Month: February 2024

WINDHOEK: Several bills are set to be brought before the Namibian Parliament this year, with the legislative year having commenced on Tuesday.

President Nangolo Mbumba while formally inaugurating the ninth session of the seventh Parliament on Tuesday said some of the proposed bills to be tabled in the National Assembly include the Regional Constituency Fund Bill; the Health Professions Bill; the Namibia Energy Regulator Bill; the Electricity Bill; and the Marriage Bill.

Others are the Child Justice Bill; Ombudsman Bill; Marriage Bill; Divorce Bill; Public Gathering and Demonstration Bill; Regularisation of Status of Certain Residents, Their Foreign Spouses, and Their Descendants Bill; as well as the Roads Bill and Vehicle Mass Bill.

The parliamentary session this year is running under the theme ‘Improved public engagement to meet the expectations of the citizens.’

Speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjavivi said the theme reminds lawmakers of their duties to forge close ties with the Namibian people
.

‘This theme underscores the imperative for us as elected representatives to listen, engage, and act decisively to address the challenges facing our citizens, including efficient service delivery. Our actions in this parliament must reflect the aspirations and the needs of our people,’ Katjavivi said.

‘As we embark on this new legislative year, it is important that we reflect on the progress we have made as a nation as we approach the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections. Let us renew our commitment to the leadership as well as to the need to preserve peace and stability in our country.’

The speaker also paid tribute to the late president Hage Geingob, who was among the founding members of the National Assembly, while urging members of parliament to emulate his spirit of unity and cooperation.

‘Our late president would always stress and underline that idea of togetherness, holding hands, and he would constantly refer to the Namibian House as being inclusive forever.

‘It is true that our com
bined effort can achieve greater good for our country and its people as per our national theme of ‘One Namibia, One Nation’,’ he said.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department says provincial disaster management teams are responding to the trail of destruction caused by severe thunderstorms, accompanied by strong winds and lightning, in Dannhauser, Estcourt, Vryheid and Ulundi.

The department said three learners from Mandlamasha Primary School in Dannhauser (under Amajuba District) were struck by lightning on their way home from school on Monday.

One learner died on the spot, while the other two were rushed to hospital, where they are recovering.

KZN Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi, has expressed condolences to the family of the departed learner and wished a speedy recovery to the two who were hospitalised.

‘It is deeply sad that such a young person has left us in a tragic manner. We express our deepest condolences to the family, and we wish a speedy recovery to the other two learners that are in hospital.

‘Our disaster team will reach out to the families,’ Sit
hole-Moloi said.

Sithole-Moloi said a number of households in the three areas were severely impacted, as the strong wind tore roofs apart, causing damage to the valuables of many families.

She said public infrastructure was not spared from the disaster as power lines were destroyed by the strong winds, resulting in power outages in some areas.

‘Our initial reports suggest that the most affected areas were Wembezi in Estcourt (under Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality), Nhlazatshe in Ulundi and Ozwathini and Mhlongo farm under Abaqulusi Local Municipality.

‘It is deeply saddening that the inclement weather has caused yet another disaster in our province, as many municipalities are currently repairing homes and infrastructure after last month’s heavy rains. We have sent teams that are currently on the ground to assist affected families with immediate relief and to attend to the needs of those affected,’ the MEC said.

Sithole-Moloi has instructed the disaster teams to work together with all affected mun
icipalities, and the department has coordinated with other departments to come to the aid of affected families.

‘Some families have lost their valuables, such as furniture and important documents and medication. We are engaging with the Department of Health, Home Affairs, and SASSA [South African Social Security Agency] to assist with the replacement of important documents and medication.

‘The disaster team is providing immediate relief, as it continues with assessments to establish the full extent of the damage in all affected areas. More details will be confirmed at a later stage,’ Sithole-Moloi said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

WINDHOEK: Chief Justice, Peter Shivute, has revealed that the High Court finalised a total 6 827 civil and labour-related cases in 2023, accounting for 64 per cent of the matters heard last year.

This, he said, is a demonstration of notable efficiency in case disposal.

Shivute was speaking at the official opening of the 2024 legal year in the capital on Wednesday. At the occasion, members of the judiciary, including High Court and Supreme Court judges, observed a moment of silence in honour of the late President Hage Geingob, who died on Sunday in a Windhoek hospital. President Nangolo Mbumba, who was subsequently sworn in as Head of State, officiated the opening of the legal year.

‘Notably, 5 355 of these cases met the prescribed disposal benchmarks, leading to an impressive on-time disposal rate of 78 per cent. This achievement underscores a pattern of steady improvement in the on-time performance of the main division,’ Shivute said.

In his speech, Mbumba stressed the judiciary’s constitutional role in
the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections in November.

‘Our late President, Dr Hage G Geingob, named 2024 the Year of Expectations. This theme resonates with important events taking place in our country this year, among them the Presidential and National Assembly elections. The Judiciary, as an indispensable organ of State, should play its constitutional and complementary role to ensure the seamless holding of elections that are free and fair,’ Mbumba said.

He further stressed government’s commitment in providing budgetary funding to the Office of the Judiciary to enhance its capacity.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, has encouraged South Africans to get behind Bafana Bafana as they take on Nigeria in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-finals on Wednesday.

