ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY News & Analysis
DECEMBER, 2021
Omicron What Now? The Briefing and Analysis of RDJ Consulting (NAMIBIA) Windhoek, Namibia
The RDJ Group wishes you a happy holiday season and a new year filled with health, happiness and prosperity. STAY SAFE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON & BEYOND
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News & Analysis
From The Editor Quick Facts Economy at Large Oil & Gas Electricity Water The Environment Roads & Transport ICT & Telecommunications Women in Industry Tenders Contributing Authors
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C ONT E NT S
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY
DEC 2021
FROM THE EDITOR Omicron RDJ Consulting Services CC is an advisory consultancy to the Energy, Water and Transport Sectors with a focus on sustainable operations and renewable energy.
PO Box 23738 Windhoek, NAMIBIA Telephone +264 61 400 171
EMAIL briefing@rdjpublishing.africa
WEBSITE www.rdjpublishing.africa
What Now? Dear Reader, Firstly, let me thank you for staying with us and following our journey as we looked at the unfolding Energy and Sustainability events of 2021. We have come to the end of another year and sadly, another year having had to live with the ravages of Covid-19. After thinking that 2020 would have been the most uncertain year in a “lifetime”, 2021 certainly proved this wrong having seen the emergence of new Covid variants. Now that the year is ending, and families started planning to meet, Omicron (B.1.1.529: SARS-CoV2 Variant) as designated by World Health (WHO) appeared on the scene, officially recognized 24 November 2021. Being of great concern and spreading quite fast around the world, has led to cancelation of flights, closing of borders, and other unforeseen actions that are having negative impacts on almost all countries around the globe.
individual sectors as we face the varied challenges as the world celebrates the festive season and awaits crossing over to the new year. RDJ Publishing (Pty) Ltd., the new home of the RDJ Briefing and on behalf of our partner RDJ Consulting (Namibia), sends our best wishes and looks forward to serving you in 2022 and beyond! Enjoy, #Stay Safe and note that your comments are always welcome….…. To find out more, please continue to enjoy reading this RDJ Briefing and do join our conversations on Twitter and Wordpress. If you are new to the RDJ Briefing, subscribe to this FREE Publication at briefing@rdjpublishing.africa and freely share the link with others that will benefit from its contents.
With Omicron in our midst, what now? This month we will have a look at the ongoing developments in the various economic and
(David A. Jarrett) Editor
Authors RDJ Interns*
This report is a FREE Publication and was prepared by RDJ Consulting Services CC based in Windhoek, Namibia. The content is collected from publicly available information and so its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
quick facts 2.3M
Population Size
66%
Employment (2021)
Tourism, Mining, Fishing Industries
89%
LTE
Telecom (sophistication)
2.575
Million Mobile(cell phones) Subscribers
2.25%
GDP Growth (2021 NSA)
7.50%
Prime Interest rate
Literacy Rate
8.8M
Water availability (cubic litres/capita)
4.7
Local Electrical Energy Production (TWh)
688.000
Electricity Demand in MW (all)
www.rdjpublishing.africa
4.10%
Inflation (CPI)
3.75% Repo Rate
6
DECEMBER, 2021
ECONOMY AT LARGE Inside BoN’s New Strategic Plan for 2022/2024 AUTHOR: Ms. Chilombo Olga Priscila Economist @ RDJ Consulting
I
n order to renew its expiring 2017 – 2021 plan, the Bank of Namibia (BoN) launched its 2022/2024 Strategic Plan on the first of December 2021 as part
of an exercise led by the Board and MC of the Bank with everyone participating. According to BoN, the new plan is adjusted to 3 years period due to the high changing environment the Bank is currently operating in. additionally, with the continuously evolving changes technology, the Bank has designed the new plan to focus on 3 key items: 1. Digitally transform the Bank; 2. Modernise the financial system; and 3. Help restore economic growth and sustainable economic development. In demonstratiing how promising the new plan is compared to the previous, the BoN’s Governor Johannes !Gawaxab made a comparison between the Bank’s old and new mission in his speech during the Plan’s Launch event as follows:
2017-2021 MISSION WAS: To support economic growth and development in Namibia: Act as a fiscal advisor and banker to government Promote price stability Manage reserves and currency Ensure sound financial systems and conduct economic research
2022-2024 MISSION IS: To support sustainable economic development through effective monetary policy and an inclusive and stable financial system for the benefit of all Namibians.
In fact, this new mission reflects the Bank’s core mandate, and according to BoN, the conditions in it are necessary to attain sustainable development especially during the times we live in and for the future. Additionally, the new strategic plan is set on for pillars which make up its high-level strategic objectives to reach within the upcoming three years. These include Purpose; Stakeholder Engagement; Talent and Transformation; and Organisational Effectiveness and Efficiency. Resting on these pillars, the Bank is striving to achieve the following changes form what it is today to what it will become in 2024:
FROM NOW
TO 2024
Manual and Paperbased environment
Digitally transformed
Working in silo's
Fluently working across functions and departments
Structured and system's oriented workforce
A future fit for digitally advanced workforce
Decline in economic growth
increase in economic growth
Good level of financial inclusion
Financial inclusion for the majority of Namibian population (informal sector and rural Namibia)
Considering the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, as well as all developments going on around the world, the plan is expected to usher in a digital transformation era for the institution as mentioned earlier, which intends to automate, modernise and facilitate efficiency utilising technology, which further acts as an enabler to the strategy. Its key Initiatives are as indicated in the figure that follows.
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DECEMBER, 2021
7
CREDIT: www.bon.com.na
Further initiatives by the Bank include assessing the viability of central bank digital currencies and retail bonds, and the establishment of an innovation hub. The hub according to the Bank's spokesperson, Kazembire Zemburuka, is expected to promote innovation and creativity in the fintech sector, and provide a conducive environment for the incubation of new concepts without stifling start-ups and innovators, but doing so in a regulatory responsible manner.
With the new mission and objective outlined in the Bank’s three-year Strategic Plan, it is expected that Namibia’s financial systems bring about advantage to its people during the times we face by leading and bringing about digital transformation, financial inclusion and economic growth in the country. Further reading: https://www.bon.com.na/CMSTemplates/Bon/Files/bon.com.na/18/180 611da-6e27-4c24-b4ff-03e16605a325.pdf
CREDIT: RDJ Photo
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DECEMBER, 2021
Fourth Wave, Rising Debt Pose Risks to Namibian Financial system
N
amibia’s financial system is under threat from the impending COVID-19 fourth wave coupled with vaccination hesitancy and rising government debt,
the central bank has warned. Bank of Namibia Governor Johannes !Gawaxab said although the economy is projected to recover from a contraction of 8.5% in 2020 to a growth rate of 1.5% for the year 2021 and improve further in 2022, the economic environment remains fragile. “These developments warrant close monitoring going forward. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, risks to the Namibian financial system remain imminent and will be monitored closely by both BoN and NAMFISA,” he said. He also noted that the Macroprudential Oversight Committee of the Bank of Namibia had concluded that the country’s financial system is resilient and sound, therefore no need for further macroprudential policy intervention. “Overall, the financial system is solvent, sound and has been resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic challenges. Both the banking and non-banking sectors remained liquid, profitable and well capitalized,” he said. “This bodes well for financial stability because the financial system was able to withstand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with challenging macroeconomic conditions.” !Gawaxab said although the overall banking sector's key performance indicators improved, asset quality remains a concern. “The liquidity ratio increased from 15.9% in the second quarter of 2021 to 17.8% in the third quarter. Capital adequacy slowed marginally on a quarterly basis, but remained well above prudential requirements. Profitability improved and is recovering to pre-pandemic levels, as represented by the return on equity (ROE) and return on assets (ROA) ratios. The ROE ratio increased from 11.8% in the second quarter of 2021 to 13.6% in the third quarter; while the ROA ratio increased from 1.4% to 1.6% over the same period,” the Governor said.
