Day: February 9, 2024

In a bid to raise funds for the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, President Cyril Ramaphosa this morning teed off at the annual Presidential Golf Challenge (PGC).

The PGC was held at the Atlantic Beach Golf Estate, Melkbosstrand, following the President’s State of the Nation Address on Thursday night.

According to the Presidency, the funds will be used by the foundation’s partner, the Adopt-A-School Foundation, to construct ablution facilities as part of the Department of Basic Education’s SAFE Initiative, which stands for Sanitation Appropriate for Education.

‘This is an important investment in the dignity of learners and staff at schools and a contribution to social infrastructure in the country.

‘The President is honoured that his playing partner this year is 14-year-old Botshepehi Phakoe of Mangaung in the Free State. Botshepehi is one of the best young players in the Free State Junior Union,’ the Presidency said.

Load shedding

Answering questions from the media on load shedding on the side lines of th
e golf challenge, President Ramaphosa said government cannot give an exact date on when the rolling power outages will stop.

‘It is a constant problem for South Africans. We know that and everybody feels it. And it’s not comfortable at all. In fact, it does sometimes evoke a lot of anger. But as I’ve said, we do have the resilience as South Africans to keep on ensuring that we do hope for a better time. And a better time is coming.

‘The issue of the ending of load shedding is a moot one. Everybody wants to know…when is it ending. When you give them a date and there’s load shedding thereafter, they say you were lying and you make empty, false promises. So we are not going to do that because this is a process.

‘Through the National Electricity Crisis Committee, everything is put in place. All the pillars are put in place to finally address load shedding. It would be wonderful and ideal to give a date but processes like these that are engineering based…you cannot really put a date to,’ he said.

SARS

Respond
ing to questions on the extension of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) boss, Commissioner Edward Kieswetter’s tenure, President Ramaphosa batted away any suggestions of a crisis at the revenue collector’s office.

He explained that with Kieswetter’s term coming to an end, measures need to be put in place to facilitate a ‘proper transition’.

‘So there’s no crisis. Nobody should be in any form of angst because the process is being handled very, very properly. And I’m happy to have a Commissioner of Revenue like him who is very cooperative; who is committed to his work; who is diligent and who has revived SARS from the grips of state capture.

‘So when I was talking about revamping our institutions last night [at the State of the Nation Address], I highlighted that SARS is one of those. It is back to its old, efficient self having been taken into the depths of state capture for a while.

‘We have reclaimed it and I’m rather glad that it is one of those institutions that is serving the people of South Afr
ica well,’ President Ramaphosa said.

Earlier this week, the President agreed to extend the Commissioner’s tenure beyond the end of his term at the revenue collector.

The Commissioner’s contract of employment was set to end on 30 April, where after a new Commissioner would be appointed.

In March 2019, President Ramaphosa appointed Kieswetter, in terms of Section 6 of the South African Revenue Service Act, for a five-year term that started on 1 May 2019.

Source: South African Government News Agency

OTJIWARONGO: The Otjozondjupa Regional Council on Thursday officially opened a book of condolences for late President Hage Geingob who died in Windhoek on Sunday.

The condolences book, according to the Personal Assistant to the Otjozondjupa Region Governor, Charmaine Tjizumane is to allow the general public to send messages to the bereaved family of Geingob.

Tjizumane told Nampa on Thursday: ‘The book belongs to the Government, and it will be placed on the ground floor of the Otjozondjupa Regional Council building where it will remain open to any member of the public who wants to send a message of condolences and a word of support to the late president’s family.’

Tjizumane called on the region’s inhabitants to make use of the opportunity to convey their condolences before the book is sent to State House in Windhoek.

Source: Namibia Press Agency

OSHAKATI: A four-year-old boy allegedly drowned in a pond while fetching water with his siblings at Olwaadhiya village in the Omusati Region’s Onesi Constituency on Thursday.

The deceased was identified as Shilikuwo Kamati.

