Every detail in this hotel was planned, re-planned, implemented, re-implemented, installed and re-installed to ensure that customers will only experience the very best Namibia and its people has to offer.

Marvin the Martian, when questioned about the discovery of flowing water on the surface of Mars.

IndependentNamib

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Issue 168 - Thurs, 01 Oct 2015 to Wed, 07 Oct 2015Like a newspaper, only better!

Mr Thomas Muller, the man in charge of getting the Strand Hotel up and running at full capacity when it opens on the 9th of October.

Tel: 064 200497

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"Get your own water Earthlings! I need water to power my Destructo-Beam, to destroy Earth!"

Continued on Page 3

See Page 14 See Page 5

Lots of fun at the oKtoberfest See Page 9

President delivers maiden address at UN

Niel Terblanche

In his address to the 70th United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Hage Geingob spelt out the Namibian nation’s achievements in nation building.

Dr Geingob used the platform to inform the international community on the various developmental initiatives such as the war against poverty and hunger, mitigating the effects of climate change and gender equality. The President also stated Namibia’s position on Palestine and Saharawi Democratic Republic, the African Union’s position on the United Nation reform, and the country’s involvement in maintaining International Peace and Security.

“Namibia is a Child of International Solidarity, midwifed by the United Nations. As Namibians, we are both grateful and proud of the support we received from the international community, through the United Nations system, during our struggle for Independence. In fact, if I can illustrate our close bond with the UN, in 1990, upon attaining Independence, we refused that the instruments of power be handed over to our first President, Dr. Sam Nujoma by the then President of South Africa F.W. De Klerk. We demanded that the said instruments be handed over by Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, who in so doing symbolised the birth of our Republic.”

He added, “We were able to develop the building blocks, which we would use to construct our democracy. With assistance from the UN we exercised patience in preparing for self-governance. I can proudly announce to the world that Namibians are now reaping the benefits of peace and democracy.”

The President continued, “As an expression of the country’s profound gratitude to the international community for its solidarity with our people and our undying commitment to international peace and security, we continue to make a modest contribution to the United Nations Peace-keeping Operations. Amongst others, we have contributed contingents to Peace-keeping missions in Cambodia, Angola, Liberia, Darfur, Corte d’Ivoire, Timor-Leste, and South Sudan. Both men and women from Namibia participated in these missions.”

Dr Geingob said there is a lot which

members of the UN can be proud of after 70 years of existence. “We hail from a continent whose leaders are busy addressing new goals and new commitments under the banner of the African Union. We are in the process of establishing the New Africa, with its own narrative as told by its sons and daughters. Africa has turned a new leaf, bidding farewell to the days of Coup d’états and embracing electoral democracy. We as Africans, through the African Union, have ostracised those who come to office through unlawful ways. The recent coup in Burkina Faso is an example of our zero tolerance policy towards those who come to power through illegal ways.

“Having achieved electoral democracy, it is pertinent that we buttress it by establishing processes, systems and institutions. When we talk about processes we are referring mainly to electoral processes where electoral commissions need to be independent and impartial, able to instil confidence in the electorate. This will ensure that those who lose at the polls accept the results. By so doing, we can bring to an end a situation where those who lose at the polls feel left out, defeated and therefore choose to wage war.

In terms of systems, we talk about government systems which continue to function through the civil service even though there may be a political deadlock within a particular country. If all else fails, then the institutions come in, such as the supreme courts etc. This is what we have in Namibia.”

Dr Geingob informed the assembly that Namibia was able to put in place sound governance architecture. “In terms of effective governance, our track-record speaks volumes: amongst others, rated number six overall as the best governed country on the African continent by the Mo Ibrahim index of African governance; rated at number seven in Africa as a “clean country” in terms of corruption by Transparency International; and ranked as a country with the “freest press in Africa” by the Reporters without Borders organisation.”

Commenting on the financial system, he said, “Similarly, our macroeconomic architecture is admirable, underpinned by financial stability evident in a world-class banking system (a sector ranked number Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce the Olympic gold medallist sprinter from Jamaica met with Johanna Benson,

Namibia’s own Olympic athlete, while she visited the harbour town. The diminutive Jamaican lady left a big impression on local school children with her motivational words. See full story on page 6

Thursday, 01 October 20152 news

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Coastal Restaurants eat half the pie

Sonya Amos

Coastal restaurants received high acclaim last week upon the announcement of the winners of the recent FNB Restaurant Week. Competing restaurants in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund took home half of the twelve national prizes, with Walvis Bay Restaurants in particular cleaning up in the Café/ Bistro category. Anchors Restaurant at the Waterfront and The Lemon Tree Bistro in Walvis Bay received two awards respectively, and the Raft in Walvis Bay and the Brauhaus in Swakopmund received one award each.

The winners were as follows:

Winners in the fine dining category: Best Bar Service - Heinitzburg, Windhoek Best Customer service - Heinitzburg, WindhoekBest FNB RWN menu – Hotel Thule, Windhoek Best overall fine dining restaurant - Hotel Thule, Windhoek

Winners – restaurant category: Best Bar Service – The Raft, Walvis Bay Best Customer service – Brauhaus Swakopmund Best FNB RWN menu – Garnish Restaurant, Windhoek

Best overall restaurant – Corner of 62nd, Windhoek

Winners – Café/ Bistro category:Best Bar Service – Anchors Restaurant, Walvis Bay Best Customer service - Anchors Restaurant, Walvis Bay Best FNB RWN menu – Lemon Tree Bistro, Walvis Bay Best overall fine dining restaurant - Lemon Tree Bistro, Walvis Bay

“The FNB restaurant week was a great success,” said organiser Leoni Cohen-Velida and added that awards and prizes were being handed out to all the winning establishments. She continued that feedback from the restaurants and sponsors had been overwhelmingly positive. “They agreed that the concept of the event was brilliant and, given this was the first year, the event itself can only grow into something bigger and better from here.”

Madri Frewer, Marketing Manager of main sponsor FNB Namibia, said that the fact that the restaurants got a great deal of satisfaction out of the training provided for them was a great plus for the bank. “Staff training and customer satisfaction are key – also in our industry - and we are grateful to have been instrumental in bar training, customer service training and training by the Swiss Chocolatier.”

Cohen-Velida said that the event had been a great learning curve. “Next year I will need to re-look the voting process a bit and also put in place tighter deadlines on registration. I am very happy with the outcome of the event and the fact that so many of the restaurants really enjoyed it makes it all completely worthwhile. Their enthusiasm was brilliant to see and I hope next year it will be even bigger and better.”

3 Thursday, 01 October 2015 news

Continued from Page 1

Walvis Bay well on the way

Niel Terblanche

With the construction of the new Container Terminal and quayside on the south end of the bay and the oil terminal work well under way, Walvis Bay is fast realising the dream of the Namibian Government to become the logistics hub of choice in the Southern African region.

The Chief Executive Officer of Namport, Mr Bisey Uirab, during an information breakfast welcomed stakeholders in the project and said the project is on schedule. Information breakfasts with stakeholders has become a regular event in Walvis Bay since the new harbour project became tangible.

“It is the vision of the Namibian Government that no citizen should go hungry, to ensure that the country is the best place for its citizens to live and that each and every person benefits from the progress that is being made in the development of the country. This comes from the national development goals, and Namport’s part in this is to make sure Walvis Bay becomes the logistics hub as envisioned by both Vison 2030 and the fourth revision of the National Development Plan.”

Mr Victor Ashikoto, Executive in charge of information technology, during his presentation on the envisioned implementation of systems in the new container terminal, said that Namport would ideally like to see that the new facilities would enable the

port to handle double its current cargo volume by 2017.

