Namib independent issue 149 by The Namib Independent

Independent Namib

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Issue 149 - Thurs, 21 May 2015 to Wed, 27 May 2015

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That’s good for Namibia, and that’s good for the planet! The French Ambassador to Namibia, Mrs Jacqueline Bassa-Mazzoni on the new Solar Power Plant at Omaruru.

Lizelle Cordier on the Business Fashion Show to be held at Walvis Bay Town Hall this Saturday. See Page 11

See Page 7

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Honest Hage unveils true worth

In an unprecedented move, the President and First Lady unveiled their true wealth today at a press conference held at State House Gareth Amos (opinion) Earlier this week I found myself to be amongst only a handful of Namibians who knowingly or unknowingly bore witness to the unfolding of a momentous moment in our country’s history and indeed our humble nation’s future. Today, our nation’s President and the First Lady openly and publically

declared the details of their personal wealth and finances, an undertaking that no man nor woman would willingly embark on, unless under duress that is. On such occasions, one cannot help but notice that only a few ordinary Namibians are privileged to play a part, though comfort is found in the knowledge that this extraordinary occasion was being broadcast live into the homes

and hearts of Namibians nationwide on Radio and Television. One cannot but believe that the 87% of Namibians who have wholeheartedly placed their confidence, hope and faith behind this man, our President, are at this very moment feeling part of the future of the nation, confident in a vote well cast and proud that Hage the man, Hage the candidate and Hage the person are Continued on Page 3

A member of the Rössing Drill and Blast team demonstrating how the tulip plug will be used in the blast holes. This will save the mine about N$16 million annually. For the full Annual Synopsis of the Rössing Uranium Mine see pages 4 and 5.

Controversy, Confusion, Conjecture

... surrounding the new Walvis Bay Gas Power Plant

Sharon Brooks Despite recent reports in the media that Nampower has been ordered to halt the proposed development of a gas power plant behind Dune 7 by Xaris Energy, Xaris maintains that “the project is still very much underway”. Of late, the media has been reporting that President Hage Geingob has ordered NamPower to delay awarding the tender after the Electricity Control Board (ECB) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy spilled the beans about hidden astronomical costs and suspicious details underlying the Xaris Energy project.

The project is well under way. All the major hurdles, including environmental impact assessments, have been undertaken with full participation by the majority of all affected stakeholders.

According to Xaris Energy, however, the Power Plant Development is on track. Xaris Managing director Hennie Steyn yesterday said “The project is well under way. All the major hurdles, including environmental impact assessments, have been undertaken with full participation by the majority of all affected stakeholders,” says Steyn. “We are confident that the due diligence by lender advisors will be completed before the end of June 2015.” Xaris Energy added “for a project of this magnitude there are bound to be various stakeholders with varying and sometimes competing interests and we have to make sure that they are all on board as we proceed, and that their concerns are adequately addressed. Any delays experienced will be as a result of engaging with all these stakeholders and ensuring that sustainable agreements are concluded.” According to the media reports, the cost of the project has more than doubled, from N$3 billion to N$7.6 billion. When questioned about the Continued on Page 3

News

Thursday, 21 May 2015

Contact Us Tel (+264 64) 200 497 Email info@namibindependent.com.na Sales Lorna Bock 081 558 1263 lorna@namibindependent.com.na Wouter Deysel 081 437 8678 wouter@namibindependent.com.na Rita Potgieter 081 150 5455 rita@namibindependent.com.na Gareth Amos 081 129 2157 gareth@namibindependent.com.na Editorial Sharon Brooks sharon@namibindependent.com.na Design Maggie’s Attic Graphic Design sonya4maggiesattic@gmail.com 081 129 2158 Address

127 Theo Ben Gurirab Street (MVA Office Complex), PO Box 5085, Walvis Bay, Namibia

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

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Strike is imminent at Nedbank, Walvis Bay Julia Hango

Negotiations between Nedbank and Walvis Bay Branch employees reached a deadlock this week, with employees poised to walk out within 48 hours. According to Asnath Zamuee from the Workers Union, employees are currently conducting a strike ballot which will then be followed by a 48 hour

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notice to the Bank before they spearhead the strike. "We have had negotiations with Nedbank that have deadlocked and so we are setting up ground rules for the strike that will take place at the end of this month." The strike has come about after Nedbank employees requested a 9 percent salary increase and rental allowance for employees who cannot afford to buy property. Asnath continued to say the 6.5% increase being offered is not enough and is rejected, and that until it is increased to the stipulated 9% there will be a strike. She also emphasised that 90% of the employees are behind the strike. Gernot de Klerk, Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications at Nedbank said any talk of a strike is premature as they are still in ongoing negotiations with the Union. He is not aware of any strike

at this point in time. “We had a meeting with the Union this very morning and, as far as I know, we are still in negotiations. We will be following the law during this process. We believe the 6.5% increase we are offering them is sustainable and realistic. The demands they are making are unreasonable and so we will take time to look at the different ways to go about this and exhaust the legal process and then only will we formulate a final offer." He added if the Union would like to comment on that they are more than welcome.

We celebrate Africa Day

Tel: 064-220 387 97 Sam Nujoma, Walvis Bay Julia Hango

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On Monday 25 May we celebrate Africa Day, which is the annual commemoration of the 1963 founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). On this day, leaders of 30 of the 32 independent African states signed a founding charter in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In 1991, the OAU established the African Economic Community, and in 2002 the OAU established its own successor, the African Union. However, the name and date of Africa Day has been retained as a celebration of African unity. The Namib Independent would like to take this opportunity to wish all Africans a magical Ubuntu filled Africa Day and a restful public holiday.

