Petrol cards phased out by March this year

Petrol stations and their customers are reminded that the central bank’s banning of petrol cards takes effect on February 28.
The phasing out of petrol cards as legal tender for fuel purchases, spare parts and repairs was ordered by the Bank of Namibia (BoN) early last year, as part of its payment system reform and efforts to eliminate cash-based transactions.
In its place, the central bank has ordered financial institutions to accept debit and credit card payments as more secure options, in addition to cash payments.
Merchants with existing point-of-sale devices have already begun accepting card payments for fuel, while the BoN has called on those aspiring to accept debit and credit cards to approach their banks to negotiate for and acquire such devices. Merchants are also warned that they are to be held responsible for the full interchange costs involved with card transactions, “until such time as the new system, currently being developed is fully implemented”.
Fuel retailers who choose to accept cards are required to clearly display a notice indicating acceptance of such cards for the purpose of fuel purchases.
Commercial banks have also started to introduce fleet management cards to corporate clients with a specific need to manage fuel expenses separately.
“A credit card is quite versatile in the sense that it is a universal card recognised and used internationally. It can be used anywhere in the world,” Standard Bank Namibia’s Manager for Unsecured Lending, Credit Card Issuing and Market Development, Deborah Henckert, said this week in a statement detailing the petrol card phase-out process.

New Railway to link Cape Fria to Katima Mulilo, Namibia

Namibian Government has completed a pre-feasibility study for the construction of the railway from Cape Fria to Katima Mulilo, at a cost of N$7 billion.

Mr. Peter Mwatile ,Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works  and Transport  confirmed  that ,  the  Government is  in the process of mobilising financial resources to start the construction of the new railway.

When asked for comment whether the foregoing capital project was for the Caprivi/ Zambezi region, Mr. Mwatile responded, “The fact is, the railway line is not for Caprivi (Zambezi region), but rather for the Republic of Namibia.”

The envisaged railway line will connect to the existing railway network and the new Cape Fria harbor.

 He said it will also enable the inter connectivity within the SADC region as it will link Namibia with Zambia.“Currently, there is no railway line called Trans-Caprivi Railway line. However, the Government has the intention to develop a railway line from Cape Fria in Kunene Region via Omusati, Ohangwena, Kavango to Zambezi Region. It is also the Government’s intention to construct the harbour at Cape Fria.”

Asked to shed some lights on what caused the delay of the project , Works  and Transport Permanent Secretary refuted that “The project is not delayed; instead the Government wants to address all aspects supporting this project in relation to the development of the Cape-Fria harbour at the same time. “

 He added that,  harbour, road, water, power, housing, schooling, hospital and many other things are still to be considered by the government in order to start the railway project off the ground.

 The project will kick start when all aspects have been thoroughly dealt with and a proper modus operandi to implement the project agreed upon.

 According to the Feasibility Study, the railway line alone is estimated to cost   N$7 billion, as forecasted in 2010. Other components still need to be costed after detailed investigations and designs.

He further said that his Ministry had successfully completed more than 300 kilometers of railway from Tsumeb to Oshikango in the past.

The Cape Fria – Katima Mulilo railway would also extend the already existing rail network in Zambia that will avoid congested routes through Durban and Dares Salaam in Tanzania to enable Zambian minerals to be exported via the west-coast port.

A new port at Cape Fria near the Angolan border in the northern Namibia of Kunene region is the third port in the northern Namibia coastline which estimated to cost N$10billion , as now Namibia has two ports  such as Luderitz and Walvis Bay.

Bloodsuckers widespread and highly arrogant in Okaku, Namibia

Mysterious blood-sucking creatures are allegedly making the rounds in Okaku village in the Oshana Region in the North.

The alleged return of the creatures in Okaku Constituency after a lull of more than five years has purportedly caused a commotion in the community, because it brings back the memories of baffling incidents which, according to some residents, happened in the past.

According to eyewitnesses who, though they couldn’t positively identify the said creatures, were allegedly woken up by strange noises when the mysterious animals were reportedly roaming the yard of a local school last week Friday.

“The return of these strange creatures brings sad memories to some of us. My son Elago Angula Amukoto died after being attacked by such animals in 2009.  We had experienced a double tragedy that time because during our mourning, one of our relatives, Emilia  Shuuya, collapsed and died in the same house. Clearly, we are living in fear of our lives because of the previous tragic experience,” said a saddened Maria Titus–Amadhila.