Bafana Bafana have captured the hearts of South Africans and football fans in their performances at AFCON, reaching their first semi-final in the competition in 24 years.

‘Bafana Bafana have inspired many at the 34th AFCON. The team has risen from past disappointments to display the winning trajectory being exhibited by South African sport, arts and culture on international platforms.

‘They have broken records by keeping four clean sheets in the tournament. The heroics of the Bafana Bafana players during the tournament, including the feats of captain Ronwen Williams in the quarterfinals, will live long in the memories of football supporters,’ the Minister said on Tuesday.

Kodwa will be travelling to Cote d’Ivoire to support the team in the semi-final clash.

‘Spain and Argentina lost their opening games in the
2010 and 2022 FIFA World Cup, respectively, before winning those tournaments. I believe Bafana Bafana have that champion spirit to replicate this by going the whole way and bringing the AFCON title home.

‘I encourage South Africans from all walks of life to rally together and get behind Bafana Bafana, who have been excellent ambassadors for South Africa and have proudly raised the country’s flag high,’ the Minister said.

He said it has been great to see South Africans wearing their Bafana Bafana jerseys, and to see the supporters and journalists who have been proudly behind the team in Cote d’Ivoire.

‘Let us unite in our support for Bafana Bafana. Let us gather in our homes and in public spaces to show our support to this team, which has done the nation so proud at AFCON. As proud South Africans, let us once again show the power of sport to unite people from all walks of life,’ Kodwa said.

The match kicks off at 19:00.

Source: South African Government News Agency

WINDHOEK: Members of the Namibian arts scene have said the late President Hage Geingob’s appreciation for the arts and promotion of inclusivity will be missed.

Geingob, 82, succumbed to cancer in a Windhoek hospital on Sunday.

Award-winning singer-songwriter and stage actor, Lize Ehlers, expressed her profound grief in an interview with Nampa, stating that the late Geingob was not only a leader, but also a patron of the arts.

‘His support and appreciation for Namibian culture and talent were unparalleled. His passing leaves a void that will be difficult to fill,’ she said.

Echoing Ehlers’s sentiments was singer Kalux, known for his soulful and popular music, who said the late President Geingob understood the transformative power of art in society.

‘He championed initiatives that promoted creativity and cultural expression, paving the way for Namibian artists to thrive on both the national and international stages,’ he said.

Both musicians stated that the late president recognised them by name, which had
a significant impact on them. They also called him a unifying figure who worked tirelessly to bridge divides and promote inclusivity.

Theatre director Sandy Rudd recounted her memories of Geingob during Namibia’s independence celebration in 2015, where she led a theatrical production that depicted Namibia’s road to independence.

She said that as the concert progressed, President Geingob was visibly moved by the dramatic portrayal on stage.

‘His passion was evident as he engaged in the celebrations, dancing alongside the performers with great energy. The sight of the president participating fully in the celebratory atmosphere drew cheers and applause from the crowd,’ she remarked.

Rudd said Geingob’s legacy of visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to the arts will forever be remembered and cherished by the nation which he served with distinction.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

_:Acting regional manager of Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) in the Western Cape, Raymond Maseko, says the agency has done much work to recover the province’s network following a series of challenges.

Maseko was speaking on the sidelines of a blitz activation at the Cape Town train station ahead of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) to be held at the Cape Town City Hall on Thursday evening.

‘We had a reset. Post-COVID when we started, there were only 14 stations in the Western Cape that had train access…out of 125 stations.

‘Last year when we were here, the community of the central line did not have access to trains. As we speak today, we have access to trains up to Nyanga. There are only 11 stations in the Western Cape out of 125 that do not have train access.

‘If you go currently to Phillipi station, there are people working there. If you go to Mandalay station, there are people working there and Kapteinsklip, there are people working there. We are on the cusp of actually recovering th
e Western Cape network in its entirety,’ he said.

Maseko highlighted that despite all the progress made, criminality – specifically copper cable theft – is hampering the agency’s work.

‘In South Africa, we have a scourge of cable theft. This is affecting our business [seriously]. Most of the lines that are not available today [is due to] the copper theft that has happened. This morning, we had cable theft at Tygerberg and this… affected the entire system from after 3am. We were only [set] to recover it moments ago. The impact is so severe.

‘We need South Africans to partner with us. There is nothing like ‘government infrastructure’. In essence, there is just South African infrastructure because all of our taxes are what is creating this infrastructure. It is for South Africans to actually protect the infrastructure. You see something, say something. Do not just keep quiet,’ he said.

Maseko said the agency has also completed building student accommodation that will accommodate thousands of students in the
city.

‘There is student accommodation that we started building just before lockdown… up until now… [some] 3 200 beds. There are already 1 500 students enjoying the benefits that we have put up. The idea from PRASA is densification and its also transport-orientated development.

‘That means that we are asking the cities – we are asking that any development that happens – make it around transport hubs. Think about what we have done here. Students from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology can be here… that is somewhere around Belville, and UCT that is around town, they can always live here.

‘They get off here, get into a train, get off at the nearest station… and then they go off into their places of higher institutions,’ Maseko said.

Source: South African Government News Agency