Namib Independent Issue 110 by The Namib Independent

Namib

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Great news for the coast!

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info@namibindependent.com.na SWAKOP RIVER BURNS

Issue 110 - Thursday, 31 July 2014 to Wednesday, 06 August 2014 BREASTFEEDING DECLINING

WALVIS BAY EXPO

AMAZING BODY TRANSFORMATION

Exclusive! Local's Time Guarding the

Rich and Famous

Walvis Bay man exclusively shares his photos and story with the Namib Independent on meeting the rich and famous, approached me and from royals to industry tycoons. Tanya Calitz Working as a bodyguard in London for two years, Hannes (32) had the opportunity not many can say they have had: to take a brief look into the extravagant worlds of the royal, rich and famous. He did it all, from playing thumbwars with Prince Harry to feeling like a slave guarding the Middle-Eastern sheiks. A few years back, Hannes boarded a plane to England in search of some money and life experiences, which is exactly what he got as soon as he landed. “The day I landed I went out with a few friends. A man

12.45

TOmATOES T/P 1KG BAG (EAch)

13.90

18.49

ORANGES T/P 2KG BAG (EAch)

6.65

APPlES REd T/P 1KG BAG (EAch)

AvO’S (EAch)

10.85

11.50

asked whether I was interested in taking up a position as a bodyguard for his security company. I agreed and started my two month training period immediately.” The training consisted of an advanced driving course, a medical course, route planning, one on one combat training, advanced safety and security training and body language training. Looking at Hannes’ size, it comes as no surprise that the company scouted him. They had exclusive rights to certain clubs and areas in London that were popular under Continued on Page 3

POTATOES lOOSE P/KG

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2 | News

Thursday, 31 July 2014

Swakop River Burns

in East Weather

Lavrenty Repin A blanket of smoke blocked the sunlight over Swakopmund’s north-eastern part, filling noses with a strong smell and hearts with a sense of smallness. The fire looked spectacular, flames shooting over trees, engulfing them entirely. Adri Goosen from the fire brigade in Swakopmund remarked that there was no interference from the public at large. “I think they were just too scared,” he said. The Swakop river had caught fire in the hot and windy East-weather, and the flames seemed to be bearing down, with tremendous speed, directly on the golf course. However, Adri explained that even though the flames were fierce, the town was in no imminent danger. According to the fire chief, a likely cause of the bush fire was a report they received on Sunday of someone starting a fire in the river. On Monday, the fire brigade had another report, and found a small patch of grass on fire, which they extinguished with sand bags. Adri believes that a nearby log might have had live coals, which were tossed over by the unpredictable east wind

and ignited the third and final fire. It started about 500 metres behind TBN in Nonidas at 8am on Tuesday and proceeded to trouble Swakopmund residents until 7 o’ clock that night. It burnt its way through the dry bush until the horse stables, but neither animals nor people were hurt in the episode, although the damage to the ecosystem, Adri said, was immense. About ten fire fighters with four members of Emed utilised two front loaders from a generous construction company and the municipality to contain the fire. Because of the extent of the outbreak, the day was spent mainly observing and containing the flames in the right direction. Luckily the east wind turned around and pushed back the fire to the burnt area where it dissipated. Adri explained, that if the east wind remained, the fire would have eventually thinned out over the rocky areas, posing no threat to the local community. He also said the river was not commonly flammable with the other only two incidents being the burning stilts behind Tiger Reef two years back and the railway crossing last year; both man-made fires.

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News | 3

Thursday, 31 July 2014

My Time Guarding the

Rich and Famous Continued from Page 1

celebs, thus many of their clients were celebrities. The company also engaged in contracts with industry tycoons and the royals. “I had the wonderful and exciting opportunity of meeting Prince Harry and Prince William a few times on assignments to escort them to functions,” Hannes says. His memory of the two royal brothers are good ones. “William’s first words to me when we met were, ’Good Day Sir, I am William,’ and then he jokingly assumed that I was the chef.” His experience meeting Prince Harry was an equally pleasant one. “Harry had a very playful streak, and liked to play tricks on his friends and make jokes. The one time I guarded him he continuously played thumb-wars with me and jumped on me to roughplay.” Harry’s first words when meeting Hannes for the first time, were, “Man, what do you eat?” Hannes finds that if you did not know who they were, you would just think them to be regular guys. According to Hannes, other celebrities and stars are a lot more demanding

to work with. “Celebs can be very difficult. For instance, they complain about water temperature, or other petty things. I suppose they want to make their status known and use it as a way to get talked about, and then in turn some more publicity,” Hannes reckons. Others were very adamant about personal space and asked Hannes to get rid of people snapping photos or disturbing their privacy. “It is a very different life. It is one of Rock & Roll, and normal rules really do not apply to them like they do to us every day folk.” Speaking to Hannes about his experience working with the MiddleEastern royals and sheiks paints a much bleaker picture. “They are used to having slaves and treat everybody of ordinary class as such. They do not make eye-contact and give you no recognition as a human being. You are just another servant, regardless of your position, or the service you provide to them,” Hannes tells with a change in his demeanour. “Through their conduct they basically treat everyone in a humiliating manner.” A scenario Hannes describes is guarding the sheikh when he went out to dinner. “He refuses to touch anything with his hands. He will not pull out his own chair and expects his escorting team to move the table so that he can sit down, and then the table is placed in front of him again. He would, for instance, order ten starters, take a look at them and then select one or two that he would pick on. The rest would go to waste,” Hannes explains. According to Hannes their perception of money and the value of things is so different to the everyday man, it can be

