Food for thought

* IT is unbelievable that Netwerk, a group promoting the Afrikaans language, can donate N$100 000 to the Rapport Onderwysfonds, a South African based organisation. Surely there are more needy Namibian schools. New dual-medium schools like Windhoek Gymnasium could have benefited. Mr Nico Tromp you and your board should be ashamed that you donated money to an organisation outside our country. I consider myself an Afrikaans-speaking Namibian and this really makes me wonder about supporting Afrikaans-owned businesses like the ones you control and run.

* COMRADE Ngurare, I just wonder whether you have the mandate of the politburo in terms of Zimbabwe, because if you were mandated by the Swapo Party, than we can kiss democracy goodbye.

Ngurare and regime change in Zim

* SHAME on you comrade Ngurare and in fact I'm ashamed to call you comrade. Who decides regime change in any country? It's obvious, it's the majority of the population in that country through democratic voting. What solution do you have for the former breadbasket of SADC, if not Africa, if you still advocate no regime change? People are suffering and they need help. It would be better to mobilise the youth for a march to force Zimbabwe's election results. Namibians, it's high time we condemn such leaders because today it's Zimbabwe and tomorrow it might be us. Ngurare, silent diplomacy would have been better than your press release.

* NGURARE, your demonic and nonsensical comments on Zimbabwe gave me goose bumps. Such zealotry on matters beyond your understanding will forever condemn the African continent to the mercy of cruel despots. Hope you sleep well at night when you see a people destroyed of spirit and hope in the name of sovereignty. Shame on you!

* NGURARE stop scaring people from Swapo by rallying behind Robert Mugabe. I do not want to think our democracy is under the same threat. If anyone is to blame for regime change in Zimbabwe it's Mugabe. He ruined Zanu-PF by indicating no successor in 28 years.

* MR Ngurare, as a Swapo youth league leader, the comments you made about Zimbabwe are uncalled for. As a leader in Swapo ranks can you be brave enough and withdraw the shameful comments to the nation and the suffering people of Zimbabwe. The Zimbabweans have demonstrated their will to have a change through a ballot and they have indicated it but because the total democracy is denied to them from people like you the Zimbabweans will continue to suffer. In Namibia democracy should be preserved.

* NGURARE has behaved in a disrespectful and dishonourable manner. For him to say "no to regime change in southern Africa" and that opposition parties are "shells for promoting the commercial and strategic interests of the West to reverse the gains of the liberation struggle in favour of previous masters" is insulting the intelligence of Africans and our constitutions. That means we are still slaves of the West. Can Ngurare just do what Paulus Kapia and Charles Siyauya have done? Resign now!

* PLEASE, I appeal to the Swapo leadership to call Elijah Ngurare to order regarding comments opposing regime change in Zimbabwe. Please can someone advise the brother to stick to what he knows. When are we Africans going to stop playing the race card and focus on economic emancipation. This comrade has no idea about the turmoil in Zimbabwe.

* THE name Elijah means "My God is Jehovah (God)" and not "My God is President". The new-age prophet is mistaken and we are praying that SADC leaders will not be deceived by his false doctrine!

* APRIL 19 1960 is remembered as a milestone on a campaign for a regime change in Namibia. Unfortunately, Ngurare was not part of that struggle. By implication, Ngurare is condemning the change we achieved on March 21 1990. The most honourable thing to do is to withdraw that blunder before we give him a vote of no confidence!

* THE solution to Robert Mugabe's kidnapping of democracy in Zimbabwe is an international arms embargo, targeted sanctions on his allies, the global declaration of Mugabe and Zanu-PF as bad losers and to order Mugabe to surrender the state power. Shame on Swapo Party's blind loyalty and love for the notorious regime.

* EVERY sovereign state needs men in arms. In Africa we need to import weapons from somewhere. Except for the current political standoff in Zimbabwe the deal between China and Zimbabwe is just like those between some of our governments and those of the G8s alias the West. Why so much noise? - ASG, Karibib

* SWAPO Youth League, change is coming to Zimbabwe and there is nothing you and your peers can do about it, except that the African Hitler is on his way out!

MTC's 'lucky 13'

* "MTC is 13 years old. Recharge on Saturday 26 April, and we will credit your account with N$13 for your first recharge. Credit will be added on Sunday 27 April." This is what MTC sent to customers on Saturday, but it never happened to those who tried. - Most people appear to have received their N$13 recharge by early yesterday morning.- Newsdesk

* ON Saturday April 26 I received a message from MTC telling me that it was their 13th birthday and to celebrate it, all I had to do was recharge on the 26th and I would be credited on the 27th of April with N$13. It is now 20h:30 on the 27th and I am still waiting.

