FlyWestair March 2021

FlyWestair March 2021

namibians celebrate the rain | shop local-ish |

www.flywestair.com

foodies | royal hustlers | economic pulse | looking global | art-ist

At Namdeb, we are passionate about creating positive long-term shared value for the communities impacted by our operations.

GOOD TODAY. BETTER TOMORROW.

from the publisher

Stories in FlyWestair Magazine.

FIRE

FlyWestair www.flywestair.com

Your free copy

July 2020

Read this issue online!

A

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

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

- Fyodor Dostoevsky

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

Cover image: Audrey from Windhoek celebrating green Namibia at Avis Dam.

Urban Lens Photography

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

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contents Table of

CONTENT IS FIRE

01

And collaboration is the future. FlyWestair 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 influencers.

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WELCOME ON BOARD

07

Hitting 2021 in full stride.

SCENIC FLIGHTS

10

See the world from above with our charter flights to Sossusvlei.

FOODIES

15

Featured eateries, coffee hubs, bars and hotspots for foodies to fall in love with.

NAMIBIANS TRAVELLING - SOSSUS WITH WATER

16

It doesn’t happen too often, but when Sosussvlei has water get in your car and go.

WELLNESS WITH KIRSTY - HAPPINESS 22

21

Kirsty Watermeyer explores the meaning of happiness, and how tackling your problems can take you closer to it.

SANDHOFF LILIES

22

Experience the wonder of the beautiful lilies close to Maltahöhe.

SHOP LOCAL-ISH

24

Shopping local is so much more rewarding. Have a look at what some hot local Namibian and South African brands have to offer.

ART-IST

26

Find out more about Namibian-made cigars and the art behind making them.

A DAY IN ONDANGWA

28

Never been to Ondangwa? Find out more about this cultural hotspot of Namibia.

35 2

FASHION FIERCE

Find inspiration with one of the most sought-after couture designers, Ruberto Scholtz.

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BE BETTY FASHION

35

Creating beauty out of necessity.

STARTUP NAM

37

StartUp Namibia, the one-stop shop for local startups.

ECONOMIC PULSE

38

Why ignoring South African and Namibian investment opportunities might be at your own peril.

SHARE YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL STORIES

41

Stories that matter through the eyes of our readers.

LOOKING GLOBAL

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28

Looking at the global phenomenon of disinformation and misinformation.

TNN GOES DIGITAL

45

Travel News Namibia is entering a new age.

ROYAL HUSTLERS

47

Riaan Burger - from farmboy to CEO of NAMDEB.

10 MIN WITH LOCAL TASTEMAKERS

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Michele Labuschagne chats about how she combined Malas and her passion for jewellery making.

THE TRIBE

50

Interview with the pride of Otjiwarongo and award-winning hitmaker, Kalux.

BOOK REVIEW

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62

Danene van der Westhuyzen’s new book From the Veld captures the Namibian approach to living off the land.

THE WINDHOEK INSPIRE MARKET

56

Why Saturdays should be reserved for the Windhoek Inspire Market.

FISH RIVER LODGE

58

Experience the second largest canyon in the world in glamping style.

FAREWELL TO A NAMIBIAN ICON

60

Celebrating the interesting history of Wecke & Voigts.

CONSERVATION - PANGOLINS

Kelsey Prediger gives us a closer look at the wonderful world of pangolins.

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The Forex Desk A central point of contact for all your Foreign Exchange needs

The Forex Desk is a dedicated platform for our clients where they can streamline efficiency and value for their money.

Utilise The Forex Desk for: • Assistance in booking deals on the Forex Online Platform • Ordering and purchasing of foreign currency to pick up at a branch of your choice (selected branches only) • Assistance in foreign exchange online errors • Provision of foreign exchange support for branches • Assistance with online payments • Opening of a Global Account

For more information:

WEATHERMEN & CO

Contact us on 061 299 8668 or email forexdesk@rmb.com.na

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NEED TO KNOWS. with www.flywestair.com

How to buy

a ticket online

More options for the perfect trip

Choose your ticket

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

Baggage policy, sporting equipment, over weight luggage or to add an additional bag(s)

Additional flight information / rules

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

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.

Confirmation Mail

Payment

Transaction confirmation will be sent to passenger email entered.

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

How can you make

a payment?

Cash payment at:

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)

Eros Airport, Ondangwa Airport, Oranjemund Airport

Online card transaction

Immigration procedure Final Destination OMD

Oranjemund Exit

Windhoek Eros Airport Office SkyLounge Eros Ondangwa airport office Oranjemund airport office All major travel agents

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

prior to flight

Departures Immagration

Online check-in opens 24hours before departure of the flight on www.flywestair.com Check-in opens 1h 30min before domestic flight and 2 hours before international flight.

Coffee Shop

Toilets

• • • • •

Check-in

Arrivals Immagration

Arrival Gate

from:

Luggage

Oranjemund Airport Final Destination CPT / ERS

You can also purchase

Office

Check-in CLOSES 30min prior to flight

Departure Gate

fly@westair.com.na | +264 81 207 6688 | +264 83 937 8247

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Ondangwa - Toivo ya Toivo

Eros Airport

Cape Town 6

Welcome on Board Welcome to your FlyWestair flight.

With the year in its third month and in full swing, it has already presented its own set of challenges. But if there is one thing 2020 has taught us, it is how to roll with the punches during a time when the only certainty is uncertainty.

We pride ourselves to be a company that adapts to change and constantly evolves in order to better ourselves and meet our clients’ needs. Offering excellent service to you is our priority.

In a year brimming with potential, we are excited to have you along on our journey as well as being able to take you on yours.

Sit back and enjoy your flight.

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

CAPITAL: Windhoek

INDEPENDENCE: 21 March 1990

CURRENT PRESIDENT: Hage Geingob

Secular state

Multiparty parliament Democratic Division of power between constitution executive, freedom of religion legislature and

90%

Christian

judiciary

Freedom of the press/media

MAIN SECTORS:

BIGGEST EMPLOYER:

46%

Agriculture

MINING:

FASTEST-GROWING SECTOR: Tourism Diamonds, uranium, copper, lead, zinc, magnesium, cadmium, arsenic, pyrites, silver, gold, lithium minerals, dimension stones (granite, marble, blue sodalite) and many semiprecious stones

MONEY MATTERS

17%

NATURE RESERVES:

of surface area

HIGHEST MOUNTAIN: Brandberg OTHER PROMINENT MOUNTAINS: Spitzkoppe, Moltkeblick, Gamsberg PERENNIAL RIVERS: Orange, Kunene, Okavango, Zambezi and Kwando/Linyanti/Chobe

EPHEMERAL RIVERS:

Numerous, including Fish, Kuiseb, Swakop and Ugab

CURRENCY:

The Namibia Dollar (N$) is fixed to and on par with the SA Rand. The South African Rand is also legal tender.

Foreign currency, international Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club credit cards are accepted.

TAX AND CUSTOMS

All goods and services are priced to include value-added 15% tax of 15%. Visitors may reclaim VAT.

ENQUIRIES: Ministry of Finance

Tel (+264 61) 23 0773 in Windhoek

TRANSPORT

Public transport is NOT available to all tourist destinations in Namibia.

There are bus services from Windhoek to Swakopmund as well as Cape Town/Johannesburg/Vic Falls.

Namibia’s main railway line runs from the South African border, connecting Windhoek to Swakopmund in the west and Tsumeb in the north.

There is an extensive network of international and regional flights from Windhoek and domestic charters to all destinations.

5,450 km tarred

LIVING FOSSIL PLANT:

BIG GAME:

Elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo, cheetah, leopard, giraffe antelope species mammal species (14 endemic)

reptile species frog species bird species

ENDEMIC BIRDS including Herero Chat, Rockrunner, Damara Tern, Monteiro’s Hornbill and Dune Lark

DRINKING WATER Most tap water is purified and safe to drink.

Visitors should exercise caution in rural areas.

37,000 km gravel

HARBOURS:

Walvis Bay, Lüderitz

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MAIN AIRPORTS: Hosea

airstrips Kutako International Airport,

Eros Airport

RAIL NETWORK: 2,382 km

narrow gauge

TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Direct-dialling facilities to

100 inhabitants

Welwitschia mirabilis

20 240 250 50 676

ROADS:

lines per

200 ENDEMIC 14 vegetation zones plant species 120 100+ species species of lichen of trees

INFRASTRUCTURE

6.2 telephone

FLORA

ECONOMY Mining, fishing, tourism and agriculture

ENVIRONMENT

PHYSICAL

824,268 km²

FAUNA

GENERAL

SURFACE AREA:

ON NAMIBIA

MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM: GSM agreements with

221 countries

117 countries / 255 networks

INFRASTRUCTURE

SOCIAL

FAST FACTS

13,650 people 4 medical doctor per

privately run hospitals in Windhoek with intensive-care units

Medical practitioners (world standard) 24-hour medical emergency services

POPULATION

2.5 million 400 000 inhabitants in Windhoek (15% of total)

ADULT LITERACY RATE:

85%

DENSITY: 2.2 per km²

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:

English

14 regions 13 ethnic cultures 16 languages and dialects POPULATION GROWTH RATE:

2.6%

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS:

over 1,700 schools, various vocational and tertiary institutions

TIME ZONES GMT + 2 hours

ELECTRICITY 220 volts AC, 50hz, with outlets for round three-pin type plugs

www.travelnewsnamibia.com

FOREIGN REPRESENTATION More than 50 countries have Namibian consular or embassy representation in Windhoek.

Cricket Namibia and FlyWestair partner up.

O

n Wednesday, 27th January, FlyWestair and Cricket Namibia announced a new partnership. The partnership is a two year long barter agreement where FlyWestair will be the preferred airline partner for Cricket Namibia regionally and internationally. In return, FlyWestair supports Cricket Namibia with domestic travel programs.

