arguing that the site is reserved for paramount chiefs.

21 July: The Supreme Court heard the case in which LPM’s Swartbooi and Seibeb challenged their suspension from the National Assembly.

August

3 August: Christine Mboma scooped silverware at the 2021 Toyo Olympics, Namibia’s first Olympic medal since 1996.

4 August: Supreme Court returns Swartbooi and Seibeb to parliament

17 August: Former Cabinet minister and veteran Swapo politician Kazenambo Kazenambo died.

31 August: Runaway chairperson of the land-grabbing Namibian Land Occupancy Movement Kennedy Kandjii said he wants to grab land in Europe and Dubai.

22 August: Chanique Rabe crowned Miss Supranational 2021

September

2 September: Nama chiefs decline caucus meetings with a Swapo delegation assigned to sell Germany’s controversial reparation package to communities.

3 September: Disgraced former fisheries minister Bernhardt Esau and his wife Swamma resisted an attempt by PG Imalwa to seize his nearly N$2 million worth of pension pay-outs.

23 September: FNB Namibia pulled the plug on clients with links to Fishrot.

October

4 October: LPM’s Seibeb laid an assault charge against Swapo parliamentarian and deputy finance minister Maureen Hinda for allegedly slapping him in parliament.

11 October: President Geingob summons higher education minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi to explain allegations implicating her in the dishing out of scholarships to Malaysian university Limkokwing.

13 October: High Court declares surrogate child of same-sex couple a Namibian citizen.

November

8 November: Fishrot accused Shanghala asks for bail, claiming he has asthma.

10 November: All People’s Party president Ignatius Shixwameni died after collapsing at the parliament building.

11 November: South Africa's last white president, FW de Klerk, died.

27 November: Namibia Pride Week kicks off in Windhoek.

December

16 December: Fishrot accused Ricardo Gustavo pays N$800 000 bail in cash and goes home.

14 December: Factions within OTA at loggerheads over Mutjinde Katjiua’s appointment as paramount chief designate.

15 December: Stinkwater community tried to hunt down the alleged rapist and murderer of Lydia !Khariseb.

Exam leak masterminds nabbed

TUYEIMO HAIDULA

OSHAKATI

A teacher and a University of Namibia (Unam) student were arrested in Windhoek on Wednesday evening in connection with the leak of Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate final examination papers for grades 11 and 12.

They have been charged with contravening the Education Act 16 of 2001.

A teacher at Windhoek Technical High School, Maria Toivo (47) had been responsible for converting question papers to Braile since 2007, and was allegedly the mastermind behind the exam leak. She was arrested alongside Namutenya Hamukuto (26).

The two are set to appear in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court today. They have been remanded in custody.

Clementine Tsumis-Garises, the director of national examinations and assessments at the education ministry, said this is the most severe case of leaked exams to date.

- tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

PM preaches hope as 2022 beckons

MATHIAS HAUFIKU

WINDHOEK

Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila says Namibians endured a difficult year, but urged that “the challenges we face should not discourage us, but should rather spur us to greater action”.

She said this yesterday while responding to Namibian Sun questions about the work of government during 2021 as well as its outlook for 2022.

She urged Namibians to make use of the opportunities available and march into the new year with determination to make it a better year by joining hands to fight Covid-19 and rebuild the economy.

“The year was indeed one of the most difficult, as our country faced the twin challenges of the Covid pandemic and a drought, which have caused loss of lives and livelihoods for Namibians, thus eroding the socio-economic progress that we have made through great efforts over the years,” she said.

She added that Covid-19 and drought response interventions strained government expenditure and exacerbated the already-deteriorated fiscal position caused by several years of an economic downturn.

Highlights

Asked about government’s highlights for the year, the PM responded: “The government has responded to safeguard lives and livelihoods through investments in health and welfare programmes, while supporting businesses to protect jobs and promote economic recovery and national resilience to external shocks”.

She also mentioned that important reforms are being pursued to improve management of public enterprises, reduce the government wage bill, improve efficiency and effectiveness of public sector services and improve public sector accountability and transparency.

She also touched on government’s welfare programmes that have over the years served as a source of livelihood to many impoverished.

“Our welfare programmes are a part of the government development strategy which is premised on human-centered development. Efforts, therefore, continue in order to strengthen government social programmes to improve their focus and impact, while promoting their sustainability.”

Resilience

“Covid has also amplified the importance of resilience-building to reduce reliance on imports, as well as the need to optimise digitalisation to improve public service delivery and promote economic growth. We shall draw from the lessons learnt in this regard and leverage on the achievements thus far,” she pointed out.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila also urged the private sector to pull in one direction with government “in the spirit of Harambee to bring about the shared prosperity in our country”.

