Chinese bursary scramble widens

Written by Max Hamata and Patience Nyangove

Thursday, 22 October 2009

THE list of top government officials’ children who have benefited from the Chinese educational scholarships lengthened this week with the unearthing of more names.



It has emerged that Pendukeni Ithana, daughter to Justice Minister Pendukeni Ivula-Ithana; Nathanael Pashto Nghidinwa, son to Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Rosalia Nghidinwa’s who is studying medicine; Ujama Nujoma and Hiskia Asino cousins to Deputy Justice Minister Utoni Nujoma and Selma Utoni daughter to Director of Mines and Energy, Selma Utoni, were beneficiaries of the scholarships from the Chinese government.

Informanté last week revealed that high profile figures ranging from former President and founding Father, Sam Nujoma; current President, Hifikepunye Pohamba; Government ministers overseeing the procurement of multi-million dollar deals with the Chinese Government; senior military and several government officials are snatching scholarships meant to benefit mainly students from less privileged families for their children and relatives.

Among those students who left for China in August this year were Ndapanda Pohamba, the President’s daughter, who commenced studies at the Beijing Language University courtesy of the Chinese government scholarships; Justus Namoloh, the Defence Minister’s son who is studying at the Huazhong Normal University; Ernesto Ndeitunga, the Nampol Inspector General’s son who is also studying at the Huazhong Normal University; and Phillipus N. Esau, the Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy’s son who is at Tonji University.

On the list too is Lenna Ya Kasita, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Resettlement’s daughter at the Huazhong Normal University, Naukalemo Nghimtina, the Minister of Mines and Energy’s daughter; and Patrick Lungameni Mushimba, a relative of the former First Lady, Kovambo Nujoma, studying at the Tonji University.

When contacted for comment yesterday over her daughter’s scholarship Ivula-Ithana accused Informanté of abusing the children.

“You are abusing those children at the same time castigating their parents. Informanté is a credible newspaper why are you writing such stories? It’s those children whom you are hurting more than their parents. You wrote this story last week why are you continuing to write about it, what is driving you to do this? There are better stories like that where GIPF lost N$5 billion why can’t you report on that one?”

Ivula-Ithana’s deputy Nujoma after realising he was talking to a journalist from Informanté when contacted for comment hung up before ignoring our phone calls.

However a relative who responded to our phone calls at his Windhoek home confirmed that Ujama and Hiskia are Nujoma’s cousins.

Hiskia is understood to be in China together with his wife Ilona whom Informanté could not establish at the time of going to print whether she was also studying courtesy of the Chinese bursaries or was doing something else.

Hiskia’s brother Mika who is the acting CEO at the Airports Company of Namibia told Informanté that Hiskia was employed by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and had accessed the Chinese scholarship to do his postgraduate studies through his employer.

The Home Affairs minister who, besides her son Nathanael who is studying in China, is believed to have another son, Maxwell, studying in Egypt.

Efforts to get a comment from her were fruitless as she was said to be out of the country.

What opposition parties said

Pohamba should take a lead and pay school fees for his daughter and give that scholarship to a deserving child.

The DTA demands that Minister Nangolo Mbumba should resign forthwith. He has failed miserably to meet the expectations of the young people who depend on him and his Ministry to look after their educational well-being.

These bursaries were supposedly meant for the disadvantaged young people of Namibia to further their studies in China. Not for the Swapo elite.

This scam simply reaffirms what the DTA has been saying for 20 years: Swapo leaders abuse their positions and influence in Government to selfishly enrich and benefit themselves and their families at the cost of Namibia’s poor – DTA general secretary McHenry Venaani who also described the scramble as a conflict of interest because the beneficiaries are the ones who award tenders and contracts to Chinese companies.

When we accuse Swapo, people say we are against the ruling party, but that is not true. It’s because the ruling party is not for all. Look at those who benefitted, they are from the Oshiwambo speaking people - UDF president Justus Garoeb also questioned why most of the beneficiaries are Oshiwambo

They are robbing the poor. Those who can afford should pay up fees for their children. Ministers, members of Parliament and the President should do the same. If we pay ourselves we leave the scholarships for the poor - CoD leader Ben Ulenga

The relationship between the Chinese government and the Namibian government was one founded upon and nurtured by corruption – CoD’s Young Democrats Natji Tjirare in a statement this week.

