Issue 195 - Thursday, 28 Apr 2016 to Wed, 11 May 2016

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Continued on Page 3

We cannot, after nearly three decades of independence, still attempt to attribute all blame to the colonial government.

Percy McCallum (Vice President Business Support: Swakop Uranium)

IndependentNamib

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Jennifer van den Heever, the DTA Chief Whip in the National Assembly addressing 50 landless residents of Tutaleni

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Construction of the N$20-billion Husab Mine processing plant which has reached over 96% completion, will meet the global demand for Uranium which has not been affected by the flagging mining trends.

Continued on Page 3

See Page 5 See Page 3

500 year old ‘reinheitsgebot’ celebrated in style See Page 2

Walvis N$50 million tarring project well on track

Concern over illicit spread of firearms

Donna Collins

In an ongoing effort to improve service delivery as well as upgrade the living conditions of the residents of Walvis Bay, Council has set aside N$50-million for the tarring of roads and paving of sidewalks throughout the town.

Of this, an amount of N$9.58 million has been earmarked for the surfacing of existing gravel roads in Kuisebmond as well as establishing sidewalks for pedestrians - a project which started in October last year, and is expected to be completed by September.

Adri Louw (Acting General

Manager Roads & Building Control) confirmed that they are well on track with the road works, and that this re-tarring programme is part of the capital budget every year. Not only does Council have the responsibility to tar the old areas but they are constantly busy servicing the new suburbs and townships that are springing up daily.

"We are focussing on the old parts of town where there were only gravel

Roadworks in Tutaleni are part of the Walvis Bay's N$50 million road surfacing and upgrading project to upgrade many parts of the residential areas

Absalom Shigwedha

Safety and Security Minister, Charles Namholo, says the Government is extremely concerned about the excessive accumulation and uncontrolled of use of small arms and light weapons both in urban and rural areas.

“The large number of armed civilian population is another concern which usually results in abuse of firearms,” said Namholo.

He made these remarks when

he officially opened a two-day workshop on building knowledge and capacity towards the ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and implementation of national, regional and international instruments on small arms and light weapons, held at Walvis Bay last week.

Namholo said illegal fire arms most commonly used in the perpetration of crimes, contribute to the high level of instability, extended conflict, violence

Thursday, 28 April 20162 news

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Contact Us 500 year old ‘Reinheitsgebot’ celebrated in style

Maria Davel Wallis

On 23 April 1516, the Bavarian Duke of Wittelsbach, Wilhelm IV, issued a regulation in Ingolstadt, stating that only water, barley and hops may be used in the production of beer. The regulation, aimed at sustained purity and quality of beer, not only became law in Bavaria, but spread through Europe, the rest of the world - and yes, the “Reinheitsgebot” is still adhered to by some brewers in Namibia in this day and age, says Stephan Koepp, brewer at the Swakopmund Brewing Company at the Strand Hotel, Swakopmund. A small event was hosted on Saturday, to celebrate this historical milestone for beer brewing.

To mark the day, a beer sommelier, Dorothea Wächtler, brought in from Bamberg in Germany especially for the event, showed guests at The Brewer & Butcher how to pair food with specific beers.

According to Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) – a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, and “the only large scale commercial brewery in sub Saharan Africa that brews in accordance with the ‘Reinheitsgebot’, the age-old regulation had been issued also partly to protect consumers from beer that often contained additives that could be toxic or poisonous, such as mushrooms, stinging nettle and henbane to name a few.”

Koepp, the local craft brewer, says beer lovers could taste three different beers, paired with matching food - the Urbock was paired with a chocolate macaroon, the Helles with a meatball with peri-peri sauce and the so- called Monroe Märzen was matched with a toasted baguette and cream cheese.

Brewer Stephan Koepp, Brewer and Butcher restaurant manager Paulus Fillipus, and beer sommelier Dorothea Wächtler

Helles with meatball and peri peri sauce, Monroe Märzen with toasted baguette and cream cheese, Urbock with chocolate macaroon.

3 Thursday, 28 April 2016

Continued from Page 1

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Continued from Page 1

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Walvis N$50 million tarring project well on track

and social dislocation, which are evident in some African countries and in major parts of the world.

“We are aware of the harmful effects of the uncontrolled spread of both licit and illicit small arms and light weapons to the well-being of the Namibian people, their socio-economic development and their right to live in peace,” Namholo told the gathering.

He said in September 2010, Namibia was among the SADC member countries that have benefited from the US State Department donation of a complete mobile marking system for marking fire-arms, whereby 10 Police officers were trained on effective utilisation of the said system.

However, Namholo said it is disheartening to learn that Namibia is not doing well in marking fire arms

despite the availability of the sponsored state of the art marking system.

Police Commissioner for Erongo region, Andreas Nelumbo, told Namib Independent this week that the spread of illicit fire arms is not only a concern in Erongo region, but it a national one.

