New photo album of Sea Side Hotel: https://clck.ru/9KXUt
Tuesday, 30 September 2014
The second highest housing price increase in the world - Namibia
The country recorded the second highest house price increase in the world in June after Dubai, the latest FNB House Price Index released yesterday shows.
Namene Kalili, manager research and competitor intelligence at FNB Namibia Holdings, said at a median price of N$774 000, households must earn at least N$23 000 per month to afford an average property.
“This is almost three times the average household income for urban households in Namibia. Based on our calculations, the income requirement for the lower price segment came in at N$15 000 per month. Less than 10% of the households in the country can afford a property in the lower price segment,” Kalili said.
According to the 2013 National Labour Force Survey released in March by the Namibia Statistics Agency, at national level, the 'mean wage' is N$6 802 per month. It was higher for males (N$7 315) than for females (N$6 125).
Across industries, the highest 'mean' (N$18 139) per month was found in the transport and communications sector, while the lowest is found in private households, where the mean is N$939 per month.
House prices increased by 29% year on year to bring the FNB House Price Index to 234,7 index points through June as house prices continue to increase in 2014 at a much faster pace than the long term trend over the past seven years.
Kalili said despite various policy interventions to increase new housing supply, volumes continued to trend downwards as fewer properties were traded from month to month and demand for properties continued to increase.
“It is this increased disparity between supply and demand that is driving house prices upwards so much so that Namibia had the second highest house price increase after Dubai,” he said.
The index showed that the land delivery remained weak at 61 stands mortgaged through June, with the trend beginning to point downwards.
Land
Land prices were 23% higher and averaged N$140 000 for a 410 square metres plot. A further 393, 800 square metres of land was mortgaged by developers, with a maximum potential for 920 free standing homes, which brought the cumulative house delivery potential to 7 950 for 2014.
“However, developer activity had not filtered meaningfully into the new housing supply numbers as overall volumes continued to trend downwards,” Kalili said.
Property prices in the central region of the country increased by 20% on an annual basis to reach N$810 000 with most of the upward price pressure coming from the upper price segment, where property prices rose by 32% year on year to N$2,3 million per unit.
At the coast, property prices increased by 25% year on year to a median price of N$956 000 and although property prices continue to increase, near term data shows that this price growth is tapering as the market moves towards its August peak.
“Coastal property prices tend to track the tourism season and hence the coastal property price growth was concentrated in the upper price segment, where prices increased by 28% on an annual basis to end the month at a median price of N$2,2 million.
In the north of the country, property prices increased by 28% on an annual basis at a median price of N$530 000 on account of strong price movement in the lower price segment. In the south of the country, property prices increased by 287% to end the month at a median price of N$702 000, but Kalili said with five properties traded in the month, one should not read too much into this figure.
He said despite TIPEEG and the Mass Housing Project, land delivery struggled to find directions, with the near term data pointing towards waning land delivery.
Recent land sales around Windhoek show that individuals have little chances of buying land as most of it is bought by property developers.
Land prices
At a recent land sale by Trustco at the Elisenheim Lifestyle Village, plots were all sold within 24 hours to mostly property developers. Estate agents encouraged their disappointed clients who failed to buy land at Elisenheim to try their luck at the auction next month in Academia, near the University of Namibia.
The City of Windhoek, Betula Nigra Investments and Old Mutaul will auction 114 residential zoned erven on 16 October of which 50 erven will be reserved for first time buyers. The prices for the erven will range between N$420 000 and N$612 000, which is far more than most Namibians can afford and goes against the promise the city made last year offering affordable land to low and middle income earners.
In June last year, Windhoek mayor Agnes Kafula said the city would spend over N$200 million on the servicing of land in Otjomuise Extension 4, Otjomuise Extension 10 and Academia Extension One, under the Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (TIPEEG). She said at that time the city would make available over 1 000 erven in these areas through the 'offer to purchase' method to low and middle-income earners in the city.
Kafula said the method was a new approach which is meant to ensure prices of erven remain affordable and are within the reach of the target arket.
Namene Kalili, manager research and competitor intelligence at FNB Namibia Holdings, said at a median price of N$774 000, households must earn at least N$23 000 per month to afford an average property.
“This is almost three times the average household income for urban households in Namibia. Based on our calculations, the income requirement for the lower price segment came in at N$15 000 per month. Less than 10% of the households in the country can afford a property in the lower price segment,” Kalili said.
According to the 2013 National Labour Force Survey released in March by the Namibia Statistics Agency, at national level, the 'mean wage' is N$6 802 per month. It was higher for males (N$7 315) than for females (N$6 125).
Across industries, the highest 'mean' (N$18 139) per month was found in the transport and communications sector, while the lowest is found in private households, where the mean is N$939 per month.
House prices increased by 29% year on year to bring the FNB House Price Index to 234,7 index points through June as house prices continue to increase in 2014 at a much faster pace than the long term trend over the past seven years.
Kalili said despite various policy interventions to increase new housing supply, volumes continued to trend downwards as fewer properties were traded from month to month and demand for properties continued to increase.
“It is this increased disparity between supply and demand that is driving house prices upwards so much so that Namibia had the second highest house price increase after Dubai,” he said.
The index showed that the land delivery remained weak at 61 stands mortgaged through June, with the trend beginning to point downwards.
Land
Land prices were 23% higher and averaged N$140 000 for a 410 square metres plot. A further 393, 800 square metres of land was mortgaged by developers, with a maximum potential for 920 free standing homes, which brought the cumulative house delivery potential to 7 950 for 2014.
“However, developer activity had not filtered meaningfully into the new housing supply numbers as overall volumes continued to trend downwards,” Kalili said.
Property prices in the central region of the country increased by 20% on an annual basis to reach N$810 000 with most of the upward price pressure coming from the upper price segment, where property prices rose by 32% year on year to N$2,3 million per unit.
At the coast, property prices increased by 25% year on year to a median price of N$956 000 and although property prices continue to increase, near term data shows that this price growth is tapering as the market moves towards its August peak.
“Coastal property prices tend to track the tourism season and hence the coastal property price growth was concentrated in the upper price segment, where prices increased by 28% on an annual basis to end the month at a median price of N$2,2 million.
In the north of the country, property prices increased by 28% on an annual basis at a median price of N$530 000 on account of strong price movement in the lower price segment. In the south of the country, property prices increased by 287% to end the month at a median price of N$702 000, but Kalili said with five properties traded in the month, one should not read too much into this figure.
He said despite TIPEEG and the Mass Housing Project, land delivery struggled to find directions, with the near term data pointing towards waning land delivery.
Recent land sales around Windhoek show that individuals have little chances of buying land as most of it is bought by property developers.
Land prices
At a recent land sale by Trustco at the Elisenheim Lifestyle Village, plots were all sold within 24 hours to mostly property developers. Estate agents encouraged their disappointed clients who failed to buy land at Elisenheim to try their luck at the auction next month in Academia, near the University of Namibia.
The City of Windhoek, Betula Nigra Investments and Old Mutaul will auction 114 residential zoned erven on 16 October of which 50 erven will be reserved for first time buyers. The prices for the erven will range between N$420 000 and N$612 000, which is far more than most Namibians can afford and goes against the promise the city made last year offering affordable land to low and middle income earners.
In June last year, Windhoek mayor Agnes Kafula said the city would spend over N$200 million on the servicing of land in Otjomuise Extension 4, Otjomuise Extension 10 and Academia Extension One, under the Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (TIPEEG). She said at that time the city would make available over 1 000 erven in these areas through the 'offer to purchase' method to low and middle-income earners in the city.
Kafula said the method was a new approach which is meant to ensure prices of erven remain affordable and are within the reach of the target arket.
Namibia: massive rough diamond is missing during strike
In all the commotion caused by a recent miner strike in Namibia over wages and medical and education fees, a massive rough diamond has gone missing, Mining.com reports. The stone is said to weigh a whopping 78 carats, and based on the prices paid for similar-sized diamonds in the recent past, it could be worth as much as $6 million.
The loss of a precious gem was not what Namdeb feared when one thousand five hundred employees of the Namibia Diamond Trading Company went on strike during the summer. As the IDI reported at that time, Namdeb threatened to take the Mineworkers Union of Namibia to court over the strike, claiming that it was affecting two essential emergency services crucial to its operations – the seawalls and mining de-watering. In a letter, Namdeb noted that failure to return to work “might result in loss of life and destruction of a national asset due to the strike."
The Namibian reported in August that Namdeb CEO Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi said that the strike cost the diamond company and the government about $930,000 a day and that it could even lead to the closure of the company.
The loss of a precious gem was not what Namdeb feared when one thousand five hundred employees of the Namibia Diamond Trading Company went on strike during the summer. As the IDI reported at that time, Namdeb threatened to take the Mineworkers Union of Namibia to court over the strike, claiming that it was affecting two essential emergency services crucial to its operations – the seawalls and mining de-watering. In a letter, Namdeb noted that failure to return to work “might result in loss of life and destruction of a national asset due to the strike."
The Namibian reported in August that Namdeb CEO Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi said that the strike cost the diamond company and the government about $930,000 a day and that it could even lead to the closure of the company.
Namibia: International Fashion House at Wolwedans
With the latest issue of “The Look” magazine, readers can admire the distinct beauty of the NamibRand Nature Reserve. The pages are a collage of vivid colours, crafty layout, gorgeous models and an outstanding portrayal of the location. The magazine published images secured by Paul Kehl Zurich, the PKZ fashion house.
The fashion house visited Wolwedans in 2014 to take some exquisite shots of their fashion line. Identified by their production team as a scenic location of note, Wolwedans did not disappoint. With vast open spaces, piercing blue skies and mesmerizing multi-coloured dunes, the photographers had the perfect backdrop for an array of photographic exploits. The combination of skilled artists behind the camera, attractive personalities beyond the camera and magnificent landscapes surrounding the camera, resulted in an exceptional photo shoot with a uniquely Namibian flavour.
Victoria Falls's new International airport by 2015
An international airport is set to open at Victoria Falls by July 2015 at a cost of US $150 million.
The new Victoria Falls International Airport will accommodate more than three times more passengers, catering for an annual capacity of 1.2 million international travellers and 500,000 domestic passengers.
It will feature a new international terminal building, while the existing airport will be re-opened as a domestic terminal.
A new 4km runway, capable of landing the biggest passenger planes, including the A380, is due to be built, while the existing runway is set to become a taxiway.
Africa Albida Tourism, a hospitality group operating in Zimbabwe and Botswana, is supporting the initiative.
Chief Executive Ross Kennedy, said: "The Victoria Falls Airport is going to be a massive game changer, not only for Zimbabwe, but for the region. We will have a new airport capable of landing and handling, in all conditions, long haul wide body jets.
"This would turn Victoria Falls into a new regional hub, firstly for tourism, but it also has the potential to become a commercial centre".
The new Victoria Falls Airport, funded by a China Exim Bank loan to the Zimbabwean Government, is being constructed by China Jiangsu International Group.
The new Victoria Falls International Airport will accommodate more than three times more passengers, catering for an annual capacity of 1.2 million international travellers and 500,000 domestic passengers.
It will feature a new international terminal building, while the existing airport will be re-opened as a domestic terminal.
A new 4km runway, capable of landing the biggest passenger planes, including the A380, is due to be built, while the existing runway is set to become a taxiway.
Africa Albida Tourism, a hospitality group operating in Zimbabwe and Botswana, is supporting the initiative.