The late Amukoto, a Grade 10 learner at Onengushe at the time, was attacked at night at his home while on his way to his sleeping room on 13 November 2009, and nine days later he died. His death certificate indicates that the cause of death was rabies. After his death, the rumored killing spree of domestic animals left numerous goats, dogs, chicken and pigs dead in the area. The creatures, suspected to be a type of hyena, allegedly sucks blood out of their prey.

Astonishingly, the headman of Okaku village Andreas Hango Kaweendwa confirmed the alleged creatures roaming the village. He revealed that another small creature was found dead recently in the village and is now decomposing. “The people are fearful of these strange animals. The fact of the matter is that such nuisance creatures do exist in our village. As usual, the footprints of these animals vanish after causing havoc and mayhem in the village. We wish that such people (owners of the creatures) should be called to order by the government,” said the headman.

Another toilet scheme failed in Namibia

Hundreds of toilets, costing government close to N$60 million, built and completed in Oshana Region in 2012, have still not been used.

About 500 households in Oshana were to benefit from this scheme in 2012, but until now the toilets, in most cases are already dilapidated, are standing unused. An official in the regional council said that the modern dry-sanitation facilities cost the government close to N$60 million, but, “owners could not use the toilets because they have not been trained on how to use them yet, due to lack of money to conduct such training.”

The official explained that the toilets contain different compartments for solid and liquid waste which cannot be mixed, therefore the need for education on the operation method of the system. The official continued saying, “The regional council is considering building new toilets using different materials, but we are not informed what will happen to the already built toilets.

Director of General Services and Acting Chief Regional Officer, Oshana Regional Council, Josephat Simvula, denied the claim that toilets are not in use. “All the toilets built in Oshana are operational, despite the fact the beneficiaries are not happy with them.” He, however, confirmed that the regional council will be building new household toilets. “When our councillors contacted beneficiaries, they were told the beneficiaries are not happy, as they had to remove solid waste themselves. That is why we are building new toilets like those in Ohangwena,” he said.

About ten toilets were built in each village and they are mainly meant for households with elders, traditional leaders, disabled persons, and people who cannot afford toilets.

Last year the Anti Corruption Commission investigated corruption charges in Omusati Region where about N$20 million were used in the construction of cheap toilets.

Industrial development is planned in Walvis Bay, Namibia

Walvis Bay, Namibia - The Walvis Bay Municipal Council has in principle approved at least 260 hectares of land at Farm 58, behind dune 7 for four major developments at the coastal town.

The area is earmarked for heavy industrial development in line with the town’s five-year strategic plan launched earlier this year. During the last council meeting of the year held last week Tuesday it was recommended the land be granted in principle to four developers. The applicants are Namib Development and Construction CC, who applied for 50 hectares of land for the construction of a cement factory at farm 58. Also, Phillip Nashandi applied for 10 hectares to set up a micro-copper treatment plant, while the United Africa Group (UAG) also applied for 100 hectares of land, also in the same vicinity for the construction of a bulk liquid terminal. Moto Agency Namibia applied for 100 hectares of land to construct warehouses and storage facilities. Council stipulated that the applicants would have to submit concise project proposals, indicating the timeframe of the planned business activities within a period of six months. It was also recommended that all four applicants submit comprehensive reports with recommendations for council’s consideration. According to council the planning and conceptual design for all four developments were already approved at a meeting held in March 2010. However, according to the Surveyor-General’s diagrams, the remainder of Farm 58 comprises of 2859, 3729 hectares of land parcels.

The ownership of the remainder of Farm 58 currently vests with the government. However, as part of the land swap arrangement, the remainder was allocated to the Walvis Bay Municipality for heavy industrial activities. The power of attorney now needs to proceed with planning matters since a Deed of Exchange Agreement was already obtained.

Low costs houses offer by Namibian company

Rehoboth, Namibia - A Rehoboth-based construction firm has caused a stir among prospective homeowners after it introduced a low-cost housing plan to build houses anywhere in Namibia at a cost ranging between N$30 000 to N$100 000.

