Parliamentary bout – round two

…as both sides forget that democracy is not easy Democracy is hard work. This week in Parliament, Speaker Peter Katjavivi, and LPM leaders Bernadus Swartbooi and Henny Seibeb forgot this. Each resorted to dictatorship, emotion and anger. The Speaker told two elected leaders to get out of the building. The two, Seibeb and Swartbooi, engaged in a goal-less diatribe, hurling personal insults at a citizen. To what end? Did their outburst create a single job? How is the drowning Namibian economy saved by that clash? In the Speaker’s case, there was a dangerous precedent set. Arguably, there was a misuse…
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The informal sector is critical to the economy

The regulatory pursuit of informal vendors, traders, and service providers will not formalize the economy but destroy it. The informal sector is as valuable to the Namibian economy as any other commercial sector. Rather than criminalizing the informal economy, why not help it earn more income? For now, the state earns revenues in the informal sector from VAT on sales of raw materials or bulk products. Let them form their own chamber of commerce and dialogue with decision-makers about the services they need and how to pay for them. Please read the February 25, 2011 article, Support ‘meme kapanas’. In…
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MTC unveils N$101,7m sponsorships

MTC unveils N$101,7m sponsorships

Staff Writer MTC on Tuesday unveiled sponsorships totalling N$101,700,000 to 14 different beneficiaries, across 7 different sports codes which includes Soccer, Horse Racing, Boxing, Rugby, Hockey, Netball and the Youth Games over a 3 year period. In boxing, MTC chose to maintain its relationship with the MTC Nestor Sunshine and Salute Boxing Academies by giving them an N$1 million dollar per annum, an increase from N$1,750,000 to N$2,750,000. MTC Kilimanjaro Boxing received an increase of N$100,000 per annum from N$400,000 to N$500,000. In football, MTC will continue its relationship with the annual Dr Hage Geingob Cup, giving the event an…
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Passing the buck on paying for COVID

All sectors of society and the economy seem to selfishly nurse the expectation that someone else will foot their part of the pandemic bill. They don’t get it that ALL of us will feel the pain one way or another. Schools are forcing cash-strapped parents to pay full tuition and fees from March through June. And yet, there were no face-to-face courses offered during that time. Parents are demanding to not pay for classes not given. Private schools are using their usual punish-the-kids extortion tactic to force parents to comply. They don’t want to eat any of the losses involved…
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Old Mutual donates Covid19 equipment

Old Mutual donates Covid19 equipment

Andrew Kathindi As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the country at an alarming rate, last week, Old Mutual handed over devices to the Ministry of Health and Social Services worth over N$900 000. In a bid to continue supporting the fight against COVID-19, Old Mutual donated 35 Dell laptops and 37 Samsung tablets procured at a total cost of N$ 998 030.46 to capacitate the Ministry’s surveillance system capability based on the identified and prioritised needs at national, regional and district level during and after COVID-19. “These laptops are each installed with Office Home software, Antivirus, a mouse and…
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A family hair studio just for you!

A family hair studio just for you!

Jackie Wilson Asheeke ZZI Kids Hair Studio opened its doors at Maerua Mall on 30 March 2019 and it is now evolving into a hair care center for all customers of all ages. Morna Ikosa, the co-owner of ZZI Family Hair Studio has worked hard to get the business running well. Go support this black owned business and give them a try. Studio did great work with kids for more than a year. Go there and see the photos of the terrific hairstyles done for the young ones. They are beautiful. Giving service to kids and keeping them engaged and…
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Observatory: Abortion, what are people really afraid of?

Thandizo Kawerama This week, social media was set a buzz as a petition going around to legalise abortion in Namibia gained mass support. Heightening contrasting opinions online was Health Minister Shangula’s declaration that he would indeed be in support of the legalisation of abortion if rallied by women. His pro-choice stance on the matter coupled with the petition going around various platforms, was a recipe for social media to once again hop on to its favourite topic, the female body. With the Minister of Health’s support and with many Namibian women openly being pro-choice as opposed to previous years when…
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Earn your keep

Jackie Wilson Asheeke I don’t give a fig whether a politician has a Mercedes, Lexus, Range Rover, expensive cell phone, cattle farm, or whatever other trappings of wealth. If they have access to cars, drivers, school fees or no taxes as perks of their job so what? The jealousy must be set aside. The focus must be on earning what you get. People must only expect a hard day’s pay for a hard day’s work. If someone lands a job that pays a certain salary, there are performance markers that must be achieved. If they achieve it and get their…
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National Resistance only first phase of National Revolution

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Did March 21, 1990, the day of Namibian independence, usher in the first phase of the national revolution? Comes the question cautious to presume this may have been the case because of the lack of ideological clarity, if not lack of ideology all together in Namibia on national issues. There were two major epochs of national resistance. First against German colonialism and imperialism and occupation, and subsequently against the Apartheid South African regime’s occupation and de facto annexation of South West Africa as its first province. The National Resistance had in its first and launching stage vanguard true…
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The Time Traveler: Gymming

Hugh Ellis Recently, one of my contacts on social media was collecting names of black Namibian-owned businesses to promote. I suggested my local gym, my personal trainer…. and a chicken wing restaurant. If that Freudian slip doesn’t sum up my entire approach to fitness and exercise, I don’t know what does. I guess most people can name a time when they were in ‘the best shape of their life’. For me, that would have been first or second year of university, age 19 or 20, when I was walking or cycling everywhere, playing basketball three times a week, going to…
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