Chief Executive Ross Kennedy, said: "The Victoria Falls Airport is going to be a massive game changer, not only for Zimbabwe, but for the region. We will have a new airport capable of landing and handling, in all conditions, long haul wide body jets.
"This would turn Victoria Falls into a new regional hub, firstly for tourism, but it also has the potential to become a commercial centre".
The new Victoria Falls Airport, funded by a China Exim Bank loan to the Zimbabwean Government, is being constructed by China Jiangsu International Group.
Monday, 29 September 2014
Sun City Resort Refurbishments - Hotel & Meeting Facilities
We are renovating the Non-Smoking Casino at Sun City Resort, removing the rocks and Palm Trees. The renovations are projected to finish mid-November and the Casino and the bars in the Non-Smoking area will open on the 15th of November. The Non-Smoking Casino has been relocated to the Baobab room just next to the area under renovations.
The smoking Casino is still operational as normal and easily accessible from the entrance as well. The Orchid Restaurant is also closed for refurbishment and the Calabash has been relocated to the 1st floor. The rooms are not affected by the refurbishment.
The smoking Casino is still operational as normal and easily accessible from the entrance as well. The Orchid Restaurant is also closed for refurbishment and the Calabash has been relocated to the 1st floor. The rooms are not affected by the refurbishment.
Plans for SADC visa
Zimbabwe is working on plans to introduce a single visa system at all its borders to allow easy access that will promote tourism in the region, Tourism deputy minister Retired Brigadier-General Walter Kanhanga has said.
Speaking at the Gaza Transfrontier Cultural Festival in Chiredzi over the weekend, Kanhanga said government was working on a uni-visa pilot programme in Victoria Falls which is set to be adopted at all border posts to allow easy movement by tourists and enhance trade within Southern Africa.
“We are working on a pilot project of a single visa system at Victoria Falls. We are at an advanced stage of adopting the single visa system and should we succeed, it will be the model that will be used at all our borders,” Kanhanga said.
The single visa system will ensure one visa will allow entry in all Sadc countries and will therefore reduce the hassles for tourists traveling in the region, who had blamed the cumbersome processes of obtaining visas.
Speaking at the Gaza Transfrontier Cultural Festival in Chiredzi over the weekend, Kanhanga said government was working on a uni-visa pilot programme in Victoria Falls which is set to be adopted at all border posts to allow easy movement by tourists and enhance trade within Southern Africa.
“We are working on a pilot project of a single visa system at Victoria Falls. We are at an advanced stage of adopting the single visa system and should we succeed, it will be the model that will be used at all our borders,” Kanhanga said.
The single visa system will ensure one visa will allow entry in all Sadc countries and will therefore reduce the hassles for tourists traveling in the region, who had blamed the cumbersome processes of obtaining visas.
Explore Namibia in Winter
Winter in Namibia is a great time of year to explore our vast and diverse country. The weather is more moderate than in other months of the year and our country is a great option if you want to avoid the huge crowds of the northern hemisphere’s summer months. Read on for a few more reasons why we think you should visit Namibia in the winter months.
The Manageable Weather
As you probably know already, Namibia is a place associated with hot, dry and sunny weather. The cloudless skies and blazing sun can, at times, become overwhelming in the warmer months (particularly over December, January and February). Winter is a slightly different story in the Land of the Brave. Daytime temperatures for the season stay manageable and rarely climb above the 25 degrees Celsius
Another cloudless and temperate winter's day in Namibia.
Namibia gets its rain in the summer months so the winter daytime skies are also incredibly clear and cloudless. It is not uncommon to go for days without seeing a cloud in the perfect blue sky and this allows photographers ample opportunity to take some incredible high contrast pictures against a deep blue background.
And while we are talking about awesome photo opportunities, you should know that toward the end of winter you will be treated to some incredible sunsets. Toward the end of winter the winter months the desert winds begin to start blowing. These winds pick up dust into the air, which then spectacularly refracts the light of the setting sun.
A giraffe at sunset in Etosha National Park.
At night the temperatures can get quite nippy, but it never gets quite as cold as the frigid winters of northern Europe or northern America. The temperatures in Namibia are cool enough to justify lighting a warming fire and nothing makes winter more enjoyable than sitting around a roaring fire and sharing some stories with your friends and family.
A large camp fire keeps the night, and the cold, at bay. (Image via Wofford)
Note: In the southern and central regions of Namibia it can occasionally get to freezing. These temperatures are exceptional though and you can expect it to not get much colder than 5 degrees Celsius.
Winter adventures
Winter is the perfect time to be physically active in Namibia. The lack of humidity and the relatively moderate daytime temperatures make doing physical activity far easier in the winter than in the summer months. Rock climbing, cycling, trail running and several other adventure sports are all best done in the winter. The sun is at a less steep angle and the cooling winter breeze make any physical exercise much easier to deal with.
Hiking is another great activity to take part in when visiting Namibia in the winter. Some hikes, like the Fish River Canyon Hike are not offered to guests in the summer months as the temperatures are too high and the heat makes the hike too strenuous.
While not exactly physically demanding, going on safari is also very worthwhile during winter. The animals become easier to spot because the vegetation dries out in the rainless months giving the wildlife less cover. This is coupled with the fact that the animals are drawn out to the remaining waterholes in search of water and means that your chances of catching a glimpse of some of Namibia’s awesome wildlife are greatly increased during winter.
Note: Even though the sun is less harsh in the winter in Namibia you still need to make sure you are protected from it. Always use sunscreen and wear a hat and sunglasses.
Hit the beach
The winter months are arguably the best time of the year to head to the beach in Namibia. All along the famously rugged coastline temperatures remain warm and the fog stays away. These favourable weather conditions are as a result of the foehn winds (berg winds) that travel down the great escarpment and into the ocean.
The warm winds ensure that the coast stays dry and the frequent evening fog that descends over towns like Swakopmund, Luderitz, Walvis Bay and Henties Bay is kept at bay by the dry warm winds. The fine weather, coupled with the winds, make this time of year ideal for anyone who wants to take part in water sports like kiteboarding, windsurfing, surfing, stand-up paddle boarding and body boarding.
It should be clear now that the winds are a key feature of this season on the coast and at times they can get quite strong. When they pick up enough, usually as the sun is setting, sand from the Namib Desert can become suspended in the air in a dramatic fashion. With the right amount of skill, timing, and photographer’s luck you can capture these surreal moments and leave the coast with some unforgettable photographs.
Note: A great place for water sports like those mentioned above is Luderitz and within the small town there are a few operators who can take you out on to the ocean.
There is loads to do in Namibia throughout all of its seasons, but if you are looking for moderate temperatures and adventure filled activities then winter could be the ideal time for you to visit the Land of the Brave. Also, during the Namibian winter the northern hemissphere’s tourist hotspots are traditionally over-crowded with holiday makers soaking up the sunshine. So why not give the summer crowds a skip and come and spend some time around a warm fire in Namibia?
Winter in Namibia is a great time of year to explore our vast and diverse country. The weather is more moderate than in other months of the year and our country is a great option if you want to avoid the huge crowds of the northern hemisphere’s summer months. Read on for a few more reasons why we think you should visit Namibia in the winter months.
The Manageable Weather
As you probably know already, Namibia is a place associated with hot, dry and sunny weather. The cloudless skies and blazing sun can, at times, become overwhelming in the warmer months (particularly over December, January and February). Winter is a slightly different story in the Land of the Brave. Daytime temperatures for the season stay manageable and rarely climb above the 25 degrees Celsius
Another cloudless and temperate winter's day in Namibia.
Namibia gets its rain in the summer months so the winter daytime skies are also incredibly clear and cloudless. It is not uncommon to go for days without seeing a cloud in the perfect blue sky and this allows photographers ample opportunity to take some incredible high contrast pictures against a deep blue background.
And while we are talking about awesome photo opportunities, you should know that toward the end of winter you will be treated to some incredible sunsets. Toward the end of winter the winter months the desert winds begin to start blowing. These winds pick up dust into the air, which then spectacularly refracts the light of the setting sun.
A giraffe at sunset in Etosha National Park.
At night the temperatures can get quite nippy, but it never gets quite as cold as the frigid winters of northern Europe or northern America. The temperatures in Namibia are cool enough to justify lighting a warming fire and nothing makes winter more enjoyable than sitting around a roaring fire and sharing some stories with your friends and family.
A large camp fire keeps the night, and the cold, at bay. (Image via Wofford)
Note: In the southern and central regions of Namibia it can occasionally get to freezing. These temperatures are exceptional though and you can expect it to not get much colder than 5 degrees Celsius.
Winter adventures
Winter is the perfect time to be physically active in Namibia. The lack of humidity and the relatively moderate daytime temperatures make doing physical activity far easier in the winter than in the summer months. Rock climbing, cycling, trail running and several other adventure sports are all best done in the winter. The sun is at a less steep angle and the cooling winter breeze make any physical exercise much easier to deal with.
Hiking is another great activity to take part in when visiting Namibia in the winter. Some hikes, like the Fish River Canyon Hike are not offered to guests in the summer months as the temperatures are too high and the heat makes the hike too strenuous.
While not exactly physically demanding, going on safari is also very worthwhile during winter. The animals become easier to spot because the vegetation dries out in the rainless months giving the wildlife less cover. This is coupled with the fact that the animals are drawn out to the remaining waterholes in search of water and means that your chances of catching a glimpse of some of Namibia’s awesome wildlife are greatly increased during winter.
Note: Even though the sun is less harsh in the winter in Namibia you still need to make sure you are protected from it. Always use sunscreen and wear a hat and sunglasses.
Hit the beach
The winter months are arguably the best time of the year to head to the beach in Namibia. All along the famously rugged coastline temperatures remain warm and the fog stays away. These favourable weather conditions are as a result of the foehn winds (berg winds) that travel down the great escarpment and into the ocean.
The warm winds ensure that the coast stays dry and the frequent evening fog that descends over towns like Swakopmund, Luderitz, Walvis Bay and Henties Bay is kept at bay by the dry warm winds. The fine weather, coupled with the winds, make this time of year ideal for anyone who wants to take part in water sports like kiteboarding, windsurfing, surfing, stand-up paddle boarding and body boarding.
It should be clear now that the winds are a key feature of this season on the coast and at times they can get quite strong. When they pick up enough, usually as the sun is setting, sand from the Namib Desert can become suspended in the air in a dramatic fashion. With the right amount of skill, timing, and photographer’s luck you can capture these surreal moments and leave the coast with some unforgettable photographs.
Note: A great place for water sports like those mentioned above is Luderitz and within the small town there are a few operators who can take you out on to the ocean.
There is loads to do in Namibia throughout all of its seasons, but if you are looking for moderate temperatures and adventure filled activities then winter could be the ideal time for you to visit the Land of the Brave. Also, during the Namibian winter the northern hemissphere’s tourist hotspots are traditionally over-crowded with holiday makers soaking up the sunshine. So why not give the summer crowds a skip and come and spend some time around a warm fire in Namibia?
Save the Rhino Trust Namibia celebrates 30 years of rhino conservation
The Save the Rhino Trust Namibia recently celebrated its 30th birthday which coincided with the World Rhino Day. The event attracted dozens of school children as well as people from the local community who donated money contributing to the success of the event.
