Shutitdown movement organiser Nust to open campus in Staff

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TUJOROMAJO KASUTO

An Ohangwena man was today denied bail in the Magistrate Court after appearing on

charges of attempted murder after he stabbed his girlfriend in various parts of the body, on Friday at the Omatunda

village.According to Ohangwena Crime

Investigator, Commissioner Zacharia Amakali, the girlfriend has been admitted in the Katutura State Hospital and is in a critical condition after sustaining stab wounds in the arms, right eye, breast, abdomen and right arm broken, with the knife stuck in her head.

Amakali says it is unknown what

exactly happened other than, “boyfriend and girlfriend things”. Meantime an inquest at Okongo registered that Moses Ndjuluwa, (30) committed suicide by hanging himself with a rope at the Enyana village. The body is still at the Okongo police mortuary pending an autopsy. No foul play is suspected. The incident took place last Thursday.

Meanwhile, a murder was registered

at Onayena, north of Oshikoto following an incidence of domestic violence and suicide by shooting on 8 October at around 11h45 in Onakathila village-Oshigambo area. According to the NamPol crime report, it is alleged that a 39-year-old husband, Sakeus Hango, allegedly shot and killed 35 years old wife, Hilma Ndeyapo Albin with a Makarov pistol in the neck and she died

on the spot. It is further alleged that Hango turned the firearm on himself dying in the process.

At Oshakati police station another inquest was registered on Friday at Uupeke village. It is alleged that 50-year- old Josephat Iitenge’s lifeless body was found hanging on a Marula tree behind

Ohangwena man denied bail after brutally stabbing girlfriendStaff Writer

EBA KANDOVAZU

ONE of the prominent figures of the recently established gnti-Gender based violence

movement, ShutItDown, is accused of embezzling close to N$100 000, which the movement received from the African Union Youth Envoy in February this year for the Silencing Gender-based Violence Award.

Lebbeus Hashikutuva was making rounds on social media yesterday when the allegations surfaced. No criminal charges have been laid against Hashikutuva, although the movement issued a statement expressing its “deepest sympathy to everyone affected” by the incident, which they describe as “unfortunate” and “nauseating”. “We had all hoped to use the funds to truly enact change and program for victims and survivors of sexual and gender- based violence,” The movement wrote.

The award was valued at $5000.Bertha Tobias, also a member of the

movement, refused to comment, saying that the statement was enough. “The movement has issued a statement. That

is the legitimate and only official stance. Refer to it. It is the only resource I can direct you to. You are harassing me. The movement has spoken. That is all the information we have. Good luck with your article,” Tobias says.

She did not confirm claims that Hashikutuva embezzled the money, nor did she say whether or not the movement will be opening a criminal case. The movement gained momentum last year after it organised mass protests against sexual and gender-based violence across the country. The protests lasted days and led to the eventual arrest of about 20 protesting young men and women, and three journalists on official duty. The journalists were released hours after detention. A minor, aged 16 years old was also part of the arrested cohort.

Prosecutor General Martha Imalwa subsequently decided to not prosecute the youngsters, when the group was scheduled to make their first court appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate Court.

The #Shutitdown hashtag trended not only countrywide, but also got recognised internationally, sparking international

EBA KANDOVAZU

AS of next year, Namibians wanting to further their studies at the Namibia University of

Science and Technology (Nust) will no longer have to worry about traveling hundreds of kilometres to Windhoek if they do not wish to do so, as the university aims to establish a satellite campus in the town of Eenhana, Ohangwena next year.

The campus will open its doors in the next academic year with an assortment of programmes, with particular focus on Rural Development, Natural Resources Management, Agriculture as well as

Nust to open campus in Ohangwena next year

Shutitdown movement organiser accused of embezzling award money

Staff Writer

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Staff Writer

2 TUESDAY 12 OCTOBER 2021 www.observer.com.na

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TUJOROMAJO KASUTO

THE country has reported a steady decrease in the number of TB cases in 2020 when the

total number of tuberculosis (TB) cases reported was 6,537.

This was a significant reduction of 15.3% from the 7718 TB cases notified in 2019. This is revealed in an Epidemiology of TB in Namibia, issued by Executive Director (ED) of the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS), Ben Nangombe. The case notification rate (CNR) in 2020, based on the burden of all forms of active TB, also decreased to 263 cases per 100,000 populations, from 314 per

100,000 in 2019.He also further revealed that Namibia

has the 8th highest incidence rate of TB in the world, with an estimated 36 percent of TB cases going untreated (missing TB patients) in 2019.

The country in 2019 had notified 7718 cases from the estimated 12 000 cases by the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO also ranked Namibia amongst the top 30 countries globally with the highest estimated TB incidence rate, and highest TB incidence amongst People Living with HIV (PLHIV). The MoHSS established a National TB and Leprosy Programme (NTLP) in 1991 under the Primary Health Care (PHC) Directorate and moved it under the Directorate of Special Programmes

(DSP) upon the latter’s formation in 2004. The NTLP is responsible for the overall coordination, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of TB and leprosy treatment care and prevention.

The country’s vision is a Namibia free of TB and leprosy and its mission is to ensure universal access to tuberculosis and leprosy treatment and prevention as per international standards, while addressing the determinants and consequences of the diseases in line with national development instruments and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As such, the overall goal is to reduce the national burden of TB to less than 50 cases/100 000, and reduce the burden of Leprosy to 1 Leprosy patient/1 000 000 by 2035.

To achieve this, MOHSS has planned to test 100 percent of presumptive TB patients with rapid molecular tests, and achieve universal drug susceptibility testing by 2019, and to increase treatment success rate for drug-susceptible from 83 percent (2015 cohort) to 90 percent, and for drug-resistant from 60 percent (2014 cohort) to 77 percent, by 2021.

While local policies and guidelines provide for universal use of rapid molecular tests, and universal DST for TB, Nangombe says this has been difficult to achieve in the current environment due to interruptions in the diagnostic capability of the laboratory service provider, Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP).

Furthermore, the treatment success

rates for drug-susceptible TB and drug resistant TB are 86 percent (2019 cohort), and 68 percent (2018 cohort). Khomas, Erongo and Ohangwena regions notified the highest number of TB cases as in previous years, contributing 17 percent, eleven percent and nine percent respectively to the 6,537 TB cases notified countrywide. Otjozondjupa and Omaheke regions both contributed seven percent.

The number of patients with drug resistant (DR) TB reported in 2020 was 218, which is a substantial decrease from 298 reported in 2019. Of all the DR-TB cases, 213 had rifampicin resistance, antibacterial prescription medicine approved for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB).

Namibia reports 15.3 percent reduction in TB cases Staff Writer

his house with a white rope around his neck. The post-mortem will be conducted to determine the actual cause of death.

Whilst on Saturday, 9 October at Okahandja Park in Windhoek, ialleged the lifeless body of 47-year- old Titus Kasayi, was found in his corrugated iron shack. The police say the deceased

was staying alone and no foul play is suspected. His next of kin have been informed.

In the Warmbad settlement in ǁKaras, a 66-year- old South African, Barend David Claasen’s decomposed body was discovered by a neighbour who alerted the police. His next of kin have been informed and a post-mortem is still to be conducted to determine the real cause of

death.Another suicide was reported on

Sunday, 10 October at around 03h20 in Onandjokwe Hospital in ward six. It is alleged that 38-year-old Timotheus Hashikuni’s lifeless body was found hanging with a rope around his neck from a window frame. His next of kin were informed and no foul play is suspected.

media households like BBC to cover the protests. South African media such as News24 also interviewed #Shutitdown protesters from Namibia.

The group also demanded that Gender Equality and Social Welfare Minister, Doreen Sioka, resigns. Some social media users yesterday called on the boycotting of the movement amidst

Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET). The university will reportedly temporarily make use of the Billy William Mwaningange Rural Development Centre at Eembaxu as a temporary satellite campus.

Despite the fact that Ohangwena is one of the most densely populated regions in Namibia, there are no institutions of higher learning, with the exception of the Eenhana Vocational Training Centre (EVTC).

In a consultative meeting between the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, Ohangwena Regional Council and Nust to discuss the use of Billy William Mwaningange Development Centre as a temporary satellite campus, Minister of Urban and Rural Development Erastus Uutoni said the move is a development, which should be impressed by all. He added that once the University opens its doors, it will cater for many Namibian students and not only from Ohangwena.

“It should not be viewed as an Ohangwena University, it’s not about regionalism, it should be viewed as a university for all, national and international students,” Utoni said.

On his part, Governor of Ohangwena, Walde Ndevashiya, who was also in attendance, said the expression of interest by Nust to use Billy Mwaningange RDC as a temporary Satellite Campus is a milestone.

“The idea of bringing tertiary institution to the region is a step in the right direction in speeding up the much needed development mostly in rural areas.”

Nust Vice-Chancellor, Dr Erold Naomab, expressed his confidence in the project’s success saying the project will then be in two phases, focusing on programme offerings and infrastructure

development. He added that Nust is strategically

poised to become a high education of choice in Ohangwena and surrounding regions. Having recognised the challenges that unregulated rural-urban migration places on urban development, the establishment of the satellite campus can support the development priorities of service expansion to rural areas and as such, reduce costs of access to higher education for communities, which the satellite campus brings. It could also have the added benefit of creating employment opportunities, he stressed.

The establishment of the satellite campus is a strategic move to support and contribute to the economic and social development of the region by offering diverse educational programmes, tailor-made, demand driven short courses and executive education to serve the local communities and develop the local industries, foster community based opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship.

“It will allow Nust to drive rural development, eliminate barriers to high education by bringing it closer to the people. It will not just be bringing higher education closer, but it will bring Executive Education, Agriculture, Livestock Farming, Horticulture, Youth Empowerment and Employment Creation, Food Security and Natural Resource Management,” he said.

The Satellite campus will host at least 60 programmes ranging from Certificates to PHD programmes and a minimum of 50 short courses over a period of 10 years. The enrolment numbers for the study programmes are expected to start with around 1000 students and projected to grow to over 6000 in 10 years. As for the short courses, the projections start at 2000 students in 2022 with the aim to reach over 14,000 by 2031.

Ohangwena man denied bail after brutally stabbing girlfriendFROM PAGE 1

the claims. Critics are saying that the organisers are not exercising their own mandate, to name and shame. Others are questioning why criminal charges still have not been laid.

Another figure at the forefront of the movement, Ndiilo Nthengwe also refused to comment. “The movement has issued a statement. I am in a meeting. Text,” She said before hanging up the phone. Hashikutuva could not be reached for comment.

Shutitdown movement organiser accused of embezzling award moneyFROM PAGE 1

Nust to open campus in Ohangwena next year

FROM PAGE 1

3@whkobserver TUESDAY 12 OCTOBER 2021

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Soldiers and police have been deployed across schools in Eswatini where students

have been protesting for weeks demanding political reforms.

Primary and high school students in Africa’s last absolute monarchy, formerly known as Swaziland, have been boycotting classes and staging low-key protests for the past month.

In the past, pro-democracy protests have been concentrated in urban areas but the demonstrations seen over the

course of the this year have stemmed from rural communities – which were traditionally loyal to the king.

Law enforcement officers have been seen in Eswatini’s main cities – Mbabane and Manzini.

Officials say they have been deployed as a precautionary measure to help maintain peace but student protesters there believe it’s to intimidate them.

This week’s student protests are the latest in months of sporadic unrest in

the small kingdom.They are calling for better learning

conditions and free education. They say the cost of education in state schools is inaccessible for many – in a country were nearly 25% of the adult population is unemployed.

The protesters, who’ve been rallied by local student groups, are also demanding the release of two lawmakers arrested during pro-democracy protests earlier this year.

King Mswati III has in the past been

accused by activists of using violence to clamp down against political dissent – some see the deployment of the army as just that.

The kingdom is one of Africa’s poorest countries – the King’s critics accuse him of living lavishly while his people face crippling poverty daily.

Political analysts say the recurring protests are a sign of changing sentiments in the country – that people are becoming increasingly unhappy with the current regime.

Army deployed to eSwatini schools

King Mswati III

The UN’s top court has ruled largely in favour of Somalia in its long-running dispute

with Kenya over their maritime border.

Kenya previously accused the International Court of Justice of bias and said it will not accept the ruling.

The case concerned a 38,000 sq mile (100,000 sq km) triangle in the Indian Ocean that is thought to be rich in oil and gas.

The dispute has been at the heart of a diplomatic row between the neighbours.

In a tweet, Somalia’s Information Minister Osman Dubbe welcomed the ruling and congratulated Somalis on regaining their territory.

For the past four decades, Kenya has said a line due east of the point where the two countries meet at the coast represents the maritime border.

Somalia, however, argued in court that the sea frontier in the Indian Ocean should follow on in the same direction as the land border.

The panel of 14 judges sitting in The Hague said that Kenya had not proved that Somalia had previously agreed to its claimed border.

Instead, they drew a new line which has split the disputed area in two.

But with Kenya refusing to recognise the ICJ’s jurisdiction it is not now clear what will happen. The court has no means to enforce its rulings.

Somalia had also argued that Kenya had violated its sovereignty by operating in its territorial waters and demanded reparations.

The judges, however, rejected this argument.

In 2009, the two countries had agreed in a memorandum of understanding, backed by the UN, to settle the boundary dispute through negotiation.

But five years later, Somalia said the talks had failed and it went to the ICJ instead. The Reuters news agency reports that Somalia was angered by Kenya selling exploration licenses in the disputed zone to two multinationals in 2012.

Speaking before the judgment was delivered, Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed Guled told the BBC that his country “believes in the rules-based system... that’s why we came to the court”.

The court is supposed to be the final arbiter in disputes between nations. If Kenya ignores the ruling, the issue could be escalated to the UN Security Council, reports the BBC Anna Holligan from The Hague.

Kenya argued unsuccessfully that the ICJ should not be involved as the memorandum of understanding was binding.

Then in March it refused to take part in hearings after having asked for a delay to brief a new legal team.

It also objected to the presence on the ICJ panel of a Somali judge, saying he should recuse himself.

Last week, Kenya’s government described the case as a “flawed judicial process”. It added that there was “inherent bias” and that the court was an unsuitable way to resolve the dispute.

ICJ rejects Kenya case in Somalia maritime border row


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Damning parliamentary report on UK handling of pandemic lists catalogue

of errors including delay to lockdown.

The United Kingdom government’s early response to COVID-19 and the delay in imposing a lockdown early last year was “one of the most important public health failures” in the country’s history and cost thousands of lives, a damning parliamentary report has found.

The cross-party group of UK legislators also noted the government failed to develop an effective test-and-trace system, which could have helped curb the spread of the virus, and followed a policy of what effectively amounted

to “herd immunity”.“The UK, along with many other

countries in Europe and North America made a serious early error in adopting this fatalistic approach and not considering a more emphatic and rigorous approach to stopping the spread of the virus as adopted by many East and Southeast Asian countries,” said the 151-page report published on Tuesday. The review was based on hours of testimony from more than 50 witnesses, including advisers on government policy, health and science.

More than 138,000 people have died from the coronavirus in the UK, one of the world’s highest death tolls.

While the country’s top

emergency decision-making body met for the first time about COVID-19 on January 4, 2020, the legislators said, a lockdown was not imposed until March 23 of that year. The “gradual and incremental approach” to non-pharmaceutical interventions cost lives, it added.

“Decisions on lockdowns and social distancing during the early weeks of the pandemic – and the advice that led to them – rank as one of the most important public health failures the United Kingdom has ever experienced,” they wrote.

