ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY News & Analysis
SEPTEMBER, 2021
ZERO WASTE The Briefing and Analysis of RDJ Consulting (NAMIBIA) Windhoek, Namibia
RDJ CELEBRATES
WORLD CLEAN-UP DAY 18 SEPTEMBER
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Reuse
Recycle
SAY NO TO WASTE
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News & Analysis
From The Editor Quick Facts Economy at Large Oil & Gas Mining Electricity Renewable Energy Water The Environment Roads & Transport ICT & Telecommunications Women in Industry Youth in Action Tenders and Careers Contributing Authors
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C ONT E NT S
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY
SEP 2020
FROM THE EDITOR
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@rdjconsulting.co.za
WEBSITE www.rdjconsulting.co.za
ZERO WASTE Dear Reader, This month is special because as we transition to RDJ Publishing (Pty) Ltd. as our new publishing home for exciting and informative Energy and Sustainability matters, we also focus on the journey to attaining “Zero Waste”, as well as the importance of practicing the “Reduce, Re-use and Recycle” actions in our day-to-day activities to facilitate humanity’s outlook for sustainability of our planet! In fact, during the period, 2nd – 6th September 2021, the world took time to focus attention on the “Zero Waste Week”, which is an awardwinning annual awareness campaign that helps participants save money and preserve resources. This event is motivated by the fact that "99% of what we buy is either immediately consumed or trashed". This ultimately means that inadequate disposal would pose a danger to our planet and the lives of all, hence, it is necessary to tackle the problem directly. Following which, the 18th of September 2021, also marks the “World Clean-Up Day”, which emphasizes the need to maintain our planet clean through the practice of maximized disposal and recycling techniques enshrined in the 3 R’s: Reducing, Re-using and Recycling waste streams to attain zero waste or any form of left over.
With these two big and significant events in quick succession, we can clearly deduce the importance from the emphasis and information shared of maintaining a clean and healthy planet. And as you know, sustainability is a hallmark of our mission and that is why we also had to focus the topic again this month as a reinforcement! So, with RDJ Publishing (Pty) Ltd. being our publisher going forward, we welcome you to our September 2021 edition, and for more insight on this topic, please continue to enjoy reading this 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@rdjconsulting.co.za and freely share the link with others that will benefit from its contents. Enjoy, #Stay Safe and note that your comments are always welcome….….
(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
66.6% Employment
Tourism, Mining, Fishing Industries
LTE
Telecom (sophistication)
2.575
Million Mobile(cell phones) Subscribers
-1.1%
GDP Growth (2019)
7.50%
Prime Interest rate
89%
Literacy Rate
8.8M
Water availability (cubic litres/capita)
484.000
Electricity Gen. in MW (Local)
629.000
Electricity Demand in MW (all)
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4.00%
Inflation (CPI)
3.75% Repo Rate
6 SEPTEMBER, 2021
ECONOMY AT LARGE Namib Mills Increases Price of Selected Products
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or several reasons, Namib Mills, a local company specialised in the production of high-quality wheat and maize meal products in Namibia has increased
price of some of its products as of 1 September 2021. According to their press release issued on the 29th of august 2021, the prices of the following products increased for the reasons stated below.
WHEAT, PASTA AND BREAD The hot and dry weather conditions in large parts of the high protein wheat producing areas resulted in expected wheat yields being 35% below prior year yields and 32% below the 5-year average wheat yield. This has resulted in the cost of high protein wheat increasing significantly due to an expected supply shortage. This has led to an increase in the landed cost of raw wheat and all wheat-based products.
WHEAT, PASTA, BREAD AND RICE The ocean shipping industry is currently facing a shortage of shipping containers, leading to a massive spike in freight rates. Major disruptions to supply chains are further contributing to a trade imbalance. The main knock-on effect of the container shortage is a rise in freight rates. China became the quickest country to recover from the pandemic, continuing to manufacture and export in March 2020, when other countries were stepping up restrictions. Uneven recovery rates combined
with increased demand among consumers mean that containers are now extremely valuable. In December 2020, spot freight rates were over 260% higher from Asia to North Europe than the previous year. Freight rates per 40 ft. container went from around US$1,400 in April 2020 to almost US$5,000 in April 2021. The increase in ocean freight cost has resulted in significant price increases on commodities that are transported via ocean freight. Namib Mills imports the majority of its wheat, sugar and rice from abroad via ocean freight.
SUGAR The South African sugar industry continues to face serious challenges and, in an effort to promote cane farming and business sustainability, the South African Sugar Association (SASA), have announced a 2.4% increase on sugar prices.
ALL PRODUCTS Namib mills further explains that the increase in fuel prices over the past nine months; electricity cost to 2.92%; and inflation by 4.1% has left them with no other choice but to increase their prices as follows: rice, mahangu and pasta la vita prices increased by 3%, Pasta Polana by 2%, Pasta King by 4%, wheat flour by 8%, complete mix by 8% and bread by 5%.
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REUSE
RECYCLE
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OIL & GAS
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AUGUST, 2020
2021 SEPTEMBER FUEL PRICES
N$ 14.15
per litre 95 Octane Unleaded Petrol
N$ 13.88
per litre Diesel 50ppm
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10 SEPTEMBER, 2021
AUTHOR: David Jarrett Managing Consultant at RDJ Consulting
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New Oil Discoveries - Old Problems?
xxon Mobil Corp. struck oil at Pinktail in the Stabroek Block offshore the nation of Guyana, adding another discovery to the U.S. oil major’s
exploration tally in the region. The Pinktail well, located southeast of the Liza Phase 1 project and Yellowtail-1, marks the 20th significant discovery on the 6.6 millionacre Stabroek Block, which is operated by Exxon Mobil as part of a consortium that includes New York-based Hess Corp. and China’s CNOOC Ltd. Despite not specifying the size of reserves in its latest discovery, Exxon Mobil said Pinktail will add to previous recoverable resource estimate of approximately 9 billion oil equivalent barrels. Just the week before the Exxon Mobil Corp. find, Ivory Coast reported a “major” offshore oil find, discovered by Italian firm Eni. Energy minister Thomas Camara said the finding was estimated between 1.5 and 2 billion barrels of oil and around 1.8-2.4 trillion cubic feet (51 million cubic metres) of gas. Aside from Total and Eni, Britain's Tullow Oil has also announced significant discoveries of Ivorian offshore oil reserves in recent years. Here in Namibia, Canadian oil and gas company Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. (“ReconAfrica”) has
begun exploratory drilling in the Kavango Basin of northeast Namibia and is expected to similarly do so into northwest Botswana. It is also said the exploration and production activities will open the door to thousands of well-paying jobs for Namibians, not to mention the opportunities for building local capacity and technology sharing that come with the presence of international oil companies.
Enter climate change and net zero ambitions! Under climate change ambitions and goals, lie the path to sustainability. According to S&P Global, Net zero and carbon neutral commitments are on the rise in 2021, as companies, financial institutions and countries assert their alignment to global climate goals. Especially in the quest for Net Zero, some companies have sought carbon offsets. A carbon offset broadly refers to a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – or an increase in carbon storage (e.g., through land restoration or the planting of trees) – that is used to compensate for emissions that occur elsewhere. This although not an embryonic industry, it is still evolving, having various actors and being in need of a universal framework.