Namibia is known to have the largest population of free-ranging rhinos in the world and has the largest population of rhinos persisting on harsh desert rangelands that are unprotected. Founded in 1982 by the late Blythe Loutit and her husband Rudi, Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia has been successfully protecting the desert-adapted black rhino of the Kunene and Erongo regions for 30 years and has established the largest and longest running rhino monitoring database in existence.
Through its community-centered approach, the Save the Rhino Trust Namibia developed a capacity building programme where people from the local community are trained on how to monitor and co-exist with the critically endagered rhinos that range freely on their lands.Over 60 community game guards have received training since 2005 and are tasked with the translocation of desert-adapted black rhino into their former habitat to establish meta-populations and to ensure the survival and growth of the species.
According to Jeff Muntifering, Research and Evaluation Manager at Save the Rhino Trust Namibia, the tracking of rhinos is crucial for monitoring the movement and living behaviour of the rhinos and recording this information in the data base system.
Muntifering added that the database is an unrivalled source of knowledge on rhino biology and ecology that enables them to not only monitor the health of the animals but also better understand what resources are critical to ensure their survival and what levels of human pressure they will most likely tolerate. Thus informaton from the database can be transformed into tools such as large format maps to help make decisions regarding the well-being of the rhinos.
“We believe research should be management-driven, which means the monitoring and research outputs are focused on what decision makers feel is important. That way, we can help gather, synthesize and disseminate information that will be much more useful and likely to be used by many stakeholders such athe Ministry of Environment and Tourism and local community for decision making,” Muntifering explained.
According to Muntifering, the trust is also taking on a more inter-disciplinary perspective that not only looks at the monitoring of the rhinos but also focuses on other dimensions such as economic and social aspects especially the development of responsible rhino-based tourism practices.
He emphasised that Namibia is widely known for its community based conservation so promoting and practising a participatory research approach with comunities is very important in order to ensure action is taken and learning is achieved.
Over the past 10 years, the trust has assisted the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and local communities with translocating nearly 40 rhinos to about 134 communal conservancies in the Kunene region and has developed joint patrols to promote community involment and motivation in protecting the rhinos.
Activities at the trust also focus on wildlife-based tourism, in close collaboration with the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET). Guests at the Desert Rhino Camp can go out with the rhino trackers in a 4x4 vehicle to search for the rhinos, before getting closer on foot. Rhino viewing cards provides information on the distance and time allocated to view the rhinos.
Save the Rhino Trust Namibia received a generous donation of N$250,000 from Solvay-Okoruso Mine’s Community Trust at the World Rhino Day celebrations, which Muntifering said will be directly channeled to support their core rhino monitoring work.
Namibia is known to have the largest population of free-ranging rhinos in the world and has the largest population of rhinos persisting on harsh desert rangelands that are unprotected. Founded in 1982 by the late Blythe Loutit and her husband Rudi, Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia has been successfully protecting the desert-adapted black rhino of the Kunene and Erongo regions for 30 years and has established the largest and longest running rhino monitoring database in existence.
Through its community-centered approach, the Save the Rhino Trust Namibia developed a capacity building programme where people from the local community are trained on how to monitor and co-exist with the critically endagered rhinos that range freely on their lands.Over 60 community game guards have received training since 2005 and are tasked with the translocation of desert-adapted black rhino into their former habitat to establish meta-populations and to ensure the survival and growth of the species.
According to Jeff Muntifering, Research and Evaluation Manager at Save the Rhino Trust Namibia, the tracking of rhinos is crucial for monitoring the movement and living behaviour of the rhinos and recording this information in the data base system.
Muntifering added that the database is an unrivalled source of knowledge on rhino biology and ecology that enables them to not only monitor the health of the animals but also better understand what resources are critical to ensure their survival and what levels of human pressure they will most likely tolerate. Thus informaton from the database can be transformed into tools such as large format maps to help make decisions regarding the well-being of the rhinos.
“We believe research should be management-driven, which means the monitoring and research outputs are focused on what decision makers feel is important. That way, we can help gather, synthesize and disseminate information that will be much more useful and likely to be used by many stakeholders such athe Ministry of Environment and Tourism and local community for decision making,” Muntifering explained.
According to Muntifering, the trust is also taking on a more inter-disciplinary perspective that not only looks at the monitoring of the rhinos but also focuses on other dimensions such as economic and social aspects especially the development of responsible rhino-based tourism practices.
He emphasised that Namibia is widely known for its community based conservation so promoting and practising a participatory research approach with comunities is very important in order to ensure action is taken and learning is achieved.
Over the past 10 years, the trust has assisted the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and local communities with translocating nearly 40 rhinos to about 134 communal conservancies in the Kunene region and has developed joint patrols to promote community involment and motivation in protecting the rhinos.
Activities at the trust also focus on wildlife-based tourism, in close collaboration with the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET). Guests at the Desert Rhino Camp can go out with the rhino trackers in a 4x4 vehicle to search for the rhinos, before getting closer on foot. Rhino viewing cards provides information on the distance and time allocated to view the rhinos.
Save the Rhino Trust Namibia received a generous donation of N$250,000 from Solvay-Okoruso Mine’s Community Trust at the World Rhino Day celebrations, which Muntifering said will be directly channeled to support their core rhino monitoring work.
Namibia: environmental management students received support from Nacoma
Several post-graduate students received study grants last week from the Namibian Coast Conservation and Management Project at a gala dinner in Swakopmund to mark the end of the second part of the Nacoma Coastal Biodiversity week.
Recipients of the grants this year are Mrs Nangula Amutenya who will be completing her Master’s degree in Environmental Management from the University of the Free State, Mr Petrus Uushona and Ms Selma Iipinge, both enrolled at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology for the MSc in Environmental Management, and Mr Jacobs Francois Jacob for a doctorate at the University of Kwazulu-Natal.
The gala dinner was hosted last Friday to raise funds for the Coastal Environment Scholarship Fund. Proceeds assist students to pursue post-graduate studies in environmental management. “The importance of having students in the field of environmental management should not be doubted, particularly because there is a need for individuals with capacities to contribute to the sustainable management of the environment”, said Mr Rod Braby at the gala dinner. Honorary Coastodian were also awarded at the dinner. Braby said, “despite the fact that we have institutions, organisations and projects at the coast that are doing their best to safeguard the environment; there are also individuals that have realized the need to take care of the environment, and have gone the extra mile to do so.
The Honorary Coastodians are those individuals who have significantly contributed to the protection of the environment in many possible ways for a reasonable period of time. The award recipients are former governor of the Erongo Region, Hon. Samuel Nuuyoma, Dr Anja Kreiner, Ms Aunie Gebhard and Mr Tommy Collard. A dinner highlight for the young generation was the announcement of the Mister Coastodian and Miss Coastodian titles, respectively going to Lizinho Pallais and Tanya Knüffel. Both are learners at Namib High School.
The Coastal Biodiversity Week Part 2 concluded on Saturday 20 September with the International Coastal clean-up along the shore. Celebrated annually, teachers and volunteers gathered to collect rubbish from their respective beaches to ensure they remain clean. Debris consisted mostly of plastic bags, glass and plastic beverage bottles, beverage cans, caps, lids and food wrappers. The annual clean-up is supported by the municipalities of Oranjemund, Lüderitz, Walvis Bay and Swakopmund with additional assistance from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism; the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Nadeet, Namdeb Diamond Corporation, Plastic Packaging; Rent-a-Drum, churches, various schools and individual volunteers. The Coastal Biodiversity week is made possible with financial support from Rossing Uranium, Erongo RED, Swakop Uranium, PASS Project, NAMDEB Diamond Corporation, NAMSOV, Municipality of Walvis Bay, Suzuki Auto Namibia, Schoemans Office Systems, Areva, Manica Group Namibia, Distell Namibia, Namibia Breweries Limited, O&L Leisure Hotels and Lodges, Batis Birding Safaris, Protea Hotel Namibia, Photo Adventures, Hata Angu Cultural Tours, Walvis Bay Bird Paradise, Walvis Bay Tours and Living Desert Tours.
Recipients of the grants this year are Mrs Nangula Amutenya who will be completing her Master’s degree in Environmental Management from the University of the Free State, Mr Petrus Uushona and Ms Selma Iipinge, both enrolled at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology for the MSc in Environmental Management, and Mr Jacobs Francois Jacob for a doctorate at the University of Kwazulu-Natal.
The gala dinner was hosted last Friday to raise funds for the Coastal Environment Scholarship Fund. Proceeds assist students to pursue post-graduate studies in environmental management. “The importance of having students in the field of environmental management should not be doubted, particularly because there is a need for individuals with capacities to contribute to the sustainable management of the environment”, said Mr Rod Braby at the gala dinner. Honorary Coastodian were also awarded at the dinner. Braby said, “despite the fact that we have institutions, organisations and projects at the coast that are doing their best to safeguard the environment; there are also individuals that have realized the need to take care of the environment, and have gone the extra mile to do so.
The Honorary Coastodians are those individuals who have significantly contributed to the protection of the environment in many possible ways for a reasonable period of time. The award recipients are former governor of the Erongo Region, Hon. Samuel Nuuyoma, Dr Anja Kreiner, Ms Aunie Gebhard and Mr Tommy Collard. A dinner highlight for the young generation was the announcement of the Mister Coastodian and Miss Coastodian titles, respectively going to Lizinho Pallais and Tanya Knüffel. Both are learners at Namib High School.
The Coastal Biodiversity Week Part 2 concluded on Saturday 20 September with the International Coastal clean-up along the shore. Celebrated annually, teachers and volunteers gathered to collect rubbish from their respective beaches to ensure they remain clean. Debris consisted mostly of plastic bags, glass and plastic beverage bottles, beverage cans, caps, lids and food wrappers. The annual clean-up is supported by the municipalities of Oranjemund, Lüderitz, Walvis Bay and Swakopmund with additional assistance from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism; the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Nadeet, Namdeb Diamond Corporation, Plastic Packaging; Rent-a-Drum, churches, various schools and individual volunteers. The Coastal Biodiversity week is made possible with financial support from Rossing Uranium, Erongo RED, Swakop Uranium, PASS Project, NAMDEB Diamond Corporation, NAMSOV, Municipality of Walvis Bay, Suzuki Auto Namibia, Schoemans Office Systems, Areva, Manica Group Namibia, Distell Namibia, Namibia Breweries Limited, O&L Leisure Hotels and Lodges, Batis Birding Safaris, Protea Hotel Namibia, Photo Adventures, Hata Angu Cultural Tours, Walvis Bay Bird Paradise, Walvis Bay Tours and Living Desert Tours.
Sunday, 28 September 2014
Botswana special: Camp Kuzuma
Overlooking a regularly frequented waterhole and open plains of the Kazuma Pans, Camp Kuzuma is situated in the busiest elephant corridor that joins two of the world’s greatest parks: The Chobe National Park in Botswana and the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.
Pay Stay deal
Pay for a 3 night stay at Camp Kuzuma and receive a complimentary 4th night! Applicable for the duration of 2014 and 2015 rates and includes a 3 hour complimentary Chobe River Cruise. Our rates include accommodation in luxury tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner, a selection of beverages including local beers, house wines, soft drinks, tea and coffee and mineral water as well as 3 on site camp activities per day (game drives, guided walks and night drives).
