NWR announces 60 per cent discount on accommodation for MarchDube-Ncube commends setting up of victim-friendly rooms at police stations

WINDHOEK: Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) has announced an Independence special offering a 60 per cent discount on all its accommodation locations for the month of March.

The special is aimed at encouraging Namibians to explore the beauty of their own country by providing significant discounts on accommodation at all Namibia Wildlife Resorts locations, NWR spokesperson Nelson Ashipala said in a press release on Wednesday.

He noted that the programme addresses Namibians’ concerns about the high cost of recreational travel within the country.

‘Starting 01 March, all lodges under NWR’s management will be discounted by 60 per cent, making it easier for locals to experience the diverse landscapes and unique wildlife that Namibia has to offer,’ Ashipala said.

He further said while the special is open to all travellers, NWR hopes to see a strong uptake particularly from locals.

As part of the special, popular lodges such as Khorixas Camp in Damara Land will be available for as little as N.dollars 220 per night,
inclusive of breakfast.

However, Ashipala clarified that seasonal camps such as the Miles along the coastline are not part of the discounted offer.

The Independence Special will run throughout the month of March.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has commended the installation of victim-friendly rooms at 28 police stations, boreholes and streetlights at a gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) hotspot in Nongoma.

The victim-friendly rooms were installed by lsibaya Casino, while Vodacom installed the boreholes and streetlights.

Dube-Ncube said at least 755 survivors of GBVF accessed services in government supported GBVF shelters, with 112 964 survivors receiving psychosocial support services from the Department of Social Development and their partners.

‘A total of 3 540 victims of GBV and crime accessed Khuseleka/White Door houses and shelters. District focal points and stakeholders from 11 districts were trained as master trainers,’ Dube-Ncube said.

The Premier said there are currently 74 functional ward-based rapid response teams integrated into war rooms.

The Premier emphasised that one of the best ways is to assist GBV survivors through economic empowerment, highlighting that 26 401 women were reach
ed with economic empowerment programmes this year.

‘Three hundred women in business have been supported with card machines by the Office of the Premier. A GBVF App with a panic button is being developed by the Moses Kotane Institute, with funds from lsibaya Casino.

‘We are determined to ensure that women are continuously empowered and in this regard, through the Department of Social Development, SEDA [Small Enterprise Development Agency] and EDTEA [Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental], we have trained over 500 women in business skills,’ the Premier said.

She said most of these women were survivors of GBV and to this end, they have received start-up packs to set up and run their own businesses.

Forging partnerships for GBV response programmes

Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal Office of the Premier has forged strategic partnerships for the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Response Programmes.

The office, as the coordinating office, is leading the implementation of the Provincial GBVF Stra
tegic Implementation Plan, which was approved by the provincial Executive Council in 2022.

‘These partners include the KZN Gaming Board, lsibaya Casino, United Nations Population Fund, AIDS Foundation of South Africa, TBHIV Care, Cloud Therapist, Vodacom, lmbumba Foundation, SAB, and Spar Group. This structure is responsible for addressing high profile cases and supporting District Rapid Response Teams,’ Dube-Ncube said.

Source: South African Government News Agency