Charlie Matengu, PRO of Min of Fisheries and Marine Resources on the culling practices which will be performed during this year's annual seal cull.

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“ We can't poison them or catch them in a net, so clubbing them over the head effectively causes instant death. ”

Continued on Page 3

Continued on Page 3

See Page 6 See Page 8

Swakop UraniUm recordS maSSive job intake See Page 5

Walvis Bay Municipality unveils three year budget

July marks the start of Namibia's annual seal cull, which lasts until November raising condemnation from the international community who have asked the Government to stop this cruelty by flooding social media with

protest sites - for full story see Page 6

Absalom Shigwedha

The 2015/2016 Walvis Bay's capital and operating budget was tabled on Tuesday this week and it was revealed that capital projects with the total value of N$ 756 million will be executed by the Walvis Bay Municipality over the next three years.

Tabling the budget, Councillor Tony Raw, said the total amount on the capital budget for the 2015/2016 has been recorded at N$336 million.

He went on to say that the capital projects that will be undertaken include land development projects costing N$171 million, community and social projects to the tune of N$27 million, infrastructure related projects at N$39 million, service delivery related projects costing N$41 million, vehicle replacement and additions costing N$11 million and projects below N$500,000 totalling N$38 million.

Raw explained that land delivery projects run over more than one financial year and thus between 2015 and 2017, Council will have delivered well in access of 1,500 ervens across all suburbs in Walvis Bay. Provisions, he said, have also been made for about 74 industrial ervens.

Community and social projects that will be undertaken include the construction of a community centre in Narraville, a Satellite Fire Station and Municipal accounts Payments Office in Tutaleni, industrial stalls in Kuisebmond, the development of new campsite facilities at Dolphin Park and the upgrading of sport facilities at the town.

Infrastructure related projects, said Raw, will be mainly made up of the re-sealing of streets and sidewalks in all suburbs of the town as well as surfacing of sidewalks and tarring of streets.

Under service delivery related

“No law to prevent land occupation” AR

Gareth Amos

As the self-imposed deadline for mass land action draws ever nearer to the proposed D-Day, 31 July, the AR movement have recently released a statement indicating that while there is a draconian law relating to squatters on the books, it shall not hold up constitutionally, on account of the fact that it was drafted during the apartheid years with the specific purpose of keeping black people from occupying areas within a police zone.

The AR who are to host a rally in

Kuisebmund this weekend, issued this statement on the back of the recent legal consultative forum hosted by the AR that was held on the 4th of July 2015 at the National Theatre of Namibia. In addition the statement highlighted that the AR had received a single donation for N$100 00.00 to be used for bail applications for AR applicants who may be arrested during the mass action demonstrations.

Walvis Bay spokesperson for the AR, Mr. Knowledge Ipinge, confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that the group’s leaders shall once again host an event in Walvis Bay to address the

various issues relating to the imminent mass action. “As the time draws ever closer, we recognise the vital need for continued communication and dialogue, not only amongst our own followers but between the local authorities, community leaders and other organisations such as NAMPOL,” stated Ipinge.

Ipinge went on to say, “It has been almost a month since we declared publically, that in Walvis Bay, the AR leadership is willing to open a new dialogue with the Walvis Bay Municipality. We have clearly stated that we shall withdraw our deadline for mass action if the

municipality agrees to enter into dialogue with the AR, government, the community at large, business and private or any specialist organisation, to explore tangible short, medium and long term solutions to the challenge. Despite this we have heard only silence emanate from the council”.

For five weeks the Namib Independent have met with, called, emailed and begged the Walvis Bay Municipality for any statement whatsoever relating the 9500 applications it received from AR applicants, the public offer to them to open dialogue, the threat of land mass action or indeed

about the safety and wellbeing of all of its constituents. However thus far the municipality have not issued a single statement.

Mr. Kevin Adams, spokesperson for the Walvis Bay Municipality could say only that they need not issue a statement on the subject at all and that the issue shall be dealt with through the correct channels. The newspaper does have it on good grounds, though that the boxes containing the some 9500 official, legal applications from the AR members were dusted off only a week ago.

This insight collaborates statements made by the

Thursday, 09 July 20152 news

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Swakopmund Retirement Village a dream for the elderly

Donna Collins

The N$400-million Swakopmund Retirement Village which is springing up in the much sought after Mile 4 area, will be the first of its kind in Namibia, with the official site handover of the second phase taking place last week.

Making a dream come true for people approaching their twilight years, the Swakopmund Retirement Village offers two amazing options - the 'Estate Residential Village' which is already taking shape, and now the 'Haven' frail care and apartment complex.

The site handover by Faanbergh Winckler Projects to developers Premier Construction kicked off with the exciting news that building of the Haven has started immediately with completion date set for November, 2016.

Faanbergh Winckler Projects are the project coordinator

and market leaders in the identification, planning and execution of property development projects. They subcontract all technical aspects of their projects to experts in their respective fields and have established businesses and proven track record with the Swakopmund Retirement Village added to the list of their portfolio. Having teamed up with Premier Construction, this is a project that will not only provide a haven in the true sense of the word for the retired and elderly, but offer the buyer a solid property investment.

The Haven is an elderly person's dream come true, with a choice of 68 studio units, one bed and two bedroom sectional title apartments, plus 21 assisted 'living life right' apartments and 16 frail care units. It will also offer a communal dining facility, meals, fast internet, cleaning and laundry service, as well as 24 hr state-of-the-art security. With full frail care assistance, ad hoc care services, medication administration and emergency communications, this will provide a sense of comfort to those that live there.

With the opportunity to choose between 171 full title independent homes on the estate, either two or three bedroom modern houses with own gardens, the development will provide retired home owners with peace of mind and a sense of belonging. These Full Title (Ownership) houses include erven of various sizes, as well as a building package with three possible plans to choose from. Prices range from N$1 392 for a base two-bedroom house to N$1 732 for the top of the line three bedroom house.

The Swakopmund Retirement Village is a walled in gated security estate with wonderful benefits where the elderly can live their life out to the full. Certain services such as a clubhouse, restaurant, shopping excursions, hairdressers, along with manicures and pedicures are only just

some of the perks available within a blissful environment. Activities and socialising form part of an active retirement lifestyle, which aims to enrich the lives of its residents.

Swakopmund Retirement Village, means that you can invest in a carefree retirement estate with the security of full ownership. It is within walking distance of the ocean, and close to a large shopping centre, in peaceful surroundings with an enhanced lifestyle to escape and retire in a charming setting.

This upmarket development is situated in the fast-growing Extension 16 area, and is a solid investment. Also, Swakopmund Retirement Village (Estate) offers a choice of different freestanding simplex house plans. An ideal investment to secure your erf now with a building package to build later, rent out or use as a holiday home in the meantime to assure your retirement in this exclusive development.