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SEPTEMBER, 2021 11
commercially available options and the ability for the average person to make the switch. With new discoveries and the need to keep economic activities growing, there is a loss of rationality among the two sides to focus on hybrid solutions which sadly are already available but thwarted by either regulation or just commonsense economic support. There is much more to be examined and so the conversation continues. briefing@rdjpublishing.africa
U.S. Solar Growth Path - Solar Futures Study Courtesy: U.S. Department of Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a 2021 study that points out “that solar, our cheapest and fastest-growing source of clean energy, could produce enough electricity to power all of the homes in the U.S. by 2035 and employ as many as 1.5 million people in the process” which clearly points towards the ability for a sustainable future at residential level as a minimum. However, these ambitions in most cases seem to be thwarted by a lack of enough
READINGS https://www.hartenergy.com/ https://www.france24.com/en/afr ica/20210902-ivory-coast-reportsmajor-offshore-oil-discovery https://www.energy.gov/articles/ doe-releases-solar-futures-studyproviding-blueprint-zero-carbongrid https://www.spglobal.com/ https://www.offsetguide.org/
ReconAFRICA Aeromagnetic survey diagram - Copyright: ReconAFRICA https://www.reconafrica.com
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12 SEPTEMBER, 2021
MINING AUTHOR: David Jarrett Managing Consultant at RDJ Consulting
Tin Mining Shows Growth
Namibian Mining cadastre map https//portals.landfolio.com/Namibia
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SEPTEMBER, 2021 13
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ining is a major contributor to the Namibian economy and so the various mines have a revered status due in no small part to GDP and jobs impacts made. Its’ GDP contribution was 10% in the 2020 period under review, even in the face of Covid 19 pandemic challenges. The Bank of Namibia notes that it projects metal ores to show better growth through 2021 into 2022.
With a global tin market anticipated to be valued at US$8.23bn in 2023 with robust long-term fundamentals. AfriTin is well placed to take advantage of the burgeoning demand for tin and this, coupled with AfriTin being the only tin company listed on AIM, paves the way to become the tin champion of Africa.
The private sector are the main operators of mines with the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) responsible for issuance of mining licenses. From a legal perspective, the mining industry in Namibia is regulated by the various acts. Diamond and Petroleum are two natural resources that are closely monitored by the Namibian Government. The Government has a royalty schedule that levies 3% of the market price of base precious and rare metals as well as non-nuclear mineral fuels. A 2% levy was placed on nuclear mineral fuels and industrial minerals. While Uranium is the leading ore primarily sourced through the Husab and Rossing mines, Tin mines are set to show growth in quantity and value based on the London Metal Exchange (www.lme.com) price futures. The pricing by LME is set against a 99.85% minimum purity level for BS EN 610:1996 provided in 5 ton ingots. One of Namibia’s largest tin mines is operated by AfriTin Mining, a mining company with operations in Namibia and South Africa. AfriTin uses open cast mining and the Namibia “Uis” project incorporates small scale miners via a cooperative.
Tin Price Profile 2016 - 2021 Courtesy: Markets Insider
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14 SEPTEMBER, 2021
AfriTin Mining was established in 2017 and is a Londonlisted company that focuses on the development of tin assets in Namibia and South Africa. AfriTin Namibia, the operator, holds 85% stake in the project, while the remaining 15% stake is held by The Small Miners of Uis (SMU), an enterprise owned by the Namibian Government.
In terms of funding, it is understood that Afritin has secured listing on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), while its 9.5% shareholder, Bushveld Minerals, has further aided in the company’s low capex flow sheet, as well as a 35 million Namibian dollar ($2.28 million) working capital facility as of 2019.
The Uis Tin project, located in the Erongo district of Namibia, was discovered in 1911 and developed by the Iron and Steel Corporation of South Africa (Iscor) as the largest hard-rock tin mine in the world. Tin at the Uis deposit is stated to be predominantly hosted in pegmatites and the ore bodies are found to be up to 40 m thick, along a 500m strike length. The contained tin is estimated to be 95,539t, while the contained tantalum and lithium oxide are estimated to be 6,091t and 450,265t, respectively. It became the world’s biggest hard-rock tin mine in 1980. The mine was estimated to hold 71.54 million tonnes (Mt) of JORC-compliant measured, indicated, and inferred resources as of September 2019. Further, lithium has been discovered in the pegmatite ores offering increased potential to the mine output and revenue streams.
It is therefore not hard to agree with AfriTin that tin is one of the better performing commodities on the London Metals Exchange, “with a global tin market anticipated to be valued at US$8.23bn in 2023 with robust long-term fundamentals. AfriTin is well placed to take advantage of the burgeoning demand for tin and this, coupled with AfriTin being the only tin company listed on AIM, paves the way to become the tin champion of Africa”.
According to the International Tin Association Ltd, during December 2018, AfriTin undertook the first large-scale blast of mining material at Uis, which was crushed and stockpiled in preparation for the commencement of a Phase 1 Pilot Plant. This Pilot Plant was upgraded to facilitate the production of tantalum concentrate alongside the primary tin concentrate. Ramp-up to fullscale concentrate production began in Q3 2019 accompanied by a 12-month offtake agreement with Thailand Smelting and Refining Co Ltd (Thaisarco).
The feedback here and summation is not exhaustive, but the conversation continues briefing@rdjconsulting.co.za www.rdjconsulting.co.za
Readings: https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/uis-tin-projecterongo https://www.bon.com.na/CMSTemplates/Bon/Files/bon.com.na/02/ 028351bb-556d-4917-ba74-45e97e0f1374.pdf http://www.chamberofmines.org.na/ https://portals.landfolio.com/namibia/ https://www.bdo.com.na/en-gb/industries/naturalresources/mining-in-namibia https://www.internationaltin.org/explorers-developersgroup/afritin-mining/ https://www.metalbulletin.com/
Image showing a Uis Tin Mine, Courtesy: AfriTin
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RDJ CONSULTING SERVICES CC. Energy & Sustatinability
WHAT WE OFFER
EXPERIENCE Utility and Mining, On grid and Off-grid, Rural community understanding (Africa, Asia and Caribbean)
PROJECT Assessments and supervision, including procurement (bidding / tender documentation)
ESS Environmental Impacts along with scoping and site assessment
DATA Data collection, data verification, modelling and referencing against national data sets
TRAINING Onsite, Offsite and planned training modules to align people with project objectives
PUBLICATIONS Blog sets, Weekly summaries and Monthly "briefing" publications
CONTACT US Email: briefing@rdjconsulting.co.za Tel: +264 61 400 171 www.rdjconsulting.co.za
16 SEPTEMBER, 2021
August Drilling Results Support Tumas’ 20 Year Life of Mine Objective
Tumas 3 deposit in relation to the central processing plant
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eptile Uranium’s ambitious drilling programme continues to add to the mineral explorer’s already promising list of resource assets.
