FlyNamibia March 2022

ISSUE 4 | MARCH 2022

To Cape Town

Take me home! Your free copy

6 days a week

www.flynamibia.com.na flynamibia safari | adventure | lifestyle |

conservation | economic pulse | looking global | explore cape town

GOOD TODAY. BETTER TOMORROW.

from the publisher

Stories in FlyNamibia Magazine.

FIRE

“But how could you live and have no story to tell?”

- Fyodor Dostoevsky

A

Read this issue online!

is for Awesome... and Ads. To advertise in FlyNamibia magazine contact fly@venture.com.na.

Venture Publications (Pty) Ltd. PO Box 21593 Windhoek Namibia info@venture.com.na

This is us. extraordinary Namibian stories. publishing. content generation. content marketing. print. film. digital.

CONTENT IS

are compiled by Venture Media’s content team, in partnership with Tribefire Studios and freelance contributors.

and also

by Tribefire Studios

1

Table of

contents CONTENT IS FIRE 12

01

And collaboration is the future. FlyNamibia Magazine is a compilation of Namibian stories sourced by Venture Media that entertain and surprise with interesting topics, introducing you to a new generation of trendsetters and Namibian personalities.

WELCOME ON BOARD

09

Excited about all things FlyNamibia.

INVESTING BACK INTO NAMIBIA

10

Ondili, creating opportunities and empowering Namibians.

FASHION FIERCE

12

The rising star of fashion blogger and style influencer, David Wamambo.

LIFE ON A TABLE

15

Start your braai with the ultimate beef skewers.

ART AL FRESCO 16

16

Open air art to inspire.

WHAT DOES FREEDOM LOOK LIKE?

19

Break the shackles and start living the life you want.

CAPE TOWN ART FAIR

20

Namibian artists represented at the largest contemporary art fair in Africa.

THE TRIBE

23

Meet Chris Wayne, producer and musician behind some of Namibia’s most popular music projects.

PRE-SCHOOLERS, PLANES AND PICNICS

25

Inspiring the next generation.

25 2

10 MINUTES WITH LOCAL TASTE MAKERS Take to the skies with Allison Strydom.

27

NAMIBIA’S WETTEST WONDERLAND

28

Have you visited the sublime Nkasa Rupara National Park?

GOOD VIBES ONLY

31

Your monthly dose of feel good news from Namibia and abroad.

LOOKING GLOBAL

32

Could airless tyres be the future?

15 MIN SWEAT SET WITH ENA

35

15

There is always time for a workout.

ECONOMIC PULSE

36

A closer look at a Namibian sovereign wealth fund.

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW FARMERS

40

Building dreams on charcoal production.

ROYAL HUSTLERS

43

Managing Director of Dinapama Manufacturing and Supplies, David Nama shares his success story.

IT’S ABOUT TIME, NOT DISTANCE

44

Counting the desert elephants between the Ugab and Hoarusib rivers.

THIS IS NAMIBIA

40

48

Experience the magic of Namibia’s wild northeast.

TRAVEL TALES

51

A drum, meat and a border crossing.

FLYNAMIBIA SAFARI

52

See more, spend less time travelling.

DID YOU KNOW?

59

Fun facts, important dates and Suduko.

LOVE NAMIBIA Showcasing the beauty of our country.

60

48 3

Switch to the

App with Buddy

Download the Buddy SuperApp & Switch to the Fly Namibia App Personal Travel Assistance available 08H00-22H00 daily Interactive TravelMap & Namibia Directory FlyNamibia Magazine Flight Rewards & Loyalty Emergency SOS Trigger Switch App, proudly powered by buddysuperapp.com

Need To Knows. with FlyNamibia

How to buy

a ticket online Choose your ticket Select which tickets you would like to purchase. We offer multiple fare options such as: Saver, Classic or Premium

Passenger details Please enter names as they appear on passport or travel documentation

More options for the perfect trip Baggage policy, sporting equipment, over weight luggage or to add an additional bag(s)

Additional flight information / rules Read up on all our additional information reagarding terms and conditions, and tick the selection box once completed to continue.

LOGIN to upload passenger details from previous booking.

Payment

Confirmation Mail

Fill in your payment details in our DPO paygate to make final payment.

How can you make

You can also purchase

from:

a payment?

Cash payment at: Eros Airport, Ondangwa Airport, Oranjemund Airport

Transaction confirmation will be sent to passenger email entered.

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)

Windhoek Eros Airport Office SkyLounge Eros Ondangwa airport office Rundu airport office Katima Mulilo airport office

Online card transaction

PayToday app

All major travel agents

Buddy SuperApp

Check-in

prior to flight Online check-in opens 24 hours before departure of the flight on Fly Namibia Check-in opens 1h 30min before domestic flight and 2 hours before international flight.

Check-in CLOSES 30 min prior to flight

Luggage

restrictions Items NOT allowed in hand luggage: Lotions and aerosols above 100ml, flammable aerosol, sharp objects, i.e. nail files, nail scissors, Leatherman, matches.

MAX 20kg

Per person 5

Ondangwa - Toivo ya Toivo

Eros Airport

Cape Town

6

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

CONNECTING YOU TO

Windhoek, Ondangwa, Rundu, Katima Mulilo and Cape Town FROM

TO

DAYS

DEPARTURE

ARRIVAL

Windhoek

Ondangwa - Toivo Ya Toivo

Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun

07:00

07:50

Ondangwa - Toivo Ya Toivo

Windhoek

Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun

08:40

09:30

Windhoek

Ondangwa - Toivo Ya Toivo

Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun

16:00

16:50

Ondangwa - Toivo Ya Toivo

Windhoek

Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun

17:40

18:30

Windhoek

Rundu

Wed, Fri, Sun

06:50

08:20

Rundu

Windhoek

Wed, Fri, Sun

09:00

10:30

Windhoek

Katima Mulilo

Wed, Fri, Sun

11:00

12:25

Katima Mulilo

Windhoek

Wed, Fri, Sun

13:10

14:40

FROM

DAYS

DEPARTURE

ARRIVAL

Windhoek

Cape Town

TO

Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri

08:30

10:30

Cape Town

Windhoek

Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri

11:30

13:30

Windhoek

Cape Town

Sunday

14:00

16:00

Cape Town

Windhoek

Sunday

17:00

19:00

www.flynamibia.com.na

+264 83 339 0011

Schedule as per date of going to print. Please check the FlyNamibia website to stay updated on flight destinations, routes and schedules.

Each journey is a story waiting to be told Fly from Windhoek Hosea Kutako to Cape Town 6 days a week as of 1 March 2022.

Let’s FlyNamibia

Operated by Westair Aviation | AOC: NCAA / AOC / 010/2013

Welcome on board

A

So much more to explore

s we head from a wet and wonderful February into March, Namibians across the nation are in a celebratory mood. Our ephemeral rivers have been flooding and rushing towards the Atlantic Ocean. Cutting through dry and barren landscapes, many have reached the sea, some for the first time in many years. Swakopmund residents flocked to the Swakop River mouth to witness firsthand how the brown muddy waters from inland met with the cold Benguela, the first time this has happened since 2010.

And as we Namibians celebrate the rain, at FlyNamibia we celebrate the start of even more connections this month. As of 1 March, we now offer flights between Windhoek and Cape Town International six days a week, giving our customers even more options and connections to explore. In March we also celebrate our country’s 32nd Independence Day and we wish all our Namibian clients hope, success and prosperity. Let us celebrate together as a nation and share our collective pride in all we have accomplished over the last three decades.

As the gushing rivers have done in February, we are also looking westward… to the far southwest, that is, with the reintroduction of flights to Oranjemund. Run under our Westair Aviation brand, the company now offers flights between Windhoek and Oranjemund every Monday and Thursday, departing at 10:00 from Windhoek with the return flight departing at 12:30 from Oranjemund. We hope to incorporate this route into our FlyNamibia commercial schedule soon. Tickets to and from Oranjemund can be booked by contacting the Westair team at reservations@westair.com.na or calling +264 81 121 7000.

As excited as we all are by the summer rains, we are even more excited about our soon-to-start FlyNamibia Safari routes. As of mid April, FlyNamibia will offer daily flights from

Hosea Kutako Airport in Windhoek to Namibia’s most iconic travel destinations: Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and Etosha, with an optional stopover in Twyfelfontein, making your journey to and across this incredible land all the easier, and more beautiful. FlyNamibia aspires to connect travellers to the very best of Namibia… and beyond.

We have also shaken up our Rundu route schedule by shifting our flying days to this northeastern destination from Tuesday and Thursday to Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. FlyNamibia’s current schedule includes domestic routes from Eros Airport in Windhoek to Ondangwa, Rundu and Katima Mulilo, as well as our regional route between Hosea Kutako International Airport and Cape Town International.

Our contact centre operates on a 24/7 basis and can be reached at +264 83 339 0011. We will continue to offer COVID testing at our Eros Airport facility and customers now also have the added comfort of a wide variety of payment methods for their flights, including the PayToday and Paybuddy apps. Now you can also download the Buddy SuperApp through which you can access the FlyNamibia App. This new platform offers personal travel assistance (available between 08h00 and 22h00), an interactive travel map, our FlyNamibia inflight magazine, flight rewards, loyalty programmes and emergency SOS trigger. The app is available at buddysuperapp.com. FlyNamibia is now also a proud partner of TravelStart and integrated into the company's travel booking systems online at www.travelstart.co.za.

May Namibia continue to be blessed with more celebration, hope and rain… We hope you enjoy your flight with us this March. Let’s FlyNamibia.

The FlyNamibia Team

9

Ondili Lodges

Investing back into Namibia

10

O

ndili is a proudly Namibian company that has created a sustainable model of not only ploughing profits back into the business and its conservation efforts, lowering its lodges’ carbon footprint, producing its own food and building materials but more importantly creating muchneeded employment opportunities as well as empowering its employees.

Taking a holistic approach to guest operations, Ondili is able to offer an exclusive and luxurious guest experience. This is done through the creation of a self-sustainable network of employees that are responsible for activities that range from amongst others conservation, food production and logistics to the front of house staff.

Although the friendly kitchen staff, cleaners, waitrons, guides and managers are the ones the guests see when visiting Ondili’s establishments, they are only the tip of a much larger proverbial iceberg.

Employment offered outside of tourism starts with Ondili’s properties. Apart from Twyfelfontein Adventure Camp, all of Ondili’s properties were previously used as commercial farmland. Large investments and efforts are needed to restore the natural biomes damaged through years of farming activities. Some of the rehabilitation efforts already undertaken include dismantling farm infrastructure such as interior fences, reservoirs and old buildings, and clearing of encroaching bush caused by overgrazing and poor farming techniques.

All these activities require substantial manual labour to create the stunning landscapes guests experience when staying at an Ondili lodge.

Vegetable, fruit and herb gardens established at most properties are a source of employment while providing Ondili’s lodges with fresh produce.

Debushing operations are essential to return overgrazed land to a condition that resembles the natural state it was in prior to farming activities. It allows for grass to grow in previously encroached areas, in return providing wildlife with larger tracts of grazing. The wood gained from debushing is used as firewood and building material at the Ondili lodges, while the process also provides employment. At Etosha Oberland a team of 40 labourers from the Zambezi Region is engaged in debushing.

Maintaining its nature reserves is a continuous effort and for this truck drivers, game rangers, anti-poaching units, road-construction teams and fence building teams are required.

All lodges are self-sufficient in generating electricity and hot water through the use of solar panels and geysers. Great care is taken to reduce plastic use wherever possible. Vegetable, fruit and herb gardens established at most properties are a source of employment while providing Ondili’s lodges with fresh produce.

At Ondili’s Namib Tsaris Nature Reserve a sustainable system of sheep farming has been introduced to provide lodges with a source of mutton. Nomadic sheepherders are used in the Tsaris mountains who continuously herd the sheep to ungrazed areas thus preventing overgrazing of any particular site while allowing for sufficient recovery periods. This allows these free-roaming animals to be fed on local natural fodder only, without having to rely on feed produced on plantations using non-eco-friendly practices.

