Namib Independent Issue 180 by The Namib Independent

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Issue 180 - Thurs, 14 Jan 2016 to Wed, 20 Jan 2016

"The exchange rate at its current status is very favourable and the strike has actually done a lot of damage."

Diamond Arrow Winner Best Community Newspaper 2014

The occupancy levels peaked to above 95 percent in the last few days of 2015.

Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Dr Bernhard Esau, commenting on how Namibia should be capitalising on the collapse of the South American hake industry.

Roux-Che Locke, Manager of External Relations for the Ohlthaver and List Group, commenting on the success of the Strand Hotel during its first festive season. See Page 7

See Page 7

Black Xmas for Walvis Bay SPCA

Not all learners

See Pages 4

A grade one class ready for the new year with their teacher, Lee-Anne Simon.

N$8 billion project accommodated on the back on track

first day of school

The slow transformation of Walvis Bay into one of the biggest industrial hubs in Namibia means the town would need to build at least 33 new primary schools and eight secondary schools by 2030. The Walvis Bay Municipality

indicated that the population of the town is expected to grow to around 180 000 by the year 2030 if its current growth trajectory of 4.7 percent is sustained. Many parents who left the enrolment process of their children too late had to stand

in front of schools to hear if they could be accommodated on the first day of school. Those who did enrol early enough had place in classes and young faces were beaming with anticipation at the start of one of the biggest steps in their young Continued on Page 3

With more than N$5 billion being invested in the new container terminal and North harbour projects in Walvis Bay, the further addition of the Xaris gas to power project will inject a further estimated N$8 billion into the economy of the harbour town as well as further afield in the coastal region. The Minister of Mines and Energy, Mr. Obeth Kandjoze, announced shortly before Christmas last year that Cabinet has decided to go ahead with

Xaris project as a short term solution to the country’s dwindling electricity supply capacity. “Government has decided to reinstate power company Xaris Energy as NamPower's preferred bidder for the 250MW short-term power solution for the country while waiting to realise the Kudu dream,” the Minister said during the announcement made in Windhoek. The Electricity Control Board (ECB) as Continued on Page 3

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Thursday, 14 January 2016

development through services and skills

Sales Sharon Brooks 081 394 1235 sharon@namibindependent.com.na Rita Potgieter 081 150 5455 rita@namibindependent.com.na Editorial Niel Terblanche 081 776 7076 niel@namibindependent.com.na Design Maggie’s Attic Graphic Design sonya4maggiesattic@gmail.com 081 129 2158 Address 127 Theo Ben Gurirab Street (MVA Office Complex), PO Box 5085, Walvis Bay, Namibia Disclaimer: Namib Independent is published by Halfround Communications CC. All rights are reserved. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within, no liability can be accepted by the publishers or contributors for any errors, misstatements or omissions which may have occurred. The opinions expressed in the publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Also, the publishers accept no legal liability regarding copyright ownership for material which was supplied directly to the publishers by any of the advertisers or contributors.

EBH Namibia participated again in this year’s 9th annual Erongo Business and Tourism Expo. Ms Alicia Januarie (Training Administrative Clerk), Mr Simon Kgobetsi (Commercial Department), Mr Leonard Simson (Artisan: Mechanical), Ms Hileni Reinhold (Finance: Costings) and Mr Johan Morkel (Dock Master) were on call to answer questions from visitor to their stall.

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Despite plummeting oil prices and its negative effects on downstream industry, ship repair company Elgin Brown & Hamer (EBH) Namibia was a strong presence at the annual Namport Erongo Business and Tourism Expo. The company embraced the opportunity to showcase its services and capabilities, its contribution to the Namibian economy in line with Vision 2030, and its focus on engaging the local community in skills development. With ‘Cultivating Business for the Future’ as its theme, the expo brought together numerous participants, with an overarching aim of promoting local business and trade in support of the sustainable development of the Erongo region. The expo, sponsored by Namport – which is also the majority shareholder in EBH Namibia - has become a vitally important part of business and community life in Walvis Bay. This event helps to ensure that Namibians from all walks of life, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and Namibian industries converge to share ideas and experiences, and present new opportunities. “Once again EBH Namibia was proud to take part in the Namport Erongo Business and Tourism Expo. We feel strongly that it is only cooperation between the public and private sectors that will steer this region

forward towards sustainable economic growth,” said Hannes Uys, Chief Executive Officer at EBH Namibia. “It is also incumbent upon businesses to proactively engage the local community through skills development. We all have a role to play in growing previously disadvantaged communities and SMEs into active participants in the future prosperity of this country.” Since its inception in 2006, EBH Namibia has reached out to the local Walvis Bay community through a number of corporate social investment (CSI) initiatives. Top of the agenda, too, is job creation for local Namibians; as well as a rigorous training and employee development programme. “A sound skills base is pivotal to our vision of EBH Namibia being the preferred shipyard on the west coast of Africa,” Uys concludes. Plummeting oil prices have had a negative effect on industrial complex of Walvis Bay for some time now. Fewer ships are visiting the Port of Walvis Bay for repair work and, with the collapse of the oil industry in the Cabinda enclave of Angola, ships are mothballed in the hope that the price of crude oil will start to climb again. In the meantime tugs, drill ships and oil rigs lying in the bay off shore will still supply enough work for the company for the foreseeable future.

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News

Thursday, 14 January 2016

Not all learners Mystery and apathy accommodated on

the first day of school Continued from Page 1

linger over Katti’s

N$200,000 donation Jeremiah Ndjoze

Anxious parents wait to hear if their children would be accommodated in school at the start of the new school year. lives. Children were also waiting in anticipation to see if some of their friends will be accommodated in their class, while teachers were trying to calm the emotions of parents who had to leave their young ones at school for the very first time. The shortage of classroom space for Grade 1 learners is still troubling primary schools in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. Walvis Bay currently has seven government-run primary schools. And as usual at this time of the year, the placement of Grade 1 learners has been worrying teachers and officials in the education sector alike with. The creation of special classes and the introduction of the peloton system, where some children go to school in the morning then a second batch can have their classes in the afternoon, has also become a reality at many schools at the coast. According to figures, about 1 228 Grade 1 learners need to be accommodated, of which only 608 learners had already secured space last year. About 735 prospective learners were placed on the waiting list, of which 245 have not been

placed. Parents who still did not find space for their children were required to go and wait at schools designated by the Ministry to find out if their children would be accommodated. Officials at the Ministry said this week that they know about the lack of space and that more classrooms will always be in demand at the coast. To alleviate the problem placement lists which are distributed to all schools to see how learners can be accommodated. “Although we are full, we are also hopeful that every child will get into a class,” he said. According to Ernest Olivier, an inspector on the region’s education circuit, Erongo's coastal town schools remain popular because there are many people who move to the coast to work at the mines, in the fishing industry or in the port, therefore increasing the demand for school places. “The lack of space remains a challenge, especially with more people coming to the region to work at the mines. Parents must however just relax. Their children will get places.”

Anxious parents Willem Gawanab with his daughter Alicia and Alvina Garises with her daughter Genevive waiting for positive feedback from a school in Walvis Bay.

What was meant to be an act of goodwill by Walvis Bay born philanthropist, Knowledge Katti, is now engulfed in an air of secrecy, after it has emerged that the donated monies, which were earmarked for the elderly of both Mondesa and Kuisebmund, is yet to serve the desired purpose – four months later. In September last year, the Governor of the Erongo Region, Cleophas Mutjavikua, announced that the municipal debts of the elders of Mondesa will be paidoff following a donation of N$150 000 by the Knowledge Foundation. The Namib Independent has learnt that an additional N$50 000 was concurrently donated by the same organisation, to serve the same purpose – for the elderly in Kuisebmund, Walvis Bay. Businessman, Katti, is the founder of the Knowledge Foundation. Governor Mutjavikua, during his press briefing, said the donated money will be utilised to try and pay the debts of needy, elderly community members. The programme was to be rolled out with the assistance of the Regional Council as well as the Mayors of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. Speaking to Namib Independent this week, Mutjavikua reiterated his position on the matter, stating that the money was received from the donor and that it was forthwith disbursed to the respective municipalities. Said Mutjavikua; “An amount of N$150 000 was donated for the elderly of Mondesa, and an additional N$50 000 was also donated for the elderly in

