Namib Indepedent Issue 116 by The Namib Independent

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Issue 116 - Thursday, 11 September 2014 to Wednesday, 18 September 2014

ice bucket challenge

DESERT LION EXTINCTION?

PORT EXPANSION

spring love!

Lucky Escape from Smugglers' Den Tanya Calitz A pangolin, a highly protected species in Namibia, was found on the coast. Suspected to be one of many, it allegedly managed to escape its horrendous fate of being killed, scaled and smuggled to Southeast Asia, where its scales are believed to cure all sorts of alignments. The pangolin, dubbed Charlotte, was spotted by members of the public on Sunday, (just outside Narraville on Swakomund’s side) who informed the SPCA and police of the strange looking animal sighted and first thought to be an armadillo. The Walvis Bay SPCA and NamPol reacted very quickly to ensure the animal’s safety. According to the Walvis Bay SPCA they took the pangolin in and

informed the organisation ‘Rare and Endangered Species Trust’ (REST) of the pangolin. Maria Diekmann, founder of REST, told the Namib Independent that she believes Charlotte was part of a much bigger group of poached pangolins destined to be scaled and shipped to Southeast Asia, but luckily Charlotte managed to escape from her captors. “We have noticed an increase in poaching of cape pangolins in the past four months here in Namibia. It is getting out of hand. As the population of the Asian pangolins Continued on Page 3

Dual-carriageway Road - a Saving Grace or a Waste of Money? Opinion by Lavrenty Repin The dual-carriageway between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund proposed to be built on the current back salt road (D1984) by the Roads Authority (RA) as a solution to “save Namibian lives” has drawn a great deal of debate from coastal residents and businesses. It is clear that there is a huge imperative

to update road infrastructure at the coast, especially to cope with the notorious B2 road of death, but is building a tarred double lane road behind the dunes a viable solution and will our community actually use it? We take a look at the pros and cons of this ambitious and questionable project. Looking at figures, a town-to-town trip on the back salt road means an extra 17 km in

distance compared to the current favourite B2 road, which is 34km long. This stands as one of the biggest hurdles that the RA has to overcome when convincing the community to switch roads. Extra miles mean extra fuel, and the shortest route is always more enticing; but surprisingly the back road might be more timeefficient. Although Google Maps says you will reach

you destination in 30 minutes via the B2 road, the reality is that due to overwhelming congestion, unscrupulous taxis and an increase in large bus and truck activity, the journey usually takes between 45 minutes to an hour. The dual-carriageway could provide a quicker, more efficient route for rushing commuters. The idea seems to be to revive the B2 into a local community and tourist road, hopefully mainly used for its scenic features, and its proximity to residents in Longbeach, Dolphin Park and Aphrodite beach; not to mention the tourist attractions plotted along the route, like quad-bikes and fishing facilities. Keeping the B2 local and moving long-distance Continued on Page 3

2 | News

Thursday, 11 September 2014

Ice Bucket Challenge Hits the Coast Siglinde de Villiers The ice bucket challenge is the latest craze to sweep through social media and last week Baard Group was the first company challenged in Walvis Bay to take part in it. In turn, they challenged several other companies at the coast, all for the noble cause of raising funds for charity. “If one is challenged, one has to respond within a period of 24 hours,” relates Rene Baard from the Baard Group. “Last Thursday, Burgers Okahandja challenged us. They send us their video where they filled the blade of their bulldozer with water and tipped it on their staff. However, due to the number of our staff, we needed something bigger than a

bulldozer,” Rene continues. Thus the date for the ice bucket challenge was set for Friday, and Baard Group arranged for Walvis Bay’s fire engine truck to hose their staff down. “Even though the ice bucket challenge involves dumping a bucket with ice over someone, the numbers of our staff are too big to execute the challenge in this way,” Rene says. “Using the fire engine truck is simply much easier.” She further shares that getting the fire truck was no problem at all. “They immediately agreed to our idea and without hesitation promised to arrive on Friday without any costs,” Rene says. And arrive they did. The fire engine trucks approach was signaled with

Marius Smit 081 601 6822 com.na

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Disclaimer:

Namib Independent is published by Halfround Communications CC. All rights are reserved. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within, no liability can be accepted by the publishers or contributors for any errors, misstatements or omissions which may have occurred. The opinions expressed in the publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Also, the publishers accept no legal liability regarding copyright ownership for material which was supplied directly to the publishers by any of the advertisers or contributors.

loud sirens, heightening the anticipation of the staff members. According to Rene, the ice bucket challenge proved to be a great team-building event for their company. “We decided that our charity donation will go to Walvis Bay Kids Haven,” Rene says. In their video, each office personnel member nominates two of Baard Group’s clients to take part in the ice bucket challenge and donate to a charity.

The ice bucket challenge had humble beginnings, created by people living with ALS, a neurodegenerative disease, and their families as a way to raise awareness. The ice bucket challenge existed in the sporting world and has been used with other causes in the past, but people impacted by the disease really made the trend go viral, with stars from David Beckham to Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates and Justin Bieber becoming involved.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT NOTICE: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT NOTICE: Sunn Motors CC Sunn Motors cc made an application to the Walvis Bay Municipality to construct and operate a fuelling station on the remainder of Erf 2605 (Ext 1) Walvis Bay. The Erf is located on the corner of Circumferential and Moses Garoëb Str. It is intended to establish a service station (that dispenses diesel and petrol, parking areas, a convenience store and public ablution facilities.

ERONGO QUARRY & CIVIL WORKS (PTY) LTD The proponent Erongo Quarry & Civil Works (Pty) Ltd applied to the Municipality of Walvis Bay to establish a Truck port facility within Walvis Bay municipal area on Farm 38. Activities at the Truck Port would include the storage and handling of diesel defined in the Hazardous Substance Ordinance, 1974. The land for the intended development is extremely sparsely vegetated and currently vacant.

