Beruflich Dokumente
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FeBrUAry 2013
Consumer News
ISSN 2026-710X
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FIND US:
SHOP 12, 1st FLOOR, Maerua Mall, Windhoek Tel: 061 233 368 / 061 231 652 sales@gadgetsnamibia.com www.gadgetsnamibia.com
The Team
Publisher
Consumer News
Printed by
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General Manager/Editor
Willem Gariseb 081 249 8161 081 551 9337 consumernews@iway.na
Editors Note
Willem Gariseb
Editorial Photos
Contents
Q & A with O&L Chairman - P4 - P5 Legal insurance for Namibians - P6 Keeping consumers aware of a Pyramid Schemes - P8 - 9 Retention is important - P10 Adventure Travel World Travel Summit One of its kind - P11 Quality, Excellence & Success, a description of the new NUST - P12 - P13 Thriving in an unventured business - P14 Stay focus why you came to the city - P14 What influences consumer decision making - P16 Healthcare in Namibia - P17 How to buy discounted airtime on the Consumer News network - P17 The beauty in nature - P18 - P19 Understanding Banking - P21 Motherhood? - P22 The Wreck Restaurant - P22 How much does it cost? - P24 Mazda speed 3 - P26 Hitman takes on Fana - P27
et me begin by thanking all our advertisers and readers for their unwavering support in the publication of our magazine. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of all inventions, let me add that we are also there because of the need to constantly educate and inform consumers on issues which concern them and also give them the chance to speak through this platform to the concerned stakeholders as a way to influence a consumer inclusive policy formulation. In this edition we feature the Executive Chairman of the Ohlthaver and List Group, one of Namibias largest companies participating in the sectors of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, dairy, marine and industrial engineering, property management and investment, leisure management and investment, marketing and digital marketing and energy generation Sven is one of the successful entrepreneurs who have sailed all the way through to lead a very successful empire under the name O&L Group of companies. We also blessed our consumers with more educative and diverse stories from tourism to banking, stories which opens their minds to critically think and make cognitive decisions before buying any product from any shop. We also want to extend an invitation to all potential stakeholders and investors to partner with our magazine and support us in the coming month as we will be planning to do an independence supplement which will inform readers on the progressions made towards consumer protection in Namibia. May you enjoy reading the pages of our magazine. Until the next edition
If there is a book you really want to read but it hasnt been written yet, then you must write it.
Toni Morrison (US novelist)
Our mission is to create a platform for you the Namibian consumer, who strives to see improvement in the value of goods and services and are savvy enough to spot misleading advertising and poor quality products and services. You deserve more, and together we have power in numbers, so we welcome your contributions, feedback, acknowledgements and your voice on products and services that need our investigation.
ContaCt details
Namibia Consumer Protection Group: Milton Louw. E-mail: miltonlouw@gmail.com Namibia Customer Service Institute: Jon Allen. E-mail:csinstitute@iway.na Website: www.namibiacsi.com Namibian Consumer Lobby: Bob Ziekenoppasser. Te: 064 - 46 1461 or 081 284 8000 Namibian Standards Institution: Tel: 061 38 6400 / Queries: query@nsi.com.na Website: www.nsi.com.na
For all your advertising needs contact: Willem Gariseb at: Cell: +264 (0) 81 249 8161/+264 (0) 85 551 9337 Fax2mail: +264 (0) 886 44443 Email: consumernews@iway.na/willemgariseb@yahoo.com
Q&A
t the helm of the group of companies, which employs approximately 5000 people, seats Sven Thieme the Groups Executive Chairman. Sven Thieme discusses the formula to his empire with the Consumer News giving the roadmap to his success. CN What is the nature of your business and influenced you to venture into the challenging yet lucrative business? Sv: Approximately 80 % of our
turnover generated results from manufacturing with a balance of 20% generated by our retail operations. Manufacturing is a very challenging part of our business as you have to be very innovative and constantly look as to how one can produce products and services in a more effective and efficient way to reduce costs. With global economies slowly but surely opening up, competition
becomes global. I believe that we have developed the right corporate culture to meet these challenges to ensure we are innovative. CN. O&L Visions seek to be the progressive and inspiring company. How do you ensure this? Sv: For us to be the most progressive and inspiring company, we have set ourselves the following overarching vision metrics which is to
Consumer News
I am a Chartered Accountant, having studied B-Rekeningkunde at the University of Stellenbosch and Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting at the University of Cape Town. I articled with Deloitte in Cape Town.
