0011111 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. Compiled by: The articles are grouped into following categories: Hilja Amvula Edited by: 1. Urban Planning, Land & Housing Ester Veiko 2. Urban Infrastructure and Services Produced by: 3. Livelihoods and Urban Economy Development Workshop Namibia

4. Environment & Human Health Address: 18 Nachtigal Street The text of the news articles has not been altered and thus 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

1

Table of Contents

1 URBAN PLANNING, LAND & HOUSING ...... 4 New houses for Kaisosi ...... 4 Property market: ‘Buyers in driving seat’ ...... 4 Damvlakke sowat 10% laer as verlede jaar ...... 5 Eradicating informal settlements on 2019 agenda ...... 6 Family of nine lose their home in fire at Rundu ...... 6 Windhoek’s capital budget nosedives...... 7 Grond: Die goeie en slegte nuus ...... 8 Vakbondgroep veroordeel afbreek van huise ...... 9 Omuthiya pupils squat in rented shacks ...... 9 N$1bn for shack relief ...... 10 Shacks 'offend' Geingob... wants them gone in 5 years ...... 11 Shacks dwellers urged to save for houses ...... 13 ‘Humanitêre krisis’ in nedersettings ...... 13 Shacks 'election ploy' blasted ...... 15

2 URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES ...... 17 Fears of drought escalate ...... 17 Ariamsvlei settlement in water crisis ...... 18 Von Bach kry 10%water by...... 18 Dam levels rise ...... 19 Khorixas council not to blame for blocked drainage ...... 20 Water rationing introduced at Gobabis ...... 20 Groot Aub struggles with water access ...... 21 RTC to repair worst potholed road in Rundu ...... 21 Mpacha Airport in bad shape ...... 22 Elisenheim blackout reaches three days ...... 22 Ruacana craves second fuel station ...... 23 Keetmanshoop swimming pool closed for maintenance ...... 24 Okakarara can become a logistics hub – Kandorozu ...... 24 Windhoek spent N$2 million replacing traffic lights ...... 24 Meer as N$2 miljoen se stukkende verkeersligte ...... 25 Rundu urged to refrain from illegal water connections ...... 25 Resident appeal for toilets ...... 26 Hidroëlektrisiteit onder die loep ...... 27 Okahandja residents endure 'inflated' municipal bills ...... 27

3 LIVELIHOODS AND URBAN ECONOMY ...... 29 Oranjemund to open first market ...... 29 City of Windhoek slow to aid wind-damage families ...... 29 Create jop opportunities at Groot Aub ...... 29 Unemployed Youth Scramble for 40 Rail Jobs at Ondangwa ...... 30 Ondangwa Urban strengthens back-yard gardens ...... 31 Chaos oor TransNamib-poste ...... 31 Mix a hotbed of grinding poverty ...... 32 Youth desperate for jobs ...... 33 Community sewing project at otjiwarongo launched ...... 33 2

Asparagus factory to employ over 700 Namibians ...... 34 Neckartal Dam completion hurts Keetmanshoop ...... 34 Groente bemagtig Rundu-vroue ...... 35

4 ENVIRONMENT & HUMAN HEALTH ...... 36 Haufiku concerned by Katima Mulilo sewage problem ...... 36 Battle for Lüderitz is on ...... 36 Polisie lê beslag op mangaan-lorries ...... 38 Environment officials halt Lüderitz manganese stockpile ...... 39 Katima resumes refuse collection ...... 39 Katima Mulilo using dumping site illegally ...... 40 Lüderitz divided over export of manganese...... 40 Legal threat over manganese ...... 41 Lüderitz soek antwoorde oor mangaan-uitvoere ...... 42 Contingency measures as Hepatitis- E outbreak hits Gobabis ...... 43

3

1 Urban Planning, Land & Housing

New houses for Kaisosi The Namibian Sun|19/12/2018

The minister of urban and rural development, Peya Mushelenga, on Monday handed over 52 houses built by the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) at Rundu’s Kaisosi Township. The prices of the NHE houses at Rundu range between N$300 000 and N$500 000. The houses are part of the 123 houses being constructed by NHE with its partners, Salamis Darwen Group on plots serviced by the Rundu Town Council and assigned to the company during the ground-breaking ceremony in February this year. Mushelenga said the importance of owning a house cannot be understated as it brings a sense of pride and dignity to homeowners, noting that many interventions have been put in place which includes the construction of houses by government under the Mass Housing Development Programme. The programme included the servicing of land under the massive urban land servicing project, upgrading of informal settlements, community-driven and settlement upgrading and the decentralised Build Together Programme, said Mushelenga. “These interventions are aimed at addressing the housing backlog in the country, especially for the low and ultra-low income groups,” the minister said. He added that his wish is to see a high number of houses being provided to beneficiaries every year. In order to provide the 5 000 houses per annum as per his performance agreement, the delivery of serviced land by local authorities is key to achieve government’s goal, he said.

“The provision of land and housing are two of our critical national development priorities and important vehicles in addressing poverty and inequality,” stressed Mushelenga. Speaking at the same occasion, the acting CEO of the Rundu Town Council, Sikongo Haihambo, said it is common knowledge that Namibia is experiencing a housing backlog and Rundu is no exception. Haihambo said Rundu has experienced growth in population which is higher than the national average and believes that the houses will provide decent shelter to a lot of families in Rundu.

Property market: ‘Buyers in driving seat’ The Namibian Sun|19/12/2018

FNB Namibia expects house prices to shed 5.8% of their value in 2018, and to start seeing some price resistance in 2019. The mortgage cake is becoming smaller for the increasing number of mortgage financiers, which translates into more competition. – Namene Kalili, Group Economist: FNB Namibia The housing market is expected to become oversupplied with properties, providing various purchase opportunities for first-time property owners, the group economist of FNB Namibia, Namene Kalili, says. “With economic growth stagnating, consumer confidence waning, rising interest rates, rising home ownership costs and the economy still shedding jobs, the stage is set for lower housing demand, at a time when land delivery and housing supply is on the increase,” Kalili says in the latest FNB House Price Index, based on August data. “Under these conditions, the few buyers that are available will be in the driving seat, dictating terms, and resulting in further price corrections,” Kalili says. FNB Namibia expects house prices to shed 5.8% of their value in 2018, and to start seeing some price resistance in 2019, as housing becomes increasingly affordable to more buyers. “This will reduce the price contraction through 2019 to 1.2%, before turning positive in 2020, at which stage we believe property prices will have corrected and thus maintain inflation-related price increases going forward,” Kalili says. The latest data shows that the residential property market remained in the red through August, as property prices contracted by 2.9%. “This means that property prices have contracted in seven of the first eight months of 2018,” according to Kalili.

4

The average property price has now moderated N$1.177 million, from its March 2017 peak of N$1.246 million. Regionally, property prices are falling across the central and coastal regions, with 6.0% and 5.0% price contractions respectively. “The price declines remain concentrated in the luxury segment, where prices have plummeted by 29.4% over the past year, which is trickling down into the lower to upper price segments in the form of decelerated price increases,” Kalili says.

Volumes, advances

Volumes have picked up 27.8% year on year, to levels last seen in 2013, he says. “This comes off rather robust volume growth in the lower and middle price segments, as local authorities’ ramp up affordable housing supply in the northern property market, whilst the incidence of distressed sales accelerates in the central market.” Despite the robust volume growth, normalised mortgage advances are down 3.7%, Kalili says. “This is due to a N$200 million mortgage advance contraction in the luxury segment, on the back of price and volume contraction. Additionally, mortgage advances to the middle and upper price segments are also contracting, due to volume contraction only. “Therefore, the mortgage cake is becoming smaller for the increasing number of mortgage financiers, which translates into more competition, which translates into better terms for consumers,” Kalili says.

Land delivery

Land delivery accelerated even further to 138 stands delivered nationwide. “This has bought the cumulative land delivery 957 stands for the first eight months of 2018, and already the second highest land delivery rate on record,” Kalili says. Further analysis shows that it is the northern and coastal property markets that continue to push land delivery higher. However, the central property market has recently begun to accelerate land delivery. “More land will hopefully translate into better land prices in the medium term,” Kalili says. “But for now, land prices continued to increase, with the August print 43.1% higher than a year ago. This has pushed the average cost of land to N$886/m², symptomatic of the pervasive housing shortage,” he says.

Damvlakke sowat 10% laer as verlede jaar Republikein|20/12/2018

Die drie damme wat Sentraal-Namibië van water voorsien, hou gemiddeld tans 22,5% of 34,722 miljoen kubieke meter water (Mm³). Dit, vergeleke met verlede seisoen toe nog 37,2% water oor was. Volgens NamWater se jongste dambulletin is die Von Bachdam nog sowat 40,3% vol en hou dit tans 19,139 Mm³ water. Die Omatakodam is heeltemal leeg, terwyl die grootste van die drie – die Swakoppoortdam, 24,5% vol is en nog sowat 15,583 Mm³ water oor het. Volgens NamWater word water egter steeds van die Swakoppoortdam af na die Von Bachdam oorgepomp, terwyl water vanuit bronne in die Noorde, soos die Bergh Aukas- en Kombatmyne, wat via die kanaal by die leë Omatakodam aankom, ook na die Von Bachdam oorgeplaas word. In totaal het Namibië se damme nog 235,014 Mm³ water oor en is dit gemiddeld 33,8% vol, vergeleke met verlede jaar dieselfde tyd toe sowat 303,318 Mm³ water oor was en die gemiddeld op 43,6% gestaan het. Nasionale damme het ‘n gesamentlike kapasiteit van 695,984 Mm³. Die Gobabis-omgewing se damme is tans die land se leegste en staan op gemiddeld 3,4% (0,647 Mm³), vergeleke met verlede seisoen se 10,6% of 2,037 Mm³. Op gemiddeld 43,3% vol en met gesamentlik sowat 189,009 Mm³ water oor, vergelyk die Suidedamme die beste, hoewel dit ook sowat 10% leër is as dieselfde tyd verlede jaar. Die Hardapdam is tans 36,6% vol en hou ‘n enorme 107,711 Mm³ water. Die Nautedam is 68,2% vol en hou 57,003 Mm³ water, terwyl die Oanobdam 59,5% vol is en nog sowat 20,538 Mm³ water bevat. Die Dreihukdam staan ook nog op 3,9% (0.609 Mm³), terwyl die Bondelsdam leeg is.

5

Eradicating informal settlements on 2019 agenda The New Era|07/01/2019

Government has made a bold promise to eradicate informal settlements in the country. The situation, President Hage Geingob said in his New Year message, has been declared a humanitarian crisis. A statement by presidential press secretary Dr Alfredo Hengari did not divulge granular details of how government intends on resolving this issue, which is sure to cost billions of dollars. Since gaining its independence in 1990, Namibia has experienced rapid urbanisation that has resulted in the sprawling of informal settlements. Information presented at the second national land conference in October last year showed that about 40 percent of Namibians live in informal settlements. Local and national authorities often lack the necessary information about those communities in order to incorporate them into urban planning. According to the latest updated statistics, there are 308 informal settlements in Namibia with a staggering 228 000 shacks accommodating about 995 000 people in urban areas. This is a huge jump from 2008, when the country had 235 informal settlements with 135,000 shacks accommodating about 500,000 people.

According to the Shack Dwellers Federation (SDF), government and local authorities spend between N$50 000 and N$80 000 to fully service one erf, making serviced land unaffordable to the poor. As a result, the poor set up shacks out of desperation. “Informal settlements undermine the dignity of fellow Namibians. For that reason, government took the bold step of eradicating informal settlements by declaring the situation in these areas a humanitarian crisis,” he remarked. President Geingob, who termed the year 2019 as a ‘year of accountability’, said his administration also took a major step towards resolving the land question, which he described as the single most contentious and emotive issue in Namibia currently. He said despite various misgivings, which included wide- ranging boycotts by some key stakeholders, government successfully planned, organised and hosted the second national land conference in October last year. Several resolutions were arrived at. According to the President, this year government will commence with the implementation of resolutions taken at the conference, looking to alleviate the effects of poverty in certain areas in the south of Namibia, and giving priority to women, youth and war veterans in terms of land accessibility.

Government will also start with low-hanging fruits such as the building of a shrine at Aminius in honour of Chief Hosea Kutako. One of the key events on the country’s political calendar is the 2019 national elections, where President Geingob is likely to seek re-election. He called on fellow politicians to account to the electorate, whom he referred to as the ultimate sovereigns who have ceded their right to administer by bestowing that responsibility to themselves. On the issue of war veterans, Geingob said government acknowledges that there were those who fought outside the borders and there were also those who engaged in battle on the home front. All are equally important, he said. Furthermore, the President said he anticipates the economic situation to turn for the better from this year. The President challenged all Namibians across the board, from students to workers, and professionals in the public and private sectors, to reinvent themselves. “It is time for us to upgrade and learn new skills. Let us become more innovative, adapt, retool and reskill ourselves to benefit from new technologies and the fourth industrial revolution. In doing so, we will stimulate growth and once the economic situation improves, we will stand ready to be competitive and leapfrog into the future,” the head of state said.

Family of nine lose their home in fire at Rundu The Namibian|07/01/2019

A caravan which was home to a family of nine people was completely destroyed in a fire at Rundu on Tuesday. Although the family members are safe, they lost all of their belongings. When Nampa visited their home in the Tutungeni residential area on Wednesday, they were all seated under a big tree next to the gutted caravan. The owner of the caravan, Renate Ngonga who is employed as a 6 plumber at the Ministry of Works and Transport, said she is devastated as all of the familys belongings accumulated over the years have been lost. It feels like our hard work all along has been in vain. Everything was destroyed, we could not even save a spoon, she added. Her daughter, Maria Nkhotoko said she does not know what caused the fire, but remembers that it started in the lounge area around 13h00. Everything happened so fast. We had to find our way out first in order to save our lives, she said. The family made extra money during the festive season by selling liquor and meat in town, but all of this money was lost in the fire too. Ngonga said her husband and herself have now moved to his garage at Sauyemwa, whilst the children were taken in by relatives and neighbours. She said the fire department responded an hour after the fire broke out, but by that time the caravan had been reduced to ashes.

Windhoek’s capital budget nosedives The Namibian Sun|24/01/2019

The City of Windhoek's budget for capital projects in the current financial year has shrunk by 88%. Only N$83 million was approved, compared to the 2017/18 financial year's capital expenditure budget of N$716 million. The City has to date spent N$22 million on capital projects for the current financial year, of which the biggest expense was N$8.4 million for electrification of informal settlements. The City has said that plot servicing, including in informal settlements, is being undertaken through public-private partnerships and as such active projects are not affected by the budget cut. “However, the planning of new developments is and will be affected,” City spokesperson Harold Akwenye told Namibian Sun recently. He added that informal settlement electrification was “partly affected and therefore was progressing at a slower speed than desired” due to the delay in approving the budget. He confirmed that the City's capital expenditure budget was finally approved on 12 December by rural and urban development minister Peya Mushelenga. The N$716 million approved for the 2017/18 financial year had been approved by the city council, but a new cabinet directive required the City to be given final budget approval by the minister. SIX MONTHS The budget was approved after months of back and forth between the ministry and City officials, Akwenye said.He added that there was no official reason from the ministry for the long delay in approving the budget, but that many discussions “had to take place for the minister to satisfy himself that the City of Windhoek, and to a certain extent the government, is not exposed to unsustainable financial risk.” Questions about the delay and the approved budget were sent to the ministry more than a week ago, but remained unanswered by yesterday. Two weeks ago, three opposition city councillors - Brunhilde Cornelius, Ignatius Semba and Josef Kauandenge - said the long delay in approving the capital budget was crippling the City's ability to deliver services to its residents. The previous capital expenditure budget, approved by the city council, amounted to N$716 million and included projects related to township planning, infrastructure, water and technical services, information and communication technology, housing, property management and human settlement, the City Police, and electricity. Namibian Sun was unable to verify the exact details of the revised budget proposal the City had submitted to the ministry last year. A reliable source, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Namibian Sun that because of the delay and the budget cut “certain projects could not get off the ground because the money was not approved”. The source alleged that the affected projects included road expansion projects in Katutura. “Most of the major projects are impacted,” he claimed.