sickening. “One of the worst experiences I have had with one of the Middle-Eastern royals was when he got blind drunk, and I had to keep him on his feet. He would hit me, swear at me and even spit on me, and I simply had to keep a straight face and not touch him unnecessarily.” Another bizarre entitlement they have is the exclusive right to the lift. “Once the sheik enters the lift, he is the only one allowed in it. The rest of the entourage has to run up or down the flight of stairs and stand ready for him at the floor of exit.” The industry tycoons are once again a different kettle of fish, according to Hannes. He says that they treat their staff and bodyguards a lot better, and would engage with him regularly to create some action or have some fun with. “It is a life of absolute party, women, food, expensive drinks and a flashy lifestyle. They spend a lot!” Hannes tells, explaining, “Their concept of money is a lot different, too. They would order a bottle of Cristal Champagne worth thirty-five thousand pounds, just for the show, and end up not even drinking it, but giving it away to their guests.” As many pros as there are, there are also some cons. “I think one of the hardest things for me was the relationship aspect. It is hard to maintain a relationship when you are gone all the time at odd hours, or when you cannot even tell your partner when you will be back or where you are going. You cannot really plan things ahead, because that call to assist can come at any time and hour,” Hannes says and continues, “But then you have your pros again, like the unforgettable experiences, places and people you see and meet. The money was excellent, too.”

N$4 Billion Fuel Storage Facility to be Built in Walvis Bay Siglinde de Villiers Namcor has awarded a tender of N$4 billion for the construction of a bulk fuel storage facility in Walvis Bay. Apart from the purpose of relieving Namibia in the case of an emergency, the storage facility will also enable Namcor to mitigate fuel prices throughout the country. The fuel storage facility will be the first of its kind for Namibia with a capacity of about 80 million litres. Obeth Kandjoze, Managing Director of Namcor, said that the main purpose of the new fuel facility is to supply Namibia with fuel should we ever encounter a national emergency. Looking at Namibia’s history, such a strenuous situation arose in 1974 when oil became a limited resource and measures were put in place. The focus was on saving fuel. “We were only permitted to fill our cars with fuel until sundown. Also, we were restricted to driving 70km/h so as to conserve fuel,” a resident told the Namib Independent. “This is the exact situation that we are trying to avoid,” Kandjoze commented. “The entire economy can come to its knees within a period of ten days, and we cannot help ourselves if we cannot source fuel. When the fuel storage facility is completed, it will be able to

supply the country with fuel for a period of 30 days,” he added. Even though Namcor will manage the new fuel facility, it remains government owned. At present, Namibia does not have a fuel storage facility of its own. “Whatever we see dotted around the country belong to private entities. Thus the nation’s fuel delivery depends on a private industry that adds a lot of surcharge fees to their fuel prices,” Kandjoze explained. As a case in point, fuel is much more expensive in the south of Namibia than at the coast. “Fuel enters Namibia through Walvis Bay and that’s why it is cheapest at the coast. However, as soon as it is transported to other towns, transport fees get added, which makes it much more expensive,” the MD said. “Our purpose with this new facility is to enable Namibia to take a strategic imperative on its approach to oil. Private companies are driven by a motive for profit. Even though Namcor is also driven by some motive of profit in order to exist, its main focus is to keep a threshold level of product,” Kandjoze elaborated. He further explained that there is no need to worry about all the fuel being stored in one place, logisticswise. “There is only one port of entry for all fuel products. Once we can

store fuel in Walvis Bay we can distribute it across a wide network,” Kandjoze detailed. He disclosed that it is part of Namcor’s strategy to start depot construction at major centres in Namibia. “We want to draw from the big bulk storage in Walvis Bay and use rail to distribute fuel to these smaller depots. This will also enable us to mitigate fuel prices,” he said. According to Kandjoze, Namcor will eventually occupy the front role in mitigating pricing and will get preference from the Ministry of Mines and Energy when it comes to fuel distribution. Another problem that will be solved with the new storage facility is that of demurrage fees. According to Kandjoze, port congestion causes ships to have to wait for space to become available to offload. “A vessel is a mode of transport, not of storage. Port congestion causes vessels to run behind schedule, which in turn incurs a lot of demurrage charges,” Kandjoze said. The tender for the construction of the fuel facility has been handed over to a joint venture between the Chinese Harbour Engineering Company and the Road Construction Company. “Once construction commences, it is estimated that it will take approximately three years to complete,” Kandjoze concluded.

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Thursday, 31 July 2014

How Racist Are We? Lavrenty Repin Often racism manifests itself over a long time, through relations of different generations. Since many believe prejudice begins at home and asserts itself from a young age we looked at students and teachers from kindergarten level to high school to see how racist the coastal youth is. Karen* has taught in a Swakopmund state high school for over ten years. She says that in her career there have been very limited incidents involving racial prejudice, so few that she struggles to remember a particular one, and those have happened at the beginning of her career. “It doesn’t happen in my class,” Karen insists. “Actually, the fights I’ve had have always been between two white children or two black kids. “You have your natural segregation,

In Part 2 of our series on racism, we speak to local school kids about their views.