achieve an Earnings before Interest and Taxation of N$ 2 billion; to consistently achieve being the employer of choice; to generate an additional 2500 employment opportunities, and to run the company in such a way that we have a positive carbon footprint. CN. What are some of the companys strengths and weaknesses compared to its competitors? Sv:I believe some of our strengths is our people management processes and our culture we have developed. A further strength is our heritage and the entire authenticity, realness and purity that underpin the quality of our products and services. Some weaknesses clearly are that we still do not have the scale that we need to lift the organization to the next level and that sometimes requires us to diversify our portfolio more than we actually want to do. CN: What have been your challenges and shortcomings as an individual and how have you managed to overcome them? Sv: Perhaps one I can mention is the fact that I dont enjoy re-explain what I want or need as I consider this boring, but again nowadays I see this as an opportunity for better communication. After all, Lets Talk is one of our values. CN: Can you tell us about O&Ls growth plan for the next five years, and how does your location/region fit in realizing that you have international clients? Sv: I have eluded to it above with our vision metrics. These vision metrics require us to look beyond Namibia and venturing into other
countries. We are partly already established in terms of our famous Windhoek Lager, Hangana fish and Oshikandela. CN: What have you achieved in this industry since day one and what do you feel you still need to achieve? Sv: We are obviously operating in many industries and have turned around one company after the other but there is a still lot to do within our company in order to become absolutely world class, and apart from that we are still busy with some turnarounds as well as participating in new industries where we are still establishing new companies. CN: What makes you wake up in the morning every day and what is success to you? Sv: Our very clear organizational purpose: Creating a future, enhancing life. My own purpose is: Giving life to people everywhere. And success for me is to see people growing to the next level compared to who they were yesterday! I am passionate about our country and our people! CN: Who has been your greatest source of inspiration? Sv: There are many, but I am more inspired by people having achieved the impossible whether small or big and it is really the small examples or achievements that inspire me most. CN: What advice would you give to those who would like to venture into this industry? Sv: You need to have a very strong and clear purpose, strong value system simply put, be very disciplined and know clearly what you want and not to forget, but to act upon it. This applies to any industry. CN: Do you think that the Namibian has the rightfully skilled human resources to drive the nation towards economic capacity building and meeting the set 2030 goals? Sv: If we collectively have the will to achieve these goals, we will do it. In some cases we do need to import skills and ensure they train people and develop Namibians so that we have the right skills in our country. CN: What does it take for one to do the work you do? As for yourself, where and what did you study before you joined the profession? Sv: There are obviously many recipes, but I believe that you need to have a good educational base and thereafter it is dependent on what you want. I see sometimes people study and study for ever. But I believe you must put your studies into practice and learn further through doing- that is really studying.
Also refer to what I have said earlier. Myself, I am a Chartered Accountant, having studied B-Rekeningkunde at the University of Stellenbosch and Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting at the University of Cape Town. I articled with Deloitte in Cape Town.
Consumer News
LeGAL INSUrANce
The cost of taking legal action can be prohibitive. Could you afford to claim compensation if you were injured in an accident, unfairly dismissed from work or had a dispute with a business? A friend of mine has had legal insurance for the past three years and believed he was covered. About a month ago, he was accused of being involved in a theft syndicate at his work. He immediately called his legal insurance company, but was informed they do not cover criminal cases. He was taken for a polygraph test (is that even legal in Namibia?), and informed that he had failed the test. This led to him leaving the job that morning to go speak to his legal insurer. Guess what the legal insurance company tells him? They inform him they do not cover the expenses for a labour case either.
for Namibians
W
HAT is it with insurance companies that do not want to pay claims? If you complain at NAMFISA they can do very little to help. If I am going to buy legal insurance I expect: Bail Assistance Bail negotiations and applications on members behalf Depositing of the bail amount/issuing of bail guarantee on behalf of arrested member. In other words, I must know that if I am accused of a crime that I have instant legal assistance when I am arrested and the legal representative shall do everything in their power to have me released on bail. In addition, my legal insurance will cover a certain amount for example bail up to N$10,000. cIvIL LAw Bank and insurance matters Blacklisting Building and construction matters Contractual disputes Debt collection Letters of demand Litigation Personal injury claims, etc Consumer issues Driving under the influence Reckless driving Search warrants, etc. This area is where most legal insurance companies are doing proper cover. This is of course the area that scares most citizens. But, in all probability, this is the area which legal insurance companies know are used the least but do wonders for advertising. FAmILy LAw Ante-nuptial contracts Custody disputes Divorces Family violence matters Interdicts Maintenance disputes, etc. Being able to handle family affairs privately and confidentially is very important for every consumer. This area of law also calls for the ability to settle disputes within the family about legal matters. LABoUr LAw Dismissals Disciplinary proceedings Pension payout disputes Restraint of trade agreements Retrenchments Unpaid wages Working condition
If I should find myself in a case where I am accused of wrong doing by an individual (civil meaning between two parties), I hope my insurance company will cover all the types of cases, as well as assist when I wish to take another person or company to court in a civil case. crImINAL LAw Fraud, theft, robbery or assault Arrests Bail applications
In the employment arena we are often caught out either not knowing our rights, or thinking that we actually do when we dont. Our legal insurance should allow us to get quick assistance, especially in cases where we need advice before following any course of action that could be detrimental in the long run. Surely this is not too much to ask from your legal insurance company?