In terms of the Environmental Management Act 7 of 2007, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for this type of development is required. Sunn Motors cc appointed EnviroSolutions to prepare the EIA for the proposed development

EnviroSolutions was tasked to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment which is in line with the requirements of the Environmental Management Act 7 of 2007 and Regulation 21 of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) Regulations (January 2012).

All interested and Affected Parties are hereby invited to register before 15 September 2014.

Contact Details:

Contact Person: Alan Jenneker Fax to email: 088 61 3470 Email: envirosl@envirosl.com Cell: 0813832929 Office: 064 404438

EnviroSolutions

News | 3

Thursday, 11 September 2014

Lucky Escape from Smugglers' Den

Pangolin scales seized at a Hong Kong Port. Image by South China Morning Post

Fate of the endangered pangolin. The demand for pangolin meat and scales is still growing.

Continued from Page 1 plummets and moves into the critically endangered category, traders have turned to Africa for the ever increasing demand for pangolins,” Diekmann said. Just over a month ago it was reported that several tonnes of pangolin scales from South Africa were seized at ports in Hong Kong and Vietnam, estimated to the value of N$ 1million. “I am convinced that some of the scales seized were from pangolins in Namibia as well. I have no doubt that these scales are also being smuggled through Namport,” Diekmann said. “Sniffer dogs will really help us detect and safeguard these highly

protected and endangered animals.” The paper is happy to report that Charlotte is doing well under the protection of REST and started eating on Tuesday night. “Charlotte is one of the biggest pangolins I have ever seen, weighing 10.5 kg,” said Diekmann. She also stated that Charlotte suffered a great deal of trauma, but she believes she will fully recover and be released back into the wild. The cape pangolin is known to inhabit the more central parts of Namibia, which led rescuers to believe that Charlotte was part of a smuggled group destined to be shipped out.

Popular believes are that Pangolin scales cure cancer, help with bad blood circulation, lactation and psoriasis. However, Diekmann, along with many other experts, clearly states that this is no more than a silly belief and that the pangolin scale is exactly the same as our own fingernails. The Asian pangolin is also considered a delicacy and has become the popular alternative to shark fin soup in China. By the time of going to print Namport did not yet respond to the papers’ queries regarding smuggling of endangered and protected species through the port.

Maria Diekmann and Peter Brooks from the Walvis SPCA, after saving Charlotte the pangolin.

Dual-carriageway Road - a Saving Grace or a Waste of Money? Continued from Page 1 commuters, trucks and buses onto the back-road would certainly ease the commotion – yet some coastal residents point out that it seems a tad expensive, just for diversion. The RA is spending N$3 billion on upgrading roads throughout the country, so the exact figure for the SwakopmundWalvis Bay road is not available, but considering that the upgrade includes a bridge over the Swakop River, the hope is that the road will not stand empty. One Facebook comment even speculated: “It is just a proposal and you know in two months’ time it is elections.” What is for certain, is that something needs to be done. Besides the appalling rate of accidents on the B2, the expansion of the harbour will increase traffic astronomically. Zambia has just opened Africa’s largest copper mine and plans to transport all their products to the Walvis harbour. Furthermore, the expansion of the Walvis Bay airport will (eventually) be completed, prompting more travel of both goods and people. Sceptics say that safety issues will remain because of the public’s general poor attitude. A lack of bus stops means that buses will use the B2 and trucks cannot be forced to use the back road. Referring to the latter, Ms Ricci Profitt from Erasmus Transport in Walvis Bay explained

that the road tax (Mass Distance Charge) that all truck companies must pay entitles trucks to travel on all roads in Namibia, with the exception of some residential and business districts that may specify certain operating time sand weight-loads that they need to adhere to (like the trucks that run through the Lion senior club, Swakopmund’s largest retirement home). However, Ms Profitt said that Erasmus Transport have an internal company policy to use only the back salt road, and has called on all companies to make use of the infrastructure. According to Ms Profitt the (slightly) longer distance costs about an additional N$30, which is easily justified by better conditions. Trucks travelling on the D1984 are less likely to be in an accident and due to lower winds there is less sand-blasting. Ms Profitt sounded optimistic about the dual-carriage way, construction of which is set to begin in January. “Trucks will use

the road without being forced,” she said, “it is only logical!” Also, approvingly, Walvis Bay is expanding in the direction of the D1984 turn off (next to Dune 7), especially with the large industrial park planned for the area. Swakopmund municipality mentioned that “the land available west of the D1984 is sufficient to carry a major extension of Swakopmund town for numerous years into the future” but gave no details of such undertakings. If the two towns move in the direction of D1984, there is definite viability and logic behind this project. The B2 is the shortest route, and many argue the most scenic, too. Stops along the way make it ideal for taxis and tourists. Yet more and more local residents are using the back road, for safety and time economy – is the Roads Authority simply facilitating what road users want or is it pursuing an unrealistically ambitious project? Only time will tell.

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Thursday, 11 September 2014

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Thursday, 11 September 2014

Extinction of Desert Lions Imminent? Siglinde de Villiers The uncalled-for death of the magnificent Terrace Male lion caused many coastal hearts to bleed. He was shot near the Tomakas village where the hunters removed his satellite collar and burned it. Yet, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Since the beginning of this year, communal farmers in the Torra Bay area have killed six lions. At least 20 lions were killed by locals since the legal hunting of the Dorob Lion by a professional hunter a year ago. All these setbacks have taken their toll and the Desert Lion Project was put on hold since the beginning of September until this week Wednesday. On 5 September, the Desert Lion Project met up with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) to discuss the future of the conservation project. Despite various setbacks, the Desert Lion Project is committed to continuing its research and monitoring of the desert lions and will do so as soon as a research permit with new conditions that meet the needs and expectations of the MET has been issued. The desert lions' population is being

threatened by trophy hunters as well as local farmers and communities. The sombre tale already started in 2010 when two male lions were shot for trophies. Soon thereafter, Flip Stander from the Desert Lion Project warned that the number of adult male lions had been reduced to a critical low and therefore it was not sustainable to continue hunting adult male lions. Despite the Namibian government having made some changes to hunting legislation, more desert lions were about to get killed. One hunting incident that caused a huge uproar was when a professional hunter accidentally shot Victor, a majestic male desert lion in the Dorob park in September 2013. According to media reports, the hunter did not realise that the male was collared and shot him while he was mating. This incident raised a lot of questions: How can a professional hunter not see a collar on a lion? How ethical is it to shoot a lion while he is mating? Why does the Namibian Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA) issue permits to hunt desert lions in the first place? According to the latest report, the number of wild lions in Africa is declining at an alarming rate. Most of