“There exists only so much money and human resources a body can throw after problems before real solutions need to be implemented. In order to achieve these goals, a lot of planning and finalisation of proposed plans need to happen. Thereafter implementation of the best possible solutions need to happen.”

Mr. Ashilikoto said that, since the development of Walvis Bay and the supporting infrastructure like the transport corridors have become known internationally, other countries along the west coast of Africa have started to develop their own infrastructure and have created competition for the local project.

“Although the port of Walvis Bay remains one of the only deep water harbours along the coast, systems and services will have to be slicked down to improve efficiency to stay ahead of the curve. Namport has strategies and contingencies in place to become more agile and to work smarter to achieve

the status as the logistics hub of choice in the region. It means we will have to do more with less and be smart about it to stay ahead of competitors in the region.”

According to Mr. Ashilikoto, Namport is currently in the consulting phase and that the master management plan will be approved by January next year. He pointed out that phase 2 of the project would entail the implementation of the master plan and the eventual commissioning of the facilities in November 2017.

He reiterated that everything with regards to the different elements of the project is on schedule and that the commissioning will take place as planned.

Mr. Elzivir Gelderbloem, Executive in charge of the Port Authority, during his presentation said that the different elements of the harbour project are coming together very well and that advertisements for tenders to complete these sub projects have already gone out.

He said that the railroad on the premises of the harbour has been completed. According to Mr. Gelderbloem, repair work on the existing quay wall in the harbour, tarred roads repair work on the jetty in the small crafts harbour and dredging of the access way and fishing harbour will start soon.

Other tenders that Namport are awaiting to be returned include the repair work that needs to be done to the steel structure of the Syncrolift facilities. He also mentioned that a feasibility study to enlarge the current facilities will be undertaken.

“Namport has in the past done a feasibility study on the enlargement of the current Syncrolift and at that stage it was not a bankable possibility. Over the past few years business has picked up tremendously and it would be wise for us to revisit those expansion plans.

Mr Gelderbloem also mentioned that tenders for the supply of two new tug boats have been issued. The vessels will be used to work in the upgraded harbour area.

“In the long term, Namport has also appointed an agent to do a feasibility study on the development of a brand new harbour situated at either Angra Fria or Cape Fria closer to the Angolan border.”

He said that the construction of a harbour to the north of Walvis Bay will make the export of resources like iron ore from the north west of the country more viable and that a lot of spin offs could be gained from such a project.

There exists only so much money and human resources a body can throw after problems before real solutions need to be implemented.

The Chief Executive Officer of Namport, Mr. Bisey Uirab, at the stakeholders’ information breakfast. The CEO said Walvis Bay is well on the way to become the logistics hub of choice in

the southern African region.

25 in the world by the world economic forum), and well-regulated through a prudent monetary policy for the past 24 years.”

The President said electoral democracy without economic democracy is meaningless because people do not eat peace, security and good constitutions. People still face the challenge of rectifying socio economic deficits and subsequent entrenched poverty caused by the many years of deliberately orchestrated policies of neglect and economic exclusion. He said the situation has proven resilient against the conventional anti-poverty strategies and that the Namibian Government had to become more novel in its approach towards the problem.

“We are still faced with enormous social disparities between the rich and poor, and noticeable is the critical shortage of housing and other basic necessities. It is for this reason that on the day of my swearing in as President of Namibia, March 21, 2015, I announced to my countrymen and women and to the world at large, that the Namibian Government was declaring all-out war on poverty.”

Dr. Geingob said that the distribution of wealth is an issue too important of to be left alone to economists at the international financial institutions. This approach, which simply divides GDP by population, completely ignores inequalities in the distribution of wealth and opportunities, and comes with adverse effects for social mobility and progress.

“Namibia has been one of the casualties of this approach, as it has been wrongly classified as a so-called upper middle-income country without taking into account that due to Apartheid, the economic wealth of the country remained in the hands of the minority white population, leaving blacks on the fringes of the economy. Instead of the international community assisting us in fighting the second phase of the struggle, we feel as if we have been left to fend for ourselves since the above-mentioned classification effectively denies Namibia access to grants and concessional loans to support our development agenda.

“To continue my intervention on poverty eradication, I would like to add that one of the most impactful interventions we can make in the war against poverty is

through empowering women, who although representing half of the world’s population, account for nearly 70 percent of the world’s poor.”

He further commented, “Over 70 years of UN existence, the world has evolved and new issues and challenges have emerged. It is therefore proper for our organisation to reposition itself to deal with these dynamic changes. In this light, Namibia remains committed to the comprehensive reforms of the United Nations, to strengthen the organisation, make it more efficient, and responsive to the needs of all its members. In this regard, reforms of the UN System should be guided by the principles of democracy, equity, justice and fairness for all.

Dr Geingob said Namibia fully supports the African Common Position on the reformation of the Un Security Council. He was of the opinion that the Continent of Africa deserves to be fairly and equitably represented in the Security Council, in order to rectify the long historical injustice endured by over one billion people.

“As President of the 11th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Namibia is of the view that we will not end poverty unless we tackle the inter-linked issues of desertification, land degradation and drought. These issues are of critical importance, not only to Namibia and Africa, but for the world at large.”

Dr Geingob said the only way the world will be able to overcome challenges is by forming a united front for the advancement of mankind.

“Through the United Nations we have the platform to achieve this. We can either choose to march to the original ideals that led to the formation of the United Nations or we can choose to pursue our ambitions at the expense of others and ourselves. Let us choose nobility, where we overcome our fears, insecurities and prejudices for the sake of shared sustainable development. Let us leave a long lasting legacy which will shape the future of our planet politically, economically and ecologically. The time to act is now and Namibia stands ready to join hands with all of you to create a new type of global co-existence, where no continent, no region or no country will feel left out.”

President delivers maiden address at UN

Thursday, 01 October 20154 news

Namport Erongo Business Tourism Expo & 20159th

28 - 31 Oct

BOOKING & REGISTRATIONExpo Offices, 2nd Floor, Walvis Bay Municipality / Vanessa Erasmus: 0816150122

erongoexpo@africaonline.com.na / www.erongotradeexpo.com

Live Entertainment

Kids Fun Park

Over 200stalls

Food & Drinks

redpower to the people

Walvis Bay Corridor Group continues to build the logistics sector

The Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) network of transport corridors comprises of the Port of Walvis Bay, the Trans-Kalahari Corridor, the Walvis Bay Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (WBNLDC), the Trans-Cunene Corridor, and the Trans-Oranje Corridor.

With Namibia set to become the logistics hub for southern Africa, the WBCG recognises the need to train and capacitate as many logistics and transport service providers within the region, in order to elevate them to a level where they are in a position to cater to the future demand. This will further result in enhanced logistical efficiencies, which will impact trade facilitation within SADC positively.

The Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG), has over the past 15 years engaged in several initiatives to contribute towards capacity building within Namibia’s logistics and transport sector. The benefits borne out of these capacity building initiatives also directly extend to other SADC countries such as Zambia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola, and the

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which form part of the Walvis Corridor transport network.

These capacity building initiatives have included business coaching and mentorship as well as business development and start-up support for small and medium logistics service providers, as well as academic training dependent on the needs of the affiliated entities, etc.

The WBCG announced this week that, in collaboration with the Business School of Excellence (BSE), they will be hosting training for 30 active Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) within the transport and logistics sector. Prospective beneficiaries must possess mathematic (numeracy) and communication skills (literacy) at NQA level 2 or equivalent. The key training areas for this National Certificate in Road Transport (NQF Level 3) training on offer includes road transport operations, basic business management and budgeting principles, basic principles of road transport management as well as occupational health, safety and environment protection.

Immanuel Shipanga, the WBCG’s Manager for Projects and Funding responsible for the coordination of this training says the rationale behind this intervention is to enhance the knowledge, skills and implementation of selected logistics service providers in set-up, making themselves relevant to their clientele, as well as achieving financial sustainability.

