SMSes for Mon 15 Dec 08
* THERE is no better time to start saving than today.
Food For Thought
* I NEVER thought I was going to say that but thanks to the disgraceful silence of our so-called leaders in the face of atrocities against humanity in our neighbouring Zimbabwe, I am ashamed to be African, and particularly so to be Namibian. What are we teaching our youth? That there is nothing left for them to respect or to believe in? May our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe forgive us as we are too weak to act as real Christians.
– A Buchter
* WHEN Africans fought colonialism, there were many heroes. When it comes to fighting [President Robert] Mugabe all one sees are jellyfish! Thousands died in the liberation war, but now you can’t find anyone to fight Mugabe? Good night Africa, and will the last one please switch off the lights!
* OLD buildings and tents are being used as schools. Some learners are sitting throughout the year without books, but Namibia is sending N$1,7 million of medicine to another country.
Politics
* THE Executive silenced the opposition in the parliamentary chambers through their numbers. Now feeling the pressure from the citizenry, they cry foul and call for respect which they could not accord royal highnesses from the opposition benches. Ombudsman? No he owes us an answer on your self-centredness, so he better investigate that first, not our voices!
* NOTHING is permanent or impossible. A very true and powerful statement indeed! It is only our poor, selective memory which is deceiving us. Remember the German, British and lately the Verwoerds and successors, none of them dreamt of any black government in Namibia and RSA. Now we are faced with equally sharing our Independence cake, which the chosen elite decided to make theirs only. But bear in mind that as long as people are living they will not be allowed permanent stay. That’s why the breakaway parties are formed to challenge the master. So, Viva HH [Hidipo Hamutenya] and [South Africa’s Terror] Lekota, [Ben] Ulenga. Whether it is today or tomorrow, change will come for sure.
* I DISAGREE with RDP president HH for saying the elections of Eenhana and Omuthiya were unfair!
* HAVING read and re-read Dr [Joe] Diescho’s article of December 5, I’d like to know if it is possible to call for the impeachment of the president through a national referendum?
* I WAS quite surprised when I saw the names on the sponsor list of the children from exile. What does that tell us, when we physically experienced the terror of the Koevoets and the guys in white suits. Not seeing your parents, because they are in prison somewhere or hiding. Well, you just gave us an idea. We are not going to sit back, like our parents, we are going to form our own organisation and tell the nation what hell really felt like, without foreign sponsors.
* AN author of a reader’s letter published on Friday, ‘RDP Leadership Disappoints’ missed the point that ‘you’ were only to be elected if you were a delegate, qualified and nominated. How will ‘your tribe’ be represented in the RDP leadership if ‘you’ took a wait-and-see approach? Join them! The author must not insult the intelligence and the decisions of 500 delegates for his/her own ignorance. Political parties are not formed to represent tribes but to market new ideologies – for those who accept it.
Zimbabwe
* ONE of the most serious crimes against humanity by Zanu-PF is its use of sexual violence as a weapon of conflict. The sooner Robert Mugabe steps down, the better for Zimbabwe, SADC and the world.
* PLEASE explain to me I’m totally confused. How in somebody’s right mind can Gordon Brown, the prime minister of Britain, be responsible for cholera in Zimbabwe? Africa stop blaming your failed governments on the western powers.
* ON the ‘Killer’ street signs along Robert Mugabe Avenue: at last someone is saying what 90 per cent of Namibians are thinking! Our Government must assist in getting rid of this ruthless dictator.
* HOW many must die – 10 000, 100 000, 1 million, an entire country – before the Namibian government stands up and speaks out against Mugabe and his actions?
In And From the Regions
* MY grandma’s house is to be demolished at Okahao, so that they can build the town. Where will my grandma go? She cannot afford to build or buy a house. Why doesn’t the Government provide her with shelter? My poor granny.
* WE think it is worth nothing to keep struggling with these electricity generators all along. Remove them and replace with NamPower. GRN please do something. We are also part of Namibia. From Rundu to Tsumkwe is not that far. We beg you!
* PLEASE someone rescue Karasburg from whatever or whoever is blocking the way for development. Maybe they enjoy it when we the youth are drinking and drinking the day away. It’s time to leave the history (politics) and move to economics. Let the Municipality of Karasburg stop their excuses and start with the low-income houses. Keetmanshoop is a shining example of building and developing. For 10 years in a row there has been no start in sight in Karasburg.
* OSHAKATI is a growing town with the potential to become the second capital, but one should just see the roads. They are full of sand and the markings have faded. Please help.
– Disgruntled Oshakati Road User
Bouquets And Brickbats
* DUDLEY your Friday cartoon is disgusting and childish. I wonder when you will draw your father in H Hamutenya’s pocket. I know Gwen won’t publish my SMS because HH is untouchable.
