Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698751068710.pdf (Namibia)
- 372 - Thursday, 28 October 2021 No.

15 - 2021 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS TABLE OF CONTENTS MINISTER: QUESTION NO.

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Prime Minister ............................................................................................ 168 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation ......................................................... 155, 158, 175 Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs .................................................. 167 Minister of Finance ..................................................................................... 154 Minister of Education, Arts and Culture ..................................................... 157 Minister of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare ....... 113 Minister of Health and Social Services Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation 134, 139, 171 10.
Minister of Mines and Energy ............................................................ 152, 170 11.

Minister of Justice ....................................................................................... 150 12.

Minister of Urban and Rural Development ................ 120, 160, 163, 172, 174 13.

Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism ............................ 79, 82, 140 14.

Minister of Industrialisation and Trade ...................................................... 162 15.
Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform ....... 115, 149, 165, 169, 173 - 373 - 16.

Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources 17.

Minister of Works and Transport 18.

Minister in the Presidency .......................................................................... 164 19.

Minister of Sport, Youth and National Service .................................. 144, 146 20.

Minister of Information and Communication Technology .................. 151, 161 21.
Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation .................... 141, 145 22.

Minister of Public Enterprises .................................... 110, 135, 153, 156, 166 Question 110: (2021-09-09) Mr. Iipumbu (NEFF) asked the Minister of Public Enterprises: 1.

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Minister, now that Air Namibia liquidation is on-going, can you share more light with the general public on the full contract of this deal and who did we pay the 1 .6 billion?
Whose company is this and is it only one company?

Are you not sure that this tax payers money had reverted back to Namibia?

Minister, can you agree or deny your link to the said American company the 1.6 billion you paid.

Can the Minister share more light on the accounts of the liquidated Airline (Air Namibia) in the world particularly in German.

How much money is still in Air Namibia‘s bank accounts abroad?

What plan do we have as a government to get this money back?
In regards to the two lawyers that are dealing with the liquidation , what criteria were used to pick them?

Minister, since the inception of your Ministry, privatization is your core song and indeed liquidations.

What pride, legacy are you leaving behind Minister?

Finally, now that the same liquidated Airline owes 3.5 billion, does it mean that since independence, our Airline had been operating on a loss?

How about those years when the government had to bail out the Airline?
Had we not at any time reached a positive balance?

_________________ Question 115: (2021-09-14) Mr. Kauandenge (NUDO) asked the Minister Agriculture, Water and Land Reform: Information at my disposal point to the fact that the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform has bought a farm near Otjohorongo Settlement (Omatjete area).

This farm is next to the Otjohorongo Communal area.
The purpose of acquiring this farm was according to the information that I have to enlarge the Communal area and to resettle - 374 - farmers of that area on this farm, so as to ease the burden of grazing on the Communal area.

However since the farm was bought the Ministry have resettled people who are not originally from the said area of Otjohorongo.

Thus the following questions; 1.

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Does this not defeat the purpose for which the farm was acquired in the first place?
What criteria is the Ministry using before resettling people from other areas in farms bought to extend the boundaries of those Communal areas?

Will you admit that this scenario of Government buying farms next to Communal areas and then resettling farmers who are not from the area is a recipe from civil unrest amongst communities?
Will you agree with me that this problem is not confined to only the Otjohorongo area, but that there are equally farms bought by Government in other areas next to Communal areas, but then used to resettle people from other areas?

How will your Ministry mitigate this issue so that this does not happen again?

Will you agree that your Ministry resettlement program is a complete failure or not?
At the said farm in Otjohorongo area there are farmers who have erected camps there, what was the criteria used to resettle those people on that farm?

Is it safe to assume that many were resettled there based on their political affiliations?
Can the Minister avail to me the list of all resettled farmers since independence te-mysstf, in order for me to acquaint myself with its content and to see whether this resettlement practice over a period of 31 years is representative of our geographical set up in the Country _________________ Question 120: (2021-09-14) Ms. Van den Heever (PDM) asked the Minister of Urban and Rural Development: In May 2021, explosive allegations of corruption, abuse of authority and gross negligence were leveled in an 87 page report released by the office of then mayor, the late His.
Worship Rudi Van Wyk against the incumbent Chief Executive Officer of the Rehoboth Town Council, Mr. Simeon Kanime.

The allegations contained in the 87 page report are serious, and reflect the state in which the Rehoboth Town Council has been maladministered over the years without anyone being held accountable.
It is alleged that the CEO abused his position to unilaterally award a prepaid water meter tender to a company by the name of Item Engineering, even after the Rehoboth Town Council rejected the recommendation to award the said tender to Item Engineering.

This is one among some of the countless allegations of corruption and abuse of power against Rehoboth Town Council officials.
This corruption and abuse of power has - 375 - birthed an existential debt crisis, with the town owing hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid fees to service providers such as NamPower and NamWater.

I therefore ask the Minister: 1.

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Has it not become prudent that the Minister of Urban and Rural Development orders a Special Investigation into the conduct of the Rehoboth Town Council CEO, Mr. Simeon Kamati, and take further appropriate remedial action?
Secondly, it has become glaringly clear that there has been a general breakdown in terms of good governance, accountability and effective and efficient service delivery at the Rehoboth Town Council.