“The stress tests indicated that the banking sector will remain solvent over the next 12 months. Of concern is the continued increase in the non-performing loan ratio during the period under review, though marginally, however the Bank is monitoring these developments closely.” !Gawaxab said the country’s Non-Bank Financial Institutions Sector (NBFIs) remained sound and sufficiently capitalised recording a quarterly growth rate in assets of 2% between the second and third quarter of 2021, driven mainly by market returns from pension funds and new business from long-term insurance (LTI) and collective investment schemes (CIS). “Although the pension fund industry remained solvent, there are concerns regarding benefits paid exceeding contributions received, which is as a result of the impact of the pandemic on the labour market. However, there is some comfort that the return on investments recorded a 4% growth rate, during the period under review and hence remained sufficient to cover the gap identified above. The LTI sector remained solvent with sound reserves and net premiums sufficiently covering claims. In addition, the CIS sector remained stable. The regulator will continue to monitor developments accordingly,” the Governor said. He said Private sector credit extended (PSCE) declined during the first ten months of 2021 compared to the corresponding period of 2020. “The growth in PSCE moderated to an average of 2.5 percent for the first ten months of 2021 when compared to the 3.7 percent growth recorded for the same period in 2020. The slowdown is attributed to lower demand for credit by both households and businesses owing to slow domestic economic activity,” he said.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY:
https://www.thebrief.com.na/index.php/component/k2 /item/441-fourth-wave-rising-debt-pose-risks-tonamibian-financial-system
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RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR PEOPLE The most effective steps individuals can take to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus is to keep a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others; wear a well-fitting mask; open windows to improve ventilation; avoid poorly ventilated or crowded spaces; keep hands clean; cough or sneeze into a bent elbow or tissue; and get vaccinated when it’s their turn. WHO will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available, including following meetings of the TAG-VE. In addition, information will be available on WHO’s digital and social media platforms. (https://www.who.int/news/item/28-11-2021-update-on-omicron)
OIL & GAS
www.rdjconsulting.co.za
AUGUST, 2020
2021 DECEMBER FUEL PRICES
N$ 15.65
per litre 95 Octane Unleaded Petrol
N$ 15.58
per litre Diesel 50ppm
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12 DECEMBER, 2021
Is it time for Fuel Price Reforms in Namibia? AUTHOR: Ms. Chilombo Olga Priscila Economist @ RDJ Consulting
EDITOR: Mr. David Jarrett Managing Consultant @ RDJ Consulting
N
amibia has a relatively low population in comparison to its immediate southern African neighbours such as like Angola, South Africa,
during the year, and possibly to enable its members to remain in business going forward.
Zambia, etc. This is a disadvantage and in fact, is well known by economists, that a larger population increases the economies of scale when it comes to doing business, leading to easier ways of rent seeking actions.
After doing certain evaluations, NABTA received an increase of public transport fees by 9.2% which became effective 1 December. The increase comes after the government rejected NABTA's request to increase bus and taxi fares to “Covid-19 prices”, which would constitute a 15% increase, and instead approved an increase form N$12.00 to N$13.00 per single trip from one taxi rank to another within Windhoek, and double price from a taxi rank to non-taxi ranks or up to residentials point of drop off.
Namibia however, with its low and dispersed population struggles in this area, and consequently continuously faces increased growth of unregistered businesses in its informal settlements to fill the service void and be burdened with its commensurate costs. After covid created challenges for the country, businesses begun facing major losses due to the reduced and even restricted activities. The transport sector wasn’t spared, and this impact was felt both for local and tourist patrons alike. With continued covid restriction in public transport capacity, along with the 2021 constant increase in fuel prices, the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (NABTA), on behalf of its members, approached the Ministry of Works and Transport requesting for an approval to increase the taxi fare, as a means of compensation for the loss incurred
So, who was right? Analysing a fuel price graph of 2021, we can see that that on average, there was about 33% increase in the unit price of 95 Octane Unleaded Petrol price and about 31% increase in the unit price of Diesel 50ppm over the period. These increases in such a short period of time are quite significant and the impact on the public is unsustainable in the long run. The world’s petroleum price indexes also indicate that since the beginning of the year, there have been continuous increase in fuel prices globally.
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On average, there was about 33% increase in the unit price of 95 Octane Unleaded Petrol price and about 31% increase in the unit price of Diesel 50ppm over the period in Namibia.
CHILOMBO PRISCILA
DECEMBER, 2021 13
When we move to electric mobility or other alternate fuels, will the formula be relevant”? Looking “next door” at South Africa, its seems that this may not only be a ‘Namibian problem’ after its Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana raised concerns about increase in fuel costs during a recent parliament session in Cape Town. When addressing the matter, Minister Godongwana called for changes to the way the fuel price is calculated, after the cost of gasoline rose to a record in December 2021 – just like in Namibia, and he indicates that if the prices continue to increase, the country has to play a role, to do whatever it can, to support the reform of the fuel pricing model.