News

Thursday, 21 May 2015

Honest Hage unveils true worth Continued from Page 1

indeed all one and the same. This particular onion, one thinks, needs no peeling. Don’t get me wrong, as an Independent (excuse the pun) newspaper, I am fully cognisant of the fact that when things appear to be ill aligned with our perceptions of the same, we shall question and interrogate the issues

as is our duty. Things being as they are though, there are times when the media needs to realise that the events of the day are not being played out solely for their amusement or entertainment. There are moments when the story tellers must realise that the story as it is spoken is story enough, no embellishment or inquiry is required. In a time when governments the world over are increasingly starving the electorate of access to basic information, our leader has declared today not only his wealth, but at once his intent and character, both consummately of greater import than his bank balance. Although at the event, we were handed a detailed report compiled by PWC outlining the financial details of both the President and First Lady to peruse and to interrogate with the intent of selling column centimetres, I could not help feeling, as I began to glance at the document, like someone who had unwittingly opened personal mail not belonging to me but that was inadvertently sent to me in error. Feeling as such, I find myself unable at all to disclose information laden within the lines of the report. Today, instead, I have decided to leave it to others to do what they will with the report. Today, suffice to say… Thank you Mr. President and First Lady, but no thank you. I am sure I speak for the thousands of Namibians who witnessed today’s announcement when I say the content of your character and not your bank balance was clearly on display. My hope is that Namibians reading the papers today are able to discern that the true wealth on show lies not in the front page, paper selling articles laden as they must be with financial jargon, but instead within the character of the man. Thank you Sir, thank you Ma’am.

Controversy, Confusion, Conjecture ... surrounding the new Walvis Bay Gas Power Plant Continued from Page 1 increased cost of the project, Xaris had this to say: “The project scope is unchanged as per the NamPower tender process; the actual power plant cost is unchanged. The project was submitted consisting out of a Power Plant, Gas Pipe infrastructure, Marine infrastructure, FSRU (Floating Storage Regasification Unit), and Transmission integration. The project is still the same. There is a significant portion of the project that will be funded by international banks, who would not invest in the project if there were hidden costs. We are doing everything by the book and the process is as transparent as can be expected for a project that means so much to the Namibian economy. It must be noted that the evacuation cost for power came down by 10.8% under same specified conditions.” One must consider that if the project does not go ahead, an alternative solution will have to be found to meet the energy

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needs of Namibia until the Kudu Gas project goes into production in 2018. The timeline for a project of this magnitude is a number of years, from the tender process, environmental approval and construction through to the start of production. The Xaris project has been in the pipe-line for over a year already, and it will be another year until the plant begins to produce electricity. With many power supply agreements expiring next year, if NamPower cannot rely on the power supplied by the Xaris project, Namibia will undoubtedly experience a severe shortfall of electricity supply after next year. It would appear that the reports of a final decision to halt the project having been reached are, in fact, premature. Upon contacting the Ministry of Mines and Energy on Wednesday, we were informed that all personnel, including the President, who may have been able to supply insight regarding the project, are currently engaged in meetings to reach a decision. The Ministry emphasised that the project is of national importance, and the decision to discontinue the plant is not one that can be taken lightly.

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News

Thursday, 21 May 2015

Rössing battles to stay afloat in tough market

Rössing Executive Management Committee

Jade McClune In response to unfavourable market conditions over the past five years Rössing Uranium Mine changed its production schedule last year and downsized its workforce to 900 employees to cut costs. In addition to troubling market conditions, Namibia’s oldest uranium mining operation experienced two catastrophic industrial disasters in recent months which brought the issue of its aging infrastructure and the health of its workforce to the fore. In late 2013 one of the aging acid leach tanks in the uranium processing plant failed catastrophically and the mine’s emergency management teams had to go into crisis mode to contain the potential fall-out from a radioactive spill after the leach tank burst apart. “We executed an extensive plant shutdown over four weeks in mid-2014 in order to undertake major maintenance in the processing plant, Rössing MD Werner Duvenhage said this week. The leach tank has since been rebuilt and several others repaired, while a further 30 of the 84 tanks will have to be “refurbished” over the next three years. The outbreak of a fire in the Final Recovery Plant in February this year further fuelled fears of radioactive contamination. Duvenhage says though that “No employees were injured during the incident and there were no uranium spills in the area… none of the uranium drummed and stored outside the plant was affected. As only part of the plant was affected, we continued with uranium production.” Cost-cutting measures To cut costs the Rio Tinto-mine initiated a major organisational redesign programme and changed its seven-days-a week 24-hour production schedule to a five-day, 24-hour operation.

The mine also cut back production to 1,543 tonnes of uranium oxide last year, down from 2,409 tonnes in 2013, making up about 2.3% of the world production of primary produced uranium. “The challenging times currently experienced in our industry are mainly because of global influences. It was a tough year because the uranium price continued to decline globally, putting substantial pressure on our business, with the average uranium spot market price at US$33/lbs, much lower than the US$38/lbs average in 2013, Duvenhage said. “The impact of lower prices and the lower production figures, strained our revenue which reduced by 19% compared to the previous year, and in turn led to a net loss after tax of N$91 million.” “The 2011 tsunami in Japan and its impact on the Fukushima nuclear plant still continued to plague the uranium market in 2014, with excess supply causing a decline in market prices. Nuclear plants in Japan remained offline for most of the year. “Supply has increased over the three years since the Fukushima incident. This is a recipe for continued weak prices in the near term. Utilities are holding large [uranium] stocks in all forms, which defer their need to buy for one to three years on average.” Duvenhage said despite the downward trend in the price, he believes “the long-term future for uranium remains encouraging: the market price for uranium is expected to rise in line with an expected increase in demand as utilities look to secure fuel for their 2017 to 2023 needs.” In 2013 Rössing reported a net profit of N$32 million, after losses in 2012, 2011 and 2010. Turnover in 2014 was N$2.4 billion, down from N$2.9 billion the previous year. Rössing has paid no corporate tax or dividends to government since 2010.