Kuisebmund. The provision for this donation was clear, that the money was to be used to help clear the municipal debts of some of the elderly in the respective communities. That money was transferred to the relevant municipalities.” He further maintained that the onus is now on the municipalities of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay to ensure that the utilisation of these funds concurs with the wishes of the donor agency. Mutjavikua’s utterances were corroborated by the Chief Regional Officer (CRO) of the Erongo Region, Natalia Goagoses. “We have honoured that commitment from the side of the regional council, but I do not have the details as to how much money was spent and the number of beneficiaries, etc. You’ll be able to obtain such information from the Swakopmund Municipality,” Gowases said using the Swakopmund scenario as a case in point. Swakopmund’s Mayor, Nehemia Solomon could not be reached for comment as he was said to be attending the induction of new town councillors, which was underway this week. The mayor’s Personal Assistant, Immaculata Ortner referred all queries pertaining to the matter to the General Manager for Corporate Services and Human Resources, Marco Swartz. Following an enquiry on whether or not the debt settling process has commenced, the amount of money spent and the number of beneficiaries as well as the criteria that was in use in the selection process of the beneficiaries, Swartz who was also

in the meeting responded via a text message. Swartz wrote; “Please be informed that the newly elected councillors will deal with the donation referred to. Once Council have the opportunity to discuss the matter it will be tabled to the monthly meeting whereby all will be informed.” Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Municipality of Walvis Bay, Augustinus Victor owned up to him being unaware of the matter and referred all questions to the General Manager for Finance, Frans Conteb. Conteb in turn maintained that he needed to follow up with the Regional Council to establish the date on which the money was transferred to the municipality and to which account it was transferred. It has emerged that the Walvis Bay municipality operate with four different bank accounts. “Let me take this up with the CRO’s office to establish the exact date of transfer or the proof of payment thereof, because I have no idea when this money was transferred,” Conteb said. Conteb also raised a concern with regard to the money’s allocation criteria – once confirmed. “I am not sure how we will be expected to split this amount of money among the defaulting elderly because we have a number of them with varying amounts of debt,” he said urging the Knowledge Foundation to come up with a set of criteria that ought to be followed. “We need guideline,” he added. Katti could not be reached for comment by the time of going to press.

N$8 billion project back on track Continued from Page 1

well as experts have advised that the project is not the best solution for Namibia and that it will cost the taxpayer and the electricity consumers more. Because of an unexpected escalation of the construction price, the President of Namibia, Dr Hage Geingob, put a halt to the process until further clarification could be garnered from the developers. Kandjoze said that Cabinet agreed to give the go ahead on condition that Xaris keeps its original project design, that it will only produce 200MW. Further conditions were that Xaris will only remain as a stopgap measure while waiting for the Kudu gas to power project to go online, and that the project will be implemented without the involvement of government funds. Kandjoze also announced that NamPower will now go into

negotiations regarding the power purchase agreement with Xaris. Meetings in this regard were held in Walvis Bay this week. All the stake holders in the project met at the Pelican Bay hotel this week to discuss the way forward. According to the Minister during the announcement, the national electricity supplier, NamPower, will have to acquire a 30 percent stake in the Xaris project. Proponents of the project made it known that the project will be funded by private equity holders belaying fears that tax payers will have to fund the project. This was one of the reasons the president put a stop to the process last year. In May last year, President Geingob decided that experts will have to be appointed to advise government on the best solution for the country's electricity needs, while it awaits the realisation of

the Kudu gas to power project and when that project will be able to start supplying electricity to the national grid and beyond. The President decided to halt the proceedings after it came to light that Xaris Energy changed its terms of reference after NamPower had received Cabinet approval to go ahead with the project in November last year. The 250MW project was first estimated to cost N$3 billion, however, it escalated the cost to N$7.6 billion with the electricity supply set at 400MW. The Xaris energy team sees the project as a long term power solution for the country if the total electricity generating capacity could be bumped up to higher output levels, and that it would complement the Kudu gas to power project if and when it finally comes on line in the national power grid.

News

Thursday, 14 January 2016

Black Xmas for Walvis Bay SPCA Donna Collins

The aftermath of the festive season is always a tale of woe for SPCAs and animal shelters all over the world, and the Walvis Bay SPCA is no different - having experienced nothing short of a 'black Xmas'. With currently 61 dogs and 82 cats crammed into the old run down kennels, the recently appointed kennel manager Jessica van Tonder and cattery supervisor Deone Van Wyk have their work cut out for them.

While some of the animal inmates are the result of the relentless firework activity that shook Walvis Bay down town during the New Year celebrations, many abandoned strays are leftovers from last year who have been sitting caged up for months. Van Tonder, who joined the SPCA mid-December, says that there should be a ban on the sale of fireworks, as they cause nothing but grief and misery to animals. She said that they took measures to tranquilise the majority of their animals, mostly the dogs, to calm

them down before people started shooting crackers. But even so, one highly strung Alsatian literally scaled the fence and ran away fortunately she was found nearby the next day. She also said that on New Year's Eve, accompanied by her husband and a team of volunteers, they patrolled many areas including Langstrand till 4h00 in the morning, rescuing animals that had bolted from their yards in fear. And despite phoning the police requesting their assistance to help stop the fireworks which are

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banned in residential and built up areas, they were told "it wasn't the problem of the police department." "We managed to return some dogs back into their yards; others which we didn't know where they came from were taken to the SPCA, and fortunately all but a handful have been claimed. "But there are still packs of lost dogs roaming in the dunes which are too frightened for us to approach them, and we are waiting for the MET to assist us in catching them and bringing them in," she added, saying that they are putting out food for these dogs in the meantime. "We are running out of funds, food and cat litter, and are expecting a flow of puppies to be brought in shortly, which is also part of the post Christmas trend, as often people go away on holiday and return to find that their bitch has given birth to an unwanted litter. "Just the other day a man from Usakos brought in 20 kittens in one day, and is going to get the remaining 23 which he still has at home - this is of course the result of not spaying or neutering your animals." The Walvis Bay SPCA has been fraught with problems recently, including change of management and a non- existent committee. Funds are low and the kennels are

The new manager of Walvis Bay SPCA Jessica van Tonder with cattery supervisor Deone Van Wyk in a state of almost disrepair - despite this, the Municipal pound for strays has offered to keep the premises in a reasonable shape. "We have had some great help from certain members of the community, but this is not enough, as the inflow of animals is getting more by the day and the upkeep is costly," said Van Tonder. "We are really appealing to the business community as well as those in the building industry to assist us with some repairs to our kennels, which are rusting and falling apart. "We would also really appreciate the public to come and visit our animals, as the more people who see these lost souls begging for a home, the more chance they have of being adopted."

A helping hand

for Walvis SPCA

Bank Windhoek recently sponsored the SPCA of Walvis Bay with of N$20 000. In the photo is Sonia Sabbadini of the SPCA Walvis Bay with Jeanette de Waal of Bank Windhoek, Walvis Bay, who presented the sponsorship. Plenty of young and adult cats are still available for adoption. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Walvis Bay needed urgent financial assistance to help improve the livelihoods of the dogs and large number of cats housed at their premises. Bank Windhoek, as a loyal supporter of the SPCA in Namibia, decided to donate N$20 000 to the institution in Walvis Bay. A lot of people visited the SPCA since they asked for additional support, and plenty of dogs were adopted. A lot of young adult and adult cats, however, still need to be rehomed. Another need experienced by the SPCA in Walvis Bay is volunteers, as they depend on these kind people to help with fundraising and other administrative tasks.

During the Festive Season, the SPCA in Walvis Bay hosted a Shoe Box drive whereby residents of the coastal town donated shoe boxes filled with gifts for the animals currently in the shelter. “The SPCA in Walvis Bay is providing a great service to residents of Walvis Bay. Not only do they look after needy animals, but they also help human residents of our town to find a companion,” says Jans Stander, Branch Manager for Bank Windhoek Walvis Bay. Individuals or companies that want to support the SPCA in Walvis Bay, can contact them at Telephone +264 64 204 041 or by sending an email to spcawalvisbay@gmail.com. Individuals that would like to assist the SPCA by adopting a cat or dog can visit their Facebook page.

News

Thursday, 14 January 2016

New hotel revives old ambience of the Mole The opening of the new Swakopmund Strand Hotel at the end of last year has brought a whole new vibe to the Mole in Swakopmund over the festive season. As holiday makers are slowly making their way back to their homes the vibe is subsiding somewhat, but to coastal residents the attraction of the three top class restaurants is still strong, with seating at tables still very scarce. Bookings for a meal need to be done well in advance because of the popularity amongst people of the coast and visitors alike. According to Roux-Che Locke, the Ohlthaver and List Group Manager of External Relations, during December the hotel had a satisfactory occupancy rate.