The company says its N$30 000 to N$100 000 price tag for housing units comes with no hidden costs or the present high interest rates being charged on home loans. While the National Mass Housing Development project launched late last year is struggling to get out of the starting blocks, Hydraform Interlocking Solution says that it is ready to build up to 200 houses at a mind-blowing minimal cost and is also prepared to service the land, should they reach a private/public partnership agreement with the municipalities. The company claims that it can build a one-bedroom house of 55 square metres for N$30 000, a 86 square metres two-bedroom house for N$60 000, a three-bedroom house of 93 square metres for N$80 000 and a 115 square metres house of four bedrooms for N$100 000. Loan repayments start at N$250 for one-bedroom units to N$1500 for a luxury four-bedroom house with a geyser, ceiling, tiles, built-in cupboards and a one-and-a-half bathroom and anyone earning from N$1000 can qualify for a house. Marius !Kharigub, the Managing Director of Hydraform Interlocking Solution, says the project is not similar to some home owners schemes where money invested in the projects went missing or could not be accounted for. He said they have received over 4000 applications from interested parties in both urban and rural areas and maintains they will be able to meet the demand by sub-contracting to other builders in the construction industry. He boasted that his company has identified investors willing to go into private/public partnership (PPP) with local authorities should they have any difficulties in servicing residential land. “Local authorities must avail land, if they don’t have the money, we can service the land,” added the MD of Hydraform Interlocking Solution. !Kharigub said the main aim of the project is for people to regain their dignity by breaking barriers that impede homeownership for low-income groups that have been denied the right to own property for far too long.

According to him through the project they intend to replace corrugated iron sheet structures in informal settlements with decent hydraform block houses and added that they started experimenting with the hydraform concept, which uses cement, clay and stone, ten years ago when they built a 36 square metres house in Rehoboth. He said in the past three years, they built sample houses in Witvlei, Tses, Aroab and Noordoewer, while they are busy constructing other sample houses in Groot Aub, Gobabis, Swakopmund, Tsumeb and Aroab. “We want the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to take cognizance of this project, so they can come in. Let’s build our country together,” he urged, maintaining that the building concept will bring down housing prices if government endorses the low-cost housing initiative. !Kharigub says the interlocking blocks building system greatly increases the speed of construction and the concept has also been extensively tested for structural strength and durability. He said so far they have tested the sand in ten towns to make sure it is the right type sand for making bricks. “All towns are right, Namibia is rich in sand and clay,” he added.

“Hydraform building technology is particularly popular in Africa’s mining industry and provides a solution for replacing conventional brick and mortar masonry, although the basics of the conventional building system remain largely unchanged.”

Albert Weitz Jr of Namclay Bricks and Suppliers said he attended a conference in South Africa on the use of such technology and agrees it is much cheaper to build with clay bricks, hence the hydraform building concept. He said clay is also more durable and cheaper, since you do not need to plaster or paint after the building is constructed. Another advantage of the hydraform concept as opposed to cement, he said is that the former can absorb heat, which keeps the house almost at the same temperature during the winter and summer months. However, Weitz says Namibia lacks the expertise and knowledge in hydraform technology, while start-up costs are very high, unless the company using such a concept has the necessary materials and machinery at hand. He said Namibia also does not have the best clay deposits with only three clay factories in the country. He praised the hydraform concept as a system that is durable, because wear and tear is much lower and the bricks need to be wet when building which saves time.

Heavy rain storm in Windhoek, Namibia

An afternoon downpour over Windhoek on 15 January 2014 left a trail of destruction, flooding a section of the Maerua Mall Shopping Complex and the Parliament.
The downpour submerged cars in the southern industrial area, while a bakkie was swept down into the Parliament Garden where a huge tree was also uprooted.

Checkers Maerua was affected most, workers were scooping out the water. Checkers management refused to comment.At Parliament building, a security guard denied access although an anonymous woman who had called earlier saying that the flooding was one of the reasons why the government wants to a new parliament building. Surprisingly, Katutura and informal settlement areas did not receive much rains. Although the meteorological office phones went unanswered, a home rain gauge showed that Windhoek received about 22 millimetres of water.

The rains which started around 16h00 pounded the city for about two hours.

В Зимбабве пропадают туристы

На гору нужно подниматься с осторожностью

После того, как в начале января на горе Иньягани пропал очередной турист, правительство Зимбабве опубликовало предупреждение: при восхождении можно пользоваться только официальным маршрутом. Любые отклонения от него могут представлять большую опасность.

6 января на Иньягани бесследно исчез местный житель, а через неделю - американский турист. Их поиски пока не увенчались успехом, сообщает All Africa. Зимбабвийские службы безопасности предполагают, что они сорвались с одного из обрывов.