Lodges require constant upkeep. Ondili employs an in-house team of upholsterers and furniture builders. They are also responsible for all canvas work at tented camps, as well as for stitching pillows, cushions, curtains and bedding as and when needed. Furthermore, for any construction or revamping of lodges, teams of contractors are used for carpentry, bricklaying and construction, welding and roof thatching.

Creating stunning accommodation establishments in beautiful Namibian settings requires a host of support staff. Ondili employs more than 200 Namibians of which 108 are permanent employees while the rest are contractors.

Book now or find out more at ondili.com

Apart from offering unforgettable guest experiences, every bed booked with Ondili contributes to a better Namibia through the creation of various employment opportunities for its citizens.

11

Photography: Shili Munyama of Creative South

David Wamambo talks

fashion, styling and the importance of grooming

A

ffectionately dubbed “The Lord of Bath” by his growing legion of social media followers and friends alike, David Wamambo is one very stylish man.

Wherever you meet him, he is bound to be impeccably dressed and well groomed with literally nothing out of place. Oh, and he smells like a dream!

In my first interview with this style star, I am not surprised to hear that fashion has been his thing from a very young age.

David, unlike many young men his age, just gets it when it comes to style. He has a good eye for colour and balance and knows how to pair items in a way that makes him stand out without being too loud.

The makings of “Lord Bath” From the time he was a child, David loved to look good and could not stand clothing that did not meet his standards. “I remember being so particular as a young child. I remember several times I’d flush down the toilet clothes I did not like. I was a fashionable menace.”

Today, many many years later, David is just as particular about his looks. If you follow him on Twitter, you are likely to pick up on his tweets either bashing bad fashion or expressing his dislike of poor hygiene. For David, looking good starts with meticulous hygiene and cleanliness.

“Oh my word, I love being clean. Being clean is the first step to achieving an unequaled style. If you really look at what I wear, they are very simple pieces, but I wear them with confidence.

That confidence comes from knowing I am clean, I smell good and I left a clean house,” he declares while adding that good grooming is an act of self-love. “One may wear the best designer pieces, but as long as the clothes aren’t clean and your body is not too clean, the first notable thing is the dirt.

It spoils the style. Being clean is attractive, it is inspiring and it is self-love. There are no risks to practicing good hygiene,” he says.

Like many style stars, David's fashion sense has gone through an evolution.

He explains the transitions his aesthetic has gone through over the years: “This has been a soulful journey. I say soulful because this has been a reflection of my life. In my teens I gravitated towards the grunge look, and eventually, in my twenties, I toned down to a Scandinavian-inspired street style. Of late, my aesthetic has become more dapperly versatile. I look good in suits during the week. I have also become attentive to reading event themes, so that I attempt to match the required look at events – people love that, it shows respect and effort.”

I ask David what his biggest fashion pet peeves are and he lists dress codes that he finds the most annoying: First on the list? Smart casual. “This is just a sneaky way to tell everyone to come dressed with their very best level of style mediocrity,” he says matter-of-factly. Next up, and sure to ruffle some feathers, is the Met Gala. “This annoys me, because the Met Gala is an event with annual themes so it is quite a confusing guideline,” he says.

Last on the list is The Great Gatsby. For this one, David has few words to spare, saying simply: “We are tired of it.”

Wardrobe staples that David can not live without…

“White shirts, I always have a white tuxedo shirt, white double cuff shirt and a white regular shirt. I restock every three months. I believe every gentleman needs a good black suit the same way every lady needs a little black dress. Another thing that every young professional gentleman needs is a light blue shirt and a good number of neckties that match the logo of each of their top clients – I would never go to the blue bank in a green tie.”

Namibian and African fashion designers on David’s radar…

Some of David’s top picks of Namibian and African fashion brands are SynEDGY by Simeone Johannes, Majesty by Miles Meroro and Maison de Rouge by Tadiwa Chimbodza. “I would like to wear suits from RIA by Maria Nepembe one day. I would do anything to be dressed by Mai Atafo, all the way from Nigeria – I mean if you can get Naomi Campbell to wear your suits and walk your show, you are definitely doing everything right. I also love Bespoke by Linda Makhanya and Relevance for Men by Tshepo Tsala.”

A communications strategist by profession, David doubles as a fashion blogger and rising style influencer, and has been building his own personal brand which he has bigger plans for in 2022. “It has been a long time coming. This year I would like to offer young professionals an image consultancy service, merging my styling skills and personal branding skills to remodel and bolster their reputation. I also intend to offer a styling master class sometime later in the year.”

Given how well he dresses, there is no doubt that these projects will be a hit.

Rukee Kaakunga is a Windhoek-based Communications Specialist, Blogger and Freelance Fashion Writer. Contact her via email: rukeekaakunga@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @rukeeveni and on Instagram @rukeekaakunga.

13

Scan here to learn more about our perfect beer range, available in 16 countries worldwide. For more information contact nblexport@ol.na

14

Foodies

CARLA’S BEEF SKEWERS These skewers are the ideal starter to a braai.

600 g beef steak (I use culotte, but you can also use sirloin or fillet)

•

20 ml sesame oil

•

60 ml plum sauce 1 big stick lemon grass, finely chopped

•

A thumb-size piece of ginger root, finely chopped 2 red chillies, sliced A bunch of chives, roughly chopped Flour to dust the skewers

• •

Hentie Burger

•

Soak 15 wooden skewers in water to prevent them from burning on the fire.

Mix the oil, plum sauce, soy sauce, lemon grass, ginger, one of the chillies and half the chives in a blender.

Slice the steak very thinly into strips and thread onto the skewers.

Dust the meat with the flour, and then pat on the paste.

Braai the skewers on the fire for not more than 2 minutes on each side or shallow fry in a pan.

Garnish with sliced chilli and chives.

Discover more of Antoinette's delicious recipes in Life on a Table To order your copy contact Bonn Nortjé at Venture Publications: bonn@venture.com.na

15

ART AL FRESCO

Taayanda Matheus - The Evolution of Transport

Xallamo peforms Pantsula at the Otjomuise Live Arts Festival

OMDIS - Nicky Marais painting opening house

16

Nambowa Malua

T

here’s something spectacular about random run-ins with art.

Like most people going about the business of existing, you may be walking down the street somewhere, the incessant mental loop muttering something akin to “need bread, pay bills, send email, do laundry” and suddenly you’ll be thrust into another dimension.

At the Wernhil taxi rank, the push is into the past.

at Otjomuise Shopping Center. Whilzahn Gelderbloem considers the plight of the struggling artist on the steps of the municipality building. Angelina Akawa (Streetlight) and Miss Mavis /Rodelio Lewis (Hidden Bi Gender) both perform on Independence Avenue and, for eight days, the GoetheInstitut and the National Theatre of Namibia manifest their mandate of “bridging life and arts in the city”.

Give or take 800 km due south, Oranjemund embraces public art with similar creative energy.

A selection of artists arrive from the city and begin to As taxis whizz by, spiriting industrious Windhoekers from reimagine walls and spaces in the small mining town. pillar to post, a mural by Taanyanda The effort of fashioning sculptures and Matheus conjures something slower. painting murals celebrating the town’s ‘The Evolution of Transport’, the artist’s diamond industry and local wildlife is to painting of a donkey-drawn cart which attract tourists to a place that has been Art has the ability closed to all but authorised visitors for looms large in the dim urban underpass, offers a quaint reminder of the honking decades. to foster change taxis’ humble beginnings as it quietly catches the passing eye with an The name of OMDis Town Transform and when it’s anachronistic flash of colour.

Agency’s public art project is what as accessible as anyone with a true appreciation of the One of six murals created for the ENK arts knows down to their bones: “Art walking past a Institute for Public Art’s ‘Windhoek Can Transform”. neighbourhood Mural Project’, ‘The Evolution of Transport’ is part of a larger local trend The idea is worth plastering on a T-shirt playground or to enjoy art al fresco. but is more valuable as a line to live by.

While the move outdoors has, in part, been necessitated by the ongoing pandemic, Namibia with its 300+ days of sunshine is the perfect place for art to thrive under the country’s beautiful blue skies.

On a late November afternoon, public art is at its most marvellous.

pausing below a painted wall, it can stop you in your tracks, shut down the routine mental loop and shake loose the profound.

The inaugural Otjomuise Live Arts Festival (OLAF) has sprung up seemingly overnight and set up at a playground in Khomasdal. The children who frequent the park can’t believe their eyes as – Lize Ehlers and Adriano Visagie – people they know from the media begin to perform ‘Wie?’ with all the slang, banter and spirit of Namibia’s coloured community.

Public art is a portable feast and OLAF carries it all across the city.

There are Pantsula performances in Post Street Mall. There is Spoken Word at Unam Plaza. Dama Fusion entertains

Art has the ability to foster change and when it’s as accessible as walking past a neighbourhood playground or pausing below a painted wall, it can stop you in your tracks, shut down the routine mental loop and shake loose the profound.

In 2021, local artists brought their creativity out into the sun.

And as 2022 hits its stride, I hope to see you outside.

Martha Mukaiwa is a columnist and writer based in Windhoek, Namibia in-between spirited sojourns around the world. Her narrative nonfiction, personal essays, travel writing and short stories have appeared in Travel Africa, Quartz, Fields & Stations, Holiday, The Africa Report, Truthdig, Matador Network, Africa is a Country, The Namibian & The Kalahari Review. Martha is an honorary writing fellow at the University of Iowa. Read more at marthamukaiwa.com .

17

Purchase all your favourite CYMOT products online!

info@cymot.com

18

+264 61 295 6000

www.cymot.com

Wellness

I

What does freedom look like?

t is the month in which we celebrate Namibia’s Independence Day. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself what freedom means to you in your own life? On the one hand we have made great advances as a society in creating free spaces, but at the same time we are still very behind in other areas.

Yet this question is not about our collective freedom, but rather about a sense of freedom inside ourselves that makes us feel at peace.

To be completely free means to be fully ourselves. Which is actually harder to do than one would think, because to be completely ourselves, we have to know ourselves fully.

The great peace activist, author, and poet, Thích Nhát Hanh, who recently passed away, wrote many beautiful teachings on freedom. He wrote that for him “there is no happiness without freedom, and freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves.”

Hanh went on to write, “If you have anger in you, you have to transform anger in order to get your freedom back. If there is despair in you, you need to recognise that energy and not allow it to overwhelm you. You have to practice in such a way that you transform the energy of despair and attain the freedom you deserve - the freedom from despair.”

His antidote to a life free from despair was in the realisation of the miracle of your life. He wrote, “For me, to be alive is a miracle. It is the greatest of all miracles…. If we get caught up in our worries, our despair, our regrets about the past, and our fears of the future in our everyday lives, we are not free people.”

To live a life of personal freedom is to let go of the things that rob you of your freedom. Some of these freedom thieves include: Lies Have you ever heard the expression “the truth will set you free?”

There is a great amount of wisdom hidden in those words.

Seeking truth is the first step to personal strength and freedom.

Seeking truth means steering away from lies and deception. It has been said that the sense of loneliness and anxiety we may feel in our day-to-day lives is the truth trying to come out of us.

If we let the truth out and follow its path we can let go of many of the anxieties that hold us back from being truly free.

Incompatible people A vital component to personal freedom is surrounding yourself with people that are like you. We too often surround ourselves with incompatible people and become prisoners to their energy.

If you want to feel what freedom is like, surround yourself with people who share your values and outlooks in life. Truly being free means to live as you are, do what you want and spend time with people you like. In essence personal freedom is all about being the ruler of your kingdom.

Seeking only comfort We all like our comfort zone, and prefer to avoid negative feelings. Unfortunately we need to embrace negative feelings in order to be truly free. This is because seeking only what makes us comfortable, becomes an imprisonment. Life is not only good days, sometimes we will have bad ones. Our fear of discomfort and suffering takes away our peace of mind. When we recognise that these, too, are a part of life, we are not governed by our fear of them.