Book your space in Consumer News for the Independence Celebrations in our March edition. Contact: Willem Gariseb at: Cell: +264 (0) 81 249 8161/+264 (0) 85 551 9337 Fax2mail: +264 (0) 886 44443 Email: consumernews@iway.na/willemgariseb@yahoo.com Consumer News
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Media Release
Nacc bid farewell to Murorua
The Board, Management and staff of NaCC recently bed farewell to Mr Lucius Murorua for his outstanding leadership during his tenure as the Chairman of NaCC Board of Commissioners from 01 February 2010 to 31st January 2013. During his time at the Commission, Mr Murorua played a significant role in building an effective, independent competition regulator and giving teeth to the Commissions mandate in safeguarding and promoting competition in the Namibian economy. He also highlighted as a notable achievement during his Chairmanship, the Walmart// Massmart court challenge which placed the NaCC on the international map due to its resilience on protecting the local economy.
Consumer News
Ndangi Katoma, the Banks Director of Strategic Communications and Financial Sector Development
Pyramid schemes are very common and come in so many forms difficult to recognize immediately. However, they all share one overriding characteristic which is the promise of large profits to consumers or investors based primarily on recruiting others to join their program and not based on profits from any real investment or real sale of goods to the public. In Namibia, various schemes have been probed by the Bank of Namibia in the recent past. Last year, the Bank of Namibia (the Bank) completed the investigation of some business models whose activities have been found to be contravening section 55A (1) of the Banking Institutions Act, 1998 (Act No. 2 of 1998), as amended.
Ndangi Katoma, the Banks Director of Strategic Communications and Financial Sector Development gives some insight on what a pyramid scheme is and gives advice on how consumers can protect themselves from becoming victims. C.N: Following last year stance taken by the Bank on some business activities found to be contravening the law as pyramid schemes, what progress has made so far and what is the way forward? As you would recall, after an in-depth assessment of the business models of some business entities, namely Gold Prime Time, U-Care and Penta Stream Investments (under the concept of Pin Code & Penta Gold), the Bank of Namibia has declared these entities as illegal as their activities were found to be in contravention with section 55A (1) of the Banking Institution Act, 1998 (Act No. 2 of 1998),
as amended. The Bank gave directives to these business entities to repay back money to the rightful owners who did not receive any promised reward(s) within 14 days. The Bank has also requested members of the public who became victims of such schemes to register their names/particulars in order for the Bank to ensure that proper facilitation of refunds happen by these pyramid schemes. Gold Prime Time and Penta Streams Investments have responded positively to the Banks directive and promised to pay back the monies to the rightful owners. However, U-Care indicated that they will not honor the directive of the Bank of Namibia and opted to settle the dispute in a court of law. Thus far, only 15 people are alleged to have received re-payment from Penta Stream Investments while none of the other two schemes reported any repay-
ment made as directed. This primarily happened, due to the fact that Penta Stream Investments initiated their repayment plans without presenting the Bank of Namibia with detailed repayment schedule, on how and how much of refunds they will have to execute. Consequently, this resulted in some delays in effecting the repayments. Given the above, the Bank has resolved to proceed with legal action against the three pyramid schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Banking Institutions Act of 1998, as amended. C. N: Do we have people who have lost money in Namibia through these schemes or why is the Bank of Namibia concerned with this? NK: Well, first business entities
Consumer News
Pyramid Schemes
izens. The many illegal pyramid schemes hook the public by convincing them of the high returns in a short space of time. This poses a risk because they tend to collapse when it becomes difficult to attract new people to join. The schemes involve payment of purported returns to existing investors from the funds contributed by new investors. Through this process, illegal deposit-taking schemes promise investors that they will gain high returns if they invest in these funds. C.N: In simple terms, what are pyramid schemes and how do they work? NK: In general terms, pyramid schemes are illegal and very risky get-richquick schemes that can cost a lot of people a lot of hard earned money. Typically, promoters at the top of the pyramid make their money by having people join the scheme. Then they pocket the fees and other payments made by those who join under them. In a typical pyramid scheme, a member pays to join. The only way for the member to ever recover any money is to convince other people to join up and to part with their money as well. CN: What should one do to avoid falling victim of the schemes? NK: The answer is simple. As an individual, do your home work. Pyramid schemes often look like legitimate multilevel marketing schemes. To tell the difference between them, ask yourself these two questions, amongst others: Are the rewards you have been promised based on product sales (by either yourself or others you introduce to the scheme)? Are the products genuine products of real value, at a reasonable price and the type of things that consumers will want to buy time and time again?
If you are unsure or answered no to either of these questions, there is a real chance that the scheme is a pyramid scheme. If you have doubts about a particular marketing scheme, the Bank of Namibia may be able to help. As with any other investment decision, you should seek independent advice before you make a decision.
operating in the manner I explained above contravene section 55A (1) of the Banking Institutions Act, 1998 (Act No. 2 of 1998), as amended. Secondly, we have recently seen people who lost money in Namibia though various illegal pyramid schemes. With regard these three schemes, it is noted that following the Banks request to members of the public to provide information pertaining to their participation in these scheme last year, approximately N$ 2.8 million is recorded to have been paid or invested by the public with the abovementioned three schemes. However, this amount is expected to increase as members of the public are still registering their details with the Bank of Namibia. Thirdly, the Bank of Namibia is required to protect depositors of funds in the commercial banks and keep public confidence in the financial system. When people lose confidence in the financial system, it can spell economic disaster to the countrys economy and wellbeing of its cit-
If you believe that an offer is a pyramid scheme, do not take partit is very likely that you will lose your money and you could be breaking the law. If you believe that the offer could be a legitimate multi-level marketing scheme, make sure you get independent advice before signing up or investing any money. If you think you might be involved in a pyramid scheme, stop participating in the scheme immediately and contact the Bank of Namibia with detailed information (documentary proof of participation, which will help the Bank to conduct necessary investigation.
