Media Monitoring on Urban Development in Namibia

Media Monitoring on Urban Development in Namibia is a service provided by Development Workshop Namibia (DWN), a registered Namibian NGO with a focus on sustainable urban development and poverty reduction. DWN is part of a world-wide network of Development Workshop (DW) organisations with centres in Canada, Angola and France, and offices in Vietnam and Burkino Faso. It was founded in the 1970s by three architect students in the UK and has been funded by non- governmental organisations, private citizens, and national and international development organisations.

In Namibia, DWN’s activities focus on urban related research, effective urban planning for the urban poor, solutions to informal settlements, water & sanitation, and projects specifically targeting disadvantaged segments of the urban youth. Through 40 years of engagement on urban issues mainly in Africa and Asia, the DW network of organisations has acquired significant institutional knowledge and capacity and is well integrated in regional and international networks.

The Namibian media provide an important source of information on urban development processes in the country, highlighting current events, opportunities and challenges. The media further provide insight into the different views and perceptions of a variety of actors, be it from government, non- government, private sector, and individuals that reside in Namibia’s towns and settlements.

It is therefore hoped that DWN’s Media Monitoring service will provide insights into those different views, with potential use for a variety of institutions and decision-makers that work in the urban environment in Namibia.

The Media Monitoring service is currently provided on a monthly basis and monitors the following newspapers: The Namibian, Republikein, Namibian Sun, New Era, Windhoek Observer, Confidente, and Informante.

The articles are grouped into following categories: Compiled by Hilja Amvula Edited by: The 1.articles Urban are Planning, grouped Landinto following & Housing categories: 2. Urban Infrastructure and Services Ester Veiko Produced by: 3. Livelihoods and Urban Economy Development Workshop Namibia 4. Environment & Human Health Address: The text of the news articles has not been altered and thus 18 Nachtigal Street PO Box 40723, Ausspannplatz reflects the opinion of the respective media outlets, and not Windhoek, Namibia that of DWN. We hope you find this service useful and 061 240 140 interesting. DWN is keen to improve the service and [email protected] welcomes suggestions and comments.

Yours sincerely, With support from: Development Workshop Namibia Namibian Chamber of Environment

Table of Contents 1 Urban Planning, Land & Housing ...... 5 1.1 City loses millions in PPP deal ...... 5 1.2 Land ownership dispels growth in settlements ...... 6 1.3 Omuthiya needs N$42m to compensate landowners ...... 6 1.4 City wants N$1,2b for housing backlog ...... 7 1.5 360 Otjomuise mass houses far from occupation ...... 8 1.6 61 000 houses planned for Erongo in next five years ...... 9 1.7 Nossobville land grabbers vow to stay put ...... 9 1.8 1201 units unoccupied ...... 10 1.9 House for Hope project started at Bethanie ...... 10 1.10 Behuising oorweeg huur-tot-eie model ...... 11 1.11 Aus residents to get ‘roofs over their heads’ ...... 11 2 Urban Infrastructure and Services ...... 13 2.1 Get serious about water ...... 13 2.2 Hoofstad sukkel met waterbesparings ...... 13 2.3 Outapi will soon get its own police HQ ...... 14 2.4 Eenhana fire station N$3m over the budget ...... 14 2.5 Arid Namibia needs three desalination plants ...... 15 2.6 Lüderitz up in arms ...... 16 2.7 Sanitation should not be left to government alone: Inga-Ita ...... 17 2.8 Founding Father urges government to prioritize bulk sea water desalination ...... 18 2.9 //Kharas sanitation headache ...... 19 2.10 New City restrictions kick in ...... 19 2.11 Orangemund needs a bigger airport ...... 20 2.12 Tutaleni to get new satellite fire station ...... 21 2.13 Oshakati, Eenhana abattoirs set for commissioning ...... 21 3 Livelihood and Urban economy ...... 22 3.1 Opuwo trade fair hailed a success ...... 22 3.2 Arandis SMEs benefit from CDF ...... 22 3.3 Sida Di/Goan gives Kunene youth a lifeline ...... 23 3.4 Wire and zinc toy car a hit ...... 24 3.5 Ondangwa constructs third open market ...... 24 3.6 Lüderitz ontstoke oor kragooreenkoms...... 24 3.7 Kavango farmers want abattoir to sell their livestock ...... 25 4 Environment & Human Health ...... 27 4.1 Nangombe refutes rats and cockroaches claim ...... 27 4.2 Rundu feeds on fish from sewage pond ...... 27 4.3 Ondangwa scoops top prize ...... 28 4.4 Hepatitis E nou ook op Rehoboth ...... 28 4.5 Hepatitis E: 5309 gevalle, 45 dood ...... 29 4.6 Fresh water could turn hepatitis tide ...... 29 4.7 Rundu filth back in spotlight ...... 30 4.8 Safe motherhood initiative launched ...... 31 4.9 Swine flu hits Windhoek ...... 32 4.10 Geen uitbreking van varkgriep ...... 32

1 Urban Planning, Land & Housing

1.1 City loses millions in PPP deal The Namibian|03/06/2019

The Windhoek municipality has been losing over N$1, 4 million per month in interest and penalties due to delays in implementing a public-private partnership project. The council's meeting agenda book for May 2019 shows that the municipality entered an agreement with a private company – Ino Investment Holding – in 2012 to develop about 368 residential plots. Ino Investment is co-owned by Fillemon Iyambo, who also runs the business arm of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), the Labour Investment Holdings (LIH). Under this PPP agreement, the municipality and Ino Investment Holding were supposed to develop a 33-hectare piece of land in Otjomuise Extension 5, which is bordered by Sam Nujoma Drive in the south and Dusseldorf Road in the west. This project was among several similar projects initiated by the municipality which were to be implemented in Academia Extension 1, and Otjomuise Extension 4. According to documents, construction of the infrastructure commenced in January 2014 and was to be implemented in three phases, with an estimated completion date of January 2016. The project was to be implemented in phases 1, 2 and 3 at an estimated cost of N$65 million, and generate a projected income of N$171 million. Phases 1 and 2 were to be developed and sold to settle the debt from the financiers (Development Bank of Namibia and Spitz Investment [Konigstein Capital]). “As a result of the delays in the construction of the phases as well as in the sales process, the envisaged approach did not take place, and additional funding had to be sourced to fund the later phases,” the documents state. The documents furthermore show that of the total plots, only 120 have been sold to date, generating an income of about N$40 million. This profit was, however, used to settle some of the outstanding debts to the financiers. Phase 3 of the project, which comprises 152 erven, is currently 98% complete. It is envisaged that a similar sales process will be followed, which is likely to introduce delays, and therefore result in the same impact in terms of interest payable. The municipality was supposed to receive N$19,6 million from the sales of phase three erven. Due to delays, escalations and additional borrowing to complete the phases, the cost of the project has now doubled from the initial N$65 million in 2014 to about N$126 million as at 31 January 2019 with added financing costs, according to the documents. The escalation of the price includes an increase in penalties and financing costs. The council documents show that the cost of the project is set to further increase over time by “a staggering N$1,4 million per month in interest on the outstanding loan amounts”. “Through the implementation of this project, it became evident that the process of implementing PPP is a lengthy one as it entails the entire development from planning and statutory processes to design and construction, and ending with the alienation (sale) of erven,” it added. The documents show that the municipality has now decided to pull out of the project, and sell the land to Ino Investment for N$17 million. This is N$2,6 million less than the projected profit of N$19 million the municipality could have generated if the project was completed on time. The decision to pull out of the project, the agenda book said, was to avoid further erosion of the projected profit, and the monthly interest and penalties of N$1,4 million being charged on the outstanding loan amount. This transaction will allow the municipality to exit the deal early, thus allowing the developer to take up full control of the sales process in an attempt to salvage the project from further losses. The municipality would under this transaction surrender its current involvement in the alienation process, including the tendering, adjudication and allocation and transferring of any erven in phase three, to the company. This will give the company the opportunity to sell the erven on a plot-and-plan basis, which should make it easier for the end- users to secure financing and ensure the viability of the project. “It would only be prudent to consider the sale of Otjomuise Extension five phase three to generate the immediate income, and to transfer the financial risk to the developer,” the book stated. Swapo councillor Paulus Emmanuel said during the council meeting last week that the municipality's land development committee this month decided to sell the remaining phase three to Ino Investment Holding for N$17 million. He noted that had the municipality chosen to remain in the agreement, “we will end up getting zero from the deal”. “Even the N$19 million which is there, we will end up not getting anything. So, if the municipality decides to sell the land, we will receive N$17 million. Yes, it is short by about N$2 million, but we must keep in mind that every month we are losing over N$1,4 million,” Emmanuel, said, adding that the intended purpose of land and housing provision would also not be achieved if the municipality continued with the project, and “it will take us again two to three years for the houses to stand”.

1.2 Land ownership dispels growth in settlements New Era|05/06/2019

Individuals have been finding it difficult to own land in proclaimed settlement areas as the land still belongs to the government through regional councils under the current laws. The law indicates that an individual can only lease land in a settlement area, and may not legally or be entitled to own it. Having no land tenure deprives an individual from accessing finance, such as from banks, as there is no guarantee that they are the rightful custodian, as per requirement to be rendered such assistance by financial lending institutions. “True, it’s a big challenge for many. Unfortunately as regional council we cannot change the status quo as we are following what is stipulated in law. Unless the law is amended to allow for sale of land and offer deeds of sale, then we cannot start doing so,” stressed Oshikoto chief regional officer Frans Enkali in an interview. Enkali hinted that lack of land ownership is one of the factors that is leading to slow growth of settlements compared to towns,. “People are sceptical to settle in settlements as they can’t own the land, as opposed to when they are in a town,” he added. In the absence of a deed of sale, banks do not offer such assistance as they do not have a security on how they can recoup their funds in case the borrower is unable to repay the bond. In the end this has an adverse effect on individuals, and in some instances families end up becoming homeless in an event the lessee dies and none of them is able to continue paying the lease amount. Since council does not generate much income as it does not sell land, some regional councils have previously complained that they are unable to fast-track development and servicing of land in settlements due to financial constraints as they only depend on government funds. Therefore, they argue that if they could be selling land it would boost their income levels. In addition to this, Enkali, said council is facing an uphill battle when it comes to compensation as a result of disputes among family members on who should receive the payments. “This does not only prolong but stalls planned developmental activities. There is no way you can start while people are still occupying the land,” he said. Oshikoto has two proclaimed settlements, namely Oshivelo and Onayena, while Onyuulaye is next in line for proclamation. “As a result we have a budget of N$7 million under this financial year to construct services in Onayena and Oshivelo, such as roads, electrification, and water and sewerage reticulation. This is part of our continuing capital projects,” said Enkali when highlighting some of the capital projects planned for this financial year. He also said that with the moratorium on office construction in effect they are unable to execute any projects until it’s lifted or unless directed otherwise. Oshikoto received a budget of N$63 million for the 2019/20 financial year.

1.3 Omuthiya needs N$42m to compensate landowners The Namibian|07/06/2019

The Omuthiya Town Council needs N$42 million to compensate residents whose land is earmarked for development. The town has grown significantly over the years, with major infrastructural developments recorded, and a large amount of resources having been spent in the servicing of land for residential and mixed-use purposes. The town's chief executive officer, Samuel Mbango, told The Namibian this week that the council needs about N$42 million to compensate landowners for their mahangu fields and other properties it intends to incorporate into the town's boundaries. However, due to budgetary constraints, the council has only requested N$10 million from the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development for paying compensation. “It is worth highlighting that inclusive in this budget is a total allocation of N$10 million for compensation for mahangu fields. This operational budget is a significant amount, which is envisaged to be funded by the ministry. “The budget has not yet been approved by the ministry, and the ministry is yet to conduct an assessment and revert to us. If the ministry does not approve our budget, the town's development will be largely hampered,” said Mbango. He, however, did not say how many landowners are earmarked for compensation. The council intends to develop industrial, business as well as housing erven for low, middle and high- income-earners once the owners of the land have been compensated. Executive director at the urban and rural development ministry, Nghidinwa Daniel was not reachable for comment yesterday. During her budget presentation last month, town mayor Katrina Uusiku said a number of prospective investors and individuals had been allocated business and residential erven in the past. She explained that some of them have not developed the land, and the council will demand that they start constructing within three months, while failure to do so will result in the repossession of the erven for reallocation. “She also said the council has allocated 100 residential erven to the National Housing Enterprise (NHE), which has so far constructed 50 low to medium-income housing units for low to medium income earners. In the near future, the NHE will construct another 50 houses, while Preferred Management Services finalises the servicing of 180 residential erven for the construction of houses for medium income earners,” said Uusiku. The council has been facing challenges of compensating residents for land, with some claiming to have been unfairly compensated, or not compensated at all when they relinquished their land for development. Landowner Selma Immanuel on Wednesday told The Namibian that resolving the compensation issue is overdue as some people have not been fully compensated. She, however, has not been moved from her plot. “The town council is playing hide and seek with landowners. We have complained to council officials, but to no avail. We are unable to cultivate our fields during the rainy season because we do not know when we will be evicted. All we want from the council is to compensate every landowner fairly. We are not against development,” said Immanuel.