You have the power to live the life you want, to be free, be yourself and be happy, but this is an active and intentional practice.

It starts when you: Stop. Breathe. Feel. Then remind yourself that it is okay to change your mind/path/course/ plan along the way. As circumstances change, so will your choices and decisions.

"Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If in our heart we still cling to anything – anger, anxiety, or possessions – we cannot be free." Thích Nhát Hanh Kirsty Watermeyer

19

20

Connecting Namibia to the

Cape Town Art Fair

“O

ver the past year and a half, the art world has transformed itself and adapted to our shifted way of thinking and doing, as a result of Covid-19… We believe in the art fair model to bring people together to connect, converse and contemplate at the forefront of contemporary art.”

- Investec Cape Town Art Fair In the spirit of collaboration during a period of global transformation, two independent art initiatives joined forces to represent Namibia at this year’s Investec Cape Town Art Fair (ICTAF). The NJE Collective, as primary partner, invited the Project Room to co-curate their presentation of Namibian artworks, collaboratively creating exposure for six local artists. Initiated by Jo Rogge and Frieda Lühl, the partnership supports and mentors artists with the collective vision to “uplift the quality of Namibian art, to nurture Namibian artists, and to seek opportunities to exhibit their work, both within and outside of Namibia”.

Held from 18 to 20 February, Namibia was represented at the Cultural Platforms section, and featured works by visual artists Lynette Musukubili, Foibe Amundaba, Michelle Isaak, Rudolf Seibeb and Jo Rogge, as well as a powerful performance piece by poet Tangeni Kauzuu.

Below is a brief description of the themes covered and works exhibited by each artist during the ICTAF.

into local cultural, social and environmental topics, and a world in unity.

Isaak presented an expression on hidden truths – protruding from the artist’s unique cardboard creations in a multitude of shapes, colours and textures. She notes, “So much word in silent, unspoken reality, all caught up in a box, where it’s so hard to stand your ground with walls so high. After a battle within, finally finding a purpose to open up, wrecking the walls, enjoying the air when colours define our experiences.”

Themes of introspection were also emphasised in Rogge’s work. As the artist explains, “In the time of lockdown and isolation, contemplation of the meaning of life has sharply come into focus, and has become paramount for us all.”

The artist’s selection of multidisciplinary creative work asked the viewer to question fundamental beliefs about gender, while offering a personal reflection on displacement, family lineage and identity.

Rounding off the experience with a focus on uncomfortable truths, Kauzuu developed an experimental spoken word piece to “yank the nails from the mats we’ve bolted down in an attempt to lift the veil on the hidden dust of who we’ve become and the roles we’ve played in the queer lives we could have saved”. Known for her endless barrage of sometimes brutally uncomfortable questions and opinions, the performance was meant as a response to the queerphobic realities in Namibia, and presented in honour of fellow artist Bewise Tjonga – a courageous, queer printmaker who sadly took her own life in October 2021, shortly after being accepted in the NJE Collective’s mentoring programme.

Fast making a name for herself as crochet artist with a preference for plastic, Musukubili presented her signature woven realities, symbols and patterns depicting subject matter ranging from “the different movement restrictions we had during the Covid lockdowns” to gender-based violence, and how “all it takes is a group of people working together with a common purpose to create the change that is needed”. For Musukubili, exhibiting at the ICTAF provided an opportunity to “showcase Namibian work and voices to the world, gain recognition, and show that we have a very active art industry, even if it’s small”.

Lühl concludes, “I see our task as being the Sprungbrett (launch pad) for artists to hopefully get recognised by a bigger audience, and maybe even get picked up by a bigger South African gallery.” The collective representation at the ICTAF was the first of many more opportunities for local creatives to come.

Amundaba, who works largely with mixed media on paper, similarly turned her focus on the pandemic, and says, “Since the works were made in the current times of Covid-19 lies, myths, truths and fabrications, they are a reflection of unanswered questions behind this current masked period in humanity, especially of its outcome on Africa’s livelihood.”

Marita van Rooyen

With a reputation for artworks that speak through colourful faces and figures, and often depict the lighter side of life, Seibeb’s selection at the ICTAF was no exception.

His large-scale acrylic paintings reflected on themes of community, and living together in peace, providing a view

The NJE Collective and Project Room would like to thank the National Arts Council of Namibia for funding the flights and accommodation for two of the artists, which made it possible for them to attend the fair in person.

The Project Room - Namibia www.theprojectroom.com.na

21

Sibo & Mo 06h00 - 10h00

Skrypt

Treza

10h00 - 14h00

14h00 - 18h00

Windhoek 99FM | Rehoboth Okahandja 99FM | Swakopmund Walvis Bay 99.4FM Otjiwarongo 94.1 FM | Oshakati Ondangwa Ongwediva 104.5 FM 9 9 F M . C O M . N A

99FM APP: 22

THE TRIBE

The Tribe Exclusive Chris Wayne

W

hen it comes to cooking up hit songs, Chris Wayne is one of the best in the game. The producer and musician is behind some of Namibia’s most popular music projects including Die Hele Box, a collaboration with Exit Rockaz, Samuele and DJ K-Boz. The Tribe Exclusive recently caught up with the music star to talk about his career, the music production process and what it was like to work with the late Kanibal on his last project.

What are some of the things that really matter to you when you are producing a song or album?

It’s a lot of things that come into play. When I get into the studio, I think like a producer and I think like an artist. So it’s two different worlds and when you get into that creative element it’s easy to get lost in that world. It’s really hard to explain but that’s how I would put it best.

You are taking on more executive roles in some artists’ projects by coming on board as a director. How different is that role?

As a musician myself, being a creative director means understanding where to start. Getting into the studio isn’t just about doing music for the sake of it. That’s why when I make music with artists I first go out and chill with them before we hit the studio so that we are comfortable by the time we start.

You worked on a single with the late Kanibal. Tell us about that experience.

It’s so crazy how my music and production were actually

relatable to Kanibal. When he heard the beat, he immediately started writing. I wasn’t there but one of my artists was in the studio with him and they just created.

What’s so beautiful about music is that sometimes you don’t need to be present. The production and music is going to speak to you. So Kanibal recorded the song and we were supposed to release it before he died. It’s just so tragic that we didn’t get to do that.

We have been waiting for your own project for a long time. When is the Anomaly dropping, what is the deal?

You guys won’t believe it - I have three versions of this album. I would call it the evolution of my music because everytime I made something, I would create something better. All I can say is that I understand, and if you guys can wait, it’s coming.

Keep up with Chris Wayne’s music journey by following him on Instagram @chris_wayne_namibia and on Facebook Chris Wayne Namibia.

Watch The Tribe on One Africa TV (GOtv 90, DStv 284, DStv Now) every Friday at 18h30 with repeat shows on Saturdays at 17h30, and Mondays at 21h00.

Alternatively, listen to The Tribe on 99FM every Friday at 19h00, and follow The Tribe on Instagram @thetribenamibia and on Facebook @TheTribeNamibia.

23

EXPERIENCE the nature of this beautiful country, Namibia

Image: Matej Smucr

Tel: +264 61 232871 | 24hr emergency no: 081 129 3355 Email: info@africa-on-wheels.com Website: www.africa-on-wheels.com

Pre-schoolers, Planes and Picnics Hanging out with SPES Charity at the Westair Aviation & FlyNamibia hangar in Windhoek

I

n the spirit of ubuntu FlyNamibia has hosted a group of preschoolers, associated with S.P.E.S. Charity, at Eros Airport.

As children are the future, the airline is dedicated to inspiring less fortunate youths and getting them excited about aviation. The children were taken on a tour of the hangar and FlyNamibia facilities.

For most of these kids it was the first time they saw aeroplanes of different sizes and even a helicopter from up close, and the excitement of the little ones was tangible.

The tour ended with a picnic at the Standard Bank Sky Lounge overlooking the arrival and departure of planes. The children were also given time to draw the aircraft they had seen during their tour. Their artwork will be used for special FlyNamibia merchandise in celebration of Namibia’s independence day.

S.P.E.S. Charity has been involved in the community for over 14 years with the support of international and local partners. It was established for the main purpose of serving less fortunate children and youth by helping them step out of poverty through encouragement, education and emotional support. The charity currently works with around 1700 children up to six years old and also provides support to about 80 teachers.

25

PPL | CPL | ATPL | Type Ratings | Jet Ratings | DG | SEPT | CRM | Cabin Crew | AMO Training Agent for Sling Aircraft in Namibia

Aviation Road | Eros Airport | Windhoek +264 83 339 0094 | info@signaaviation.com www.signaaviation.com NCAA ATO 000777

In Aviation, We Set The Standard 26

10 minutes

with local taste makers

M

Allison Strydom

ere seconds after hopping onto a video call with Allison, an airplane zooms over my building. The hum of its engine and propellers drowns out our conversation, but this time it isn’t the regular nuisance of working across from an airport. It is serendipitous, because I am chatting to a pilot – with a cat on her lap and a bedroom filled with plants in the background.

“Everyone calls me Ally”, says the 22-year-old private pilot who is on the fast track to completing her commercial license. Her love for the sky has inspired a hefty 30K people to tap the follow button and tag along as Ally becomes airborne. I for one am loving the ride! With incredible consistency she takes her followers (or are we passengers?) through the rigmarole of life in the air and the airport of scenic Swakopmund.

Tapping into an unassuming avenue of sharing aviation with us groundspeople, Ally films almost every element. From pulling the planes out of the hangar and completing all the necessary checks and measures, to taking us up into the air, all beautifully composed in reels I find myself watching on repeat.

Her love for flying isn’t simply a means to an end. It is in her genes. Ally’s late father was a pilot, who, since she was little, was determined to teach her how to land a plane. The bug bit after her first time in the cockpit and she has not looked back since. She reminisces over the times she took to the sky with her dad when I ask about the legacy she is destined to carry. But Ally is by no means living in his shadow – she is paving her own runway. I like to think they are co-pilots up there in the air.

I ask her about that defining moment, when she knew she would become a pilot. Without hesitation Ally recalls her first

time flying a Cessna 206. With a six-seat passenger capacity the plane had her “feeling like a proper pilot.”

When Ally isn’t in the air (which is seldom), she is at the airport. And when she isn’t at the airport she is either baking sweet treats for her family or diving into psychology books. Even her hobbies are disciplined, testament to the fact that Ally has her eyes firmly on the horizon everytime she takes flight.

I have always regarded aviation as a male dominated industry. On the rare occasion that a female voice echoed through the corridors of an airplane, I would get goosebumps imagining my own potential in stereotypical male professions. Chatting to Ally is no exception. But the plane game has evolved to include more women, she assures me, adding that her class of future commercial pilots is predominantly female. Her advice to girls hoping to call flying a career: Ignore the naysayers and keep going. Being a flight attendant is a noble profession, no doubt, but rest assured there is space for women in the cockpit, too.

Ally says she anticipates the day when all the wonder of soaring high above the Skeleton Coast becomes mundane.

Yet, after three years of flying, “the water is a different blue every day.” Every time she is in the air Ally has a pinch me moment and considers herself incredibly lucky to call the flight-deck her office. And how lucky she is to do the very thing so many of us regard as the ultimate superpower. You can take the girl out of the sky, but as her Instagram bio @allisxn_ says: “You can’t take the sky from me.”

Charene Labuschagne

27

Namibia’s Wettest Simone Micheletti

Wonderland

Cradled by the Kwando and Linyanti rivers at the Zambezi Region’s southernmost point, lies Namibia’s largest conserved wetland area, the 28,500-ha-large Nkasa Rupara National Park. Complex tectonic, climatic and hydrological events have shaped and reshaped the wetlands over countless aeons. The most dramatic change took place millions of years ago when uplift along the Linyanti Fault diverted the Kwando River into a northeasterly direction.