Consumer News
My poINT oF vIEW
Retention is important
ne of the clauses we added to the contract with our builder was a retention clause. He is to receive 15% of his total fee 3 months after we have moved in and we are happy with the house. All the banks have this clause if you build with their money, I think. As you know, Swakopmund does not rain regularly; we dont even have drains on our streets. So when it rained recently, we discovered our roof leaks. My husband was devastated. Our house is barely 2 months old! We havent paid much on the bond
and already we need to fork out money to fix things. I know of a few people who dont have the retention clause in their contracts, and honestly, Id say it is such an absolute must have. Our building contractor still owes us money, if we are to count up everything that needs fixing or those we are not happy with. The leaks or holes on our roof are going to cost us 17k to fix. If we didnt have this retention it would be a disaster! The most important decision when building your own home is to make sure
you choose the right contractor. Have him give you references, go have a look at the buildings he has done, speak to the owners and see how their relationship ended. If they would recommend him etc. the answers to all these questions were negative. Plus, we didnt ask them before hand, we only started doubting the contractor when the house was roof height and we were clearly unhappy with things. Good luck, and dont forget to do your homework. It will be the most expensive mistake youll ever make if you dont.
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Consumer News
Currently, we are in a process of appointing a project Manager, who will oversee the day to day logistical and administration issues for the Summit, and once that person is on board, you will notice much more speedy actions through different media. CN: How will the World Travel Summit benefit the nations economy and boost the tourism industry? MM: The Summit will host 700 influential leaders in adventure tourism, who will help carry Namibias message of conservation, adventure and culture to their communities of travelers. The Summit will boost our tourism economy by helping us attract tourists from new markets and introducing these influential leaders to our unique experiences. CN: Does Namibia have enough facilities in terms of accommodation to host such a number of visitors during the event? Yes, both Swakopmund and Windhoek have more than enough beds for our expected guests! CN: What success stories can you relate so far on the proceedings? MM: The success story thus far is the interest shown by the tourism
industry to partake in the summit, the number of people flocking into NTB Offices to enquire how they can be part of the summit, Another success that I am proud of is the number of companies that are participating to date hotels and tour operators who are hosting these delegates. operators have been asked to provide severly discounted rates in order to show the best of Namibia to these delegates, and they have come forward to do so which shows a great commitment on the part of our tourism industry to band together to make this Summit a success. Another success we can share is the 42% messaging, which was started with our delegation to Lucerne, Switzerland and it shall remain our key message until the end of the Summit in Namibia. CN: Any other information you want to share with the nation? MM: The Nation will be fully informed on the development and progress with the preparation through all types of media. Those whose service shall be required will equally be informed as opportunities arise.
Consumer News
11
Dr ANDrEW NIIKoNDo
he name change from the Polytechnic to a University of Science and Technology means a lot especially to the students who in the near future will be graduating from the institution with their degrees or certificates no longer being awarded by the polytechnic, but by the University of Science Technology. The implications for the name change are much deeper and more complex than simply the awarding of certificates and degrees. The Vice-Rector of Academic Affairs and Research, Dr Andrew Niikondo who spoke on behalf of the Rector Dr Tjama Tjivikua said the implications will have profound consequences on the core business of the institution from teaching and learning, research and innovation to service rendered. Therefore, fundamental changes relating to the nature of the business of the institution, its size and shape will take place which includes the types and levels of programmes and qualifications offered the physical infrastructure that exists;
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Consumer News
NUST
quality of and support provided to teaching and learning and research and innovation; and multi-interdisciplinary initiatives, said Dr Niikondo. Adding to this, Dr Louis Burger who also delivered a speech on behalf of Mr Niilo Taapopi, the Chairperson of the Council of the Polytech said the name change is not just simply about changing the name of the institution but also refers to significant transformation of the institution. He said the changes will affect the future graduates in a positive way and more importantly, changes that will further amplify the contribution of the institution towards making Namibia a knowledge economy. This years theme, building sustainable futures, according to Dr Burger, is appropriate given the precarious situation in which the institution has found itself financially and therefore a focus on building sustainable futures should in part help prevent recurrence of a similar situation. But this, he says, is based on the premise that all stakeholders will come to the table with open minds, open hearts and open arms, which is the spirit of grace and generosity. Fortunately, the fact that we Mr NIILo TAApopI need to develop a new strategic plan together with the recent development in the name change, provides us an opportunity to focus on and strongly incorporate the question of sustainable futures into plans we are developing, he said. Dr Burger identified the area of relationship building in the institution as an area which needs to receive great attention adding that it is well known that building and maintaining relationships are critical for the success of many organisations and even whole countries. As we plan into the future we need to keep in mind that no single division or institution, with a limited repertoire, can singlehandedly solve all challenges that face society as a whole. In our context these are challenges of, amongst others, poverty eradication, unemployment and inequalities, he commented.
