Namib Independent Issue 111 by The Namib Independent

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Issue 111 - Thursday, 7 August 2014 to Wednesday, 13 August 2014

CLOVER THREATENS TO WITHDRAW

ERONGO RED EXPLAINS

Ebola

DOG KILLING SPREE

2015 JEEP DISCOVERy TEASER

Are We Ready?

We put our harbour town to the test Siglinde de Villiers The recent Ebola virus scare in the capital city has left Namibians with much to dwell upon, especially those who reside at the coast. Since Walvis Bay is a port city, it is particularly susceptible to new viruses being introduced to its local population on a regular basis. In the event of a coastal virus outbreak, we ask just how prepared is the town to deal with such a scenario? What risk does each individual run to contract a disease that will possibly kill them?

The Namib Independent decided to interview some local authorities and health care institutions about this issue. We further investigated viral outbreaks with a view to assessing our readiness in such circumstances. People have always thought that war would eventually wipe out all mankind. Yet, viruses pose an even greater threat to annihilate us. Ebola is only one example of what a virus can do. Previously the Namib Independent has reported on how local doctors have come across strange new viruses on a

weekly basis. Often, the same virus appeared in two individuals with a complete different set of symptoms. In effect, Walvis Bay (as all port cities) with all its incoming and outgoing traffic, is a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any given time once a virus has mutated to the extent where it causes an epidemic. Vessels carry crew and passengers from all corners of the earth. Oil rigs regularly exchange crews who originate from various countries. Since Walvis Bay is the preferred destination for corridor traffic cargo, trucks from various African countries, even West Africa, visit our town to collect Continued on Page 3

‘Crystal Diggers’ Swindled, Exploited and Ignored Lavrenty Repin

The Erongo region is know the world over for the quality and abundance of minerals and semi-precious stones in areas like Brandberg, Erongo mountains and Kleine Spitzkoppe. Yet the small-scale miners, who are easily found plotted alongside roads selling

their findings, akin to farmers plotted around Kenya’s roads selling fruits, continue to live in abject poverty, while merchants and jewellery stores charge tremendous prices for the same stones. Erongo Governor, Hon. Cleophas Mutjavikua, last week urged to turn around the small mining industry, calling

it “disorganised and a source of robbery by the few.” The Governor is also the administrator for Erongo Regional Small Miners Association (ERSMA), a non-profit organisation that serves as the representative body for the small-scale miners since 2008. There are approximately 2000 small scale miners in the Erongo region. In comparison, Rossing

employs 1 141 people, Namport 825 and the entire armed force of Erongo region consists of just over 900 individuals; yet these employers abide to the labour act and employees have access to trade unions. There are no specific regulations regarding health and safety within small-scale mines or any governance, value evaluation or governmental support for the large proportion of Erongo’s workforce. Furthermore, unnecessary bureaucratic hassles for getting export permits at MME for mineral specimen and semi-precious stones restrict or limit tourists in buying stones, making it difficult for miners to sell their products. Bank and governmental loans are unheard of in the risky industry, putting purchasing expensive machinery out

of the question. A 2009 “Trade and Industry Policy Strategy” study of small-scale miners revealed that “although minerals on the privately owned piece of land remain property of the state as by the laws of the country, quite often miners are denied access to these farms by farm owners, even when miners have prospecting licenses granting them the right to mine.” According to the study, although a significant 42% of small -cale miners in the sample have a household size of six or more members, the income is barely sufficient to maintain one. During peak season (June to August), the largest portion, 35 per cent, Continued on Page 3

2 | News

Thursday, 07 August 2014

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Clover Threatens to Withdraw from Namibia Siglinde de Villiers

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Soon local residents might not be able to find any dairy products supplied by Clover on local retailers shelves. Due to the heavy losses incurred by the company as a result of the import restrictions, they have threatened to cancel all business dealings with Namibia. Recent media reports highlighted how Clover requested the government to put aside their ban on dairy imports in the High Court last Friday. According to reports, Clover suffers a loss of N$500 million per month,

a drop of 70% in business. When the import restrictions were imposed, Clover said that they expected a drop of 50% in business, however they never expected the drastic figure of 70%. Economically, it does not make sense for Clover to continue its business with Namibia in the face of such losses. Thus the quantitative restrictions of only 500 000 litres of milk, long life milk and cream and 200 000 litres other dairy products such as yoghurt and other types of milk that may be imported might be forcing Clover to withdraw from Namibia,

leaving NamDairies free to reign as the main supplier of dairy products in Namibia. The difficulty lies in that month after month, Clover has to apply for a quota, which is then only handed out within a period of three days, complicating the distribution of Clover dairy products. Even

so, Clover maintains that from the beginning of this year up until June, they were not allowed to import their full quota of dairy products. The decision whether the import ban is to be lifted or not now lies with the High Court, who will announce its decision on 13 August.

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Thursday, 07 August 2014

‘Crystal Diggers’ Ebola

Swindled, Exploited and Ignored Are We Ready? Continued from Page 1

generate an estimated monthly income of between N$100 to N$500 from selling semi-precious stones. About 17% of miners generate between N$1001 to N$5000, followed by 15% of miners with between N$501 and N$1000 of income and 13.3% of miners who estimate their monthly incomes during this period to be more than N$10 000. Due to fewer buyers available during low season, stones are sometimes kept for months without getting sold. The sales of these stones heavily depend on local demand during low season. The study mentions main local buyers in Omaruru, Swakopmund (including jewelers), Usakos, and international buyers (e.g. Switzerland, Germany) “who come once a year to areas such as Brandberg West”. Although 62% of miners record experience of more than nine years of mining, lack of machinery and infrastructure means that “they spend years excavating and quite often come out with very little to sell.” A concern, shared by Arnos Kunundu, Deputy Administrator of ERSMA (Karibib based non-profit organisation representing 700 miners across Erongo), is the safety, or lack thereof, for miners. Mr Kunundu illustrates that “the miner, knowing that where he is going there is nothing to eat, no goat to steal or bottle store to rob, is determined to make a living out of himself through honest circumstances but while he is hunting for this living, he dies from falling,” mentioning that two to three accidents of this nature occurred within the past three years. While miners have progressively co-operated with the law (only nine years ago 80% of smallscale mining was carried out illegally, but today over 95% are registered) they continue to suffer injustice and lack the most basic human needs. Mr Kunundu says the association has eight compressors (valued at N$240 000 per unit), which they hire out to registered cooperatives at a reduced rate of N$71 per day (where it normally costs N$1000). He says members pay an annual fee of N$500, for an entire group working together, of 20 or 30 members.