Kenya, Zambia and Botswana have suspended trophy hunting because of the issues that surround it. With the rapid demise of African wildlife, nonhunting tourism seems to be of more value to these countries. Nonetheless, a lot of conservation funds are obtained from trophy hunters. Some even argue that it is an ideal way to manage wildlife populations. Whether trophy hunting is beneficial for lion conservation or not continues to be the subject of hot debates. In the meantime, the main threat to lions is not trophy hunting but conflict with humans. Looking at data derived from the Desert Lion Project, lions roam far and wide. This often leads them to areas that are not part of national parks but communal lands where they kill livestock of local farmers, making conservation very difficult. According to a recent media report, six lions alone were killed this year for preying on 71 livestock animals from local communities. “A key element to conservation success is that of local people benefiting from wildlife. These benefits are derived from tourism that includes consumptive use, such as trophy hunting,” Stander said, linking

trophy hunting to conservation by local communities. Local communities have to be prepared to live with the lions around them and realise why it is important to protect them. “Only through the principle of sustainable use via the Communal Conservancy Programme was it possible to maintain tolerance by local farmers towards conflict species,” NAPHA stated. “The constant undermining of this principle by certain groups has now led to drastic measures being taken by locals which, in effect, boil down to a zero tolerance approach.” NAPHA continued to say that the recent Terrace male was just the tip of the iceberg, because since the Dorob lion was shot, at least twenty lions were killed by the local communities, sometimes by the cruelest of methods. On the other hand, the Terrace male was shot without ever having killed any livestock. The Desert Lion Project is unable to comment on the complexities surrounding the death of the Terrace male. “We hope that this incident will lead to better communications and collaboration between all the relevant stakeholders towards a common goal of sustainable utilisation and long-term conservation of this unique population of desert-adapted lions,” Stander said. According to the Desert Lion Project, both hunting and non-consumptive tourism are recognised forms of wildlife

utilisation in Namibia. Both generate significant income to Namibia and to the local communities that share their land with the wildlife populations. “Some local communities suffer significant losses from species like lions, cheetahs and leopards that prey on their livestock. The point of concern should ideally be focused on sustainability rather than the type of utilisation,” Standers said. “With the two contrasting forms of wildlife utilisation (hunting and conservation) running side-by-side, it is not surprising that conflict will arise,” Stander stated. He continued to say that both forms have to be sustainable and provide optimum benefits to Namibia to ensure the long-term conservation of wildlife resources.

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STAKEHOLDER REVIEW OF THE SEIA SCOPING REPORT FOR RÖSSING URANIUM’S PROPOSED DESALINATION PLANT Rössing Uranium Limited (Rössing Uranium) proposes to construct and operate a new desalination plant approximately 6 km north of Swakopmund, at the existing Swakopmund Salt Works. Rössing Uranium appointed SLR Environmental Consulting (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd (SLR) and AURECON Namibia (Pty) Ltd (AURECON) to jointly manage the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) process for the proposed project. The SEIA public participation process commenced in the beginning of July 2014 and various focus group meetings and a public meeting were held with interested and affected parties (I&APs) at the end of July and beginning of August 2014. Subsequently, SLR & Aurecon prepared a Scoping Report that is now available for review by I&APs.

DESCRIPTION/NATURE OF PROPOSED ACTIVITIES The project will comprise the following components that are described in more detail in the Scoping Report: • The water intake system and associated infrastructure. • Infrastructure (i.e. channel or pipeline) to transport water to the plant. • A water receiving tank (or existing salt works pond). • The pre-treatment plant that will remove sediments, solids and organic matter. • A modular seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant with a capacity of approximately 3 million m3/year (8,200 m3/day). • The waste water outlet system and associated infrastructure. • A new 11 kV power line of approximately 6 km, together with a new substation at the plant. • A water supply line of roughly 850m to the existing NamWater pipeline, transporting desalinated water. • Related services and structures i.e. offices, access road, etc.

AVAILAbILITy OF THE SCOPING REPORT FOR REVIEW

A hard copy of the Scoping Report is available at the following places: • Swakopmund Public Library • Arandis Public Library • Walvis Bay Public Library • National Library in Windhoek The report can also be downloaded from the following websites: • www.aurecongroup.co.za/en/public-participation.aspx • www.rossing.com Alternatively, CD’s containing electronic copies of the Scoping Report and all of its supporting documents are available on request to SLR and/or Aurecon. NAME OF CONSULTANT TO CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND SUbMISSION OF COMMENTS Contact person: Mr Werner Petrick Tel: +264 (0) 64 402 317 Fax: +264 (0) 64 403 327 E-mail: wpetrick@slrconsulting.com Please submit any comments you might have on the Scoping Report to SLR in writing to the address provided above by Tuesday, 7 October 2014.