of course,” she admits, “but there is no animosity involved. It is based on cultural backgrounds rather than race. Actually, if someone asked me how many white kids or how many black kids I have in my class, I wouldn’t be able to say. The segregation that is there is very natural.” Karen says that although the class may be divided by circles where there will be predominantly German school children, or predominantly black children, there is often a child of a different race in the group as well. “The white kid might feel at home there (in a racially different group) and he will be easily accepted.” She also believes that children of the same colour do not treat that child as an outsider or a “black sheep” and the movement between races is facilitated easily. One examples she mentions is of her own son’s relationship, fostered at school, with a friend of a different colour. “They have such a healthy relationship that they can joke about it.” Kids arriving from rural inland areas and from private schools may be more inclined to racism but Karen says that they integrate quickly into acceptance, as that seems to be the order of the day. She did mention that the same day, she arranged the desks in two rows and had one occupied primarily by white kids and the other by black, but strongly believes that “it wasn’t intentional.” George* is a white Grade 11 student from England who moved to Namibia five years ago. He admitted that he noticed racism from the onset of his move, “especially between Afrikaans and black people,” but says that he “feels easy and very versatile.” His group of friends is not defined by colour, but he tends to spend a lot of time with black school mates. “I find myself quite relaxed by black people, I’ve been able to adapt to the group,” he explains. He says he has learned local languages and culture through his integration and says the environment at the school is extremely comfortable. “We make jokes about it, like the white kids can call the black ones n*gger, while the others say boer but no one gets angry about it – I think it’s a subconscious agreement.” George has dressed in Oshiwambo traditional dresses for a school event and has been open about his liberal views, but he says that there has been no backlash from other white students, and his class easily accepts his friendship choices. “Everyone says I should be black,” he laughs, explaining that it is said light-heartedly. “We’re supposed to interact, to get along,” George ponders. “The younger generation doesn’t use it (racism) as an excuse anymore.” Another Grade 11 pupil, Jane*, is a coloured girl who says she also keeps a close relationship with all groups of races in her school, except, evidently, coloureds. “My friend circle is pretty big, it includes two coloureds, one Herero, Germans and Afrikaaners,” Jane says, pointing out that during class there is little to no segregation, but at break time students fall into certain groups. “There are a lot of cliques at the school, coloureds tend to stick together and not let others into their group easily, which is why I stay away from them even though I am also coloured! German boys play

hackey-sack in the corner.” She says that during fights different races would stand up for one another, but it happens rarely. Asked what would happen if a black and white student would date, Jane said she would like it very much, but “it would be a big shock for the school. People would warm up to it eventually, I think. We have coloureds dating black or white pupils often.” Lilly* has taught in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund primary schools for over 20 years. “Among the children it was always there, they're always inquisitive about people and friend circles,” Lilly begins, “that was considered threatening by some kids. It’s like if I’m stepping outside my bubble then I’m uncertain, but racism becomes a life-long stagnation for those that don’t overcome it,” she explains. Lilly has had a number of episodes, interesting and even amusing, from young primary school children. In Grade 1, a girl pointed at another who beat her and said, ‘that girl with the big black fat lips.’ "I asked her why she called her that, and the girl said: ‘but miss, she has big black fat lips!” On another occasion a Grade 1 foreign white pupil was found urinating under a tree, and the whole classroom was shocked. “They asked; ‘do white people also pee under trees!?’ Yet the tension seems quite natural, and inconsistent." “A pupil was describing her friend to me, but I didn’t know who it was so I asked if she was black or white – she had no idea! She was too busy being friends with her that she would have noticed the colour.” Yet another example happened when the class refused to go in after break, having divided themselves into two

groups of black versus white (“two clubs”) and enquiring why they could not compete against each other, and if it was not the same as boys against girls. “They just need that clarification,” Lilly says, “one of them goes home and hears something, maybe from a parent, and the whole class is unsure. The issue prevails sometimes less and sometimes more, it is up to parents and teachers to do more about it.” She also says that, as a white teacher, when she taught in rural areas, children would look up to her immensely. “There is so much trust (from them), that you know you are treading on thin ice.” Sally is a kindergarten teacher who finds that “racism is definitely home-grown.” “There is only one kid that says he doesn’t want to play with 'black and brown children' but he can’t tell you why, and isn't mean to them. There’s been no incidents in school so I can only suspect it comes from the parents,” she tells. Sally says her kindergarten has all races, but only one racebased group of friends (black children). However, she thinks they formed a group because they spend most days together at home. “Children whose parents know each other tend to play together, obviously. We have two new black children, and they don’t gravitate toward their own colour, I think they don’t even see it,” Sally emphasises. All in all, Sally believes that children that young have no racist inclinations. “I have not seen, in three years, any racist remark or behaviour and I must say, by now I don’t see in black and white anymore.” “School Kids” is Part 2 of a series of articles looking into the impact of racism on the coastal community. Our next edition will look into the presences of racism among coastal older generation. If you have any racism-based experience to share, you can email: lavrenty@ namibindependent.com.na. *Racism is a sensitive issue, thus a decision was made to change all names in this article to protect their identities.

News | 5

Thursday, 31 July 2014

LANGER HEINRICH URANIUM (PTY) LTD A Member of the Paladin Energy Ltd Group of Companies (An Equal Opportunity Employer)

Invites suitably qualified and committed self driven candidates to apply for the following MINE SITE / TOWN OFFICE position for long term employment in SWAKOPMUND, NAMIBIA.

Tanya Calitz

Department:

The Commercial & Administration Department of Langer Heinrich Uranium is responsible for all financial and administrative matters of the Company. This highly efficient team strives towards delivering an excellent support service to the other departments and outside parties, ensuring that LHM achieves its corporate objectives.

Purpose:

PAYROLL TECHNICIAN

This position will be part of the Finance Department, reporting directly to the Financial Manager. This small, but highly efficient team strives towards delivering an excellent support service to the other departments and outside parties, ensuring that LHU achieves its corporate objectives.