“In view of the Logistics Hub and the infrastructure expansion currently underway, in particular the expansion of the Walvis Bay Container Terminal, it is important that all supply chain industries are in coherence. This includes the trucking industry which is specifically

targeted for this training,” Immanuel said. The skills acquired from this training

will enable beneficiaries to absorb volumes and be in a position to provide professional services to local, regional and international clients.

The WBCG encourages selected beneficiaries to be committed to the course, which is offered on distance mode (with 25 contact classes) in order to finish it successfully. This effort will not just enhance their business sustainability but will in turn inspire our WBCG partners to commit to further collaborate with us in our quest as we continue to build logistics capacity in Namibia and beyond.

Logistics and transport stakeholders attending one of the WBCG’s training Information Sessions in Walvis Bay this year.

Swaitex launched in Swakopmund

Swakopmund is gearing up for the next expo of international calibre which will be hosted by the town’s branch of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The NCCI also had a brand launch event at the Fruit and Veg shopping centre in town last weekend, to make people aware of the coming SWAITEX that will be held in the new

outdoor sports centre. This is the third time the expo will

take place in Swakopmund and more than 100 exhibitors are expected to take part. The chairman of the NCCI branch in Swakopmund, Mr. Heinrich Hafeni met up with Erongo Regional Councillor Juuso Kambueshe during the brand activation last Saturday.

5 Thursday, 01 October 2015 news

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Municipality of Henties Bay

Notice of AlienationSale of Erf 2945 (EXT 12) zoned residential

by way of private treaty

In terms of section 30(1)(t) of the Local Authorities Act, 1992(Act 23 of 1992), as amended, read in conjunction with section 63 of the mentioned Act 23 of 1992 notice is hereby given that the Municipal Council of Henties Bay is of the intention to alienate Erf 2945, Hentiesbaai(Ext 12), in extent 608 m2 and zoned residential, by way of private treaty at a purchase price of N$ 212,800.00 to Ms. Victoria Andima.

Further take notice that the locality plan of the area lies open for inspection during office hours at the offices of the municipal council situated at the corner of Jakkalzputz Road and Nickey Iyambo Avenue.

Any person(s) having an objection(s) to the intended alienation of the property may lodge such objection(s) together with grounds therefor to the Municipal Council of Henties Bay within 14(fourteen) days after placement of the second advertisement at the following address:

The Chief Executive OfficerMunicipality of Henties BayP.O. Box 61 | Henties Bay

The Chief Executive OfficerMunicipality of Henties Bay

C/O Jakkalsputz Rd & Nickey Iyambo AveHenties Bay

or

Novel approach will make for a unique experience

Open invitation to test the best

Because the brand new Strand Hotel in Swakopmund will be opening soon, and with its exciting new approach to how clients will enjoy the food on offer in its five restaurants, bars, terraces and lounges, O&L Leisure has extended an open invitation to the public to join them for a test run.

During one of five soft openings of the hotel to assess the level of training of new staff and to test client reaction to completely novel ideas in dining, the company has invited the public at the coast for a final test run at the Brewer & Butcher, the Ocean Cellar, the Farmhouse Deli and the Welwitschia Lounge & Bar on a first come first serve basis.

The soft opening starts at seven in the morning on 7 October with breakfast in the Farmhouse Deli, followed by snacks, lunch and dinner. The test run of the Ocean Cellar starts at 12 noon with lunch, followed by a Sushi/Sashimi menu and dinner. The Brewer & Butcher also starts with Lunch at 12 noon, followed by their “Bierhappen” and Dinner. You can enjoy the Welwitschia Lounge & Bar all day for delicious cocktails, coffee, tea as well as cake and pastries.

“In total the Strand Hotel invites 420 individuals for this exciting event on a first come first serve basis. There is, however, a catch. As it is a test-run, every participant will be asked to evaluate the atmosphere, the food and the service in minute detail after their experience,” Mr. Thomas Muller said.

Interested residents of coastal towns should book at their soonest convenience with Michelle Pienaar at 064-411-4410 or e-mail their bookings to michelle.pienaar@ol.na and mention the venue they would prefer. Besides confirming bookings, Michelle will provide applicants for this exciting event with the actual time slots which would be available.

One very unique table in the Farm House Deli restaurant in the new Strand Hotel is the “Plaaskombuis”. The venue in the restaurant offers a very novel approach towards dining with loads of

different applications.

Niel Terblanche

With the official opening of the new Strand Hotel Swakopmund mere days away, a quick view behind the scenes offers a new perspective on a very unique way Namibians and visitors to the country will experience accommodation at the coast in future.

Although construction work was still being done on the building, the hotel has been up and running for the past two months. The programme where staff had to be trained in a whole new way of how the hotel will operate has been continuing since the first curtains were hung in the building.

According to Mr Thomas Muller, the man in charge of getting the Strand Hotel up and running at full capacity when it opens on the 9th of October and who knows every square inch of the hotel off by heart, said no eventuality was left to chance.

“Every detail in this hotel was planned, re-planned, implemented, re-implemented, installed and re-installed to ensure that customers will only experience the very best Namibia and its people has to offer.

As an example Mr Muller said a lamp in the bathroom of one of the suites was re-designed 120 times to ensure that ladies of varying heights would be able to apply their make-up without unnecessary shadows bothering them. He also pointed to a bedside lamp and said it is unique in design because it can bend and twist in certain ways to allow guests to read if they wish to do so.

“Every single item of furniture in this hotel is unique. It was designed for this hotel only. The rooms were designed to accommodate babies and children because the hotel will be the ultimate holiday destination in Namibia. Every room has a special alcove for a baby cot. Even the baby chairs in the different restaurants differ from each other to fit in with the theme of the specific establishment.”

The presidential suite has its own kitchen and dining room which doubles as a conference room where guests will have the services of a chef available if they should choose to dine in the room.

Mr Muller said that the restaurants will only be accessible from the Mole to move away from the dreariness of the traditional hotel dining room. Both hotel guests and people walking in from the

Mole will share the space and the hotel will even provide a doggy menu for visiting pets.

Each restaurant in the hotel has a different theme and a unique atmosphere and ambience which is already tangible even though the hotel has not yet officially opened. The Brewer and Butchery even has its own microbrewery with big copper kettles where craft beer will be served straight from storage tanks. Regular visitors will be able to obtain a special

traditional German beer mug or Stein and a knife to cut their meat. These items will be stored in a special rack in the roomy cheerful restaurant.

With fire places everywhere and a welcoming atmosphere created by the interior design and friendly staff already in attendance, visitors to Swakopmund and even residents of the town are in for a very unique experience once the Strand Hotel officially opens its doors for business.

Thursday, 01 October 20156 news

LANGER HEINRICH URANIUM (PTY) LTDA Member of the Paladin Energy Ltd Group of Companies

(An Equal Opportunity Employer)

We invite suitably qualified and committed candidates to apply for the following position at the mining operation in Swakopmund, Namibia.

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Cold storage facility is a unique investment

Diminutive Olympic champion leaves big impression

A visit to Walvis Bay by Olympic champion sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has left a lasting impression on school children and teachers alike.

Shelly-Ann was equally impressed by the Namibian coastal weather which changed characteristically from fair to very cold in an instant. The athlete battled through the cold with a smile on her face while addressing questions from the children instead of delivering a long winded speech.

Apart from fielding questions about motivation and diet, the lady from Jamaica said she was very impressed with Namibia as a country. She said she was equally impressed with the patriotism of the Namibian people and the stories they told her about the country.

