Businesses welcome Pohamba election

THE business community has called for stability and closer ties between government and the private sector, after Swapo elected Lands Minister Hifikepunye Pohamba as the party’s candidate in the forthcoming presidential election.

Pupkewitz Holdings Executive Chairman, Harold Pupkewitz, called for closer co-operation between the public and private sector. He said there was ample expertise in both sectors which could be used to develop the country, comparing the two to blades of a scissors.The election of Minister Pohamba as the Swapo presidential candidate, he said, is welcome since the Minister is renowned for listening to those who consult him.”When it comes to black economic empowerment, affirmative action and land reform… this should not unduly disturb production and distribution but be done gradually so to be able to achieve desired results with least disturbances on production, minimal human hardship ..and least economic dislocation.”Pupkewitz said he hoped for the inclusion of former Foreign Affairs Minister Hidipo Hamutenya in the next cabinet saying: “Hamutenya is a thinker and a doer”.Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) Managing Director, Bengt Strenge said: “The most important factor for business is that Namibia remains stable, so that is possible to plan for the future.I hope that Minister Pohamba is able to deliver this critical business environment and I wish him all the success.”Abdool Tayob of Cellular Cash and Carry said there has always been good support from the government and hoped the trend would continue “…We are expanding.The future looks good in Namibia.”Afrox Limited CEO, At Coetzee was not so positive.”We feel as if there is no money,” he said.”Our business thrives on new developments, but there are no new developments, the last big development was Scorpion but since then there has been no major construction.””The fishing industry is quiet.The farming community is quiet,” he said noting that fear over land reform is having a negative impact as farmers are not spending money.Bennie Nienaber, MD of Etosha Transport was optimistic: “In Namibia we enjoy stability, we enjoy the government’s economic policies, there is lots of positivity and we are optimistic for growth.”Dixon Norval of Namibia Breweries echoed the sentiment saying the business climate in Namibia, “still looks very promising even though regionally, disposable income has been under pressure.We have received excellent support from government so far and we don’t expect that to change”.He said there was ample expertise in both sectors which could be used to develop the country, comparing the two to blades of a scissors.The election of Minister Pohamba as the Swapo presidential candidate, he said, is welcome since the Minister is renowned for listening to those who consult him.”When it comes to black economic empowerment, affirmative action and land reform… this should not unduly disturb production and distribution but be done gradually so to be able to achieve desired results with least disturbances on production, minimal human hardship ..and least economic dislocation.”Pupkewitz said he hoped for the inclusion of former Foreign Affairs Minister Hidipo Hamutenya in the next cabinet saying: “Hamutenya is a thinker and a doer”.Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) Managing Director, Bengt Strenge said: “The most important factor for business is that Namibia remains stable, so that is possible to plan for the future.I hope that Minister Pohamba is able to deliver this critical business environment and I wish him all the success.”Abdool Tayob of Cellular Cash and Carry said there has always been good support from the government and hoped the trend would continue “…We are expanding.The future looks good in Namibia.”Afrox Limited CEO, At Coetzee was not so positive.”We feel as if there is no money,” he said.”Our business thrives on new developments, but there are no new developments, the last big development was Scorpion but since then there has been no major construction.””The fishing industry is quiet.The farming community is quiet,” he said noting that fear over land reform is having a negative impact as farmers are not spending money.Bennie Nienaber, MD of Etosha Transport was optimistic: “In Namibia we enjoy stability, we enjoy the government’s economic policies, there is lots of positivity and we are optimistic for growth.”Dixon Norval of Namibia Breweries echoed the sentiment saying the business climate in Namibia, “still looks very promising even though regionally, disposable income has been under pressure.We have received excellent support from government so far and we don’t expect that to change”.