S

ince then, the fate of this extremely dynamic system has been at the mercy of the rainfall in the Kwando River’s catchment area in central Angola where it is known as the Cuando. No two seasons are the same. Blockages caused by sedimentation and dense reed beds or floating vegetation divert water into channels that have been waterless for decades, while channels that flowed only recently become dry unexpectedly. Hippos play a role in the constantly changing waterways by keeping channels open, while a termite mound built in a channel during a dry cycle can force the water to find another course.

Peat beds act as sponges, releasing the water gradually during the dry season, but during dry cycles they become part of the floodplain grassland and are prone to peat fires.

The Kwando River usually peaks at Kongola in May/June, but the water only reaches Nkasa Rupara several weeks later because of its meandering course and gentle gradient, while reeds, papyrus and floating vegetation also slows its flow.

28

During very high levels, the water of the Kwando River flows along an intricate network of southeastward-flowing channels that dissect the grasslands and floodplains. Large areas are flooded when the channels overspill their banks.

During years of major flooding, such as the 2008/9 flood, up to 80% of the park is inundated, leaving only Nkasa and Rupara standing like islands amidst a vast expanse of water.

Water flowing along the channels that dissect the floodplains transform the wetlands into a mosaic of lily-carpeted channels, vast reed beds, tranquil backwaters, pools and oxbow lakes.

Large areas remained inundated until 2014 when the water began receding, but deep channels still prevented access to Nkasa Island many years later.

Wet cycles are periodically followed by dry cycles. Belowaverage flows of the Kwando River from 1991 to 2000 resulted in a dry cycle that lasted more than a decade. The floodplains were completely dry by 1994 and largely remained dry until the 2005 wet cycle started.

During major floods, water from the Linyanti reaches the ephemeral Lake Liambezi which is also fed by water which flows along the Bukalo Channel which is linked to the Zambezi River. When full, the water flows into what is known as the Chobe River.

EXPLORING NKASA RUPARA Nkasa Rupara is only accessible in a four-wheel-drive vehicle and large areas are inaccessible after high floods. Travelling parties should consist of a minimum of two vehicles and carry recovery equipment in case of an emergency.

Camping is not permitted in the park, but there are several campsites just a few kilometres from the park entrance: • Rupara Restcamp, 3 km north of the park entrance, is managed on behalf of the Wuparo Conservancy. It has campsites with communal ablutions, campsites with own ablutions and selfcatering chalets sleeping two people and a family chalet.

Tel: 066 686 101; email: info@rupara.com • Nkasa Lupala Tented Camp, 1 km from the park entrance, is a joint venture between members of the Wuparo Conservancy and the owners, the Micheletti family. This eco-friendly lodge won the Responsible Tourism Award in 2016 and has been awarded five desert flowers (the highest ranking) by Eco Awards. Guests are accommodated in luxury tents, while the central area consists of the reception, dining room, lounge, bar and a viewing deck overlooking a channel. A variety of activities is offered.

Tel: 066 68 6101; email: info@nkasalupalalodge.com • Jackalberry Tented Camp is situated in a concession area in the park, 13 km from the park entrance at Shishintze. Guests are accommodated in four luxury tents, while the main area, the double-storey Jackalberry Tower, accommodates the reception, dining area, lounge and bar with magnificent views over the grasslands. A variety of activities is offered. Tel: 061 25 0725; email: jackalberry@resdest.com Maps: The Kavango-Zambezi National Parks map which covers the tracks in and around Rupara Island is indispensable.

Willie Olivier

Simone Micheletti Simone Micheletti

COMPLEX LINKAGES Where the Kwando River makes an almost 90-degree turn northeast, its name changes to the Linyanti and at this point the Selinda Spillway links the Kwando River to the Okavango Delta. Water from the delta flowed into the Kwando for the first time in nearly 30 years during the exceptionally high floods of 2008/9, while water from the Linyanti also flowed into the Savuti Channel for the first time in nearly three decades.

NKASA RUPARA NATIONAL PARK The park, originally named the Mamili National Park, was proclaimed in 1990, but renamed the Nkasa Rupara National Park after the two large, elevated areas (‘islands’) in 2012. It is a sanctuary to the largest buffalo population in Namibia, while large herds of elephant congregate on the islands of Nkasa and Rupara during the dry winter months.

Red lechwe, waterbuck and reedbuck can be seen on the floodplains, while the elusive sitatunga occurs in dense papyrus stands. Plains zebra, blue wildebeest, impala, bushbuck, kudu, warthogs, vervet monkeys and baboons also roam this area.

Hippo and crocodiles abound in the Kwando River, oxbow lakes, backwaters and pools. The large predators are represented by two resident lion prides, leopard and spotted hyena. Serval and civet cat, two rather elusive carnivores, have also been recorded in the park.

The diversity of aquatic habitats, grasslands and patches of woodland supports a rich and varied birdlife. With a checklist of over 400 species, the park is one of the top birding spots in Namibia, among them endangered species such as the Southern Ground Hornbill, Wattled Crane, Slaty Egret, Rufous-bellied Heron and Saddle-billed Stork.

The Black and Coppery-tailed Coucal, Swamp Boubou, Long-tailed Starling, Chirping Cisticola and Rosy-throated Longclaw are among the other noteworthy species.

Willie Olivier

First published in the Autumn 2022 issue of Travel News Namibia magazine.

Subscribe to Travel News Namibia here: www.zinio.com/za/travel-news-namibia-m38306

29

LE TH LI GE E ONV E ND ! S Not For Sale To Persons Under The Age Of 18 30

Good news from Namibia and around the world

GOOD VIBES ONLY

LOCAL 200 Houses gifted to Namibian Women As part of their dedication to low-cost housing, Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) built 271 houses through the Shack Dwellers Federation.

75% of the houses have been awarded to low-income earning women. MTC spokesperson Tim Ekandjo says the majority hand-over to Namibian women is aimed at combating the outdated standard of patriarchal land ownership.

Free computer literacy lessons for less-fortunate children: Rakkel Ndeutala founded Veutile Education Consultancy in 2019 and currently teaches 478 kids from grade 7 to 10 the necessities of computer skills. During her tertiary education, she realised that children from low-income homes fall behind in a technology driven world.

While targeting to enrol 100,000 Namibian children in the future, Veutile Education Consultancy is entirely dependent on volunteer teachers and computer donations.

Ndeutala says “When we share knowledge and creativity, we can build a more equitable, accessible and innovative world.”

The home-schooled teen passed her Cambridge International Examination (CIE) with an average of roughly 90%. She’s in the process of applying for first and second-year subjects at the University of Oxford and plans on becoming a doctor. Her father Brian Moyo tutored her on the entire International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) syllabus in just five months after completing primary school in Zimbabwe. IGCSE levels are usually completed in two years. Tariro’s father says the Namibian education system should also cater for gifted pupils.

Source: The Namibian

Source: The Namibian

Source: The Namibian

13-Year-old Tariro Moyo may be Namibia’s youngest university graduate:

THE WORLD Bee Bricks now a Requirement for buildings in Brighton: 250 bee species in Britain are solitary, meaning they don’t live in colonies, produce honey or have a queen. Mandates by the city of Brighton are being established to require new buildings above 5 metres to include nesting sites within its construction. Bee bricks function like regular building bricks, but include cavities in which solitary bees lay their eggs.

Robert Nemeth, the town councillor behind the initiative says “Bee bricks are just one of quite a number of measures that really should be in place to address biodiversity concerns that have arisen through years of neglect of the natural environment.”

Source: Good News Network

As of 1 January 2022, 30 varieties of fruits and vegetables are prohibited from being plastic wrapped in France. Cucumber, lemon, peppers and bananas are among the foods marking the beginning of President Emmanuel Macron’s efforts to phase out single use plastics by 2040. French government officials say the ban on these few varieties could prevent a billion units of single use plastics from being used annually.

The method called TECLA (short for technology World's First 3D and clay) was co-developed by Mario printed Raw Earth Cucinella Architects and WASP, specialists house in 3D printing. Inspired by the potter wasp, these dome shaped pods are constructed of raw earth sourced from the surrounding area in Ravenna, Italy. Each pod consists of 350 layers of undulating clay constructed by two synchronized 3D printing arms. The result is a fully natural, recyclable and carbon neutral prototype that promises increasingly efficient and sustainable habitats.

Source: Positive News

Source: Arch Daily

France begins the ban on plastic packaging

31

AIRLESS TYRES

W

hat a time to be alive. An expression appropriately used more frequently as the human race spits out new, advanced ideas, contemporary technologies and unique solutions.

We are surrounded by luxury that our ancestors could never have imagined. Different concepts are popping up faster than anyone can keep up with.

An almost ancient item of luxury that is often overlooked is our old friend, the tyre. Tyres form an integral part of our daily lives, yet to most of us they go completely unnoticed.

Tyres are different from brand to brand, of course, but most of them usually consist of over 100 different substances.

One of the main components is natural rubber, but tyres also include synthetic rubber, steel, nylon, polyester, carbon black, petroleum, sulphur, etc. Each substance plays a critical role in the overall purpose of the tyre. A tyre cannot function on these components alone, however. An additional component, not part of the material structure but integral to the workings of the tyre, is air.

The wheel has been around since nearly the beginning of time and it has evolved from a solid piece of wood to a

32

balloon-like structure. The added air provides a medium to allow expansion and contraction of the tyre regardless of what kind of material was used for making the tyre. Tyres are subject to extreme temperatures as well as large amounts of force. The air reduces the wear and tear caused by friction between the rubber and the rim.

The main disadvantage of air in tyres is, naturally, the air escaping the tyre. Via a slow-puncture, wear and tear, or brute force. The latter has proved to be extremely dangerous.

A burst tyre on a rough road has claimed many lives.

In order to keep up with the “what a time to be alive” theme, Michelin Tyres jumped right in and went ahead and developed the first-ever airless tyre, called Michelin® UPTIS. UPTIS (Unique Puncture-Proof Tire System) is the manufacturer’s new airless mobility solution. It is difficult to explain the design.

For simplicity’s sake: UPTIS has an outside rim of, basically, a “sheet of tyre” as well as an inner rim, also a “sheet of tyre”.

Connecting the two rim sheets it uses reinforced plastic vanes or spokes (yes, think of a bicycle), bending or at an angle in the middle. These are highly flexible and allow for uneven surfaces.

Naturally, the main feature of these tyres is that they will not have punctures or “flats”. Sidewall cuts are a thing of

Looking Global

the past. No need to check your tyre pressure. And no more spare tyres. A future benefit includes less tyre production because fewer will be damaged, thus fewer tyres will be consumed. This might counter the fact that per UPTIS tyre more material will be needed as it is no longer one giant air bag but includes the “spokes”.

than the pressure below it and so, over time, the tyre simply pushes itself back onto the surface. The only way to ensure this does not happen is to shred the tire into smaller pieces.

Enormous potential, of course, with imaginable and unimaginable obstacles and solutions.

Theoretically, the void area of the tyre is smaller in total volume (as more space consists of physical material).

However, it contains a lot more smaller voids. Will they be easier to fill and will it thus be more difficult for air/gas to be trapped in them, rendering the tyre buriable? Or will the voids make it more difficult to fill, thus creating more spaces for the air/gas to be trapped within, and therefore cause the tyre to resurface over time like the current customary design?

Nevertheless, the idea is there and patented, and it can only be improved from here on out.

Here is a fun fact about tyres that not everyone is aware of.

Did you know that you cannot bury a tyre? Or rather, you can physically bury it, but it will not stay buried. A tyre will always resurface, even if it takes a few years. In fact, many countries have made it illegal to bury tires as they pop up again in a few years’ time causing damage to structures built above it.

Why does that happen? Tyres are a very odd shape. They have a large volume and a large void space in which they tend to trap air as well as methane gas. The trapped air and gas cause the tyre to constantly push back on the soil surrounding it. The pressure above the tyre is significantly less

Now the question is: would an airless tyre be the same or is there yet another benefit to this new design?