Cricket Namibia CEO Johan Muller says, “We are extremely fortunate to partner with FlyWestair and it is an advantage for us with their flexible flight schedules. We are glad that Cricket Namibia will be supporting a local entity that will in the end benefit the country’s economic state.”

Cricket Namibia Vice-President Polly Negongo further added that Cricket Namibia is privileged to partner with the leading airline in Namibia, and hopes the partnership extends. “The partnership makes our plans easier locally and internationally, thank you FlyWestair.”

Henri van Schalkwyk, Westair CEO, said that it is an honour to partner with Cricket Namibia, arguably currently the best performing Namibian National sports team, especially with the strides the national team has made in the past two years on the global stage.

The pandemic has been a blight on both travel and international sports. FlyWestair hopes to make the team’s travels easy, safe and enjoyable under the current limitations.

FlyWestair CEO further said, “As a proudly Namibian airline we are here to support our country and its people by continuing to deliver exceptional on-time service. Last year we were able to conduct many repatriation flights while continuing as far as possible within the travel restrictions to offer our scheduled services.”

Currently FlyWestair operates scheduled routes between Windhoek, Cape Town and Ondangwa. “We will continue to strive towards getting our passengers, and now also our national cricket stars, to their destinations safely and on time,” says van Schalkwyk.

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Experience Namibia’s beauty with Westair Aviation’s

Scenic flights

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W

estair Aviation offers the ultimate bird’s eye experience of what Namibia’s south looks like after the life-giving rain. Revel in the vast landscape, breathtaking vistas, ageold geological formations, mountains and rivers during a scenic flight that takes you over the popular Sossusvlei as well as some other natural gems.

Flights take off from Windhoek’s Eros Airport in the heart of the central plateau and head southwest across the rugged Khomas Hochland. The tall grass covering the hundreds of hills in this area is a special sight to behold. As the plateau suddenly drops over the escarpment, the Namib Desert quickly takes over and in the distance its red dunes line the expansive desert plains.

The riverbeds along the way are proof of the force with which water shapes the land when the rivers occasionally come down in flood. The most impressive example of water erosion is the Sesriem Canyon. The deep gorge cut into the rock took millions of years to form and is prominently visible from the sky.

Seeing the Tsauchab Valley from above is an exceptional experience.

The dry Tsauchab River makes its way west to Sossusvlei with some stunning red dunes on either side until it is eventually blocked by a massive ‘dune sea’. The flight allows you time to take in this unusual sight as well as the world-famous Deadvlei with its white pan and sun-blackened camel thorn tree skeletons.

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Experience the vast breathtaking vistas, ageold geological formations, mountains and rivers during a scenic flight that takes you over the popular Sossusvlei as well as some other natural gems.

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The route back to Windhoek passes Tsondab Vlei, north of Sossusvlei, before turning east across the Kuiseb Canyon.

This area was made famous by geologists Henno Martin and Hermann Korn who lived there for two years to avoid internment during the Second World War. Seeing Namibia’s fourth-highest mountain, the massive table-topped Gamsberg rising 500 metres from the Khomas Hochland, signifies the last leg of the flight before touching down at Eros Airport.

Westair Aviation’s scenic flights across the natural beauty of the south and central-south take place on Fridays and Saturdays. The journey of two and a half hours costs N$ 2 300 per person. Landing and a stopover at Sossusvlei are available at extra cost.

Book at reservations1@westair.com.na or contact +264 83 339 0069.

Photos supplied by Günter Brettschneider, a passenger on one of Westair’s special scenic flights.

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SPAGHETTI BOLOGNAISE Prep time: 25min Cooking time: 30min to 1 hour Serves 4

Ingredients 2 Tbsp Olive Oil 400g Beef Mince 1 Onion, diced 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped 100g Carrot, grated 2x400g Tin of Chopped Tomatoes 400ml Beef Stock 400g Pasta Polana Spaghetti 1 Tsp Salt and Pepper

Instructions STEP 1 Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and, once hot, add the beef mince and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the mince until well browned over a mediumhigh heat (be careful not to burn the mince. It just needs to be a dark brown colour). Once browned, transfer the mince to a bowl and set aside.

STEP 2 Add another tablespoon of oil to the saucepan you browned the mince in and turn the heat to medium. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and fry gently for 5-6 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the grated carrot then pour the mince and any juices in the bowl back into the saucepan.

STEP 3 Add the tomatoes to the pan and stir well to mix. Pour in the stock, bring to a simmer and then reduce the temperature to simmer gently for 45 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and rich. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.

STEP 4 When ready to cook the spaghetti, heat a large saucepan of water and add a pinch of salt. Cook according to the packet instructions. Once the spaghetti is cooked through, drain and add to the pan with the bolognaise sauce. Mix well and serve.

#DoTheLana Find it on www.polanacookbook.com.na

Two Beards Coffee Shrouded in the unexpected natural luxury of the Habitat Lifestyle Centre, a delightful coffee roastery can be found. Two Beards Coffee is a roastery like no other in Namibia in that they focus on higher end specialty grade Arabica coffees. With a wide variety and ever changing menu, your coffee taste buds are sure to be pleased with the expert guidance of a passionate coffee team. Allow yourself a moment and relax in their gourmet coffee bar and bistro, Two Beards and a Saint. Its worth it! Coffee in so many forms, from specialty to decadent, all designed to make your day magical. A delicious upmarket bistrostyle menu is available - be sure to enquire about their daily specials. Let the theatre and taste profile of exceptional coffee mesmerise you. www.2beardscoffee.com.na

Foodies

Featured eateries, coffee hubs, bars and hotspots for foodies to fall in love with.

The Stellenbosch Wine Bar and Bistro Set in the shady courtyard of the whimsical Bougain Villas Centre in Windhoek, the Stellenbosch Wine Bar and Bistro on Sam Nujoma Avenue is one of the capital’s most popular restaurants. Patrons can not only sip on one of the many award-winning wines on offer but also indulge in prime cuts of Namibian meat. At the helm of the dining establishment is the Windhoek Collection, which also created the Stellenbosch Tasting Room and the Stellenbosch Market in the same property. www.thestellenboschwinebar.com

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16

Namibians travelling

Sossusvlei with water 17

A

fter seven years of drought, Namibians were welcomed into 2021 with the social media being flooded (pun intended) by photos, videos and stories of good rain and rivers flowing. As our main rainy season begins in January, the New Year is already in full swing when the rivers start running and dams fill up. Storm chasing isn’t all that easy, especially when your work requires you to be in the office.

The news, however, that the Tsauchab River was in flood and making its way towards Sossusvlei immediately got my undivided attention. Sossusvlei with water is a rare occurrence (previously seen in 2011), and this was high on my local bucket list. For the Tsauchab River to reach Sossusvlei, plenty of rain is needed in the catchment areas.

When we heard that Sesriem Canyon and eventually the Tsauchab Valley between the red Namib dunes was full of water, my colleagues and I could no longer contain our excitement and headed south as soon as we could.

The desert is a spectacular sight in its usual arid state.

But seeing it when it’s green is extremely special, a beauty

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of a different kind. What seemed like a lifeless void just a week earlier, explodes with the activity of organisms big and small. Insects, birds, gemsbok and springbok among green grass forma living world that makes your photos seem completely overedited and impossibly fake.

The visit to Sossusvlei in an Eden-like state was enhanced by seeing the number of Namibian travellers who were also there to admire this special phenomenon.

The scene at the famous clay pan among towering dunes had an air of celebration as day camps were set up and kids ran about enjoying the water, the sunshine and greenery.

Sesriem Canyon had been transformed into a huge swimming pool wedged between the rock faces. Instead of the usual quick hike, people could swim through the canyon. A very rare opportunity indeed.

Even though the green will soon give way to fields of yellow grass, the exceptional rain is going to make travel in Namibia a magical experience this year. Make sure you don’t miss out!

Text and photos by Le Roux van Schalkwyk

Even though the green will soon give way to fields of yellow grass, the exceptional rain is going to make travel in Namibia a magical experience this year.

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IT’S TIME FOR THE PERFECT BEER

Not For Persons Under The Age Of 18.

Enjoy Responsibly.

The Happiness problem

I

don’t like to write about happiness. It’s become so overdone and yet under-experienced. The pursuit of happiness has everyone idealistically chasing rainbows while wearing a grumpy facial expression. But strangely enough, considering where we find ourselves in history, we have the requisites for a really happy year ahead. A year poised with the promise of unbound joy. This might sound odd, but bear with me as we explore the possible benefit to problems.

Mark Manson, in his book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, postulates that “Happiness comes from solving problems.” Considering the juncture where we currently stand as a society, we certainly have enough problems in need of solutions. Yet, you seldom find someone who loves solving problems. Most people love to run away or deny their problems. Amazingly, it’s the problem solver who has figured out something ingenious: we get a rush of happiness, a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from our objective analysis and correction of our problems.

Much like the blood that runs through our veins, problems are universal to all living creatures. Rich or poor, problems are guaranteed. Only the degree of our perspective differs.

Regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in, our problems feel extremely intense to us. Problems are also a fundamental part of life, and miniature learning opportunities that offer a happiness byproduct. A lack of problems is a lack of progress.

By now, though, you are into your fourth paragraph of reading a story about problems. Can you feel your discomfort? We humans prefer avoiding our problems, even running away from them. It seems like a much easier option. The mere thought of having to face problems headon usually causes enough discomfort to rather make us opt for denial or avoidance.

Conversely though, when we take a hard and earnest look at what our problems are, and then apply ourselves to constructively solving them with the tools we have available to us… we feel happy.

I recently watched a friend create her own torment as she avoided a problem in her home. I saw her lament under the heavy burden. I saw, too, how she pulled herself up and with all her might faced her dilemma armed only with her own truth. The outcome wasn’t that of a glossy movie ending, but rather one of real life complicated by struggles. It wasn’t perfect, but in the end my friend felt better. The joy brought to her by facing her problem and her truth, outweighed the struggle she felt when she simply suffered the consequences of her problem.

