SMSes for Monday 08 October 2012
SMS Of The Day *NAMIBIA produces what it does not consume and consumes what it does not produce. Namibia produces cement, fish, beef and mutton but the prices are high. We produce diamonds but we do not know how to utilise those stones except to sell them in raw form. There is a strike in South Africa but the local business fraternity cannot use this opportunity to the advantage of Namibia but all you hear are complaints. This is really contrasting beautiful Namibia! Are we ever going to wake up and smell the coffee?
Food for thought
*LET’S arrange a presidential debate for the Swapo presidential nominees before the Swapo congress. We would like to know what’s their new plan with the failed education system, healthcare, corruption, labour unrest, high unemployment, same sex marriage, income disparity, the land issue, influx and tenders to the Chinese, high tax, seal culling, the justice system, morale decay issues, BEE, the Reds, tribalism and racism, low pension grants, Basic Income Grant and GIPF. We should look at how they were performing in their current and previous ministries. From this debate, the nation and congress will have a slight idea who is up for the 21st century challenges. It will be in national interest.
– Setho Uwanga
*JUST very pathetic! Two days ago the Prime Minister showed interest in the Presidential seat, today he is proposing for the same position’s salary hike. What exactly is that? Is he preparing his own future nest egg? Tax payers wake up! The same people who are stalling civil servants’ salary increments just demanded for theirs. I will be in my grave before I cast my vote for any party.
Bouquets and Brickbats
*SUIDERLIG High principal Deon Williams, you showed character in an age where it’s so rare. I’m a former learner of yours. I’m studying now and you are my role model. Thank you.
*AHA! Now I know why grown men in the ‘youth’ league are called ‘youth’. It’s because they still behave like spoilt kids! Name calling and threats are just pathetic and insult the poor of the nation who are looking for development. If these are our future leaders then God help Namibia as these future leaders could be the cause of civil war with their puerile spats if they don’t discover some humility, respect and honour, oh and should I mention maturity? Please grow up or get a proper job!
– Martin, Acacia
*I’M from South Africa. I’ve been in Windhoek for four days. By southern African standards you’re doing well. The way forward for you; restrict immigration into your country, pay the police well, educate the youth and be strict on gun licensing. Remember, Jo’burg’s crime is at that state because every 15th car and house has a gun. That’s the tool for dangerous crime. All is not lost.
*WHEN will the Ministry of Agriculture finally be required to carry out Environmental Impact Assessments for their new green schemes? According to articles in Insight Magazine the green schemes waste huge amounts of water and a lot of trees are slashed and burned! Chemicals and fertilisers seep into the Kavango river. Ministry of Environment, please act! What is called green is not so green after all.
*MANAGEMENT of the Windhoek Show, please change the stall/stands of SMEs. We are suffering from smoke inhalation from traditional food stands. You must put SMEs at another place or give us the garages you’ve closed for past three years. The public are not coming to our stalls because of smoke. Remember, we pay you N$4 000 per stall/stand which we will not recover. You decided to increase the cost per stall/stand from N$2 500 to N$4 000 which is an abnormal increase! Make the entrance fees cheaper so that poor people also can enter.
Housing
*THE cost recovery principle should be strictly enforced, the Ministry of Local Government should audit their local authorities and question what is done with this extra income.
*THE housing situation is flawed. The City of Windhoek wants you to stay in the red. Can you explain how a domestic water bill can be N$25 000 and that house still has running water? Is that not a way to get the house auctioned for a song?
*CANNOT agree more with the article on Windhoek’s artificially high property prices!
*THE fact is this, we have to force the city to stop artificial inflation. Let’s do something. This is taking away one of the most important human basic needs. It should end.
– Bernadus
*PROPERTY prices are too high, can the newspaper investigate? Great eye opener. Thanks Nico Smit.
*THE current pricing manipulation which leads to un-affordability of a basic need (housing) has potential to lead to political instability.
*HOUSING prices are definitely artificially inflated making City of Windhoek an irresponsible service provider.
*I AGREE 110 per cent with Nico Smit’s article on Windhoek’s artificial property prices. The City and people with vested interests in the property market are manipulating the price of land in Windhoek. Ministry of Lands and Resettlement should carry out an enquiry.
*I AM in full agreement that the City of Windhoek is depriving us of land. An urgent intervention is required.
Service Please
*STANDARD Bank Namibia credit card department frustrates the hell out of me, they deduct left, right and centre but credits and debits don’t reflect anywhere and yet we are charged unpaid fees! Reversals promised in March are not done yet. Mpumzi, get your house in order please!