Fuel prices are regulated in Namibia and South Africa, with pricing including a number of components such as an Accident Fund levy and other taxes, which in the case of South Africa increased 40% this year. In fact, it is expected that with the continued increase in fuel prices, both countries should also expect an increase in inflation very soon, which will affect the cost of food. In finding a way out of this, South Africa’s Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe suggested to lawmakers that separating the fuel levy from prices would be “helpful.” He said that “at this point in time a big part of the price increases is the levy. Therefore, a way of countering price increases is an urgent matter for review and that is on the table.” What the Minister did not say was, When we move to electric mobility or other alternate fuels, will the formula be relevant”? So, looking at Namibia, is it also time for Fuel Price Reforms? The conversation continues at briefing@rdjpublishing.africa
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14 DECEMBER, 2021
ELECTRICITY Battery Energy Storage Futures AUTHOR: David Jarrett Managing Consultant at RDJ Consulting
E
lectric utilities such as NamPower, ESKOM, ZESCO, Escom etc. etc., are the opposite of what their customers think. All utilities want to sell as much
power as possible at a rate that ensures profitability. Further, the generation capacity of a utility meets various demand levels throughout the day as customer usage varies. Thus, we have tariffs that either incentivise or disincentivize customers so that they adopt usage patterns commensurate to the utilities least cost mix or close to it.
The last few years have demonstrated that the skepticism around energy storage technology is rapidly evaporating as storage transitions to a state of deployment.
https://www.dnv.com/
Issues around the affordability of customers only arise when there is a debt pile of note that impacts the utility’s liquidity. This means that they need unlimited energy available or at a minimum sufficient quantity to meet the convenience of their customers. So how can they do this? Traditionally, utilities relied on “prime movers” such as steam, hydro or diesel/gas driven turbines. Coal in particular is / was a favourite source of heat due in part to its cheap and plentiful existence, along with heavy fuel oil and diesel generators known as “Peaker’s”. These type of fossil fuelled plants have proven over time to be amongst humanity’s greatest greenhouse gas emitters increasing global temperatures and contributing to climate change impacts. Renewable energy technologies have proven to be a more sustainable source of electrical energy.However, the intermittency of solar (not being available at night) and erratic wind profiles creates a challenge to traditional utilities in meeting the now habitual usage patterns of customers.
Energy Storage site. Courtesy: https://www.dnv.com/
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DECEMBER, 2021 15
SAPP SADC Grid Map. Courtesy: http://www.sapp.co.zw/
As we have pointed out before, energy storage is the holy grail not only to provide “smoothing” for the variability that most renewable energies bring to grid and system networks but also reliability, extend the hours of energy availability and in some cases actual cost savings for the collective system.
Energy storage allows for efficient services to the grid such as black start, frequency regulation, customer siting to reduce network congestion (at substations – UPS support) and lowering emissions.
Energy storage is a critical hub for the entire grid, augmenting resources from wind, solar and hydro, to nuclear and fossil fuels, to demand side resources and system efficiency assets. It can act as a generation, transmission or distribution asset – sometimes in a single asset.
So can we agree, the future of energy storage looks bright.
https://energystorage.org/why-energy-storage/benefits/
www.rdjconsulting.co.za
The conversation editor@rdjpublishing.africa
continues:
16 DECEMBER, 2021
What is the best Energy Mix? AUTHOR: David Jarrett Managing Consultant at RDJ Consulting
Courtesy: EU Parliament https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/siteimg/news-main/ugc-1/fullnews/news/17517/16699_original.jpg
E
nergy is required by everything that carries out work. The Laws of energy show us that “energy” is present whenever we do “work”. Energy is obtained
However the energy mix is composed, the energy sources should be sustainable and thus not depletable.
through various sources such as heat, light, electrical, sound, kinetic motion (such as when an object rolls down a hill) and chemical means. The beauty about energy also is that one form can be converted to another. So, sunlight can be converted to heat or electricity. Sound is converted to electricity in a microphone. Thus, energy is all around us and we just need a “conversion’ mechanism or use it as is. Modern society has become used to convenience and so we cannot imagine a world without electricity or gas or liquid fuels (petrol and diesel) to meet our every whim.