Additional reporting by Renthia Kaukungwa

Chinese bursaries: What Nam youth are saying

Written by Comments compiled by Patience Nyangove

Thursday, 22 October 2009

Informanté last week exposed high ranking Government officials who grab education scholarships meant for the disadvantaged for their children and relatives. The story raised a lot of debate and below are postings on Facebook by Namibian youth.







Imms Nashinge: What’s your take on the bursaries awarded to the politicians KIDS?

Kenneth Da’Goodnez Goodman : Foolish!



Meita Hakaye: changed my ‘vuma’ to go vote....seriously!



Lahja Samuel: Osho ike ngaho musu.. Not da first time! Hmmm Swapo... Swapo



Imms Nashinge: This is an individualism issue not a Swapo issue! Please go vote Cde HAKAYE!



Mwatile Ndinoshiho: It shows that (Tashili ekunde omekunde shili) what is eating the beans is inside it! Our leaders are corrupt! Those scholarships are meant for students from less privileged families. Are they now telling us that the President and other top brass families are less privileged? Lets be realistic my people. If we speak out they say we are misled...



Beaulla Kazondovi: I totally support the remarks of Mwatile, they created the corrupt education system, universities name it, but not even their children study there, how low of them, and our education system needs to be amended.



Meita Hakaye: Mwatile u spoke from my heart... Am too upset to say anything now, these things make a person nauseous...!



Lahja Samuel: Nashinge! A church is people and not a building. Swapo is people and not the name or a flag. Even if it was just one member of Swapo who did that I can still say Swapo. I hope you understand what I am saying. The cake of freedom and honeymoon should be a taste of every citizen. Oshili!



Veronica Tuulikefo: I am not going to vote because only certain people benefit.

It is a Swapo issue my comrade! The names mentioned are for our Swapo leaders! They all got those positions on a Swapo ticket! As long as Swapo leadership doesn’t fire the corrupt ones it means they are condoning what they are doing! They are always saying let the law take its course - yes it will take its course on poor people like Mwatile!

Let’s wait.



Imms Nashinge: Cde Mwatile if all of us were like you this country is going to prosper! When Cde Ngurare talks about rural development most of us look away when issues like these arise we all want to say something... that’s how ignorant we are! So now what’s the way forward? I personally think they should come back home and give these bursaries to those who deserve them full stop! This is very sick! I know many young people seating at home with 42 points because they can’t afford university fees! Africans oh!



Lahja Samuel: I personally love what Swapo did in the past. It got such a rich history. But seriously if things are going on like this then my village and other villages that I don’t want to mention here such as Okamwandikamadhinga will still be the same, no water, neither electricity, one clinic with one nurse assisted by a cleaner ...



Samuel Sivil Linyondi: It’s about time we speak up. This is b***sh*t!



Mwatile Ndinoshiho: Cde. I gave my input on the youth empowerment issue when Cde Ngurare asked for our views. I still have to do my research on what constitutes a rural area in Namibia. We have good programmes and policies but they are never implemented or not rightly implemented. Those entrusted with those are busy making their millions at the expense of our votes.



Tawanda Kanhema: Do we see a connection between the scholarships and mining licences, EPLs, contracts granted to Chinese companies? Who pays these kids’ daily living expenses in China?



Renthia Nancy Kaukungwa: I don’t understand why Informanté is being blamed for everything it contains…doesn’t the slogan “you conceal, we reveal” clarify that we don’t suck news out of our thumbs?



Phillip Nduuvu Esau: I see this week you guys had nothing to talk about!



Jemima Jeanetter Beukes: Aagh people will also blame and who better than the media!



Renthia Nancy Kaukungwa: Aye Nduuvu…people bring the stories to us…we just investigate and report…PERIOD! Not as if that story makes the paper a good paper too, we’ve established a good readership long before your story.



Phillip Nduvuu Esau: Ja sure man whatever!



Makafa Shetu Weengodi: I listen to the slogan nigga…if you want to close down Informanté then tell people to stop doing “beep”!