3 night special with complimentary 3 hour Chobe River Cruise
With every 3 night stay booked, we offer a complimentary 3 hour Chobe River Cruise with snacks and beverages included. After arriving at the water’s edge, step aboard your sightseeing boat and sit out on deck to see the stunning variety of wildlife, both in and around the river. Discover the riverside wonders of the Chobe River which runs through the heart of Chobe National Park, and attracts an array of colourful birdlife, as well as crocodiles, hippos, elephants and more!
There is an abundance of wildlife roaming the open plains around Camp Kuzuma including breeding herds of elephant, leopard, lion, spotted hyena, giraffe, large buffalo herds, roan antelope and sable to name a few. Embark on our morning and evening game drives, go on an exhilarating bush walk or relax whilst indulging in one of our Spa treatments. Quietly watch elephant drinking from the water hole whilst sipping on a cocktail.
Pay Stay deal
Pay for a 3 night stay at Camp Kuzuma and receive a complimentary 4th night! Applicable for the duration of 2014 and 2015 rates and includes a 3 hour complimentary Chobe River Cruise. Our rates include accommodation in luxury tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner, a selection of beverages including local beers, house wines, soft drinks, tea and coffee and mineral water as well as 3 on site camp activities per day (game drives, guided walks and night drives).
3 night special with complimentary 3 hour Chobe River Cruise
With every 3 night stay booked, we offer a complimentary 3 hour Chobe River Cruise with snacks and beverages included. After arriving at the water’s edge, step aboard your sightseeing boat and sit out on deck to see the stunning variety of wildlife, both in and around the river. Discover the riverside wonders of the Chobe River which runs through the heart of Chobe National Park, and attracts an array of colourful birdlife, as well as crocodiles, hippos, elephants and more!
There is an abundance of wildlife roaming the open plains around Camp Kuzuma including breeding herds of elephant, leopard, lion, spotted hyena, giraffe, large buffalo herds, roan antelope and sable to name a few. Embark on our morning and evening game drives, go on an exhilarating bush walk or relax whilst indulging in one of our Spa treatments. Quietly watch elephant drinking from the water hole whilst sipping on a cocktail.
Ebola update from Botswana
STATEMENT ON THE EBOLA OUTBREAK
BY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - BOTSWANA TOURISM ORGANISATION
Botswana Government, through the Ministry of Health, is implementing public health interventions to prevent the introduction and/or spread of the Ebola disease into the country. One of the interventions undertaken includes entry restrictions on visitors who have been to countries affected by the disease in the last 3 months.
In this connection, the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) advises that this is a very important public health issue, and urge all travelers to abide by the regulations and take advice from Immigration and Health Officials at ports of entry. These measures include travelers subjected to “Ebola Screening and travel tracing formalities, and possibly access restrictions.
BTO wishes to express its confidence in the authorities to execute these measures in the most professional and ethical manner possible. Further, BTO wishes to assure travelers of its interest in their well-being and that of the rest of the region during this period.
Thabo Brian Dithebe
Acting Chief Executive Officer
Botswana Tourism Organisation
BY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - BOTSWANA TOURISM ORGANISATION
Botswana Government, through the Ministry of Health, is implementing public health interventions to prevent the introduction and/or spread of the Ebola disease into the country. One of the interventions undertaken includes entry restrictions on visitors who have been to countries affected by the disease in the last 3 months.
In this connection, the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) advises that this is a very important public health issue, and urge all travelers to abide by the regulations and take advice from Immigration and Health Officials at ports of entry. These measures include travelers subjected to “Ebola Screening and travel tracing formalities, and possibly access restrictions.
BTO wishes to express its confidence in the authorities to execute these measures in the most professional and ethical manner possible. Further, BTO wishes to assure travelers of its interest in their well-being and that of the rest of the region during this period.
Thabo Brian Dithebe
Acting Chief Executive Officer
Botswana Tourism Organisation
Namibia: news from Joe's Beer House in Windhoek
BAR OPEN OVER LUNCH DURING THE WEEK
from 12h00
Due to many thirsty travellers arriving at lunch time only to be disappointed that we are closed, we are happy to announce that our bar will be OPEN ADDITIONALLY from Mondays to Thursdays from 12h00. Only a light bar snacks menu will be offered. The full menu is available every evening from 16h30 for the whole week. The full menus is also available for lunch on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11h00 in Windhoek.
from 12h00
Due to many thirsty travellers arriving at lunch time only to be disappointed that we are closed, we are happy to announce that our bar will be OPEN ADDITIONALLY from Mondays to Thursdays from 12h00. Only a light bar snacks menu will be offered. The full menu is available every evening from 16h30 for the whole week. The full menus is also available for lunch on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11h00 in Windhoek.
Thursday, 25 September 2014
Lies about Namibia
Namibia has once again come under attack in cyberspace, with a website claiming there are Nazi marches in Swakopmund and that Germans are still ruling the country.
The website article written by Andre Vltcheck, who claims to be an investigative journalist, said there are Nazi parades held at the seaside town.
Commenting on the alleged Nazi activities government spokesperson and Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Joel Kaapanda, said he was not aware of this happening in Swakopmund or elsewhere in the country.
However, he said there was a perception that Germans still controlled the Namibian economy, because they owned large tracts of land, as well as businesses.
The article, which has been posted on Vltcheck’s website, had already appeared on at least ten others by yesterday afternoon.
It was also publicised on Facebook and Twitter.
Vltcheck claims he is a novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist.
Describing Namibia as “Germany’s African holocaust”, he said that the German racial genocide in Namibia from 1904 to 1908 had a significant influence on the Nazis and what they did to the Jews during the Second World War.
He further writes: “Then you go to Swakop city, on the shore, and it is like seeing Germany recreated in Africa. You also see, there, shops with Nazi keepsakes. Some Nazis, who escaped Europe, came to Windhoek, to Swakop and other towns. In Swakop, men march periodically, in replicas of Nazi uniforms.”
Kaapanda said: “I am not aware of any such events taking place in Nazi style.”
However, he said it should be kept in mind that Swakopmund has a big German community and that is sometimes even referred to as “Little Germany”.
Painting a grim picture of Namibia, Vltcheck claims the country is one of the most racially segregated places in the world and that Germans are still ruling it, while the poor people suffer.
“What we can see in Namibia is that many German people are still in control of big business. They are ruling the country. They have hunting farms and other huge estates and enterprises.”
Germans bring money to Namibia, but it stays with them, and it consolidates their power – it does not reach the majority. You cannot even imagine, how much local people working on their farms, are suffering. It is still like slavery. But it is all hushed up here.”
Kaapanda said there may be some element of truth in this statement about German people owning the economy in Namibia and having large businesses and farms.
According to Kaapanda, most of the land in Namibia is owned by white people and many of them are German or of German decent.
He said this also poses a problem for government, as they cannot buy land for redistribution and land reform.
Vltcheck also claims to have had a conversation with a taxi driver in Namibia about whether Swapo is truly ruling Namibia and the German control. He proceeds to claim to therefore understand why Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is so mad and angry.
According to Vltcheck, there is segregation on an enormous scale, everywhere in Namibia.
He said while South Africa is moving rapidly away from racial segregation, introducing countless social policies, including free medical care, education and social housing, Namibia remains one of the most segregated countries on earth, with great private services for the rich, and almost nothing for the poor majority.
Kaapanda said these types of articles can do serious damage to the image of the country, with the perceptions they are trying to create.
“It is negative and very bad and should not be allowed.”
He stressed that government provides services to everybody, irrespective of who they are, and not only to a certain group of people in Namibia.
“We do not categorise services or discriminate against anybody.”
The article further describes Namibia as a racist country, where black and coloured people apparently would not dare to enter some local bars.
Kaapanda said racism is a state of mind.
“We have abolished apartheid and the government has established national reconciliation in Namibia. It (racism) is still found here, but we do not have segregated services or places only available to certain groups.”
The website article written by Andre Vltcheck, who claims to be an investigative journalist, said there are Nazi parades held at the seaside town.
Commenting on the alleged Nazi activities government spokesperson and Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Joel Kaapanda, said he was not aware of this happening in Swakopmund or elsewhere in the country.
However, he said there was a perception that Germans still controlled the Namibian economy, because they owned large tracts of land, as well as businesses.
The article, which has been posted on Vltcheck’s website, had already appeared on at least ten others by yesterday afternoon.
It was also publicised on Facebook and Twitter.
Vltcheck claims he is a novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist.
Describing Namibia as “Germany’s African holocaust”, he said that the German racial genocide in Namibia from 1904 to 1908 had a significant influence on the Nazis and what they did to the Jews during the Second World War.
He further writes: “Then you go to Swakop city, on the shore, and it is like seeing Germany recreated in Africa. You also see, there, shops with Nazi keepsakes. Some Nazis, who escaped Europe, came to Windhoek, to Swakop and other towns. In Swakop, men march periodically, in replicas of Nazi uniforms.”
Kaapanda said: “I am not aware of any such events taking place in Nazi style.”
However, he said it should be kept in mind that Swakopmund has a big German community and that is sometimes even referred to as “Little Germany”.
Painting a grim picture of Namibia, Vltcheck claims the country is one of the most racially segregated places in the world and that Germans are still ruling it, while the poor people suffer.
“What we can see in Namibia is that many German people are still in control of big business. They are ruling the country. They have hunting farms and other huge estates and enterprises.”
Germans bring money to Namibia, but it stays with them, and it consolidates their power – it does not reach the majority. You cannot even imagine, how much local people working on their farms, are suffering. It is still like slavery. But it is all hushed up here.”
Kaapanda said there may be some element of truth in this statement about German people owning the economy in Namibia and having large businesses and farms.
According to Kaapanda, most of the land in Namibia is owned by white people and many of them are German or of German decent.
He said this also poses a problem for government, as they cannot buy land for redistribution and land reform.
Vltcheck also claims to have had a conversation with a taxi driver in Namibia about whether Swapo is truly ruling Namibia and the German control. He proceeds to claim to therefore understand why Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is so mad and angry.
According to Vltcheck, there is segregation on an enormous scale, everywhere in Namibia.
He said while South Africa is moving rapidly away from racial segregation, introducing countless social policies, including free medical care, education and social housing, Namibia remains one of the most segregated countries on earth, with great private services for the rich, and almost nothing for the poor majority.
Kaapanda said these types of articles can do serious damage to the image of the country, with the perceptions they are trying to create.
“It is negative and very bad and should not be allowed.”
He stressed that government provides services to everybody, irrespective of who they are, and not only to a certain group of people in Namibia.
“We do not categorise services or discriminate against anybody.”
The article further describes Namibia as a racist country, where black and coloured people apparently would not dare to enter some local bars.
Kaapanda said racism is a state of mind.
“We have abolished apartheid and the government has established national reconciliation in Namibia. It (racism) is still found here, but we do not have segregated services or places only available to certain groups.”
Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Namibian tourism industry workshop in Windhoek
Namibian tourism stakeholders gathered in the capital on Monday for a workshop to finalise two important strategies, which are aimed at clearly designing a road map for Namibia as a competitive destination.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism invited key stakeholders to a national consultation workshop for the verification and the validation of the National Sustainable Tourism Growth Strategy and the National Tourism Investment Profile and Promotion Strategy.
The Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, said at the opening of the workshop that the aims are to identify any critical gaps and loopholes that may not have been addressed in the documents, as well as to strengthen, verify and validate the actions and strategies proposed in the documents.
Shifeta said the ministry and government wants to put in place strategies that provide a holistic and co-ordinated approach to ensure that growth and development in the tourism sector is recorded and noticed not just in Namibia, but also in Africa.