1.4 City wants N$1,2b for housing backlog The Namibian|11/06/2019

The Windhoek municipality has asked the central government for about N$1,2 billion to upgrade informal settlements and address the housing backlog. According to documents submitted at last month's council meeting, the municipality stated that it requested the government, through the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, to allocate N$250 million per year to its annual budget for five years for upgrading 26 townships. The money would be used to provide basic services and housing in the informal settlements through targeted interventions. The city council said this was in response to demands by the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement in respect of housing and service delivery earlier this year. The AR had asked the municipality and the government to allocate 200 unoccupied houses built in 2015 under the government's mass housing programme in Otjomuise extension 11 to beneficiaries. AR leader Job Amupanda threatened at the time to allocate the houses himself if the municipality failed to fulfil their demands. The movement also wants the municipality to finalise the servicing of over 300 plots at Goreangab, a project that was started in 2016, and to respond to over 14 000 applications submitted during a mass land application in 2014. Amupanda said although the municipality issued acknowledgement letters, “90% of the applicants still await a positive response from the city”. AR wants the municipality to also build low-cost houses in upscale locations of the city such as Kleine Kuppe, Klein Windhoek, Ludwigsdorf, Avis, Eros and Auasblick to control the prices of houses. The municipality acknowledged in response that the demands by the AR could have serious repercussions if the movement acted on them. Although the document stated that the municipality had embarked on several public-private partnership projects to fast-track land and housing delivery, the process was lengthy and hampered by bureaucracy, and will not yield the required results demanded by the AR. The document showed that these PPPs do not cater for the development of townships in the upmarket suburbs of the city. The municipality also experienced challenges in allocating the completed housing units and plots in Otjomuise Extension 10, because of the absence of a resolution pertaining to the ownership of the land and services, “which have not been taken over by the city”. The tender for the servicing and construction of housing units at Otjomuise Extension 10 was awarded to a company called Calgrokuumba Planning & Design (Pty) Ltd. This company was supposed to construct 2 188 housing units in three phases. However, to date, only 153 housing units, which have been standing empty for more than 18 months, have been constructed, but cannot be allocated due to the absence of that ownership resolution. “In complying with AR's demands, the City of Windhoek will need assistance from the central government. Without control over some of the demands the AR has raised, it is recommended that the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development expedites these two projects, being Goreangab Extension 4 and Otjomuise Extension 10, and assist the municipality with financial resources,” the document reads. At the moment, the urban and rural development ministry subsidises the municipality with about N$40 million annually for land servicing and housing delivery. “The government needs to allocate on its budget the required funds as already requested by Council.

1.5 360 Otjomuise mass houses far from occupation New Era|11/06/2019

Houses constructed under the government’s mass housing development programme in Otjomuise’s Extension 10 in Windhoek are still far from occupation, Minister of Urban and Rural Development Peya Mushelenga has said. Mushelenga said this in parliament last week while responding to Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) parliamentarian Nico Smith, who wanted to know when these houses will be available for occupation. The mass housing project was former President Hifikepunye Pohamba’ s idea that was mooted to answer to Namibia’s housing crisis, with a promise to build 148 000 houses by 2030. Around 360 houses completed under government’s mass housing programme in Otjomuise’s Extension 10 have still not been handed over to beneficiaries, three years after most of them were completed. Mushelenga told lawmakers last week Wednesday that the houses will only be ready for occupation once the approval of general plans by the surveyor general and consequent proclamation of the amended town planning scheme for Otjomuise Extension 10. “Once the proclamation is done, the approval of the drawings for bulk services by the City, and the commencement and completion of the construction of additional bulk services and connecting of the houses thereto,” he said. “It is estimated that the installation will take place about 12 months after the approval of the drawing for additional bulk services by Windhoek municipality,” he said, adding that he has demanded and will continue to demand expeditious action. Executive Director in the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development Nghidinua Daniel in March this year said the reason why the new Otjomuise houses were not yet connected to the bulk services network was because the finalisation of the design drawing of bulk services could not be approved because the proclamation of the township is still pending. He said with outstanding approval of the bulk drawing, the actual installation or construction of the said services cannot commence and the houses cannot be connected to the bulk services. “The update on re-planning is that the revised town planning layout was approved in December 2018 and the general plans are currently before the Surveyor-General for consideration,” he said at the time. He explained that with the approval of the Mass Housing Development Programme (MHDP) in 2013, local authorities were approached to avail land on which houses under the initiative could be built. “The houses that were to be funded through the MHDP were to be built on a portion of the total block of the land or township, which already had bulk services and infrastructure development or installed on it by the Windhoek municipality with funding from the central government under the Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (Tipeeg),” Daniel had said.

1.6 61 000 houses planned for Erongo in next five years New Era|12/06/2019

The Erongo Region will embark on an infrastructural and housing project that will see at least 61 000 houses constructed in the region over the next five years. That was revealed last week by regional governor Cleophas Mutjavikua during his state of the region address (Sora) held in Swakopmund. Mutjavikua said that a development plan has been approved under the humanitarian economic grant, also referred to as a forgivable loan agreement, to construct the houses in the region as well as to assist with other regional projects. Erongo is one of the regions that continue to experience challenges when it comes to affordable housing and servicing land, which has resulted in thousands of residents living in backyards and informal settlements that are prone to diseases, crime and shack fires. According to Mutjavikua the aim is to construct at least 30 000 houses in Walvis Bay, 15 000 in Swakopmund and 3 000 each in Omaruru, Karibib and Henties Bay. A further 3 500 will be constructed in Arandis and 1 500 in Usakos. The settlements of Okombahe, Omatjete will each get 500 houses, Uis will get 700 and Otjimbingwe 300. “As a region we are working hard to meet the third and fourth pillars on housing and infrastructure as stipulated in the Harambee Prosperity Plan,” the governor explained. In addition he says the region responded to the call of the president in which he declared informal settlements a national disaster. “Hence this housing development plan had been approved under the grant,” explained Mutjavikua. He added that this specific housing response will not be the same as the mass housing initiative. “This project demands the involvement from the local authorities and to act accordingly, as they will be the implementing agents. It means that they must have the same capabilities and the same precision. There is no room for failure because any failure will mean that the humanitarian grant will be terminated,” Mutjavikua said.

1.7 Nossobville land grabbers vow to stay put New Era|13/06/2019

Sounds of rakes against stones, spades hitting hard surfaces, axes against tree branches, hammers hitting hard on zinc sheets characterised Nossobville location in Gobabis. Though located in Gobabis, Nossobville falls within the Kalahari Constituency. Nossobville residents have resorted to land grabbing after various attempts to get the relevant authorities to listen to their cries yielded no desired results. The steadily growing population in the suburb and the need for serviced land to accommodate the blossoming number of residents led to the illegal invasions. Limited serviced land, overlapping leadership and boundaries, congested family structures, lack of basic infrastructures and a quest for human settlement in Nossobville are the major concerns that residents say have driven them to occupy the land adjacent to the Nossobville Primary School. Established in the 1960s, Nossobville, according to the residents, has suffered from lack of developmental priorities because of its dual political arrangement. The said suburb belongs to the Kalahari Constituency but it is managed by the Gobabis municipality in the Gobabis Constituency as per the Delimitation Committee’s decisions. “Currently we need about 300 plots to cater for the serious housing shortage we see in Nossobville. People are forced to put up shacks at the back of the houses, thereby putting pressure on the available facilities such as the shower, toilets, water and electricity,” said Wallace Finnies, a community activist in Nossobville. Fennies said the situation has escalated and has now forced the people to go out and take land to put up houses of their own as there is no affordable residential land available in Gobabis at the moment. In response to their actions, the Gobabis municipality’s Public Relations Officer Frederick Ueitele said the action taken was illegal and would not be condoned. In a statement in response to the petition handed to the municipal council by the land grabbers, Gobabis mayor Liberius Kalili, said the municipality acknowledged limited serviced land but indicated that it is not only in Nossobville where the situation exist. Housing is a national challenge, the statement further said. Kalili also pointed out that in the quest of remedying Nossobville, the municipality has in 2016 spent N$11.4 million on a new trunk line connecting Nossobville to the main sewer line as the Technical Department found that the then sewer line from Nossobville would not be adequate to cater for the new households. The municipality also sought private partners to develop virgin unplanned land in Nossobville. The municipality has therefore requested the Nossobville community to make things easier for the council by rendering cooperation towards the council and making Gobabis prosperous to all and officially informed all residents who erected structures at the open space that it is illegal.

1.8 1201 units unoccupied Namibian Sun|17/06/2019

RDP president Mike Kavekotora has branded the housing initiative a “failed political project”. A total of 1 201 houses constructed under government's mass housing project, which was initiated to address the housing crisis in major towns, are unoccupied either because they are incomplete, dilapidated, unaffordable or faulty. Of this of the figure, 1 108 houses are still under construction, while 93 are complete but are yet to be occupied. These figures were provided by the ministry of urban and rural development in the National Assembly. Deputy minister Derek Klazen was responding to questions by Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) president Mike Kavekotora last Thursday. Kavekotora branded the housing project a “failed political project that was not well-thought”, citing the number of unoccupied, dilapidated and expensive houses as his chief reasons. In his response, Klazen said 3 958 houses have been constructed under the government project so far. These houses are at different stages, as of this figure, 2 819 are complete and ready for occupation. “The remaining 1 139 are still to be completed in terms of construction and are at different stages,” he said. A further 2 819 houses are fully completed and are occupied, statistics show. Of the 2 958 houses that have been constructed so far under the programme, 3 074 were allocated to beneficiaries.

Allocation refers to the sale or pre-sale of a house before it is even constructed or completed. Occupancy, on the other hand, refers to when a buyer physically takes possession of and moves into the house. When broken down, for individual towns, the figures indicate that 638 houses in Swakopmund are still under construction and unfit for occupation. In the capital, 362 houses are yet to be occupied as they are not yet connected to the bulk service network. In Opuwo, 24 houses are still under construction, while one house in Nkurenkuru is yet to be handed to its owner, as it was constructed outside the scope of the project. Otavi has two houses that are awaiting allocation after a sewerage connection issue that delayed the process was addressed. Meanwhile, in Katima Mulilo, the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) is in the process of allocating 17 complete houses, while two have been allocated, with buyers awaiting transfer and bond registration. In the Karasburg, 57 houses are empty as there are no people that can afford them, while 83 are under construction in Keetmanshoop. “With respect to the affordability challenges experienced, this is related to the broader economic environment currently experienced in the country and we continue to look for buyers who can afford the houses,” Klazen said. Four houses in Rundu could not be occupied as they were damaged by heavy rains. Additionally, Lüderitz (1), Outjo (1), Khorixas (2) and Mariental (3) also have empty houses. In Henties Bay, only three houses are yet to be occupied due to the cancellation of sales agreements. The ministry is committed towards the expedition of the occupation of the completed houses, the deputy minister added.