Lebo Liefde Khobetsi: Se hul vriendin. Informanté is da best!



Tangi Tangeni Hamiliton: Whatever you do, shall always come out. Informanté is just helping it come out. Thank you Informanté.



Patrick Usiku Lmao: If in the future any of my clients sue Informanté for criminal defamation or crimen injuria I will just laugh…but anyways, GO Informanté GO!WHOOOP WHOOOP!



Eldon Kaiyamo: www.informante.web.na



Helao Ndeulita Mwapangasha: lmao...exposed.com



Uajorokisa Karuaihe: At least they believe in educating the youth.



Eldon Kaiyamo: Geeeeeeeegeeeeeeeeeeeeee, then I also want a FONK KONG Scholarship...Lmao



Virginia Zee: The best paper in Nam



Helao Ndeulita Mwapangasha: lmao...their youth or what?



Hendrina Kaavela: Fat cats!



Uajorokisa Karuaihe: It just happened to be their children who came across as the strongest candidates.



Olivia Shuuluka: Luckily there was a smart one to come up with it...Conceal and it will be revealed...oumba mehe!



Kelly Tashiya: Twini, I think your name was supposed to be on that list as well. What happened?

Are there strings attached to Chinese scholarships - Ngurare

Elijah Ngurare

Written by Patience Nyangove

Thursday, 22 October 2009

SWAPO Youth League (SPYL) this week said they would have expected the process of awarding Chinese scholarships to regard rural and urban poor youth.



The organisation was responding to last week’s Informanté exposé about children of high ranking Government officials including President Hifikepunye Pohamba’s daughter who received scholarships to study in China.

Speaking to Informanté this week, SPYL secretary general Elijah Ngurare also wondered whether there were strings attached to the awarding of Chinese scholarships that benefit children of the country’s top brass.

“It would be prudent that everything should be done to find modalities of enabling our young people the opportunity to obtain such scholarships/bursaries based on equitable criteria, designed and perceived to be fair for the children of our peasants and poor people in all 13 regions and 107 constituencies of our land of the brave,” he said.

Ngurare who was very diplomatic in his responses wondered whether the scholarships were given in exchange of favours from the top brass whose children left for studies in August this year.

“Are there strings attached to the awarding of these scholarships in exchange of say current or future favours by our Government to the Chinese government considering that the beneficiaries are individuals in positions that have a material bearing on decisions for tenders/contracts potentially to be awarded favourably to the Chinese companies?” Ngurare asked.

He also said such questions arise because it appears ‘high ranking Government officials had either the exclusive knowledge or access to these scholarships at the expense of the ordinary Namibian who would have desired to study in China or any other foreign country’.

The SPYL, Ngurare said, was not aware of any other individual foreign embassies directly offering scholarships like the case with the Chinese embassy without the knowledge of the Ministry of Education.

It’s scramble for Chinese scholarships among country’s top brass

Written by Patience Nyangove and Max Hamata
Thursday, 15 October 2009

HIGH ranking Government officials are grabbing educational scholarships offered by China for their children and close relatives, Informanté reveals.

Investigations show that high profile figures ranging from former President and founding Father, Sam Nujoma; current President, Hifikepunye Pohamba; government ministers overseeing procurement of multi-million dollar deals with the Chinese Government; senior military and several government officials are snatching the scholarships which are supposed to benefit mainly students from less privileged families for their children and relatives.

Among those students who left for China in August is Ndapanda Pohamba, the President’s daughter, who commenced studies at the Beijing Language University courtesy of the Chinese government scholarships; Justus Namoloh, Defence Minister’s son who is studying at the Huazhong Normal University; Ernesto Ndeitunga, Nampol Inspector General’s son who is also studying at the Huazhong Normal University; and Phillipus N. Esau, Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy’s son who is at Tonji University.

On the list too is Lenna Ya Kasita, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Resettlement’s daughter at the Huazhong Normal University Naukalemo Nghimtina, the Minister of Mines and Energy’s daughter; and Patrick Lungameni Mushimba, a relative of the former First Lady, Kovambo Nujoma, studying at the Tonji University.