Reptile’s parent, ASX-listed Deep Yellow Uranium released this week an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Tumas 1 East deposit, on EPL3497. Deep Yellow Management says that the success of the Tumas drilling programme provides a high-level of confidence in achieving a stated Life of Mine (LOM) objective of 20 or more years. John Borshoff, Managing Director and Chief Executive of Deep Yellow said in a statement dated 1 September 2021 that the exploration has since 2017 increased the Tumas Mineral Resource base fourfold, including a 76% conversion to the Indicated Mineral Resource status. These results are based on the 65% of the Tumas 1 East resource that has been tested so far. “Pleasingly, the program was very successful and of the portion of the deposit tested, achieved a 102% conversion of Inferred Mineral Resources (by metal on a panel-bypanel basis) to an Indicated Mineral Resource category. This conversion rate, along with the previous 113% at the Tumas 3 deposit, again shows the value of the company’s Mineral Resource improvement strategy,” he said. In August 2021, Deep Yellow successfully completed a two-month, 556 hole, 6,982 metre resource upgrade infill drilling programme at the Tumas 1 East deposit. The mineralisation at Tumas 1 East occurs as an eastward extension of the Tumas 1 deposit.
The updated MRE at Tumas 1 East has delivered at a 100ppm cut off, a maiden Indicated Mineral Resource of 19.6Mlb eU3O8 at 245ppm. In addition, an Inferred Mineral Resource of 9.2Mlb eU3O8 at 216ppm remains within the Tumas 1 East deposit to be upgraded at a future date. Overall, at a 100 ppm eU3O8 cut off, the Tumas 1 East MRE now stands at 28.8Mlb at 235ppm. “It is timely to compare the increase to the Indicated Mineral Resource base that has occurred relative to that used for the Tumas Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) announced on 10 February 2021. For the PFS, the Indicated Mineral Resources available using a 100ppm cut-off were 28.4Mlb at 299ppm U3O8 from Tumas 3 and 24.2Mlb at 203ppm U3O8 from Tumas 1 and Tumas 2. This established the maiden Ore Reserve for the PFS, outlined below, providing Probable Ore Reserves of 31Mlb at 344ppm U3O8 using a 150ppm cut-off grade.” The final MRE was reported at a number of cut-off grades from 100ppm to 200ppm eU3O8 and the Mineral Resources derived from these cut-off grades indicate that the mineralisation remains robust and consistent.
ORIGINAL PUBLICATION: By Freeman Ngulu Source: https://economist.com.na/64162/miningenergy/august-drilling-results-support-tumas-20-yearlife-of-mine-objective/
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SEPTEMBER, 2021 17
ELECTRICITY NamPower Commences Construction Of 400 kV Auas Gerus Transmission Line
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amPower has commenced with the construction on the 287 km long 400 kV Auas-Gerus transmission line, which will run from Auas
substation near Dordabis, to Gerus substation near Otjiwarongo. In a statement, NamPower said that the 287-kilometre Auas-Gerus 400 kV transmission line is part of the company’s investment in expanding its 400 kV transmission infrastructure backbone, by more than 800 kilometers. The contractor, Power Line Africa, was appointed through a process of Open International Bidding, conducted by the Central Procurement Board of Namibia. The accepted Contract Amount for the construction of the transmission line is N$ 629,801,144.44. The line route will traverse the Khomas and Otjozondjupa Regions. The alignment of the line is expected to cross the B6 road to the west of the Hosea Kutako International Airport, as well as the B1 south of Otjiwarongo and the C38 between Otjiwarongo and Outjo. To ensure that NamPower maintains pace with the evolving electricity needs of the country, the line will allow the utility to serve an increased number of customers through access to its existing Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and prospective solar, hydro, biomass, wind and other generation plants, thereby enhancing accessibility to clean energy in the country.
The line will also allow for an increased transfer capacity to NamPower’s transmission customers to alleviate challenges currently experienced in ensuring continued electricity supply. The new transmission line will further enhance NamPower’s ability to trade electricity between other countries within the South African Power Pool (SAPP). The line is also expected to benefit all Namibians through an increased access to data services, as NamPower currently avails its fibre-optic network through its subsidiary, the GridOnline, to licensed telecommunication service providers. NamPower said the line construction is expected to be conducted using primarily the lightweight Cross-Rope Suspension Tower with the conductors in a compact delta configuration. The tower uses a reduced amount of steel and blends into the surroundings with the aim to minimise the environmental impact, as well as to reduce pollution. The project is expected to be completed by the second half of 2022. ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY: https://economist.com.na/64062/miningenergy/nampower-commences-construction-of-400-kvauas-gerus-transmission-line/
Electrification of the Veterinary Cordon Fence in Process After continuous damage of the veterinary cordon fence by the increased elephant population, the Meat Board of Namibia announced the commencement of electrifying sections of the fence to avoid continuous repairs.
Additionally, this decision was also taken in order to protect the integrity of the fence and the Foot and Mouth Disease Free Zone. For thesereasons, a distance of 108km is earmarked for electrification and will be completed in phases of 15km.
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18 SEPTEMBER, 2021
Overview of Namibia’s Electricity Generation, Demand, Imports and Exports
W
ith the recent increase in electricity tariffs, it is also important to look at the generation, demand, import and export side of it.
ELECTRICITY GENERATION According to the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), the country‘s production of electricity stood at 48 192 MWh in July 2021 of which 54.4% came from the Independent Private Producers (IPPs). Although this may seem high, the production in July was actually a decline of 2.5% from the 64 155 MWh produced in June 2021. Looking at the annual picture, Namibia recorded a decrease in electricity generation of about 69.2% from 2020 to 2021 in total. This was mainly due to the reduced generation from the Ruacana Power Station that went down by 85.7%.
ELECTRICITY DEMAND Despite generating less electricity, demand for electricity in Namibia was higher in July, as a total of 297 535 MWh of electricity was sold in the domestic economy compared to 284 881 MWh sold in June 2021. According to NSA, the monthly rise in demand emanated from sales made to redistributors, large power users and to mines.
ELECTRICITY IMPORT In fact, Namibia imported 297,297 MWh (11.9% monthly increase) of electricity in July 2021 with South Africa supplying for 50.9% of the electricity imported followed by Zambia (27.3%) and Zimbabwe (12.4%). From 2020 to 2021, Namibia also recorded an increase in imports of about 30.4% to cater for the local demand due to insufficient local supply. These imports were mainly from Eskom (South Africa), Zesco (Zambia) and the Zimbabwe Power Company.
ELECTRICITY EXPORTS Additionally, 8 978 MWh of electricity was exported in July 2021 compared to exports of 9 015 MWh recorded during the preceding month. Angola accounted for 53.7% of electricity exports followed by Botswana (39.6%) and South Africa (6.6%). www.rdjpublishing.africa
AUGUST, 2021
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20 SEPTEMBER, 2021
RENEWABLE ENERGY Renewable Energy is Vital in Parched Rural Zimbabwe
Small-scale Farmer.