Addressing educational challenges, the Rössing Foundation built and manages 3 centres, offering learners and teachers opportunities to improve their skills in the areas of Mathematics, English and the Sciences.

Graduate Mining Engineer, Rafael Kalumbu, of the Drill and Blast team demonstrating how the tulip plug will be used in the blast holes. This will save the mine about N$16 million annually.

Rössing Uranium is one of the world's biggest open-pit uranium mines, making a substantial contribution to Namibia's economy for the past 39 years

News

Thursday, 21 May 2015

Rössing to look at impact of radiation on workers

Audit Senior: Walvis Bay You seek … professional and personal growth, challenges, mobility, diversity and inclusion. We are … the 4th strongest corporate brand in the world and rank in the Top 100 of the world’s most valuable brands, placing us ahead of our competitors in all categories. One of only 5 companies to attain a AAA+ brand rating. Surely more than 183,000 people that share the same values worldwide cannot be wrong!

Test tubes depicting the different processing stages of the Rössing product

Senior Rubberliner Ben Hanaseb displays some of the equipment used for radiation monitoring

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• Form part of the audit team; • Report to a manager responsible for the portfolio within the Assurance division; • Coaching and training of junior staff; • Administration duties related to client portfolios.

A GlAnce At the RössinG WoRkfoRce in 2014 Total No. of Workers of which are Namibian of which are Non-Namibian - Non-Namibian Work Permit Holders

850 836 (98.35%) 14 (1.65%) 10 (1.18%)

Total No. of Workers which are Female

148 (17.4%)

Average age of workers Number of Workers who left in 2014 Number of new workers recruits in 2014 Of which are Female recruits Jade McClune Speaking at a press conference at the company’s headquarters in Klein Windhoek on Monday the MD of Rössing Uranium (RUL), Werner Duvenhage, said the mine is in the process of commissioning a comprehensive study on the health impacts of occupational exposure to radiation. Duvenhage said they have embarked on a wide-scale scientific study on the health of mine employees and that the first steps to design the scope of the study were in progress. The research will draw on the extensive medical records of mineworkers dating back to the start of operations in 1976. He said RUL commissioned and completed the scoping process for such a health study last year and a subsequent scoping report was compiled by specialist consultants, based in the Netherlands. Responding to fears about radiation safety at Namibia’s oldest uranium mine, Duvenhage said the National Radiation Protection Authority approved Rössing’s Radiation Management Plan in 2010 and the mine has “continuously reviewed and updated the plan in consultation with the NRPA.” He said the study is expected to determine the impact, if any, of occupational radiation exposure at Rössing on workers’ health, making use of detailed medical and radiation exposure records that date back to when mining operations first began. “The process of identifying a suitable external service provider with the required credentials for the execution of the study started early this year and is expected to be completed in 2016.” At the Annual General Meeting of Rio Tinto in London in 2014, two reports about the impact of the uranium mining near Arandis on the environment and workers’ health were tabled. Earthlife Namibia and the French Commission for Independent Research on Radioactivity analysed samples from near the mine’s tailing dams and waste rock dumps. They reported high levels of heavy metals and uranium in the soil, water and sediments samples, more than 2000 times higher than World Health Organisation recommendations.

Email your CV to: vacancies@na.pwc.com or visit our website at www.pwc.com/na/careers Contact Lorraine Holland-Muter with any queries.

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343 (40.35%) 52 5 (9%) Earthlife Namibia also studied the health of current and former mineworkers. Many suffered serious health problems, including respiratory illnesses, which the researchers said was “due to the constant exposure to radon gas and dust”. RUL said last year 1,428 personal radiation exposure dose samples were collected in 2014 and “138 workers were registered as radiation workers whose exposure to penetrating radiation was monitored continuously.” Statistical data released by the mine in its Stakeholder Report this week indicate that workers in the Final Product Recovery plant, waste rock dumps and tailings dam have the highest levels of exposure to ionising radiation. In 2012, the mine first started reporting to the NRPA on the individual dose for every worker, as well as on the cumulative dose for each worker ending their period of employment at the mine. Duvenhage said all subsequent yearly audits conducted by the NRPA “found Rössing to be in full compliance with the national regulations.” In 2014 the mine also conducted 1,275 medical examinations on employees and 1,584 on contractors, including pre-employment medicals, periodic medicals and exit medicals. The findings of the Occupational Radiation Monitoring Programme show that workers in the Final Recovery Plant, where a fire broke out in February, are exposed to highest levels of radiation. Exposure may be external, or through inhalation of radon progeny and radioactive dust. “The average exposure doses in all Similar Exposure Groups (SEGs) are not only below the regulatory dose limit of 20 mSv [milliSievert] per year, they are also below the Rio Tinto standard of 5 mSv per year,” Duvenhage said. It is not yet clear whether the proposed study will look at wider health impacts of exposure to radiation in neighbouring communities as it is well know for example, that when Rössing first started operations there was no laundry on site and workers took their clothes home to be washed by their wives, who were thus exposed to radiation dust on a near-daily basis, without the benefit of any monitoring of radiation at household level.

© 2015 PricewaterhouseCoopers. All rights reserved. In this document, PwC refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers Namibia, which is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each member firm of which is a separate legal entity.

Client Account Associate: Walvis Bay You seek … professional and personal growth, challenges, mobility, diversity and inclusion. We are … the 4th strongest corporate brand in the world and rank in the Top 100 of the world’s most valuable brands, placing us ahead of our competitors in all categories. One of only 5 companies to attain a AAA+ brand rating. Surely more than 183,000 people that share the same values worldwide cannot be wrong! PwC Namibia is Namibian owned and managed and a member of PwC Africa. Join our network of professionals!