In the event a couple occupies a house, then at least one of the two occupants must be 48 years or older. This restriction only applies to the occupants of a house. Purchasers of a house may be younger than 48 years of age. Each house will have its own pre-paid meter. The occupant of each house will be responsible for payment of these services.

Communal water and electricity usage will be included in the monthly levy. Houses can be sold by owners through approved agents only, at a price offered by a potential buyer. On resale, 5% of the sales price is payable to the service provider. This fee is again utilised proportionately between the Body Corporate/ Home Owners Association (for maintenance) and Facility Provider.

For more information go to the website: www.faanberghwinckler.com or any of the developments approved estate agencies.

3 Thursday, 09 July 2015 news

Continued from Page 1

Continued from Page 1

projects, Council will amongst others, upgrade and replace water and sewerage infrastructure, including the capacity increase of the Long Beach Reservoir Pump Station and the construction of a New Reservoir at Mile 7.

Vehicle replacements and additions will entail traffic control, road and sewerage system maintenance and the purchasing of refuse removal vehicles.

On the operating budget, Raw said expected revenue for the new financial year is estimated at about N$351.3 million while expected expenditure has been recorded at N$353.9 million.

“Therefore, the expected deficit for the new financial year has been recorded at about N$2.6 million.About 80 per cent of total estimated revenue is obtained from water and related services, property rates and taxes, refuse removal services and sewerage services,” said Raw.

He said that due to the extensive growth of the town, large extensions in infrastructure were

Walvis Bay Municipality unveils three year budget

necessary which have to be recovered from tariffs.

Raw said average tariff adjustments on these items have been proposed as follows: water 12 per cent, property rates and taxes: 12 per cent (on site values), property removals: 12 per cent (on improvements), refuse removal services: 10 per cent and sewage services: 10 per cent.

“On the water tariff though, I should mention that all residents pay the same amount for the first 15 kl of water, which amounts to N$11.10 per kl,” said Councillor Raw.

The budget, he said, is very much in line with Council's policy of being transparent at all times and contributing constructively to the well-being of the town's residents. Walvis Bay Mayor, Ulika Nambahu, said the budget for her town is very important to the residents and business people as it impacts on their livelihood.

She said the Town Council has been transparent in compiling its budgets as public opinions have also been taken into account. “We have housing shortages and a great need for land and intervention is needed,” she said.

Councillor Tony Raw and Walvis Bay Mayor Ulika Nambahu tabled the new

budget on Tuesday

applicants themselves that not one of them have received any formal acknowledgement for their claims or notification that the claims were processed all these months later.

When queried about this, the municipal spokesman stated only that, as with any question posed by the press relating to the AR issue, no answers would be forthcoming. Period.

While pressed for clarity as to the legal issues that may surround any mass action, as well as the role that NAMPOL may legally play in ensuring the safety of the community, Erongo Regional Police Chief, Commissioner Samuel //Hoebeb, stated simply “why should we worry at all when nothing has happened yet? We cannot worry about a thing that has not happened. If we share information with the public on something that might happen, then we will only scare them. We will only deal with such things only if they happen.”

Only days after issuing this statement tensions over land reached a boiling point after the Namibian Police were called in to diffuse a situation that degenerated into chaos when a group of land hungry youths barricaded the Katima Mulilo Town Council’s management offices demanding to be given land. Although not AR members, the incident in which the town CEO was physically injured, left government concerned about the ability of NAMPOL to address such issues effectively.

Despite the reluctance of the council or police to discuss the matter with the constituency, the AR are moving ever forward towards the deadline which is only a matter of weeks away. “On Saturday we will be discussing the outcomes of the Legal Forum and Land Occupation strategies of municipal land if no viable solution materialises come the 31st of July 2015. Outside of Windhoek, Walvis Bay has the highest number of applicants and are eager to move into action at the end of the month,“stated Ipinge.

A well-known and respected political analyst and SWAPO supporter who attended the legal forum stated in an interview with the paper, “ that which is clearly evident from the event itself and the outcome is that those that hold the perception that the AR Movement is a loose affiliation of aggrieved young and uneducated Namibian’s who want everything for free, should at this stage be dispelled immediately and forthwith. While many are opposed to the issuing of a deadline and proposed mass action set out by the AR last year, one must be cognitive of the fact that the deadline has brought a flurry of activity, attention and action to an issue that for too long has been cast aside in favour of other less pressing issues facing our nation.

“Today, the AR represent a well primed, well reinforced, resourceful and an incredibly astute political collective whose actions have indicated that above all else, it seeks

not to occupy or grab land for free, but to bring about real constitutional, legislative, institutional and social reform needed to ensure the basic human needs of shelter, security and dignity are met at every turn”.

Working under the astute guidance of President Hage Geingob, who recently re-christened the Lands and Resettlement Ministry to simply Land Reform, the government has under no circumstances been sitting idly by as matters progress. While an official statement on the actual AR process has yet to be released, Prime Minister Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, who empathises with the public frustration over land issue, said in a recent statement that the government has been working around the clock to find solution to the problem.

In a statement issued by AR leader Job Amupanda in the run up to this weekend’s coastal rally, Amapunda stated, “Where have you seen a project without a timeline and dateline? Which school teaches Project Planning whose time is "until Jesus come"? Kakala oha tondoka inadhengwa? The 31 July 2015 is Non-Negotiable. We know what we are talking about and we are not small kids. Respect is a two way thing. Give people land and all will be well! Some of us are ready for anything and will go all the way; life or death, with people or alone, injured or well. We have to do this for ourselves and our children just like Elites are sorted together with their kids. Inatwiishiweni uuzopa!”

“No law to prevent land occupation” AR

Thursday, 09 July 20154 news

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FNB Housing Index shows decline in coastal property prices

Sharon Brooks

FNB Namibia has once again released a House Price Index which details fluctuations in the property market in Namibia. According to the report, overall property prices in Namibia remain robust at a growth rate of 5% quarter on quarter. Coastal property prices, however, have reportedly decreased since last year.

The House Price Index states that overall, prices have reigned in since the sharp increases seen late last year. Median house prices (calculated as the central measure of tendency based on bond registrations for natural persons) have reportedly stabilised at N$734 000, down from N$842 000 in December. It is however expected that prices will again increase toward the end of the year. Volume growth in Namibia increased by 12.8% with an overall quarterly growth of 16.4%

In the coastal region, property prices have declined as demand has decreased, resulting in an 8.1% fall in prices year on year at the end of March partly due to price decreases in Walvis Bay as a result of increased supply resulting in a median price of N$ 739.363 in the harbour town.

