FREE

CONSUMER
JULY 2010

Y O U R V O I C E

NEWS

W E L E AV E N O S T O N E U N T U R N E D

ViraKil Private Ras

HIV/Aids, anti-viral Institutions Sheehama
drug claim Do we get what Consumer News
We investigate the we pay for?
truth chats to renowned
local artist
w w w.consumernewsnamibia.com
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The Team

Publisher
Consumer News

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John Meinert Printing

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Traolach O’Maolain
Email: traolach@elementcreations.com.na
The journey of perpetual
improvement
CONSUMER

Editor’s Note

Looking ahead and remaining focused on one’s goal and vision is impera-
NEWS

tive for growth and success. This is indeed apt if we are to look at the
Assistant Design world in which we live. A quick trip down memory lane will reveal how
Elisha Chambara important it is to remain focused. Consumer News has had its fair share of
E-mail: elisha@consumernewsnamibia.com ups and downs, but we have maintained a constant presence during a time
Cell: 081 377 4344 when many Namibian magazines were coming and going.
Returning to the importance of having a vision, it was during the times
The Editor of uncertainty that Consumer News made a conscious decision to move
ahead with its growth strategy. This is being kick-started with the re-
Salome Nzuma
branding of the
E-mail: salome@consumernewsnamibia.com
magazine - giving it a fresh and exciting new look coupled with punchy
Cell: 081 352 3723 editorial, relevant to you family’s lifestyle.
As is said, a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. To this
Journalists end, and to ensure we retain our readership, we proudly bring you the end
Tendai K result you hold in your hands.
E-mail: tendai@consumernewsnamibia.com Advertising is the first budget item to be cut in a recession. Thankfully we
had a good response in this issue and we are confident that this publica-
Marla Chaneta tion will grow from strength to strength. I would like to thank all our ad-
vertisers as well as the Consumer News Team for their continual support,
E-mail: marlachaneta@yahoo.com
whom without, this process would not be possible.
I am optimistic about the future. We undertake to bring you a good read
Raymond Isaacs every month, packed with compelling and relevant articles.
E-mail: raymond@consumernewsnamibia.com
Forward ever, backwards never.
Business Development Manager
Jacques Nieman
E-mail: jnieman@consumernewsnamibia.com “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed
Cell: 081 203 7180 citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing
that ever has”
Photography
Norman Skrywer Margaret Mead (1901-1978) US Anthropologist, Author
Email: norman4all@yahoo.com
Cell: 081 430 4003
You deserve more ...
Leitago Narib
E-mail: leitago@yahoo.com
Cell: 081 363 2712 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
Consumer News and services. You deserve more, and together we have power in numbers,
PO Box 96366
so we welcome your contributions, feedback, acknowledgements and
Windhoek, Namibia
Tel/Fax: +264 61 228 196 your voice on products and services that need our investigation.

Enquiries Contact us for your free copy.

info@consumernewsnamibia.com
CN 01
contents
Feature

ViraKil

100 Namibians
Newspaper poll
table of

We investigate bogus claims of miracle HIV drug

Comparison Shopping

We compare cell phone prices

Editorial

NCPG (Namibia Consumer Protection Group)

Private institutions – Is it money well spent

NCSI (Namibia Consumer Service Institute)

We pay for more than just the trolley of goods

Day of the African Child

China & U.S.

A tale of two powers

Team Namibia Member Section

Bokomo Namibia

Entertainment

Ras Sheehama
A Namibian master of music

International

IMF (International Monetary Fund)

Strangers will never send you money

Sports

Rugby
Success for Namibia’s National Team
04
10

03
08
12
16
18
20

22

26

27
If you would like to
comment on any of
our articles, please
see below.

sms ‘CN’ and your

comment to

CN1111
?
? Do we get what we pay for
Charlotte asks…
“Are our Educational Institutions simply ripping us off?? Is
the price of education a realistic reflection of what we get for
money? Are universities (and private institutes) in Namibia in
it for the education or the money.”

Above is a consumer who feels otherwise about private

institutions in Namibia after an unpleasant experience with one
of them.

Private Institutions of Learning

Our constitution states:

(4) All persons shall have the right, at their own expense, to
establish and to maintain private schools, or colleges or other
institutions of tertiary education:

provided that:

a. such schools, colleges or institutions of tertiary education

are registered with a Government department in accordance
with any law authorising and regulating such registration;

b. the standards maintained by such schools, colleges or

institutions of tertiary education are not inferior to the
standards maintained in comparable schools, colleges or
institutions of tertiary education funded by the State; 

Tertiary education schools are mushrooming all over the

country. They provide everything from art classes, computer
literacy to business skills. The problem is that the standards are
not up to par and most students receive a qualification which
is not worth the paper it is printed on. Let us look at a typical
example and call it the Tertiary Education Academy. 

Tertiary Education Academy (TEA)

The owner TEA is a businessman without any qualification

in education, after all, the Academy is a business and was
started to make a profit. None of the staff members, including
the Principal, has any professional training or recognised
educational qualification. The lecturers at the Academy are
also not qualified teachers.  