DAVID JARRETT
To satisfy our needs, energy suppliers need to have the “right” energy available in sufficient quantity at the right location, thus a practical energy mix. If we take South Africa (the largest economy) in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) as an example, the current energy mix looks like this:
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DECEMBER, 2021 17
Total primary energy supply, 2016 Courtesy: Source: DoE Energy Balances, 2016
This although not a full reflection of the 2021 status of South Africa, it gives a clear picture of the entrenching nature of coal in the overall South African economy. Decarbonization will be difficult and painful!
SO, WHAT DOES A “GOOD” ENERGY MIX LOOK LIKE? Firstly, however the energy mix is composed, the energy sources should be sustainable and thus not depletable. That actually rules out coal, nuclear, crude oil and any other fuel that can be utilised at rates faster than it can naturally replenish. Remember, the key to sustainability is to use a resource in a manner that it does not impact future generations. Secondly, the source should be readily available, in large quantities and thus convenient for use. This brings into play the commercial renewable energies like solar, wind and biomass in various quantities dependent on the geographic locality. Interestingly, due the variability aspect of these, other conversion technologies and chemicals can be created by the renewables to provide stability and convenience. Energy storage, biofuels (that do not compete with food needs) and green hydrogen are mature enough to carry out this function.
Transport (e-mobility)
Residential (lighting and power)
Relevant Pricing
Fuel security of supply
Job Creation
Health Benefits
WIND/SOLAR ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Thirdly, there is a need to have ease of use and also commercial buy in. This is accomplished by responding to market needs and the private sectors approach to profitability. If the public can be persuaded to say drive electric vehicles in sufficient quantities over fossil fuelled ones, then manufactures and auto retailers would stock e-vehicles as standard. This would have to also be supported by regulated ownership and charging prices, sufficient recharge points and credible infrastructure (parking bays with charging, spare parts, technicians etc.) to keep public acceptance high.
ENERGY STORAGE Industry (lighting and power)
Service Delivery (Education / Health) www.rdjpublishing.africa
Energy utilization tree - Example Courtesy: RDJ Consulting
Thus, it is clear that a good energy mix must have all three components as well as linkages and so for any country with the will and I dare say “political will”, it’s possible. The conversation continues at briefing@rdjpublishing.africa
18 DECEMBER, 2021
WATER December Dam Levels Update for Namibia
www.rdjconsulting.co.za
As we all celebrate the festive season with our loved ones, remeber to save water and avoid any waste.
The RDJ Briefing Team wishes you a Happy festive season and New year ahead!
19 DECEMBER, 2021
THE ENVIRONMENT DBN Launches Climate Adaptation Facility
I
t hasn’t been long since President Hage Geingob called for the implementation of the country’s comprehensive National Policy on Climate Change which was released in 2011. In response to this, the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) announced in October 2021 a facility to finance climate change adaptation, bolstering its long track record of finance with beneficial environmental and social initiatives In fact, the National Policy on Climate Change focuses on contributing towards the attainment of sustainable development which in line with Namibia’s Vision 2030, through strengthening national capacities to reduce climate change risk and build resilience for any climate change shocks. In its mandate of contributing towards the development of Namibia, and the socio-economic wellbeing of its citizens, the DBN has previously financed low-carbon renewable energy generation, water reclamation for industrial use in Walvis Bay, water storage in Neckartal Dam and other reclamation initiatives. With such diversified experience, the Bank therefore guarantees that the new facility will also provide an affordable and tailored financing solution for climate and environmentally friendly projects.
Additionally, Inkumbi said that finance for climate adaptation is important, and there is a range of affordable financing instruments for such business projects. For example, the Bank, he said, has already pioneered financing models for renewable energy, and is now setting its sights on, energy and water use efficiency as well as mitigating the effects of rising temperatures.
Water & Energy Efficiency
Speaking of water, Inkumbi said that in the face of prolonged droughts, there is an opportunity for enterprises to invest in water efficiency by investing in energy and water efficient technology and processes to decrease production and/or operational costs and improve profitability.
DECEMBER, 2021 21
Therefore, enterprises are advised to examine their energy and water usage and costs, and develop innovative methods of reducing their usage and associated costs. He added that the Bank has experience in water reticulation for local authorities and PPPs but said there was still scope for further development in terms of water recycling, reclamation and storage in abattoirs.