Walvis Bay has seen a staggering 94% escalation in

prices since 2009 with Swakopmund prices increasing

by 56% in the same period. Henties Bay property prices have also sky-rocketed since 2009 by 92%.

Henties Bay saw median prices increase considerably to N$960 000 while Swakopmund experienced a lower median price of N$735 000. Swakopmund’s decrease was evidence of the widening supply gaps between higher and lower end prices as the growth rate of low end houses was recorded at 31.4% to a median of N$642 000.

The introduction of new residential developments at the coast meant that the Erongo region witnessed the fastest volume growth in the country at a rate of 41.3%.

Globally, the Knight Frank Global House Index grew by 0.3% in the first quarter of the year due to lower economic growth rates across the world which have led to decreased demand in the housing sector. Namibia, with a growth rate of 5% would rank 22 on this index.

Land delivery in Namibia weakened during the first months of the year with 137 residential stands being mortgaged, down by 34.3% last year. Commercial land delivery increased eleven fold to 749 stand- alone sites being serviced with major developments occurring in Omaruru.

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Swakop Uranium records massive job intake

Staff Reporter

A total of sixty workers joined the Swakop Uranium Mine in the Erongo Region on Wednesday last week, bringing the number of recruits for the past three weeks to one hundred, signaling a growing workforce at the mine.

In a statement, the company's Public Relations Officer Nomvula Kambinda, said the latest employee intake put the company's work force at 895 employees.

A further 45 employees are expected to join the company before the end of July, thus pushing the total up to 940 by the end of this month.

“We heed the Government's request,

particularly President Hage Geingob's call to reduce unemployment and alleviate poverty nationwide,” says Percy McCallum, Swakop Uranium Vice President.

The statement says the majority of the new recruits came from Erongo Region and have been placed in permanent positions and will be provided with “world-class training and ongoing skills development,” according to McCallum.

Swakop Uranium is constructing and developing a world-class mine called Husab Mine near Swakopmund. The mine is being developed as a low-risk, conventional, large-scale load-and haul open pit mine, feeding ore to a conventional agitated acid leach process plant. The mine has a potential life of more than 20 years.

Kahimise: Erongo Red has made great strides

themselves to developing the company into an enabler of economic development.

Over the past 10 years, he said, Erongo RED has established itself as a pioneer, paradigm and trendsetter in the electricity distributing industry, not only within the country but also abroad.

“Today, we have a company that has developed from just over N$180 million to one that is now financially and technically stable and able to afford substantial capital investment,” said Kahimise.

Erongo RED began operations on 1 July 2005 and was formed by merging the service of electricity distribution from various

municipalities and town councils in the Erongo Region namely: the Municipalities of Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Henties Bay, Omaruru, Karibib, Usakos, Arandis, the Erongo Regional Council and NamPower.

The idea of creating REDs was part of the Electricity Supply Industry and Electricity Distribution Industry Restructuring Policy to distribute and supply electricity through economies of scale, pooling of human and operational capital resources to ultimately stabilise electricity prices and ensure affordable and cost effective tariffs to electricity consumers in the country.

Council blocks housing at half the cost

Sharon Brooks

Mxen Namibia has a real solution to the land crisis in Namibia, by being able to construct a house for the fraction of the cost under the current mass housing scheme. The government has requested the company to submit a proposal for Mxen to be involved in the mass housing scheme, and Mxen is waiting for a response, but the company has reportedly struggled to get co-operation from city councils across the country.

Mxen uses a panel construction building method which has been extensively used in the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) programme in South Africa which aims to provide low cost housing to millions of homeless South Africans.

M-Panel, the product used by Mxen, is a Magnesium Composite, mineral based, eco friendly, light-weight panel.

The panels are inflammable, are stronger than bricks and can last as long as 120 years.

The real advantage of M-Panels however, is the cost. An M-Panel house costs just N$3 910 per square meter to build, while houses built under the mass housing scheme are built for as much as N$6 000 per square meter. To give you a better idea of the massive difference in cost, the largest house available under Mass Housing is 68 m² which could cost as much as N$408 000 to construct. The same house built with M-Panels would cost just N$ 265 000.

Another major plus point to the M-Panel system is the construction time. A two bedroom house can be completed, from foundations to finishings, in just ten days.

It would appear that this product may be the solution to the housing crisis in Namibia, and the government has taken an interest in the company. After Operational Director Heine

Oliver submitted information on M-Panels to the government they quickly responded by asking that Mxen to submit a proposal for the Mass Housing Scheme. Mxen was not the only company that was requested to submit proposals, but is one of the only companies that has full accreditation and years of experience.

Oliver has been waiting for a response from the ministry for three months and has in the mean time received approval from city councils across the country that state that his construction materials are acceptable for the building of houses. However, Oliver has submitted proposals to almost every council in the country, but has received almost no response to his submission.

With city councils scrambling to meet the rising demand for land and affordable housing, a building method that not only nearly halves the cost, but also greatly reduces the time needed to construct homes should be receiving far more attention.

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A shark can detect one part of blood in 100 million parts of water!

We celebrate Shark Week (5-12 July), see our full story on Page 13

Absalom Shigwedha

The Chief Executive Officer of the Erongo Regional Electricity Distributor Company (Erongo RED), says it is essential that the company improve its management and operational efficiency to remain competitive.

Robert Kahimise made these remarks at the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the company held at Walvis Bay on the 1st July.

Kahimise said like other electricity distributors in the country, Erongo RED operates in an increasingly challenging environment.

“Amongst these challenges is aging infrastructure, fast growing local economies, demands outstripping supply and gradual rise in electricity prices events over recent years. Another challenge the electricity supply industry faces is the pressure to supply electricity at an affordable rate while the cost of generating and distributing electricity is rising steeply,” said Kahimise.

He said it is against this background that it is vital to develop the electricity sector for broader economic growth and social development.

Kahimise said the staff of Erongo RED should re-dedicate

Chief Executive Officer of Erongo RED, Robert Kahimise

The cost of generating and distributing electricity is rising steeply.

Thursday, 09 July 20156 news

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#SealHunt gets blood boiling over latest cullDonna Collins

July marks the start of Namibia's annual seal cull, which ends in November, and yet despite heavy international pressure to ban this bloody 'harvest', the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) announced a rolling (TAC) total allowable catch, of 80 000 nursing seal pups and 6,000 bulls for the next three years.

Social media is ablaze with protection

sites and comments of fury against the seal cull, as animal rights enthusiasts and angry Tweeters flood the waves. The hash tag #SealHunt quickly made its way up to number five in terms of most trending subjects on 1 July this year, as the latest seal cull swung into action.

The Namibian seal hunt is said to be responsible for the largest slaughter of marine mammals on earth and is considered to be the most brutal of all seal culls.