The key here is your own problems. When we look outwardly we easily find countless problems in need of solutions in the world. Those problems, unlike our own, are easier to spot.

Recognising where we ourselves are at fault is a much harder task. Yet, by consistently addressing our own problems we cause welcome change in our lives, and thereby, the world.

This may not be an easy recipe, but it is one that holds great promise. Life is complicated, and full of problems. We create more problems when we avoid our own problems, and we feel better when we tackle them. With what we face today in the world, in our homes and even in our own heads, it’s time to get to work. It’s time to stand strong and face what we need to. Knowing that the reward of our courage is the joy that problem solving brings.

And while that might sound idealistic, also remember that happiness (much like love) is complex. There is no simple step (no one size fits all) that will bring complete unbridled happiness. There is a collection of steps that create your unique experience of happiness. There are also suggestions along the way which can help you find your own experience of happiness. Just know one thing: happiness is not a destination, a thing or a place you arrive at…. it’s a feeling, it’s something you experience and something you yourself create.

Kirsty Watermeyer

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Life blooms in

mysterious places

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Photography: Elzanne McCulloch

A

s our car neared its destination, I spotted a white wash across the landscape some way in the distance.

I thought it might be water. How wonderful! A big dam out here in this arid terrain. But as we came closer to our journey’s end, the sight seemed to shimmer and waver. Not the ripples of wind across a water surface, but rather the gentle lilt and sway of flowers across a plain. And that’s exactly what it turned out to be. Thousands and thousands of white and pink flowers, gently undulating in the breeze.

As Namibia’s southern stretches were drenched by more rain than we have been blessed with for some time, and locals hopped in their cars to chase rivers and streams across this vast land, one of the miracles of the Namib once again appeared near the small southern town of Maltahöhe.

Every few years, the right conditions allowing, Crinum paludosum lilies bloom in their hundreds of thousands on Farm Sandhof, 35 km north of Maltahöhe. This natural wonder only occurs when ideal circumstances align. After the pan has received more than 30 cm of water the lilies sprout, grow and flower. Once they start to bloom, visitors have about three days to enjoy them stretching as far as the eye can see. During this short time, over 750 hectares of land turns pink, white and green with the sheen of this spectacle. It doesn’t happen every year. In fact, until last year there had been quite a “dry spell” in terms of this natural wonder. During a ‘lily year’, locals flock to Maltahöhe and the nearby farm to witness the miracle.

This year was no different. We set off from Windhoek on Thursday, 21st of January, the day after the lilies had started to bloom. After enjoying an evening of quintessential southern hospitality at Hudup Campsite just east of Maltahöhe, we left before sunrise to capture the lilies in the best possible light. By 9.00am we had finished filming and enjoyed a delicious cup of coffee and the spectacular view as the locals started streaming in. Thousands of Namibians made the pilgrimage to this delightful marvel of nature. How wonderful to be able to share and enjoy as a nation something so special, despite the trying times. Something to bring collective joy. Perhaps Lily Weekend should become part of celebrating our Natural Heritage in Namibia?

A flower blooming in the desert proves to the world that adversity, no matter how great, can be overcome.

- Matshona Dhliwayo

Watch our video on the Sandhof Lilies: www.thisisnamibia.com/this-is-namibia-tv.

Elzanne McCulloch 23

BESONDERS Founded on a love for travel and exploring, Besonders celebrates life, people and places around the globe.

Their products are like memories which you take with you – from where you’ve been, to where you are going. The t-shirts are made from locally sourced, high quality cotton, giving them a perfect shape and feel. They are made to last and will feel like an old favourite when you put it on for the first time. Proudly designed & made in Africa.

Available @ the Inspire Market in Windhoek every Saturday. @besonders.world

SHOP LOCAL-ish

The most unique local lifestyle brands and products that will guide, motivate and inspire you to express your identity.

NGUNI LIFESTYLE APPAREL LENTA Lenta means “slow” in Portuguese. It’s a brand born from the concept of “slow fashion”. Slow fashion aims to reduce waste by only producing upon individual demand and thus also ensuring higher quality as each item is personal.

Although lingerie is associated with small, skinny models, Lenta thrives to promote Body Inclusivity and Positivity. Too often women are hard on themselves or allow others to tell them how to look and how to feel. As Lenta garments are custom made, they fit everyone. Lenta aims to reach out to all of those who don’t feel good enough, or pretty enough… You are WONDERFUL and you are ENOUGH. Available @ lenta-label.myshopify.com @lenta_label

Made in South Africa, Nguni Apparel is inspired by the iconic Nguni cattle found across southern Africa. Their multi-coloured hides are a beautiful reflection and representation of Africa and its people. The range of t-shirts, long-sleeve tops, crewnecks, sweaters and hats is the brainchild of partners Thoko and Anja who hail from the Drakensberg and Boland of South Africa.

Available @ nguniapparel.co.za in SA or you can order via Whatsapp +264 81 705 1360 in Nam @ngunicapetownsa

.ABOUT Effortless. Basic. Beautiful.

The .About brand was created

by Anna-mart Rabie, from De Doorns in the Western Cape.

Focussed on simplistic and no-fuss handmade linen and cotton garments, .About’s range is a true example of feminine yet practical style at its best.

Available @ about-clothing.com in SA and The Collective Boutique in Windhoek and Swakopmund. @about.an

SKOJII We’ve all grown a little tired of protea paraphernalia, no? Enter local artist Kelsey van Schalkwyk who SKOJII commissioned to paint Namibian indigenous plants. They went and digitised the artworks and began creating continuous prints that undoubtedly top the protea stuff. With these textiles, SKOJII outsources the sewing of cosmetic bags, loungewear and shoes (hello job creation).

Available @ mariannel@scsi.com.na @skoj.ii

Are you a Nam or SA-based small business lifestyle brand? List your label with us for only N$750 per month. fly@venture.com.na

EMSSENCE This Windhoek-based body & skincare brand is the first of its kind in Namibia! Their signature PURE range boasts natural ingredients (stuff you can actually pronounce) and is small-batch-made with great consideration for fragrance.

Plus discount in refills when you return the container?

Yes please! Their body range features 7 fragrances inspired by indigenous plants and includes everything from bath soaks to body butter.

Psstt!! They’re great as gifts!

Available @ www.emssence.com @ems.sence

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art-ist

The Art of a Cigar

T

he sleepy town of Lüderitz holds a couple of secrets among its oldtimey buildings and windswept streets. One of them is hidden in a nondescript building next to the historic Krabbenhöft and Lampe building on Bismarck Street. A red metal pipe noisily squeaking in the wind is the only sign of what you might find inside.

Premium Namibian Cigars are the first and only cigar producers in the country.

For long-time cigar aficionado Brian Padwick, producing his cigars never came to mind when he and some friends started importing cases of cigars to feed their passion. His small arsenal of lovely brown fatties from all over the globe led him to open a small shop in Windhoek in 2013, called Premium Cigars for Africa. The shop not only imported and sold a variety of Cubans and non-Cubans but also acted as a local supplier to other outlets.

While his wife Paulina managed the shop in the capital, Brian ran Ôa Hera Namib Backpackers and Cultural Center in Maltahöhe. With a daughter on the

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But we quickly realised Lüderitz could be the right place to start something crazy like cigar manufacturing.

way, Brian and Paulina had to reevaluate their plans. In 2016 a visit from an overseas family friend, who was also their cigar supplier, unexpectedly gave them the answer they were looking for. His demonstration on cigar production made the couple fall in love with the process and ignited a desire in Brian to become the first manufacturer of Namibian cigars. “It took us a very long time to master the rolling process. A lot of bad cigars and some loyal and brave customers took us to where we are today,” Brian says.

In 2018 the couple moved to the small harbour town primarily for family reasons. “But we quickly realised Lüderitz could be the right place to start something crazy like cigar manufacturing.

We could add more colour and that special feel to the place by running our cigar business from here,” says Brian. Lüderitz was so instrumental that the cigar blends are named after places in and around the town.

But is it art?

Brian explains that the art of making cigars can be compared to winemaking. As with grapes, tobacco flavour is influenced by variety, the soil and climate, curing, fermentation and ageing.

Similarly, certain palates prefer certain cultivars from certain wine regions, and again it is the same with tobacco.

What is the next project of Premium Namibian Cigars? “We want to start producing cigars from Namibian tobacco,” Brian says with a twinkle in his eye.

Visit www.premiumnamibiancigars.com for more information.

Le Roux van Schalkwyk

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A day in Ondangwa

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W

e arrived at Eros Airport at 6:30 to catch the morning FlyWestair flight to Ondangwa. Smoothly passing through check-in, we proceeded to the Sky Lounge where we enjoyed our free coffee from Deluxe Coffeeworks and watched as the aircrafts positioned themselves for passengers to board.

You have to visit the museum yourself to really experience the slightly eerie atmosphere of bygone times.

Camera bags ready, boarding passes in hand, and an excitement overload – I’ve never been to the north!

The church is not very big. A stubborn wooden door is reluctant to let us in. Inside it is dark and desolate, with cobwebs in every corner and sand covering the floor. It sounds tragic, but something about it is so beautiful that I actually thought about getting married there.

Ondangwa’s Toivo ya Toivoairport is on the smaller side but it is modern and very clean. Into the rental car and off we go.

Our first stop is the Nakambale Museum in Olukonda and on our way there we each try to spot a shebeen with the most interesting name, but I think we lost track as there are so many! Shebeens and barbershops, there is no lack of them in and around Ondangwa.

On a question box we posted on Instagram, @__gmsile suggested that we should visit the Nakambale Museum. “You’ll never regret it”, and she was right. Martha is one of the lovely ladies who welcomed us onto the premises with the lodge, homestead and museum.

