Namibian Sun

Economy expected to have contracted in 2021PSG expects 4.2% growth in 2022 The 4.2% growth is to be driven new mining activities, increased investment in the energy sector, and reduced pandemic-related restrictions. We estimate real GDP shrunk by 0.6% last year due to the weak production figures earlier in the year. Shelly Louw, Research Analyst: PSG Namibia

PHILLEPUS UUSIKU

Despite the third quarter of 2021 registering positive growth of 2.4% year-on-year, analysts expect the domestic economy to have shrunk. The statistics are yet to be released.

According to Shelly Louw, research analyst at PSG Namibia, real gross domestic product (GDP) in the first three quarters of 2021 shrunk by 0.6% compared with the same period in 2020, hence, she believes that another annual economic contraction is on the cards.

“Looking ahead, we forecast real GDP growth will bounce back to 4.2% in 2022 thanks to new mining activities, increased investment in the energy sector, and reduced pandemic-related restrictions,” the analyst said.

The expansion of domestic port handling, railroad, mobile network, and power generation capacities are also expected to drive the economy.

Furthermore, increased vaccinations in 2022 should lead to reduced travel restrictions and a gradual recovery to pre-pandemic levels of travel and tourism, she said.

The 4.2% growth forecast for 2022 is 0.9 percentage points more than what the Bank of Namibia (BoN) predicted in their economic outlook in December 2021.

Sectors

The agricultural sector will continue to be burdened by depleted livestock numbers that will take years to rebuild following successive years of drought.

Moreover, the livestock industry suffered further blows last year with the detection of a new strain of foot-and-mouth disease and devastating veld fires.

While rainfall has generally improved over the past two years, crop and livestock production remains vulnerable to irregular downpours, Louw said.

Moreover, the industrial sector is set to benefit from planned expansions of existing diamond, gold, and tin mining operations, the possible resuscitation of mothballed zinc, copper, and uranium mines and the development of new ‘battery mineral’ mines.

The government is also aiming to leverage the country’s excellent solar power and green hydrogen potential, she pointed out.

The services sector will continue to be hamstrung by frugal fiscal expenditure, deteriorating real disposable incomes, higher unemployment, and high consumer indebtedness. Tourism already lagged ahead of the pandemic due to poor regional growth and has suffered immensely due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions. “We expect tourism will recover gradually to pre-pandemic levels by 2024,” she said.

PRICE MONSTER

Consumer price inflation accelerated towards the close of last year, driven by higher domestic fuel pump prices which reflect the sharp rise in the global oil price.

Annual inflation in December 2021 stood at 4.5%, up from 2.4% recorded in December 2020 an increase of 2.1 percentage points.

Elevated global food prices due to La Niña related droughts in South America and Asia will also put upward pressure on local food price inflation.

“Furthermore, we project the local currency will weaken in 2022 amid global monetary policy tightening and risk aversion, inducing further inflationary pressure. We forecast inflation to rise to 4.7% this year from 3.6% in 2021,” Louw said.-phillep@nmh.com.na

Small-town girl in a big, big world PULL QUOTE: "The life lesson is: Hard work is the most important key to success." - Leana Griessel

Elizabeth Joseph

Leana Griessel is the new senior financial manager at Pupkewitz Megabuild and joined in October 2021.

Griessel hails from Gobabis and after matriculating from Gobabis Gymnasium in 2010, she pursued a Bachelor of Commerce degree at North-West University in South Africa.

"I completed my studies at North-West University where I obtained my Bachelor of Commerce degree in Chartered Accountancy in 2013 and my Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree in Chartered Accountancy in 2014. In 2015 I started my training contract at Ernst & Young (EY) in Windhoek. In 2018 I qualified as a chartered accountant," Griessel says.

In a world full of professionals, Griessel hopes that her ethic will be one that shows her passion for the line of work she is in.

"In my line of work, work needs to be completed timely and accurately. When you are passionate, you take pride in your work, you always put your best step forward, and ultimately you achieve excellence in it," she says.

Griessel says she learned most of the life lessons she holds dear from her mother.

"The life lesson is: Hard work is the most important key to success."

Bright future

Although Griessel is still new to Megabuild she says she is excited to learn different skills from top management.

"I'm excited about my current position. I still have a lot to learn with regard to the business and the industry and have valuable contributions to make in this position. By learning from top management, I would like to gain new skills and progress to the next level when appropriate."

She encourages young people to work hard and dream big. Furthermore, to be successful they need to be hardworking, disciplined, and persistent.

FACTS

1. I'm a caring person.

2. I enjoy spending time with friends and family.

3. I like traveling; my favourite destination to date was the Maldives.

4. I swam with whale sharks before.

5. After watching ‘Drive to Survive’ on Netflix I started watching Formula 1 with my husband.

6. I am the youngest sibling of three.

7. I have an extremely sweet tooth.

8. I love biltong.

9. I love dogs and I have two Scottish terriers.

10. I like to read.

Positively wired for motivationCreating a personal policy of honesty Human resource management practitioner Marshall Malan has been overcoming difficulties for more than a decade.

Jeanette Diergaardt

“One of the things I love about human resource management (HR) is that it’s constantly growing and changing,” says Marshall Malan, who has been serving as a HR practitioner at the ministry of agriculture, water and forestry for close to 20 years.

The scope of HR stretches further than what meets the eye. As an HR practitioner, one constantly has to be on top of your game, dealing with compliance laws, legislation, and the woes of the ever-expanding technological aspect in various companies. On a daily basis the tasks that Malan handles range from transfers of workers within the ministry and from the outside, dealing with schedules of advertised posts as well as conducting interviews. “One of the primary goals of HR is to maintain productivity by providing the ministry with an adequate number of skilled and efficient employees,” says Malan.

Establishing a career in the ministry does not mean there is no time to grow and dream. With only a diploma in HR management, Malan is working towards acquiring an honours degree. Malan dreams of one day working for the development team. According to Malan the benefits of working in HR means that you are constantly learning new skills and honing in on what you bring to the table. It is almost a given that you will learn the ins and outs of the company you work for, in Malan’s case the agriculture ministry.

The necessary skills

Constantly developing and grooming your skills is important as an HR practitioner, and having the skills to work with people is at the top of the list. Some of the skills that Malan has learned throughout her time at the ministry are organisation, multitasking, presentations, reporting and proper communication. “One of the things you will learn is using your own initiative with the feedback you receive from your supervisor,” she says.

Overcoming challenges

One way that helps Malan to face her challenges head on is by constantly remaining positive. The open-door policy at the ministry also helps employees to overcome difficulties, as honesty about the challenges you face makes it easier to receive assistance.

“I always make a list of the good and bad points for the solution I think is best,” Malan says.

Iyaloo Magongo, an aura of fresh and creative ideas Iyaloo Magongo was appointed as the new marketing manager of LEFA Namibia. Magongo studied media and majored in public relations at the University of Namibia. “I aim at growing personally and professionally while supporting a brand and mission I love.” - Iyaloo Magongo, marketing manager of LEFA Namibia

Rivaldo Kavanga

Magongo began her journey as an intern at the Financial Literacy Initiative and later continued at Dololo DoBox as a marketing intern.

Her appointment as the marketing manager at LEFA Namibia gives her an opportunity to fully utilise all the theoretical and practical knowledge she has acquired over the past two years.

“I aim at growing personally and professionally while supporting a brand and mission I love,” she says.

Magongo says she is excited to work with an innovative and successful company such as LEFA, which she believes is shaping the future of mobility in Namibia.

Founded in 2018, LEFA is an urban mobility company in Windhoek that facilitates passenger transportation through technology, making passenger transportation safe, reliable, efficient and convenient.

“I love the pace of innovative and the creativity of tech marketing and I have been honing my marketing skills for a few years now,” Magongo says.

She adds that she looks forward to making positive contributions to the company by using her fresh and creative ideas to come up with marketing campaigns and concepts aimed at increasing LEFA's brand visibility.

“Creating a LEFA community by identifying and building partnerships and strategies and to continue creating a brand that people can depend on to get to their destination safely,” she says.

As the marketing manager, Magongo, looks to take LEFA to the next level. She says it also means that she can now assist the team in their marketing efforts of reaching their target audience and creating conversions for the brand through social media, print media and radio.

“This appointment also gives me a chance to tackle an important issue of drinking and driving by encouraging people to adopt responsible habits such as using alternative transport solutions instead of driving under the influence of alcohol,” Magongo says.

Magongo says a number of Namibian companies do not value the importance of marketing, which is why a many people who have a background in marketing do not fully utilise the skills because there are no opportunities created for marketers.

She encourages companies to use marketing as it builds brand recognition and helps them make their mark in the world.

EDITORIAL: Another day, another shocking church story“An actor, composer, trapper, singer and a rapper at FEEEM entertainment”.

This is the biography on self-proclaimed prophet Sebardius Muronga’s Facebook page. A rapper who is now operating a church in Rundu, where he allegedly impregnated two of his own ushers.

Roll back the tape to September 2021. Three people died in Kavango West after they took a concoction prescribed by a pastor.

Yet, there is no compelling action ever taken about these bogus churches every broke Joe Black can set up on a street corner.

Assisted by desperate, gullible followers, these churches are characterised by falsehoods, the robbery of the faithful, deceit and grand-scale thievery. Author Billy Crone called it “a satanic war on the Christian”.

Clad in designer suits and sharp-pointed shiny shoes, these preachers steal from their blindfolded followers and live luxurious lives with their families.

Galatians 2:4, as if it predicted the future, reads: “This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves”.

Catering to your fast-food needsBarrelhouse Bar and Restaurant Situated in the centre of Keetmanshoop, Barrelhouse Bar and Restaurant make it their mission to provide their customers an unforgettable experience with their innovative cuisines and service. “I always had a true passion for cooking and hosting. I started out as a river guide on the Orange River and I fell in love with cooking while guiding,” she says.

Monique Adams

After working in sales and marketing for four years, Radford had the urge to do her own thing.

From hopping from one lodge to the next, she then decided to get qualifications in the food industry.

She completed her diploma in food and beverage management at Silverspoon Hospitality Academy with Tom Mutavsic as her mentor.

“Luckily I have a very supportive family who have always been there for me and my big dreams. Without them I would have probably never been able to start this without them,” Radford says.

The Barellhouse Bar and Restaurant officially opened its doors on 10 January 2021 and currently has two employees - Abigail Boois, who has been in the food and catering business for the last 15 years, and Jeanine Van Zyl, who works on the floor and makes sure to serve guests with a friendly smile.

The public can look forward to more events happening at the Barrelhouse with themed nights, dance nights and karaoke nights.

Barrelhouse caters to the youth of Keetmanshoop and hopes to be the go-to-spot for celebrating birthday parties.

“I measure success by progress. I have never been someone that loves a lot of money, although I have been used to hard physical work from a young age,” Radford says.

She looks forward to seeing Barrelhouse Bar and Restaurant grow to become everyone living in Keetmanshoop’s go-to-spot.

She looks forward to seeing you there!

Passionately mitigating risks in the workplace Mario English is the officer of risk management services at the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF).

Wetumwene Shikage

With the vision to be a leading and model pension fund, the GIPF has made it a priority to manage and mitigate risks in its business processes. For a fully funded pension fund with a mission to safeguard and grow the fund for the benefit of its members, risk management is pivotal in its business processes as it identifies, assesses, and controls threats to its capital and earnings.

“Being part of the GIPF has been magnificent,” says English. He attributes his statement to the Fund’s culture which allows him to perform his duties to the best of his ability which adds value to the GIPF’s internal and external processes.

English holds a degree in accounting from the University of Namibia and is working towards completing an honours degree in risk management. His daily duties include providing risk advice to all business divisions, enhancing and implementing enterprise risk management (ERM) monitoring and analysis, and creating awareness of ERM. He is also the support officer on risk to the board of trustees, the chief executive officer and the entire management team.

Growing and accomplishing

English says his motivation to study was to secure a great career, but not to specifically end up in it. “I never thought that I would find myself in this career. I initially wanted to become a chartered accountant and in 2015 decided to change focus in my career and went on to study risk management.” He added that his biggest accomplishment is being able to provide value and act as a risk advisor to other businesses GIPF engages in.

Venturing onto a path which he loves, English says the best thing about his daily duties is the constant lessons he learns when executing them. He believes growth comes with learning and experiencing many situations which offer different lessons and equip an individual to adapt to change. Learning to be a great team player allows one to effectively work and move along with the rest of the team. In addition to these qualities, “you need to have integrity, strive for service excellence, be empathetic, humble, courageous and stay focused.”

Free time is considered precious and a time to restructure and rejuvenate, hence when English gets time off work, he dedicates time to his loved ones, worship, reading and playing soccer.

He says risk management is an evolving career. “All businesses should have risk management embedded in their operations to be able to make better and informed decisions for future business sustainability. We can expect a high demand for risk professionals in 2022 and for years to come,” English says.

Ex-cyclone Ana may bring floods

ELVIRA HATTINGH

GROOTFONTEIN

The Namibian weather office has issued a warning about possible floods over the Zambezi and Kavango regions from today, as well as over parts of Ohanghwena over the weekend.

Chief forecaster Odillo Kgobetsi said this is the result of tropical cyclone Ana, which has since weakened to a tropical depression.

Kgobetsi warned that the system, which has been developing in the Mozambique Channel since late last week and moving west across the southern mainland, could also bring significant rainfall to Namibia, leading to localised floods.

LandWater explained last Wednesday that ex-cyclone Ana now carries an enormous "moisture blanket", which means "we are working with tons of moisture and tons of water".

The organisation said extensive, heavy rain is likely for "central to eastern Namibia, within a north-south vertical", while the western part of the country may also receive more rain than expected. However, there is still uncertainty about rainfall in the west.

"The western rain line will sway and will probably only start showing more clarity around Friday to Saturday.”

According to Landwater, the expected coverage and intensity of the tropical depression may be exceeded.

Longer term

While farmers in the maize triangle are still waiting for sufficient rain, a meteorologist said rain conditions for Namibia will probably only improve again in two weeks.

"Rain conditions are expected to improve again in the second part of February over the northern parts of the country and expand before winter to the central as well as the southern parts," independent agricultural meteorologist Johan van den Berg said yesterday.

He urged Namibians not to lose hope.

"The longer-term outlook for rain is still very positive in the period just before winter," he said, adding that the impact of La Niña mostly leads to average or above-average rainfall.

The weather phenomenon has reached maturity, he said, and is expected to affect rain conditions until May.

He admitted very little rain fell in Namibia until mid-January because tropical moisture from central and west Africa was more focused on Botswana and South Africa.

"Heavy rainfall has occurred over large parts of Namibia since the third week, with localised floods," he said.

Corruption label clings to NamibiaCountry’s global score drops There needs to be a concerted effort from government, private sector and civil society to reverse Namibia’s downward trend on the Corruption Perceptions Index. The growing sense that impunity is becoming a key issue in Namibia - the sense that there are a class of people considered ‘untouchable’ because of their political connections. – Graham Hopwood, Executive director: IPPR

Jo-Maré Duddy – Namibia is part of the unenviable global clique of countries the world perceives to have serious problems with corruption.

Namibia received a total score of 49 out of possible 100 on Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). A score below 50 banishes a country to the global watchdog’s orange category, an indicator that it has “serious corruption problems”.

Since 2001, Namibia has not been able to achieve a score higher than 57 out of a possible 100 – 100 meaning that a country is free of corruption.

Namibia scored a peak of 57 in 2002. It fell to 40-plus from 2003 to 2014, recording a low of 41 in 2004 and 2006. In 2015 it recovered back to 50s territory. Namibia scored 51 in CPI 2020, down from 52 in 2019 and 53 in 2018.

Namibia was ranked 58th out of 180 countries worldwide on the CPI 2021.

The country’s performance on the CPI is used by heavyweights Trading Economics and TheGlobalEconomy.com on their webpages for the country. The websites don’t refer to Namibia’s global ranking on the CPI, but use the country’s score.

‘WRONG DIRECTION’

“The new rankings clearly indicate we are going in the wrong direction on corruption,” Graham Hopwood, the executive director of the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR), commented on the latest CPI.

TI does not pinpoint the causes for Namibia’s decline, but Hopwood believes several factors are relevant and likely to have been influential. These, according to him, include the failure to implement the Whistleblower Protection Act, as well as delays in passing the Access to Information law.

Failure to deal with longstanding and current cases like the collapse of the SME Bank, the August 26 scandal and the Areva/Uramin case probably also counted against Namibia, Hopwood said. As did public doubts about the independence and effectiveness of key agencies like the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Another factor, according to him is “the lack of an effective assets and declaration systems for members of parliament and senior officials”.

Hopwood added: “The growing sense that impunity is becoming a key issue in Namibia - the sense that there are a class of people considered ‘untouchable’ because of their political connections.”

There needs to be a concerted effort from government, private sector and civil society to reverse this downward trend, he said.

“At the moment, I don't see that government has the political will to turn things around. It may be down to other stakeholders in society to step up and really start applying pressure for change.

“Taking on and defeating corruption is like a battle for the soul of the nation. If we don't stand up now we may lose the just and prosperous Namibia we all want to create,” Hopwood warned.

‘NO SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS’

This year, the global?average?remains unchanged for the tenth year?in a row, at just 43 out of a possible 100 points, TI said.

“Despite multiple commitments, 131 countries have made no significant progress against corruption in the last decade. Two-thirds of countries score below 50, indicating that they have serious corruption problems, while 27 countries are at their lowest score ever,” TI added.

The 2021 CPI results show that countries with well-protected civil and political liberties generally control corruption better, TI said. “The fundamental freedoms of association and expression are crucial in the fight for a world free of corruption.”

According to TI, “the global Covid-19 pandemic has also been used in many countries as an excuse to curtail basic freedoms and side-step important checks and balances”.

Denmark, with a score of 88, topped the CPI 2021, while South Sudan (11) was at the bottom.

Accountants urge extension of tax relief

PHILLEPUS UUSIKU

The Namibia Institute of Professional Accountants (NIPA) has appealed to finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi and NamRa commissioner Sam Shivute to extend the tax relief period by at least 12 months more.

In an 11-page letter to Shiimi and Shivute, NIPA CEO Esther Herbst and president Bruné Pretorius asked for the extension “to assist taxpayers and officials to correct, update and pay the correct debts to the state”.

The extension will also allow the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) “to fully implement their systems, appointments and strategies to be more user friendly, approachable and service orientated and on par with other similar agencies in other countries”, NIPA said.

NIPA cited several issues with the Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) which needs to be resolved to ensure the effective payment of taxes.

According to NIPA, the establishment of NamRa brought about changes and challenges that not only affected the offices and officials of both the Ministry of Finance and NamRa, but it also affected the taxpayers.

NamRa inherited many challenges and unresolved issues of the past. “We believe that the new ITAS system is currently the biggest challenge faced by NamRa, officials and the taxpayers alike.”

It would only be fair to state that NamRa is granted sufficient time to establish itself within the tax framework and to win the trust of all taxpayers. At present we find that taxpayers do not trust our tax administrative system and engage daily with unprofessional conduct of officials, NIPA pointed out.

In addition, even though the agency has made strides in educating the nation regarding tax affairs, NIPA highlighted that is important to note that many taxpayers do not have the capacity to understand tax laws and their obligations and duties towards the tax system.

A broader approach needs to be adopted to assist and give guidance to taxpayers, especially those who do not engage professionals.

Covid-19

Moreover, the state of emergency imposed in March 2020 forced businesses and taxpayers to remain home during the lockdown and subsequently tight restrictions on movement.

Hence, this has led to many people not able to gain access to their company records as they were required to work in one way or another from home. Revenue was lost, jobs were lost, daily administration tasks created back logs, normal daily business operations were simply turned upside down.