Consumer News
13
until one day when she came across a one year poultry course at Kwazulu Natal in South Africa (SA). Despite the discouragement from family members that she will not make a living out of chickens she went ahead and went to go study in SA. When she came back she started with the few chickens that were at home in Omupanda a village close to Okakarara and advertised on Radio for anyone interested to sell their chickens. People made fun of me, calling me names but little did they know what I was up to. If they had discovered or learned what I knew by then they could have not laughed at me. My advertisement was the laughter in different villages but I did not mind them I just bought their chickens until I reached the total of 100 chickens to start with, she said. After that I went and build a perfect shelter with a net that has small holes to protect my chickens from their predictors, she adds. She divided the chickens into three groups those for producing meat, reproduction and others for eggs. I started selling eggs at the close villages and used the money to buy their own food. The number of the chicken increased and people bought the meat those who
preferred . chicken but they were very reluctant at first just imagine convincing our society to quit beef and buy chicken meat. I had to be patient and work very hard to convince them to buy. Through advertising many people started buying chicken meat. Today I get orders as far as the entire country mostly from Oshakati and Windhoek. In Otjiwarongo we have regular customers. We just slaughter and clean the chicken and take it to the people. We also make mince and braaiwors from chicken meat, According to Kauatuuapehi each day she gets more than 600 eggs that she sells. She also gets tenders at wedding, events and parties were she goes and braai chicken meat. This year is a unique year so individuals must strive to do something different from other, strive to be unique. Most of the people like doing what most people do and there competition is very high but if you are few in the business sector the competition is low you get a lot of customers. Get busy this year, Use your own hands dont seat at home make a living for yourself opportunities are there but you have to be very hard working and never be discourage
work start stilling in order to survive. For most Windhoek is not always the city where milk and honey flows the way many narrate or makes it look like to those who stays at the village. In order to earn a reasonable living in the city one have to be very hard working, bold and confidant, nothing comes on a silver plate. Shortcuts, free and easy ways of making a living always comes with a high price to pay. In 2013 everyone is encouraged to have goals and rules set for your life before you go out for job hunting to avoid to be used or do something against your integrity like sex pleasure for a job. It is good for a
person to earn an honest living. people will not miss use you or look down on you. To avoid too much stress this year find a job that you love and feel comfortable doing it. As long as you do not want to be identified with the company you are working at it means you are doing something you do not love. Do something you will enjoy and get a sense of belonging. For those who do not have jobs do not be discouraged or indulge in scam keep on trying looking for a job but do not be settle sell something so that you can eat while hustling. Do not lose focus remember why you came to the city and keep pushing.
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Consumer News
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Visit your nearest Teleshop. Call us Toll Free on 1100 or SMS CallMaker to 060123.
Consumer News
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What influences
rettes in their movies. According to the New York Times Associated Film Promotions, a firm now out of business, arranged with Sylvester Stallone for Brown & Williamson cigarettes to appear in a significant way in five of his movies, and to incorporate personal usage for all films other than the character of Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV, where other leads will have product usage, possibly at ringside. The price tag for the five films was $500,000 and the films and their proposed titles in 1983 were: Rhinestone Cowboy, Godfather III, Rambo, 50/50 and Rocky IV. The Television show in the states Seinfeld was known for basing entire episodes around a product. Sanpplew and Pottery Barn were big companies that had episodes dedicated to their product. This does not mean that product placement and branding are wrong but simply that consumers should try and be aware of all the things that go into their decision making processes. -NawaZone
HeALTHCARe
amibia can provide world class health facilities to its residents, and also become an earner of foreign exchange. (The choice by Angelina Jolie to have her child in Namibia has proved that point.) To do so we need to use legislation and economic incentives to encourage structural reform and its commercialisation, or even partial privatisation. The present state health patient system, as well as PSEMAS the State operated and owned Medical Aid Fund could be joined into this new national health plan. (PSEMAS or Public Service Employee Medical Aid Scheme - is already administered by a private company, Methealth Namibia Administrators). How can this be done? Looking at European models such as Germany we find examples of how this can be done. First, we need to create a law that makes membership of the National Health Insurance Programme (NHIP) mandatory. In the law we need to delegate the administration of the programme to non-state bodies with representatives of the insured and the employers. Further, benefits and contributions must be related to earnings. The financing of the scheme must be secured through wage and salary taxes (much like the social security), levied on the employer and the employee. The following are some of the tools that can be used in ensuring cost savings in both the National Health Insurance Programme and private providers:
Procurement of medicines should be transferred to an autonomous central purchasing agency. This agency (and its tenders) will be supervised by a public committee or Parliament. Approved list of medicines will include generic medicines wherever possible and exclude expensive brands where generics exist. Establish an agency to monitor and regulate the private sector healthcare provision. Franchising this model works well in preventive care, family health and reproductive health (Kenya, Pakistan, Philippines)
each contribute of 5% of the gross salary towards the Health Fund. To prevent abuse: 20% of each medical claim must be paid by the patient at the time of the examination or procedure (employees under the taxable threshold must only pay a minimum fee); Fee schedules must be drafted and the patient can only claim according to these. If a patient wishes more expensive care, they must pay the difference. Conclusion A national health plan will provide each and every citizen the guarantee that should anything occur and they need first-class medical treatment it will be available. After all, To paraphrase Julius Nyerere , we have to face the basic fact that human values can only be measured in regard to individual human beings and their needs. The Government is properly instituted among men not to secure the material or cultural advantages of a few, but to promote the rights and welfare of the many.
