Day: March 6, 2024

TSUMEB: The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in the Oshikoto Region is calling on NGOs, companies, and other stakeholders to come together to prevent crime in the region.

Regional Commander, Commissioner Theopoline Kalompo-Nashikaku in particular urged non-governmental organisations and private companies to come on board and create awareness in preventing crimes.

Kalompo-Nashikaku during a crime prevention stakeholder meeting held in Tsumeb on Wednesday said the police cannot solve crime alone; it needs stakeholders to help curb crime because having them on board will have a positive impact in society.

‘We cannot solve the crime alone, we need stakeholders to assist us in fighting crimes and safeguarding our society,’ she said.

Kalompo-Nashikaku said this after Dundee Precious Metal suffered from several copper wire theft incidents in the past 14 months. A total of seven cases were opened where suspects were arrested and several incidents were reported internally where no suspects were arrested.

She said t
hat copper wire theft is a serious problem in the town as Cenored regularly replaces copper wire.

Kalompo-Nashikaku also called on the public to not buy copper wire from any person.

‘People should not buy any copper wire from unlicensed business owners because they might also become culprits,’ she warned.

Dundee’s Protection Services and Emergency Response manager Jaco Haasbroek said the impact on the plant and community is that it caused an emergency shutdown due to water loss from the dam and powerplant.

He further said they lost production totalling an estimated loss of production revenue of N.dollars 22 million, electricity outages in town, and impact on other business revenue.

‘Our biggest challenge is the market owner of this copper wire theft and we want to kill the market for this culprit,’ said Haasbroek.

Law enforcement is planning to create awareness with stakeholders such as Telecom Namibia, Tsumeb Municipality, Dundee, Rubicon Security, Cenored, Ongopolo Mining, Office of the Prosecutor Gen
eral, and the local Neighbourhood Watch.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

WINDHOEK: Despite a significant change in the public’s access to and consumption of information brought about by digitalisation, public libraries in Namibia continue to be important hubs for knowledge and information.

The advent of digitalisation has dramatically changed the way the public accesses and consumes information. The rapid digitisation of societies has raised questions about the continued relevance of public libraries and whether they still have a place in the modern era.

Despite these, public libraries continue to play an important role in Namibian society amid the digital age and free internet access to information, including books.

This is according to Sarah Negumbo, the Director of the Namibia Library and Archives Service. Negumbo told Nampa in an interview that public libraries remain relevant even in the digital age for many reasons, including free access to a wide range of information resources.

‘The public libraries are continuing to fulfil a significant role by providing free access to
the internet and e-resources, facilitating skills development through ICT training, and assisting with online job applications, particularly in areas where access to electricity is limited, benefiting underserved communities,’ she said.

The Directorate of Namibia Library and Archives Service in the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture oversees 66 public libraries in Namibia and Negumbo said they have adapted well to the digitalisation.

Negumbo noted that the advent of the Internet, or digital age, did not diminish the importance of public libraries in Namibia, with 60 of the public libraries offering free internet access and e-resources to their respective communities.

‘Currently, some of the public libraries are already using computerised systems such as Koha and Symphony; these are systems installed to manage libraries’ collections and resources.

Libraries have transformed into dynamic community centres, adapting to the evolving needs of their patrons. They are now offering a range of digital resourc
es, including e-newspapers, e-magazines, free access to social media, basic ICT training, artificial intelligence services, library automation, and open-source software,’ Negumbo explained.

She said the directorate has initiated several innovative programmes to ensure public libraries remain relevant in the digital age.

These include services such as basic and advanced ICT training and graphic design, online job applications, and mobile library services. Public libraries countrywide also offer a range of services to the general public, such as homework assistance for learners and reading activities.

Others include information sharing sessions on agriculture, health, and crafts, as well as entrepreneurial skills development such as sewing, soap making, and bead making.

Negumbo said public libraries also provide career guidance in collaboration with human resources practitioners and professionals.

‘Through literacy and numeracy skills development, the directorate has introduced the Namibia Reads App, an on
line reading application with more than 10 000 e-books and audio-books for young learners between the ages of seven and twelve.

‘These books can be read, or the system can read them to learners. The directorate further introduced the spelling bee competitions, just to instil a culture of reading and participation among the children,’ she said.

For these reasons, Negumbo stated that public libraries are still a good public investment and that they are still essential to the general public.

‘Public libraries in Namibia have undertaken initiatives to alleviate poverty by promoting information and communication technology services within their facilities. This strategy aims to enhance the living conditions of community members and bridge the digital divide. Libraries play a crucial role in advancing global education outcomes by leveraging devices such as cellular phones, tablets, and computers, along with their associated applications and software.

‘By incorporating technology, libraries empower learners to a
ctively participate in a global knowledge economy. This not only enriches their understanding of the world, but also amplifies their voices and strengthens their position as they navigate their roles in the broader global context,’ Negumbo explained.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency