Namibian Sun

Papama’s champions league dream comes trueA debut to remember Coming off the bench at the 66th minute, getting booked for a foul and his team losing did not deter Namibia's Marcel Papama from the proud feeling of making a debut for his new club, Jwaneng Galaxy FC, in the CAF Champions League at Obert Itani Chilume Stadium in Botswana. Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

WINDHOEK

Jwaneng Galaxy FC midfielder Marcel Papama says he enjoyed his first ever CAF Champions League encounter for his club at the weekend.

The match also marked the former African Stars and Civics midfielder's debut for his new club, which he joined towards the beginning of February.

Jwaneng Galaxy were defeated 2-1 by CR Belouizad at home in a match in which Papama appeared from the 66th minute.

“I must say that this was a very special weekend for me because I finally played my first ever CAF Champions League match.

The result did not go our way and one can be sad about that, but I was really thrilled to have been part of the team this past weekend.

“What I have learnt from this weekend is that Champions League football is a different ball game and one has to be fully concentrated at all times in such games,” Papama said.

The 25-year-old footballer, who has already played at Africa’s highest football competition at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, hopes to turn the fortunes of the club in their next fixture.

The team was under pressure from the visitors from the onset, with a total 330 passes completed compared to 540 passes by Belouizad.

Papama’s side was also under the pump in terms of possession after committing 13 fouls, while the visiting team only committed five.

The club from Botswana’s journey in this season’s Champion’s League looks bleak after collecting only one point from the three matches they played so far this season.

“Our next CAF Champions League match will be on 11 March away from home.

“All I have to do right now is to remain committed by working hard in training and listening to the coach's instructions.

“I love the spirit here and definitely want to achieve many things for this club,” Papama said.

Jwaneng Galaxy are lingering in fifth place on the Botswana Premier League in a table that is led by Gaborone United on 47 points.

Papama’s side, with 35 points, has played two fewer games than the log leaders.

Russia told not to compete under national flagOfficials react to Ukraine crisis Several nations have announced they will refuse to play football against Russia, while Fifa has said talks will take place over whether that country should be expelled from competitions after invading Ukraine last week.

BBC Sport

Fifa has told Russia to complete their upcoming games in neutral territory under the name the Football Union of Russia without their flag and anthem following the invasion of Ukraine.

World Cup 2022 play-offs will see Russia face Poland before facing either the Czech Republic or Sweden if they win, and are scheduled to be played this month.

Russian president Vladimir Putin launched a military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine last Thursday.

Polish football association president Cezary Kulesza said Fifa's decision to allow the Russian team to compete under another name was "totally unacceptable", while the Swedish and the Czech Republic football associations reiterated their stances that they would not play Russia.

"We are not interested in participating in this game of appearances. Our stance remains intact: The Polish national team will not play with Russia, no matter what the name of the team is,” Kulesza said.

Swedish football association president Karl-Erik Nilsson told Fotbollskanalen they were "not satisfied" with Fifa's decision.

Potential World Cup ban

The global governing body said talks will take place with other sporting organisations over whether Russia should be expelled from competitions.

"Fifa would like to reiterate its condemnation of the use of force by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine," it said on Sunday.

"Violence is never a solution and Fifa expresses its deepest solidarity to all people affected by what is happening in Ukraine.

"Fifa will continue its ongoing dialogue with the International Olympic Committee, Uefa and other sport organisations to determine any additional measures or sanctions, including a potential exclusion from competitions that shall be applied in the near future should the situation not be improving rapidly.

"Fifa's thoughts remain with everybody affected by this shocking and worrying situation."

Wholeheartedly condemned

On Sunday, the English football governing body announced it will not play any international matches against Russia at any level, and "wholeheartedly condemned the atrocities being committed by the Russian leadership".

The boycott of matches will be "for the foreseeable future".

The football association of Wales also condemned Russia's invasion and said it "stands in solidarity with Ukraine and feels an extreme amount of sadness and shock to the recent developments in the country".

It added that Wales will not "play any international fixtures against Russia for the foreseeable future at any level of the game".

Under scrunity

Meanwhile, despite Fifa saying Russia must play home matches on neutral territory, pundits have questioned who would agree to host the team.

Though Fifa has emphasised that its decision was unanimous and supported by the presidents of all six confederations including Uefa, it will disappoint those calling for Russia to be kicked out of the World Cup, and many will see it as a cop-out.

The football body appears to have drawn on the approach of the International Olympic Committee who punished Russia for state sponsored doping with a partial Olympic ban of its anthems, flags and official team name, but still allowed the country's athletes to compete.

But many say after Russia's invasion of a sovereign country, only a much sterner punishment will suffice, and the close relationship Fifa president Gianni Infantino has forged with Putin will once now again come under scrutiny.

Ailongi AaNamibia taya kambathala okuya ontuku okuza moUkraine

YOLANDA NEL

OVENDUKA

Aailongi yaNamibia mboka ye li moUkraine otaya kambadhala okuthigapo oshilongo shoka sha taalela iikolokosha.

Omanga aailongi yamwe ya popi kutya oya kala ya holama momatrelendja konima nkene Russia a ponokele oshilongo shoka mEtine lya piti, ngashiingeyi otaya kambadhala okuthigapo oshilongo shoka ye na oondokumende kehe nenge opaasporta.

Pethimbo ya ningwa nayo oonkundathana koNamibia Media Holdings mOlyomakaya omanga ekwatathano inali gwamo mewangandjo, inaku monika we uuyelele wa gwedhwapo kombinga yonkalo yawo.

Omunaskola gumwe ngoka e li moUkraine okwa popi kutya ke na iiwaliwa molwaashoka omashina gokunana iimaliwa oga tekapo.

“Itatu vulu okumona iimaliwa, oshinima shoka tashi longo natango moshilongo muka oshipangelo owala.”

Pahapu dhe, iifuta yohiila moPoland moka taya kambadhala okuya oyi li pooUS$25 mesiku na ke na iimaliwa yolweendo nenge iikulya okuya hoka.

Okwa pandula kutya epangelo lyaNamibia sho tali ya kwathele okuza mo moUkraine ihe okweethwa yiipaluthe yoyene miilongo yaantu onkalo odhigu okutaalela.

Omanga a li ta popi noshikundaneki shoka, okwa holoka ongendjo ndjoka tayi holola kutya embomo otali vulu okutameka ethimbo kehe.

Uudhigu wumwe wa taalela aailongi mboka, poosasiyona dhomashina noombesa, otaku talika tango aakwashigwana yaUkraine aakiintu naanona.

Omashina oguudha noonkondo naailongi mboka oya tegelela nomukumo kutya taya mono omahala.

Etseyitho li li komalungula oondyoka kutya epangelo lyaNamibia olya indile epangelo lyaPoland li pitithe aakwashigwana yaNamibia oshali pongamba.

Poland aniwa okwa gandja omasiku 15 kaailongi mboka opo ya vule okukala moshilongo shoka.

Omwiilongi gumwe ngoka a shanga kongundu yoWhatsApp yaailongi AaNamibia moUkraine okwa popi kutya uuna ya thiki moPoland otaya pewa okulya.

Okwa popi kutya ope na woo olweendo lwoshali oshowo ehala lyokukala ngele omuntu ota vulu okuulika omukanda gwe ngoka tagu holola okukala moPoland pakathimbo. Uukalata womadhengo goongodhi woshali otawu adhika woo poosasiyona dhomashina.

Mokati kaailongi AaNamibia 92, o 38 otaya yambidhidhwa koNamibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF).

Molyomakaya, ewawa lyaanyasha mongundu yoPopular Democratic Movement (PDM), oya pititha etumwalaka okupitila moshitayi shawo moUnited Kingdom kutya otaya ka kwathela aailongi mboka ya hala okuya koNamibia okupitila moPoland.

Omolwa onkalo yiiyemo ewawa ndyoka otali pula woo aakwashigwana mboka ye na ohokwe mokuyambidhidha pashimaliwa ya ninge ekwatathano nonomola yongodhi 081 635 7415.

Aanangeshefa yomonooli ya dhigipo NCCI Taya popi kutya NCCI kelilepo uuwanawa wawo Aanangeshefa aanene monooli oya dhigipo ehangano lyoNamibia Chambers of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) noku totapo ehangano lyawo yene.

TUYEIMO HAIDULA

OSHAKATI

Aanangeshefa mboka oya popi kutya ehangano lyoNCCI omanyami gowala. Mboka ya thigipo NCCI oya tumbulwa komadhina ngaashi omunangeshefa na okuli mayola gwaNdangwa, Paavo Amwele, Erastus ‘Chicco’ Shapumba oshowo David ‘Kambwa’ Sheehama gwoKambwa Trading. Mboka oya wayimine ehangano epe lyedhina Namibia Local Business Association (Naloba). NCCI okwa ningi omutumba mOngwediva Trade Fair Centre ngoka gwa kala nomwaalu omushona lela, na otashi ulike kutya iilyo yawo oyindji oya kanitha omukumo mehangano ndyoka na inayi hala we ekwatathano.

Sho a popi pe tulo miilonga lyehangano lyoNaloba mEtitano lya piti moChicco Mall mOngwediva, Shapumba okwa popi kutya ehangano ndyoka kali shi lyopapolotika naaNamibia ayehe oya tambulwako oku wayimina ehangano ndyoka. Okwa popi kutya elalakano lyehangano ndyoka okutsakanena ondjilakati nepangelo mokutotapo oompito dhiilonga maanyasha oshowo AaNamibia konduko.

Okwa longitha ompito ndjoka oku nkukilila aanangeshefa yakwawo opo kaya longithe Naloba mokukondjithathana, ta gwedhapo kutya kali shi ehangano lyomuntu gumwe ihe olyaantu ayehe.

Shapumba okwa tsikie kutya omvula ya piti oya ningi omapuko ogendji, na ina hala yeendulule omapuko ngoka nehangano ndyoka lyoNaloba.

Ehangano ndyoka olya totwapo omvula ya piti na olya shangithwa okuudha momasiku 15 gaDesemba omvula ya piti, niilyo otayi kongo ompito okumona omuleli gwoshilongo Hage Geingob, opo yi mu tseyithile kombinga yehangano ndyoka.

Omupeha presidende gwoNaloba, Peter Amadhila okwa popi kuya epangelo olya mona etekepo lyoongeshefa ooshona naadhoka dhopokati onkene omupresidende okuuviteko kutya onkalo oya pumbwa okutalika nokulundululwa.

Okwa popi kutya ehangano olya totwapo onga ewi lyaanangeshefa AaNamibia ayehe shoka NCCI a ndopa okuninga.

Ehangano ndyoka monena oli na iilyo ya thika po 2 000 mbyoka ya thigipo ehangano lyoNCCI naanangeshefa oyendji natango otayi ishangitha.

Amadhila okwa popi kutya otaya longo muuwanawa waanangeshefa na otaya ka pula oombanga opo dhi vule okuhwepopaleka iishoshela yomikuli oshowo omathimbo gokufuta, ta gwedhapo natango kutya otaka kuga koNamibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) kombinga yefudho lyiishoshela yepangelo unene komahangano ngoka opo taga tameke.

Amadhila okwa pula kehe gumwe a wayimine Naloba, ta popi kutya uukwashilyo womvula yotango owoshali, niifuta yuukwashilyo konima yomvula opo tawu kundathanwa.

Sho a popi noNamibia Sun konima yetulo miilonga lyoNaloba, Amwele okwa popi kutya NCCI ngoka eli po ngashiingeyi keli nawa molwaashoka elelo ndyoka li li koshipundi inali hogololwa.

Okwa popi kutya omanga a li omunashipundi gwoshitayi shaNdangwa, okwa uvu kutya okwa pingenwapo omanga inaku ningwa oonkundathana naye.

Omukuluntuwiliki gwoNCCI, Charity Mwiya mOsoondaha okwa popi kutya oku li komukunda na otaka ya mukula komapulo nale.

American business delegation visits Namibia Investment and commercial opportunities Long and Cook will host a networking event for Namibian entrepreneurs to connect them to resources to scale up their businesses.

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

A delegation of representatives from several major United States (US) companies - led by Akunna Cook, a visiting senior state department official responsible for the US’s economic diplomacy for all of Africa - kicked off an exploration visit for investment and commercial opportunities in Namibia yesterday.

The delegation includes officials from the US department of commerce, Power Africa and the American chamber of commerce in South Africa as well as major American firms in the industries of construction and engineering, energies and health.

According to a media statement issued by the US embassy public affairs officer Walter Parrs, Cook and the delegation will meet with Namibian government leadership and potential Namibian business partners.

The embassy’s chargé d’affaires Jessica Long added that American companies bring with them the world’s best skills and highest quality products and services.

“This business delegation offers American expertise in infrastructure development, renewable energy development like solar and green hydrogen, and healthcare management. I see tremendous opportunities in Namibia for these industries, which can drive Namibia’s current and future economic growth, she said.

Prosper Africa

“American companies also believe in corporate social responsibility and contribute broadly in the countries in which they work; for example, by employing locally and training Namibians in valuable skills,” she added.

Long and Cook will host a networking event for Namibian entrepreneurs to connect them to resources to scale up their businesses, including the USAID TradeHub, which helps entrepreneurs launch exports to South Africa and the US.

This is the first in a series of economic diplomacy visits that country’s state department will undertake to advance US trade and investment with Africa as part of the whole-of-government Prosper Africa initiative.

jemima@namibiansun.com

COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

BP quits Russia

BP is abandoning its stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft in an abrupt and costly end to three decades of operating in the energy-rich country, marking the most significant move yet by a Western company in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Rosneft accounts for around half of BP's oil and gas reserves and a third of its production and divesting the 19.75% stake will result in charges of up to US$25 billion, the British company said, without saying how it plans to extricate itself.

"I have been deeply shocked and saddened by the situation unfolding in Ukraine and my heart goes out to everyone affected. It has caused us to fundamentally rethink bp's position with Rosneft," BP Chief Executive Bernard Looney said.

The rapid retreat represents a dramatic exit for BP, the biggest foreign investor in Russia, and puts the spotlight on other Western companies with operations in the country including France's TotalEnergies and Britain's Shell, amid an escalating crisis between the West and Moscow.

It also underscores growing pressure from Western governments on their companies to curtail operations in Russia as they widen a net of economic sanctions against Moscow. -Reuters

Nio pursues Hong Kong

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Nio Inc plans to carry out secondary listings by introduction in Hong Kong and Singapore as it seeks to grow its business in the region.

Stock exchange filings on Monday showed the New York-listed firm had received preliminary approval from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to trade its shares in the city, while the Singapore Exchange was reviewing an application for a secondary listing on the main bourse of that board.

Shanghai-based Nio said the Class A shares are due to start trading on March 10 in Hong Kong under the code 9866 once it receives final approval from the stock exchange. Its primary listing will remain in New York, the company said.

Unlike a typical initial public offering (IPO) or secondary listing, companies listing stock by introduction raise no capital and issue no new shares.

The mechanism was popular among companies in the past looking to build a brand in Hong Kong and the rest of Greater China.

The decision to pursue a listing by introduction was ordered by the company to not dilute or put further pressure on its stock by issuing new shares in Hong Kong and Singapore, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter. -Reuters

Google blocks RT

Alphabet Inc's Google barred on Saturday Russia's state-owned media outlet RT and other channels from receiving money for ads on their websites, apps and YouTube videos, similar to a move by Facebook after the invasion of Ukraine.

Citing "extraordinary circumstances," Google's YouTube unit said it was "pausing a number of channels’ ability to monetize on YouTube." These included several Russian channels affiliated with recent sanctions, such as those by the European Union.

Ad placement is largely controlled by YouTube. Google added later that it was also barring Russian state-funded media outlets from using its ad technology to generate revenue on their own websites and apps.

In addition, the Russian media will not be able to buy ads through Google Tools or place ads on Google services such as search and Gmail, spokesman Michael Aciman said.

"We’re actively monitoring new developments and will take further steps if necessary," Aciman said.

On Wednesday, the European Union unveiled sanctions on individuals such as Margarita Simonyan, whom it called RT's editor-in-chief and "a central figure" of Russian propaganda. -Reuters

Grupo suspends operations in Ukraine

Mexican breadmaker Grupo Bimbo said on Sunday it has temporarily suspended operations in its Dnipro plant to ensure the safety of its 150 workers, all of whom are Ukrainians, citing the ongoing crisis with Russia.

One of the world's largest breadmaker, Grupo Bimbo said in a statement that it operates in Ukraine under the brand of Bimbo QSR, providing baked goods to quick service restaurants. It said it had suspended operations in Ukraine four days earlier.

Grupo Bimbo also operates in Russia though the statement did not mention whether its presence there would be affected.

Earlier this week, Mexican tortilla-maker Gruma suspended operations at its plant in Ukraine, local media had reported. -Reuters

Chris Licht set to run CNN

Executive producer Chris Licht will lead CNN after the cable news channelis taken over by Discovery Inc, succeeding Jeff Zucker, a source familiar with the matter said on Saturday. An announcement is expected as early as next week, according to the source.

Licht is currently an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" on Paramount Global's CBS network.

He served for six years as executive producer of "CBS This Morning," offering a newsier alternative to rival network morning shows. He has also served as executive producer of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," an experience that provided the backdrop of his book "What I Learned When I Almost Died," in which he describes the life-changing experience of surviving a brain aneurysm.

Industry newsletter Puck first reported the development. This marks the first major appointment by Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who will lead the new Warner Bros. Discovery once the acquisition of WarnerMedia is completed.

The network was thrown into turmoil earlier this month following the abrupt departure of its longtime leader Jeff Zucker, the executive who reshaped the news network. He was forced to leave, he told colleagues, because he failed to disclose a consensual relationship with a colleague. -Reuters

DPM investment to benefit youth

TUYEIMO HAIDULA

OSHAKATI

The Tsumeb town council and Dundee Precious Metals (DPM) have entered into a three-year investment agreement to uplift vulnerable people living in the town.

The agreement is valued at N$3 million, and the money will be allocated N$1 million per year.

DPM head Zebra Kasete said, as a company, they believe in sustainability and corporate social responsibility, hence the decision to invest in the project. He added that they aim to be a long-term sustainable operator that generates value for stakeholders. "This is absolutely necessary, because creating value for our stakeholders is central to our licence to operate," he said.

The agreement is set to benefit vulnerable members of the community, with the initial focus for funding being agricultural projects. However, Kasete clarified, this does not exclude other projects that address sustainable livelihoods within the community.

DPM’s community investments are aligned to national plans and the United Nations’ Sustainable Developmental Goals to create shared value between the company, community and the government, he said.

From an investment perspective, he added that they will continue to demonstrate their commitment towards building and supporting their beautiful town to revitalise and enrich the community in which they operate.

Alleviating poverty

Tsubmeb mayor Mathews Hangula said the investment will not only address unemployment in the town, but will also help alleviate poverty.

He said with an investment as huge as that of DPM, they will also be able to address social issues, which will lead to the reduction of criminal activities in the town because unemployed youth will be kept busy.

He added that the investment will also boost the town's economy.

"Tsumeb being an agricultural town, we will be able to reclaim our position for striving to address food security and produce more," he said.

The investment will meet government halfway, the mayor said, while addressing the dependency syndrome faced by many youths.

Namibian tourism products must be competitive, Shifeta says

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

It is imperative that Namibia’s tourism products remain competitive, which can only be achieved by continuously developing new tourism destinations, products and routes that appeal to the travel market. This according to tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta, who was speaking at the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) tourism congress held in Lüderitz recently.

The theme for this year’s congress was ‘unlocking new horizons’. The theme was crafted in 2019 and speaks directly to the historic opening of Namibia’s newest Tsau /Khaeb National Park for tourism.

Shifeta said travel, tourism and leisure clients are discerning, searching for emotive satisfaction and therefore demand new attractive destinations and experiences every time they travel.

The Tsau /Khaeb National Park, formerly known as the ‘Sperrgebiet’, was over the past century closed exclusively for diamond mining activities.

However, the ministry - through a detailed Tourism Development and Park Management Plan, which was launched in Windhoek on 16 October 2020 - has opened the park for tourism development opportunities.

“Of the nine concessions that were identified, six were awarded to the successful bidders and contracts will be signed soon for tourism activities to kick-start.”

Shifeta said it is crucial for concession holders, tour operators and other users of the park to adopt sustainable tourism and environmentally friendly principles.

New paths

“The combination of its natural scenic beauty and historical uniqueness makes Namibia popular as a travel destination. To satisfy the inquisitiveness of the visitor, the tourism sector is challenged to discover new attractions, develop new routes and open new paths for travellers to venture on,” the minister said.

Adjacent to the Tsau /Khaeb National Park is the /Ai-/Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier National Park, which stretches across the Orange River that forms a border between Namibia and South Africa.

Shifeta urged tourism planners and operators to jointly develop, market and promote tourism routes and products in the two adjacent parks.

“I believe tourism can be revived in the southern part of Namibia through good collaboration and smart partnerships amongst tourism stakeholders with northern and western Cape tourism in South Africa.”

Good prospects

He added that the ministry will soon finalise the Tourism Recovery Plan. The plan provides a roadmap and sets priorities in terms of programmes and activities to be implemented to aid the recovery process for the sector.

Finally, there are good prospects of gradual recovery in terms of tourist arrivals in the country from 2020 to 2021 by the 37.5% increase seen in the latest provisional statistics, Shifeta said.

“This positive development or increase in foreign arrivals in 2021 gives us all hope that the global travel and tourism sector is in the recovery trajectory.”

ellanie@namibiansun.com

Report highlights Bipa’s shortcomingsManual system frustrates entity Limited awareness of intellectual property and its value in general as well as a lack of data on IP success stories are some of the challenges the Business and Intellectual Property Authority of Namibia faces.

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

Some of the challenges that undermine the work of the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa) includes outdated copyright legislation and a manual data system that frustrates the work of the entity.

This according to Bipa’s annual report for 2019/2020, which highlighted that the entity also struggles with competencies in technical areas such as patent substantive examination.

Further, there is limited awareness of intellectual property (IP) and its value in general as well as a lack of data on IP success stories, and therefore a lack of data on the revenue generated from these industries.

For the coming years, Bipa will look at finalising and operationalising the online filing system of IP rights applications, the rules for the industrial property tribunal and the development of a new copyright law.

It also seeks to commence with the implementation of a national IP policy as well as ratifying World Intellectual Property Organisation copyright related treaties Namibia has signed.

Data cleaning project

Meanwhile, to improve accuracy of business information on its business registration system, which is a major challenge, Bipa implemented a data cleaning project, which has so far achieved 35% data accuracy.

During this financial year, Bipa registered a total of 909 companies, which translates into a 69% decrease from the 2018/19 financial year; however, that period’s registrations can be attributed to the requirement of only submitting registered companies during fishing quota announcements.

Close corporations (CC) remain the most sought business type, with a total of 8 904 of new CCs registered during this financial year.

So far, 182 not-for-gain companies - known as Section 21 entities - were registered during this financial year.

In terms of the current business registration laws in Namibia and Bipa’s registration processes, an entity must first reserve a name before moving on to the registration of a specified entity, and so far, a total of 32 098 names have been reserved during the period under review.

jemima@namibiansun.com

Man’s tongue cut off for N$100

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

The tip of a 50-year-old Zimbabwean man’s tongue was cut off when suspects robbed him of N$100 on Friday at Katima Mulilo.

According to the police, the suspects kicked the man and when he fell, they cut the tip of his tongue off and then stole his cash.

The man is in a stable condition and is receiving medical treatment at Katima Mulilo. One of the suspects is apparently an Angolan man, but no arrests have been made yet.

In other news, a five-year-old boy was raped on several occasions since 18 February until Friday by his 18-year-old male cousin at Oipay village.

It is alleged the older boy took the minor’s trousers off and raped him. They are apparently also neighbors. He has been arrested.

Ran home naked

At Keetmanshoop, a 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her 35-year-old neighbour on Friday.

According to the police, the man - who has since been arrested - hid the girl’s clothes in an outside toilet after raping her and locked her in his room. However, she managed to escape and ran home naked.

At Mariental, a 23-year-old woman was raped by a 21-year-old man on Friday. She was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and asleep when it happened.

At the Oshikuku village, a 20-year-old woman was raped by a 24-year-old man on Saturday. He has been arrested.

Unpolished diamonds

In another incident at Otavi, two men were arrested for being in possession of 10 unpolished diamonds on Friday.

According to the police, they were arrested after they offered to sell the stones to an undercover anti-poaching officer.

At Ohangwena, five suspects were arrested after they were found in possession of 29 elephant tusk pieces, which they offered to sell to undercover police detectives.

The suspects were not in possession of a permit from the environment ministry that authorised them to possess these products. Some of the suspects are Angolan nationals who are in Namibia illegally as they do not have documentation to stay in the country.

No PDM payment for Ukraine students

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) has confirmed it is in contact with 34 students currently stranded in Ukraine trying to find safe passage to neighbouring countries in eastern Europe such as Poland.

Ukraine has been plunged into a full-scale war after Russian president Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of the country, which has seen thousands of residents, foreign nationals and students fleeing for safe haven outside its borders.

PDM president McHenry Venaani on Sunday tweeted that their youth league secured 37 students passage out of Ukraine to Poland and urged others to join a fundraising exercise for other Namibian students in that country.

On social media, the party wrote it is “busy facilitating payments to students for food, tickets and other expenses at the moment”.

The youth league has reportedly collected around N$34 000 as well as a donation of N$20 000 from a resident of Uis.

The party, however, came under fire for reportedly politicising the issue, with some students claiming they have not been contacted.

The PDMYL condemned the outrage as unfortunate and a “ploy” by the ruling Swapo Party and Namibia National Students Organisation functionaries to try and discredit its interventions.

Not yet

By yesterday, no payments had been made, PDMYL leader Maxmillian Katjimune confirmed.

He, however, insisted that they are in contact with 34 - not 37 - students as suggested by their leader; 30 students in Poland and three in Romania, whose transport was reportedly arranged by the PDM’s United Kingdom (UK) representative.

He added that some of the students will take a flight to the UK first before boarding to Namibia.

“The students we are in contact with are 34, not 37. I believe there was a miscommunication which has been clarified. We are busy booking flights for these students, but the process is slow because they don't have travel documents. The process was never earmarked to be fast. In fact, we already expected that payments will only be made from today,” he said.

According to him, they spent most of Saturday and Sunday establishing contact with the students, and have experienced some communication challenges during this time.

“We have also established that some of the students do not have passports and banking details. Another issue hampering the speedy payment to the students is that we are using a Bank Windhoek account from the Namibian side to pay some of the students, who are using First National Bank, and this takes 24 hours.”

jemima@namibiansun.com

Govt to upscale healthcare provision Policy pursues quality, accessibility and affordability In order to transform the Namibian healthcare system into one that can withstand possible future health crises, government has launched a policy informed by various assessments and a WHO handbook.

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

Government has launched a National Quality Management Policy which will guide the transformation of its healthcare sector into one that can withstand health crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic and provide safe, efficient and good-quality services to all when required.

World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics from 2020 estimate that between 5.7 and 8.4 million deaths are attributed to poor quality care each year in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which represents up to 15% of overall deaths in these countries.

During the launch ceremony yesterday, WHO representative Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses said a range of countries and conditions show systematic deficits in the quality of care, adding that in LMICs, mothers and children receive less than half of recommended clinical action in a typical preventive or curative visit.

It is also reported that only half of suspected cases of tuberculosis (TB) are correctly managed, and fewer than one in 10 people diagnosed with major depressive disorder receive minimally adequate treatment.

“Diagnoses are frequently incorrect for serious conditions such as pneumonia, myocardial infarction and newborn asphyxia. Care can be too slow for conditions that require timely action, reducing chances of survival. At the system level, there are gaps in safety, prevention, integration and continuity, reflected by poor patient retention and insufficient coordination across platforms of care,” he said.

“One in three people across LMICs cited negative experiences with their healthcare system in the areas of attention, respect, communication and length of visit. Quality of care is worst for vulnerable groups, including the poor, the less educated, adolescents, those with stigmatised conditions and those at the edges of healthcare systems, such as people in prisons. Improving quality should be a core component of universal healthcare initiatives, alongside expanding coverage and financial protection,” Sagoe-Moses added.

Fostering ownership

Meanwhile, according to health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula, the policy was largely informed by the various quality of healthcare systems assessments and the WHO handbook for National Quality Policy and Strategy.

“In order to foster ownership, the quality of healthcare is locally defined as healthcare that is timely, safe, respectful, responsive and improves health outcomes in Namibia. The policy will therefore pursue dimensions of quality, accessibility, affordability, effectiveness, efficiency, safety, people-centeredness, timeliness, equitability and integrated healthcare services,” he said.

“The high-level strategies to implement this policy will include improving quality management systems; engaging and empowering patients, families and communities; improving patient and healthcare worker safety, and improving clinical practice,” Shangula said.

jemima@namibiansun.com

Liberty Namibia’s take on the budget“Reimaging, a Better Future for the Youth” Education, healthcare and safety received a large portion of the budget. We agree with the sentiment that the youth will propel us into the future, ensuring that they are equipped with the necessary and adequate skills. Monique Cloete, MD: Liberty Namibia

MONIQUE CLOETE

On the 24 February 2022, honourable minister Iipumbu Shiimi delivered the national budget for the financial year (FY) 2022/2023. As with any budget reveal, the population waited with bated breath to find out how it would affect the lives of the average Namibian citizen. The theme of the budget speech was “Reimaging, a Better Future for the Youth”. A sentiment that resonates with us at Liberty Namibia.

From a Liberty point of view, the aspects of the budget speech that excite us are education, healthcare and safety, each of which has been allocated a large portion of the budget in that respective order.

We agree with the sentiment that the youth will propel us into the future, ensuring that they are equipped with the necessary and adequate skills to meet the vision 2030 outcomes and bring Namibia into the fourth (4th) industrial revolution. Innovation has been one of the greatest results that has been birthed from the pandemic. However, in order to nurture the ability for our youth to propel us forward, education has to take centre stage and we are pleased to see that our government has done so, since this takes care of the future captains of industry.

A nation that does not prioritise healthcare is a nation destined for failure. In the lives of the average Namibian, it is difficult to foresee a future for yourself when you do not have the financial means to provide for your healthcare. Therefore, we are encouraged by the funding that has been allocated to ensure that we do not fail as a nation and that every Namibian will have the ability to see a better tomorrow for themselves. The minister also made a call to improve vaccinations. It is clear that our low vaccination status will affect local economic activity as well as affecting other Namibian industries such as tourism and may result in the next Covid-19 wave.

Tax

The Income Tax Amendment bill, even though still being reviewed, was highlighted again detailing that tax changes which would provide relief would be given more attention such as the increase of tax-deductible contributions towards retirement and education policies from N$40 000 to N$150 000 on an annual basis, and we see this as an opportunity for growth in national savings.

Pensions are essentially a deferment of income and these monies are also subject to market forces. It has been well documented that current consumers are under pressure to sustain their livelihoods. We live in the time of instant gratification so, as an industry, we have to think about how we make this deferment more attractive.

While we there is no denying that it will be a trying few years, it is our hope that the implementation of projects like the AgriBank Women and Youth Scheme, Namibian Youth for Green Hydrogen Scholarship Program, VTC Centres Expansion and EIF Green Concessional Loan Facility speaks to reigniting growth, job creation and youth focused opportunities.

We echo the closing remarks made by the honourable minister as he appealed to the Namibian population for unwavering support as they forge ahead with the implementation journey and vow to support it ourselves.

TotalEnergies oil find promising Discovery a ‘game changer’ for Nam Located approximately 290 kilometres off the coast of Namibia in a deep-water offshore exploration block, the Venus-1X well was drilled to a total depth of 6 296 metres by the Maersk Voyager drillship.

OGONE TLHAGE

WINDHOEK

TotalEnergies has confirmed the presence of light oil on the Venus-1X prospect, located in block 2913B (PEL 56) in the Orange Basin, the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) announced.

This follows on the heels of a recent promising discovery in the same basin by Shell. Commenting on the matter, Namcor managing director Immanuel Mulunga said it was a game changer for Namibia.

“Following the recent success of the Graff-1 well by Shell, this second light oil discovery by TotalEnergies has demonstrated the world-class potential of this new play in the deep-water of the Orange Basin, which could be a major game changer for Namibia’s economy and its people. We look forward to the upcoming appraisal programme to quantify the extent of this major discovery.”

The Venus-1X discovery is located approximately 290 kilometres off the coast of Namibia in a deep-water offshore exploration block. The well was drilled to a total depth of 6 296 metres by the Maersk Voyager drillship, and encountered a high-quality, light oil-bearing sandstone reservoir of lower cretaceous age, Namcor said.

Significant

Oil and gas news website Upstream said TotalEnergies had made a significant discovery.

It is understood that coring and sampling of the well took place along with several days of wireline operations, plus other tests. The quality of the crude is unclear, but there is speculation that it could be light oil, with associated gas.

TotalEnergies is set to plug and abandon Venus-1, as under its original plan, with operations on the well said to be close to being wrapped up.

Block 2913B (PEL 56) comprises of a Joint Venture group that includes TotalEnergies (40%), QatarEnergy (30%), Impact Oil and Gas (20%) and Namcor (10%).

EDITORIAL: Sex is not taboo Teen pregnancy remains a rising concern in Namibia. The high teen pregnancy rate has also resulted in many girls dropping out of school to stay home with their little ones, even though there is a government policy in place which allows learner mothers to go back to school. For a nation that is battling unacceptably high HIV/Aids infections, the phenomenon of teenage pregnancies raises relevant questions on whether sex education is effective in our schools. We have also seen many incidences where teenage mothers don’t graduate from high school, which in itself has long-term effects on them, and on society as a whole. Holding those responsible for teenage pregnancy cannot be the only solution towards curbing this scourge. Surely, our conservative attitude towards social problems must change for the better and it is important that community leaders and parents alike stop viewing sexual intercourse as a taboo subject. A comprehensive sex education programme is essential for reducing risky sexual behaviours, especially among learners. These campaigns should be community-oriented and young girls and boys, men and women must be sensitised with the aim of helping to raise awareness and reducing the prevalence of teen pregnancy. Information taught at school must be reinforced in the family home and in our communities.

Naira incentives to be offered to exporters Nigeria facing dollar shortages Nigeria sells oil and cocoa on global markets to dollars but imports petrol and chocolate at higher cost. In an effort to reduce exposure to volatile sources of foreign exchange and to earn more stable and sustainable inflows of foreign exchange. Central bank of Nigeria

CHIJIOKE OHUOCHA

Nigeria will offer a naira incentive to exporters of semi-processed or finished goods made at home in a push to shore up the country’s dollar supply, the central bank said.

Nigeria is facing chronic dollar shortages while rising demand has put pressure on the naira, as providers of foreign exchange, such as offshore investors, exited after the Covid-19 pandemic triggered an oil price crash.

The central bank in a circular dated February 25, said it will pay 65 naira (US$0.16) to exporters for every repatriated dollar through official channels and sold to the currency market, and it will pay 35 naira for funds repatriated for other uses.

The central bank said this month that it was hoping Nigeria can reach earnings of US$200 billion a year in foreign exchange from non-oil exports over the next three to five years.

“In an effort to reduce exposure to volatile sources of foreign exchange and to earn more stable and sustainable inflows of foreign exchange, the Central Bank of Nigeria introduced the (race to US$200 billion) programme,” it said.

Nigeria sells oil and cocoa on global markets to dollars but imports petrol and chocolate at higher cost, the central bank said at the announcement of the scheme.

Exporters sometimes sell their proceeds on the unofficial market where the dollar exchanges at a premium to the naira, or keep funds abroad, an action the central bank wants to change.

In March, the bank offered 5 naira to recipients of remittances from the Nigerian abroad for every imported dollar through licenced channels. It later extended the offer indefinitely, saying that remittances had increased five-fold.

Remittances or money transfers make up the second largest source of foreign exchange receipts after oil exports in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy. -Reuters

IMF assures it will support Ukraine Ukraine has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for emergency financing, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said, adding that the IMF was exploring all options to aid the war-torn country, including under its existing IMF loan program.

Georgieva said in a statement that she met with the IMF's executive directors and "assured them that our staff will continue to work closely with the authorities to support Ukraine in every way we can."

That includes exploring options for further financial support, including under the remaining capacity of about US$2.2 billion in Ukraine's existing US$5 billion stand-by loan arrangement.

Georgieva also said the Fund was assessing potential implications for the functioning of the global financial system, on commodity markets and on countries with economic ties to the region.

"We stand ready to support our members as needed, in close coordination with our international partners," including the World Bank, she said.

World Bank President David Malpass said on Thursday the bank also was preparing "fast-disbursing" financing options for Ukraine.

Earlier on Friday, Georgieva said that Western sanctions against Russia will add to the economic impacts of the war in Ukraine, which are primarily being transmitted through higher energy and grain prices, adding to inflation.

Georgieva, speaking at a Georgetown Law School event on Black History Month, also said that greater financial market uncertainty caused by the conflict may cause capital "outflows from emerging markets, when we need exactly the opposite more financing going there."

She also said that heightened regional tensions may impact economic activity in countries and regions surrounding Ukraine, such as Moldova and the Caucasus.

Russia is among the world's biggest oil exporters and also is a major wheat exporter along with Ukraine, whose Black Sea ports have been closed to shipping.

Georgieva also said that she was concerned about her brother, who is married to a Ukrainian woman and who is currently in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, where heavy fighting is taking place.

"When I talked to him, I feel strongly for all for his family of course, but for everybody there to wake up to the sounds of bombing and to be unsure about what the next would bring," said Georgieva, a Bulgarian economist who grew up during the country's communist era. -Reuters

Fishrot: Prison defends diet, clinic

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

Windhoek Correctional Services deputy commissioner Veikko Armas yesterday told the High Court he has never received complaints about the supposed health challenges suffered by the Fishrot accused, but admitted that they requested special diets.

He was testifying in the bail application by some of the accused men, on grounds including that they have ailments and dietary needs that should get them released from jail.

Armas said an existing dietary menu drawn up by a dietician in September 2019 is served to all inmates while the correctional facility has a clinic manned by a medical doctor, three registered and three enrolled nurses.

The food on the menu is readily available, although on occasions fresh vegetables may be out of stock, he said, adding that there is a specific three-page menu for those inmates suffering from hypertension.

For Sundays, this menu includes 200 grams of maize meal, mahangu or wheat flour porridge, samp, dried beans mixed with green peas, lentils and herbs with no salt. Brown bread is served with soup powder with low salt as well as red meat with no salt or oil. There is also tea with powdered milk and sugar, margarine for the bread and fresh fruit.

Inmates are, however, allowed to procure their own food if they do not want the food provided by the facility, an option used by the Fishrot accused.

Armas informed the court that the applicants buy their food supplies in groups. Pius Mwatelulo, James Hatuikulipi and Sacky Shanghala buy theirs together, while Mike Nghipunya sometimes buys his with Phillipus Mwapopi and Otniel Shuudifonya, and they put their orders in every Thursday.

Inmates’ relatives could previously bring food to prison but this has been stopped after a recent directive that urges relatives to rather make payments to the commissary shop at the facility.

Sleep apnea machine

Armas also said inmates are taken to the Katutura State Hospital while arrangements can be made for some inmates to see their private doctors as well as being admitted in private healthcare facilities where are escorted by correctional officers.

In his affidavit, Shanghala alleged that he suffers hypertension and sleep apnea which needs a special machine and that he has no access to it.

Armas confirmed that while treatment is available for the other ailments Shanghala suffers, there is no sleep apnea machine at the facility and no request was made for one.

“If it is a life-threatening illness and an inmate cannot live without such, it is obvious that we would have made arrangements for such or the person would have been advised accordingly,” he said.

jemima@namibiansun.com

Mbumba dismisses retirement talks

STAFF REPORTER

WINDHOEK

Vice president Nangolo Mbumba has poured cold water over talks that he intends to resign from his position.

The 80-year-old was rumoured to intend on leaving his cushy government job and head into retirement, but yesterday told Namibian Sun he has no such plans.

The former Swapo secretary-general became vice president in 2018, succeeding Nickey Iyambo who stepped down due to poor health.

Talks are rife that “Mbumba is definitely going” and will be replaced by Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, a move seen as a ploy to shape the outcome of the upcoming Swapo elective congress.

Yesterday, Mbumba said: “I’ve not heard the president [Hage Geingob] saying I must vacate my position and I definitely have not told myself to do so. It’s a false alarm”.

The Olukonda-born Mbumba has served as minister of agriculture (1993-1996), finance (1996-2003), information (2003-2005) and education (2003-2010).

Fuel bomb hits NamibiaPrices at a record high It’s still early days in 2022 but the fuel price has always gone up twice, with the second increase historically astronomic and shooting the year-on-year increase to 35.6% for petrol and 36.3% for diesel.

PHILLEPUS UUSIKU AND JO-MARÉ DUDDY

WINDHOEK

From tomorrow, motorists will pay N$1.20 per litre extra for petrol and N$1.30 more for diesel, the ministry of mines and energy has announced.

This is the second fuel price increase for the year, following eight increases in 2021. The ministry warned that the country might continue to experience further fuel price increments during the coming months as the market remains volatile.

According to Robert McGregor, head of research at Cirrus Capital, these increases put both petrol and diesel prices at a new all-time high in Namibia. Year-on-year, the price of petrol will increase by 35.6% and diesel by 36.3%

Despite the historic increase, prices are still substantially lower than in South Africa - around N$3.73 per litre cheaper for petrol and N$1.68 per litre cheaper for diesel, McGregor pointed out.

According to the ministry’s executive director, Simeon Negumbo, the sharp increases in petroleum products are ascribed by the mismatch between global oil supply and demand.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) had to cut its supply drastically, and is now reluctant to increase supply. In addition, geopolitical tension in oil-producing regions is also driving up fuel prices, he pointed out.

Negumbo noted that the appreciation of the Namibia dollar was not significant enough to offset the sharp increase in fuel products.

Under-recoveries of 140 cents per litre on petrol and 160 cents per litre on diesel were recorded at the end of February.

The National Energy Fund will cover all the under recoveries recorded at the end of last month on behalf of the fuel consumers, at about N$143 million, he said.

Impact

According to Simonis Storm economist Theo Klein, transport has a weight of 14.3% in the Namibian consumer price basket, used to calculate national inflation rates. This means the average household spends about 14% of its budget on transport, where fuel prices would typically form the biggest component.

“With household budgets already stretched and under pressure, we expect to see less domestic tourism activity taking place due to higher fuel costs making camping trips and inter-regional travel more expensive for locals,” he said.

Meanwhile, Danie van Wyk, head of research at IJG Securities, noted that rising fuel prices mean that a larger percentage of a consumer’s salary is likely to be spent on fuel, meaning that less will be spent on other goods and services. Businesses face the same issue, where transport costs will increase, which makes it more expensive to manufacture and/or sell their products. These costs are often passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices charged for the goods and services, Van Wyk pointed out.

FP du Toit

Fuel represents about a third of all FP du Toit Group’s expenses, its CEO Stephan Terblanche said.

The impact of only last year’s fuel price hikes meant the group should have increased its rates by 11% this year. However, the group, which has a fleet of more than 600 vehicles in operation, had to absorb these increases in order to stay competitive in the market, he said.

The only way to counter increasingly expensive fuel is to grow business and efficiencies continually, he added.

Some transport businesses unfortunately had to close their doors and the FP du Toit Group fills this gap in the market. New business increases the group’s turnover and lowers the fixed-cost allocation per vehicle.

In addition, the group strictly controls all costs. Fuel consumption, together with other input costs, are managed more effectively continuously.

The entire economy is affected by more expensive fuel and the increases will have an impact on every consumer. “It’s a vicious circle,” Terblanche said.

Nabta

Government will have to intervene and come to the rescue of public transport operators, Penda Nakathingo, the secretary-general of the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta), said.

Approached for comment, Nakathingo said the new hikes will have a “very serious impact on the survival” of the industry. It already suffered a massive hit with the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We will have no business again,” he said.

Nabta will approach government to seek mitigating measures. If government doesn’t help, its only option will be to increase fares, which many Namibians already struggle to afford, he said.

Mining expected to be the growth engine BoN projects 3.4% growth in 2022 The central bank lowered its economic growth forecast for 2021 from 1.5% to 0.9%, a decrease of 0.6 percentage points. Risks to domestic growth remain dominated by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, but also include swings in rainfall pattern as well as high prices for energy products. Bank of Namibia

PHILLEPUS UUSIKU

The mining industry and most of the industries in the tertiary sector are expected to drive the economy in 2022 and 2023.

According to the Bank of Namibia (BoN) economic outlook, the domestic economy is projected to grow by 3.4% in 2022 and to 3.7% in 2023.

The central bank lowered its economic growth forecast for 2021 from 1.5% to 0.9%, a decrease of 0.6 percentage points. This is a result of lower performance in sectors like non-metallic minerals products, construction, wholesale and retail trade, and financial services, the BoN said.

Diamond mining is anticipated to expand by 26.2% in 2022 and 16.5% in 2023, as the new mining vessel is expected to commence production during the second quarter of 2022. The sector is estimated to have grown by 2.3% in 2021.

In addition, despite risks from low prices and water supply issues, the uranium mining sector is expected to grow by 3.9% and 6.6% in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

During 2021, lost production due to water supply disruptions were less pronounced compared to the year 2020 and mines are building onsite water storage facilities in order to manage future water crises, the report reads.

Apart from mining, the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector are also expected to record a positive growth in 2022.

Meanwhile, the construction sector is projected to remain in contraction in 2022 before recovering to growth in 2023.

The central bank warned that risks to domestic growth remain dominated by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, but also include swings in rainfall pattern as well as high prices for energy products such fuel and gas and supply disruptions around the world, the central bank said.

Other notable risks to domestic growth outlook include high prices for energy products such as fuel and gas as well as supply disruptions around the world and breaks in the rainfall pattern that might have a negative impact on agriculture, the report added.

Global economy

Global economic growth is projected to moderate during 2022 and 2023 following an estimated stronger growth in 2021. The expected moderation in global growth during 2022 and 2023 incorporates anticipated effects of travel restrictions, border closures, and health impacts from the spread of the Omicron variant.

Moreover, growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is projected at 3.7% and 4.0% in 2022 and 2023, respectively, from 4.0% in 2021.

Growth in Nigeria, which Africa’s largest economy, is projected to slow down to 2.7% in 2022 from an estimated growth of 3.0% in 2021

Furthermore, growth in South Africa, which is Africa’s most industrialised country, is expected to slow down to 1.9% in 2022 from a higher growth of 4.6% in 2021, before moderating further to 1.4% in 2023, the report pointed out.

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) expects growth for the South African economy to slow down to 1.7% in 2022, before improving marginally to 1.8% in 2023, from 4.8% in 2021.

The risks to the global outlook are mainly related to uncertainty regarding the coronavirus outbreak, coupled with global supply chain disruptions.

The emergence of new Covid-19 variants could prolong the pandemic and induce renewed economic disruptions. Moreover, supply chain disruptions, energy price volatility, and localised wage pressures mean uncertainty around inflation and policy paths.

Additionally, risks to the global outlook may increase should the conflict between Russia and Ukraine persist. Furthermore, the ongoing climate emergency means that the probability of major natural disasters remains elevated, the BoN said.-phillep@nmh.com.na

Shitembi ready to return to Terengganu

Limba Mupetami

WINDHOEK

Malaysian Super League club Terengganu midfielder Petrus Shitembi is excited to be returning to the club once travel arrangements are finalised.

The 29-year-old captain of the Brave Warriors was laid off due to injury, a situation he described as frustrating.

He injured his knee in March last year, during final preparations for the Malaysian league which was at that time delayed due to Covid-19.