Main Responsibilities: • • • • • • • •

Maintain accurate and confidential HR Payroll records and administration for all salaried employees Time sheet data collection , review and verification for all salaried employees Ensure accurate administration and coordination of payroll changes Payroll data capturing Payroll processing up to point of payment Ensure timely electronic leave records maintained Preparing payment and supporting documentation of deductions Reconciling salary control accounts

Minimum Requirements: • • • • • • • •

Minimum Grade 12 (20 points including Accounting / Mathematics) with minimum 6-8 years working payroll administration experience Working Knowledge of VIP Premier will be a distinct advantage Knowledge of relevant legislations Discreet, ability to handle confidential and company information appropriately Advance Computer Skills Excellent English written and verbal literacy skills Competent to manage a wide range of priorities under pressure, able to work independently while maintaining efficiency and accuracy and detail orientated. Excellent interpersonal /communication and organizational skills

Purpose:

A New Trend Amongst Robbers in Town It seems thieves have yet another tactic when robbing their unsuspecting victims. The latest looks to be a method of distracting the unwary prey by shoving pamphlets and papers in the target’s face, while another unnoticeable criminal steals the goods from the victim’s vehicle. This came to light when an elderly lady told the Namib Independent of her traumatising experience last week. According to a Nampol official, she has not been the only one to fall victim to this new tactic. According to Mrs Sowden, she was in town running a few errands. She walked to her car, which was parked in Sam Nujoma Street just down the street from Standard Bank towards Shell, when a man pulled open her car door as she got in. “I was so overwhelmed by his aggressiveness, pretending to sell me papers and handing out retailers’ pamphlets, that I did not notice the second criminal stealing my handbag from the passenger’s side,” Rita explained. It was only after he had left that she realised it was a robbery. “In that moment I just thought what a rude invasive vendor.” The community is urged to be on the lookout for these pretend vendors, and be aware and cautious of the people around your car when getting in. Keep your bag around your body and your other belongings off the passenger seat and rather on the floor of the car. If anyone finds any documents belonging to Rita Sowden, please contact her on 081 207 0999.

ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT

This position will be part of the Finance Department, reporting directly to the Assistant Financial Accountant. The incumbent will be an important link between LHM and all stakeholders maintaining an efficient, competent and professional representation.

Main Responsibilities: • • •

Processing of Accounts Payable and performing Accounts Payable Reconciliations Liaison with suppliers with reference to account enquiries Ad hoc duties as required

Minimum Requirements: • • • • • •

Minimum Grade 12 (20 points inclusive Mathematics / Accounting) with Accounting Diploma and 2-4 years working experience in similar creditors field. Excellent computer skills with minimum 2-4 years working knowledge of MS Excel / Office / Accpac / Pastel or Syspro or similar Accounting systems. Excellent English literacy skills and knowledge of any other Namibian language a benefit Excellent interpersonal /communication and organizational skills. Competent to manage a wide range of priorities under pressure, able to work independently while maintaining efficiency and accuracy. Valid Code 08 Drivers license would be an advantage

Benefits: A comprehensive market related package

CLOSING DATE: 09 MAY 2014

ONLY short listed candidates will be contacted and should be prepared to undergo relevant interviews, medical & psychometric assessments in Swakopmund. Previously disadvantaged Namibians meeting the above criteria are encouraged to apply. Interested and suitably qualified candidates are to submit a Comprehensive CV with certified copies ALL relevant Supporting documentation by email to Careers@lhupl.com Tel: +264 64 413450

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6 | News

Thursday, 31 July 2014

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News | 7

Thursday, 31 July 2014

Less than 25% of Mothers

Breastfeed at the Coast Tanya Calitz According to coastal dietician Karen Templin, only about two out of ten mothers she sees through her practise are breastfeeding their babies. As a nation we are not faring much better, with only about 28% of mothers exclusively breastfeeding their children for 0-2 months. That takes a scary drop

to 22.9% for children aged 2-3 months and further drops 5.7% for children aged 4-5 months. In light of breastfeeding week coming up, (1-7 August) the medical fraternity would like to create some awareness around the issue. Asking Templin why she thinks mothers are not exclusively breastfeeding for the first three months, she says it is hard to say for sure, but

some factors would be, the fact that Namibia only allows for three months maternity leave, stressful lifestyles, and that mothers are uninformed and do not know how to produce milk sustainably. Furthermore, breastfeeding in public is frowned upon, it is time consuming and painful at first. Illness like HIV/AIDS also could contribute. However, many of the above mentioned issues can also enjoy some relief through breastfeeding. A study conducted in South Africa showed that mothers diagnosed with HIV/AIDS who use their anti-retroviral medication have less than a 5% transmission rate to their babies. So even if you are positive, if you take your medicine properly your baby is not very likely to get the virus. According to Templin the benefits to exclusive breastfeeding up to at least six months are endless. “Just to mention a few of the benefits: it acts as a natural antidepressant and contraceptive. Infants contract less diseases, it reduces stress levels and studies even show that exclusive breastfeeding is linked to higher a IQ, better bonding between mother and child, a lower risk of ovarian and breast cancer as well as more confident children. Kids

become less fussy eaters, while it increases and strengthens children’s immune system and decreases their risk of cholesterol, diabetes, osteoporosis and gout.” Thus Templin says that she is in huge favour of mothers getting six months maternity leave to exclusively breastfeed their babies. A while back the Legal Assistance Centre has called on the government to review the law on maternity leave to consider the viability of six months maternity leave, or require employers to institute other measures to facilitate continued breastfeeding. “Mothers should at least exclusively breastfeed for the first six months,” Templin insisted. “In order to make sure that you know how to keep producing milk, speak to the nurses

it further said, “This requires that health workers have the knowledge to promote breastfeeding and the interpersonal communication skills to counsel women on how to breastfeed and how to support them with breastfeeding problems, that workplaces and other institutions are supportive of and encourage mothers to continue breastfeeding after returning to employment or educational studies. It also calls for the development and enforcement of national legislation on the International Code of Marketing of breast milk substitutes.” According to the LAC, a contributing factor is the lack of public awareness about the advantages of exclusive breastfeeding.

and staff at the clinics to assist you.” A report issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Services Food and Nutrition sub-division, also in commemoration of the breastfeeding week last year, stated that 10% of babies born in Namibia do not know the taste of milk as they survive on plain water during the first two months of their life. “10% of babies are fed plain water during the first two months of life. Only 33% of the population has access to improved sanitation facilities, therefore placing infants at greater risk of diarrhoea. 23% of deaths among children zero to five years of age are the result of diarrhoea,” the report read. Making a call for longer breastfeeding,