7

Grond: Die goeie en slegte nuus Republikein|25/01/2019

Die ministerie van grondhervorming kon in die 2017-’18 boekjaar slegs 16 nuwe plase van 320 200 ha teen ’n totale onkoste van N$164,6 miljoen aankoop. Altesaam 12 huisgesinne is in dié tydperk hervestig. Dié statistiek kom uit die minister, mnr. Utoni Nujoma, se jaarlikse toespraak aan sy span, wat gister by die ministerie se hoofkantoor in Windhoek gelewer is. Volgens hom is dié getal heeltemal te min gegewe die hoeveelheid huisgesinne wat grond benodig. “ . . . die hoeveelheid grond wat uiteindelik aangeskaf word, is steeds veels te min gegewe die huidige vraag daarna te oordele aan die hoeveelheid aansoeke vir geadverteerde plase. Hierdie trant het ’n voortdurende negatiewe impak op die ministerie se prestasie,” het hy gesê. Ná die fase waarin hervestigingsondersteuning gebied word, volg ’n fase waarvoor die ministerie 170 sonkrag- waterpompstelsels moes aanskaf om 132 boere te ondersteun. Nog vier plaaseenhede in die ||Kharas streek het by die installering van sonkrag gebaat. Nuwe boorgate is op die plase Mbabi in die Omhahekestreek, Klein Otuwapa in die Erongostreek, en Wagnog en Wermer, beide in die Otjozondjupastreek, aangelê. Plase in die Erongo-, Kunene- en Otjozondjupastreek gaan nog nuwe heinings kry, het hy gesê. Utoni het ook verslag gedoen oor vordering met die versekering van grondregte in kommunale gebiede. “Die kwessie van versekerde verblyfreg is werklik kommerwekkend vir die meeste van ons belanghebbers en . . . die ministerie werk saam met ontwikkelingsvennote soos die Europese Unie, KfW (’n Duitse ontwikkelingsbank) en GIZ (’n Duitse ontwikkelingsagentskap) om die registrasie van bestaande regte oraloor die land te bevorder,” het hy gesê. Gedurende die 2017-’18 boekjaar is 1 423 grondregte geregistreer, 683 stukke grond gekarteer en 3 257 grondregte op die databasis bygewerk. Landkaarte van 1 292 dorpies is voltooi met 1 039 betrokke grondregte wat aangeteken is en 1 037 sertifikate wat uitgereik is, het hy gesê. Wat hervestiging betref, is 27 huurkontrakte van 99 jaar elk onderteken, wat meer as N$49 000 vir die ministerie ingebring het in hervestigingshuurkontrakte, en sowat N$170 000 in kommunale grond- kontrakte. As deel van die ontwikkeling van kommunale grond, ook bekend as die PCLD, is waterinfrastruktuur op Okongo-Wes in die Ohangwenastreek vir die Onghalulu-koöperatief se benutting aangelê. In die Zambezistreek word agt boorgate in die Mayeyi- kommunale gebied aangelê. In die Omusatistreek is infrastruktuur vir die plaas Otjetjekua sowat 95% voltooi. Op Ongandjera-Wes is die werksaamhede 98% afgehandel, met slegs die oprigting van ’n 19 km lange heining uitstaande. Op Amarika is 75% van bouwerk voltooi, omdat ’n pyplyn daar nog getoets moet word, en die Okatumba Star-stasie en heining van 68 km is reeds voltooi. Die ministerie verskaf opleiding en mentorskap aan 1 528 boere in die Omusati- en Kavangostreek. Verder het 164 boere in Kavango-Oos en -Wes opleiding in die praktiese aanwending van produkte ontvang. In terme van grondbelasting het die ministerie 1 254 belastingaanslae ter waarde van N$16,59 miljoen uitgereik. “Gedurende die 2017-’18 boekjaar kon die ministerie nie algemene aanslae deur middel van die 2012-waardasierol uitreik nie, weens ’n hofsaak wat op 19 Februarie voortgesit sal word. “Ek hoef nie te noem die hangende hersieningsaak belemmer die toepassing van grondbelasting op kommersiële landbougrond in Namibië ernstig nie. Nietemin gaan voorbereiding vir die 2017-’22-waardasierol voort en dit sal in die loop van die jaar in die waardasiehof verdedig word,” sê hy. Goeie nuus is vordering met ’n rekenaarstelsel vir die registrasie van aktes, wat volgens Nujoma bemoedigend is. Digitale rekord van geologiese inligting oor 49 nedersettings is geneem, en topografiese datastelle vir die Kavango-Oos- en Kavango-Wes-, Otjozondjupa- en Erongostreek word hersien. By dieselfde geleentheid het mnr. Ndilipunye Shanyengana, die landmetergeneraal, bevestig dié inligting sal vir die publiek aanlyn toeganglik wees sodra die proses voltooi is.

8

Vakbondgroep veroordeel afbreek van huise Republikein|28/01/2019

Die Namibiese sambreelvakbond, die Nasionale Unie vir Namibiese Werkers (NUNW), veroordeel die afbreek van huise in informele nedersettings. "Die NUNW en sy geaffilieerdes is geskok en ontsteld omdat dorpsrade, munisipaliteite en ander instellings onder die ministerie van stedelike en landelike ontwikkeling arm mense, wat nie duur huise kan bekostig nie, se huise vernietig," het mnr. Phillip Munenguni, visepresident van die NUNW, Donderdag by 'n nuuskonferensie in die hoofstad gesê. "Ons mandaat begin en eindig by werkers. Informele nedersettings het ’n oorvloed werkers wat betekenisvolle bydraes tot die ekonomie van ons geliefde Namibië maak," het Munenguni gesê. "Ons het gesien hoe hierdie dorpsrade huise vernietig, weerlose werkers dakloos gelaat het en aan ongunstige weertoestande uitgelewer het." Munenguni sê leiers van die land moet in gedagte hou die mense wie se huise vernietig word, is werkers en kiesers wat skoolgaande kinders het. "Baie van hierdie huise of sinkhuise word sonder 'n hofbevel vernietig, en leiers staan en kyk toe hoe weerlose, arm mense se tuistes afgebreek word," het Munenguni gesê. Die vakbondgroep en sy geaffilieerdes veroordeel die onwettige afbreek van huise ten sterkste, het hy gesê. Volgens hom is die vakbondfederasies bewus daarvan dat huise van politici, polisiebeamptes en mense met politieke bande in sekere gebiede op verskeie dorpe nié vernietig word nie. Die NUNW doen 'n beroep op alle leiers vir die verbetering van dienste en dat ekonomiese agteruitgang nie as rede vir swak dienslewering aan die publiek aangevoer word nie. “Om met die afbreek van huise voort te gaan, sal veroorsaak dat mense vertroue in leiers verloor. Dit sal tot chaos lei as oplossings nie gevind word nie," het Munenguni gesê. "Ons het die kiesers grond belowe, maar ons slaag nie daarin om dienste aan ons mense te lewer nie. Mense moenie grond besit wanneer hulle in hul grafte is nie; ons moet grond aan hulle gee, wat hulle ’n tuiste kan noem, terwyl hulle leef. "Die NUNW moedig mense ook nie aan om grond te gryp of die huise van die armes te vernietig nie, maar om wetlike prosedures te volg. Gehoorsaam bestaande wette," waarsku hy. Voorts doen die NUNW 'n beroep op die ministerie van justisie om alle diskriminerende wette wat Namibië van die apartheidsregering geërf het, onmiddellik te herroep. "Beteken dit die ministerie van justisie en Namibië se regering is onbevoeg om wette te maak wat die nasie pas? Of het die ministerie van justisie 'n gebrek aan menslike hulpbronne?" het Munenguni gevra. Hy het gesê 2019 is die jaar van rekenskap, maar "rekenskap moenie net praatjies wees nie".

Omuthiya pupils squat in rented shacks The New Era|30/01/2019

About 70 percent of learners enrolled at Omuthiyagwiipundi Senior Secondary School reside in rented corrugated iron zinc shacks at the town’s sprawling informal settlement of Kaniita and at the nearby village of Oshimangwa Shongete. The majority of the learners are from far-flung areas hence they are forced to seek accommodation elsewhere when enrolled at the school, which is without a hostel facility. Learners pay rent ranging from N$150 to N$400 a month which in some instances excludes water. Within a year, they can pay as high as N$4800 to the landlords owning these ghettos. According to the school Principal Thomas Uupindi, this situation has been one of the contributing factors of the school’s poor performance as learners have too much freedom as they lack parental supervision. “Look, we only spend little time with these learners, and we don’t have much control over them after school hours, hence because of the difficult conditions they tend to engage in unprotected sexual activities for money and food; using alcohol and drugs, and cohabitating with older men as they cannot afford rent,” sympathised Uupindi. The principal said during the third semester last year, the school had 16 cases of pregnant learners. The school has been battling with high teenage pregnancy over the years, and this year they sought assistance from various stakeholders such as Nappa, Project Hope and Star for Life that currently engage learners on how to desist negative practices on a weekly basis.

9

N$1bn for shack relief The Namibian Sun|30/01/2019

Informal settlement have been described as a national humanitarian crisis. City of Windhoek officials estimate that at least 131 000 residents live in slum conditions in the city's 87 informal settlements and propose that an injection of just over N$1 billion from central government could help them start an immediate intervention to address the national humanitarian crisis of informal settlement living conditions and its explosive growth. This recommendation formed part of a City of Windhoek presentation made yesterday during a State House meeting called by President Hage Geingob, who was joined by several ministers and advisers to meet with City officials in order to address the country's unfolding humanitarian crisis of informal settlements. Geingob stressed the need for action and accountability for promises made, highlighting the fact that urban housing and informal settlements form part and parcel of the resolutions taken following last year's land conference. “We have a crisis where human beings are staying in conditions that are unbearable,” he said yesterday. He added that after the land conference, the government officially declared the informal settlement crisis as a serious national humanitarian crisis. He said while the situation has not been declared as a national state of emergency, “it's a disaster for human development and therefore we should address it.” City officials yesterday warned that without interventions now, the situation could spiral out of control with estimates that the population within the informal settlements of Windhoek are set to double in less than a decade. A presentation by the municipality's Faniel Maanda showed that in terms of a suggested financial approach during the “local disaster declaration period”, it is crucial to ensure availability of and a steady flow of financial resources. One suggestion is to request, for phase one funding, just over N$1 billion from the government to intervene immediately in at least 26 of the 87 informal settlements, while the City of Windhoek covers the administrative costs. No further details were provided during the brief presentation at yesterday's meeting while the media was present.

NOT HELPFUL A City manager yesterday briefly told Namibian Sun that the recent deep cuts to the proposed capital expenditure budget of more than N$600 million, of which N$83 was approved only, in December, following a long delay by urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga, has had a “definite impact” on addressing the crisis of informal settlements and related projects. “There are land delivery projects that were part of the budget plans that cannot proceed”, and had to be shelved, he said. The official added that the meeting yesterday offered the City a chance to “say the pressure on the City and the resources availed to us are just being stretched to a limit”. He said the research presented yesterday by the City showed clearly that informal settlements would double in less than a decade and pose a major threat to the city's stability. “All statistics indicate that unless there is a serious and big committed engagement to assist and complement what the City is doing, we are heading for bad times. As we sit, we can't manage this problem now. We need to put a plan on the table to at least have projects in place to at least arrest the situation.” WORKING HARD Yesterday, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the issue of informal settlements was at the top of her agenda as part of the government's efforts to finalise the draft action plan to implement the land conference resolutions. She described the conditions in which people live in informal settlements as “dehumanising and it is contradictory to the commitments we have made, not only nationally but internationally.” The prime minister said the government was also talking to private institutions to formulate strategies going forward, including the Shack Dwellers Federation who have shown that houses can be delivered “at a fraction of the cost” and that government is looking at alternative options such as flexible land tenure options. Attorney-general Albert Kawana praised the Shack Dwellers Federation's successes in providing housing to low-income residents, and proposed that the government could consider assisting the federation, which has done “much better” 10 than other institutions, including parastatals, over the years in finding effective solutions. Kawana further suggested to City of Windhoek officials, in order to address questions around the exact make- up of residents living in informal settlements, to conduct a survey to identify “who is who” in informal settlement areas. Windhoek mayor Muesee Kazapua yesterday urged leaders to “speak the same language” and to recognise the “reality on the ground” and the numerous challenges involved with the informal housing crisis. He warned that unless informal settlements and their explosive growth were addressed urgently, the city would “become ungovernable.” Khomas governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua, who met with Kuugongelwa-Amadhila on the issue of informal settlements on Monday, yesterday said “the face of Windhoek's informal settlements is very ugly.” She added however that the challenges “are so overwhelming that we are unable to manage in terms of the lack of resources”, and listed additional challenges that “compound the problems we face.” McLeod- Katjirua said eradicating informal settlements would also require addressing “attitude problems” of residents, including vandalism, hygiene, and the misuse of free services in these areas.

Shacks 'offend' Geingob... wants them gone in 5 years The Namibian|30/01/2019

President Hage Geingob yesterday said the living conditions of informal settlements' residents should be declared a national humanitarian crisis. Data from the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia for 2018 state that 995 000 people are living in shacks in urban centres of the country. The federation also said there are 308 informal settlements in urban areas, with about 228 000 shacks. Geingob made these remarks yesterday during a meeting with the City of Windhoek mayor, chief executive, councillors and Khomas governor at State House, in view of one of the resolutions from the second land conference to address the situation in informal settlements. He said the conditions are a disaster, and therefore should be addressed to get rid of these informal settlements. “We have a crisis where human beings are staying in conditions that are unbearable. Some are even security officers who come and guard us in the luxury areas where we are staying. A person who would come from that condition, how will their mental state be? And they have guns also,” the president said. He then dismissed claims that the meeting was being held because of the elections which are to take place towards the end of the year. “We have the Harambee Prosperity Plan mapping out our five years, four years of what we will do, and that is following in that context. Secondly, we had the second land conference, where we said we are meeting here because of the resolutions,” he said. Geingob added: “Elections will come here, and we will face it. You know how we campaign. We will campaign and win. But that's not an election, why do you want to strike people with elections?” Windhoek mayor Muesee Kazapua said most people who stay in informal settlements come to the capital to look for greener pastures. “People do not go from here [Windhoek] to Otjinene or Eenhana, but the influx is coming from those areas,” he stated. The mayor said a strategy should be put in place to address the rapid urbanisation in informal settlements, and come up with strict measures to stop people from erecting shacks everywhere. He further said some so-called elites own shacks, and have people who are occupying these shacks. Kazapua advised that the municipality should have an audit to expose those well-off people who own a shack or property in informal settlements, and who should not be there. “As much as we talk about accountability, transparency should also accompany it because there is no way people are allowed to unfairly survive at the expense of others, especially poor people. There should be measures and controls,” he stressed. Major population movements to cities are shifting the burden of poverty to urban areas. “The persistent problem is that attempts to tackle urban poverty directly by creating jobs and providing public services usually attract more rural poor, and their migration wipes out any gains made,” he explained. He added that the majority of residents in informal settlements have poor access to potable water, which results in them using unhygienic water sources. The lack of sanitation facilities also resulted in many households resorting to using “flying toilets”, unauthorised pit latrines in their backyards, and makeshift showers with free-flowing wastewater. Khomas governor Laura McLeod- Katjirua said the challenges informal settlements face are so overwhelming that it is difficult to 11 manage the unhygienic situation as well as vandalism in those areas. She echoed Kazapua's sentiments regarding the well-off living or owning property in informal settlements. “When you look at the make-up of the informal settlements, it is not mainly the poorest of the poor, but probably the majority of those are some of us,” she said. McLeod-Katjirua added that the residents do not take care of whatever services the municipality provides them. “The City of Windhoek needs some interventions, mainly from the central government,” she said. On average, the monthly income of households in informal settlements in urban areas is N$1 500. Besides, the total amount of money the households in informal settlements can afford per month is between N$375 and N$750 for rent and services. Affirmative Repositioning movement leader Job Amupanda criticised Kazapua's comments on doing a forensic audit of informal settlements. “We have observed, with shock and disgust, the remarks of the outgoing mayor of the City of Windhoek, Muesee Kazapua, who, at an electioneering gimmick held at State House with President Hage Geingob, asked for a forensic audit to investigate the poor in informal settlements,” he added. He said Kazapua doubts that the poor exist and are the majority of residents in informal settlements. “In his mind and that of his political party, there are well-off people who choose to live in informal settlements, without water and electricity, and using stones to clean their behind, just for fun,” he said. Amupanda further stated that it is a joke to ask for a forensic audit to determine who stays in informal settlements when a competent body, the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), has on numerous occasions indicated the challenges of informal settlements, and who reside there. “It was the government's statistics that indicated that 900 000 Namibians live in informal settlements. It is very clear that there is no clear solution in sight from these self-serving and self-glorifying elites”, he charged. Some members of opposition political parties yesterday denounced the president's move to describe the informal settlement issue as a “humanitarian crisis”. Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Rally for Democracy and Progress secretary general Mike Kavekotora accused the president of using people's emotions as a political ploy. He said living conditions in informal settlements have always been dangerous, and continue to deteriorate due to the influx of people from the regions who are either seeking employment opportunities or better access to healthcare and better education. “People are crying for land, but the government is stagnant on this part and the decentralisation of services,” said Kavekotora. Utaara Mootu, the spokesperson for the Landless People's Movement, said she knows of people who grew up and still live in informal settlements on the outskirts of towns. According to her, informal settlements are already plagued with poor sanitation and lack of basic services, and that the president's declaration that it is a humanitarian crisis which needs to be tackled before the national elections is questionable. “How can the government want to deal with the issue of informal settlements when we are experiencing cash flow problems, yet when we had the financial means, this was not prioritised?” asked Mootu. In August last year, Kagiso Thutlwe, the mayor of Botswana's capital city, Gaborone, described the informal settlements on the edges of Windhoek as an embarrassment to the president who lives in the capital, and called for people to be given land to build decent homes instead. “People should get land. I see you have land. They should get land so that they can build better houses. They are the responsibility of not just yourself, but also of the president, who resides here with them,” he had stressed.