He said the Fire Arms and Ammunition Act has also contributed to this trend, as it allows a person to have a minimum of four fire arms. “Some of these fire arms ended up being stolen and used in criminal activities.

The bottom line is we have too many fire arms in the hands of civilians and not everybody takes the necessary care of them,” said Nelumbu.

Dr Nelson Alusala and Ager Ngwenya from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) were invited guests at the workshop, which was held from 20- 21 April.

DTA calls for urgent action to give land to landless!

Absalom Shigwedha

An opposition Member of Parliament has called on the Government to implement fast-tracking initiatives to find land for the landless residents of the Tutaleni location at Walvis Bay.

Jennifer van den Heever, who is the DTA Chief Whip in the National Assembly, addressed about 50 landless residents of Tutaleni, where Police crashed a group of some angry people who decided to illegally grab land.

She said the Government should take immediate action to attend to the cry for land for these people and should do so in co-operation with the Municipality of Walvis Bay.

“It was been 26 years of waiting, and people's patience is beginning to wear thin. We cannot, after nearly three decades of independence, still attempt to attribute all blame to the colonial government.

"Let us not test the patience of the Namibian people, they have been patient enough,” said van den Heever in a statement whilst addressing a group on Monday last week.

When Urban and Rural Development Minister, Sophia Shaningwa spoke to the residents of Tutaleni last month, she said Government will build houses for the landless people, but no shacks will be erected on erven which are allocated for the building of houses.

She however stressed that land grabbing is illegal and it will not be allowed in Namibia.

Ms van den Heever said when the

national backlog for houses is currently at 100,000, and simply saying to “follow procedures” does not serve to calm people down, but merely builds more frustration.

The DTA MP said she understands that urban land and housing availability is a national problem and must be dealt with as such, but the circumstances surrounding the people of Tutaleni are unique and perhaps require more urgent and direct invitation.

She urged that the matter needs to be addressed beyond following the normal procedures of just filling in forms, since this only serves to place people on a person waiting list that dates back to early 2000's.

“To this end, the DTA of Namibia has consistently advocated for an Urban Land Resettlement Scheme, given that our situation has reached proportions where merely following red tape procedure of filling in application forms at municipalities is simply not enough,” she said.

She said that because local authorities take so many years to transform virgin land into fully serviced land, this is clear evidence that the procedure, as it is currently, is too long winded, and is not serving Namibians.

“Clearly the normal procedure is failing, thus extra ordinary measures need to be taken and fast,” she added.

Ms van den Heever is a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources and Community Development.

roads, in order to uplift certain neighbourhoods," said Louw. "Our objective is to ultimately have the entire network of streets and roads in Walvis Bay tarred and Council have selected roads based on certain criteria, taking into consideration the traffic flow and numbers.

"The densely populated Kuisebmund has a lot of traffic movement, mainly taxis, and we are trying to uplift the standard of these areas for motorists and residents, which also required moving back the shacks to create wider roads and neatly paved side-walks.

"We have also erected 30 metre high street lamps to improve living conditions of the Kuisebmond residents and increase the overall safety of these areas," explained Louw, saying that these tall masts cast a lot of light, and not only illuminate back yards, but light up small darker side streets as well which improves the overall security for the people.

" We have a total of 120

kilometres of gravel roads in this town, and with the current upgrading project we will have completed 16 kilometres of roads by the end of the year, which includes paving of sidewalks, and painting of traffic lines onto the newly tarred surfaces," added Louw.

A total of eight streets of Kuisebmond are being attended to which includes, Lovebird Street, Kwail Street betweek Fiskaal and Khomashochland, Fourteenth Avenue, Lepelaar Street, Fisant Street, Frankie Abraham Street, Dolfyn Crescent and Harder Cresent.

Louw claimed that the Municipality has been spending in the vicinity of N$3 million a year to constantly maintain the gravel roads, which was also a difficult exercise as they would need to move in with their graders. A total of four contractors are currently working on the different suburbs which have been divided between them.

In addition a lot of tar work is taking place in Naraville, the Walvis Bay light industrial area, Meersig, Hermes as well as parts of Walvis Bay central residential area, such as 5th Street, Conradie Road, Simon Luanda and Robert Forbes with the road to the refuse site already completed.

Commenting on the progress that is being made, Kevin Adams (CEO Walvis Bay Municipality) said that they are proud of their achievement and the investment that Council has made in advancing the roads infrastructure in the harbour town.

"We are making a point of upgrading those areas which were previously disadvantaged, whilst at the same time maintaining the conditions of roads in the more established suburbs to ultimately provide a first world infrastructure that is keeping with the fast growth of Walvis Bay, as well as the needs of the residents and motorists.”