Professor Neil Ferguson, who was part of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), told the Science and Technology Committee that if the national lockdown had been imposed even a week earlier than it was, “we would have reduced the final death toll by at least a half”. Former health minister Matt Hancock and Dominic Cummings, a former adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, were also among those who gave evidence to the committees.

The report also criticised the government’s decision to return elderly patients to care homes without testing them for the coronavirus – a move which led to a surge of cases among the most vulnerable people in the population – as well as decision making in relation to ethnic minorities and people with disabilities.

It noted some areas where the UK had done well, citing its vaccine programme and treatment development research.

“A significant part of the success of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was due to the Government’s early investment in research and development which originally started with the UK Vaccines Network set up in 2016,” the report said. “That investment and support through successive governments has clearly paid off.”

It also noted that more than 42,000 volunteers worldwide had been recruited for randomised trials of COVID-19 treatments under the RECOVERY trial.

“Establishing the effectiveness of dexamethasone and the ineffectiveness of hydrochloroquine were vital contributions to the worldwide battle against covid-19 and estimated to have saved over a million lives globally,” it said.

The report comes ahead of an independent public inquiry into the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which Johnson has said will begin next year.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

COVID response one of UK’s worst ever ‘public health failures’

More than 138,000 people in the UK have died as a result of the coronavirus, and the government will begin an official inquiry next year [File: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA]


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North Korea’s leader has vowed to build an “invincible military” in the face of what

it says are hostile policies from the United States, state media report.

Kim Jong-un added that weapons development was for self-defence, and not to start a war.

Mr Kim made the comments at a rare defence exhibition while flanked by a variety of large missiles.

North Korea has recently tested what it claims to be new hypersonic and anti-aircraft missiles.

The South meanwhile has recently tested its own submarine-launched

weapon.In his speech at the Self-Defence

2021 exhibition held in the North’s capital, Pyongyang, Mr Kim addressed the military build-up in the South and said that North Korea did not want to fight its neighbour.

“We are not discussing war with anyone, but rather to prevent war itself and to literally increase war deterrence for the protection of national sovereignty,” he said.

Mr Kim, surrounded by an array of military hardware including tanks, accused the US of stoking tensions between North and South Korea.

He said there was “no behavioural basis” to make North Korea believe that the US was not hostile.

The US under President Joe Biden has repeatedly said it is willing to talk to North Korea, but has demanded Pyongyang give up nuclear weapons before sanctions can be eased. North Korea has so far refused.

North Korea is banned from testing ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons by the UN. It has repeatedly flouted these bans and has been heavily sanctioned as a result.

Last month, the UN atomic agency said North Korea appeared to have

restarted a reactor which could produce plutonium for nuclear weapons, calling it a “deeply troubling” development.

North Korea has always maintained that it needs to continue developing weapons for defence.But observers say it is also being used as a way to rally the impoverished country. North Korea is thought to be in dire economic straits after authorities shut borders to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Crucial supplies like food and fuel have been cut off from China, North Korea’s main political and economic ally.

Mr Kim, unusually, wore sandals

with socks paired with a formal dark suit at the exhibition, prompting some renewed speculation outside North Korea that this could be related to his health. Mr Kim is thought to have had medical problems linked to his weight, including gout which can result in foot swellings. He had been seen limping in public in the past.

Reuters quoted Colin Zwirko, an analyst with Seoul-based NK News, as saying: “He lost a significant amount of weight in a short period in May, and in September he was seen standing on padded mats during long speeches, which is not typical.”

WORLD&AFRICA

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North Korea: Kim Jong-un vows to build ‘invincible military

Police in Zimbabwe have denied reports that a

violent attack took place against supporters of the main opposition party in the south-eastern region on Monday.

A video posted on social media video by The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) appeared to show their vehicle convoy surrounded by scores of people waving placards denouncing the opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.

The politician is in the Masvingo province to meet supporters.

The MDC also posted pictures of injured supporters and damaged vehicles with broken windows.

MDC spokesperson Fadazyi Mahere has told the BBC five people were treated for injuries as a result of the alleged attack. Mr Chamisa was unharmed.

“Police participated in stopping our meetings and were present when the attacks happened,” Ms Mahere said.

Police spokesman Paul Nyathi told the BBC that no report had been made about the violence. He denied that officers had stopped any meetings from taking place.

“It’s difficult to verify anything posted on social media. I implore anyone who is making the claims to go to the police with evidence to substantiate the claims,” he said.

The opposition has long accused the ruling Zanu-PF party of using violence with impunity and of abusing state institutions to clamp down on its activities.

Zimbabwe police deny violence towards opposition

6 Tuesday 12 ocTober 2021 www.observer.com.na

national6

In this call for PM Abiy Ahmed’s resignation, fellow evangelical Naol Befkadu lists six reasons why he thinks this move is necessary.

You have prioritised your own power over our country’s peace. It is time to step down.

Dear Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali (PhD),I would like to commence my letter with a salutation in the name of Jesus

Christ.I am Naol Befkadu, a lecturer at one of the oldest Baptist theological colleges

in Ethiopia and a PhD candidate in evangelical leadership. I am moved to write this letter to you based on my Christian moral convictions and the heavy burden on my heart after following your leadership style over the years. Thus, I have written this open letter to you as a fellow evangelical brother and a theologian.

As you are well aware, theology is the study of the doctrine of God. Christian theology holds the Holy Bible up as the supreme authority on the study of the attributes of God.

A theologian’s job is not only to explore doctrines but also to make theology palatable and applicable in daily life by contextualising academic theology in relation to the contemporary matters of society. This is also sometimes called public theology. For the most part, this is what I have been trying to do since 2016 as a minister of the gospel, world mission student, and theology lecturer.

Today, I present my letter to you with a heavy heart regarding the fate of this country and the destructive role played by your leadership.

Glorious ascensionDear PM Abiy, all Ethiopians have a vivid memory of what took place

on 2 April 2018. We witnessed a miracle unfolding before our eyes when a charismatic evangelical politician was appointed to the prime minister position. Churches and mosques alike were filled with psalms of joy. From north to south and from east to west, your ascension to power brought glory to God almighty, who visited the people.

Prior to that day, and during the protests across the country, I wrote a piece in Amharic titled What Would Jesus Not Do? (Regarding the current state of the country) – where I encouraged all Christians to be vigilant about their country and avoid violent means to settle disagreements.

While you were implementing much-needed reforms, I wrote a piece that praised your administration titled Does PM Abiy’s Religion Matter? in response to Tom Gardner’s article in The Economist that characterised your administration as a Pentecostal-charismatic one. I presented the values your administration brought to the political table as a result of your Christian convictions. Your rise was a proud moment for all of us Protestants, who for most of our history have been persecuted in this country.

A year after you came to power, I penned another article, titled PM Abiy’s 365 Days in Office: A Christian Perspective. I celebrated the achievements during your first year as PM and tried to explain them through the lens of an evangelical Christian. I admired your decisions to release prisoners, reconcile with Eritrea, and bring the two synods of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church together.

As the job of a public theologian is to emphasise the moral principles that are relevant to society, I celebrated your activities based on the moral framework that you used to bring the country together. That truly was amazing and cannot be forgotten.

The flip sideEven though I admired your moral leadership, there were certain elements

of your approach that made me anticipate wrongful actions on your part. In a paper for my Master’s degree in 2018, I wrote about the dangerous side of charismatic leadership, inspired in part by your leadership. Your populist actions made me pause and think again before offering so many superlatives.

These suspicious actions became even more evident after you started surrounding yourself with only those who accept your ideologies. Competing political figures such as Dr Lemma Megersa were sidelined. Even during these times, my faith convinced me to stay in favour of your administration because your sermons of love and unity never contradicted your actions. You walked what you talked for the most part, even though there were shortcomings.