According to him, the Fourth National Development Plan 4 (NDP4) requires that the Namibian tourism industry must become the most competitive tourist destination in Africa by 2017 and its ranking must increase from being the third in Sub-Saharan Africa to becoming number one.
“These goals are achievable. Overall, Namibia has a strategic advantage in terms of tourism development and growth in the Southern African region with a well-developed infrastructure, good communications systems, efficient financial sector, rich cultural diversities, and unique landscape and wilderness areas,” Shifeta said.
He added that Namibia is also well-known as a country with proper and advanced policy and regulatory frameworks.
“The question we must ask is whether on the ground we are good? Our excellent policy framework is a big challenge when it comes to practical implementation on the ground.”
He said that in recognition of the crucial role and importance of tourism in the national economic development, the ministry commissioned the development and formulation of the two strategies.
According to Shifeta, extensive consultations at the national, regional and local levels were held as part of preparations of these two documents since 2011.
The ministry is aiming to finalise the two documents before the end of the year.
The documents will cover a ten year period, and outlines the monitoring and evaluation plans and a long-term sustainability of the tourism sector. The strategies provide a framework to foster coordination and collaboration across public and private sectors.
These documents will guide the sector to take advantage of the opportunities available to address challenges that could obstruct progress.
“We hope that this consultation workshop will enable the ministry to formulate implementable strategies that will be translated into action and not simply lie idle on shelves and gather dust,” said Shifeta.
The implementation of these two strategies will be guided by the principles of the National Policy on Tourism as well as private sector driven implementation, the culture of hospitality and excellent focus on priority markets that ensures the highest return on investment customer service and also focus on sustainability.
“What we must understand is that tourism is everyone’s business and that means generating money should be everyone’s business. This money generated by tourism will translate into roads, clinics, schools, empowerment of the individual and the collective as well as increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” according to Shifeta.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism invited key stakeholders to a national consultation workshop for the verification and the validation of the National Sustainable Tourism Growth Strategy and the National Tourism Investment Profile and Promotion Strategy.
The Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, said at the opening of the workshop that the aims are to identify any critical gaps and loopholes that may not have been addressed in the documents, as well as to strengthen, verify and validate the actions and strategies proposed in the documents.
Shifeta said the ministry and government wants to put in place strategies that provide a holistic and co-ordinated approach to ensure that growth and development in the tourism sector is recorded and noticed not just in Namibia, but also in Africa.
According to him, the Fourth National Development Plan 4 (NDP4) requires that the Namibian tourism industry must become the most competitive tourist destination in Africa by 2017 and its ranking must increase from being the third in Sub-Saharan Africa to becoming number one.
“These goals are achievable. Overall, Namibia has a strategic advantage in terms of tourism development and growth in the Southern African region with a well-developed infrastructure, good communications systems, efficient financial sector, rich cultural diversities, and unique landscape and wilderness areas,” Shifeta said.
He added that Namibia is also well-known as a country with proper and advanced policy and regulatory frameworks.
“The question we must ask is whether on the ground we are good? Our excellent policy framework is a big challenge when it comes to practical implementation on the ground.”
He said that in recognition of the crucial role and importance of tourism in the national economic development, the ministry commissioned the development and formulation of the two strategies.
According to Shifeta, extensive consultations at the national, regional and local levels were held as part of preparations of these two documents since 2011.
The ministry is aiming to finalise the two documents before the end of the year.
The documents will cover a ten year period, and outlines the monitoring and evaluation plans and a long-term sustainability of the tourism sector. The strategies provide a framework to foster coordination and collaboration across public and private sectors.
These documents will guide the sector to take advantage of the opportunities available to address challenges that could obstruct progress.
“We hope that this consultation workshop will enable the ministry to formulate implementable strategies that will be translated into action and not simply lie idle on shelves and gather dust,” said Shifeta.
The implementation of these two strategies will be guided by the principles of the National Policy on Tourism as well as private sector driven implementation, the culture of hospitality and excellent focus on priority markets that ensures the highest return on investment customer service and also focus on sustainability.
“What we must understand is that tourism is everyone’s business and that means generating money should be everyone’s business. This money generated by tourism will translate into roads, clinics, schools, empowerment of the individual and the collective as well as increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” according to Shifeta.
Road update: Nkasa Lupala Lodge Namibia
Road work in the Zambezi Region has advanced and below is the update on the road leading to Nkasa Lupala Tented Lodge:
The C49 road is almost finished from Kongola to Linyanti (only 10 km left to be tarred just before Sangwali). From Linyanti to Katima Mulilo, construction work is still underway and likely to finished before the raining season.
The road from Sangwali to the Lodge, 13 km is bumpy but easy with a 4x4 vehicle. The first bridge at Sangwali is completed and no more problems with the raining season.
Please remain careful during the raining season.
The C49 road is almost finished from Kongola to Linyanti (only 10 km left to be tarred just before Sangwali). From Linyanti to Katima Mulilo, construction work is still underway and likely to finished before the raining season.
The road from Sangwali to the Lodge, 13 km is bumpy but easy with a 4x4 vehicle. The first bridge at Sangwali is completed and no more problems with the raining season.
Please remain careful during the raining season.
Mozambique: 22 elephants killed
Poachers killed 22 elephants in Mozambique in the first two weeks of September, environmentalists said, warning of killing for ivory by organised syndicates was being carried out on an “industrialised” scale.
Citing data from the southeast African nation's largest game reserve, Niassa, an advisor to the World Conservation Society (WCS), Carlos Pareira, said “in the first two weeks of September alone we counted 22 elephants that had been killed.”
He was speaking at a meeting of Mozambican officials, law enforcement agents and diplomats in the capital, Maputo.
Mozambique is under pressure from international conservation groups to do more to curb rampant poaching.
Until recently poaching was not considered a crime and those arrested often got off with a fine for illegal weapons possession, frustrating conservation efforts.
A new law passed in June toughens penalties for poachers, including hefty fines and jail terms of up to 12 years for killing protected species.
The US ambassador to Maputo, Douglas Griffiths, said the law was a “crucial step” but that Mozambique would need to “ensure it is respected by all and fully implemented.”
The two-day seminar organised by the national prosecution office is aimed at educating magistrates, police commanders and prosecutors on the new legislation.
Likening the crisis to a “national disaster,” the WCS, a New York-based environmental group, warned that organised crime syndicates were killing between 1 500 and 1 800 elephants a year, mostly in northern Mozambique.
The vast Niassa reserve, in the north, is twice the size of South Africa's Kruger National Park. It is co-managed by WCS with the Mozambican authorities.
The poachers use automatic weapons and high-calibre hunting rifles. But spikes concealed in the bush had also been used to wound animals in the coastal Querimbas reserve, causing them slow and agonising deaths from gangrene.
In the northern Tete province, poachers poison drinking water sources, killing not only elephants.
“The killing of elephants in the north of Mozambique... is reaching proportions never seen before,” said Pareira.
“The killing of elephants is being industrialised,” he said.
Ivory from Mozambique has been traced to markets in Hong Kong and Taiwan but trinkets and carvings are also sold on craft markets in Maputo, the meeting heard.
Citing data from the southeast African nation's largest game reserve, Niassa, an advisor to the World Conservation Society (WCS), Carlos Pareira, said “in the first two weeks of September alone we counted 22 elephants that had been killed.”
He was speaking at a meeting of Mozambican officials, law enforcement agents and diplomats in the capital, Maputo.
Mozambique is under pressure from international conservation groups to do more to curb rampant poaching.
Until recently poaching was not considered a crime and those arrested often got off with a fine for illegal weapons possession, frustrating conservation efforts.
A new law passed in June toughens penalties for poachers, including hefty fines and jail terms of up to 12 years for killing protected species.
The US ambassador to Maputo, Douglas Griffiths, said the law was a “crucial step” but that Mozambique would need to “ensure it is respected by all and fully implemented.”
The two-day seminar organised by the national prosecution office is aimed at educating magistrates, police commanders and prosecutors on the new legislation.
Likening the crisis to a “national disaster,” the WCS, a New York-based environmental group, warned that organised crime syndicates were killing between 1 500 and 1 800 elephants a year, mostly in northern Mozambique.
The vast Niassa reserve, in the north, is twice the size of South Africa's Kruger National Park. It is co-managed by WCS with the Mozambican authorities.
The poachers use automatic weapons and high-calibre hunting rifles. But spikes concealed in the bush had also been used to wound animals in the coastal Querimbas reserve, causing them slow and agonising deaths from gangrene.
In the northern Tete province, poachers poison drinking water sources, killing not only elephants.
“The killing of elephants in the north of Mozambique... is reaching proportions never seen before,” said Pareira.
“The killing of elephants is being industrialised,” he said.
Ivory from Mozambique has been traced to markets in Hong Kong and Taiwan but trinkets and carvings are also sold on craft markets in Maputo, the meeting heard.
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
The closure periods for maintenance at Mowani Mountain Camp & Camp Kipwe
Mowani Mountain Camp and Camp Kipwe will be closing for a short period next year to facilitate some maintenance.
The Lodges will be closed on the following dates:
Camp Kipwe - 25 January to 4 February (inclusive)
Mowani Mountain Camp - 2 February to 12 February (inclusive)
The Lodges will be closed on the following dates:
Camp Kipwe - 25 January to 4 February (inclusive)
Mowani Mountain Camp - 2 February to 12 February (inclusive)
Etosha Aoba Lodge - a short history
Aoba - a short history
A O B A … comes from the San (Bushman) language and means: "when the sun goes down".
"If our dream comes true, I will give this name to our lodge", said Georg Zimmermann to his wife Uli and his partners as they watched the magnificent sundown in 1993 on Fischers Pan. The dream came true and Zimmermanns managed the lodge with their former partners Chris and Helmut until 2002, putting their heart and soul into it. At that time it was only the third lodge in the north of Namibia. In spite of considerable logistical problems to get building material into the bush, the construction period was only 6 months.
Today, Etosha Aoba is incorporated into the larger Onguma Game Reserve and our private nature reserve has increased to an enormous 34.000 ha where we have removed more than 200km of internal fences creating a natural environment for the wild animals.
The Reserve is fenced along the new perimeter borders and we are now re-introducing new game to diversify the game gene pool.
A O B A … comes from the San (Bushman) language and means: "when the sun goes down".
"If our dream comes true, I will give this name to our lodge", said Georg Zimmermann to his wife Uli and his partners as they watched the magnificent sundown in 1993 on Fischers Pan. The dream came true and Zimmermanns managed the lodge with their former partners Chris and Helmut until 2002, putting their heart and soul into it. At that time it was only the third lodge in the north of Namibia. In spite of considerable logistical problems to get building material into the bush, the construction period was only 6 months.
Today, Etosha Aoba is incorporated into the larger Onguma Game Reserve and our private nature reserve has increased to an enormous 34.000 ha where we have removed more than 200km of internal fences creating a natural environment for the wild animals.
The Reserve is fenced along the new perimeter borders and we are now re-introducing new game to diversify the game gene pool.
Etosha Aoba Lodge at Onguma Game Reserve, Namibia
Etosha Aoba Lodge have recently completed major renovations and built some additional units. Now the lodge has eleven well-appointed rooms located along the dry “Omuramba Owambo” riverbed.
