SMSes for Monday 26 March 2012
SMS Of The Day *PRESIDENT Pohamba’s initiative in meeting the leaders of the opposition will be fruitful if Swapo MPs also value the constructive input of the opposition MPs in the National Assmebly and National Council, otherwise this noble gesture will be window dressing.
Food for Thought
*MINISTERS, deputy ministers and other senior government officials if you commit an unpardonable blunder or transgress a law you are supposed to uphold, make a public apology or resign. Don’t wait to be summoned to State House. By doing this you will put less pressure on the President, not having to be confronted by the press because of your scandal.
– Setho
Bouquets and Brickbats
*DR Ngurare thank you for your opinion, but please do not overlook the dangers of Oshiwambo dominance in the public sector. That worries the minority.
– BA
*‘ANTI Owambo national debate needed’ by Ngurare warrants a realistic response. The Swapo constitution and manifesto, and Namibian Constitution, are clear on one nation. Hence the distribution of welfare and distribution of work accordingly as raised by Maambarua speaks volumes and should constitute your debate. Thirdly what lacks is the current leadership to address concretely those noble ideals we fought for.
– Rev Z Mujoro, Grootfontein.
*BRAVO J J Coetzee, couldn't have said it better myself. ‘No to Baster tribalism’ indeed.
*THE SMS of the person against closing shebeens on public holidays shows that you are owner of a shebeen or there is no shebeen close to your house. We thank you City of Windhoek for that rule as there was no shebeen noise. We were able to watch and hear the independence celebrations on our TVs at home. Thank you for the noiseless 22nd celebrations.
*COMMUNITY policing is a brilliant idea. Thank you The Namibian for supporting it with your coverage.
*I WOULD like to give the Ministry of Home Affairs staff and management credit. I was stunned by the assistance/efficiency I got at Home Affairs this morning. I joined the new passport application queue and only spent ±15 minutes there to hand in my application this morning (March 23, 2012). Thank you. Keep up the good work.
*SAD to say to all journalists and politicians, The Namibian’s SMS pages are the best in the nation! The people's parliament! Jebo!
*IN a press statement Niilo Taapopi tells the motoring public to 'get used to road rage'! What an irresponsible statement to make about a situation which is largely of the City of Windhoek’s making. Grandiose worthless spending but no real upgrade to the city’s road system.
*ANOTHER Air Namibia flight cancelled! Passengers arrived at Hosea Kutako before 06h00 for their flight to Johannesburg just to be told, after booking in, that the flight had been cancelled. Why do they introduce new routes when they cannot handle existing ones?
*TO that tipsy sun-burnt dude emptying his bladder in full view at Avis Dam on Saturday: your intensely anti-social behaviour and infantile pride in your genitalia leads to the assumption that you are indeed as pathetic as you look.
*WHY has the media backed off the issue of Minister Geingob receiving a payout of over N$2 million as a ‘consultant’ of a mining company which then gets a licence. Why isn’t he asked what ‘consulting’ he conceivably did for this huge payout? Why isn’t the Anti-Corruption Commission investigating this or does it just go after small fry? We need answers. And why isn’t this newspaper asking these questions?
*ROAD crashes cause for concern – I would think so! Reasons – taxis, taxis and people not following the simple rules of the road. When will something be done to the taxis that think all roads belong to them running the rest of us off the road etc?
Banking on You
*STANDARD Bank when are you going to introduce cellphone banking like First National Bank and Bank Windhoek?
– Prof
*THANK you very much M Kelly for your letter explaining how our banks are blatantly ripping us off. It’s unabated greed. The reason is regulatory failure. Our regulators are politically correct fat cats who are not in the least concerned about protecting the consumers.
*SENSELESS banking fees! Local banks respond. Reference The Namibian March 23, 2012 page 13.
*M KELLY’S letter about UK 's free banking. Just one question: 'And what happened to the UK banks over the past three years?' I rest my case.
*WHILE one may agree with Kelly’s point regarding bank costs, isn’t it also a fact that major UK banks went bankrupt in 2008?
*THANK you for the new bank notes but they look like they were designed by a Grade 1 child and we Namibians like copying. These notes are almost like Zambian and Zimbabwean notes.
*WHY do we have two faces on our bank notes? First of it’s kind in the world. They obviously will replace the other notes too. Yet they give feeble excuses. It really is difficult to be an African!
– Concerned and confused citizen.
Politics
*DEAR Ms Iivula-Ithana please know that a country’s economy is always in the hands of a minority, except in a communist state. Who are you referring to as a minority - is it the group of Frans Indongo, Tilahun, Pupkewitz, Sydney Martin, Ben Hauwanga, List family, etc or is it a tribal or racial group?
Law and Order
Do you have a licence
*WHY have the Namibian police started an unannounced arrest campaign against shebeeners without prior notice or warning? Who is behind this? Aside from the Liquor Act, people must be informed publicly about applying for liquor licences.