As time progressed, you gave Ethiopian evangelicals a great present by pressuring them to be united in order to get recognition as a legally constituted body. I endorsed this move as a way to combat the virus of factionalism that divides protestant theologians and denominations. Beyond supporting this proposal, I even suggested that ecumenical unity could potentially save the fate of this nation. I argued in my article Can Ecumenism Save Ethiopia? for the grand unity of churches by following your philosophy of medemer.

However, my theologian friends criticised me, saying, “Abiy is playing politics.” I did not listen to them.

Twist and a pleaI never thought things would get so twisted within such a short period of

time. In the second year of your administration, the values I saw that initially convinced me to defend you as a theologian began to fade away and another character, this time a villain, started to emerge. Love was still on your lips, but your actions were increasingly driven by egomania.

When everything you had been saying was replaced by the opposite actions, I began to doubt the authenticity of everything that you were preaching about. Politically speaking, you came to embody the prototypical Machiavellian leader. For a year and a half, I stayed silent in disbelief.

- theafricareport.com

Ethiopia: Fellow evangelical finds PM Abiy ‘morally unfit and unqualified’

According to the UN, more than half of global population growth over the next three decades will

be in Africa. This population growth means more mouths to feed and more jobs to be created to avoid further unemployment.

I believe this is a clarion call to build efficient food systems to secure future prosperity. Our farmers are the backbone of our food system. In and out of season, they are constantly working on their farms to get the best harvest they can. Unfortunately, despite producing 400 times more food than we did in the 1950s, the demand for food still outweighs supply.

The absence of effective tools that will make their ventures more profitable means many farmers spend their time doing backbreaking work with little return. In the palm oil sector, for example, many farmers still use rocks to de-shell palm nuts by hand. This drudgerous process also means they are less likely to produce factory-grade nuts — and the nuts they do produce are either sold cheaply or go to waste.

On the flipside, 90% of factories are running at below 50% of their installed capacity due to a scarcity of quality raw materials and the capital to purchase them. This combination of issues is just a glimpse of the challenge facing our food production industry but it also points to how we can make the progress we need.

The case for industrialisationIndustrialisation can make a

transformational difference. In the 21st century, farmers should not rely on handheld rocks to process food. Our burgeoning technology sector has shown that Africans are just as capable of developing effective solutions to our own problems. Innovation can be channeled towards developing technology that will consolidate our food systems and position farmers for long-term prosperity.

Another incentive for industrialisation is that it has moved more people out of poverty in less time than any other phenomenon in the history of the world. Globally, industrialisation has provided

An African vision for our food systems

aDDRESS: P. o. Box 2255 WinDhoEk oBSERvER houSE CoRnER of John MEinERt anD RoSSini StREEtS tEl: 061 411 800 fax: 061 226 098 EDitoR-in-ChiEf kuvee kangueehi [email protected]

MaRkEtinG/aDvERtiSinG - [email protected] - 081 3989 380/081 7003 197 PuBliShERS Paragon Media PRintERS newsprint

the most direct route to long-lasting and broad-based shared prosperity.

Building on existing systemsRecently, the African Green

Revolution Forum (AGRF) partners group and the government of Kenya hosted AGRF 2021 — Africa’s largest agriculture conference — organised under the theme Pathways to Recovery and Resilient Food Systems. As chief executive of Releaf, I welcome a platform such as AGRF, which draws African government, private and development sector leaders to explore new ways to improve food systems and support for increased participation of youth in agriculture.

We also have to make sure we are building on systems that are already in place. In the early days of Releaf, my fellow cofounders and I travelled to 20 states across Nigeria — by road — to understand how the value chain worked. We went from farm to market and everywhere in between and it was only after this exploration we were able to identify a real pain point that we felt we could address.

It would have been easy to try to re-engineer the system but history tells us that this approach doesn’t work. Whatever modernisation or industrialisation that will happen must happen in a truly African context. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

Harnessing young people’s energy

I was privileged to participate in and be one of the winners of the African Development Bank’s AgriPitch competition, an annual event that aims to encourage a culture of innovation and nurturing for technology-led agribusiness innovations to create jobs and improve youth livelihoods.

The competition reminded me of the potential that abounds among Africa’s young people and our desire to develop solutions to the challenges that face the continent. Africa has the largest share of young people in the world, with 75 percent of the continent’s population below the age of 35. About 65 percent of youth in Africa also live in rural areas and are employed primarily in the agriculture sector.

When you combine these facts with the reality that young people are typically more open to new ideas and innovation, we just might be looking at what the continent needs to achieve the transformation it needs.

As we prepare for the exponential growth in our population, we need to address the challenges that have been holding our farmers back and put structures in place that will ensure future prosperity. Whatever we do to address farmers’ challenges will not only address issues from the past, but it will also position the continent for the long-term prosperity we all desire.

- mg.co.za


NATIONALOPINIONOPINIONOPINION & ANALYSISM

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Africa, with its internationally recognised musical talent – and growing mobile phone

use – is central to Swedish music streamer Spotify’s plans to extend its reach to a billion customers.

Africa, with its internationally recognised musical talent – and growing mobile phone use – is central to Swedish music streamer Spotify‘s plans to extend its reach to a billion customers.

As African artists such as Nigeria’s Burna Boy and South Africa’s Black Coffee are streamed across the world, the continent was seen as an obvious choice and is the home to more than a third of the company’s 85 new markets.

The problem is payment on a continent where many people are more likely to have a mobile phone than a bank account.

That means Spotify‘s first task as it implements a plan announced in February to almost double its footprint is to win over the telecom companies that often equate to banks.

Phiona Okumu, Spotify‘s head of music for Sub-Saharan Africa, told Reuters the company secured “alternative payment methods”, namely M-Pesa, when it moved into Kenya in February.

Owned by Kenya’s biggest telecoms operator, Safaricom , M-Pesa is used to send money, save, borrow and make payments for goods and services.

“A lot of African countries are unbanked so that means they don’t use credit cards and this is very true for a lot of east African (countries) and in Kenya you use M-Pesa for the most part,” Okumu said.

Elsewhere in Africa, Spotify is seeking other collaborators.

“We are having conversations with the right partners to ensure that we are providing solutions to payment problems that several African consumers face in different parts of the continent,” Okumu said.

Chasing the mobile money

Irene Kophen, a Spotify premium user based in Kenya, said she prefers M-Pesa rather than bank cards because she thinks mobile money has made music more accessible.

“Most of us have access to our phones, but not many of us have cards, or bank accounts,” the 31-year-old told Reuters.

Costs associated with opening bank accounts, the distance to financial institutions and the difficulty in meeting “Know Your Customers” requirements because of inadequate proof of address

Music streamers turn to telcos to make Africa pay

have added to the appeal of using phones to pay.

“The past few years have seen an emphasis on shifting towards expansion of innovative banking services through mobile technology to capture lower income segments and the unbanked,” a spokesperson for South Africa’s Absa bank said in an emailed statement.

By 2020, sub-Saharan Africa had 548 million mobile money accounts, up 12% from 2019 – more than any other region in the world, mobile industry body GSMA said.

That has provided banking access in a continent where about 43% of sub-Saharan Africans over the age of 15 had a bank account in 2017, according to the World Bank, which has not provided any more recent data.

Win, win

Spotify‘s local rivals, such as Kenya-based and Danish-listed Mdundo and Nigeria headquartered Boomplay have also started to build ties with mobile operators.

Such partnerships are based on telcom providers selling music bundles that give customers access to a streaming company’s premium service and exclusively-curated music mixes.

The collaboration can benefit both sides by boosting revenue and helping to increase subscribers, but for the

streaming companies it is all-but essential.

“It is critical that streaming companies get this right, otherwise they will lose out on revenue from consumers who were willing, but unable, to pay them,” Charles Stuart, PwC partner and director of Technology, Media and Telecommunications, said.

