Day: December 27, 2023

SWAKOPMUND: A Namibian national men’s senior football team (Brave Warriors) player is set to appear in the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday over an alleged hit and run incident that occurred over the weekend.

According to a crime report issued by Namibian Police Force (NamPol) Erongo Region Police Commander of Community Affairs Policing Inspector Ileni Shapumba, the suspect allegedly ran a pedestrian over, resulting in to serious injuries.

According to Shapumba, the suspect allegedly fled the accident scenes and failed to ascertain the extend of the damage or render assistance the victim.

The suspect who was set to travel to Ghana on Wednesday for a match but was arrested and detained after his father reportedly brought him in from Windhoek.

In an separate and unrelated incident, a case of murder was opened against a 53-year-old man from Henties Bay, who allegedly stabbed his 31-year-old girlfriend several times in her body chest and stomach, resulting in her death.

The suspected then reportedl
y attempted to commit suicide by setting the shack he was in on fire, but he was taken out by the witnesses and brought to the clinic.

According to Shapumba, after the suspect was admitted, he escaped, went back home where suspectedly drank car battery acid but was once again rushed to the clinic at the town from which he was transferred to the Swakopmund State Hospital where he is currently receiving treatment under police guard.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has advised motorists to exercise extreme caution when driving in rainy conditions.

This as the South African Weather Services has forecast rain in many parts of the country.

Some travellers are expected to start making it back from their holidays and the roads are expected to see a slight increase in traffic volumes from today.

‘The RTMC urges motorists to reduce speed, keep a safe following distance, have lights on and avoid crossing flooded bridges. Motorists must also ensure that vehicles are in a roadworthy state.

“Lights, wipers, windscreens, brakes, and tyres must be checked before the start of the journey.’

The RTMC said officers will ‘not hesitate to discontinue or impound vehicles that are not roadworthy’.

More than 1738 vehicles have been discontinued and 3340 impounded since the start of the festive season in December.

More than 4160 motorists have been arrested. The majority were held for drunken driving while others were detained for produci
ng false documents and driving public transport contrary to operating permits.

Vehicles are generally discontinued or suspended for being unroadworthy and they may not be operated on public roads until all identified defects have been fixed. The act of discontinuing a motor vehicle involves the removal and destruction of its licence disc or roadworthy certificate disc and issuing a notice directing that the motor vehicle shall not be operated on a public road. The notice stipulates conditions in which such a vehicle may be operated on a public road.

‘Public transport operators are again reminded that their drivers should have proper documents to drive, and the vehicles are used on permitted routes and are not overloaded.

‘Severe consequences will be faced by those found operating contrary to the rules,’ said the RTMC.
Source: South African Government News Agency

OSHAKATI: The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform on Wednesday handed over 42 tractors procured through the Namibia Agricultural Mechanisation and Seed Improvement Project (NAMSIP) to the Omusati Region, which will benefit crop farmers and other crop producing in general.

Speaking during the handover and launch of the ‘Tulongeni Project’ on Wednesday, the agriculture ministry’s executive director Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, stated that the ministry, through NAMSIP has procured 350 tractors with matching implements, 42 of which have been allocated to the Omusati Region. The ministry also procured 380 walking tractors with matching implements, 26 of which have also been allocated to the Omusati Region.

Nghituwamata added that hand-operated jab seed drillers, hand-operated weeding cultivators are among the other production inputs procured.

‘One of the key challenges affecting food security in Namibia is the inability of rural producers to timely access agricultural inputs such as seeds, farm machinery
and equipment that are required for effective land preparation, planting, weeding and harvesting,’ she said.

She added that this challenge negatively affects agricultural production, post-harvest handling and marketing.

Furthermore, Nghituwamata stated that the agricultural mechanisation component of the project will therefore enable farmers to complete farming operations in a timely manner, especially in the crop production regions where rain-fed farming systems are practiced.

Nghituwamata explained that all these interventions are aimed at enabling their farmers to complete their farm operations in an efficient and timely manner through provision of mechanized services thereby improving agricultural production and productivity and improve food security and food self-sufficiency household, regional and national levels.

In order to ensure sustained and continuous provision of subsidised mechanised services to farmers, Nghituwamata noted that the ministry has recruited 438 Farm Machinery Operators (FMOs),
152 of whom have completed their one-month mandatory training on farm machinery operation and management to ensure that the machinery is put to good use and properly maintained.