1.9 House for Hope project started at Bethanie Republikein|17/06/2019

Housing in Namibia has become a humanitarian crisis, that different stakeholder initiatives can help solve, the councillor for the Berseba Constituency Dawid Boois has said. Speaking at the handover of two houses built under the House for Hope initiative at Bethanie on Friday, Boois said the housing backlog in Namibia by far exceeds the provision of housing and with the current economic crisis, the situation is worrisome. With the severe impact of climate change, the situation necessitates government speeding up the provision of decent housing to the less privileged and those in the low- income groups, the councillor said. Boois said even though the government is committed to addressing the housing crisis in Namibia, it needs partners that will play an innovative and active role. This organisation can assist the government to reach a managing level of this crisis in order to solve the housing problem, as the biggest portion of the government budget allocation is depleted by servicing of the plots, he added. In an interview with Nampa, the project initiator and Bethanie district farmer Jorg Gaugler said he thought of a way of how those vulnerable and cannot afford building houses for themselves can live in decent houses. We thought of how the farmers and business people can build houses and contribute just a little, so these are houses by Namibians for Namibians, he said. Gaugler urged the community to stand up and do something for themselves as they are aware that government has no money, adding that no one will rescue them but themselves. According to Gaugler the three-bedroom houses were built at a cost of N.dollars 32 000 each with N.dollars 10 000 paid by the owner.Lucia Winstaan is one of the owners and she expressed gratitude towards the initiative and urged for the project to continue to provide houses to those in need. I never thought at 80 years old I will own a brick house, thank you so much, she said. The project will construct 100 more houses at the village.

1.10 Behuising oorweeg huur-tot-eie model Republikein|24/06/2019

Die Nasionale Behuisingsonderneming (NHE) ondersoek tans die moontlikheid om ’n huur-tot-eie ooreenkoms in werking te stel, maar het nog nie aangedui wanneer ’n besluit hieroor geneem sal word nie. Die onderneming het verlede week met rolspelers vergader om ’n oorsig oor projekte te kry waarby hy betrokke was sedert sy massabehuisingsmandaat in 2015 ten einde geloop het. Mnr. Gisbertus Mukulu, die NHE se uitvoerende hoof, het tydens die vergadering gesê hulle oorweeg dié model as ’n moontlike oplossing vir die huidige tekort aan bekostigbare behuising. “Die opsie om te huur is wel iets wat ons bespreek het,” het hy aan rolspelers gesê. ’n Huur-tot-eie ooreenkoms behels dat ’n individu ooreenkom om ’n betrokke eiendom vir ’n bepaalde tyd te huur, met die opsie om dit te koop voor die huurkontrak verstryk. Huur-tot-eie ooreenkomste sluit ’n standaard huurooreenkoms in, asook die opsie om die eiendom later te koop. Huur word vir die tydperk van die kontrak betaal, en in sommige gevalle word ’n persentasie van die betaling vir die verkoopprys aangewend. Volgens Mukulu was daar ’n betekenisvolle behoefte aan die verskaffing van meer as 90 000 huise landswyd. Volgens data van die NHE was 20 082 huise in aanvraag in die Noorde, 30 778 aan die kus en 31 237 in die sentrale dele van die land. “Daar is ’n waglys vir meer as 90 000 huise. Altesaam 17 113 huise is sedert die NHE se begin gebou en 1 468 huise is onder die massabehuisingsprojek gebou,” het hy gesê. Ondanks die reusetekort aan bekostigbare behuising het die NHE daarin geslaag om sy leningsboeke betekenisvol te versterk, het Mukulu gesê. Volgens hom het dit nou al die miljard dollar-kerf verbygesteek wat die totale waarde betref. Volgens Mukulu is dit heelwat meer as die N$452 miljoen wat in 2016 aangeteken is, terwyl agterstallige gelde van 5,95% in 2016 tot 4,9% gedaal het. Mukulu het gesê die NHE voorspel ’n geskatte groei van 15% vir die jaar.

1.11 Aus residents to get ‘roofs over their heads’ New Era|25/06/2019

A recent approval by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development will put smiles on the faces of 26 residents of Aus settlement in //Kharas Region. They have been anxious to get decent houses and their patience will pay off as they will soon become first-time home owners. According to Jan Scholtz, !Nami#Nüs Constituency Councillor who also serves as the chairperson for //Kharas Regional Council, approval has been obtained from ministerial level for the alienation of the said houses as a means to install a sense of pride” for these residents. The councillor in addition informed New Era that these houses will be given to the beneficiaries at a low-cost basis, making it financially possible for them to own it. A list availed to New Era indicated most of the beneficiaries under the alienation scheme as being elderly, hence the chairperson’s view that this project will mostly cater for the elderly, of which some may have a shorter life expectancy. The councillor further expressed the concern that people want to upgrade these houses they lived in for so many years, but are unable since it first needs to become their property. “This, in return can be seen as an investment for future generations whilst simutenosly secure them (next generations) with a place of their own,” he explained. “Being downgraded from the status of a village council to that of a settlement, this intervention can greatly contribute towards upgrading the settlement back to become a village council again,” he said. He further noted a village council can run their own affairs with democratically chosen councillors whilst settlements are maintained by the regional council, thus the urgent need for the upgrade. “These people will become pride homeowners once their title deeds of transfer are finalised,” explained the councillor. He concluded that a submission has been made to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development under the Build Together Programme in order to provide Aus residents with low-cost loans to build their own houses and further as a means of addressing the prevailing housing crisis. Aus is located in the Aus Mountains above the plains of the Namib Desert. The climate is usually hot and arid, but snow has been recorded many years ago. The settlement furthermore records some of the coldest winters in Namibia at times.

2 Urban Infrastructure and Services

2.1 Get serious about water Namibian Sun|05/06/2019

The City of Windhoek warns that the city's taps will run dry unless residents cooperate to achieve the mandatory 15% monthly water savings target. “Overconsumption is worrisome, because it means we are over-exploiting our last resource, which is the boreholes,” City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya says. The municipality's water report for the week that ended 27 May showed a 10% over-consumption despite persistent warnings about the urgency of saving every possible drop. The weekly target consumption is 465 000 cubic metres but the actual consumption recorded that week was above 500 000 cubic metres. Monday's weekly water watch, for the week ending 3 June, showed a more positive trend, with consumption only 1% above target. “The weekly water watch below shows that there was slight progress in water saving for the past week, although the over-consumption stood at 1% more than allowable,” Amutenya says. The municipality urges all residents to frequently check their water meters to ensure leaks are detected quickly. Individuals should use no more than 90 litres per person per day at home, and 20 litres per person at businesses. “We should not wait for the seriousness of severe water scarcity to hit us, when there is no single drop of water coming from the taps, but we should do it now when we still have a little water available,” Amutenya says. With dam levels low after a poor rainy season, the City is increasingly leaning on its own water sources - the Windhoek Aquifer and reclamation plant. These two sources are supplying 65% of Windhoek's targeted 465 000 cubic metres weekly consumption. The 15% savings target is crucial to the City's management of the available water. Amutenya says if residents continue to consume more than allowed, “it is just a matter of time before the resource reaches its limit.” Once this happens, the taps will run dry because no other water sources are available. “It is of critical importance for all of us to revise our water consumption and save every drop.” Amutenya says City officials believe that “residents will respond to water saving calls, not only because it is affecting their pockets, but also because it is the right thing to do, looking at the current severe drought situation we are in.” In July, when the City's new water restrictions become effective, new penalty tariffs will become applicable. Amutenya says this penalty tariff is “simply an indicator of the consumption limit” to remind clients they are consuming more water than allowed. “The call to save water relies on the consumer's cooperation and understanding of the reason why it is important to save water. Our preference is to encourage water savings to change consumer behaviours and to make it part of our lifestyle,” she says.

2.2 Hoofstad sukkel met waterbesparings Republikein|07/06/2019

Alhoewel Windhoekers verlede week se waterbesparingsteiken met net 1% gemis het, kon die hoofstad sedert 14 Januarie vanjaar nog nie daarin slaag om genoeg water te bespaar nie. Inteendeel, sedert dié datum is daar weekliks gemiddeld 9% méér water gebruik as wat besparingsteikens toelaat. Terselfdertyd gebruik stadsbewoners tans sowat 6% meer water as tydens dieselfde tyd verlede jaar. Die munisipale woordvoerder, me. Lydia Amutenya, het vroeër vandeesweek gesê dat Windhoek “effense vordering met waterbesparings” in die laaste week van Mei gemaak het, toe sowat 469 809,33 m³ water gebruik is. Die weeklikse teiken, met die verpligte 15%-besparing ingereken, staan tans op sowat 465 000 m³. Tussen 20 en 27 Mei is 510 675,24 m3 gebruik (10% bo die besparingsteiken) en voor dit, tussen 13 en 20 Mei, 497 332,69 m³ (7% bo die besparingsteiken). Amutenya het herhaal dat daar vanaf 1 Mei van die hoofstaad verwag word dat die nuwe besparingsteiken van 15% bereik sal word en dat waterbeperkings, soos uiteengesit in die waterbestuursplan se Kategorie D vir ‘n ernstige waterskaarshied, vanaf 1 Julie sal geld. Volgens data wat deur die munisipaliteit bygehou word, het die boorgate in die Windhoek-akwifer tydens Mei tussen 34% en 36% van die stad se water voorsien, terwyl 23% tot 27% van gesuiwerde rioolwater gekom het. NamWater het in 38% tot 40% van die vraag na water voorsien. Die inligting dui ook aan dat boorgate wat water aan die sentrale reservoir lewer, in die laaste week van Mei ‘n bydrae van 88 537,68 m³ gemaak het. Altesaam 78 864,24 m³ water is toe uit boorgate onttrek wat water aan die High Sam-reservoir lewer. Boorgate wat water aan Pionierspark se reservoir voorsien, het 16 852,08 m³ gelewer het. Windhoekers gebruik ook sowat 30 000 m³ gedeeltelik gesuiwerde water per week vir onder meer konstruksiewerk, asook om sportvelde nat te lei. NamWater se bestuurder van hidrologie, mnr. André Mostert, het verlede maand tydens ‘n openbare forum vir rolspelers in die watersektor gesê waterbesparings is noodsaaklik omdat ondergrondse water tans op onvolhoubare vlakke gebruik moet word om Windhoek van water te voorsien. Veral die Windhoek-akwifer word tans straf gebruik. Hy het gesê selfs mét 15% waterbesparings en die onvolhoubare “myn” van ondergrondse waterbronne, het Windhoek slegs genoeg water om twee reënseisoene te oorbrug. Dit beteken die Von Bachdam kan teen Mei 2021 droogloop, oftewel dooieberging bereik, terwyl die Swakoppoortdam, wat ook vir Windhoek van water voorsien, ‘n maand later dié punt kan bereik. Hy het gesê die stad sal drie reënseisoene kan oorbrug indien Windhoekers 30% water bespaar.

2.3 Outapi will soon get its own police HQ New Era|10/06/2019

The construction of a N$54 million police headquarters at Outapi that has been in limbo for about four years will now finally be completed by the end of this month.This was confirmed by the Omusati regional commander Commissioner Titus Shikongo on Thursday morning during a telephonic interview.This project was expected to be completed on May 23, 2015. However, its construction has been standing idle in Outapi due to payment issues between the contractor and the Ministry of Safety and Security. The site was then abandoned after the initial contractor, Amupolo Building, was removed, the regional commander confirmed. Shikongo said the police have taken over work on the N$54 million state-of-the-art police headquarters, which had stalled for years. “They are almost done and are just busy with final small touches for the building to be fully completed. And we are only waiting for Telecom to do their final installation works and the building will then be utilised,” said Shikongo. In the past two years the police in Omusati have devoted Wednesdays to assist the estate team from Windhoek, which is on site. The estate team in the police is responsible for repairs of police infrastructure. The Wednesday initiative was introduced by the former commissioner Tylves Kampolo to accelerate the building work. “We could not sit idle and watch the colleagues do the work alone, hence we have dedicated Wednesdays to add manpower to the team on site so that we can have our structure completed,” said Kampolo. Currently, the police in Omusati operate in over-crowded offices. The existing premises are full and, as a result, there is also no parking space, forcing the police officers to park their vehicles outside their premises. However, Shikongo assured New Era that everything will be put to rest end of June and the police will have their comfortable working place as soon as possible after the formal handing over.