“We operated above 60 percent occupation levels. The impact of the holiday season coming in the mid December period saw a significant reduction in leisure groups, incentive groups and conference groups. A special promotion was in place for the Namibian traveller recognising the closure of businesses and school holidays between 18th and 23rd December. The occupancy levels began to rise well above 60% from the 23rd and peaked to above 95 percent in the last few days of 2015. The occupancy levels during the festive season were mainly driven by Leisure Travelers, Domestic SADC and International Travelers,” she said. Amongst the guests staying at the new hotel was the Namibian President,

Dr Hage Geingob and his immediate family. According to Locke the three restaurants were extremely busy. “It is really difficult to pick a favourite. There was a tendency for people to have tried all the offerings at the different restaurants however having said that, the Brewer and Butcher was a firm favourite especially in the afternoons and the craft beer especially brewed on site has proven to be the draw card.” She said like with any hotel or institution in the hospitality sector, the hotel experienced teething problems that are receiving the necessary attention. “Whilst we’ve experienced teething problems, our dedicated and passionate team members remained optimistic and worked together to meet our

esteemed guests’ expectations that ultimately contributed to the hotel being fully occupied during the festive season.” Locke said the Hotel staff felt the difference in the ambience of the area with the Mole being busy. “Our guest profile was mainly composed of families and couples relaxing on all the Restaurant Terraces whilst watching the people on the mole. The walk way was a lovely experience for the guests walking in the evening outside along the hotel. The hotel was indeed the epicentre of activity in Swakopmund with a fantastic location and an amazing

King recovers from injuries after firecracker explosion Donna Collins

The aftermath of the senseless method of celebrating the New Year by blasting the night sky with fireworks has left behind a trail of misery. One of the most shocking incidents involved the former Mayor of Walvis Bay, King Mandume Muatunga, who is sadly damaged for life. Muatunga was the victim of an exploding fire cracker in his hands shortly after midnight on 1st January, which resulted him losing the use of several of his fingers, as well as receiving a worrying injury to his one eye. The accident took place at his home in Kuisebmond.

According to a medical report, the upper portion of several of his fingers on both hands were damaged in the explosion, as well as his right eye which resulted in his eyesight being impaired. According to Gareth Smith, Welwitchia Hospital Manager, Muatunga was brought into the hospital 20 minutes after midnight, with severe injuries on both his hands, a wounded eye and abrasions on his chest. The traumatised Mautunga was stabilised in the hospital's theatre wing by nursing staff and doctors, and transferred the following morning to the Roman Catholic Hospital under the care of an orthopaedic surgeon.

Due to the severity of the injuries to his hands, Muatunga underwent amputation surgery to the damaged fingers, as well as an operation to salvage the use of his damaged eye. Muatunga was discharged from the Roman Catholic Hospital early last week, and is currently recuperating with family in Windhoek. He remains close to his team of doctors and specialists who will monitor the recovery process of his hands, as well the further necessary treatment to his damaged eye. According to Smith, a young boy was also brought into Welwitchia Hospital with firework injuries and burns on his body after the New Year's Eve celebrations, and he expressed

concern over the dangers of fireworks, claiming that this practice should be stopped. He did mention, however, that motor vehicle accident injuries were down compared to previous years, and whilst he didn't describe the season as being "quiet", he said that there was a drop in accident related injuries. The public from various quarters have meanwhile expressed their concern over the growing use of fireworks that have left a trail of runaway pets and injuries. And despite being banned from use in residential and built up areas, reports have poured in of more firework disturbances this year than ever before. And because it is near to impossible to police every back yard throughout the country, petitions are being drawn up on social media to present to the authorities on a national level, to initiate the total ban on the sale of fireworks and to end this dangerous practice once and for all.

infrastructure as reviewed by our guests, many of them taking photos in the various public spots within and outside the hotel.” According to Locke, the hotel and its staff are very excited to be hosting a number of Conference Groups, Incentive Groups and Corporate Groups and also look forward to the Leisure Group Travel season opening up again in the New Year. Many a visitor to the Mole said it feels like the old days. People seem to be more relaxed and the simple presence of more people at the Mole created an ambience that was not felt for many years.

King Mandume Muatunga (former Mayor of Walvis Bay) is recovering following several fingers being amputated and an operation to his eye, after a fire cracker exploded in his hand on New Year's Eve at his home in Kuisebmund.

News

Thursday, 14 January 2016

De Beers has a new vessel underway to Namibian waters and will be the sixth vessel in the De Beers Marine Namibia fleet. The vessel is scheduled to start commissioning in Namibian waters in the first half of 2017. De Beers Marine Namibia is a joint venture marine diamond prospecting and mining company, owned in equal shares by the Government of the Republic of Namibia and De Beers. The company became operational in January 2001 and mines in the off-shore mining licence area off the southern coast of Namibia at water depths Months of painstaking design and high precision building techniques came together to build a brand new ship for the Namibian offshore diamond industry. De Beers Marine Namibia’s latest innovation, the MV SS Nujoma, a 113 metre long diamond sampling anD exploration vessel, was successfully launched at the Kleven Verft AS shipyard in Ulsteinvik Norway. The long months of meticulous design, high precision vessel module construction and part assemblies from around the globe proved successful when the 12 000 tonne diamond sampling vessel was launched ahead of schedule to the applause of the ship owner, shipbuilders and the Ulsteinvik community. “It was a pleasure to witness the successful launch of the MV SS Nujoma. Debmarine Namibia with De Beers Marine South Africa, Kleven Shipbuilding Group and Marinteknikk Naval Architects have demonstrated world class capability in producing this unique, highly innovative, mineral exploration vessel. This adventure is still in the making as much work still needs to be done prior to the vessel’s maiden voyage to Africa. The loyalty, dedication and commitment of the project team

thus far, is commendable,” said De Beers Marine Namibia CEO Mr Otto Shikongo during the launch of the new ship. Now that the vessel is floating, its outfitting will be completed prior to sea trials and final delivery from Kleven to De Beers Marine Namibia. De Beers Marine Namibia is in the process of recruiting and selecting Namibian skilled and licenced seamen who will undergo training and vessel familiarisation prior to the vessel handover. The second part of this N$2.3 billion project, the subsea sampling system and treatment plant, has been developed in parallel by De Beers Marine South Africa and will be installed onto the MV SS Nujoma in the Port of Cape Town in the second half of 2016. The MV SS Nujoma - proudly named after the Founding President and Father of the Namibian Nation, Dr Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma – is the first of its kind and incorporates numerous innovative technologies. The MV SS Nujoma is diesel electric powered, and can accommodate up to 80 crew members. The MV SS Nujoma is the most advanced marine diamond sampling and exploration vessel in the world

of up to 140 metres. The company operates five diamond mining vessels, namely Debmar Atlantic, Debmar Pacific, !Gariep, Grand Banks and Mafuta. Two mining technologies are deployed, the airlift-drill and the crawler mining technology. The mining vessels mine diamonds off the ocean floor using highly advanced drill technology, supported with sophisticated tracking, positioning and surveying equipment. Debmarine Namibia currently charters the MV Coral Sea and

the MV Explorer for sampling and exploration. Debmarine Namibia has a proud history and track record in respect of the Namibianisation of its workforce since its migration to Namibia in 2002. In keeping with its policy on the recruitment and development of Namibian skills, the Company’s training and development programme will ensure the vessel has sufficient resources to operate, manage and maintain this policy. Debmarine Namibia employees 800 people, of which three-quarters are seagoing employees.

Storm brewing over water The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry might be forced to launch an investigation into the activities of Swakop Uranium in the Swakop River after residents of Goanikontes complained about water being withdrawn from boreholes in the river exceeding daily usage limits. According to Maria Amakali, Director of Water Resource Management at the Ministry, Swakop Uranium or Husab Mine has a valid permit for the withdrawal of water from three boreholes in what is known as the IDA compartment of the river. “Swakop Uranium had permission to withdraw water from these boreholes from January to November. Up until now the company has not given us any numbers on how much water have been extracted from the river during December. The Ministry is still waiting for their return numbers for the month of December,” Mrs Amakali said. She also pointed out that no moratorium has been placed on the withdrawal of water from boreholes in the river bed, but that entities such as mining companies are required to stay within their daily or permitted limits. Mrs Amakalis said that, when she enquired from the company what the situation was, she was informed that the mine is currently getting

their water from Namwater, from which they source some of the water needed for their operations. The issue of alleged illegal water withdrawal came to light after a resident of a farm in the area of the boreholes at Goanikontes, Mrs Alex Tanzi, said the mine is pumping in excess of 100 000 litres of water per hour for eight hours per day. “Normally the mine informs the residents of the Swakop river valley when they do anything like blasting or when they will pump water, but for the past few weeks we heard nothing from the mine and they seem to be operating without any constraint,” Mrs Tanzi said. She said she farms in the valley and needs to water her vegetable acres every day, and that the current drought situation is making it very difficult for her and other farmers to keep their plants from wilting in the hot sun. Mrs Tanzi pointed out that another mining company in the area also has rights to withdraw water from boreholes in the riverbed, but that through a sort of gentlemen’s agreement between the parties involved they decided not to do so, precisely because of the drought situation. “If the extraction of water from the riverbed is not slowed down, every plant down the river will die because there will be none left for

farmers to water their crops.” Bannerman Resources is another mining company which is starting a new Uranium mine in the vicinity. According to Mrs Tanzi, concerned farmers have already approached Bannerman Resources through an attorney, and that through the lawyer they understand that Bannerman Resources is also not happy with the current state of affairs. The Public Relations Officer of Swakop Uranium, Nomvula Kambinda, said the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry gave permission to Swakop Uranium to extract water from the Swakop River, and such extraction will commence during the course of this year. “Swakop Uranium has an environment management plan in place, whereby third party concerns are addressed, and these concerns can be sent to the public relations department of the company and it will be dealt with immediately,” she said. According to Mrs Tanzi, the residents of the Goanikontes area have tried to contact the mine but to no avail. Mrs Amakali said that if people are suspecting illegal withdrawal, the complaints will be dealt with and the Ministry will follow up and send a team to investigate.

