* TODAY: L~TEST ElECTION rNF'O * SEAl-SLAYING SLAMMED * WHITE MAIZE ~ARNING * as workers set strike ultimatum MBATJIUA NGAVIRUE I;-.~ .>.:,.~~ '~~~ ::·:"r··' .-: ,'; .. ~ ".:' .~ ~ '. :- ___:~ ~-~"",,' ~'~ <... .' 'F-:' ,;:-: . :. :. '" ~ .', :':"'~ - .' .:. A WHOPPING 80 per cent vote in favour [ ~;'~lti:~~c:~~s'_ '< '~':~:. _ - .. ~:.~' . ~~ _'::-':'~;; :-~;~~j,: ,-'-':~ -. '-'~~~~ . :.:~-. :: .. :- ,': ',}", .'~ ~ - .:- ~-: . 'p'> of a strike at the CDM diamond mine has brought the prospect of a long and bruis­ TOM,MINNEY ing confrontation between the company PROBLEMS IN world dia­ and workers at the mine a step closer. mond markets are set to The ballot, which teok at crippling the economy of force Namibia's Consoli­ place on Tuesday, brought Namibia. dated Diamond Mines ini­ a result of 80,55 per cent in If a strike is declared at tially to store a quarter of favour of a strike, only 2,53 the mine it could be all ex­ the normal value of stones per cent workers against a tremely long, drawn-out which it usually sells each strike, 0,23 per cent spoilt affair as CDM is believed year. papers and 16,69 abstentions. to have the financial re­ The .stockpile is set to start Shortly after the results sources to withstand strike from this month and could grow became known, the Mine­ action for some time. at more than R200 million a year according to press esti­ workers' Union of Namibia The Central Selling Or­ mates ofCDM's yearly sales, (MUN) gave CDM seven ganisation, through which The move is set to lop large calendar days to "drastically CDM sens its production, is sums off diamond export duty, revise its unrealistic and already sitting on a huge which was forecast in the unreasonable wage offer of stocJcpile of diamonds which Government budget this year 9,5 per cent". it has no hope of marketing to contribute R95 million. seven In a statement, senior shop in the near future. per cent of the total tax and steward at the mine, Han­ . In view of this, some duties, Diamond production this gula Kemba, said MUN also observers even believe that year was going very well and was set to equal last year's 1,2 expected CDM to propose CDM might welcome a RECONCILIATION ... Luanda - Angola's ruling MPLA and Unita agree that a solutions to all other issues strike as an opportunity to "national reconciliation" government should be formed after elections this month, million carat production, But a top company official in dispute. scale down operations, re­ Portugal's deputy foreign minister Dtirao Barrosa said her~ this week. Barrosa was says that the piling up of dia­ If CDM failed to comply trench workers and cut speaking after talks with Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. "The two monds will still be tr~ated as with this reasonable demaIXl, operating costs. leaders .accept that the government should be extended to include other political an asset and so will not have re wamxl that tre total MUN It is further believed that · forces and personalities, since there is a job of national reconciliation that win not such a strong effect on other membership would face the main reason why CDM finish with the vote," Barrosa said. Above: Dos Santos (right) and Unita leader Jonas downCDM. continued on page 2 has refused to consider Savimbi shake hands before a meeting here on Monday. Photograph:.AFP Referring to the com­ higher wage increases is that pany's uncompromising it would set a precedent for stand, he described CDM as higher wage demands at De . the "the unscrupulous Beer's mines in South Af- 1 000 staff needed for polls mother of all battles" whose hidden agenda was aimed continued on page 2 ONE thousand people are being would start going into rural recruited to register an esti­ TOM MINNEY areas from September 21. Mrs Bernadette LEMA/RE and the mated 700 000 voters for the Each of the country's 13 forthcoming regional council The Government has allo­ boundaries of the constituen­ regions will have its own re­ French Mission for Co-operation and I\lld l<><.:al authority elections. cated R12 million for registra­ cies, as were determined by a gional headquarters. The new Suggested dates for the elec­ tion and elections. delimitation commission which directorate aims to instal 10 Cultural Affairs in Windhoek tions is for registration to start Questions still to be settled reported last year. He said new computers in each with data would like to inform you that a next Wednesday, September before next Wednesday include towns such as Katima Mulilo, typists to input registrations Memorial Service 16, and for the elections to be a decision .on how to treat Rundu, Khorixas .and Arandis week by week. will be heldfor the intention of held from November 30 