TEA offers the following courses:

•
•
•
•
•
Typing skills
Bookkeeping
Computer Literacy – Microsoft Office
PC Engineering – A+ and N+
Software Programming

The Academy also offers Diplomas in Tourism, Public

Relations, Business, Finance and Personnel Administration.  
The Academy is a very profitable business and the owner is
planning on offering further diploma courses. 
Milton Louw
?
editorial

By Namibia Consumer Protection Group

Great! However, most of the students (and their parents) are

not aware that the lecturers are not professionally qualified.
Furthermore, imagine the students’ dismay when they find
out that none of these courses are recognised by the Namibian
Qualifications Authority. Even worse, the diploma courses are
not worth more than a Grade 12 qualification, according to the
Universities. 

Now, before we start closing all these schools, institutes and

academies, let us examine their role in our country. 
More and more students are completing their schooling and not
finding place at the University or Polytechnic. Their parents
or care-givers cannot afford the study fees in other countries,
so these students have to look for employment. Having no
marketable skill, they often do not find employment and
become one of the many unemployed.  

The private tertiary education institutes offer the students an

opportunity to gather knowledge about business and prepare
them for gainful employment. 

So what can we do? 

We need to have a body that actively encourages that “the

standards maintained by such schools, colleges or institutions
of tertiary education are not inferior to the standards maintained
in comparable schools, colleges or institutions of tertiary
education funded by the State”. The NQA must publicise the
names of those that are registered and these institutions must
meet the required standards. Furthermore, the NQA must be
given “teeth” to close down those who do not meet nor comply
with the standards set within a period of time.

If you wish to check that your college or school is offering a

valid qualification, request a copy of the NQA accreditation of
the course. The accreditation letter should include the name of
the course, the duration and most importantly the NQA level
that it meets.  
 
Sound advice is to ask the institution to provide you with
business customers who book their staff for training. Contact
the companies’ Human Resources Department and find out
their opinion on the quality of training provided.  

Note: Mr. Louw is the founder of the Namibia Consumer

Protection Group but provides these submissions in his
personal capacity. Mr. Louw is presently a part-time lecturer
at the Polytechnic of Namibia.

<< CN

CN 03
feature

ViraKil

“a powerful herbal tonic

developed specifically to assist
HIV/AIDS patients. Virakil
halts the reproduction of the
virus, is a powerful immune
stimulant, cleans the liver and
improves skin complexion”
Miracle HIV drug under
scrutiny
HIV
T
he AIDS pandemic is prevalent in Namibia and
the official HIV/AIDS rate is recorded among
the highest in the world. AIDS is currently the
leading cause of death in the country. People from
diverse religious backgrounds and cultures have
flooded the market with lucky charms, magic potions
and even special rituals that are claimed to prevent
and even cure the virus. In addition to the charms
and potions are also proclaimed herbal cures such as
Virodene.
A little over five years after the Virodene scandal, Virakil
has surfaced. Produced in South Africa by Dr. Rui, Virakil is
distributed in Namibia by Longlife Health. The product is on
sale for N$165 with a free delivery service, as the product is
not stocked in any licensed pharmacy.
Information on the bottle reads “a powerful herbal tonic
developed specifically to assist HIV/AIDS patients. Virakil
halts the reproduction of the virus, is a powerful immune
stimulant, cleans the liver and improves skin complexion”. Yet,
when asked to provide the evidence to these claims, Maria, the
contact offered in the advertisements placed in the Informanté,
could only give Consumer News anecdotal responses. She
told stories of nameless patients that had been bed-ridden for
weeks who, after taking the tonic, regained their strength. Yet,
backing down after further questioning, she stated that the best
person to speak to would be Richard Kobia, current manager
of Longlife Health. When asked if she had medical training,
Maria replied that she had trained as a nurse. When pressed for
further details Maria said her training was from the University
of Cape Town in South Africa and was only a two week course.
Attempts to verify this, we found that UCT does not offer such
courses, they only offer full-time programs.
Richard Kobia, who also has no medical training, fully
supported Maria’s claims. He said that, despite his lack of
training, his wife was trained at a holistic wellness center in
Cape Town which he could not name. “We are doing this to
help people. We are spiritual and just want to see people better.”
Despite the lack of evidence, Maria and Richard continued
to defend Virakil and its medicinal values. Maria went on
to say that “it has been tried and tested by the Medical
Regulatory Council of Namibia”. These claims were however
By Marla Chaneta
This is a
scan of the
VIRAKIL
Tonic advert
printed in
the April
15-21
edition
of the
Informanté.
debunked by Mr. Rite, a pharmacist working in the Medicine
Registration department at the Ministry of Health and Social
Services. According to Mr. Rite there is no regulating body for
complimentary medicines, a category in which Virakil falls,
as such “medical testing labs have not been equipped with the
technology required to test these medicines,” stated Mr. Rite
when asked to comment. He further added that Virakil was a
scam by people trying to get rich quick, and commented that
“approved and legal medicines are not advertised in newspapers
but in books and package inserts”.
Richard informed the Consumer News that ViraKil was also for
sale at a health shop located in the Eros Shopping Centre, but
when inquiries were made at this location, the staff reported
that they have never stocked ViraKil, nor have they ever heard
of the product.
Herbal medicines suppliers, Nature’s Way, located in Town
Square, stated that by no means would they stock or sell the
product. “Even Vitamin C, like a glass of orange juice, is
considered an immune stimulant”, Saima Haufiku, the head
sales lady commented. She added that herbal medicines were
diverse in their function even when the contents were limited.
Vira-kil lists as contents; African Helichrysum, African
>>
CN 05
 Virakil cont.