Continued from Page 1

“It is difficult for miners to do mining in harsh conditions. Imagine someone who doesn’t have food to eat in the morning, doing the job all day, with a hammer and a chisel. They would dig a very small hole, but now they can dig a hole of 1x1.5m within the day. It (receiving compressors) was a huge relief for the small scale miners,” explains Mr Kunundu. However, the affordable compressors still need to be transported by miners and filled up – such expenses are difficult to correspond with their income. The association is also providing members with access to other mining equipment, sites, environmental and safety training as well as water and sanitation. Tourists are the main market supporters for the smallscale miners, explains Mr Kunundu, so the association arranged for agencies to bring busses to the Uis/Henties Bay/ Swakopmund T-junction, where stalls are arranged. “We are continuously marketing for our members,” he explains, saying that, “the demand for semi-precious stones is very, very high. The stones of Namibia, and especially the ones from Erongo, are known for their hardness and transparency.” But Mr Kunundu admits that the control of export and pricing of gemstones is an issue. “There are men that buy stones for very cheap. They will buy a gemstone that is worth

N$500 000 or N$300 000 for N$15 000 to N$20 000. This is a reality, some of them are making a killing.” He attributes the problem to a lack of education, a problem that ESRMA is tackling by providing lessons and workshops where they can. The association plans in investing N$1 million to buy top-quality stones and resell them again. An industry insider, Bruno (pseudonym), who has worked with all aspects of the business for the past 35 years, explains that the issue is complex. He compares the miner to a farmer. “A carton of milk costs 70 cents to produce, but how much do you pay in the shop?” He reckons the price difference is increased because it is a prestigious market. “You wouldn’t buy a diamond for your girlfriend from Namdeb, you’d buy it from Swakopmund, for the sake of image.” Jewelers have expenses that “miners could never run into. The stones are processed, marketed, they pay insurance. Obviously, when you get to the end consumer who buys stones for his wife or home, he will pay higher for the luxury and convenience. That being said, the system is perpetrating high prices; those in the High Street, get a High Street price.” *Bruno says cases of huge discrepancies between middlemen and miners, like the one mentioned by Mr

Kunundu of N$30 000 to N$300 000, occur from time to time, and that international dealers sell at much higher prices. “What they buy in Rand, they sell in Euros. To give you an idea, that’s about 15 times more. But they do have to travel, pay taxes and live in Europe.” Bruno also mentions that gemstones mined in Namibia are exported in large quantities to Asia to be cut and sold. “They buy up everything, make small cuts in a factory in Karibib (four cuts on the stone classify it as ‘cut’ and permit exportation) and send it to India.” He says bringing the business home would provide employment and keep the money in the country, but the government is working with only “a few fat cats with deep pockets.” “What is not the right thing” says Bruno, “is that nobody, not the government, not organisations, nobody is doing anything to educate these people. It isn’t unscrupulous dealers, but an unscrupulous government to blame. “A lot of people talk about crooks,” Bruno concludes, “but miners haven’t been schooled into the business. They don’t even have the rudimentary mathematical knowledge to calculate the size of their stone or what a carat is; their calculations are guessed, and you can’t live in a world of guessing.”

their cargo from Namport. Within this humdrum, it is just too easy for a virus outbreak to proliferate. This raises the question as to whether Namport has control measures in place to deal with and contain such a situation. Liz Sibindi, Corporate Communications Manager for Namport, stated, “All ships entering Namibia are ultimately cleared by Port Health before any person can disembark or go onboard a vessel.” Be that as it may, various companies that render services to ships anchored in our waters are able to board these vessels at their behest, without any Port Health clearance. “In the event that someone is found to be infected, the vessel will be quarantined outside the port and necessary action will be taken as might deemed fit by the state,” Sibindi continued to explain. According to her, health education and raising awareness in their employees is part of Namport’s standard operation procedure. Yet, how sick does a person need to be before it is noticed that they carrya potential population killer? And by the time one realises this person needs to be quarantined, how many others have they infected? The variables are too many and become a juggling exercise. To date, there are no specific steps to follow in any virus scenario. “Any suspected case of a disease such as Ebola will be dealt with in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MHSS),” Sibindi said, referring all

further questions to the local authorities. Thus it seems that the ultimate responsibility to deal with a regional or even a national pandemic lies in the hands of the state. Considering the very nature of viruses, though, will the state be able to act fast enough to prevent a virus outbreak from spreading, especially if it is airborne? The Walvis Bay airport sketches a dodgy reality. According to an industry insider, the airport is not fully prepared to deal with a virus outbreak. “We know the general symptoms to look out for when it comes to the Ebola virus, but we need an expert to come and educate us. If somebody is suspected of being infected with the virus we will isolate the person and notify the hospital. In doing so, we need to consider our own safety as the first priority,” the person explained. This in itself proves to be a challenge, for the airport is still working on its quarantine facilities. Will it be finished in time? That is a million dollar question. Looking at the coast’s medical facilities, victims of a virus outbreak have limited options. Medical aid or not, Penny Dawson from the Welwitschia Medical Centre said that they will not accept anyone infected with the Ebola virus. She further declined any comment whatsoever on their ability to quarantine infected persons. The Medi Clinic hospital in Swakopmund is better equipped to deal with a virus outbreak but since they are a small facility there is a limited amount of patients they can take. “We have quarantine facilities, both in ICU as well as in the wards to deal with patients who

News | 3 require isolation,” said Peter Sander, Hospital Manager. “We also have protective clothing in sufficient amounts to treat the patients.” As for the rest of the population, they are dependent on whatever help the state furnishes them, most probably through the isolation facilities at the Walvis Bay state hospital. According to the MHSS, Namibia is a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and therefore obligated to prevent and control the spread of disease. According to the Office of the Directorate for the Erongo region, the MHSS has Port Health Officers on 24/7 disease surveillance duties to abide by the International Health Regulations on ships and aircrafts entering Walvis Bay. They further stated that depending on the situation at hand, the Ministry can place suspected ships under quarantine, not allowing them into port until all precautions are met. “Any person found to have the virus will be in isolation and placed under proper medical supervision with precautions. All contacts will have to be traced and properly screened. The hospital has acquired all necessary equipment to deal with any possible outbreak. The emergency preparedness committee for the region is also on high alert,” the MHSS stated. Medical emergency services are also equipped to deal with any situation at hand. St Gabriels Emergency Serives commented, “We work closely with the vessels and thus hazard suits are part of our standard equipment.” Brian Louw from Lifelink said, “We follow barrier treatment procedures for any virus outbreak.”