Jennifer van den Heever, who is the DTA Chief Whip in the National Assembly

Concern over illicit spread of firearms

Thursday, 28 April 20164 news

Lagoon Park Flea Market a popular outing!With another successful Flea Market just held last Sunday, this idea will definitely grow from strength to strength!

More people have supported this wonderful initiative, which now also boasts a customised 'Coffee Shack', many more craft and food stalls as well as some unique stalls such as CrossFit challenges in the open and an ice-cream truck.

What better way to enjoy a Sunday morning than strolling through the market, chatting to friends and family in a cosy environment while the kids have an ice-cream and run around in the sun?

With the Lagoon Park upgrade done, definitely more families are enjoying this community space, not just during market days, but also at any other time of the week.

The sense of community is strong with many coming together to support this initiative and sharing quality time and memories.

Keep an eye out for the next market to take place on the 26th of June! Lots of stalls to choose from.

5 Thursday, 28 April 2016 news

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Mining sector in "intensive care"Husab Mine stable and not affected by trends

Tiger Reef Beach Bar hit by lashing wavesDonna Collins

Whilst the N$30-billion Husab Mine is all fired up to become fully operational with uranium production in the third quarter of this year, experts say that Namibia’s mining sector at large alongside the global trend is in the "Intensive Care Unit" - thanks to depressed commodity prices.

In a build up to this week's Mining Expo & Conference held in Windhoek, and hosted by the Chamber of Mines and Energy, Standard Bank’s Economic and Market Research Manager Mally Likukela said Namibia’s export revenue (of which the majority is mineral commodities) dropped by 9.8 percent in 2015, driven mostly by low prices of these commodities.

Likukela pointed out that the annual Mining Indaba, which has brought in top global and local experts, is used as a platform to draw focus on finding policy measures, and it is to mitigate the impact of lower commodity prices and adopt policies to yield greater benefits for the future of mining in Namibia.

As a starting point, the statement says that the Namibian government should put into place fiscal rules, sovereign wealth funds and other mechanisms to buffer their economies and the industry from the commodities roller-coaster and save the ailing industry.

"Mining groups in general are feeling the pain with fears of job losses as most mining companies have continued to operate at a loss, and the decline in prices has strained the economy," he said.

"The weaker demand from China and their economy, which is in the red, continues to negatively affect commodity prices which is not good for the likes of Namibia and other commodity producing companies in the country."

He further stated that mineral commodities, raw or partially processed, are the most significant exports of Namibia, and revenues obtained from them plays an important role in the

domestic economy.Foreign receipts from minerals

remained Namibia’s major exports earner, driven largely by diamond export receipts. But lower commodity prices have negatively impacted on economic growth and the country’s financial resources, and income distribution.

Meanwhile the construction of the N$20-billion Husab Mine processing plant which has reached over 96% completion, is ranked as the single biggest investment by China in Africa, meeting the demand for uranium which has not been affected by the flagging mining trends.

Once fully operational, the mine will be one of the biggest open pit uranium projects in the world, churning out 150 million tonnes of rock and producing over 15 million pounds of processed uranium oxide per year.

Swakop Uranium is on record, confirming that the company is a partnership between the Governments of Namibia and China, through Chinese state owned companies CGN and CAD Fund, and through the Namibian state owned Mining Company, Epangelo. During the construction phase of the massive Husab Mine, the strong efforts by the shareholders and the Namibian Government as a regulator to facilitate the development of the Mine are most commendable.

The Shareholders of the Husab Mine regard Namibia as a stable policy environment, internationally responsible and predictable with a sound infrastructure, where clear and unambiguous guidelines are in place for the regulation of mining activities in the country.”

Construction of the project and its massive investment has resulted in economic stimulation of the region, including the engagement of local contractors, sub-contractors, and the employment of a construction workforce, which at its peak reached over 4 500 employees.

The lashing waves caused by the Cape Storms weather conditions played havoc with the Tiger Reef Beach Bar, which was hard hit twice in just a matter of days, when the crashing ocean closed in on the restaurant area submerging the wooden deck under inches of sea water, and sending customers running. A spokesperson for the Lighthouse Group

confirmed that whilst there has been no serious damage to the structure as the venue is built of a sturdy wooden structure, the staff had their hands full with some serious mopping up operations. The beach bar was hit last Friday by unexpected waves as well as on Tuesday this week. (Photo Contributed)

Thursday, 28 April 20166

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Special Envoy to Technical Committee on Genocide and Reparations in Germany

Maria Davel-Wallis

The Special Envoy to the Technical Committee on Genocide and Reparations, Dr. Zedekia Ngavirue, who has been visiting Germany this week, will return to Namibia this weekend. He has been accompanied by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of International Relations and the former ambassador and chairperson of the Technical Committee, together with three more members of the committee.

Ngavirue’s visit to Germany follows a visit by his German counterpart to Namibia, recently.