The lodge consists of four free standing Heritage Bungalows with air-conditioning, 3 Bush Suites that each have two rooms with an inter-leading bathroom that can accommodate 4 adults. Three new Explorer Bungalows have been added and each boast privacy and seclusion. There is a Honeymoon Bungalow that is extremely private and secluded that has a lovely double hammock in the trees and both an outdoor shower and bath.
There is a swimming pool and a thatched bar, lounge and dining area that overlooks a small active waterhole and free Wi-Fi is available to guests.
On most nights dinner is served under the starts and no meal will be complete if it didn't include a tour of the well stocked wine cellar. Here wines can be tasted and selected to compliment your meal.
The lodge consists of four free standing Heritage Bungalows with air-conditioning, 3 Bush Suites that each have two rooms with an inter-leading bathroom that can accommodate 4 adults. Three new Explorer Bungalows have been added and each boast privacy and seclusion. There is a Honeymoon Bungalow that is extremely private and secluded that has a lovely double hammock in the trees and both an outdoor shower and bath.
There is a swimming pool and a thatched bar, lounge and dining area that overlooks a small active waterhole and free Wi-Fi is available to guests.
On most nights dinner is served under the starts and no meal will be complete if it didn't include a tour of the well stocked wine cellar. Here wines can be tasted and selected to compliment your meal.
Namibia: Palmwag Lodge upgrading
Owners are proud to announce that Palmwag Lodge & Campsite will be renovated and
upgraded as from 20 January 2014.
Renovations should be completed by end October 2014.
The following construction will take place:
- New office block and reception
- New kitchen, food and beverage stores
- New restaurant deck and bar area
- 8 new rooms
- Upgrading and renovations of existing rooms
- Upgrading and renovations of pool-bar area
- New ablution facilities at campsites
- Increase the number of campsites
- Improvement of existing campsites
- New staff housing
- Upgrading of sewage system
- Development of 44 KW solar power system
The staff and construction teams will ensure that minimal noise pollution and disturbance of guests at the lodge and campsite will take place.
upgraded as from 20 January 2014.
Renovations should be completed by end October 2014.
The following construction will take place:
- New office block and reception
- New kitchen, food and beverage stores
- New restaurant deck and bar area
- 8 new rooms
- Upgrading and renovations of existing rooms
- Upgrading and renovations of pool-bar area
- New ablution facilities at campsites
- Increase the number of campsites
- Improvement of existing campsites
- New staff housing
- Upgrading of sewage system
- Development of 44 KW solar power system
The staff and construction teams will ensure that minimal noise pollution and disturbance of guests at the lodge and campsite will take place.
Swimming under the Victoria Falls
The "Swimming under the Falls" Tour opened on 8.9.2014. 3 trips are offered per day at 9.30, 12.30 and 14.30 and combinations with Full Day WWR and Half Day am WWR done on the same day just before rafting starts.
The most awesome perspective to see the Victoria Falls is from the bottom of the gorge. Swimming in the rock pools below the Falls, surrounded by the massive black basaltic rock towering up above you and the water cascading down, seemingly out of the sky, is an unforgettable experience!
Contact: info@namibweb.com
The most awesome perspective to see the Victoria Falls is from the bottom of the gorge. Swimming in the rock pools below the Falls, surrounded by the massive black basaltic rock towering up above you and the water cascading down, seemingly out of the sky, is an unforgettable experience!
Thursday, 18 September 2014
Aba-Huab Camp water situation
A notice to you all that ABA-//HUAB CAMP & SAFARIS is experiencing a water shortage due to our underground waterhole/supply has dried up. In the mean time we need to dig up a second underground waterhole. At the moment we are transferring water from the nearby lodge which also undergoes water shortages at the moment. With this as from today onwards Aba-//Huab is forced to release your provisional and confirmed bookings until further notice and our water situation is sorted out. If you prefer to send your clients still for them just to be notified before. To avoid disappointments on arrival.
For those of you that have made in advance payments already we will make sure we accommodate your clients as before and that they have water available.
NB: ABA -//HUAB is not closed. We are still operating, clients are still coming in on a daily basis, just that we are giving them a discounted rate at the moment of which most clients don’t have a problem with.
For now that we preparing to dig up the new underground waterhole we cant promise that there will be water 24/7. This process might take a month or more to complete. Our sincere apologies for the inconvenience this has and will cause, but it will be sorted out very soon.
For those of you that have made in advance payments already we will make sure we accommodate your clients as before and that they have water available.
NB: ABA -//HUAB is not closed. We are still operating, clients are still coming in on a daily basis, just that we are giving them a discounted rate at the moment of which most clients don’t have a problem with.
For now that we preparing to dig up the new underground waterhole we cant promise that there will be water 24/7. This process might take a month or more to complete. Our sincere apologies for the inconvenience this has and will cause, but it will be sorted out very soon.
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
Namibia: Susuwe Island Lodge reopens after extensive renovations - river cruise package
Terraces re-decked and trucks full of new furnishings were unloaded on shore and their contents carefully ferried across the Kwando River to their new home.
While guests enjoyed all the new design features and amenities at Susuwe Island Lodge, their stay was further enhanced by many spectacular sightings of elephants, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and sable. These same guests were also treated to the presence of six magnificent lions passing within 100 metres of their boat, while enjoying a sundowner on the Kwando River’s famed Horseshoe Bend.
Guests at Lianshulu Lodge have also been generously rewarded recently by sightings of a large herd of buffalo (over 500), elephant visits and appearances by a resident pride of lions.
The variety and abundance of game is amazing and sharing this with guests is an absolute pleasure for the Caprivi Collection team. Their expert knowledge ensures that guests are able to take advantage of this exciting and incredible experience.
To celebrate the refurbishment and re-opening of Susuwe Island Lodge, a wonderful sister property package has been created to showcase the Caprivi Collection and all it has to offer.
The Caprivi Celebration River Cruise Package combines a two-night stay at Susuwe Island Lodge and a two-night stay at Lianshulu Lodge (or vice-versa) with an extraordinary day spent travelling between the sister properties on the Kwando River.
This package is designed for guests to experience the unique style of hospitality available when hosted by a private concession, within a protected National Park, in the Eastern Caprivi region of Namibia, Southern Africa. Based on two guests sharing a room on a double/twin occupancy basis, with full board, for a four-night stay.
While guests enjoyed all the new design features and amenities at Susuwe Island Lodge, their stay was further enhanced by many spectacular sightings of elephants, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and sable. These same guests were also treated to the presence of six magnificent lions passing within 100 metres of their boat, while enjoying a sundowner on the Kwando River’s famed Horseshoe Bend.
Guests at Lianshulu Lodge have also been generously rewarded recently by sightings of a large herd of buffalo (over 500), elephant visits and appearances by a resident pride of lions.
The variety and abundance of game is amazing and sharing this with guests is an absolute pleasure for the Caprivi Collection team. Their expert knowledge ensures that guests are able to take advantage of this exciting and incredible experience.
To celebrate the refurbishment and re-opening of Susuwe Island Lodge, a wonderful sister property package has been created to showcase the Caprivi Collection and all it has to offer.
The Caprivi Celebration River Cruise Package combines a two-night stay at Susuwe Island Lodge and a two-night stay at Lianshulu Lodge (or vice-versa) with an extraordinary day spent travelling between the sister properties on the Kwando River.
This package is designed for guests to experience the unique style of hospitality available when hosted by a private concession, within a protected National Park, in the Eastern Caprivi region of Namibia, Southern Africa. Based on two guests sharing a room on a double/twin occupancy basis, with full board, for a four-night stay.
Bush fires around Windhoek area, Namibia
Due to dry weather conditions bush fires in Namibia are common this time of the year:
New Namibian game hunters group claims exclusion
A new trophy hunters group claims that the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) is disadvantaging them by favouring an old association - the Namibia Professional Hunters Association (NAPHA).
Although NAPHA has more than 500 members, only a handful are allegedly previously disadvantaged persons.
The members, who have formed the Newly Established Trophy Hunting Operators (NETHO), say although they are previously disadvantaged, the NTB has refused to recognise them. They further say that the NTB allowed Napha to decide whether Netho was eligible for the market during a meeting held on 6 June this year. Last year, the new group said NTB invited them for a trip to Finland as part of an empowerment scheme, but since then there has not been any communication. Even complaints lodged with the tourism body, they say, have been ignored.
As recent as last week, Netho says, NTB took Napha on a hunting fair trip to the United Arab Emirates to market their businesses, despite the fact that they are already well established.
“NTB said they were in discussion with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to enable us to obtain more game species from the ministry through the Wildlife Breeding Stock Loan Scheme,” said Mensah.
Mensah also said NTB decided that Napha should visit Netho farms before August this year to advise NTB on their shortcomings.
He said Netho members were angered that NTB was allowing Napha, which is subjected to the same statutory requirements, to carry out an audit after another done by NTB last year.
Mensah further said that Napha's audit reports would be checked against a list of requirements to determine whether the new game farmers would qualify for assistance from AgriBank and NTB. NTB chief executive officer Digu //Naobeb said since his organisation was not an expert in trophy hunting, they sought Napha's advice to assist the game farmers to mainstream their operations.
“The possibility of receiving game through the scheme is decided by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and not by NTB. Agribank, not NTB, grants loans to farmers,” //Naobeb said. “Funding is a personal commitment, therefore, NTB could neither commit nor provide security on such loans. It is regrettable [that] promises were made to Netho for issues that NTB has no control over, and we hope that we have cleared this for the record,” he said.
//Naobeb, however, said NTB will continue supporting the new game farmers by providing advice on how to improve their facilities to meet the regulatory standards.
He said although NTB is committed to supporting Netho, there is no official policy on how to balance the various industries, including tourism and bringing on board those who were previously left out from the mainstream activities.
//Naobeb, however, revealed that NTB was planning to take Netho members to hunting fairs in the USA. “But there must be an understanding that one cannot attend hunting fairs without understanding the industry. We need to engage Napha to assist in this regard so that Netho is better prepared to derive full benefits,” he said.
He added that Netho should not view Napha as an obstacle, but rather as a partner and that the visits to their farms is only voluntary and with Netho's permission. Napha members who went on the trip to the UAE, he explained, each paid US$4 500 to exhibit at the NTB stand.
Dietlinde Mueller, Napha chief executive officer, denied that her association was trying to make it impossible for Netho to penetrate the market. “We have no authority to dictate what is to happen with newly-established trophy hunting operations. We would like to help them in any way we can. If our help is not needed, then we will definitely not push anyone to accept our offer,” she said, adding that her association and NTB have a longstanding commitment.
“Napha pays for its share. Nothing is given for free. Napha, being a membership organisation, obviously spreads the news amongst Napha members. However, the ministry was also asked to participate. If Napha had been approached by Netho we would have included them immediately,” she said.
Attempts to get hold of environment minister Uahekua Herunga proved futile while the ministry's permanent secretary Simeon Negumbo said he was unaware of Netho's queries.
Although NAPHA has more than 500 members, only a handful are allegedly previously disadvantaged persons.
The members, who have formed the Newly Established Trophy Hunting Operators (NETHO), say although they are previously disadvantaged, the NTB has refused to recognise them. They further say that the NTB allowed Napha to decide whether Netho was eligible for the market during a meeting held on 6 June this year. Last year, the new group said NTB invited them for a trip to Finland as part of an empowerment scheme, but since then there has not been any communication. Even complaints lodged with the tourism body, they say, have been ignored.