For the telecom companies, which also include Airtel Nigeria and Vodacom Tanzania, the partnership can help to achieve customer “loyalty and stickiness” by adding value, Stuart said.

MTN, Africa’s largest mobile operator with 48.9 million active mobile money users, is integrating its mobile money service onto its MusicTime app to allow payments, Serigne Dioum, group chief digital and fintech officer of MTN, told Reuters.

“We’re talking to players who are music-only players and also we’re talking to players who have broader reach in music, video and gaming and who can position our digital services much better,” MTN’s Dioum said.

Boomplay, which has 60 million monthly active users, has allowed users to pay via mobile platforms such as M-Pesa and Tigo-Pesa in Kenya and

Tanzania.It aims to roll out that option in

Francophone countries, Tosin Sorinola, Boomplay’s director of artiste and media relations, told Reuters.

Mdundo, which had 8.7 million monthly active users as of June, has three telecom partnerships in Nigeria and Tanzania, and expects one or two

more similar deals before the end of this year, Chief Executive Officer Martin Nielsen told Reuters.

“When it comes to payments across Africa our key focus is bundling with telcos… because telcos are the ones who have this reach and access to people’s pockets,” he said.

- moneyweb.co.za


AGRICULTURE

As governments implemented containment measures to slow the spread of COVID-19

in early 2020, they also introduced ways of limiting the effects of the virus and related lockdowns on agricultural supply chains. A recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development tracked these initiatives, including the South African government’s response.

Most government responses to the pandemic in their agriculture sectors were introduced in the first few months of 2020. As the year went by and new waves of the virus spread, governments in many countries shifted their attention to medium term issues by bolstering early relief measures and introducing economic recovery packages.

Their actions differed in timing and scope, from the initial imposition of lockdown measures to policies aimed at tempering the effects of the crisis on specific supply chains or consumers in the medium term.

Interestingly, several steps to facilitate the functioning of production and supply chains could have been taken before the onset of the pandemic. In its report, the Organisation for

Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) divides the measures instituted by governments into three groups:• Urgent measures to ensure

supplyThese steps were taken at the start

of the crisis to keep the agriculture industry functioning. Examples included declaring agriculture and food production an essential sector; measures to ensure the functioning of government agencies; the coordination of responses within the private sector; and national and international logistic and transport initiatives to ensure the continuation of trade. These actions are intrinsically linked to the pandemic, and will not be relevant once the crisis has ended.• No-regrets measuresThese improved market functioning

measures contributed to greater resilience, but they could have been taken beforehand and should be maintained or even scaled up after the pandemic. Included here are actions supporting digital innovations that facilitate e-commerce; the exchange of information; agriculture job-matching information centres; and training or

trade facilitation measures.• Temporary relief measuresThese sought to contain the effects

of the crisis on players in the agro-food sector, from producers to consumers. They consisted largely of temporary trade and market measures to relieve domestic economic pressure; agricultural support measures, including those that compensated producers and agro-food chain players for damages incurred; consumer and food assistance measures; and measures that lifted or limited regulatory requirements for farmers.

Liquidity, credit and fundingAnother way in which governments

addressed the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns was by offering liquidity, credit and funding for relief measures.

Governments in many countries adopted comprehensive economic recovery packages, with measures that included new lines of credit, subsidised loans, flexibility of taxes,

and subsidies. At the same time, numerous governments created specific financial support schemes for the agro-food industry.

Governments dedicated a total of US$157 billion (about R2,3 trillion) in response to the effects of the pandemic on this sector. Of this, US$116 billion (R1,7 trillion) was earmarked for grants, payments or other funding, while US$41 billion (R590 billion) was offered up as subsidised loans, new lines of credit, and other mechanisms.Sector-specific funding focused

primarily on relief measures for players in the agro-food industry, as well as food assistance measures. Twelve percent of financial support was focused on general services, such as infrastructure and e-commerce development, and the remainder was directed towards addressing labour shortfalls via compensation for migrant or new farmworkers.

In terms of agriculture and food support measures, OECD countries favoured funding through direct payments, grants, or increased allocation to existing support programmes, while emerging economies supported the sector via preferential loans and credit systems.The US accounted for 69% of

total agriculture and food support via earmarked funding, while India contributed 90% of the loans and

credit granted to the sector in response to COVID-19.

Food assistance measuresA large number of countries

deployed public food assistance measures to prevent rising food insecurity resulting from the pandemic; these complemented other livelihood support measures. Food assistance programmes targeted low-income households with a particular focus on infants, children, students, the vulnerable and the elderly. The programmes fell into two categories:• The provision of vouchers that

could be used to buy food without restrictions or to buy certain types of food products. Some countries issued benefits electronically to vulnerable people and provided information on food assistance packages.• The provision of free or subsidised

meals at canteens or other public places where

possible, or via home delivery. The

latter required logistical adaptation and often

involved partnerships with private caterers. Governments also provided additional support for food bank operations to respond to the growing demand for emergency food aid.

The SA’s government’s responseIn South Africa, the Department of

Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) set aside R1,2 billion to help small-scale farmers of poultry, livestock and vegetables in distress.In addition, R400 million was

redirected from the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy Programme to support these farmers. Women, the youth and disabled producers received priority, and the funds were delivered in the form of vouchers capped at R50 000 per farmer.DALRRD also monitored the

country’s food supply via an ‘agricultural value chain tracker’m

How COVID-19 changed agricultural policyto ensure disruptions were addressed timeously. Other examples of how countries responded to the COVID-19 pandemic include the following:• Brazil developed a stimulus

package, expanded social programmes to ensure access to food, and monitored food value chains by developing protocols to facilitate their continued smooth functioning. The government also expanded credit and insurance programmes.• China took diverse measures to

assit the agro-food sector, focusing on institutional initiatives, overall economic strategies, support for farmers, information and coordination

tactics, and trade measures affecting the operation of supply chains. In November 2020, for example, a directive was issued to all local governments restricting further shifts in farmland to non-grain crops. China’s COVID-19 food security response also included improving the management of grain reserves and expanding warehouse capacity.• The EU implemented three main

policies in the agriculture sector: higher advances to farmers from the Common Agricultural Policy, the union’s agricultural subsidy system; special market measures; and direct support to farmers and rural areas. Within this framework, member states chose which measures to implement, based on their own circumstances. They also put in place their own regulatory flexibilities, tax concessions

and social contribution measures, investment assistance, and allowances to help farmers and agro-food enterprises cope with the financial effects of the pandemic.• In Kazakhstan, immediate policy

actions included trade restrictions and regulated prices for essential goods; cash transfers to vulnerable households; and targeted assistance, such as a deferral of loan payments for hard-hit sectors and small- and medium-sized enterprises. To help carry out the Northern Hemisphere’s spring sowing in a timely manner, loans were allocated to farmers. Governments also pledged to buy the output of agricultural producers six months in advance. Farmers were also eligible for new tax concessions, including a 15% discount on diesel fuel and exemption from the land tax for agricultural land.• Mexico’s Ministry for

Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development collaborated with

members of productive chains to ensure that food supplies, inventories and distribution were not disrupted. Particular attention was paid to key chains such as grains, poultry, beef and fisheries.• In the UK, sector-specific

payments were announced to alleviate the effects of price drops and income losses in the dairy industries of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as in beef, sheep, ornamental horticulture and potatoes in Northern Ireland

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly.

This article is an edited excerpt from a report titled ‘Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2021: Addressing the Challenges Facing Food Systems’, published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

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NATIONALCAREERS

What are the most popular Universities in Africa? uniRank tries to answer this question

by publishing the 2021 African University Ranking of the top 100 recognized higher-education institutions in Africa meeting the

following uniRank selection criteria:• being chartered, licensed and/or

accredited by the appropriate highereducation-related organization in eachcountry

• offeringatleastfour-yearundergraduate

degrees (bachelor degrees) orpostgraduate degrees (master ordoctoraldegrees)

• delivering courses predominantly in atraditional, face-to-face, non-distanceeducationformat

Ouraimistoprovideanon-academicLeagueTable of the top Universities in Africa basedon valid, unbiased and non-influenceableweb metrics provided by independent webintelligencesourcesratherthandatasubmittedbytheUniversitiesthemselves.