*UNAM, when are you giving out admission letters for 2013? Companies for our loans, bursaries and scholarships are asking for the letter.
*EVERYBODY working in the tourism industry needs customer care training. We should understand that we’re not doing tourists a favour when we serve them. They are bringing money into this country.
*I AM aware that FNB Rundu has tonnes of clients but the service stinks. Poor, slow service and arrogant staff.
*CAN Natis tell us about its rule of waiting 21 days if a person fails? Is it for learner’s or driver’s licences?
*TO the person who thinks MTC Maerua takes the cake for bad service: you haven’t been to Monte Christo Service Station yet.
Politics
*NGURARE, do not provoke KK. He talks about realities that you are too chicken to utter. Don’t mistake his silence for stupidity – ever! Viva Swapo Viva! Viva KK Viva!
*IN agreement with Moses Koseb about Rukoro and the issues of red flag. I feel Rukoro is becoming a liability, not only to Ovaherero speaking Namibians but to the nation and perhaps to FNB. I thought he was too intelligent to be so divisive. He, Riruako plus Swapo, what a marriage?
City Fathers
*SIMPSON Street in Windhoek-West is becoming a dump site for garden refuse and building rubble. Trees in full flower are cut down. Can everybody do what they want?
*IT is becoming a nightmare of an experience to shop at Checkers and Woerman Brock Klein Windhoek. We work hard for our money, pay high taxes and still have to be harassed by people begging. City Police do your rounds and pick them up and leave them outside State House. Just fed-up!
*IF our councillors are reaping such huge allowances while their people are scavenging at Kupferberg, we must recall them since they are only enriching themselves and failing to address the critical issues people are facing.
*WINDHOEK Mayor, follow the example of Rundu. Please build a pedestrian bridge from Sister Namibia to Multichoice. When the river flows we are stranded on either side.
NBC
*SOMETIMES paying for NBC TV license is like paying for owning a shadow.
*THANKS NBC TV. You have improved the quality of your programmes. Value for money.
*ACTION, family, comedies, music, entertainment and even the English Premier League on NBC. Now that’s a channel worth paying a TV licence for.
– Simon Maketo
*PLEASE NBC Oshiwambo, improve your service. We like listening to the radio but it is just on and off and is giving that very funny sound. It seems after your demonstration, your machines are not functioning very well. Please do something. We love listening to the radio.
– Elisie
*THE NBC has no money? No money, no NBC! Then we should waste our hard earned money to pay license fees, no?
In and From the Regions
*PLEASE GRN, when will you tar our roads in Otjozondjupa Region? The road from Okahandja to Okondjatu cannot even be called a road any more because it is so damaged by those mine trucks from the Otjozondu mine. If you can’t tar the road can you at least exempt the mine from taxes on condition that they tar the road? Why should we suffer like this?
*GOVERNOR of Karas, we need a special school in the region. We are just sitting on farms with our kids who need special schools.
*ONDANGWA open market is dirty and full of pigs, dogs and chickens living there permanently. Does the municipality have a health officer? That person should visit the open market and either rectify these health hazard problems or close the open market down.
*MINISTRY of Justice staff at reception in Eenhana must assist people fairly. They are just working with their own people and answering the nation the way they want. They must attend a customer care course.
*THANKS to our president for appointing Bernadus Swartbooi as governor. There is a lot of development in Karas Region. Keep up the good work Governor Swartbooi.
– Makuti
*FNB ATM in Eenhana is either out of service or with limited withdrawal amount. We need another ATM in town.
*AUS, stop the land grab on your town lands. It is unacceptable that you should move to communal land whilst others from outside your town grab land at Kanus. Was your chief consulted? You should question the dealings of your Village Council as it smells of a rat.
*MY concern goes to the road between Okahandja, Otjiwarongo and Otavi. Can they not extend the road on the side like between Okahandja and Karibib. Please government, we are losing too many lives. Roads Authority help the nation.
*SO many years down the line and National Housing Enterprise (NHE) is still failing to build cheap houses for people of Otavi. More than 100 civil servants from NDF, Nampol and individuals from Ohorongo Cement are in need of houses. If you think I’m exaggerating, visit Otavi and see for yourself. Will the NHE stand tall and proud and give their reasons as to why we don’t deserve to benefit? When are we going to benefit like other towns?
– Harry
*CAN Namwater Oshakati branch open on Saturday? Even for two hours so we can make our payments or at least during lunch hour for the week after month-end. Really, we can’t find time to pay our accounts.
