A hesitant or timid approach will not win the battle against corruption or succeed in propelling the country into a state of economic wellbeing.

Decisive leadership is called for in an attempt to reverse what has become a rapid downward trend.

The year has already started with reports of corruption and these are bound to escalate as 2005 progresses.

While President Nujoma did show some intent to deal with corruption, mismanagement and graft by instituting various commissions and probes into wayward parastatals and State Owned Enterprises, and, most recently, ordering an audit into the finances of the movie to be based on his book 'Were Others Wavered', there has been scant follow-through beyond the inquiries themselves.

In this sense, his attempts to tackle the scourge of corruption have largely been window-dressing, and costly window-dressing at that.

In some cases the commissions cost the country more than the instances of graft they were set up to probe.

No one could argue the cost to the country of increased cases of mismanagement and graft, and always at the expense of burning priorities that then have to be set aside because of 'lack of funds'.

Job creation in the national sense is a priority; but it has to be measured against affordability.

Government itself remains top-heavy and bureaucratic and political leadership has acknowledged the need to cut back in this regard.

We need to make Government and its related agencies affordable, cost-effective and efficient, and creation of jobs should be happening outside this sector, where the taxpayer is not ultimately footing the bill.

President Pohamba comes into office with the clear intent to do something about graft.

He needs to stick to his words from the outset and should he decide to immediately and proactively embark upon such a campaign, will enjoy the support of many, including this newspaper.

We have no further use for lip service and promises that are not kept.

We need a President who is going to come into office and make a clean sweep when it comes to matters of corruption, regardless of who commits it and even if they are in the top political echelons.

We would actively encourage the incoming President to rise to the challenge of what will be one of the major priorities of his Government, and do all within his power to deal with this scourge once and for all and to relentlessly pursue all incidents of this nature to their logical conclusion.

Mandela Does It Again FORMER South African President Nelson Mandela characteristically exhibits leadership qualities that are renowned throughout the world and rightfully earned him the Nobel Peace Prize.

This week he did it again when he publicly announced that his only surviving son had died of AIDS-related causes.

Only a few African leaders have set an example as far as the HIV-AIDS pandemic is concerned, and they include former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, who made a similar admission some years back.

Why is it important for African leaders to take a stance on this dreaded disease? Primarily because the fight against the pandemic, which is robbing this continent of hundreds of thousands of lives each year, is one in which success is hard to measure.

In addition, the stigma persists and many people die unwanted and uncared-for because their families cannot or will not accept the cause of their passing.

People of such high standing as Mandela can achieve a lot in tackling the stigma and the neglect that often characterises the lives of AIDS sufferers, by admitting that their own family members have died because of just that reason.

Other leaders have had opportunities to do the same, but have chosen not to make public pronouncements and thereby assist in tackling this pandemic.

We commend Mandela, and those before him, such as Kaunda, for leading the way.

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