4 | News

Thursday, 07 August 2014

Erongo Red Explains Power Outages Tanya Calitz The unexpected power outages last week, and again this week, caused quite a stir and unrest amongst the public, who were not informed or prepared for the electricity cuts affecting most residential areas and the towns centre. Erongo Red decided to set the record straight and ease the community’s

mind. According to Erongo Red CEO, Robert Kahimise, there is no need to panic. It is not load-shedding due to a shortage of supply. Instead, repairs to a broken conductor on one of the main power supply lines from the Kuiseb substation left only one power line to supply the town. Unfortunately, the one power line was not able to carry the load, thus the

emergency power cut. Each of the current power lines can only carry 30MW and during the repairs, the demand and therefore the supply shot up to 34MW. Erongo Red had to act fast to avoid a total system collapse, said Kahimise. “The primary reason for initiating load-shedding was to ensure that the capacity from the one 66kV line as well as the generation from Paratus equal out to ensure that the power supply could be

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TENDER

POWER OUTAGE NOTICE OF POWER OUTAGE TO RÖSSMUND SUBSTATION IN SWAKOPMUND Notice is hereby given that the electricity supply will be interupted on the following date: DATE:

21 August 2014

DAY:

THURSDAY

TIME:

12:00 - 17:00

The power outage will affect the power supply to the following areas: • Rössmund Golf Club and Lodge • Rössmund Village

The reason for the power outage is for NamPower to do annual maintenance on HV equipment.

Erongo RED regrets any inconvenience that may result from this outage. PLEASE NOTE: YOUR INSTALLATION MUST BE REGARDED AS “LIVE” AT ALL TIMES AS THE POWER SUPPLY MAY BE SWITCHED ON AT ANY TIME DURING THE ABOVEMENTIONED PERIOD. Issued by: Public Relations Division Benjamin Nangombe Tel: +264 64 214600

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restored to the larger areas of the town,” Kahimise said during a media briefing this week. In the meantime, Erongo Red is busy installing new lines that form part of the Walvis Bay Bulk Upgrade Project, which will be able to supply a bigger load than the two current 30MW lines. “The Walvis Bay bulk or transmission supply network does not have N-1 redundancy. Hence any defect or failure on any of the overhead lines or on the

13/2014

SUPPLY, DELIVERY, INSTALLATION & COMMISSIONING OF 36kV COMPACT METALCLAD SWITCHGEAR FOR THE SWAKOP SOUTH WATER SUPPLY SCHEME - ERONGO REGION Closing Date: 29 August 2014 Document Enquiries: Mrs. A Welgemoed Document Fees: N$260 (Non - Refundable) Telephone: +264-(0)64-214600 Facsimile: +264-(0)64-214601 Technical Enquiries by email only: Mr V Bissett / F De Wet vbissett@erongored.com.na / francois@gsfa.com.na

Documents in a sealed envelope clearly marked: “Tender 13/2014” addressed to the Chairperson of the Tender Committee must be placed in the tender box at the Enquiries Desk at: 91, Hage Geingob Street, Erongo RED Building, 1st floor, Walvis Bay or be posted to the Chairperson of the Tender Committee, P. O Box 2925, Walvis Bay, to reach him no later than: 10:00 on Friday, 29 August 2014. Please note no faxed or e-mailed documents as well as documents received after the specified closing date and time will be considered for evaluation. Please submit one original and two copies of your documents. Compulsory Clarification /Site meeting will be held on 13 August 2014 at Erongo RED Offices. TEL +264 64 214600

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transmission transformers will necessitate some type of load shedding depending on the load drawn at the time of fault. This condition will continue until the bulk upgrade to Walvis is completed, which is expected to be by December 2016,” Kahimise explained. He also stated that the main delay is on NamPower’s side of the project, as the Erongo Red portion will be completed in mid-2015. However, NamPower promised to meet Walvis Bay’s 2015 peak demand of an expected 54MW through the new 132kV line until full completion of the upgrade in 2016. Lastly, Kahimise stressed that there is no crisis, so Erongo will have a steady supply of electricity throughout and no load-shedding will be experienced.

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News | 5

Thursday, 07 August 2014

Vacant Erven in Meersig Not Selling Tanya Calitz Despite the Walvis Bay Municipality’s efforts to make sure they meet the predicted needs for land and housing by servicing and developing new extensions, 75 out of 105 serviced erven in the Meersig Proper area (old part of Meersig), which went on a

tendering process last year already, have not sold as expected. The Walvis Council put the erven out on a tendering process last year and this, to which the public had the opportunity to submit their private bids by the end of June 2014. According to the Town Planning Department in Walvis, the interest was weak, and the municipality

ended up selling a measly 30 erven. The erven sized between 800 and 1230 square metres are going for N$650 per square metres, which will set buyers back over half a million for the smallest erf. At a town planning meeting last month, a few residents raised the concern that perhaps the erven are too expensive, to which the council

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replied that they based their pricing on what is currently happening in the property market. Thus, people are willing to pay that kind of money for land. According to Kevin Adams, Communications Manager at the Municipality, the erven are available on a first come, first serve basis through public and private treaty at the moment. The development of these extensions all over town forms part of the Council’s effort to accommodate the predictions that the town’s population will increase from the current 80 000 people to 180 000 by 2030, which will create a demand for at least another 30 000 erven and 40 000 houses, flats and townhouses.