Some of the students who make part of the twenty-two students on the list whom Informanté could not verify their relationships with the country’s top shots in government and the military at the time of going to press are Kledura N. Imalwa, Loide N. Kamati, Veikko Uahengo and Ndapandula Nuuyoma among others.

Other names whose links with government officials could not be confirmed are: David Iipinge, Selam Utonih, Maria K. Nantana, Loide N. Kamati, Ndakola Tuyakula Anna Nambahu, Veikko Uahengo, Fimanekeni Ndaivela Mhanda, N. Ndapandula Haulenga, Inamutila Mekondjo Kahupi, R. L. Hamayuli, K. G Kampungu, Petrus E. J. Mbadhi, Letha N. Usko, Lukas Nambinga and Ndapandula Nuuyoma.

When contacted for comment, Defence Minister Charles Namoloh said he couldn’t say why mostly high profile figures’ children and relatives including his son Justus had benefitted from the Chinese scholarships.

“I can’t answer that. However, what I know is the scholarships were advertised and my son applied and was called for an interview and offered the scholarship,” he said adding that his son also got a bursary from the education ministry.

Namoloh said the Chinese scholarships were partial scholarships and he had to fork out N$12,000 for air tickets for his son’s trip to China.

Henock Ya Kasita also admitted to Informanté that Lenna was his daughter.

“Yes she is my daughter. She will only come back home after completing her studies in five years’ time.”

The Police Inspector General, Sebastian Ndeitunga also admitted that Ernesto was his son.

“Oh he is my son; he is now studying in China. He went there in August for studies,” Ndeitunga said from Singapore.

Erkki Nghimtina also confirmed that Naukalemo was his daughter, studying on a scholarship from the Chinese Government. He would not say whether it was morally wrong for well-paid ministers to be privileged with scholarships while some of the poor bright children are denied tertiary education because of their economic status.

Minister of Education Nangolo Mbumba, expressed shock that many senior government officials’ children were benefiting from the Chinese scholarships.

“These scholarships should mainly benefit students from less privileged backgrounds. We will launch an investigation to find out how this came to be. I will ask the scholarship section,” he said.

“These scholarships should mainly benefit students from less privileged backgrounds. We will launch an investigation to find out how this came to be, I will ask the scholarship section,” Mbumba

A Chinese Embassy official who identified himself as Wong, in charge of scholarships said the Namibian Education Ministry was responsible for the selection criteria of the students.

Cuba sends failed Nam students back

Written by Patience Nyangove

Thursday, 15 October 2009

CUBAN universities have sent back 16 second and third year Namibian medical students for alleged poor performance in mathematics and physics.





The students who returned home last week Thursday and Sunday were studying for medical degrees in pharmacy, bio-chemistry and biology at the University of Havana while others were at the University of Oriente.

Some of the students have blamed the Namibian education system describing it as poor compared to that of other parts of Africa and the rest of the world.

“Other African students go for Advanced-Level but we only have the HIGCSE which is not taught well,” some of the students who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

“Although we failed, there was a chance of changing careers but our Namibian Embassy in Cuba failed to assist us. We failed two subjects - mathematics and physics - as a result of our poor education system. Most Namibians are failing because of our educational background,” they added.

The students further claimed they only failed once but were sent packing and that the Namibian government failed to negotiate with the universities to afford them a second chance.

A student who identified herself as Leona said the studies were so tough and they wanted to change careers but the Cuban universities refused to allow them.

The students’ representative, David Kahumba, who was studying towards a degree in Microbiology, confirmed that they were chucked out after they performed poorly.

However, he refused to comment further saying he would only do so after briefing the Minister of Education.

When contacted for comment, Minister of Education, Nangolo Mbumba said it was regrettable that the students had failed to perform well. He also said that although the students were coming from a poor background, blaming the education system for their failure was not the best way.

Ministry of Education’s liaison officer, Ester Paulus rubbished the students’ claims that they were not given a second chance to repeat saying they were given opportunities to repeat but failed again.

“The University of Havana has a regulation that a student is only allowed to repeat, once, twice if there are reasons pertaining to health and other relevant reasons. Students that were sent back failed to pass after being allowed to repeat,” she said.

Paulus said some students also claimed they failed because of the language barrier while two of the students from the University of Oriente had their scholarships cancelled.