“Lay-off has been extremely frustrating but I took the good with the bad. I have been recovering for almost a year since my knee operation. The injury kept me away for so long from something that I love, but it also allowed me to sit back and look at life from a different perspective.

“So, you can say that this is a little bit of a silver lining,” he added.

The Malaysia League is competitive. Last season, Johor Darul Ta'zim managed to defend their crown, securing their eighth consecutive title since 2014 with two matches left to play. Terengganu ended fourth on the log out of 12 clubs.

The new season starts on Saturday with Terengganu’s first match scheduled against Pahang.

Corporates unite for common causeFirst wave of entities put down pledges Taking place under the annual MTC Knockout Project umbrella, the initiative is aimed at nation-building and inculcating a culture of unity while raising funds for a yet-to-be-announced charity.

Sports Reporter

WINDHOEK

Yesterday at a press announcement in Windhoek, six corporates, become the first wave of entities to support MTC’s ‘We Race Together’ initiative. Shoprite, Namib Mills, Erongo Marine Enterprise, the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa), Namport and Namibia Airport Company (NAC) all threw their hats into the ring, with Namib Mills, Shoprite and MTC all registering their participation in the much-anticipated event with N$120 000 each.

Erongo Marine Enterprise pledged N$90 000, while BIPA, NAC and Namport aided the cause with N$30 000 each.

The innovative ‘We Race Together’ initiative, under the annual MTC Knockout Project umbrella, aims to drive towards nation-building, and to inculcate a culture of unity while raising funds for a yet-to-be-announced charity.

MTC’s chief human capital and corporate affairs officer Tim Ekandjo thanked all the corporates that came on board and challenged more to register their participation in the project with a fee of N$30 000 per participant.

He added that “the practice of operating solely focused on the bottom-line of accumulating profit while ignoring pertinent social issues that affect the people who support our businesses is ancient, and falls short of best corporate practices. The time is ripe to come together to address some of these shared common social problems.

“We would like to thank the corporates that joined us on the project thus far, and call on more to do so. We have reached out to a number of companies and individuals and will continue to invite more to register their participation because we believe more is always merrier,” he said.

About the event

The ‘We Race Together’ project will bring together over 140 personalities from across Namibia and from all walks of life to race in a 4x100-metre relay. The event is slated to take place at the Independence Stadium in Windhoek on 23 April.

These personalities will be teamed up to make relay teams of four persons and will receive professional training from world-class Namibian coaches.

The teams will participate in various qualifying heats, and those who qualify for the final will have the honour to race against two world-class teams; the first consisting of Christine Mboma, Beatrice Masilingi, Frank Fredericks and Helalia Johannes, and the other consisting of Johannes Nambala, Johanna Benson and Ananias Shikongo.

Mountain Bike League set for Friday

Sports Reporter

WINDHOEK

The FNB Schools Mountain Bike League will host its much-anticipated first Windhoek fixture this Friday.

Last year, the Windhoek league drew close to 150 riders per race from 26 schools, with children varying in ages from under six to under 18. The aim of the league is to introduce children to mountain biking and is aimed at riders of all skill levels.

On Friday, the league will kick-off with the under-six boys and under-six and -eight girls at 14:15 at the IJG Trails.

One to watch out for in the under-18 boys’ category is Daniel Hahn, who narrowly beat Kevin Lowe in the first South African Cross-Country XC race in Paris last weekend. The racing promises to be tight again this weekend.

Roger Suren in the under-16 boys’ category also won his race, beating the rest of the field by a substantial margin.

Tight racing has also been seen amongst the girls, with Delsia Janse van Vuuren taking fourth place in the under-16 race, Rosemarie Thiel taking third in the under-14 race and Nicole Suren winning the under-12 race.

Restoring the economy to past glory‘It’s all in our hands’ Although the economy has not been doing well recently, Namibia has the information and tools to turn it around. However, to accomplish this, decisive and intentional action is required. While the bad news is that the economy has been in a downward spiral, the good news is that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and it is not dim.

Tjivingurura Mbuende - Last week in Parliament, finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi tabled the national budget under the theme Reimaging, a Better Future for the Youth.

He is right. There is a need to reimage the economy in a more positive light.

Namibia’s economy has gone through significant changes since 1990. The World Bank data indicates that the number of Namibians who were regarded as living below the poverty line decreased from 28,7% in 2009-10 to 17,4% by 2015-16.

The credit for this reduction is attributed to political stability and sound economic management that have helped anchor poverty reduction and allowed Namibia to become an upper-middle income country.

Sectors like mining allowed the country to flourish on the economic front. According to the ministry of mines and energy, the mining sector created 14 000 jobs in 2011 and 19 000 jobs in 2015, indirectly impacting the livelihoods of 100 000 Namibians. In a year of good economic performance, the mining sector can provide 25% of Namibia’s national income.

Similarly, the agricultural sector is important to Namibia’s economic growth. According to the Bank of Namibia (BoN), in the early 2000s, the sector accounted for 11.5% of the total foreign exchange earnings of the country. The agricultural sector is even more crucial to the livelihoods of Namibians because at least 70% of the population is directly dependent on subsistence farming.

CHANGING LANDSCAPE

Namibia's Financial Sector Strategy 2011-2021 indicates that the banking system is sound and well-functioning.

However, there are structural flaws that need to be addressed to enable the sector to contribute meaningfully to the overall performance of the country’s economy. These flaws include shallow financial markets, limited competition, limited financial safety nets, under-developed capital markets, inadequate and less effective regulation and limited access to financial services.

Another sector that has been important to the country’s economic growth is tourism.

Namibia has all sorts of attractions that lure tourists to spend money in the country and contribute to its economic growth in the process. The government’s decision to continuously invest in good roads aligns well with the tourism sector and has reaped rewards. Namibia’s road network has been rated by the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitiveness Report Index as the best in Africa.

But that was then. Things have changed since then, and those that are at the bottom of the food chain are hardly benefiting from the country’s resources.

ECONOMIC CHAIN

Socio-economic inequalities inherited from the past Apartheid system remain extremely high, and structural constraints to growth have hampered job creation.

Moreover, the economy has been battling tough economic headwinds since 2016. The economy contracted, leading to a decline in the national output of goods and services, coupled with a drop in real personal income, industrial production, and retail sales.

As a result, all economic sectors have been affected, subsequently leading to Namibia’s worst economic decline since Independence in 1990. The economy slipped into recession after failing to grow for 11 consecutive quarters. Reliance on the primary sector is no longer a viable option.

The country has failed to take advantage of the political stability and sound economic management by developing the manufacturing industry. This, coupled with the world's economic instability, results in big trouble for Namibia. The country now processes fewer raw materials and exports fewer finished goods.

The Covid-19 pandemic has worsened socio-economic inequalities. In January the ministry of labour, industrial relations and employment creation said that over a period of two years, 1 278 employers had let go of 15 442 employees.

Namibia is swimming in debt, currently at N$140 billion.

In order to cut down on this, Shiimi announced that no major new projects will be embarked upon in 2022. While this could reduce the country’s debt, it will also hamper exponential growth. The lack of growth in Namibia’s main sectors has posed serious problems for the country.

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

While the bad news is that the economy has been in a downward spiral, the good news is that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and it is not dim. And it’s all in our hands.

Tourism, which was hardest hit by Covid-19, is now experiencing a rebound. Most key markets have cleared Namibia for tourists, and the general expectation is that Namibia can now expect strong tourist inflows.

Mining is currently strongly supported by relatively high commodity prices—specifically uranium and gold. Good rains that are being experienced around the country are expected to boost the agriculture sector for both commercial and subsistence farming.

In the energy sector, the country's first ever N$143-billion green hydrogen project, which has the potential to create up to 30 000 jobs, will become a key driver of economic development in all economies. This is a significant investment in the starving economy.

The expansion of the Walvis Bay port and the upgrade of Hosea Kutako International Airport are massive investments in the economy.

As per Shiimi’s budget statement, growth is projected to increase to 2.9% in 2022 before accelerating further to 3.7% in 2023.

DECISIVE ACTION

Although the economy has not been doing well recently, we have the information and tools to turn it around. However, to accomplish this, decisive and intentional action is required.

Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking is a division of Nedbank – a leading Namibia bank that provides global markets, transactional, corporate and investment banking services, whose client base includes leading corporations, financial institutions, and state-owned entities in Namibia.

Nedbank CIB is more than just a product provider – it is a strategic financial partner with a focused objective to help clients achieve their business vision and expand their opportunities. This is achieved through the provision of tailored solutions, characterised by fresh thinking, innovation and a highly integrated partnership approach.

* Tjivingurura Mbuende was appointed as the executive for corporate and investment banking at Nedbank Namibia in November 2021. Having worked in the financial sector for over a decade, Mbuende received his education in Namibia, Australia, Malaysia and the United States. Mbuende also holds a Masters of Arts (Economics) from the New School (a university in New York City) and a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.

Managing a disruptive status quo

Nelson Matheus and Dr Olumide Henrie Benedict

Over the past few years, and more than ever before, the concept of disruptive and its impact in business has become more popular. Such unprecedented thrusts and shifts have caused many businesses to shut their doors, while some thrived and remained adjacent with evolving changes. What management attributes may be responsible for the survival of these businesses?

Ever since Clayton Christensen coined the term disruptive innovation in the 90s, businesses have contended to be the most disrupted on different platforms. Disruptive innovation, technology and strategies go with innovations that create accessibility and cost-effectiveness, that create a new market and value network or enter at the bottom of an existing market, eventually displacing established market leaders and the big brands.

Apart from innovation and technology, Covid-19 - among other recent agents of disruption - have changed the game. Whether we like it or not, or merely discuss it or already factor it in, the ripple effect may have come to stay. So, one thing is for sure: We need to shape up or ship out; we need to be flexible. That exposes the latest buzzword – adaptability. It is fast becoming a reality that - not only at individual level, but also at organisational level – the only adaptable ones will endure.

The questions that arise are: What has changed and what kind of management outlook and philosophy fits the status quo businesses are in? And how can the situation be managed? Better put, what kind of management philosophy and leadership style are suitable for a disruptive reality?

For instance, what form of leadership is needed to motivate remote-working employees that were used to the face-to-face office experience?

Some recent academic studies have shown that businesses that listened to the market, predicted the changes in consumers needs and invested in people, technology and new ideas were rewarded tremendously and were able to easily adapt to changes. This could be seen from some of the powerful brands that existed that are slowly facing out, while brands that embraced new ideas were able to stay in business.

Some businesses have diverted their resources from making liquor into making hand sanitisers, others from making fashionable clothing into making personal protective equipment and masks in a fashionable way. Even big retailers delved into services that took goods and services to clients (mobile businesses) in their space as movement was curtailed.

Over and above the possession of key or core competences as well as soft skills such as emotional intelligence and time management, potential leaders will be assessed on their adaptability, innovation and the ability to instil the same in the workforce.

Leadership today means investing in a team of opinions one never thought of or would ever want to listen to. Adaptive leadership and management require a shift in thinking and mindset to put aside certain things and transform what is possible.

· Nelson Matheus is an MBA holder, motivational speaker, leadership expert and corporate MC. He is currently the claims manager at NamibRe and writes in his own capacity.

· Dr Olumide Henrie Benedict is a principal consultant at Midenrie Pty Ltd and a senior lecturer in the faculty of business and management sciences at the University of Cape Town.

Getting to know Gretha Nobody does property better Gretha dos Santos; Estate Agent at Just Properties; “I knew how daunting the process of purchasing and selling a property could be and my goal was to make the process friendlier and to offer a professional, trustworthy service.”

Yochanaan Coetzee

Working in the property market is not always as glamorous as one thinks when looking in from the outside. Economic factors, limited supply of properties and dealing with something as emotional as a family’s home, can hold many challenges. However, given persistence and passion, the journey of finding a family their perfect home can be greatly rewarding.

One of Namibia’s leading real estate agents, Gretha do Santos, knows this all too well, having worked her way to becoming a household name thanks to her personal touch, professionalism and panache for finding her clients the perfect property.

Since entering the industry in 2009, she quickly established herself as a force to be reckoned with, scooping top honours the real estate agent’s awards just over a year after joining the sector. “I have always been fascinated by people and property, but starting out in 2009 was a leap of faith for me,” she shares as we sit down in her immaculate garden, her home echoing her undeniable eye for the outstanding.

“I knew how daunting the process of purchasing and selling a property could be and my goal was to make the process friendlier and to offer a professional, trustworthy service. And to be honest, that was the best decision I ever made, as it feels like I haven’t worked a day since entering the industry. I just love it that much,” she explained.

Posh and pocket-friendly

Having specialised in residential property sales, Dos Santos says that an eye for detail and understanding the needs of her clients have helped her find the perfect homes for scores of families at every level of the market.

“Obviously, I really love working on the higher priced properties because that is really were my passion lies, as you really have to work hard to find the perfect property for this very discerning segment of the market. However, I also enjoy working of the more affordable properties, because then you get to engage with first-time homebuyers, and I get tremendous satisfaction in helping someone find their first home and making it a really good experience for them,” she said.

This professional and ethical approach is not only good for an industry that sometimes gets a bad rep due to some unscrupulous and unprofessional agents, but also holds unexpected long-term benefits such a return business. “I’ve been so blessed that thanks to the good working relationships I’ve built up with clients, I’ve been in the fortunate position to assist with the purchase of their first, second, and sometimes even third property, as their families and portfolios grow over the years,” she explains.

Shipshape and ready to sell

When trying to sell a property, many people may fall into the trap of investing in larger renovations or capital-intensive additions to their homes in the hopes of getting a higher price. Dos Santos, however, warns against this as buyers often have their own vision for a home, and may just hate that expensive new kitchen you’ve just redone, and end up changing it in any case.

“Buyers are attracted to a lifestyle, so things like location, number of rooms and outdoor living spaces are key considerations. Many buyers will see the potential of a property and consider a purchase based on that. What is important though, is to make sure your home and garden are cleaned and decluttered, and that your paint and more aesthetic features are touched up,” she explained.

When asked whether property is still perceived as an optimal investment, Dos Santos eagerly affirmed this as fact. “Buying property should be viewed as a long-term investment of at least 10 years or longer. Many investors are now liquidizing their property assets, and with the new BON regulations, it is challenging to get financing for subsequent properties. This may create a shortage of rental properties over the next few years. Once the demand for rental properties outweighs the supply, it will push rental prices up. There is no investment more solid than a paid-off property,” she added.

The earlier you can enter the market is another important consideration, as Dos Santos urged young people to get into the market as soon as possible, rather than wait until they find their dream home. “For most people, property will be their biggest financial commitment, so the earlier you enter the market, the earlier you can pay off that property, leverage it for your next investment or upgrade to another property. Don’t delay waiting for your dream property, because your first property will never be your ideal property, maybe not even your second. Possibly only once you get to your third purchase, will you be able to get everything you dreamt of in a home. What’s important is to get into the market as early as possible.”

Get your pre-approval

Having a clear idea of what you can afford is important, as this will help you manage your expectations better. “Getting bank pre-approval is vital as this will give you an indication of what you can afford. This will make the process of finding a suitable home much easier, and not leave you with your hopes dashed when you realise that picture you have in your head is not always practically attainable at that point in time.”

Once you have a proper perspective of your purchasing power, seeking out credible property professionals will make all the difference in this important, but at times, highly technical process of purchasing a property.

“Make sure to also engage experienced and ethical estate agents who will guide you responsibly, and also have the knowledge and network that will help make the process smooth and efficient in terms of financing and legalities,” she added.

To learn more or to enlist the help of leading estate agent and property expert Gretha dos Santos, get in contact with her at gretha@sold.com.na, or visit the Gretha dos Santos at the Just Property Facebook page for epic, handpicked listings to peruse.

Resettled farmers receive intensive training

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

The latest newly resettled farmers in Otjozondjupa, Oshikoto and Kunene regions have received their allotment letters from the lands ministry after receiving intensive training on various farming disciplines.

The farmers were allocated land on the acquired, planned and demarcated six farms with 13 farming units.

This is according to lands and agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein.