6 | News

Thursday, 07 August 2014

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Thursday, 07 August 2014

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Gymnastics show during 'fun day' last Saturday Lavrenty Repin When the Swakopmund Indoor Sport Centre states that their ambitious vision “is to be recognised internationally as a prime sought after destination for sport”, they are not exaggerating. If the largest indoor sports dome in Africa is not evidence enough that the privately Swakopmund owned Sports Centre means business, their robust commercial approach speaks volumes on its own. The N$100 million Indoor Sports Centre hosted its first event when Riders from the Storm and Barry Hilton performed at a music festival in December. This was followed by the highly successful NAMA awards, which Tim Ekandjo mentioned would not have been hosted in Swakopmund had it not been for the new dome structure. SISC representative Buttons Heyns explained that the centre was to host the Springboks National South African Rugby team for a week of training this year, but they ran into complications with unpredictable events and the commonwealth games – however, the exciting event is still on the books. Furthermore, following the success of the Shotokan Karate Academy on the world stage when they came in second in the World Karate competition, the 26th World Karate championships are set to be hosted in Swakopmund in 2016. Also, Buttons informed the paper that the Indoor Hockey tournament (NIHA) put in a bid to the indoor centre, which boasts an internationally capable hockey rig, for the 2016 World Inline Championships. The second phase of the centre is now virtually

complete. Although Buttons Heyns admitted that the opening this week is “a little premature”, with groundwork still in process, shops have already begun to fill up the first and second floors of the centre, including traveling agency Rennies, while the sports centre has worked closely with the SFC sports club. The club is now renting space from the state of the art five storey centre, spanning over 7000 square metres. Space at the centre goes for N$85/square meter, where the ground floor will have a restaurant and a café followed by offices – including a large project for the West Coast FM radio station, which plans to utilise two floors for its offices, equipment and studios. When complete, the centre will be capable of hosting over 40 different sports codes and will have a rehab centre fit with biokinetics, physio and spa on its second floor, athlete accommodation on its third and two conference suites on the fourth and fifth floor, with an additional VIP suit for artists, invited guests and athletes. All this, Buttons says, to make it the official high performance centre of Namibia. Presently, the unhindered (no pillars in the middle) dome is used all day round for gymnastics, inline hockey and karate as well as never before seen tournaments for Swakopmund, like the IB2 skating competition hosted this month. Also, the dome has hosted a number of large church events this past year. Last weekend the glaring sports centre, which has become an unmissable feature on Swakopmund’s skyline, officially opened the second phase, which is set to be entirely complete by the second quarter of 2015.

8 | News

Thursday, 07 August 2014

Will’s Gym

Boasts Ladies

Only Section Siglinde de Villiers

To the great relief of all ladies residing in Walvis Bay, Will’s Gym has furnished a ladies only section for all the women who wish to train out of sight. The entrance to Will’s Gym used to be

“More and more people are joining the kickboxing classes. Apart from being noisy, this also causes the place to be more and more congested,” Will Venter told the Namib Independent. Michelle Cogill, a trainer at the gym, mentioned that they had a lack of equipment as well. “The guys would use the weights and then the girls would not have anything to exercise with,” she said. Nevertheless, some rearrangement of the gym solved the problem. According to Michelle, a new exercising section was constructed on an area behind the gym, which used to be a grass patch. “We moved the benches that used to be upstairs for the guys,” she explained. “The weights were then moved to

the cleared area upstairs and a ladies only section was created. In addition, Will’s gym ordered brand new mats for the ladies only section for all those women who wish to train out of sight.” Painted a bright green, the room calms and refreshes the mind. Mirrors along the wall help women to see whether their posture is correct. On hot days, the sliding door to the adjacent balcony is left open, allowing a cool breeze through the area. According to Michelle, Will’s Gym will soon be offering Zumba classes as well as aerobics, cardio, TRX, kettle ball, health, toning and fitness classes. For more information, local residents are welcome to enquire at Will’s Gym.

where the training machines are. Women would walk past all the bodybuilders to the other hall where they could exercise more privately. Then, the entrance to Will’s Gym changed to this exact hall, and those going to gym would walk in on ladies doing their squats and stretching.

TENDER “The Ultimate Port Experience”

CONSTRUCTION OF PORT OF LÜDERITZ NEW INTERNAL RAILWAY NETWORK

Tender no. 007/2014

DESCRIPTION OF TENDER Suitably qualified and experienced railway contractors are hereby invited to submit bona fide tenders for carrying out the works which is described more fully in the tender documents. The works includes but is not limited to: Supply and delivery of all materials including tracks etc.; construction of approximately 2km of finished formation; Installation of Railway track 48kg/m rails on wooden sleepers at 700mm c/c, with ballasting (53mm ballast & crusher-run).

Ladies Section Inside Will's Gym

SITE INSPECTION A Compulsory pre-bid meeting and site inspection will be held at 14h30 on Wednesday the 20th of August 2014 at Namport Luderitz Administration office board room located in Insel Street, Lüderitz, Namibia. NON-REFUNDABLE TENDER LEVY: NAD 2000.00 Incl. VAT

TENDER DOCUMENTS Tender documents for the above tender may be obtained as from Monday the 4th of August 2014, after payment of the non-refundable tender levy, from Namport Head Office Reception located at No 17 Rikumbi Kandanga Road, Walvis Bay, or from Namport Luderitz Administration office reception, located in Insel Street, Lüderitz, Namibia. The Tender levy is payable by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT), please contact the Tender & Contracts Administrator (see below) for the banking details. TENDER CLOSING DATE: TENDER CLOSING TIME:

Monday 8 September 2014 before 12h00 noon. 12h00 NOON Namibian Time

All enquiries related to this Tender must be directed to the Port Engineer in writing by email only and copied to the Tender and Contracts Administrator, at the following contact details: Port Engineer Mr. Elzevir W. Gelderbloem e): elzevir@namport.com.na

Tender & Contracts Administrator Julinda !Garus-oas (t): +264 (0) 64 64 208 2298 e): j.garus-oas@namport.com.na (f): +264 (0) 64 208 2333

Namport Tenders requires mandatory participation of Namibian registered entities with, at least 51% ownership/shareholding held by Namibian nationals of which 30% must be Previously Disadvantaged Namibians. Foreign registered and owned companies intending to apply for this tender are required to enter into joint ventures with Namibian registered entities in order to ensure compliance with the above Namibian and PDN ownership/shareholding requirements. Foreign entities are also required to submit a written commitment and strategy on their proposed Social Responsibility program in Namibia.