Therefore, the impact the state of emergency on a small nation like Namibia, one would argue that the impact of Covid-19 alone should be reasonable grounds to extend the tax relief program by itself.

Equally, tax administrators were not been able to attend to their work as they would normally do, impacting the service they can deliver to the taxpayers, which, more often than not, is needed to partake in the tax relief program successfully.

“The devastation of this impact is only becoming clear now that we have returned to some way of ‘normal’ life again and picking up the pieces left behind,” NIPA said.-phillep@nmh.com.na

Fuel prices continue to rise PHILLEPUS UUSIKU

The Ministry of Mines and Energy announced yesterday that the price of petrol will increase by 30 cents per litre, while diesel will increase will increase by 40 cents per litre, effective 2 February 2022.

The new fuel prices in Walvis Bay, which is the port of entry, will become N$15.95 per litre for petrol and N$15.98 per litre for diesel. The prices across the rest of the country will also be adjusted accordingly.

This will be the first fuel price increase for the year 2022. Last year, fuel prices increased eight times.

According to the ministry’s spokesperson, Andreas Simon, international oil prices sharply pushed upwards during January due to closely interconnected factors.

Firstly, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has continued to keep oil supply at a low level.

Secondly, oil producers are still finding it hard to attract investments for their projects as more and more investment funds are getting diverted towards renewable energy projects, Simon added.

Additionally, the geopolitical tensions in major oil producing regions of the world such as the Arab Gulf region and on the Russian-Ukrainian border may lead to global oil supply disruptions, stoking fears in the oil market and further pushing the prices upwards, Simon said.-phillep@nmh.com.na

Pohamba approved Esau’s Angola trip

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

Former president Hifikepunye Pohamba, and not incumbent president Hage Geingob, approved former fisheries minister Bernhardt Esau’s trip to Angola in June 2014.

The trip was for the signing of a memorandum of understanding that birthed a controversial fisheries agreement between the two countries that is now at the centre of the Fishrot storm.

Namibian Sun yesterday erroneously reported that Geingob approved the trip, but it has since been pointed out that although he was elected president in late 2014, he only assumed office in March 2015.

There is no suggestion that Pohamba’s approval of the official trip to Angola – or the actual use of the presidential jet for the trip - was in bad faith, as both acts are normal procedures in government.

It is believed the fisheries agreement with Angola was marketed to the Namibian government as above board, although the state has since alleged that the deal was deceptive and designed to benefit Esau and other men charged in the case. Namibian Sun regrets the error and unreservedly apologises to President Geingob.

‘Prophet’ impregnates, dumps ushersPreacher accused of controlling and abusive behaviour Two ushers, who are cousins, dragged their ‘prophet’ to the Mbunza traditional authority after the man of the cloth allegedly impregnated both of them.

Kenya Kambowe

SATOTWA

A self-proclaimed prophet from Rundu on Tuesday appeared before the Mbunza traditional authority chief Alfons Kaundu after he allegedly impregnated two ushers from his church.

The two women, who are cousins, approached the traditional authority after continuously experiencing complications with their pregnancies, suspecting the prophet was haunting them spiritually.

The complications include stomach bloating and constipation, they told Chief Kaundu.

Sebardius Muronga, known by his followers as ‘Papa’, is now a subject of the traditional authority, while the Namibian police has been roped in over paternity issues, as he is allegedly denying he fathered the unborn babies.

The two ushers, Anna Sitoka Karufere (34) and Maria Nankali Kandjimi (33), opened up to Namibian Sun yesterday on how they were allegedly brainwashed and later impregnated.

Karufere is six months pregnant while Kandjimi’s baby is due next month.

The Grace Church of All Nations was established in February 2021 in Rundu’s Satotwa suburb.

Narrating her ordeal, Karufere shared shocking details about how the pastor, who is younger than both of them, managed to allegedly persuade them to do as he wishes.

Some experiences include having to ensure that the prophet has a warm meal, that his clothes are ironed and all his wishes are fulfilled.

Karufere revealed that there were five ushers, two of whom had to sleep in the same room as the prophet at a house in Sauyemwa.

“The prophet would sleep on the bed while the two of us had to sleep on the mattress by his feet,” she recalled.

“I remember one night while I was half asleep, he called us to his bed and he was sleeping in the middle. He then took the other usher and went to sleep with her on the mattress where they had sexual intercourse. He then finished and wanted to do the same with me and I refused.

“In terms of how I got pregnant, you would not know how he does it but when you wake up, you will realise that you are wet because he had sex with you. We would dream about him wanting to have sex with us,” she said.

House rules

Karufere narrated that when they moved in with the prophet, they were instructed to discontinue the relationships they had with other men.

“We were dating when we joined the church but the prophet told us that we will only be allowed to date and get employed after the year 2024,” she said.

“We were not allowed to receive calls from our families because we were apparently inviting demons into our lives. He even ordered us to get new sim cards so that he will be the only one contacting us.