“... it has
been tried
and tested
by the
Medical
Regulatory
Council of
Namibia”

Maria

Does this look like a facility that has cured HIV/Aids?

Cucumis, Arborescens, Mathema, Water
and Alcohol. None of these ingredients
listed have any known retro-viral
properties whatsoever.
Research done by Consumer News
magazine turned up a product called
‘Pride Africa’ from the website:
africanbotanicals.com which has the
exact same ingredient list in the same
order, in the same 50ml bottle. Even the
marketing is the same. The site states
that “Pride’s priority is in halting the
reproduction of the virus” using the
almost exact same wording except that
they do not claim outright that they can
‘halt the reproduction of the virus’ as
Virakil does. Consumer News suspects
that Virakil is just a re-packaged version
of Pride Africa and that Longlife Health
is not creating or manufacturing this
product themselves, but are rather just
re-naming it to be sold in Namibia.
With nothing but a gmail address and
with no manufacturer listed on the
bottle, all anyone really knows is that
this is actually just a vitamin supplement
stored in a small bottle. To give credit
to the producers of Virakil, they do not
instruct people to stop taking their ARVs
but suggest Virakil as a complementary
medicine. So while Virakil will not cure
you, in the opinion of Consumer News,
they are also not going to kill you, they
are just interested in your money.
“With nothing
but a gmail
address and
with no
manufacturer
listed on the
bottle ...”
There are grave concerns about holes in
the regulatory framework that make it
legal to peddle clearly bogus medications
as supplements or replacements to
desperate people. How can consumers be
left so exposed to the predations of both
foreign and local fly-by-night operations
- people who lie or obfuscate when
asked for proof, who fabricate medical
credentials? This crime is perpetuated
by those who are so greedy that they
will sacrifice the health of others for
their own monetary benefit. The real
crime is that those who are supposed to
protect the people, the government and
regulatory authorities, seem to have been
asleep at the switch and have allowed a
situation to develop where hucksters and
charlatans can roam free amongst the
people - advertise openly in the media
and fleece them at will. Consumer News
is very concerned that minor operators
such as Richard and Maria are simply the
tip of the iceberg and, rather than trying
to bust every small-time hustler that
comes across the border, Namibia needs
to create effective laws that give these
con-artists no room to operate, thereby
creating a populace savvy enough to
know a scam from a cure.
<< CN

06 CN
 P O L I C I N G YO U R B R A N D

Q UA L I T Y D E SI GN , A D V ER TI S I NG AND MARKE TING AT AFFO RDABLE PRIC E S

ad ver ti si n g / pu bl i cati o ns / cor p orate id ent it y / b rand c reat ion

o r w h atever it is you need!

elementc reat ions

i n fo @ el e m entc reat ions. com. na
 editorial

We Pay For More Than Just

The Trolley of Goods!
By Jon Allen

W
e are being robbed of the true value of the
products/services we purchase. The price
includes the actual product/service PLUS
excellent customer service (both during and after the
sale). Not only in a perfect world, but it has to be an
entitlement in this world of ours too! Wouldn’t you
agree?

As customers, we are very much a part of the production

process, where we actually own the experience of the sale too,
not just the product once we’ve paid. Creating Opportunity, Changing the
At the very least, all personnel must learn to SMILE! Everyone
Face of Customer Service
else involved with customers too. This followed by the keenest
sense of professionalism, incorporating improvement in
attitude in helping customers and more appropriate work ethic;
Contact:
eradicating attitudes of indifference from service providers
completely. Jon Allen
t: +264 61 400 910
Excellent customer service should not come as an additional f: +264 61 400 912
expense, as the value of one’s hard-earned money is diminished
c: +264 81 448 6032
when we’re denied the very best in service. Then to top it all,
one suffers emotionally too. It is about time that we stand up e: csinstitute@iway.na
Jon Allen
for our rights, by admitting the problem…engaging in dialogue
about it…standing up against it when we’re unhappy about it…
INSISTING on an improvement! Organisations need to know
how their customers feel about their service offering, and then
have their people adequately and continuously trained!