Pull the trigger on an FNB Bond between 1 July and 30 September 2014 and you could win one of three cash prizes of N$25 000. It’s the perfect time to buy a home. Visit your nearest branch or contact us on (061) 299 2222. www.fnbnamibia.com.na Terms and conditions apply.

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News | 9

Thursday, 07 August 2014

Erongo Governor

Addresses the Region

It Didn't Happen to ME! Ronnie Coleman from Coleman Transport in Rosh Pinah informed the Namib Independent that he has been harassed by people via phone calls and emails, accusing him of being the callous *Ronnie Botha (pseudonym) in last week’s ‘It Happened to me’ article about ‘Abuse in the Workplace.’ According to Coleman, people from all over the

country and even colleagues from South Africa contacted him about the article, asking him in a state of shock whether he is the Ronnie in the article. The Namib Independent would just like to say that Ronnie Coleman is surely not the Ronnie Botha referred to in the article and that the name was entirely made up, as stated in the article.

VACANCY Tetelestai Mariculture (Pty) Ltd is an equal opportunity company involved in the mariculture industry.The company form part of the Namsov group of companies, a proudly Bidvest Namibia group. The company wishes to appoint a suitably qualified First Mate to join its ranks as soon as possible.

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PHOTO SOURCE: http://www.walvisbaycc.org.na/ Lavrenty Repin A positive attitude was the backdrop of last week’s Midyear State of the Region Report, addressed by Governor of Erongo Region, Hon. C. Mutjavikua. The Governor outlined bulletin points addressing the issues most prevalent to Erongo’s 150 000 strong population, urging all members of the state to up their game before the end of the year. We have summarised the key points of the Governor’s speech as presented last Thursday.

PFB642/GEN/02

Land Governor Mutjavikua mentioned that the resettlement of the allocated farms to the communal area is progressing well in Otjimbingwe and hopes are to add Farm Otjiua No. 37 to the small communal area; but warned that other parts of Erongo are yet to complete the integration.

Mines and Energy The Governor praised Rossing and Langer Heinrich for “still keeping on despite a situation in which they are unable to keep the head above water as a result of poor uranium prices”, calling it a “patriotic commitment”. He informed that the construction of Husab mine is well on time while Navachab Gold mine has successfully been sold to QKR Namibia. He also welcomed the Walvis Bay marble and granite factory, the largest of its kind in Africa, and announced that a new Nigerian salt refining factory had been approved near Henties Bay.

Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, the expansion or double lining of the road from Swakopmund to Karibib and the tarring of the road between Swakopmund, Henties Bay, Uis, Khorixas to Kamanjab are regional priorities. The Walvis Bay airport and runway will be completed by September 2015, at the level of category 4C and will be able to accommodate a Boeing 676.

Agriculture and Water The Governor urged Omaruru, Karibib and Usakos to begin agriculture and farming projects in the area. “You have land, you have water – the next step is to plant” he Works and Transport told the present representatives. He Governor Mutjavikua pointed out also said that no leader must rest until that government buildings in the the sanitation problems of the region region are dilapidated and proposed are eliminated. a calendar to deal with their repair. He urged all truck and car drivers to Governor Mutjavikua explained exercise extra caution on the B2 road. that in the last six months labour “The road is narrow and it is carrying relations in the region were stable, increased cargo,” he explained. The as it experienced few sporadic tarring of the trunk road between demonstrations and work stoppages.

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10 | News

Thursday, 07 August 2014

Dog Killing Spree A distraught resident from Walvis Bay informed the Namib Independent of what can only be described as coldblooded maliciousness. All three of their dogs have been poisoned over a course of two weeks. “We had big, beautifully strong, and healthy dogs, and some delinquents poisoned all three of them,” Sharmine told the paper this week. They noticed something was wrong when one dog started having convulsions and looked very sick. They took him to a local vet, who at first did not know

that it was poison, because it seemed like fits, but soon realised that the animal’s condition was critical after his organs started failing. A week later their second dog went through the same ordeal and a few days later the third dog. By then they knew it was the works of criminals poisoning the animals. Two of their three dogs died due to the poisoning and their vet informed them on Wednesday that their third dog will not make it, and is suffering terribly, suggesting they put her down.

Speaking to the Walvis SPCA, they do not get these types of cases too often, but mentioned that these types of incidents are more likely to be reported to the veterinarian clinics and police. However, the paper was unable to reach anyone from Nampol by the time of going to print

to establish how often this kind of incident occurs on the coast. It is nothing new and criminals have for years used various cruel methods to poison dogs in order to gain access to properties, but is always a sad case when these types of crimes rear their ugly head.

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News | 11

Thursday, 07 August 2014

Face of Namibia Assists Orphans

Wesco Engineering (Pty) Ltd. General Foreman Position:

We seek a suitable qualified candidate to fill the position of General Foreman

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Day to day running of the workshop Planning and scheduling of work Quality assurance Continuous process improvement Training of manpower Health, safety and environment

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the comPany oFFers comPetitive FrinGe beneFits which include the FollowinG: • Competitive Market Related Salary • Pension Fund • Medical Aid