to Namibia's disputed harbour and new villages such as Vis, There are set to be some 95 Saturday, December 5, Walvis Bay. Totemeyer sug­ Gibeon, Tses and Berseqa constituencies countrywide, Pierre LEMA/RE, Engineer, Project Manager The newly-appointed direc­ gellted yesterday that there is needed to be proclaimed by rangin,s from six constituen­ for the Eenhana Hospital, tor of elections Professor Ger­ space in the regional councils Wednesday or they may not be cies in regions such as Karas and his parents, who all three died in a car accident hard Totemeyer yesterday gave act recently passed for the town able to vote until next year. and Hardap to 10 or more in on Tuesday 1st September 1992. details of the high-speed regis­ to be considered a constitu­ According to a timetable heavily populated northern tration. The final dates will ency and to hold a regional proposed by an Electoral regions, Totemeyer said yes­ The ceremony will lake place at only be official once they have council election, although lo­ Commission, chaired by Judge terday he hoped the newly­ St. Mary's Cathedral on Friday 11th September 1992 been agreed by Prime Minister cal authority elections will be Johan Strydom, voter registra­ elected regional councils would at 5.45 p.m. Hage Geingob who is acting out. tion would last until October meet within a month as speci- A condolence Book will be open at the Fre,nch president until President Sam Before Wednesday the 24.imd some 44 fixed registra­ . tied and would elect two of Embassy on Thursday 10th and Friday 11 th Septem- Nujoma returns from the Far Government must also issue a tion points have .been picked East on September 18. proclamation determining the so far. Mobile registration teams continued on page 2 r berbetween 9-12 a.m. and 4-5 p.m. '. 2 Thursday September -10 1992 . THE NAMIBIAN . and bought five per cent of De erable," he said. Beers company'as part of the CDM is busy negotiating with [_'---_C_DM-=---~].~ FROM PAGE 1 _ end sale of its stocks. the Government over the company taxes. The- budget Both CDM and the CSO are Government taking a part share Furious Fifi fingers forecast these at R78m. Dlegal part of the same giant diamond in the mine. The Botswana diamond sales from Namibia network and are owned by De Government owns b.'\lf of are now estimated to amount Beers Centenary, based in Swit­ CDM's sister company, to up to R200m a year, another -zerland but linked to the South Debswnna. But CDM's onshore sixth of total production, and African De Beers. Recently De operations are set to be largely 'fabrication'". ·fuss this is producing no tax for the Beers shares plunged on world worked out by the year 2002, •• ou.. .. nation. _, . stock markets when the extent says Menell. ' The future of mining is off- REPORTS in the local press guns and rifles. The switch comes after of problems in world diamond MBATJIUA'NGAVIRUE This was despite the fact markets Qecame clear (see box, . shore, where associate com- last week claiming that local London's Central Selling that the ' Zimbabwe High Organisation, which has an page 7). -" pany De Beers Marine has been fireanns expert Fill Hundt had for him involving not only Commission in Windhock had agreement to buy all CDM's According to Brian Menell, developing mining at depths been detained by' the Zim- the NamibianPolice, but also assured him there would be production, recently activated assistant to the executive di; of over 100 metres off the sea babwean intelligence ~ivices the · Ministries 'of Foreign a "deferred purchase clause". recto~ of CDM, the company is bed. Although Menell says this' have been describedlls "a Affairs and Trade Industry. no problems in taking the Under this it will delay buying still·working out ho~ to react ' is still at test stage, already it is complete fabrication" by '''There was no problem until goods into Zimbabwe. a quarter of its normal. pur­ to the new deal. The aim is to contributing about a ,fifth of Hundt. the report in the Republikein While he was waiting in chases of diamonds from eacH cut costs-an$! capital expendi­ total production. " Several 'reports m'a local appeared and then everyone Livingstone . ,he made th« mistake of leaving his vehicle of its pr04ucers. ~ , t1;1ret but .he says final deci­ . A third ship, the MV Grand . newspaper claimed Hundt hlI;d , panicked, but tlie report was 'The.share th4t is st9Ckpilc:d sions will only ?e taken after . Banks, has been equippe~ for been detained by the Zim-·· totally untrue," he said. ' , U118uardyd wllile he went for in Namibfa,co\Jld be increased de.tailed studies and .the Gov- diamond iiiining at a cast of babweans to prevent him from Hundt confirmed he had a swim in the Zambezi river.