Our country’s service problem will not be fixed overnight, or

through a once-off action either. A lot of continuous training
is going to be required as we have to change the very nature
of many of our front-line people. And this will be a tedious
process, but we HAVE to, for our sakes as consumers in the long
run, as well as for the sake of our blood pressure in the short
term. Our managers and supervisors have to start interacting
with the customer too, showing front-line staff how it is done-
with a smile, confidence and a positive, helpful attitude. This
will serve as a good start in helping to shape the environment
and get us on the right track to positively changing our service
culture.

Do watch this space. We will be evaluating various service

providers on your behalf over the coming months, and feeding
the findings back to you, the consumer. Feel free to call or
e-mail or even sms me about anything. I would like to be
needs-oriented in the articles of future issues, so do share with
me your views and ideas.

08 CN
 comparison shopping

5 4

CELL PHONE COST COMPARISON

STORE CUSTOMER SAMSUNG NOKIA 2700 NOKIA 3500 Samsung B7330 Sony Ericsson
SERVICE CORBY 1 2 3 Omnia Pro 4 W595 5
GPRS, EDGE, Blue- Micro USB connector, 2000 phonebook 1000 phonebook Walkman player & pro-
tooth, USB 2.0, MP3 & 3.5mm stereo head- entries, microSD entries, 3.2 megapixels, grams like Shake con-
other music player op- phone plug, microSD memory up to 2GB, Phone memory 70 MB, trol, TrackID, PlayNow,
tions, 2 megapixels, 27 memory card slot Bluetooth, mini USB external memory up to SenseMe & more,
pre-installed widgets, with hot swap, 32 slot, 2 megapixels, 16 GB, Bluetooth, fm Expandable memory up
Internal Memory: 50 MB internal dynamic GPRS, MP3, 8.5 MB radio, MP3 preloaded to 8GB, 3G, Bluetooth,
 GOOD MB, External Memory: memory (incl. Pre- flash memory games, WiFi, WAP, USP, 3.2 megapixels,
 MEDIOCRE up to 8GB, FM radio, loaded content), 2 GB USB 2.0, SMS, MMS, web browser, WiFi and
 BAD One-finger zoom, email, Windows Mo- others
Internet, email, 1000 bile 6.1
phonebook entries
MTC TOWN  N$ 1899.00 N$ 949.00 N$ 1749.00
SQUARE
LEO  N$ 1599.00 N$ 900.00 N$ 2999.00
WERNHIL
SUPATRONIX  N$ 1150.00 N$ 1295.00 N$ 2150.00
WERNHIL
PUPKEWITZ  N$ 1850.00 N$ 1442.00
CITY CENTRE
G3 ELECTRONICS  N$ 1100.00 N$ 1900.00
TOWN SQUARE
CELL-U-LINK  N$ 1654.00 N$ 1053.00 N$ 1318.00 N$ 3387.00 N$ 1990.00
CITY CENTRE

10 CN
 editorial
DAY
of the African Child
A
s we celebrate the “Day of the African Child”
this year, we deem it right to make it known
the developments around the protection of
children with regards to the “marketing of products
to children”. Marketing and advertising tricks are
well received by children. They are less able than
adults to fully understand the purpose of advertising
– to persuade and to ultimately sell a product.
Marketers also target children and teenagers because of the
money they have to spend, influence they have over their
parents spending – pester power; money they will spend as
adults – brand loyalty. Children are so vulnerable and this
vulnerability is being exploited by marketers at the expense of
children’s health and the “African child” - the Namibian is not
an exception.
Consumers International welcomes new international
recommendations on food marketing to children. A new set of
international recommendations calling on governments to take
action on the marketing of food to children were agreed at the
World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva on May 20, 2010.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations
call on governments to develop policies to reduce the impact
of junk food marketing on children. The recommendations are
particularly strong in calling for governments to ban all junk
food marketing in areas where children are gathered, such as in
schools and playgrounds.
12 CN
By Salome Nzuma
Food marketing to children was recognised by the WHO as a
contributing factor to rising levels of obesity and overweight
in 2005, but the new recommendations make it clear that
governments have a responsibility to ensure effective action
is being taken. In recent years several food companies have
responded to these concerns with their own commitments.
A number of surveys have, however, suggested that these are
having a limited impact.
The new recommendations call on governments to set clear
definitions for the key components of policy which could
help to tighten the loopholes that exist in some companies’
policies. The recommendations also call for monitoring and
enforcement mechanisms and sanctions to be introduced.
Consumers International (CI) has been campaigning for an
international code on the marketing of food to children since
2007. CI’s recommendations for an international code call for
governments to ban the marketing of food high in fat, sugar and
salt to all children up to the age of 16. The ban should cover
all forms of marketing including broadcast, print, internet and
point-of-sale as well as packaging.
Marketers of fast foods know that the most effective campaigns
are those that target children. They are trusting and have little
basis to distinguish the true from the false. A young child is
unable to distinguish between the real world and the fantasy
world of television advertising. Children are gullible and trust
what they hear. Child-centred fast food marketing campaigns
are little more than the ruthless exploitation of a vulnerable
market. These marketing campaigns’ primary objective is to