The Namibian Police Force’s Omusati Crime Investigation Coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Moses Simaho, said the incident occurred around 19h00 when the boy’s mother allegedly instructed the boy and his siblings, aged two and five, to fetch water from a pond near the house while she was busy working in the mahangu field.

‘When the children returned without the deceased, the mother went back to the pond. She found him floating in the water and retrieved the body,’ he said.

The deceased’s body is being kept at the Onesi Health Centre and will be further transported to the Okahao Police mortuary for an autopsy to be conducted.

Police investigations into the matter continue.

Source: Namibia Press Agency

WINDHOEK: The Namibia International Energy Conference (NIEC) is scheduled to take place in Windhoek from 23 to 25 April 2024.

It is expected to unite government officials, private companies, investors, and thought leaders from across the globe to unlock the full potential of Namibia’s energy industry, a statement issued by BopheleCommunications said.

The conference will take place under the patronage of Minister of Mines and Energy Tom Alweendo and will be held under the theme ‘Reimagine Resource-Rich Namibia: Turning Possibilities into Prosperity.’

‘This year’s conference will shed light on the significant opportunities that Namibia’s recent oil discoveries and growing developments in the renewable energy have brought to the country,’ it said.

Speakers will share strategies on how to transform Namibia into a regional energy and investment hub, with project showcases, presentations and in-depth industry insights connecting future players to emerging Namibian opportunities.

‘In recent years, international
energy companies and their joint venture partners have discovered valuable oil reserves, setting the stage for a transformative period in Namibia’s economy,’ it said.

It said the discoveries, exploration interest and promotion of green hydrogen and other energy developments has not happened in a vacuum, but rather, it has happened due to a strong focus on establishing a business-friendly environment for investors to come in.

‘Spearheaded by the government under the guidance of President Hage Geingob, Namibia has become a highly attractive and strategic market to do business,’ the statement said.

It further said Selma Shimutwikeni, Chief Executive Officer of RichAfrica Consultancy and convenor of NIEC 2024, said ‘Namibia stands at a pivotal moment in its history. Our newfound energy resources present immense potential, but they also come with profound responsibilities. We must strategically prepare ourselves to harness the full value chain of these resources.’

The event is also expected to host a delegatio
n of ministers from energy-rich countries, offering a unique opportunity for cross-border cooperation and networking.

Source: Namibia Press Agency

WINDHOEK: In a miniature Cabinet reshuffle, President Nangolo Mbumba on Friday appointed John Mutorwa as Deputy Prime Minister, succeeding Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who was on Sunday sworn in as Namibia’s Vice President. Mutorwa will also retain his position as Minister of Works and Transport. In other changes, Peya Mushelenga has succeeded Nandi-Ndaitwah as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, while his former deputy, Emma Theofilus has been appointed as Minister of Information and Communication Technology. Mbumba also appointed Modestus Amutse as Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, succeeding Theofilus in the role.

Source: Namibia Press Agency

KATIMA MULILO: The Masubia Traditional Authority has described the late President Hage Geingob as a great advocate for an inclusive approach to ensure that all Namibian citizens felt they mattered and that they were part of the Namibian house.

Speaking at a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the late president hosted by the Bukalo Village Council on Thursday, the Masubia Traditional Authority’s Ngambela Albius Kamwi maintained that as a leader, Geingob dedicated his entire life to serving his nation and enormously contributed to the liberation of the country and the creation of the Namibian nation.

‘He served every Namibian, both young and old, black and white in our respectful country. A commitment to an inclusive society is of utmost importance maintained in our diverse society,’ Kamwi stated.

In the same vein, the TA has commended the Namibian government for a smooth, peaceful and orderly transfer of power in accordance with the Namibian Constitution.

‘We congratulate His Excellency Dr Nangolo Mbumba
and Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah for respectively assuming the critical leadership roles of president and vice president, and we would like to assure them and our fellow citizens of our commitment and support to work with them all the time at all levels to ensure peace and security and prosperity for our community and that of the entire nation,’ Kamwi said.

Geingob died on 04 February in Windhoek while receiving medical treatment for cancer.

Source: Namibia Press Agency