12

Shacks dwellers urged to save for houses The Namibian|30/01/2019

Walvis Bay constituency councillor John Nangolo has urged members of the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia to save up enough money to construct their houses. Members of the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia gathered at Kuisebmond and Narraville Walvis Bay on Sunday to pay subscriptions into a pool fund, as well as share ideas on how to acquire houses cheaper and faster. So far, the federation comprises 4 569 members at Kuisebmond and Narraville. The group, which holds meetings every Sunday, have contributed N$6 533 967 in savings so far. Since 1998, the federation has only managed to build 248 houses for its members. Last year, the federation was allocated 100 plots at Kuisebmond by the urban and rural development ministry, where houses were constructed. The group also received approval to acquire an additional 268 erven at extension 11 at Narraville last year. The members have been organising themselves to work at the Narraville site, as the land needs servicing. Although some companies have come on board to help, the federation still needs about N$84 million for the land to be fully serviced, and hopes more help will come their way. Nangolo, who visited the federation's members during their meeting on Sunday to motivate them and offer advice on the way forward, urged members to remain organised and united as they have been throughout the year. He said that they have almost reached their goal, with the allocation of the plots. He said the government was trying its best to fulfil promises on safeguarding fundamental human rights and freedoms in line with the country's Constitution, but also urged citizens to play their part. “We are proud that the federation has remained committed and united, which is the secret to winning. We know that there is a scarcity of land, and the government will continue trying to help you in your efforts. It is, therefore, important that you remain united so that you can attract more good Samaritans. “It is true that some came first, according to your list of members, and others followed. But please keep in mind that the recording of your contributions also matters. Well-organised people get preference. The question is, did all of you contribute, or are some just waiting for others to contribute, and counting on their names being first on the list? Let us create the culture of using less on entertainment and more towards our house savings,” he added. Nangolo said it will be sad when plots are ready for building, and then some people do not have money for building materials because they would have wasted money on unnecessary things while others have saved wisely. Once plots are ready, members will be granted a certain time frame to start building, and failure to meet the deadline might result in a plot being given to the next person. “I used to join you as you tried to level the ground last year. Some people were just standing around, waiting for the hours to pass so that they could write down their names that they contributed labour. This is a collective fight. Let us start this year with a new attitude. People will only notice you when they see that you are committed,” he stated. Pensioner Regina Hurschfield has been a member of the federation since 2005, and is optimistic that she will get her house this year. “I am optimistic that by March, the groundwork will be finished, and I will live in my house. We have been working hard for all these years, and I hope everything will work out,” she said. Julia Ndungawa, who joined the federation last year, said she will pray hard to get a plot soon, and build a house for her family. “I am still young, but want to secure a safe and private place for my family. I do not want to live in other people's houses for the rest of my life. I am hopeful that I will get mine eventually,” she enthused. Skilled federation members team up to build the houses for those who get plots, thereby reducing costs.

‘Humanitêre krisis’ in nedersettings Republikein|30/01/2019

Die humanitêre krisis wat inwoners van die hoofstad se informele nedersettings daagliks ervaar, geniet tans die aandag van die land se hoogste besluitnemers. President Hage Geingob het gister ’n afvaardiging van leiers in die sentrale regering, die Khomasstreek, en die hoofstad se raad en bestuur na Staatshuis ontbied om dié voortdurende ramp, asook oplossings daarvoor te bespreek. Die 13 munisipale kenner, prof. Faniel Maanda, het die omvang van die krisis verduidelik. Hy het gesê daar is tans 87 informele nedersettings in en om die hoofstad. Windhoek benodig N$1 miljard om die 26 mees gevestigde nedersettings in die stad te ontwikkel, het hy gesê.

GROEI Terwyl die hoofstad se bevolking na verwagting oor 23 jaar gaan verdubbel, vermeerder die hoeveelheid mense in nedersettings tans só vinnig dat húl bevolking binne 9,5 jaar sal verdubbel, het hy gesê.Tans woon sowat 131 000 mense uit Windhoek se totale bevolking van sowat 394 000 mense in hierdie nedersettings. Maanda het gesê die lewe in Windhoek se nedersettings kan met die wêreld se agterbuurte vergelyk word. Inwoners is kwesbaar weens misdaad en ’n gebrek aan water, sanitêre en gesondheidsgeriewe, terwyl oormatige hitte, die voortdurende moontlikheid van brande, oormatige koue en kitsvloede hulle ook in gevaar stel. SIEKTE Swak toegang tot basiese dienste, die ophoop van vullis, ontbossing en woestynvorming, asook openbare ontlasting vererger dié omstandighede, en dra ook by tot die verspreiding van die hepatitis-epidemie wat die hoofstad verlede jaar getref het, het Maanda gesê. Hy skat tot 8 000 nuwe mense vestig hulself jaarliks in Windhoek se informele nedersettings, met ’n gevolglike behuisingsbehoefte van sowat 2 000 huisgesinne. Die voortdurende toestroming na veral die Havana-nedersetting het Windhoek se munisipaliteit genoodsaak om ’n draad te span om dié invloei te beperk. Maanda het gewaarsku die mislukking om basiese dienste te verskaf kan tot meer misdaad en uiteindelik meer burgerlike onrus en minagting van die regering lei. “Die stad kan onregeerbaar raak,” het hy gewaarsku.

NÓÚ IS DIE TYD

Die burgemeester van Windhoek, mnr. Muesee Kazapua, het gesê die begin van die jaar is ’n goeie tyd om dié probleem aan te spreek. “Mense is op soek na geleenthede,” het hy gesê. Hy het ’n beroep gedoen op die streng toepassing van maatreëls om dít te bekamp. Die munisipaliteit se uitvoerende hoof, die pas heraangestelde mnr. Robert Kahimise, het gesê die hoofstad se bestuur versoek dat ’n noodtoestand afgekondig word om te keer dat die situasie vererger. “Daar is baie wat ons reeds doen, maar dit is nie genoeg nie,” het hy gesê. Kahimise het gesê die gryp van grond en die onwettige oprigitng van informele huise verdubbel volgens die geskiedenis tydens ’n verkiesingsjaar. Geingob het gesê die dringendheid van die situasie het niks te doen met die komende nasionale verkiesing later vanjaar nie. Hy het gesê sy besluit om in te gryp is ’n regstreekse uitvloeisel van die resolusies van 2018 se tweede nasionale grondkonferensie. SHACK DWELLERS BIED HOOP Die eerste minister, me. Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, het gesê omstandighede in Namibië se nedersettings is onmenslik. Volgens haar word vennootskappe met die private sektor, asook die toepassing van ’n buigsame grondbesitstelsel en meer ondersteuning vir die Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN) as moontlike oplossings oorweeg. Geingob het gesê die SDFN bou huise vir lede teen sowat N$40 000 per huis, terwyl privaat ontwikkelaars en selfs die regering se eie National Housing Entreprise (NHE) slegs huise teen N$300 000 elk kan verskaf. Intussen ondersteun die president die benadering dat die Namibiese polisie meer moet doen om die bou van onwettige huise in die eerste plek te voorkom. Volgens hom word die vryheid van beweging misbruik, wat Namibië se grondwet verseker. “Daar is geen absolute vryheid nie,” het hy gesê. “Kom ons moedig hulle aan om te bly waar hulle gebore is en waar hulle vandaan kom,” het hy gesê oor die talle mense wat gedurig Windhoek toe verhuis.

14

Shacks 'election ploy' blasted The Namibian Sun|31/01/2019

President Hage Geingob and Windhoek mayor Muesee Kazapua have both come under blistering attack following a media briefing at State House on Tuesday dealing with the hundreds of thousands people living in slum-like conditions throughout Namibia. Geingob was even chided on social media for his decision in 2002 to quit former president Sam Nujoma's cabinet, after he had been demoted from prime minister to local government minister, where could have contributed to solving Namibia's housing crisis. The head of state's bona fides were also questioned, given that it is an election year, and he has only lately chosen to speak out about the shack “humanitarian crisis”. Geingob has denied that Tuesday's media briefing was an election ploy. Kazapua, on the other hand, was blasted for calling for a forensic audit to determine whether the shacks actually belonged to those living in them, saying that many of the so-called elite own shacks. City of Windhoek officials estimate that at least 131 000 residents live in slum-like conditions in Windhoek's informal settlements, while data from the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia for 2018 indicated that there are 995 000 people living in shacks in 308 informal settlements across the country. Former journalist and vocal Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) supporter Nico Smit Junior said on Facebook: “Did you know? In 2002 when former president Sam Nujoma demoted Hage Geingob from prime minister, he (Nujoma) appointed Geingob as minister of regional and local government, housing and rural development, but Geingob believed this post to be beneath him and he then left for the United Nations.” “So if informal settlements are so important to Geingob, why did he not take the job that Nujoma gave him in 2002 and back then declared the issue a crisis? It is an election year, and we must be mindful of 'leaders' trying to score cheap political points.” Social activist Abes Kaibeb said the president's concern was an election gimmick. “What I do not understand is that those corrugated-iron shacks have been standing around Namibia for years, but Geingob was not bothered. He was minster of so many portfolios and in the prime minister's chair for how long, and he did nothing,” he said. According to Kaibeb the president paid no special attention to informal settlements during his tenure as head of state so far and another five years will change nothing. “How do they want to get rid of the shacks? The mass housing they started was the biggest mess. And we know the government has no money to pay for schools; where will they get the money to replace the shacks?” he asked. Political commentator Dr Henning Melber tweeted: “Shacks existed when Geingob became prime minister in 1990 and informal settlements grew ever since then. “It took him quite a long time, including close to four years as president, to feel 'offended' by their existence.” Geingob, who declared informal settlements a humanitarian crisis his New Year's message, repeated this statement on Tuesday. “We have a crisis where human beings are staying in conditions that are unbearable. Some are even security officers who come and guard us in the luxury areas where we are staying. A person who would come from that condition, how will their mental state be? And they also have guns,” Geingob said. Responding to Kazapua's call for a shack audit, Melber tweeted: “Well, the rich folks in the posh suburbs may own the shacks but they certainly do not live in them! This simply testifies to the class society in which the haves exploit the have-nots at the margins unscrupulously even further. Does the mayor not get that? It's disgusting.” Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader Job Amupanda suggested that the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) be called in to acquaint the mayor with the findings of a publication titled 'Poverty Dynamics in Namibia'. According to AR the mayor's comment revealed his ignorance of the conditions in which the poor live. Amupanda is perturbed that the City plans to spend millions on a forensic audit instead of using the money to solve the actual problem and provide housing to shack dwellers. He added that the cost of such a forensic audit could easily build more than 100 low-cost houses for the poor. “This is not surprising because it is clear that the City of Windhoek did not come with any clear solution to engage, but merely went to State House like congregants going to the church, waiting to receive the holy words from a charismatic reverend. “Such is the extent to which the state of land and housing in the country in general and in Windhoek in particular has degenerated. It is very clear that there is no clear solution in sight from these self-serving and self-glorifying elites. We are not idiots and we

15 understand that all these are mere political gimmicks in an election year,” Amupanda said in a statement.

16

2 Urban Infrastructure and Services

Fears of drought escalate The Namibian Sun|04/01/2019

Recent downpours in many parts of Namibia and a trickle inflow into dams in the central areas have raised hopes of a good rainy season but experts warn that farmers should rather prepare for drought than pin their hopes on good rainfall for the rest of the season. South African climatologist Johan van den Berg, a climate scientist at Santam Agriculture, said this week that from an agricultural viewpoint, the rest of the 2018/19 summer season carries a high risk of drought conditions. He stressed however that a notable challenge climate experts are wrestling with currently is the fact that accurate weather forecasts are highly unreliable and difficult. “The 2018/19 summer season will more than likely be remembered as one of the most difficult forecasting seasons in many years. Few if any weather outlooks forecast that the first part of the season would be so dry,” he said. Van den Berg added that southern Africa is more than likely nearing the end of a drought cycle that started in 2012, based on a long-term overview. “It is very likely that wetter conditions will set within the next year or two. The challenge is to survive the current season.” As a result of the forecasting difficulties, which are due to several factors, while it is recommended to prepare for dry months ahead, “there is always a chance that the rain conditions could improve.” To guard against false optimism and to ensure adequate planning, however, Van den Berg said it was crucial that farmers ensured they were ready for a potential disaster in terms of rainfall. “Should it turn out differently, [they should] see that as a bonus and not the other way around.”

SCARCE

In August last year already the consensus reached by climate scientists for the southern African region was to expect erratic rainfall and normal to below-normal rainfall for the period October 2018 to March 2019. The most recent weekly dam bulletin issued by NamWater shows that the level of the Von Bach Dam rose from 39.7% to 41.5% by 31 December as a result good rains. The Omatako Dam’s level has increased slightly from 0% to 0.5% since last week. The level of the Swakoppoort Dam continued to drop in the last week of 2018, from 23.9% to 23.5% by 31 December. Compared to last year, the dam levels are worrying. At the same time last year, the Swakoppoort Dam was 40.8% full and Von Bach 60.3%. The level of the Omatako Dam is the same as last year – empty. In August, the City of Windhoek announced an emergency water supply strategy, in addition to new mandatory 10% water savings, to ensure sustainable and secure water supply under drought conditions. Currently, Windhoek's southern suburbs are primarily supplied with water from nine boreholes that were drilled in the aquifer, the city’s emergency resource, over the past year. At least 20 000 cubic metres of water is extracted daily from the aquifer. This supply strategy was designed to address the lack of inflow to the three main supply dams - Von Bach, Swakoppoort and Omatako - whose supply to the city was halved from around 60 000 cubic metres daily to 30 000. The city’s water supply is additionally supplemented with around 17 000 cubic metres a day from the Windhoek reclamation plant, which is the maximum output it can provide. Yet, in order to ensure the new daily usage target of 67 000 cubic metres a day is achieved, a 10% saving by residents is crucial. Koos Theron of the City of Windhoek's infrastructure, water, and technical services division explained at the time that the current water supply strategy is highly risky as it relies on the aquifer, which is a designated emergency resource. He explained that the current daily abstraction of around 20 000 cubic metres is not sustainable in the long run, based on the average natural recharge of the underground water source which amounts to around 1.7 million cubic metres per year. At the current rate, around 7.5 million cubic metres per year are being extracted, almost 4.5 times the recharge rate. “If everybody can contribute, we should be able to get to the 67 000 cubic metres a day. If we do not, we have to

17 exploit the boreholes further, which is not a good option, because we are already using our 'retirement money',” he said.

Ariamsvlei settlement in water crisis The Namibian Sun|07/01/2019

A water crisis has hit the Ariamsvlei settlement in the //Karas region since December, leaving residents in despair. Residents of the settlement's Vergenoeg location are frustrated and angry that their taps have run dry, and called on the relevant authorities to intervene. A resident who had tipped off The Namibian about the water crisis at the settlement said the Vergenoeg location's taps have not been flowing since 20 December 2018. “We have no water to flush our toilets and cook food; and the water crisis poses a health risk,” a resident fumed. The local settlement officials, residents said, at first blamed a broken water pump for the water shortage, but later changed their tune by saying water had not been pumped to the location because a NamWater official stationed at its local pump station was on leave since early December. The settlement's office staffers last Friday were supplying water from a 500-litre water container to about 600 residents. Complaining that the water supplied from a water tanker to residents was not enough to cater for all, a resident remarked that “the officer in charge of the settlement office and his staff do not care about concerns of the community, who at least deserve the right to water”. Dennis Coetzee, regional constituency councillor for Karasburg East, under which Ariamsvlei settlement resorts, yesterday said he was not aware of the water crisis at the settlement. “It is news to me,” he said when approached for comment. “To date, nobody has brought the matter to my attention,” he added. Coetzee said he was only aware that some residents received water during certain hours because of low water pressure. “I have tabled this problem in council, and we are working to find a solution,” he noted.