get the children to nag their parents into submission. Children
become the surrogate marketers of fast food restaurants.
Parents are placed under immense pressure by their children
to relent. Children believe that their parents are unfair to say
no. Parents, often feeling guilty that their demanding careers
do not allow them to spend more time with their children, give
in. Few are fully aware of the harmful nature of these foods.
The negative effects of child-centred marketing campaigns are
more serious than is often acknowledged. Parents that succumb
to the pressure face the risk of subjecting their children to long-
term obesity, ill health and fast food addiction.
What child is able to resist the free toy that is awarded for
every kiddie’s meal? The facilities at the fast food restaurants
for children and the low prices of the children’s menu make the
fast food restaurant into an appealing place to bring the family.
Fast food has become the order of the day for many children
in today’s society. Many School tuck shops have changed their
menus to serve junk food rather than more traditional fare.
Burgers, fried chicken and pizzas have taken over. These are
foods that are high in fats, salt and sugar. Children are unaware
of what goes into the junk food they so readily consume.
Photograph: Leitago Narib
All they know is that these foods taste good and leave them
craving for more.
Marketing campaigns do not mention the MSG, preservatives,
colorants, high fat and sugar content that contribute to the look
and taste of these foods. They do not mention the health risks of
obesity and allergies that have become closely associated with
these foods. Fast food addiction begins at a young age. Glossy
advertising makes these foods seem much more attractive to
young children than dull home-cooked meals.
A fast food culture is developing in many countries around the
world. This culture is fed by skilful marketing with children
as the primary target. Huge numbers of children are beginning
their journey through life, facing obesity and poor health as a
result of poor eating habits. The reason for this massive spend
is that it works. Children are susceptible to advertising to
the extent that they are able to bring their parents, aunts and
uncles to the fast food restaurants. Marketing works. Adults
have more skills to discriminate between reality and television
fantasy. Yet much advertising is targeted at adults. If adults are
susceptible, then how much more so are children? Let’s protect
our future, our Namibian children.
CN 13
 editorial

“The U.S. and

China are the two
most important
bi-lateral actors in
Africa today.”
CHINA
A tale of two powers
& U.S.
O
ne power is in ascendance, another in
decline. We look at how this dynamic plays
out in Africa. There is a perception in the
world that America has lost the plot. A vanishing
middle class, an exported manufacturing base, wild
casino capitalism on Wall Street, an increasingly
schizophrenic population and is fighting two
simultaneous unwinnable conflicts.
Then there is China with its hideously large surplus of foreign
currency to invest and a booming economy. This nation is
seemingly on the rise and unlike the U.S., appears to have a
coherent long-term strategy.
When it comes to energy, Uncle Sam, despite speculation to the
contrary, is still clearly the dominant player in Africa and when
one breaks down the numbers truly, it seems like no contest.
The Americans hold the lion’s share of exploration contracts
including the big players- Angola, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea
and Gabon.
The U.S. and China are the two most important bi-lateral actors
in Africa today. While the U.S. holds more influence in most
of the 53 African nations, China has surpassed the U.S. in a
number of states and has growing influence in many of the
others.
Africa is important to these powers in many of
the same ways:
As a source for natural resources and mineral wealth as well
as crucial African support in international forums such as the
United Nations or Trade Organizations.
There are also differences in the way which the two giants
engage the continent. American manufacturing firms see Africa
as full of risk and uncertainty and their corporations tend to be
dismissive of Africa as a potential market.
China has a long-term vision for the continent besides a source
of natural resources and it sees the continent as an emerging
and exiting new market full of potential. Chinese firms, unlike
the U.S., often have explicit state backing and the government
and corporations often work in lockstep, while America firms
are tied to short-term goals and quarterly profits and, while the
government will support them on occasion they are not a team.
By Rob Parker
The U.S. administration and oil companies for example often
find themselves seeking wildly different goals. In Iraq, the neo-
cons, led by Mr. Bush and abetted by Wolfowitz and Cheney
et al, wanted to use Iraq to break OPEC. They felt OPEC was
artificially inflating the price of oil (which it is) and harming
the U.S. This plan was immensely distasteful to the oil majors
who want the OPEC-mandated high prices to keep profits at
their grotesque current levels. They used the State Department
to fight the White House’s invasion plans tooth and nail-
resulting in the White House outing CIA agent Valerie Plame.
It would not happen this way in China.
Nor do Chinese firms have to deal with messy democracy, public
opinion or human rights councils or watchdog groups. There
are not Chinese-based organisations on the ground in foreign
countries monitoring the behaviour of their corporations such
as Disneywatch, democracy watch or Nikewatch.
America’s approach to business in the region has also hindered
their progress. The U.S., and/or agencies where they wield
tremendous influence such as the World Bank or IMF, come
to African leaders with long tedious moralising lectures on
human rights, which in itself may not be a bad thing. When
the moralist, however, is occupying two nations and dropping
depleted uranium and cluster bombs on civilian populations,
one tends to view their human rights talk as blatant hypocrisy. 
The U.S. also likes to add demands such as devaluing the
currency, deregulation, privatization and reduced spending on
social programs. How one can speak of human rights and force
poor countries to slash their health care costs is a story for
another time.
China has no such qualms. China gives the money and stays out
of the politics, at least overtly. This makes their assistance an
obvious choice for many African leaders. 
China has penetrated into villages and rural areas, run retail
outlets, and are to be found at all levels of commerce. The
Americans only have influence at the top level but this is where
the big decisions are made and, while China is more visible
on the ground until there is a truly global shift in power, the
Yankees will remain the major power in Africa and beyond.
<< CN
CN 17
 100 Namibians

We asked
100
Namibians
What is your
favourite local
newspaper?