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8 | News

Thursday, 31 July 2014

Walvis Bay Expo to Showcase Namibia as Unique Destination Siglinde de Villiers On Tuesday the 8th Namport Erongo Business and Tourism Expo was launched at Namport, promising that this year’s event will be one of a kind. Organisers of the event have gone to great lengths to make the 2014 Expo unique, encouraging all SME’s to showcase their products in innovative ways. The 8th Namport Erongo Business and Tourism Expo will run from 29 October to 1 November at the Walvis Bay Civic Centre. “The Business and Tourism Expo has been a flagship event for the city since its inception. Economically, these events make the city alive with many new opportunities. It is a great platform for the exchange of goods and services as well as a social platform where family and friends can get together, have fun and share innovative business ideas,” Uilika Nambahu, Mayor of Walvis Bay. said in her introductory address to the audience. “I am very curious to know which new products and services will be exhibited,” she added. However, an event of this magnitude requires financial input, and for the 2014 Expo, Namport handed over a cheque of N$350 000 to the organisers of the event. “We stand on the protocol that our region enjoys prestige and has become the preferred tourism and business destination. For this reason, many have called it the breadbasket of the country. The Erongo region has a pulling power, providing its visitors with many opportunities,” said Bisey Uirab, Namport CEO . He continued to elaborate on how the international community has taken note of Namibia, as is evident by film companies who choose our country for their films as well as international stars such as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who gave birth to her child in Namibia. According to Uirab, international exposure

places us in the spotlight and shows off our potential. Therefore, this year’s theme for the Expo is ‘Cultivating Business for the Future.’ Namport has invested N$750 000 into this event since 2011 and wishes to contribute this year’s amount of N$350 000 so that small SMEs can become involved in the business environment and grow. “We are proud to be involved and indicate our faith to cultivate business and attract executives from other regions,” Uirab said. The governor of the Erongo region and patron for the event, Cleophas Mutjavikua, said that people must have a reason to travel to Walvis Bay to attend the Expo. “There are many fairs and expos throughout the country, but we cherish our dream and continue to work very hard to ensure that the Erongo Region does not settle for second place,” he said. “Visitors have to be able to see the difference.” Mutjavikua further stated that he does not want the event to become boring. “We are very glad that Namport is enabling us to go further in our mission. We are prepared to go beyond our call of duty in order to move forward. 25% of the showcased products must be Namibian. In a few years’ time we hope to move that number up to 40% and then 50%,” Mutjavikua said. He concluded by saying that the 2014 Expo should not just be business as usual, but the deliberate development of people to have new elements and innovation, to make a difference so that people will look forward to it. Those who wish to exhibit any products are requested to phone the Municipality of Walvis Bay for more information. “It is our hope that local exhibitors showcase their products and services, showing foreign guests how it feels like to live here. We hope that all exhibitors find prosperity in the city,” Nambahu concluded.

Mayor Uilika Nambahu, CEO of Namport Bisey Uirab and Governor Cleophas Mutjavikua

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Life in 2015 This month we look at house and home trends expected to make a mark in 2015. Page 9

COLOURS for 2015

Fashion changes really fast and the new trends can sometimes take us by surprise. The wonderful world of home décor trends 2015 is also changing, as the new lifestyle, focused on all natural items, kicks in the artificial materials and takes over our clothes, diet and houses. As the lifestyle itself is gearing towards an active, healthier schedule, people

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begin to spend less time in their living rooms and more time in their kitchen, where they gather for a chat, cooking and eating, before going outside or to their rooms. To make sure your house is and will be, for the years to come, a fashionable establishment, take a look on the home décor trends expected in the 2015 season.

Pantone colours of the year in home décor trends 2015

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GLAM Kitchens Page 11

NATURAL Textures OUTDOORS comes Indoors

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In terms of colours, the immortal beige and all the earth tones are there to pick from in 2015. Apricot, hazel, dessert taupe, frosted almond and deep mahogany are all in the future of the

home décor trends in 2015. Add deep turquoise, orchid mauve, vineyard green, pastel dusty pink and stonewash blue. If you are looking for some elegant shades, pick steel grey.

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Glam Kitchens Insight

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As the kitchen turned from the servants' place into the main room in a house, the décor trends for 2015 promote a glam look for your kitchen. If you want to turn your kitchen into a luxurious fashion statement pick, cabinets in rich gemstone-inspired colour tones, like deep green and whiny red.

The surfaces can also mimic expensive stones, sparkling agate, malachite or other precious stones, for a dramatic effect. All these glamorous items are to be lighted by elaborate pieces, made of steel, for a modern touch.

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Back to the basics with honey shades and natural textures If kitchens turn into luxurious living-room substitutes, the actual living rooms get sweeter. The home décor trends 2015 focus on light shade of honey and light woods, like walnut, cherry or oak. The mild shades of beige and cream still make their way towards the living-room walls. However, if you want to stick to the trends in future years, make sure you add turquoise accents. These can be one single wall or the furniture –

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the main point is to be deep and bright. Another change in home décor are the carpets which climbed onto the chairs and the sofa, leaving the floor to tiles. As the winds of all natural fabrics and textures ravish the fashion catwalk, they also infiltrated in the home décor world. Fur can now be found on the chairs, standing really well in the 100% organic lifestyle.

Outdoors Comes Indoors

One of the most remarkable ideas for the home dĂŠcor trends of 2015 is bringing the outdoors inside the house. Huge plants, rugs that mimic the grass and all sorts of natural fabrics, the possibilities are endless. Moreover, the distinction between indoor and outdoor is gradually fading, so your back yard will be populated by indoor-like pieces. Another way to open up towards the Great Outdoors is to install a glass door which opens wide, transforming the living room and the garden into a single space.