2.4 Eenhana fire station N$3m over the budget The Namibian|13/06/2019

A fire station at Eenhana that was initially estimated to cost N$3 million in 2013, ended up costing the council N$5,8 million upon completion in 2017. The then regional and local government ministry disbursed N$3 million each to the Eenhana, Outapi, Ondangwa and Khorixas town councils in 2013 for the construction of fire stations. The Namibian could not establish the final cost of the other fire stations built at the other three towns. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating how the cost of the fire station at Eenhana almost doubled within four years. ACC chief public relations officer Josefina Nghituwamata told The Namibian last week that the commission was investigating the cost of the fire station, and two other cases at Eenhana. “As per your request, I am hereby confirming that there are more than three cases being investigated by the ACC with regards to the awarding of tenders at the Eenhana Town Council, which includes the alleged over-the-budgeted cost of the fire station tender. “Investigations in all cases are ongoing. Hence, no further information is available at the moment. Once the investigation is concluded, the media will be informed accordingly,” Nghituwamata said. The then ministry released N$3 million to the Eenhana Town Council in August 2013 for the design, tendering, supervision and construction of the fire station. In a letter dated 21 October 2013, the former regional and local government permanent secretary, Sirkka Ausiku, informed the town councils that the ministry would send a team of technical experts, among them City of Windhoek officials, to inspect the proposed fire stations. Documents reveal that three years after the ministry transferred the N$3 million, the town council again received another N$1,5 million to cover shortfalls on the project. Again, five months later on 21 November 2017, the town council drafted a project close-out report to the ministry, explaining that the money was still not “sufficient to construct the fire station. “The project has a shortfall of N$2 323 485,75, as the allocated budget was not sufficient to construct a fire station. Council will, therefore, face difficulty in fulfilling its other obligations and also paying the contractor's retention should additional subsidies not be made available, as it has made use of its funds to complete the project,” the report reads. Out of the N$5,8 million, N$799 528,46 was paid to the AIJ quantity surveyor, engineers and architectural company. The town council's procurement officer, Sandra Haimbili, referred queries to chief executive officer Walde Ndevashiya, saying she does not have the mandate to talk to the media. Ndevashiya told The Namibian that the delay to appoint an architect caused the over-budget costs. “The ministry itself was supposed to appoint architects initially, but then we ended up doing it. Other factors are the exchange rates, and the materials used. You see, some of the materials used is not manufactured in Namibia, so we had to import from Germany,” he explained. Ndevashiya, however, said he was not informed about the ACC investigations. “It was never brought to my attention. Maybe they only informed you. As far as we are concerned, we have nothing to hide because everything regarding this project was above board,” he stressed. Apart from the escalating costs, the ACC is also probing the appointment of Nikodemus Architectural Design as the principal agent. Eenhana United Construction was the main contractor, while AIJ Project Cost Consultants were the quantity surveyors. Erastus Nikodemus (47) owns Nikodemus Architectural Design Company that also worked on fire stations at Helao Nafidi and Okahao for N $3 million each. Speaking to The Namibian last week, Nikodemus said his company did not bid for the tender. “As for us, we normally don't go on tenders. I was just approached by the town council to do the job,” he said. The ACC arrested Nikodemus in 2017 for defrauding the Ongwediva Town Council of N$3 million between 2009 and 2012. The charges emanated from allegations that he had misled the Ongwediva Town Council when he claimed he was a certified architect. Nicodemus appeared in court facing 21 counts of fraud, corruption, forgery and uttering, and was released on N$50 000 bail. The Namibian reported last week that Steve Mwaningange, a manager of infrastructure, town planning and technical services at the town council, resigned from the internal procurement committee where he was the deputy chairperson, on 27 March. The ACC, The Namibian is informed, is also investigating Mwaningange's acquisition of various properties and vehicles since 2013. Mwaningange's resignation letter said he was leaving the procurement committee because he had observed that there was internal friction, which was causing “severe underperforming of my department in terms of capital projects' implementation”.

2.5 Arid Namibia needs three desalination plants New Era|20/06/2019

Namibia needs at least three solar powered desalination plants to provide water to the entire country and it could also supply water to other arid Southern African countries facing the same predicament in terms of concurrent droughts. The estimated cost of a desalination plant that was built from scratch at the coast a few years ago is at N$3 billion. This is according to Frank Kavishe, a mechanical and industrial engineering professor at the University of Namibia (Unam). Kavishe was briefing the Founding Father Dr Sam Nujoma and Swapo Secretary-General Sophia Shaningwa who toured the seawater desalination pilot project, located at the Sam Nujoma Campus at Henties Bay. Namibia’s only desalination plant is privately owned by Orano resources, previously Areva Namibia. Kavishe said that Namibia should strongly consider sourcing funds for the construction of desalination plants along the coast in such a way that fresh water can be supplied to the rest of the country. Namibia has been experiencing concurrent droughts resulting in President Hage Geingob declaring it an emergency and government availing N$573 million to assist drought-stricken families and farmers. However, Kavishe says water for household and agricultural purposes should not be a challenge for Namibia, as the country possesses a 1500 kilometere coastline to cater for three desalination plants. “One plant should be between Swakopmund and Henties Bay to supply water to the central areas of Namibia including Windhoek. Another one at the mouth of the Kunene River that can avail water to northern Namibia,” he said. A third, he says should be located at Luderitz to cater for southern Namibia. He explained that all the plants power should entirely be generated from a combination of solar photovoltaic, concentrate solar power, wind energy and ocean wave energy. “The establishment of these desalination plants will allow Namibia to adapt to climate change by providing a sustainable and reliable water source in the midst of recurrent drought while also mitigating against climate change by increasing dependency on clean renewable energy with its associated zero carbon emissions,” Kavishe said. Nujoma on his part says the issue of seawater desalination has been in the pipeline since 1998, when Namwater initially looked into the prospects of desalination water but could never get the project off the ground. Nujoma explained that the idea of a seawater desalination plant not only an additional source of water but a must. “Therefore, it is time now to abstract seawater for human and livestock consumption,’’ Nujoma said. He explained a report compiled shows that a desalination plant between Henties Bay and Swakopmund that produces about 40 million cubic water per year and could supply the whole of central Namibia including the city of Windhoek. “Of course the water will have to be pumped to a total elevation of about 1700 metres above sea level. Hence the proposal is to use affordable solar and wind energy to drive the desalination plant and the booster pumps,” Nujoma said.

2.6 Lüderitz up in arms Namibian Sun|25/06/2019

Residents fear the outsourcing of energy distribution at the town will be the downfall of the council. Acting Lüderitz CEO Ignatius Tjipura says no agreement has been reached yet in terms of power supply and distribution to the town. In a petition, residents and ratepayers say the proposed deal to outsource the council's power distribution to Walvis Bay-based private company Conselect Engineering and Cenored is “illegal”. They allege this is being orchestrated by “certain individual” councillors. The councillors fingered in the deal are deputy mayor Brigitte Fredericks, chairperson of the management committee Calvin Mwiya, and management committee member Willem Gumede. Fredericks and Gumede refused to comment. Gumede merely said “no comment”, while Fredericks said she is “not denying” the deal, but added: “Go back to those who are giving you the information, they must give you the right information.” Mwiya could not be reached for comment. Executive chairperson and director of Conselect Engineering, Wiseman Molatzi, also refused to comment, referring all questions back to the town council. Sources at the town said a heated council meeting over the proposed deal took place yesterday, which nearly ended up in a fistfight amongst the councillors. According to the residents' petition, a draft agreement will reportedly be presented to the town council for final approval “without further ado”. “This is totally unacceptable. There are serious issues involved,” the petition reads. The petition claims council procedures have not been applied and that there was no public consultation with residents. It also questions the alleged speed with which the Office of the Attorney-General had “scrutinised” the so-called draft agreement, without checking its authenticity or procedures. The petitioners call for an immediate halt to the talks and for the deferment of any decision to part with any electricity assets or accounts to any other party, including any one of the regional electricity distributors (REDs).

AGREEMENT DENIED

Tjipura denied there is any draft agreement in existence, saying there are so far only negotiations about a possible deal. He also denied that “certain individual” councillors are involved in hatching the deal, as is alleged. “[This] matter was brought to council and discussion with regard to this has started in 2017. The matter was tabled at council management meetings, and up to now, no final agreement was signed with regard to the outsourcing of electricity… what has happened so far is only negotiations,” Tjipura insisted. Asked why the town council would want to outsource its electricity supply, Tjipura responded: “Outsourcing by its nature is to try to improve service delivery, upgrading of infrastructure and better management of that particular unit or department, but not to the detriment of any institutions; therefore due diligence of business viability must be done before council can go into that marriage. On that, council has not taken any final decision.”

THE CONTRACT

According to sections of a draft agreement seen by Namibian Sun, the electricity supply deal will be between the town council, Conselect Engineering and Cenored, who will form a joint-venture company, Atlantic Electrical (Pty) Ltd. One of the stated aims of Atlantic Electricity (Pty) Ltd is to create “additional income streams” for the Lüderitz and Oranjemund town councils by “means of dividends, local authority electricity surcharges, asset lease fees and effective debt collection”. Sources said the contract includes Lüderitz ceding council properties and income of between N$80 million and N$100 million per year to Atlantic Electric, against dividend payments by the company to the council. “This will be the downfall of the council,” a Lüderitz resident, preferring anonymity, said. The contract states that Cenored undertakes, on behalf of the Atlantic Electric, to maintain and operate the electricity distribution network within the Lüderitz and Oranjemund boundaries, and ensure the “continued upgrading and expansion of the electricity distribution network”. The contract further states that Conselect can, on behalf of Atlantic Electric, undertake consulting engineering and project management services. The parties will shareholding in the JV company, and the agreement is to be an interim arrangement “pending the finalisation of the proposed Southern RED Regime”, the agreement states. The draft contract further states that the Lüderitz and Oranjemund councils are to apply to the appropriate Namibian authorities for any and all approvals, benefits or exemptions necessary to carry out the activities contemplated in the agreement.

2.7 Sanitation should not be left to government alone: Inga-Ita New Era|25/06/2019

Windhoek Rural Constituency Councillor, Penina Inga-Ita, said people should not rely on government alone to provide sanitation as it is the job of every member in the community. Ita made these remarks in an interview with Nampa at Groot Aub recently, in connection with a sanitation programme and the lack of sufficient toilets per household in the Windhoek Rural Constituency. She said although government is striving to meet the sanitation needs of the community, different stakeholders, as well as the households themselves, should come on board and support the government by building toilets instead of using the bush. We cannot only look at the small resources we are getting from the government. Government is actually trying to do something. We now want all stakeholders, private institutions, and the community themselves, households to start building toilets so we can address the issue of sanitation, Inga-Ita said. Furthermore, the councillor said the failure to address sanitation on an individual level leads to health issues such as hepatitis E and other diseases causes by insalubrity in the community. We all know as a region [we] continue to struggle with the challenge of addressing hepatitis. We need to create much-needed awareness because so many diseases can be borne out of this because people are not able to address the issue of sanitation,” she stressed. According to the Khomas Regional Council, 145 toilets were constructed in the Windhoek Rural Constituencies during the 2018/19 financial year.

2.8 Founding Father urges government to prioritize bulk sea water desalination Namibian Sun|25/06/2019

Drought stricken Namibia no longer has to dream about the prospect of drinking affordable sea water. This comes barely a month after the launch of a solar-powered desalination plant at UNAM’s coastal campus, the Sam Nujoma Campus, which has successfully piloted water purification by making sea water fit for human consumption. Speaking during a visit with stakeholders this week, the Founding Father of the Namibian Nation, His Excellency, Dr Sam Nujoma made an emphatic to plea to government to prioritize investing in desalination plants as an alternative to the over-reliance on underground water. “I would therefore like to propose to the Government of the Republic of Namibia to adopt Seawater Desalination using renewable energy as the principal source of bulk water supply in our country in medium and long term time frames”, urged Dr Nujoma. He further justified his claim by explaining how a report from UNDP shows that water scarcity affects more than 40 percent of people around the world. It is an alarming figure that is projected to increase with the rise of global temperatures, as a result of climate change. The plant at Henties Bay is unique, because it is fully operated by solar power. “It clearly demonstrates that Namibia can utilize its unlimited seawater resources and tap from its abundant solar energy to guarantee the supply of clean water to its entire population”, highlighted Dr Nujoma.

THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND IT

UNAM’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Development, Professor Frank Kavishe, explained the science behind the new desalination plant, which was made possible by a partnership between UNAM and the University of Turku in Finland. “This plant is the first of its kind in the world because it uses reverse osmosis technology to desalinate seawater based entirely on solar energy”, remarked Professor Kavishe. He further explained how solar energy is captured from an array of solar photovoltaic panels and transmitted directly into the containerized desalination plant, to power the high pressure pump necessary for the inlet raw water and the operation of the high pressure reverse osmosis membranes. Raw seawater is pumped from the ocean and transported through a set of filters to remove sand and any solids from the water. The filtered seawater is then forced through the reverse osmosis membranes to produce clean desalinated water that is pumped overhead storage tanks. The concentrated salt solution known as brine is a by-product that is removed from the plant through drainage pipes and sent back to the ocean. In future, this brine will be sent to a salt recovery plant to produce salt. The current plant is a pilot project that produces about 3000 litres per hour. This is not enough to address current water shortages in the country. To produce enough water for transportation in land, as far as Windhoek, would require significant investment. One which can produce at least 30 million cubic meters of desalinated water per year. Transportation of the water in-land, from the coastal areas to the centre of the country, would require that water is pumped to an elevation of 1700 metres, and the requisite pipelines to get it there. Prof Kavishe further highlighted that given Namibia’s long coastline, several plants would be needed to supply the whole country. One plant between Swakopmund and Henties Bay. Another between the mouth of the Kunene River, and one at Lüderitz. UNAM has a pre-feasibility report titled “Large- Scale Seawater Desalination in Namibia”.

2.9 //Kharas sanitation headache The Namibian|25/06/2019

A total of 207 households in //Kharas still use bucket toilets, regional governor Lucia Basson has said. Basson revealed this during her fourth state of the region address on Friday, where she said 514 toilets have been constructed in response to the call to eliminate the bucket toilet system in the region under the Harambee Prosperity Plan. “We have 98 bucket toilets at Grünau, 28 bucket toilets at Kosis and 81 bucket toilets in part of Tses village. We admit that there are financial challenges and a lack of sewer reticulation systems in those areas,” she said, adding that the elimination of bucket toilets in the region will result in improved hygiene and sanitation, which in turn will result in better living standards for the people. Basson further said 4 147 people had registered for the drought relief food programme in the region and that the government had decided to allocate 3 353 food parcels to every region. She noted that 2 018 people were registered at Keetmans•hoop Urban constituency, while the Keetmanshoop Rural constituency had 863, the Berseba constituency 1 716, !Nami#Nüs 179, Karasburg West 197 while Karasburg East had 717 registered and Oranjemund constituency recorded 257 needy people. She said the figures are a combination of food insecure adults, pensioners, people living with disabilities, orphans and vulnerable children, foster parents and war veterans. The governor added that since April, 67 claims totalling N$500 000 have been made by farmers under the marketing subsidy, while 32 claims of N$24 000 were made under the fodder subsidy programme. The marketing and fodder subsidies are aimed at providing assistance to the farmers in light of the drought. Basson added that during the 2018/19 financial year, the number of people who receive social grants in the region had increased from 7288 to 7461.

2.10 New City restrictions kick in Namibian Sun|26/06/2019

With severe water scarcity category D restrictions coming into effect next week, the City of Windhoek is urging residents to achieve the 15% water saving target, so it can keep the capital's taps open. Over the past three weeks, the weekly water watch issued by the municipality shows residents are inching closer to achieving the target, which is set at 465 000 cubic metres per week. This week overconsumption was recorded at 2%, with actual consumption totalling 474 503.25 cubic metres. For the week ending 17 June, residents consumed 3% more than the allowable weekly target of 465 000 cubic metres - a total of 480 547.84 cubic metres. For the week ending 3 June, residents were close to achieving the target, over-consuming by 1%. However, for the week ending 10 June, 5% more water was used than allowed, and for the week ending 27 May, a 10% over-consumption was recorded, with a total of 497 332.69 cubic metres consumed by residents that week. This week's edition of the Windhoek Express warned that as a result of not adhering to the weekly targeted savings, the date for dams supplying Windhoek to run dry advanced with between two and three weeks. This was because residents have failed to adhere to water savings targets throughout the year. City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya this week underlined that “the water severe scarcity is real and every drop of water should count”.

ADHERE

As of 1 July, when the category D restrictions are implemented, a number of water consumption guidelines will come into effect. These will apply to watering and irrigation practices, car washing, the use of water features and commercial and industrial water usage. Furthermore, a new drought tariff programme is due to be implemented once it has been approved and gazetted. In May, Namibian Sun reported that the municipality had proposed a 10% water and 5% sewer tariff hike to come into effect in July. While it is has not yet been confirmed whether the proposed tariff hikes have been approved, the proposed block tariff framework is aimed at motivating consumers to save water in line with the targets and ensure water leaks are detected promptly. If the proposed increases are approved, households using more than 1 000 litres per day (or more than 30 000 litres monthly) will be charged N$145.70 per thousand litres consumed. The target for households is not to consume 25 000 litres per month, with a daily target of 90 litres per person per household. The proposed tariff structure will mean that households consuming between 6 000 and 25 000 litres per month, will pay N$36.43 per 1 000 litres. Households using between 25 000 and 30 000 per month will be charged double, forking out N$72.85 per 1 000 litres of water consumed. As of July, the City will not offer rebates for water leaks, and are thus urging residents to conduct daily or weekly water usage checks to isolate and promptly fix leaks.

2.11 Orangemund needs a bigger airport New Era|26/06/2019

There is an urgent need for a bigger airport at Oranjemund to accommodate more visitors. Since Oranjemund has been proclaimed an ‘open town’, there is a higher demand and need for more buildings and facilities at the airport to accommodate the public, including visitors, people from various sectors and tourists. This was revealed by National Assembly Swapo member, Leevi Katoma last Thursday when he motivated the report on the oversight visits to assess security at airports and aerodromes in Omaheke, //Kharas and Hardap regions recently. Katoma is the chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee on foreign affairs, defence and security. He said proclamation of Oranjemund as a town and local authority in August 2011 demands the upgrading of the airport. Oranjemund airport is a privately-owned airport and solely managed and maintained by the diamond giant Namdeb. Part of the building is hired to Debmarine Namibia diamond mining company operating offshore. The airport is open to the public for landing and taking off and is busy as it accommodates about 1 500 passengers per month. On the security situation, the committee found that rigorous safety and security controls are applied at the airport, which they say are commendable. They observed high-tech safety and security and crime prevention technology and equipment, including sniffer dogs provided by Namdeb and Debmarine Namibia which are used at the airport. The Namibian police also receive most of its resources and equipment assistance from Namdeb. However, Katoma noted the committee was informed about the immigration control challenges at Oranjemund airport, in particular clearing of aircraft and vessels, at the airport and offshore within Namibian waters. The committee found that occasionally vessels are anchored offshore for three to four months. As a result, immigration officials are flown in from Oranjemund to clear the vessel crew and employees. According to the report, some immigration officials lack swimming and survival skills, thus comprising their safety. The committee was informed that immigration officials have to take part in the training offered by Namdeb. However, they do not receive danger allowances, despite the fact that they are exposed to danger at sea. The parliamentarians were also informed about the shortages of air traffic controllers at Lüderitz and Oranjemund airports. Another concern was that landing fees or levies were not being collected at the airports and aerodromes visited. The committee was informed that only the port of Lüderitz and port of Walvis Bay are gazetted as ports of entry in terms of the Immigration Control Act, Act No 7 of 1993. “The matter is of serious concern in that there is a need to clear persons at offshore Oranjemund, although not gazetted. Furthermore, there is also no specific official stamp to clear persons offshore Oranjemund, as it is not a port of entry. Instead, immigration officials are using the official stamp of Oranjemund border post,” the report shows. They parliamentarians revealed that when they were passing Oranjemund border post gate, an official raised a concern about the official space, condition, quality, and maintenance of the building. The committee therefore recommend that the ministries of works and transport; mines and energy; home affairs; finance as well the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority should consider the upgrading of Oranjemund airport in consultation and collaboration with Namdeb and Debmarine Namibia.

2.12 Tutaleni to get new satellite fire station New Era|27/06/2019

The Walvis Bay Municipality is in the process to establish a satellite fire station in order to cut down the response time firefighters take to get to shack fires. With winter being the period in which most shack fires are experienced, council felt the need to establish the satellite fire station in Tutaleni to ensure fires are contained and put out as swiftly as possible. Walvis Bay mayor Immanuel Wilfred during the monthly council meeting held on Tuesday said the municipality saw the need to prioritize the satellite fire station due to the fact the settlement is overcrowded with fire-prone shacks. He added the new fire station is one of council’s capital priorities for the new financial year and will significantly boost the duties of fire fighters especially when it comes to the response to fires and that of training volunteer fire fighters. “We are in the middle of winter, despite the spells of east weather in between, it is often the time for us to be concerned about the outbreak of fires. The most vulnerable residents are those who live in shacks. Even though we have come a long way in enlarging the permanent contingent of fire fighters to improve our fire-fighting capabilities, the root of the problem remains, namely over congestion of informal structures. However, if people follow basic safety rules, the risk of fires can be also be minimised,” Wilfred said. He then explained that the long-term solution is to have as many people as possible housed in units that are decent and dignified. “Fortunately, housing has become one of our country’s main priorities and Walvis Bay is one of the front runners when it comes to Shack at the town are normally built with easily combustible materials like cardboard, plastics and wood, while electricity is illegally connected from the main house. This normally puts a strain on the electricity, resulting in shack fires. Apart from that, stoves and candles left unattended also cause shack fires in many instances.

2.13 Oshakati, Eenhana abattoirs set for commissioning Namibian Sun|28/06/2019

The renovation of the Oshakati and Eenhana abattoirs is expected to be completed soon, with their commissioning set for early July, Executive Director in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, Percy Misika has said. In an interview with Nampa on Wednesday, Misika said the abattoirs will be tested and commissioned by the first week of July and handed over to the operators, Kiat Investment Holdings on 11 July 2019. He noted that the Katima Mulilo abattoir is expected to be completed by the first week of September 2019, after which it will immediately be handed over to the operators, Zambezi Meat Corporation. He explained that the sites of the Katima Mulilo and Oshakati abattoirs were handed over to the contractors at the end of August 2018, with an expected completion date of 30 November 2018, however when the renovation work was underway, it was discovered that there were crucial machineries and equipment with defects. The lack of additional funds to cater for these items delayed the renovation work, he said. Misika noted that with the current drought situation in Namibia, the completion and operationalisation of the abattoirs will enable farmers to destock their livestock, which in turn allows them to earn income that will enable them to stock up when the drought adversity subsides. The Oshakati and Katima Mulilo abattoirs rehabilitation cost over N.dollars 14 million.

3 Livelihood and Urban economy

3.1 Opuwo trade fair hailed a success New Era|06/06/2019

Opuwo town hosted yet another successful trade fair under the theme ‘Promoting Entrepreneurship and Cultural Diversity,’’ which ended over the weekend. The trade fair saw a number of exhibitors and visitors flocking into Opuwo from as far as India, Kenya and Tanzania and this year was extraordinary because of the much talked about music band Soul Bothers from South Africa, who graced the event with their exciting soulful performance. Government dignitaries who attended included Obeth Kandjoze, patron of Opuwo Trade Fair Society, Natangwe Iithete, Deputy Minister of Finance and Allexia Manombe-Ncube, Deputy Minister of Disability Affairs in the Office of the Vice-President. Addressing the gathering at the official opening was the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who stressed that the richness of any country depends on its culture when it is well utilised, which can make a meaningful contribution to economic growth. She said the central elements in most if not all African culture are shared responsibility, solidarity and working for a common good. She stressed the importance of trade fairs as a mechanism for promoting and providing opportunities for face-to-face contact, and she believes the interface between and among exhibitors and visitors will bring desirable results. “It is my sincere hope that this trade fair will boost the stimulation of the economic development of the town and the surrounding areas and eventually contribute to the overall economic success of Namibia as a country,” she said. She feels the theme of this year’s trade fair should not just exist in word and paper but should be translated into action to influence the livelihood of the nation. As Kunene is known to be rich in natural resources, Nandi-Ndaitwa wishes for the resources to be processed locally for the creation of jobs for the inhabitants, instead of exporting raw materials which is as good as exporting jobs which are supposed to benefit the youth and the unemployed people in the region. “So far Africa has taken a decision for at least 15% of the continent’s natural resources not to leave the continent unprocessed, however, I do not know how many countries are implementing that decision,” she said. “Within the Namibian context, trade fairs expose the rural communities, small and medium enterprises whose livelihood depend on traditional delicacies. The importance of these sectors is often overlooked and underestimated but it represents and defines our norms and traditions,” she said.