Thursday, 11 September 2014

Charity Run from Henties to Pemba Tanya Calitz UK born runner, Emma Timmis (30), set out to run a gruelling 4000km from Namibia’s Coast to Mozambique’s coast in aid of several charitable projects in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique. The project is named Head over Heels 2014, and kicked off from Henties Bay recently. Emma plans to set foot on Pemba Beach, Mozambique in about four months. Currently, Emma and her team of three are south of Otjiwarongo. “I try to run between 40 and 50km a day, with a rest day every ten days,” Emma told the paper over the phone on her rest day this week. Emma is supported by her team Michael Whitehurst (on a bicycle), Robert Kazunga (guide), Lukasz Uzar (mechanic) and Aysha Madha (for everything else). The group, with Emma leading

the project, will be raising money for The SEED Project, a fantastic charity in Zimbabwe that truly believes in helping people to help themselves and Tusk (also in Namibia) who will donate funds to each country the team will travel through. Aysha set up a charity in the UK to give people all the skills and support they need when they want to do something amazing to benefit others. As Emma puts it, "anyone can do anything they put their mind to", but Aysha thinks sometimes we need people to believe in us and someone to bounce ideas off. And finally, the team is also looking for a small local charity in Niassa, Mozambique to support. One that enables people to have happier, healthier lives in a way that is environmentally sustainable, Aysha says. Former RSPCA inspector, Emma reckons

her biggest challenge during the expedition would be the harsh weather conditions, as well as the African environment she will encounter from region to region. “For instance by the time we hit Mozambique it will be the rainy season,” Emma says. The team is funding the trip out of their own pockets, with sponsorships here and there. “I have not yet found a running shoes sponsor,” Emma says, estimating that she would need at least six pairs of running shoes for the journey. Before embarking, Emma also took on South Africa, running the Freedom Route from Durban to Cape Town. Emma and Aysha met each other at an Oudoor Film Festival in the UK, featuring various extreme outdoor activities and challenges undertaken by men, and wondered where the women were. They spoke and decided to take on a real challenge, which led them to this. Emma will be running about a marathon a day. If you want to get involved or sponsor the various causes you can get in contact with either of the ladies via their email addresses. Emma says that each penny pushes them and encourages them to persevere. “The more support we get from the people, be it financial or merely cheering us on, it helps us stay focused and inspired to complete the journey,” Emma says. “Please clap and cheer, honk or shout when you spot us on the road,” adds Aysha. To support the team or to make donations email: Aysha: ayshateamhoh@gmail.com, Emma: emmateamhoh@gmail.com, Mike: miketeamhoh@ gmail.com

Thursday, 11 September 2014

News | 7

8 | News

Thursday, 11 September 2014

Port Expansion Update from a Chinese Perspective Siglinde de Villiers A few weeks ago, a long convoy of yellow trucks entered Walvis Bay, holding up regular traffic. Drivers who witnessed the trucks passing by

wondered where they were headed. The Namib Independent made some phone calls and soon discovered that these trucks were destined for Namport in order to assist with the harbor expansion

project. The paper then decided to find out how far port construction has progressed since the groundwork was laid earlier this year. In a correspondence between Namport and the Chinese Engineering Harbour Company (CHEC), Deputy Project Manager Aaron Hsu told the Namib Independent that the imported yellow trucks will be transporting materials to the construction site such as rocks, sand and gravel. “Some will be on standby to assure that the transportation work continues non-stop in case of breakdowns,” Hsu said. According to Hsu, there are 41 trucks that will be used in this project. Hsu also

disclosed that CHEC will utilise the skills of specialised drivers to operate the trucks and in this way, provide on the job training to their Namibian staff. Regrettably, neither CHEC nor Namport could provide an answer to the question whether these trucks will be driving through town during business hours, and if, what their most traveled roads would be. Both companies also stated that the port construction project is on schedule and running smoothly. One of the constructing processes happening at the moment is batching plant construction. This is where two batching plants will be erected and used for providing concrete supply to meet the project requirements. Then there is also the carrying out of the precast yard construction and revetment construction where the core rocks have been finished

up to 10 000 cubic metres. Cofferdam and offshore sandbags construction of up to 110 000 cubic metres have also been completed. Hsu said that they love staying in Namibia due to the fact that the people are so friendly. “Everybody greets you and is helpful when they get to know you. I love the open spaces and nature, for what you see in nature is often quite breathtaking,” Hsu said. He added that Namibia is not so overcrowded, traffic is great and one gets to places much faster. However, living and working in another country also has its challenges. “The main difficulty is living and working so far from our families,” Hsu said. Another problem is that they do not get products as easily as they would in China.

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Thursday, 11 September 2014

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Lavrenty Repin A complicated negotiation came to a prosperous end when Swakop Uranium, MANWU and subcontractor companies signed a landmark labour agreement elevating the salaries of 1500 employees. In April this year over 20 contractors refused to work when they held an illegal strike to demand better conditions.

However, within a day, Swakop Uranium began negotiations with affected parties, effectively calming the storm that was brewing within the construction phase of the huge Husab Project. According to Metal and Allied Namibian Worker's Union (MANWU) General Secretary, Ms Justina Jonas, the Chineseowned company took to direct discussions with the sub-contractors, something that no other company in

Namibia has done before. “This allows the client (Swakop Uranium) to get involved in labour matters during construction phase,” she stated. Following months of deliberation the agreement, known as the “Special Wage Agreement,” has reportedly concluded with increases of between 13% and 14% for the construction employees as well as a Safety Incentive Bonus Scheme to be paid

out to workers accordingly. Mr Percy McCallum, Swakop Uranium’s VicePresident of Human Resources and Business Support, said the company felt optimistic about the success of the wage negotiations, which will last the entire period of construction, until 31 December 2015. “We want our employees to work safely on site and go home in the same condition they came to work,” he commented. The parties have further agreed to investigate and propose an HIV/AIDS programme to Swakop Uranium and MANWU. Mr McCallum called the agreement a “smart partnership between the parties that sets the pace for industrial peace.” This was echoed by Ms Jonas of MANWU, who pointed out that “constructors are usually paid the minimum amount,” and Swakop Uranium’s direct approach has benefited workers. Consulting General Manager Barbel Kirchner spoke on behalf of the Construction Industries Federation of Namibia (CIF) and called the negotiation process “very difficult.” “I think it’s a big achievement that all parties are satisfied,” Ms Kirchner continued. “It is very critical that we have very positive relations in the construction industry.” Erongo Governor Cleophas Mutjavikua sent his congratulations to what seems to have been a stressful and far-reaching settlement; however, the atmosphere was that of relieve and friendliness in the Swakop Uranium offices on Monday, after the signing of the long-awaited contract.