Electronic patient records The NHIP will have at its core an electronic patient record system. A privatepublic partnership company will need to manage the electronic records and ensure patient privacy. The most important consideration is to ensure the individual becomes the owner and caretaker of their information. The patient will carry the information (on a smartcard for example), to where the service is provided rather than having their records on the servers of the healthcare provider. This will be in contrast to the Central Register where information is stored on Government computers. Financing the Healthcare programme The employer and employee should
Milton Louw is a writer, consumer activist and social entrepreneur. He is also the author of Future Namibia a book about the political, economic, social and technological environment in Namibia and what needs to be done to meet the goals of Vision 2030. Follow me on Twitter: @miltonlouw or on Facebook: www. facebook.com/namibia.politics.
Grootberg plateau, we were told to park our cars before the guides came to pick us up with two 4*4 wheel drive vehicles for a memorable drive up to the hotel, a distance of about 1600m. As we drove up the Grootberg plateau, we were reminded of our African roots through the unbelievable sight of springboks that were relaxing in the roadsides under the shade of some trees and some kudus drinking water in a built in stream, an experience that was too good to be true. The entrance to the main building is through a long, vaulted foyer which led us into the reception, a one large room with a lounge area, with some comfortable sofas in neutral colors. At the other side of the room there is a small bar and a dining room furnished with classic wooden tables
and chairs. The moment we got inside the reception, it seemed the Grootberg staff was waiting for us as immediately two ladies stood at the reception along the passage leading to the dining room, welcoming us with a glass of orange juice to cool our body temperatures from the heat outside. We gratefully took our juices and went to seat at the outside veranda which has some balustrades and also furnished with tables and chairs and stairs which leads to the swimming pool. This is the best position to enjoy the stunning view of the klip valley. In a short while, a lady who introduced herself as Memory, came to brief us about our stay at the lodge, the food and services on offer and then signed us in to our rooms. I was given room number seven
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Consumer News
(7), one of the 12 ensuit rock and thatch chalets built from local rocks, closer to the reception area which I was sharing with a colleague. From the outside view, the chalets appeared to be just dry-stone walls topped by thatched roofs but as I got inside the site of the room changed my entire impression of the place. The room had an ensuit bathroom and a toilet and mosquito nets fitted to the doors and windows (though the place seemed not to have mosquitoes), twin beds, a wooden desk made from pine with a tea/coffee station. The cottages have no air-conditioning, ceilings fans or mosquito nets, yet mostly remain cool. The place has a very relaxed and cool feel to it. Tea and coffee is served all day on a help yourself basis. Activities from Grootberg Lodge include the moringa guided walk, visit to a Himba village, and tracking of desert-adapted elephants, following black rhino on foot and scenic drives down the Klip River. There are also hiking trails which you can explore on your own, or as part of a guided trip. Grootberg lodge was funded by the European Union through the Ministry of Environment and Tourism Development Programme as a community project targeted to empower the community to be self sustainable and equitable and benefit from the income that comes from the lodge. In the meantime, the private sector has been called into provide training and management skills to local people until the community becomes self-sustainable.
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Consumer News CN 16
Let me start by repeating the words of a friend who is a banker in Windhoek, banking is the profession with one of the best marketing departments around. Imagine trying to convince the first customer that their money was safer with the bank than in their own hands, and best of all, which the customer would need to pay fees to deposit and withdraw their own money. Even now during the financial crises throughout the world banks are still succeeding in motivating clients to give them their money. Today, most of us feel safe with our money in banks because we are many and government will not let it fail. The term moral hazard is used to explain why we take these risks.
Understanding
All over the world people often complain about banks. This ranges from bank fees, interest charged, to repossession of vehicles and homes. In Namibia this is the same. The late Hon. Reinhard (Kalla) Gertze, Member of Parliament, proposed an investigation into the financial institutions through public hearings of the Parliamentary Committee on Economics, Natural Resources and Public Administration. They held public hearings on bank charges and regulations in 2006 in Windhoek. One of the submissions outlined why interest is charged. Why is interest charged? In the beginning of banking, interest was used to offset the risk of providing the credit to the borrower. There are four risks (hazards): The costs incurred by the bank while providing the loan had to be repaid; Inflation means the lender will be able to buy less for the money as time passes; Scarcity in other words once it is lent to a borrower at a specific rate, it cannot be used for another loan; That the borrower cannot pay back the loan Of these four, the only real difference the government can make is in reducing the risk of the borrowers inability to repay. Being a client of a bank Banks and their branch network are a convenience. We can put our own money into an account, send money to someone else, and apply for a loan. As consumers, we realise that we need the services of a bank to increase our money. In other words, we need someone elses money to pay for things like a car or a house, or even start a business. But there is probably nothing as frustrating as waiting in a queue at a bank waiting for own money, or dealing with an employee who is rude to us when we need to ask a question. If you are a client of a bank you have five basic rights, as well as five responsibilities. These should be seen as an agreement be-
Banking
tween the banks and the Namibian consumer on how we treat one another. You have the right to be treated with respect and dignity. This means every employee of the bank should treat you with dignity and be respectful of your cultur and gender. This also means they may not be abusive when collecting overdue monies. You have the right to decide which services or products you want to use.