Courtesy: RDJ Consulting
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limate change is not being discriminatory and thus raised temperatures and decreased rainfall coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic is increasing the difficulties for rural populations. Under partly cloudy skies, a resident, fetches water from a communal tap in the sparsely populated village of Singeni, Zimbabwe. Any clouds are unusual in winter in this semi-arid land with nothing but teak forests, and to her they are not a sign of rain. The water in this Nkayi district village in Matebeleland North province, 168 km northeast of Zimbabwe’s secondlargest city of Bulawayo, is pumped from underground using solar energy and stored in huge tanks. It is then carried by pipeline in the village, supplying water to villagers as well as a nearby school.
German charity Welthungerhilfe has a variety of projects across Africa including this project in Zimbabwe. This project has installed solar stations in Singeni village and the village of Ngabayide as part of its Matabeleland Enhanced Livelihoods Agriculture and Nutrition Adaptation (Melana) project, which is running in four districts in Matabeleland province. The project started in 2016 and ends in 2022, and is part of the wider Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF) programme. These water sources now benefit more than 350 households, as well as the owners of more than 4 000 head of cattle, who use the water sources for drinking water and to dip their livestock.
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The roads are rugged and the villages difficult to access. There is a lack of infrastructure such as electricity, internet, television and radio signals. the solar stations ensure that villagers have a perennial source of water. “The two communities in question here have since established nutrition gardens. Even the nearby schools have benefitted by establishing their own gardens, and issues like livestock poverty deaths and time poverty have been reduced.” In Nkayi, residents have established asset management committees that oversee any operational or maintenance issues with the solar stations. Villagers have set up a revolving fund to pay for any issues that arise with the equipment. “Singeni village went on to have fundraising initiatives that fund the maintenance of the scheme, for instance, cattle sales. These two projects have been run by the community since 2018 without any problem.”
It can in summary then be said that solar technologies help fight poor water access, reduce reliance on fossil fuels for pumping, improve food security and reduces rural – urban migration pressures. The conversation continues: briefing@rdjpublishing.africa Adapted from the original publication in New Frame https://www.newframe.com/ who point out that the story was published with the support of the British Council as part of COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
Readings: https://www.newframe.com/renewable-energy-is-vital-in-parchedrural-zimbabwe/ https://www.newframe.com/copyright/ https://www.welthungerhilfe.org/
Typical Village Access Road. Courtesy: RDJ Consulting
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22 SEPTEMBER, 2021
U.S S hipments of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Modules up 33%
Annual Solar PV Report Courtesy: U.S. Energy Information Administration
D
espite the global COVID-19 pandemic, U.S shipments of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules (also referred to as solar panels) reached a record high of 21.8 million peak kilowatts (kW) in 2020, 5.4 million peak kW more than in 2019.
result from the lag time between shipment and installation. We categorize PV capacity additions as either utility-scale, which includes facilities with one megawatt (MW) of capacity or more, or small-scale, which are largely residential solar installations.
Solar PV module shipments include imports, exports, and modules produced and sold domestically. Demand for residential solar installations increased in 2020 in part because people were spending more time at home, which in turn resulted in an increased interest in home improvement. Other reasons for the increase in shipments include expiring solar tax credits, continued growth in utility-scale solar capacity, and falling costs for solar systems.
Solar PV capacity additions in the United States increased 25% from 2019 to 2020: utility-scale solar capacity increased 29%, and small-scale solar increased 19%.
Solar PV module shipments generally track domestic PV capacity additions; differences between the two usually
The federal solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) was set to decrease from 26% to 22% at the end of 2020. Some of the solar capacity growth in 2020 was a result of a rush to get projects installed before the expected ITC decrease. However, in December 2020, Congress passed an extension of the ITC, providing a 26% tax credit for solar systems installed from 2020 to 2022 and 22% for systems installed in 2023.
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SEPTEMBER, 2021 23
Although the supply chain for PV module components was disrupted a few times in 2020, the cost of PV modules has declined significantly since 2010, helping drive the growth of solar PV module shipments. The average value (a proxy for price) of solar shipments decreased from $1.96 per peak watt in 2010 to $0.38 per peak watt in 2020. Lower supply chain costs and an oversupply of modules because of increased production are largely responsible for the declines in the average value of solar PV modules over the past decade. In 2020, 89% of U.S. solar PV module shipments were imports. PV module imports in 2020 totaled 19.3 million
peak kilowatts (kW), an increase of 26% from the 15.3 million peak kW imported in 2019. Vietnam was the leading importer to the United States, followed by Malaysia, South Korea, and Thailand.
Principal contributor: Lolita Jamison
Readings: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=49396# https://www.eia.gov/renewable/annual/solar_photo/ https://www.eia.gov/renewable/annual/solar_photo/pdf/pv_full_2 020.pdf/
Typical Village Access Road. Courtesy: RDJ Photo
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24 SEPTEMBER, 2021
WATER Climate Change Effect on Namibia’s Groundwater Resources AUTHOR: Monique Jarrett Environmentalist @ RDJ Consulting
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amibia is a semi-arid country, receiving approximately 550mm to 600mm in the far North to between 250mm to 300mm in the South and less than 50mm of rain annually along the coast. With only 5 perennial rivers at the country’s borders and mainly ephemeral rivers which feeds the groundwater table. For this reason, surface water availability is very limited. Namibia is the driest country in Africa south of the Sahara and is therefore extremely reliant on groundwater. Groundwater as defined by the Groundwater Foundation “Water found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand, and rock. It is stored in and moves slowly through geologic formations of soil, sand and rocks called aquifers”. Approximately 30% of all freshwater available globally is found underground and nearly two billion people rely on this groundwater for drinking and agricultural irrigation. Acquifers in Namibia cover about 42% of the country's area , of which 26 % of the area encompasses porous aquifers and 16 % fractured aquifers. Within these aquifers, the borehole yields exceed 15 m3 /h only over some 14 000 km2 or 3 % of the total territory, making these highly productive aquifers. Namibian groundwater resources currently supply roughly 57% of Namibia’s water for drinking, sanitation, and agricultural irrigation. Having said that, climate change impacts on groundwater storage could affect the sustainability of freshwater resources. As a consequence of climate change, we could see a decline in groundwater storage, an increase in the occurrence and intensity of groundwater droughts, accumulation of pollutants and saline intrusion in coastal aquifers, due to sea level rise. In addition to this, with the projected decrease of rainfall in the Southern African region due to rainfall variability, it will decrease the quantity of water available for drinking, sanitation, and irrigation. This will also decrease the rate at which groundwater aquifers will be recharged. Hence, putting more pressure on the need and use of groundwater in Namibia. However, groundwater resources in Namibia are likely to be relatively robust in the face of climate change compared with surface water. Due to the fact that the water tables are further away from the surface it provides a buffer during drought periods, with less water being lost through evapotranspiration from the surface because the water is discharged at a slower rate, if at all. This therefore becomes a massive store for water and is a reliable source of water during long periods of drought. www.rdjpublishing.africa
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A study published in Nature Climate Change states that arid countries including Namibia, aquifers are generally safe from the impact of climate change due to the fact that in an arid country such as Namibia, the water tables are deeper within the earth’s surface the time it may take for our groundwater aquifers to react to climate change could take much longer (between 100- 1000 years) than those in the wetter regions, such as the tropics. However, if groundwater is mismanaged and the extraction of water from aquifers is carried out at a faster rate than it can be replenished through recharge, due to the increase in pumping and overextraction then this could exacerbate the effects of climate change on groundwater resources in the future. This in turn could intensify the treat of water scarcity and increase the cost of providing water supplies. In many dry regions aquifers are already under significant pressure, this can already be seen in many countries as a result of over-extraction, pollution, and seawater incursion. Groundwater samples were taken in the beginning of August 2021 to understand how climate change and climate variability will impact groundwater resources in Namibia. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Namibia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWL) and Germany’s Institute of Geosciences and Resources are collaborating to investigate Namibia’s water resources. This is in order to protect them and make sure water supplies are sufficient year-round. The project will monitor groundwater resources and to assess the impact of climate change and variability in water from major aquifers in the country’s southwest. With adequate research and management of groundwater and aquifers, they may play the most vital role in mitigating the worst effects of climate change on the water environment.
