Southern Times in the red

THE future of Namibia’s joint-venture State newspaper project with Zimbabwe, The Southern Times, is hanging in the balance because of the reluctance of the two countries to finance the project.

Most of the close to 20 correspondents based in different countries of the region have not been paid for the last six months, and it is not clear how long the three permanent staff members in Windhoek will still have jobs. The newspaper, set up in September last year, is in the red as it struggles to remain afloat.It has failed to make inroads into the regional advertising market.When it was set up, Namibia contributed N$1 million as a 50 per cent shareholder, while Zimpapers pumped in N$1,4 million.Sources said that was the last money Zimbabwe contributed to the project and that Namibia continued to pay the salaries of the permanent staff for months.The Chairperson of the Board of The Southern Times, Vilbard Usiku, reportedly made several trips to Zimbabwe for talks to have that country’s government pump in more funds, but it has yet to pay off.Usiku denied knowledge of any financial problems at The Southern Times.He said whoever informed The Namibian was probably one of those who had received the paper with scepticism and “was spreading alarm”.”It’s all a misrepresentation of facts.There are serious commitments from both governments.If there is a change, I still have to know,” he said.Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah could not be reached for comment.Sources in the Ministry of Information said Namibia was reluctant to invest more because it was seen as “a Jonathan Moyo project”.The paper was set up as a regional propaganda tool when Moyo was Zimbabwe’s Information Minister.He was instrumental in establishing it.Sources said Zimbabwe’s official excuse for not funding the newspaper was that they were struggling to transfer funds through their central bank.”There is a lot of lobbying going on to convince Namibian shareholders (Government) to give more to the project.But there is political reluctance from Cabinet and people are passing the buck between the Ministries of Finance and Information.They say Zimbabwe needs the paper more than we do,” said one source.The lack of funding is placing a heavy strain on New Era Publications, as it hosts and pays for some of the services used by The Southern Times permanent staff.Reports that The Southern Times was experiencing financial difficulties emerged as early as March this year in Zimbabwe.In February, former Information Minister Nangolo Mbumba informed the National Assembly that New Era had spent approximately N$600 000 on The Southern Times and that the paper did not plan to invest any further capital in the project for the next three years, as the joint-venture company was expected to generate its own income.He said there were plans to invite other investors to join Namzim Newspapers.The newspaper, set up in September last year, is in the red as it struggles to remain afloat.It has failed to make inroads into the regional advertising market.When it was set up, Namibia contributed N$1 million as a 50 per cent shareholder, while Zimpapers pumped in N$1,4 million.Sources said that was the last money Zimbabwe contributed to the project and that Namibia continued to pay the salaries of the permanent staff for months.The Chairperson of the Board of The Southern Times, Vilbard Usiku, reportedly made several trips to Zimbabwe for talks to have that country’s government pump in more funds, but it has yet to pay off.Usiku denied knowledge of any financial problems at The Southern Times.He said whoever informed The Namibian was probably one of those who had received the paper with scepticism and “was spreading alarm”.”It’s all a misrepresentation of facts.There are serious commitments from both governments.If there is a change, I still have to know,” he said.Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah could not be reached for comment.Sources in the Ministry of Information said Namibia was reluctant to invest more because it was seen as “a Jonathan Moyo project”.The paper was set up as a regional propaganda tool when Moyo was Zimbabwe’s Information Minister.He was instrumental in establishing it.Sources said Zimbabwe’s official excuse for not funding the newspaper was that they were struggling to transfer funds through their central bank.”There is a lot of lobbying going on to convince Namibian shareholders (Government) to give more to the project.But there is political reluctance from Cabinet and people are passing the buck between the Ministries of Finance and Information.They say Zimbabwe needs the paper more than we do,” said one source.The lack of funding is placing a heavy strain on New Era Publications, as it hosts and pays for some of the services used by The Southern Times permanent staff.Reports that The Southern Times was experiencing financial difficulties emerged as early as March this year in Zimbabwe.In February, former Information Minister Nangolo Mbumba informed the National Assembly that New Era had spent approximately N$600 000 on The Southern Times and that the paper did not plan to invest any further capital in the project for the next three years, as the joint-venture company was expected to generate its own income.He said there were plans to invite other investors to join Namzim Newspapers.