“If we received calls from other people, he would get angry, beat us on our backs and buttocks and he would say it is the spirit of God telling him to discipline us.”

Also sharing her ordeal was co-founder of the church, Kornelia Kandonga (39), who said she left the church because of the alleged crooked ways of the man of God.

Kandonga said the prophet promised that she was set to become a prophet by 14 February, however, she had to sacrifice five pregnancies.

“He one day called me and told me that I will have to get pregnant five times and sacrifice them in order to become a strong prophet. I refused and told him if blood has to be involved, it can only be the work of the devil and I don’t want part of it,” Kandonga said.

No comment

When Namibian Sun visited Muronga at his house yesterday, he refused to comment.

“The matter is still pending and I am not in the position to talk to you,” the calm prophet remarked.

According to the women, the police informed them that Muronga was instructed to take care of the pregnant women and that nothing should happen to their pregnancies or else he will be held responsible and might be prosecuted.

At the Mbunza traditional authority hearing, the women revealed that Muronga admitted to having slept with them, but denied fathering their unborn children.

When contacted for comment, Kaundu said the matter has been left to the police. They are waiting for the babies to be born in order to conduct DNA tests.

kenya@namibiansun.com

Esau irregularly appointed Hatuikulipi at Fishcor – ACC

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

Disgraced former minister of fisheries Bernhardt Esau ignored the provisions of the Fishcor Act when he appointed James Hatuikulipi as board chairperson of the state-owned fishing entity, the Anti-Corruption (ACC) said in the High Court yesterday.

According to ACC lead Fishrot investigator Andreas Kanyangela, the founding Act stipulates that the appointment of Fishcor’s chairperson must be made by the board of directors, who must nominate a candidate from among themselves.

Kanyangela also testified that former Fishcor CEO Mike Nghipunya was appointed to that position without any interviews, and that he started the job before the Public Service Commission of Namibia approved his appointment.

“He had a very low position when he was seconded. He was an economist in the fisheries ministry and he had no managerial experience that was required to manage such an organisation,” Kanyangela said.

According to him, the two appointments were part of a grand scheme the Fishrot accused to hijack the fishing quota allocation system for their own benefit.

He said following a High Court ruling that fishing quotas could not be given to non-fishing rights holders, the gang cooked up a plan which included getting Cabinet approval to change the Fisheries and Marine Resources Act.

Kanyangela also told the court that Esau convinced Cabinet that the fisheries sector and fishing allocation system had been mismanaged for years, a situation that needed urgent intervention.

Companies close doors

Ironically, according to the ACC, some of Esau’s dissatisfaction stemmed from the allocation of fishing quotas to the Namibia Fish Consumption Trust, which in his view gave fish to a ‘meat-eating society’.

The Namibian Fish Consumption Trust was established to make fish and marine food easily accessible to Namibians who could not afford to buy expensive fish in mainstream shops.

Instead, the fisheries laws should be changed to allow Esau to allocate fishing quotas to non-rights holders who would be willing and committed to alleviating poverty, Kanyangela said.

These amendments, eventually approved by Cabinet, saw many fishing companies closing their doors as fishing quotas were diverted, some benefitting Esau and his cronies.

The amended law also saw thousands of workers losing their jobs, plunging the country’s fishing community into untold misery, with some fishermen committing suicide because they could no longer support their families.

“The accused benefitted from quotas that were allocated to Fishcor and the Namibia Fish Consumption Trust for government objectives. This arose after the accused devised a plan to benefit from the quotas the fisheries minister allocated to the Fish Consumption Trust and Fishcor and they started the plan by appointing each other in key positions, which would give them the access to these quotas,” Kanyangela said.

He added that one of the entities involved in this scheme was Samherji Fishing, the Icelandic fishing giant whose Namibian supervisor Johannes Stefansson blew the whistle on the entire deal.

Samherji reportedly paid N$600 000 into the Cambadara Trust, from where N$350 000 was paid to James Hatuikulipi; N$100 000 to Erongo Clearing - a company owned by Esau’s son-in-law Tamson Hatuikulipi as well as N$50 000 and another N$150 000 to Esau’s BE Farming through Erongo Clearing.

These payments were made between 4 and 21 December 2012, while a cheque of N$150 000 from Standard Bank’s Gustav Voigts branch was issued to BE Farming on 1 December 2012.

jemima@namibiansun.com

Take time to regroup and be resilient

John Steytler

This year I started engaging and writing about mental health. A precarious topic upon which to tread, as there is so much stigma attached to it, sadly. However, much to my amazement, I found that people were looking for someone to voice what they were feeling, experiencing or observing in others. Doing so as Dr John Steytler, economist, advisor and former statistician-general gave the subject and issues surrounding mental health a lot more credence than I had ever imagined. It was truly humbling and in fact inspired me to write more articles and engage with mental health professionals. Finding ways in which we could assist the Namibian nation in these exceedingly tough times.