“Athletes from Namibia studying in Jamaica always told me about the country and its people. They also told me about the food and the wild animals. Sometimes the stories seemed farfetched but after seeing and experiencing it all first-hand, I understand the enthusiasm and pride of Namibians.”

Through all the questions posed by children from all walks of life in the microcosm of Walvis Bay, Shelly-Ann had a message of hope.

“I come from a poor background and I was raised by a single mother, but with her help and motivation I achieved my goal of becoming an Olympic champion. My mother never allowed me to make the same mistakes that she made and she helped me to focus on athletics and sprinting as a way out of poverty.”

Shelly-Ann told the children that she was never a top class athlete while at school. She said becoming an Olympic champion only started when she went

to university where she had access to proper training and coaches.

“My life changed radically while I prepared for the first Olympic Games in 2008 while I was still a very young girl just out of school. Ever since then my life has consisted of at least eight hours of training every single day and very little else. I do enjoy going to the movies to see a good film but that is where it ends.”

She said in order to become a top class athlete she had to forego all the nice things in life like ice cream and sweets. She said she follows a very strict diet that does not allow her to touch any kind of junk food like hamburgers or pizzas.

“My sacrifice has brought me benefits and that is my message to you. You have to work hard and make huge sacrifices in order to reach your goals. If you allow your circumstances to dictate how your life goes you have lost the battle. Never lose faith in yourself and what you can achieve and you will reach the top.”

On a question about what she would have been if she had not become an athlete, Shelly-Ann answered that she had studied to become a child psychologist and that this is the career she would follow after becoming the Olympic champion for the third time when the Games are on next year.

“It is nice to be the Olympic champion and it is even better to achieve that for a second time. My goal is, however, to do it for a third time while I still have the ability during the next Olympic Games.

After answering questions and motivating the children, the diminutive athlete posed for group pictures with the different schools and demonstrated some of her techniques to the aspiring athletes from Walvis Bay.

The use of photovoltaic panels to power a cold storage facility in Walvis Bay is a first for Namibia and a unique investment in the future of the town’s fishing industry.

Naras Investment (Pty) Ltd officially opened a new 43.5 million dollar solar-powered cold storage facility in Walvis Bay, reaffirming its commitment to the fishing sector. This solar-powered facility which employs cutting-edge power generation technology is not just a first for Namibia, but indeed Southern Africa.

The environmentally friendly cold storage facility features 1,150 solar panels, harnessing renewable energy and thus reducing the carbon footprint. The facility currently stores 1 566 pallets at 1,500 metric tonnes, an equivalent to 1.5 million kilograms. All fish and marine related products such as mussels and shrimp harvested by Walvis Bay based companies will be accommodated in this facility.

The company’s vision of constructing a cold storage facility

began more than 20 years ago, when the company observed that Walvis Bay, as a port and logistics hub for the region could not accommodate the growing demand for cold storage space in the market. In consultation with key stakeholders, discussions began on identifying solutions that would address market needs by increasing available frozen fish product space. The facility was supported with the assistance of many institutions including Bank Windhoek, Windhoek Consulting Engineers, African Renewable Clean Power, Rhino Energy, BDO and Namibia Standards Institution.

During the official inauguration of the new facility the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Mr. Bernard Esau, stated that it was encouraging to note that companies within the fishing sector were starting to align their strategic business activities with the Ministry’s focus areas, granting the Ministry the opportunity to meet targets faster. He further stated growth and development were not only profitably important for

businesses, but were considered key drivers of the country’s economy.

“From a socio-economic perspective, we cannot avoid the pertinent and most pressing issues of poverty and wealth inequalities facing our nation. Remedies such as value addition aimed at employment creation, resource distribution with other Namibians, increased corporate social investment and many other avenues are required,” he said.

The Chairman of the board of Naras Investment, Mr. Festus Naholo said that it was an undeniable fact that the facility would not only go a long way towards providing storage space for products destined for the export market, but would contribute towards the region’s energy saving methods, ultimately minimising additional costs to the product end user. “This facility is a true gem in the desert and aims at providing the fishing industry, other stakeholders and interested parties in the market with competitive rates and more flexible logistical operating procedures,” he added.

Naras’ investment would also ensure that the national objectives to promote fish consumption through ease of storage and access were met.

Naras Business Investments has demonstrated previous value adding initiatives such as the creation of a dry Horse Mackerel soup with spice blends and vegetables and the establishment of a ‘Smokery’ which expanded the value chain of Horse Mackerel and all accompanying catches, resulting in employment opportunities for the residents of the Erongo Region. Through its subsidiary Kuiseb Fishing Enterprise, Naras also established a Marine Farm to foster mariculture activities by

purchasing, upgrading and harvesting a Black Mussel Farm in 2012.

Looking forward, Naras Investment Limited’s strategic focus areas will entail extending the cold store facility to store a total of 5,866 pallets at 3,655 metric tonnes in the near future. In addition, Naras Investment Ltd through Kuiseb Fishing Enterprises is also in the process of purchasing a vessel in a joint venture partnership called Hodago Fishing with Gendev. The joint venture will bring an additional staff compliment of 90 crew members shared between the two entities, bringing the staff compliment of our company to 125 employees.

Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Honourable Bernard Esau, inspects the state of the art technology at the new solar powered cold storage facility in Walvis Bay

7 Thursday, 01 October 2015 news

Namibia Statistics Agency, P. O. Box 2133, Windhoek, FGI House, Post Street MallTel: +26461-4313200Fax:+26461-4313253Email:info@nsa.org.na

www.nsa.org.na

What is the Namibia Household Income and Expenditure Survey (NHIES)?

The NHIES is a survey that collects information on household’s expenditures and income from private households in Namibia.

Why do we conduct the NHIES?• NHIES is conducted to provide socio-economic indicators to support planning, policy formulation, decision making and research & development for a knowledge based economy in order to eradicate poverty and income inequalities in Namibia.

• It will describe the living conditions of Namibians using actual patterns of consumption and income as well as a range of other socio-economic indicators.

How will the survey be conducted?• The 2015/16 NHIES will not cover all households in Namibia, however a sampled number of private households will be visited in each region by interviewers.

• For the selected households, the interviewer will spend 14 days (2 weeks) in each household administering the questionnaire while a daily record book (DRB) will be handed to the household to record all their daily spending on food and alcohol & beverages for 7 days (1 week).

Where will the survey be conducted?The survey will cover all 14 regions and is expected to yield estimates at regional level, urban/rural as well as for selected socio-economic groups.

When will the survey be conducted?

The survey will be conducted from the 27 April 2015 to 07 April 2016

Namibia Statistics Agency

Thursday, 01 October 20158

Manica signs salary deal

Staff Reporter

The peaceful demonstration by employees of the Manica Group Namibia last week brought the issue of negotiating for salary increases to a point where an agreement in this regard was signed.

Manica Group Namibia is committed to finding an amicable and viable solution to the unresolved dispute related to the January 2013 salary increases. During last week’s demonstration the company reiterated its willingness to negotiate, and subsequent meetings with the union were scheduled for this week where the new agreement was signed between the company and the union representing the workers.

According to a statement issued by the company, the majority of the bargaining unit employees are employed by Walvis Bay Stevedoring.

“These employees are by far the highest-paid stevedores in the industry. As such, the company’s initial high service rates lead

to the loss of major clients, creating an unfavourable business environment and difficulty in sustaining a large workforce. The company values its employees, and is cognizant of the impact job losses have on employees and their families. The company has offered various generous salary increases in the past, despite the difficult economic conditions in the industry. The latest increase offer percentage amounts of up to three times the current inflation rate. These offers have all been refused by the Namibian Seamen and Allied Workers Union (NASAWU).”