Only time and physical experimentation can tell.

For now, though, have a look at Michelin’s website, michelinmedia.com/michelin-uptis, for more information as well as a video demonstration.

Daniela Steenkamp

33

We help our clients do good business that does good.”

Borg Sauber, Investment Banking Traditional values. Innovative ideas.

CORPORATE AND INVESTMENT BANKING a Division of FNB Namibia Limited. Reg. No. 2002/0180. Terms and conditions

15 min sweat set with Ena

I

t’s 2022 and the majority of us are more healthconscious than ever. There are so many ways to try our take at a healthy lifestyle with new fad diets every month and teatoxes that are still trying to make a stand in the market. While chatting about diets is a whole column (or three) on its own, and I shouldn’t even have to begin to tell you why teatoxes are not worth your penny, it all comes down to an active lifestyle and eating healthy, most of the time.

The number one thing I promote when it comes to fitness and health, is sustainability. I advocate constant, small and realistic changes and implementations toward a better and healthier lifestyle, not a cold-turkey approach that will have clients burnt out within the first few weeks!

Flappy Bird

Below, I have created an exercise session that is easy to incorporate into your day, especially if you are low on time, travelling, or not in the mood to go to gym. We don’t need 60 minutes and more for a workout to be worth it! This workout is for anyone (whether you are a beginner or an athlete), anytime and anywhere – no equipment needed!

Exercise Tips: • Both warm-up and cool-down stretching is vital • Always remember to keep your core engaged • Take sufficient breaths!

Mountain Climbers

For more content on sustainable health and fitness, you can find Ena on Instagram (@fervent_wellness & @enavisagie_8).

Ena Visagie is a qualified Personal Trainer, training individuals through online coaching, while sharing her journey and passion for fitness on social media. She has also obtained a degree in Marketing and Business Management.

Full-Body Sweat Session You will need: • 15 minutes • Water (stay hydrated!)

Squat Jumps

Each exercise = 30 seconds Rest = 1 minute, after the 8th exercise Complete the circuit 3 times (and if you have time, challenge yourself to a 4th round) 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Superman Lifts

Jumping Jacks Push Ups Superman Lifts Squat Jumps Side Plank (Right) Side Plank (Left) Mountain Climbers Flappy Bird

You can incorporate this Sweat Session into your morning or evening routine, daily, or starting with 2 - 3 times a week, or you can do it in addition to your regular exercise program.

35

A Namibian Sovereign Wealth Fund

T

he Namibian Government is establishing a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) named “The Welwitschia Fund”. A policy framework released by the Ministry of Finance last August expounded on a June 2020 cabinet decision to establish a Sovereign Wealth Fund by laying out the foundational management and operating structures of the fund. Although not yet operational, the Welwitschia Fund is set to become one of Africa’s newest sovereign wealth funds.

This state-owned fund will consist of two separate accounts.

The first is a liquid stabilisation account that will be used to counteract the effects of negative macroeconomic shocks and protect the foreign reserve position. The second is a longer-term intergenerational savings account. The Bank of Namibia, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance, will manage both accounts. The Ministry of Finance views the creation of the Welwitschia Fund as a seminal moment in Namibia’s development. Inspired by Article 95 of the Constitution, which implores the state to “actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people”, the ministry believes that the fund will further this objective as it becomes a driver of “sustainable and inclusive development over time… promoting intergenerational prosperity”. But before it can become an agent of national change the fund needs funding.

A Sovereign Wealth Fund is a pool of funds controlled by a government and invested primarily in foreign assets. That is

36

the closest to a universal description of a Sovereign Wealth Fund. There is no strict definition of what sovereign wealth funds are or what they must do, so there is no single correct way to fund them. Historically, most sovereign wealth funds have been financed by trade surpluses derived from the sale of commodities. The commodity is usually oil. Norway’s Pension Fund, one of the largest single owners of public equities in the world, is the most prominent example of an oil-funded Sovereign Wealth Fund. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi’s funds are also sustained by oil money. Botswana’s “Pula Fund” is supported by the nation’s diamond industry.

In contrast, the United States Social-Security fund, although not typically considered a SWF despite being administered entirely by the US government, is funded through payroll tax revenues. Namibia is neither an oil-rich nation like Norway nor a generally wealthy nation like the US, so the capital for the Welwitschia Fund will come from a variety of sources. The stabilisation account has three stated sources of funding. In years where Namibia runs budget surpluses, half the surplus will be put into the fund. Additionally, 2.5% of SACU receipts (along with 33% of ex-post SACU positive adjustments) and 10% of the revenues from fishing quotas will be channeled into this account. The long-term intergenerational account will draw on funds derived from mineral royalties and divestitures from public assets. Crucially, all flows into the two accounts are predicated on public revenues returning to the pre-pandemic average of roughly 30.5% of GDP. Currently public revenues stand at 28.2% of GDP. Until that figure rises, which all else equal will coincide with a drop in

Economic Pulse

the public-debt-to-GDP ratio and debt servicing costs, the accounts will go unfunded.

The question of what types of assets these funds will hold and in what jurisdictions they will hold them is more straightforward. The stabilisation account will be almost fully invested in foreign fixed income instruments, making the account relatively liquid and safe. As is necessary for a stabilisation fund, its performance will not be correlated with the health of the Namibian economy. The longer investment horizon of the intergenerational savings account allows this fund to invest in riskier foreign public and private equities. A special provision also allows for up to 2.5% of this account to be invested in local development projects.

That, in summary, is the Welwitschia Fund. It has its idiosyncrasies but ostensibly it is a standard dual-purpose Sovereign Wealth Fund.

Namibia is not in the perfect fiscal position to start diverting money into an extra-budgetary stabilisation account but the government’s decision to do so is not without precedent.

Similarly indebted countries, facing similar development needs, like Ghana, Mauritania and Gabon, have sovereign wealth funds which are at least partially dedicated to economic stabilisation. There is an obvious argument that heavily indebted developing economies should not be creating any form of stabilisation fund and should instead be using those revenues to bolster their operating budgets

and reduce their debts. Of course, meeting development needs through investment in education, agriculture and infrastructure is important. Keeping the public debt in check is equally important. Yet neither of these considerations directly discounts the value of having a stabilisation account to protect the economy from systemic shocks. How to best use public revenues to generate sustained economic growth is one problem; knowing when and where to set them aside for a crisis is another. Creating a rainy day fund necessarily limits economic growth, but the pandemic has shown that having a kitty set aside for tough times can pay off.

Ideally the Welwitschia Fund should have been established in the heyday of Namibian economic growth. But as they say, the second-best time for anything is now. The establishment of a Sovereign Wealth Fund is unlikely to do much for Namibians in the next decade, but today’s youth will benefit from this foresight.

Kimber Brain IJG believes in tailoring their services to a client’s personal and business needs. For more information, visit www.ijg.net.

To sign up for the Economic Pulse newsletter, send an email to: daleen@venture.com.na www.namibiatradedirectory.com

NETWORK

37

INDULGE IN OUR

Independence

feast

Escape away this Independence at Midgard and rediscover the simple pleasures of life. Immerse yourself into our gorgeous surroundings with live entertainment and a delectable buffet spread!

INDEPENDENCE LUNCH BUFFET

N$

Performance: The Ells Date: Sunday 20th March Time: 14h00

350 PP

INDEPENDENCE ROOM RATES 20 MARCH 2022

DOUBLE

N$

1020 PP STANDARD ROOM BED AND BREAKFAST

SINGLE

N$

1530 PP STANDARD ROOM BED AND BREAKFAST

Day visits and buffet bookings are essential.

T: +264 62 503 888 | E: midgard.res@ol.na | W: www.midgardcountryestate.com 38

We adhere to strict COVID-19 prevention and social distancing measures as set out by the government regulations. Masks are mandatory.

Private Banking Clients

Prestige Clients

0811241575/0812914362 | annagret@theskylounge.net | jamie@thesklounge.net

39

Creating opportunities for

new farmers

How a mother and son duo is using biomass to continue their family farming dream

R

emodelling of tenure rights and redistribution of land, using a willing buyer and willing seller method and benefiting the landless and the previously disadvantaged, is what the Namibian Government Resettlement Programme is about. Johanna Intamba and her husband were eager to become farmers and began searching.

Says Johanna, “We had been looking for a piece of land from the Government Resettlement Programme, but could not get one.”

Eventually they found a farm they could rent, and which would become available to buy in the near future. Then, just as their dreams were falling into place, tragedy struck as Johanna’s husband passed away in the same year the farm became available to purchase. Johanna, however, decided to continue with her and her husband’s shared dream in her own capacity. “I bought the farm with a loan from Agribank and registered it in my name. But from there I had to start paying Agribank back.”

Johanna’s farm is close to Grootfontein, in the Otjozondjupa Region of central Namibia. “I’m a cattle farmer, and I’ve been a cattle farmer since 2012. In 2019 we lost about 70 cattle due to drought. There was no rain and then corona also started.

My son is the one who introduced me to charcoal,” says Johanna, who adds that they might have had difficulty repaying their loans without their charcoal business during these difficult times.

Johanna’s son Matti and his charcoal production Johanna’s son, Matti Intamba, explains: “I was a student when my dad passed away.

So I made a decision to leave my studies and go to the farm. In the beginning, I used Google to find out what to do on the farm, and then I started visiting and talking to my neighbours. I found out what type of projects they are doing, since we have a similar type of soil. The majority of them were talking about charcoal.”

“That’s when I approached my mom and said, ‘I think we need to do this.’ This was in 2016, and slowly but surely I started with a few drums. I struggled in the beginning and my mom said that if I quit school, I have to help with the expenses. After we

40

The workers see the commitment, and as long as you are transparent with them, you’ll have happy workers.

got our first income (from the charcoal), I invested it back into more drums. More drums, more equipment for workers, more housing. It’s now five years later.”

Matti explains that in the beginning of their charcoal venture, the main purpose was income. “Initially I wasn’t actually going to start during the time of the drought. It was Frank Detering at Carbo Namibia who told me that there had been a bad frost on my farm in 2014, and a lot of the trees there are actually dead wood. So I brought in some experts who confirmed there is a lot of dead wood there.”

Finding markets for their product Johanna and Matti decided to join the Carbo Namibia Group Scheme.

This meant that they had a local buyer for their product. Johanna explains, “When I started to export, it was a challenge. Even the payment was a challenge. Now we are with Carbo and it’s just the best.

Local is better, and everything runs smoothly, there is no problem.”

Joining the Carbo Namibia Group Scheme also meant that Johanna and Matti had to become Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.

This means that as producers, Johanna and Matti would ensure they harvest in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner and also that they would practice good social responsibility in providing their workers with healthy working and living conditions.

According to Johanna, there are a lot of regulations and it is important to comply with them. “You need houses for the workers, you need toilets and showers for the workers, you need first aid kits and lots of things like that. But I think it is a good thing. It might cost money, but it is a good idea. Since I’ve become FSC certified, I am no longer struggling to find a buyer for my charcoal. So it’s really a good thing to become FSC certified.”

Adds Matti, “The workers see the commitment, and as long as you are transparent with them, you’ll have happy workers.”

Plans for the future Johanna works in public service and plans to join Matti full time on the farm in the next three years. As Johanna explains, “Matti is the manager on the farm, and we are planning to expand. I am hoping to do some horticulture in the future.”

According to Johanna, they are still learning as they go. “What I have seen is that I have accomplished quite a lot compared to when I started. I have done a lot and learnt a lot. I have also learnt where I made mistakes and I am still learning. When I started here I was not even thinking about charcoal, or firewood, or clearing a piece of land for vegetables. But things start to grow and you never know where it will go.”

Matti, too, has many plans for the future of their farm, including new biomass ventures. “The purpose of the bush thinning is to create enough space and currently it is still very thick. So it will be a couple more years before we are done. Then I have more plans. We have lots of marula trees on our farm and I have been meeting with the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) to discuss marula production. You use everything from the peel to the juices and they extract oil from the nuts for cosmetic reasons.”