“ A good newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talking

to itself.” Arthur Miller 1961

10 Reasons for Reading a Newspaper

1. My newspaper has never crashed, gone down, or flashed
animated ads at me.
2. Anywhere I travel, my newspaper goes with me. I don’t
need a laptop or a wireless connection or PDA.
3. I can read my newspaper while standing, eating, while
riding a bus, but not while driving my car, which is just as
well since I should be paying attention to the road.
4. If I read a story I like, I can tear it out and save it, and not
have to pay to read it 30 days later.
5. I don’t have to sign in or customise, register or remember
passwords to read my newspaper. And I often enjoy
articles in my newspaper on topics I wouldn’t normally
think I’d be interested in.
6. My newspaper has high-resolution pictures and type on
large pages that load almost instantly, making it easy to
browse and enjoy.
7. My newspaper is cheap, disposable and easy to replace. If
it’s lost or stolen, it’s no big deal.
8. My newspaper is not made of unrecyclable toxic materials.
9. If my newspaper makes a mistake, the correction is posted
with an explanation. It’s not sneakily applied to the
original story after I’ve read it.
10. I can read my newspaper sitting outside on a nice sunny
day, even if a breeze is blowing, because I know how to
fold a newspaper.

11.
12. The Namibian 60%
Die Republikein 21%
The New Era 4%
Informanté 9%
The Namibian Sun 6%
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 team namibia members section

Innovative solutions…Proudly Namibia…Bokomo Namibia

P
asta is one of the staple foods in Namibia. With an increase in the demand for pasta products in the country, Bokomo Namibia
credits its recent upsurge in growth to streamlining operations and boosting production power by erecting a pasta manufacturing
plant at their site in Brakwater, located just outside Windhoek. The plant
was officially opened in February by His Excellency President Hifikepunye
Pohamba, but had commenced operations last year in October. Bokomo
Namibia is also in the process of expanding its pasta operations with a second
plant from Italy.

Such growth by Bokomo Namibia is of economic value to the country, through

the creation of employment, supplying of locally manufactured products to
Namibian consumers, expansion of Namibia's local manufacturing base and
an alignment to the country's vision 2030, assisting in industrialising Namibia.

The management of Bokomo Namibia reported that the demand for milling
capacity has increased so much that the Board of Directors of Bokomo
Namibia has approved the purchase and installation of a new wheat flour mill
from Switzerland - another plant investment that will grow the country's
manufacturing industry and help ease unemployment.

Pasta Perfecto… A Delicious discovery everyday Pasta plant opened by His Excellency
President Hifikepunye Pohamba
Bokomo Namibia, starting operations at the plant last year in October,
launched its first locally-manufactured pasta brand to the Namibian
consumer. Pasta Perfecto, a brand which seeks to share the heart and flavour of Namibia's own locally-produced pasta comes in two
variants, Pasta Perfecto macaroni and the Pasta Perfecto elbow macaroni. "With this state-of-the-art technology and controlling the entire
pasta-production line, starting with its essential ingredients, and following a quality-oriented philosophy, what better production plant
could there possibly be where the pasta factory is completely integrated to give out a proudly Namibian product?" Natasja Pieterse,
Marketing Manager, Bokomo Namibia said.

"Pasta Perfecto is not just 'another pasta,' this durum-enriched pasta is the quintessence of proudly Namibian artistry, offering sublime
quality at a reasonable price", she added. The brand comes in 500g, 1kg and 2,5kg packages. Bokomo's intriguing pasta, new to the
Namibian market, has and will continue to impress any dinner table and make a statement about the one and only "Made in Namibia".

Proud to be Namibian!
Photograph: Leitago Narib entertainment

RAS

 RAS SHEEHAMA - A LOCAL ICON
Top Namibian Rasta singer Ras Sheehama was born in 1966 in Onakayale
village in Northern Namibia. The political pro-SWAPO stance of his father
forced him into exile in 1979 to Angola and Zambia at the age of thirteen. It
was here that he taught himself to play music. At fifteen, he felt a calling to
the Rastafarian way of life and his love for reggae began. He developed his
musical talent in Nigeria and returned to Namibia in 1990 to witness the first
free elections in his home country - he brought huge experiences to Namibia.

Getting eerie with Ras Sheehama

Consumer News: Who do you support in the World Cup?
Ras Sheehama: I am supporting Africa. I am a realist but
I have to support my African boys.