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Duties:

• Must be a Namibian Citizen; • Must have Grade 12; • Persons from previously disadvantaged designated groups are encouraged to apply; • At least 7-10 years’ experience in a corporate environment; • Experience in an accounting/ finance environment will be an advantage; • Excellent communication skills; • Strong administration skills required; • Must be able to meet deadlines, perform under pressure and manage multiple tasks; • Must be able to take initiative; • Competent in the use of Microsoft office, especially Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

• Arrange travel and accommodation for the staff and Partners; • Arrange meetings internal and external; • Co-ordinate the partner’s diary, appointments and telephone calls; • Monthly invoicing and fees; • Assist with debt collection; • Complete client take-on procedures; • Co-ordinate Client Satisfaction Surveys; • Filling and general office administration; • Provide administrative support to the Assurance team, Partner and client.

Email your CV to: vacancies@na.pwc.com or visit our website at www.pwc.com/na/careers Contact Lorraine Holland-Muter with any queries. Closing Date: 22 May 2015 If you haven’t heard from us within 14 days of the closing date, you should consider your application unsuccessful. © 2015 PricewaterhouseCoopers. All rights reserved. In this document, PwC refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers Namibia, which is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each member firm of which is a separate legal entity.

News

Thursday, 21 May 2015

First Namibian solar power Ngurare says councillors ‘must be plant goes online burned alive’

Julia Hango Dignitaries gathered in Omaruru last week to witness Founding President Sam Nujoma switch on the lights of the first solar power plant in Namibia. The Omburu Solar Park, situated south of Omaruru and owned by French investor InnoSun, is the first renewable energy project in Namibia by an independent power producer (IPP) and is expected to relieve some of the pressure on the national electricity grid. Innosun was formed in 2008, with Black Diamond Investment as a local shareholder. The French

Ambassador to Namibia, Mrs Jacqueline Bassa-Mazzoni, said that she is “proud to see a French company supporting Namibia by efficiently providing green, clean, low cost energy enabling the provision of a secure power supply to the whole country,” adding “That’s good for France, that’s good for Namibia, and that’s good for the planet!” According to the Ambassador, the Omburu Solar Plant is just the first of several other projects in the pipeline including solar plants and wind farms. “We all agree energy is also one of the keystones to solving the challenge of industrialisation,

and achieving a sustainable economic development of the country. By promoting renewable energies INNOSUN not only provides jobs, since this sector is an important generator for employment, but ‘know how’ transfers. In addition Namibia will be able to increase State budgetary revenues through the exportation of surplus production. Namibia can be a part, to some extent, of a global solution to address major challenges such as climate change; by promoting and supplying green energies Namibia will bring with its National Contribution to the ‘Agenda of Solutions’” she added. Managing director of Nampower Paulinus Shilamba said “The 4, 5 MW solar power plant is a clear testimony of the fact that IPPs can work in Namibia and NamPower is more than willing to support and enter into power purchase agreements with IPPs. The power from the plant will be sold to Nampower under an agreement to last 25 years. Founding President Sam Nuujoma, who officiated at the event, said the plant will translate in enhanced foreign direct investment benefits for Omaruru and the country at large. The park covers an area of 16 hectares with more than 33,000 panels and has a capacity of 4.5 MW. It will generate about 13,500,000 kWh of electricity per year. This represents 1% of the electricity generation of Namibia or the domestic consumption of 20,000 Namibians. 10 permanent Namibian workers will take care of the operation and maintenance during the next 25 years.

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Swapo Youth League Leader, Dr Elijah Ngurare. Photo: www. swapoparty.org Jade McClune The leader of the Swapo Youth League (SPYL) subjected himself to widespread public criticism when he published a statement on Monday saying that municipal councillors and officials should be set on fire. In a statement posted online, the 45-year old leader of SPYL, Dr Elijah Ngurare, published a highly provocative response to the demolition of a number of shacks illegally constructed on the outskirts of Windhoek. “This winter, any councillor or official of the City of Windhoek who initiates the demolition of people's houses in the informal settlement must be burned alive,” he wrote, sparking alarm even among his own supporters. Against the background of ongoing xenophobic violence in South Africa, Ngurare’s statement was widely criticised for inciting violence against elected officials and municipal workers, who are carrying out lawful instructions. Asked by this reporter to explain his statement that elected officials should be “burned alive”, Ngurare became aggressive: “You are merely an enemy of progress,” he said, “the issue is demolition of houses… you are aware of figurative and literal meaning of words, but you pretend not to know.” Asked what the real meaning of his call to burn municipal workers could be, Ngurare said: [it is] very clear that no one should initiate demolition of houses in the informal settlement. If you do, you deserve to be burned.” Ngurare did not explain why he hadn’t opposed shack demolitions before, nor called for the mutilation of councillors and municipal workers during the previous 25 years, given that the practise of tearing down illegal structures is not new. A close ally of Job Amupanda and a supporter of the Affirmative Repositioning campaign, Ngurare found himself in a diabolic position after their preferred candidate, Jerry Ekandjo, was defeated in the presidential race last year. Ngurare had to swallow his pride and campaign for Hage Geingob, a candidate he did not initially support. It appears the inner-party rift has not been healed. Given their hostility towards the ‘old guard’ of the party leadership, many believe that Ngurare and Amupanda are headed for the exit sooner or later. The antics of the two youth leaders have widely been seen as inciting public violence and disorder in an attempt to destabilise the popular Geingob administration. On 11 May Amupanda, who is still on