Nagavirue and members of the Technical Committee on Genocide and Reparations had undertaken a visit to the Karas and Hardap regions earlier this month. According to Ngavirue, the visit to the South had been to “familiarise” themselves with important places/sites connected with the German colonial rule in Namibia, and to show respect to the Traditional Authorities. “It was not a mission to engage in discussions about their position on the matter.”

In a media release earlier this month, Ngavirue, reacted in

detail on an article in Namibian Sun of Monday, 18 April 2016,

“To clarify the following misinformation: • The team was led by

The Special Envoy, Dr. Zedekia Ngavirue. He was accompanied by nine members of the Technical Committee. The team visited Bethanie, Luderitz, Vaalgras, Gibeon and Hoachanas.

• It has been reported that the Special Envoy and his delegation were shown the door at Hoachanas settlement by Chief Petrus Kooper of the Kai-//Khaun Traditional Authority. Contrary to the report, Chief Kooper was in fact kind enough to welcome the Special Envoy and his team to the boardroom and after the meeting, the Chief showed the delegation a chronology of important events in the history of Hoachanas in his Office.

• In Bethanie, Chief Davis Fredricks welcomed the Special Envoy and his delegation in his home and he even went further to assign a person to guide the team to the memorial sites in Bethanie.

• In Vaalgras, Chief Joel Stephanus of the Vaalgras

Traditional Authority came to welcome the Special Envoy and his team at the monument marking the place where Chief Hendrik Witbooi was wounded.

• In Gibeon, the Special Envoy and his team were welcomed by the Chairperson of the Witbooi Traditional Authority, Mr. Jacobs, who took the team to the monuments in Gibeon.

• It has also been reported that the Special Envoy’s team included a German national, this is a serious and unfortunate misinformation. The Office of the Special Envoy would like to make it clear that there was no German national or any foreign national, for that matter, as part of the delegation. All members of the Technical Committee are Namibian nationals.

• It was also alleged that “Dr. Ngavirue, could not be reached despite countless efforts to contact him”, however, there are no miscalls or voice messages recorded on his phone, neither was his secretary contacted nor was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation was contacted to look for him.

Dr. Zedekia Ngavirue - Special Envoy”The coastal Herero community staged a

protest march at the beginning of the month. Utjiua Muinjanue of the Herero Reparations Committee told Namib Independent then that they were marching to remind themselves, the country, Germany and the world of the great losses suffered more than

100 years ago.Ngavirue has said on his departure,

perceptions that people are being excluded from the reparations process are not correct, but that the two governments are engaging in this regard, for the first time, through the Technical Committees. He has deemed it a first positive step.

7 Thursday, 28 April 2016 news

Another Full House – and New Tunicsfor Mascatos

Arts Association supports Mascato Choir

Maria Davel-Wallis

The Mascato Youth Choir had their Maiden Concert the past weekend, and the Aula at the Namib Primary School in Swakopmund was filled to capacity.

“Tickets were sold out even before the concert, as have been the case with several of our recent concerts, and we have also noticed many new faces in our audiences - including many young people. We are very thankful for the community of Swakopmund and the wider coastal community’s continued support,” said Theodore Cookson, talented director of the Mascatos for the

last five years, when Namib Independent spoke to him during the break.

Choir members were in high spirits. After the break they wore their new uniforms for the first time.

“Our lovely tunics were a donation from Kuiseb Fishing - Mr and Mrs Schroeter, material, Benguella Enterprises for storage containers for our new clothes, and Ms Pronk and her lovely team of helpers for the actual making of the tunics. We have raised over a million dollars with the help of our great Swakopmund community,” said Ailly Namupala, choir administrator. The Mascatos are off to Germany on 30 April, until mid-May.

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‘Blow the Horn on Rhino Poaching Campaign’ offers N$1-million bountyEnvironment reporter

The Ministry of Environment & Tourism (MET), Namibian Police (NAMPOL), Intelligence Support Against Poaching (ISAP) and Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) – subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, have partnered up in the fight against rhino poaching.

During the Blow the Horn on Rhino Poaching Campaign launched last week, NBL availed N$1 Million as incentive to entice the general public to provide tip-offs leading to the arrest of Rhino poachers.

During his statement at the launch event which took place at the MET Headquarters, NBL Managing Director, Wessie van der Westhuizen highlighted the important role the local tourism sector plays in the Namibian economy. Van der Westhuizen: “Tourism is a major contributor to job creation in Namibia, and has the potential to create many more jobs – which is exactly what we need in our quest to fight poverty. Apart from the peace and stability which makes Namibia a safe tourist haven, other key factors driving Namibian tourism are our natural heritage and wildlife, of which Rhinos are a major attraction.”