Von Bach kry 10%water by Republikein|07/01/2019

Twee van die drie damme wat sentraal-Namibië van water voorsien, het water bygekry nadat goeie reënbuie kort voor Nuwejaar in hul opvangsgebiede voorgekom het. Die Von Bachdam se vlakke het sedertdien met bykans 10% gelig. Dié dam het sedert 31 Desember altesaam 4,709 miljoen kubieke meter (Mm³) water ingekry en van 41,5% tot 51,4% gelig. Teen 11:00 op Nuwejaarsdag het water die Von Bachdam teen 50,3 kubieke meter per sekonde (m³/s) binnegestroom. Volgens NamWater se jongste damverslag het dié dam teen 15:00 op Woensdag steeds ‘n inloop van 3,9 m³/s gehad. Die Omatakodam, wat op Oujaarsdag bykans leeg was met net sowat 0,5% water oor, staan sedert 2 Januarie nou op 1,3%.

‘WEERPROFEET’ VOORSPEL REËN

Intussen het die befaamde weerkenner prof. Peet Pienaar aan Republikein gesê hy verwag dat Januarie en Februarie goeie reëns vir Namibië kan bring – selfs effe beter as verlede jaar. Sy voorspelling verskil radikaal van ander weerkenners, wat teen droogtes vir die huidige reënseisoen gewaarsku het. “Ek vermoed vanjaar gaan nié so droog vir Namibië wees nie. As ek na my kaarte kyk, lyk dit of dit bietjie beter as verlede jaar gaan reën – alhoewel nie 100% beter nie,” het Pienaar gesê. “Die winde in die Kaap het baie sterk gewaai; ek glo dit sal bydra tot julle reën,” het hy aan Republikein verduidelik. Hy sê hy laat hom nooit uit oor El Niño-voorspellings nie en kan ook nie verduidelik waarom Namibië se reënseisoen so laat is en of dit meer gereeld gaan gebeur dat die reën eers later tydens die reënseisoene sy verskyning maak nie. “Namibië is baie afhanklik van die tropiese lug wat vanaf die Noorde uit Angola se rigting kom. Dit is die eintlike belangrike faktor – julle goeie reëns kom uit die trope uit,” het Pienaar verduidelik. “Namibië se ‘normale reën’ kom uit die Ooste. Julle sal nie maklik reën van die see of die Suide kry nie.”

18

Hy het ook verduidelik dat ‘n afsnylaag goeie reën vir die land kan bring. “In Namibië se geval kan dit tipies gebeur wanneer ‘n laag koue lug onder ‘n tropiese luglaag vanuit die Noorde inbeweeg. “Daar waar dit bymekaar kom en die koue lugstroom onderin beweeg, kom daar dikwels goeie reën voor. “As die minimum en maksimum temperatuur met 10 °C verskil, is daar reën in die lug. As dit met 15 °C of 20 °C verskil, is dit droog,” het hy gesê.

DROOGTE OP PAD?

‘n Klimatoloog by Santam Suid-Afrika het egter gemaan dat landbouers die 2018-’19-reënseisoen as ‘n “potensiële rampjaar” moet hanteer en eerder positief verras moet word indien goeie reëns wel voorkom, as om te hoë verwagtinge te koester.“Uit ‘n landbou-oogpunt hou die res van hierdie somerseisoen ’n hoë risiko vir droogte in. Daar is baie onsekerheid wat betref reënvoorspellings vir die res van die somer,” het mnr. Johan van den Berg aan Republikein gesê. Hy het gesê die 2018-’19- somerseisoen sal waarskynlik onthou word as een van die moeilikstes in jare om voorspellings te maak. “Min of geen voorspellings het voorsien dat die eerste deel van dié somer só droog sou wees nie. “Een van die redes vir die swak voorspelbaarheid is die stand van die see-oppervlaktemperature in die Stille Oseaan, asook toestande in die Indiese Oseaan,” het Van den Berg verduidelik.

Dam levels rise The Namibian Sun|08/01/2019

Copious rainfall has allowed an increase of 20 percentage points in Von Bach Dam and if one particular prediction holds, this year may not be as bad. Two of Namibia's central dams received inflows following good rainfall in their catchment areas just before the New Year. Von Bach's level rose 20 percentage points, from 41.5% to 59.6%, after taking in 9 402 million cubic metres since 31 December. By 11:00 on New Year's Day, 50.3 cubic metres per second was flowing into the dam. According to the latest dam bulletin from NamWater, Von Bach was still receiving water on Wednesday last week, at a rate of 3.9 cubic metres per second. It now stands at 59.6%. The Omatako Dam, which was almost empty at 0.5% of capacity, had risen to 1.4% by 7 January. South African meteorologist Professor Peet Pienaar told Namibian Sun that he expects good rains for Namibia during January and February, adding that it could exceed last year's rainfall. Pienaar's prediction differs greatly from others who have forecast a drought year. “I think this will not be such a dry year for Namibia. If I look at my maps, it appears that it will rain better than last year, but not 100% better,” he said. “The winds in the Cape were strong this year and this will contribute to rain in your country,” he explained. Pienaar never comments on El Niño predictions and says he cannot explain why the rainy season started so late, or whether that will be a regular occurrence. “Namibia relies heavily on tropical air that moves in from the north, from Angola. This is the most important factor – your rain comes from the tropics,” Pienaar said. “Namibia's normal rain comes from the east. You do not get rain from the south or the ocean.” He added that a good “cut-off low” can bring good rains. “In Namibia's case, it happens when a layer of cold air moves in under a layer of tropical air coming from the north. “There where they come together and the cold air moves in under the tropical air, good rains will fall. “When your [daily] minimum and maximum [temperatures] differ by 10 degrees there is rain in the air. Where the difference is between 15 and 20 degrees, the air is dry.” A climatologist from Santam in South Africa has warned farmers to prepare for a potentially disastrous year and rather be surprised should good rains fall. “From an agricultural perspective, there is a high risk for drought for the remainder of the summer season. There is a lot of uncertainty over what this rainy season will hold,” Johan van den Berg told Namibian Sun earlier. He added, though, that this season would be remembered as the one when it was most difficult to make weather predictions. “Very few predictions were made that the first half of the season would be so dry. “Conditions in the Pacific and Indian oceans have rendered the ability to predict what will happen almost impossible,” Van den Berg said.

19

Khorixas council not to blame for blocked drainage The New Era|09/01/2019

Khorixas mayor Elizabeth Geises has defended council against any blame for the blocked drainage system at the town, saying residents have themselves to blame. Geises said on Monday that some residents dump animal skins, plastics, spoons, tyres, stones and clothes in the north western town’s drains. “Town council employees are showing us things that are dumped into the drains, so we (town council) should not be blame for the blocked drainage throughout the town,” Geises said. The mayor advised the residents to cook animal skins and feed it to their dogs instead of dumping them in drains as this causes blockage. “I beg all our town’s residents to look after the town’s infrastructure and guard it jealously. Let’s work towards a better Khorixas rather than breaking it down,” Geises emphasised. While she admits that Khorixas has old sewage pipes, she was quick to insist that the stuffing of pipes was being caused by the residents themselves. “We are tired of the smell from the drains. The sewage pipes are old and we should not be blamed for the blocked drains,” one elderly lady cooking food a few metres away from the blocked drain told New Era while her daughter expressed fear of Hepatitis E infections. The running sewage water has been an eyesore throughout town since the past year and residents have taken their frustration to social media, council for the situation. Pupils from T. H. F !Gaeb Primary School and Welwitchia Junior Secondary School at the town last year has to cross running sewage water when they commuted to school, while children that do not attend school were often spotted playing in the sewage water. Geises called upon residents to pay their municipal bills so that town council can improve infrastructure as the current monies in council’s possession end up paying salaries of employees. “Let’s pay municipal bills so we can use monies for the development of our town as we currently spend monies on employees,” Geises said. Last year, New Era reported that the Khorixas Town Council was owed N$50 166 912 by its residents. When asked about household garbage not collected since December, Geises said the town council’s truck used for this purpose has been in Otjiwarongo for repair since last November. Khorixas inhabitants who ran businesses and those who work in other towns were called upon to assist the council with buying a truck as well as dustbins so that the town can be clean. “We plead with successful business people and others who hail from our town to contribute towards cleanness of our town. We all must play our part by giving back.” The Khorixas mayor also revealed to New Era that the town council have also asked assistance from the City of Windhoek to assist them with old dustbins and are awaiting their response. Geises also wishes the town’s residents a prosperous year in which residents have to be united towards developing the town through paying municipal bills on time; residents were called upon to give more attention to their children’s education by investing more time in their studies and not just invest in them financially.

Water rationing introduced at Gobabis The New Era|10/01/2019

An acute shortage of water supply to the town of Gobabis by the Namibia Water Cooperation (Namwater) has forced the local municipality here to impose stringent water restrictions. Water rationing has been introduced at the town, whereby taps will be closed completely between 22h00 and 04h00 the next day by the water utility to safe water.The water rationing, which comes into effect this Friday, will be in place daily until end February 2019. Confirming the developments to Nampa on Wednesday, Public Relations Officer (PRO) at the Gobabis Municipality, Frederich Ueitele said the move to ration water was necessitated by the condition of the Otjivero Dam at Omitara, which is empty at this stage following low rainfall in the catchment area. The Otjivero Dam is the main source of water supply to Gobabis, in addition to several boreholes that are used in emergency situations. Ueitele said despite the presence of 28 boreholes for this purpose, only 12 are usable at this stage, as the remaining 16 require rehabilitation. During this period, we will be relying on these 12 boreholes to service Gobabis, while others are being attended to. As such, it is important to limit our water usage at all costs to avoid a worse scenario, he said. The PRO noted that engineers working 20 on the rehabilitation of the boreholes will need until 28 February to finalise the process, after which the water restrictions will be lifted. He said Namwater had informed the town council of an imminent water shortage for the town in July 2018 already. Since then, contingency measures were put in place to cushion the effect of the water crisis on residents, hence the limited dry tap hours, Ueitele said. We thought of our residents, especially school-going children, and decided to ration water at that time to limit the impact on the community,he pointed out, adding that he could however not rule out further water restrictions, depending on the success of the pending water rationing exercise.

Groot Aub struggles with water access The Namibian|11/01/2019

The lack of consistent water supply continues to plague the community of Groot Aub located over 45 kilometers South-East of Windhoek, with residents suggesting that they go, at times, days without water. In an interview with Nampa on Thursday, community members of the settlement said, the unending water problem has forced them to adjust to not having it instead of hoping for a solution. One resident, Thurstan Beukes said his neighbour, who gets water from the reservoir, provides water to four other households, including his household, causing a great inconvenience. Jacobus Smith, an employee of the Omeya Golf Course, who is also a resident of the community, said the water situation is a huge burden to the community as they did not receive water on Sundays and Wednesdays so residents had to do without water if they did not store enough. There is no water today so we have to do with the little that we have, he added. Windhoek Rural Constituency Councillor, Penina Ita said, although the water issue is not entirely resolved, it has improved since the City of Windhoek (CoW) took over the administration of Groot Aub in September of 2017. She noted that the CoW has appointed local residents to open and close a tap which runs from the borehole, instead of keeping it open the entire time, thereby depleting the water. We depend entirely on the borehole system which is fed by the rain so the yield in the borehole also goes down, which means the water is not enough to extract to provide for the people, she further said.The bill to pump water until last year March was N.dollars 80 000.00 and no resident could pay for it, Ita added. She highlighted that the CoW is putting measures in place, planned to be implemented in August, for the community to start paying for water and electricity in order to acquire the necessary equipment such as pipes or boreholes. In spite of these proposed measures, residents have singled out the problem of unemployment as one that will make it difficult for them to pay for these water and electricity services. Ita however emphasised that people should become more innovative rather than waiting to be given jobs all the time. As much as we want government to provide jobs, they only have limited jobs available. There is much job creation opportunities in Groot Aub such as gardening and fence- fixing, she added.

RTC to repair worst potholed road in Rundu The New Era|11/01/2019

The Rundu Town Council (RTC) plans to work on repairing the Sam Nujoma road which has the worst potholes in the town that have not been fixed for over two years. This has led to some motorists creating a gravel road on the side of the road in order to avoid driving through the potholes, while others have no choice but to drive through the road. RTC acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sikongo Haihambo informed Nampa in an interview on Friday that council sent out a tender for the rehabilitation of the Sam Nujoma road. Once the contract is finalised, which might take a little bit of time because of the public procurement notifications, the contractor can start, he said. He added that the RTC is also in the process of completing the Mbwangungu Hamutenya road that leads to Rundu beach which was delayed for a few days. The contractor, he said, is now just patching up a few things before the road will be completely done in due course. The road was however open for use to the public during the festive season as it is practically completed, the acting CEO noted. He

21 went on to say that the RTC will continue to patch potholes on the bitumen roads, an exercise which already commenced in December 2018. Haihambo further told the agency that with regards to the challenges of water in Rundu, council advertised a tender and they are in the process of adjudicating the award for the town to have prepaid water meters to solve their long-running problem. Last year, council failed to buy units from the Namibia Water Corporation (Namwater), which left residents without water for days. The installation of the prepaid water meters, he continued, will first be conducted under a pilot period of six months. The CEO however warned that although the residents' taps are running for now, they are still not out of the woods as far as water is concerned.

Mpacha Airport in bad shape The New Era|14/01/2019 16 A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security has concluded that Mpacha Airport in Katima Mulilo is in a bad shape, especially its runway. According to the report tabled in the National Assembly late last year, the Katima Mulilo airport is built within a former military base and operates just opposite a base where the Ministry of Defence stores its heavy ammunitions, making it very difficult to upgrade it to respond to aviation rules. However, the report shows that plans are under way to move it further towards the runway direction for possible upgrade and expansion. This is among the many challenging findings by the committee that undertook visits to inquire into the security situation at the Port of Walvis Bay, airports and aerodromes in Erongo, Khomas, Zambezi, Kunene and Otjozondjupa regions last year. In compliance with the international aviation rules, the airport runway has to be expanded and the entire airport needs to be revamped. Hence, the committee was informed that a tender will soon be advertised for public bidding. “Officials feel there is a great need for the airport to be expanded and to upgrade the runway to comply with international aviation rules,” the report indicates. In addition, the committee found out that except Air Namibia which utilises the airport, lodge owners who own private planes also use the airstrip for taking off and landing in Kavango East, Bagani and Omega. However, parliamentarians observed that they do this without proper search and control, of which airport officials, police and immigration feel is promoting illegal practices. Therefore, the committee suggested that for these planes to be searched, proper legislation has to be enacted to avoid litigation against government, by lodge owners. The committee found that the current setup at the airport compromises the security level because the police have no total control over departing passengers, as they move up and down freely, even after having gone through security search. Katima Mulilo and Rundu airports are manned by three stakeholders mainly Namibia Airports Company (NAC), Namibian Police and immigration officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration. NAC is responsible for the day- to-day activities of the airport and maintenance, while the police are responsible for the operation of the walkthrough metal detector and x-ray (scanner) machines. They are used to conducting electronic body search on passengers and x-rays are used to search luggage bags. The committee was informed that in the absence of machines being operational, a random physical body and luggage search is conducted on all passengers departing and arriving. The parliamentarians were also informed that due to shortage of manpower at the regional office, immigration officials work on call out. They only go to the airport whenever there is a clearance to be done and a 24-hour notice has to be given.

Elisenheim blackout reaches three days The New Era|14/01/2019

A power outage that hit Elisenheim Lifestyle Village in Windhoek on Tuesday last week persisted through to Thursday afternoon. A public notice by the City of Windhoek indicated that the problem was caused by a faulty power supply cable. “The type of fault being experienced by the supply cable in question is caused by a condition that is technically known as ‘water treeing’ aggravated by water

22 ingress and the effects are multiple faults on the cable due to compromised insulation integrity and can no longer sustain a high loading,” reads the public notice. The power failure also affected NaTIS offices as well as many other businesses in the north of the capital city that are being supplied by the same electric cable. A resident of the village who spoke to New Era on Thursday complained that frozen food in refrigerators started rotting and most of it had to be thrown away. “It is a disaster, we do not know when they will restore the power, I also do not understand why it has to take so long to rectify the situation.” Manager of Corporate Communications at the City of Windhoek Harold Akwenye confirmed the blackout, but noted that the matter has been on the city’s radar since it surfaced Tuesday. Akwenye said a team was sent to the area immediately but had been struggling to restore power due to the complicated nature of the cable. “The problem is that when the electricians fix one fault, new faults keep coming up and that delays the work – however we are confident that the lights will be on today,” said Akwenye. He also said the damaged supply cable will be completely replaced to avoid similar outages in the future. Akwenye in an official communication to Elisenheim residents explained that they get their electricity from a temporary supply point in the Northern Industrial Area and there is no alternative supply, besides the cable being very old. “Recent heavy rains in the area resulted in the cable insulation integrity being compromised resulting in the underground cable fault,” he said.