In a speech read on his behalf by the ministry’s deputy executive director Penda Ithindi at a pre-settlement workshop for the farmers, he said the 13 farming units were advertised from 1 June 2021 to 2 July 2021 and from 13 August 2021 to 13 September 2021, and were subsequently allocated following rigorous processes and criteria.

The current main production activities on these farms is animal husbandry, crop farming and horticulture activities.

“No doubt, the allotment of these farming units is a significant opportunity for this cohort of beneficiaries of the land resettlement programme,” Schlettwein said.

He stressed that land is a productive asset and, when utilised productively and profitably, it can unleash the generation of wealth, creation of jobs and the erosion of poverty and inequalities, given the contemporary and historical context of our country.

Empowerment

The minister said to date, a total of 5 398 Namibians has been resettled under the Land Reform Programme.

“You are the latest beneficiaries of this programme, which also serves as an empowerment tool through acquisition of land, a productive asset, by making you self-employed, [able to] employ others and contribute to socio-economic development objectives.”

He told the beneficiaries that they are expected to manage the allotted unit productively and profitably and ensure the realisation of increasing net-economic gains for the country.

They must also contribute to the growth of the country’s economy and gross domestic product, which only occurs if production from their farming unit increases on an annual basis.

Furthermore, they have been urged to contribute to increased national food and nutrition security as well as increasing earnings.

Schlettwein said in accordance with the National Resettlement Policy of 2001, all resettled commercial farmers are expected to be self-reliant on the back of the initial support services and capacity-building such as the training they just received.

Support

It is in this regard, he said, that the ministry, in collaboration with the Agribank, came up with various initiatives earmarked for pre- and post-resettlement support, especially for newly resettled commercial farmers.

Since the roll-out of these support programmes, resettled farmers have participated in different flagship sessions including farmer information days, short courses, excursions and mentorship programmes in various farming disciplines.

The post-settlement intervention programmes are offered annually.

According to the minister, this is 10th such event in a training series where resettled commercial farmers are inducted and trained prior to taking up their farming units.

China donates anti-pandemic suppliesBilateral friendship solidified China has donated face masks, protective suits, goggles, face shields, oxygen tanks and oxygen generators to the Namibian government to aid in the ongoing battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jemimah Ndebele

WINDHOEK

From outer-space greetings to a helping hand, China has once again expressed its fondness for Namibia by way of a donation meant to ameliorate the effects of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The donation is a symbol of the good relations between China’s Jiangsu Province and Namibia’s Khomas Region, ambassador of China to Namibia, Zhang Yiming, said at a handover ceremony that took place at the Chinese embassy in Klein Windhoek last week.

The 10 000 face masks, 3 000 protective suits, 1 000 pairs of goggles, 800 face shields, 100 oxygen tanks and 30 oxygen generators make up the first batch of anti-pandemic supplies donated by China to Namibia, with a second batch from the Jiangsu Province set to also be handed over to the region.

“The supplies have shown the deep friendship between Jiangsu Province and the Khomas Region. It is also another good example of China and Namibia standing together amid the pandemic and their all-weather friendship,” Zhang said.

The donation was the result of support requested by Khomas governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua. At the ceremony, she said the donation is not merely a simple donation but a confirmation of commitment in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic as sister regions.

Zhang also hinted at further aid and additional projects with the Namibian government, such as the donation of another 1.2 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine as well as the establishment of a journalism training centre at the University of Namibia’s (Unam) main campus, in collaboration with the second-ranked provincial GDP province of Jiangsu.

Upon completion of the centre, Unam will have its own television station, allowing journalism and media students to get practical training as they complete their studies.

A friend in need

The vivid display of the age-old adage ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’ is what Zhang and McLeod-Katjirua agree to be the embodiment of Namibia and China’s comprehensive strategy, cooperative partnership and all-weather friendship. “China will continue to firmly support Namibia in its fight against the pandemic and economic recovery.

“The Chinese embassy is also ready to play a role as a bridge between Jiangsu Province and between the two sides, which will contribute positively to the consolidation and development of China-Namibia friendship,” Zhang said.

Koes police officers take law into own hands

Monique Adams

KEETMANSHOOP

Koes residents have been advised to open a case against members of law enforcement after an altercation saw two men assaulted at the hands of the police.

Saul Kruiper (31) and Leandro Rooi (20) were reportedly grabbed by the neck, beaten and sprayed with tear gas by police officers Raymond Rooi and Kotokeni Helao.

The incident took place at the Soek n Kry location where Leandro and Kruiper were hanging out when an argument allegedly erupted between Leandro’s cousin, Charmaine Rooi, and her boyfriend.

While trying to stop her from stabbing her boyfriend, Leandro was stabbed in the back by his cousin, he said.

Community members called the police and upon arrival, officers Rooi and Heloa allegedly grabbed Leandro by the neck, which made Kruiper ask the police officers not to be aggressive with him.

Rooi reportedly responded by hitting Kruiper in the head with a knuckleduster.

“The police officers were extremely aggressive with [Leandro] and they did not worry about his stab wound. Both officers then threw us with teargas, which burned my eyes. The next moment, I see myself and Leandro in the back of the police van,” Kruiper said.

Bumpy ride

During their ride in the van, one Leandro and Kruiper call the “worst ride of their lives”, the police officers drove extremely fast and stopped suddenly, causing them to fall against each other in the van, they said.

Leandro was dropped off at a clinic and Kruiper was taken to the police station, where he was further beaten up by the two police officers, they added.

Leandro’s mother, Maria Fredericks (40), said she did not appreciate the way the officers dealt with the situation.

“My son is just a kid and he was not armed. I do not see the reason why the officers had to treat the boys in such a manner. This is nothing new to us in Koes, these officers are known for misusing their authority.

“We report it but nothing seems to happen to them. They are above the law,” she said.

In God’s hands

When approached for comment, Chief Inspector Herman Hazenburg from the Koes police said it is Leandro and Kruiper’s right to report these police officers and open a case.

While Kruiper said he would open a case, Fredericks said she wouldn’t because “it does not help”.

Instead, she will leave the matter “in God’s hands”, she said.

COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

Mastercard blocks financial institutions

Mastercard Inc said late on Monday it had blocked multiple financial institutions from its payment network as a result of sanctions imposed on Russia over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Mastercard will continue to work with regulators in coming days, the company said in a statement. It also promised to contribute a US$2 million for humanitarian relief.

Separately, Visa Inc said in a statement that it is taking action to ensure compliance with sanctions and would also comply with any additional sanctions that may be implemented.

On Saturday, the United States and its allies said they would take action against Russia's central bank and bar some of the country's banks from the SWIFT international payments system.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation".

Russians rushed to ATMs and waited in long queues on Sunday amid concerns that bank cards may cease to function, or that banks would limit cash withdrawals after Western sanctions. -Reuters

Zoom forecasts profit below estimates

Zoom Video Communications Inc forecast full-year revenue and profit below Wall Street estimates on Monday, signalling a hit from tough competition and lower sign-ups for its core Meetings platform.

The video conferencing platform, which derives a large portion of its revenue from smaller organizations, has been hit by slowing growth as schools and workplaces reopen, as well as competition from Cisco's conferencing tool Webex, Microsoft's Teams and Salesforce's Slack.

However, Zoom said it would continue to focus on expanding internationally to boost growth.

"The one silver lining from the guidance is there is some implied acceleration in the second half of the fiscal 2023, which suggests that growth rates will trough before reaccelerating," said RBC Capital Markets analyst Rishi Jaluria.

"The outlook isn't as bad as it looks, especially given how beaten down the stock is."

Shares of Zoom, which have fallen more than 30% this year, rose 4.4% to US$130.99 in extended trading as the company's board authorized a stock repurchase program of up to US$1 billion. -Reuters

Toyota to restart Japan production

Japan's Toyota Motor Corp said it will restart domestic production from Wednesday, a day after all of its factories nationwide ground to a halt following a cyberattack at a parts supplier.

Production lines will be switched back on at its 14 factories across the country, Toyota said in a statement. Tuesday's suspension hit output of around 13 000 vehicles, sparking concern about the robustness of cybersecurity in Japan Inc's extensive supply chain.

The issue has emerged as a key area of concern in Japan, where government critics say responses have been hampered by a fractured approach to dealing with hacking threats.

Toyota supplier Kojima Industries Corp, which provides plastic parts and electronic components to the automaker, said it had discovered an error at one of its file servers on Saturday night. After rebooting the server, it confirmed it had been infected with a virus, and found a threatening message, it said in a separate statement.

The message was written in English, a Kojima spokesperson told Reuters, but declined to give further details. -Reuters

Lucid cuts 2022 production goal

Luxury electric car maker Lucid Group on Monday revised down its production forecast for this year due to "extraordinary supply chain and logistics challenges," knocking its shares down 14%.

Electric vehicle start-ups like Rivian Automotive and Lordstown Motors, which have raised money in public listings, have fallen short of their own production targets. read more

In late October, Lucid started deliveries of its US$169 000 Lucid Air premium electric sedans, which have an estimated driving range of 835 km per change, a longer range than rival Tesla.

The California-based start-up delivered 125 cars to customers last year, falling short of its 2021 production target of 577 vehicles.

Lucid expects to produce 12 000 to 14 000 vehicles this year, down from its previous goal of 20 000, it said in a statement.

The company posted a net loss of US$1.05 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021, more than triple its loss from a year earlier. -Reuters

Toshiba CEO resigns

Toshiba Corp said on Tuesday Chief Executive Satoshi Tsunakawa is resigning - a sudden departure that comes after sources said internal opposition to the industrial conglomerate's controversial restructuring plans grew.

Toshhiba's shares surged 3% on what was seen as a significant changing of the guard among management. Senior executive Taro Shimada, a former Siemens AG executive, who only joined in 2018, will become the new interim head of the company effective Tuesday.

Toshiba's initial plan to split the conglomerate into three had been much criticised by foreign hedge fund shareholders.

But a revised plan last month that called for a breakup into two companies and the sale of other businesses also met with opposition from within the company, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The sources were not authorised to speak to media and declined to be identified.

Asked about internal opposition, Toshiba said it firmly believes its announced reorganization plan is the best option for the company but declined to comment further. -Reuters

Resetting relations between the AU, EUHow migration, mobility pact helped The EU has laid the emphasis on interdependence, concrete immediate actions and a reset of their relationship with the AU. The tone of the summit suggests that Europeans want to cooperate with Africans with a new mindset based on pragmatism and not pompous announcements.

Mahama Tawat - At the recent 6th AU-EU summit, the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) unveiled five partnerships highlighting their Joint Vision till 2030.

The five partnerships are: green transition and energy access, digital transformation, sustainable growth and jobs, peace and governance and migration and mobility.

The genesis of their partnership on migration and mobility goes back to the Joint-Valletta Action Plan that was signed in November 2015 in the wake of the refugee crisis. That autumn hundreds of thousands of Syrian, Afghan and Eritrean asylum seekers crossed into Greece from Turkey, and into Italy from Libya. The EU called an emergency meeting with African countries to try and find a long-lasting solution.

The meeting was attended by countless heads of government, NGOs, international organisations, AU and EU officials.

EVALUATING VALLETTA

My colleague Eileen Lamptey and I, analysed the content of the Joint Valletta Action Plan and evaluated its implementation until 2021.

We found that the phrase that emerged from the meeting was “shared responsibility”. This highlighted the parties’ recognition of their interdependence.

While each party held onto its interests (territorial integrity for the Europeans and economic development for the Africans), there was a new sense, especially on the part of the more powerful Europeans, that both parties needed each other’s help and co-operation to advance these interests.

This policy shift was evident in the five domains of action that were agreed around migration.

We found only a limited gap in policy implementation. The policies on the paper were put in place and their results so far have been mostly positive. We concluded that they constituted a break with the past and progress in the EU-AU migration dialogue.

SCORE CARD

The six domains of action around migration were: migration and development; legal migration and mobility; protection and asylum; prevention of and fight against irregular migration; migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings; and return, readmission, and reintegration.

The first two domains were “African domains” while the last two were “European domains.” The third domain was of equal importance to both parties but advantageous for the Africans.

A funding instrument worth 3.6 billion euro was created - the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Stability and Addressing the Root Causes of Irregular Migration and Displaced Persons in Africa.

Africa’s primary domain – migration and development – benefited from sufficient funding from the fund. The 2019 Annual Report of the Trust Fund disclosed that its implementation had been “swift and effective”, and less than 2% of the sums disbursed were ineligible.

The main European domain – the prevention of and fight against irregular migration – saw the disruption of illegal immigration networks and a sharp decline in clandestine immigration. According to the UNHCR, the United Nations’ refugee agency, the numbers dropped from 153 842 in 2016 to 10 565 in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the domain of protection and asylum, more than more than 48 000 asylum seekers were repatriated. This was done under the AU–EU–UN Tripartite Taskforce on the Situation of Stranded Migrant and Refugees in Libya which was launched in 2017.

Some areas fell short of expectations. These included regular migration and mobility – an African domain. And the return, readmission and integration – a European domain.

This shows that bolder action is needed.

BROADER PARADIGM SHIFT?

In my view the deliberations at the 6th AU-EU summit looked very much like those of the 2015 Valletta summit. EU leaders laid the same emphasis on interdependence, concrete immediate actions and a reset of their relationship with the AU.

The tone of the summit suggests that Europeans want to cooperate with Africans with a new mindset based on pragmatism and not pompous announcements. They also want agreement on concrete action based on Africans inputs.

At the opening ceremony of the AU-EU summit, Emmanuel Macron, the president of France and the EU rotating presidency spoke of forging “a new alliance”.

Charles Michel, the EU council president, declared that the summit was not “business as usual” but “the step that cements the renewal of [EU-AU] strategic relation. The example he used was the use, for the first time, of roundtable sessions at the summit. These were designed to foster frank discussion as well as fast and concrete decisions.

And talking about the partnership on peace and governance he said: “… security in Africa and in Europe are interdependent.”

The EU Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, announced an investment budget worth 150 billion euro until 2021 drawn from the Global Gateway initiative, EU’s response to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

‘TANGIBLE RESULTS’

In his reply, Macky Sall, Senegal president and the current AU chairman requested, as a concrete measure, the use of the European Peace Facility, an off-budget instrument that allows the EU to swiftly support military initiatives in favour of global peace.

Moussa Faki, the AU Commission chairman underscored the need for new monitoring and evaluation procedures, arguing that "the partnership needs visible and tangible results” for Africa cannot content itself anymore with the fashionable label of “being the continent of the future”.

On this point too, the Joint-Valletta Action Plan introduced an innovative system of evaluation based on the new EU Evaluation Framework and consisting of regular monitoring on the ground, quarterly or yearly evaluations at regional level (Sahel and Lake Chad, Horn of Africa and North Africa) and timely evaluation of the Trust Fund as a whole.

If the implementation of the other four partnerships follows the same playbook as that of the Joint-Valletta Action Plan, by the time they meet again, AU and EU member states could be talking of the first fruits of their renewed partnership. The EU and AU would do well to use the plan as a template for all the agreements they have struck.

* Mahama Tawat is a research fellow at the Université de Montpellier.

https://theconversation.com/how-the-migration-and-mobility-pact-has-helped-to-reset-au-eu-relations-176603

MTN to erect 150 network sites

OGONE TLHAGE

WINDHOEK

Mobile network operator MTN is set to commission the construction of over 150 2G and 4G sites across Namibia, the company announced. The move forms part of its efforts to expand its services.

The company recently concluded an agreement with Canadian company NuRAN which will see it utilise a network-as-a-service model (NAAS) for the deployment of its envisaged sites.

A NAAS model is a business model for delivering enterprise-wide area network services virtually on a subscription basis.

MTN Namibia managing director Elia Tsouros said the company was excited to partner with NuRAN to bring productivity to Namibians.

“At MTN Namibia, we believe that everyone deserves the benefit of a modern connected life, therefore our strategy is to bring connectivity to all people throughout Namibia and specifically those less connected like the rural and suburban areas of the country,” he said.