3.2 Arandis SMEs benefit from CDF New Era|06/06/2019

Close to 25 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Arandis Constituency on Monday received equipment from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) here on Monday. The CDF was recently implemented by the government with aim to empower the local communities at constituency level with resources to design and implement development projects. The 22 beneficiaries, from sectors such as catering, tailoring, gardening and laundry, received equipment ranging from deep freezers to washing machines. Arandis Constituency Councillor, Benitha Imbamba, during the handover ceremony, said the CDF was established to assist SMEs to gradually develop into well-established elite businesses. The aim of the programme is to uplift our communities to create jobs and hopefully help them towards becoming bigger businesses in the future, she noted. One of the beneficiaries, Israel Amupadhi of Aina and Mossy Trading CC in Arandis, who has been running a tuck shop business since 2008, received a deep freezer, which he aims to use to store the meat and chicken he sells. My wife and I are very grateful for this as this will now give us an opportunity to expand our business and reach out to more customers, Amupadhi said. Another recipient, Victorine Musuuo of Turi-Pamwe Trading, has been operating her laundry business for about 13 years and is the breadwinner for her five unemployed children. I have been using mainly my hands and the help of a small washing machine to wash people's clothes since I started off and with this new washing machine, I will now be able to work efficiently and faster, she expressed happily.

3.3 Sida Di/Goan gives Kunene youth a lifeline The Namibian|06/06/2019

Kasesa Tjaupehi never thought she would do much with her life, having dropped out of school due to financial constraints when she was in Grade 7. Coming from a family of eight children, her parents had a tough time providing for all of them. The last school she attended was DF /Uirab Primary School at Kamanjab. Tjaupehi (26) is one of 10 young people receiving in-service training at the Sida Di /Goan project initiated by Kunene governor Marius Sheya. Sida Di /Goan means 'our children' in the Damara/Nama language spoken in the area. The project, based at Kamanjab, aims to fix all broken furniture at the schools across the region in a bid to help improve the quality of education. Seven best- performing students at the Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology (Nimt) were selected to work on the project, and in the process pass on their skills to 10 other youngsters from Kamanjab. The project started in November last year, and so far, 2 000 desks and chairs and 216 beds have been repaired and distributed to needy schools. Tjaupehi said when she first heard that volunteers were wanted to work on the project, she decided to give it a try. “I was not sure, but I thought to myself it is better than sitting at home. So, I tried it out, and now I have learned so much. I really love it,” she added. To her, the proudest moment was when her younger sister, who attends Tjaupehi's former school – told her she got a new desk which her elder sister was part of fixing. “Women can do it all if they put their minds to it. Some women, when they see us coming home tired, think it is not worth it to work for free, but I see it as an opportunity to gain skills. I cannot sleep while opportunities for putting bread on the table pass me by,” said Tjaupehi. Tjipenandjambi Mujahere (20), another volunteer on the project, said he is proud to have passed on the skills he acquired to others, and most importantly, assist the public with his work. He is doing his second year in carpentry and joinery at Nimt. “When we started, they knew nothing, but now even the women can weld and level desks, among other things. It was a big deal for me to help them and see them becoming better. We all got certificates when the president came here, so I hope these can help us get work elsewhere,” said Mujahere. Reminiscing how he got recruited, Carlos Zemburuka (22) said he got the call in September last year as he was looking for holiday jobs. Zemburuka, who is now completing his third year before graduating from Nimt, said in October last year, they had been taken around for a tour, where he saw pupils sitting under trees at some schools. “This moved my heart. I felt so much pity, and it did not bother me that we are just volunteers. It gave me joy that I am contributing to something bigger. No one can concentrate in school if you are sitting on a stone,” he reasoned. Another student, Mervin Kaundje (20) said since they started last year November, they have repaired a lot of furniture which had been distributed to schools. He said although they are volunteers, they are housed and fed by the Kunene regional governor's office. Kaundje said they get all the materials they need to fix the broken chairs, desks and beds from the governor's office as well. “I am so happy to assist my country,” said the 20-year-old. The Regional Youth Forum's Adrie Jantze said the group works so hard that you would not find them in the streets at weekends. “They work from 07h00 and finish at 17h00, with lunch in- between. They get to rest on weekends,” said Jantze. She said from the group of seven Nimt students, one is a woman, and from the group of 11 Kamanjab volunteers, two are girls. The schools which benefited are all over the region, including the Epupa area, where pupils sit under trees, and at Opuwo as well as Kamanjab and the surroundings. Sheya said for this first phase, around 30 schools benefited from repaired furniture, 1 500 donated mattresses, water tanks and school uniforms, amongst others. President Hage Geingob applauded the project as worth emulating by other regions because it cuts costs.

3.4 Wire and zinc toy car a hit New Era|14/06/2019

A group of six out-of-school youths from Opuwo are making headlines by making different types of toy cars from wire and zinc which have become part of their daily survival. These toy cars are fitted with small bulbs that look like miniature indicators and headlights that can be seen from a distance when they are ‘driven’ at night, using a stiff wire that serves as a steering wheel. They sell them for prices ranging from N$200 to N$1 500. Nguhamuine Muharukua, 22 years of age, organised other youth when he failed Grade 12 and showed them the concept of making small wire cars that have become a hit at Opuwo. Little did they know this will boost their livelihood as customers started flocking to their workshop to buy wire cars for their children? Muharukua is the founder of the project which even has a Facebook page. The group is so inspired by its own self-belief they have now started working on a big car that they plan to fit with a real engine though, they said, they will need funds for this to become a reality. They will also need a set of tyres. Nguhamuine had a dream since childhood of having his own brand of car that he will manufacture himself from scratch to a finished product that is why he is not interested to go for any further studies unless he is offered a bursary to a vocational college where he could go and study the craft of car making.

3.5 Ondangwa constructs third open market New Era|14/06/2019

The Ondangwa Town Council is constructing a new open market valued at N.dollars 15 million to address high demand for more informal business stalls at the town. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the town, Ismael Namgongo disclosed this in an interview with Nampa at Ondangwa on Wednesday.He pointed out that construction of the new open market would be carried out in two phases, each at a cost of N.dollars 7.5 million. The town has already two open markets, Ondjondjo and ABC, catering for 500 and 60 informal traders respectively. Namgongo said there is no more space at the existing open markets to accommodate additional informal traders, which is why the town council has embarked on the latest project. The demand is so high and if you come to the open market, it is always full to the capacity with some people trading outside at the entrances of the old markets,he said. The first phase of construction of the new open market started in January this year, while construction of the second phase will start in October this year. We get more people from nearby villages demanding for additional stalls, but due to insufficient space, we are only able to accommodate them on Mondays and Fridays,Namgongo noted. Upon completion, the new open market will create 60 stalls for informal traders. It will also include a shaded eating area and braai zone.

3.6 Lüderitz ontstoke oor kragooreenkoms Republikein|26/06/2019

Die waarnemende uitvoerende hoof van Lüderitz se dorpsraad, mnr. Ignatius Tjipura, sê nog geen ooreenkoms oor kragvoorsiening en -verspreiding op die dorp is al bereik nie. Inwoners en belastingbetalers sê die voorgestelde ooreenkoms om die raad se kragverspreiding na die Walvisbaaise private maatskappy Consolent en Cenored uit te kontrakteer, is “onwettig” en word na bewering deur “sekere individuele raadslede” bewimpel. Raadslede wat by die beweerde ooreenkoms betrek word, is die adjunkburgemeester, me. Brigitte Fredericks, die voorsitter van die bestuurskomitee, mnr. Calvin Mwiya, en ’n lid van die bestuurskomitee, mnr. Willem Gumede. Fredericks en Gumede wou geen kommentaar lewer nie. Gumede het “geen kommentaar” geantwoord, terwyl Fredericks gesê het sy ontken nie die ooreenkoms nie. Sy het bygevoeg: “Gaan terug na dié wat vir jou die inligting gegee het, hulle moet aan die regte inligting aan jou verskaf. Mwiya kon nie vir kommentaar bereik word nie. Die uitvoerende voorsitter en direkteur van Conselect Engineering, mnr. Wiseman Molatzi, wou ook geen kommentaar lewer nie en het alle vrae na die dorpsraad verwys. Bronne op die dorp sê tydens die dorpsraadsvergadering Maandag oor die voorgestelde ooreenkoms is hewige debat gevoer, wat byna in ‘n vuisgeveg tussen raadslede geëindig het. Volgens ’n petisie wat inwoners opgestel het, sal ‘n konsepooreenkoms na bewering vir finale goedkeuring “sonder enige ophef” aan die raad voorgelê word. “Dit is totaal onaanvaarbaar, ernstige kwessies is hier betrokke,” lui die petisie. Daarvolgens word raadsprosedures nie toegepas nie en was daar ook geen openbare betrokkenheid in die vorm van beraadslaging met inwoners nie. Die spoed waarteen die kantoor van die aanklaer-generaal die sogenaamde konsepooreenkoms na bewering noukeurig deurgegaan het, sonder om die egtheid daarvan of prosedures te ondersoek, word bevraagteken. Die beswaardes eis die onmiddellike opskorting van onderhandelinge en die uitstel van enige besluit om enige elektrisiteitsbates of –rekeninge aan enige ander party te oorhandig, wat streek-elektrisiteitsverspreiders (RED’s) insluit. Tjipura ontken die bestaan van ’n konsepooreenkoms en sê daar is nog net onderhandelinge oor ‘n moontlike ooreenkoms. Hy het ook ontken dat “sekere individuele raadslede”, soos beweer word, by die ooreenkoms betrokke is. Oor waarom die dorpsraad sy elektrisiteitsvoorsiening sou wou uitkontrakteer, het Tjipura gesê: “Om uit te kontrakteer, is om te probeer om dienslewering te verbeter, infrastruktuur op te gradeer en die bestuur van daardie spesifieke eenheid of departement te verbeter. Dit is nie ten koste van enige instellings nie. Die lewensvatbaarheid moet daarom noukeurig ondersoek word alvorens tot dié stap oorgegaan word. Hieroor het die raad nog nie ‘n besluit geneem nie”. Volgens uittreksels uit die konsepooreenkoms sal dit vir die voorsiening van elektrisiteit wees en tussen die dorpsraad, Conselect Engineering en Cenored aangegaan word om ‘n gesamentlike onderneming, Atlantic Electrical (Pty) Ltd, te vorm. Een van die onderneming se doelwitte is om “bykomende inkomste” vir die Lüderitz- en Oranjemund- dorpsraad deur middel van “aandele, elektrisiteitsvoordele vir plaaslike owerhede, huurfooie vir bates en doeltreffende skuldinvordering” te skep. Bronne sê die kontrak sluit in die oordrag van eiendom van die Lüderitz-dorpsraad en inkomste van tussen N$80 miljoen tot N$100 miljoen per jaar aan Atlantic Electric teen betalings van aandele deur die maatskappy aan die raad. “Dit sal tot die raad se ondergang lei,” het ‘n inwoner van die dorp gesê wat verkies om anoniem te bly. Die kontrak bepaal Cenored kan namens Atlantic Electric die elektrisiteitsverspreidingsnetwerk binne Lüderitz en Oranjemund se grense in stand hou en bedryf en die “voortgesette opgradering en uitbreiding van die elektrisiteitsvoorsieningsnetwerk” verseker. Die kontrak bepaal verder Conselect kan dienste namens Atlantic Electric vir raadgewende ingenieurs en projekbestuur onderneem. Die partye sal ook aandele in die gesamentlike onderneming hê en die ooreenkoms is tydelik en hang van die “finalisering van die voorgestelde Southern Red Regime” af. Die konsepooreenkoms bepaal verder Lüderitz en Oranjemund se dorpsrade moet by die toepaslike Namibiese owerhede aansoek doen vir enige en alle goedkeurings, voordele of vrystellings nodig vir beoogde aktiwiteite.