“Government policies are geared to create a conducive environment for private sector-led growth and to support the development of our human resources to realise their full potential to drive economic growth and development through, amongst others, the promotion of macro-economic stability, effective public sector governance, promoting innovation and supportive business policies,” she said.

The country offers vast opportunities for investment, the PM said, adding that residents should identify and harness the opportunities to set up local industries and engage in innovation and value addition to ensure that we realise prosperity in Namibia for Namibians.

“Businesses should also partner with government to help bring about a more equal society by investing in the welfare and development of our communities, thus ensuring that no one is left behind in the Namibian house, and empowering the communities whose custom prospers our businesses,” she said.

It's a wrap!

Market Watch thanks all its readers, advertisers and partners for their support in 2021. We wish you a blessed and safe festive season. The next issue of Market Watch is on Tuesday, 4 January 2022. Photo Nampa/AFP

Tough commodities year for NamStronger dollar brakes cash-in Namibia’s gain from the recent surge in commodity prices was offset by the strengthening of the exchange rate which led to low export volumes.

Staff reporter – Healthier global appetite boosted commodity prices in the first 10 months of 2021, but a stronger Namibia dollar hampered the country to fully reap the advantage of the international recovery.

The local currency strengthen by 12.7% to N$14.60 against the greenback during the period, negatively affecting exports receipts and volumes of all Namibia’s commodity exports, particularly uranium and gold, the Bank of Namibia (BoN) said in its latest Quarterly Bulletin.

Namibia’s only two uranium mines currently in operation, Rössing Uranium and Husab, continued to benefit from contractual prices that remained above the prevailing spot prices, the central bank said. For the year till end-October, the average international uranium spot price increased by 12% to US$33.56 per pound.

However, the BoN said, the spot price was significantly below the subsidised average contract prices that the two local mines are getting from the foreign shareholders.

“Uranium production is not low cost and the average operating costs at the uranium mines has also exceeded the spot price in recent years. Thus, the differential between the spot and contract prices has largely allowed the currently operating mines to break even and has not been associated with profitability,” it added.

According to the BoN, this has been a key factor behind some of the mines – Langer Heinrich, Trekkopje, Etango and Valencia - remaining under care and maintenance.

The bank added: “Furthermore, most of the domestic uranium production is sold to China due to the vertical integration of local mines in the structures of the parent companies that have nuclear reactors. China’s demand for uranium is strategic in nature and mainly focuses on security of supply.”

URANIUM OUTLOOK

Looking ten years ahead from October 2021, the long-term uranium prices have increased to around US$43.00 per pound, the BoN said. However, this is still not enough for the mines that are currently under care and maintenance to return to operation.

“While long-term uranium prices closely mirrored the developments in the spot prices in the past, uranium prices are expected to trend upwards as energy firms are set to phase down coal usage. In addition, China plans to build up to 150 new nuclear reactors over the next 15 years, while Japan plans to put 30 reactors back to activity to meet emission goals,” the BoN said.

However, the central bank pointed out, the four mines mentioned above will remain under care and maintenance until the uranium price recovers to any price above US$55 per pound as they are very sensitive to changes in prices due to their low-grade ore.

DIAMONDS

The diamond industry was severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic during 2020 but has recovered throughout 2021.

“De Beers International continues to report a recovery in demand for rough diamonds as well as prices on the back of a recovery in demand from key markets such as China and the United States,” the BoN said.

The average implicit prices for Namibia’s diamonds rose by 23.5% to US$418 per carat during the first ten months of 2021 relative to the same period last year.

The BoN said the holiday season celebrations as well as the Chinese New Year is expected to support the recovery in diamond demand going into the last months of 2021 as well as the first quarter of 2022.

“Namibia is expected to benefit from higher prices as production is expected to recover on the back of the new diamond recovery vessel which is expected to add an additional 500 000 carats to the annual output going forward,” it said.

GOLD

Gold prices began to rise during the first quarter of 2020, with the highest price since 2009 recorded during the third quarter of 2020. Fold prices rose by 2.7% to US$1 789 per fine ounce during the first 10 months of 2021 relative to the same period last year.

“Namibian gold mines benefited from the surge in gold prices as the prices closely tracked the international gold prices,” the BoN said.

“It is worth noting that the surge in gold prices have stabilised and have begun to fall since the record highs observed during third quarter of 2020. This was as result of lower demand for gold as a safe haven coupled with the appreciation of the US dollar since the third quarter of 2020,” it added.