PETA said in a previous interview:

"There's a good reason why the annual Namibia seal slaughter is considered the cruellest in the world: Namibia is the only country that allows the killing of nursing baby seals." Concerned citizens around the world have been shocked and sickened by images that show these baby seals, many with their mother's milk spilling from their mouths, as they are clubbed and stabbed to death while their grieving mothers bellow helplessly nearby.

"The barbaric seal slaughter puts a stain on Namibia's natural beauty and is damaging the country's reputation in the eyes of the rest of the world"

According to the 'Sea Shepherd' website, an international ocean species protection organisation lobbying against the sea cull, "when baby seal pups are clubbed they are often not properly dead - they are then stabbed in the heart and skinned, before being thrown onto a truck."

But despite the international outcry by animal rights activist to ban Namibia's annual seal 'harvest', the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) have defended their action by stating that the

method of clubbing is "the one they know best, and that no one has come forward to provide an alternative option."

"This is not a massacre it is a method which has been adopted by most countries, and we need to control the population because seals feed on fish," said Charlie Matengu (PRO NFMR).

"We can't poison them or catch them in a net, so clubbing them over the head effectively causes instant death."

Matengu added justifying the process even further, by claiming that the seal clubbers are trained by the Ministry to strike an instant blow to the head at a certain spot.

"Every year the Ministry offers the harvesters a "refresher" course on how to club the seals effectively, and this year we held it on 26 June in Swakopmund," explained Matengu, pointing out that all the seal products are processed and distributed from the seal processing plant near Henties Bay. He said that the meat is utilised for local consumption only, whilst pelts as well as the genitals are exported to amongst others Turkey and Hong Kong.

"Even people who have condemned our method of

culling have been invited to Namibia to help us improve our situation, but to date no alternative methods have been given to us to kill the seals," said Matengu

He also said that his computer is flooded with e mails addressed to the Ministry, from outraged animal activists to stop the seal cull. He said that e mails start pouring in from June to after the seal cull is over, with messages urging the Namibian Government to halt this brutality, claiming that the international community will boycott Namibia as a holiday destination.”

The MFMR maintains that the cull is necessary to protect their fish plus provide employment and income for Namibia. There are currently six seal harvest rights holders - the number was doubled in 2012, despite protestations from the three original license holders.

On July 1st each year the bloody slaughter starts, and continues into mid November, where thousands of terrified nursing pups are rounded up, separated from their mothers, and violently beaten to death with a wooden club. The bulls are either clubbed or shot.

The killings take place within two reserves, Wolf-Atlas Bay and Cape Cross where the majority of the pups are born. The seals are entrapped and then battered to death by club wielding men, who move in leaving the massacre site strewn with bloodied bodies, on a blood soaked beach. The dead seals are loaded onto the backs of waiting vehicles and a clean-up operation restores the scene back to 'normal', before the tourists arrive to view the popular Cape Cross seal colony.

Cape Fur Seals are only found in two places– Namibia and South Africa - and are listed on Appendix 11 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). South Africa stopped their seal hunt claiming that it had no detrimental effect on the fish.

Most of the world, including the whole of the EU, has banned the trade in seal products due to cruel methods of killing. Total import bans on all seal products are now also in effect in the US, Mexico and South Africa - for a total of 27 countries. Both Canada and Russia stopped and banned the practice of killing nursing seal

pups less than one year of age.

The Cape Fur seals are already under threat from further mass die-off, continual deaths from entanglement in fishing gear, illegal shooting by fisherman, scarcity of food, loss of habitat, pollution, and starvation. Only two countries still persist with this barbaric practice – Canada and Namibia which is the bloodiest in the world.

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Charlie Matengu the PRO of Min of Fisheries and Marine Resources confirmed the seal cull quota for 2015 at 80 000 for

pups and 6 000 for bulls.

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• Proactive and confident approach able to gain full buy in from thesupply base to instigate best commercial outcome

• Strong internal customer focus to deliver in a fast paced environment and where previously procurement has been more transactional than strategic

• IQ Enterprise or similar ERP systems purchasing use• Able to demonstrate an understanding of strategic procurement not

just tactical purchasing• Ambitious procurement professional looking to grow his or her career

and man tangible improvements and impact across spend and procurement engagement :

• Establishes, develops and maintains business relationships with current customers and prospective customers in the assigned territory/market segment to generate new business for the organization’s products/services.

• Makes telephone calls and in-person visits and presentations to existing and prospective customers.

• Researches sources for developing prospective suppliers and for information to determine their potential.

• Develops clear and effective written proposals/quotations for current and prospective customers.

• Expedites the resolution of customer problems and complaints.• Coordinates sales effort with marketing, sales management,

accounting, logistics and technical service groups.• Creates and manages a customer value plan for existing customers

highlightingprofile,shareandvalueopportunities.• Identifiesadvantagesandcomparesorganization’sproducts/services.• Plans and organizes personal sales strategy by maximizing the Return

on Time Investment for the territory/segment.• Supplies management with oral and written reports on customer

needs, problems, interests, competitive activities, and potential for new products and services.

• Keeps abreast of product applications, technical services, market conditions, competitive activities.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience:• Grade12• Minimum3yearsProcurmentexperienceanaddedadvantage• Minimum3yearsexperienceinSales• Experiencewithinthemarineenvironmentwillbeanaddedadvantage

Personal Qualities:• Strong negotiation skills• Excellent communication skills• Relationship building and management skills• In depth understanding and knowledge of the industry• Excellent computer skills• Competence in usingMicrosoft Office software, in particular Excel

GoodmathsandEnglish• Greatteamworker• Goodorganisationalskills• Excellent time management• Confidentcommunicator• Works well under pressure• Excellent people skills

To apply for this buyer / senior buyer position, candidates must be eligible to live and work in the Walvis Bay, Namibia.

Closing date: 13July2015. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Please e-mail or fax your CV to E-mail: jobs@wbsc.com.na,Fax:+26464279461

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Good samaritans turn to Arise and Shine Kindergarten

Staff Reporter

A family in the Rooibank area has built a new small school using waste materials at the !Khuiseb Arise and Shine Kindergarten, located in the harsh desert environment along the banks of the dry Kuiseb riverbed.

Gertrude Bull and her family relocated to the Rooibank area in 2011 and as a teacher by heart she immediately saw the need for pre-school education in the Topnaar community.

“When I heard about the Amos Meercat programme on the radio and the success those farm workers had with creating their own preschools, I knew I had to do something similar for our children. So we started presenting the Amos Meercat curriculum in a small shack,” said Bull.

As more children started attending the classes the Bull family built a small school building from waste material and had signed up some 17 children aged 3 to 6.