– Mike
– If you read The Namibian regularly, you will know that we regard no one as untouchable. Secondly the Editor does not vet the SMSes or put together the SMS page or responses, so your accusation against her is unfounded. Finally, Friday’s cartoon was not done by Dudley. Nonetheless, thank you for taking part in this forum. – News Editor
Justice For All
* HOW can raping a five-year-old child be punished with 10 years in prison? In Namibia stealing cattle is a more serious crime than violating a child?
* LIFE is made impossible for an ordinary person. Take the latest happenings; Police officers killing their so-called loved ones, a pastor convicted for raping a five-year-old and saying he didn’t have any remorse. What is the meaning of all this. The rights of these criminals are just too much. We appeal to the GRN and Police, in particular, for protection of all people, and the judiciary please consider the victim too.
ACC Alert
* ACC please go and investigate at the NDF sports office how GRN property is misused. Beds are used to make a garden fence while there are people who need them.
* PLEASE ACC, disclose all corrupt practices in the GRN to the nation.
* ACC investigate the finances of Tsumeb Municipality, please. Especially the Build Together programme. It’s almost nine years, but no progress.
– Build Together beneficiary members Tsumeb
* AN easy one for the ACC. A CID member of Nampol Otjiwarongo damaged a Police vehicle while allegedly intoxicated. The matter was swept under the carpet because the culprit was due to go on an overseas posting.
General
* I WANT to suggest that whenever GRN issues tenders, especially for construction, 49 per cent should be given to local builders, not everything to the Chinese
* I JUST want to know how Natis decides how many persons per vehicle. We’ve got two double-cab bakkies. On the one disk it says three persons, the other five people. We are a family of six. Try to explain that to a traffic officer. Natis wake up!
* YOUR front headline on Friday for me has a double meaning thanks to the word ‘aliens’ ... Terrorism is from outside this world.
* SOME ministers are criticised for concentrating on party work, rather than solving their ministerial problems. An independent investigation must be conducted to find the truth. It is proposed that the National Society for Human Rights, the media, the Legal Assistance Centre, political parties and Ombudsman can research this issue and publish their reports. e.g. problems of the Ministry of Justice include: some dilapidated houses, periodical courts which became white elephants, some magistrates and prosecutors have no clerks or typists, no regular financial inspections are conducted, shortage of legal aid counsel, payment of millions of dollars by state in civil cases, because officials fail to seek legal advice, delays in approving legal aid applications, huge areas in maintenance cases, dirty offices and toilets etc.
* WHY did you do away with the SMS page? Shame, did Swapo scare you?
* Not at all. We have never missed an SMS page since we started. On Fridays, the page is moved further back in the newspaper, next to the letters page. – Newsdesk
* AFTER having been harassed three of the last four times I was in Windhoek City Centre by a certain beggar, I want to share a few thoughts about the style of begging that has become fashionable: using disabled people to make money by begging can’t be compatible with human rights. Not only the individual I was referring to above, but particularly those poor fellows with tins chained to their hands. Who sends them begging? These individuals unfortunately due to their disability do not have the capacity to decide for themselves. Coming back to my ‘case study’ above, to have him beg for N$75 with ever changing stories and to have him follow you for hundreds of metres is simply harassment. Security at shopping centres should be positioned at the entrances to ensure that at least within the shopping centres people can walk without being harassed by beggars. I want to add a constructive suggestion to show my sympathy for the individuals, but my objection to the inhumane form of begging: why can’t the Municipality of Windhoek get together all these individuals and give them permanent market stands at a place open for discussion and make them sell products and use that money for their daily lives. For those individuals unable to talk due to disability let the municipality recruit an assistant. The result? Windhoekers and tourists can decide openly and unharassed if they want to contribute to the lives of the individuals and give them even more than for just simple begging. Please municipality do something to improve this situation.
* THE ‘Welcome to Windhoek’ board at Hosea Kutako International Airport should rather read ‘Welcome to Namibia’. One has just landed in a country and Windhoek is still 42 kilometres away.
Labour Issues
* THE NQA Director recently informed NQA Council employees that their employment contracts will not be renewed, but that we re-apply when positions are advertised as there will still be a budget for the positions. Sir we don’t have a problem with that as the NQA is unique and we possess unique knowledge and can make a contribution on other platforms with that. But our question to you is why were submissions written and waivers obtained from Council for the technical advisor, personal assistant and clerk positions. A precedent has been set, why the U-turn now (consistency). Technically you don’t also have authority over us as you are a Public Service Commission employee. Sir can we remind ourselves that we are fully funded by taxpayers. Thus please respond publicly.
* MINISTRY of Education in Kunene region in Khorixas you are delaying our salaries. Please Mr Kabajani talk to your people. We need our money before Xmas.
* NATAU please help us. Some security companies are paying N$1,90 an hour!
* NAMDEB is about to lay off workers because of a decline in sales. After all these years Lüderitz still looks the same – no development. It’s like a picture, it never changes.
– ‘Die Leeu’