Readings: https://www.namwater.com.na/index.php/services/56-hydrological-services? showall=1 http://www.kunene.riverawarenesskit.com/kunenerak_com/EN/MANAGEMENT/ WATER_INFRASTRUCTURE/GROUNDWATER_SOURCES_AND_INFRAST/NAMIBIA.HT M https://www.groundwater.org/get-informed/basics/groundwater.html https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/world-aquifers-waterwars http://www.bgr.bund.de/EN/Themen/Wasser/Projekte/abgeschlossen/TZ/Nami bia/groundwater_namibia.pdf?__blob=publicationFile http://www.kunene.riverawarenesskit.com/kunenerak_com/EN/MANAGEMENT/ WATER_INFRASTRUCTURE/GROUNDWATER_SOURCES_AND_INFRAST/NAMIBIA.HT M http://www.groundwateruk.org/Groundwater_resources_climate_change.aspx https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0386-4 https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/iaea-supports-improved-aquifermanagement-in-climate-change-affected-namibia https://www.namibian.com.na/104328/read/Project-on-aquifers-makes-steadyprogress
Courtesy: RDJ Consulting
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26 SEPTEMBER, 2021
Climate Change Driven Groundwater Degradation
AUTHOR: David Jarrett Managing Consultant at RDJ Consulting
Groundwater Pumping Courtesy: RDJ Consulting
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amibia depends on its groundwater resources to meet both human immediate needs such as for drinking and washing, while also meeting the demands of agriculture to provide for animals and plant growth. As is also understood, Namibia is a country known for its desert landscape derived from low precipitation, un-reliable rainfall, high temperatures and thus high evaporation after rainfall. The Namibian National Climate Change Policy (2011) acknowledges that water is Namibia’s most important natural resource and indicates that climate change impacts are expected to accelerate variability of rainfall and more severe droughts. The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) in its 2007 Report led by Hannah Reid, indicate that there has been a noted increase in temperatures that represent three times the global mean temperature increases. However, the good news, if it can
be considered as such, is that groundwater resources have been measured and recorded over the last century so that a hydrological map can provide requisite knowledge and understanding of this valuable resource. A study by the U.S. Geological Survey "Critical aquifer overdraft accelerates degradation of groundwater quality in California’s Central Valley during drought" investigated the pumping needs during a drought and found that Intensive pumping of aquifers during drought can speed up the deterioration of groundwater quality. Researchers examined 30 years of data from California’s Central Valley to find increasing nitrate concentrations at public drinking-water wells were more prevalent in areas where groundwater levels dropped rapidly during drought. The study is unique in that it looked at regional linkages between groundwater use and quality, rather than local patterns at the scale of individual wells.
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Several strategies can be utilized to help mitigate or as said in climate change speak, “adapt” to this so that the future is at least survivable and hopeful. One such option is the ability to recharge the groundwater during periods of heavy rains. Artificial recharge is the practice of increasing the amount of water that enters an aquifer through human-controlled means. For example, groundwater can be artificially recharged by redirecting water across the land surface through canals, infiltration basins, or ponds; adding irrigation furrows or sprinkler systems; or simply injecting water directly into the subsurface through injection wells. General practice is to inject potable quality water so as to ensure that aquifer quality is maintained. The various benefits derived include reduced evaporation loss that would generally occur when surface dams are used. The analysis here and summation is not exhaustive, but the conversation continues briefing@rdjpublishing.africa www.rdjpublishing.africa
Readings: Pumping Scenarios Courtesy USGS https://www.usgs.gov/
Nitrate is a contaminant from fertilizer typically present at elevated concentrations in shallow groundwater throughout the Central Valley due to decades of agricultural land use. Scientists found that increased pumping from wells during drought can pull shallow, contaminated groundwater down to depths commonly tapped for public drinking-water supply.
Heyns P, S Montgomery, J Pallett, M Seely (Eds). 1998. Namibia’s Water, A Decision Makers’ Guide. Desert Research Foundation of Namibia and DWA, Windhoek, Namibia. The economic impact of climate change in Namibia doi: 10.1029/2021GL094398 https://www.usgs.gov/news/increased-pumping-california-scentral-valley-during-drought-worsens-groundwater-quality https://www.waterworld.com/drinking-water/potable-waterquality/press-release/14209714/usgs-finds-droughtinducedpumping-degrades-groundwater
Artificial Recharge Courtesy: USGS https://prdwret.s3.us-west2.amazonaws.com/ assets/palladium/pr oduction/s3fspublic/thumbnails/i mage/wss-cycleinfiltrationrechargediagram.gif
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28 SEPTEMBER, 2021
THE ENVIRONMENT AUTHOR: David Jarrett Managing Consultant at RDJ Consulting
Reduce, Re-use and Recycle
Waste Bins Courtesy: Kleen Tek Waste Management
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s society gets to grips with sustainability and climate change realities that require a transition to sustainable fuels, renewable energy and e-mobility, the 3R’s need to be reinforced. If the 3R’s are examined, it becomes clear that they present a low hanging fruit option for society which saves money, reduces energy demand and material needs, reduces landfill demands and most importantly provides either recyclable material or fuel offset (via refuse derived fuel).
It's Really simple!
Thus, it is clear that the best way to avoid waste is to prevent its existence. Learning how to reduce, reuse and recycle, helps society become more sustainable and in most cases helps reduce environmental damage and costs. In essence, the less we use, the less we waste. REDUCE Step one in the process is to reduce the amount of material used. This means thinner or lighter products, thus allowing the initial material to make more items.
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REDUCE the amount of waste you produce. REUSE items as much as you can before replacing them. RECYCLE items wherever possible.
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A similar approach applies to using fuels like petrol or electricity. Driving less and walking instead of driving saves fuel such as petrol or diesel, as well as turning lights off when not in use also reduces the amount of electricity demanded.
So, in summary, use refillable water bottles, use reusable carry bags such as those made from durable or biofriendly material such as bamboo or other biomaterial.