CN: If you were a betting man, which team would you

pick?
RS: Brazil, I think they have the players and if you have
the guns… you have the guns.

CN: Who is your favorite artist to collaborate with?

RS: Gal Level. I do already have a song with them. They
are very easygoing. I am not just saying that because
they are ladies (laughs). They are very easy going.

CN: If you could collaborate with anybody, who would it

be?
RS: Luciano, a Jamaican artist.

CN: Whose music inspires you?

RS: Bob Marley and Peter Tosh

CN: There has been a lot of speculation around the

death of Peter Tosh. Some say it was political, others
say that he got involved with the wrong people. What is
put them all in jail is difficult. A lot of people smoke but
hide it. In Namibia it will never be legal even though a
lot of people are smoking it, but even if they may smoke,
they hide it so all those people do not make a political
impact. They hide. Nobody will ever come out and
support it. It is just easier to talk.

CN: Do you think attitudes toward smoking dagga have

become more tolerant since that time?
RS: It is more tolerant now. It is not the same as it was
15 years ago; People know the word weed now, it is
not just called marijuana. The courts are becoming
more tolerant. People who used to get jail time are now
getting off with a warning.

CN: Some people will say it is a drug, just like cocaine or

heroin; what would you say to that?
RS: Ok, yes, they are all drugs, but there are light
drugs and there are heavy drugs. Cocaine can make
you hallucinate. Cocaine is very addictive. There is no
addiction to marijuana.

CN: What do you have to say about Jackson Kaujeua?

your take?
RS: I think it was a political thing. The wrong people?
If it was just the wrong people, why is everybody silent?
They caught the guy who shot him, so they should have
all of the info, No we would know by now. The Rastas
would know- by the back door or the front door, we
would know. No, it was a political thing otherwise we
would know what happened.
CN: Your court case for possession of marijuana is well
known. Do you think if the court case was held today the
outcome would be any different?
RS: No, all governments are the same. All over. They
just want to control. No government will make it legal.
Even in Jamaica, you have 10,000 Rastas smoking... to
You are often paired with him as the two icons of
Namibian music. He spent months in state hospital
before his death.
RS: It is really a shame. You are talking about a big
man. A big guy like that! You are talking about the history
of Namibian music here. If I was a rich man, he would
not have died. Somebody somehow should have done
something. Why wasn’t he taken from state hospital to a
private clinic? Why didn’t anybody ask what he needs to
get better? Nobody has really done anything. He should
not have died. I listen now to the politician’s speeches,
talking and talking, but they should have helped him
when he was alive. I am not afraid to say it. Why should
I be? The truth is the truth and they are people just like
me, so why should I be afraid to say it?
CN: It seems tragic that some people only become
interested in an artist after they have passed. Their work
is now sought after. Why is that?
>>
CN 23

entertainment cont.

RS: Death scares people. When a guy passes on-

he passes and everyone says ‘oh, I am so sorry’
but sorry is too late, they should have helped him “I travelled; I left
when alive. It should be an issue when artists are
living. Ask: How is this person living? What car is
he driving? Does he have food to eat? Politicians
should look at artists now. Namibia when I was
CN: You are known for using a live band. What is
your take on young artists using playback during
performances?
RS: It is a shame because it is so popular now. I thirteen. I have seen
see it as daylight robbery. You can put a playback
with your music, instruments and sing along, I
even do that sometimes, but my playback does
not have a voice, I sing. If you have the song
and you just mime the lyrics. Outside the country
war, poverty and
nobody will stand for that. Namibia does not have
a strong musical background. Some people going
to shows just want to dance, just like the beat
so you can get away with it, but it limits you- you politics.”
need to be able to showcase your voice, it will be
a shame.

CN: What advice would you give an ‘up and

coming’ young artist in Namibia?
RS: I would say do it real, use your own voice.
Don’t mime, even a child can do that- switch
off the mic and pretend to be singing? No, real
musicians make their own songs. Originality
and dedication- if you are doing music do the
real thing. Go back to your roots- Like Jackson
Kaujeua – That’s what he did. My Reggae, Ok
reggae is Jamaican but my reggae has African
elements, like I use Oshiwambo melodies in my
music.

CN: You are known for the quality and potency of

your lyrics, what inspires you when you write a
song?
RS: I travelled; I left Namibia when I was thirteen.
I have seen war, poverty and politics. Inspiration
comes from the people and the situation at the
time. Movement of the people is what inspires me.
I think I was born a songwriter, but it is the people
that give me inspiration.

CN: If you were not born a songwriter, if you were

not a musician, what would you be doing?
RS: Something artistic, I would not be a politician
or a minister. I am an artistic person.

CN: Has Barack Obama lived up to your

expectations?

SAR
RS: Yes. A Black man as president of the United
States. That is something. Look, laws are written
by a lot of people. He has to do things gradually,
change things slowly, he has the House (of
Representatives) to address, they all have to
agree. It is difficult. So far so good for Obama.
The world needed change, America needed a
change.

CN: Are you a vegetarian?