3.7 Kavango farmers want abattoir to sell their livestock New Era|27/06/2019

The Chairperson of the Kavango East Regional Farmers Union Adolf Muremi says government must prioritise the completion of the Rundu abattoir to help them destock their cattle herds to prevent losses from the drought. Farmers in the region are currently finding it hard to lessen the number of their livestock because not many cattle are being bought up from their kraals due to logistics. Muremi was speaking on behalf of the Kavango East Farmers Union yesterday during a meeting with Vice- President Nangolo Mbumba who is currently visiting the region. According to Muremi, the region has about 900 cattle that are in line to be slaughtered at the mobile abattoir and the list of farmers is long. Some farmers have lost hope their livestock will make it to the market for slaughter this year because the mobile abattoir is very small and only able to slaughter about 90 cattle per month, hence their request for the completion of the Rundu abattoir that willl help them destock. “To start with we have heard our President of the Republic of Namibia declare the drought an emergency issue countrywide, so with that in mind there is a lot of things that were put in place to alleviate the drought. The concerns and challenges that we’re going to share with you Your Excellency are also challenges that might alleviate the issue of drought here in Kavango and Namibia at large,” he said “When we talk of the abattoir, since Meatco moved out of the abattoirs of Oshakati and Katima Mulilo the region started facing challenge of where to actually take our livestock. The mobile abattoir came in but it cannot address the farmers’ needs,” he briefed the VP. ”We have limited areas – we have heard the call of the government that due to this drought we have to destock, but in Kavango we destock and take the cattle where? But many farmers really want to sell in order to lessen the number of cattle before they are affected by the drought,” he added.

4 Environment & Human Health

4.1 Nangombe refutes rats and cockroaches claim New Era|04/06/2019

Executive Director in the Ministry of Health and Social Services Ben Nangombe yesterday refuted claims that the Katutura hospital swarms with cockroaches and rats. Nangombe also dismissed allegations that the toilets in the hospital are malfunctioning and that patients have to use empty containers to relieve themselves. He was responding to questions by New Era following complaints of disgruntled patients who said hospital toilets are malfunctioning, resulting in patients having to use plastic containers to relieve themselves when nature calls. A disgruntled source also complained to New Era the cockroaches and rats are a problem at the hospital. “Katutura hospital is much cleaner than it was six months ago,” commented Nangombe. New Era also visited the hospital yesterday at around 14h00 to take photos but the hospital appeared clean, apart from a stench that greeted us in some of its corridors. “There are no rats and cockroaches. We installed a system that repels cockroaches and rats. There are no rats and that I’m sure of,” maintained Nangombe.

4.2 Rundu feeds on fish from sewage pond The Namibian|07/06/2019

Residents of the Kaisosi settlement on the outskirts of Rundu have been feeding on fish caught from a sewage pond at the town. The pond is located across the settlement, about five kilometres outside Rundu. If it was not for the strong stench it emits, a stranger to the area might easily miss the pond as it is tucked away in the dense bushes next to the banks of the Okavango River. Three men, Johannes, Paulus and Thomas (not their real names) trek to the pond every day at dawn to catch fish, which they sell to the town's residents. They told The Namibian that the proceeds from the sale of the fish have been their only source of income and a means of providing for their families. The group said they make about N$400 on a good day from the fish. “Most people here know where the fish comes from, but they buy it without a fuss.” The three men said they cannot afford to fulfil the legal requirements and policies regulating fishing which would allow them to fish in the Okavango River. “They told us our nets are not the right ones. The nets they want us to use cost N$4 000. Maybe one day when we have enough money, we will buy them and fish in the river. But for now, we are doing what we can to survive,” Johannes said. According to the Fisheries Act No 16, “a person may not, for the purpose of fishing, use or have in his or her possession a net, unless its size is authorised under a fishing licence.” The act also states that a person who uses a net for fishing may not use it within 100 metres of a bridge, culvert or spillway when water is flowing through such structures. Paulus emphasised that they are aware of the regulations, but cannot meet them as they do not have money for the right equipment. “We have to survive; the people stopping us do not understand our struggles. We are suffering,” he said, adding that he has been fishing at the pond for the past 10 years. Thomas said giving up on fishing at the pond is not a viable option for him as his family would starve, adding that he has been fishing there since he was a boy. “My mother used to fish there, and my brothers and sisters grew up on that fish. I am a man now. I tried to find a job, but cannot get any, so I decided to follow in my mother's footsteps. I am not stealing from anyone,” he stressed. Kavango East regional health director Timea Ngwira said they are aware of the situation, but the people protect each other, and would not disclose that they had eaten fish from the sewage pond. “The thing is, people will not come here and tell us they ate that fish. We, however, have a lot of cases of food poisoning and common diarrhoea, but we cannot link it to the fish from that pond,” she added. Ngwira, therefore, warned the public against consuming the fish as there are a lot of diseases people can contract from the ponds.

4.3 Ondangwa scoops top prize Namibian Sun|10/06/2019

Ondangwa has been crowned the 2019 Namibia Town of the Year in recognition of its efforts to put strategies in place to ensure a cleaner town and a cleaner Namibia. Ondangwa was one of four finalists chosen out of 21 towns that took up the challenge to compete in this year's Town of the Year competition, under the theme A cleaner town, a cleaner Namibia. The competition is an initiative of Namibia Media Holdings (NMH) that aims to promote cleanliness in towns by engaging them to “work towards a cleaner town in Namibia”. Contestants underwent rigorous assessments that looked at the short- and long-term plans in place to implement waste management and recycling programmes and to boost awareness among residents. Oranjemund, last year's winner, as well as Swakopmund and Walvis Bay were runners-up. At the announcement of the winning town on Saturday, at the 2019 Tourism Expo, Maggy Mbako of NMH explained that the winning town is not necessarily the cleanest town, but the prize reflects the passion and plans in place to tackle the challenges they face in terms of handling waste management and promoting a cleaner town. The winning town was chosen based on the assessments carried out (70%), as well as public votes collected through the Town of the Year SMS competition (30%). David Anghuwo, who voted for Ondangwa to help it clinch the top prize, told Namibian Sun his vote was based on the town's vision and commitment towards cleaning up the town as well as creating awareness among residents of the importance of a clean town. “People living in Ondangwa have started to appreciate the importance of hygiene and a clean town. I voted for Ondangwa because I can see the direction it is going, and that development is going very well. The town has a vision.” Loide Shiimi, the cleansing officer within the department of health and safety at the Ondangwa municipality, told Namibian Sun the town has focused on putting in place a strategy to manage waste better. “This helped us win,” she said on Saturday. NMH CEO Albe Botha, who announced the winner, praised the passion Ondangwa showed “to address the challenges they face”. He underlined that that clean towns play a crucial role in ensuring towns become attractive destinations to visit to help promote tourism in the country and a cleaner Namibia overall. As the winning town, Ondangwa will receive advertising and editorial space in NMH publications valued at N$50 000. The town will also receive 30 wheelie bins valued at N$40 000 from the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia. Moreover, the Namibia Tourism Board has invited the town to exhibit alongside them at the 2019 Ongwediva Trade Fair, a spot valued at N$10 000. The runners-up take home advertising and editorial coverage valued at N$25 000.

4.4 Hepatitis E nou ook op Rehoboth Republikein|12/06/2019

Die hepatitis E-uitbreking wat in 12 landstreke woed en reeds die lewe van 41 mense geëis het en van wie die meeste swanger vroue was, het nou ook sy verskyning op Rehoboth gemaak. Agt bevestigde gevalle is volgens die ministerie van gesondheid en maatskaplike dienste (MoHSS) reeds op die dorp aangeteken. Die eerste geval is op 23 Mei op Rehoboth aangeteken waarna dit in ’n kwessie van drie weke tot die huidige agt gestyg het. Die landswye uitbreking woed reeds vir 21 maande nadat die eerste gevalle in September 2017 in Windhoek aangeteken is. Die Khomasstreek het die hoogste persentasie vir die voorkoms van die siekte, gevolg deur die Erongostreek. Volgens ’n studie deur MoHSS is die ouderdomme van inwoners wat die meeste met die siekte gediagnoseer is, in die kategorie 20 tot 29 jaar, gevolg deur inwoners tussen die ouderdomme van 30 tot 39 jaar. ‘n Uitbreking van hepatitis E is op 14 Desember 2017 verklaar en het teen April verlede jaar van Windhoek af na ander streke soos Erongo, Kavango, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana en Oshikoto versprei. Die gevalle het meestal in informele nedersettings soos Havana en Goreangab by Windhoek, DRC by Swakopmund en soortgelyke gebiede in ander streke voorgekom, waar toegang tot veilige water, sanitasie en higiëne beperk is. Die meeste gevalle uit gebiede wat minder geraak is, behels inwoners wat na die bogenoemde nedersettings in Windhoek of Swakopmund gereis het. Die minister van gesondheid en maatskaplike dienste, dr. Kalumbi Shangula, het vroeër gesê Namibië is een van net drie lande ter wêreld waar 'n hepatitis E-uitbreking woed en die siekte voorkom. Die ander lande waarin die siekte voorkom, is volgens Shangula die Sentraal-Afrikaanse Republiek en Suid-Soedan. Die Rehoboth-dorpsraad het intussen inwoners gemaan om altyd hul hande te was nadat hulle die toilet gebruik het, asook voor die voorbereiding en eet van maaltye. Swanger vroue wat ’n groot risiko loop om die siekte op te doen, kan by die klinieke op die dorp gaan aanklop om vir die siekte getoets te word. ’n Beroep is ook op inwoners gedoen om altyd seep en skoon, lopende water te gebruik wanneer hulle hul hande was. Sou inwoners simptome van geelsug, koors, moegheid, gebrek aan eetlus, naarheid, braking, lyfseer en donker urine hê, moet hulle onmiddellik by die naaste kliniek aanmeld. Vir navrae kan die dorpsraad se gesondheidsafdeling by (062) 521 800 gekontak word.

4.5 Hepatitis E: 5309 gevalle, 45 dood Republikein|13/06/2019

In die byna twee jaar wat 'n hepatitis E-uitbreking in Namibië woed, is meer as 5 300 gevalle landswyd aangeteken en is 45 mense aan die siekte dood. Op 14 Desember 2017 is 'n uit•breking van die siekte in Windhoek, in die Khomasstreek, verklaar en tot 2 Junie vanjaar is 5 309 gevalle daarvan aangeteken. Van die 45 sterftes was 20 swanger vroue. Die siekte het in April verlede jaar ook na ander streke versprei, waaronder Erongo, Kavango, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto en Omaheke. Volgens die jongste verslag deur die ministerie van gesondheid en maat•skaplike dienste (MoHSS) kom die meeste gevalle uit informele nedersettings soos Havana en Goreangab in Windhoek, die DRC by Swakopmund en soortgelyke gebiede in ander streke waar toegang tot veilige water, sanitasie en higiëne beperk is. Die meeste gevalle uit streke wat minder deur die uitbreking geraak word, het 'n reisgeskiedenis na die genoemde informele nedersettings in Windhoek en Swakopmund. Benewens die agt geraakte streke is sporadiese gevalle van die siekte ook in dié distrikte aangemeld: Khorixas (Kunene) – 6; Rehoboth (Hardap) – 4; Lüderitz (||Kharas) – 5. In al vier distrikte in die Otjozondjupastreek is 11 sporadiese gevalle aangeteken. Die meerderheid van die 5 309 gevalle was in die ouderdomsgroepe 20 tot 29 jaar en 30 tot 39 jaar. Die siekte het die minste onder kinders jonger as 'n jaar voorgekom. Meer mans (57% of 3 020 gevalle) is deur die siekte geraak as vroue (43% of 2 289). Khomas is steeds die streek wat die meeste deur die uitbreking geraak word, waar 65% van bevestigde gevalle voorgekom het. Dit word gevolg deur die Erongostreek met 24% van bevestigde gevalle. Volgens die MoHSS het die Omusatistreek ook 'n toename in gevalle gehad met 'n totaal van 37. In al die ander streke buiten Kavango en Kunene is slegs 'n paar sporadiese gevalle sedert 2018 aangemeld. Volgens die ministerie is daar die afgelope twee weke 'n beduidende afname in die aantal gevalle wat aangemeld word. Tussen 20 Mei en 2 Junie is 56 gevalle landswyd aangemeld. Dit is laer as 96 in die vorige twee weke. Uit dié 56 gevalle was 37 in Khomas, nege in Erongo, agt in Omaheke en twee in Hardap.