I wish we’d been at the lodge during the scheduled open hours because it has a selfbuilt, wood-fired oven for artisanal pizza! It’s quite the sight, a pizza oven with the words “Happy Pizza” in colourful paint, surrounded by palm trees and patches of grass.

Across the road from the Nakambale Museum is the mission church and a large graveyard. There are all types of tombstones, varying from old, unnamed, bare and falling-apart crosses to graves covered with a slab of marble engraved with details, and some even enclosed in locked cages.

After our visit to Nakambale we made our way to Ongula Village Homestead Lodge where we were greeted by very friendly staff with the tastiest homemade iced tea I’ve ever had before we were taken on a tour of the premises. At the start I was lucky enough to be taught how to play a traditional game, Owela. To tell you the truth, I can’t quite remember the complicated rules but I think it’s great fun once you actually understand them.

You have to visit the museum yourself to really experience the slightly eerie atmosphere of bygone times.

The historic homestead is like a maze, a different hut around every corner of the path lined by long wooden poles, forming enclosures. We were allowed inside the huts: they were as if the former residents who lived there, had just left them a short while ago. Rooms where mahangu used to be ground, where it was stored, and which also served as a kitchen with the fireplace right outside. The baskets in which they store mahangu are big and beautiful. I found myself wondering what I could do with a basket like that in my home.

The well preserved building from the late 1870s, in which the museum is housed, was the home of Finnish missionary Martti Rautanen. His nickname was Nakambale, hence the name of the museum. A label on each door says what the respective room was used for when Rautanen and his family lived there. The museum is a treasure trove of antiques and historic mementos. With everything so well displayed and explained, you can almost imagine yourself transported into the past, and you find yourself having a great appreciation for every object, from the old foot-pedal sewing machine to the original pages of Rautanen’s translation of the Bible into the local Ndonga language.

The lodge runs a passionate initiative to educate the community’s adolescents, to equip them with skills which will allow them to generate an income with dignifying work. We were taken to a large neat warehouse where sewing machines stand in rows, and here and there women are busy making face masks from different patterned materials. In a smaller room nearby is a learning facility with desks and a whiteboard in front. There are also communal rooms for the students who live on the premises. Each of them have tasks to contribute to the activities at the lodge and the homestead.

We didn’t visit in season, but the hostess said that when it rains they have a frog-catching competition. Guests also have the opportunity to braai their own kapana, a traditional meat dish. Before lunch, scented warm water was poured from a gold-coloured antique “tea” pot for us to wash our hands. We enjoyed the lodge’s kapana with a fresh batch of bread rolls – the perfect lunch on our trip to the north.

We also visited some of Ondangwa’s hospitality and cultural institutes, and would recommend booking a stay for two nights, visit the museum and homestead at Nakambale, and engage in some of the activities at Ongula Village Homestead Lodge.

A culturally enriching experience.

Ena Lingenfelder

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Photography: Azo Photography, AM Photography and Ruberto Scholtz

Ruberto Scholtz on

Creating Couture and Inspiring Confidence

I

f, like me, you have followed this young fashion designer’s journey from the very beginning, you’d know that his current popularity was a long time coming. Ruberto Scholtz, one of Namibian pop culture’s greatest, is still growing and is in fact destined for even bigger things.

Starting out as a College of The Arts student some years back, Ruberto’s final year collections catapulted him into the limelight.

Pieces from the Venom collection would later be worn by Namibian celebs like Pombili Shilongo and Tjuna Kauapirura. The Venom fashion domination culminated in South African TV Star Bonang Matheba wearing one of the gowns at the 2018 Namibia Annual Music Awards.

Today, Ruberto is by far one of the most sought-after couture designers, well-known for his extravagant bridal and evening gowns. And these days, whenever Ruberto dresses a bride, or a student for a Matric farewell dance, he literally breaks the internet.

I caught up with this bright talent to talk fashion, about what inspires him and why he loves what he does.

What drew you to making couture dresses as opposed to other areas of fashion design?

The craft behind couture dresses has always fascinated me. The details of a dress, the fabric and the utter confidence it gives the lady who wears it are my motivating factors. It’s challenging, but I love it. All in all, just the glamour of it all.

What’s your favourite part of the designing process?

I love it all, there is actually no favourite part, but if I have to choose one it would have to be sourcing the right material and bringing the vision to life.

What motivates you to be a better designer every day?

I’m just motivated to do better than the day before. Every dress is a chance to better myself.

couture noun

the design and manufacture of fashionable clothes to a client’s specific requirements and measurements.

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Look around you. Everything changes. everything on this earth is in a continuous state of evolving, refining, improving, adapting, enhancing, and changing. You were not put on this earth to remain stagnant.

- Dr Steve Mataboli

Where do you envision your brand to be in five years?

Life is too short to live for the next five to ten years. I live for the next moment, who knows where that will take me next.

Describe your most memorable fashion moment as a fashion designer.

Apart from dressing Bonang Matheba, and meeting big industry names, there are just too many moments and most of these involve the lovely clients that I dress. I would like to share a quote by Dr Steve Mataboli that I live by, and which is so true in every aspect of my life: “Look around you. Everything changes. Everything on this earth is in a continuous state of evolving, refining, improving, adapting, enhancing, and changing. You were not put on this earth to remain stagnant.”

To keep up with this talented young fashion star’s journey, follow him on Instagram @sholtzruberto.

Rukee Kaakunga is a Windhoek-based Concept Engineer, PR Consultant, and fashion writer. Contact her via email: rukeekaakunga@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @rukeeveni.

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an an extraordinary

EXPERIENCE extraordinary

EXPERIENCE

T 061 209 0990 / WA 081 309 5070 / E info@soulsticedayspawh.co.za www.soulsticedayspawindhoek.co.za

T 061 209 0990 / WA 081 309 5070 / E info@soulsticedayspawh.co.za www.soulsticedayspawindhoek.co.za

BE BETTY FASHION

O

n a cloudy Monday morning I had the opportunity to visit Dawn at her beautiful home in Elisenheim, from where she runs her business – Be Betty.

Over a cup of coffee she invited me into her workshop, where she spends hours making unique and pretty polymer clay earrings, and gave me a frontrow seat to the process.

Her side hustle began with a seed planted and encouragement from one of her dear friends, and although she didn’t get around to it for several months, eventually she found herself with a couple of basic tools and a few chunks of polymer clay and was ready to create. It was a rough start and batch after batch didn’t make it further than the trash can. Dawn has high standards for what she puts out to the world. But once she got the hang of it and was satisfied with her handiwork, Be Betty Fashion was introduced to the rest of us, for orders to be placed via WhatsApp. Dawn was a big part of the team that brought the Windhoek City Market to life, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic she (like many others) was forced to get serious with what was then a side hustle. A business born out of necessity. Very soon she was surprised by the demand and taking orders via WhatsApp no longer sufficed. She now runs a very efficient website for online orders.

As making polymer clay earrings is what most of Dawn’s time is spent with, and generates her income, one can say it’s her full-time job. She doesn’t see it as a job though, she says that working with clay and making beautiful pieces is more like therapy than anything else.

When asked where she draws inspiration from, her surprising answer was that many times patterns on wallpapers encourage her to pair certain colours. “For instance, I never thought I would use orange and turquoise together”, she said, and there, in our interview, she was with vibrant orange and turquoise earrings dangling from her ears. She doesn’t just make anything that someone suggests, especially if it’s not her style or carries the Be Betty personality.

Be Betty is unique, colourful, and intentional - qualities that each piece must measure up to before it is shared.

Her business is named after Dawn’s mother, who she says is her motivator, inspiration and biggest supporter.

Be Betty Fashion earrings can be found either on her website www.bebettynamibia.com or at the following outlets: Rosenblute | Stampriet; Dishouwdt | Ferreiras’s Garden Centre Windhoek; The Red Shelf | Windhoek Craft Centre & Swakopmund; Blossom Blush | Swakopmund; BYC | Hentiesbay.

Ena Lingenfelder 35

advertorial

TWO BEARDS AND A SAINT

T

wo Beards and a Saint Gourmet Coffee Bar and Bistro is a delightful establishment developed as a partnership between Royden and Mark Stanton of Two Beards Coffee Roastery and Radley Wilson-Moore, the Saint.

Royden Stanton has been hugely passionate about coffee since his extremely positive experiences at Wecke & Voigts in Windhoek in the early to mid-1970s. This sparked a passion for coffee that could not always be explained by his family, and as a result there are numerous entertaining family memories.

It all culminated in an early retirement project. Royden, the Managing Director of Walvis Bay Salt Mine for many years, started roasting from a small roastery at home.

Called Fractured Beans for the fracturing that occurs during the roasting process, the home coffee roastery soon became his ‘happy space’. There was no greater treat than to spend time roasting with Royden, and for a number of years it was ‘joked’ that Fractured Beans would become Fractured Beans and Sons. Fast forward a few years of passionate roasting, and his son Mark did indeed join the business. It was decided to add a fun factor and the Fractured Beans changed to Two Beards Coffee.

Both having had beards for many years, the name is certainly safe!

Two Beards Coffee is an artisan coffee roastery that focuses on Specialty Grade Arabica coffee only. Specialty Grade is the best 3% of the world’s coffee yield and is only described as such after going through rigorous classification and standards testing.

The focus on Arabica is due to the myriad of flavour characteristics available – far exceeding those of even a red wine. Great attention to detail is applied to each roast, producing both exceptional single origin coffees as well as artisan blends designed specifically for particular brewing methods. Two Beards Coffee has a philosophy of partnering with coffee shops, restaurants, lodges and such, throughout Namibia, developing a unique blend in conjunction with each of the commercial clients. This not only adds value to the client but is great fun for Royden and Mark as well. Their passion certainly shines through.