Another area of reduction is related to food waste, and so cooking just enough food as will be consumed without any waste is also an important step. So, in summary, only buy what you need, especially with perishable items such as fresh vegetables, choose products with less packaging and look for products that can be reused. RE-USE So, we look at step two which is very easy for all of society with attitude change or what could be classed as “survival mode thinking”. From a basic principle, reuse reduces recycling and saves material demand. One of the clear options here is to use “reusable” packaging such as reusable shopping bags, placing take away in reusable packaging and buying products coming in containers that can be refilled. Reuse also applies to for example, water used to wash vegetable prior to cooking can be collected and used to water garden plants.
RECYCLE The reuse of water mentioned previously is also a form of “recycling” thus giving a second use to water previously used for another purpose. Actions for society include careful disposal of waste materials into the respective waste streams, this will then facilitate easier sorting and transport of the waste to recycling facilities. This action also includes separation where appropriate, along with avoiding contamination of recyclable material to increase its value. 3R’s saves money and energy and reduces landfill.
Readings: https://kleentek.com.na/ https://http//www.rent-a-drum.com.na/ https://www.ohorongo-cement.com/
3R’s Action Points (Namibia Examples)
Other Actions (Awareness Raising efforts)
Reduce Actions
Re-use Actions
Recycling Actions
City of Windhoek Ebikes4Africa Kleen Tek Waste Management NamPower / REDs Ohorongo Cement Rent-A-Drum Zero Waste Store
Yes Yes
Yes Yes
Yes Yes
Noted
Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
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SA’s CMO Group Developing International Trading Platform for Namibian Charcoal
South African company specialising in the forestry industry including the marketing of forestry products, CMO Group, has formed an alliance with Namibian charcoal producers to build an international supply chain for Namibian charcoal into the lucrative European and North American markets. The group recently obtained funding from an investment company, E4E Africa to build a trading platform, IcePik, for charcoal producers from southern Africa whose products are certified according to standards set by the international Forest Stewardship Council®(FSC). Namibia will serve as the pilot project to develop the trading portal and ensure its operability. The CMO Group has opened an office in Otjiwarongo under the leadership of the group’s Namibian Managing Director, Corris van den Berg. The CMO Group will use the E4E Africa funding to expand its existing software to build a trading platform that provides participating charcoal producers direct access to international markets and the markets to the producers. The trading platform is based on an app that producers and buyers can download on their computers and mobile phones. According to the group, certification from the Forest Stewardship Council is a key component to ensure market
access for African producers. This is done by using CMO’s PerForm software which enables digital management and auditing of charcoal producers. This is to the advantage of smaller producers that can join the CMO Group Scheme certificate (FSC-C140298 ) to reduce the cost of certification, since the certification process is based on an environmental, social and economic audit which is both cumbersome and expensive. Van den Berg said CMO Group has been innovating and researching this field for many years, and the funding from E4E Africa constitutes a great moment in securing critical market access for certified ‘green’ forest products and a means to introduce small producers to international markets. “The CMO trading platform, IcePik has the full support of the FSC’s international centre in Bonn,” he said adding that the trading platform will be launched in Namibia and South Africa in the last quarter of this year, focussing on sales of FSC certified charcoal.
ORIGINAL PUBLICATION: Source: https://economist.com.na/64021/agriculture/sas-cmogroup-developing-international-trading-platform-fornamibian-charcoal/
Courtesy: RDJ Consulting
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ROADS TRANSPORT Construction o f n ew Cycle Lanes in Windhoek Underway
bicycle lanes mark Courtesy: lingqi xieGetty Images
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he City of Windhoek (CoW) has recently announced the construction of bicycle lanes around Windhoek. The project which already began on 8
September 2021 is expected to continue until 31 January 2022. According to the Municipality, the new bicycle lanes will be constructed within existing road lanes as well as along existing sidewalks. Furthermore, the CoW informed that the construction will be done along Florence Nightingale Street in Khomasdal,
Dr Kuaima Riruako Street in Dorado Park and Windhoek West and Andrew Kloppers and Brahms Streets. With this, the traffic flow in these streets will be affected during the construction period, therefore, residents are urged to take note of change in traffic conditions during and after construction to avoid any inconvenience.
Readings: https://economist.com.na/64262/wheels-wings/city-of-windhoek-tocommence-with-construction-of-new-cycle-lanes/
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32 SEPTEMBER, 2021
ICT & TELECOMMUNICATIONS Expansion of Data Centres Across Africa
Q-KON Group to Expand Presence in Namibia
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data center is an area that utilizes IT capabilities and storage equipment in order to store, process and disseminate data. These areas often store an organization’s most sensitive and proprietary assets. Data centres are integral to the daily operations of an organization. Therefore, a secure and reliable data centre is a top priority in today's digital business age. It is this service that Africa Data Centres hopes to provide across Africa. Africa Data Centres, is a secure data centre service company operating internet exchanges in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Nairobi. The company has plans to construct 10 very large data centres across the African continent. It has already begun securing land in prospective African countries, in order to meet the IT and data storage needs of growing African businesses. Africa Data Centres said the project will involve building 10 hyperscale data centres, in 10 countries, over the next two years – at a cost of more than US$500million. Business spending in Africa is expected to grow from $2.6 trillion in 2015 to $3.5 trillion in 2025 according to the world economic forum. It is with this growing opportunity that Africa Data Centres hopes to tap into, by providing world class data centres that will propel African businesses into the global market. Additionally the company hopes to to provide a first ever interconnected African base. Africa Data Centre projects that their project would “allow multinational organizations to confidently enter the market, knowing their future growth is assured and they have access to open carrier systems to the rest of the continent.”
-KON Africa is a data and broadband service provider operating out of South Africa that connects off-grid locations to core networks in
terms of financial, commercial and services, using satellite technologies.
governmental
In 2016 a team was formed in Namibia to expand the QKON Group’s presence in Namibia with the specific focus to offer satellite access and unified communication solutions. Q-KON Namibia is a registered and CRAN licensed Namibia ICT company. Under the leadership of Manfred Engling, they have introduced a product that services the local market through a network of reputable resellers. Since then the Q-KON group has stayed committed to their aim of providing all Namibians the ability to access information. Partnering up with First National Bank of Namibia utilizing speed points that operate over their Twoobii network. Twoobii is a satellite business broadband provider that gives the customer voice, data and Internet services, particularly in rural areas. This partnership provides high speed connectivity in some of the most rural parts of Namibia such as Divundu in Northwestern parts of Namibia, a region still in its early developmental stages in terms of housing, and communication infrastructure. Q-KON hopes to provide several more places in Namibia access to information.
Readings: https://economist.com.na/64044/technology/gaining-access-toinformation-technology-with-over-a-decade-of-service-delivery/
Africa Data Centres’ investment is a reflection of the digital growth potential Africa still wields and the strides the continent has taken.
Readings: http://www.africadatacentres.com/ https://economist.com.na/64211/technology/ambitious-roll-outof-10-megascale-tier-iv-data-centres-across-africa/ https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/02/africa-global-growtheconomics-worldwide-gdp/
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34 SEPTEMBER, 2021
WOMEN IN INDUSTRY
Interview with Ms. Nghishiinawa Mudjanima Interviewed by Ms. Kina Indongo (Communications Contributor - RDJ Consulting)
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his month we had the exciting opportunity to speak to Ms. Nghishiinawa Mudjanima Chief Cartographer at The Ministry of Mines and Energy, and passionate community contributor.