The refusal of the union to accept the deals in the past has resulted in a situation where employees in the bargaining unit still have not had a salary increases since 1 January 2013. The company blamed the stalemate squarely on NASAWU and said it is an unacceptable situation and grossly unfair towards staff members in the bargaining unit.

“Regarding the demands in the latest petition, it is evident that the Union has now returned

Sharon Brooks

During the recently concluded 59th session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held in Vienna, Austria Namibia was elected to serve on the Board of Governors of the IAEA.

Namibia will serve on the board from September 2015 until September 2017 on one of only two seats available in Africa, the other will be held by Ghana. The board, which is a subsidiary body of the General Conference, is responsible for examining and making recommendations to the General Conference of the IAEA, accounts, programme and budget as well as considering applications for membership and appointing the Director General of the IAEA. In addition, the board approves publications of IAEA safety standards and safeguard agreements.

The IAEA Board Membership for the period of 2015-2017 consists of 35 Member States, namely: Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Ireland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Russian

Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America and Uruguay.

Through its Country Programme Framework, the IAEA is a UN Agency that provides developmental assistance to its Member States. In September 2014, Namibia signed its Third Country Programme Framework with the IAEA.

Focusing on agriculture and food security, animal disease, crop production, soil and water management techniques, insect pest control, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, uranium mining, energy planning and skills development, the Programme seeks to match nuclear technology for sustainable development to national priorities

These are all in conformity with the Pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to which Namibia attaches significant importance, namely: Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technology, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.

Not only does will the membership put Namibia in a better position with the IAEA, Namibia will also have the ability to serve the interests of developing countries, in particular peaceful uses of nuclear technology and technical cooperation.

to their earlier demands of two years ago. The company and union have since moved their positions substantially. This situation is of grave concern to the company as it derails the progress that was made during the negotiations.”

According to the statement by Manica, various staff members in the bargaining unit from other divisions in the company have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the drawn-out negotiations and are willing to accept the company’s offers. Although the company would like nothing more than to grant the employees their salary increases, it cannot, as its hands are tied by the recognition agreement with the union.

“The company continues to be committed to deliver the ultimate choice in logistics services in Walvis Bay with our dedicated teams. It is our sincere hope that the union representation will consider the plight of the workers and reconsider their current position to resolve these unnecessary delays in the implementation of salary increases.”

Manica Group Namibia reiterated that it will always be committed to finding an amicable and viable solution to the unresolved dispute related to the January 2013 salary increase negotiations.

Namibia to serve on the board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency

The Himba Settlers of SwakopmundDonna Collins

Driven by severe drought and poverty, scatterings of Ovahimba have been forced to seek out a means of survival at the coast, where they brave the bitter cold temperatures, and urban living conditions whilst clinging onto their traditional ways.

Far from the dust, the heat and arid mountainous landscape of the majestic Kunene Region which is home to this semi-nomadic tribe, their challenge to survive after years of drought is still fraught with problems.

Now with another drought forecast, low rainfall predicted, and no grazing for what remains of their goats and cattle, the Ovahimba are turning to the Namibian tourist industry to eke out a meager living.

Pockets of Ovahimba, mostly young girls and women with babies have settled in Swakopmund where tourism is their key attraction. This is a trend they have grown accustomed to in Opuwo, after they were forced to abandon their remote villages after the scourge of drought wiped out their livestock

and brought them to their knees.As a life saver, over the past few decades

the growing tourist industry has provided a much needed form of income, as international visitors, television crews and photographers have flocked to the region in search of one of the world's most indigenous people.

Now seeking the same financial compensation from overseas visitors in Swakopmund, you will find small groups of Ovahimba women and girls sitting under the big palm trees at the Mole, just a stone throw from the new Strand Hotel,

Here they spend their days selling their hand crafted trinkets to passersby, or posing for happy snappers, as through the demand to be photographed they have learned to put a price on their traditional beauty, and no one takes a picture for free.

Women dressed in their traditional habit, wearing little else but a skirt made from leather, plus other ornamentation and headdress which signifies their social status, the familiar sight of these ochre coated bodies are not uncommon to Swakomunders these days.

They have adapted well to the trends of urban culture and the coastal climate it seems, only wrapping themselves in thin blankets on a cold day whilst still going bare foot.

Speaking to a Herero interpreter who was seated close by a group of Himba, he said that many of them are living in the DRC informal settlement where they have created their own circle.

At first they were assisted by a church in Mondessa, but as the group become too large, they moved into their own dwellings, and have been accepted by the locals.

He also informed the reporter that they do not settle in Swakopmund for long periods at a time , and come and go as soon as they have made enough money to take back home.

They sell mostly small hand-made Himba dolls, bracelets and some original artifacts collected from their village.

In fact the Ovahimba will gather wherever there are tourists, and you will even find some

seated at Walvis Bay's Waterfront which is an exciting and attractive tourist venue.

But as the Himba become economically dependent on their traditional authenticity, they need to live up to their image if they want to preserve themselves as a tourist attraction, and the cracks are showing.

Sadly the changing times have chipped away at their cultural essence, with

alcohol, prostitution and other ways of western society impacting on their long lineage of customs, beliefs and traditions.

But for now, they are still keeping face, and despite having suffered extreme hardships while buckling under the pressure of encroaching first world influences, tourists are still drawn to them like moths to a flame.

Small groups of Ovahimba women and young girls have settled in Swakopmund in search of making a living out of the tourists. (Photo Donna Collins)

news

9 Thursday, 01 October 2015 news

The Atlantis Sport Club once again hosted the annual Oktoberfest in Walvis Bay. Residents of the harbour town and visitors had a day filled with fun and activities.

Amongst others an auction was held where a Namibian Rugby Supporter shirt was sold for N$4,000. Other activities included a competition where participants would hammer nails into a piece of wood and the ever popular classic to see which lady could lift the most ‘beer steins’ in one go.

Lots of fun at the Oktoberfest

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Thursday, 01 October 201510 news

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Key Performance Areas:• MonitoringthecorrectoperationofHTreticulationsystematSwakopUranium(SU).• Repairing,reconditioningorchangingoutwornordefectiveparts• Diagnoses,maintains,adjusts,repairsfaultsandoverhaulsequipmentandmachineryonsite• Detectingreasonforrecurringfaults,andtakescorrectiveactionwherenecessary• Ensuringthattherequiredparts,toolsandspecialtoolsareavailableduringservicesandrepairsasplanned• PerformselectricalHighVoltagerepairstocables,breakersandHVinstallations• Providesproactiveadviceandguidanceontheeffectiverepairandmaintenanceofequipmentandmachinery• EnforcescompliancetoCompanyjobsafetyandgoodhousekeepingstandards/practicesatalltimes

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MAIN PURPOSE OF JOBTo prepare, examine, analyze, negotiate and revise tender documents and contracts that involve the purchase of goods or services such as equipment, materials, supplies, or products. To provide contract summaries and ensure contract execution in accordance with company policy. The position will also take up key control over Procurement activities related to small and large capital projects and day to day procurement requests from internal stakeholders.

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supplier• Establishesaccurateinternaldevelopment/runningcostsversusexternallyacquiredproducts/services• Negotiatespreferredsupplierdiscountsandeffectscostreductionachievedduetonegotiationandcontracting• Ensuresthatcontractsmeetpertinentlegalcontractualrequirementsatalltimes• Identifies potential contract items and takes the necessary steps to ensure such items are added to existing

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One of the world’s foremost emerging uranium companies, Swakop Uranium, is focused on developing and operating the world’s third-largest known primary uranium deposit near the town of Swakopmund in Namibia. We need energetic, self-motivated and confident people to apply for our roles and we regard you as our “Employee of Choice”.