Ruacana craves second fuel station The New Era|15/01/2019

The lack of serviced land in Oshifo at Ruacana town in the Omusati Region delays the chances of a fuel station being constructed there. Currently, there is only one filling station situated at Ruacana Extension 2, formerly known as Ruacana Town, which is located about three kilometres west of Oshifo. Speaking to New Era regarding development at the town last week, Ruacana Town Council mayor, Simon Shooya, said two investors are interested in constructing a fuel station at Oshifo, but they prefer doing that on land serviced by council. He said for the past two years now the idea did not work out as council does not have money to service land. “A fuel station is realy needed here, as this is where most of the businesses are and a lot of people come here. So if we could have it then it will be convenient for most people especially those who do not wish to drive to Extension Two.” Shooya who was elected as mayor in November last year, has been a member of council for almost eight years. He was a deputy mayor in his previous term. He called on interested investors to service land and build a filling station. “When we get money, we also plan to construct a three-kilometre tarred road connecting Iinyakwi settlement which is closer to Oshifo all the way to Extension Two. That way, we create a shortcut for people who now drive about 10 kilometres on a tarred road connecting Epalela and Ruacana,” said the mayor. Other developments he mentioned include the private sale of more than 20 residential erven in Ruacana Extension One, where private developers already built houses. “Some erven were sold to residents to construct single houses for them to live in while others were sold to business people who developed and sold the houses.” Through the course of the last three years, Ruacana also witnessed the first traffic lights in Oshifo, as well as two shopping centres that brought retail shops and banks. “Through these developments, our youths were employed, however we still have a long way to go in providing employment to our children as a lot of them are still idlling at home.” The mayor said this is the year for the council and the regional leadership to rededicate their efforts in assisting young people to get jobs, education and establish businesses. Thanking his comrades in the council, Shooya called for unity and good relationships between politicians and the administration. “Not that we have issues, but if we continue to work as a team we will accomplish a lot,” he stated. Other councillors are deputy mayor Linda Mbwale, Hendrick Shuudeni, Mashina Erastus, Sebronia Shapaka as members of the management committee, while Linea Shikale and Daniel Munepapa are ordinary members of council. Apart from Munepapa who represents Nudo, the other members are from Swapo Party.

23

Keetmanshoop swimming pool closed for maintenance The Namibian|15/01/2019

The public swimming pool in Keetmanshoop will be closed until at least the end of February this year due to maintenance work. Up to 600 people make use of the facility on weekends in the southern town, where temperatures can reach more than 40 degrees Celsius. The swimming pool is usually open for eight months - from September to April the next year. The Keetmanshoop Municipality’s Public Relations Officer, Dawn Kruger told Nampa on Tuesday they are replacing filtration pipes that were damaged by the roots of the trees near the swimming pool. We had to remove the trees as the roots over the years have damaged the pipes and now we have to replace them and install new ones, she said. The municipality has so far spent N.dollars 10 000 on the replacement of the pipes. They also have to install shade nets to replace the trees, which used to provide shade. Kruger said half of the work has been completed and the swimming pool is expected to reopen at the end of February. The Keetmanshoop Municipality pool was built in 1970.

Okakarara can become a logistics hub – Kandorozu The Namibian|17/01/2019

The town of Okakarara in the Otjozondjupa region has the potential to be transformed into a logistics hub, should all important roads leading to it be upgraded to bitumen standard. These were the words of Okakarara constituency councillor, Vetaruhe Kandorozu, in an interview with Nampa on Monday. “That is why we want the road from Okondjatu to Okakarara to be upgraded to bitumen standard because our idea is to set up a location for warehouses where the deliveries of goods will be done as well as a pick-up point for the coastal line, northern and southern parts of Namibia and Angola including other parts of southern Africa,” he explained. He revealed that at the back of a financially draining 2018, his office is engaging foreign investors who want to set up a solar manufacturing plant at a very small scale first to test the market. Should it go their way, the solar manufacturing plant will create employment for the inhabitants of the town, he said. He added that there is also a need for a shopping mall at Okakarara that will house different businesses, and therefore called on business people in the country to invest in the town. He noted that other prospects that could pull the masses out of unemployment are roadworks that are set to commence in the constituency such as the road between Okondjatu and Okakarara and the road between Okahandja and Okondjatu. Kandorozu continued that: “We are also waiting for the Namibia Training Authority which has allocated N$100 million for the construction of a hospitality centre at Okakarara. So maybe, if some of these projects get started, they will serve as a turbine to turn around the belt for other activities to come on board.” Like in the rest of the country, access to housing and land remains a contentious issue in the constituency, as there is no money to service land. He added that a businessman was allocated land measuring three hectares at Okondjatu in 2018 for the construction of an accommodation facility and a service station.

Windhoek spent N$2 million replacing traffic lights The Namibian|17/01/2019

The City of Windhoek spent N$2,5 million on replacing traffic lights damaged in accidents last year. The City of Windhoek's manager of corporate communications and marketing, Harold Akwenye, on Monday told Nampa that money meant for other projects was used for some repairs as the culprits were never caught to be held accountable for such payments. “Repair costs are high, and it is not always that the information of the person who caused the damage is available,” he said. The average cost for a traffic light is about N$8 000 but it could cost as much as N$17 300. The complete installation could go up to N$400 000. “These costs can even be higher in future,” Akwenye added. The three intersections which are most prone to accidents are that of Independence Avenue and the

24

Western Bypass near the Katutura Intermediate Hospital; Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue and David Hosea Meroro Road; and Independence Avenue and Hans Dietrich-Genscher Street. He pointed out that although there is an operational budget, it is meant for routine maintenance and the upgrading of traffic light installations, as well as for replacing old controllers that become obsolute as spare parts which are not available on the market have to be replaced with newer technology. Expenditure catered for in the operational budget includes replacing, repairing and upgrading items due to normal wear and tear.

Meer as N$2 miljoen se stukkende verkeersligte Republikein|17/01/2019

Die hoofstad se munisipaliteit het in 2018 meer as N$2 miljoen bestee om stukkende verkeersligte te herstel nadat dit in padongelukke beskadig is. Mnr. Harold Akwenye, bestuurder van korporatiewe kommunikasie en bemarking by die munisipaliteit, sê geld wat vir ander projekte geoormerk was, moes vir die herstel hiervan aangewend word, aangesien die skuldiges nie opgespoor kon word om daarvoor te betaal nie. “Herstelkoste is hoog en inligting oor wie die persoon is wat die skade veroorsaak het, is nie altyd beskikbaar nie,” het hy gesê. Die gemiddelde koste van ‘n verkeerslig is N$8 000, maar dit kan tot soveel as N$17 300 beloop. Die totale installering kan so hoog as N$400 000 wees. “Hierdie koste sal in die toekoms self hoër wees,” het Akwenye gesê. Die drie kruisings waar die meeste ongelukke plaasvind, is die een by Onafhanklikheidslaan en die westelike verbypad naby die Katutura-staatshospitaal, die een by Mandume Ndemufayo-rylaan en David Meroroweg, en waar Onafhanklikheidslaan met Hans Dietrich-Genscherstraat kruis. Akwenye het daarop gewys hoewel die munisipaliteit ‘n operasionele begroting het, is dit vir roetine onderhoudswerk en opgraderings aan verkeersligte bestem, asook om ou tegnologie met die nuutste op die mark te vervang. Die uitgawes waarvoor in die operasionele begroting voorsiening gemaak word, is vir die vervanging, herstel en opgradering weens die normale veroudering van verkeersligte, sê hy.

Rundu urged to refrain from illegal water connections The New Era|21/01/2019

Acting CEO of the Rundu Town Council, Sikongo Haihambo has urged residents at the town’s informal areas to refrain from illegal water connections saying this illegality has affected the town negatively and in the end all residents suffer when all the water taps run dry due to council not affording to buy water for the town. Haihambo urged the residents in the wake of a discovery of a recent illegal connection which was almost successfully connected in Ndama informal settlement but it was stopped by neighbours who unearthed the suspicious activity, the culprit was on the run and when the officials visited his place of residence, they discovered that he also connected water illegally which he shared with several of his neighbours. “It was discovered that the plumber who pretended to be working for town council, was paid N$2 700 to connect water, and he told the owner to dig a trench where he would then lay the pipes from the main water pipeline into the residence and the plumber listed the materials to buy in order to get the water connected which they did,” said Haihambo. When the plumber came on Monday, between 21h00 and 22h00 and started to make the illegal water connection, neighbours heard the suspicious activity and they approached him before he could connect the water and fled from the scene, they then informed officials from the town council who went to the scene. “Obviously with these illegal connections our water is going to waste, council is not getting the revenue it is supposed to get from this resource. Water is being used without being paid for and when NamWater gives us the bill, all eyes will be on us and when we fail, and residents will point fingers at the council. Yes, it’s us on one side but on the other side water is being wasted through illegal connections were water is not being paid for and they are using low quality pipes that cause leakages underground,” he added. Haihambo noted these leakages are contributing to the wasting of the towns’ water resources. “It has got an effect because NamWater

25 will slap us with the entire water bill they won’t say we must pay little because the other water was wasted, now that is our biggest fear and for a town that is on its knees, we don’t need such activities, we cannot afford such,” he noted. Haihambo is appealing to the community to play the role of informants in order to root out the activity of illegal water connections. “First of all, I’m appealing to all residents to be on alert, even if the person looks like an official from the council they must get in touch with our office. He lied that he was from the town council, he wore town council attire to make it look convincing, he had the outfit as he worked at the council as an intern sometime back and he knows the councils water pipeline and we are also suspecting that he has operatives within council, he knows the operations of the council,” Haihambo said. The culprit came to report himself after spending more than a day in hiding, and since the police impounded the vehicle he used in the operation which was also not his, he had no choice but to come out of hiding. On Wednesday, he went to turn himself in at the town council. “I informed my officials that since the case has been handed to the police, they should hand him over for interrogations. Together with the police, we are trying to establish the extent of his operations and we want him to eventually go to court but most importantly, we want the police to squeeze out more information from him on his operations because we suspect that it may be an organised syndicate, it might be that he doesn’t work alone and on the basis of that knowledge and information that we get out of him, we will be able to act better,” he said. Haihambo urged the Rundu community not to be involved with illegal water connection activities and if they want to connect water at their homes, they must make sure that they deal with bona fide council workers.

Resident appeal for toilets The Namibian|28/01/2019

Keetmanshoop informal settlement residents have expressed frustration over the lack of toilets, and appealed to the local authority to provide them with proper sanitation. The residents aired their concerns at an informative meeting which council had called last Thursday afternoon to reveal its plan of action for the informal settlements' extension 7. Some of those living in the informal settlements' extension four had been without toilets since 2007, and said flush toilets were only built for hand-picked residents in the said extension. They thus wanted to know what selection criteria were used for them to get toilet facilities. The council's chief regional officer, Desmond Basson, said the council was only responsible for providing bulk services, and as such, was not in the business of constructing toilets. He said the Keetmanshoop Urban constituency spearheaded the current toilet project underway in some of the informal settlement extensions, and he could thus not say how the selections were done, and when the next flush toilet roll-out will start. The council's top administrator, however, said plans are on the cards for the council to introduce a toilet initiative for needy people. He explained that council was busy looking into the possibility of setting up toilet structures on plots it would allocate to needy people. Basson also took the blame for criticism levelled by a resident over being non-responsive to complaint letters written to his office highlighting service delivery issues at the informal settlements. “I have important other more issues to deal with, and thus have delegated the duties of handling residents' complaint letters to my managers. But, I take the blame,” he stated. Councillor Ernst Jahs at the informative meeting also revealed a plan of action for the informal settlements' extension, where landless residents had settled after the 2012 land grabbing action at the town, including the recounting of existing structures at the extension. “We know there are currently 250 structures,” he added. An aerial survey and planning stage during March and April will follow the recounting of structures. This, he said, would be followed by the compilation of the pre-survey general plan, as well as the rearrangement of shacks to pave the way for the installation of bulk services in the area between July and December this year. According to a politician, the council would sell the erven at extension seven at prices ranging between N$10 000 and N$11 000 to those currently residing there following the completion of its formalisation process. The residents welcomed the council's move which will soon make them landowners, but were wary of forking out N$11 000 again for the plots while they are being charged rent of N$250 a month by 26 the council. They suggested to the local authority to instead let them only pay the deficit after deducting the rent payments they have paid to date from the cost price of the plots that would be allocated to them upon the extension's formalisation process.

Hidroëlektrisiteit onder die loep Republikein|30/01/2019

Internasionale afgevaardigdes van oraloor die wêreld sal van 2 tot 4 April in Windhoek bymekaarkom om waterbronne en die ontwikkeling van hidroëlektrisiteit te bespreek. Beamptes van die ministeries van landbou, water en bosbou en myne en energie, asook NamWater en NamPower sal aan die konferensie, getiteld Africa 2019 Water Storage and Hydropower Development for Africa, deelneem. Dit sal by die Safari Hotel en Konferensiesentrum plaasvind. Die drie dae lange besprekings sal deur opleidingslypskole en seminare voorafgegaan word. Dit is die ideale geleentheid vir Namibiese en kundiges op die vasteland op die gebied van hidrokrag- en waterbronne- ontwikkeling om skouers met internasionale afgevaardigdes te skuur. Die konferensie word deur Aqua~Media International, die publiseerder van die International Journal on Hydropower & Dams, georganiseer, wat lesers in 180 lande wêreldwyd het. Die konferensie word in vennootskap met die Internasionale Kommissie van Groot Damme aangebied met die ondersteuning van onder meer die Afrika-unie (AU), die Wêreldbank en die Afrika-ontwikkelingsbank. Namibië sal die Suider-Afrikaanse streek se deelname fasiliteer. Na verwagting sal sowat 650 internasionale afgevaardigdes van sowat 50 lande die konferensie bywoon. Kundiges sal op kwessies van toepassing op Afrika fokus, soos tegniese, finansiële, maatskaplike en omgewingskwessies. Onderwerpe soos klimaatsverandering, dam- en kragaanlegveiligheid, projekfinansiering, navorsing en ontwikkeling en onderhoud sal hoog op die agenda wees. Ná die konferensie sal afgevaardigdes die geleentheid kry om 'n toer na die Naute-, Oanab-, Neckartal- en Hardapdam te onderneem. 'n Studietoer na die Ruacana-projek en die Etosha Nasionale Park sal ook aangebied word. 'n Groot internasionale tegniese uitstalling, met ten minste 80 stalletjies en maatskappye van 40 lande, sal saam met die konferensie aangebied word.

Okahandja residents endure 'inflated' municipal bills The New Era|31/01/2019

Residents of Extension 8 have accused the Okahandja Municipality of sending them inflated bills for municipal rates and taxes over the past eight years. Only last December did the municipality adjust their municipal rates and taxes bringing them in line with what residents of Extension 9 are paying. Ben Katamila, a resident of Extension 8 since 2012, informed this reporter he noted his rates and taxes were billed incorrectly when he learned from other residents living in Extension 8 how low their amounts were compared to his inflated bill. In 2012 he used to pay N$211 but this amount shot up astronomically to N$810 over the past eight years though residents of the neighbouring Extension 9 have been paying monthly rates and taxes of N200 which means he paid the difference of N$610. This prompted Katamila to engage his neighbours and subsequently they formed a committee that approached the municipality to find out what procedures are being used when they determine their rates and taxes, and they also questioned why their amounts differ from those charged to residents of Extension 9 as the two residential areas are similar in size. After months of countless meetings with no clear explanation, the municipality conceded it made a “billing erro Last December Katamila’s account was adjusted and was reduced to N$186, the same with the other residents living in the area. They then enquired as to their refunds due to them for the years that they have been overcharged. Katamila is expected to receive a refund exceeding N$8 000”. The executive finance officer at the municipality, Pesella Nundu, who confirmed the issue had promised to reply to media inquiries sent to him last week via mail but he has so far failed to do so after countless efforts done by this reporter. Another resident from Extension 8 who chose to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation expressed the same frustration towards the garden town’s municipality. The resident

27 experienced the same treatment Katamila got over the years with a sharp 70 percent increase. His account was also adjusted to N$141 compared to the amounts exceeding N$700 that he has been forking out. He is also still waiting for a reimbursement and officials at the town could not tell him when he will get a refund. Over the years since building started in Extension 8 and Extension 9, there has been little development seen in the area in terms of recreation facilities, street lights, roads and sewer systems making the inflated billing unjustified.