Fast forward again, and enter Radley Wilson-Moore. Radley is a distinguished chef and well known throughout Namibia. Radley was the first in for coffee at Two Beards Coffee every morning and soon started getting involved, experimenting with ideas from the chef industry. Always a great chat, Radley proposed the concept of a bistro within the Two Beards Coffee brand as he appreciated the philosophy, brand and ethos. The concept developed quickly and two months later Two Beards and a Saint Gourmet Coffee Bar and Bistro was launched. Two Beards Coffee is responsible for the coffee component, and the Saint (Radley’s nickname since childhood for all the ‘wrong’ reasons!) for the food side of things. The synergy has resulted in a place where you are encouraged to come and relax. Try a wide selection of gourmet coffees, embrace your inner scientist with our alternative brewing options all the while enjoying an exceptional bistro menu that has a new selection of specials each day of the year!

Getting bored with flavour and options at Two Beards and a Saint is not an option.

The venue itself is nestled in the Habitat Lifestyle Centre. Shrouded in natural luxury and with plenty of open garden space, you can also enjoy the delights of Stillhouse Atlantic Craft Gin Distillery, Namib Dunes Craft Brewery as well as Craft & Cork, browse through Eastern Concepts Furniture and Habitat Home Décor, plan a new kitchen at Nobilia, or pamper yourself at Natura Africa.

Come and spend some time with us. We prefer you having time to relax and enjoy your time with us. We like to get to know you too – become a part of the Two Beards Family…

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+264 81 777 1956 bistro@2beardscoffee.com.na www.2beardscoffee.com.na

THE HOME OF STARTUPS in Namibia

I

t’s a whole new world out there, and here in Namibia a driven and dynamic group of people are stirring up the status quo of what it means to be innovative and resilient in business.

Globally, startup culture is well-established and an ingrained element of business environments. Cities across the world have established themselves as “Startup Hubs”, aiming to entice disruptive young entrepreneurs, rife with energy, ideas and drive, to choose them as their centre of operations when embarking on their new ventures. Think Berlin, San Francisco, New York City, Tel Aviv, Beijing. In Africa, it’s Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, Lagos and Kigali.

In our corner of the world, a wonderful initiative is ushering in the dawn of a new era in business: StartUp Namibia. A technical cooperation project implemented by GIZ together with the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade, the City of Windhoek and the Ministry of Higher Education, Innovation and Technology. Funded by the German government, the project’s aim is to improve conditions for establishing and growing startups in selected regions of Namibia.

StartUp Namibia is a one-stop shop for startups. The project supports startup development from the seeds of an idea, through prototyping and incubation up to accelerating

rapid growth and expansion into new markets. Startups will be equipped with tools, networks and resources for the formalisation of businesses with potential to grow fast.

THINK OUTSIDE Located in Namibia’s capital of Windhoek, at the corner of John Meinert and Frans Indongo street, is Basecamp - the Incubation and Innovation Centre of the StartUp Namibia project. Basecamp is the home for Namibian startups and provides participants with a co-working space, community areas and a maker-space.

“The Namibian startup ecosystem is still in its infancy and we are here to put our entrepreneurs, community and country on the global map.”

Basecamp also partners with global incubators and accelerators in order to take their support programmes to the next level. They have partnered with Stellenbosch University Launch Lab, Future Females and MEST. Basecamp offers a support network, office space, internet and digital solutions and a whole lot more - always thinking outside the box!

Do you have an idea or need help getting started, restructuring or rethinking your business? Visit startupnam.org or follow the project on social media and get your future started.

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Your investments

Time for a view above the clouds

I

f you are reading this, you must be flying and perhaps you have been yearning for a while to see the world from a different angle. Covid-19, and yes I won’t use that word again in this article, has clouded much of our 2020 vision.

One of the things that remain constant is that we have certain dreams and obligations that we want to meet and our investments need to work for us. This is the case for people and businesses all over the world. What I’m trying to say is that Namibians and people living in other countries are all in the same boat (or plane in this case).

The chart below gives us some very interesting clues as to what we can expect. The black line is what happened to interest rates in the US and the yellow lines are how the market expected rates to develop since 2005. Since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008/2009 interest rates have been low relative to history, but the market now finally expects interest rates to be lower for longer. I’m showing you US interest rates, as – although the world this time around got a “cold” when China sneezed – the world usually (at least since 1945) got a cold from the US. As I mentioned, we are all in the same boat and low rates for US investors mean higher probabilities of not meeting those dreams or obligations. What makes this worse is the potential for inflation (prices) to eventually pick up, when all of this excess money that has been created, chases the same amount of goods and services as the economies start to slowly open up again. The problem with inflation is that it is a very subtle tax that slowly steals away the purchasing power of your assets and it is therefore imperative to

38

achieve a return above inflation (a real return). If rates are close to zero (or even negative in Europe) you will achieve a negative return once you factor in inflation. US 10 Year Treasuries are at 220 year lows. Naturally, investors have been looking at other asset classes that can provide a relatively better return than interest bearing assets such as bonds (in developed markets) and it should be no surprise why equity markets (especially, for example, the S&P 500 index in the US) has gone to record levels relative to history.

One can argue that certain parts of the market have benefitted the most (for example, the top 5 “technology” stocks of the S&P 500 is ± 23% of the whole index) but the main point is that the excess money is looking for returns in a world of low interest rates.

It is also interesting to note that the traditional way of dealing with inflation is to increase interest rates. This time around many would argue (and that is exactly what the chart is telling you) that the US cannot allow rates to rise significantly as their debt levels are too high (in other words, they simply cannot afford it if economies are not growing).

Hence, we can expect a loose monetary and fiscal policy to continue for a while. This has the potential to create a global debt crisis, but no one can really predict when and how this might unfold.

As a Namibian you rightly should be diversifying your assets against country-specific risks, but you might be ignoring South African and Namibian opportunities at your own peril, while the rest of the world (which has the same need to increase returns) is starting to look for opportunities on our doorstep. These markets are very small compared to the rest of the world, and any slight rotation (literally

Economic Pulse

Effective fed funds rate Latest market pricing

6 5

BAML forecast Historical pricing

4 3 2 1 0 2005

2008

2011

2014

crumbs falling off the table) out of developed markets into emerging markets can have a meaningful impact on asset prices. We started seeing this happen in November last year, with net foreign inflows into SA bond and equity markets.

South Africa and Namibia, for example, provide some of the best value you can find on the planet in certain bond yields and parts of the stock market. Recent data shows the JSE (excluding Naspers) as the 4th cheapest emerging market index in the world. Many high-quality companies, which often have very little to do with South Africa, are trading at attractive valuation levels.

2017

2020

well and to build a well-diversified portfolio with assets that have negative or different correlations to various market conditions to ensure that you can reach those goals, even if the world does have a debt crash one day. The recent playbook of just taking assets to the US Dollar or other similar currencies, might not be enough. After all, the power in the world is starting to move from the west to the east and if more money is chasing the same goods, guess what could happen to commodity prices, the countries that export them, and the countries that produce real goods?

René Olivier

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes (Mark Twain), and in previous cycles, where excess printing took place, emerging market currencies often strengthened as money rotated into them. The amount of printing that took place this time is difficult to fathom.

René Olivier(CFA) is the Managing Director of Wealth Management at IJG, an established Namibian financial services market leader.

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

At this stage, it might be prudent to point out that I’m not trying to provide advice on where to invest, as individuals and businesses are unique and have different needs. I’m simply pointing out that the world has its own problems and it will be wise to understand your dreams and obligations

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

NETWORK

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MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION

in the Information Age

D

ealing with gossip, hearsay and rumours is not a new phenomenon. But the way in which information is disseminated and shared has significantly changed over the last 20 years. Digital platforms created the means to easily spread news and information to a wide audience across borders at a much greater speed and scale than ever before. While this has obvious benefits, one of the downsides is that misinformation and disinformation are spread in the same way.

What is the difference between misinformation and disinformation?

To understand who and how it spreads, we first need to look at the definitions. Misinformation is false or harmful information that usually is not shared with malicious intent.

Disinformation is false and malicious information that is deliberately shared to cause harm.

Who spreads it All of us are potential spreaders of misinformation and disinformation. That makes it so powerful. Social media is specifically designed to encourage the spreading of information. Each post that we share has the potential to

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spread unsubstantiated information to friends and family. The main instigators, however, are fake websites and social media accounts that are specifically created for the purpose, as well as biased media outlets conveying certain political narratives.

While this is a global occurrence, the best examples and the impact that misinformation and disinformation have had over the past year can be seen in the United States. A prime example is the anti-mask rallies that raged all over the country. Although occurring worldwide, in the US the rallies were the largest and most widespread. During these mass protests, no masks were worn and norms like social distancing were simply ignored. Demonstrators argued that wearing masks infringes on their personal rights and freedoms. Some alleged that a face mask increases the intake of carbon dioxide and reduces the amount of oxygen in the body, a claim which had been repeatedly refuted by doctors. Most alarmingly, protesters believed that COVID-19 is a hoax, all part of an elaborate political conspiracy. On 23 February, US President Joe Biden announced that more than 500 000 American citizens have died because of COVID-19. More American lives have been claimed by this single pandemic than World War One, World War Two and the Vietnam War combined. Apart from the most deaths, the US has also had substantially more infections than any other country: over

Looking Global

28 million cases, i.e. 17 million more than India which comes With COVID vaccinations soon to be rolled out in Namibia, a distant second on the list. While a number disseminating the correct information of factors contributed to these high figures, becomes vital. Creating distrust through misinformation and disinformation facilitated false information can cause unnecessary by social media platforms complicated the tension in a country that desperately needs Digital public health response, led to widespread to revitalise its tourism industry ravaged by platforms confusion and contributed to the loss of life the global pandemic. during the pandemic. created the In 2019 mistrust of polio vaccinations, fuelled means to Endless damage is caused by misinformation by false reports on social media, caused easily spread and disinformation and can drive discrimination unrest and violence in Pakistan that led to and marginalisation, lead to violence and abuse the deaths of health workers. As a result, this news and and undermine the role of official institutions in vaccination campaign was suspended. While information to delivering public services. It creates doubt around not saying that a similar situation will occur established facts and evidence. Uncertainty can a wide audience in Namibia as in Pakistan, there is a real risk result in poor public policy outcomes which in that the vaccination campaign could be across borders turn negatively affect peoples’ lives. severely hampered by the spreading of false at a much information. With a wealth of information How does this affect Namibia? available to us, it has become difficult to see greater speed The whole world is susceptible to misinformation through the lies, but the responsibility lies with and scale than and disinformation and Namibia is no exception. us to double-check facts instead of blindly ever before.