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12 | Worldwide News

Thursday, 31 July 2014

W o r l dwide 100 Years Post World War I. Have We Lost The Plot Again? Although this week marks a hundred years since the start of World War One - the war to end all wars, as was coined the phrase - it seems that we have learnt very little from the war that ravaged the world. Though both World War I and World War II taught us lessons about global policy and the dire need to maintain world peace, recent outbreaks between Israel and Hamas, the secession of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula to Russia and the Malaysian plane crashes have put questions back onto the debate table. Has the world lost the plot? Do we need to go back to square one? Do the superpowers need to reassess their objectives while developing nations need to assert themselves and prevent global leaders from pushing them into war? The questions are many, but the answers very few, as body bags keep mounting, children remain homeless and innocent civilians are killed in crossfire. As we hit the hundredth year since the first World War broke out in 1914, it is time to introspect about the current global meltdown. When numerous treaties were signed and the war ended, it was naturally believed that such a situation would not arise again, but with the race between global superpowers to reach the numero position intensifying, it's time we check the situation again. The whole division of the world's superpowers — Russia, United States and China — is reminiscent of the Cold War post the World War where the nations were not involved in direct fights but numerous smaller wars supported by them broke out in succession. With Crimea, because of support for federalists in Eastern Ukraine and the MH17 tragedy, Russia has come into centre spot again as US leaders rake up and target Vladimir Putin and Russia. But if we rewind a bit earlier into 2013, the Syrian war had blown out of proportion as Barack Obama and the US were almost on the verge of attacking the country for possessing chemical weapons. But it was Russia's timely intervention that saved the day. And now Western sanctions are targeting Russia’s energy, defense and finance — and are fast on their way towards all-out

economic war, which in itself is a declaration of war, as an analysis by Russia Today explains. The whole idea of 'Global Jihads', the formation of a caliphate by Boko Haram and the ideology to thwart westernisation has left the Muslim world in chaos. The continual infighting between different clans within one religion will explode into mainstream war unless the global giants step in and bring peace. China had distanced itself from Russia during the World Wars and the United States views Russia and China as competitors, rivals. These juggernauts, if desired, can bring peace and stop the bickering, thereby saving lives. The war between Israel and Gaza has triggered a division between the general populace as never before. Criticism for the offensive has mounted, but the war seems to have intensified. As numerous body bags pile up and horrific images of the war pierce our hearts, it’s time to start a dialogue for world peace a third time before we collapse. The reason for World War I was a rather small incident. Emperor Franz Josef of AustriaHungary declared war on Serbia in retaliation for the assassination one month earlier of his heir apparent, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, by a Serbian pan-Slavic nationalist. This time around, the Israel-Gaza war was sparked by the 10 June murder of three young Israeli students. Teenagers Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Shaar, and Naftali Frenkel disappeared while in the West Bank, where they were studying at a yeshiva. Israel conducted a massive manhunt in the Palestinian territory and alleged they were abducted by members of Hamas. The boys were found dead on 30 June and had apparently been executed. Notice the similarity of events? Surely you do. “There is damage to every part of civilian infrastructure imaginable. Water, electricity, food, shelter, everything will need aid. It will take years for Gaza to recover,” says Muhammed Abu Halima, a UN aid worker who works at a Gaza school that has been converted into a shelter. This statement is not to add context to the story, but rather to draw your attention to the pressing need for channelling our energies towards building a better place for future generations rather than ruin every

principle, structure and way of life slowly and steadily. This ongoing violence has claimed over 1,000 Palestinian lives and around 50 Israel to date, and the numbers are mounting, be it the Malalysia Airlines MH17 crash, the missing Flight MH370 or the Israel-Gaza offensive. Now, the stage is set in Ukraine, but in 1914, it was in the Balkans. What could have remained a regional conflict between the dying Hapsburg Empire and one of its former holdings instead became two world wars that began in 1914 and ended in 1945, with a 21-year intermission for the Jazz Age and the Great Depression. All this happened because of a tangle of alliances and a global power imbalance as mistrust, decoy and hunger for power rose intermittently. This era even saw German leader Adolf Hitler rising to power and the Holocaust of Jews under his regime. Thousands of innocent Jews were killed, maimed, plundered of their resources because of one man's hatred towards them. But it was not his victory. Anne Frank, a young teenager and her diary proved to be the final answer of the futilities of war. As Anne clearly wrote in her diary, "Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!” Even this generation has Malala Yousafzai — the girl from SWAT valley in Pakistan who was shot by the Taliban for fighting to seek education for girls. If the global leaders have many reasons to push us towards the brink of war, we too have the chance to redeem ourselves and stay away. History has taught us lessons and every country needs to ponder. Is the war actually worth the civilian casualties? What could again be interesting is India's role in the future involving a possible war. During the Cold War, India was always in close proximity to Russia. But with the current Modi government, the equations seem to have changed. Modi is trying hard to mend ties with the United States as news reports suggest. Also, India along with other BRICS countries voted in support of a UN Human Rights Council resolution to launch a probe into

Israel's offensive on Gaza. India joined Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa to vote for a Palestinian-drafted resolution on "Ensuring Respect for International Law in The Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem". Civilian and military casualties from the two World Wars approached 100 million – roughly the entire population of the United States as of July 1914. The reasons listed for wars can be numerous. Every nation wants to maintain its sovereignty or independence, but others want to annex and conquer. The regional, religious, ideological, economical to social differences — the wide variety of reasons to fight never seem to shock us. But hidden deep within our ability to ignore an event once an apparent conclusion has been put into place should stop. A war is a war, a genocide is apparently exactly that. It's time global leaders understand that peace and not war is the solution. Source: Vishal Manve, dnaindia. com

