- • - CABINET COUlD .SPLIT Crucial issue of portfolios may break up interim government BY GWEN LISTER THE INTERIM government Cabinet are keeping a low profile on the decision to allot the Transport portfolio to Mr Jannie de Wet of the National Party, because of a possible breakup of the government as a result. Sources said today that Mr de Wet himself was most unhappy about the portfolio allocation, and the move was seen as a direct snub to the National Party's new Cabinet Minister. In the meantime National Harty leader, Mr Kosie Pretorius,' said he had as yet not been officially informed of the Cabinet decision, but that if the Transport portfolio had i:.O.deed been allocated to Mr de Wet, then the executive ofthe Party'would meet to decide on their further participation in the interim government. The National party was expecting that Mr de Wet would take over the Agriculture portfolio of the former NP Cabinet Minister, Mr Eben van Zijl. It was established that the Cabinet" ecutive Comniittee for the White Ad­ at a meeting this week where Mr de ministration, that a "clash of in- Wet himself was present, decided to , terests" may come about if he had give Mr Dawid Bezuidenhout the the portfolio of agriculture at central portfolio of Agriculture, while Mr de government level as well. However, Wet was given Mr Bezuidenhout's sources pointed out that a decision former portfolio, namely Transport, could be taken by the White Ex­ Sources in the interim government ecutive Committee, headed by Mr said that in view of a possible Pretorius, to move Mr de Wet off the agriculture portfolio 'at second tier level. SOUTH African State Sources were also unsure what the President Mr P W upshot would be "if Mr de Wet, as ap­ Botha - will not allow pears to be the case, 'refuses to accept MR JANNIE de Wet -new portfolio is a direct snub; Mr Kosie Pretorius the Transport portfolio. While some - will convene a meeting of the National Party executive on the matter. in~rim government to members of the Cabinet would be collapse before elec­ happy if the National Party pulled out as a result, it would probably tions in South Africa. mean the death knell for the interim government itself. Mystery disappearanee of Sources added that South African State President, P W Botha, who faces an election early this year, will not allow the break-up ofthe interim senior ELCIN pastor government which come, about as a result of the withdrawal of the Na­ -------- BXCHRIS SHIPANGA-------- tional Party. Mr Pretorius, when approached on DESPITE an insistence by Church officials in northern Namibia, that Pastor Junius the question of the portfolios, said Kaapanda was detained by members of Koevoet last Thursday (February 5), the police that ifMr de Wet had been aUocated public relations division in Windhoek say they have no record ofthe Pastor's deten­ the Transport portfolio, then the Ex­ tion. But police have confirmed the detention of several women under "security ecutive would have to discuss the matter. He implied that Mr de Wet's legislati~n" in the north. appointment as Cabinet Minister Church sources said they were in­ gregation, had been detained on a have confirmed that the following · was because of his experience in the formed last Thursday that uniform­ number of occasions in the past people are being held under "securi­ field of agriculture. ed men had come to take away Pastor under AG 9. ty legislation". All are from nor­ The Cabinet it~lf is keeping a low Kaapanda, and he was held shortly He' said Pastor Kaapanda was in thern, and north-western Namibia. Cabinet split the decision on the port­ , profile on the matter, apparently un­ at Ombalantu and later apparently his fifties. folios may well be stayed, til they have heard what Mr de Wet's transferred to Oshakati. He said a spokesman from the The names are as follows: Decisions in the Cabinet are taken decision will be. It is also speculated Deputy to Bishop Kleopas Dumeni Oshakati police had confirmed PastOr D Mrs Mariana Phillipus on the basis of majority vote, and it that certain members of the Cabinet ofELCIN, Matti Am~dhila, confirm­ Kaapanda's detention, but in Win­ D Mrs Eva Shaninge was evident that Mr de Wet was bet­ wanted to give' Mr de Wet an "in­ ed that Pastor Kaapanda had been dhoek police said they had no record t:J Mrs Taimi Endjala ter equipped than Mr Bezuidenhout nocuous" portfolio, such as either detained, but said they did not know of his detention. .I D Mrs Elizabeth Amu):t.waya to take over the Agriculture portfolio, Transport or Telecommunications, in under what security legislation he . Pastor Amadhila said the church D Mr Frans N angombe Some sources said, that the're was order to prev~nt him taking on "sen­ was being held. would issue a statement on the arrest D Mr Isak Shoome a feeling that since Mr de Wet was sitive" portfolios such as Agriculture He added that Pastor Kaapanda, at a dater stage. D Mr Josef Katofa responsible for agriculture'on the Ex- or Education for instance. who is in' charge of the Tsandi con- D Meanwhile police in Windhoek D Mr Katofa Shilongo . '. Become a Maison Kikumember today! Simply make cin appointment. come In for, a treatment a~d ­ receive your free membership card. Recommend MAISO" KIKa to your friends and soon you will receive the treatment of your cholte absolutely free! MAlleN KIKll Tel: ,227267 Peter MOiler St (Carl List Hoase) , ....