No more overnight parties at Long Beach Allowances for revellers to use the whole of Long Beach for parties to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve has left the pristine stretch of sand in a chaotic state. As has become the norm in the past, officials from the Municipality and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism have had to rely on volunteers for the clean-up operation afterwards. At the end of last year, an official from the Ministry hinted that this might be the last time people will be allowed to stay overnight at Long Beach because of the chaos each year after the main festivities are done. Ministry of Environment and Tourism officials and volunteers from the Namibian Coast Conservation and Management Project (Nacoma) started cleaning up the area the day after New Year’s Day.

The habitual littering has forced the Ministry to stop the practice of “overnighting” by visitors at Long Beach as it is situated in the Dorob National Park. Piles of garbage were left on the beach and dune areas surrounding Long Beach by revellers after Christmas and New Year’s Day. Park warden, Tashiya Joseph Tashiya confirmed that the cleanup was completed at the beginning of this week. Tashiya said there is a challenge of manpower when it comes to keeping the beach clean and enforcing the law, as there are only two wardens for the entire park. “Without volunteers who help us to clean up every year, we really struggle to work because we clean almost every month when we see the area is dirty,” he said. Visitors are in fact not allowed to stay in the park overnight without a permit, but this rule was

relaxed somewhat before to allow holidaymakers to spend Christmas and New Year there. He said, despite the rule that people are not allowed to camp in the park overnight, the Ministry made an exception over the festive season. After the latest chaos the Ministry will now start enforcing the rule strictly. Tashiya said that off-road driving and illegal camping in restricted areas were some of the biggest transgressions during the festive season. Tashiya further said sometimes they sacrifice their holidays and work extra non-paid hours just to complete the job. “We overwork ourselves because we know the same people who leave the rubbish behind are the same people who will come tomorrow and complain that the beach is dirty,” he said.

News

Thursday, 14 January 2016

Namibia fails to capitalise on hake international shortage An opportunity exists for Namibia to capitalise on the collapse of the South American hake industry in the past few months. International hake buyers are dealing with a shortage of value-added products, driven by issues in the main processing hubs of Latin America and fishing operations in Africa. The fishing industry strike in Namibia has also influencing the availability of value added hake products in the markets of Europe. Hundreds of workers faced a Christmas and a new year with an uncertain future as the strike continued. The Minister of Fisheries and Marine resources, Mr. Bernhard Esau, visited Walvis Bay and said that Namibia should be in position to capitalise on the collapse of the South American collapse of that regions hake industry. “Namibia should have been in a position to capitalise on the rise in demand. With the South African rand falling sharply against the main

currencies in which the country deals with Europe and other markets the exchange rate at its current status is very favourable and the strike has actually done a lot of damage,” said Mr. Esau. He continued, "In October, Namibia had its annual fishing closure and then in November there was the strike and processing plants did not have volumes available to work. So far, there has been almost no fishing or production in Namibia." But processed stocks from African countries are mostly sold, so there's not much possibility to replace volumes. With the long-standing customers the South African industry has abroad, the Cape hake resource is largely allocated to those long-standing markets. In addition, current hake catches in South Africa are lower than last year, compounding the pressure on product conversion and supply, he said. In the meantime, twelve fishing companies that had sued their employees

Interdicts against illegal workers unions and work stoppage Although an opportunity exists for Namibia to capitalise on the collapse of the South American hake industry in the past few months, the ongoing strike of workers in the fishing industry is still crippling the local industry and costing millions in loss of revenue. International hake buyers are dealing with a shortage of value-added products, driven by issues in the main processing hubs of Latin America and fishing operations in Africa. The fishing industry strike in Namibia is also influencing the availability of value added hake products in the markets of Europe. Hundreds of workers are facing a Christmas and a new year with an uncertain future as the strike still continues despite a bevy of court cases and counter claims being flung about. According to a statement issued by the Confederation of Namibian Fishing Industries, facts given out by the Mining, Metal, Maritime and Construction (MMMC) Union and the Namibia National Labour Organisation (NANLO) are distorting the picture to the public as well as the workers, and the argument that an memorandum of understanding reached between representatives of traditional unions and the Ministry of Labour can be challenged in court is not helping to resolve the situation at all. During December several companies in the fishing industry applied and were granted an interdict against MMMC and NANLO to stop intimidating workers willing to go back to work. The interdict restrained the organisation and the representatives from intimidating, assaulting, harassing or in any way interfering with any of the workers willing to return to work. “The court issued the interdict with a return date on 2 February 2016, when two issues will be addressed and the interdicts become final. Those issues are: which of the employees authorised Mr. Evalastus Kaaronda and NANLO to act on their behalf and which respondents exactly, should pay the costs of the court action,” it is written in the statement. Meanwhile, illegal work stoppage has affected the fishing operations of the various industry sectors negatively to a

varying degree and that of supporting services, reducing income earnings for fishermen and their families, the industry and the country to a larger extent. Despite the illegal work stoppage, fishing companies have succeeded in putting vessels to sea and ensuring production plants are receiving raw material to beneficiate. “Increasingly more vessels are being deployed to sea with fishermen willing to work and not involved with the illegal strike.” The Minister of Fisheries and Marine resources, Mr. Bernhard Esau, visited Walvis Bay in the second week of December and said that Namibia is all set to capitalise on the collapse of the South American hake industry. “Namibia should have been in a position to capitalise on the rise in demand. With the South African rand falling sharply against the main currencies in which the country deals with Europe and other markets, the exchange rate at its current status is very favourable and the strike has actually done a lot of damage,” said Mr. Esau. The strike started when more than 800 seagoing employees refused to report to their fishing vessels to return to sea near the end of October, when a monthlong break in the hake fishing season was coming to an end. The season has restarted in November but up until now only a few vessels have set out to sea to make the most of what is left of the season that will end early in January. Employees are dissatisfied with the long hours they are required to work as well as overtime, Sunday work and poor pay. "In October, Namibia had its annual fishing closure and then in November there was the strike and processing plants did not have volumes available to work. So far, there have been almost no fishing or production in Namibia," Esau said. In the meantime, twelve fishing companies, that had sued their employees for having been on strike in Walvis Bay and Lüderitz, were granted a Labour Court interdict against the striking fishermen, two trade unions and two trade unionists.

for having been on strike in Walvis Bay and Lüderitz, were granted a Labour Court interdict against the striking fishermen, two trade unions and two trade unionists. As a result of the Court ruling, the 823 employees who were accused of engaging in the unlawful strike by the 12 companies -Hangana Seafood (Pty) Ltd, Overberg Fishing (Pty) Ltd, Rainbow Trawling (Pty) Ltd, Ekikimbo Trawling (Pty) Ltd, Embwiinda (Pty) Ltd, Tunacor Fisheries Ltd, Corvima Fishing Company (Pty) Ltd, Beluga Fishing (Pty) Ltd, Novanam Ltd, Seaflower Whitefish Corporation Ltd, Seacope Freezer Fishing (Pty) Ltd and Benguela Sea Products (Pty)

Ltd. -- are not allowed to incite or encourage any of the companies' employees to take part in the strike. Among the respondents in the matter at Court were The Mining, Metal, Maritime and Construction (MMMC) Union, the Namibia National Labour Organisation (NANLO), the Office of the Labour Commissioner and over 1,000 striking fishermen. In their defence, these employees denied that their refusal to work is unlawful and highlighted that the issue is related to their working hours. The striking fishermen proved to be unwilling to return to their fishing vessels until a number of issues pertaining to their conditions

of employment and wages are resolved. MMMC Union’s Immanuel Petrus said that even if the court ruled in favour of the fishing companies, they would still not go back to work if compliance orders were not given to their Employers. The Fisheries Minister added that the annual survey of Namibian Fish stocks is anticipated to start early in the New Year. “With vessels not being able to go out to fill quotas, the stock survey might look better for next year and then the country definitely needs to capitalise on the new rise in demand for value added hake products.”

VACANCIES CLIENT SERVICES CO-ORDINATOR

CLIENT SERVICES TECHNICIAN

Location: Husab Site – 67 kilometers from Swakopmund Reports to the Customer Services Superintendent

Location: Husab Site – 67 kilometers from Swakopmund Reports to the Client Services Superintendent

MAIN PuRPOSE OF JOB To co-ordinate helpdesk administration and technical support services to Swakop Uranium (SU) users on all Information Technology (IT) applications, information, trouble shoot, computer problems and determine source and advise on appropriate action.