2021 African University RankingTop 100 Universities in Africa

1 UniversityofCapeTown SouthAfricaza2 UniversityofPretoria SouthAfricaza3 UniversityoftheWitwatersrand SouthAfricaza4 UniversiteitStellenbosch SouthAfricaza5 UniversityofJohannesburg SouthAfricaza6 North-WestUniversity SouthAfricaza7 TheAmericanUniversityinCairo Egypteg8 UniversityofKwaZulu-Natal SouthAfricaza9 UniversityofNairobi Kenyake10 CairoUniversity Egypteg11 RhodesUniversity SouthAfricaza12 UniversityofGhana Ghanagh13 UniversityoftheWesternCape SouthAfricaza14 AddisAbabaUniversity Ethiopiaet15 MansouraUniversity Egypteg16 UniversidadeMandume YaNdemufayo Angolaao17 UniversityoftheFreeState SouthAfricaza18 MakerereUniversity Ugandaug19 CapePeninsulaUniversity ofTechnology SouthAfricaza20 UniversitéCadiAyyad Moroccoma21 NelsonMandelaUniversity SouthAfricaza22 UniversitéMohammedV Moroccoma23 KenyattaUniversity Kenyake24 UniversityofNamibia Namibiana25 TshwaneUniversityofTechnology SouthAfricaza26 UniversityofBotswana Botswanabw27 NamibiaUniversityofScience andTechnology Namibiana28 UniversityofZambia Zambiazm29 KwameNkrumahUniversity ofScienceandTechnology Ghanagh30 UniversidadeIndependentede Angola Angolaao31 UniversityofDaresSalaam Tanzaniatz32 AlexandriaUniversity Egypteg33 AinShamsUniversity Egypteg34 UniversitédelaReunion Reunionre35 ArabAcademyforScience, TechnologyandMaritimeTransport Egypteg

36 UniversitéFrèresMentouri deConstantine1 Algeriadz37 UniversitéCheikhAntaDiop Senegalsn38 UniversidadeEduardoMondlane Mozambiquemz39 UniversidadeAgostinhoNeto Angolaao40 DurbanUniversityofTechnology SouthAfricaza41 UniversityofKhartoum Sudansd42 UniversityofLagos Nigeriang43 UniversityofNigeria Nigeriang44 TheGermanUniversityinCairo Egypteg45 AssiutUniversity Egypteg46 UniversitéMohamed BoudiafdeM’sila Algeriadz47 StrathmoreUniversity Kenyake48 UniversityofFortHare SouthAfricaza49 BenhaUniversity Egypteg50 UniversitéAbderrahmane MiradeBéjaia Algeriadz51 UniversityofIbadan Nigeriang52 UniversitéIbnZohrMoroccoma53 CentralUniversityofTechnology SouthAfricaza54 SudanUniversityofScience andTechnology Sudansd55 UnitedStatesInternational UniversityAfrica Kenyake56 UniversityofTripoli Libyaly57 UniversitéAlAkhawayn Moroccoma58 Al-AzharUniversityEgypteg59 UniversitéAbouBekrBelkaid deTlemcen Algeriadz60 UniversitédesSciencesetdela TechnologieHouariBoumediène Algeriadz61 JimmaUniversity Ethiopiaet62 UniversitéFerhatAbbasSétif1 Algeriadz63 UniversitéMohamedKhiderdeBiskra Algeriadz64 KampalaInternationalUniversity Ugandaug65 HelwanUniversity Egypteg66 ObafemiAwolowoUniversity Nigeriang67 UniversitéAhmedBenBellad’Oran1 Algeriadz

68 UniversitéSidiMohamed BenAbdellah Moroccoma69 UniversityofZimbabwe Zimbabwezw70 UniversitéMouloudMaameri deTiziOuzou Algeriadz71 UniversitéAbdelhamidIbn BadisdeMostaganem Algeriadz72 UniversityofCapeCoast Ghanagh73 ZagazigUniversity Egypteg74 JomoKenyattaUniversityof AgricultureandTechnology Kenyake75 UniversitéHassanIIdeCasablanca Moroccoma76 SebhaUniversity Libyaly77 UniversityofPortHarcourt Nigeriang78 UniversityofIlorin Nigeriang79 CovenantUniversity Nigeriang80 MisrUniversityforScience andTechnology Egypteg81 UniversitéHassibaBenBouali deChlef Algeriadz82 EgertonUniversity Kenyake83 VaalUniversityofTechnology SouthAfricaza84 UniversitéKasdiMerbahdeOuargla Algeriadz85 UniversitéHadjLakhderdeBatna1 Algeriadz86 UniversityofRwanda Rwandarw87 UniversityofEducation,Winneba Ghanagh88 TantaUniversity Egypteg89 UniversityofMauritius Mauritiusmu90 MoiUniversity Kenyake91 UniversitéIbnTofail Moroccoma92 UniversityofVendaSouthAfricaza93 UniversitéBenyoucef Benkheddad’Alger1 Algeriadz94 SokoineUniversityofAgriculture Tanzaniatz95 AhmaduBelloUniversity Nigeriang96 UniversidadedeCaboVerde CapeVerdecv97 UniversitéMohamedSeddik BenYahiadeJijel Algeriadz98 UniversityofLimpopo SouthAfricaza99 Université8Mai1945Guelma Algeriadz100 UniversityofBahri

MARY ANNE ISAAC

Amid all the matric exam prep, don’t forget to feed your body with healthy

snacks and wholesome meals. Your brain will thank you.Late nights, stress, caffeine-highs

andnotforgettingskippedmealsandfast-food binges will all play havocwith your concentration and abilitytoabsorbinformationwhilestudying.Matrics face many challenges

during their final exams and amidall thesechallenges it isvital to takecareofyourself.Yourbodyfunctionsat its best when it is hydrated andfedbalancedandnutritiousmeals.Astrongmemory is dependent on thehealthandvitalityofyourbrain.According to health reports, your

braincontainsmorethan100billionbrain cells, which use up to 20% ofyour body’s energy. Glucose is yourbrain’s main source of energy andvitamins, amino acids,minerals andfattyacidsalsoplayaroleinoptimalbrainfunction.Kershnee Kallee, marketing

managerofJungleSouthAfrica,saysthat it is important tohavehealthieroptions at the heart of your mealchoices–evenduringsnacktime.

Healthy eating habits during your final exams

“While there has been animprovement in terms of healthieroptionswhenitcomestowhatpeopleeatduringbreakfast,lunchanddinner,itisusuallyduringsnackingtimesthatwetendtoaddfoodssuchaschipsorchocolate,whichofferlittlenutrition.”It’s not just healthy eating – you

must also keep hydrated and enjoyadequate sleep to ensure you are atyourbest.Herearesomehealthyeatinghabits

toadoptduringexamseason.

1. Eat breakfast

Start the day on a good note witha healthy breakfast. You can eat oatsfor energy or eggs. Oats containfibre,whichhelpskeepyourdigestivesystemregularandaidsinbloodsugarand blood cholesterol control. Eggscontain a nutrient called choline thatimproves cognitive performance andmemoryasyouage.

2. Don’t skip lunchFor lunch, have a meal with a low

glycaemic index (GI) to sustain youuntil dinner. Meals such as chickenand lentil salad,hamandavo toasted

whole-wheat sandwich with lots oflettuce, or a vegetable stir fry withsliversofbellpepperaregood.Trynottoskiplunchifyou’renothungry,thenreachforahealthysnack.