This mother and son duo are a shining example of the power of working together to advance the community where you live. As Matti explains, “If I compare with the other years, when there was nothing, I am happy. Now we have different projects going on and at the same time we are creating employment.”

Kirsty Watermeyer

41

D E L U X E C O F F E E WO R K S WINDHOEK, NA

Since Independence Day 2017 and, coincidently, starting with our first Namibian shop on Independence Avenue, we do strictly coffee!

Located in the centre of Windhoek CBD, our espresso bar has become the hub where we roast, blend and serve our famous House Blend. This being just the start, we now operate from four Deluxe Shops throughout the capital.

We don’t follow many rules when it comes to our coffee. In fact, there aren’t a lot of rules that we follow in general. We are passionate about coffee and that’s a good enough reason for us to do what we do: roast, supply and serve coffee in the best way we know. We believe in having a great place where this all comes together and where you can enjoy our coffee. That’s why our coffee shops are the way they are. You won’t find any fancy food or wifi here. That’s not our vibe. A lot of good music, interesting people and great coffee.

We like to give you coffee the way we would like to receive it. That’s what we’re all about.

established relationships with coffee farms across the globe, guaranteeing consistency in tastes and aromas for every roast.

We believe firmly in the fact that coffee should be made with freshly roasted beans. We roast five days a week to ensure that each bag you pick up is as fresh as possible.

Our signature House Blend is specifically blended to create a versatile well-balanced experience using the best characteristics of each of the single origins used therein, hailing respectively from Brazil, Guatemala and Ethiopia. Initial acidity leans to oranges or naartjies, followed by dark chocolate taste and raw cocoa in the finish.

And now... Aroma is in the air! We bring you the partnership between Fly Namibia and Deluxe – it just works!

So, sit back, enjoy the flight and ask for it by name, we serve Deluxe!

You will find Deluxe Coffeeworks at:

Founded in Church Street, Cape Town by Carl Wessel and Judd Nicolay, doing 400 cups of coffee a day and roasting shifts into the wee hours of the morning, Deluxe has gone from strength to strength.

When Carl and his cousin and local partner, Willem Bodenstein, sealed the deal for a fully-fledged Namibian roastery, they created the espresso bar that “explores the global but respects the local”.

Deluxe Coffeeworks imports only the finest green beans sourced from around the world. Our coffee bean suppliers have long-

• • • •

Shop 5, 42 Berg Street, Klein Windhoek.

Shop 3, Mutual Tower, 223 Independence Avenue.

Nictus Giga. 140 Mandume Ndemufayo Ave. Nedbank Campus, Ground Floor | Freedom Plaza, c/o Fidel Castro & Rev Michael Scott Street +264 81 767 7600 COFFEE@DELUXECOFFEEWORKS.COM WWW.DELUXECOFFEEWORKS.COM

@deluxecoffeeworks.na

H

e wasn’t born with a silver spoon and life was never easy during his childhood. But with hard work and determination, David Namalenga overcame his difficult upbringing to create a life that is inspiring. Talking to the breakfast team on 99FM’s Royal Hustlers show, the Managing Director of Dinapama Manufacturing and Supplies shared his story and why he is so passionate about helping others achieve their own dreams.

Empowered to empower “It’s all about uplifting others because that’s what actually makes me happy,” he said when asked what motivates him.

guided by that reality. “Life is like a one-time pin, if you do not use it wisely, it’s gone”.

David himself built his career slowly. His first official job as a cleaner at a Windhoek hotel brought about his entry into trade unionism which became a bigger part of his career story.

ROYAL HUSTLERS David Namalenga on growing Namibia by lifting up its people

David Namalenga was born and raised in the Okathetu village in the Omusati Region.

By the time he was 11, he was put to work at the family’s cattle post, where he would spend up to a month looking after cattle. This duty, along with his weekend errands for his father’s carpentry business taught him independence and responsibility early on in life.

“It was a journey, it was quite tough but here I am today”.

Despite the harsh realities he was faced with at the time, David took his work seriously, and he learnt then that accountability was important in everything he did. He also points out his father’s role in shaping who he is today. “Because of him, we were not short of anything. He always provided what we needed,” he said fondly.

Building up a nation Inspired by his father’s work ethic and the impact he had on his community, David has been guided throughout his career by a strong desire to serve and uplift others. “I ask myself how I can replicate my father’s servitude and ensure that the community and the people of the country are developed as I was developed by him,” he said. One of the biggest mantras he lives by is the concept of “saving people by serving them”.

Dinapama “We believe Namibia is a country that can be served by its people, no one must lack anything,” says David about one of the guiding principles that Dinapama is rooted in. He adds that the company is founded on the policy of nationalism and its strategies are aimed at empowering Namibians and growing the economy for the benefit of the people. On how the company navigated the Covid-19 pandemic, he says that the priority for Dinapama was to position itself to assist essential service providers by providing masks and other essential supplies. This included supplies for hospitals and retail outlets.

It opened up a whole new service for the company - the production of masks was not on its list pre-pandemic. “We kept ourselves busy and later had to call people back from leave to produce these supplies”.

David is hopeful that one day manufacturing in Namibia will become a bigger sector that is supported by all Namibians.

His parting words on this note are a call to Namibians to support Dinapama and other Namibian manufacturers. “Manufacturing is key. We need to create awareness of the importance of buying local to grow Namibia.”

Tune in to The Royal Hustlers on 99FM every Monday to Friday at 07h35 or rewind on the 99FM App (now available on Play Store and the App Store) Proudly Sponsored by

David is also a strong believer in the notion of time being a limited resource, saying that whatever we do needs to be

43

It’s about time, not distance

In Damaraland you don’t measure a trip from here to there in distance; you measure it in time. Forged from an outpouring of lava some 130 million years ago and then exposed to millions of years of erosion, fluvial drainage, sun, wind, temperature extremes and seismic activity, the landscape is so rugged, it ranks as one of the harshest terrains on our planet. In this regard, the extreme terrain acts as its own fortress, a barrier to outsiders and a haven for those that can adapt to live within this land of sun-baked basalt and hardship. The wildlife that has forged a life in Damaraland’s mountains and valleys is unique, not in their physiology, but in their generational knowledge – survival messages passed on from old to young – which enables them to survive the very extremes of life itself.

44

P

almwag and Desert Rhino Camp in Damaraland are 10 nautical miles apart. Ask anyone at Palmwag where Desert Rhino Camp is and he will point westwards and say “net oor die bult” (just over the ridge). To drive there takes over an hour. To walk there would take the better part of a day. By aircraft it is a three-and-a-half-minute flight.

However, the ruggedness of the terrain stretches above ground level. Your three-and-a-half-minute flight will take you between the towering flat-top Etendeka mountains, over a series of successive basalt ridges, along an ancient drainage line, and into a chasm that was formed as the earth shook. The rivers of air that you will navigate can be kind and forgiving if the airstream is calm and untroubled; or it can be harsh, unforgiving and deadly if the air is moving like a wild river that becomes a beast of its own making, complete with streaming air-falls, hidden vortices and standing wave rapids.

The terrain below conducts and directs the air overhead into a symphony of unfathomable discord.

The early morning calm – as the rocks awaken to a glowing blanket of pink and red light – is the right time to kick the tyres and light the fires of your big continental engine and head for the skies. In the oblique light, long shadows are cast and the plants and animals of the area stand out like miniature castles within their own mountainous fortress. The black rhinos, still high on the ridges after a period of night foraging on euphorbia, walk along established pathways traversed so often that the ground underneath sends up puffs of dust with each heavy footstep as they start their descent. The mountain zebras seem to enjoy securing the highest vantage point available and watching the rising sun. Giraffe shadows 20 metres long give their position away as they forage on boscia trees of equally long shadow. This all happens amidst the morning chorus of the Rüppell’s Korhaan.

As the shadows shorten, you notice that all the drainage lines head downwards, incised in the ancient larval topography, and many converge into larger systems, until they terminate and merge with the several major westerly flowing ephemeral rivers of Damaraland that all point in one direction – westwards, towards the Atlantic Ocean.

Within these ephemeral rivers – linear oases – live the desert elephants. They are not confined year round to these dry rivers but are dependent on them as vital arteries of food and water.

The Ugab, Huab, Uniab, Hoanib and Hoarusib are the lifelines onto which the desert elephants cling and depend on.

With this in mind, and with a focus on the elephants and rhino, a joint security and monitoring aerial operation was launched in December 2021. The aim was twofold: to support the ongoing anti-poaching efforts through aerial monitoring and observation, and to attempt to get a count of the desert elephant population between the Ugab and Hoarusib rivers. An operation like this needs many diverse partners, all giving rather than taking and all with a common goal: the conservation and protection of a piece of our planet that is unique and irreplaceable. Westair, Save the Rhino Trust, the Namibian Chamber of Environment, Rooikat Foundation, Namibian Police Force, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Gondwana and Wilderness Safaris joined hands to structure and support an operation with ambitious yet achievable goals.

Finding the elephants is one aspect of the operation and then counting them is another. Lady Luck smiled on us this time, as not only did we find the elephants, but they were in relatively open spaces where we could get as good a count as possible. The best sighting we had was rather comical. It was a gathering of elephants on the road at the picnic site on Dopsteekhoogte Pass near Wêreldsend. From a distance I assumed the gathering might be a group of tourists stopping for a dop on Dopsteekhoogte. As we got closer, we saw it was not tourists but elephants, casually gathered around the resting site, probably on their way to the Huab via the Springbok River.

The value of being airborne in a terrain where rock and surface features limit even short journeys cannot be overestimated. In a short but intense period of flying time across the Damaraland region, the community of the area saw us every day, we saw them, we noted any suspicious activities, recorded wildlife sightings, counted elephants, found mortalities, navigated extreme conditions and yet somehow always returned to a safe port. We could also provide a daily morning traffic report of the roads between Bergsig, Palmwag, Driefontein, Warmquelle, Sesfontein, Grootberg, Brandberg and the Giribes plains.

Damaraland, in all its splendid glory, is a dangerous place. It is harsh, unforgiving and beautiful. For all its robust boldness, the wildlife of this domain is fragile, as it is living on the very edge of climatic extremes and survival. The danger for this wildlife cohort of desert survivors comes not from the evil that somehow seeks to destroy it, but from those who do nothing about it.

Conrad Brain (BVSc, PhD)

45

Want more information on buying and selling

in the SME market?

SELLING YOUR BUSINESS IS OUR BUSINESS Give one of our professional Aldes Brokers a call or visit our website. Aldes has been selling medium and small businesses since 1979 and have the largest selection of SME opportunities available in Southern Africa.

www.aldes.co.za | +264 81 958 3500

For over 68 years NEO Paints has created a Namibian legacy of developing personalised paint solutions, suitable for our harsh Namibian environment.

Our Uniquely developed products blend quality and innovation to bring beauty and colour to our Namibian people. Neo Paints is the market leader in the Namibian paint industry and specialises in the manufacturing of paint and other paint related products, and the distribution of paint accessories to our local markets.

100% NAMIBIAN PAINT MANUFACTURER NEO PAINTS WINDHOEK 12 Bell Street, Southern Industrial, Windhoek Tel: 061 384 700

NEO PAINTS WALVIS BAY Hanna Mupatani street, Walvis Bay Tel: 064 204 026

100% NAMIBIAN PAINT MANUFACTURER

NEO PAINTS FACTORY, Carin Park, Brakwater, Windhoek www.neopaints.com

NEOpaintsNamibia

info@neopaints.com

47

Discovering the

Kavango & Zambezi

The lure of the area is its wild and untamed quality, which gives visitors a peek into authentic African lifestyles. Perennial rivers and expansive floodplains, lush subtropical vegetation, an abundance of game and birds, and scattered settlements provide a complete change of scenery from the rest of the Namibian landscape. The 575-kilometre tarred Trans-Caprivi Highway provides easy access to the region.