Connectivity

Under the agreement, the parties intend to install a minimum of 150 rural and suburban networking sites in Namibia within the next 24 months, subject to the conclusion of a definitive agreement with a 10-year term within six months of signing.

The agreement is intended to provide mobile connectivity solutions through the NuRAN Revenue Share NAAS model.

“We are extremely pleased to have concluded this memorandum of understanding with MTN Namibia. Adding Namibia to the NuRAN portfolio and including 4G connectivity as part of the rollout and the first contract for the Nuran XG product is another major step towards achieving our goal of 10 000 sites,” Francis Letourneau, the CEO of NuRAN Wireless, said.

Providing connectivity was at the heart of NuRAN’s goals, he added.

“Bringing connectivity to the unconnected is at the heart of our business strategy and the benefits extend beyond communication including e-commerce, education and healthcare.”

The NuRAN NAAS model facilitates network expansion for mobile operators by managing and controlling the build, operation and maintenance of cellular sites along with associated capital expenditures. The sites are then monetised by providing connectivity on a paid for service basis, according to Letourneau.

More rain to come until late autumn ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

According to agricultural meteorologist Johan van den Berg, rainfall is possible during the second week of March, and due to presence of La Niña, rainfall can also be expected in April.

In his latest weather outlook, he said tropical moisture started to move from Angola and central Africa over Namibia on the perimeter of the high-pressure system over most of South Africa, Botswana and even Zimbabwe.

“Rain is expected over the northern parts until about the second week of March. Longer-term outlooks for rainfall are still very positive in the pre-winter period. The impact of La Niña is still eminent for average to above average rainfall to occur.

According to him, La Niña reached maturity in the middle of January, but will still impact rainfall and climate conditions until late autumn, with more rain to come.

La Niña and the positive Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) can still be responsible for further rain in April and May, he added.

“After a very wet period since December 2021, the month of February in general was dry with only smaller areas that received significant rain.”

Van Den Berg further explained that sea surface temperatures in the Niño areas reached a peak towards the end of January and the La Niña is now weakening.

“La Niña conditions will remain present until at least early winter when it will return to neutral conditions. The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is usually in a neutral state from about April to June when changes start to develop before the start of the southern hemisphere summer. Current forecasts for ENSO conditions for the 2022/2023 summer season are very inconclusive, with an about 45% probability for neutral conditions to continue from late autumn, a 35% probability for La Niña and 20% for El Niño.”

Heavy rainfall

More certainty will only be available from about July on what to expect for the next summer season, Van den Berg said.

Forecasts have, however, showed an increased probability since January favouring La Niña at the cost of neutral and El Niño, he said.

He added that the strengthening of the SOI in February - despite a weakening La Niña - is significant and can be responsible for more rain in late autumn.

“The recent series of tropical systems disturbed the normal weather patterns and prevented the movement of tropical moisture to the south by channelling it more to the east towards the tropical systems.”

According to him, conditions for rain will improve in the first week of March following the disappearance of cyclone Emnati, while drier conditions are possible in the second part of March.

The Namibian Meteorological Services warned that heavy rainfall is most likely in the north-west of Namibia by midweek.

Amwaalwa starts cervical cancer outreach in Windhoek Second most prevalent cancer amongst women Cervical cancer has four stages, but screening allows trained healthcare workers to identify abnormal precursor cells which, if treated, prevent the development of cervical cancer.

TUYEIMO HAIDULA

OSHAKATI

With the hope of encouraging early detection of cervical cancer and enabling healthcare providers to initiate early treatment, Leena Amwaalwa started an outreach programme in Windhoek.

Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer among women in Namibia, especially those between the ages of 15 and 44.

Amwaalwa, who is the founder of Conscious Millennials, said detection does not require sophisticated facilities or highly-specialised staff, it just needs information and knowledge for screenings.

“Women in settlements have no or little access to cancer screening, early diagnosis and treatment. It is for this reason that women in those limited areas present themselves late to hospitals when the disease has advanced, when there is nothing much that can be done,” she said.

Amwaalwa also pointed out that over the years, the Namibian healthcare fraternity has been preoccupied with fighting infectious diseases. This approach, she said, must change, as non-communicable diseases deserve equal attention.

The outreach started in Tobias Hainyeko and Samora Machel constituencies, and has since also covered Khomasdal.

Stages

Dr Laura Muzingwani, the cervical cancer prevention lead physician at ITECH-Namibia said although cervical cancer has four stages, screening allows trained healthcare workers to identify abnormal precursor cells (precancer) which, if treated, prevent the development of cervical cancer.

If precancer cells are identified on the cervix, two treatment options are available: Ablative treatment, where heating/freezing is used to destroy abnormal tissue, or surgical removal of the abnormal cells through a process called large loop excision of the transformation zone.

Muzingwani said at stages zero and one, the cancer is still confined to the cervix only and has not spread to the surrounding tissue or other organs. “These are the early stages which are treatable through surgical removal of the cervix and uterus. Stage two and three cancer would warrant mainly radiotherapy and chemotherapy, although some early stage two cancer may require radical surgery,” she said.

Primary prevention

Increasing vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV), along with screening and treatment for precancerous lesions, are key to eliminating cervical cancer within this century. HPV is a very common group of viruses which can cause genital warts or cancer.

Muzingwani said primary prevention is through the use of HPV vaccines, which are recommended for young girls aged nine to 15. She said the concern is that in lower- and middle-income countries, most individuals don’t have access to HPV vaccines within the public sector, as access is limited to those who can afford to pay for it in the private sector.

She said it is concerning that many people have little to no information on what cervical cancer is and how to prevent it, adding that more work needs to be done to educate communities.

“There is also stigma around it because of the misconception that getting cervical cancer is a manifestation of promiscuity. Most women wait for symptoms before seeking healthcare services. The intention for screenings is to detect it before it’s cancer; that is before any symptoms arise. The time to go for screening is when there is no problem at all,” Muzingwani said. She emphasised the need for women to go for regular screenings – pap smears – for early detection.

– tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

Otjiwarongo residents worry about potholes Enzo Amuele

Otjiwarongo

Otjiwarongo residents have raised concerns about potholes around the town and poor service delivery from the municipality.

According to one of the residents who preferred anonymity, the potholes cause unnecessary traffic congestion and accidents.

“One has to slow down because of the potholes, which puts one at risk of being bumped from behind. We pay high municipal bills, and these roads are not being fixed,” she said.

She added that they want answers from the municipality on when the roads will be repaired.

Town CEO Moses Matyayi said the residents’ concerns and complaints are justified.

“We are currently receiving a lot of rainfall and therefore roads are affected. Right now, it is not appropriate for us to repair the damaged roads. It will be done during summer when we can patch up the potholes,” he said.

He also added that in the current situation, they patch up small potholes with gravel and attend to large potholes immediately.

“It is something that we have to bear with for now until the rainy season is over, but we are busy rectifying the situation temporarily,” he said.

State of disrepair

Meanwhile, according to Independent Patriot of Change (IPC) councillor Fearika Botha, Otjiwarongo’s roads have fallen into a state where repair is out of the question, and replacement and re-construction should be considered now. This, she said, is due to inadequate budgetary provision for road maintenance in the past.

“With the financial pressure of the economic down spiral, Covid-19 and the increase in the unemployment rate, the already struggling cash flow of the Otjiwarongo municipal council will be under more even pressure to rectify the road situation,” she said.

Botha added that the council will need to consider collaborating with business people in Otjiwarongo to rectify the situation.

Poor service

The residents also raised concerns about poor service delivery and said top personnel do not serve the public as they are constantly in meetings and not available.

“We diligently pay our rates and taxes and demand to know what the money is applied for because our town is falling apart and the municipality is doing nothing about it,” they said.

The residents are also demanding to know why highly paid engineers and qualified people are employed by the municipality.

“The municipality claims they do not have money to repair the roads. So why employ these highly paid and qualified persons? The money from their salaries can be used to repair the roads and skilled professionals can rather be hired by the municipality as needed,” they said.

Hambukushu chieftainship court battle postponed to June

Kenya Kambowe

Rundu

The Windhoek High Court trial in which members of the Hambukushu tribe want to compel government to rescind its recognition of Chief Erwin Munika Mbambo as head of the Hambukushu traditional authority has been postponed to June.

The trial, which commenced on 14 February, saw one of the plaintiffs, Cassius Mukennah, testify before High Court judge Esi Schimming-Chase.

The matter has been remanded to 20 June for the continuation of trial.

Mukennah wants the court to compel the minister of urban and rural development, Erastus Uutoni, to notify President Hage Geingob of Mbambo’s removal as chief of the traditional authority.

He is also asking that Geingob recognise -by way of proclamation in the Government Gazette – Mbambo’s removal.

The government, the Hambukushu traditional authority and Mbambo are the respondents in the case. The other plaintiff in the matter, Angelika Thirudhi, has yet to take the stand.

Mbambo not wanted

Mukennah, who is a member of the Hambukushu royal family and the chairperson of a committee that aims to remove Mbambo, argued that the chief is not fit to lead the Hambukushu tribe.

The plaintiffs also said Mbambo mismanages the community’s resources, is dictatorial and has failed to promote peace and welfare in the community.

In their answering affidavit, the defendants said: “The plaintiffs did not demonstrate how the matrilineal lineage of the customary law of the Hambukushu community - in respect of the removal and succession of the third defendant - was followed.”

Namibian Sun had previously reported that on 7 November 2018, the committee conducted a referendum about Mbambo's chieftaincy.

It claimed that of the 2 931 people who participated, 2 705 votes were cast against Mbambo.

The committee has also accused the chief of blocking much-needed development.

kenya@namibiansun.com

Nampol’s northern helicopter back to fight crime …After being out of action for a year Aiyambo warned residents to refrain from engaging in criminal activities, saying they now have their eyes both on the ground and in the air.

TUYEIMO HAIDULA

OSHAKATI

The Namibian Police helicopter catering for the northern regions - which has been out of service for over a year - has returned to help fight crime.

The helicopter, stationed at Oshakati in the Oshana Region, will serve four regions of the north - Oshana, Omusati, Ohangwena and Oshikoto - to fight crime through the police’s Air Wing division.

The helicopter was purchased in 2018 when the police decided to step their game up to catch those trying to escape from the law. It broke down and had been sent in for repairs.

Oshana police spokesperson Thomas Aiyambo said the helicopter will benefit the northern regions with either crime prevention or during natural disasters.

With the availability of the helicopter, they will have to reinforce their commitment to fight crime from all corners of the regions, he said.

Can’t hide

Just last week, the police used the helicopter to chase a suspect on the Endola-Okatana road who was allegedly smuggling petrol from Angola.

Aiyambo said the police received information from a reliable source regarding the smuggling.

He said they tried to pursue the suspect’s car to stop, but to no avail.

“The driver kept on accelerating and diverted into the villages. After long pursuing in the villages Omusheshe, Omatando, Okatana in Ongwediva, members of the Special Reserves Force, Emergency Response Unit, Air Wing Unit and the members of the community joined the police search,” Aiyambo said.

The suspect got stuck in the mud of the Oshana stream and abandoned car to flee on foot, he said.

Police continued tracking the suspect and he was later arrested at Omahai village in the Ongwediva constituency. The suspect was working with a female accomplice, who was arrested at Omusheshe village, he added.

They found 12 25-litre plastic containers of petrol and N$3 500 in cash in the abandoned car.

Fluffy too

“Thanks to the public members from Omusheshe, Omahai and nearby villages for assisting the police to trace the suspects. It was easy with the assistance of the helicopter. Let's continue such a good working relationship,” Aiyambo said.

He also revealed that the police acquired a K9 sniffing dog to assist the police to fight drugs in the region.

“The dog will be used in communities and at roadblock patrols," he said.

Aiyambo warned residents to refrain from engaging in criminal activities, saying they now have their eyes both on the ground and in the air.

- tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

Genetic changes in childhood cancer difficult to predict Cancer is uncommon in children, with the most common cancers in children different to those seen in adults.

Cancer is caused by genetic changes in a cell resulting in uncontrolled cell growth. In adults, these changes are often caused by lifestyle factors, such as smoking or obesity. In children, the genetic changes that cause cancer are not due to lifestyle. Therefore, they are more likely to be random and difficult to predict. This makes cancer in children difficult to prevent.

A cancer diagnosis in a child is a very difficult time for the child, the parents and family and friends. Ask your healthcare professional for advice about how you can best get support for yourself and support your child.

Causes of cancer in children

Lifestyle-related factors such as obesity and smoking play a role in cancer in adults, but these typically take years to develop. Lifestyle factors have not had sufficient time to affect children in the same way and so cancer in children tends to be more to do with random genetic changes.

Some children can inherit genetic changes and a risk for cancer from their parents but, more commonly, the genetic changes are not inherited and happen early in the child’s life, sometimes before birth. The reasons for these genetic changes are not known. The changes are considered to be random, although in some cases, they could be caused by environmental factors, such as exposure to radiation.

Types of cancer in children

The types of cancer seen in children differ from those in adults. The most common childhood cancers, from more common to less common, are:

*leukaemia – acute lymphoblastic leukaemia or acute myeloid leukaemia begin in the bone marrow and spread via the bloodstream

*brain and central nervous system tumours – gliomas and medulloblastoma

*neuroblastoma – a cancer of the nerve tissue found around the kidneys

*lymphoma – Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas begin in white blood cells (lymphocytes), usually in the lymph nodes and other lymph tissues

*Wilms’ tumour – a type of kidney cancer

*bone cancer – osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma

*rhabdomyosarcoma – cancer of muscle and connective tissue such as tendons and cartilage

*retinoblastoma – cancer of the retina, the light-sensing tissue at the back of the eye.

Symptoms of cancer in children

Symptoms will vary greatly depending on the type of cancer. The best course of action is to visit your doctor if you are concerned about your child’s health.

Symptoms for the common childhood cancers include:

*leukaemia – bone and joint pain, fatigue, weakness, pale skin, bleeding or bruising, fever or weight loss

*brain and central nervous system tumours – headaches, nausea, vomiting, blurred or double vision, dizziness or difficulty walking

*neuroblastoma – a swelling in the abdomen, bone pain or fever

*lymphoma – weight loss, fever, sweats, tiredness and lumps (swollen lymph nodes) in the neck, armpit or groin

*Wilms’ tumour – fever, pain, nausea or lack of interest in food

*bone cancer – bone pain and swelling

*rhabdomyosarcoma – pain and swelling almost anywhere in the body

*retinoblastoma – eye appears unusual and can look white or pink rather than red during flash photography.

Diagnosis of cancer in children

If your doctor thinks your child’s symptoms may be caused by cancer, you will be referred to a specialist medical doctor called an oncologist.

Having medical tests can be unpleasant for everyone, but it can be especially difficult for children. Your healthcare professionals can help you to support your child through this difficult time.

To diagnose cancer, the specialist will use tests that vary depending on the type of cancer. Typical tests include:

*biopsy – a small amount of tumour is removed and analysed

*blood tests

*bone marrow aspirate – a small amount of bone marrow is taken using a needle and analysed

*imaging tests – bone scan, CT scan (computed tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), PET (positron emission tomography), ultrasound or x-ray

*lumbar puncture – a small amount of spinal fluid is removed using a needle and analysed.

Test results can take a few days to come back. It is very natural to feel anxious while waiting to get your child’s results. It can sometimes help to talk to a close friend or relative about how you are feeling.

Once the tests are complete, the medical specialists will usually ‘stage’ the cancer, which helps to choose treatment options. The meaning of stages depends on the type of cancer, but in general, the stages are:

*stage 1 – cancer has not spread to other parts of the body

*stages 2 and 3 – cancer has spread to areas close to the original main (or primary) tumour (for example, lymph nodes)

*stage 4 – cancer has spread (metastasised) to other areas of the body and may have produced secondary tumours.

Treatment for cancer in children

The treatments for cancer will depend on the type and stage of the cancer.

Typical treatments used, alone or in combination, include:

*surgery – common for solid tumours

*radiation therapy – uses high-energy x-rays to kill or damage cancer cells, but can damage other cells close to the area being treated

*chemotherapy – drugs that are toxic to cancer cells, but may also be toxic to healthy cells in the body

*immunotherapy (also known as biological therapy) – a wide variety of treatments based on biological molecules that aim to boost the immune system to specifically kill cancer cells.