The importance of the tourism industry and national parks is so beneficial to the sustainability of our country, it boosts the economy and benefits the Namibian nation at large. Since 2008 poachers have killed almost 6 000 African rhinos. Figures released by the Ministry of Environment & Tourism earlier this year state that at least 80 cases of illegal rhino poaching were recorded in Namibia for the year 2015. Just last month 34 poached rhino carcasses were reported to have been discovered through aerial and foot patrols in the Etosha National Park and Palmwag/Klip River areas of the

Kunene Region since January. Speaking on behalf of the MET,

Permanent Secretary (PS) Dr. Malan Lindeque appreciated the gesture by NBL saying that it will go a long way in contributing to government’s efforts in conservation and in particular curbing poaching. He further expressed that the launch of this campaign is a prime example of private-public collaboration. Lindeque: “This initiative is highly commendable and I urge others in all sectors of our society to emulate this example set by Namibia Breweries and ISAP.”

Lindeque emphasized that illegal hunting especially that of elephants and rhinos is a challenge, “probably the biggest challenge that the country is faced with. Poaching presents severe economic implications through adverse impacts on tourism and trophy hunting.

" Government recognizes that alone we cannot achieve our set out goals unless there is involvement

of the private sector and other stakeholders. In particular the Ministry has adopted a collaborative approach in conservation and protection of our natural resources,” Lindeque added.

Van der Westhuizen: “I sincerely want to thank the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Nampol and ISAP for all your efforts in this regard. It is my hope that this campaign will unlock the necessary ownership in the hearts of each and every Namibian to not turn a blind eye, but to report Rhino poaching, and to work together to protect our natural heritage and wildlife - because their future is in our hands.”

The N$1 Million reward is to be divided into 4 x N$ 250,000 separate amounts per successful recipient, on final written approval from authorities and upon arrest, successful conviction and sentencing of a poacher / syndicate / smuggler.

The Arts Association of Swakopmund handed over a donation of N$10000.- to the Mascato Youth Choir in support of their choir tour to Germany departing on 30 April 2016 and returning on 15 May 2016. 41 members of this truly Namibian choir will be holding 12 official concerts throughout German.

The Arts Association of Swakopmund

is proud to support these young Namibian ambassadors as part of our Cultural Youth Work Project. At the handing over ceremony at the Art Gallery in the historical Woermann Haus in Swakopmund were from left to right Theo Cookson - Musical Director of the Mascato Choir, Herbert Schier – Arts Association, Ailly Namupala – Mascato, and Francois Harts – Arts Association.

Thursday, 28 April 20168

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Website: www.Lssnamibia.comMasterminding Innovative Supply Chain Solutions

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9 Thursday, 28 April 2016 news

EBH Namibia opens the door to dialogue in wake of stabilisation plan announcement

Rental Support Services nurtures employee wellness

Sonya Amos

Rental Support Services (RSS) has once again proven themselves to be a leading employer by hosting an Employee Wellness Day at their premises last week.

Health and safety has always been a priority for RSS, but the company has now gone one step further by inviting all employees to participate in a health screening check. Mr Thomas Wolff, Manager of RSS, elaborates, “We felt it was important to be proactive with regards to the health of our employees, not only as an ethical employer, but as a responsible corporate citizen. Many of our employees are drivers and operate equipment at mines etc. so in fact this is a matter of public safety.”

RSS therefore organised for all

employees to have a health screening, where each member of staff’s blood pressure and blood sugar levels were checked. These health checks were performed by Ms Jessie Champion of Sentrum Pharmacy, and the cost of this exercise was covered by RSS.

RSS incorporates a voluntary medical aid scheme into each employee’s remuneration package, whereby the company covers 50% of the medical aid contributions. Thomas commented, “The wellbeing of our employees is of the utmost importance to us. However, despite having medical aid, sometimes staff members will only visit the doctor if they feel unwell, not necessarily for a regular check-up.” He added that it was significant to employee wellbeing that they

can now use their results from this health screening to follow up with their doctors if need be.

RSS intends to carry out these Wellness Days every six months, and Thomas commented that his team has given great feedback and appreciation of the initiative. This follows on the back of RSS achieving their ISO accreditation (ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems) which Thomas says has greatly improved their operating efficiency, and increased staff morale by instilling a sense of pride and improving communication and accountability amongst the staff. “It is the strength of our team that ultimately makes our company successful,” concludes Thomas.

Jessie Champion of Sentrum Pharmacy, performing a blood pressure check at the Employee Wellness Day held last week at Rental Support Services.

Swakop impacted by growth in harbour town

Staff reporter

With all the infrastructure development happening in Walvis Bay, it is only inevitable that the neighbouring town of Swakopmund is impacted by the changes.

In an effort to keep the private sector well-informed of the developments, the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) along with the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) have collaborated to host an Information Session for NCCI members in Swakopmund.