A recent example is the announcement of Air pressing the “share” button.

Namibia’s voluntary liquidation which led to unsubstantiated rumours and wild conspiracies spreading like wildfire on social media platforms.

Le Roux van Schalkwyk

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mtc.com.na

NEW YEAR. NEW NORMAL.

I

NEW TRAVEL NEWS.

t’s a new age full of new normals. The power and presence of media has been developing at a breakneck speed over the last decade. Readers are in the wonderfully comfortable position of being able to absorb news and content in a format that best suits them. Whether they prefer print, television, radio, web or mobile. In the travel industry that is no different. In fact, in an age of travel restrictions and harsh limitations on physical movement, travel-related content has had to carve out an even more substantial space for itself within the global digital consciousness.

Travel News Namibia, the country’s longest-running travel and tourism publication, was created in 1993. A mere two years later, the publication entered the digital sphere with its own website. In 1995, very few Namibian companies had a website, and even fewer within the tourism industry. Thus www.travelnewsnamibia.com became a sort of collective home for Namibia’s tourism industry. A lot of things have changed since then, but one thing that has remained constant is the fact that Travel News Namibia is still sharing Namibia’s story with the world, as it has for the past 28 years, and in formats that suit each and every reader, viewer or follower. Whether it is print, digital, video or on social media.

More than a decade has passed since the glossy magazine was first uploaded in an electronic format. Since then, the beautiful pages of Namibia’s most-loved travel magazine have graced screens across the world and reached more than two million impressions online. In 2021, the magazine will undergo another epic transformation and be hosted in a new digital magazine format, on the world’s largest online newsstand - Zinio! Readers will now be able to subscribe to the magazine, receive it delivered directly to their inbox and also download a specialised Travel News Namibia app for effortless reading and automatic content updates.

Easy to read online, more stories, more images and shared in subscription form across the globe: this is TNN 2.0!

Print will never truly die. There is a unique sense of wonder to be had in enjoying the physical pages of a book or magazine. Venture Media will continue to print Travel News Namibia magazine and distribute it to key local and international partners, along with maintaining its long-running and exceptional online web and social media presence - because though media may change, the power of stories never will.

Join the family: www.venture.com.na or contact elzanne@venture.com.na.

That’s our mantra at Venture Media. Sharing stories, information and inspiration to an audience that understands and values why certain things matter.

Why conservation, tourism, people & communities, businesses and ethics matter.

How these elements interrelate and how we can bring about change, contribute to the world and support each other. Whether for an entire nation, an industry, a community, or even just an individual.

We find, explore, discover, teach, showcase and share stories that matter.

FlyWestair

FlyWestair In-flight Magazine

Summer 2020/21

www.flywestair.com

6862/25/08/2020

www.debmarinenamibia.com

STORIES THAT MATTER.

Summer 2020/21

Your free copy

This nation was founded on the sacrifices of Heroes and Heroines that were not afraid to fight against great pressure.

Inspired by their bravery, we have taken action to help our nation tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. With each act, we chart a path towards making life brilliant for Namibians, under all circumstances. Because, it is in times like these that our people need #ActsOfBrilliance the most.

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D E L U X E C O F F E E WO R K S WINDHOEK, NA Our espresso bar has become the hub where we roast, blend and serve our famous House Blend. We don’t follow many rules when it comes to our coffee. In fact, there aren’t a lot 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 roastery is the way it is. 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.

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 fullyfledged 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

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have long 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 a new and exciting partnership between Westair and Deluxe – it just works!

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

Deluxe Coffeeworks is situated at Shop 3, Mutual Tower, 223 Independence Avenue. Opening hours are 07h00 to 16h30 from Monday to Friday.

+264 81 871 4434 COFFEE@DELUXECOFFEEWORKS.COM WWW.DELUXECOFFEEWORKS.COM

@deluxecoffeeworks.na

Since Independence Day 2017 and, coincidently, in Independence Avenue, we do strictly coffee!

ROYAL HUSTLERS Riaan Burger - Throw your heart into it!

N

ow the CEO of one of Namibia’s largest diamond companies, Riaan Burger grew up as a farm boy who loved the outdoors.

He was an energetic child and developed a love for sports at a young age, playing everything from cricket and rugby to golf and tennis. But his biggest passion was building little model aeroplanes.

Budding Engineer “My biggest dream as a child was aviation and aeroplanes. I liked the idea of flying but I didn’t only want to get a plane, I wanted to build it!”, says Riaan. His determination saw him play around with model planes and attempting to build radio controlled aircraft.

Years later, this passion led him to study engineering at the University of Stellenbosch. There he poured his passion into a field of study that would help him finally realise his dream.

Right after Namibia’s independence and soon after graduating, he returned to his home country to pursue a career in aviation at Air Namibia. “But at some stage, I realised that I’ve got other interests as well and I failed to see career opportunities in aviation, so I went into mining.”

At Namdeb, he found his passion and spent the past two decades in diamond mining.

On the meaning of success “My idea of success has definitely changed. Early in my career I wanted to climb the corporate ladder and thought the higher you got in a corporate environment, the more successful you would be. That’s changed for me in the latter part of my career.

For me, success now has more to do with joint achievement and legacy.” Riaan strives to make a significant change in people’s lives and contribute to the wellbeing of communities through the work he does with his team at NAMDEB. He gives credit for his drive and love for studying to his parents, both of them academics who taught him at an early age that one never stops learning.

Joining NAMDEB When Riaan joined NAMDEB as a junior engineer with no leadership experience, he was thrown into the deep end and had to learn everything about management and the mining industry.

“I suddenly had to understand what management was all about, how mining systems worked and then rapidly realised that a lot of skills I thought I had were really not relevant,” says Riaan. He learnt from the people working for him, and since he was only in his 20s he looked to colleagues in their 40s and 50s for direction. That, he says, helped him a lot in his early years at NAMDEB. As he explains: “I learnt from fantastic leaders in the organisation and that helped me grow my leadership skills and leadership style. I went from being a fairly arrogant young engineer who thought he knew everything to a leader who understands that the people in my team are all capable and talented, and my role is to enable them to do their best”.

The future of NAMDEB “We are doing some really interesting things and have been doing some incredible research over the last couple of years, in particular on the geology of the shallow marine area,” says Riaan. This work, he adds, has also led to a number of PhD studies on the subject and many other projects are happening at the company.

Riaan remains as committed to his work at NAMDEB as he was when he joined the company 26 years ago. He is the same passionate man who strives to give his best in everything he does, a trait he credits to his parents.

“As my dad always said: ‘Something worth doing is worth doing well’. I think that is such an incredible motto.” Riaan is true to this motto to the fullest, adding: “Life is too short not to be passionate about something. If you do something, throw your heart into it.”

Tune in to The Royal Hustlers on 99FM every Monday to Friday, with Namibian Royal Hustlers on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 07h35.

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La Vie Est Photography

10 minutes

with local taste makers

Kämə/Michele Labuschagne

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ntention is everything, this we know. So it goes without saying that an intentionally hand-made Mala, picked out with pure intentions (as a gift to yourself or someone else), “is some powerful shit”, as Michele, Creative Director of Kämə, puts it. Intention is their ethos, I mean, the name Kämə literally means “to pause,” to be still and aware. By the way, it’s pronounced “komma”.

Kämə sprouted from the collaborative efforts of Suzi Seha and Marianne Labuschagne. Suzi is a yoga instructor and graphic designer, Marianne (Michele’s mom) the business mind and she is incredibly knowledgeable about essential oils. Together they started out manufacturing small batches of chakra massage candles fragranced with essential oils.

Each candle has a semi-precious gemstone embedded in it that correlates with the chakra it’s intended for. “Malas were the natural next step”, Michele says. Kämə paused (pun intended) the production of candles, so Michele took over and redirected their focus. Both Marianne and Suzi remain silent partners.

Now if you still have no clue what a Mala is: it’s a continuous string of 108 beads, a guru bead which Michele defines as “the energy centre” and often a tassel at the end.

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Mala translated from Sanskrit means garland (short poems or ballads), which is symbolic of the way a Mala ought to be used: preferably seated, with a positive affirmation in mind which you repeat 108 times as you count the beads. Why?, you might ask. I did, and Michele says that it takes 108 repetitions for our brains to reprogram those negative pathways we choose by default. Kämə Malas are fine looking necklaces of semi-precious stones and other beads, hand-made by Michele, and rounded off with genuine Namibian leather tassels. Plus they carry those affirmational good vibes with them and spice up your outfit in the process.

How does a Timeware consultant of 24 come to make Malas as a side hustle? “Making charm bracelets as a teenage girl”, says Michele with a nostalgic laugh. She spent her afternoons in primary school at Jenny’s Place in Windhoek, where her mom owned a small curio shop. The shop manager, Kayleigh, taught her the basics of jewelry making and Michele has been fond of it ever since. “It’s therapeutic”, she says.

After running a goldsmith short-course and making Malas for the last three years, Michele is determined to translate her affinity for spiritual practice and passion for jewelry making into practical and pretty tools that we can all use to facilitate our own growth. “Almost all major religions have some form of prayer bead, which essentially is what a Mala is”, says Michele. So it’s not even a question of some new-age mumbo jumbo, it’s ancient and “we could seriously benefit from bringing more positivity into our own lives and the lives of others.” She maintains that mindfulness is not simply a word-ofthe-moment, a fad to be infatuated with that dissipates as quickly as it came. No, mindfulness is the very future of our collective sanity.