10 | News

Thursday, 11 September 2014

Spring Love is in the Air! Plants and animals get it on…what about people? Lavrenty Repin

ERONGO RED TOWN PAYPOINT OFFICE IS RELOCATING

Spring is the season of love. Plants literally spring out of the ground, blossoming in anticipation of rain (thus the name “spring”, coined in England in 1400). Longer, lighter days mean more fun in the sun, which eagerly makes its way out of the clouds, and love is, as these frisky animals remind us, in the pollen scented air. Butterflies use this season to mate and migrate, chipmunks and squirrels are “bonking”, mad with spring fever, frogs get frisky (the spring peeper frog apparently starts its quacking mating call at the exact moment the weather starts to turn). Most birds sing at the top of their lungs in hopes of finding a partner. Brought about by a variety of factors like climate and temperature change, animal fertility periods as well as water availability, these behaviour changes even affect domestic cats. They become active in spring, due particularly to long sunny days. The increase in sensory activity causes a boost of energy and curiosity, which means you should keep an eye on your kitty as spring season is marked as the time felines are most likely to be involved in outdoor accidents. This exciting season got the Namib Independent staff wondering; do humans have a mating season – specifically, is there a time of year when humans are more prone to seek

out partners? On the surface, the answer is a resounding “no”. Simply because unlike most animals, females of the human species are available for mating throughout the year and this biological lack of restriction allows reproductions during all months. Yet cases of “spring fever” are well documented; a condition associated with spring time. The symptoms include an increase in energy, vitality and - particularly – sexual appetite. According to WebMD the simplified explanation is that “when seasons change, the retina -- the inner layer of the eye that connects to the brain through the optic nerve - naturally reacts to the first subtle changes in the amount of daylight (more daylight in spring), this reaction triggers hormonal changes, including an adjustment in melatonin, a hormone that affects sleep cycles and mood changes.” The connotation between less sleep, more energy and a higher sexual drive is self-evident. However, other evidence suggests that most human births occur at spring time, during the month of September, which would indicate that humans are more sexually active during December. This evidence is circumstantial; one could argue that during December people are less careful with contraceptives, and inclined to promiscuity due to the festivity of the month. If you look at statistics on condom sales and

DEAR CUSTOMERS, Our current Erongo RED town paypoint office (opposite NamPost) in Walvis Bay will be closed on Friday, 12 September 2014. We are relocating to the new premises which is situated at Erongo RED Head Office (Old Sentrum Pharmacy). The new office will be open to the public as from Monday, 15 September 2014. Customers are therefore urged to make use of the Kuisebmund and Narraville paypoints. For more information please contact our call centre agents at: 0819600 red

power to the people

STD diagnoses, these peak annually in both winter and summer in comparison to spring and autumn. Yet none of these can indicate whether people are seeking out mates, or are just more active. A study looked at Google trends, picking keywords like “porn” and “dating sites” to see how often they have been searched on search engine and at which periods of the year, over five consecutive years. The results indicate that people are (slightly) more likely to go on a porn hunt and scour through dating-sites in summer and winter. In general, the study concludes that there is a six-month cycle, and the "vacation and holiday effect" is in force. There is also a big notch up in weddings in the summer. Human “mating season” is somewhat a heated debate between scientists. If there is one it seems to be a cultural, mass-psychological effect, rather than a biological phenomenon or even a remnant of evolutionary development. Meanwhile, this spring is set to bring energy and excitement to your life and bound to produce new mothers and babies… so happy spring fever!

12 | Lifestyle

Thursday, 11 September 2014

LIFESTYLE Losing a Child: A Man’s Perspective My wife, Tania, was lying back with her tummy exposed at our appointment for the twelve week scan. A grainy image of our new baby appeared on the computer screen and as I made a point to mention that we’d like a photo to take home with us I noticed the lack of activity in the arms and legs and before the ultra-sonographer said, ‘I don’t think this is good news’ I knew it was dead. When she moved the probe and shook it across Tania’s stomach our baby floated lifelessly to the bottom of the womb. That image (which my mind stubbornly clings to) signaled the beginning of some surprisingly intense grieving. I reached out and held Tania’s hand. She was asking questions about appointments, when exactly the baby might have died, the procedure that was needed to remove it. She was upset but she was handling it so well that I was almost angry at what was happening inside me. I was just about ready to fall apart but the thought of crying in front of other people had me fighting hard. I attempted to rationalise myself to a ‘stronger’ position; ‘It’s not even a real baby yet,’ I told myself, ‘Just a collection of cells.’ But my rational mind continued to be overwhelmed by that image. I saw my real baby there – the slope of his forehead, the promise of warmth in the chub of his cheeks, the limbs that should have been reaching and kicking. Even though it was not logical I felt that I had let him die alone. That I wasn’t there to help him as he died. And to let him down even more, to completely abandon him, I was just going to let them throw him away. Days of grief became weeks but to most people around me I was handling it well. Only Tania really saw moments of the raw emotion but even then I had a blanket over it. My main concern, right from the word go, had been to ensure that she was looked after – physically as well as emotionally. I set up a bed in the lounge room, dealt with condolences and most enquiries into her welfare, took care of all the household and child related chores. Keeping busy and focusing on Tania steadied me and took the focus away from my own grief. When things quieted down the emotions became overwhelming, their intensity disturbed and confused me, and I was left to battle myself again – it wasn’t even a real baby, I had never held it, I didn’t experience it physically like Tania. The questions and concerns were generally directed towards me but in nearly all cases were about Tania. And even though I appreciated the enquires into her welfare I began to feel as if I wasn’t entirely involved. It was as if this was only Tania’s experience. I’d already done enough to talk myself out of the grief I was feeling but every time someone skirted past me to enquire about Tania an underlying belief was reaffirmed – as a man I wasn’t supposed to be feeling this way. Months later through a series of coincidences I met Sally and Simon Heppleston and learnt about their own story of loss. In 2008 they were prepared for their world to change when they attended a routine ante-natal appointment late in their pregnancy. They had created space in their lives – a new baby seat in the car, a new cot in the decorated nursery, a collection of infant jumpsuits and beanies. All of it awaiting animation through a new life. Their pregnancy had been without problems and when Sally went into early labor there was the joyous feeling that they were almost there. But Sally became concerned when the labor hadn’t progressed three days later, and she couldn’t feel any movement from her