We thought the end of 2020 would usher in a new and improved year in the form of 2021, however we were very much mistaken. The way the Covid-19 pandemic and especially the third wave wreaked havoc was almost unbearable. We all have family member, friends, colleagues or acquaintances that are no longer here because of the pandemic. The winter months were especially brutal and there seemed to be no respite. Thankfully, we did manage to turn the corner slowly and the light at the end of the tunnel came in the form of the roll-out of the vaccines and the warmer weather. Sadly, major damage had been done, both physically and mentally.

Staying strong, pushing your feelings down or simply ‘dealing with it’…was not really an option, but the relentless daily deaths gave us no choice. A collective feeling of numbness enveloped the nation, which is slowly lifting now we are heading towards the end of the year and Christmas and New Year.’ Once again hoping for a better year to come in the form of 2022.

This is perfectly natural; people are resilient and generally look on the positive side of life. However, I would implore everyone to not only party, braai, chill and nap over the holidays. Take time to take stock of what happened in 2021. The good, the bad and the very ugly. Without work pressure, deadlines and school demands, take a moment to reminisce and to truly grieve for the ones that we lost this year. The resilience that we need as a nation to bounce back from what we have gone through can only occur if we deal with it properly. Embrace the loss, the grief, the sense of hopelessness and reflect upon it. These feelings will be amplified as the holiday season is a time of togetherness and sadly not all of us can be all be together again.

This sounds very depressing and morose, but simply glossing over it, passing it by as if it was just a blip in life, or part of life, is not the right approach. Honour the people that have passed by taking a moment and giving it a proper place in your heart and in your mind. This will be the best way to prepare you for whatever 2022 brings. Especially if we look at other parts of the world where it seems as if the fourth wave is about to hit or already underway.

Readying yourself for whatever may come, having a positive frame of mind is exceedingly important. What’s even more vital is to know that you will not always be able to have a positive mindset and that it is ‘OK to not be OK.’ This cannot be emphasised enough. We all go through ups and down, whatever age we may be, so remember that for 2022 and let’s face it together as a nation and showcase our resilience.

Hansen heads CAN with incredible ardourCuriosity is a virtue Rolf Hansen has utilized his passion and thirst for knowledge in leading the Cancer Association of Namibia Rolf Hansen, Cancer Association of Namibia CEO: “I think I am curious enough to learn. I like sponging up as much information as possible.”

Iréne-Mari van der Walt

Since joining the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) early in 2015, Rolf Hansen has led the team with insurmountable passion.

Hansen joined CAN after spending his youth as a journalist at the Afrikaans daily newspaper, Republikein, and thereafter establishing and heading his own tourism business for a decade.

“I felt I needed a break. I felt that something in who I was as a person was shifting. I needed to find something to would inspire and bring me joy,” he says.

Hansen has no ill feeling toward his previous occupations. “Hospitality is in our blood. We are hosts. We like to wine and dine and entertain - that’s who my mother was,” he says.

He is equally grateful for his experience as a journalist. “Journalism was a gateway to understanding communication and it taught me to listen. Journalism for me was a way to express my emotions and it taught me to never be afraid, because a good journalist marches on without fear,” he says.

In December 2014, Hansen handed over Terra Africa to his mother with the intention of taking up tertiary education once again. In January the following year, Hansen saw the advertisement of his current job in the newspaper he had once worked for.

“I thought I would see if it was for me,” he says, remembering the atypical hiring process.

“Instead of doing an interview, we were asked to do a presentation. I decided to do a presentation on my turnaround strategy since this vacancy was only created due to the restructuring of the cancer association,” he says.

Hansen took up office as the CEO of the Cancer Association of Namibia on 15 May 2015 and has since completed a master’s degree in cancer control and implementation. He says he now understands the unorthodox and gruelling process by which he was hired.

“I understand why it was so hard to appoint a new CEO. The Cancer Association needed someone who would encompass all genres – they needed someone who was scientifically, socially and administratively strong,” he says.

Despite some initial shortcomings, Hansen says he was able to live up to the requirements of his position due to his enormous curiosity.

“I think I am curious enough to learn. I like sponging up as much information as possible. I am constantly reading, asking and googling for new information. I like to stay up to date with the newest information,” he says.

Despite the strenuous requirements of his work, Hansen believes that the title as CEO is often overvalued.

“I think the title is warped. There’s so much value attached to it but all we really need to do is effectively lead. Not manage or boss people, but truly lead. And sometimes we lead through mistakes and learning, that’s the only way we will improve,” he says.