Truth be told, it’s a strange feeling interviewing your big sister. That’s right, she is my sister. And this just goes to show that tastemaking is all around us. And I don’t mean the internet and all its influencers.

No, the real tastemakers whose uplifting influence is so ingrained in our lives that we take it for granted. But boy, life would be dull without their finicky construction of a cheese board and insistence on a photo opportunity. Here’s to honouring your local tastemakers!

Chances are, you’ve known them your whole life.

Kämə Malas are available at The Red Shelf in Windhoek & Swakopmund as well as via DM on Instagram @kame.lifestyle.

Charene Labuschagne

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50

THE TRIBE

#TheTribeExclusive featuring Kalux

#

TheTribeExclusive throws it back with this feature of award-winning hitmaker Kalux who is no doubt the pride of Otjiwarongo.

He remains committed to motivating others from his hometown to think big and to believe that they, too, can make it irrespective of where they come from.

On what has helped him get this far, he says, “I think Since breaking onto the scene, his I’m somebody who believes in myself more than you musical success and know. I’m also lucky that other people philanthropic status believe in me and I pray a lot.” have earned him a street named after him in the town where he was raised, Kalux is a big advocate for giving back He remains making him one of only a handful of to the community, and because of his committed to Namibian musicians to be honoured in philanthropic efforts in Otjiwarongo that manner. he has also been appointed as an motivating Ambassador for Education in the others from Kalux, who was born in Outjo, says: “It Otjozondjupa Region. He is very was really a good feeling, it still is. I can passionate about entertaining young his hometown go back whenever I’m stressed, go to people in his region and using his music to think big my street, sit down and thank God for to inspire them to work hard and make giving me the talent to do good work something of themselves. and to believe that people appreciate enough to give that they, too, me a street in my name.”

He continues to make music that young can make it and old can relate to and he hopes to While he has always remained true to his make an impact through his work. irrespective signature sound which can be described of where they as a mashup of various Namibian genres, Kalux is not afraid to experiment come from. and his international collaborations Watch The Tribe on One Africa TV (GOtv are proof of this. In the past he has 90, DStv 284, DStv Now) every Friday at worked with African musicians like Zambian ‘Amarula’ 21h30 with repeat shows on Wednesdays at 07h00, hitmaker Roberto and Cameroonian rap sensation and Saturdays at 17h30.

Stanley Enow.

Alternatively, listen to The Tribe on On receiving the 2018 Male Artist of the Year Award, 99FM every Friday at 19h00, and Kalux said that people underestimated him because he follow The Tribe on Instagram was coming from a small town. “People believe that @thetribenamibia and on only if you are based in Windhoek will you make it.”

Facebook @TheTribeNamibia.

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Living From the Veld in Namibia In our modernised, fast-paced world many of us are increasingly disconnected from the planet we live on. Our food comes in neat plastic packaging in conveniently sized portions that are put into the shopping cart with little more thought given to it than the price tag. The most conscientious shoppers will perhaps read the back of the package to find out if the product is organic, local, free-range, etc. But the words on the packaging are as close as many people will ever get to knowing where their food comes from and how it is produced.

C

onsumer demands for the cheap and familiar have had a severe impact on rural areas around the world. Biodiverse landscapes are ploughed up and replaced with single crop species, domestic livestock has taken the place of numerous wild herbivores – domestic animals are easier to manage and produce familiar products like beef and mutton. Not by accident, parts of Africa look just like the English countryside, and produce the same food. The land itself has thus lost its variety, wildness and sense of mystery that we only glimpse when visiting national parks.

Against this global backdrop, Namibia is perfectly placed to do things differently – this harsh desert country with the world’s second lowest human population density cannot be totally tamed and cultivated. Furthermore, the sustainable use and conservation of the environment are enshrined in the Namibian constitution, thus encouraging farmers to include nature’s bounty as an integral part of their livelihoods.

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Danene van der Westhuyzen’s new book From the Veld captures the Namibian approach to living off the land by celebrating the astounding variety of food from nature’s pantry. Far from the shopping carts, tellers and neat packaging of the supermarkets in the city, Danene and her family pick, gather, milk and hunt for the ingredients which go into the recipe collection in From the Veld.

“I was born and raised in Namibia. I have lived here all my life. My family’s roots are deeply embedded in this soil.

The harshness of our beautiful country has forged our existence. Drought grips the land every so often, bringing both despair and discipline. We are constantly aware of nature’s balance, as our survival depends on faithful conservation and the wise use of resources. And so we’ve grown to cherish the parched times as much as we relish the deafening sound of thunder that promises much needed rain.” - Danene.

Danene goes on to explain that as a family living on a farm 200 km from the nearest town they hunt and gather as

much as they can. They’ve learnt to make the most of what they have. And they like it that way.

Danene, who is the current president of the Namibia Professional Hunters Association (NAPHA), is a passionate advocate for sustainable conservation hunting and living off the land.

“In Namibia, hunters do not just kill. They are nature lovers who seek sustainable and ethical hunting methods that help conservation strategies to protect wildlife and its habitats from modern man. They are people who want to experience nature as a participant. People who want to take responsibility for their food. People who acknowledge their kinship with wildlife. I am a hunter. And I am not ashamed of that. Through hunting I have fought for my meals, and remembered that eating is a privilege. I have learnt the weight and responsibility of taking an animal’s life, so that I may live. I know the darkness and the light of that act.” - Danene.

In Namibia, hunting is an integral part of our conservation model: it benefits communities, wildlife, ecosystems and

natural habitats. It also means we enjoy quality game that is naturally at its best: organic, free range, ethically produced, low in cholesterol and free from antibiotics.

From the Veld is filled with recipes that were developed over years by Danene’s family, friends and fellow Namibians, and perfected at their Aru Game Lodges, Kalakwa and Veronica.

Danene has included her favourite game choices, but readers can try different game as substitutes. The recipes are a tribute to all those who remember Namibian sunsets and camel-thorn wood fires, and to those who hope to savour them soon, or perhaps do so on a permanent basis.

From the Veld comes in leather-bound and raw white linenbound versions, available at major bookshops in Windhoek.

Or order the book online at fromtheveld.com or via Whatsapp at +264 81 129 5536. 15% of the proceeds from this book will go to the Namibian Chamber of Environment (NCE) for the grant programme that funds conservation projects in Namibia.

Gail Thomson & Danene van der Westhuyzen

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THE

WINDHOEK COLLECTION

The Windhoek Collection comprises Windhoek’s most popular eateries: The Stellenbosch Wine Bar & Bistro, The Stellenbosch Tasting Room and The Stellenbosch Market, as well as the self-catering Hillside Executive Accommodation apartments and the newest addition to the high-end accommodation market in the capital - The Windhoek Luxury Suites.

Suites www.thewindhoek.com | www.hillsidewindhoek.com | www.thestellenboschwinebar.com | www.tastingroom.com.na

TELL, GROW, SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US IN 2021

In 2021, we're focussing on telling and sharing STORIES THAT MATTER across our various magazines and digital platforms. Join the journey and share your stories with audiences that understand and value why certain things matter.

Why ethical business, conservation, tourism, people and communities matter.

How these elements interrelate and how we can bring about change, contribute to the world and support each other. Whether for an entire nation, an industry, a community, or even just an individual.

WWW.VENTURE.COM.NA or email us at info@venture.com.na for a curated proposal

stories that matter 55

Photography: Ena Lingenfelder

THE WINDHOEK INSPIRE MARKET

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S

aturdays are certainly not only for the boys at Windhoek’s Inspire Market! It’s a place where everyone and anyone will find something to catch their interest.

The Inspire Market is a place where artists, bakers, musicians and norm-shakers display their talent and creations, every Saturday from 8:30 to 14:00.

Visitors are greeted by the most beautiful flowers at the entrance, followed by fresh and organic produce available for purchase. Stalls as far as the eye can see, sell biltong and meat products, and crafty sweet treats such as homemade ice cream and decadent confectionaries. Some locals pop into the market every week, just to grab their weekly veg and marinated chicken supply.

Further down, you can expect quite the variety of handmade goods: quality wooden-platter boards, unique candles, essential oils and body butters, as well as bespoke baby clothing, to name just a few.

The outside area is a whole vibe! Seating is available for groups of various sizes and it is surrounded by a whole bunch of other stalls. If you stay until late-morning, you’ll enjoy the tunes of a different live-performer each Saturday. This is where you’ll find the coffee stands, or if you feel like kicking back, you can grab an ice-cold draught. The food stalls cater for sit-down or takeaway meals, such as pizza, Indian cuisine, braaivleis and more.

It’s a place where you can unwind and at the same time be inspired by new ideas.

Listen to local talent while buying a unique and special gift for any occasion, or a bunch of flowers.

The market can be your plans for the entire morning and lunchtime or just a quick pop-in on your Saturday to-do list. It’s a place where you can unwind and at the same time be inspired by new ideas. Listen to local talent while buying a unique and special gift for any occasion, or a bunch of flowers.

The Inspire Market in Windhoek is located at the Old Power Station, on the corner of Noble & Armstrong Street, Southern industrial.

Ena Lingenfelder

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Photography: Le Roux van Schalkwyk

Glamping on the

Edge of Eternity

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advertorial

I

n 2020 Journeys Namibia introduced its latest additions to the spectacularly situated Fish River Lodge: Camp Edge and Camp Eternity are specifically aimed at hikers and glampers.

The two new camps are located 26 and 8.2 km respectively from the lodge, inside the 45 000 hectare Canyon Nature Park and its 70 km Fish River Canyon frontage. Like Fish River Lodge, both camps were built right on the edge of the western side of the canyon, each with spectacular views.