You need enough information on the banks products to be able to choose the right one for your needs. This means the bank employee may not pressure you into a choosing a product you do not want. You have the right to receive clear, truthful and complete information as well as the time needed to make your decision
The bank must give complete information and answers to all your questions so you can fully understand the terms and conditions of the services and products you choose. The staff member serving you must give enough of their time to ensure you understand the relevant information about the product. This should include information such as total cost of borrowing, cost of transactions, penalty fees (if any), and possible alternatives that might benefit you. You have the right to be heard You are allowed to complain. When a service does not meet your needs, or any of your rights have been violated, you have the right to inform the bank immediately. The bank should have a customer hotline that will allow you to provide them with feedback and they will benefit from being able to deal with the problem as early as possible. You have the right to privacy Your personal information must be kept confidential between you and the bank employees dealing with your account. No one is allowed to disclose your personal information without your permission.
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My poINT oF vIEW
Motherhood
When dads travel for work its an acceptable practice, but when moms work away the dynamics slightly change. Not only for mommy but for the entire family. As mothers we often do things wed rather not for the sake of our children, and nothing proves to be truer than what we sacrifice as working mothers. Something that looks so easy from far turns out to be the most difficult thing Ive ever done. It is devastating that my husband will basically be our sons primary care giver. I could never be a stay at home mom, but nothing prepares you for the first time you have to leave your baby behind for an extended period of time. Im all for women rights in the boardroom and, I believe in showing your children independence. It teaches them to stand their ground, work for what they want and that its okay, mommy is a woman too. Technology helps a lot. My husband sends me whatsapp pictures of my son every morning, I love seeing his sleepy face. And video clips. What a treat of sunshine to wake up to in a cold hotel room. As you can see, I am still trying to find ways to cope with my new role and my work load. I will share these with you as we go along, as for now; Im a mommy in limbo, trying to be a fierce woman in business and a little babas mommy.
To advertise on this page contact Willem Gariseb at: Cell: +264 (0) 81 249 8161 - Fax2mail: +264 (0) 886 44443 Email: consumernews@iway.na/willemgariseb@yahoo.com
once you are seated. They offer you warm rolls with butter and the drinks arrive relatively swiftly. Their food and drinks are all fairly priced however a trip to The Wreck must be budgeted for though. One thing worth mentioning though is that their chairs are very soft and comfortable. The only thing I dont like about the Wreck is their parking; it is in the sand, outside the building. Would love to see paved or even shaded parking. Im not a big beach person, especially on cold days, and the wind always blows on that side of Swakopmund. Id rate their food 9 out of 10. Ambience, 8 out of 10 and service, 8 out of 10. A definitely must go! Book in advance though, they are always fully booked.
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how much
does it cost?
If we look around the world we can see some success. In Europe, pressure from consumer groups resulted in the compulsory provision of unit prices, initially only in several Scandinavian countries, and then in each of the 27 member nations of the European Union.
As I spend most of my year living on a guest farm, I very rarely have to buy anything other than my for my sins of cigarettes and alcohol. I have for some time bee complaining about the prices of these items, but accept this as a burden I must bear for using them. This past week however, I had to make purchases for the farm shop. Great was my concern when I could not work out the unit prices. By this I mean the items were not marked per litre or per kilogram but only showed a price for the item whether it was packed in 200g, 375 litre or even more ridiculously, a per 180g. Now how must I compare the prices between products if they are all packed in different sizes?