New treatments are always being researched and tested for all types of children’s cancers. Clinical trials are available for many types of cancer, which either test new treatments, new combinations of treatments or better ways of dealing with side effects. Ask your doctor about clinical trials currently running that may be relevant to your child’s condition.

Side effects of cancer treatments

Although treatment is designed to kill or damage cancer cells, it usually also kills some healthy cells and this results in side effects. You should speak with your healthcare professionals about how best to deal with the most likely side effects of the treatments being used for your child.

Complementary medicine or therapy and cancer

Some people may choose to include therapies such as massage and relaxation to support their children to cope with their cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Other complementary treatments such as herbal therapies and dietary changes are not scientifically proven to help and may be harmful. In some cases, the complementary treatment can make the conventional treatment less effective.

Always consult your doctor if you are thinking of starting complementary and alternative medicine for your child. Never let your child stop taking their conventional medicine or alter the dose without the knowledge and approval of your doctor. – Source: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Impact on Africa’s food suppliesPrices expected to spike Analysts worry that intensifying conflict could disrupt trade with significant consequences for global food stability. For African countries there are reasons to be worried given their dependency for grains imports.

Wandile Sihlobo - No man qualifies as a statesman who is entirely ignorant of the problems of wheat.

The words of the ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates.

Wheat and other grains are back at the heart of geopolitics following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Both countries play a major role in the global agricultural market. African leaders must pay attention.

There is significant agricultural trade between countries on the continent and Russia and Ukraine.

African countries imported agricultural products worth US$4 billion from Russia in 2020. About 90% of this was wheat, and 6% was sunflower oil. Major importing countries were Egypt, which accounted for nearly half of the imports, followed by Sudan, Nigeria, Tanzania, Algeria, Kenya and South Africa.

Similarly, Ukraine exported US$2.9 billion worth of agricultural products to the African continent in 2020. About 48% of this was wheat, 31% maize, and the rest included sunflower oil, barley and soybeans.

GLOBAL PLAYERS

Russia and Ukraine are substantial players in the global commodities market.

Russia produces about 10% of global wheat while Ukraine accounts for 4%. Combined, this is nearly the size of the European Union’s total wheat production. The wheat is for domestic consumption and well as export markets. Together the two countries account for a quarter of global wheat exports. In 2020 Russia accounted for 18%, and Ukraine 8%.

Both countries are also notable players in maize, responsible for a combined maize production of 4%.

However, Ukraine and Russia’s contribution is even more significant in exports, accounting for 14% of global maize exports in 2020. Both countries are also among the leading producers and exporters of sunflower oil. In 2020, Ukraine’s sunflower oil exports accounted for 40% of global exports, with Russia accounting for 18% of global sunflower oil exports.

TRADE DISRUPTION

Russia’s military action has caused panic among some analysts. The fear is that intensifying conflict could disrupt trade with significant consequences for global food stability.

I share these concerns, particularly the consequences of big rises in the price of global grains and oilseed. They have been among the key drivers of global food price rises since 2020. This has been primarily because of dry weather conditions in South America and Indonesia that resulted in poor harvests combined with rising demand in China and India.

Disruption in trade, because of the invasion, in the significant producing region of the Black Sea would add to elevated global agricultural commodity prices – with potential knock-on effects for global food prices. A rise in commodities prices was already evident just days into the conflict.

This is a concern for the African continent, which is a net importer of wheat and sunflower oil. On top of this there are worries about drought in some regions of the continent. Disruption to shipments of commodities would add to the general worries of food price inflation in a region that’s an importer of wheat.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The scale of the potential upswing in the global grains and oilseed prices will depend on the magnitude of disruption and the length of time that trade will be affected.

For now, this can be viewed as an upside risk to global agricultural commodity prices, which are already elevated. In January 2022, the FAO Food Price Index averaged 136 points up by 1% from December 2021 – its highest since April 2011.

Vegetable oils and dairy products mainly underpinned the increases.

In the days ahead of Russia’s move, there was a spike in the international prices of a number of commodities. These included maize (21%), wheat (35%), soybeans (20%), and sunflower oil (11%) compared to the corresponding period a year ago. This is noteworthy as 2021 prices were already elevated.

From an African agriculture perspective, the impact of the war will be felt in the near term through the global agriculture commodity prices channel.

A rise in prices will be beneficial for farmers. For grain and oilseed farmers, the surge in prices presents an opportunity for financial gains. This will be particularly welcome given higher fertiliser costs which have strained farmers’ finances.

CONSUMERS

The Russia-Ukraine conflict also comes at a time when the drought in South America and rising demand for grains and oilseeds in India and China has put pressure on prices.

But rising commodity prices are bad news for consumers who have already experienced food price rises over the past two years.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict means that pressure on prices will persist. The two countries are major contributors to global grain supplies. The impact on prices from developments affecting their output cannot be understated.

Some countries on the continent, such as South Africa, benefit from exporting fruit to Russia. In 2020 Russia accounted for 7% of South Africa’s citrus exports in value terms. And it accounted for 12% of South Africa’s apples and pears exports in the same year – the country’s second largest market.

But from Africa’s perspective, Russia and Ukraine’s agricultural imports from the continent are marginal – averaging only US$1.6 billion in the past three years. The dominant products are fruits, tobacco, coffee, and beverages in both countries.

RIPPLE EFFECTS

Every agricultural role-player is keeping an eye on the developments in the Black Sea region. The impact will be felt in other regions, such as the Middle East and Asia, which also import a substantial volume of grains and oilseeds from Ukraine and Russia. They too will be directly affected by the disruption in trade.

There is still a lot that’s not known about the geopolitical challenges that lie ahead. But for African countries there are reasons to be worried given their dependency for grains imports.

In the near term, countries are likely to see the impact through a surge in prices, rather than an actual shortage of the commodities. Other wheat exporting countries such as Canada, Australia and the US stand to benefit from any potential near term surge in demand.

Ultimately, the goal should be to deescalate the conflict. Russia and Ukraine are deeply embedded in the world’s agricultural and food markets. This is not only through supplies but also through agricultural inputs such as oil and fertiliser.

* Wandile Sihlobo is a senior fellow at the department of agricultural economics at the Stellenbosch University.

https://theconversation.com/how-russia-ukraine-conflict-could-influence-africas-food-supplies-177843

EDITORIAL: Quit the double standards The Russian invasion of Ukraine is sad news for the world, but the template for such action has long been in place, thanks to Western aggression in countries such as Libya and Iraq where the US and its allies not only invaded but also killed presiding heads of state.

The truth that many around the globe don’t want to hear is that indeed nothing Russia is doing in Ukraine, as sad as it may be, is new. Except, as the racist Western media shamelessly put it, the attacks are happening in “civilised cities” with “blue-eyed and blond-haired” Caucasians.

“This is Europe, not the Third World”, one TV reporter exclaimed as she hammered her point home that such wars should be confined to people of other races and geopolitical locations.

It’s no wonder there was no condemnation nor sanctions against allies who, without provocation, invaded Iraq on flimsy grounds and killed Saddam Hussein, as well as ordinary men, women, children and babies. Iraq has never been the same since that dreadful war in 2003.

Libya, where Gaddafi was hounded out of a drainage pipe and killed like a dog, is a ghost country with neither identity nor political direction. True, the people of Ukraine have nothing to do with those events, but the sickening hypocrisy – that Russia’s action is any different to that of the West – is astounding.

OPEC+ powerless as oil prices increaseAfrican economies hardest hit Between December and January, OPEC members boosted their production by 64 000 barrels per day (bpd). Only Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and maybe Kuwait would be able to increase production in the short-term.Tamas Varga, Analyst: PVM Energy

EMELINE BURCKEL

The OPEC+ cartel of top oil producers at their monthly meeting on Wednesday are likely to be powerless to rein in prices, which have soared above US$100 after member Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

With some members failing to meet their monthly production quotas, the group is not expected to be able to control the wild swings in oil prices, analysts say.

"Only Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and maybe Kuwait would be able to increase production in the short-term," Tamas Varga from PVM Energy told AFP.

But group leader Saudi Arabia reiterated at the start of this year its policy of strict adherence to the terms of OPEC+ agreements and the quotas agreed in them.

It confirmed its commitment to the OPEC+ agreement with Russia on Sunday, according to the Saudi Press Agency, as Moscow faces international criticism over the Ukraine conflict.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron "affirmed the kingdom's keenness on the stability and balance of oil markets and the kingdom's commitment to the OPEC+ agreement," the agency added.

While Saudi Arabia is seen as the kingpin of the 13 OPEC member states, Russia is the major player among the 10 other countries that make up OPEC+.

The 23 countries will gather via teleconference on Wednesday, facing prices not seen since 2014.

They will aim to live up to their mission of "stabilisation of oil markets", particularly at this time of "extreme oil price volatility", according to Stephen Brennock, analyst at PVM Energy.

Between December and January, OPEC members boosted their production by 64 000 barrels per day (bpd), reaching a total of some 27 981 million bpd, according to the organisation's last monthly report.

But this is far below the target of a 400 000-bpd increase that the group has been aiming for since May 2021, when it embarked on a gradual re-opening of the taps to accompany the global economic recovery after the shock of the first waves of Covid-19.

Africa

"Covid has hit African economies the hardest and Nigeria and Angola have struggled to keep up investment in infrastructure with both existing and new wells," Edward Moya, analyst at Oanda, told AFP.

"Years of underinvestment and political instability have lent themselves to severely limited spare capacity in the likes of Nigeria, Angola, and Libya," according to analyst Han Tan from Exinity.

OPEC's latest report says that Congo and Equatorial Guinea produced much less than expected in January.

Since May 2021, the level of crude produced by OPEC members has been just shy of 750,000 bpd under the authorised limit.

According to Carsten Fritsch, quoted in an analysis from Commerzbank, the gap will only widen unless Saudi Arabia and other countries with spare capacity step in with increased production.

"Right now, there is seemingly no desire to ease market conditions either, with producers capitalising on high prices which they don't deem to be overly harmful for the economy after years of very low prices," Craig Erlam at Oanda told AFP.

Wednesday's meeting also takes place at a key moment for negotiations to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal which are widely expected to come to a head in a matter of days.

The deal provided sanctions relief for Tehran in return for strict curbs on its nuclear programme but has been disintegrating since former US president Donald Trump withdrew from it in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, including on Iran's oil exports.

If an agreement were to be found and could "unlock the Iranian exports in the coming weeks, that would add some 800 000 barrels of extra supply per day," Ipek Ozkardeskaya, analyst at the Swissquote bank, told AFP.

That would greatly increase the amount of crude on global markets and act as a considerable brake on price rises. -AFP

Investment giants set to convene in Swakop

MNCapital Group, a top-tier Africa-focused investment communication and institutional business development firm, announced that various Pension Funds and several International and local leading institutions come together to discuss Namibia’s economic growth through alternative investments.

The firm is supported by Poiyah Media, Mergence Unlisted Investment Managers, Cadence Capital, Monasa Advisory & Associates and MNCapital Botswana.

The Namibia Institutional Investment Forum 2022 will be held at the Swakopmund Plaza Hotel between 10-11 March 2022, themed, “Harnessing Alternative Investment To Drive Economic Recovery”.

The guest speakers will be Nicole Maske, Managing Partner of Eos Capital and Kenneth Matomola, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority.

With participation capped at 100, the forum brings together senior investment professionals from the Namibia investment funds and asset management industry, and some international participants. The programme will feature regulators and policymakers whose decision has a direct impact on investment decisions by pension funds, insurance companies, development financial institutions and other institutional and private investors.

Speaking in an interview, Michael Ndinisa, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MNCapital Group said: “We are really excited about the prospects of hosting the most comprehensive institutional investment forum in Namibia. This Forum has been designed with a deliberate inclination towards the discussion of the formulation of pragmatic solutions, challenges and the alignment of Investment structures, regulations and best practices with current global expectations and competitiveness”.

“These country- specific Institutional Investments programs are designed to create a platform for the discussions of issues affecting institutional investors as well as other key players in the industry such as Fund managers, custodians, Administrators and every other stakeholder and will look at how to develop ways to overcome the challenges through employment of factual and time-relevant information and practices as per the global standards and simultaneously matching those in Namibia. Growing investment in Africa's economic development along an inclusive and green path depends upon the long-term investment of institutional investors in Africa because sustainable investment depends on Africa's own pension funds investing in Africa's future," Ndinisa further articulated.

Namibia recently registered a record high in investment leads, 80% over the usually expected number. These leads mainly focused on the Green Hydrogen aspect, with other lead recordings showing interest in industries such as Agriculture and tourism. This shows growth and great potential and opportunity on investment in Namibia, such advancements in investment align well with the United Nations Sustainable Development guidelines, a subject James Mnyupe, the economic advisor to the president and green hydrogen commissioner will highlight on the day of the forum.

Owner strategy crucial in family businessUnderstand the process Do you want to ensure that your family business leaves a lasting legacy and that you successfully transfer your wealth to the next generation? Then you need to understand the owners’ strategy process. At the end of the process the families should have warm hearts and deep pockets.

Ansie Rossouw - The most successful family businesses and business families are those in which there is a good balance between professional management and responsible business ownership on the one hand, and a healthy family dynamic on the other.

The top family businesses around the globe understand the unique subtleties that differentiate a family business from other corporate business.

Family business owners need to optimise the positive forces within, while anticipating and minimising conflicts and risks. Families have a specific risk of failure due to various reasons, but some of the most evident reasons are the lack of communication, planning for succession and undealt with conflict.

When referring to the global statistics it shows that on average, out of 100 family businesses, 60 stayed in business in the second generation following the founding generation, 32 survived up to the third generation and only 16 was still in business by the time it reached the fourth generation.

‘BERMUDA TRIANGLE’

When writing family constitutions, the burning issues in the “Bermuda triangle” of money, power and love need to be considered and discussed at length by the family.

The factors that need to be considered, include, but are not limited to: Who are the members of management; which member of the family will have which role; how will family members enter and exit the business; who has control; which family members will be employed; what are family members’ entitlement to dividends; how will compensation be determined and what are the rights and duties of each family member.

These matters are grouped into six components, namely membership, goals and values, the owner business model, corporate governance, family governance and lastly roles and people.

A successful owner strategy process will professionalise the members of the business family, create an experience for improvement of family dynamics and develop the content for a family constitution.

The goal process should always be to ensure a sustainable future for family and business, because no amount of business success will make up for family failure. At the end of the process the families should have warm hearts and deep pockets.

If you need more information or would like to take the discussion further, please reach out to the Family Business Centre at either of the two PwC Namibia offices.

* Ansie Rossouw is the partner in charge of PwC Namibia’s office in Walvis Bay. Contact her at ansie.rossouw@pwc.com

Dyakugha wants govt stripped of power over chiefs KENYA KAMBOWE

RUNDU

Ombudsman Basilius Dyakugha says the current Traditional Authorities Act needs to be amended to curb powers given to the state to either recognise or establish a traditional authority.

He argued that traditional authorities have been in existence for a long time prior to Namibia gaining its independence, therefore it should not be up to government to decide who should lead a community.

The ombudsman made the remarks during a recent meeting with leaders from the Kavango East Region, in which he said that although the idea of crafting the Traditional Authorities’ Act 25 of 2000 was done in good faith, mistakes have now been observed and must be corrected.

He took issue with the fact that the Act gives government the power to recognise and establish traditional communities, something he views as incorrect.

“Now you have a situation of this law, the Traditional Authority Act, which, when it was enacted, was probably the right thing to do, but we have now realised that there was a mistake there because there are two words there,” Dyakugha argued.

“The Act’s aim is to recognise and to establish. The question is does government really recognise traditional authorities? Traditional authorities have been there. Even when the boers came, they found the traditional authorities there. The boers were only showed that this is the chief and then they work with that chief and there was nothing on paper.”

Room for opportunists

He said the Act also makes room for opportunists to seek government support as far as creating new traditional authorities is concerned, something he said should not be the case.