28

3 Livelihoods and Urban Economy

Oranjemund to open first market The Namibian Sun|02/01/2019

The town of Oranjemund is pulling out all the stops to attract businesses and tourists. This follows years of isolation from the rest of Namibia when the town was cordoned off, making it accessible only by permit. Since having been proclaimed a local authority, the council is making an effort to develop the town's economy. One of its initiatives is the establishment of a trading space known as the Hub Market. “We are very pleased to announce that the Hub Market will open its doors at the beginning of February 2019.The Hub Market will be a community space where local vendors can sell their crafts and freshly made goods on a daily basis to local people and visitors alike,” the town council said in a newsletter. The market will offer stalls that can be rented for a small daily fee that covers basic maintenance and the use of power and water. The Hub Market will also have a play area for children. “The water-wise garden and beautifully designed benches will provide the perfect backdrop to relax, unwind or catch up with the latest gossip. Braai facilities and a communal fire-pit area will also be available for hire to provide the perfect atmosphere for informal evening gatherings,” it said. The construction of this facility has been made possible by a grant from the US Ambassador's Self-Help Fund. The official opening will be on 8 February 2019. “We look forward to welcoming everyone to our home and trust that the Hub Market will provide a focal point for future community activities,” the town council said. The council called on residents to submit ideas for murals depicting Oranjemund. “During January we will launch a community-wide competition for individuals or groups to submit their ideas for drawings, images and sketches representative of Oranjemund to be painted as murals on the walls at the east end of the market site (adult mural) and the west wall of the Hub building (children's mural),” the statement read.

City of Windhoek slow to aid wind-damage families The Namibian|08/01/2019

City of Windhoek took two days to remove the tree that collapsed and destroyed three shacks in Windhoek's Dolam location and has still not removed an electricity pole from amongst the debris. Strong winds on Friday brought an old tree down on three shacks in Dolam, leaving three families without shelter over the weekend. According to one of the affected residents, Sandra Geniroman, the old tree, which was in an adjacent yard, was uprooted by strong winds. Geniroman told The Namibian yesterday that the eight residents of the damaged shacks are squeezed into another shack that was spared by the winds and fallen tree. On Sunday afternoon, two days after the collapsed tree destroyed the shacks, City of Windhoek officials showed up and removed only half of the fallen tree, and promised to remove the other half yesterday. However, Geniroman said they were also worried about an electricity pole which was brought down by the tree and was under the damaged shacks. “They said the pole was supposed to be removed on Monday (yesterday), but they didn't come. We are worried about the danger it might cause,” Geniroman said. The Namibian repeatedly tried to get comment from the City of Windhoek about this matter, but was unsuccessful, as officials referred queries around.

Create jop opportunities at Groot Aub The Namibian|14/01/2019

Windhoek Rural Constituency Councilor, Penina Ita said there are many opportunities that could help address the problem of unemployment in the Groot Aub settlement, located over 40 kilometers South-East of Windhoek. Speaking to Nampa on Friday, Ita expressed that the majority of people in 29 the settlement have given up on themselves due to the lack of employment opportunities and poverty. There are many opportunities in this community for the people to create something for themselves. We must know that the problem of unemployment is not only here, its a national problem. Government alone cannot provide employment,she said. She therefore encouraged the community members there to use their talents in order to create employment, citing gardening as a potential source of income for the residents of Groot Aub. The councilor also called on investors and technocrats to come up with ideas of creating the much-needed employment opportunities. In this community, we have a poultry project. The locals can then supply feeds for the chickens, while others can manufacture fences, or do the feeding and cleaning of the poultry farm. This community must first believe and do things for ourselves, she pointed out. Her remarks follows concerns raised by several Groot Aub residents who said in the past two decades, the only employment opportunities created were from the school, the clinic and the police station, which at most times do not employ locals. Aside from those opportunities, most locals do not work and those who do, get employed in surrounding farms, in Rehoboth or in Windhoek, they noted. Israel Mukumba, the owner of CJC Agri Training Centre at Groot Aub, echoed Ita’s views, saying projects like his are capable of helping small communities fight poverty by creating employment. The centre runs a chicken rearing farm as well as horticulture and employs 12 people, who take the knowledge they gain to their homes and help their dependents to survive, he added.

Unemployed Youth Scramble for 40 Rail Jobs at Ondangwa The New Era|14/01/2019

Hordes of unemployed youth yesterday flocked to TransNamib's Nehale lyaMpingana Railway Station to scramble for about 40 labourer jobs available to repair the railway line from Ondangwa to Oshikango on a six month contract. The applicants, who had gathered to submit their application forms through the fence, had to endure rain showers but soldiered on. Hundreds of unemployed youths descended on the station after Ondangwa Urban Councillor Elia Irimari made the announcement about railway jobs through social media and the radio. The announcement called for people to come to be recruited, however that did not happen and the potential applicants were only asked to submit their CVs, accompanied by other required documents. He said what transpired yesterday morning signifies high unemployment in the country, especially amongst the youth. Despite the number of applicants, Irimari said he understood that some people were already called for the physical fitness test. In 2017, the country's unemployment rate stood at 45.5 percent. Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) representative at Ondangwa Town Council, Councillor Johnny Whiteman Martin, in a statement issued yesterday expressed discontent over the recruitment process. Martin said what transpired was unacceptable and an insult to the unemployed masses. "This did not only show how unprofessional the TransNamib management is, but they seriously wasted peoples resources that made copies, traveled and walked to TransNamib with the aim to get employment," said Martin. "No Namibian should be subjected to such unprofessional behaviours just because the company is offering employment. Employers should handle recruitment processes in a standard manner that will help ease the situation and make applicants happy," Martin said further. Martin thus called for an apology and for a postponement of the recruitment so that it can be done in what he terms a professional matter that will satisfy all the stakeholders. Meanwhile, some of the applicants who gathered at TransNamib also expressed dissatisfaction over the recruitment process.

They charged that the parastatal would have given a timeframe for the submission of the application in place of throwing their documents over a fence. The applicants had travelled from all four northern regions. Although the process started at eight in the morning, some youths were still observed to be flocking to the area shortly before 10. New Era could not obtain comment from TransNamib at the time of going to print.

30

Ondangwa Urban strengthens back-yard gardens The New Era|14/01/2019

Given the effects of climate change on agriculture, the Ondangwa Urban Constituency office on Thursday handed over vegetable seeds to encourage crop farmers to exercise multiple cropping. In addition to the seeds, the constituency office also handed over food items to the downtrodden community members as well as clothes to the San Community. The items were donated to the constituency office by various companies and individuals. Speaking at the hand-over, the Constituency Councillor Elia Irimari said the donation is geared towards aiding farmers to produce food and become self-reliant. In addition to becoming self-reliant, communities can also earn an income from selling their produce. Equally, the councillor said it is their wish that such skills are transferred to the youth which will in return fight unemployment amongst themselves as well as poverty. “We basically want our people to sustain themselves, so that in the end they can also grow produce in-excess and earn themselves an income,” said Irimari. Previously farmers in the constituency were trained on aspects of climate change and how to set up backyard gardens in the last two years. According to the councillor, amongst those who received training, some have successfully put up backyard gardens. He said there are also a few who are currently supplying produce to the Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA), Fresh Produce Business Hub in Ongwediva. Apart from the seed donation, the farmers have also been trained by the University of Namibia’s Ogongo Campus to grow rice last year. So far, three dams in the constituency were identified as possible sites to grow rice for the community. The partnership between the two institutions will continue again this year, with Ogongo Campus expected to give farmers further training in growing vegetables. A recipient of the donation, Selma Shiyanga, expressed her gratitude. She said the introduction of new crops to her garden will also strengthen her income. Currently, Shiyanga said she makes an income from selling seasonal fruits, which she grows at home.

Chaos oor TransNamib-poste Republikein|17/01/2019

Massas werkloses het Dinsdag na TransNamib in Ondangwa opgeruk om vir 40 poste aansoek te doen wat oor die radio aangekondig is. Daar was pandemonium by die ingangshek - 'n duidelike teken van desperaatheid onder die land se 43,4% werklose jeug. Weens die hoë werkloosheidsyfer in die land het baie die werwingsmetode veroordeel wat TransNamib gebruik het. TransNamib het oor die radio aangekondig 40 mense word gesoek vir langtermynkontrakwerk om die 315 km-spoorlyn tussen Oshikango en Tsumeb te herstel. Honderde werklose jeug van die noordelike streke het by die hekke van TransNamib op Ondangwa opgedaag. Sommige van die werksoekers het gesê hulle het voor die hek geslaap met die hoop dat die maatskappy die eerstes sal aanstel, maar weens die hoë opkoms was daar geen orde nie. Werkaansoekers moes hul CV's deur die geslote hek aan amptenare en sekuriteitswagte van TransNamib oorhandig nadat die Ondangwa landelike kiesafdeling-raadslid, mnr. Elia Irimari, die amptenare versoek het om nie die hekke oop te maak nie om 'n katastrofe te vermy. Werksoekers het uit desperaatheid hul CV's oor die heining gegooi. “Om so 'n werwingsproses in een dag uit te voer, is 'n groot fout. Ons het TransNamib vroeër geadviseer om werwing deur die streekskantoor te doen, maar hulle het geweier, want hulle het gesê hulle wil 'n regverdige proses hê. “Ons staar tans 'n hoë werkloosheidsyfer in die gesig en die jeug is gretig om enige geleentheid aan te gryp,” het Irimari gesê. “By ons kantoor het ons 'n databisis van sowat 800 geregistreerde werklose jeug. As hulle ons genader het, kon ons hulle vriendelik gehelp het.” TransNamib se uitvoerende hoof, mnr. Johnny Smith, kon nie vir kommentaar bereid word nie. WERKSOEKERS Mnr. Kennedy Shikongo van die Uukwandongo-nedersetting naby Okahao in die Omusatistreek het gesê hy is verlede jaar by 'n myn afgedank en toe hy die nuus hoor van TransNamib se poste, het hy na Ondangwa gereis. “Ek het 03:00 hier aangekom en reeds sowat 100 mense hier gekry. Daar was 31 geen orde nie, want almal wil werk,” het Shikongo gesê. Nóg 'n werksoeker, mnr. Kliopas Kalenga van Ondobe in die Ohangwenastreek, het gesê hy het op Ondangwa geslaap met die hoop om werk te kry, maar het opgegee. “Ek het geweier om my CV in te handig weens die groot hoeveelheid mense wat opgedaag het. Hoe kan ek net my papiere sommer net so rondgooi en steeds hoop dat ek 'n werk sal kry? Dit was 'n nuttelose manier om mense te werk. Dis 'n grap!” 'TRANSNAMIB ONPROFESSIONEEL' Die Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) se raadslid op Ondangwa se dorpsraad, mnr. Johnny Whiteman Martin, het gesê die manier hoe TransNamib se bestuur en personeel die werwingsproses hanteer het, is onaanvaarbaar en 'n belediging vir die Namibiese jeug. Hy het gesê dit wys nie net hoe onprofessioneel die TransNamib-bestuur was nie, maar 'n mors van aansoekers se geld. “Geen Namibiër moet aan sulke onprofessionele gedrag onderhewig wees net omdat die maatskappy werk aanbied nie. “Werkverskaffers moet die werwingsproses op 'n standaard manier hanteer wat sal help om die situasie te vergemaklik en aansoekers gelukkig hou,” het Martin gesê. “PDM in Ondangwa is gekant teen wat die TransNamib-bestuur gedoen het, en ons vra vir 'n verskoning en die uitstel van die werwingsproses. Dit moet op 'n professionele manier gedoen word sodat alle belanghebendes gelukkig is.” Martin het gesê die regering moet ook blameer word omdat dit skoolverlaters op straat laat, omdat dit 'n ondoeltreffende onderwysstelsel het, en nie geskikte fondse het vir diegene wat verder wil studeer nie. Die druip van Engels in graad 10 en 12 lewer 'n baie groot bydrae tot die hoë werkloosheid van die jeug, het Martin gesê. Hy het gesê dit is tyd dat Engels nie meer as 'n deurkomvak geag moet word nie. In 2017 het die Namibië Statistieke-agentskap (NSA) aangekondig dat die werkloosheidsyfer 43,4% onder die jeug tussen 15 en 34 was. Om dinge te vererger, is baie mense oor die afgelope twee jaar weens die resessie afgedank.

Mix a hotbed of grinding poverty The New Era|18/01/2019

Residents of Mix informal settlement in Windhoek Rural Constituency continue to bemoan the lack of basic services such as electricity, ablution facilities and the high unemployment rates. New Era yesterday visited the settlement and spoke to residents of the poverty-stricken settlements who complained about the high unemployment rate and the lack of basic services such as electricity and toilets. “Many people here don’t have jobs, as a result there is high poverty in this community. The youth depend on their parents to give them pocket money to buy cosmetics. People use pit latrines for toilets,” said 48-year old resident, Teofelus Nauyoma. There are few communal taps and residents make use of water from a riverbed at the settlement to do laundry and household cleaning, explained residents who spoke to New Era. Nauyoma said there is a need for a school bus to transport school going children to Windhoek because parents have to pay up to N$400 per month for private transport for their children who attend school in Windhoek, about 20 kilometres from the Mix informal settlement. “We really want to see change in Mix because we have so many challenges,” added Nauyoma, who has been an inhabitant of Mix for the past 17 years. Further, two health extension workers who spoke to New Era said there was a high burden of Hepatitis E cases at the settlement. “People draw water from the riverbed to use for household chores and that in itself is enough for diseases to spread,” explained Samuel Paulus, who has worked as a health extension worker at Mix for the past two years. Paulus and his colleague Johanna Amwaama also said they have observed a high number of defaulters on anti-retroviral medications. “They told us that they defaulted because they don’t have transport money to go and get their medication in Windhoek,” said Paulus. There is also a high rate of defaulters on immunisation, said Amwaama. “Many parents don’t take their children for immunisation,” Amwaama noted.

32

Youth desperate for jobs The Namibian Sun|25/01/2019

Young people at the village of dordabis are “throwing their lives away” because there is no economic activity. Young people at Dordabis say the lack of employment and recreational facilities at the village is the main contributor to violence and alcohol abuse. Located 80 kilometres east of Windhoek, the village has about 2 500 inhabitants, many of them young people who struggle to find employment. At a community meeting at the village's community hall on Tuesday, the youth voiced concerns that being unemployed in some cases leads to them breaking the law. Ricardo Garobeb, 26, told Nampa he rents a corrugated iron shack and relies on handouts from friends and relatives to pay his rent and buy food. “I use electricity, but most of the time I can't afford to buy it. So I have to trespass on private property like nearby farms and steal wood to make fire,” he said. Garobeb called on the government to help the community with employment opportunities. Another resident, Fredrika Gomagas said residents have been suffering since independence. “The youth have nothing to do and end up in jail while in some instances girls who are young and still in school or unemployed end up pregnant,” she said. She explained that some teenage pregnancies were a result of girls looking for money from older men in order to meet their basic needs. “I am pleading with the government to do something for the community of Dordabis. No development is taking place and nothing is happening. Our young people are throwing their lives away,” Gomagas said. The Dordabis Primary School and the local clinic and police station are currently the biggest employers at the village. Speaking to Nampa on Tuesday, Dordabis community leader Isack Ockhuizen said since he became involved with matters concerning the community unemployment has always been its biggest challenge. “Almost 90 percent of the people who are able to work do not work because they have no opportunities and the majority of that percentages includes the youth,” he said. Some of the youth depend on the N$1 250 monthly pension grant their parents receive to support them. “It's an obstacle the community of Dordabis has to overcome,” Ockhuizen said.

Community sewing project at otjiwarongo launched The Namibian|28/01/2019

A new sewing community project called the Otjiwarongo clothing production project was launched at the town on Friday. Officiating at the event, Otjiwarongo constituency councillor Julius Neumbo explained that his office in 2018 generated about N$130 000 that was used to start the project. He said the money generated was then used to buy eight sewing machines, materials and equipment. The project started manufacturing school uniforms for local schools on 16 January 2019, with five sets of uniforms that have already been sold to pupils. “This is commendable, and if all of us can support it, I am sure many people will survive from this project,” stated Neumbo. The councillor then urged members of the project not to despair, but to work very hard, manufacture quality products, and offer decent customer care to all clients placing orders. The chairperson of the Otjiwarongo Clothing Production Project, Batseba Ndjoze, informed the gathering that the project comprises a group of 10 women, all from Otjiwarongo. “We started to manufacture school uniforms last week Wednesday, and we have a lot of orders still piling up,” she said. The project, she added, looks promising, and the group has demonstrated commitment and dedication to work without being paid. They have plans to manufacture different types of dresses as requested by clients and are mostly targeting women, Ndjoze noted. The project will manufacture uniforms for pupils from the Rogate Primary School, Otjiwarongo Senior Secondary School, Spes Bona Primary School and the Monica Geingos Junior Secondary School.