PHOTO CAPTION:

Since 2015, Rolf Hansen has established himself as a fearless and empathetic leader. Photo contributed

Trustco braces for humongous loss

Jo-Maré Duddy - The beleaguered Trustco Group Holdings is expecting a “basic loss” of between N$821 million and N$874 million in its audited results for the 11-month period ended 31 August 2021.
That is a plunge of between N$555 million and N$608 million from the basic loss of N$266 million Trustco suffered in its audited results for the 18-month financial period ended 31 September 2020, the group said in a trading statement on the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) today.
The Namibian-based group further expects a tumble in revenue by between 36% and 56% - from N$618 million in September 2020 to between N$393 million and N$270 million at the end of August 2021.
Trustco last month said it intends to delist from three stock exchanges and will seek a “business-friendly international exchange” after receiving the go-ahead from a non-binding vote of its minority shareholders.
Trustco intends to delist from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), the NSX and the OTCQX in the US. The latter is the top tier of the three marketplaces for the over-the-counter (OTC) trading of stocks in the US.
The move followed after the Financial Services Tribunal (FST) in South Africa in November dismissed an application by Trustco to reconsider a directive by the JSE to correct and restate its financial statements for the year ending 31 March 2019, as well as its interim results for the six months ending 30 September 2019.
Global Credit Rating (GCR) recently placed Trustco’s long and short-term national scale ratings of CCC- and C respectively on a rating watch evolving – the equivalent of a junk rating at international credit rating agencies like Fitch and Moody’s.
A CCC and C rating at international credit rating agencies like Fitch and Moody’s means it is below investment grade or “junk”.
“On a current state basis, we consider the financial profile of the [Trustco] group to be weak,” GCR said in its latest announcement.

Looking forward to the season

In preparation for their annual athletics programme, Windhoek Gymnasium learners have been training at the Trustco United sports field in Olympia. My Zone captured a few moments from the high jumpers, sprinters, long jumpers and shotputters. Pictured are some of the learners soaking up the sun. PHOTO JEANETTE DIERGAARDT

Gladiators hungry for glory

Limba Mupetami

WINDHOEK

Namibia will face Zambia in the final qualification round of the 12th edition of the Africa Women Cup of Nations (Awcon) - a two-legged clash home and away between 14 and 23 February.

The Gladiators will play Zambia away first in Lusaka, before playing the return leg in South Africa on 16 February.

Coach Woody Jacobs said they have been training for the past two weeks and the team is taking shape after having trials during the first week with potential players from the regions.

The likes of Namibian football poster girl Zenatha Coleman, who recently made an exit from Sevilla Football Club in Spain, was also last week seen training with the squad, despite previously announcing that she retired from the national team.

The player has not made any announcements on her next move, but according to the rumour mill, she found a new home at a club in Turkey.

This has, however, not been confirmed, with Jacobs opting to speak about the local squad’s fitness, saying the players aren’t where he wants them yet.

“It’s a work in progress and we are optimistic that we will improve even more. However, not having adequate playing time against quality opposition has taken off some steam, but we remain focused on the task at hand.”

Coach lauds commitment

“I’m surprised by the turnout of players ever since we started training despite the outstanding allowances not yet being paid. We really would like to commend the players for their drive and commitment during this very difficult time. It just shows the hunger of the team to do well,” Jacobs added.

Anna Shikusho, one of the squad’s prolific players, said preparations are going well, and that the players are pushing themselves to get to the required fitness level.

“There are positive vibes all around and we are looking forward to the games.”

In the first leg of qualifiers played last year, Namibia knocked out Tanzania 5-3 on aggregate. The 11 winners of these ties will qualify for the Awcon to take place in Morocco from 2 to 23 July.

As hosts, Morocco automatically qualified. The tournament doubles as the African qualifiers for the World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand. The top four teams at Awcon will qualify for the global showpiece.

Indongo books date with JenkinsTen-rounder the last throw of the dice Julius ‘Blue Machine’ Indongo has a date with Chris Jenkins of the United Kingdom on Saturday at the Motorsport Arena in Cardiff.

Limba Mupetami

WINDHOEK

Former unified light-welterweight world champion Julius ‘Blue Machine’ Indongo is expected to jet out of Namibia this afternoon as he has a 10-round fight against Chris Jenkins of the United Kingdom scheduled.

The Namibian boxer is in good shape, and wants to do better since he lost his last fight – by technical knockout (TKO) – in September last year against Hassan Mwakinyo of Tanzania.

Jenkins has a total of 26 fights, 22 wins (eight of them via TKO) and four losses. He last fought and lost in July last year against fellow countryman Ekow Essuman. “I’m always in the gym and I’m always fit. I’m ready to be back in the ring,” he told international media.

“Indongo has lost more than what he should have. He is a former champion, he is a southpaw, and he is in the game for long. I just got to make sure that I stick to my game plan. I have better footwork then him. I will just box smart.”

In for a rude awakening

The two boxers will fight on Chris Eubank Junior and Liam Williams’ 12-round middleweight card, who are looking to settle their personal animosity, with the latter saying: "Me and Chris aren't each other's biggest fans. It is personal.

"He feels like he's above everybody and can look down on everybody. He's in for a rude awakening when he comes to Cardiff."

Eubank Jr responded: "It couldn't be further from the truth! I'm a laid back, down-to-earth kind of guy. I look down on him because of the things he has said and the way he conducts himself. He knows what is coming. He has dug a very deep hole."

To that, Williams hit back: "I don't like the guy. I don't need more encouragement. I’m fired up."

Eubank Jr explained their grudge: "I respect all fighters. But as a man? A person? A human being? There is nothing to respect. He doesn't carry himself well. He isn't a good representative of the sport.

"He needs to be pushed out of boxing and that's what I am going to do."