- .", 2 Friday February 13 1987 THE NAMIBIAN -Ghana's eireumeisors are 'a ent above' has been a male "trade" usually members to approach their realised that the wanzums could use WANZUM IS a Hausa word meaning barber..In Ghana however, taught by father to son. A female wan­ neighbourhod wanzums. Once a list this opportunity to encourage patients it refers to the traditional healers who specialise in circumci~ zum is a rarity, although there are a was collected, the group would to have their children immunised. She sion. Concerned by the number of bungled operations, a group few. organise training sessions. said "I thought this was a rare oppor­ of nurses organised a training session to teach modern stan­ The operation, which involves the The first training course for wan­ tunity to bring in immunisation. Of dards to a group of willing wanzums, and now Ajoa Yeboah cutting away of the foreskin of the zums opened at the U ssher'lbwn clinic special interest to them was the tetanus Mari, reporting for Gemini News Services, writes that the effort penis with a special knife, is normal­ in February last year. Fifty wanzums, immunisation we give pregnant ly done when a child is one week old. including two women, found women." was so successful the wanzums have formed an association, Fees charged are at the discretion of themselves in a classroom for the first Family planning and nutrition were complete with their own slogan and symbol. the. wanzum, but are currently around' time - taking part in a six-week course also covered. Although most par­ $3-$4. on basic Western health care. ticipants were not able to read or write, A pilot project at a clinic in Accra may ticed. The main exceptions are males . Until now, the wanzums have not Ernestina Asante, nursing sister at some could read and write in Arabic, soon add a new word "waru:um", to the ofroyal lineage in some tribes, notably been part ofthe country's health care the clinic, drew up a syllabus with the they were taught how to ensure that western medical vocabulary, and pro­ some Akan-speakingpeoples, because system. The need to bring them into help of Dr FC Oppng, a surgeon who immunisation charts issued to vide traditional Ghanaian medical a potential chief is supposed to be the system and establish a recognised was helping with the project. She mothers are properly filled in. practitioners with a role in the "unblemished" without cuts or scars. level of care became evident when a explained: The programme was so successfui primary health care programme. Even such privileged males have to nurse, speaking at a meeting in Accra, Wanzum is a Hausa word, meaning tolerate a great deal oftaunting from complain'ed about the worrying barber. In Ghana however, it has come others however, because it is general­ . number of "bleeding circumcision" pa­ to be identified with the practice of cir­ ly considered a disgrace to be uncir­ tients referred to Ghana's premier cumcising mll-les, and invariably in­ cumcised. The circumcisor is, hospital, the Korle-Bu Teaching vites embarrassed twitters or shud­ therefore, an important member ofthe Hospital. In 1985, 72 cases ofbleeding ders when mentioned. society. circumcision were treated there, as A demonstration project at the' Apart from the social significance well as nine cases of infected Ussher 'lbwn Polyclinic seeks to give associated with the operation, local circumcision. wanzums the rudiments of orthodox medical people say it is necessary to The chairman of the group was medicine to complement their tradi­ keep dirt and germs from under the Matilda Asante ofthe Public Health tional training and expertise. It pro­ foreskin. Nurses Group, who had been searching mises to give the wanzums recognition Circumcisions are available in for ways "to put public health nursing and enhanced status, as well as tie hospitals, but most people still con­ on the map". She recognised the oppor­ them into the country's health care sider the local wanzum easier to relate tunity and decided the wanzums need­ system.