normally active baby. The world did change for Sally and Simon but not the way they expected it to. When the doctor performed the scan they could see there was no heartbeat. As Sally screamed out in disbelief Simon bottled an uprising of emotion to honour his overwhelming desire to lessen the impact on Sally. Pushing his own grief aside became a common theme, especially in the early days. He displaced emotion by focusing on the new list of tasks that needed to be completed; phone calls, discussions with doctors and nurses, referrals, appointments, questions from well-meaning family and friends. But even when there was a moment to spare Simon, understandably, still channelled all his energy into the care of Sally, who was suffering physically as well as emotionally. The following day Sally was induced and delivered their stillborn baby, Hope Heppleston. The surreal experience for Mum and Dad was both horrific and beautiful. Hope appeared to be sleeping; a perfect baby in every way. Inside, Simon had been torn apart but to the outside world he was doing his job and was in control. His experience of child loss mirrored my own. ‘I kept telling myself that I hadn’t really lost a baby,’ he told me. ‘I hadn’t carried her for nine months like Sally. I told myself that I hadn’t lost a real baby, just the idea of a baby.’ By devaluing the enormity of the loss Simon was trying to achieve a goal which is common of men – to harness control over emotion. His sense of duty towards Sally’s healing held him aloof from his own: ‘When Sally was feeling happier; I felt I had to appear happy as well, just to keep her there. And then when she was feeling down I still felt I had to put up a happy front to help her out of it.’ Are men able to grieve properly? ‘Lots of couples break up after the loss of a child. And I really think this has a lot to do with the gap in the grief experience of the husbands and the wives.’ Maybe the key here is the disparity between men and women when it comes to having access to grief. When Tania talked openly about the details of her experience with some of her female friends I found I was fighting a rising feeling of resentment. But it is only after writing this article that I can see that resentment for what it truly is – jealousy. When Simon’s friends organized a day’s golfing shortly after his loss, he thought there would be some open discussion about what had happened to him. But some handshaking and backslapping ended a full day of ‘male bonding’ without the subject being raised at all. The closest I came to discussing my loss with male friends was to get an acknowledgement from a few mates that their wives had also had a miscarriage. My first thoughts on this were that ‘society’ makes it incredibly difficult for men to experience emotion. But now I think that’s only partly true. At the height of my grief I was in my backyard gym, locked away from view. When family and friends came to visit Simon he would straighten himself up, dry his eyes and hide the depth of his emotion. He told me he felt, ‘left out and forgotten about’ but admitted to feeling ‘weird’ when friends occasionally asked after him, ‘I’d give a stock standard answer and then redirect it back to Sally,’ he said. It’s true that people didn’t ask after us as often as they asked about our partners but maybe that’s because, as men, we have a way of ensuring that doesn’t happen. I’d imagine Simon’s buddies would have also felt a desire to bring up the subject that day on the golf course but then they would have had to deal with the very real possibility that

Simon would have broken down. And now I’m remembering a phone call I received from a mate on the day the baby was ‘removed’ from Tania. I was offered something real from a man who had gone through the same experience but I fought back tears, avoided answering directly and ended the phone call with a forced steady voice. From a very early age boys and men are directed away from emotion. When we express it we often feel embarrassment and regret. Getting past this requires a giant leap over generations of training. Is there a way to take this leap? Gavin thinks there is. He’s all for the traditional mate-ship rituals like attending a sporting event, or getting together for a beer but says it needs to be taken a step further. ‘The best response to my loss came from a man I didn’t even know that well. We were at dinner and he just asked me straight forward questions about it. He listened to my responses and delved deeper. He didn’t avoid anything and he didn’t let me gloss over anything either.’ Source: www.mamamia.com

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It Happened to ME! | 13

Thursday, 11 September 2014

It Happened to ME! Near Death at the Hands of My Husband It all happened so suddenly. The one minute we were still having a good time, and everything just seemed so perfect, but the next minute his fists started raining down on my face, until it was saturated with blood and tears. My husband, the one person for whom I left everyone behind, to put him first! The one person in this world I trusted with my life. Sure I knew about his illegal dealings and that he didn’t want to have a “normal” job like most people, so I ended up financially supporting him most of the time. Everybody knew about his cunningness as well as the adultery and the child who he had conceived during our marriage, but despite all of that I gave him another chance. In the end I lost my friends and even lost contact with my family, because of my relationship with *Mike. To this day, I do not have a clue as to why I was kicked and beaten

in that way, with so much brutality and hatred. I remember running from room to room in the house, pleading for help from his mom and younger brother, but all I received was a cold shoulder. No-one wanted to get involved or interfere. With my face punched to pulp and my hair pulled out from the roots, half-naked, I desperately pleaded with his family to come to my rescue. I begged them to help me, because in that moment I felt that I was going to die. But even in those most terrifying moments, his family would simply shrug their shoulders and tell me to sort out our issues. That night he just kept coming back for me. Again I was pulled from the room where I thought I could find refuge – he dragged me back to the other room and locked the door. Fists were raining down on my body. I made several attempts to escape from the room, but he just kept on

shoving me in a corner. When I finally got a chance to escape from the room, the door handle broke off, so all I could then do was scream. I begged him with anguish, cried out to him to think of my child, but it had no effect on him. I begged him to please not hurt me anymore, until I finally collapsed from the blows to my head. While going in and out of consciousness I could feel something penetrating my body . . . it was him having sex with me. I was being raped by my own husband while lying on the floor half unconscious! The physical hurt as well as the total shock my body and spirit went into, gave me the strength to loosen myself from his grip. Weak, disgusted and indescribably sad I asked him through my tears why he was doing this to me, but without a word he just continued to rape and hit me. All he said was that he would rather see me dead than alive and that