suspension, threatened that they “will announce the location, the street and erf number of the houses of municipal officials so that our people can visit the demolishers at the time of their choosing. We know where they stay!” Immanuel Kooper objected to “these types of statements from our learned leaders inciting violence… I’m thinking of the simple statement by the Zulu king, that he has vehemently denied. Sorry comrade I do not concur with your statement... very tasteless is the least I can say.” Regular contributor to the online Politics Watch Namibia forum, Mikey Munika asked: “Comrade Ngurare, are we advocating violence? I respect your stance [with regard to the demolition of shacks], but this statement, coming from you is highly irresponsible.” Elezo Libanda called Ngurare “Zwelithini the second” and asked whether destroying someone’s house is equivalent to murder?” “Keep your integrity Tate Ngurare. Anger must not make you lose it,” wrote Mauta Ester. Ngurare later claimed his statement was not meant to be taken literally, but added that “if someone is killed in the process of such inhuman demolition, eye for an eye must apply.” Browny Mutrifa objected to this “new form of engagement to resolve matters. Let us not bring the SA style of resolving matters. Problems must be resolved through dignified engagement and respect for life at all times.” Chris Tiboth said “These old youth leaders confuse barbarism with radicalism.” “I expected more wisdom from you. Do not become an irresponsible leader. We all agree what the Council did is barbaric, but what you suggest is the same”, Helmut Labitzke concurred. Ngurare first came to prominence when he emerged from the political wilderness in 2007 to take over from the disgraced former leader of SPYL, Paulus Kapia, who is currently facing criminal charges related to missing funds of the Social Security Commission. In his latest attempts to ingratiate himself with the powers-that-be, Ngurare called last week for the birthday of his hero, former president Sam Nujoma on 12 May, to be declared a public holiday. The suggestion has been widely rejected and ridiculed. Observers have noted that despite major political differences between him and the party he represents, Ngurare stands to lose a great deal if he should leave Swapo, as he is a director on the boards of Namdeb Holdings, Namdeb Diamond Corporation, Africa Online, MultiChoice Namibia, Kalahari Holdings and NamWater.

Thursday, 21 May 2015

Namibia second most unequal country in the world

Jade McClune We cannot ignore the massive income inequality that exists in the country, President Hage Geingob said on Wednesday as he prepared to declare all his assets to the public. “There is mammoth income disparity between the rich and the poor,” he said, which divide the haves and have-nots, Geingob said during a press conference where he declared his and his wife’s assets. At his first address to parliament as head of state, he pledged to lead “the war on poverty”. In an unprecedented move which he described as a gesture of transparency, the President revealed the extent of his personal wealth. He said his assets, including property and cash in the bank, amount to a ‘net-value’ of around N$51 million. His wife Monica owns a bit more than him, “but that’s alright”, he joked. Geingob briefly outlined his career path to explain how he acquired his assets, but strongly rejected suggestions by journalists that he is hiding wealth behind blind trusts and company nominees as unfounded. He invited them to bring any proof of such activities. Income inequality The President, whose popularity was enhanced by his decision to raise the old age pension by N$400 at his very first Cabinet meeting, will be well advised to focus on the rising poverty levels in a country where the majority of workers earn less than N$2,000 a month. Statistics released by the World Bank this week confirmed the findings of economic researchers who concluded recently that Namibia is now the second most unequal country in the world in terms of income and wealth distribution, following closely on the heels of South Africa.

The findings show that despite having nominally progressive governments led by former liberation movements, South Africa and Namibia are the world leaders in economic inequality today, with Botswana in tow. In Namibia and South Africa, the richest 10% of the population takes 75% of the national income (the top 5% takes around 70% of the cake). Recent data from the National Planning Commission shows that the poorest 50% of Namibians (the bottom million) control only around 3% of the national wealth. In a paper presented by Cambridge Professor José Gabriel Palma at the 17th World Congress of the International Economic Association in June 2014, he said that when comparing levels of income inequality around the world it appears that, “South Africa, with Namibia, Zambia and most likely Botswana, are living entirely in a world of their own.” Compared to global patterns of income distribution in other middle-income and mineral-rich countries, Namibia and South Africa are “literally off the charts”, Palma said. Such a high level of inequality has major implications for the quality of life and political stability in any country and may well be at the root cause of many social and health problems. Namibia is not unique in this respect, given that the gap between the rich and the poor is growing worldwide as the top 1% take an increasing share of global wealth. In March Oxfam International revealed that the 67 richest people in the world now control as much wealth as the poorest half of the global population, 3.5 billion people. Both groups own a total US$US 1.7 trillion in asset. The people in the top group could fit into a bus and own on average at least US$20 billion each, whereas people in the poorest half of humanity own assets worth only US$486.

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Thursday, 21 May 2015

St Gabriel the heroes of the day Sharon Brooks

The Namib Independent reported last week on the dire financial situation St Gabriel Community Ambulance finds themselves in. Despite the financial woes of the trust, the emergency service managed to save the lives of a number of people in the Erongo region in one day alone. On Sunday evening, St Gabriel responded to a female police officer who was hit by a car at the road block outside Walvis Bay. According to Gabriela, who dispatched two of their ambulances to the scene, the officer was not breathing when the paramedics arrived on scene. She is now, however, reportedly in a stable condition despite her very serious injuries. Gabriela says of the incident “We are a

