Page 727 – News Stand

17 Mar

Workers a benign folk without a good shepherd

info_e12wt4csOpinionsWorkers a benign folk without a good shepherd

Kae Matundu Tjiparuro It has been becoming all along obvious and apparent that workers in Namibia are a benign folk but without a good shepherd, if they still have any shepherd at all. Despite their vanguard role during the liberation struggle, a struggle more about civil and political rights, as predominantly manifested in a free and independent Namibia, rather than being about bread and butter issues, where and in which the rights of workers remain neglected and relegated to the backburner of a free and independent Namibia’s political agenda, including the legislative agenda. As the legislative timetable of the Namibian…

17 Mar

At 33, it is time to grow up

info_e12wt4csEditorialAt 33, it is time to grow up

Consider this situation: your 33-year-old underperforming offspring is sleeping each night on your sofa, usurping the remote control, not delivering on promises and obligations, demanding that you feed and clothe him, borrowing money from everyone, occasionally doing good things while having braai and beer parties with his circle of friends at your expense; it’s time for tough love.Your man-child needs to grow up and deliver on his promises. It’s time to put his bags in the street, block his calls, end the free meals, stop making excuses for him, give him a final loving hug, and change the locks on…

17 Mar

Katjavivi to step down

info_e12wt4csMainKatjavivi to step down

Steve Nashama The retirement of Professor Peter Katjavivi from active government service will not only leave a luminous legacy but will also create an opportunity for his successor to build on the strong foundation he has laid in the building of Namibia as an independent country. “However, a compatriot never retires because he can at any time be delegated to serve his country in another capacity wherever the need arises, be it in advisory or active service,” the veteran politician and current Speaker of the National Assembly said in the announcement of his retirement. Prof Katjavivi, who is one of…

17 Mar

Security Cluster to create 2800 jobs in 2023, Geingob promises

info_e12wt4csNational NewsGeingob promises, Security Cluster to create 2800 jobs in 2023

Martin Endjala In an effort to combat the high unemployment rate in Namibia, the government is set to create about 2800 jobs in the Namibian Correctional Services, Namibian Police and the Namibian Defense Force this year. The Namibian Police will recruit 1000 people, to significantly relieve the human resource constraints currently being experienced while the Namibia Correction Services has already commenced with its intake of 300 recruits. The Namibian Defense Force will recruit 1500 soldiers as part of the effort. President Hage Geingob made this revelation during the State of the Nation Address in the Namibian Parliament. The Namibia Defense…

17 Mar

National protest planned against unemployment

info_e12wt4csNational NewsNational protest planned against unemployment

Steve Nashama Frustrated young Namibians have chosen Independence Day to protest against the hopelessness of their prospect to be gainfully employed. Michael Amushelelo will spearhead the protest and the activist confirmed that preparations for the national mass action is well under way and that the police were alerted about the youth’s plan. “We are just waiting for the 21 of March so that we go to the streets and hand over our petition to the relevant authority,” Amushelelo said. He said that people should understand that the police do not have the authority to disallow any protest action. “We don’t…

17 Mar

Do not dramatize things for your own benefit – Shiimi

info_e12wt4csFeaturedDo not dramatize things for your own benefit - Shiimi

Martin Endjala Opposition parties must not dramatize situations for their own benefit at the expense of the Namibian people. Iipumbu Shiimi, the Minister of Finance and Public Enterprise called on Members of Parliament to keep the interest of Namibians in their hearts at all times. “When we dramatize things, it must be situations concerning our people and not ourselves”, Shiimi said during the conclusion of the debate of the Appropriation Bill. Shiimi made the statement in reference to last year’s budget which saw the legislative body’s budget heavily cut leading to many members of parliament being unhappy because they felt…

17 Mar

Miracle birth in the middle of the bush

info_e12wt4csNational News

Martin Endjala THE help of two men, who has no medical experience, enabled a young San woman from the Kavango East Region, Dominga Nxharu Hausiku, to give birth to a little baby girl in the middle of the bush. The 26-year-old mother was able to deliver the baby on 6 March this year when the driver of a Recon Africa vehicle, Jonas Siteketa (35) saw the expression of excruciating pain on her face while he passed by her on the road. Siteketa who was accompanied by the 23-year-old Junion Balzar stopped along the road to find out if the can…

17 Mar

Ward contractors threaten to strike again

info_e12wt4csNational NewsWard contractors threaten to strike again

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Close 500 ward cleaners employed by the City of Windhoek who went on strike in February to demand better working conditions and an end to their undefined employment contracts from the municipal council, have threatened to go on strike once more. The group gave the Windhoek municipality until 15 March to respond to the demands of their previous petition. According to group spokesperson Mbenda Immanuel, the group will hold a meeting in town on Saturday to determine when exactly they will approach the city’s management structures and also when to carry out another strike in order to have…

16 Mar

“We have done all that we could”-Smith

info_e12wt4csMain“We have done all that we could”-Smith

Steve Nashama TransNamib Chief Executive Officer, Johny Smith yesterday confirmed that he rejected an offer to extend his stay at the troubled parastatal and that he is pursuing other ventures. Smith, who tendered his resignation earlier this year and is expected to leave the company at the end of this month said in an interview that the old and deteriorating state of TransNamib railway infrastructure hampers operations, resulting in bottlenecks, and has the potential to cause derailments, which can lead to a loss of life, environmental harm and damage to expensive equipment at any given time. “Some of our locomotives…

16 Mar

Passports, Visa applications now online

info_e12wt4csNational NewsPassports

Steve Nashama With the launch of online applications for Passports and short-term Employment Permits yesterday, the Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Albert Kawana said cases of corruption pertaining to the issuance of work visas and passports will be minimized.Kawana yesterday introduced online applications for short-term employment permits and passports. “No more corruption, agents or paying money behind the doors. The online documents application system requires clients to make an online payment for their service straight to government coffers, through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT),” says the minister. The Minister indicated that there has been many instances happening inside…