I believe, consumers can gain major benefits when unit prices are provided and are easy to notice, read and use. If a shop owner can show this together with an items selling price, it will increase price transparency and competition. But without pressure from consumers, retailers and governments rarely do anything to provide, or improve, unit pricing. This is why more consumer organisations and consumers themselves should campaign for grocery retailers to provide best practice grocery unit pricing - price per standard unit of measure (per kg/litre/each, etc.) - for prepackaged food and other grocery items. The main benefit for the Namibian consumer is that unit prices allow us the opportunity to have value comparisons, including those between package sizes, brands, product types, package types, packaged/ unpackaged products, and between special offers and regular prices. (I always joke and refer to these as Omo and Surf issues in other words we are used to buying a certain product regardless of price, but these days we all need to be more price conscious.) The unit prices of the same product and of similar and substitute products are often quote big. So we as consumers can use unit prices to get much better value for money and this can result in a very big saving and substantially reduce our total expenditure on groceries. For most consumers, especially the poor, and underpaid, food and grocery products account for a high proportion of total expenditure. Therefore, the benefits resulting from using unit price information can be significant for these and many other consumers. Unit pricing also saves the shopper from spending time calculating unit prices themselves and helps them to spot hidden price increases when, as is common, the amount in the package is reduced but the selling price is not. Personally, I was surprised when buying a chocolate for a special friend to notice how much smaller the packaging is from when I last bought. At first I thought I was just remembering wrong from twenty years ago, but on closer examination I found chocolate bars are not
only more expensive, but they are packed in smaller amounts as well. Previously, in this column and on national television, I have complained about the lack of consumer laws and this must also be addressed as an important issue within this context. However, I also believe consumer organisations such as Namibia Consumer Trust, Consumer Lobby or the Facebook interest and lobby groups such as the Namibia Consumer Protection Group can play an important role in persuading supermarkets to provide unit prices voluntarily. After all, eve the retailer must understand their own cost price in this explosion in the number of package sizes used by manufacturers. (This retailing revolution has also occurred, or is occurring, in many other countries, especially developing countries where consumer laws are less than adequate.) If we look around the world we can see some success. In Europe, pressure from consumer groups resulted in the compulsory provision of unit prices, initially only in several Scandinavian countries, and then in each of the 27 member nations of the European Union. In 2009, the provision of grocery unit pricing became compulsory in Australia after a long and hard-fought consumer campaign. I wonder is this will work in Namibia? Follow me on twitter, @miltonlouw0
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n the 18th of February, a wide range of 440ml canned Castle Brewing brands were launched at a media and stakeholder even at Joes Beerhouse in Windhoek. Present at the event were representatives from local media houses and broadcasters, as well as valued stakeholders of Castle Brewing Namibia. Managing Director of Castle Brewing Namibia said that all SABMiller brands represent a consistency that has spanned two centuries. 115 years ago, Castle Lager was brewed for the first time using the finest ingredients. Today the SABMiller group continues in this fine tradition, brewing beer products that still adhere to the finest quality standards in terms of ingredients and the brewing process... for products that are unmatched both in taste and refreshment. Taking heed of consumer trends and needs, it was decided to launch a wide range of 440ml canned beer brands in Namibia, in addition to the highly suc-
cessful launch of Castle Draught in a can in September last year. The range will now also include Castle Lager, Carling Black Label, Castle Lite, and Carling Black Label Draught. All of these will be available in units, six-pack and cases of 24, making it easy and convenient for beer lovers across the country to enjoy their favourite Castle Brewing brand straight from the fridge while on a game drive, chatting around some braaivleis and kapana, or while just relaxing at home, watching the game. Much engineering and craftsmanship have gone into making sure that the packaging protects the individual character and quality of each of the brands. The cans are hermetically sealed and 100% protected from light, ensuring that the product is kept as fresh as the day it was brewed, to give that satisfying drinking experience. Furthermore, there is a great benefit to the environmentally-conscious consumer, as beverage cans are 100% recyclable. This range of 440 ml CANS (Castle
Draught, Castle Lager, Carling Black Label, Castle Lite and Carling Black Label Draught) will be available in the trade as from 18 February 2013 at selected outlets.
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mazda Speed 3 T
he Mazdaspeed3 is the high-powered, performance-tuned version of the Mazda3 hatchback. The Mazdaspeed3 is a true hot-hatch, featuring a 263-hp, turbocharged, 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. To keep all that power under control, its standard with a six-speed manual transmission, limitedslip differential, a torque management system, electronic stability and traction control, 18-inch wheels and tires and sporttuned suspension What really makes the car unique in the Mazda3 lineup is its 2.0-liter turbocharged four cylinder engine. The mill produced 263 horsepower at 5.500 rpm and 280 pound-feet of torque at 3000 rpm and pairs exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission.
Although all that power in a frontwheel-drive car results in some torque steer, particularly when driving on uneven surfaces or exiting corners with throttle pinned to the floor, it also propels in the car from zero to 60 mph in just over six seconds. The Mazdaspeed3 was developed prior to the advent of Mazda;s lightweight and superefficient Skyactive engineering philosophy a fact reflected in its fule economy ratings of 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the high way. Stiffer springs, higher dampings rates and a repositioned fromstabiliser bar compared to the normal Mazda3 ensure responsive handling. Otherwise the speed is much the same as the standard model. The interior utilises a wrap-around dash
top that contains radio and climate control information as well as a small optional navigation screen, while materials and fit are in the top half of the class. With nearly 44 cubic feet of cargo volume the splitfolding rear seats in the down position, hauling space is ample. Safety features include six airbags, fourwheel anti-lock brakes with brake assist, active anti-whiplash front head restraints and an engine immobilizer system. For those needing more creature comforts, an optional tech package includes a navigation system, satellite radio, adaptive bixenon headlights, advanced keyless entry with push button start and a perimeter alarm. For 2013, the Mazdaspeed3 is now standard with a USB audio input, 18 MAZDASPEED dark grey alloy wheels, black mica door mirrors and roof spoiler.
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Consumer News
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