Please submit your curriculum vitae and proof of qualifications with a covering letter to: recruitment@linkservices.com.na closinG date: 08 auGust 2014 Please note: only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Siglinde de Villiers Last Friday, the winner of the Face of Namibia competition was announced at the Pelican Bay Hotel in Walvis Bay after the contestants “walked the walk”, showing off African fashion in a unique way. The funds raised by this competition are intended to bring some color into the life of orphans. The event started off with the ten contestants, aged between 20 and 24 years, presenting themselves to the judges in casual wear, dressed in denim shorts and white shirts. This enabled the judges to get to know the personality of each contestant and not judge them according to their attire. Soon enough though, colourful fabrics in African patterns were pulled out of the closet and paraded down the catwalk. According to Mary Shikongo, founding member of Face of Namibia and organiser of the event, each girl represented a different region of Namibia. “To take part in the competition, the girls only needed to send in their photos and be interviewed and then a regional selection was done,” she explained. This year’s winner was Valerian Mununga from

the Okavango region. Some of the prizes she won included an international flight ticket, Brazilian hair worth N$3500, a photo shoot worth N$5000, a boat cruise and a weekend for two at the Pelican Bay Hotel. Shikongo explained their choice. “We were looking for someone who will be an ambassador for Face of Namibia, someone who will positively make a difference in her community and other regions.” Valerian met this criteria. “We chose her because she was very confident in what she wanted to achieve,” Shikongo said. She continued to explain that Valerian inspired them when she said that she was already working with orphanages in her town, but people did not take her seriously. “I have the faith that if I win, this can open doors for me,” Valerian said. “It has always been my dream to work with less privileged people and I am very passionate about assisting street children and young girls,” she added. The event was made possible by many and various sponsors from around Walvis Bay. “The funds raised will partly contribute towards the painting of six houses for orphaned children,” Shikongo concluded.

12 | Worldwide News

Thursday, 07 August 2014

W or l dwid e Vietnamese Prefer Cat

Meat Over Dog Meat The enduring popularity of “little tiger” as a snack to accompany a beer in Vietnam means that cat owners live in constant fear of animal snatchers, despite an official ban. At an unassuming restaurant next to a carwash in central Hanoi, a cat is prepared for hungry clients: drowned, shaved and burned to remove all fur before being cut up and fried with garlic. “A lot of people eat cat meat. It’s a novelty. They want to try it,” said the establishment’s manager To Van Dung, 35. Vietnam has forbidden the consumption of cats in an effort to encourage their ownership and keep the capital’s rat population under control. But there are still dozens of restaurants serving cat in Hanoi and it is rare to see felines roaming the streets — most petowners keep them indoors or tied up out of fear of cat thieves. Such is the demand from restaurants that cats are sometimes smuggled across

the border from Thailand and Laos. Dung said that he had never had problems with the law. He buys his cats from local breeders but also socalled cat traders, with few checks on their sourcing. “Little tiger” is typically enjoyed at the start of each lunar month, unlike dog meat which is eaten at the end. On a busy day, the restaurant can serve around 100 clients. “I know in the United States and Britain they don’t eat cat. But here we do,” Nguyen Dinh Tue, 44, said as he chewed on a piece of fried cat meat. “I don’t kill the cat! But this place sells it so I like to eat it,” he added. Vietnam’s penchant for eating animals that are considered pets in many other countries came about largely as a result of circumstance, said Hoang Ngoc Bau, one of Hanoi’s few trained vets. “The country was once very poor, and we had a long war. We ate everything we could to stay alive,” he told AFP. “Insects, dogs,

cats, even rats…. It became a habit.” Bau decided to become a vet after his pet dog saved him from a poisonous snake when he was a child. “From that time, I had a debt to dogs,” the 63-year-old said. Dramatic changes to society and cultural attitudes in the once tightlycontrolled communist country in recent decades mean that a growing number of Vietnamese now share his love of animals. But old eating habits die hard and pet owners have a battle on their hands to protect their furry companions from the dinner pot. “No one is breeding dogs and cats for slaughter. So nearly all the animals in restaurants are trapped and stolen,” Bau said. “For me and other pet lovers in Vietnam, they’re our best friend,” added the vet. Yet some people manage to reconcile society’s dual affection for cats. Le Ngoc Thien, the chef at one Hanoi cat meat restaurant, keeps a cat as a pet — but when it is big enough he will cook it and get a new

China Takes Shark

Fin Soup off the Menu New survey shows an 82 per cent fall in sales of shark fin after a ban at government banquets and a celebrity media campaign. Shark fin soup, one of China's most famous dishes, has fallen dramatically out of fashion after a high-profile campaign by anticruelty activists. Wealthy Chinese have supped on shark fin soup, a gelatinous broth, since the Ming dynasty; it is a staple at wedding banquets and other special events. But younger Chinese are now firmly rejecting the dish after an advertising campaign fronted by Yao Ming, the former basketball star. The trade in shark fins in Guangzhou, the southern hub of the industry, has fallen by 82 per cent in the past two years according to WildAid, the US group behind the campaign. It added 85 per cent of Chinese diners surveyed online said they had given up shark fin soup in the past three years. Two dozen airlines and five

of the biggest hotel groups have also taken it off the menu. "We have shark fin soup, it is a speciality of our restaurant," said a manager at Bai Family Courtyard, one of Beijing's foremost purveyors of "imperial cuisine". "But customers seldom order it," he added. "And the number who are ordering it is falling. We are considering whether we should take it off the menu or not." A branch of the Noble House restaurant chain in northern Beijing said they had taken it off the menu "several months ago". Hu Wanli, a seafood wholesaler in the southern city of Dongguan, said he had stopped selling fins. "I do not know anyone who is still selling shark fins. I think it might be illegal now? But our customers, the restaurants, stopped asking us for shark fins a long time ago. The market has fallen." In Beijing, another wholesaler said his supply

had dwindled. "There used to be lots of people eating this, the market was large and I could offer my clients large quantities whenever they wanted. But now if you ask, I only have a few kilograms to hand. If you need more, you'll need to wait, and leave a deposit too," said Huang Qiongying. Source: http://www.telegraph. co.uk/

kitten to repeat the cycle. “When my cats become old we kill them because according to our tradition when a cat gets old we need to change it and get a younger one,” he said. “When I first started working here, I was surprised so many people ate cat. But now, fine, they like it,” he said, adding that demand appeared to be increasing each year. “Eating cat meat is better than eating dog as the meat is sweeter, more tender than a dog,” Thien said. A cat sells for between $50 and $70 depending

on how large it is and how it is prepared. Many pet owners get fed up of the risks of letting their cats go outside. Phuong Thanh Thuy owns a Hanoi restaurant and has cats to keep rats in check, but she has had to replace them regularly. “My family is sad because we spend a lot of time and energy raising our cats. When we lose a cat we feel pain,” she said as a newly purchased batch of kittens played at her feet. Source: http://www.mvariety.com/

It Happened to ME | 13

Thursday, 07 August 2014

It Happened to ME!