The recent session held at the Dome in Swakopmund and Namport, was a forerunner for the next Logistics Hub Forum to be held in Walvis Bay in May.

The session called together Swakopmund’s business community to share the path Namibia is taking as it evolves into the envisaged logistics nation.

“We regularly share this information with the private sector to encourage them to take advantage

of the opportunities presented by the planned infrastructure development,” explained Clive Smith, manager for the Logistics Hub Initiative.

Discussions focused on how this initiative has the potential to enhance inter-regional and international trade and contribute to regional economic prosperity.

The audience were particularly interested in the trade visit to Helsinki organised by the WBCG in collaboration with the Finnish Embassy in Namibia. The trip is expected to provide opportunities for business-to-business linkages between Finnish and Namibian firms.

Speaking on the WBCG’s Spatial Development Initiative, project manager Gilbert Boois explained that one of the long-term projects of the WBCG is to turn Namibia’s transport corridors into Economic Development Corridors.

This project is done in partnership with the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade & SME Development.

Absalom Shigwedha

The Chief Executive Officer of Elgin Brown and Hamer (EBH) Namibia, Hannes Uys, has responded to recent allegations of unfair treatment of workers by management, saying that he welcomed open dialogue with the workers’ committee and union.

In an interview with the Namib Independent last week, Uys said it was not true that the company was giving jobs to many foreigners at the expense of Namibians while EBH is a Namibian company.

Uys said of all 478 permanent EBHN employees and 45 temporary contractors, only 19 positions are occupied by foreigners. “It’s only about 3.6 per cent of our workforce that is non-Namibian,” said Uys. “We are legally compliant and mindful about only hiring foreigners in cases where specific and specialised skills are not available locally.”

Contextualizing the company’s recently announced stabilisation plan, Uys explained that the plan to retrench a minimum number of workers at EBHN, was necessitated by the sharp decline in oil prices, which led to the company experiencing a 50 percent reduction in docking activities since last November.

“While we anticipated a lag effect of the oil price on the downstream oil and gas industry last year, this significant and sudden reduction in revenue is something we did not foresee; and the fact that it has manifested in such an aggressive way, reducing our activities by 50 percent. We did not envisage that it would decrease to that extent,” Uys told the Namib Independent.

However, he also explained that the company has put in place a strategic stabilisation plan, proactively initiated in March 2015, to ensure the company’s future growth and sustainability. This plan has involved putting various Performance Improvement Projects (PIPs) in place to reduce costs.

Initially identifying strategic non-human resource (HR) areas such as production, procurement and systems, EBHN has made

significant savings through enhanced efficiencies and streamlining. Uys highlighted that the retrenchment of permanent employees was regrettable and a “last resort”.

He also said the retrenchment process will include formal engagement with the workers committee, union and the Office of the Labour Commissioner. The process, which started when the company gave notice of the retrenchments to the Department of Labour on 19 April, will be followed by a four week period of negotiation between management and workers’ representatives. Should the parties reach a deadlock in their negotiations, then the conciliation process could extend up to 9 weeks.

“In light of the depressed global oil situation, which we foresee will last at least another 12 months, we have no option but to further reduce our costs and we have opened the doors for dialogue with the workers’ representative bodies, accordingly,” he said.

Uys said there is no specific number or department within the company at this point in time, relating to how many workers will be retrenched; but said all departments in the company will be affected. “No one will be exempted from this plan, from executive management to the cleaning staff. The criteria cuts across all departments in the company and therefore potentially applies to anyone in those departments,” he said.

He noted that for the last three years, EBHN, whose primary focus is the offshore oil and gas supply vessel repair market, had spent between 5 and 6 million Namibian dollars per year on training and up-skilling its workers, as part of its vision of delivering a world-class, quality service.

On allegations that foreign workers were ‘victimising’ Namibians, Uys said he is aware of two alleged claims which were “isolated incidents”; but also says that the complainants did not follow formal grievance procedures, and thus neither of the incidents was formally documented.

“This matter was discussed internally but there was no formal report. If that had been the case, we would have immediately followed up on these allegations as per our usual HR procedures,” he said.

On the 14th of April, a number of EBH bargaining unit workers took to the streets, claiming that there is a conflict of interest within the company, that certain foreign managers were victimising Namibian workers, the human resources department was non-functional and that one manager had persistently and deliberately violated the company clocking policy, and yet the company instructed an industrial relations officer to defend the employee.

In their petition, the workers also alleged that the company has a larger number of foreign managers while Namibians are “forever understudies.”

“The lives of Namibian employees are in danger because we have a high number of decision-makers who are foreign and have no interest in the growth of Namibians and have no interests in the life of Namibia and the company at large,” said the petition.

The petition further alleged that the company's understudy programme is in a shambles as many qualified Namibians have been understudies for too long and when it comes to job selection they are sidelined and foreigners are preferred over Namibians.