Гора Иньягани (Mount Nyangani, 2591 м), находящаяся в центре национального парка Ньянга (Nyanga, Родес-Иньянго) - одна из главных достопримечательностей страны. Ее прекрасные пейзажи ежегодно привлекают тысячи людей со всего мира. Официальный туристический маршрут восхождения проходит по западному склону мимо зеленых лесов и маленьких водопадов, путь на вершину занимает всего два-три часа. Но если сойти с тропы, особенно вечером, когда гору накрывает густой туман, можно поскользнуться и упасть в одно из многочисленных глубоких ущелий.

В ближайшее время туристический офис Зимбабве собирается опубликовать фотографии самых опасных зон Иньягани, чтобы путешественники наглядно представляли, почему нельзя покидать официальную тропу.

Namibia: Navachab gold mine is still on strike

Contract workers of the main sub-contractor at Anglo Gold Ashanti’s Navachab Gold mine, nearby Karibib, Lewcor Plant Hire CC, have been on strike since last week Wednesday.

The workers refuse to go back to work until they receive their 13th cheque from the company.

The workers of Lewcor CC, who ceased working from Wednesday the 15th January 2013, say that they were supposed to receive their cheques in December 2013 already, except up to now nothing has happened.

This dispute has supposedly been going on for 2 years now, since Lewcor CC was established in 2008.

The workers allegedly negotiated with management last year, for increases on their salaries that were raised with N$ 2.60 per hour, housing allowance was raised to N$300.00 as the lowest housing allowance and N$650.00 as the highest housing allowance. The company also gave them medical aid and death benefits.

The contract employees feel the salary is not enough. “We are the main producers of this company, and feel it's not enough” said an unhappy contract worker. The workers say that although the 13th cheque is not mandatory, they feel they deserve the salary and started making provisions last year already to acquire the 13th cheque.

They had a meeting last year November to vote on a strike, the majority of them voted for a strike however only few of the workers showed at the strike. Their contracts end on 28 February this year, and many of them are uncertain they will be renewed.

Ismeal Kasuto the president of the Mine Workers Union (MUN) said this was a protective strike and although discussions were held, they haven't reached an agreement. He also said the strikers are fewer compared to the majority that voted for the strike and even though it's very bad, it will have to stay as is for now.

According to Pineas Pombili Hamunyela, the MUN Karibib Branch Chairman, a meeting was scheduled for last week Sunday afternoon, around 17:00 by the management of Lewcor CC with the contract workers.

Conservancies receive million dolar boost

Conservancies received an operational boost this week when a consignment of goods to help them in their work, arrived in Windhoek at the offices of Wilderness Safaris. At hand to receive the container were a score of people working in tourism and nature conservation.
Namibia’s Community Game Guards got a massive shot in the arm through a generous donation of equipment worth N$1 million from REI International Adventure on Wednesday.
Present at the opening of the container was the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Hon Uahekua Herunga as well as NASCO Director, Maxi Louis and Community Liaison Manager at Wilderness Safaris, Jermain Ketji.

“The community game guards have protected the iconic wildlife of Namibia for over 20 years.
With minimal equipment, they have made Namibia an inspiring destination and success story in Africa’s struggle against poaching.” stated Minister Herunga.
The million dollar contribution from REI International which is the largest retailer in the United States was first announced during last year’s Adventure Travel World Summit in Swakopmund when Namibia hosted 650 delegates.
 This summit was later voted the most successful ATWS summit ever.
This summit put Namibia on the adventure tourism map, a niche that was never fully exploited before.
It improved the country’s profile to such an extent that it was noticed by businesses in the United States. The New York Times ranked Namibia sixth in the world as one of the best place to visit in 2014.
Cited as a key pillar of local rural tourism is Namibia’s communal conservancy movement, which pairs sustainable tourism with rural community outreach.
Herunga said REI selected Namibia and the Conservancy Game Guards in particular after the Director of REI Adventures, Ms Dunbar, experienced Namibia’s conservancy tourism for herself.
During her visit, she also noticed the conservation commitment of the rural residents and conservancy members, which helped Namibia receive the 2013 Sustainable Tourism Award.
Through the award 500 of Namibia’s wildlife guards received REI gear including sleeping bags, backpacks, head lamps, hats, pocket knives, socks, T-shirts, lip balm, sun screen and a water bottle,  to help with their mission of protecting the 70 conservancies.
In addition the minister noted that one of the biggest threats faced by conservationists is the proper management of human and wildlife conflict which occurs frequently.
 In his closing statement the minister commended REI Adventures for their contribution and for their support to help the game guards become more effective as Namibia’s front-line guardians and conservancy protectors.