Life Behind Bars

A Local Woman’s Story Tanya Calitz “That first night in prison I cried my eyes out after someone had stolen my peanut butter chocolate bars from my bag. ‘How ironic,’ I cried to myself, the very thing that landed me here had now also happened to me.” *Susan van Zyl spent two years and nine months behind bars after she was sentenced to five years in prison for theft. “The day I was caught out was the first night I had slept well in months,” Susan tells me during our interview at her house in Walvis Bay. The guilt was tearing her apart, but she could not stop stealing. It was just so easy. After being caught out her employers filed a complaint against her and within weeks she was arrested at her house in Walvis Bay. “During my court case they kept me in the holding cell for a month, seeing that I did not qualify for bail. I still had South African Citizenship although I have lived in Walvis for most of my life. Being there was like torture,” Susan says. She only saw her eight-year-old daughter *Annie again after she was sentenced to five years at the Walvis Bay prison. When Susan first arrived in prison it all felt a bit surreal. She first counted the hours, then the days, then the weeks and finally the months. “After a while your cell becomes your room and you make it as homely as possible,” she explains. Susan was in prison, at any given time, with about 15 other women who were convicted for everything from petty crimes to murder. Aunty Layla, who became her best friend, was in prison for murdering her husband. “She was the nicest lady and helped me to cope with my situation,” Susan relates. “You learn to adapt. You have to adapt, otherwise you will die. If it wasn’t for my daughter I would have committed suicide in there,” she admits. Lock-up was from 6pm till 6am and during the daytime the woman had to do chores, read and basically count the minutes until it was lock-up time again. There was no television, no board games nor radio. Just silence and the sound of footsteps and keys unlocking cells, Susan says. “You get stripped of all your luxuries and things you once took for granted. In prison you have less than the basics and items like soap and toilet paper are regarded as gold in prison.” After a few months Susan started getting really ill and every time she went to the toilet there

was blood, and lots of it. The in-house nurses treated her for piles but after two months with no results her symptoms got worse so she insisted on being seen by a doctor. “I was horrified to learn that my intestines were tearing from my bad diet,” she says. The next day Susan went into hospital to have an operation. Her diet consisted of bread, day in and day out. Sometimes they would get some margarine or mixed jam spread with their brown bread and other days there would be a whole chicken to be shared between all the inmates. “Once a week there was something we called ‘sommos’ on the menu and no one had any idea what the pulp consisted of,” she describes. After Susan had her operation she was put on prescription food, which meant that she had to buy food from outside the prison. “My family could not always send me money, so I had to find a way of earning money to buy the food. I started washing the warden’s clothes, as well as their family’s clothes and earned some money that way to support my diet,” she lays out. Her diet then consisted of some eggs, pasta, meat and vegetables when she had the money. “I can cook you a whole meal in a kettle,”

Susan jokes. According to her there was not much violence in the prison. She reckons they were a small group and rather took on the attitude of trying to help each other, and would simply steer clear of the ones they did not see eye to eye with. The only friction was when racism reared its ugly head, especially between the Oshivambo and Damara woman, she says. At first, she could only get visits once a month from her sister and Annie, who looked after the girl while she was serving her sentence. Later on she got more visitation rights for being well behaved and serving her first six months without problems. “I do not regret a thing and take full responsibility for my actions. I had harmed society and therefore should be punished. I only regret not being there for my daughter,” Susan says in a sad voice while comforting her daughter. After serving more than half her sentence Susan could apply for parole. She did just that, but still had no idea whether she would be granted parole. Even if parole was granted, the date would not be released. “After serving two years and nine months, one day while sitting in

my cell the warden came into my room and told me to put on my prison uniform and go to the prison’s head office. I thought I was in trouble or that one of the women I had been having problems with had reported me for racism again. I went in the head office and the director told me that I have ten minutes to pack my bags and leave the premises. I was at a loss for words. “When I got back to my room I just cried. I was overwhelmed and almost scared to leave. I felt I needed some time to prepare for this massive occasion,” Susan explains. “Once I was out, I felt a lot of shame and didn’t leave my house for at least a month. I needed time to adjust . Pick up the pieces and start building my life again. “Growing up we used to drive pass the prison all the time. I saw it so differently and had such a judgmental view of the people who went there, but now I know it can be anyone, from any background, culture or race,” Susan concludes. A few years have passed and Susan is still living and happily working in Walvis Bay. She says that she does not take her job and employers for granted and really appreciates what they have done for her.

14 | Lifestyle

Thursday, 07 August 2014

LIFESTYLE The Real Reason Sexual Violence Is So Widespread Most rapists are men, most sexual harassers are men, and most incidents of domestic abuse resulting in injury are caused by men. So it is not a stretch to argue that men are naturally sexual predators. But they are not. They key word to focus on here is naturally. When we hear "naturally,” we think of our biology and thus, our evolution. If it is “natural” that men are particularly sexually aggressive, then it is easy to understand much of what goes on in our society. The ways our politicians talk about women’s rights and rape, the tragic shooting rampage of Elliot Rodger in Isla Vista CA, the recent ground-breaking study of the frequency with which male scientists use power and hierarchy to sexually harass, and assault, junior female scientists—all become understandable if they are simply reflections of what our evolutionary But they are not. The arguments that evolution has made men particularly aggressive in regard to sex draw on comparisons with insects, seals, lions, deer, and our closest relatives, the chimpanzees, to justify assertions about the naturalness of sexual coercion and rape. Some also suggest that we can look at modern small-scale human societies— those where people live more like our ancient ancestors than most in the industrialised world do—and get insight into the evolutionary reasons for male aggression, sexual and otherwise. These arguments are popular with many scientists, and the public, because they make it easier for us to deal with male violence and aggression towards women—believing these assertions means that sexual violence, while undesirable is a central part of human biology and thus inevitable. This belief is both dangerous and wrong. Sexual violence is the fault of the perpetrators, not their genes. Many of the arguments for the basis of sexual aggression in the animal kingdom are based on poor data or assumptions now known to be incorrect—or just ignoring data that does not fit with their model. This is dangerous because sexual violence is a serious problem in many societies, but to accept that it is an inevitable part of being human takes away a degree of responsibility for how we act and how we expect our fellow humans to act. Biologists have long argued that basic sex differences related to reproduction evolutionarily favour sexually aggressive males. However, this basic assumption has been extensively challenged and is now realised to be a much more complex story. Reproduction is not just about the size of the sperm and egg, not just about who gestates and lactates—there is much more going on. Recent work undercuts the arguments for males not contributing much to reproduction, for males primarily using aggression to get females to mate with them, and for the concept that male and female humans are dramatically different when it comes to reproductive goals and behaviours. Sure, there are many species of insects, and some mammals, in which the males are very sexually aggressive—but there are also many in which they are not. Specific research on our closest relatives finds a wide range of patterns and behaviours for males and sex: Primates (and humans) live in complex societies with many ways for males and females