Accommodation at the camps consists of bow tents set up in stone gabion shelters to protect against the harsh winds which are regularly experienced along the rim. Each gabion, and also the main structure, is built from the natural stones found in the area. Thus, the camps blend into the surroundings perfectly.

The camps boast all the luxuries and amenities associated with glamping, yet they leave a low footprint on their sensitive environment. Even though winds can be severe at times, it is without doubt an unforgettable experience to have a sundowner on the camps’ decks overlooking the extraordinary Fish River Canyon.

Participating in a guided hike or drive into the 550 metre depths of the canyon is highly recommended and an excellent way to get intimately acquainted with the many different layers of rock and the history of this 500-million-year-old masterpiece of geology. The lodge’s experienced guides are well-versed in the formation of the canyon and they are also a mine of information on the fascinating local fauna and flora.

A sojourn at any of Fish River Lodge’s establishments is bound to be a truly unrivalled experience.

For more information visit fishriverlodge-namibia.com

Tel: +264 61 228 104 Email: reservations@journeysnamibia.com www.journeysnamibia.com

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Farewell to a Namibian Icon

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I

n February the sad news was shared that the only constant in Independence Avenue in Windhoek over the last 127 years is closing its doors. Wecke & Voigts, at 129 years the oldest company in Namibia, has announced that the retail outlet in the Gustav Voigts Centre as well as the shop in Grove Mall will be closed in June and March respectively.

The department store in the main street is a favourite among tourists and locals alike, selling everything from kitchenware to clothing and curios, while its Kaffee Bar is a popular meeting place for business people and shoppers.

The reasons given for the closure were declining sales over the last couple of years while the impact of COVD-19 seems to have been the final nail in the coffin. In celebration of the deep mark that Wecke & Voigts has left on the Namibian business landscape, let’s take a brief look at the company’s history.

It all started when Fritz Wecke, a German national living in neighbouring South Africa, realised that the gold rush of 1886 would cause a rapid population increase in the Transvaal Republic and set up a trading post to capitalise on this new market. Soon he looked towards the German colony of South West Africa for further opportunities to expand his business.

The cattle bred by the Herero people were of excellent quality and much sought after. Wecke sent his young assistant, fellow countryman (and soon to be partner) Albert Voigts, to the German colony to establish a trading post for exchanging cattle for goods. Albert’s brother Gustav, who had recently arrived in South Africa, accompanied him.

On arriving in Windhoek, the German administration asked Albert to register a name for the new venture and, caught slightly off guard, the first thing that came to his mind was Wecke & Voigts. A name that stuck.

The first Wecke & Voigts store opened in Okahandja in a tiny dwelling rented from Herero Chief Samuel Maharero in 1892 – the same year that Swakopmund was founded. Goods traded for oxen included everything from spades and buckets to cooking pots. They were ordered from London and Hamburg, shipped to Walvis Bay and hauled by ox-wagon to Okahandja, 270 km away.

Expanding further, a Wecke & Voigts store was opened in Windhoek in 1894 on the same property where it has been ever since. That year Fritz Wecke gave up his interests in the Transvaal and opened another branch store in Swakopmund.

Running the business in the German colony wasn’t easy. Wecke & Voigts narrowly escaped financial ruin after the country was severely hit by Rinderpest in 1897 and yet again during the Herero uprising of 1904 to 1907.

outbreak of the war. He served as an officer in the Imperial German Army for the duration of the war and was only able to return home in 1920. Meanwhile, his brother Richard had to run the company in South West Africa and deal with the disruptions caused by the war.

After the war, economic depression sets in, accompanied by a drought which lasted for 14 years. Wecke & Voigts suffered enormous losses due to unpaid debts of Germans who had mainly bought on credit during the war years and were deported when the South African government took over.

In order to stay in business, Wecke & Voigts was also selling most of the goods on credit because many customers simply had no cash. Farmers tried to pay in kind and offered anything from animal hides to homemade soap.

After enjoying somewhat more prosperity during the late 1930s and surviving another war, Wecke & Voigts opened the wholesale division of the business in 1946.

With Dieter Voigts at the helm, representing the third generation, a new building was constructed on the Windhoek premises in 1964. Wecke & Voigts made history by opening the country’s first self-service store on the upper floor of the new premises. The wholesale department was housed on the lower level.

1971 saw the redevelopment of the property. Gustav Voigts Centre was officially opened in early 1973: An ultra-modern shopping centre at its time, spanning three floors, complete with escalators, a multiple-level parking garage and a highrise hotel (now the Avani Windhoek Hotel and Casino). The new Wecke & Voigts department store was the first fully airconditioned shop in Namibia.

Not long after Namibia’s independence, the company celebrated its centenary in 1992. Seven years later a newly renovated Wecke & Voigts was opened, boasting a new facade which is instantly recognisable when driving down Independence Avenue.

Superspar Maerua opened in 2006, followed by Superspar Grove, Spar Hochland, Spar Westlane and – soon to come – Spar Klein Windhoek.

What’s Next?

Albert Voigts left the business in 1906 and became one of the pioneers of karakul farming in the country. Fritz Wecke died of a stroke in Swakopmund in 1913.

Although it is sad to see a Windhoek landmark disappear, it’s not all doom and gloom, however. The two closures do not affect the five Wecke & Voigts SPAR supermarkets or Wecke & Voigts Wholesale. The company also announced that the staff from the closed shops will be absorbed by the group where possible. As the company’s history shows it has had its fair share of ups and downs, but through diversification and ingenuity managed to survive despite economic odds.

The First World War brought its share of hardships. Gustav, holidaying in Germany in 1914, became stuck there at the

Le Roux van Schalkwyk

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Conservation in Namibia:

The plight of the pangolin

P

angolins are scaly mammals which are predominantly nocturnal and solitary. There are four species in Asia and four in Africa. Their diet comprises specific species of ants and termites which they eat using their long sticky tongue – it is as long as their body. Pangolins do not have teeth and cannot bite, therefore their main defense against predators is to roll into a protective ball. They play an important role in the ecosystem as they consume a large number of insects which eat organic matter that feeds livestock and wildlife.

In Namibia, the Temminck’s ground pangolin occurs across much of the country (apart from the most arid west and south). It is increasingly targeted by poachers, yet its status and ecological requirements are poorly understood.

The first-ever in-depth research project on pangolins in Namibia was an MSc Thesis focused on their home range size, prey preference, and burrow selectivity in central Namibia.

Results show that pangolins are territorial and that there is a polygynous mating system. The home range of each male overlapps those of multiple females - similar to as it is with leopards. Additionally, they prefer only a small selection of ant and termite species out of the over 30 species usually available to them in a given area. They have also been observed to have different dietary preferences in different regions despite having similar prey species available. Pangolins do not dig their own burrows and select deep burrows dug and abandoned by aardvark, porcupine and warthog, usually over one metre deep.

Deep burrows provide a thermal refuge from the hot summer

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days and cold winter nights, which helps the pangolin to save energy. Pangolins struggle during drought years. The AfriCat Pangolin Research Project found that in drought conditions all animals under 6 kg die of malnutrition and starvation.

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal world-wide due to the illegal trade in their meat and scales, the latter used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Scales are made of keratin, like human hair and nails, and have no medicinal properties.

All pangolin species are protected internationally under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and listed in Appendix I which recognises the species as threatened with possible extinction, the same protection given to rhinoceros. Under Namibian law having a pangolin or any part of a pangolin in your possession is seen as the same severe offence as possession of rhino horn. In both cases the fine is up to N$25,000,000 and/or 25 years imprisonment. In 2019, the authorities seized 121 pangolins, 49 alive and 72 dead.

Live pangolins confiscated from illegal traffickers are often emaciated, dehydrated and traumatised. To give them a good chance of survival, these animals require first aid at the time of seizure and specialised until their release. The Namibian Pangolin Working Group’s (NPWG) National Pangolin Conservation Management Plan has established clear guidelines for pangolin transport, care and rehabilitation and drawn up contact lists for veterinary clinics and other relevant organisations. They are distributed

regionally along with a training curriculum aimed at first-responders from MEFT and the Namibian Police Force (NAMPOL). The first training session, held in November 2020 for approximately 40 nature conservation officers, covered pangolin ecology and first-response measures for confiscated pangolins.

Additionally, the NPWG has facilitated collaboration between all sectors ranging from rural communities and farmers to law enforcement agencies, informers, nature conservation officials, government, veterinarians, rehabilitation facilities, researchers, non-governmental conservation organisations and donors. This has resulted in the release of a first GPS satellite tagged pangolin in Namibia in July 2020. Post-release monitoring is being conducted by the Pangolin Conservation and Research Project at the Biodiversity Research Centre, Namibia University of Science and Technology. Thus far, the female pangolin has settled into a home range and recently a resident male was observed in pursuit of her.

You can help by spreading awareness on the plight of the pangolin! Tell others about what you have learnt from this article and why pangolins are important. And please contact the wildlife crime hotline at 55 555 if you have any information on illegal capture, trade or trafficking in pangolins or their body parts.

Kelsey Prediger

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal world-wide due to the illegal trade in their meat and scales, the latter used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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Experience in civil litigation in the High Court of Namibia and the drafting of contracts will be an advantage.

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If you are interested please email your CV to: rista@ferasmuslaw.com.na Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Our Car Hire welcomes you to

NAMIBIA

If you are looking for an exciting and unique way to experience the nature of this beautiful country you are at the right place! We have a wide range of 4x4 vehicles that are suitable for your self-drive tour through Namibia. With no set timetable you can work out the tour that suits your interests and experience the best parts of our country with one of our luxury 4x4s!

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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

www.debmarinenamibia.com

COVID-19 has put great pressure on our nation’s health system. To halt its spread, we partnered with the University of Namibia School of Medicine (Hage Geingob Campus) and donated a fully-equipped and licensed PCR testing equipment laboratory. To improve our nation’s response to this pandemic at a time when it needs #ActsOfBrilliance the most.