33

Asparagus factory to employ over 700 Namibians The New Era|29/01/2019

The asparagus-processing factory that is currently under construction at Oshifo near Ruacana in the Omusati Region is expected to be completed this April. Carlos Lertxundi Aretxaga, the General Manager for Asparagus Agro-Processing Project representing Otjimbele Agriculture PTY ltd confirmed this to New Era on Saturday. Construction started in July last year and had to survive challenges before a smooth continuation thereafter. Aretxaga said the factory to process the asparagus produced from the Etunda Irrigation Project by the same investors is expected to provide employment to more than 60 Namibians from villages around Etunda. He said 60 workers will be needed for the first phase with an additional 400 to 450 people to be employed in the second phase of the processing plant. The first processing work is expected from June/July this year. Planting of the asparagus started in July 2017, at Etunda in Omusati Region, after which the trial harvest took place in December last year. There are currently 22 workers employed in the planting and harvesting at Etunda garden, all of them Namibians from villages near the project. “At full production in three years from now, I think we will be the biggest employer in the agricultural sector, with more than 700 workers all together. This is a labour intensive project, everything from harvesting to processing is done by hand, and that’s why we are able to employ more people.” He said at least four people are needed per hectare to harvest the 60 hectares area. The general manager is proud that the project is linked to Vision 2030 through employment creation, especially in the region where a lot of young people are without jobs. “We receive a lot of support from government, as this project adds value to a Namibian product and provides much needed employment.” In contrast, Aretxaga said government already approved more land for the next two phases of the project, to enable maximum production in three years. With regard to the trial harvest in December last year, he said the surrounding villages were the beneficiaries of the product. “Because we did not have the factory ready to process our first half a hectare harvest, and simply because it was a trial to determine the quality of the vegetable, we gave the harvest to local people for own consumption.” He motivated that this somehow contributed to alleviating hunger in the community. “Apart from the real product consumed by people, we also allowed the communal farmers to harvest the asparagus plant as fodder for their drought hit animals. They came with pick-ups and donkey carts to collect and feed their cows and goats,” he said. The asparagus produced at Etunda will be exported to European Union (EU) countries such as Spain, Italy and France.

Neckartal Dam completion hurts Keetmanshoop The Namibian|29/01/2019

The reduction of the workforce to almost zero by Italian company Salini Impregilo, which won the N$2, 8 billion government tender to construct the Neckartal Dam near Keetmanshoop, has had a significant effect on the small businesses at the southern town. The Keetmanshoop Town Council's economic development manager, Jegg Christiaan, said in an interview with The Namibian that the dam's construction nearing completion has seen many local businesses starting to record significant drops in revenue. This is because Salini Impregilo last year started reducing its workforce of almost 2 000 people as the construction of the dam neared completion. “Some shebeens which had recorded revenues of more than N$20 000 just from jackpot machines now make an average of N$9 000 following the job cuts at the project,” he explained. The economic development manager said the dam project's significant short-term investment has annually contributed an estimated N$60 million to the town's economy. However, he was quick to add that the local economy will survive since it had “never depended on the big employer,” but mostly on public servants, small businesses and the farming community. “Our economy is resilient, but we were hoping that the green scheme irrigation project at the dam would kick off towards the completion of the project to sustain the spike in the local economy,” he said. Christiaan added that it is not all doom and gloom for the local economy as

34 the population is expected to grow with more University of Namibia southern campus students coming to town.

Groente bemagtig Rundu-vroue Republikein|30/01/2019

Vier jaar gelede het me. Beatrice sitali met ’n ondersteuningsgroep vir veral vroue met miv/vigs op rundu begin. Vandag kweek dié groep groente, en verdien so ’n inkomste. “Ek het met Let’s Walk the Talk begin as ’n ondersteuningsgroep vir mense in die Kavangostreek wat met MIV/vigs leef. Ek het vinnig agtergekom die nood is baie groter, en die groep sluit nou ook slagoffers van geslagsgeweld in, asook meisies wat die skool verlaat het,” sê Sitali. Haar ma het die behoefte om mense te help by haar gevestig toe sy baie klein was, sê sy. “My ma, Simushi, was ’n enkelouer wat nie veel gehad het nie. Ek en my suster het daarom by my tannie grootgeword. My ma het van kleindag af altyd vir ons gesê as jy niks het nie, moenie gaan bedel nie. Staan op en doen iets. As jy bedel, sluit jy jou gedagtes af om dinge vir jouself te doen,” sê Sitali, wat nie haar skoolloopbaan voltooi het nie. “Dit is ook een van die redes waarom ek besluit het om meisies wat die skool verlaat het, by die groep in te sluit.” In 2017 het sy die projek, wat eers ’n ondersteuningsgroep was, omskep in ’n groep vroue wat sampioene en groente plant en verkoop. Die Nasionale Petroleumkorporasie van Namibië (Namcor) het boumateriaal vir die sampioenkweekhuis geskenk, maar dit was nie genoeg nie. “Ek het ’n lening by die One Economy Foundation van die presidentsvrou ontvang en die huis voltooi, en ons het toe oestersampioene begin kweek,” sê sy. Sitali se groep is tans besig om ’n tweede kweekhuis te bou waarin die sampioene ontkiem, voor dit in nog ’n kweekhuis vir vrugvorming geplaas word. Vanjaar is slegs ’n paar sampioene gekweek omdat humiditeit ’n kwessie was. “Ons moet eers die humiditeitsprobleme oplos voor ons weer voluit gaan om oestersampioene te plant. “Ons het ook begin om mahangu, botterskorsies en mutete te plant. Mutete is ’n plaaslike groentesoort wat ons hier in die Kavango aanplant. Die mense benodig ’n inkomste. Dus het ons besluit om nie net op die sampioene staat te maak nie en uit te brei,” sê Sitali. Sy sê sy sien ’n duidelike verandering in die gemeenskap. “Die gemeenskap word bemagtig en vroue besef hulle kan hul eie geld verdien. Hulle is minder in die sjebeens en nie meer op soek na mans wat na hulle kan kyk nie. Dit is wonderlik om te sien hoe hulle vooruitgaan en iets positiefs met hul lewe doen sonder om van ander mense afhanklik te wees,” het sy gesê.

35

4 Environment & Human Health

Haufiku concerned by Katima Mulilo sewage problem The Namibian|19/12/2018

Health minister Bernard Haufiku has expressed concern over the ongoing sewage problem at Katima Mulilo, saying it was hampering efforts to prevent diseases associated with poor sanitation such as hepatitis E. Haufiku made these remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Katima Mulilo Maternal Shelter at the town last Thursday. Overflowing sewage has been a constant problem for some time at the town, especially in the central business district where stagnant and smelly pools are everywhere. Earlier in March, The Namibian carried a report about the Ngweze Primary School at the town that was one of the places hardest hit by sewer bursts. At the time, local authorities blamed the flooding on the obsolete and deteriorating sewer system at the town. The sewage also flooded some parts of the town, such as Caprivi Cash & Carry, Metro Wholesale and the Pick n Pay shopping mall. “One disturbing operational issue I heard is the sewage overflow in town affecting almost every service including hospital services and here we are in the ministry of health talking about prevention of the spread of hepatitis E. How do we prevent the spread under these conditions? I am sure there are plumbers here in Katima, state or private, I am sure someone can fix these pipes. Why are they not being fixed? Can the municipality tell us?” he demanded. Haufiku said he will approach rural and urban development minister Peya Mushelenga to raise “this simple but potentially grave” concern. Katima Mulilo town council spokesperson Pasval Elijah yesterday promised to respond to questions sent to her, however, failed to do so by the time of going to print.

Battle for Lüderitz is on The Namibian Sun|04/01/2019

The trans-shipment of large volumes of South African manganese ore via Lüderitz is said to threaten the town's future. The acting permanent secretary of the ministry of environment and tourism, Teofilus Nghitila, yesterday confirmed that no environmental clearance certificates had been issued to two South African companies to export manganese ore via the port of Lüderitz. Nghitila has instructed an investigation into the matter. Lüderitz residents had a rude awakening at the end of 2018 when trucks rolled in and dumped a large heap of manganese ore just outside the town. The ore was brought in by a South African company, registered here as TradePort Namibia CC, one of two companies that have been in negotiations with NamPort for the handling and exporting of manganese to China. Local people charged that the manganese was “dumped” without TradePort having secured an environmental clearance certificate, something which could not yet be established. But that confirmed their worst fears for the town's future.

The first evidence of the goings-on was when workers put up a fence made of wooden poles, steel wire and shade netting around three corners of a concrete slab next to the rail siding about 600 metres south-southwest of the town. Residents say this site is in the direct path of the prevailing southwesterly winds, which often reach 40 to 50 knots, blowing directly into the lagoon and over the town. Offloading started on 1 January and the observers noted that by late afternoon on the same day plumes of black dust could clearly be seen moving rapidly along with the wind towards the town. The operations had been slated to start between January and March, pending official approval.

BACKGROUND

The observers said news of the impending handling and exporting of the manganese ore through the Lüderitz port only emerged during November – in newspaper advertisements which many had

36 missed and a stakeholders' meeting on 3 December. When some details of the planned operations were revealed at the stakeholders' meeting, grave concerns were expressed that this could sound the death knell for local businesses and potentially smother the windswept town in a toxic coat of black dust. At that meeting it became clear that NamPort was finalising deals with TradePort and the other South African company, registered here as Pektranam Logistics, to ship 30 000 tonnes of manganese ore per month from each of the companies via the Lüderitz port. These volumes could increase in future. Pektranam Logistics, which hosted the stakeholders' meeting, said it would use 834 truckloads for one shipment of 30 000 tonnes per month. It said the loads would be distributed over a 30-day period. Each truck should deliver about 12 loads; it will therefore use 70 trucks per shipment. The distribution of the loads will mean a frequency rate of 1.16 trucks per hour, or one truck every 52 minutes over a 24-hour period, offloading the ore at the site of the old Roads Construction Company (RCC) camp about two kilometres outside Lüderitz. A co-owner and director of the family-owned Kuruman-based company, Pieter Kruger, said the stockpiled manganese would be moved to the harbour over a three-day period every month, with ten dedicated trucks moving through the town when the ships come in. TradePort's draft environmental scoping document only states that once the manganese ore is being offloaded on the concrete slab, five trucks with link trailers will run 24 hours per day to the NamPort jetty until a ship is loaded. It does not state how many trucks will run between the Ariamsvlei border post and Lüderitz, or to what extent it intends to use rail. Be that as it may, the residents complained that this would not only disrupt traffic in the town's main street, but also transport more dust directly through the town. Heavy-duty trucks from Rosh Pinah and Scorpion Zinc are already driving through the town every ten minutes, every day of the week, to offload sulphur and zinc at the NamPort jetty.

'NOT PAST MY FRONT DOOR!'

Residents are livid about the truck volumes, saying turning this narrow street into a “highway of trucks operating on a 24/7 basis” will bring all traffic to a standstill and cause serious damage to the road infrastructure. Lüderitz is a small town hemmed in by mining areas, the Naukluft Park and the recently proclaimed Sperrgebiet Park. It has a 41-kilometre coastal area. It is considered a cul de sac destination with only one way in and out. There are no alternative routes and the main street is where most businesses are clustered. Trucks using this street would also disrupt business in the town centre and severely affect tourism, which has shown steady growth over the last ten years. More importantly, contamination would harm the marine aquaculture (or mariculture) and fishing sectors that keep Lüderitz afloat. “We are not against economic development, but at what cost does this come? What is the benefit to Lüderitz? If the environment gets contaminated with that dust you cannot reverse it; there is no recourse,” said Howard Head, involved in marine diamond recovery and local tourism. Jason Burgess, involved in oyster farming, said the location of the ore stockpile is a major worry. The site is in a wind funnel which blows directly onto the first lagoon with its oyster and abalone farms. Burgess points out that oysters, as filter-feeders, are a primary indicator species and can be negatively affected by any manganese dust entering the water. Mariculture in Lüderitz is currently thriving because the seawater is clean. “The lagoon is the catch-point for all the dust before it even gets to town. That is also the primary swimming area; where will our children swim? What will be the future of our children that will be exposed to that?” Burgess said. CEO of Marco Fishing, Kurt Laufe, believes the manganese business would jeopardise the fishing industry because the truck traffic would block the entrance to the harbour. More importantly, Laufe said the local fishing companies export fresh fish to the European Union. “Can you imagine if there is just a little plume of manganese [dust] coming through the air and it settles on the fish? It would destroy the entire fishing industry,” Laufe said. Ulf Grünewald, chairperson of the Lüderitz Tourism Forum and general manager at the Nest Hotel, feels that more should instead be invested on creating “clean” and alternative development.

37

WHY LÜDERITZ?

Residents also want to know why the two South African companies decided to move their manganese ore through Lüderitz while there are huge ports in South Africa. Media reports in South Africa suggest that there were outcries and protests over manganese dust pollution at the Port Elizabeth port. Kruger said it is simple: the distance between Lüderitz and other South African ports from the Kuruman area is practically the same, the region is thinly populated, and the topography is flat as opposed to the mountainous and densely populated other routes. Also, he said, NamPort was forced to drastically reduce its port tariffs to be competitive. This massive tariff reduction was only conceded to the manganese projects.

HEALTH MATTERS

There are also numerous reports of the health hazards of exposure to manganese dust. One of these is 'manganism', an occupational disease similar to Parkinson's disease. Pektranam's owners insist that there cannot be any hazardous effects, arguing that manganese only becomes a health risk when it is being processed. Assmang Manganese – one of the oldest and biggest manganese mining operations in South Africa – is a main supplier of the manganese ore to Pektranam. Monde Gwababa, a hygiene officer at Assmang Manganese, assured Pektranam in an email that “manganese dust poses a risk of manganese poisoning”, but added that this “normally can occur after variable heavy exposure ranging from six months to three years at average air levels of 1 mg/m3 [one milligram per cubic metre].” “[At] our operations the exposure levels are fairly low and even in Port Elizabeth harbour where we also export our manganese ore the levels in the air are of insignificant risk,” Gwababa wrote. Pektranam insisted the manganese ore is like hard rock. It said each load will contain about 27% to 37% of this rock-like ore, but contended that the rest of the load is “ordinary soil and gravel”.

'IT'S MANAGEABLE, NOT SO BAD'

NamPort has proactively gone out to lure more business to its Lüderitz port, which according to a NamPort official is currently only busy for about two weeks a month. “We can handle the volumes,” said this official, who preferred anonymity. He added that there was “no way” NamPort would touch a product that was not cleared for shipment. Crispin Clay of the Lüderitzbucht Foundation is adamant that an urgent moratorium be placed on the manganese trans-shipment and all such projects that could pose a risk to “our country, our people, our resources, our environment”. Preferably, he said, these should be stopped permanently, at least until comprehensive, independent, internationally credible scientific studies have been completed, assessed and agreed on by all parties involved.

Polisie lê beslag op mangaan-lorries Republikein|07/01/2019

Die Namibiese polisie op Lüderitz het Vrydag op agt vragmotors beslag gelê wat deur TradePort Namibia CC gebruik is om mangaanerts uit Suid-Afrika na dié hawedorp vir berging te vervoer, van waar dit verskeep en uitgevoer sal word. Dit volg nadat vasgestel is ‘n omgewingklaringsertifikaat is nie vir die operasie uitgereik nie. TradePort Namibia is een van twee Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye wat met NamPort onderhandel het om maandeliks 30 000 ton mangaanerts deur die hawe by Lüderitz uit te voer. Vragmotors het verlede week begin om die fyn erts buite die kusdorp af te laai. Dit het tot groot ongelukkigheid onder inwoners gelei wat bekommerd is oor die onherstelbare omgewingskade wat aan die vis- en marienekultuursektore aangerig kan word, toerisme kan skaad en verkeersprobleme op die dorp kan veroorsaak. TradePort Namibia het na verneem word vir ‘n omgewingklaringsertifikaat aansoek gedoen, maar het met die vervoer en aflaai van die erts begin al is dié proses nog nie voltooi nie. Dit het inwoners genoop om die polisie en die 38 omgewingskommissaris te vra om in te gryp en die onwettige operasie stop te sit. Mnr. Teofilus Nghitila, omgewingskommissaris en waarnemende permanente sekretaris van die omgewing en toerisme, het Donderdag ‘n brief aan die hoof van die polisie, lt.genl. Sebastian Ndeitunga, gestuur waarin hy die polisie versoek het om die aflaai van die mangaanerts te stop. “Ons het kundiges betrek,” het Nghitila Vrydag gesê en bygevoeg: “Dit is nie iets wat ons ligtelik beskou nie. Dit is ‘n reuse-oortreding om met so ‘n operasie te begin sonder ‘n omgewingklaringsertifikaat.” Twee omgewingsinspekteurs het ook Vrydag op Lüderitz aangekom om die saak te ondersoek. TradePort Namibia het opdrag gekry om die gebied voor Vrydag te “rehabiliteer”. Dit beteken al die mangaanerts wat tot dusver afgelaai is, moet verwyder word. n Bron in die ministerie van die omgewing en toerisme het gesê daar bestaan geen sekerheid dat ‘n omgewingklaringsertifikaat wel uitgereik sal word nie. Volgens die bron kan dit lank duur voordat die proses om so ‘n sertifikaat uit te reik, afgehandel is. Dit is ‘n tydsame proses wat “‘n gedetailleerde ondersoek behels”. Die bron het ook gesê die terrein waar die erts afgelaai is, is nie “omgewingsgeskik” vir die doel waarvoor TradePort Namibia dit gebruik nie. Dit behoort aan TransNamib en is binne die dorpsgebied geleë. Dit is nie in hierdie stadium duidelik of die vragmotors waarop beslag gelê is, toegelaat sal word om na Suid-Afrika terug te keer tot tyd en wyl die aansoek vir 'n omgewingsklaringsertifikaat voortduur nie.