“Going forward, changes in international gold prices are subject to the global vaccination rate as well as the potential benefit from the negative impact that the Omicron variant might have on the global economy and the associated uncertainty,” the BoN said.

ZINC

Zinc prices recovered in the first ten months of 2021 from their lows in 2020, supported by the weaker US dollar, and huge fiscal stimulus in advanced economies, according to the BoN.

The BoN pointed out that the implicit prices of the locally produced zinc are much lower than international prices. This could be attributable to the fact that the international spot prices are likely to be for refined zinc while Namibia exports zinc concentrates, it elaborated.

Supplemented by recovery in Peru and Bolivia, and supply increase expected in 2022 from Brazil, China, India, Kazakhstan and Mexico, global supply of zinc will increase in 2022, it said.

“The World Bank is projecting that the average spot price for zinc will fall to US$2 400 per metric ton in 2022, down from the estimated US$2 700/t at the end of 2021,” according to the BoN.

Coast comes alive in December From Christmas Cup to fishing In our first edition of the year, Namibian Sun takes a look at some of the sport activities that took place at the coast during the festive season.

ERONGO

Swakopmund Christmas Cup

The annual SFC X-Mas Cup soccer tournament at Swakopmund once again lived up to expectations.

The event is known as the oldest competition of its kind on Namibian soil. This year’s edition, hosted once again by the Swakopmund Football Club (SFC), produced four days of 40 action-packed matches with 131 goals scored.

Seven teams competed in the League Division and 10 teams, divided into two groups of five each, competed in the Social Division of the 65th edition of this popular tournament that allows both amateur and professional footballers to showcase their skills on the SFC grounds.

The event also offers an opportunity for soccer teams from all over the country to showcase their skill in the off-season, and it promotes soccer.

Atlantis defeated SFC I with 2-1 in the final, and clinched the League Division, while Libertas defeated SFC Social in a sudden-death penalty shoot-out and won the Social Division.

Both finals produced some entertaining football. Neither of the teams could manage to find the back of the net in the first half of the League Division final.

Atlantis, which boasted three Elven Arrows and three Blue Waters stalwarts, however came out blazing in the second half.

A goal by Angelo Kuezi took SFC I completely by surprise with Prince Jossop adding a second goal for Atlantis when play resumed. Leighton McGulty converted a penalty for SFC I.

Referee Apollo Lungameni pointed to the spot after a foul on Ensley Gariseb in the box in the dying moments of the game.

“This is a proud moment for us. We have been trying to win this trophy for the past four years. We train at Atlantis and asked the club to enter us as a team into this year’s competition. Team spirit and experience ensured that we emerged as champions. Football is still on hold so we will see what next year holds for us, but we will be back. It was a great tournament,” said Luther Humphries, the Sparta captain and goalkeeper.

Angling bonanza

For most of the morning on the day of the 34th Penguin Angling Club angling bonanza held at Henties Bay, the heaviest fish was Johannes Hattingh’s 14.4 kg kabeljou he caught at Canopy. It was also the first fish to be weighed in on Sunday for the competition and signalled an impressive start to the bonanza.

Most of the first fish to be brought to the scales at the Henties Bay Sports Club, where the bonanza’s main activities were set, were large kabeljou. The impression was that this year’s N$20 000 bonanza fish would go to a kabeljou – and for three hours it seemed that kabeljou was Hattingh’s.

Entered Terrance Peterson with his 18.195 kg steenbras caught at Mile 87. When it was hung as leading fish, and noted on the leaderboard, it stayed in this position until Peterson’s steenbras was hailed this year’s ‘bonanza’ fish, earning the angler N$20 000.

He caught it early, with his second cast of the day. His first cast, baited with octopus and pilchard, landed him only a small sand crab. Once he removed it, his second cast produced the winner.

“That was when this little bull took it. It feels fantastic and I am overwhelmed. I take part with the fish that won because we thought it would be the kabeljou that takes the prize, but it was the steenbras,” he told Erongo, adding that the competition was getting tough and that “the anglers were starting to chew their nails when they saw the competing fish hanging at the weighing station.

All the winners’ fish were donated to the Henties Bay old-age home.

Christo van der Merwe of King Price insurers, who was the main sponsor of the event, said they were very proud to be the sponsors at this year’s event.

“It was a great opportunity for our company, and the anglers did great in reeling in great fish. People have been stuck at home most of the time due to Covid, but this year was a time to get to the fishing waters and enjoy the competition,” he said.

Jetty Mile

Max Betts (19) is the new Pupkewitz Jetty Mile champion. He finished the 15th edition of the open-water race of 1.92 km in 22 minutes and 19 seconds.