For the Omusati Region, 18 of the 53 FMOs have completed their training and are ready for the deployment once all the logistical arrangements have been finalised.

Nghituwamata urged farmers to go and register at the nearest Agricultural Development Centre and benefit from the services provided by the ministry.

During the same occasion, Omusati Governor, Erginus Endjala re-launched the Tulongeni Project, with the aim of encouraging farmers to work hard to ensure food security in the region.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has advised motorists to exercise extreme caution when driving in rainy conditions.

This as the South African Weather Services has forecast rain in many parts of the country.

Some travellers are expected to start making it back from their holidays and the roads are expected to see a slight increase in traffic volumes from today.

‘The RTMC urges motorists to reduce speed, keep a safe following distance, have lights on and avoid crossing flooded bridges. Motorists must also ensure that vehicles are in a roadworthy state.

“Lights, wipers, windscreens, brakes, and tyres must be checked before the start of the journey.’

The RTMC said officers will ‘not hesitate to discontinue or impound vehicles that are not roadworthy’.

More than 1738 vehicles have been discontinued and 3340 impounded since the start of the festive season in December.

More than 4160 motorists have been arrested. The majority were held for drunken driving while others were detained for produci
ng false documents and driving public transport contrary to operating permits.

Vehicles are generally discontinued or suspended for being unroadworthy and they may not be operated on public roads until all identified defects have been fixed. The act of discontinuing a motor vehicle involves the removal and destruction of its licence disc or roadworthy certificate disc and issuing a notice directing that the motor vehicle shall not be operated on a public road. The notice stipulates conditions in which such a vehicle may be operated on a public road.

‘Public transport operators are again reminded that their drivers should have proper documents to drive, and the vehicles are used on permitted routes and are not overloaded.

‘Severe consequences will be faced by those found operating contrary to the rules,’ said the RTMC.
Source: South African Government News Agency

The deployment of 40 tourism monitors at the Table Mountain National Park has been welcomed by the Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille.

The Tourism Monitors Programme is an initiative by the Department of Tourism to supplement safety and security measures by the South African Police Service to enhance the safety of tourists.

‘The department has set aside R174.5 million from this year’s budget to deploy around 2 300 tourism monitors at key tourist attractions,’ said the department.

The 2 305 tourism monitors will be deployed as follows:

Eastern Cape – 150

Free State – 150

Western Cape – 250

Gauteng – 100

Limpopo – 100

KwaZulu-Natal – 200

Mpumalanga – 220

North West – 100

Northern Cape – 70

iSimangaliso Wetland Park – 200

Ezemvelo nature Reserve – 150

SANBI Gardens – 130

ACSA Airports – 135

SANParks – 350

Out of the 350 monitors deployed to SANParks, 70 were allocated to Table Mountain National Park, of which 40 were deployed last week. The balance will be deployed in the New Year.

‘Our n
ational parks are key tourism attractions and remain top of our list for key source markets. The safety of all tourists remains paramount and we are determined to do all we can to ensure that all tourists have a safe and memorable experience.’
Source: South African Government News Agency

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has urged members of the public to report illegal mining activities after five undocumented foreign nationals were arrested in Limpopo.

The police arrested the five suspects, aged between 19 and 34 years, on 24 December at Selwane Village (under the Lulekani policing area) for illegal mining.

Members of the Mopani Illegal Mining Task Team arrived at the old mining shaft in Selwane and found a group of people in the act of illegal mining.

‘As the police were approaching the suspects, one of them opened fire on the police as he returned underground. Police managed to arrest the four suspects and started searching for the one who went underground. He was eventually arrested but the firearm could not be found,’ said SAPS in a statement.

The suspects were found in possession of picks, spades, an iron digging bar, shovels and torches. One bag containing suspected precious minerals was also confiscated.

In addition, members of the Mopani Illegal Mining Task Team have rec
overed and seized various abandoned mining equipment, groceries, and cooking utensils in the area, which indicated there are other illegal miners in the area.

The Limpopo Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the arrest and hailed the team’s endless efforts.

On Sunday, police said the arrested suspects are expected to appear before the Lulekani Magistrate’s Court in due course, facing charges of illegal mining, attempted murder and contravention of the Immigration Act.

Members of the community can report illegal mining activities to Crime Stop on 08600 10111, their nearest police station or use the My SAPS App.
Source: South African Government News Agency