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IInterestedpersonsshouldsubmittheirCVandrelevantsupportingdocumentstopsujobs.eng@cgnpc.com.cnorviafaxonnumber0644109001,orhanddeliveredtoHusabTower,c/oLeutwwinandNathanielMaxuililistreetSwakopmundby09October2015.EnquiriescanbedirectedtotheRecruitment

Teamat0644109000.PreviouslydisadvantagedNamibiansmeetingtheabovecriteriaareencouragedtoapply.

Clearlyindicatethepositionyouareapplyingforaswellasyournameandsurnameinthesubjectlineofyourapplicationemail.Applicationsreceivedthatdonotmeetthiscriteriawillnotbeconsidered.

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Throughitscommitmenttoitspeople,thecompanyoffersacompetitiveremunerationpackageandtheopportunitytoworkalongsidesomeofthemostexperiencedanddedicatedpeopleintheindustry.

IInterestedpersonsshouldsubmittheirCVandrelevantsupportingdocumentstorecruitment@cgnpc.comorviafaxonnumber0644109001,orhanddeliveredtoHusabTower,c/oLeutwwinandNathanielMaxuililistreetSwakopmundby09October2015.EnquiriescanbedirectedtotheRecruitment

Teamat0644109000.PreviouslydisadvantagedNamibiansmeetingtheabovecriteriaareencouragedtoapply.

Clearlyindicatethepositionyouareapplyingforaswellasyournameandsurnameinthesubjectlineofyourapplicationemail.Applicationsreceivedthatdonotmeetthiscriteriawillnotbeconsidered.

OOnlyshortlistedcandidateswillbecontactedwithintwoweeksoftheclosingdateofthisadvertisementandnodocumentswillbereturned.

Sharon Brooks

After concluding the Article IV consultation with Namibia on 18 September the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released a report on their findings and concluded that while Namibia’s fiscal system is generally sound, there are areas of concern, particularly in the housing market.

An IMF team conducted the consultations with senior government officials, representatives of the private sector and development partners in July this year, in a process usually undertaken annually. It was found that growth in Namibia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has remained robust since the global financial crisis, though last year was slightly weaker (4.5% in 2014); this was attributed to lower demand for Namibia’s main exports such as diamonds and uranium.

Low international commodity prices such as fuel contained the inflation rate while the government’s fiscal program contributed to a lower unemployment rate (28% in 2014). However, “The recent expansionary fiscal policy, whilst contributing to job creation, has increased pressure on external balances and put downward pressure on international reserves.”

This expansionary policy has counteracted the increase in revenue from the Southern African Customs Union as well as domestic revenue and has resulted in a fiscal deficit of 3.75% of GDP. With further capital expenditure on the cards and lower SACU revenues expected, a larger deficit is anticipated for 2015/2016.

Historically low interest rates have contributed to a dramatic increase in credit that has underpinned growth performance with the private sector experiencing an average growth of 15 percent every year since 2012. Net credit to the government has also risen to meet its large domestic financing needs.

“In light of the financing needs, the

government has been exploring the scope for tapping international capital markets.

“These developments resulted in increased pressure on external balances, while house prices also rose. With the significant increase in import demand, the current account continued to deteriorate in 2014, and international reserves declined to 1½ months of imports by May 2015. House prices have increased by 87 percent over the last five years, driven by several factors (e.g., the growth in disposable income, relatively low interest rates, purchases for short term capital gains, and structural factors).”

The directors warned that accelerating real estate prices combined with high banks mortgage lending could pose risks to both the real economy and the financial sector, and called for vigilance by the government.

The report went on to say that Namibia faces serious development challenges, in particular high unemployment and inequality. It is for this reason that the main policy challenges faced are to promote inclusive growth and job creation, whilst simultaneously strengthening its resilience to exogenous shocks and managing systemic risks in the financial sector.

The Executive Directors encouraged the continued commitment to sound policies and structural reforms to build adequate policy buffers, preserve financial sector stability, and reduce unemployment and inequality. The directors commended the authorities’ commitment to pursue growth-friendly fiscal consolidation but noted if international reserves are to be increased, this would require a sustained effort and pointed out that the government should aim at containing its wage bill and reducing subsidies to state-owned enterprises. Also noteworthy to the board is the government’s plan to carry out a midyear budget review, which would include their fiscal consolidation measures.

Namibia’s growth prospects look good, but risks are increasing – IMF

Sonya Amos

Those of you who read last week’s issue of the Namib Independent and the prophecies of impending doom prompted by the Blood Moon, will have now realised that the world has not, in fact, ended as predicted. Instead, we were treated to a rare and spectacular celestial event.

Not only did we see a Supermoon where the moon appeared much bigger because it was 7% closer to the earth, but we also were treated to a full lunar eclipse, the last in a series of four which made up a rare lunar tedrad, an event which only happens every decade. Lunar eclipses are regular occurrences (there are roughly two a year), however only about a third are total eclipses (as opposed to partial eclipses, in which the moon doesn't pass completely into the Earth's umbra). So, it's a somewhat rare event when the Earth experiences four total eclipses in a row without any partial eclipses in between.

Because of the total eclipse, this Supermoon also took on a reddish

Spectacular supermoonhue, hence the Blood Moon reference which many believe has mystical properties, leading way to the inevitable prophesies of end of the world. In fact, there is nothing mystical about this process. The reddening of the moon, which happens at every lunar eclipse, is the result of the sunlight passing through the Earth's atmosphere and refracting red light onto the otherwise unilluminated lunar surface.

Mystical or not, the sight was spectacular, with coastal residents clearly able to see the huge, red moon low in the sky in the early evening on 27 and 28 September. Enthusiastic insomniacs eager to observe the moon disappearing completely within the earth’s shadow may have been disappointed if they lived close to the sea due to the covering of mist, but those living a little further inland may have been more lucky.

As a result of the Supermoon, the tides were also significantly higher. One of our readers, Mr George Rautenbach, sent in this spectacular photos of a riptide when the sea created a lagoon between the main road and the beach. We welcome your contributions so please do send us any photos to info@namibindependent.com.na.

11 Thursday, 01 October 2015 news

Thursday, 01 October 201512

Lifestyle

Lifestyle

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Opinion: Mel Brooks

You are probably not working hard enough. It’s no use fooling yourself about how tired you are, or how stressed you are. Neither

Stress is caused by not knowing what’s going on fatigue nor stress are caused by hard work.

Think back to a time when you last worked like hell - and achieved something. Did you feel stressed? More likely, you felt physically tired, or even exhausted at the end of the day or week, but after a good night’s sleep you were ready to go again. Hardly the same stress that now wears you down day after day. I say you’re probably not working hard enough, because the stress that you’re experiencing is caused by anxiety

rather than hard work. It flows from the uncertainty of not knowing what the hell is going on, or where in hell you’re going. I will prove that to you shortly.

But first, back to my premise that you’re not working hard enough. Do not confuse long hours with working hard. In some companies there seems to be a culture of “long hours”. If you’re hoping for advancement, or just plain worried about keeping your job, you may feel that you have to hang around until the boss leaves - just to show him you’re on the team. Meanwhile, he’s hanging around because he doesn’t want to get home too early while the kids are still running riot. On the other hand, you may work in one of those illogical environments where the measure of performance is input i.e. hours, rather than outputs - what you actually achieve. Your stress stems from not knowing what is happening. Being in the know does not mean being well connected to the grapevine. In fact, the quality of information that flows down the grapevine is generally poor. It raises more questions than answers, and is probably a main cause of your anxiety-induced stress. What you need is quality information about the company that you work for and the industry of which it is a part. And you need to work hard at getting it. Can you answer the following?

Name the customers that contribute 50 percent of your company’s profits (Obviously you can’t do this if you’re a retailer selling food through large outlets for cash, but in that case you need to be able to profile your main groups of customers)

• Which companies in your industry together have 80 percent of the market? Are they expanding or contracting their operations?