MAIN PuRPOSE OF JOB To provide effective and efficient desktop, server and infrastructure support encompassing hardware, software and network diagnostics and troubleshooting in order to best facilitate a stable and reliable information technology infrastructure.

Key Performance Areas: • Provides general information and complaints resolution services; • Provides problem solving services; • Maintains a record on all incidents with an indication of the problem/matter at hand, service provider, time taken, comebacks • and any other noteworthy aspects; • Prepares summaries of average service time, executes quality assurance on calls logged and resolved as well as determines trends in helpdesk queries logged; • Maintains all records up to date and ensures full coverage of all requirements; • Develops and maintains a records system in a user friendly state to facilitate easy access as well as arranges records in logical categorical order and time sequence; • Provides administration and support services; • Prepares individual training and development plans and manages own performance.

Key Performance Areas: • Demonstrates, installs and commissions desktop systems and their routine upgrades for all products, services and systems within the area of responsibility; • Provides information and make recommendations to line management on updates, known errors, changes in availability, new facilities etc. • Partakes in standby duties in adherence to related procedure; • Provides technical advice on systems, products and services that are available to end users; • Provides adequate and accurate documentation supporting the nature of call and resolution thereof; • Ensures rapid problem solving, makes use of call logging system and escalation procedures to plan and document all infrastructure changes; • Escalates calls and initiates line reporting where necessary. • Rolls out new equipment in relation to defined policies and standards, resolves all calls within the agreed service level commitment deadlines and adheres to all internal and external policies and procedures.; • Provides technical advice on systems that are available to end users; • Provides technical advice on systems that are available to end users, researches documentation to resolve allocated calls and follows up on resolved calls with end users; • Researches emerging IT related concepts and makes related suggestions; • Maintains professional and technical knowledge and skills and remains up to date with international standards in own related field trends and practices, by networking.

Requirements and experience: • Grade 12 with 20 points • Formal qualification in Information Technology with certification in A+ or N+ • Valid Code BE driver’s license • 5 years’ experience of which 2 years must be in a supervisory capacity in the information and communication technology (ICT) support. Experience in the mining IT environment will be a distinct advantage Send your cv’s and other relevant documents to recruitment@cgnpc.com.cn by 22 January 2016

EMERGENCY CO-ORDINATOR Location: Husab Site – 67 kilometers from Swakopmund Reports to the Security Manager MAIN PuRPOSE OF JOB To design, implement and lead comprehensive management plan for fire prevention, firefighting appliances maintenance and emergency response’ Key Performance Areas: • Develops and implements high level emergency and fire management plan for all high risk work areas to ensure that effective response in the event of an emergency; • Co-ordinates the disaster response or crisis management activities; • Conducts site wide risk assessment studies and develops pro-active plans and preventative measures for high risk areas; • Identifies hazardous materials, evaluates the possibilities of potential loss and institutes appropriate corrective procedures; • Conducts audits on fire, equipment, safety and housekeeping; • Develops appropriate training programs on fire prevention as well as emergency responses; • Conducts training sessions to all SU employees and Contractors; • Conduct assessments on emergency training. • Schedules and conducts inspections of firefighting appliances and ensures an effective service and maintenance program is in place; • Implements the emergency response plan by inspecting and making recommendation where applicable, investigates incidents, identifies root causes and submit recommendations; • Attends to all audit finding and ensure corrective action is implemented. Requirements and experience: • Grade 12 with 20 points • National Diploma in Fire Technology • Certificate or Diploma in Emergency Response and Rescue • Valid Code C1 driver’s license • 8 - 10 years’ experience in firefighting in a mining/metals/construction environment Send your cv’s and other relevant documents to recruitment@cgnpc.com.cn by 22 January 2016

Requirements and experience: • Grade 12 (20 points) with Maths and Science • A+ or N+ and/or MCP qualifications • Valid Code BE driver’s license • 2 - 3 years’ experience as a Technical Support Trainee as well as exposure to an IT service environment

Send your cv’s and other relevant documents to recruitment@cgnpc.com.cn by 22 January 2016

SENIOR METALLuRGIST Location: Husab Site – 67 kilometers from Swakopmund Reports to the Chief Metallurgist MAIN PuRPOSE OF JOB Assist in effective start-up and provide technical support to Swakop Uranium’s extensive plant operations that will at nameplate capacity mill 15Mt of ore/annum and produce 15Mlbs U308/ annum. Key Performance Areas: • Ensures effective process management and quality control • Day-to-Day technical process performance and efficiency intervention • Process optimization and innovation • Metallurgical sampling, testing and analysis • Project Management • Comprehensive training and development of all operations personnel • Metallurgical support, communication • Safety, health and environmental management\Budget, reporting, document control and business planning • Internal and external relationships management • People and performance management Requirements and experience: • B.Eng, BSc or B Tech degree or similar qualification in chemical engineering or metallurgy : NQA qualification – level 6/7 • Technical/operational experience in hydrometallurgical processing plants – 5 to 10 years • Similar leadership experience – 3 to 5 years • Strong technical skills, supplemented with extensive project delivery and project management experience in the field of process development for mining projects • Uranium processing and plant commissioning will be an added advantage • Valid Code B Drivers’ License.

Send your cv’s and other relevant documents to psujobs.proc@cgnpc.com.cn by 22 January 2016

Through its commitment to its people, the company offers a competitive remuneration package and the opportunity to work alongside some of the most experienced and dedicated people in the industry. Clearly indicate the position you are applying for as well as your name and surname in the subject line of your application email. Applications received that do not meet the criteria will not be considered. Enquiries can be made directly to the Recruitment Team at 064 410 9000 Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted within two weeks of the closing date of this advertisement and no documents will be returned. Short-listed candidates must be willing to undergo pre-employment selection assessments. Previously disadvantaged Namibians meeting the above criteria are encouraged to apply. For more information on the company, please visit www.swakopuranium.com

Vacancies Draughtsperson

superintenDent Drawing office

Location: Husab Site – 67 kilometers from Swakopmund Reports to the Superintendent Drawing Office

Location: Husab Site – 67 kilometers from Swakopmund Reports to the Manager Reliability

Main purpose of JoB To prepare detailed drawings in various disciplines (i.e. mechanical, structural, architectural and civil) according to specifications. Key performance areas: • Prepares detailed drawings from sketches, marked up prints, layouts and documentation for approval and construction processes. • Conducts site visits to gather necessary information and measurements. • Assists in preparing flow sheets from engineers or metallurgists’ sketches. • Makes revision to existing drawings, arithmetic computations using standard formulas for dimension, scale and area. • Effectively prepares working diagrams of plant, equipment and mechanical devices. • Layouts and draws schematic, orthographic or angle views. • Freehand sketches of design, traces for reproduction of blueprints. • Provides documentation, detailed instructions, drawings or specification to superior and recommends how devices, parts, equipment or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained or used. • Assists in maintaining the office filing system to support smooth running of the section. • Produces material and bolt lists from drawings on requests. • Adheres to all Safety, Health, and Environmental, Radiation and Quality Effectiveness policies and procedures. requirements and experience: • Grade 12 plus National Diploma N6/T3 or equivalent technical qualification, • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a drawing office, with at least 3 years in a project environment. • Completed a recognized Draughting apprenticeship. • Architectural Draughting Diploma will be a distinct advantage. • Experience in a Drawing Office with exposure to structural and mechanical Draughting in a mining or related environment. • Code B driver’s License

Main purpose of JoB To manage the efficient operation of the Engineering Drawing Office and its integrated functions, schedule work load in order to optimize drawing resources and meet user/ customer deadlines. Key performance areas: • Ensures that drawing and designs are produced in accordance with Company standards, and statutory regulations. • Signs and approves drawings before drawings are issued for construction. • Ensures that all in house design calculations are checked and signed prior to being issued for construction. • Undertakes site inspections to determine the requirements of a particular project regarding conditions. • Ensures that drawing registers are maintained in accordance with established procedure. • Allocates the work in accordance with subordinates’ capabilities and production priorities in line with the work load schedule. • Prepares a monthly report detailing personnel production, objectives and drawing office costs. • Approves and controls expenditure of the Drawing Office. • Liaises with the various engineers, metallurgists, and geologists on matter relating to the various projects. • Adheres to all Safety, Health, Environmental, Radiation and Quality Effectiveness policies and procedures.

Maintenance planner

requirements and experience: • Grade 12 plus BSc Degree in Engineering or BTech Engineering in Engineering field with recognized postgraduate General Draughting Certificate. • 5 – 7 years’ experience in a drawing office, with at least 3 years in a Project environment. • Mechanical design experience in the mining industry, preferably with knowledge of construction and project control procedures. • Relevant previous experience at an appropriate level in design/draughting, including work at a senior level. • Experience with contractor management, people management and stakeholder management required. • Valid Code B Drivers’ License.