Areva Namibia in conjunction with SANDVIK and Arandis Town Council are partners in the St Gabriel Arandis Ambulance Service uniform fraternity, we all jump in to help each other”. Since the introduction of an ambulance at Arandis by the trust through a smart partnership with Areva, SANDVIK and the Arandis Town Council, numerous critics have said that an emergency response

service is unneeded in the area, maintaining that the emergency services in Swakopmund are sufficient to service the area. On the same day that the trust responded to the road block, however, those very critics were silenced when St Gabriel responded to an accident that

had occurred near Arandis. The St Gabriel Team, Ronald and Jakobus, rushed out to the scene to find 4 people had been injured in the accident. One of the victims was “walking wounded”, one little boy had suffered a broken femur, but was otherwise unharmed, another young boy was in an altered mental state, and a head injury was suspected. An eight year old girl, however, was not so lucky. When Ronald and Jakobus examined the child, they discovered that she had a tension pneumothorax (the impact of the accident had resulted in air accumulating between her chest wall and lungs). Through training and experience, Ronald realised the little girl had just minutes to live. He immediately performed a needle decompression to alleviate the pressure on her lungs. The girl, along with the two little boys were then directly transferred to Cottage hospital for further treatment. Ronald had to perform a second

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needle decompression along the way, but the team managed to stabilise the child by the time she was admitted to the hospital. Had the ambulance service not been stationed in Arandis, this young life would probably have been lost, as Ronald says that she would have survived only about five minutes more without his lifesaving treatment. Gabriela hopes to give the two team members a small bonus to say thank you for their dedication and commitment. Gabriela Teleman of St Gabriel says that the value of saving one life is incalculable. The hard work and financial turmoil have all proved worthwhile. According to Gabriela, she will continue to respond to all calls she receives, whether she is officially dispatched or not, as her mission is to save lives. She would like to express her gratitude to Areva, SANDVIK and the Arandis Town Council for their support and their commitment to put love and life before money.

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News

Thursday, 21 May 2015

Local artist showcased at Harbour’s End

areas, and the inequality that people in these areas experience with regards to the economy, food, electricity and water. "I was inspired by the way in these settlements people build their houses by finding scraps of corrugated iron, wood and wire. It amazes me to still see this, it also shows just how many poor people are out there living in shacks

Julia Hango Harbour’s End Art Gallery in Walvis Bay is currently showcasing work by young, urban, Namibian artist, John Kalunda. Originally from Windhoek, John is now based on the

Sharon Brooks Nico and Riana Scholtz, along with sponsor KPMG, officially launched the Brandberg Rhino Run fundraising event last week in Swakopmund. The event will take place on 20 June 2015 and all proceeds will go toward the Save the Rhino Trust in their efforts to protect the rhinos of Namibia. The Save the Rhino Trust, a proudly Namibian non-profit organisation, has recently launched a pro-active anti-poaching program which aims to protect the rhino of the Kunene Region and eradicate poaching. In the arid north west of Namibia, the desert-adapted black rhino (Diceros bicornis bicornis) is the only rhino worldwide which lives on communal land without formal conservation. Furthermore, it is the largest truly wild, free-roaming black rhino population left in the world. For a number of years Nico and Riana Scholtz have been searching for a way to contribute toward the conservation of Namibia’s rhino population and when they moved to Uis two months ago all the pieces began to fall into place. With the Save the Rhino Trust nearby, the two scientists decided that a running event near Brandberg would be a fantastic way to contribute to rhino conservation. The event will include a 25 km trail/jeep track, a 12 km track as well as a 6km fun run/walk. The entry fees for the run are N$200 for 25km, N$100 for 12 km and 50 for 6km. The organisers hope to have 100 participants in the run, which would bring the amount

of his works hanging in a home in Windhoek. He was pleasantly surprised because it had been the first time someone approached him for an exhibition at the coast. Liz Visser from the Gallery said they are always looking for new artists to exhibit there, from fine art paintings to photography. John’s exhibition will be on show at the Harbour’s

coast and teaches Art at the COSDEF Centre in Swakopmund. The Namib Independent caught up with the young artist to talk about the exhibition at Harbour's End Gallery. According to John, his art depicts the living standards of people in urban

Run to save Rhinos

Swakop Striders supports Rhino Run. Kirsty Brits, Riana Scholtz, Johan Bronkhorst

and walking miles for water. Art is my life and these works show it in the literal sense." The mixed media of paint and odd materials such as sand, grass and iron bring his artworks to life. John has 13 of his shelter ensembles on show at the Harbour’s End Art Gallery. According to John he was approached by Megan from the gallery after she had seen one

raised to N$10 000 through entry fees alone. KPMG has come on board as the main sponsor of the event with a contribution of N$50 000, N$20 000 of which is a direct donation to Save the Rhino Trust. In addition, there are seven sponsors who donated in excess of N$10 000 each. These sponsors include Mowani Mountain Lodge, Mike van die Meer, Erongo Wilderness Lodge and more. To date, N$66 000 in cash donations have been received, with a further N$48 000 in vouchers having been sponsored toward the event. The organisers aim to raise N$200 000 toward Save the Rhino Trust, so are encouraging the community to get involved, either through sponsorships or participation. Prizes available for competitors include a Mowani Mountain Camp accommodation worth N$20 530 for the winner of the 25 km run. In addition, the winners of the 25 km and 12 km runs will each receive a cash prize of N$7000. Many experienced runners have already signed up to participate in the event, Swakopmund Striders Kirsty Brits and This is a Business Corporate event where we are happy to Johan Bronkhorst as well as Erich Goeieman will advertise your business! be running the 25km. Entries for the event Saturday, 23 May 2015 are hosted on OTB Sport’s website: www. Time: Doors open at 7pm otbsport.com/events Venue: Walvis Bay Town Hall and entry fees are payable directly into Dress Code: Semi Formal the Save the Rhino Trust’s bank account. Cash Bar will be available For more information Table ticket – N$200 includes a dinner (pre-bookings only) contact Riana on N$60 per chair (Available at the entrance door on Saturday) riana@scarab.com.na or visit their facebook This is a promotional event of freestyle networking. To be part of this page: facebook.com/ exciting event just contact: Lizelle Cordier 081 287 7580 brandbergrhinorun

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End Art Gallery in Walvis Bay until the first week of June. The works are very well priced and there are many to choose from. The Harbour’s End Art Gallery is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00 and is located on the Walvis Bay Waterfront above the Jetty Shoppe. Feel free to contact Liz 085 6255791 or Megan at 081 1242527 for more information.