Paulus said there was nothing wrong with the quality of Namibia’s education and that there are many Namibian students studying at international universities in the same fields who excel in their studies with minimal difficulties.

She said there was no way the Namibian Embassy in Cuba could have helped the students as universities and terms of scholarships cannot be altered.

HEALTH-NAMIBIA:

Patience Nyangove



WINDHOEK, Oct 7 (IPS) - Ten years ago, a move to legalise abortion in Namibia failed. The number of unwanted pregnancies remains high, with many people unwilling or unable to use contraception. Despite the risks, illegal abortions remain common.



Misoprostol - a drug used to control ulcers, more usually known by the brand name Cytotec - has become a favoured method for inducing abortion.



The drug costs around $14 U.S. dollars per tablet from a pharmacist and is readily available on the streets of Windhoek. Medical doctors who conduct abortions illegally using the drug charge between 140 and 200 U.S. dollars.



Twenty-two year-old Monisha (not her real name), a student at University of Namibia, decided to have an abortion because her boyfriend is a married man and hence could not marry her.



"My parents would have killed me if they had found out that I was made pregnant by a married man, who can't marry me," she says. "I am also not ready to be a mother, I am still a student."



She was two months into the pregnancy when, with the help of a friend, she bought five Cytotec pills from a drug peddler in Windhoek's Khomasdal suburb.



Monisha says she was charged $113 for the pills, and instructed by the drug peddler to insert three of the tablets into her vagina and swallow two. He told her that if developed any complications during the abortion, she should not seek treatment at health institution but rather come back to him for help.



Fortunately Monisha's pregnancy was successfully terminated without any complications. "It was like a bad period. Off course I felt some pain but I took some pain killers," she says.



Cytotec is classified as a controlled drug and by law should only be sold to people with a medical doctor’s prescription, however errant pharmacists are selling it to anyone who asks for it.



Merja (not her real name either) a pharmacist in Independence Avenue in Windhoek says she only sells Cytotec pills to people referred to her by friends.



"You can't just sell to anyone because you don't know who is a police officer or not. It's quite a risky business but what can we do? We need the extra money and at the same time we are providing a service to our fellow desperate women need.



"It's not like we are killing babies, I only sell Cytotec tablets to those whose pregnancy is less than three months to minimise the risk of fatal complications," she says.



According to Merja she buys a packet of Cytotec tablets containing 56 pills for the equivalent of U.S. $50 and sells each tablet for $14, making a cool profit of 740 U.S. dollars per packet.



Merja says most of her clients are students from the university and the Polytechnic of Namibia.



Monisha's termination went smoothly but large numbers of women end up with a host of complications that include haemorrhaging when due to a torn cervix or punctured uterus says a medical doctor at Katutura State Hospital. (Doctors in the public health service are not permitted to speak to the press, so he spoke to IPS anonymously.)



The doctor says one of the most common complications that they deal with at the hospital include infections that develop when foetal parts are left inside the uterus.



"A pelvic infection may lead to persistent fever over several days and extended hospitalisation. It can also cause scarring of the pelvic organs," he says. The doctor says in severe cases some women have died because of back street abortions after excessive bleeding.



Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi said illegal abortions remain a serious health problem in Namibia with abortion-related deaths much more common among young women.



"It was also found that about one third of the deaths were due to septic and illegally-induced abortion most likely unsafely performed somewhere.



"Fifty-nine percent of the women dying of abortion related complications were under the age of 25. This is consistent with other reports that increasingly young people resort to unsafe abortion or even commit suicide because of unwanted pregnancy," Kamwi says.



Sam Ntelamo, director of the Namibia Planned Parenthood Association says baby dumping and infanticide is now an issue of concern in Namibia, although without comprehensive data, it is impossible to estimate the true extent of unsafe abortion as many cases are believed to go unreported.



"Even police statistics and anecdotal information suggest that the problem is a significant one," Ntelamo said. "We quite often hear of bodies of newborn babies retrieved at water works sites around Windhoek and outside. These are shocking revelations"



Ntelamo blames the surge in the number of abortion cases to a great number of youth failing to access reproductive health services.