The petition also called for an urgent meeting with the company's Board of Directors. The company promised that workers’ grievances will be addressed “one-by-one.” According to Uys, the earliest possible date that the Board is able to convene is the 29th April, and a meeting has been set up accordingly.

The workers, who staged another peaceful demonstration and petition hand-over on 20th April, demanded the Board meet on or before 22nd April.

“EBHN’s Board understands the workers’ demands and the urgency of the situation, however, the 29th April is the earliest they can meet them,” said Uys.

“We look forward to engaging all stakeholders in constructive dialogue during this difficult time and trust that

the way forward will be conducted as peacefully and respectfully as it was initiated.”

Thursday, 28 April 201610

Lifestyle

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Winter is coming! 10 ways to strengthen your immune system now

Four ways to stay motivated to exercise this winter

Winter is coming and, especially with the cold and flu season, it is important to know what we can do to keep a strong and balanced immune system to stay healthy and avoid infections.

1. Eat a balanced diet with whole foods. You need many nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, D and E, as well as minerals selenium and zinc, and Omega 3s, to support your immune system. Focus on eating whole foods, such as quality animal protein (if you are an omnivore), legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, as well as plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Superfoods such as bee pollen, camu camu, reishi mushroom, and micro algae can give you an extra boost.

Avoid processed meats, fried foods, soft drinks, processed baked goods, or products with artificial sweeteners or refined sugars. Eating

too much of them suppresses the immune system.

2. Get plenty of Vitamin C. Fresh fruits and vegetables are our best sources of Vitamin C, which help to strengthen our immune system and keep our body healthy. Great food sources of Vitamin C include berries, citrus, kiwi, bell peppers, and dark green vegetables.

3. Use herbs and spices. Cook with onions, garlic, ginger, black peppercorn, cayenne pepper, allspice, curry, and turmeric. They contain components that help to boost our immune system.

4. Drink plenty of clean water. Water helps in the production of lymph, which carries white blood cells and other immune system cells. Staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for your health. For an extra boost, add a slice of lemon, which will provide

extra Vitamin C.

5. Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day. Chronic fatigue is known to increase risks of illness. The body rejuvenates and strengthens when it is at rest. If you can, sleep 7 to 8 hours a day, and if needed, take an afternoon nap. Your body will thank you.

6. Say hello to friendly bacteria. It is known that about 80% of our immune system is located in our digestive system. So keeping a healthy gut is very important to keep a strong immune system. Probiotics are good bacteria that can be found in whole and fermented foods, such as raw sauerkraut, miso, yoghurt, kefir, kimchi and microalgae, or in the form of supplements. If you take supplements, it is best to choose a brand that offers different sources of bacteria and one that is ideally refrigerated.

7. If possible, avoid antibiotics. As much as possible, try to avoid antibiotics. They have been shown to attack beneficial bacteria in the digestive system and suppress immune functions. Unless you really have to take them, see if you can find a natural alternative first.

If you have a cold, sip on a cup of hot water with lemon, ginger, and organic honey. You can also get Echinacea or zinc, which are great for flu and cold. Make sure you get plenty of Vitamin C and drink a lot of water. If you are taking antibiotics or any other medication, take quality probiotics.

8. Exercise! Exercising is not only a great way to get in shape, but it also increases our immune function, improves sleep quality, and

makes our body stronger. If you do not have any health conditions that prevent you from exercising, find the time to exercise, even if it is only a long walk!

9. Soak up some sun. Vitamin D is important to strengthen

our immune system, so try to go outside a few times a week for about 30 minutes, without sunscreen, when the sun is not at its highest. You can also get small doses of vitamin D from fatty fish.

10. Relax, laugh, and enjoy life. Chronic stress and depression can weaken the immune system and makes us more vulnerable to illness. It is important to take the time to enjoy life and have fun!

Source: www.mindbodygreen.com

We know, staying motivated to exercise, especially in winter, is hard. Here is some advice to inspire you to keep healthy in mind and body:

1. Exercise with a friendHaving company while you work out is social as well as an incentive. Anna Paquin and husband Stephen Moyer are regular workout partners. Whether at the gym, cycling or hiking, having a partner’s support is always fun.

2. Work out at the beginning of the dayIt is often easier to start your day off with exercise. Jennifer Aniston finds this way easier: ‘As long as I have cardio as well as a good sweat, I am happy. It wakes me up and it keeps me alert the whole day, and it puts in a good sleep

at night too, so it helps with not getting that afternoon lull rather than drinking lots of coffee.’

3. Build it upIf you are not that fit, building up your workout in small stages is easier than doing a full 20 minutes in one go. Emma Watson says, ‘Generally I try and stay active. I like walking; I like wandering around. I always take the stairs, never the elevator – that kind of vibe.’