I deserved the beatings. After what felt like hours – in fact it was already five o’clock in the morning - I was exhausted. He finally left me, but kept reminding me that the whole attack was my fault. I still do not know what triggered his brutal attack against me, so in the end I just kept quiet – too afraid to talk or say anything to him. I knew that if I kept quiet, I might live! I’m sharing my story to heal and to also help other women who find themselves in abusive marriages or relationships. I want them to stand up and take a stand against violence. We too have rights – no person has the right to destroy another’s this way. After that almost fatal night, I took charge over my life. I’m in the process of divorce and also had him charged with assault and rape. On 9 of July I went to see the Public Prosecutor on request to elaborate on that horrible night. I’m not seeking revenge. I simply want justice. The irony of this whole sad story is that he has now taken on the role of the victim. On the return to Swakopmund Magistrate Court, testimonies were given, but unfortunately time had run out, so the case was postponed. After the bail hearing the Magistrate gave his verdict and granted *Mike bail of N$2000. I was disappointed and felt that the system had failed me, but what could I do. The case was postponed again for more evidence to be collected and the lab results to return. I’m in anguish about the lab results, because the court stated the rape charge had no grounds, due to the fact that the tests were taken incorrectly. All of this could have been prevented if I had a better, more adequate investigating officer working on the case, but it pains me to say that the many of the officers and authorities working on my case are slack and incompetent. In the months to come *Mike kept harassing me. That November I went to the police station to lodge a complaint of breaching of restriction order. Again

the investigating officer was very slack and not really acting. It made me furious, because it was a matter of life and death, but she did not care. Throughout my whole ordeal I did not feel protected by the law once. Infact, they made me feel even more helpless. Throughout the case they were slack and terrible at getting the paperwork done, or taking my statements correctly. They kept asking me the same nonsense over and over again. After several complaints that he was disobeying the restriction order, nothing had happened yet. Eventually *Mike got hold of me again one night at a bar. He shouted insults and swear words at me, and before I really realised what was happening I felt a slap in the face. It was *Mike who had attacked me again in front of many witnesses. I was terrified. All of a sudden *Mike came charging towards me with a knife. Luckily I managed to jump out of the way and because of all the people there and my screams, he ran off. In the end I ended up being the prisoner, with no protection or service from the law. I went to the police once again and lodged a complaint, and as I was doing that another woman came in and laid a charge of assault against him. I was shocked. If this was not enough for the police, then nothing will be. Eventually after many more phone calls and persistence the police finally arrested *Mike. He received bail again and is roaming the street of the coast, a free man. This man nearly killed and raped me, but he is a free man. Every time I leave the court I feel more helpless, deeply disappointed and unprotected. The way my case is being handled is shocking and to say the least unacceptable. *Mike will eventually kill someone, maybe even me. Maybe then they will act. All I can do now is try to pick up the pieces of my broken life and try to recover from the horrors of that night. All names have been changed.

14 | Worldwide

Thursday, 11 September 2014

W or l d wid e Identity of Jack the Finally Married After Ripper Revealed 72 Years Together A self-described "armchair detective" and a Finnish molecular biologist have claimed to have discovered the identity of the serial killer known as Jack the Ripper, who brutally murdered at least five prostitutes in the East End of London in the autumn of 1888. A report in the Mail on Sunday names the killer as Aaron Kosminski, a Jewish Polish-born immigrant who lived in the East End and would have been 23 years old at the time of the murders. He had arrived in England in 1881 with his family, who were fleeing persecution by Russian authorities. He was later committed to an insane asylum, where he died of complications from gangrene. Molecular biologist Dr. Jari Louhelainen tells the Mail on Sunday that he used a technique called "vacuuming" to remove DNA from a stained shawl purportedly belonging to one of the victims, Catherine Eddowes. Businessman Russell Edwards had bought the shawl at an auction in 2007, and had asked Louhelainen to help him find any clues that may be connected with the Ripper case. The scientist said that infrared imaging revealed that the stains on the shawl were blood stains and were consistent with arterial blood splatter caused by slashing. Louhelainen claimed that the DNA from the blood stains found on the shawl was a match for Eddowes. Other stains found on the shawl were fluorescent and had the characteristics of semen. Louhelainen said that a second set of DNA tests were carried out on the stains after cells from the epithelium -- a tissue that lines cavities and organs -were discovered in the stains. Two strands

of DNA were tested against a descendent of Kosminski's sister. The first was a 99.2 percent match, while the other strand was a perfect match. Louhelainen wrote that the DNA extracted from the shawl enabled him to specify Eddowes's killer as being of Russian Jewish ancestry with dark hair. "I’m excited and proud of what we’ve achieved," Louhelainen told the Mail, "and satisfied that we have established, as far as we possibly can, that Aaron Kosminski is the culprit." However, scientists and scholars of the Ripper case have already cast doubt on Edwards and Louhelainen's specific claims, alleging that the evidence on the shawl is so compromised that any positive identification may be impossible. "The shawl has been openly handled by loads of people and been touched, breathed on, spat upon," Richard Cobb, who runs Jack the Ripper conventions and tours, told The Times of London. "My DNA is probably on there. What’s more, Kosminski is likely to have frequented prostitutes in the East End of London. If I examined that shawl, I’d probably find links to 150 other men from the area." Sir Alec Jeffreys, who invented the technique of DNA fingerprinting, called the new research "An interesting but remarkable claim that needs to be subjected to peer review, with detailed analysis of the provenance of the shawl and the nature of the claimed DNA match with the perpetrator's descendants and its power of discrimination; no actual evidence has yet been provided." Source: http://www.foxnews.com/