Many of the children live up to 3km far from the away, but are eager to attend the school. “We also provide meals for the children because they walk so far. We have approached various institutions for assistance, but very little help was

forthcoming,” Bull added.The Amos Meercat pre-

school project was created by Amos Namibia, a ministry focussing on the Namibia farming community and the Namibia Life Change Centres Foundation (NLCCF), a non-profit organisation that aims to provide support services to other charitable organisations focused on alleviating the need of the poor and doing community upliftment work.

According to the Managing Director of the NLCCF, Schalk Walters, the goal of the Amos Meercat project is to equip informal pre-schools that do not have access to any curriculum or formally trained teachers, with the necessary tools and assistance.

“The kindergarten is named after the !Khuiseb Arise and Shine centre that aims to assist the most needy people of Rooibank,” said Walters.

The new building will also be used as a coordination point for the !Khuiseb Arise and Shine Centre’s community upliftment work which includes caring and feeding the elderly, assisting and feeding orphans and vulnerable children, prayer groups and soon to be launched literacy classes.

As part of its assistance to the centre, the NLCCF partnered with

NamGreenwood, a Swakopmund producer of wood plastic composite building material, to construct a classroom.

NamGreenwood supplied the building material for the walls and roof of the classroom, as well as the labour required to erect the classroom on the centre’s premises, while financial services provider Simonis Storm Securities provided paver bricks to create the flooring of the centre.

Another building materials supplier, Betcrete also stepped up to the plate and contributed windows and door-frames.

The new school building was officially handed over to the pre-school last month in a small ceremony where the overjoyed children stunned the visiting delegation with a prefect rendition of the National and AU anthems.

During the ceremony Walters expressed his appreciation to the Bull family for their determination to provide preschool education to their community. He also thanked the sponsors for their contribution in creating a better equipped classroom.

As part of the classroom inauguration, Manica Group Namibia and United Fishing Enterprises also donated dry food supplies (worth N$5000) and 300 canned fish and bean products (worth N$4000).

For more information about the NLCCF contact Schalk Walters at 081129 1780, E-mail: schalk@nlccf.org.na or visit their website www.nlccf.org.na

Thursday, 09 July 20158 news

• ControlToolquality• EnsureToolavailability• Planningandbudgetingoftools• MonitorDepottoolrequirements• ControlToolmanagementsystem• Procurement,repairandcalibrationoftooling• AuditToolstoreandtools

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Barloworld Equipment represents world leading equipment brands manufactured forearthmovingandmarineapplicationsinSouthernAfricaandtheworld,addingvaluetoitscustomersintheMining,Construction,MarineandEnergyIndustries.Weprovidetechnicalandlogisticalsupporttoourcustomers.

Reporting to the Service Supervisor the successful incumbent will support the service operation bycontrolling,recordkeepingtheissuing,returnandcalibrationofgeneralandspecialtoolsaswellastheissuingandcontrolofconsumablesfromthetoolstore.

• Grade12• GeneralComputerLiteracy• GeneralToolknowledge• Machinespecifictechnicalknowledgeandskills• Soundinterpersonalandcommunicationskills• Basicbusinessandfinancialunderstanding• Applicableproductknowledge

VacaNcy

ThE POSITION:

REQUIREMENTS:

TOOLS STOREMEN (x2)WINdhOEk aNd WaLVIS Bay

InterestedcandidatesthatmeettheaboverequirementsshouldsendtheirCV’sandcertifiedcopiesofeducationalqualificationsandrelevantdocumentsto:

recruitmentwindhoek@barloworld-equipment.comnotlaterthan19th June 2015

Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted

Kraatz Marine and MANWU agree on workers benefits

Staff Reporter

Kraatz Marine, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver and List Group of Companies, and the Metal and Allied Workers Union (MANWU) have amicably entered into a three-year agreement for remuneration and benefits for their workers.

The Managing Director of Kraatz Marine, Dirk van Niekerk, said the company was happy with the way in which the negotiations were conducted.

“We have been able to agree on basic salary increases, transport allowances, shop steward leave days and living away allowances to the benefit of both our employees and the company for the next three years, beginning on 1 July 2015,” Van Niekerk said in a statement issued by O&L Group Manager for External Relations, Roux-Che Locke.

The statement said employees of Kraatz Marine are also entitled to a 5 per cent increase on a third of their cost to company as a housing allowance per year for three years.

Furthermore, Van Niekerk advised employees that they would receive 60 per cent payment of their 13th cheque as a guaranteed bonus and if the company achieved their EBIT financial target and a C rating budget, employees would receive a further 40 per cent of the 13th cheque as a bonus with the December pay run.

This, he said, put the onus on all of us to deliver – be it employer or employees. “We live in a world where everyone is responsible for results and we know that our workforce is committed to achieving outstanding results so that all of us can benefit,” said Van Niekerk.

Kraatz Marine Finance Manager, Nakkie Ebersohn, Abed Imene (Workers Committee Representative), Roberto January (Senior Practitioner for Human Capital), Enwich Kazondu (MANWU Branch Manager), Jafet Usiku (Workers Committee Representative), Ronnie Jenniker (Workers committee Chairperson) and Epafraditus Ingo (Workers Committee Representative) holding copies of agreement.

Remax donates apples to Immanuel Reuters Soup Kitchen

Sharon Brooks

Remax Atlantic, well known for their extensive social responsibility, has done it again by donating 150 apples from the Bank Windhoek Cancer Apple Project to the Immanuel Reuters Soup Kitchen last week Thursday.

Remmy, the mascot for Remax, was on hand to entertain the kids and assist in the distribution of the apples. As they do every year, Remax staff teamed up with Bank Windhoek to donate the apples to the children who flock to the soup kitchen daily to receive a nutritious meal.

The staff of Remax donate apples from the Bank Windhoek Cancer Apple Project every year, and this year was no different

Remmy entertained the children at Immanuel Reuters Soup Kitchen while the apples were being distributed

news

Thursday, 09 July 201510 news

WALVIS BAY: 064-203318SWAKOPMUND: 064-403418

Decoder + Dish +

Installation

Explora Decoder

N$ 2999*

N$ 1299*

FOR ALL YOURDSTV REQUIREMENTS,

PAYMENTS ANDINSTALLATIONS

Please avoid using washing machines, dishwashers, pool pumps, irons, air conditioners and all otherappliances you do not need to use during these times.

Let’s work together and use electricity sparingly.

Use less electricity during peak times

and

11 Thursday, 09 July 2015 news

Thursday, 09 July 201512 news

redpower to the people

POWER OUTAGE: WALVIS BAYSUNDAY, 12 JULY 2015

INFORMATION ON THE POWER OUTAGE AND PROGRESS ON THE PROJECT

This outage has mainly been reserved for NamPower to continue

with preparation and construction work for the major upgrade of the

infrastructure to the town.