Personal Journey
Ms. Mudjanima was born in the Capital Windhoek and attended both primary and secondary school, in the small town of Luderitz down south of Namibia. She then moved back to Windhoek in 2009 to complete her Tertiary education, where she enrolled for a Bachelor of Technology Degree in Geo-information Technology at the then Polytechnic of Namibia, now Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST). graduating in April 2012. After working for a few years and having saved up enough for tuition fees. She decided to go back to school in 2016, on a part-time basis as she had to work, to take care of herself and family. In October of 2017, she graduated and is now a proud holder of an Honours degree in GeoInformation Technology hoping to soon pursue her Masters. Immediately after graduation (20122013) Ms. Mudjanima was employed as a contract lecturer at the then Polytechnic of Namibia now NUST. She was approached by one of her lecturers Dr. Daniel Wyss, and he asked if she would be interested in lecturing an Introduction to Geospatial Data, to a group of Engineering students, an experience Ms. Mudjanima found very fulfilling, "my favourite part of the entire experience was when I’d see the
students actually grasp and fully understand that which I’ve just taught them.” said Ms. Mudjanima Ms. Mudjanima was then employed in the Geo-hydrology Division at the then Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF); where she was employed as a Hydrologist (GIS & Mapping) from December 2013 – July 2019. “This was where I fell in love with serving the community.” Said Ms. Mudjanima She adds “At MAWF I was privileged to work with people from all walks of life, who all had one thing in common when they came to me, which was that they were on the quest for water, I would map out the www.rdjpublishing.africa
groundwater potential for their areas and this helped them in narrowing down where they’re most likely to strike underground water for their borehole installations. It was also here that I unknowingly fell in love with hydro-geological modelling.” Finally in 2019, she was employed at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Geological Survey of Namibia. Currently employed as the Chief Cartographer. This was a major transition as she had now stepped into a leadership role. “I really had to learn people skills, conflict resolution and project management. As a young professional I feel privileged to have
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had opportunities to work in the fields I’ve worked thus far (Academia, Hydrogeology and Geology), I am all for diversification of experience and not being limited to one area. I believe it goes a long way in developing one professionally.” Said Ms. Mudjanima
Challenges No journey comes without their challenges. One of the challenges Ms. Mudjanima, faced in her current position, was taking on the role as supervisor. “So not only was I switching jobs, I was also entering a new work environment, with new colleagues that have been working there for years and whom I now had to ‘supervise’. Impostor syndrome definitely crept in, felt like I might have bitten off more than I could chew.” However, Ms. Mudjanima developed a system where each co-worker respects the other and has not had any major challenges with regards to workplace dynamics.
Motivations and Goals
Ms. Mudjanima says she is motivated by Namibia being a country rich in natural resources. She believes however to optimally reap the benefits it is very important to sustainably utilize and manage these natural resources. “GIS is a vital tool in informed decision making and thus far I have been privileged to work in two crucial sectors hydro-geology and geology. Being in a position to help ensure that these resources are sustainably managed, has pushed me to constantly try and find ways to achieve this. I am very passionate about sustainable utilization of our country’s natural resources and being able to contribute to this keeps me going. I know that the benefits will serve not only myself, but the entire nation and generations to come.” Said Ms. Mudjanima Ms. Mudjanima says she is excited with innovations such as spatial data science and machine learning. And with ESRI’s Geospatial Cloud which
provides all the toolset one needs to expose patterns, relationships, anomalies etc. By connecting the seemingly disconnected with the most comprehensive set of analytical methods and spatial algorithms available. And using location as the connective thread to uncover hidden patterns, improve predictive modeling, and create a competitive edge. “I believe there are endless opportunities that can be tapped into, in order to translate problems into spatial answers and subsequently aid with effective decision making.” Said Ms. Mudjanima Does Namibia have sufficient targeted investments in women pursuing careers in your field? Namibia as a whole has generally paid special attention to women’s empowerment and gender equality. However, my field, Geographic Information Technology is a relatively new field in Namibia. Thus overall awareness/exposure for both women and men is limited. I wouldn’t say targeted investments exist at all, at least none that I am aware of. More can be done.
Conclusion For her parting words Ms. Mudjanima assures the other women hoping to follow in her footsteps “It is possible”. Although the GIS industry worldwide is currently predominantly male, with Developer and Executive positions showing the most gender imbalance. The industry is slowly becoming more gender balanced, and we can make this a reality by collectively taking up space and cementing ourselves within the numerous professions the GIS sphere has to offer. With diligence & commitment, “it is possible”. “Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a great field, with countless areas one can choose to specialize in, if you’re only starting out now. You might not immediately know which area it is you want to specialize in, and that is absolutely normal- it will come eventually and when it does present itself you will have no doubts.” Said Ms. Mudjanima. Finally, she leaves us with her favourite quotes by Babe Ruth, which she personally tries to live by;. “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”
Other Projects Ms. Mudjanima and a few young GIS professionals recently mobilized the resuscitation of the Geoinformation Society of Namibia (GISNA). GISNA is a registered non-profit organization with the Ministry of Industrialization in Namibia. It was founded in 2011 with the ultimate mission to promote the professionalization of Geoinformation in Namibia. And vision is/was to become a recognized professional field in Namibia by the year 2016. Sadly the organization had been very dormant, following the initial mobilization and engaging the relevant parties. A new council was elected into power at the recently ended 2nd GIS-NSDI Forum which took place 25-26 February 2021. “We trust that with the new leadership at its helm, GISNA will fulfill its mandate” Said Ms. Mudjanima www.rdjpublishing.africa
I am very passionate about sustainable utilization of our country’s natural resources and being able to contribute to this keeps me going. I know that the benefits will serve not only myself, but the entire nation and generations to come.”.-Nghishiinawa Mudjanima
Ms. Nghishiinawa Mudjanima
36 SEPTEMBER, 2021
YOUTH IN ACTION
Interview with Mr. Lifalaza Simataa Interviewed by Ms. Kina Indongo (Communications Contributor - RDJ Consulting)
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This September we have the exciting opportunity to peek into the world of Human Resources in our exciting interview with Mr. Lifalaza Simataa and his contribution to the book 'The HR Practitioners Handbook.'
Personal Journey
Mr. Simataa studied at the University of Namibia (UNAM) from the period of 2015 to 2018. I was enrolled in a Bachelor of Art course, with his major being Industrial Psychology, and minor subjects being Philosophy and applied ethics, political science and sociology. Then graduating with a single major in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. In 2019, he returned to UNAM to do a non-degree to further his educational background in philosophy and applied Ethics Mr. Simataa’s occupational background began with his role as a Human Capital development consultant and Ethicist at Capacity Trust. Right after graduation whilst pursuing his non-degree in philosophy and applied Ethics. While at Capacity Trust we worked as facilitator and consultant of soft skills such as Leadership development, team building, conducting interviews, communication training, emotional intelligence training and mediation/conflict resolution. After some time under Capacity Trust. Pursuing further skills in career guidance, labour relations, Sensitivity Training, workplace bullying, Ethics training. He is now also an author and freelance consultant. Finally, Mr. Simataa has guest lectured at the
University of Namibia on Bioethics within psychology.