Increasing Temperatures
Rising temperatures can also be very costly, and in this case there is a twofold cost; with the first being the cost of cooling facilities, and the second being the cost of mitigating health issues caused by rising heat. In this cases, the cost of cooling facilities adds to the cost of an enterprise, and it also places a burden on power generation. By constructing plants and facilities with heat dissipation in mind, these circumstances can be mitigated. He extended the benefits of energy efficient housing developments, explaining that incorporating heat dissipation would reduce the cost of running a household as well as improve the health of its residents. This, he said would dovetail well with the Bank’s finance for affordable housing projects.
Benefits of the new facility
With regard to the facility’s benefit to enterprises and initiatives, it is important to note that there is usually some level of resistance when it comes to financing projects with unfamiliar financing outcomes. DBN therefore de-risks innovative projects with extensive due diligence on innovation and absorbs, manages and learns from its risks. In this way, inkumbi reported that the Bank hopes to pioneer finance for climate change adaptation that will make Namibia more sustainable. The DBN now called on engineers, architects, consultants and project managers to lean more towards energy and water efficient designs, and for businesses to approach the bank for finance citing that, “although they may have reservations about pitching new technologies and techniques, the bank will give them consideration for finance if you can demonstrate feasibility”.
READINGS https://www.dbn.com.na/component/k2/item/87-banklaunches-climate-adaptation-facility https://confidentenamibia.com/dbn-joins-climate-changeadaptation-fray/
22 DECEMBER, 2021
ROADS AND TRANSPORT
W
Namibia Launches the Festive Season Road Safety Campaign
ith the nearing festive season, high traffic flow is expected to occur on the Namibian roads, since people will be travelling to
spend the holidays with their loved ones. Despite it being a good thing, past records show high levels of car accidents, injuries and fatalities during the festive season. In fact, accidents are not only tragic, but also very costly. The Ministry of Works and Transport estimated that the total cost of road accidents in Namibia is equal to more than N$1.34 billion per annum. Furthermore, the Ministry also revealed in a report that this estimated amount included the administration work involved in processing accidents and claims, vehicle repair and salvage activities, as well as medical, heath and other services that occur to help persons and families affected by road accidents. Given this, the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund of Namibia, National Road Safety Council and the Namibian Police jointly launched the ‘Festive Season Road Safety Campaign’ in Windhoek, under the theme ‘Mind the Consequences of Speeding’.
During such times, the road safety campaign is seen as a critical intervention to save lives on the national road network by a reducing crashes, injuries and fatalities, through targeted action against the common road offences such as speeding, drinking and driving, overloading and unfit vehicles, which are the leading causes of fatal road crashes in Namibia. Therefore as part of the campaign, travellers should be ready to encounter increased law enforcement operations and deployment of stringent measures that will ensure adherence to traffic regulations through close monitoring at road blocks, increased highway patrols and air patrolling. According to the MVA Fund, Namibia recorded around thirteen thousand (13 000) accidents over the past five years, in which over 2000 people lost their lives and over 21 000 were injured. Meanwhile, a total of 540 people have already lost their lives on the Namibian roads this year (2021).
Author's representation of of Namibia's accidents statistics for the past five years. Data source: MVA Fund.
After reviewing the past years accident records, the MVA Fund discovered that the most affected age group in road traffic fatalities is the young people aged between 16 to 35 years. A good example was the 2012 statistics which showed a total of 203 young people killed in crashes and another 2377 young people injured. Therefore, the MVA Fund has dedicated this year’s festive season campaign to feature targeted interventions specifically for this age group. In his speech during the launch of the campaign, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works and Transport Peter Mwatile said that in order for Namibia to achieve tangible and sustainable results, the success of the campaign lies in the hands of each and every road user. He further encouraged every Namibian to “make a personal contribution towards saving lives this festive season by pledging to obey all traffic regulations and thereby taking personal responsibility of their own safety on the roads,” he said.
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NOVEMBER, 2021 21
Author’s 2020/21 comparison of the Namibia’s crash statistics between January and November. Data Source - MVA Fund.
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COMPANY NOTICE RDJ Publishing (Pty) Ltd. is the new and official publishing home for all of RDJ Consulting Services CC. publications going forward. Stay tuned for exciting and informative Sustainability matters on our platforms!
Energy
and
DECEMBER, 2021 25
ICT & TELECOMMUNICATIONS Paratus Launches Broadband Internet Angola
its first Service in
NamPower Upgrades to a Modern and Less Costly Administrative System
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This is the case for the Province of Moxico in Angola, Internet Technologies Angola (ITA), part of the Paratus Group, has launched its first broadband internet service in Moxico. There are 10.36 million internet users in Angola in January 2021. Moxico is the largest province of Angola however it is one of the most sparsely populated areas of Angola, which has until recently been alienated digitally from the more densely populated connected parts of Angola.
The system upgrade is part of its Integrated Strategic Business Plan to transform into an intelligent enterprise within the medium term. This upgrade feeds into a larger strategic plan for NamPower. As the Utility company plans to advance technologically in both its product offering and operating systems by 2025.
he expansion of internet technology across Africa has the potential to unlock multiple opportunities for the continent. Sub-Saharan Africa has experie-nced dramatic gains in internet use in recent years. With this rapid growth in connectivity more and more remote areas of the continent are being connected to the internet
Paratus' dedication to expanding quality internet connection across Angola directly ties in to the Governments of Angola’s National telecommunications strategy, which hopes to improve digital services across Angola. In addition to connecting the east of the country to Angola and the world, the project also includes the delivery of internet services to municipalities and provides both residents and businesses with the benefits of high-quality connectivity. Importantly, the link also enables the introduction of new telecommunications services such as cable television and educational and health public services.
Readings: https://economist.com.na/66501/technology/paratus-groups-itaconnects-east-angola-to-rest-of-the-world/
amPower recently migrated all its operations from its existing SAP ECC system to the next-generation SAP S/4 HANA business suite. A SAP ECC System is
an on-premises enterprise resource planning system. Enterprise resource planning systems (ERP’s) are integral parts of core business processes. ERP’s help companies implement resource planning by integrating all of the processes needed to run their companies with a single system.
Due to the complexity of the newly adopted S/4HANA platform it is common practice for companies to hire outside consultancy from experts; however, Nampower is the first local company to train its own SAP-Certified team in order to operate the system themselves. The groundbreaking move earned the company a nomination at this year’s SAP Africa Quality Awards for Customer Success. It is hoped that the implementation of S/4HANA will increase productivity through the improvement and automation of business processes. The new S/4HANA platform offers a host of benefits such as embedded realtime analytics, an intelligent and powerful user experience across all devices with SAP Fiori, faster response times and better performance with the SAP HANA database. With SAP S/4HANA, NamPower can now adopt new technologies such as Machine Learning, robotics, and the Internet of Things (IoT) in its business processes. The SAP-Certified team is expected to propel the quality of the utility supplier, an exciting prospect indeed.
www.rdjpublishing.africa
26 DECEMBER, 2021
WOMEN IN INDUSTRY
Interview with Ms. Linda Shitumbapo Interviewed by Ms. Kina Indongo (Communications Contributor - RDJ Consulting)
T
This month we had the honour of speaking to Ms. Linda Shitumbapo, an inspirational woman with a dedication to the Renewable Energy Industry in Namibia.
Personal Journey
Ms. Shitumbapo was born in Ohangwena Region one of her fathers 14 children in an area where access to electricity was and still is a challenge to date. Her father then took her to Tsumeb for a chance at a better education, where she completed grade 12 in 2009 at Etosha Secondary School, that year I was the best learner on NSSCO in the Country. She went on to Study Electronics Engineering at the University of Namibia for 5 years, and thereafter she got employed at NamPower as an Assistant Engineer for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects. Ms. Shitumbapo worked at NamPower for exactly 2.5 years from 2015 to 2017. In an economy that was collapsing then, prompting her to take the risk of resigning from NamPower in 2017 and enrolling into Nottingham University in the United Kingdoms to do her master’s in Electrical Engineering for Sustainable and Renewable Energy. After completing her masters, she was hired at Pupkewitz MegaTech as a Renewable Energy Stakeholder Developer, 6 months later she was promoted to the Head of Renewable Energy Division for the same company, where she is still employed to date. www.rdjconsulting.co.za
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The Pupkewitz MegaTech Rundu Branch’s Renewable Energy division Pupkewitz Megatech, which is one of the largest local suppliers of electrical materials, first opened the Renewable Energy branch in Whk in March 2020. However, the greatest need of electricity is in the northern regions of Namibia, where it is a challenge for the grid electricity to reach each and every household in the villages. Because of that need, we quickly opened the second dedicated Renewable Energy branch in Ongwediva in November 2020. It is for the same reasons that we expanded to Rundu and opened the dedicated Renewable Energy division last month (October 2021). There is an abundance of sunshine available in Namibia and Africa, and people need electricity in order to have access to daily needs such as cooking, lights and cooling. Not every household especially in rural communities can afford grid electricity connection to their house. The biggest advantage of solar energy is its scalability, households can start small and upgrade their system as their electricity needs increase. These reduce the huge financial burden on the households at once. The most popular system in Rundu is a small 1kW System that can cater for TV, Lights, Fridge, and phone charging which costs approximately NAD 20k.