THE KAVANGO EAST AND KAVANGO WEST REGIONS The Okavango River and its broad floodplains make the Kavango East and Kavango West regions considerably greener than the rest of Namibia. The river forms a natural boundary between Namibia and Angola for more than 400 km and is the lifeline for the Kavango people, who make a living from fishing, tending cattle and cultivating sorghum, millet and maize.

THE ZAMBEZI REGION Formerly referred to as the Caprivi, the Zambezi Region is a fertile wilderness of riverine forests, flood plains, swamps and open woodland created by a complex network of rivers and relatively high summer rainfall. For freshwater angling enthusiasts, canoeists and white-river rafters, Zambezi offers much excitement and challenge.

Well over 400 of Namibia’s bird species occur in this part of the country, and the region is steadily gaining a reputation as a retreat for bird-watchers, nature lovers and specialist travellers. It is also of growing interest to scientists studying the wetlands system and its flora and fauna.

48

Zambezi, once known as Itenga, was ruled by the Lozi kings until it became part of the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland, today’s Botswana. In 1890, at the Berlin Conference, Germany acquired the territory, named it after the Chancellor, Count Georg Leo von Caprivi, and added it to German South West Africa. The capital of Caprivi was Schuckmannsburg (renamed Luhonono in 2013) until 1935, when it was moved to Katima Mulilo, a name that means ‘put out the fire’. Katima Mulilo has since become a busy tourist centre and gateway to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Chobe National Park in Botswana.

Travelling from Katima Mulilo on the B8, you cross into Botswana at the Ngoma border post. The road then traverses Chobe National Park to Kasane, the springboard to Impalila Island where Namibia borders on Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The link to these attractions is the 575-kilometre long Trans-Caprivi Highway, a wide tarred road that has replaced the dusty gravel tracks of the past. The route runs through a region of which one third is a floodplain, and where the population is small and the human impact limited.

Providing access to three state- protected game reserves, it lies in the geographic heart of the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area.

This is Namibia PARKS OF THE NORTHEAST

These national parks are well-worth a visit on your journey through north-eastern Namibia. They play host to an abundance of wildlife and beautiful natural scenery: MANGETTI NATIONAL PARK: Situated some 100 km southwest of Rundu in the Kavango Region, the park extends over some 420 km2 and is managed jointly by the Ukwangali Traditional Authority and the MEFT. Animals seen there include eland, blue wildebeest, African wild dog, leopard and hyaena.

KHAUDUM NATIONAL PARK: a densely wooded wilderness reserve that borders Botswana in the east and can be explored only in 4x4 vehicles. It is the only conservation area in Namibia where the northern Kalahari sandveld biome is protected. The wilderness harbours several big game species and a multitude of birds. Large animals found throughout the park are elephant and giraffe, while predators are lion, leopard, spotted hyaena, and side-striped and blackbacked jackal.

MUDUMU NATIONAL PARK: Centred on the Mudumu Mulapo fossil river course, this vast 1 010 km2 expanse of dense savannah and mopane woodlands bordered in the west by the Kwando River, was proclaimed a national park in 1990. The mopane woodlands are at the core of Mudumu, the combination of forest and water sustaining a wealth of wildlife.

BWABWATA NATIONAL PARK: In 2007 the former Caprivi Game Park, proclaimed in 1968, was incorporated into the 6 100 km2 Bwabwata National Park, including the Kwando or Golden Triangle, and the Buffalo and Mahango (the former Mahango Game Park) core areas. This heralded a new generation of parks in terms of an integrated approach towards park management. Bwabwata was designed not only to protect the environment, but also to accommodate the people living in the park.

NKASA RUPARA NATIONAL PARK: The 320 km2 Nkasa Rupara National Park, proclaimed in 1990, has the distinction of being Namibia’s largest wetland area with conservation status. The park is characterised by a complex network of channels, reed beds, oxbow lakes and islands, with the focal point on Nkasa and Lupala, two large elevated areas that punctuate the floodplains.

Find more Namibian travel inspiration at www.thisisnamibia.com Follow @thisis_namibia on Facebook and Instagram for extraordinary Namibia travel stories.

49

ESORTS

DISCOVER

RTS

ACROSS THIS LAND OF ENDLESS HORIZONS ANGOLA

ZAMBIA

ANGOLA ZAMBIA

Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area

1

Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area

7

2

eton tier Park

7

6

8

9

4

9

4

BOTSWANA

10

11 Waterberg Plateau Park

11 Waterberg Plateau Park

12 13

12 14

5

14 17

15

1

3

Etosha National Park

BOTSWANA

10

13

6

3

Etosha National Park

5

ZIMBABWE

2

Iona Skeleton Transfrontier Park

17

16 15

16

18

WINDHOEK Daan Viljoen Game Reserve

18

WINDHOEK Daan Viljoen Game Reserve

19

19

Namib Naukluft Park

21 22

Namib Naukluft Park

20

23

21 22

20

23

24

24

25

25

/Ai-/Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park

/Ai-/Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park

26 27 28

SOUTH AFRICA

+264 61 285 7200

26 28 27

SOUTH AFRICA

www.nwr.com.na

1. Popa Falls Resort 2. Onkoshi Resort 1. Popa Falls Resort 3. Namutoni Resort 2. Onkoshi Resort 4. Halali Resort 3. Namutoni Resort 5. Okaukuejo Resort 4. Halali Resort 6. Olifantsrus Campsite 5. Okaukuejo Resort 6. Olifantsrus Campsite 7. Dolomite Resort 8. Terrace Bay Resort 7. Dolomite Resort 9. Torra Bay Campsite 8. Terrace Bay Resort 10. Khorixas Camp 9. Torra Bay Campsite 10. Khorixas Camp 11. Waterberg Resort 11. Waterberg Resort 12. Mile 108 12. Mile 108 13. Mile 72 13. Mile 72 14. Jakkalsputz 14. Jakkalsputz 15. Mile 141 15. Mile 141 16. Von Bach Dam1 16. Von Bach Dam1 17. Gross Barmen Resort 17. Gross Barmen Resort 18. Sun Karros Daan Viljo 18. Sun Karros Daan Viljoen1 19. Reho Spa1 19. Reho Spa1 20. Naukluft Camp 20. Naukluft Camp 21. Sesriem Camp 21. Sesriem Camp 22. Sossus Dune Lodge 22. Sossus Dune Lodge 23. Hardap Resort 23. Hardap Resort 24. Duwisib Castle 24. Duwisib Castle 25. Shark Island 25. Shark Island 26. Hobas Lodge 26. Hobas Lodge 27. /Ai-/Ais Hot Springs Spa27. /Ai-/Ais Hot Springs S 28. Boplaas Campsite 28. Boplaas Campsite 1

Public+264 Private 61 22Partnership 4900 1

Public Private

Travel Tales

A DAMNED DRUM

W

e are a special breed, us Namibians, when it comes to our meat. Admittedly a bit pretentious, or perhaps just very loyal to our local butcher, but we have a high standard fostered by the superb quality of our hormone-free, free-range, grass-fed meat. It is free of almost everything, except the clutches of campers embarking on a long journey. A universal fact is that in Namibian households, the camping fridge has room for one thing and one thing only – the meat. My mum has tried smuggling cheese in there, and maybe the odd salad ingredient. But the green stuff will inevitably give way to what is important.

It is quite the challenge finding your particular preference of fresh fruit and veggies when you are trekking through the far corners of Namibia. Rocket? Forget about it. Rainbow peppers? Write that off.

But it is even more challenging to find a ribbetjie and boerewors that is up to the standard of your sister-in-law’s uncle’s best friend’s butchery. So we stocked up in Windhoek before venturing off on a two-week-long camping trip through the north of Namibia. And by stock up I mean squeeze vacuum packs of fresh meat in the camping fridge and freeze it overnight.

No space spared.

The road trip took us all the way through the Kavango Region, into the Caprivi and over the border into Zambia. We feasted. A fire was lit twice a day as we attempted to plough through our abundant meat supply.

that in these parts of Southern Africa, transporting fresh meat is a precarious affair. Foot and mouth disease occasionally flares up, so strict measures are in place at certain borders. We are fully aware of the veterinary cordon fence stretching the width of northern Namibia, where you are permitted to enter with meat and fresh produce, yet not allowed to leave with any uncooked meats, and sometimes fruits or vegetables. Surely, it would not be a problem in our neighbouring countries.

Or so we thought.

We are a special breed, us Namibians, when it comes to our meat. Admittedly a bit pretentious, or perhaps just very loyal to our local butcher, but we have a high standard fostered by the superb quality of our hormone-free, free-range, grassfed meat.

Somewhere along the way, at one of the many local markets selling carved wooden figurines, beaded creations and African instruments, my mother began a quest for the perfect drum. She skipped from vendor to vendor, tapping the stretched hide of every damned drum in sight, each drum producing a different sound and featuring a unique shape and decorative carvings. After a long, hard search, she finally settled on arguably the largest drum in the whole of Zambia. Endless arguments ensued every time we packed up camp as my dad was tasked with finding a spot in our already overloaded car for the white elephant.

On the last leg of our trip we had to cross the Zambia/ Botswana border. Now would be a good time to mention

Innocently, we pulled up to the border and the very first thing the official asked was whether we were transporting fresh meat. We had polished the majority of the contents in our loaded fridge by this point. What remained was a rack of ribs, three packs of boerewors, two game fillets and some avocados my mum managed to sneak into the mix. In classic border control fashion, my dad casually opened the back of the bakkie, disclosing the contents of our fridge to the official, at which point he enlightened us about the fact that no uncooked animal products may be transported any further. Oh, and the hide stretched over my mum’s drum was a no-go, also.

Considering it was noontime and we were by no means handing over our prized meat, we proceeded to call it lunch. We lit a fire and braaied the remainder of our supply just a metre shy of the border, under the sweltering mid-day sun (avocado toast being the pièce de résistance). As for my mother’s drum – the one she spent a whole day picking out for its nuanced, deep thud – the border control official unceremoniously flicked open his pocketknife and ruthlessly slashed the hide diagonally.

The drum was reskinned in Windhoek. It does not sound remotely musical anymore, but rather like dropping a plastic bucket on a cement floor. It has since been repurposed into a coffee table.

Do you have any funny travel stories to share? Send them to fly@venture.com.na Charene Labuschagne

51

FlyNamibia Safari

N

amibia is a country blessed with an enormous array of dramatically different yet equally enticing destinations to discover. It is no surprise then that the task of choosing destinations for your visit can be a daunting one. The country itself is large and distances between sights and places are vast, often making it impossible to fit everything on your wishlist into a single visit, especially if you want to spend enough time at each place to truly absorb the majesty and wonder of it all. Namibia is great for self-drive adventures, and for those who have the time this can be a rewarding experience.

But if you truly want to make the most out of your vacation, flyin safaris are the most effective, and enticing, mode of travel.

From the views to the ease with which you can reach far-flung and remote places, seeing Namibia by air is an other-worldly experience. Enter FlyNamibia Safari.

With FlyNamibia Safari visitors to Namibia will reach the country’s top tourist destinations effortlessly and have more time to enjoy what truly matters. Departing from Hosea

Kutako International Airport, the daily circuit includes flights to Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and Etosha National Park with an optional stopover in Twyfelfontein - all of them a quick and comfortable journey from the capital.

FlyNamibia's current route offers flights between Cape Town International and Hosea Kutako International Airport and domestic flights to and from Ondangwa, Rundu and Katima Mulilo. The FlyNamibia Safari route has been set up to not only connect passengers to these flights, but also to in- and outbound international flights. This means flying directly to your destination as you land in Windhoek or squeezing in one more night at your lodge, before flying back home the next day.

With easy access to the country’s top destinations, and therefore by default to Namibia’s most popular lodges, FlyNamibia Safari will make your journey through this enigmatic land an unforgettable experience, with ultimate convenience, because time is the most valuable commodity we’ve got.