Worldwide

Thursday, 21 May 2015

Worldwide Food industry braces for Obama trans-fat ban The FDA is expected to move toward eliminating an ingredient seen as a health risk. The Obama administration is expected to all but ban trans-fat in a final ruling that could drop as soon as next week, killing most uses of an ingredient that has been put in everything and deemed harmful to human health. The agency may create some very limited exemptions, but the ruling could force food companies to cut trans-fat use beyond the 85 percent reduction already achieved over the past decade — a key piece of the Obama administration’s broader agenda to nudge Americans toward a healthier diet. The food industry believes low-levels of trans-fats are safe. Industry leaders have banded together behind-the-scenes to craft a food additive petition that will ask FDA to allow some uses of partially hydrogenated oils, such as in the sprinkles on cupcakes, cookies and ice cream. The industry has not shared details, but officials maintain the uses will represent “very

limited amounts.” For more than 60 years, partially hydrogenated oils have been used in food products under the status generally recognised as safe, which does not require FDA’s approval. But since the 1990s, reams of studies have linked trans-fat consumption to cardiovascular disease. In late 2013 the Obama administration issued a tentative determination that partially hydrogenated oils are not generally recognised as safe. The move sent shock waves through the food industry, which has already brought down average consumption from more than 4 grams per day to about 1 gram per day — an exodus largely fuelled by mandatory labelling imposed a decade ago. Scores of popular products, including Oreos and Cheetos, have quietly dropped partially hydrogenated

oils over the years, but it remains an ingredient in many products. If FDA sticks to its guns in its final determination — and most in food policy circles assume it will — the agency will be taking a firm step toward pushing out more of the remaining uses of trans fat. “This is a massive win for public health,” said Sam Kass, the former senior adviser for nutrition at the White House. The federal government’s crackdown on trans-fat is an ironic twist for a substance that first came into favour in the 1950’s as a response to the perceived negative health issues linked to the use of saturated fats from animal products, like lard and butter. The oils, which are made “partially hydrogenated” by bubbling hydrogen molecules through liquid at high temperatures, become solid,

Nigerian restaurant shut down

A restaurant has reportedly been shut down following allegations it was serving its customers human flesh. According to BBC News Swahili, visitors to the hotel restaurant in Anambra, Nigeria, notified police that there were rumours

that human meat was being given to customers. The BBC reports that when police raided the restaurant, they found to their horror that fresh human heads – still bleeding – were being stored in the back and that some human flesh was being served. In

addition, officers found automatic weapons and mobile phones. ‘Every time I went to the market, I observed strange activities going on in the hotel,’ one local resident told the BBC. ‘People who were never cleanly dressed and who looked a bit strange made their way in and out of the hotel, making me very suspicious of their activities. I am not surprised at the shocking revelation.’ A priest who had recently eaten at the restaurant reportedly told authorities that he had been presented with a bill of 700

Naira – around N$ 42.00 – which is a large amount of money in a country where millions survive on less than N$ 11 a day. ‘The attendant noticed my reaction and told me it was the small piece of meat I had eaten that made the bill that high,’ he told the BBC. ‘I did not know I had been served with human meat, and that it was that expensive.’ Police are said to have arrested 10 people in connection with the crimes. Source: www.metro. co.uk

New Urban Algae Invention Produces As Much Oxygen As A cultures and real time digital Small Forest! micro-algal cultivation protocols within a unique EcoLogicStudio in London has designed an Urban Algae Canopy, which produces the same amount of oxygen daily as a forest of 40,000 square meters. This cutting-edge technology was unveiled this week at Expo Milano 2015 Future Food District. The prototype is the world’s first bio-digital canopy, integrating

architectural cladding system. Once completed, the Urban Algae Canopy will produce the oxygen equivalent of four hectares of woodland and up to 150 kg of biomass per day, 60% of which are natural vegetal proteins. Designers say: “In EcoLogicStudio we believe that it is now time to overcome the segregation between technology and nature typical of the mechanical age,

to embrace a systemic understanding of architecture. In this prototype the boundaries between the material, spatial and technological dimensions have been carefully articulated to achieve efficiency, resilience and beauty.” Source: www.trueactivist.com

giving food a better shelf life and texture. Margarine became a regular staple in our kitchens, though many of margarine brands have now mostly phased out their use of partially hydrogenated oils. Some naturally occurring trans-fat can be found in meat and dairy, but the FDA is only going after socalled industrial or added partially hydrogenated oils, which have been shown to raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol. Public health groups are likely to praise the FDA’s final decision on trans-fat, but it also will pose significant technical and economic challenges for food companies large and small. When the agency decided to rid the food supply of the heart-clogging substance, officials probably were not thinking about the hundreds of minor and often highly-technical uses in products like sprinkles. Trans-fat, it turns out,

helps keep the decorative colour on certain sprinkles from leeching onto frosting — preventing unsightly cupcakes and cookies. Some food industry experts think health officials were genuinely surprised to learn about the breadth of minor uses, including sprinkles. Partially hydrogenated oils also used in many other technical ways, including to keep baked goods from sticking to equipment and stabilize flavours, colours or salts, whether it is the coating of an ice cream bar or a beverage. The industry and FDA will have to grapple with these and other remaining uses in the coming months as the agency will ultimately have to decide what levels of trans fat are safe for consumers and thus what levels will be permitted in food products during the food additive petition review process. Source: www.politico.com