During the next two years many planned outages could be expected to

accommodate the Walvis Bay upgrade which will bring a very reliable

and secure supply to the town. One should comprehend the technical

complexity and the difficulty during this migration to the new infrastructure.

Erongo RED is carefully planning future requirements to limit the number

of outages to an absolute minimum to reduce the overall impact to all

customers.

This outage will be the fourth planned outage for 2015 that relates to the

electricity upgrade for Walvis Bay.

During this outage on Sunday 12 July, 18 Mega Watt will be available during

06:00 – 19:00 which will be reserved for the Central Business District and

Light- & Heavy Industrial areas. During this period both 66kV power lines

will not be available and capacity will be provided by local generation in

Walvis Bay. Full restoration of supply to normal condition is expected to

only be at 19:00.

It should be noted that the electricity network cannot always be operated

to control suburbs individually. Hence, the operation of the larger network

will at all times be considered and small parts of residential area might be

on during this outage.

During the entire period from 06:00 to 19:00, intermittent trips or

interruptions are not envisaged but the network remains vulnerable with

lower reliability.

The new Erongo RED substation is progressing according to plan with full

completion expected on January 2016. Likewise, NamPower has completed

the construction of the new 132kV power lines during the previous outage

and the town is now being supplied with new lines. The construction of

the new 132/11kV substation is now in progress. The entire project is

expected to be completed by January 2017.

No planned outages of similar magnitude is expected for August 2015.

NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the electricity supply will be interrupted on the

following date:

DATE: 12 JULY 2015

DAY: Sunday

TIME: 06:00 – 19:00

The power outage will affect the power supply to the following areas:

Hermes Meersig Narraville KuisebmundLangstrand MTC TN Mobile / Telecom During this outage period, electricity will still be supplied to the following areas:

NamPortLight Industrial AreaHeavy Industrial AreaCBD Area

The reason for the outage is for NamPower to do commissioning work at

Kuiseb Substation.

Erongo RED will endeavour to supply crucial areas with electricity and regrets any inconvenience which may result from this outage and would like to ensure that the interests of all customers are considered at all times.

PLEASE NOTE: YOUR INSTALLATION SHOULD BE REGARDED AS “LIVE” AT ALL TIMES AS THE POWER SUPPLY MAY BE SWITCHED ON AT ANY TIME DURING THE ABOVE MENTIONED PERIOD.

Issued by: EnquiriesPublic Relations Division Control Centre

Benjamin Nangombe Stephen Muller

Tel: +264 64 214600 Tel: +264 64 214 686

NB: FOR ENQUIRIES DURING THE DURATION OF THE POWER OUTAGE, PLEASE CONTACT THE CALL CENTRE AT 0819600.

TEL +264 64 214600 FAX +264 64 214601

ERONGO RED BUILDING 91 HAGE GEINGOB STREET

P O BOX 2925 WALVIS BAY NAMIBIA

erongored.com

Sharon Brooks

Danny Beukes has been a financial advisor with Sanlam for ten years, and to celebrate this milestone Danny is rewarding his clients by giving away a total of N$10 000 to his clients over the next ten months. All you need to do in order to qualify is fill in an evaluation form rating Danny’s service, the completed forms will be placed in a box and the lucky winner of N$1000 will be drawn every month.

Danny is funding the campaign from his own pocket, partly to share his success but also in an effort to receive feedback in the hopes of providing his clients with even better service in the future. Having already been a recipient of both an Iron and Bronze Sanlam Eagle award, Danny clearly has an excellent track record of customer service with over 600 clients currently on his database.

The key to Danny’s success is that he treats all his customers equally. He says, “I never look down on anyone. I have seen great people fall and I have seen fallen people come back. You never know what the future holds for the person standing in front of you.” He encourages his team to ensure that all his clients feel valued, even if a pensioner dressed in overalls walks into the office, he should be treated with dignity and respect, no matter how small his premium.

In the insurance industry, Danny says the relationship begins with the policy and he will work hand in hand with his clients for the rest of their lives. “A lot of people think a policy is a waste of money, but death is inevitable and so is getting older and a policy replaces your income when you are no longer able to work.”

New and existing clients who would like to stand a chance to share in Danny’s success are urged to contact him on dannyb@sanlam4u.com.na with the subject line “10 years of success” and further instructions will be sent to you.

Ten years of success with Danny Beukes

Danny Beukes has won two Eagle Awards and is on his way to his third.

13 Thursday, 09 July 2015 news

Shark WeekSharon Brooks

Shark Week, the annual TV chomp-fest is currently running on Discovery Channel until 12 July. Shark Week was originally developed to raise awareness and respect for sharks who are being threatened due to by-catch, shark finning and habitat loss.

In celebration of shark week, we are bringing you information on the common species of shark found off the Namibian coast, kindly supplied by the Namibia Dolphin Project:

A shark is a fish with a skeleton made of cartilage that breathes using gills. Some species have to swim continuously or they will die, while other species can stop swimming and pump water over their gills. The sex of a shark can easily be ascertained by checking for the presence of claspers on the male.

The most common sharks found in Namibia are the:• Bronze Whaler – it can reach up to 3.3 metres in length

and preys on bony fishes, cephalopods and other fish. This species is often caught by recreational fishermen.

• Broadnose Sevengill Shark - can reach up to 2 metres and preys on sharks, rays, chimaeras, cetaceans, pinnipeds, bony fishes, carrion. They occasionally hunt in packs and prefer the ocean floor.

• Sand Shark – can grow up to 3.2 metres in length and preys on small fish, squid & crustaceans. They are typically nocturnal hunters.

• Smooth-Hound – called hound sharks because they aggregate in packs, this species can grow up to 159 centimetres.

• Spotted Gully Shark – also known as sharp-tooth or hound-shark, this shark can reach up to 1.7 metres and prey on bony fishes, squid & crustaceans. They are nocturnal hunters and give birth to between 6 and 12 live young.

• Great White Shark – this giant can reach up to 6.4 metres and preys on bony fishes, other sharks and marine mammals like seals and dolphins. The Great White is responsible for the most unprovoked attacks on humans.

• Thin-tail Thresher Shark – uses its long tail, which can be the same length as its body, to stun prey with a mighty blow of its tail and can be up to 6 metres long. They feed on schooling fish, squid and cuttlefish.

• Mako Shark – being able to swim at up to 50km/hour, this is the fastest species of shark and can reach 4 metres in length. They prey on cephalopods, bony fishes including tuna & swordfish, sea turtles, sea birds, other sharks & porpoises.

• Blue Shark – growing to 3.8 metres, this shark gives birth to large litters of between 25 and 100 pups. The Blue Shark feeds on bony fishes & squid.