In 1999, the Namibian government tried to legalise abortion, however it claims it was forced to abandon the law after the public opposed it. Government at the time said wide-ranging consultations with communities that included churches; radio phone-ins and letters indicated 99 percent of Namibians did not want abortion to be legalised.



Anti-abortion sentiment remains high. One Namibian interviewed by IPS feels that if government legalises abortion, this will fuel immorality.



"Abortion must never be legalised in Namibia, women will just wily nilly commit murder. Innocent babies will be killed, if our mothers had been given that opportunity to choose whether we should have lived or died then a lot of us would not be here. It's also so un-African," says Ndawana Hausiku.



Under Namibian law a woman can only have an abortion in cases of incest, rape or when the pregnancy is deemed a health risk to the life of the mother.



The director of Sister Namibia, a non-governmental organisation that deals with women's rights, Liz Frank told IPS that Namibia urgently needed to reform its law on abortion.



"That draft bill which was declined by the public a few years ago needs to be dusted off and retabled. There is need to embark on a campaign to educate the public on the advantages of legalising abortion in the country," she said.



"Currently the health ministry is spending huge amounts of money in cleaning up botched abortions, while so many women are dying or having life threatening injuries after undergoing backstreet abortions. Women should have access to safe abortion."



Presently only four African countries permit abortion on demand during the first trimester, South Africa, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and Tunisia.

Big and illegal in Eveline Street

Written by Patience Nyangove

Thursday, 01 October 2009

EVERYTHING on Eveline Street comes big, the crowds, the patrons, car washes, and not to be outdone, crime.



Imagine 63 bars and shebeens, some dingy and some neat, competing in every aspect; loud music, braai stands and a host of different types of beers, imported and local, on this less than 3-km stretch in Windhoek’s Katutura’s high density suburb, Greenwell Matongo.

Of the 63 bars and shebeens, the Windhoek Municipality says only six are legally registered while the rest – 57 - are operating illegally, milking away the City’s revenue.

Out of the other 63 businesses operating in that street which include carwashes, home shops, take-aways, hair salons, cell shops, 58 are also operating illegally.

Muggings and thefts are now synonymous with the name Eveline Street.

Eveline Street is where the cream meets the dust, posing stark contrasts, from the designer apparels versus the rags; slick wheels against torn up sandals; where the who-is-who of Windhoek mix and mingle with the poorest of the capital.

Competing for attention are the many watering holes gushing out the beloved gift from deep below while car wash boys uncaringly use water, a precious commodity in this arid country.

The bars and shebeens on Eveline Street open as early as 06h00 and close shop as late as 04h00 - seven days a week, all round the year.

Alcoholic beverages on offer include ciders, spirits, lagers that are sold at an unbeatable “pump price” and with only N$200 you can drink until you drop.

Of concern to those living in Eveline Street is the high crime rate since hardly a week passes without sounds of gun shots, while muggings have become an everyday phenomena.

This does not, however, concern the patrons who feed on the street’s delicious braai popularly known as kapana which is roasted on braai stands along the street.

Apart from all the glamour, a majority of Eveline Street residents say they have fallen prey to the fame that has come with the many shebeens and bars and they believe the police are not doing enough to protect them.

The residents are now scared of walking in the street after nightfall despite the fact that dozens of guzzlers would be all over the street drinking.

“I don’t feel safe at all living in Eveline Street. I make sure that as soon as the sunsets I am indoors to avoid being mugged or raped. The police here are useless. They don’t help us.

“Imagine, I stay a short distance from the satellite police station but if you call for help they won’t come. If you go to them, you will either find one police man or they will tell you they don’t have a car to come and attend to you,” said a 46 year-old woman who has been staying in Eveline Street for the last five years.

Another Eveline Street resident who gave his name as Tuyoleni concurs with her accusing the police of failing to protect them at night by conducting patrols.

However, he feels that the street is very safe during the day.

Yet another long time Eveline Street dweller, Lazarus says police officers should be undercover when they patrol the street for them to effectively assess the situation.

“If people see the police coming, they pretend to have some order. If you walk in this street after 21h00 thieves will mug you, strip you naked and take all your clothing.”

Other residents said the noise from the radios and jukeboxes made it very difficult to sleep at night.