Location: Husab Site – 67 kilometers from Swakopmund Reports to the Engineering Superintendent

Send your cv’s and other relevant documents to psujobs.eng@cgnpc.com.cn by 22 January 2016

Main purpose of JoB To plan, schedule and co-ordinate all maintenance work and resources required maintaining and enhancing plant / equipment availability and efficiency, by the most cost-effective methods available, and to assist the Maintenance Superintendent with scheduling and budgeting. Key performance areas: • Produces clear and accurate maintenance plans and reports. • Implements required changes to work packages or master data. • Checks for correct manning requirements on work order operations. • Review outstanding work orders in system. • Assist with the achievement of compliance to all relevant legislation and codes of practice. • Responsible for data control, including the accurate recording, storage, retrieval and management. • Establishes and maintains a database of all tasks to be used to compile the weekly plan, benchmark current work standards and optimize work performance. • Co-ordinates and controls spares, critical stock and component control requirements. • Adheres to all Safety, Health, and Environmental, Radiation and Quality Effectiveness policies and procedures. requirements and experience: • Recognized Trade Diploma / Qualification with 4 technical theoretical subjects (N3 level). • 3 years minimum CMMS planning system experience – preference SAP ERP • Post apprenticeship artisan experience preferably with exposure in a open pit mining environment: 5 years. • A proven track record in a maintenance planning role. • Code B driver’s License Send your cv’s and other relevant documents to psujobs.eng@cgnpc.com.cn by 22 January 2016

Training insTrucTor (Processing) Location: Husab Site – 67 kilometers from Swakopmund Reports to the Senior Training Offer (Processing) Main purpose of JoB To train and develop qualified Metallurgical Operators. Plan and co-ordinates the manning of plant sections and maintains training and related records and systems in order that the development and manpower needs of the Processing Department are met. Key performance areas: • Processing Training needs analysis efficiency • Development of Processing Learning/training programs • Assessment and moderation of training • Training Administration Effectiveness • People & Performance Management • Professional/Personal Development & Growth requirements and experience: • Grade 12 with Train-the-Trainer, Assessor and moderation certificate • Metallurgical Operator Trainer Certificated will be an added advantage • Valid Code B Drivers’ License • 4 Years’ experience as a Senior Processing Operator in a processing environment • 3 Years’ experience as a Processing Training Instructor • Strong facilitation and presentation skills are highly recommended • Simulation training methodologies and development of training and assessment modules/materials

Send your cv’s and other relevant documents to psujobs.proc@cgnpc.com.cn by 22 January 2016

News

Thursday, 14 January 2016

Get your finances on the right track in 2016 Starting off on a confident note with your finances, especially at the beginning of the year, is financially empowering. Not only does it give you a head start in getting your priorities right financially, but also gives you the bigger picture of achieving your big goals in life. Here are a few tips to get your moving in that direction in 2016. Get down to budgeting Plan how you going to spend your money and stick to it. This is the key ingredient of budgeting in order to achieve financial success. It’s a fact that there are many people out there who have money, but are actually

broke because of not managing their hard earned finances well. Budgeting may look like a cumbersome process for those who are new at the game. It therefore requires discipline, knowledge on how to save and staying on course. Having a budget also helps you to manage your cash flow. Saving for a rainy day It is always best to start saving now rather than later – even if it is small amount as this will add up to a growing investment at the end of the day. It pays to save because you have something to fall back on during tough times, especially in emergencies or those unforeseen days. Saving can be more effective if you have a goal that you

want to achieve. Remember, saving is a habit, not a skill. Get rid of debt You are never in too much debt to get out of it. Although it may look worrisome, debt can be overcome if you stick to paying it off diligently. It may be painstaking to pay off your debts, but you will feel liberated once it is gone. Getting rid of debt also means you reduce the amount you pay in interest and have more money at hand to use for other important things. Become financially literate Becoming financially literate does not mean learning from trial and error, but managing your finances proactively. Give yourself the upper hand and read

financial books about setting financial goals and saving money. This will not only show you how to budget well throughout the year, but will also help you in managing your debt and approach savings and investments in a more informed way. Simplify your finances If your goals for the New Year include getting a better handle on your finances, your first step should be simplification. Simplifying your finances will make sticking to a budget, paying off debt, buying a home, saving for retirement or any other financial goal easier to accomplish.

Week of music sets new records The Swakopmunder Musikwoche celebrated its 50th birthday in December and kept the promise to have the best birthday party ever seen at the coast. It was the first time that a total of 307 musicians joined in the celebration of music. Added to that, the Swakopmunder Musikwoche had 30 lecturers from near and far and 24 helpers, bringing the total number of participants to a stunning 361! With the help of its main sponsor, the Bank Windhoek Arts Festival, the annual event was able to attract more participants than ever before. For the first time the Musikwoche welcomed four lecturers from the United States of America, one of them being the famous Dr André Thomas, who twice conducted the World Youth Choir and is sought-after as choir master and lecturer all over the world! The choir – young and old – felt that never before had they benefitted this much in expanding their musical knowledge, their vocal training, as well as theoretical understanding! Another record was the number of concerts – apart from the usual Lecturer’s Concert, Junior & Ensemble Concert and the two Jubilee Concerts, the Musikwoche

held a Jazz Concert at Desert Tavern. Additionally, they hosted a free brass band concert at the amphitheatre for the pleasure of the community, as well as a church concert, traditionally ending the Musikwoche. Out of these seven concerts, five concerts sold tickets – and four of them were sold out! “The quality of all concerts was exceptionally high this year – everyone put in that extra effort to make the 50th jubilee an unforgettable experience for all. The audience agreed and felt that never before had the concerts reached such a high level of excellence. I was approached while shopping the week following the concerts and total strangers shook my hand and thanked me for this spectacular event,” says Christiane Berker, Organisational Director of the Swakopmunder Musikwoche. Each programme had a wonderful mix of classical and contemporary music, some light and funny, some dramatic or thoughtful, but all put together in such a way that the evening just seemed to rush past, even though the concerts lasted longer than usual. But there were many surprises for the participants as well: the Saturday snack break started with a birthday cake and free

Vacancy

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With the new year and a new academic school year, parents can give their children a financial head start by opening up a Bank Windhoek Solo account, a savings and transaction account tailormade to the needs of children and young adults up to 18 years. The Solo account offers the following benefits: No monthly service fee, free ATM withdrawals at Bank Windhoek ATMs, access to Cellphone Banking for features such as airtime top-up and payments to beneficiaries, favourable interest on the funds in the Solo account, free balance enquiry and ministatement at Bank Windhoek ATMs and debit and stop orders that can be linked to the account. The Solo account also comes with a Visa Electron Debit card,

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cupcakes for all, presented in the colours of the newly-designed logo that received a lot of compliments from all sides. The “Festschrift”, or celebratory publication, was also printed and sold very well right off the press. The publication gives a detailed historical background, as well as a good look “behind the scenes”, telling the stories of the people standing behind the Musikwoche. “Bank Windhoek received a lot of praise from everyone, be it participants or audience for

doubling their support this year, making it possible to invite even more young Namibian musicians who would otherwise not have access to master classes with international experts,” Berker said. “Again, new members of the stage crew were trained, hoping to give them an insight into stage management, as well as organisational basic skills – one member has left the crew after four years and is now very successfully organising international tours for music groups,” Berker concluded.

New Year creates saving opportunities For saving to become an ingrained culture, it is important that financial literacy needs to be extended to the younger generation, to teach them the real benefits of saving. Teaching children about the value of money at a young age will give them an understanding of what it means to save, do financial planning and budgeting and steer away from bad or unnecessary debt, when they become working adults.

FOR ALL YOUR DSTV REQUIREMENTS, PAYMENTS AND INSTALLATIONS

meaning children can shop, without the risk of carrying cash, at their favourite shopping outlets by paying with their Solo Debit card at the Point-of-Sale (POS) devices (no transaction fees payable on Bank Windhoek POS devices). Children can also select a Solo card of their choice from our range of four funky Solo Visa Electron Debit card designs. “Teaching children about the value of money at a young age will give them an understanding of what it means to save, do financial planning and budgeting and steer away from bad or unnecessary debt, when they become working adults,” said Riaan van Rooyen, Head: Corporate Communication & Social Investment at Bank Windhoek.

Riaan van Rooyen, Head: Corporate Communication & Social Investment at Bank Windhoek.

News

Thursday, 14 January 2016

Live Entertainment rocking the coast! Donna Collins

Holiday makers at coast were treated to a feast of live music and entertainment this past season as musicians and performers, both local and from South Africa, livened up the various bars and venues and rocked the coastal towns. The performance of the year, held inside the Dome on New Year, was undoubtedly the 'Mel Botes Concert',

which was an epic production of sound, lighting and the legendary world renowned musician from SA who paid a jaw dropping tribute to Pink Floyd, complete with guitar riffs that took all those from that era down memory lane. The elevated stage, filled with two lead guitarists, a bassist, three lovely back-up singers, a drummer and front man Mel, was enjoyed by hundreds of 'chilled' party goers who sat back in style

SAVANNAH on stage at the Locker Room during her coastal tour. Photos: Donna Collins Seasoned muso from the coast Paul Herbst doing what he does best. to appreciate this accomplished rocker. Local musicians 'Just Jack' opened the concert and got the party into full swing after the New Year countdown, with their lively repertoire of foot stomping favourite hits, belted out by lead singer Paul Herbst. On a more acoustic note, music lovers were treated to a night of 'unplugged' sounds at the Desert Tavern, when Ray Seefeldt teamed up with SAVANNAH for a more soulful session of laid back tunes and blues. When Ray isn't on his acoustic guitar then he is playing lead for the well known Penilane a Windhoek based band.