• What technological developments are taking place in the field in which your company’s product competes? Remember how the fax replaced the telex?

• What is changing in the nature of the work that you do? If you are a rep on the road, can your clients effectively be serviced by a telesales operation? Are there changes in technology that will enable your work to be done by less skilled (lower paid) people, or will your company need fewer people at your level?

• What would it cost your company to get an outsider such as a consultant or sub-contractor to do what you do? What do you cost your company?

The point is that as an employee, you need to regard yourself as a business within a business. Your employer owes you nothing other than a cheque - if you provide value. As a good “business” you need to provide outstanding service and value for money. You can do this by establishing exactly what it is you have to deliver, rather than just doing time. Finding this information may be hard work, but it will partially reduce your anxiety / stress. I say partially because you could be doing an outstanding job and still find yourself out on the street. Unfortunately, this often happens. To deal with the stress of this possibility, you also need to look at the total environment in which your employer operates. This will also take work. Reading widely in trade publications and the financial media and finding out things yourself will take effort, but being in the know will allow you to plan ahead. Changes can provide opportunities if you’re ready for them.

Get tired by working hard at the right things. Don’t get caught with a warehouse full of telex machines!

13 Thursday, 01 October 2015

Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Sharon Brooks

In April this year Naude and Katja Dreyer along with their three children enjoyed an idyllic family holiday with friends. Little did they know that in just a few short weeks their lives would be forever changed with a diagnosis that shattered the happiness of their family home.

The following month on the fourteenth of May, four year old Nina complained that she was having difficulty going to the toilet, it was then that the young couple first noticed an odd lump, they immediately rushed the blonde-haired, blue-eyed little girl to the emergency room, where doctors initially diagnosed an abscess and prescribed antibiotics and a laxative.

By the following Monday, however, the lump was still evident and on Katja’s insistence, an ultrasound was conducted whereupon a solid mass was discovered. Nothing could be done until a surgeon would be in town, an agonising ten days later, either way, due to the proximity of the lump to her vital organs, surgery would be impossible. When Katja mentioned the possibility of cancer this was met with a reassuring “no, don’t worry, those things never happen.”

Katja’s persistence, be it in regards to insisting that further tests be done, or refusing to leave radiology until a CT could be conducted, sped up a usually slow process considerably and it was soon discovered that the lump was a tumour, though a biopsy would have to be performed, by a specialist, before it would be known whether the lump was benign or malignant.

Much to the frustration of the Dreyer family, it turned out that Namibia does not have a specialist capable of undertaking the case. In the hopes of providing their precious little girl with the best possible care, the Dreyers were soon off to Pretoria for specialist tests and on the first of June, nearly three weeks after first seeking treatment, the news finally came. Little Nina has cancer.

The family were referred to the Red Cross Hospital in Cape Town for treatment, Nina was eventually diagnosed with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, but the good news was that the cancer was non-metastatic – it had not spread to other parts of her body. After a wide range of tests including CT scans, MRI’s and lumbar punctures, Nina began chemo therapy on 17 June.

Nina, too young to grasp the seriousness of what lay ahead of her, was excited at the prospect of losing her hair after seeing a princess wig and tiara, because as we all know, real princesses do not have hair.

Katja says that the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital is the best possible place for them to be, the facilities are outstanding, 20 beds and three oncologists on staff and a number in training provide these little fighters with the best possible chance of beating the demons attacking their fragile bodies.

“It is a state hospital, they heavily rely on donations from everywhere. My daughter could not be in better hands. The doctors and nurses are amazing, they care so much about each child. They know all of them by name, they know each child's background by heart. The oncology unit has been funded by the National Lottery. All over the hospital, you find big thank you boards with massive donations from all over the world. It is a privilege to have my child in their care,” said Katja. The treatment, no matter how well managed however, has devastated this once vibrant little girl.

“We sent a completely healthy little girl for chemo; she had absolutely no symptoms from the cancer. One day after she first started treatment, she no longer wants sweets or dairy and suffers from mood swings. She is weak and has lost 20% of her body weight in three months. It is harder for her to recover after each chemotherapy treatment,” says Katja, as she feeds Nina through a nasal gastric tube which delivers life-saving calories directly into her stomach. On the 19th of August, Nina underwent a successful surgery to remove her “eggy” as she calls it, but treatment will

The Princess and the Pea – A story of childhood cancer

continue for the foreseeable future and Nina now has a 65% chance of recovering. Chemo blocks are planned until July next year, and it is only five years later that Nina will be considered free of cancer.

The Dreyer family are well known amongst locals as being approachable, friendly and generous beyond measure, and the love they have shown over the years for family and friends the world over came flooding back as news of the diagnosis broke. Messages of love and support flooded social media, locals began knitting beanies frantically to keep Nina warm during treatment. A friend offered their beach front house in Cape Town for the family to stay while undergoing treatment and Katja says every show of support helps them get through another difficult day.

“I had no idea how much love

there was until my child got cancer,” adds Katja. If you would like to find out more about Nina, Katja is happy to give advice to anyone who may have questions, and you are welcome to contact her on Facebook at Katja Dreyer.

Donating to the Red Cross Hospital is a wonderful way of joining in the fight against childhood cancer, but another, very important way anyone can help is through donating blood. Nina has undergone a number of blood transfusions while under treatment, and will most likely need countless more as her red blood cell counts plummet as a result of the chemotherapy drugs. A couple of minutes spent donating blood at the local blood clinic could help a child in need.

Katja and her princess, Nina, battling all odds

Thursday, 01 October 201514 Worldwide

WorldwidePotentially life-giving water still flows across the ancient surface of Mars from time to time, NASA scientists said Monday in revealing a potential breakthrough in both the search for life beyond Earth and human hopes to one day travel there.

While the discovery does not by itself offer evidence of life on Mars, either past or present, it does boost hopes that the harsh landscape still offers some refuge for microbes to cling to existence.

"The existence of liquid water, even if it is super salty briny water, gives the possibility that if there is life on Mars, that we have a way to describe how it might survive," said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA.

NASA researchers using an imager aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter confirmed the watery flows by looking at light waves returned from seasonal dark streaks on the surface,

long suspected to be associated with liquid water.

The investigation showed the streaks absorb light at specific wavelengths associated with chemicals known to pull water from the Martian atmosphere in a process known as deliquescence, said Georgia Tech doctoral student Lujendra Ojha, who first discovered the streaks while still an undergraduate student at the University of Arizona in 2011.

The chemicals allow the water to remain liquid at lower temperatures but also help keep it from boiling off in the thin atmosphere of Mars, the researchers said.

It remains unclear where the water comes from. Theories include deliquescence, melting subsurface ice or even a liquid-water aquifer that feeds the process. Discovering what precisely is causing the phenomenon is a mystery for the next round of investigations, said Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA's Mars

Exploration Program.The researchers' findings are in a

new paper being presented this week at the European Planetary Science Congress in France.

This is not the first discovery of water on Mars.

Researchers have known for many years that Mars has water frozen at its poles, in its thin atmosphere, and, most recently, in tiny puddles that appear to form at night on the surface.

Nor is it the first potential clue that Mars could have once -- or may still -- host life. The Mars Curiosity rover, for instance, has detected methane on the surface of Mars, as well as other chemical signatures suggesting the possibility of past or present life.

It remains to be seen whether the new discovery improves the odds of life on Mars, but researcher Mary Beth Wilhelm said the results suggest "more habitable conditions on the near surface of Mars than previously thought."

Liquid water exists on Mars

How habitable, she said, depends on how salty and how cold the conditions are.

But Alfred McEwen, who heads up NASA's HiRISE high-resolution camera aboard the Mars orbiter, said he is fairly confident life will one day be found on Mars.