Although having participated in the annual event several times, this was his first win. A humble Betts, to whom all credit is due for his strong performance, did acknowledge the absence of eight-time champion and open-water Olympian Philip Seidler, who did not take part this year due to a recovering shoulder injury.

“This year we had a chance now that Philip did not take part,” he told Erongo 24/7 at the finishing line.

Betts said his game plan was to stay right behind the leader, who was Nico Esslinger, until the jetty, where Betts then turned on the power to take the lead and win, although it was neck on next to the very end.

“Now I’m going to eat something nice,” Betts said, assuring that he hopes to return next year and hopefully beat Seidler’s 2019 record of 18 minutes and 30 seconds.

The first female to finish the mile of the approximately 200 participants was Molina Smalley (24:48), who described the race as “pretty rough”.

“I’ve swum this race for eight years, and this is the fittest I’ve ever been, so I thought I would give it a go, and finished sixth overall. I am very happy, and tired,” she said. Smalley, who is from Windhoek, said she hopes to get to the Olympics in 2024.

Jetty Mile organiser Yvonne Brinkmann said it was touching to see the tough competition along with the camaraderie between participants.

“People work hard for this every year, and they will continue to work hard for next year’s event. This is what makes this even so popular,” she said.

Chinese superfan spends thousandsOlympic souvenir obsession Crammed on every available surface in Zhang Wenquan's crowded Beijing home is Olympic memorabilia from mascots and torches to flags, banners, clothes and cuddly toys. NAMPA/AFP

The Chinese superfan scours the internet for rare souvenirs and snaps selfies several times a week by the countdown clock to the 2022 Winter Games in the capital.

Beijing will become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics when the event kicks off in February a dream come true for the construction firm worker.

Zhang's interest was first piqued when he became glued to the 2000 Sydney Olympics as a high-school student.

"I saw China win many gold medals and felt inspired," the 35-year-old told AFP.

When the Games came to Beijing in 2008, he worked as an official volunteer a life-changing experience that sparked his passion for collecting souvenirs.

Wearing a 2022 Winter Olympics scarf and sweatshirt emblazoned with its mascot plus a headband reading "Come on, Winter Olympics!" Zhang shows off the array of merchandise covering his home.

The house is so full of piles of boxes that he has been forced to sleep elsewhere.

He estimates spending at least 400,000 yuan ($62,800) on 5,000 souvenirs so far.

Zhang scours eBay daily for new listings, with the most expensive find being a $1,900 torch from the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

He has row upon row of the mascot "Bing Dwen Dwen" for the coming Winter Games a panda wearing a shell made of ice in various colours and sizes.

He also receives donations of merchandise from Olympic volunteers.

"Some of these people I've never even met but they still send things to me, so I feel extremely moved," he said.

His collection is now being displayed in local schools and universities in the run-up to the Games.

He proudly showed off to AFP one of his favourites, a first-edition mascot for the 1972 Munich Games that was later redesigned.

"I hear that there are only 10 of the original, so it is extremely rare," he said, carefully turning the small brown dachshund figurine over in his hands.

In 2008, Zhang helped with scoring at Beijing's Wukesong Baseball Stadium a photo from the time shows a scrawny, bespectacled young man in a sky-blue Olympic jersey proudly holding a baseball bat aloft in an empty arena.

In his cluttered house, a framed certificate of participation hangs on the wall.

The mega-fan said he often skipped meals during the Games to collect the food and drink tokens given to volunteers rather than exchanging them for supplies despite catching a cold.

"I suffered not a small amount back then!" he chuckled.

But Zhang was intoxicated by the atmosphere in 2008 at a time of extraordinary national pride.

China won 48 gold medals and displayed its growing strength as a global power.

Zhang was not successful in the competitive selection process to be a 2022 volunteer but hopes to obtain tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies as well as his favourite sport, figure skating.

He currently makes frequent trips to Beijing's Olympic sites.

His face lights up when he recounts waiting outside the capital's "Bird's Nest" stadium during a dress rehearsal for February's Games, watching rays of light beam into the night sky.

"The stadium was lit up spectacularly, it was several hundred times more beautiful than the 2008 Beijing Olympics," he said.

And Zhang is already making plans to go to Paris for the 2024 Games.

"I really want to collect the Paris 2024 torch and mascot. Although they haven't been released yet, I'm ready and waiting."

Morocco want to ditch underachievers tag NAMPA /AFP

Morocco head to Cameroon without out-of-favour Chelsea midfielder Hakim Ziyech and hoping to end a 46-year wait for a second Africa Cup of Nations title.