SA musician Mel Botes rocked in New Year Pink Floyd style.

The young and talented SAVANNAH, and the only female musician in the mix, was up from Cape Town on her 'coastal tour', which comprised multiple unplugged gigs in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund which included the Locker Room Sports Bar and Sarah se Gat. Mention needs to be made of an 'open mike night' at Desert Tavern where a group of local boys climbed onto the stage with SAVANNAH on vocals and guitar, and tore up a jam that shook the foundations with the emphasis on raw rock/blues. A troop of musos from Walvis Bay and Swakopmund

Zelda Lourens setting fire to her Carnival of Flames production

bands, namely 'Wakambi', and the multi talented Luigi from 'Off Shore' were also joined by a fly SA drummer, Shawn, who let rip during the evening. On a lighter note, the second annual 'Carnival of Flames' organised by fire spinner 'extraordinaire' Zelda Lourens of Evolve Fire Performers, was a variety show that left you hanging for more when the night was over. A packed audience was treated to an open air show that included exotic belly dancing, pole dancing, djemba drumming, live music and of course some of the most breath taking fire dancing routines.

Ray Seefeldt from Pennilane went acoustic for the night

Lifestyle

Thursday, 14 January 2016

Lifestyle

5 reasons making a New Year’s

resolution is absolutely pointless Embrace yourself, and get ready to scroll down your Facebook feed in January to read hundreds of resolutions while you will probably be thinking to yourself, “Where is all this motivation coming from?” The truth is, all this motivation is coming from nowhere, which is exactly the reason why New Year’s resolutions are absolutely pointless. Every year on December 31, we like to make promises to ourselves to think we will be able to adopt radical changes and get what we want from life, without having to pay a high price for it. On New Year’s Eve, we think everything is achievable and we will succeed whatever our final goal is. Do not get me wrong; I do not want to be too cynical or pessimistic, nor do I want to turn your hopes down or make you believe changes are impossible. Changes are possible, if you have the right motivation and the strength to make them happen. What is slightly less possible is that your mind set will change overnight. Choosing a single day to start a major life change is indeed anything but logical. Here are seven reasons why: 1. Should vs. Want When it comes to resolutions, we are usually thinking about what we should be doing rather than what we actually want to do. For example, we think we should start a healthier life and we should be fitter. The problem is, what if you do not really want to? Also, we should always remember that when we want to change something in our lives, we have to be sure we are

doing it for the right reasons. If your main motivation behind your resolution is what other people will think of you, it is probably not going to work out for you. Whatever we do and whatever decision we make, we must do it for ourselves, not to please someone else. 2. January 1 is not the perfect day Actually, January 1 is probably the worst day out of 365 to pick up and start a resolution. On the first day of the year, we usually wake up from a hangover or are tired from the night before. All we want to do is sleep, eat and repeat. Plus, if your resolution is about starting a diet, maybe you should try to forget about all the sweets and treats around the house, not to mention all the carb-heavy holiday leftovers. 3. Targets are too high As I was saying before, most of the time on New Year’s we feel invincible and decide to make some crazy resolutions, setting some really high targets. For example, we decide we want to lose 5 kilograms in one month or go to gym every day from January on. If you manage to actually workout every day, then it is great for you, but do not be too hard on yourself or push yourself too much. You do not need to lose 5 kilograms in a month. Maybe it would be better to start a healthy diet and lose weight step by step, rather than rushing to get a final result, which is either unhealthy or too hard to obtain. 4. Bad timing Picking a precise day to start changing your life is kind of

like fooling yourself. If you are really willing to change your life and are committed to do it, you do not need to postpone it to January 1; pick any day out of the calendar. If you are really motivated to achieve or change something, you start working on it immediately. Otherwise, you are just making excuses and delaying it, which means your will is not that strong and maybe that resolution does not mean that much to you after all. 5. Life happens Finally, New Year’s resolutions are a complete waste of time because life happens.

It is almost impossible to hold yourself to promises every year, to reinvent yourself or to even plan your life. Why? Because you do not have control of everything, nor can you predict what will happen. Life is short; if you are not happy with your life, you are the only one responsible for that. But there is good news: You can change it and make it better. But trust me, you do not need January 1 to make your life a beautiful adventure. You can start now, and thank me later. Source: www.elitedaily.com

Lifestyle

Worldwide

Thursday, 14 January 2016

Worldwide

Two rock legends die David Bowie, the iconic and shape-shifting British singer whose illustrious career lasted five decade with hits like "Fame," ''Heroes" and "Let's Dance," died Sunday after a battle with cancer. Bowie turned 69 on Friday, the same day he released a new album called "Blackstar." The singer, who was born David Jones in London, came of age in the glam rock era of the early 1970s. He had a striking androgynous look in his early days and was known for changing his looks and sounds. He had launched a provocative alter-ego named Ziggy Stardust, and the stuttering rock sound of "Changes" gave way

to the disco soul of "Young Americans," co-written with John Lennon, to a droning collaboration with Brian Eno in Berlin that produced "Heroes." Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, but he did not attend the ceremony. Madonna, another artist who knew something about changing styles to stay ahead of the curve, accepted for him and recounted how a Bowie concert changed her life when she attended it as a teenager. David Byrne, of the art rockers Talking Heads, inducted Bowie and said he gave rock music a necessary shot in the arm. Bowie kept a low profile in recent years after reportedly

suffering a heart attack in the 2000s. He made a moody album three years ago called "The Next Day" -- his first recording in a decade which was made in secret in New York City. "Blackstar," which earned positive reviews from critics, represented yet another stylistic shift, as he gathered jazz players to join him. Another legend to pass away was Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, the Motorhead frontman whose outsized persona made him a hero for generations of hardrockers and metal-heads. His Agent told The Associated Press that Kilmister died on Monday 28 December 2015, in Los Angeles after a

brief battle with aggressive cancer. Known simply as "Lemmy" to most, he was as famous for his mustache, mutton chops and the mole on his face as his music. But he was deeply respected and revered as a rock master and innovator, from his time with the seminal psychedelic band Hawkwind in the early 1970s to his four decades in

Mötörhead, best known for their 1980 anthem "Ace of Spades." Each of the band's legendary live shows would begin with Kilmister's loud announcement: "We are Motorhead! We play rock and roll!" Source: www.newsday.com

Judge denies monkey the China discovers 470 copyright on its famous selfie

The age-old saga of man vs monkey continues... Over the last few years, British photographer David Slater, an adult human, has been grappling with a legal battle he likely never thought he would ever be involved in: a copyright infringement suit brought by Naruto, an adult monkey. Ok, the monkey is not actually suing Slater, but the People for the Ethical Treatment

of Animals (PETA) is on his behalf. Now, before you go jumping to Slater's side, it is only fair that you hear all the facts. In 2011, Slater was shooting some nature photos in Indonesia, when he left his camera unattended for a few minutes. Naruto saw this large shiny object and did what any animal with opposable thumbs would do: he snatched it, and took a series of self-portraits, resulting in this glorious viral hit you may remember: What happens next is mostly predictable. Slater publishes the photo on his website, and the internet goes crazy. There is only one problem though: The US Copyright Office says that Slater can not own the rights to that photo, or any photo "produced by nature, animals, or plants." Slater's contention is more or less the loosened-lid-on-the-mayo-jar argument. He set up the camera so that all the monkey had to do was push the button. Unfortunately, the monkey did push the button, which means it did take the picture. The federal judge hearing what is already the most enthralling court case of the year has been tasked with assigning authorship to either the plaintiff or the defendant (again, that's the monkey or the human), and although he has already said the monkey can not own copyrights, he has given PETA a chance to amend its lawsuit. As it stands, the photo is currently public domain, as no one owns the rights to it. PETA has stated that should they win, any proceeds acquired will go toward Naruto and his habitat. Source: www.popularmechanics.com