3.Dine,don’tbeshyFor your last meal of the day, you

canenjoyanoilyfishmeal.Fishisrichin omega-3 fatty acids andhasmanyhealth benefits for optimum brainfunction. If you’re not a fan of fish,thentryincludinginyourproteinmealsomechiaorflaxseeds,whicharealsosourcesofomega-3fattyacids.Chia and flax seeds are believed

to be the best vegetarian source ofomega-3fattyacids.

4. Keep hydratedWhen you hydrate your body with

waterthroughouttheday,thechemicalreactionsinyourbodywillensuretheoptimalfunctionofyourbrainanditsabilitytoprocessinformationquicker.According to a 2012 BBC report,waterconsumptionmayalsoalleviateanxiety, which is known to have anegativeeffectonexamperformance.However, try not to drink excessiveamountsofwaterjustbeforeyouwriteexams.

5. Snack for energy, not for the sake of itDuring study sessions, it can be

temptingtoreachforsomethingsweetor savoury to snack on to get youthroughtheday.Sugary snacks will give you a

temporary high, followed by a spikein blood sugar levels, which willthen drop and cause fatigue. Ratherreach for something healthy such asblueberries,almonds,apples,amueslibaroryoghurt.Brain foods such as avocados,

blueberries, dark chocolate, nuts andseedsaregoodforyou.Avoidexcessivecaffeinated drinks, high-carb mealsandsugarysnacksanddrinks.

Adequate sleepSleepingenoughisjustasimportant

as eating right. When you’re sleep-deprived, revising will seem muchmore difficult, and you will be morelikely to reach for a sugary snack toget through.Sleepplaysa role in theconsolidation of memory, which isessentialforlearningnewinformation.Remember to get enough sleep andavoid unnecessary screen time justbeforeyousleep.

10 Tuesday 12 ocTober 2021 www.observer.com.na

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Local singer Makhadzi hit the stage in Durban, thanks to DJ Tira.

The “Ghanama” hitmaker made her debut performance in KZN at Nsimbini Lifestyle on Saturday and wowed Durban audiences with her high energy performance.

Taking to her Instagram page, Makhadzi shared a short clip from her performance captioning the post: “@djtira thanks for bringing me in kzn for the first time ... KZN is now my new

home the love I received yesterday is too much.”

DJ Tira shared more clips from her performance on his IG page and thanked fans for showing her love and hinting that he might bring her to another city.

Last week, Makhadzi found herself topping the trends, after an unflattering image of her started making the rounds on social media.

This comes after a photographer allegedly shared a photograph of

Makhadzi performing on stage showing off the dark skin on her inner-thighs.

The post received mixed reactions, many of which were body-shaming the Limpopo-born star.

Taking to Facebook, the “Sugar Sugar” hitmaker pleaded with her social media users to stop “editing and sharing” the image and also urged fans to stop humiliating her.

In her statement, Makhadzi explained that the photographer had many images that he could share but

he chose the most unflattering one “to promote his brand but forgetting the damage he is doing to my soul”.

Though she apologised to her fans for the image, the star also hit back at trolls.

She reminded her fans that there are certain parts of one’s body that one cannot change and she is proud of who she is.

“Unfortunately I cannot change my inner part ... I’m like this and I’m proud … ”

She further explained how this online bullying impacts negatively on her family and friends.

“I am strong but my family and friends are not strong as I am ... seeing them crying about edited pictures really breaks me and affects me badly.

“I would like to ask everyone who reacts with this picture and edited pictures that you are planting something that can affect me badly ... I humble myself politely to ask everyone to stop humiliating me …” - iol.co.za

Makhadzi thanks DJ Tira for bringing her out to perform in KZN

As his ongoing twar with One South Africa Movement founder Mmusi Maimane

rages on, Shimza is now taking shots from one of his own peers, DJ Maphorisa.

It started after Shimza shared a snippet of an upcoming single titled, “Sold Out”, on Instagram on Saturday.

Commenting on the post DJ Maphorisa, who never shies away from sharing his views, said: “Why you always make music alone? No young upcoming nyana, everytime Shimza alone.

“Grow this afro movement, uplift young talent bro.

“Please that’s why they end up hating us cause you close doors.

“Don’t tell me you made that beat

alone. Sorry but I had to take out my chest in front of everyone. Love you mfanaka but I can’t”.

Shimza responded by pointing out that his record label, Kunye Records was built to propel up-and-coming artists, and that “we all work differently”.

But Phori, as he’s affectionately known by fans, wasn’t having it and responded by accusing Shimza of using “ghost producers” and paying them an once off fee, without crediting them appropriately.

“I’m a producer, I know how it feels to be left out,” said Maphorisa. “Please change the game, make an EP with all of them. Get them gigs too and grow this sh**.”

People chimed in on the post and

on Twitter by thanking Phori for supporting young artists and standing up for the industry.

“DJ Maphorisa calls out DJ Shimza for not featuring and working with new artists on his music and not credit his ghost producers.“

“Dj Maphorisa ( Phori ) speaks on Shimza on not putting the upcoming Afro tech producers on … tense.”

“Dj Maphorisa is fixing the country.”“#ShimzaSpace Those who

misunderstood Dj maphorisa about Dj shimza ..maybe this could help you”

“Shimza tried to close doors for Ceega Wa Meropa last year thinking like being rude to him the prize. Nothing new here, Phori told him the truth”

- iol.co.za

DJ Maphorisa calls out Shimza for not uplifting young talent

DJ Maphorisa and Shimza

DJ Tira and Makhadzi


NATIONALSPORTS

GOSSIPChelsea have held informal

talks with Real Madrid over re-signing 30-year-old Belgium playmaker Eden Hazard - but the Spanish club would want England right-back Reece James, 21, in return. (El Nacional - in Catalan)

Manchester United are considering bringing in Leicester’s Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, 24. (Fichajes - in Spanish)

Liverpool are closely monitoring Ousmane Dembele’s situation at Barcelona. The 24-year-old France winger, who has not played since Euro 2020 because of a knee injury, is out of contract at the end of the season. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Former Borussia Dortmund boss Lucien Favre, 63, and ex-Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, 43, are two of the names the new Newcastle United owners are considering as a possible replacement for Steve Bruce at St James’ Park. (Telegraph)

Arsenal and France forward Alexandre Lacazette, 30, has no intention of signing a new contract with the Gunners when his current deal expires at the end of the season. (Football.London)

Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey, 30, still believes he can be a success at Juventus with a season-and-a-half remaining on his current contract. (Times )

Netherlands midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, 30, says he is “not completely happy” at Paris St-Germain - just four months after joining from Liverpool. (Independent)

Dutch side Feyenoord are preparing a fresh bid for Manchester United and Ivory Coast winger Amad Diallo, 19, after an injury scuppered a loan move in the summer. (Sun)

Manchester United will consider selling England attacking midfielder Jesse Lingard, 28, for £15m in January if he does not sign a new contract at Old Trafford, with his current deal due to expire next summer. (Sun)

Juventus have opened talks with the agent of Manchester United’s Donny van de Beek, 24, with a view to a January move for the Netherlands midfielder. (La Stampa via Football Italia)

Juventus are also preparing a January loan offer for Manchester City and Portugal playmaker Bernardo Silva, 27. (Calciomercato - in Italian)

English centre-half Ben Davies, 26, still believes he has a future at Liverpool, despite not playing for them after joining in February and then going on a season-long loan to Sheffield United. (Liverpool Echo)

Spain goalkeeper David Raya, 26, says he is happy at Brentford amid interest from Arsenal and Everton. (Cadena Ser - in Spanish)

NOTICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS FOR THE ERECTION OF A TELECOMMUNICATION BASE TRANSCEIVER STATION (BTS) AT OMATANDO IN ONGWEDIVA, OSHANA REGION-NAMIBIA. D & P Engineers and Environmental Consultants hereby gives notice to all potential Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs), that an application for Environmental Clearance certificate will be made to the Environmental Commissioner in terms of the Environmental Management Act (No. 7 of 2007) as follows; Proponent: PowerCom (PTY) LTD. Environmental Assessment Practitioner: D&P Engineers and Environmental Consultants. Project Description: The proponent intends to construct a BTS with a height of 30m, covering approximately 150m2. Project Location: The proposed telecommunication tower is to be erected at Omatando location (opposite the Ongwediva sub-station) in Ongwediva. The site coordinates are as follows: S 17.75083, E 15.7475. Public participation process: Interested and affected parties are hereby invited to register and receive further information on the EIA process. A public meeting will be held in Ongwediva on Saturday 09 October 2021, Time: 10:00 AM, Venue; TBC. The participation and commenting period is effective until 21 October 2021. To register or request for documents submit your details in writing to the Environmental Consultant or alternatively fill the online form, link and contact details given; https://forms.gle/wdrs7mc4unbk2wFH6 D&P Engineers and environmental consultants Environmental Consultant: Tendai E. Kasinganeti Phone: +264813634904 Fax: +264 61 255 207 Email: [email protected]

Newcastle United’s takeover by a Saudi Arabia-led consortium is the best news

the Premier League club has had since Bobby Robson took charge in 1999, former midfielder Rob Lee said.

Fan-favourite Robson, who died in 2009, helped Newcastle finish fourth in the league in 2001-02 and third the following season before he was dismissed in 2004.

Lee told sports data and analytics company Stats Perform that Newcastle’s new owners – Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, RB Sports & Media and PCP Capital Partners – would need time to revive the club after their takeover last Thursday.

“This is probably the best news since Robson signed for Newcastle many years ago. Since he left ... this club has been in decline and it’s going to take a

long time,” said Lee, who played more than 300 games for the club.

Lee said the owners had to focus on long-term solutions and not merely invest in new players to improve the team.

“I’ve said before, the training ground is probably one of the worst in the Premier League. In order to get the best players, you have to have the best facilities,” Lee said.

“The ground (St James’ park) is 52

000 all-seater, but it’s been like that for 14 years.

“Everything has moved on so far. The training grounds have moved on, the grounds have moved on, and I think Newcastle have been left stagnating a little bit. It’s certainly a long-term project. It’s certainly going to cost a lot of money.”

Newcastle, who are second from bottom after seven league games, host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Newcastle takeover best news since Robson signed, says Lee

England boss Gareth Southgate says he “commits a crime” every time he picks

a team because of the players he has to leave out - and will make changes for Tuesday’s match with Hungary.

England need two wins from their three remaining qualifiers to reach

next year’s World Cup in Qatar.Manchester City’s Phil Foden was

the pick of several standout players in Saturday’s 5-0 thrashing of Andorra.

“We want the squad to feel involved,” said Southgate.

Foden provided an assist during a majestic performance for a much-

changed England in Andorra, a game in which Jack Grealish and Ben Chilwell netted their first international goals, while Tammy Abraham, James Ward-Prowse and Bukayo Saka were also on the scoresheet.

“It is important they know their value and can contribute; it wasn’t a friendly [against Andorra], there were qualification points at stake and I was really pleased with the quality of the performance as well as the application,” Southgate added.

“I have a headache and commit a crime every time I pick a team. We have such strong competition for places; there were lots of players who did their own confidence and reputation the world of good the other day and that is pleasing to see.

“We can’t be a team that has a day off. We want to keep consistency, and we’ve had that throughout this calendar year. Everyone has pride in putting the shirt on.”

England were beaten in the Euro 2020 final this summer and go into the Hungary game knowing victory will take them one step closer to the 2022 tournament in the Middle East.

They round off their qualification campaign next month, facing Albania at Wembley on 12 November followed by a trip to San Marino three days later.

‘Special’ to be named on Ballon d’Or shortlist - Mount

Midfielder Mason Mount came on with 17 minutes remaining against

Andorra so is in line to start against Hungary.

The Chelsea player won the Champions League last season - featuring throughout England’s European Championship campaign - and has been named on the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or award.

“It was special,” he said. “I probably found out at the same time as everyone else.

“To see that and to see the names, to be alongside those names, it’s obviously a dream.

“For all of the years that you work hard, dedicate... it shows that everything pays off and it’s just the start it, it doesn’t stop now.”

Mount says missing part of England’s Euro 2020 run while having to self-isolate was a factor in his decision to get vaccinated against coronavirus.

He missed the victory over the Czech Republic in England’s final group game of Euro 2020 and was an unused substitute in the win over Germany after spending time with club-mate Billy Gilmour, who later tested positive for Covid following the 0-0 draw with Scotland.

“I’m double vaccinated now,” Mount said. “Going through that experience, missing the game - a top, top game - did have an effect on my decision.

“It did make me want to get it and get it quite quickly.”

Southgate ‘commits crime’ everytime he selects team

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The Tafel Lager Brave Warriors lost 3-1 to Senegal on Tuesday at Orlando Stadium in

Johannesburg with the Teranga Lions winning group H of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

Namibia showed great character and frustrated Senegal in the opening moments of the match but in the end Senegal striker Famara Diedhiou scored hat-trick as Senegal sealed their place in the third knockout stage of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup with two games to spare.

Namibia netted through their talisman Peter Shalulile in what was a feisty affair with both sides showing great determination and physicality to win the battle.

But Senegal’s victory takes them to 12 points in the pool and out of sight of their challengers, with no team able to catch them at the top of the group.

Senegal’s opening goal on 21 minutes was all too easy from a Namibia point of view. No-one closed down Sadio Mane on the left flank and he picked out an unmarked Diedhiou just outside the six-yard box, who easily headed into the back of the net.

But Namibia were level just before the half-hour mark with a typically clinical finish from Shalulile. He collected the ball on the edge of the box, side-stepped a defender and drilled low into the bottom corner of the net, giving Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy no chance.

The visitors almost took the lead again as Mane volleyed a shot goalwards, but Brave Warriors gloveman Lloyd Kazapua was up to the task and blocked the rasping effort.

Willy Stephanus forced an excellent save from Mendy near the close of the first half as his fierce free-kick from 35-yards looked to be arrowing into the net, but the teams went into the break all square.

Diedhiou made it 2-1 on 51 minutes with his second header as the Namibia defence failed to challenge him in the air.

He completed his hat-trick with six minutes remaining when Mane’s low cross was met by Diedhiou at the back post and he had the simplest of tap-ins.

The Brave Warriors must travel away to face Congo-Brazzaville in their penultimate qualifier next month, before a home clash against Togo to complete the ccampaign. - nfa.org.na

Fiesty Warriors pushes Senegal allthe way in defeat

TS Galaxy forward Augustine Kwem says the team are enjoying working under new

coach Sead Ramovic as they look to shoot up the table in the next few rounds of the DStv Premiership.

Ramovic has replaced the axed Owen da Gama at the club, who have made major changes to their technical team with Director of Football Mensur Dogan also brought in.

He will double up as assistant coach, which has prompted Shaun Bartlett to request to be released from that role.

German Ramovic will have to hit the ground running in what is a first major head coach role for him, and Kwem says it has been so far, so good.

“The sessions are quite tactical, he really knows football, you can see that from his credentials,” Kwem said. “We are getting there, we played a

friendly and won. It is a step in the right direction.

“It has been back to the drawing board for us. We are preparing well and even myself, I am trying to push myself to get back into the team after a small injury scare.

“We are optimistic because we know we are a good club and we don’t deserve to be in this position. We know we are going to turn things around, it just starts with AmaZulu [next Tuesday].

“The key is about not giving away cheap goals. Most of the goals we have conceded this season were mostly errors. There is no tactical breakdown, where teams have worked us out, or you say, ‘this is a cracker’ when they score, it is just defensive errors.”

Kwem has also called on the team’s experienced players to raise their game.

- supersport.com

Galaxy striker Kwem hails new boss Ramovic

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