Motivation Seeing the abundance of sunshine and other renewable energy resources we richly have in Africa, and yet we remain the continent with the least access to electricity. I wanted to make sure whatever I study contributes to the sustainable development of Africa. With the little sunshine they have in Europe, I was surprised at the amount of household roofs with solar panels. We are blessed with an abundance of natural resources that we can utilise it to solve our African needs. It is my passion for every household to have access to affordable electricity, because with access to electricity, children can still read after sunset, mothers can cook and save time on wood collection, and so on.
Challenges Renewable Energy happens to be a male-dominated career and being a young black woman in a male dominated career does come with its challenges. Sometimes Ms. Shitumbapo found herself judged for being a woman, and clients would avoid her desk to go and get the best advice from a male counterpart, and then to their surprise get redirected back to her table for detailed advice. What would you like to see in Namibia in terms of renewable Energy?
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"For the Country’s Higher institutions Universities and vocational training facilities to introduce Renewable Energy programs into their curriculum. The lack of qualified experts and installers in the country in the field remains an unaddressed challenge." Kindly name any big takeaway from your personal experience in the industry? "The opportunity in the Renewable Energy field is endless. Both in term of solving our individual and National Energy needs. Renewable Energy is for the Information Age what Oil and gas was for the Industrial Age."
Kindly mention and describe any other projects/programmes you are involved with? "As Pupkewitz Megatech, we are in the phase of opening a branch at Eenhana, in Ohangwena Region early next year 2022, this will consist of both the electrical and renewable energy division, so look out for us on this."
Conclusion As more women have started to take up careers in STEM fields around the world, support programs and policies have been implemented in many organisations to encourage women to take up STEM careers. My advice to young women out there considering a career in Renewable Energy, “Go for it”! Nothing can stop a passionate and vision-oriented woman.” Said Ms. Shitumbapo
28 DECEMBER, 2021
TENDERS UNITED NATIONS Description: UN hereby invites qualified vendor(s) (manufacturers and/or distributors) for the following: Supply of General Laboratory Consumables and Rapid Tests. Bid Closing Date: 24 December 2021 HWC WORKS Description: NamPower (Pty) Ltd hereby invites qualified, competent, and registered companies to submit their bid for the following: Designing, Manufacturing, Testing, Delivering, Installing and Commissioning of Power Transformers for Sekelduin Substation. Specifications Bid Closing Date: 28 November 2021
NAMCOR Description:NAMCOR hereby invites appropriate and prospective Namibian firms to submit their proposals for the following: Refurbishment of tank no. 4 at the JBS Facility in Walvis Bay, Namibia. Please confirm the contract number. Bid closing date: 14 January 2022
NAMCOR Description: NAMCOR hereby invites appropriate and prospective Namibian firms to submit their proposals for the following: Supply and installation of aboveground storage tanks, fuel management system, loading and offloading equipment at Transnamib Depot in Grootfontein, Namibia. Please confirm the contract number. Bid closing date: 23 January 2022
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KARASBURG TOWN COUNCIL Description: Karasburg Town Council is hereby inviting qualified, competent and registered Companies to submit their offers for the procurement of road maintenance works for Karasburg Town Council. Bid Closing Date: 28 December 2021
DECEMBER, 2021
CONRIBUTING AUTHORS
DAVID JARRETT (Managing Consultant) RDJ Consulting Services CC
CHILOMBO OLGA PRISCILA (Operations Manager / Economist) RDJ Consulting Services CC
KINA INDONGO (Communications Contribiutor) RDJ Consulting Services CC
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