4. Celebrate!Reward yourself at the end of the week when you have reached your exercise goals. Celebrity trainer JJ Virgin recommends treating yourself to a spa day or a movie night with friends.

Source: www.marieclaire.co.za

11 Thursday, 28 April 2016

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Tyres / Rims / Wheel AlignmentCAll us TodAy 064 - 204 224

Tel: 064 – 204210 / Fax: 064 – 204220 / Pieter: 081 129 4531 / Email: wbfit@iway.na / 91 Circumferential Str, Ind Area / P.O. Box 2087, Walvis Bay

Prince dead at 57The artist known as Prince has died and he was 57.

Prince's body was discovered at his Paisley Park compound in Minnesota early Thursday morning on 21 April 2016.

Multiple sources connected to the singer confirmed he had passed. We have obtained the emergency dispatch call for a "male down, not breathing."

The singer -full name Prince Rogers Nelson - had a medical emergency on April 15th that forced his private jet to make an emergency landing in Illinois. He appeared at a concert the next day to assure his fans he was okay. His people told TMZ he was battling the flu.

Prior to his most recent appearance however, Prince had cancelled two shows due to health concerns.

Prince became an international superstar in 1982 after his

breakthrough album "1999."He went on to churn out a ton of

hits and racking up 7 Grammys in the process. He also performed at the Super Bowl in 2007 in one of the greatest live performances of all time.

He also sold more than 100 million records during his career and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for Purple Rain in 1985.

Prince was married two times - the first time to his backup dancer Mayte Garcia. They split in 2000. He then married Manuela Testolini but they split in 2006.

He was inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, and performed a legendary version of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" to close the ceremony.

Source: www.tmz.com

London’s first nude restaurantA new London restaurant is upping the ante with a dining concept that really gives your eyes something to feast on, since diners are invited to eat in the nude.

The Bunyadi is a clothing-optional, pop-up restaurant slated to open in London this June. The bare-bones concept is the brainchild of Seb Lyall, a restaurateur behind last year’s “Breaking Bad” bar.

Lyall says his concept is not just about dining naked, but the back-to-basics theme is carried out through the entire experience. The menu is devoid of artificial colours and chemicals. There are no electric lights or smartphones permitted in the candlelit dining area which features natural-looking wooden furniture.

Traditionalists may baulk at Lyall’s idea but since the Pangaea-themed restaurant announced its opening, more than 25,000 people have signed up for the eatery’s waitlist.

Lyall says his social e x p e r i m e n t - m e e t s - e a t e r y will challenge participants’ assumptions about nudity and what modern society deems “natural.” Eating without clothes is now an “act of rebellion” in the modern world - even though humans get naked all the time.

“When you get a chance, you take your clothes off, when you get in bed, you take your clothes off. When you go to the beach or a sauna, you take your clothes off.

It’s natural.”Upon arrival, patrons will be

directed to disrobe in a changing room where clothing and other trappings of modernity can be stored in a locker. To avoid contaminating chairs, diners are seated on robes.

In the restaurant itself, diners will feast on “wood-flame-grilled meats served on handmade clay crockery and edible cutlery, in a space void of the industrialised world’s modern trappings.” Plastic and metals are banned from the kitchen as well as the dining room as all cutleries will be edible. There will also be vegan options.

To avoid food sanitation issues backstage, kitchen staff are permitted to cover up while they prepare food. Waiters, however, will have “minimal covering.”

Bunyadi, which the restaurant says comes from a Hindi term meaning fundamental, base or natural, may celebrate nakedness but its creator has built in elements of modesty for diners on the shy side.

“Every table that you sit at is designed so that the sight is obstructed between other dining parties,” Lyall said. “The restaurant is partitioned or there’s bamboo or you only see someone’s back or a silhouette or their shadows from candles.”

Photography is strictly prohibited.

Source: www.news.com.au

Personalised banana company set to make N$1,448,250 a year

It is the simplest of ideas – but a man who brings bananas to life with drawn-on faces and customised personalities is set to make his first N$1,448,250.

Davonte Wilson of Plano, Texas is the brains behind Bananas Gone Wild – a fruit firm with a difference.

Davonte creates customised bananas for N$145 each, and brings them to life in his apartment (not literally, that would be terrifying) using a variety of glitter, fake beards and other resources.

He first thought of the idea while working in a hospital as an electrocardiogram technician – where he became known for drawing faces on

bananas.Davonte says that some workers

even ‘made fun’ of his hobby – but he is now having the last laugh after claiming that his business is projected to make more than N$1,448,250.

We are not entirely surprised at this – as they are all pretty damn impressive.

Describing the overwhelming response to the idea, Davonte said: ‘I’m in shock that you can just take something so simple and introduce it into the world and people love it.’

As are we. Bonkers, but brilliant. Sign us up.

Source: www.metro.co.uk