The north Africa kingdom boasts one of the strongest leagues in the continent and its stars are dotted across Europe, but the national team consistently underachieves in the flagship tournament.

Ziyech, leading scorer in qualifying with three goals, has been axed as Bosnia and Herzegovina-born coach Vahid Halilhodzic considers him a "disruptive influence".

Here, AFP Sport puts the spotlight on the four Group C contenders with the winners and runners-up assured of last-16 places while the best four third-placed teams from six groups also qualify.

Halilhodzic has taken Morocco to the final qualifying round of 2022 World Cup qualifying, but could miss out on the play-offs in March if they fail to reach at least the semi-finals at the Cup of Nations.

He succeeded Frenchman Herve Renard in 2019 after Morocco suffered a shock last-16 loss to Benin in the last Cup of Nations and national football federation chief Fouzi Lekjaa set a tough target.

"The new coach has been tasked with reaching the semi-finals of the next Africa Cup of Nations. Failure to achieve that target will automatically result in the termination of the contract," said Lekjaa.

Halilhodzic will hope forwards Ayoub el Kaabi and Ryan Mmaee repeat the scoring form shown in World Cup qualifying late last year when they netted nine times between them.

Ghana are another country that have not lifted the Cup of Nations trophy for a long time with the last of four triumphs coming in Libya 40 years ago.

Teenager Abedi 'Pele' Ayew starred in that tournament and two of his sons, forwards Andre and Jordan, have been included by Serb coach Milovan Rajevac in a provisional squad.

The impressive form of Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey will encourage supporters of the Black Stars and Leicester defender Daniel Amartey is another Premier League star to be called up.

Ghana are a combative rather than spectacular outfit that is likely to finish runners-up to Morocco at worst and could prove awkward knockout opponents.

Gabon have fared poorly in recent Cup of Nations, failing to reach the knockout stage in 2017 when they were hosts and not even qualifying for the last edition.

There is little to suggest they will take Cameroon by storm with a third-place finish behind Morocco and Ghana and the possibility of squeezing into the second round probably the best they can hope for.

The Panthers' hopes hinge largely on Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has been stripped of the club captaincy and dropped after reportedly returning late from a visit to his ill mother.

Will Aubameyang, the son of a former Gabon international, be preoccupied with his future amid rumours that he could be transfer-listed, or use the Cup of Nations to demonstrate his predatory goalmouth instincts?

Just reaching Cameroon is a remarkable achievement for the team representing a group of islands off the southeast coast of Africa with a population of less than one million.

Although hard to beat at home for some years, the Coelacanths (rare fish) were not expected to finish among the top two and qualify from a group including seven-time champions Egypt, Kenya and Togo.

But it was improved away form winning in Togo and drawing in Kenya that allowed them to come second behind Egypt.

Amir Abdou has been the coach since 2014 and a squad including players from the lower French leagues will view their opening match against Gabon as the best chance for a win and third place.

AFP predicts: 1. Morocco, 2. Ghana, 3. Gabon, 4. Comoros

India launches drive to vaccinate children before a feared Omicron surge

REUTERS

MUMBAI

India started vaccinating children aged 15 to 18 against the coronavirus on Monday as it quickly expands its inoculation effort to cover the world's largest adolescent population amid fears the Omicron variant will drive a new surge of infections.

Authorities on Monday reported 33,750 new Covid-19 cases and 123 deaths. The total number of cases of the fast-spreading Omicron variant detected in India was 1 700, the health ministry said.

Private and public schools will double up as vaccination centres for children and school authorities have been ordered to report their daily vaccination data to state authorities.

"Children are going to be given vaccines in their schools. They can also go to vaccination centres and get the dose ... they can just walk in," said Jai Prakash Shivahare, health commissioner in Gujarat state.

Several countries including the United States, Britain and South Korea have seen infections among children fuelling a rise in cases in recent weeks and have encouraged parents to get their children vaccinated.

Authorities in Gujarat, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state, are hoping to give a first dose to 3.6 million children this week.

"We have the capacity and we have the vaccines to cover most of the children. We appeal to parents to cooperate and ensure the children are vaccinated at the earliest," Shivahare said.

The UN children's agency Unicef estimates India has the largest population of adolescents in the world with about 253 million of them.

Thousands of children, many accompanied by parents, queued up outside schools, medical centres and special health camps from early on Monday to secure their first dose of a vaccine.

The government is only giving children Bharat Biotech's Covaxin vaccine as that is the only vaccine with emergency use listing for the 15-18 age group, the health ministry said last week.

Adults in India get Covaxin, the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is branded as Covishield, and the Sputnik V shot.