“Now the second issue I have with the Act is that it [allows people] to establish traditional authorities. You are now saying that those who never had traditional authorities must establish traditional authorities and appoint chiefs,” he argued.

“I don’t know what is behind that proposal because other communities have been living like that without traditional authorities or chiefs, now you want to force them to establish and this is creating the problem.”

“Thirty-two years after independence, you now have people saying they want to have a traditional chief. My view is to amend that law and that stroke and then we solve the problem. Let the people solve their chieftainship issues and then government works with the one appointed by the people.”

Court battles

Another issue pointed out during this discussion was the trend of chieftainship battles being fought in court, something regarded as creating problems in communities.

A number of traditional authorities are without a substantive chief because those who want to be chief are in court as a result of infighting among royal families.

Kavango East governor Bonifatius Wakudumo said land issues skyrocket in communities without substantive chiefs due to the fights over chieftainship.

kenya@namibiansun.com

City stops Ngairorue’s disciplinary process

MATHIAS HAUFIKU

WINDHOEK

The management committee of the City of Windhoek has taken a resolution to halt all disciplinary processes instituted against the municipality’s legal head, Ben Ngairorue.

Ngairorue has been under fire over the years for alleged gross misconduct, a situation which almost saw him losing his job.

In documents seen by Namibian Sun, the management committee on 8 February instructed the municipality’s strategic executive for human capital and corporate services, George Mayumbelo, to place any litigation or disciplinary cases against Ngairorue on hold “as a matter of urgency until the grievance is heard by the management committee”.

The committee warned that those who continue to pursue the cases against Ngairorue will be held liable to settle the resulting legal bill.

Ngairorue is on record accusing Mayumbelo of spearheading the crusade to get rid of him and allegedly victimising him.

Mayumbelo unimpressed

The move to stop the disciplinary proceedings did not sit well with Mayumbelo, who described it as “unprecedented”.

Last week he wrote to acting CEO Jennifer Comalie saying the CEO and management committee do not have the power “to postpone or stay the disciplinary hearing process once the disciplinary committee is appointed”.

He claimed the move to halt the disciplinary process against Ngairorue is a serious interference and disruption of the ongoing process.

“It goes without saying that the disciplinary process is not dependent upon the conclusion or outcome of the grievance processes. The acting CEO and management committee have a duty to maintain impartiality and professional distance on matters of an operational nature and ensure that such remain intact,” Mayumbelo said.

He cautioned: “This approach and intervention will create unsustainable precedents going forward, which have the potential to bring the organisation into disrepute and undermine all ongoing and future disciplinary matters and efforts of the organisation”.

According to Mayumbelo, Ngairorue failed to appear at his disciplinary hearings last month.

Ngairorue’s excuses, according to Mayumbelo, was that Comalie had instructed him to accompany her to a meeting and to attend management committee meetings instead of attending the hearings.

Grievance

In his grievance letter dated January 2021, Ngairorue wanted council’s intervention to investigate Mayumbelo for abuse of power and to investigate a relationship between him and a female employee also in the legal department, while also seeking a working solution pending the conclusion of ongoing investigations against him.

In the letter, Ngairorue said he has been subjected to “systematic victimisation” by Mayumbelo.

Ngairorue, who said the working environment has become unbearable for him, wrote: “I was already booked off for depression and potentially fear that this situation may affect my general well-being, and my health condition if this matter is not attended as a matter of urgency”.

He added that he needs the management committee to intervene as he does not foresee it being solved by his immediate supervisor.

“I have been reliably informed by a source by the end of December 2020 that Mr Mayumbelo is hard at work to have me suspended and ultimately removed from office as corporate legal advisor,” he said.

Mayumbelo last year denied having any personal agenda against Ngairorue.

“Mr Ngairorue has been charged multiple times by both the previous chief executive officers and other acting chief executives before I also charged him for serious misconduct. These multiple charges are not finalised yet because of the approaches adopted by him. I therefore have no personal agenda against Mr Ngairorue,” he said at the time.

AG rules Smith-Howard must return to workMbandeka finds IPC and CRO acted outside the law The Chairperson of the Erongo regional council, Ciske Smith-Howard, is allowed to return to work. This was confirmed by the responsible ministry and the Attorney-General, who made it clear “that both the chief regional officer of the Erongo regional council and the IPC acted outside the law”.

ERWIN LEUSCHNER

SWAKOPMUND

"I'm obviously very excited," Ciske Smith-Howard said yesterday. The chairperson of the Erongo regional council has been allowed to resume work after being banned from the office for four months. "During this period, of course, a lot has been left undone, but I will work effectively and efficiency and catch up on the work,” she added.

The news that the regional politician was allowed to resume her duties spread like wildfire yesterday.

Smith-Howard was originally “restrained” from office effective immediately by her party, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), on 21 October 2021. The main reason given at the time was that she was no longer ordinarily resident within the constituency for which she was elected.

It was for this reason that the general secretary of the IPC informed the chief regional officer (CRO), Habate Doeses, at the time that the IPC was investigating Smith-Howard’s place of residence. The regional council was also informed that "their party member [Smith-Howard] has been restrained from participating and representing the IPC at the council”.

On the basis of the IPC letter, the regional council had informed all managers in an internal memo.

However, Smith-Howard hired a lawyer who demanded that council retract the internal memo with immediate effect on the basis that the CRO has “exceeded her powers” and prohibited Smith-Howard from conducting her official duties.

In view of this legal letter received, the regional council asked the ministry of urban and rural development for a legal opinion, and that opinion, given by Attorney General Festus Mbandeka, was released yesterday.

Outside the law

In his eight-page statement, Mbandeka concluded that both Doeses and the IPC acted "outside the law". He also called it "premature" that the party "restrained” their member due to the issue concerning her place of residence.

"It should first be established that in fact this member is not residing in the applicable constituency, which is currently in investigation phase, and then the principles of natural justice should be employed (...),” Mbandeka wrote.

The Attorney General also "advised" IPC to complete investigations surrounding Smith-Howard's residence, particularly when “addressing, at this stage, the possible but not confirmed, i.e. not factual, situation that Smith-Howard does not reside in the constituency for which she was elected to represent on the council”.

Aside from that dispute, the IPC has accused Smith-Howard, who celebrated a landslide victory during the 2020 regional council elections, of nine internal violations. This matter is currently before the High Court.

Interest rates could shoot upInflationary pressure The repo rate currently stands at 4.00% and the prime lending rate at 7.75%. We do foresee two consecutive fuel price hikes in February and March 2022. Theo Klein, economist. Simonis Storm

PHILLEPUS UUSIKU

Fuel is a key input in various industries of the economy. The increase in fuel prices and further expected increments in the coming months could have massive inflationary ripple effects on other goods and services.

According to Simonis Storm economist, Theo Klein, “given our weaker Rand and higher global oil price expectations, we do foresee two consecutive fuel price hikes in February and March 2022.”

The surge in Brent crude could lead to higher inflation across the globe, especially in oil importing countries.

This has the potential of hastening interest rate normalisation, potentially more interest rate hikes than what was previously forecasted. Faster than expected rises in interest rates will further weigh on overall economic activity. Namibia as a small open economy in the global oil market will remain vulnerable to these effects, he said.

The repo rate currently stands at 4.00% and the prime lending rate at 7.75%. The next monetary policy announcement by the Bank of Namibia (BoN) is expected to take place on 13 April 2022. Interest rates can be used as a tool to control inflation. -phillep@nmh.com.na

Fiscal consolidation replaced with fiscal sustainability

PHILLEPUS UUSIKU

Finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi, in his budget statement, said he is cognisant of potential spending pressures that could prolonged real term declines.

Aggregate expenditure over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) is projected to increase gradually but remain consistent with the fiscal sustainability imperative, he said.

Specifically, the total expenditure ceiling is projected to increase to N$70.8 billion for the financial year FY2022/23, a 1.6% increase from the FY 21/22, and average at N$74.9 billion over the remainder of the MTEF.

According to Simonis Storm (SS), “one interesting note is that the budget speech had no mention of fiscal consolidation, instead fiscal consolidation has been replaced by fiscal sustainability.

“We would welcome a slight ease on consolidation efforts and a more counter-cyclical fiscal policy stance, given government’s size in the economy,” SS added.

“We remain concerned about the developmental budget remaining a low priority in the expenditure budget. Without the effective hand over to the private sector of the economy, government has to prioritise the development budget.”

Until ease of doing business improves and government manages to create a pro-business or conducive environment, the development budget needs to increase its share in total expenditure. “This is why we argue for a counter-cyclical fiscal policy stance,” SS said.

IJG Securities also noted that the little room in which to further consolidate expenditure is possibly a more important one.

This alludes to the possibility that government’s willingness to pursue fiscal consolidation is waning. Government expenditure under fiscal consolidation aimed to contain expenditure as far as possible without creating too much of a drag on the economy.

Theory

In theory, fiscal consolidation should have been applied to an overheating economy and not one already under pressure for a variety of reasons, and thus it has not had any particularly positive impact as implemented, IJG added.

“It is easy to see why the ministries campaigning for a share of the budget may be frustrated as they would feel hamstrung with regards to fulfilling their various mandates. Fiscal consolidation, as it was applied at least, seems to have been shown the door,” IJG said.

In addition, Cirrus Capital said total expenditure for the FY 22/23 was revised up by N$2.6 billion, or 3.8%, from the last estimates.

These large upward revisions are a distinct break from the prior fiscal consolidation, weakened with Covid-related expenditure, with the current strategy focusing on a “balanced fiscal consolidation policy stance.”

Fiscal consolidation has been relaxed as the scope for further expenditure consolidation has thinned significantly, suggesting that government is concerned that its continued fiscal withdrawal has a negative impact on the economy, Cirrus added.

However, this must be carefully balanced with concerns around the debt trajectory and its sustainability. It may be that the potential of future oil revenues, although many years away at best and still highly speculative, may have emboldened the relaxation in the fiscal consolidation approach, Cirrus said.

The public debt stock is expected to increase to N$140.2 billion, equivalent to 71.0% of gross domestic product (GDP). -phillep@nmh.com.na

Poultry business no chicken feedIndustry brims with potential While government reviews the status quo of chicken imports, there is room for growth in the local industry, if the environment allows. We need to grow our local poultry production and create the much-needed jobs the government keeps talking about. - Pieter van Niekerk, commercial manager: NPI

JM Kretschmer - The importance of poultry farming in Namibia cannot be over-emphasised, with special focus on the country’s particular challenges of joblessness and rural communities who rely on farming.

Chicken remains an important mainstay for many households, and coops abound in informal settlements with families relying on chicken for eggs and meat.

The trade ministry is currently reviewing the state of affairs in the local poultry industry and recently announced that it is not taking any new applicants for registration as importers of chicken.

The latest measures indicate that only 1 200 tonnes of chicken may be imported monthly. This was reduced from 1 500 after wide public consultations were held in 2019. The ministry is also in charge of issuing all import permits having taken over from the Meatboard around the same time.

CONSUMPTION

A local overview commissioned and completed in 2018, indicated that Namibia lags far behind South Africa in annual per capita consumption with roughly 13kg consumed locally compared to South Africa’s 38kg. It was also determined that in the Namibian context, chicken was the most important source of protein due to its cost-efficiency.

A recent study published by Poultry World probing meat consumption in 35 countries across the world has indicated that chicken consumption, worldwide, comprises 43% of all meat consumption with pork coming in at 33% and beef at 19%. Chicken is favoured for different reasons – in the developed world for its health benefits as opposed to red meat and in the developing world, for its relative cost-efficiency and quick turnaround time.

The study further notes that “world poultry consumption per capita was 14.8kg in 2019, compared with 9.8kg in 2000. Absolute poultry consumption per capita more than doubled in 13 countries. Of the 35 countries studied, 30 experienced a linear increasing trend between 2000 and 2019 in per capita poultry consumption. In 15 countries, the increase was greater than 10 kg/capita, and it was greater than 20 kg/capita in Peru, Russia, and Malaysia.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Research published in Poultry in the 21st Century by Frands Dolberg from the University of Arhus in Denmark, indicated that technical support is of critical importance in the enhancement of poultry production for livelihood improvement and poverty alleviation.

The research found that the smallholder poultry approach is biased towards poor women and moreover, that estimates are that this is relevant for 160 million women – and their families – worldwide, but bad governance and weak institutions make it almost impossible to reach them for support to develop their enterprises.

In Bangladesh, research in 2015 found that operating small, family poultry farms improved the livelihood of 38% of farmers. Around 60% of participants in a technical support programme indicated an increase in income.

South African research in 2018, performed by the University of Johannesburg concurs by concluding that “chicken farming could be used for alleviation of rural unemployment and poverty; success of such projects depends on farmers receiving technical and financial support; hands-on training was considered the best form of training.”

The research thus indicates that technical support is very important and leads to increased income and poverty reduction.

LOCAL ASSISTANCE

Currently, the only technical support offered to SMEs in the local poultry industry is from Feedmaster and Namib Poultry Industries (NPI) that has staff deployed where needed. The roll-out is quite intense with NPI’s day-old chicks programme that acts almost as a starter pack for small-scale poultry production.

Rene Werner, the chair of the Namibia Poultry Producers’ Association says that direct jobs currently supported by the industry are around 2 000.

These figures apply only to the larger role players and the 350-odd SMEs currently active in the industry. They do not include the small-scale ‘backyard’ chicken farmers or the egg sellers in the informal market.

According the to the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), the dependency ratio per wage earner is around 4.6 – so there are a lot of Namibians that rely on chicken to put food on the table. In line with the research from Denmark, the poultry industry employs mostly women.

CHALLENGES

But there are major challenges and of course, concern over the ‘review’ of the status quo by authorities.

Werner says “any importation slows the growth of the industry”. Because there is so much money in chicken, in particular with tenders for hostels and the military, there are difficulties. Importers benefit from low price of production in other countries, but this is not passed on to the consumer or the government when it pays for tenders.

In 2018, discrepancies found that almost 5 000 tonnes of chicken imported into the country, ‘fell off the truck’ and is unaccounted for. There is also often criticism levelled at importers and during the public consultation process in 2019, they were accused of creating very little infrastructure, and few jobs and that they undermine the creation of a sustainable, local industry.

ROOM FOR GROWTH

These difficulties aside, there is a lot of room for growth in the local poultry industry.

In the 2018 study, the multiplier effect of the existence of the broiler industry in Namibia was assessed as being “substantially larger than the direct output from the industry would suggest”. Using meat processing for the social accounting matrix, it was found that the multiplier effect stood at 4.42.

For every N$1 output the industry generates, the overall impact on the economy is N$4.42.

Namibia needs to grow its local poultry production and create the much-needed jobs the government keeps talking about, Pieter van Niekerk, commercial manager at NPI, says.

According to Van Niekerk, the biggest challenge small-scale producers in Namibia currently face is gaining access to markets.

Traders mostly look at big loads and the shortages in the market are controlled by a handful of importers. NPI has received international accolades for its support in the local industry by aiding new entrants into the market with much-needed technical know-how and support. This extends way beyond its day-old chicks programme which allows small players to enter the market in a safe and affordable manner.

In his view, the slaughtering and route market need attention.

Most SMEs still slaughter by hand and getting access (and transport) to shelves in-store remain a major obstacle, forcing many to give up before they started. “No matter what product you grow, if you do not have a market, you do not have a business,” he says.

DEVELOPING THE INDUSTRY

Chicken and eggs are quick to produce, relatively cheap and efficient. A support centre for this industry - where industry, government and the unions (labour and industry) play a role – would be a boon for many start-ups.

Thirty years after independence there is absolutely no reason Namibia should be reliant on imported chicken to fill the gaps. The multiplier value and job creation alone should drive us to develop this sector in particular, because it drives rural economies – as the research shows.

Import limits should be increased to drive demand amongst investors and entrepreneurs and to create local wealth. If done right, Namibia could, as with its beef industry, develop into a chicken-exporting country.

Namibia needs a conducive environment to allow for more local poultry producers, both small- and large-scale, creating sustainable jobs and food security.

*JM Kretschmer is a freelance journalist.

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