to get along—some violent, many not. There is no smoking gun for male sexual aggression in the biology of humans or other animals. But what about the specific argument that aggressive or coercive human males leave more offspring? If this were the case, one would see the evolution of sexual aggression as a core part of being human. But there are extremely few studies of humans that actually strive to test the actual question: Do aggressive males fare better? There is one famous study held up by many to support the assertion that male aggression is an evolved strategy, which is often used as the final word of “proof” on the matter: The Yanomamö are a small-scale society in South America whose people engage in relatively high rates of aggression and violence, sometimes resulting in death. If a Yanomamö man is involved in a killing, he must undergo a ritual in which he becomes a unokai. A minority (fewer than 30 percent) of men become unokai. It has been claimed that unokai have, on average, 2.5 more wives, and three times the number of children, as non-unokai. This difference is one of the most cited examples of an evolved relationship between aggression and reproductive success in human males. However, while unokai do have, on average, more offspring, they are not being compared with a group of men who are the same age. Age affects dominance and reproductive success across the animal kingdom. Anthropologist Doug Fry's reanalysis of the original Yanomamö dataset shows that unokai are on average 10.4 years older than non-unokai. It is not surprising that, on average, men who are 10 years older have more wives and children (a common pattern in many societies). This changes the relationship between being a unokai and having more kids to one that includes age, not simply aggression. Adding to this story are the data on the Waorani, another much-studied South American society known for its aggressiveness. Anthropologist Stephen Beckman and colleagues examined the genealogies of 121 Waorani elders and the complete histories of 85 warriors. They studied raiding histories, marital records, and the number of children per man and discovered that “more aggressive men, no matter how defined, do not acquire more wives than milder men, nor do they have more children, nor do their wives and children survive longer.” They also found that more aggressive men had fewer children who survived to have kids themselves. It turns out that aggressive males do not “do better,” in an evolutionary sense, in either of the two well-known, well-studied, examples of hyper-aggressive small-scale societies where reproductive success was actually measured. So if men are not naturally sexual predators, why does it happen so often? A full answer to this question is complicated, but here is a short one: There are a bunch of social, historical, and biological realities that make it more likely that males will resort to violence and coercion when it comes to matters of sex and conflict. Males are, on average, larger and have greater upper body strength than women, and thus are more capable of harming them in direct conflict than vice versa. Also, while male and female

sexual arousal physiology is quite similar, there are massive differences in social expectations and learning environments (i.e., pornography) that can radically increase differences in expectations, desires, and even brain function between males and females. The way we grow up shapes the way our minds and bodies respond. In many societies, it is more acceptable for males to use violence to solve problems than women. Many historical, political, and even economic patterns create contexts in which men are assumed to have “rights” of access to females for sex—remember, it has not been that long since wives were considered the property of their husbands or, for that matter, since women got the right to vote. Even many religious traditions place male roles and male sexuality above those of females. Given the contexts in which our bodies and minds develop, it is no wonder that many boys and men in our society often accept that it is “natural” to be sexually coercive, even if just a little bit. So when men’s rights groups bemoan the oppression of their “nature” by women, they are wrong. When anyone asserts that sexual

coercion, harassment, or even rape is, at least in part, driven by biological prerogatives, they are wrong—and no one can use biology and evolution as an excuse for being a jerk. That does not mean that such behaviour is not an ongoing reality—it just means that it is a reality that we can alter. Most men are not sexual predators. But we need to be more active when

someone is—especially with regard to sexual harassment, coercion, and assault on women. Society needs to own up to the fact that sexual aggression is not inevitable—but it is predictable, explicable, and, in most cases, avoidable. Source: http://www. psychologytoday.com/

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Motoring | 15

Thursday, 07 August 2014

MOTORING 2015 Jeep Discovery Teaser Land Rover has teased its upcoming 2015 Discovery Sport in a video, revealing through the camouflage wrap that the new compact SUV will be available with seating for up to seven people. The all-new SUV features a third row of seats. The camouflage wrap on this prototype has been printed to look like it is being peeled back, showing off the two small seats fitted at the back of the new Discovery Sport, further enhancing its versatility and appeal as a compact, family SUV. According to Land Rover Design Director Gerry McGovern, â&#x20AC;&#x153;As you would expect from a Discovery, the versatile Discovery Sport will feature optional 5+2 seating, offering spacious

load space and configurable seating, while still retaining a more compact footprint than traditional 5-seat SUVs.â&#x20AC;? No spec details have been released, however it is rumoured the SUV will be offered with a variety of petrol and diesel four-cylinder engines. In addition, styling is said to be influenced by the Discovery Vision Concept, which was unveiled at the 2014 New York Auto Show and packed some innovative features, like the ability to be piloted remotely via a smart-phone app and a heads-up display that projected the terrain below the vehicle on the hood of the car. Land Rover announced that the 2015 Discovery Sport will go on sale alongside the existing Discovery in 2015.

THE COMMON

GOAL

Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

As seen on DStv/SuperSport

AFRICA RED 46825

From 23 July - 3 August, watch all the golden moments on 3 dedicated 24hr channels, only on SuperSport.