4.6 Fresh water could turn hepatitis tide Namibian Sun|20/06/2019

Unless the lack of clean running water and toilets within informal settlements is tackled urgently, the 19-month tide of hepatitis E infections across the country which has infected thousands and killed 45 will be difficult to stem and threatens to become an endemic disease such as HIV or malaria. In addition to the more than 5 300 cases of hepatitis E reported in most of the 14 regions since September 2017, the latest situation report ending 2 June, revealed 37 cases of hepatitis A cases in the Omusati region. Hepatitis E and hepatitis A are both transmitted through the faecal-oral route or via contaminated food and water and occur in areas with poor sanitation. According to Unicef, Namibia “has of the lowest sanitation coverage in eastern and southern Africa” and nearly half of Namibians defecate in the open. “We need to break the chain of transmission. We haven't broken it yet,” Dr Bernard Haufiku, who is heading the National Health Emergency Management committee in response to the outbreak, told Namibian Sun this week. He underlined that hepatitis E and now hepatitis A, “far from being only a health issue, is a socioeconomic issue” related to poverty, unemployment, poor hygiene and other struggles faced by communities living in the country's poorest, and unserviced informal settlements. He stressed the outbreak “begins with sanitation, water provision and personal hygiene. And it will end with us addressing those three challenges. Those are the three fundamental challenges we are facing.”

RUNNING WATER

According to the Namibia Inter-censal Demographic Survey (NIDS) 2016, 26% of urban households lacked access to sanitation, with an estimated 288 000 people therefore forced to resort to using the bush or riverbeds as toilets. Informal settlements in the Khomas Region account for nearly 3 500 of all hepatitis E cases, while 1 249 cases in informal settlements in the Erongo Region have been reported to date. Haufiku said although the provision of clean water to all Namibians is “a daunting task”, especially considering the costs and the ongoing drought, it should be “priority number one” in the fight to end the outbreak. In line with these priorities, a high-level meeting held in Windhoek recently, which included representatives from the City of Windhoek and several ministries, focused on a push for a concept called Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS). CLTS is aimed at enabling communities to analyse their sanitation conditions and collectively understand the impact of open defecation on public health and their environment. It aims to completely eliminate open defecation. Haufiku underlined the strategy can only work if clean water is provided to these communities. “We have to make it a priority.” Haufiku told Namibian Sun this week that preventing the outbreak from becoming endemic is why “breaking the chain of transmission” is vital. He warned that endemic diseases are “much more difficult to eliminate”. Yet, despite the challenges he pointed out a notable success in recent months has been a steep drop in fatalities from hepatitis E. He said the significant decrease is a credit to those working on the frontlines, including doctors, nurses and the health facilities where the first responders are based.

4.7 Rundu filth back in spotlight Namibian Sun|20/06/2019

The Rundu town council is unable to collect household waste because its collection truck is out of service, which has resulted in road reserves yet again being turned into dumping sites. This is according to acting Rundu CEO Sikongo Haihambo who was responding to why the Maria Mwengere road reserve, which was cleaned up by various stakeholders earlier this year, has once again turned into a filthy eyesore. “This week and last week, our skip container truck was out of service. As soon as its back it remains our priority to keep the streets clean,” Haihambo said. “That area is supposed to have skip containers on a permanent basis. Basically there was supposed to be two and the intention was to increase them so that we have three, but the limiting factor is that we do not have the resources to buy at the moment.” Haihambo could not say as to when the skip container truck will be fixed. In February the Kavango East Regional Youth Forum, in conjunction with the regional council, hosted a clean-up campaign to which residents devoted their time and resources, with Maria Mwengere Road being the focus point. It is the main road that leads to the University of Namibia (Unam) Rundu campus, the Rundu Vocational Training Centre and the Kaisosi and Kehemu settlements. Children from the nearby houses are occasionally seen playing amongst the filth, exposing them to diseases; something the health ministry has strongly advised against. Some of the residents from nearby houses said it is not their intention to throw their waste along the road reserve, but they do not have an alternative. They said if the council has enough skip containers along the road, the road reserve will be kept clean. “It's not because we want to throw the rubbish along the road, but we have no alternative. Its either there are no skip containers or when they are placed here, they get full within a day and are left to overflow,” one resident said on condition of anonymity. Kavango East Regional Youth Forum chairperson Anselm Marungu also called for more skip containers to be put in areas that are dumping hotspots. Marungu said they will not blame the residents, as it is a responsibility of the town council to put an effective management plan in place.

4.8 Safe motherhood initiative launched New Era|20/06/2019

The Office of the First Lady Monica Geingos together with Ongwediva Medipark Academic Hospital once again hosted the Safe Motherhood Initiative campaign, which seeks to educate expecting mothers and their families on the importance of antenatal care. This year the campaign was hosted at Okahao, Ongandjera Traditional Authority Open Hall on Monday this week. More than 153 expecting mothers were screened. The expectant mothers received antenatal screening which included haemoglobin tests, haemoglucotest, blood pressure, height and nutritional assessment. Women also received iron and vitamin supplements. The patron of Safe Motherhood Initiative, First Lady Geingos, who was the keynote speaker, said infections, hypertension and diabetes continue to have a significant influence on the pregnancy outcome, and therefore the focus of the campaign is on nutrition, hygiene, management of infections, hypertension and diabetes, among others. “This is in line with and complementing our government’s efforts in tackling infant and maternal mortalities,” she said. She stressed that fathers abandoning their expecting partners has become a norm, which denies their children the opportunity to develop healthily as mothers are often stressed out by having to deal with the situation by themselves. “We need the involvement of men when their wives and girlfriends are pregnant. We need their involvement in their children’s lives even if they are no longer involved with the mother of their child. The most powerful contribution to nationhood that all of us can give is to raise our children correctively and we don’t need to be together to do that,” she said. She noted it is still very disappointing that a lot of young children end up impregnated by very senior men that take advantage of them and end up infecting the young mothers. Ongwediva Medipark Private Hospital has completed bathrooms for the awaiting mothers shelter home to the cost of N$17 000. Geingos was accompanied by a team made up of dieticians, obstetricians, gynaecologists, medical practitioners, midwives, paediatricians and other allied healthcare practitioners including nurses from Okahao, Tsandi, Outapi, Oshakati, Ongwediva Medipark, as well as Unam student nurses. Geingos said the reason she is an active and energetic supporter of safe motherhood is because it’s really the most consequential maternal health programme not only in Namibia. Cervical cancer is one of the most deadly diseases that kills a high number of women in the country, despite it being curable. She furthermore emphasised that maternal health is just not a woman’s issue but a community issue. “I also noticed from our teenage pregnancy statistics that with many of the pregnant girls, teenagers, the fathers deny paternity. We can’t build a nation of fatherless children,” she added. According to the first lady, statistics show that girls between the age of 16 and 24 have higher rates of HIV infection than boys of the same age. She stood firm that she will not stop talking when a number of issues pertaining to health need to be addressed. “I will start talking less about it when adolescent girls don’t have a higher proportion of HIV than adolescent boys. I will talk less about it when there are no babies born with HIV in Namibia. I will talk less about it when practical health information reaches our communities. I will talk less about it when [it changes] that one in three girls, the first time they have sex it’s forced not consensual. I will talk less about it when we end gender-based violence, especially sexual violence,” she stressed. Geingos also warned men not to become fathers until they are ready – it’s the same message to adolescent girls and young women because it turns young people into the poverty cycle because of unplanned pregnancies.

4.9 Swine flu hits Windhoek The Namibian|26/06/2019

Two cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Windhoek this week, health executive director Ben Nangombe has said. Nangombe yesterday told The Namibian that the ministry is investigating the matter, and will provide more details in due course. The cases were reported at the Namibia Health Plan (NHP) office and the Roman Catholic Church-run Hildegard kindergarten and pre-school. Abigail Raubenheimer, the NHP manager for marketing and communication, confirmed the case at the medical aid fund. “We have received confirmation that a staff member and her family were diagnosed with swine flu. The staff member is working in a secluded area due to the confidential nature of her work. “Staff members working in the same secluded area have all gone for testing, and those who showed symptoms of the flu have also been instructed not to return to work until confirmation of their health status,” she said. Raubenheimer added that all staff members have been briefed on preventive measures, and vaccination will be made available to them. “The well-being of our staff and members continues to be our priority, and our medical advisers are closely monitoring the situation,” she noted. The Namibian understands that the NHP staff member got the swine flu from her child who was diagnosed with it, which resulted in her whole family being quarantined. Although sister Dagmar OSB, who is in charge of the kindergarten, declined to comment on the situation by saying the issue was not of public interest, The Namibian has seen a letter she wrote to parents on 21 June 2019. In the letter, she said one of the children had contracted swine flu on 20 June 2019 after running a high temperature. She also stated that the parents had come to her on Friday morning to inform her that their child had been diagnosed with swine flu. As a result, the nun stated in the letter, she had sought a doctor's advice, who told her to close the school from Monday to today due to the fact that more than half of the children were absent with flu, and those who had been at school had flu symptoms. “He advised me to advise all parents, whether the children had flu or not, to be given the flu vaccine,” she said, adding that the school would open its doors tomorrow. Two epidemiologists explained to The Namibian that one can only call it swine flu when it is an infection from an actual pig, but when it is from person to person, it is called seasonal influenza. H1N1 influenza patients exhibit symptoms such as red eyes, vomiting, runny and stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing, high temperature and diarrhoea as well as fatigue, and the disease was last reported last year in June and July. Petronella Masabane, who was acting executive director at the time, had explained that the first outbreaks of swine flu were in 2009 and 2010, where more than 8 000 cases were reported, while only 102 cases tested positive.

4.10 Geen uitbreking van varkgriep Republikein|27/06/2019

Namibië beleef tans ’n toename in die aantal seisoenale H1N1-griepgevalle, met sewe bevestigde gevalle van die siekte wat reeds aangemeld is. Vier van die bevestigde gevalle is in die hospitaal opgeneem. Tog het die ministerie van gesondheid by monde van sy uitvoerende direkteur beklemtoon daar is geen uitbreking van varkgriep in die land nie. Volgens mnr. Ben Nangombe het die Wêreldgesondheidsorganisasie (WHO) die H1N1-virus, voorheen bekend as varkgriep, ná die pandemie in 2009 as ’n seisoenale griepvirus geherklassifiseer. “Dit sirkuleer die afgelope dekade wêreldwyd dwarsdeur die jaar, met gevalle wat in die winter toeneem. Dit beteken meer mense kan van die betrokke virusstam siek word,” het Nangombe gesê. Tekens en simptome van die siekte sluit hoë koors, hoes, seer keel, loopneus, lyfseer, kopseer, moegheid, diarree en naarheid in. Volgens Nangombe het Namibië ’n grootskaalse H1N1-uitbreking in 2009-’10 gehad, met meer as 8 000 vermeende gevalle wat aangemeld is. Hiervan het 102 gevalle positief vir die siekte getoets. Een persoon is aan die siekte dood. Die meeste gevalle is in die Ohangwena-, Omusati- en ||Kharasstreek aangemeld. Verlede jaar is 106 laboratorium-bevestigde H1N1-griepgevalle aangemeld en is twee mense aan die siekte dood. Die gevalle het in al die streke van die land voorgekom buiten Oshikoto, Omusati, Ohangwena, Kavango en ||Kharas. Volgens Nangombe word H1N1 hoofsaaklik deur nies en hoes of direkte kontak met oppervlaktes oorgedra wat besmette druppels op het. Hoërisikogroepe sluit kinders onder die ouderdom van vyf jaar, bejaardes ouer as 65 jaar, swanger vroue, mense met ’n verswakte immuunstelsel en chroniese onderliggende mediese toestande in. As voorkomingsmaatreël teen die siekte stel die ministerie voor inwoners word ingeënt teen die H1N1- virus, met die seisoenale griepinspuiting wat dié virusstam insluit en in Namibië beskikbaar is. Inwoners word ook gemaan om genoeg vloeistowwe te drink om ontwatering te voorkom, persoonlike higiëne deurentyd toe te pas en gereeld hande te was en ook dit vermy om aan jou oë, neus en mond te vat omdat kieme so versprei. Nangombe het beklemtoon die siekte is selfbeperkend, wat beteken hy woed homself uit. Mense wat simptome en tekens van griep toon, moet rus, gereeld water drink en koors en hoes met oor-die-toonbank medikasie bestuur.