SCHEDULE From

To

Departure

Arrival

Days

Sossusvlei

Windhoek

8:30

9:20

Mo/Tu/We/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun

Windhoek

Sossusvlei

10:30

11:20

Mo/Tu/We/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun

Sossusvlei

Swakopmund

12:20

13:00

Mo/Tu/We/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun

Swakopmund

Etosha

14:00

15:00

Mo/Tu/We/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun

Etosha

Windhoek

8:30

9:30

Mo/Tu/We/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun

Windhoek

Etosha

10:30

11:30

Mo/Tu/We/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun

Etosha

Windhoek

14:30

15:30

Mo/Tu/We/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun

Windhoek

Sossusvlei

16:30

17:30

Mo/Tu/We/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun

FlyNamibia Safari offers an additional stop via Twyfelfontein on the flight from Swakopmund to Etosha. There is a minimum requirement of two passengers either to or from Twyfelfontein to book this.

52

Swakopmund

Swakopmund is much-loved by Namibians as a welcome break from the heat in the interior. It is also popular among visitors because of its old-world charm and relaxed atmosphere. Founded in 1892 during German colonial rule, it served as the territory’s main harbour for several years. Today this quaint town between the desert and the sea is enhanced by lush green lawns, elegant palm trees and carefully tended public gardens. It has a wide choice of hotels, guesthouses and restaurants, and several coffee shops selling traditional German cakes and pastries. The coast with its desert hinterland offers many options, both for adventure and for relaxation.

Twyfelfontein

Twyfelfontein (meaning doubtful fountain), is a massive, open-air art gallery that is of great interest to international rock-art connoisseurs.

The 2,000-plus rock engravings, estimated to be 6,000 years old, represent one of Africa’s largest and most noteworthy concentrations of rock art.

Etosha Twyfelfontein

Swakopmund Windhoek Sossusvlei

Sossusvlei

Many visitors to Namibia say that no part of the desert is visually more dramatic than Sossusvlei with its monumentally high dunes.

These gigantic star-shaped mountains of sand – one of the largest was measured from the base as 325 metres high – are a soughtafter topic for artists and photographers. The warm tints of the sand contrast vividly with the dazzling white surfaces of the large deflationary clay pans at their bases. One of these, referred to as Dead Pan, is a large ghostly expanse of dried white clay, punctuated by skeletons of ancient camel-thorn trees, carbondated as being between 500 and 600 years old. Sossusvlei’s mountainous dunes lie at the end of an erosional trough formed by the Tsauchab River. They are shaped by strong multi-directional winds, primarily the southwester, and have three to five sinuous crests, which meet at the highest point to give them their characteristic star shapes.

Etosha

Once a large inland lake fed by the early Kunene River and rivers from the north, it began drying up about 3 million years ago when the Kunene was diverted to the Indian Ocean. A series of waterholes along the southern edge of the pan guarantee rewarding and often spectacular game viewing. In good rain years the pan fills with water draining southwards from Angola via a delta-like system of shallow rivers and oshanas, drying out in the winter to become an austere expanse of white cracked mud, shimmering with mirages and upwardspiralling dust devils.

Windhoek

Windhoek is often described as a city with a ‘continental’ atmosphere. This can be ascribed to its architecture – historical buildings dating back to German colonial rule – as well as to its cuisine, culture, dress codes and educational institutions. At the same time Windhoek has the colour, sounds and pace of a modern African city. Pavement displays of African drums and woodcarvings from the north contrast with elegant shops offering sophisticated Swakara garments and Namibian gemstones set in individually designed jewellery. While some shops display clothing, silver and glassware imported from Europe, others stock casual and colourful garments from West Africa.

53

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FLYNAMIBIA SAFARI CIRCUIT How to book:

Bookings can be made online on the FlyNamibia website via the FlyNamibia Safari link.

Website: www.flynamibia.com.na Email: info@flynamibia.com.na

Which runways are used at each destination?

Destination

Runway

Windhoek

Hosea Kutako International Airport

Sossusvlei

Sesriem Airfield

Swakopmund

Swakopmund Airport

Twyfelfontein

Twyfelfontein Airfield

Etosha

Ongava Lodge Airfield

What is the check in times and rules?

• • • •

Check in opens 90 minutes before departure Check-in will close 30 minutes prior to departure. Please refer to the scheduled time of departure (STD) indicated on your booking ticket.

Boarding will close 20 minutes prior to departure.

This flight is a non-smoking flight.

Shuttles:

FlyNamibia Safari will partner with charter operators in Swakopmund and Sossusvlei to further connect you to hard to reach destinations in the south and north of Namibia. This will be advertised as an ancillary service on our booking system in the near future.

54

What are the baggage allowances?

18kg soft bag luggage allowed (inclusive of hand luggage)

What conditions can I expect while flying to the various destinations?

As with any flight‚ some turbulence can occur on occasion.

Will food and beverages be served in flight?

Snacks and a beverage will be served

Seasons LOW SEASON 1 Nov 2022 – 30 Mar 2023

HIGH SEASON 1 Apr 2022 - 31 Oct 2022 1 April 2023 – 31 Oct 2023

What is the cancellation terms?

LOW SEASON From confirmation to arrival: deposit

20% non-refundable

HIGH SEASON

From confirmation to arrival: 20% non-refundable deposit

Can you accommodate handicapped and special needs guests?

Please note that‚ due to the nature of our aircraft‚ there may be a few restrictions. Please contact info@flynamibia.com.na for more information.

Are there any specific rules pertaining to children?

No. FlyNamibia Safari guests must adhere to the same rules and restrictions‚ and everyone enjoys the same benefits.

Do you offer services specifically tailored for flying corporate groups?

Yes. Contact information.

info@flynamibia.com.na

for

more

What if I would like to travel on my own time?

You can book private charters through our team of charter experts at reservations@westair.com.na

55

Namibia Travel News

Namibia Photography of the Year Awards

Enter your ultimate Namibian photograph into our competition and stand a chance to win incredible prizes!

Three Categories: WILDLIFE

Prize: 2 Nights for 2 all inclusive at Ongava Lodge

LANDSCAPES

Prize: 2 Nights for 2 (Dinner, Bed and Breakfast) at any Ondili Lodges & Activities establishment

PEOPLE & CULTURE

Prize: Return flight for two on any FlyNamibia route

How to enter:

Submit your high resolution image (or images) to content@venture.com.na. Submission must include your name, contact details, the category you are submitting to and a short description of the image. Images must be originals and you must hold the copyright thereto.

Terms and Conditions apply. See www.travelnewsnamibia.com for more information.

In partnership with

56

THE NAMIBIAN LOGISTICS HUB INITIATIVE Transforming Namibia into an International Logistics Hub for the Southern Africa region.

Powered by

Wellness at your Workplace Get onsite workplace wellness screening for your employees.

SOME OF OUR SERVICES Covid-19 Vaccination

Hypertension / Blood Pressure Testing

HIV Testing Services and Treatment

Glucose (Sugar/ Diabetes) Rapid Testing

GET STARTED

081 256 8068 wellness@wbcg.com.na

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PREP) Cholesterol Rapid Testing & Prostate Cancer Testing

Driving the wellness message safe all the way!

57

Your expert in

Travel Management Air tickets Accommodation reservations Car hire Travel insurance Transfers Visas Baggage assistance Covid testing www.trip.com.na

58

LEGAL PRACTITIONERS, NOTARIES & CONVEYANCERS +264 83 332 5300 info@ferasmuslaw.com.na No. 5 Conradie Street | Windhoek

The popular social media outlet Twitter launched

The patent office in Berlin registers Aspirin patent

27 March 1909

10 March 1959

21 March 1963

Dalai Lama forced to flee to India who granted him political asylum.

Alcatraz federal penitentiary known as "The Rock" closes

International Day of Happiness

British imperialist Cecil John Rhodes died in Cape Town aged 48. Rhodes who controlled 90% of the world’s diamond production, was influential in establishing the British crown in South Africa and Rhodesia.

21 March Namibian Independence Day

FUN FACTS ABOUT MARCH:

9

9 1 7 4

3 5

3

5

3 9

6 3

2 8

2

1

4

8 5 7 8 6 3

8

5 7 8 6 4 9 1 1 9 3 6 5 7 6 8 4 9 2 4 4 3 5 6 6 3 7

5 8 1 7 9 4 2 6 3

2

HARD

6 3 2 5 8 1 7 9 4

EASY

World Tuberculosis Day

7 4 9 3 2 6 5 8 1

The goal of Sudoku is to fill a 9×9 grid with numbers so that each row, column and 3×3 section contain all of the digits between 1 and 9.

24 March

HARD

SUDUKO

World Down Syndrome Day

9 4 2 6 3 5 1 8 7

The autumnal equinox occurs around March 20.

This is when the sun is directly above the Every year, March and equator, making June finish on the the day and night same day of the week. equal length.

5 6 3 8 1 7 4 9 2

Birthstone aquamarine and bloodstone

21 March

7 8 1 4 2 9 3 6 5

15 March - The “Ides of March” was a day in the Roman calendar.

It was considered a deadline for settling debts. It was also the day Julius Caesar was assassinated.

The Eiffel Tower was ascended for the first time. Eiffel himself led a group of government officials and members of Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated the press to the top. The elevators were not on 17 March in operation yet, yearly in many western countries so the journey was made on foot to commemorate and took over an the day Saint hour.

Patrick died.

EASY

Barbie doll makes debut at the American Toy Fair in New York

26 March 1902

3 2 5 1 4 9 8 7 6

President George W. Bush addresses the nation via live television and announces that Operation Iraqi Freedom has begun

9 March 1959

20 March

1 6 8 2 3 7 9 4 5

19 March 2003

The FDA approves the drug Viagra for use against impotence in men.

No Smoking Day

9 7 4 6 5 8 1 3 2

7 March 1876 Scottish-born inventor, Alexander Graham Bell, patented the telephone.

27 March 1998

13 March

8 1 7 4 6 5 3 2 9

The movie Titanic surpassed Star Wars to become the highest-grossing film in North American box offices.

First fingerprint evidence used in murder case

2 9 6 8 1 3 4 5 7

15 March 1998

Ghana gains its independence from Britain

4 5 3 9 7 2 6 1 8

6 March 1957

8 March International Women’s Day

4 9 5 3 7 1 6 2 8

6 March 1899

World Wildlife Day

8 2 7 9 6 4 5 1 3

Anne Frank, died at BergenBelsen concentration camp from typhus

22 March 1963 The Beatles' first album, "Please Please Me," is released in England

3 March

3 1 6 2 5 8 9 7 4

12 March 1945

OBSERVE & TAKE PART!

The first Ford Mustang is manufactured ready for release on April 16.

6 7 4 1 8 3 2 5 9

Nashville, Tennessee becomes the home of the very first FM radio station

21 March 2006

1 5 9 7 4 2 8 3 6

1 March 1941

10 March 1964

2 3 8 5 9 6 7 4 1

DID YOU KNOW?

This month in history:

59

Love Namibia FIRE MOUNTAIN | The Brandberg is Namibia’s highest mountain. Rising from the flat landscape around it, the mass of rock can be seen from far and wide on clear days.

The Brandberg massif covers an area of 760 km² and has a mean height of 2 500 metres. The highest peak is the Königstein at 2 573 metres above sea level.

Paul van Schalkwyk

Fly to Oranjemund with Westair Aviation

Windhoek Oranjemund

Oranjemund, departing 10:00 am Windhoek, departing 12:30 pm

Flying every Monday and Thursday.

T’s & C’s apply.

Call 081 121 7000 or email Reservations@westair.com.na vir bookings en enquiries

60

NAKARA SHOP WINDHOEK Gustav Voigts Centre Independence Avenue 131 Tel/Fax 061 224 209 Email: info@nakara.na NAKARA SWAKOPMUND The Arcade, Tel/Fax: +264 64 405 907 NAKARA FACTORY WINDHOEK 3 Solingen Str. Northern Industrial Tel +264 61 429 100

www.nakara-namibia.com

61

62