“You can’t really have a good night’s sleep because of the noise from the many radios all playing at maximum volume.”

Nampol spokesperson, Deputy Commissioner Hophni Hamufungu, said the high crime rate in Eveline Street, could be attributed to alcoholism.

“It’s very difficult to say what really causes the high crime rate, however alcoholism is a very major factor. When people get drunk they don’t think properly like when they are sober. Late hours also are always the best time for criminals. People some times quarrel and end up fighting while others fall prey to criminals on their way back to their homes.”

Hamufungu said however police are taking measures to try and reduce the high crime rate along Eveline Street.

Windhoek City Municipality Public Relations Officer, Liz Sibindi said the City Council has recognised the natural transition as well as the facts on the ground and approved Eveline Street as a business corridor as per council resolution 184/08/2006.

Sibindi said however the City has had community meetings to assist many of the residents to legalise their operations either by re-zoning or applying in terms of the Windhoek Resident occupation policy.

“This exercise is still ongoing and once completed the City aims to assist many of the residents in the north western township to formalise their business operation in line with the Windhoek Town Planning Scheme,” she said.

Hackers target businesses, NGOs

Written by Patience Nyangove
Thursday, 01 October 2009

AS cyber crime slowly takes hold on Namibia, internet hackers have defrauded a great number of people and companies of thousands of dollars.



The criminals hack into websites, emails and data bases to gain access to sensitive information and passwords.

Telecom yesterday confirmed that some hackers had even resorted to hijacking modems.

The latest victim of this crime is Director of Mt Sinai Centre, a non-governmental organisation which deals with breastfeeding mothers living with HIV whose Yahoo email account was hacked into two weeks ago.

The hackers used Mt Sinai Director, Christaline Vega-Biart’s, email - m123@yahoo.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it - to beg for £1,200 from all contacts in her mail box claiming that she had been robbed.

Part of the email sent to her contacts reads: “How are you doing? Please I will need this personal (sic) until when I get back okay? Right now I am in London. I had to attend a very important meeting which I was not able to (sic) anymore due to the incident that happened here at the hotel. You will not believe this. I got robbed off (sic) everything I brought down with me including my wallet and luggage’s (sic) too, right now I am so confused down here (sic) and don’t know what else to do, please I will be very happy if you could help me send down (sic) £1,200 so I can add up with the money I raised from my good friend? I will make sure I refund you the money as soon as I get back. Please you will help me have the money sent to me through western union since luckily for me I still have my passport here with me, just in case here is the information you will require to send down the money to me right away, I need (to) settle the hotel bill I am owing here so I can leave here at once.”

The address given by the hackers is 12 Boston Road, Hanwell, Ealing W7 2HJ, London, United Kingdom.

Vega-Biart says she only got to know that the NGO’s website had been hacked and her email password accessed after former Informanté News Editor Tawanda Kanhema, one of the people who received the email, sent a text message to her asking how she was fairing after the alleged robbery.

Vega-Biart said: “I was attending a gala dinner at the Anglican Women Fellowship when (Tawanda) Kanhema sent me a text message. The hackers got hold of my password and gained access into my email box and changed my password so that I could not get access to it.

“From there, we phoned banks notifying them not to release any money to anyone and everyone else in my mail box contacts.”

Vega-Biart suspects that a group of Nigerians could be involved in the crime based on information she received that the alleged hackers have been traced to Nigeria.

“I really do not know how people can do such a thing. We can really get into trouble.”

She says the hackers almost got away with £1,200 pounds from her friend Susan who responded to their SOS message promising to send money as soon as she knocks off from work.

An official at an internet service provider MWeb who spoke on condition of anonymity said although they have not yet received reports of websites being hacked, they had received numerous reports of hackers trying to access people’s and companies’ passwords.

Telecom acting Head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations Oivo Angula said over the past few months, a good number of local internet users had had their modems hijacked.

Angula said modem hijacking is when consumers using dial-up Internet access are charged for international telephone calls they did not make.

“Modem hijacking takes place when the hijacker installs a dialer on the victim’s computer (usually through a virus or seemingly innocent download), which switches the local telephone number used for dial-up access to the Internet to an international or long distance telephone number that charges expensive fees,” he said.