The HR Practitioners Handbook 'The HR Practitioners Handbook' is an exciting book for anyone in the Human resources, capacity building sphere in Namibia. www.rdjpublishing.africa
The book is the brainchild of Dr Clifford Hlatywayo, as a discussion of how to bridge the gap between newly graduated Practitioners and the working/professional world. Noting a trend of former students not being able to prepare appropriately for the working environment once they leave school Dr Hlatywayo pushed for a formalised manual. This idea further grew when he expressed the Idea to
SEPTEMBER, 2021 37 Siegfried Lange of Capacity Trust, as he would be in the position to contact and communicate with several other experts in the field. A meeting was set with several seasoned Human Resource practitioners to encourage them to add their experience and knowledge to the manual. Mercy Situmbeko of Dimples Psychometric & Management, was one of the first authors on board, she even wrote two chapters and became a co-sponsor of the book with Mr Lange, along with Dr. Hlatywayo, and other reputable industry names including Mr. Simataa.
enough foundation of ethics, in general before touching on specific issues concerning ethics in the Human Resource profession. The chapter touches on important dilemmas a practitioner may face, it speaks on underlying themes that a practitioner might miss or has to start strongly considering. The chapter creates a skeleton for creating a Human Resource Professional body, to express the need for the profession to have a body that ensures that we as practitioners have a standard, have our ethics defined.
The book is marketed not only to those who just entered the Human Resource field but those who may be looking for assistance and tips who are already in the profession. It is a book that proves helpful to the rookie practitioner and the veteran alike. As it touches on several themes that one in the industry may face in the field but also some themes such as Ethics which is an theme overlooked in the field and needs to be considered more and built upon.
The importance of ethics is that the Human Resource field deals specifically with workers, from recruiting to firing, working out benefits, approving your leave, dealing with elements that may be harmful towards employees. “It is important that those with such power are constantly applying ethical consideration, are behaving and doing their job in an ethical manner.” Said Mr. Simataa. Ethics doesn't stop at doing what is considered right but also considering new policies that may be more inclusive, getting rid of old policies that may be outdated or harmful, figuring out how new external or internal changes impact employees. Including considering the implications of technology and considering elements such as race, gender, disability and economic class.
Ethics for the Human Resource Practitioner Mr. Simataa’s Chapter is 'Ethics for the HR profession' and is based on what he had noticed within common conversations about Human Resource Practitioners. That made him come to the realization that ethics is an important discussion that needed to be had. Firstly there is misuse and misunderstanding of the word ethics, it is merely boxed as a slogan or a character trait or used as a tool in disciplinary cases. “I felt like as someone with a background in ethics, I felt the need to address that misunderstanding, and to build a firm enough understanding and then to express how diverse of a topic ethics is.” Said Mr. Simataa His chapter serves as an introduction to ethics in the field of Human Resources. The chapter explains ethics as a concept, to give the reader a firm
I wouldn't say it’s a new innovation per se but there has been a surge in tackling workplace bullying and conflict but overall the recognition of “soft skills”. With an emphasis on getting more professionals involved. Commonly an organisation doesn’t look into such conflicts as much as it should. There is a lot of consideration when it comes to workplace bullying, the power dynamics, the corporate culture, themes revolving around Tribes, gender, ethnicity and nationality, bullying and discrimination along these themes can easily break down your organisation, the reputation, create high turnover and loss of talents.
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We have experienced a lot of organisations that have either high turnovers or dysfunctional departments because of conflict and workplace bullying. The surge and interest in addressing conflict, addressing workplace bullying and implementing more soft skills such as leadership skills, communication skills, team dynamics and teambuilding skills have me excited.
Current Projects Mr. Simataa is currently engaged in youth Program where himself and a colleague are trying to establish more hands-on career guidance for high school students, he aims for a programme that runs from grade 8 to 12 working in conjunction with Life Skills teachers to present a more expressive and complete picture of the working world, the options and everything related to getting to that destination and the potential obstacles. Many individuals only gain an idea of what they want to do or what their profession entails on the first day of their job. Some don’t realize the diverse nature of their degree or what else they can do. “I want to bridge that gap, provide essential skills that are considered soft skills but matter in the long run, such as public speaking and communication, leadership skills, emotional intelligence and team dynamics and sensitivity training.” Mr. Simataa.
Conclusion In parting words Mr. Simataa speaks about the importance of making yourself heard and having a contribution, “As a youth or a young person, it is easy to allow yourself to be spoken over, to not contribute and to be fearful that you have nothing to offer in discussions on directions and contributions. You can contribute, you do add value and there is constant contribution and value that you bring. It is important to listen and learn but it is important to take part, speak out and actively contribute to the direction of your profession.” He said..
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TENDERS NAMPOST Description: NamPost invites suitable and qualified companies to submit bids for the provision of the following: Analyse and establishing of NamPost Ltd Digital Transformation. Bid Closing Date: 30 September 2021 UNAM Description: Quotations are hereby invited for the following: Air Conditioning Service System, Oshakati Campus. Bid Closing Date: 22 September 2021
CAREERS CHEETAH CONSERVATION FUND Position: Conservation Genetics Laboratory Technician Closing Date: 22 September 2021 DIMENSION DATA NAMIBIA Position 1: Technical Architect Closing Date: 27 August 2021 Position 2: Project Coordinator Closing date: 30 September 2021
TRANSNAMIB Description: TransNamib hereby invites interested and suitably qualified companies for following: Locomotive fleet and other tracking services for TransNamib Holdings Ltd. Bid closing date: 7 October 2021 RDA Description:RDA invites sealed bids from eligible bidders for the Supply, Delivery and Commissioning of ICT Equipment for Regional Offices. Specifications: 1. Desktop Computers x 37; 2. Laptops x 17; 3. Network Printers x 02. Please confirm the contract number as three were published. Bid closing date: 8 October 2021 NORTHERN REGION WATER BOARD Description: Supply and Delivery of 4000 No. Prepaid Water Meters and Accessories Issued date: 4 September 2021 ptember 2021
www.rdjpublishing.africa
CAPRICORN INVESTMENT GROUP Position: Sector team lead Closing Date: 22 September 2021 PWC NAMIBIA Position: Manager- Audit Assurance Closing Date: 22 September 2021
SWAKOP URANIUM Position: Senior Engineer- Projects Closing Date: 22 September 2021
SEPTEMBER, 2021 39
CONRIBUTING AUTHORS
David Jarrett (Managing Consultant) RDJ Consulting Services CC
Chilombo Olga Priscila (Operations Manager / Economist) RDJ Consulting Services CC
Misozi Mugala (Research Contributor) RDJ Consulting Services CC
Kina Indongo (Communications Contribiutor) RDJ Consulting Services CC
Monique Jarrett (Environmental Biology intern) RDJ Consulting Services CC
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