Matthew Gowaseb on NamZim board

THE loss-making joint-venture newspaper of Namibia and Zimbabwe, the Southern Times, has a new chairman after the resignation of board chairman Vilbard Usiku.

Cabinet approved the appointment of Matthew Gowaseb, former NBC director general Dr Ben Mulongeni and Bernadette Menyah-Artivor to the Board of Directors of NamZim Newspapers for three years. Cabinet also endorsed the appointment of Gowaseb as chairperson of the Board.The three-year term of the Namibian board members of NamZim Newspapers, a joint venture between the governments of Namibia and Zimbabwe, expired in July and the Minister of Information and Communication Technology approached Cabinet to appoint three new members.According to the latest Cabinet briefing paper, Gowaseb is the Knowledge Management Expert in the Cabinet Office.Mulongeni is the Director of Planning and Development Services at the Khomas Regional Council.Menyah-Artivor is the Under Secretary of the Namibia Investment Centre (NIC) in the Ministry of Trade and Industry.The three appointees replace Usiku, Chuma Mayumbelo and Rachel Nathaniel on the NamZim Board.The weekly newspaper Southern Times has not made any profits since its establishment about three years ago and survives on loans from New Era, the newspaper of the Namibian Government.According to a recent report by Auditor General Junias Kandjeke, NamZim still owed New Era over N$4 million.It was doubtful that the money could be recovered from NamZim, the audit report said.Cabinet also endorsed the appointment of Gowaseb as chairperson of the Board.The three-year term of the Namibian board members of NamZim Newspapers, a joint venture between the governments of Namibia and Zimbabwe, expired in July and the Minister of Information and Communication Technology approached Cabinet to appoint three new members.According to the latest Cabinet briefing paper, Gowaseb is the Knowledge Management Expert in the Cabinet Office.Mulongeni is the Director of Planning and Development Services at the Khomas Regional Council.Menyah-Artivor is the Under Secretary of the Namibia Investment Centre (NIC) in the Ministry of Trade and Industry.The three appointees replace Usiku, Chuma Mayumbelo and Rachel Nathaniel on the NamZim Board.The weekly newspaper Southern Times has not made any profits since its establishment about three years ago and survives on loans from New Era, the newspaper of the Namibian Government.According to a recent report by Auditor General Junias Kandjeke, NamZim still owed New Era over N$4 million.It was doubtful that the money could be recovered from NamZim, the audit report said.