-ton gold mine, 2000 meters undersea

Scientists at the Shandong Provincial No. 3 Institute of Geological and Mineral Survey have located a mega-sized gold deposit, 2000 meters under the north coastal water near Sanshan Island off Laizhou city in the Shandong province, with at least 470 tons of reserves. The new-found deposit, the largest undersea gold mine found in China, is currently valued at over N$ 276,718,840,000 and is estimated to hold at least 1,500 tons of gold. According to Ding Zhengjiang, the deputy director of the Shandong Provincial No. 3 Institute, the gold deposit is part of a crablike ore belt that lies deep at the sea bottom. The marine ground investigation took three years, and involved over 120 kilometers of drilling, with 67 sea drilling platforms and about 1,000 drillers and geologists. However, experts now face the daunting challenge of accessing the mine, which is currently out of reach for excavators. Despite being the world’s leading producer of gold, China lacks the technological ability to reach potential operations 1000 meters below the Earth’s surface. In 2012, the first drilling platform at sea took 24 hours to be constructed, and now it

took 8 hours with more advanced offshore construction technology. “It is no easier than the docking of a space ship. Drilling in the ocean will mark the fact that China’s geological exploration has extended from land to sea, and that it is a strong power in geological terms. Besides, drilling holes into underground rocks that are more than 1000 meters deep is a big challenge. Normally in China, gold mine prospection is conducted within 800 meters underground. The discovery of a gold deposit lying 2000 meters undersea provides new drilling technology for future gold mining,” said the project manager Zhang Junjin. More than 2,000 tons of gold deposits have been found in Laizhou, which has the largest gold reserves in the country. In 2014, China produced 452 tons of gold. The China Gold Association recently disclosed that China produced 357 tons of gold during January-September 2015, an increase of 1.48% from a year earlier. By the end of September, China’s gold reserve has reached 1,700 tons, up from the 1,660 tons in June. Source: www.anonhq.com

Doctors use google cardboard to save a baby's life The infant required unique surgery because she was born with half a heart and only one lung. Doctors in Florida recently used a Google Cardboard headset to plan an operation that saved a baby girl's life. Goggle Cardboard is a foldable virtual reality headset that uses a smartphone as the screen. The phone is placed a certain distance away from the 3D lenses in the headset, and when you run specific apps on the phone it creates a virtual reality experience. Teegan Lexcen was born with a unique defect that the doctors had never seen before: most of the left half of her heart is missing and she has only one lung. Heart surgeons were able to use the simple VR setup to design a new surgical procedure

that saved Teegan's life. Teegan's parents were originally told by their doctors in Minnesota that nothing could be done, and the doctors sent the family home with a hospice nurse and medications to make the baby girl's passing as comfortable as possible. Two months later, Teegan was still alive, so the parents started looking into other options. They found Redmond Burke, chief of cardiovascular surgery at Nicklaus Children's Hospital, in an article titled "20 Most Innovative Pediatric Surgeons Alive Today." Burke, along with a team of heart surgeons at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, originally wanted to 3D print a model of Teegan's heart, but upon learning that their 3D

printer was broken, they turned to virtual reality. Doctors downloaded 3D images of the heart to an iPhone using the app Sketchfab. The images were similar to the 3D models that the doctors had on their computers, but made it easier to accurately view every angle of the heart's structure. Two major difficulties were involved in performing heart surgery on Teegan. The first is that her heart is farther to the left of her chest than normal. Burke originally feared that he would have to perform what is known as a clamshell incision— cutting from the top to the bottom of the breastbone and then cutting from the center of the chest out to the left side of the body. "It is massive trauma to a baby—it

is just horrendous," Burke told CNN. But Burke was able to use the 3D image in Google Cardboard to visualize the precise location of Teegan's heart within her ribcage. Using this information, he determined that he would be able to make a simpler midline incision, just the breastbone cut, and still access the heart. The second challenge is that Teegan has only one ventricle instead of two. Usually, the right ventricle of the heart supplies blood to the lungs while the left pumps blood to the rest of the body. In Teegan's case, the right ventricle was doing the work of both, and the left ventricle is usually the larger and stronger of the two. There is a standard surgery for children

born with one ventricle, but it would not work in Teegan's case due to her unique defects. Again, Google Cardboard helped Burke come up with a solution. The virtual image he viewed allowed him to come up with a completely new surgical procedure, shoring up and rerouting Teegan's right ventricle so it could continue to pump blood to both her lungs and body. Having spent hours examining the 3D image of Teegan's heart in Google Cardboard, Burke pulled off the procedure with no complications. Source:

www.popularmechanics. com

Thursday, 14 January 2016

Motoring

Not Science Fiction: A Car That Runs On Salt Water

No, this is not a “run your car on water” scheme, it is actually real technology that has been in the works for years. A European company called Nanoflowcell has come up with a way to run a car on salt water. Well, maybe not YOUR car but A car. To be technically correct, the salt water is used as a storage medium or battery rather than a fuel. The “Quant” E sport limousine is a 100% electric car. No hybrid, no fossil fuel, no emissions other than water vapour. On paper the company boasts this car to put out

over 900 HP from 4 electric motors driven by this flow cell battery. The sleek design also makes the car competitive with sports cars and electric cars alike. But beyond aesthetics, the Quant has also proven its worth in performance. The e-Sport limousine clocks a top speed of 350 km/h, on par with a McLaren P1, and delivers an average projected range of 500km, higher than that of Tesla Model S’s estimated 418 km range. As a bonus, it is also coated with a complete membrane of solar energy gathering cells and power regenerating

brakes to help produce as much electricity as possible and the list goes on. So how does it work? You ask. “Flow” battery technology has been lurking about for a number of years. Companies such as Primus power, Redflow and Tesla have been building these batteries referred to as “regenerative fuel cells” for a few years. The biggest difference between a regular “acid battery” and flow cell is that the electrolyte does not just sit in a container nibbling away at conductive plates like ants on a cracker. There are typically two storage tanks, one with positively charged fluid and one with negatively charged fluid. Two pumps force the fluids through a divided chamber and the reaction creates electric energy. The amount of power possible is directly related to the size of the tanks. Sounds like a simple concept until you get into the chemical concoctions. What does it mean for the regular people of the world? For one, not only has this company convinced Germany and the European union to let them legally register the car, it is now legal for it to be personally owned and operated throughout.

Knowing how the Germans embrace and refine technology it could mean a big difference to the world. That is great! You say to yourself. What is it going to do for the rest of us? As far as the technology itself goes, stop and think for a second. Since the NanoFlowcell® itself has almost no moving parts, in theory; there are no limits to the scale of this energy system. Those of the population living in rural areas, islands, preppers of all kinds, isolated towns and those just wanting to keep more of their hard earned pennies may now have another alternative power source for those times when solar and wind just are not happening. The long term benefits are obvious - well, as long as “big energy” embraces it instead of trying to bury it - we the people could have a major jump on the ability to store and produce continuous amounts of clean energy. Will the technology survive and evolve into a viable and affordable means of producing energy? Only the shadowy figures of corporate espionage know that one. Source: www.anonhq.com

Down memory lane as Beetle turns 70

It is an automotive icon with a characteristic shape that is recognised everywhere. January 2016 marks a motoring milestone as it was this month 70 years ago that the Volkswagen Beetle first left the assembly line in significant numbers. It was shortly after the first post-war Christmas that the first of the Volkswagen Type 1 - the model which, as the Beetle, would subsequently sell more than 21 million units - rolled off the production line. Although first built in the late 1930s, the so-called People’s Car was only produced in significant numbers from 1946 as mass production had been put on hold during the Second World War. The need for this kind of car was formulated by Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany, who wanted a cheap, simple car to be mass-produced for the new road network of his country. In 1934 the design and build were entrusted to Ferdinand Porsche, who came up with the familiar two-door, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive economy car with the bug shape. The start of mass production was a highly improvised undertaking, and material shortages hampered operations over the subsequent months. Yet the early vehicles were visible symbols of hope; a new beginning for the car plant under British control.

The state-of-the-art factory in what was to become the present-day Wolfsburg, built specially to make the car, was integrated into Germany’s armaments industry during the war. The site was occupied by US troops on 11 April 1945. In June 1945, the British Military Government took over trusteeship of the factory with its 6000-strong workforce. On 22 August that year recently appointed 29-year-old Senior Resident Officer Major Ivan Hirst acquired an initial order for 20 000 cars, thereby providing the factory and its workforce with a future, and avoiding the threat of decommissioning and dismantling. The vehicles were intended mainly for use by the occupying Allies, but also to help provide healthcare services in rural areas. Production mostly remained stuck at about 1000 cars a month during 1946 and 1947. It was only after the currency reform in June 1948 that significant numbers of private buyers emerged. The launch of exports in October 1947 marked a first step onto the international stage. The Beetle was a key factor in the development of democracy and mobility in post-war Germany, and subsequently found a home in many other

countries, acting as an important ambassador in promoting a positive image of Germany. The original Beetle stayed in production for six decades, with the last one rolling off the factory line in Puebla, Mexico, in July 2003. With 21 529 464 produced, the Beetle is the longest-running and mostmanufactured car of a single platform ever

made. In the 1999 Car of the Century competition to determine the world’s most influential car in the 20th century, the Beetle came fourth, after the Ford Model T, the Mini, and the Citroën DS. Source: www.iol.co.za