It Happened to ME | 13

Thursday, 31 July 2014

It Happened to ME! Tormented at Work – Local Single Mum Shares Her Nightmare Tanya Calitz Born and bred ‘Walvisbaaier’, *Sanet Kruger applied for a position at a trucking company in February 2011. Relieved to have found this job as a single mother of four children, she eagerly started, but the dream of having a job soon turned into a nightmare. “At the time of accepting the position I was already behind on rent, so I asked my new employer for a loan of N$30 000 to get my rent up to date,” Sanet said. According to her, this was her first mistake, which gave her boss, *Ronnie Botha, leverage. “We had an agreement that I would make a monthly payment to reduce my loan, but then after a few months Ronnie wanted all the money back immediately,” Sanet said. "Ronnie also wanted me to put my vehicle up as surety, should I fail to pay him back." According to Sanet there was no way she could give him the whole amount at once, but he would not understand. This was when

Ronnie’s true colours came out. “Because of my terrible disposition and debt, Ronnie knew he could overload me with work or treat me badly, because I had nowhere to go. I had to stay and work off my debt to feed my children and keep my vehicle. So every time there was a disagreement he would throw the loan in my face and say that he is being very lenient by letting me pay off my debt monthly. "Every day he would find a reason to scream and shout at me, call me names and tell me how stupid and incompetent I was. I could go nowhere. I needed the money and had to pay off the N$30 000 loan. “Ronnie would also constantly remind me that he was a very powerful, influential man in town and that he could do whatever he wanted; not even the police would help me. This made me feel very scared and alone. Not long after that incident, Ronnie said that he was going to take my vehicle, because I was not paying off my debt quick enough.

"Every day I was verbally abused. He would tell me that my standards were lower than a harbour whore’s, and that I deserved to live on the street with my children. He would tell me, in the most disgusting ways, that my private parts stank and that no man would go near my worthless, rotten vagina. "These comments made me very depressed, but I knew that I could not go anywhere. I had to think about my children and keeping a roof over their heads. “Ronnie started giving me ‘verbal penalties’ and would deduct money from my salary for the smallest mistake on a document or if I forgot to phone a client, etc. I was in constant fear and suffered terrible anxiety and stress attacks. I was terrified that I would make a mistake or get something wrong and then as punishment lose more money. "With all the penalty deductions and loan deductions from my salary, I would get almost no wages at the end of each month, and that after I had

worked myself to the bone. I was caught in a vicious circle and this went on for months. "Whenever I raised my concerns or unhappiness with work or the verbal abuse, Ronnie would threaten me with the loan and accumulated debt. He would tell me that if I resigned, he would take my vehicle and I would be arrested for the money I owed him and that my children would end up on the streets. I was terrified.” “Shortly after that Ronnie started accusing me of stealing money from the business. He would say that clients who had outstanding accounts told him that they had paid and that I lied about it and took the payments they made for myself, but he would never specify which clients. It was all lies, lies, lies, to keep me in debt, so that I could not leave. "It was like he needed a punching bag at work to take out all of his frustrations on. By this time Ronnie's anger outburst happened almost every day. He would throw cups of coffee at me or scream insults at me, which the whole workshop would hear. "I was so humiliated and embarrassed. He would say things like, my mother was raped and I am the product of that, or he would say that God never should have made people like me and that the world would be a better place if I was dead.” “By now Ronnie had so many verbal penalties, money I apparently stole and accumulated debt against me that the amount I now owed him came to over N$100 000. I was trapped. The abuse came to a scary boiling point one afternoon in his office. I was called into his office for making a

spelling mistake on a document or something silly like that. "He flipped out, screamed insults at me and said that I should just shoot my worthless self. He took out a pistol and cocked the weapon. He handed me the pistol on the palm of his hand and said, 'this is your opportunity to shoot yourself.' He shouted that I should take the gun and put a bullet in my head, so we all could stop suffering. That broke me. I actually felt like doing it. In tears I ran, out with more of his dirty insults hitting me on the back of my head. I had to get out. "After that incident I suffered another anxiety attack and my doctor booked me off for a week. I knew that I was going to pay in every way possible for that week off from work, and so I did. Ronnie managed to get my car, and have my flat with all my furniture welded shut due to all the money I ‘owed’ him. "He made a case of fraud against me, and somehow made the whole case look like I owed him tons of money and that I was corrupt and dishonest. I had no fighting power. The police, lawyers and everyone else were very reluctant to help me or take on my case. I left my position at the business immediately and decided to not go back. I had nothing more to lose. Currently I am trying to fight off his attacks and lies with the little legal help I can get, but to no avail. I am now even worse off than when I started to work for Ronnie.” I am tired and depressed, but will try and fight this demon, little by little."

14 | Lifestyle

Thursday, 31 July 2014

LIFESTYLE Local Shares Incredible Body Transformation Journey Tanya Calitz Local bodybuilder and personal trainer, Hannes Oberholzer (32), went through an amazing body transformation, which in turn also took him through an implausible life transformation, inspiring many people on the coast to take that first step in changing their lifestyles. Seven years ago, Hannes was very overweight and depressed. Tipping the scale at 153kg, he hated his body. “My weight was constantly on my mind. Every morning when I woke up and saw myself in the mirror I was extremely sadden by what I saw,” Hannes explains. He says getting dressed in the morning was the worst for him. He could not play around with nice clothes and simply had to wear what fitted. Hannes was trapped in a vicious cycle and because he felt so sad, he would buy some junk to eat, which would bring some short lived pleasure and happiness to his life.