*COUNCIL of Otamanzi Constituency, do something at Onkani-West. People are suffering without water. They are travelling 12 km to the water point.
*I AM a Grootfontein citizen. I own a house in the border street of Damara Location and Soweto. The speed of drivers is very high. Responsible people do something before we lose our loved ones. Speed bumps please. Thanks in advance.
*KEETMANS CEO vs the Mayor! What an interesting fight? It’s interesting to hear that the municipality has a fat bank balance. Now you two fighters, tell the town why our road infrastructure is in such a sorry state? Why are the so-called services so pathetic? Why are the walking paths in town in such a terrible state? Lastly, why don’t both of you quit?
Civil Servants
*IF we have a problem with unemployment, why do we still pay people who have retired from their posts, considering these people have already gotten their retirement packages? For so many years we complain that the GRN does not have money but we have money to give to people who already have and are no longer working. Tell me now, how are we going forward in our nation if we are not fair? This is our country, let us all share equally.
– NTK
*WHY are the public servants at Vioolstdrift border without clean water, electricity and toilets?
Education
*NSFAF is really failing the government. Abraham Iyambo is only concentrating on schools and forgetting about other important departments in his Ministry. Come November the majority of students with loans won’t write exams because of incompetent staff members failing to process payment on time. Dr Iyambo, do something about this division. All three sections within the division need to be revisited. January will be hell again. Application forms are misplaced and never submitted to the selection committee.
*STUDENTS at Okahao are drinking too much. On Thursday, a certain bar was overcrowded with learners. Please Okahao police, do something because some learners are still writing exams. Please keep order.
*IT is an unforgivable waste of teaching time. 20 full school days that the Ministry of Education is responsible for when our frustrated Grade 8, 9 and 11 learners are twiddling their thumbs while their teachers are invigilating external exams each year! Don’t you think it’s time to come up with a better plan? How about employing and training temps to invigilate?
– Fed up teacher
*NSSC Biology paper three. The paper we wrote was not a Biology paper but instead it was an Agriculture paper. The people who set the paper are very lazy. They only questioned from two topics. So, don’t blame us if we don’t pass well.
*KARIBIB Private School. We don’t send our kids to school to be forced to sell tickets for fund raising. Those kids are trying their best to sell those tickets. Don’t scream at the kids as if they are not trying. They are.
*NTA, thank you for the vocational training you came up with but why do you only select learners from last year? What about us from 2010? We are still at home. Please help us we also want to be educated.
*TEACHERS, make sure that the learners who progress to other grades can read. Without being able to read, advancing the child is just damaging them.
*OUR children at Windhoek Technical School are suffering because they do not have enough study materials. Are there people in charge or not? And if there are, why don’t they do their job properly? If they can’t, why doesn’t the government recruit other people instead of making our children suffer? Think logically before doing things. If you know you can’t do something, please give chance to others. Give our children proper education please.
Health
*MINISTER Kamwi, could you please call the new Windhoek Central Hospital matron to order. Cases have to be cancelled at theatre because she does not want staff to work overtime. She does not want to communicate with staff members. Her management style is destroying what was achieved before. By the way can you please tell the nation how much are you spending on the hotel where she is staying? I think taxpayers deserve to know.
*MINISTRY of Health, please do something on the PODP department in Oshakati Hospital which isn’t issuing medicine for kids any more. We stand in long queues with our small babies just for a Panado. Please do something. If the person is on leave there must be someone acting.
*ANDREW Ndishishi, what are your cleaners doing? Windhoek Central Hospital’s toilets are filthy. Is it not a health hazard in itself? What happened to infection control?
Response to Previous SMSes
*ANDREW Ndishishi is not a doctor but he’s an administrator. He should shake up the ministry. Directors are just warming seats.
*PEOPLE spread rumours for their own consumption, there was nothing in the media about SPYL saying the Karas governor is not performing. They said he is one of those serving on the SPYL’s ticket. So it’s SPYL who recommended his appointment as a governor. Please read before you write.
*IN response to the SMS of a so-called N Daniel, a learner of Goreangab JSS, the following: We the parents of the school are behind the principal. He is a disciplinarian. Teachers stop sending SMSes and do your work. Well done principal.
*I AGREE with the SMS in Friday’s newspaper saying that sponsoring Nestor Tobias would only benefit him. Would it not have made more sense if MTC sponsored boxing in general thereby opening it up to the whole country. Boxing should be developed from an amateur level and not the other way around.