RS: I am a lacto-vegetarian. I eat fish also.

CN: Is it hard to be a vegetarian in Namibia?

RS: It is not easy to sustain that diet. Namibia is
a dry land, you cannot just grow your fruits and
vegetables, and it is all coming from South Africa.
It is not easy, like if we all had backyard gardens it
would be different. It is expensive; even I want to
order a salad out it will be fifty dollars.
24 CN
 international

STRANGERS WILL
NEVER SEND YOU
MONEY
Consumer News examines your spam mail

26 CN
 rugby

By Staff Reporter

NAMIBIAN RUGBY
The Namibian rugby team lifted its image out of the continued controversy that
hogs the union when they put in a fantastic display at the recently-concluded
IRB Nations Cup held in Bucharest, Romania.

Despite the financial troubles and a lawsuit that hangs
over the Namibia Rugby Union (NRU), the national team
proved that they can instead do an outstanding job on
the field, which in essence put the current problems
within the sport at bay, at least for now.
that the Namibian side will make it past the first round,
but the men coached by Johan Diergaardt and with
the industrious flanker Jacques Burger serving as the
skipper, the Welwitschias managed to cause some
unexpected damage onto their opponents.

The Namibians, as first-timer at the competition, started
their campaign on a high note when they surprisingly
ousted the hosts Romania 22-17, followed by another
incredible performance when they pipped Scotland A via
a close 23-20 victory.
A few days ahead of the tournament, no one thought
Scotland A were also former champions of the
competition, but their reputation at the event was dented
by the Namibians who ran in tries which were mostly
created from their formidable pack of forwards.
Having made their debut last year, Scotland A went
into the tournament with a 100% winning record. With

>>

CONSUMER
Y O U R V O I C E

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CN 27
rugby cont.
an average of 24 years and 10 months the Scots were
the second youngest team after the Jaguars (Argentina),
nearly a year younger on average. There were four
players uncapped at ‘A’ level in the starting line-up - Alex
Blair, Jack Cuthbert, Colin Shaw and Steven Turnbull
- and a further three in Chris Fusaro, Fraser McKenzie
and Bryan Rennie on the bench. Namibia went in with
the tried-and-tested and some of the players who stood
out in that match included players such as Jacky Bock,
the two De La Harpe brothers, Sergio and Darryl, while
Piet van Zyl, Llewellyn Winkler and the speedy full-back
Chrysander Botha were also in the mix.
Most of the Namibian players also competed in the
Vodacom Cup in which they played matches against South
African Provinces, matches which gave them a valuable
experience and a sense of urgency in their play. From the
start, both Burger and scrumhalf, Jantjies thought that
Namibia had a good chance of winning the tournament,
but for different reasons, the two men are the main cogs in
the Namibian engine. Burger, a battle-hardened Saracen
open-side leading from the front and the slick and elusive
Jantjies orchestrating the Namibian back division, the side
managed to put in epic performances in their opening
matches, giving them a shot for the final. For Burger, who
is now only 27 years of age, there had never been any
doubt that Namibia had entered the tournament in order to
win it.
In one of the interviews at the event on whether he
thought Namibia would make it that far, he said: “This is
why we play. Otherwise we would not be here. However,
once we won the first match we knew that we could win it.
There is the difference between wanting it and knowing it
and this is what happened after the match against
“I wanted to
see their eyes,
to understand
whether they had
inside them that
desire to go the
extra mile.”
Romania, the first time we beat them,” Burger said.
“That’s what gave us the strength to withstand
the waves of Scottish attacks in the last couple of
minutes, when they kept coming at us time and
again. It was incredibly difficult but our belief and
a bit of luck saw us through. Every time the game
stopped I gathered the guys around me. I wanted
to see their eyes, to understand whether they had
inside them that desire to go the extra mile.
“I do not see myself as your archetypal captain. I
would rather do things than talk. I like to lead from
the front and set the standard through my work ethic.
You can have all the talent in the world but if you
don’t work hard enough you will never get what you
want. This is where the difference is made, basically
wanting it a bit more than your opponent. When
we pray before the game we never pray to win. We
thank God for giving us the talent and pray that we
will leave the field unscathed at the end.”
The Namibian team was due to play against Georgia
in their next match which was scheduled for June 20,
while Italy A was due to play Romania in the second
match, with Argentina’s Jaguars having a date with
Scotland A.
The winner of the tournament had to be determined
on points, with 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, while
4 or more tries can translate into a point. If a team
loses by 7 points or less, they also get a point for
that.
By the time of writing this report, the champion had
to be crowned on June 20, the day that all six teams
competed.
Italy A are the only team to have played in every IRB
Nations Cup tournament. They finished second in
2006 and in 2009, fifth in 2007 and fourth in 2008.
They are also the top points scorers overall with 251.
The Jaguars of Argentina won the tournament
in 2006 and finished second in 2007 behind the
Emerging Springboks. They are also the top try
scorers.
The Georgians finished third in 2007 and second in
2008 behind emerging South Africa.
Source material and photos from IRB.com
28 CN