As recent as last week, Netho says, NTB took Napha on a hunting fair trip to the United Arab Emirates to market their businesses, despite the fact that they are already well established.
“NTB said they were in discussion with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to enable us to obtain more game species from the ministry through the Wildlife Breeding Stock Loan Scheme,” said Mensah.
Mensah also said NTB decided that Napha should visit Netho farms before August this year to advise NTB on their shortcomings.
He said Netho members were angered that NTB was allowing Napha, which is subjected to the same statutory requirements, to carry out an audit after another done by NTB last year.
Mensah further said that Napha's audit reports would be checked against a list of requirements to determine whether the new game farmers would qualify for assistance from AgriBank and NTB. NTB chief executive officer Digu //Naobeb said since his organisation was not an expert in trophy hunting, they sought Napha's advice to assist the game farmers to mainstream their operations.
“The possibility of receiving game through the scheme is decided by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and not by NTB. Agribank, not NTB, grants loans to farmers,” //Naobeb said. “Funding is a personal commitment, therefore, NTB could neither commit nor provide security on such loans. It is regrettable [that] promises were made to Netho for issues that NTB has no control over, and we hope that we have cleared this for the record,” he said.
//Naobeb, however, said NTB will continue supporting the new game farmers by providing advice on how to improve their facilities to meet the regulatory standards.
He said although NTB is committed to supporting Netho, there is no official policy on how to balance the various industries, including tourism and bringing on board those who were previously left out from the mainstream activities.
//Naobeb, however, revealed that NTB was planning to take Netho members to hunting fairs in the USA. “But there must be an understanding that one cannot attend hunting fairs without understanding the industry. We need to engage Napha to assist in this regard so that Netho is better prepared to derive full benefits,” he said.
He added that Netho should not view Napha as an obstacle, but rather as a partner and that the visits to their farms is only voluntary and with Netho's permission. Napha members who went on the trip to the UAE, he explained, each paid US$4 500 to exhibit at the NTB stand.
Dietlinde Mueller, Napha chief executive officer, denied that her association was trying to make it impossible for Netho to penetrate the market. “We have no authority to dictate what is to happen with newly-established trophy hunting operations. We would like to help them in any way we can. If our help is not needed, then we will definitely not push anyone to accept our offer,” she said, adding that her association and NTB have a longstanding commitment.
“Napha pays for its share. Nothing is given for free. Napha, being a membership organisation, obviously spreads the news amongst Napha members. However, the ministry was also asked to participate. If Napha had been approached by Netho we would have included them immediately,” she said.
Attempts to get hold of environment minister Uahekua Herunga proved futile while the ministry's permanent secretary Simeon Negumbo said he was unaware of Netho's queries.
Namibia: new bakery opens in Aus
Residents of small town of Aus in the !Nami#nus Constituency (Southern Namibia) will no longer have to travel more than 120 km to coastal Lüderitz to buy bread, as a local woman, Maria Vlees, opened Goretti's Bakery in Aus. At the beginning of 2014 Vlees received equipment from the Ministry of Trade and Industry to make her business more productive. Maria explains that the bread tray she received can bake about 20 loafs at a time.
EU's millions for Namibia’s rangeland
Namibia could soon receive a grant of N$11.6 million from the European Union to kick-start the implementation of the country’s first National Rangeland Management Policy and Strategy (NRMPS) that could change the face of rangeland management in arid Namibia forever.
The multi-million dollar project was approved by government in 2012 and the multi-faceted programme will be implemented over a period of four years. It will consist of a Rangeland Advisory Committee and a Rangeland Coordinating Unit, with the Namibian Rangeland and Bush Encroachment Forum as the overarching body.
This was revealed last week at the opening of the 18th Namibian Rangeland Forum, held at West Nest Lodge near Witvlei, when chairperson of the Livestock Producers Organisation, Mecki Schneider, addressed an audience from as far as Australia.
The theme of the conference year was “Towards whole farm management aimed at sustainably high profit”.
During the conference feedback was given about six projects which are currently in the process of being financed by the European Union. These include, inter alia, the establishment of a coordinating unit under the grant which has been made by the EU to the NAU (Namibia Agricultural Union) for the implementation of the National Rangeland Policy and Strategy.
Most of the projects relate to rangeland, the improvement of rangeland, the effect of climate change and combating de-forestation.
The program officer of the EU delegation, Laura Imbuwa, expressed excitement about the overall goal of the project, confirming the possible speedy signing of the agreement for such a grant to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry.
She says this EU-funded action will enhance/support the speedy implementation of the NRMPS amongst all natural rangeland users in Namibia, improve rangeland condition and resilience and reduce the vulnerability of rural resource users to the adverse impacts of climate change, drought and desertification.
Schneider says the specific objective of the action is to effectively and efficiently coordinate the implementation of the NRMPS at national and regional levels.
He stressed the importance of government carrying on with the project after the initial four years to enable Namibian farmers to practise good rangeland management as the country has a relatively low and highly variable rainfall, together with a decline in rangeland productivity per hectare, bush encroachment and soil erosion. “These challenges are further increased by climate change,” he noted.
At the same event, Colin Nott of the Co-operative Agriculture Namibia announced another EU-funded project, the Rangeland and Marketing Development Support Project of more than N$11 million.
The lead applicant of this project is the Meatco Foundation and the co-applicant is Co-operative Agriculture Namibia. The six regional areas are Kunene North, Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwena, Oshikoto and Kavango East and West and the project duration will be thirty months.
The project hopes to improve the active involvement of key regional players in all seven regions to climate adaption activities through implementation of regionally appropriate responses, improved uptake and application of best practice rangeland management policies, improved herd production, improved marketing options and more receptive sellers in at least 30 grazing areas.
Other issues to be addressed include increased awareness of cropping best practices, the development of synergies with croplands and livestock, as well as local level land use planning, grass poaching, fire control and other key issues that affect livestock and rangelands.
Both initiatives hope to train and expose key stakeholders through regional meetings to agree on locally appropriate key messages and material for rangeland, livestock, marketing, cropping and local land use planning.
The multi-million dollar project was approved by government in 2012 and the multi-faceted programme will be implemented over a period of four years. It will consist of a Rangeland Advisory Committee and a Rangeland Coordinating Unit, with the Namibian Rangeland and Bush Encroachment Forum as the overarching body.
This was revealed last week at the opening of the 18th Namibian Rangeland Forum, held at West Nest Lodge near Witvlei, when chairperson of the Livestock Producers Organisation, Mecki Schneider, addressed an audience from as far as Australia.
The theme of the conference year was “Towards whole farm management aimed at sustainably high profit”.
During the conference feedback was given about six projects which are currently in the process of being financed by the European Union. These include, inter alia, the establishment of a coordinating unit under the grant which has been made by the EU to the NAU (Namibia Agricultural Union) for the implementation of the National Rangeland Policy and Strategy.
Most of the projects relate to rangeland, the improvement of rangeland, the effect of climate change and combating de-forestation.
The program officer of the EU delegation, Laura Imbuwa, expressed excitement about the overall goal of the project, confirming the possible speedy signing of the agreement for such a grant to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry.
She says this EU-funded action will enhance/support the speedy implementation of the NRMPS amongst all natural rangeland users in Namibia, improve rangeland condition and resilience and reduce the vulnerability of rural resource users to the adverse impacts of climate change, drought and desertification.
Schneider says the specific objective of the action is to effectively and efficiently coordinate the implementation of the NRMPS at national and regional levels.
He stressed the importance of government carrying on with the project after the initial four years to enable Namibian farmers to practise good rangeland management as the country has a relatively low and highly variable rainfall, together with a decline in rangeland productivity per hectare, bush encroachment and soil erosion. “These challenges are further increased by climate change,” he noted.
At the same event, Colin Nott of the Co-operative Agriculture Namibia announced another EU-funded project, the Rangeland and Marketing Development Support Project of more than N$11 million.
The lead applicant of this project is the Meatco Foundation and the co-applicant is Co-operative Agriculture Namibia. The six regional areas are Kunene North, Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwena, Oshikoto and Kavango East and West and the project duration will be thirty months.
The project hopes to improve the active involvement of key regional players in all seven regions to climate adaption activities through implementation of regionally appropriate responses, improved uptake and application of best practice rangeland management policies, improved herd production, improved marketing options and more receptive sellers in at least 30 grazing areas.
Other issues to be addressed include increased awareness of cropping best practices, the development of synergies with croplands and livestock, as well as local level land use planning, grass poaching, fire control and other key issues that affect livestock and rangelands.
Both initiatives hope to train and expose key stakeholders through regional meetings to agree on locally appropriate key messages and material for rangeland, livestock, marketing, cropping and local land use planning.
Tuesday, 16 September 2014
Future Energy Supply Action is Needed
The government together with stakeholders in the energy sector should draft a law on renewable energy and energy efficiency as a matter of urgency. Net metering for domestic solar photovoltaic installations must also be made available across all electricity distribution and supply entities in the country, except if these do already offer a reasonable feed-in tariff for such systems, and appropriate legislation and regulations should be finalised expeditiously. Renewable energy feed-in tariffs (Refit) must as well be finalised and operationalised as a priority.
These were some of the suggestions made during the two-day conference on renewable energy that ended in Windhoek, organised by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics, Natural Resources and Public Administration. Concluding the deliberations the conference recommended that financial mechanisms should be introduced to allow all domestic residences to be fitted with a solar water heater, and that the viability and requirements of initiating local solar water heater assembly or manufacturing plants be assessed and included under the Ministry of Trade and Industry's promotion of local value addition priorities.
Delegates agreed that national energy efficiency standards should be developed and that government take the lead in implementing them in all government institutions and public buildings.
The conference recommended that explicit national renewable energy targets as well as energy efficiency targets be put forward, focusing on the country's transport sector, which is the single largest user of liquid fuels, and technologies requiring electricity for their operation.
The conference recommended that relevant criteria for the definition and measurement of the productive use of energy in general, and electricity in particular, be laid down, and that relevant activities and measures be formulated to reduce Namibia's energy intensity and promote the uptake and focus on the productive use of sustainable energy and energy efficient technologies for the sustainable development of the country; and that education for sustainable development be included in school curricula to emphasise the importance of sustainable energy for future generations.
The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics, Natural Resources and Public Administration, Ben Amathila, said unless deliberate decisions are taken, Namibia's economy would be negatively affected by electricity shortages which will have major negative effects on investment, especially in the mining sector.
Speaking at the opening of the conference, Amathila said: "As a country, we are currently faced by a huge challenge in our national electricity sector, ranging from increasing energy prices, the inability of the current installed generation capacity to meet the rising demand for electricity in the country and to top it all, our neighbouring countries on whom we rely for electricity supply will most likely not be able to supply us at all times."
According to him, Namibia is said to be facing about an 100MW electricity deficit by 2015. The deficit will further rise to 300MW should there be no any investment in any energy generation infrastructure.
Amathila said Namibia depends mainly on the Ruacana hydro power plant for most of the country's energy and the rest is imported from South Africa (Eskom), Zambia (Zesco) and Zimbabwe (Zesa), which is also faced with a crisis of meeting energy demand.
He added that Namibia spent about N$1 billion on importing electricity from South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Over 250 people including international and local experts on renewable energy sources attended the conference.