* MTC should rather take the N$13 that they credited their subscribers with and improve on their network connectivity and quality. Nearly every second call made in the Klein Windhoek area is dropped or one cannot hear the other party.

* MTC has lost it. Nothing happens. Ever since their announcement I have been hanging on the call centre number for without anyone picking up. Is there any reason why I should continue using their non-existent service? - Hambe

Congratulations

* CONGRATULATIONS, Mr CEO of Omaruru. You have already started with a cleaning campaign - in the main street people have started to sweep and pick up papers. In the township, I observed a group of youth cleaning last Thursday. I also attended a public meeting about awareness on keeping our township clean. Two weeks in office but changes are visible, keep up the good work, you will get our full support in your efforts. - S Zeraua

From the regions

* COMRADE Mandume Pohamba, our honourable Ondobe Constituency Councillor, when are we, Onanghulo, Ondjofima, Omakondo and residents from other surrounding villages going to be provided with water and electricity? We are dying of waiting!

* MR Bennie Hauwanga, find a new dancing group to entertain us at your park. We are tired of Fresh Family Boys, who keep doing the same styles all over.

Politics in general

* IF Mugabe who treated his veterans well is now history what more about the Swapo Government, who is refusing to look after its veterans. Learn a lesson while it is still early Swapo, my party.

* JERRY Ekandjo, as far as we the Swapo ex-detainees are concerned, the fight for justice over the detainee issue and many other human rights campaigns resulting from Swapo's political wrongdoings in exile and in present day Namibia will continue until victory is achieved. The road ahead is not going to be a dinner party because of a lack of resources, but as torchbearers of truth we shall do many things in our lifetime to deal with this stressful situation knowing the sacrifices it entails.

* MR Jerry Ekandjo, how do you know there were 'spies' within Swapo if you were not in exile? It is very painful when this man is repeating his nonsense while Swapo Party has rejected the motion on the Lubango dungeons in Parliament.

* I WOULD like to support an SMS earlier last week asking for the Annual General Meeting of the UDF because it has never taken place in the 19-year existence of this party. Let us practice democracy as it should be and vote to keep our party transparent. - Antani Guxab

* PLEASE rid us of our own Robert Mugabe in the UDF party. He has an iron grip over this (HIS) party. Justus Garoëb, even Tate Sam handed over the reins of Swapo and the Government, would you please do the same?

* A NAMWATER employee staying in Ongwediva is displaying a Swapo flag at the company's house. Is it allowed, NamWater CEO?

* MR Henk Mudge should know that not every supporter or attendant at a political party rally goes to the polls during any election. So he should not use his political rally attendance list to anticipate the outcome of the election, but the actual voters turning out. - Katanga

Education

* THE Ministry of Education should accept the blame. Why is the delay in late payment for new personnel only experienced in this ministry? In other ministries such as Health, new personnel get their salaries on their first month of duty. Don't they submit documents like us in Education?

* DOEBRA is dropping badly in quality as years go by - from health status, soccer and education. It was the best in the past, but now it's the worst. What's going on?

* MINISTRY of Education please give clarity on issue of under-qualified teachers. Some teachers with Azaliah diplomas are regarded qualified, but others with the same qualification are branded under-qualified. Is this not double standards?

* THE criteria used to select national examination markers should change. All teachers from all over Namibia should get a fair chance and not only educational officers or teachers at former white schools.

* IOL please change the way you are providing services to the students and stop manufacturing the year marks for the students - people work hard on those assignments.

* I DOUBT if the Omusati Educational Region Director is aware of the corruption scandal that happened in the Tsandi Circuit? There are a number of cheques for relief teachers who are out of service now, but their salaries are still released in their absence. The case was reported to the Police. The Police did their duty and arrested a suspect. But, what pains the public, is that the case has now been withdrawn. We want the ACC to get involved as the process smacks of criminal activities from within.

General

* I'VE just had it with Iway. Why is it so difficult to connect [to the Internet] and all the time you just have to pay and pay. I won't recommend using Iway to anyone.

* SHAME on MTC for lying to its customers. You should learn to keep your word. They switched off their customer care line because they are afraid of complaints. Bad customer care service MTC.

Letters Of The Last 48 Hours

•  SMSes Of The Day : Monday