“I woke up exhausted, and started the day with no energy.” A typical day’s food for Hannes would be: for breakfast: bacon, a few eggs, about six pieces of toast, fig jam and cheese with a few cups of coffee with milk and lots of sugar. Lunch would be about four garage pies, large chips, fruit juices and chocolates. In between the meals there would also be a lot of snacking on sweets, chips, samoosas, russians and other junk food from garages or shops. “I had a friend who owned a restaurant here in Walvis, and I used to go eat there in the evenings. As you can image the options weren’t all that healthy and I would end up eating platters, fries, ribs and fatty foods like that - heavy meals in the evening combined with a bottle of wine or beer. I used to drink a lot of beer,” Hannes explains. “I was just miserable and unhealthy. My heart was under immense stress and I even went to see a doctor about my heat palpitations. To top it all I also smoked,”

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he continues. The turnaround came one day when another friend, Lance Gild, harshly said that he would have committed suicide had he looked like Hannes. “That was a bit of a reality check for me. I had to take an honest look at my life and where I was heading. Lance offered to help me, and stressed that I was on my way to an early death, if did I not take control of my life now.” Lance’s harsh words motivated Hannes to take immediate action. The next morning at 05:15 he was in the gym for his first session of cycling. “It was one of the most difficult and worst days of my life,” Hannes admits. He started off slowly, with 20 minutes of cycling in the gym in the morning, and in the evenings some weights for about 45 minutes to build some muscle strength. The first two weeks were the hardest, but as Hannes saw the fat melt away, it inspired him to continue. To not fall back, and serving as another push, he got rid of the big clothes and bought smaller sizes as the weight came off. He changed his diet completely and only ate what he felt like, in moderation, over the weekends. Hannes had to lose 53kg. It took him three months to lose the first 20, then another six to eight months to lose the rest. After almost a year, Hannes reached his (then) goal. He went from a size 48 to a size 36. He managed to get rid of all his fat and gained 20kg of muscle. “My lifestyle has changed so much now that I do not even need my pig out weekends anymore,” he says, admitting, “My body is not exactly where I want it yet. I keep on setting new goals for myself.”

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After losing the weight and getting his body fit, a lot of other things took a turn for the better as well. Hannes gained lots of confidence, felt healthy, took on different activities, stopped drinking, was no longer depressed, and even met his future wife Lauren while working as a bodyguard in England. His bad memories of going to braais where there were strangers and he pretended to not be hungry and ate only a bit, but then stuff his face at home, are long gone. Currently Hannes is living in Walvis and owns a supplement and health shop adjacent to Wills Gym. His advice to anyone who wants to make a lifestyle change is that it is never too late. “You are never too far gone or too fat, etc. Anytime is a good time to turn your life around. Go to someone that can motivate you and give you advice. If I could make that transformations, anyone else can. My door is always open. Come have a chat with me and ask me questions. If I can change one person’s life like mine was changed, I have done my part,” Hannes concludes.

Motoring | 15

Thursday, 31 July 2014

MOTORING

792 000 Jeeps Recalled Chrysler is recalling what could total 792 300 sport utility vehicles to fix a potential ignition-switch problem, the same part involved in the huge General Motors recall. The automaker, a subsidiary of now Italy-based Fiat Chrysler, said it was issuing the recall "out of an abundance of caution". Chrysler took the recall because ignition keys can be moved unintentionally from the "on" position, causing the engine to cut out with a consequent loss of power assistance to the brakes and possibly disabling the front crash bags. Chrysler said the switch could be shifted by an "outside" force, often the driver's knee, but was "unaware of any related injuries" though it knew of a single reported incident and a relatively small number of complaints covering 0.015% of the vehicles subject to the recall. The recall affects certain models of the 2006-2007 Jeep Commander and 2005-2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs. Chrysler urged owners of these vehicles to "assure that there is clearance between their knees and the keys." The company also suggested drivers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only their ignition key. The recall follows a June disclosure by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it was investigating the air bag systems on these models following complaints of stalling. "The investigations involve issues of inadvertent ignition key rotation from the run position to the accessory position," the NHTSA said on 18 June

12 DEATHS INVOLVED The NHTSA said it was not aware of any incidents involving airbag non-deployment. GM has publicly acknowledged 13 deaths in 54 crashes linked to its ignition-switch defect in several models no longer being manufactured. The company has recalled 2.6 million cars since February for the faulty switch. The problem means the ignition switch can be jolted into "accessory" or "off" position while the car is running, cutting off engine power and disabling the airbag in a collision. A spokesperson for Chrysler South Africa said: "We are still awaiting the official final numbers of cars affected in SA but we sold only 643 Commanders in that period, which would be the number we would look at. I haven’t heard yet on Grand Cherokee numbers." As soon replacement parts were received, he added, the original owners would be contacted.

Range Rover Sport SVR Sets Nurburgring Record

The highly anticipated Range Rover Sport SVR has laid down the gauntlet to all other power hungry SUVs. Range Rover has released a statement claiming its 405 kW, 5-litre supercharged beast of an SUV has lapped the Nordschleife in an amazing 8 minutes and 14 seconds. The Nordschleife has been used for years as a testing ground for manufacturers to bed-in future products. Its combination of undulations, bumps and corners make it a serious test for a vehicle’s chassis. There’s also the lap time factor, which manufacturers use as bragging rights over competitors. The Range Rover Sport SVR’s time is particularly special seeing that the car weighs around 2.3 tons and has the drag coefficient of a cinema – it’s not the most aerodynamic car. We’ve had a look at the lap time board at the Nordschleife and it would seem that the SVR is now the fastest SUV to hit the track. Not too many of its competitors have set a lap there yet as the next best SUV we can see is a Chevrolet Ute – if you can call that an SUV at 8 minutes 20 seconds. The Range Rover Sport SVR is set to make its debut in early 2015. You can see a few teaser videos of it here or watch the normal Range Rover Sport drag race against a BMW X5 M50d.

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