Bear 'Buries Woman Alive

The animal is said to have launched a ferocious assault on the mum before covering her in soil in an attempt to hide his prey. A woman was attacked and buried alive by a bear while she walked her dog, according to Russian media. Natalya Pasternak was collecting birch sap with a friend in a forest in the Amur region of Siberia when her pet began to bark. The bear is reported to have first targeted the dog before attacking the 55-year-old, causing serious injuries to her stomach, legs and head. Apparently in an effort to hide his prey to eat later, the wild animal then covered the motherof-two with soil. Ms Pasternak's friend managed to escape and called emergency services. Police and experts

arrived and shot the animal - a female, estimated to be four years old - before finding the woman buried, but still conscious. According to the Siberian Times, the woman asked her rescuers: "Have you killed the bear?" She was taken to intensive care at a hospital in Tynda, where doctors said her condition was now serious but stable. The region's deputy health minister, Marina Gulevich, told Vostok Media: "Even yesterday, the patient remained non-transportable. "But she has recovered. She was disconnected from the ventilator and is breathing by herself." The Siberian Times reports that her two adult children were also at the hospital. Source: www.news.sky.com

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Motoring

Thursday, 21 May 2015

motoring Opel Adam launched in Namibia In this day and age, small cars are not the basic, entry level carriages they once were. As society generally became more affluent and roads became more congested, size began to matter and while accepting the practicality of downsized transport as a virtue, standing out from the crowd became an issue. Superminis emerged, offering many of the creature comforts of bigger models in the particular brand’s range – at a premium price, of course – to create a market niche with very distinct appeal. Arriving a little late on the scene is a new contender from a reborn Adam Opel AG. Named after the company’s founding father (in 1862), the Adam may

be a laat lammetjie but Opel’s first ‘New German’ has arrived with a very personable character. On the face of it there are just three models – Base, Jam and Glam – but a profusion of feature options allow customers to create a specification tailor made to their personality and preferences, from small detail items like a colour-keyed key fob to an LED-powered ‘stars at night’ headliner. The Adam is a good-looker embodying subtle styling elements. This two-door four-seat hatchback is distinctive enough with proportions that are just about spot on, avoiding a supermini tendency of appearing slightly dumpy. There is refreshingly little in the way of bling – the shape’s flowing curves

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being sufficient to provide distinvtive attraction. The base model is powered by a 74kW/130Nm 1.4-litre four-pot mated with a five-speed manual gearbox – there is no auto version in the pipeline. Gearing suggests a leaning towards economy with the top two ratios being rather sluggish but the gearshift is a tactile pleasure, so dropping down a couple of cogs to bring up the revs is no hardship. The new turbocharged three-cylinder 1.0-litre ecoflex motor is a delight. Stop/start is standard with this engine and helps in providing excellent fuel economy. On the road all of the Adams offer precise, fail-safe handling. The bigger wheels provide a firmer and slightly noisier ride than with the 15-inchers. ESP is standard on all derivatives along with ABS with EBD, six airbags, City Mode power steering and Hill Start Assist. Advanced Parking Aid and Side Blind Zone Alert are fitted to the Jam and Glam models. Up front the cabin is spacious with plenty of room and adjustment to comfortably accommodate even a 1.9-metre frame. Leg - and headroom in the back are not surprisingly less generous and the seats are quite hard. The ergonomics and tactile quality of the interior is top notch. All models have a radio/CD front loader and Bluetooth/USB/MP3/Aux input while

Jam and Glam boast the full Monty of a smartphone compatible 7-inch touchscreen Intellilink infotainment system that incorporates Stitcher (which streams podcasts and radio shows), TuneIn Internet radio, BringGo navigation and support for Siri when an Apple iPhone is connected. First impressions of the Adam are highly favourable. Opel is successfully rejuvenating itself and with the introduction of this car – to be joined shortly by some other new models – the brand looks set for a prosperous second lease of life. Pricing: OPEL ADAM 1.4 ECOTEC N$ 189 900 OPEL ADAM JAM 1.0T ECOFLEX N$ 209 900 OPEL ADAM GLAM 1.0T ECOFLEX N$ 232 900 Included in the pricing are a 5-year/120000km warranty and roadside assistance plan and a 3-year/60000km service plan – service intervals are 1-year/15000km. The Opel Adam is marketed and distributed by Auas Motors Group. For more information call in store to any of their seven outlets countrywide or visit your nearest showroom Source: www.topcar.co.za

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Thursday, 21 May 2015

Japanese air bag supplier has recalled AUAS MOTORS some 34 million vehicles

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Departune 2: 14:00 pm

Departune 2: 15:00 pm

The Japanese air bag supplier Takata has said that almost 34 million vehicles were equipped with dangerously defective air bag mechanisms, prompting what is believed to be the most extensive automotive recall in US history. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Takata have reached an agreement that requires the air bag company to fully cooperate with investigators, according to NPR. “Today is a major step forward for public safety,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said. “The Department of Transportation is taking the proactive steps necessary to ensure that defective inflators are replaced with safe ones as quickly as possible, and that the highest risks are addressed first. We will not stop our work until every air bag is replaced.”

The recall affects 10 car makers, thought the NHTSA still is waiting for a full list of affected vehicles from Takata. The problems are in cars with certain Takata passenger-side and driver-side inflators, which can rupture and potentially send metal shrapnel into the cabin. “The actions expand regional recalls of Takata passenger-side inflators, currently limited to areas of high absolute humidity, to nationwide recalls involving more than 16 million vehicles,” the Transportation Department said in a statement. “They also expand the current nationwide recall of driver-side inflators to more than 17 million vehicles.”

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