Environment officials halt Lüderitz manganese stockpile The Namibian|08/01/2019

The environment ministry on Friday ordered a temporary halt to the stockpiling of manganese for export outside Lüderitz. Sources informed The Namibian the temporary suspension of the manganese ore stockpiling operations follows a Friday meeting between environment officials and locals who have complained about the health and environmental risks the stockpile poses. Sources privy to the meeting said the government officials issued a moratorium on the manganese stockpiling operations to pave way for an investigation into whether clearance certificates were issued to the South African companies to store and export the manganese via the Lüderitz port. Trucks owned by South African companies, sources said, had since the end of 2018 been offloading heaps of manganese ore about two kilometers outside Lüderitz. The Nambian could not verify the moratorium as the environment ministry's spokesperson could not be reached for comment on his cellphone. The Namibian Sun on Friday reported that the environment ministry's acting permanent secretary, Teofilus Nghitila, on Thursday confirmed that no environmental clearances had been issued to the South African companies to export manganese via the port of Lüderitz.

Katima resumes refuse collection The Namibian|11/01/2019

The Katima Mulilo Town Council yesterday revealed that they had appointed seven local companies on an emergency basis to collect refuse around town. This was revealed to The Namibian by council spokesperson Elijah Pasval, who said the companies were expected to have been on the ground by yesterday. “We wish to inform the residents of Katima Mulilo that seven local companies were appointed under section 33(3)(b) of the Public Procurement Act on an emergency basis on a three- months contract to collect refuse. These companies will be on the ground to commence duty as of tomorrow (yesterday), the 10th of January 2019,'' she explained. Pasval said the council was well aware of the insufficient services of waste removal in town, and would like to extend their sincere apologies to the community of Katima Mulilo for the inconveniences caused. “Residents are also informed that all charges made over the past few months without people being provided with the rightful services will see council crediting their accounts for all the months when they were not provided with services, and it shall reflect on their bills as credit. This will only apply to clients who were paying for their municipal services,'' she noted. According to Pasval, the council has advertised

39 a normal bid for refuse collection in terms of section 28 of the Public Procurement Act. The advert will be placed in next week's newspapers. The town council was directed by the procurement review panel to readvertise the tender after complaints from unsuccessful bidders over the awarding of the lucrative rubbish removal tender surfaced last year. The three unsuccessful bidders had applied for a review after the council disqualified them for reasons ranging from failure to own a truck, bidding outside their line of business, and poor performance in previous bids. The review panel further stated that the bid evaluation process was conducted using criteria which did not form part of the specifications as set out in the bid documents, thereby depriving bidders of the crucial details which determined the outcome of their bids. According to the panel, the council violated Section 52 and 53 of the Public Procurement Act, which dictates that bids are to be evaluated according to the criteria and the methodology set out in the bidding documents. The panel ruled that all the decisions taken by the council were to be nullified as of 3 October 2018, and if the town council wished to proceed with the procurement activity concerned, it was to start afresh with clear specifications to potential bidders, and in compliance with the act and its regulations.

Katima Mulilo using dumping site illegally The Namibian|11/01/2019

The ministry of environment says the Katima Mulilo dumpsite is illegal as the council was not issued with an environmental clearance certificate. The Katima Mulilo Town Council has finally moved away from using the old dumping site situated north-west of the town and affecting places such as the University of Namibia's Katima Mulilo campus, Zambezi Vocational Training Centre (ZVTC) and Macaravan informal settlement in the area, which are located very close to it. “They have applied for the environmental clearance certificate, but no approval was given yet. So, if the rumours are true that the town council has started to use this site, it is illegal to do so without the environmental clearance certificate,” the environment ministry's spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, told The Namibian yeaterday. Katima Mulilo Town Council spokesperson Pasval Elijah told The Namibian on Tuesday that they recently closed the old dumpsite following an order from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism due to the helth risk associated with the site. “Due to the urgency of the site and the imminent disaster that the old dumpsite was causing, a temporary site was identified by council behind the Puma Service Station, about 500 metres from the tarred road, and was approved by the Office of the Environmental Commissioner for immediate use whilst council conducts a scoping study with the Namibia University of Science and Technology. This study will be published for objections, and be submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to obtain an environmental clearance certificate (ECC),'' she explained. Council stopped the refuse collection on Tuesday to maintain the site and upgrade the access road to the dumping site. “Security forces will be attached to the site to make sure that refuse is dumped in a hygienic manner and does not affect the community in any way, and council will fence off the site for security purposes. Consultations and engagements with members of the community through suburb chairpersons, the business community and individuals within the vicinity of that area are still ongoing with Nust, who are currently on the ground,'' the spokesperson added. Efforts to get comment from environmental commissioner Teofilus Nghitila were unsuccessful as calls and messages sent to his phone were not answered.

Lüderitz divided over export of manganese The New Era|14/01/2019

Divergent views have emerged out of the south coast port town of Lüderitz on whether it was safe to use it as a transit for manganese ore from South Africa to China. Critics of the move recently successfully lobbied the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to stop TradePort Namibia cc from shipping the ore to China, after six trucks, carrying manganese arrived at the town from South Africa. The company was found to have no environmental clearance certificate to carry out this activity and

40 was granted a deadline within which to clear the port of manganese ore spills. Critics had vowed that even if the certificate was granted, they would continue protesting the activity which they claimed was a health threat. TradePort Namibia cc, who started transporting manganese from South Africa to China via the Port of Lüderitz since 30 December 2018, has since removed ore from the port as instructed by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism recently. Senior conservation scientist for environment assessment in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism Hiskia Mbura told New Era last week that the company has removed the manganese ore from the site, and store them in the safe place until they are issued with an environmental clearance certificate from from the ministry. The company had not obtained the certificate by late last week. New Era now understands that TradePort Namibia cc intends to undertake road and rail manganese import and export operations by utilising the Trans-Oranje Corridor, linking the Port of Lüderitz with the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The proposed import and export trading operation by TradePort Namibia through Trans-Oranje Corridor strategically falls within the national Namibia and regional Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) master plan for the international logistics hub development. The proposed project will unlock the local business and trade opportunities for the town of Lüderitz and Namibia as a whole. A Lüderitz resident who preferred anonymity explained that with the premature closure of mining operations in late 2018, Namdeb northern coastal mine Elizabeth Bay resulted in the retrenchment and reassignment of more than 300 of its employees from Lüderitz. What this meant for the town, the resident said, is that in this already struggling economy a very significant portion of the buying power of the town has been taken away He said it is no secret that the Namibian economy in is a depression state and has each and every household trying by all means to preserve the little that there is and spend very sparingly on needs rather than wants. This reality is however only true to the majority of the people in the country and the town of Lüderitz to be more specific. “We, the less privileged, will always support development and business endeavours that promise job security, economic upliftment and development of any nature. The voice of the wealthy minority and those that oppose positive change and development will however always speak a different tongue,” he said.The resident said the current manganese import and export through the Port of Lüderitz has stirred up very negative reaction from the ‘Lüderitz elite’ who are seemingly against development at the town. He emphasised that this could be because they are not affected by the economy. “The very same ‘elite’ are the same that were against the Lüderitz Waterfront Phase 2 Development, the Lüderitz Waterfront Shopping Mall, the same who attempted to chase street vendors from municipal sidewalks - claiming that it is on their business premises. One can’t help but wonder if these are racist acts since those involved in the mentioned examples are black Namibians.” Manganese has been mined for more than 10 years in the Hochfeld area of Otjozondjupa Region and stored in Okahandja before being exported from the Port of Walvis Bay. “This proves that TransNamib in collaboration with Namport have more than 10 years experience in handling manganese with a clean safety sheet,” said the resident.

Legal threat over manganese The Namibian Sun|17/01/2019

A public meeting slated for next Monday is set to discuss the possible health effects of manganese ore on humans and freshwater and marine environments. Concerned members of the Lüderitz community are gearing up for an open meeting on Monday to discuss the issues around the recent manganese debacle, including possible legal action and a petition. A notice distributed this week informed residents and authorities that the public meeting, scheduled for Monday next week, would offer a platform to talk about the possible health effects of manganese ore on humans, on freshwater and marine environments, as well as the possible impacts of manganese exports through Lüderitz. Reginald Hercules has actively campaigned to highlight the dangers associated with manganese pollution and asked questions on the handling of the ore at the town in recent weeks. He says the meeting is an opportunity to hold accountable those who have “recklessly endangered” residents and the environment with the illegal handling of manganese ore. He says it will also offer a 41 chance to address the fact that 620 tonnes of the ore is being stored in a warehouse at the port under conditions many allege are possibly unsafe. Moreover, the public notice indicates intentions to launch a petition and to discuss “possible legal action on the recent dumping and storage of manganese ore at Lüderitz without well-advertised open public consultations and an environmental clearance certificate.” Namibian Sun reported earlier this month that a South African company, TradePort, one of two companies that reportedly signed a deal with NamPort to export manganese ore to China from Lüderitz, was ordered to stop offloading the ore at an open site near the town. The environment ministry confirmed that the company was dumping the ore illegally and had not been granted an environmental clearance certificate as required by law. Trucks containing ore were impounded and the product was taken to the port after the ministry gave NamPort the go-ahead to store it temporarily.

SAFETY CONCERNS Hiskia Mbura of the ministry's environmental division confirmed to Namibian Sun last week that the storage of the manganese by NamPort was “a remedial measure to effect a compliance order issued by this office and thus within the law.” He addressed concerns raised by some residents that the two Rubb Halls were inadequately equipped to store hazardous material, did not pose a health or other threat. Rubb Halls are large, tent-like structures used for temporary storage of construction materials or humanitarian relief supplies. Mbura said the storage would be monitored by the police and environmental inspectors to ensure compliance with safety conditions. Mbura added that “the significant health and safety risks associated with manganese are limited to the handling and haulage of the manganese in an open environment, where it is exposed to wind.” He added that the ministry and NamPort ensured that “additional measures were employed to prevent infiltration of the contaminated water in the warehouse, and watering is discontinued once the dust is contained and therefore the quantity of water used is very minimal in that runoff does not occur.”

CLEANING UP In response to health concerns raised by residents, NamPort CEO Bisey /Uirab said the “cargo owner hired a local contractor based in Lüderitz” to transport the ore to the port warehouse. Unfortunately, the contractor hired by TradePort Namibia CC did not comply with personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements but the Namport safety and health officer was on site to rectify the situation, he said. /Uirab said when NamPort and other authorities arrived; the contractor was only suppressing dust by spraying water over the manganese. “The loading only commenced when NamPort, ministry of environment and tourism [officials] and police arrived on the scene and all safety measures were in place. This product was handled strictly according to the environment ministry and NamPort requirements,” he assured. /Uirab added that the “quick intervention of the ministry of environment and tourism rectified the situation by containing the manganese ore in an enclosed space”. He said Lüderitz residents could rest assured the project posed no further danger to the community.

Lüderitz soek antwoorde oor mangaan-uitvoere Republikein|28/01/2019

Ongelukkigheid oor die beplande transito-uitvoer van mangaanerts van Suid-Afrika af deur die Namport-hawe op Lüderitz duur voort, terwyl inwoners op die dorp op antwoorde van die hawe- en ander owerhede aandring. Meer as 200 inwoners het Maandag ‘n emosiebelaaide vergadering op die dorp bygewoon. Hulle dring op inligting oor die moontlike impak op die omgewing, mense- en dieregesondheid, moontlike gevare vir see- en varswaterbronne, watergebruik, visserye, toerisme en ander besighede aan, sou daar ‘n reuse-intog van trokke op die dorp wees wat mangaanerts vervoer.

42

Plaaslike belanghebbers het van die beplande mangaanerts-invoere gehoor by ‘n vergadering wat op 3 Desember deur GeoPollution Technologies gehou is. GeoPollution Technologies is ’n konsultant vir PektraNam Logistics, een van die Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye. Die Lüderitz-buchters was erg ontstoke toe trokke van ‘n ander maatskappy, TradePort, onaangekondig en onverwags in die laaste dae van Desember mangaanerts buite die dorp begin aflaai het. Dit het toe ook aan die lig gekom TradePort het die mangaanerts sonder enige omgewingsklaringsertifikaat van die ministerie van omgewing en toerisme ingebring en afgelaai. Dit is ook nie duidelik of die vragmotorbestuurders werkspermitte gehad het toe hulle die land binnegekom het nie. ‘n Inwoner, mnr. Reginal Hercules, het gesê tydens Maandag se vergadering is besluit ingryping van president Hage Geingob, sowel as die minister van staatsondernemings, mnr. Leon Jooste, en die minister van die omgewing en toerisme, mnr. Pohamba Shifeta, gaan geëis word as bevredigende antwoorde nie verskaf word nie. Mnr. Jason Burgess, ‘n oesterboer op die dorp, het gesê tot dusver het geen staatsinstansie enige inligting verskaf oor watter stappe teen TradePort geneem gaan word nie. “Gaan hulle (TradePort) daarmee wegkom? Gaan dit onder die mat ingevee word?” het Burgess dié week gevra. Mnr. Crispin Clay, ook ‘n inwoner van Lüderitz, wou weet hoe TradePort trokke mangaanerts sonder die nodige dokumente deur die Ariamsvlei-grens kon vervoer. “Ons weet nie wat op die grond gebeur nie. Ons verwelkom enige ontwikkeling op die dorp, maar iemand moet seker vir ons begin antwoorde gee oor die mangaanerts-uitvoere,” het me. Crystal Jantjies beaam. Sy het gesê Namport het beloof om “binnekort” antwoorde te verskaf. Inwoners hoop ‘n vergadering wat GeoPollution Technologies vir môre belê het, sal meer duidelikheid verskaf. GeoPollution het die inwoners ingelig dat hy steeds besig is met ‘n omgewingsimpakstudie namens PektraNam Logistics, en het beloof om inwoners oor dié maatskappy se beplande voorkomende en versagtende stappe oor die moontlike omgewingsimpak in te lig. By verlede Maandag se vergadering is genoem Lüderitz het 2 400 moontlike werksgeleenthede verloor omdat 24 000 ton vis eerder van Walvisbaai se hawe af uitgevoer word weens Namport se duur hawefooie op Lüderitz. Namport betwis dit en sê daar is geen verband tussen sy hawefooie en werksgeleenthede op Lüderitz nie. Namport het gesê hy het ingestem om sy hawefooie vir mangaanerts-uitvoerders op grond van “volumedeurvoere” drasties te verlaag. Mnr. Tino Hanabeb, Namport se handelshoof, het geweier om enige besonderhede oor ooreenkomste met die Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye te verskaf. Hy het volgehou mangaanerts is vroeër sonder voorval deur die Walvisbaai-hawe uitgevoer. “Ons het stelsels om moontlike omgewingskade te bestuur en te beheer,” het Hanabeb gesê.

Contingency measures as Hepatitis- E outbreak hits Gobabis The New Era|31/01/2019

The Ministry of Health and Social Services together with other stakeholders in Gobabis have been working around the clock to come up with the regional response plan that will mitigate effects of a Hepatitis-E outbreak in town. Since the first case was reported in December - of a pregnant woman who has since miscarried - six other cases have recently been confirmed out of the suspected 25 and the figure keeps rising steadily. Most of the reported cases are coming from informal settlements with poor sanitation, especially Kanaan C whose residents have no access to clean water and toilets, which is why the regional directorate of health has been meeting with officials from the town council, regional council and office of the governor to see how fast they could provide these key services to the said settlement. According to the Chief Medical Officer for Omaheke Region, Dr Leonard Kabongo, the emergency regional management meetings held Tuesday and Wednesday yielded favourable fruits towards the mitigation of Hepatitis E in the affected areas. Kabongo said they planned to install three 10 000L clean water tanks and ten portable toilets yesterday afternoon in Kanaan C, where most of the cases originated from. “We are probably going to purchase and install more, but we will see how the budget will allow,” he said. Kabongo has also revealed that his directorate has sent health extension workers to the affected settlements, and especially to the affected households, to conduct informative meetings. They will also start with the distribution of water purification tablets to the affected communities. In addition, there will be a clean-up 43 campaign on the 9th February in the said areas and Kabongo is calling on stakeholders to come on board and assist with necessary tools and equipment as well as trucks to add to the two availed by town council. Hepatitis E, a liver disease which is mostly associated with poor sanitation, was last year reported in Windhoek and Omusati Region respectively.

44