SMSes for Friday 13 January 2012
SMS Of The Day *I’m a Grade 1 teacher in Okahandja. Dr Iyambo just imagine a class with 44 learners. You need to give the learners individual attention but it is not possible. The workload is too much, for example, administrative duties, daily and weekly planning and extramural activities. I can’t cope. At the end of the day you expect all to pass. And the ratio of 40 learners per teacher needs to be revised. At least 35 learners per teacher.
Food for Thought
*YOUR front-page picture of kids crying after witnessing the demolition of their house in Oshakati is really a sad beginning for this country. Is there no room for regularisation of the illegal settlements? Put a moratorium on new construction but try to afford those who would have broken the town’s by-laws an opportunity to conform to legal requirements. We must always pursue non-violent means to resolve issues and spare our children the trauma.
Bouquets and Brickbats
*I WAS touched by the humility of President Pohamba. Drinking tap water when others were demanding bottled water at the African National Congress accommodation. If other ministers and high-ranking officials could follow suit perhaps we will have less corruption.
*HOW can South Africa do that to our President? Shame on you.
Knocking down houses
*I AM shocked and disappointed in the utterly inhumane action by the Oshakati Town Council. I never expected our own Government to treat its own people like this.
– SMA
*WHOEVER came up with the idea of demolishing people’s houses is heartless, an enemy of the nation. You could have thought of other alternatives, not to destroy the poor people like that. That was an insult to God and the nation.
*THE Oshakati Town Council must stop destroying the houses of Ompumbu residents now. This is not what people fought and voted for!
– Cde Oombale-dhiihaka Sem Kateta
A Tender Spot
*I HAVE been following newspaper articles regarding the tender on the Neckartal Dam. This is a very vital project for Namibia particularly the southern region. There seem to be concerns regarding the amount tendered by the Chinese and Italian companies. However, we must be very careful not to underestimate the cost of building such a large dam. Underestimating project cost can cause serious problems. Perhaps its also important that we look at successful dams built by the two companies in other countries. Namibia will be safe going for a company that has had great success in projects of this nature.
Running the Show
*PLEASE Minister Jerry Ekandjo come to the Walvis Bay Municipality. There is no development. Please look into the division of properties.
*THE Walvis Bay council has no power. Only the officials have the power. Please we need people who understand?
*GOVERNMENT please introduce a National Cleaning Day for Namibia.
*MINISTRY of Trade, Namibia Development Corporation and the community, nobody is concerned about the 900 sewing machines you bought from Ramatex. They have been standing for five years inside the building. My concern is they are all going to rust when it rains and we are going to lose millions of dollars.
Law and Order
*FOR whom are laws made in Namibia? Are laws only there for the poor ordinary people with no political connections or are Namibian laws also there for politicians? When a poor classless and ordinary member of society steals goats and cattle or shoots at his/her nephew or is found in illegal possession of explosives the country’s laws would certainly be enforced by law enforcement institutions.
– Pwalakata
Education
*BACK to school. My main concern will again be the short school skirts. I appeal to all parents to make sure that their girls’ skirts are of average length. Schools why don’t you bring in strict measures by having teachers standing at the gate making sure that only decent looking girls enter the school premises? If they don’t want to adhere to the school rules the parents must be called in. Let’s not put all the blame on teachers for not educating our kids while we, the parents, fail to emphasise the importance of self-respect. Boys must wear decent school uniforms as well. Cellphones should be banned in school grounds too. Let’s make this year an excellent academic year.
Health Matters
*WINDHOEK Central Hospital Outpatient Pharmacy until when will you be dispensing medicine through the door? It has been some time since the dispensing windows were broken. We patients feel uncomfortable and the staff’s lives are at risk because some patients are violent. Please those in pharmacy management treat this as a matter of urgency!
*IF you search the Internet, you'll find frightening things about ‘Cholera in Namibia". Please, can MOHSS or anyone let us now what exactly the current situation is? Tourists are scared away by what they read on the Net. To me it seems there is no cholera anywhere in the country right now.
In and From the Regions
*IF the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development can donate N$3,5 million to shack dwellers at Outapi, then they can surely donate a few million to the informal settlement (DRC) in Swakopmund. Everyone is in need but only few in Namibia are benefiting from everything.
*PLEASE headman of Onesi we need Shoprite, Pep Store and other developments. We are tired of walking to Outapi and paying a lot of money!
*WE were promised a mall here in Grootfontein since 2010 but until now we see no construction taking place. How do you think we as nation can reduce the spread of HIV and alcohol and drug abuse in the country while the only thing the youth have for entertainment is alcohol? Otjozondjupa is one of the biggest regions but we don’t have a youth centre or anything to keep the youth busy and away from alcohol!
– Kristofina Nakanduungile
City of Windhoek
*THE City of Windhoek must stop over-charging their clients. I work out of town. I leave my home at 06h30, return at 18h00 sometimes at 21h00, no-one is at home during the day but the bill increases monthly and yet no-one sees them taking any readings.
Sporting
*I AM tired of lame excuses by the Namibia Football Association. Barry Rukoro should know better than blaming everybody for the national team’s poor performance. His effort to get the team to qualify through the back door was a waste of time and money. The nation demands true leadership.
*THE NFA and its bosses must know very well that if they want to win then they must perform well on the soccer pitch and not in the court of arbitration. Both Muinjo and Rukoro must resign. They are an embarrassment to the nation.
*SORRY Barry Rukoro and company, we must win on the field not off the field.
Lost and Found
*MY name is Andre Mwamba. I lost my Democratic Republic of Congo passport in a taxi. If found, please contact 081-275-2582 or 081-734-3692.
*I, KAMBONDE Johannes Natangwe, lost my ID and various cards. Please contact 081-200-5258 or 081-127-2587 if found.
NBC
*‘1 on1’: Mr Kazemburuka can you please invite the Minister of Safety and Security to explain to this nation why our police officers are not paid like City Police officers?
*NBC please bring back ‘Open Line’ and ‘Ewilamanguluka’.
Responses to recent SMSes
*I AGREE with the citizen who suggested that the NBC should introduce modern technology like DStv. No pay, no view, or perhaps NBC should add a second TV channel and show better programmes which will encourage us to pay TV licences. Parliamentarians please look into that NBC Act and amend it.
*CHINESE encroachment on businesses: why doesn't our Government limit the Chinese businesses to ‘China Town’ premises only and let the local retailer sell ‘Chinese stuff’ countrywide if that's what they want? Or force Chinese to partner with locals? We should also look at how countries like Ghana deal with the Chinese and local retailers!
*DEAR SS, the meaning of oshitenya as explained by your Oshiwambo friends is 100% correct. Both in-laws call their in-law oshitenya, be it a son-in-law or daughter-in-law. Omufuko generally refers to a newly wedded bride. Hope this will clear your misunderstanding.
*IN response on the use of oshitenya. The two ladies are correct, in Oshivambo oshitenya applies to both son-in-law or daughter-in-law. And the mufuko term is also used for both of them when they are about to get married, say two months before and after the wedding. So the men will be called omufuko wo mumati and the women omufuko wo mukadona.
*I WOULD like to advise the Kavango lady that the explanation given by two Owambo ladies proved correct. In the two Oshiwambo dialects, Oshikwanyama and Oshindonga, Oshitenya means a bride and bridegroom. The two ladies can still guide you more on Oshiwambo culture, rituals, taboos and tradition.