What makes sharks apex predators?• Fast -twitch muscles and warm blood; allow for bursts of

speed, fast reactions and adaptation to cool water.• Armoured skin; a sharks skin has millions of small teeth

on the surface, these are called Dermal Denticles which protect the shark and decrease water drag.

• Skeleton of cartilage; is lighter than bone which is more flexible and increases manoeuvrability.

• Excellent eye sight, hearing and smell; sharks can detect 1 drop of blood in 1 million drops of water.

• Many rows of specialised teeth; help to capture their prey.• Lateral line; detects the vibrations of prey.• Ampullae of Lorenzini; these are gel-filled pits on the

sharks snout and detects electrical impulses generated by live prey.

Shark Teeth• Sharks can have up to 5 rows of teeth.• All the active teeth are replaced every month.• A shark may lose up to 30 000 teeth during its lfetime.• Different species of sharks eat different prey, so they have

differently shaped teeth.

Thursday, 09 July 201514 worldwide

Worldwide

A solar-powered, single-pilot airplane just made aviation (and renewable energy) history, completing the 4,000-mile journey from Japan to Hawaii without stops or fossil fuel. The plane landed last week Friday morning at Kalaeloa Airport on the island of Oahu.

The trip from Japan to Hawaii was the longest leg in the Solar Impulse 2's ongoing trip around the world. The plane took off from Japan on Sunday afternoon, after its team determined that the weather would permit a safe passage. The crew had made a previous attempt to fly to Hawaii in late May, but that effort was aborted mid-flight due to precarious weather.

The aircraft has a maximum speed of 90 mph and only averaged around 40 mph during the flight, which means the journey took a daunting 117 hours and 52 seconds -- or nearly five days. The pilot for this leg of the flight, André Borschberg, got his sleep in 20-minute

Solar-Powered Plane Soars Over The Pacific

Cuba has once again demonstrated that its outstanding health care system is something to admire and learn from, becoming the first country ever to receive World Health Organization (WHO) validation that it has eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis.

Although the term “elimination” may lead you to believe that this form of transmission has been wiped out, that is not necessary to meet the requirements set out by the WHO for validation. Rather, the country needs to demonstrate that it has seen less than 50 infections from this route of transmission per 100,000 live births for at least one year. But Cuba has surpassed these requirements: In 2013, only two babies were born with HIV and just five with syphilis.

“Eliminating transmission of a virus is one of the greatest public health achievements possible,” WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said in a statement. “This is a major victory in our long fight against HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and an important step towards having an AIDS-free generation.”

The risk of a mother passing on the virus to her child is only around 1% if anti-HIV drugs are provided during phases where infection could occur, which spans the pregnancy stage right through to breastfeeding. But if left untreated, there

naps.By comparison, a Boeing 777, with

a top speed of around 600 mph, can make the same trip in about 8.5 hours.

The Solar Impulse 2 broke a number of records with its latest flight, including longest distance for solar-powered flight, longest duration for solar-powered flight, and longest non-stop solo-pilot flight of any kind (made possible because the plane does not need to stop for refuelling).

"This oceanic flight to Hawaii demonstrates that if technological solutions exist to fly a plane day and night without fuel, then there is potential for these same efficient technologies to be used in our daily lives, and to achieve energy savings to reduce CO2 emissions," Bertrand Piccard, co-founder of Solar Impulse, said in a statement Friday.

The experimental plane is made mostly of carbon fibre. It has 17,248 solar cells on the wings that recharge four lithium polymer batteries, allowing it to fly at night. It is extremely light at 5,070 pounds and has an impressive 236-foot wingspan, which generates enough lift to maintain flight over long periods of time.

The plane has five more legs to fly in its ground-breaking journey around the world. Onward to Phoenix!

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Cuba becomes first ever country to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV

is up to a 45% chance that the child will become infected during one of these stages.

Although syphilis receives significantly less attention than HIV, infection during pregnancy can also spell seriously bad news as it can lead to stillbirth or neonatal death in the absence of antibiotic therapy.

In order to reduce the mother-to-child transmission rate of both of these, an initiative was set up in 2010 that improved access to testing and treatment for these infections, caesarian deliveries and breastfeeding substitutes. These services, which form part of Cuba’s universal health system, are being implemented in a number

of other countries and are demonstrably helping towards the global target of less than 40,000 new infections annually.

While Cuba may be the first country to receive the WHO validation stamp, this is not to say that other countries have not reached elimination status. As pointed out by Pan American Health Organization Director Carissa Etienne, it is likely that the U.S. and Canada have already eliminated mother-to-child transmission of both of these infections, but have not sought validation. Thirty other countries have, however, requested validation, so we may see the list begin to grow soon.

Source: www.iflscience.com

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal is gifting $32 billion to support poverty alleviation, disease eradication, and women’s empowerment.

Talk about a dream prince.Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal of Saudi

Arabia, one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, announced yesterday that he will donate his entire $32 billion fortune to charitable causes. The massive pay check will be gifted to his non-profit organization, Alwaleed Philanthropies, which works in 92 countries supporting a variety of development work, including poverty alleviation, educational access, housing, and disaster relief.

“I have had the opportunity to witness first-hand the challenging conditions

A Saudi Prince Is Giving Away His Entire Fortune to Charity—and It’s a Lot of many communities across the globe

and have stood among those who were suffering and in great need,” Alwaleed said in his pledge announcement speech. “Given the world’s current economic and social conditions and the devastating effects of war and natural disasters around the world, more collaborative efforts are required from all capable individuals.”

True to his word, Alwaleed has been involved in philanthropy work for more than 35 years, previously donating $3.5 billion to his foundation, which has partnered with the Gates Foundation and the Carter Foundation.

So, Why Should You Care? The most recent donation will clearly be a game changer—initiatives will include providing electricity to rural villages, disease eradication, and building orphanages and schools, according to the press release. And in a country notorious for limiting women’s rights, Alwaleed and his organisation will

be using the funds to promote women’s empowerment, including literacy advocacy and providing courses on how women can run for local government.

The prince, who made his millions as chairman of investment firm Kingdom Holding Company—which has stakes in Apple, Twitter, Saks Fifth Avenue, and The Four Seasons hotel chain—will be carefully allocating the $32 billion over several years through a “well-devised plan” managed by a board of trustees and headed by Alwaleed himself.

“Early in my life I had a dream that I have always hoped to realize,” he said. “I wished to wake up one day to see a world of tolerance, acceptance, equality, and opportunity—for all.”

Source: www.takepart.com

As of Wednesday, grocery stores across the entire state of Hawaii are banned from distributing plastic bags.