This weekend, Vivian Boyack, 91, and Alice Dubes, 90, finally tied the knot in the US state of Iowa, after a relationship that stretches back all the way to 1942. Reverend Linda Hunsaker, who presided over the long-awaited ceremony, told the couple and their guests: "This is a celebration of something that should have happened a very long time ago." They finally exchanged vows in front of a small group of family and close friends at the First Christian Church in Davenport. Iowa first began allowing same-sex marriage in 2009. The women met while growing

up in their hometown of Yale, Iowa, and have been together for 72 years. In 1947, they moved to Davenport to set up home, where Vivian worked as a teacher and Alice held various payroll positions. The couple are well travelled – they have been to every single US state, all the provinces in Canada and they have visited England twice. Of their relationship that has lasted over seven decades, Vivian notes that it has taken a lot of love and hard work, while Alice simply says: "We’ve had a good time." Source: http://metro.co.uk/

23200 Carat White Diamond Unearthed in South Africa Petra Diamonds said on Tuesday it had recovered an "exceptional" 232 carat white diamond at its Cullinan mine in South Africa, the source of many of the world’s largest gems. The diamond miner, which has five producing mines in South Africa and one in Tanzania, said it expected the diamond (which has no measurable nitrogen impurities), to be sold in the second quarter of its current fiscal year ending June 30, 2015. In June, Petra unearthed a blue diamond weighing in at 122.5 carats. Analysts from broker Sanlam roughly estimated that it would be worth $35m and the discovery resulted in the shares climbing by more than 6pc in the subsequent week. The company recently embarked on a big investment programme to extend the economic life of some of its older mines – many of which have been in operation for over a century. At its full-year trading update in July, Petra said that its gemstone production was ahead of expectations – up 17pc on the previous year to 3.1m carats in the 12 months to the end of June. The Cullinan mine was the source of the world’s biggest ever diamond, the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond,

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which was discovered in 1905. It was cut into two stones. One of these is the First Star of Africa, which is mounted at the top of the Sovereign's Sceptre and, at 530 carats, is the largest flawless cut diamond in the world. It forms part of Britain’s Crown Jewels, which are held in the Tower of London. Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Motoring | 15

Thursday, 11 September 2014

MOTORING Future ‘Teslayotas’ Still Schumacher Leaves for First Time Since Possible Hospital Skiing Accident Tokyo, Japan - Tesla's Elon Musk says his electric-car firm could partner again with Toyota, as the companies conclude an initial vehicle project that met with mixed results. He told reporters on Monday in Tokyo: "If you look out maybe two or three years from now, I would not be surprised if there was a significant deal with Toyota and Tesla."Musk said Tesla and Toyota had no definitive plans but he envisioned a larger project than their deal for the RAV4 electric vehicle. The comments come as the two carmakers wind down sales of the jointly developed RAV4 EV after delivering only about 2000 since it went on sale two years ago. Since that project the companies have taken separate paths, with Toyota now preparing to sell its first fuel-cell vehicle, a technology Musk has ridiculed. Toyota spokesman Ryo Sakai would not comment on Musk's remarks. Tesla plans to build the world's biggest lithium-ion battery plant to cut the cost of the cells used to

power its electric vehicles. This would provide an opportunity to supply other manufacturers as well, said Barclay’s analyst Brian Johnson. "With Tesla, you can never rule anything out. The gigafactory is a huge investment for Tesla, so the wider you can spread the net, the better," he said. "There's also an interest in maintaining good diplomatic relations with Toyota. " Despite insider reports that the RAV4 EV project was marred by clashes between engineers, Musk said on Monday that Tesla has "a very good relationship with Toyota". Although he's criticised hydrogen-powered cars as "fool cells" in the past, he said at the Japanese launch of the Model S there was some value in experimenting with other technologies. Back in June at an annual shareholders' meeting, Musk cited a shortage of batteries as one reason why Tesla and Toyota would take a year or two before making any plans to build another vehicle together. Tesla is hoping to persuade Panasonic to put in 30 to 40 percent of the $5 billion (R54.3 billion) the factory in Nevada will cost by 2020. Musk said: "We are probably pushing Panasonic to make decisions faster than it would normally; I think it will turn out well for both companies."

Michael Schumacher is to continue his road to recovery from severe head injuries following a skiing accident in December from his home in Switzerland. In June this year Schumacher was moved from a hospital in Grenoble, where he had been cared for since the end of December following the accident, to the University Hospital in Lausanne. Despite being released from hospital, his family said that Schumacher still has ‘a long and difficult road ahead’. After eight weeks at the Lausanne facility, it has now been decided Schumacher will make the short 25-mile journey back to his house at Gland on the shores of Lake Geneva to continue his rehabilitation. Seven-times Formula One world champion Schumacher has not been home for almost nine months since embarking on a skiing holiday with his family in the French resort of Meribel. It was there the accident took place, with Schumacher hitting his head on a rock in a fall that resulted in him being placed in a medically-induced coma for a number of months due to the nature of his head injuries. Although Schumacher finally emerged from the coma in mid-June, so allowing him to be transferred to Lausanne, progress remains slow, albeit sufficient enough for him to head home. A statement from Schumacher’s manager,

Sabine Kehm, read: "Michael’s rehabilitation will continue from now on from home. Considering the severe injuries he suffered, progress has been made in the past weeks and months. There is still, however, a long and difficult road ahead. "We would like to extend our gratitude to the entire team at CHUV Lausanne for their thorough and competent work. "We ask the privacy of Michael’s family continue to be respected, and that speculation about his state of health is avoided." Source: http://metro.co.uk/

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