Observer – Page 761 – Windhoek Observer

16 Jun

Hangana pumps N$34m into vessel renovations

ObserverUncategorisedHangana Seafood, Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group

Staff Writer Hangana Seafood, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group has announced that it has completed the refurbishment of one of its vessels, M.F.V Erica at a cost N$34 million. The revamp which took about a year to complete, included the installation of a new main 8-cylinder engine from Belgium as well as new winchers from Spain and a split net drum system which allows for more efficient switching between trawls, which according to Fleet Manager at Hangana Seafood, Christie Sitzer will extend the lifespan of the Erica by another 20 years. The upgrades on the electronic…

16 Jun

Dundee donates to Grootfontein Municipality

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb, Grootfontein Municipality

Staff Writer Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb has extended its support to the Otjozondjupa Region, Grootfontein community by donating personal protective equipment (PPE) to the value of N$30,500.00. The donation was handed over to the Grootfontein Municipality Chief Executive Officer, Kisco Sinvula, at the Grootfontein Municipality head office. Sinvula thanked Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb for the support provided, with the aim to defeat the global pandemic COVID-19. The donated PPE will serve as safety gear for the health care practitioners at the Grootfontein Community Isolation Center and as a preventative measure to curb the further transmission of COVID-19. The delivered PPE…

16 Jun

Fishing rights awarded

ObserverObserver MoneyMinistry of Fisheries

Staff writer The Ministry of Fisheries has awarded 104 fishing rights for various species. Information gleaned by the Windhoek Observer shows that, 30 of the rights were awarded for hake, 30 for horse mackerel, five for monk, five red crab, and five for rock lobster among other species. Various successful applicants have been contacted by the Ministry since Friday to accept their rights. This comes as over 5,000 applications were submitted by various entities to be considered for fishing rights in 2018. The full list of the successful applicants is expected to be published soon. Already the government has entered…

16 Jun

Suspended Okahandja CEO to be reinstated

ObserverObserver MoneyMartha Mutilifa, Okahandja municipality

Staff Writer Suspended Okahandja municipality CEO Martha Mutilifa is set to be reinstated to her position six months after her suspension by the now suspended council. Mutilifa was suspended in December last year with full pay by the council management committee amid allegations of corruption, fraud, abuse of funds and insubordination. “We are going to reinstate her because she is currently on suspension with full pay and it’s the logical thing to do. We cannot pay someone to stay at home, yet she can also contribute to the betterment of the town,” Ministry of Urban and Rural Development official appointed…

16 Jun

Erongo permit holders not tested

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Erongo, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Andrew Kathindi It has emerged that permit holders from Erongo have been able to leave the region without being tested for COVID-19 since stage 1 lockdown was re-imposed by government. This comes as the Erongo region, Walvis Bay in particular, has in the past month, emerged as an epicenter for COVID-19 cases in the country. Erongo Health Director in the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), Anna Jonas confirmed the development to the Windhoek Observer. “This is something that needs high level intervention. But for now, what we are trying to do is to make sure that we have…

13 Jun

The Time Traveler: Dear white people…

ObserverUncategorisedNamibia, white

Hugh Ellis The latest racist outrage in Namibia was two white men killing a black man over allegedly stolen glue. This incident happened at Otjiwarongo last week. The Police have arrested two suspects, Jonathan Patrick Myburgh and Jannie Jansen van Vuuren, and charged them with murder. Meanwhile, the Henties Bay municipal council has agreed to consider taking down the macabre hangman’s noose monument at the town. This strange monument was set up in the 1970s to warn people not to litter on the beach. But it would obviously remind most black people, and many whites, about how Hereros and Namas…

13 Jun

Couch Cat – baking your own bread

ObserverUncategorisedCouch Cat, lockdown

Jackie Wilson Asheeke In pandemic lockdown, I began to rediscover my old skills for baking bread. It was like dusting the cobwebs off my inner mind. But, I enjoyed it every step of the way. My momma taught me about using yeast and baking bread when I was a little girl. But, I was the youngest so my job was to set and clear the table after all meals. My older sisters did the cooking and baking with momma. So, I put those lessons aside for an entire lifetime and resurrected them when I lived in Ethiopia for four years…

13 Jun

Culture must be a podium not a noose

ObserverUncategorisedNamibians

Jackie Wilson Asheeke Tradition and culture must be tools to celebrate history, language and the stories of the past. Tradition must be a podium for bringing people together, not a noose or whip to force them in line. In Namibia, there are too many infuriating cases, when tradition and culture are cherry picked and used as a sexist sledge hammer to oppress women who are marginalized within a community. When a ‘tradition’ favors someone, they are all for it; when it doesn’t, they are quiet. This weakens the entire concept of respecting tradition. The recent story of a criminal headman…

13 Jun

Are the youth any better?

ObserverNational Newsfishrot, NSFAF

When we see those involved in the Fishrot debacle, we see that male youth empowerment is well underway - in the wrong direction. The rhetorical anthem of anyone seeking political kudos always includes youth SME loans, youth bursaries, more NSFAF loan money, and the usual vague comments in speeches about helping youth advance. Given that the majority of the population in Namibia is below 39, this makes sense. But, have the youth prepared themselves to build a better Namibia? Or is it all about self-enrichment? The younger people in lucrative power positions are overwhelmingly young men. Are the shouts about…

13 Jun

Namibia faces essential drugs shortage

ObserverObserver Money

Andrew Kathindi Namibian pharmacies have accused South Africa of hoarding essential medicines, a move which has negatively impacted their availability to Namibian patients. On 27 March, following the declaration of the state of national disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa, South African Minister of Trade and industry, Ebrahim Patel introduced new export control measures on essential goods such as alcohol-based hand sanitizers, face-masks, gas masks, other breathing appliances, hydroxychloroquine, antisera and other blood fractions, vaccines for human medicine and medicaments. “I understand why the decision was made; it was to ensure that they don’t run short. And if we were talking…