"It is very likely, I think, that there is life somewhere in the crust of Mars, microbes," he said.

Jim Green, director of planetary science at NASA, said the

discovery announced Monday puts NASA in a perfect position to look for that life.

"We have not been able to answer the question, 'Does life exist beyond Earth?' " Green said. "But following the water is a critical element of that. We now have, I think, a great opportunity to be in the right locations on Mars to thoroughly investigate that."

Source: www.edition.cnn.com

As of September 15th, elephants, lions, bears, and giraffes and many other wild animals will now no longer be exploited in circuses in the Netherlands. The ban was passed only last week and has already been put into effect, handing a major victory to animal rights activists everywhere. This may also very well be the fastest government response to anything ever.

There are 22 active circuses in the Netherlands and 16 of them use 119 wild animals including sea lions, primates, lions, tigers, zebras, elephants, and giraffes.

Over the past 9 years, Wilde Dieren de Tent Uit has been working tirelessly for this ban to go into place. His group, the Association of Dutch Animal Welfare Organisations, has been tasked with assisting the Dutch circuses

in relocating their animals to safe, species-appropriate wildlife reserves to live out the rest of their lives in peace and comfort. None of the animals can or will be returned to the wild.

The Netherlands joins with nine other European countries, including Austria, Greece, and Belgium, in banning forcing wild animals to perform in circuses.

In a similar decision, Costa Rica has decided to close the remainder of its zoos and free the wild animals currently living in captivity. Like in the Netherlands, the animals will be relocated to species-appropriate wildlife preserves.

Source: www.iheartnature.org

The Netherlands just dealt a HUGE blow to circuses

Image credit: The Plaid Zebra

All over the world, there are housing crises. In places like the United States, it is a crisis of homelessness. In China, it is a crisis of building sufficient housing for a rapidly growing population.

Ma Yihe, owner of WinSun, has developed a way to 3-D print 10 full-sized single-story homes in just a single day.

The Chinese company uses 10m x 5.5m printers to spray a mix of cement and construction waste to build walls one layer at a time. Incredible that they are able to use waste that would otherwise go to the dump and pollute the Earth.

The homes are also incredibly energy

efficient and can be produced at the highly affordable cost of N$69,550 each.

Yihe hopes that in the near future, 3-D printers like his can be used to construct all buildings; even massive skyscrapers. Unfortunately, Chinese regulations do not allow for multi-storey 3-D printed structures.

I know what you are thinking: the company is probably going to build cheap houses and then jack up the price. Not so! WinSun intends to produce cost-effective homes in an effort to modernize living conditions in traditionally poor, rural Chinese villages.

Source: www.iheartnature.org

This revolutionary 3-D printer builds 10 houses a day. Impressive!

15 Thursday, 01 October 2015 Motoring

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Next year, Wing Commander Andy Green will pull up to a 12km stretch of dried lakebed on the Hakskeen Pan of South Africa. After around eight years of development, he will begin his first attempt, accelerating to speeds of 1368km/h – and smashing his own land speed record in the process.

Green will be piloting the Bloodhound SSC, the fastest car ever made, and will have over 135,000 combined horsepower at his disposal. A culmination of years of work from the country’s leading figures in science, motorsport and technology, Green’s first run will be followed by an even faster attempt. Later in the year, the Bloodhound SSC project will race to achieve speeds of 1610km/h, and put the land speed record well out of reach.The project

Designed to be the fastest car on the planet, the Bloodhound SSC comes with some serious pedigree. A project headed by serial record breaker Richard Noble – who also masterminded the Thrust 2 and Thrust SSC record holders. Piloted by Andy Green, who was the first man to break the sound barrier on land with the Thrust SSC.The record attempt

The Bloodhound is going to set two records, with the first a 1368km/h run in South Africa next year. Before that, the team will shake down the car’s systems in Newquay using refurbished aviation tyres, and attain a speed of 320km/h.

If everything goes well, the Bloodhound will head to South Africa for a true test of its speed. Rubber wheels will be replaced for 1610km/h -worthy cast-aluminum ones, as the team first look to beat the existing land speed record of the Thrust SSC. If they are successful, they will analyse the data captured in the record attempt, and perfect the car for a 1610km/h run later in the year.The engines

To achieve a top speed of 1610km/h, the Bloodhound relies on a trinity of powerful engines, each with different duties. The workhorse of the Bloodhound

is an EJ200, but the Bloodhound’s impressive top speed comes from a Nammo rocket cluster, helped by a Jaguar V8 engine.

Donated by the Ministry of Defence, but originally destined for a Typhoon combat jet, the EJ200 is responsible for the initial phase of acceleration, and produces over 54,000hp.

Strapping a jet engine into a car comes with its own challenges. According to Tony Dineen, engine manager of the EJ200, one of the main challenges of installing the jet engine was ensuring that it got the required amount of cooling: “The design team upstairs worked very closely with Rolls Royce so that you get the optimum airflow to the front of the EJ200,” he explained. “We are trying to replicate as much as we can how the engine is installed into a Typhoon fighter, essentially tricking the engine then into thinking that it is fitted to a Typhoon – and not a car.”

The EJ200 only represents the first stage of the Bloodhound’s power, and its main job is to get the Bloodhound at optimum speed for a larger Nammo hybrid rocket cluster.

Essentially sophisticated fireworks, the Nammos’ combined 81,000hp is derived from a controlled chemical reaction, meaning it has a limited operating window. To get to the highest speeds possible, Green must wait until the EJ200 achieves optimum velocity before engaging the Nammos. At the press of a button on the F1-like steering wheel, an ancillary 650hp Jaguar V8 engine roars into life – but it is only used to pump HTP fuel into the hybrid rockets, and bring on a possible top speed of 1610km/h.

With all engines running, the Bloodhound has a combined power figure of around 135,000hp.The chassis

Shaped more like a large pencil than a car, the form is the result of years of aerodynamic research. Every area of the car has been shaped for the best performance, and a number of other

Bloodhound SSC: A UK-built car that will attempt to smash the land speed record

factors – including handling at supersonic and subsonic speeds – have been taken into account.

At 1610km/h, the weight of the car and the way it cuts through the air is vital. Built in Bristol, it uses much of the same materials as a F1 car: “The external skin is a combination of titanium with carbon fibre,” explained Dineen. “The front is carbon fibre for its strength and ballistic capabilities.”Handling

Although the Bloodhound and previous attempts may show the car going in a straight line, the reality is very different. Any vehicle aiming for the land speed record must be able to steer itself, and taming the car’s 135,000hp is critical to a successful record attempt.

Just as going over a speed bump is vastly different at 65km/h or 16km/h, every change of the Hakskeen Pan’s surface is multiplied at 1610km/h. As a result, Andy Green will have to make hundreds of minute connections as the car begins its acceleration phase.Under pressure

However, it is not just the ground that can cause handling issues – even the air itself changes how the car

drives. “As you are increasing in speed, you are building up shockwaves in front of the car so you will have pressures acting on the car. When you break the sound barrier the pressures will change the handling of the car as well. As Andy Green found when he did Thrust SSC, you are fighting the car until around supersonic and then it seemed to smooth itself out when you went supersonic. They have taken that into account so that the handling when you go up to and beyond supersonic is a lot easier than the Thrust SSC Bloodhound.”

Of course, after the acceleration,

which can produce up to 2G, the car must be stopped. At speeds of more than 1610km/h something more than brakes is needed. “You have air brakes that are just forward of the real wheels, so they will deploy once you get below 320km/h,” said Dineen. “He has then got a foot pedal for normal brakes on the front wheels.” The result? The Bloodhound can slow from 1610km/h to 0km/h in 65 seconds, causing Green to experience three times his own body weight.

Source: www.alphr.com

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