The City and County of Honolulu -- which covers the entirety of Oahu, Hawaii's most populated island -- is now enforcing a ban that prohibits stores from handing plastic bags to customers at checkout, making Oahu the last populated island in the state to give the bags the boot.

(The ban makes exceptions for some plastic bags, including compostable bags and those used within a store for bulk items or those used for medical or sanitary purposes.)

Hawaii is the first state to fully ban plastic bags at grocery stores. California recently passed a law that requires stores to charge for

reusable bags, but the measure has been put on hold until a referendum is held in November. Unlike the California ban, which was passed by the state legislature, Hawaii's ban was instituted at the county level.

"This was not done by the state legislature, but instead by all four County Councils," the Surfrider Foundation, an environmental advocacy group, said in 2012 when the ban was first passed. The group called the effort "a great example of local activists and decision-makers addressing the serious issue of plastic pollution."

Plastic is not biodegradable, and the United States is one of the biggest contributors to ocean garbage patches, often described as floating islands of trash. Even if you

conscientiously reuse your plastic bags, they likely still end up sitting in a landfill or adding to the 28 billion pounds of plastic already in our ocean, where they may be ingested by or otherwise harm marine animals.

In other words, whether or not you live in an area where plastic bags are already banned, it is a good idea to opt for a reusable bag. Store reusable grocery bags in the trunk of your car or opt for a lightweight option that can be folded down and attached to your keychain. Hanging a reusable bag by your front door can also help ensure you never leave home without it.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Hawaii Bans Plastic Bags At Grocery Checkouts

15 Thursday, 09 July 2015 motoring

PO Box 43, Walvis Bay Corner of Sam Nujoma Avenue & 10th Road Tel: 064 207248 | Fax: 064 207253 Email: wvbconv.centre@iway.na

Hungry? Need lunch in a hurry?

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motoring M+Z Motors CoastalWalvis Bay, Henties Bay

& Swakopmund

Louis, Tel: +264 81 293 2348Karmen, Tel: +264 81 293 2348mzcoastal@metjezielgler.com

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2010 Corolla Professional - 110 000km

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2013 Ford Kuga Diesel AWD - 63 800km

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2014 Fiat Cabrio13 200km

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2012 Merc C250 Avantgarde - 25 000km

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2014 Pajero Sport 4x4 Diesel - 15 000km

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2011 Outlander 2.4 AWD - 57 200km

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2007 Merc A170 Auto - 160 000km

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Citroën’s latest model to arrive in the country is the C4 Cactus – a funky combination of practicality, spaciousness, high ride height, and unique take durability for the urban environment in a crossover SUV package. But despite the name, the C4 Cactus is anything but harsh and thorny – focusing instead on being versatile, and genuinely soft.

Airbump technology is Citroën’s unique way of endowing their newest model with a soft body where it counts to protect the car from parking lots, trolleys, prams, and other cars. It is the biggest selling point of the Cactus; essentially giant panels of bubble wrap placed strategically along the body and around the headlamps to absorb impacts from trolleys, other cars, car doors, etc. Available as standard in black, the Airbump panels can be opted for in Grey, Dune, and Chocolate.

The Airbump technology also ensures the rather intriguing looks of the C4 Cactus is gifted with. A raised ride height

and SUV-like profile are combined with a short rear overhang, Airbump panels all round, and roof racks for a quirky, crossover SUV appeal. Despite this, the C4 Cactus remains compact, measuring 1.48 metres tall, 4.16 metres long, and 1.73 metres wide.

Inside the Cactus, Citroën have focused on weight reduction and comfort as a means of improving efficiency. The light cabin makes use of lightweight materials, with spacious seats that include a rear bench seat. Digital instrument clusters feature ahead of the driver, whilst central to the dash is a large seven inch touch screen infotainment system – the only blemish on an otherwise minimalistic dash design. Aiding this is the relocation of the front passenger airbag from the dash to the roof, allowing for reduced clutter.

Citroën have, as we have come to expect, equipped the Cactus rather generously. Two levels of specification are available – Feel and Shine – the Feel being the more affordable of the two.

Citroën C4 Cactus: no thorn in your sideThe entry spec Feel equipped models includes air conditioning, a 4-speaker audio system, Bluetooth connectivity and audio streaming, cruise control with speed limiter, electrically operated front windows and side mirrors, and steering mounted controls, whilst the Shine models feature climate control, satellite navigation, a reverse camera, enhanced audio system, auto-headlamps, auto-windscreen wipers, front fog lamps, rear privacy glass and interior mood lighting.

Citroën’s focus on efficiency has seen them shave off 200Kg from the overall weight of the Cactus by means of platform sharing, selective use of materials, and use of lightweight engines. As a result the Cactus weighs a mere 965Kg in its lightest incarnation. Light weight means Citroën can make do with low capacity engines that don’t need extravagant outputs.

As such, Citroën make do with a range of 1.2-litre naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines. The entry level 1.2-litre 3 cylinder PureTech

engine, also found in the Citroën C1 and available only on the entry-spec Feel model, outputs 60kW and 118Nm, with Citroën claiming consumption figures of 4.6l/100km. The alternative engine variant is the 1.2-litre turbocharged 3 cylinder, boasting outputs of 81kW and 205Nm. This engine benefits from swifter performance and fuel consumption of a claimed 4.7l/100km. This engine can be equipped with both the Feel and Shine models. Both engine drive the front wheels of the Cactus via a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The new Citroën C4 Cactus comes standard with a host of safety features, including 6 airbags, ABS brakes with EBD and EBA, and electronic stability control. All models also feature a full size spare wheel, tyre pressure monitoring, Isofix child seat tethers, and remote central locking.

Source: www.torquingcarsonline.com

Like our “FNB Namibia Classic Clashes” Facebook page and win exciting prizes.

Mathew Haihambo

Chennold Gurirab

Kevin Jakob

Reginald Rooi

Bezel Stoffel

Jonas Sheyavali

Ezekiel Santos

Nestor Thomas

Edward David

Steven Kavari

Nampolo Katana

Kandoni

Salatiel Nanyanga

Paulus Isak

Riano Gabriel

Sakaria Kambungu

Jonas matheus

Sacky Lyevela

Clayton Hageman( Captain)

Nathan Beukes

(Captain)

Martin Thiro

Ronny Araeb

Andreas Gaoab

Konis

Marius Indongo

( Vice Captain)

Shafa Iiyambo

Amana Ganaseb

Phillip Haoseb

Kalimbo Crockey

Bolton Kariko

Godwin Awaseb

Esegiel Garoeb

Shaun kapunda

Clifton Tjiposa

GAME ON!

VSSwakopmund

Secondary School

Coastal High School

Soccer

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SoccerDate: Friday, 10 July 2015

Venue: Vineta North Stadium

Time: 15h00Date: Friday, 10 July 2015