*HOUSE auctions illegal: Can we have a coherent expert legal opinion on this issue? Alternatively Namibian Home Owners Association challenge the constitutionality of this in a court of law.
Independence
*WHY does Gwen Lister never attend national events? Is she a patriotic Namibian like we think? Some of us we value her contribution to our liberation, but why does she never attend?
Note: Not true. I go when I can. I was not in Mariental this year, but in the past I was working most public holidays to bring out a paper when others were celebrating!
– Gwen Lister
*WHY have all the years' independence speeches been delivered by Swapo members countrywide, delegating themselves to go and blind people ignoring other parliamentarians. Remember you don’t own Namibia. This land belongs to everybody.
City Fathers
*THE Katutura/Central hospital road is to transport patients between the two hospitals and not for drivers to teach learners how to drive. City traffic police intervene.
– JST
*I WOULD like to know how or when you people will open your eyes to the more than around 10 000 kambashus /ghettos around Goreangab alone with no toilets or water. What if disease breaks out? Will it only be those living there that will be affected or the whole city because many work in the city.
Education
*MY son is a learner at one of the Grootfontein schools where their teacher spends most of the time on the cellphone during lessons. I’m concerned about learners' progress in that subject.
*PLEASE have someone check the traffic chaos at Delta High School in Olympia. Every midday some parents think they are free to break all traffic rules and stop to pick up kids anywhere even on the red line, in the stop junction and are real hazards to other road users. If you speak up, they say ‘it’s a free country. How dangerous is that stupidity? And definitely teaching their kids the same bad manners and they are no example to any!
*CAN the ministry dismiss all teachers who can’t discipline learners. If one can’t discipline, one can’t teach. My child is forever complaining about the 80 per cent of teachers at a school in Khomasdal who can’t even reprimand learners. Study time is total chaos. What must I do? I don’t want my child to fail. Please help.
Health Matters
*MINISTER Kamwi we completed enrolled nurse/midwife training last year and registered with the nursing council but are still jobless just because of the delay of appointment letters from the permanent secretary’s office since January. This office has delayed our letters reaching the Otjiwarongo human resources offices for us to start working. Please Minister Kamwi do something about this problem please.
In and From the Regions
*COUNCILLOR Dalius Mbolondondo of Olukonda Constituency, Oshikoto Region we need electricity in Onamulunga B area. Please we were promised this since 2005.
Running the Show
*WHAT is happening to the money at immigration? Why have we been without uniforms for four years. Madam Minister please investigate?
*OH what hypocrisy from the politicians. They rush through the so-called Stock Theft Bill to protect their cattle from stock thieves, now what about the poor whose houses are being repossessed by the National Housing Enterprise and the banks? Stop dragging your feet and help the poor by changing that law.
– Bafana Kisting
NBC
*WHAT role did China play during the struggle years compared to Cuba? Can NBC show us a documentary. China is treated like a big brother by Namibians leaders. Tell us or show us. We saw Cuba’s role in southern Africa.
*NBC where can I pay my TV licence using my credit card? NamPost does not have facility.
Please Help
*I REGISTERED for a house at August Homeless Housing Organisation in Otjomuise and we were asked to deposit a fee of N$2 250. I made the deposit on the 16 August, 2010 and up to now nothing has happened. I want my money back because I am struggling. Anyone who can help me or knows where I can get help please call me on 081-373-4208.
*WHERE can I look for help in Keetmanshoop for someone who is mentally disturbed and is suffering?
Labour Issues
*WHY study? Our government should review salary scales. I was shocked to discover that a control officer with only a Grade 12 certificate earns more than an IT technician with Bachelor’s Degree. Can we please recognise the people that put effort to get tertiary education and worked hard to get recognised qualifications.
*GOVERNMENT, The Namibia National Teachers’ Union and Namibian Pubic Service Workers Union must seriously, fairly and in all earnest consider the issue of a housing subsidy or allowance for married civil servants who are not working in the same town. Paying rent of N$2 500 in the other town while one gets a housing allowance of only NS500 is completely unfair! Why do married directors each get a housing allowance of over N$5 000?
Service Please
*RUNDU. NamPost should open a post office at Mururani area.
*SANTAM after you deducted money from all accounts twice last month; you had the audacity to do it again. Please stop blaming the banks as the fault lies with you!
Lost And Found
*I lost my ID and other documents on Friday. If found contact M Gaowetse at 081-823-9397 or drop it at nbc tswana radio
*I FOUND a driving licence for M Kauapirura. Please call 081-382-6564.
*I MATEUS Shikongeni Hainana lost my appointment certificate in Nkurenkuru, Kavango Region. If found call or SMS 081-609-7016.
Response to recent SMS
*I TOTALLY concur with the SMSer of Friday about next year’s independence celebrations theme ‘Economic Independence’. I am a Swapo supporter but the party has been singing the same old song of liberation at every celebration. Who cares after 20 years? Those are historical facts and won’t ever change. I can read those in any archives. What I, and many other forward-looking Namibians want to hear is what has been achieved so far economically?