These were some of the suggestions made during the two-day conference on renewable energy that ended in Windhoek, organised by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics, Natural Resources and Public Administration. Concluding the deliberations the conference recommended that financial mechanisms should be introduced to allow all domestic residences to be fitted with a solar water heater, and that the viability and requirements of initiating local solar water heater assembly or manufacturing plants be assessed and included under the Ministry of Trade and Industry's promotion of local value addition priorities.
Delegates agreed that national energy efficiency standards should be developed and that government take the lead in implementing them in all government institutions and public buildings.
The conference recommended that explicit national renewable energy targets as well as energy efficiency targets be put forward, focusing on the country's transport sector, which is the single largest user of liquid fuels, and technologies requiring electricity for their operation.
The conference recommended that relevant criteria for the definition and measurement of the productive use of energy in general, and electricity in particular, be laid down, and that relevant activities and measures be formulated to reduce Namibia's energy intensity and promote the uptake and focus on the productive use of sustainable energy and energy efficient technologies for the sustainable development of the country; and that education for sustainable development be included in school curricula to emphasise the importance of sustainable energy for future generations.
The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics, Natural Resources and Public Administration, Ben Amathila, said unless deliberate decisions are taken, Namibia's economy would be negatively affected by electricity shortages which will have major negative effects on investment, especially in the mining sector.
Speaking at the opening of the conference, Amathila said: "As a country, we are currently faced by a huge challenge in our national electricity sector, ranging from increasing energy prices, the inability of the current installed generation capacity to meet the rising demand for electricity in the country and to top it all, our neighbouring countries on whom we rely for electricity supply will most likely not be able to supply us at all times."
According to him, Namibia is said to be facing about an 100MW electricity deficit by 2015. The deficit will further rise to 300MW should there be no any investment in any energy generation infrastructure.
Amathila said Namibia depends mainly on the Ruacana hydro power plant for most of the country's energy and the rest is imported from South Africa (Eskom), Zambia (Zesco) and Zimbabwe (Zesa), which is also faced with a crisis of meeting energy demand.
He added that Namibia spent about N$1 billion on importing electricity from South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Over 250 people including international and local experts on renewable energy sources attended the conference.
Gondwana’s new hotel in Swakopmund, Namibia
Swakopmund is to have another new hotel that challenges the traditional hotel establishment, to compete in one of the picturesque tourism attraction town on the misty coast of Namibia. The hotel, being developed by the Gondwana Group, will have 54 rooms, but its offering would be slightly different from the other hotels in the area. For starter, the hotel will not offer dinner service to guests, – there is a host of other items that would not be on offer – because the hotel aims at complementing its offerings with what is already being offered by other small hospitality establishments around the town. Gondwana Group has based its business model for the hotel on a supplementary approach to small and medium hospitality outlets in the area.
“There are so many good restaurants within walking distance that we decided against offering dinner,” said Alain Noirfalise, Operations Director of the Gondwana Group, on the hotel’s supplemental approach and the reason why the hotel would offer breakfast only.
Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) has hailed the innovative approach of Gondwana Group and decided to fund the hotel development. “In the long run, the hotel will require goods and services needed to provide accommodation, so that also improves opportunities for enterprises. It will bring the benefits directly associated with tourism, which includes opportunities for tour and activity operators in Namibia, hospitality and retail outlets at the coast. The additional beds in Swakopmund will give greater certainty to tour operators who need accommodation in Swakopmund to ensure their own operations in other parts of the country as well,” said DBN Head of Lending, John Mbango.
DBN also says tourism is one of the areas it expects to make an impact, as noted in its 5-year strategic plan till 2018, hence the hotel in Swakopmund exemplifies the type of project that the bank seeks to finance. “There is severe pressure on accommodation in Swakopmund during the international tourism high season in the second two quarters of the year, and the sustainability of an accommodation establishment of this nature is also supported by high regional demand for beds during December and over Easter,” Mbango said.
According to the Economic Outlook Report for July 2014, published by the Bank of Namibia, the outlook for tourism in the 2014 tourism season is currently weak due to uncertainty in Namibia’s main tourism markets, but is expected to improve during 2015. This dovetails with the projected completion of the new hotel.
“DBN particularly wants to see more proposals from conservancies. We are aware that a number of public private partnerships (PPPs) have been extremely successful, not only in developing and running lodges, but also in making major development gains for the communities involved in the lodges. This extends to gains in employment, community infrastructure and sustainability of the environment”, added Mbango.
The hotel is expected to create 32 permanent jobs. Immediately during the construction phase, it is expected to create employment opportunities in the construction industry, as well as income generating opportunities for enterprises that supports the contractor, and additional associated employment benefits.
“There are so many good restaurants within walking distance that we decided against offering dinner,” said Alain Noirfalise, Operations Director of the Gondwana Group, on the hotel’s supplemental approach and the reason why the hotel would offer breakfast only.
Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) has hailed the innovative approach of Gondwana Group and decided to fund the hotel development. “In the long run, the hotel will require goods and services needed to provide accommodation, so that also improves opportunities for enterprises. It will bring the benefits directly associated with tourism, which includes opportunities for tour and activity operators in Namibia, hospitality and retail outlets at the coast. The additional beds in Swakopmund will give greater certainty to tour operators who need accommodation in Swakopmund to ensure their own operations in other parts of the country as well,” said DBN Head of Lending, John Mbango.
DBN also says tourism is one of the areas it expects to make an impact, as noted in its 5-year strategic plan till 2018, hence the hotel in Swakopmund exemplifies the type of project that the bank seeks to finance. “There is severe pressure on accommodation in Swakopmund during the international tourism high season in the second two quarters of the year, and the sustainability of an accommodation establishment of this nature is also supported by high regional demand for beds during December and over Easter,” Mbango said.
According to the Economic Outlook Report for July 2014, published by the Bank of Namibia, the outlook for tourism in the 2014 tourism season is currently weak due to uncertainty in Namibia’s main tourism markets, but is expected to improve during 2015. This dovetails with the projected completion of the new hotel.
“DBN particularly wants to see more proposals from conservancies. We are aware that a number of public private partnerships (PPPs) have been extremely successful, not only in developing and running lodges, but also in making major development gains for the communities involved in the lodges. This extends to gains in employment, community infrastructure and sustainability of the environment”, added Mbango.
The hotel is expected to create 32 permanent jobs. Immediately during the construction phase, it is expected to create employment opportunities in the construction industry, as well as income generating opportunities for enterprises that supports the contractor, and additional associated employment benefits.
Thursday, 4 September 2014
Namibia will remove cash deposit fees
The Minister of Finance Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila says cash deposit fees will be completely removed without any limitation from all individual saving and investment accounts by March next year in order to make financial services and products affordable.
The minister said this at the inauguration of Nedbank branch in Ongwediva last Friday 8 August 2014. She pointed out that the move was taken to address the reality of barriers hindering the people from accessing formal banking services in Namibia. These are excessive fees charged by banking institutions against consumers when depositing money into their accounts. Already, the minister noted, steps were taken to relieve the consumers from the burden of excessive fees when the Bank of Namibia issued standards for individuals earning N$2 000 per month or less, that no cash deposit fees and no monthly fees or management fees be charged on their accounts. This resulted in about 96 072 active basic bank accounts (BBA) being recorded.
“In the same vein, BoN in addition of the BBA, issued standards in cash deposit fees. In terms of these standards, all banking institutions were to provide free cash deposit for the first N$2 000 deposit per month on all savings and investment accounts held by individuals at banking institutions as from 31 July 2013,” she said.
Similarly, the minister added, all banking institutions were to provide all businesses with annual turnover of N$1million or less with zero-rated cash deposits for the first N$10 000 deposited per month, as from 31 October 2013. All the initiatives have been implemented as agreed. According to the minister, other policies in the pipeline aimed at enhancing access to finance by SMEs include the investigation study to explore the viability of setting up a risk-facility fund for start-ups.
Chairman of the Northern Branch of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Thomas Indji welcomed the move but expressed concern that the banks may find other ways of increasing service fees.
He said some of the NCCI members who were found with huge cash amounts have used alleged exorbitant cash deposit fees as the reason why they are not using banking institutions.
The occasion was also attended by the governor of Oshana Region, Clemens Kashuupulwa, representatives from the Bank of Namibia, commercial banks, business people other financial institutions, church and community leaders.
The minister said this at the inauguration of Nedbank branch in Ongwediva last Friday 8 August 2014. She pointed out that the move was taken to address the reality of barriers hindering the people from accessing formal banking services in Namibia. These are excessive fees charged by banking institutions against consumers when depositing money into their accounts. Already, the minister noted, steps were taken to relieve the consumers from the burden of excessive fees when the Bank of Namibia issued standards for individuals earning N$2 000 per month or less, that no cash deposit fees and no monthly fees or management fees be charged on their accounts. This resulted in about 96 072 active basic bank accounts (BBA) being recorded.
“In the same vein, BoN in addition of the BBA, issued standards in cash deposit fees. In terms of these standards, all banking institutions were to provide free cash deposit for the first N$2 000 deposit per month on all savings and investment accounts held by individuals at banking institutions as from 31 July 2013,” she said.
Similarly, the minister added, all banking institutions were to provide all businesses with annual turnover of N$1million or less with zero-rated cash deposits for the first N$10 000 deposited per month, as from 31 October 2013. All the initiatives have been implemented as agreed. According to the minister, other policies in the pipeline aimed at enhancing access to finance by SMEs include the investigation study to explore the viability of setting up a risk-facility fund for start-ups.
Chairman of the Northern Branch of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Thomas Indji welcomed the move but expressed concern that the banks may find other ways of increasing service fees.
He said some of the NCCI members who were found with huge cash amounts have used alleged exorbitant cash deposit fees as the reason why they are not using banking institutions.
The occasion was also attended by the governor of Oshana Region, Clemens Kashuupulwa, representatives from the Bank of Namibia, commercial banks, business people other financial institutions, church and community leaders.
Monday, 1 September 2014
Wolwedans student trainee graduation
Wolwedans is pleased to celebrate the graduation of 20 students from its vocational training programme. After three years of diligent work, perseverance and professional pressure, 12 former trainees can now call themselves certified chefs and 8 former students are now accredited individuals in Food and Beverage Services. This achievement is a great accomplishment for the Hospitality industry.
Through the Wolwedans Foundation, the students were able receive instruction under the stewardship of the Wolwedans-based Desert Academy, as well as the Windhoek-based nice Restaurant and Bar. This unique combination of exposure ensures that trainees acquire various composite skills for the future. Upon graduation, the students are well versed in the both practical and theoretical aspects of their chosen profession.
The newly qualified graduates are a representation of Wolwedans commitment to uplifting local communities. In addition to the time and effort invested into equipping the trainees for their futures, Wolwedans continually contributes financially towards the programme. On a monthly basis, for several years, Wolwedans Dune Camp and other sites within the Collection contribute a portion of all proceeds to the Wolwedans Foundation.
Through the Wolwedans Foundation, the students were able receive instruction under the stewardship of the Wolwedans-based Desert Academy, as well as the Windhoek-based nice Restaurant and Bar. This unique combination of exposure ensures that trainees acquire various composite skills for the future. Upon graduation, the students are well versed in the both practical and theoretical aspects of their chosen profession.
The newly qualified graduates are a representation of Wolwedans commitment to uplifting local communities. In addition to the time and effort invested into equipping the trainees for their futures, Wolwedans continually contributes financially towards the programme. On a monthly basis, for several years, Wolwedans Dune Camp and other sites within the Collection contribute a portion of all proceeds to the Wolwedans Foundation.
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