Will the Minister consider invoking his power under Section 92(1) of the Local Authority Act 23 of 1992?

Furthermore, if the Rehoboth Town Council fails to comply with the requirements set out under Section 92(1), will the Minister be prepared to invoke Section 92(2)?
_________________ Question 135: (2021-09-21) Mr. Van Wyk (PDM) asked the Minister of Public Enterprises: On 18th March 2021 I posed six (06) questions to the Minister regarding the situation at TransNamib.

These questions were however not responded to.

due the fact that they have lapsed.

I have noticed that very recently.

you instructed investigations into issues raised by the questions, which is much appreciated.
TransNamib surprisingly, announced the retrenchment of 340 employees within the coming weeks, targeting those nearing retirement and those in’’ none-core business units’’.

I shall therefore ask the following: 1.

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TransNamib indicated that these employees are redundant and therefore justify its decisions to retrench these employees.

Could the Minister explain to this august House and the nation as to why and when these none core business units were abolished?
What number of management would form part of the retrenchment exercise, compared to employees below management level?

What percentage of the expected N$ 44 million would be paid to employees in the none-core business units?

Considering that TransNamib has made losses over the past few years.

how would it finance the payment to the “affected employees”?

How many of foreign nationals are employed at TransNamib would be part of the retrenchment exercise?
Considering the dilapidated status of our railway, what effect will the retrenchment have on the operations of the company?

Would you agree that the unexpected retrenchment exercise is triggered by investigations into the operations at Transnamib?
_________________ - 376 - Question 141: (2021-09-22) Mr. Smit (PDM) asked the Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation: There are persistent reports doing the rounds that the Minister is involved in allegedly shady deals regarding a student accommodation project in Windhoek.
The Windhoek mayor, Dr Job Amupanda has publicly accused the Minister of seeking to give a company that belongs to her the tender for the construction of the proposed student village by using a PPP and bypassing the usual procurement system.

It is being alleged that the Minister is planning to have this tender prepared and considered for allocation by NUST or the National Council for Higher Education.

I thus ask: 1.

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Can the Minister, explain to this august House whether there is any truth in these allegations?

Is it possible for the Minister to use such outside channels to draw up a tender and have it allocated outside the tender board?

Can the Minister confirm whether there is such a plan to build a student village as proposed by Dr Amupanda?

If yes, how is this student village to be funded?

When will the tender for such a village project be launched?
_________________ Question 144: (2021-09-22) Mr. Shuumbwa (APP) asked the Minister of Sport, Youth and National Service: I rise to voice my concern regarding sports in our country.

Looking at other African countries and the world out there sports is professional and other form of job creation.

What measures does the Ministry have in place to make sure that our sports becomes professional like other countries in the world?
_________________ Question 145: (2021-09-22) Ms. Hengari (PDM) asked the Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation: According to the Auditor-General on the accounts of the Namibia Students Financial Assistance fund for the Financial year ended 31 March 2020 The accompanying financial statements of NSFAF do not give a true view of its financial performance and its consolidated cash flows for the financial year ended in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standard for Small and Medium- sized Entities.
Thus, the Auditor General expressed an adverse audit opinion.

‘Without an acceptable financial reporting framework, management does not have an appropriate basis for the preparation of the financial statements and the auditor does not have suitable criteria for auditing the financial statements.’ - 377 - Based on the Auditor General, the Fund’s statements were prepared in accordance with the Small and Medium-sized entities (IFRS), while the Fund is a public interest entity.
It was observed that an amount of N$164 905 459 of the annual financial statement for cash generated from operation differ from the amount in the cash flow statement of (N$ 18 990 324).

The amount (N$ 164 459 is the total amount for cash and cash equivalent at year end.

This resulted in an unexplained difference of N$ l 83 895 784.
It was also observed that the Fund granted study loans to employees amounting to N$867 131, however no detailed age analysis of study loans could be provided for audit purposes.

The reasonableness for the estimation of legal fees amounting to N$10 269 757 could not be recalculated for accuracy.
Evidence provided was not sufficient to determine how the Fund calculated the following amounts as indicated in the notes to the financial statement: • • Amount utilized of N$3 494 901; Estimation of addition amounting to N$8 764 657 During the comparison of student fund payments made for tuition fees versus amounts invoiced by NUST, IUM and UNAM, the Fund made payments to a total number of 1 237 students, where amounts paid were more than the invoices, amounting to N$12 388 341.
It was observed that the Fund made payments to 25 095 students studying at various institutions amounting to N$517 144 544, however due to due to deficiencies in the current awards database, no matching records could be found.

I thus ask: 1.

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Why is there no acceptable financial reporting framework at the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund?

When does the institution plan on introducing/implementing such a framework?
Why were the Fund’s statements prepared in accordance with the Small and Medium-sized entities (IFRS), while the Fund is a public interest entity?

What is the explanation given for the unexplained difference ofN$183 895 784 as observed by the Auditor-General?

On the study loans granted to employees amounting to N$867 131, what is the detailed age analysis of study loans?

Why was this not submitted with the AGs office for audit purposes?
How does the institution account for the legal fees amounting to N$ l 0 269 757 which the auditor general finds unreasonable?

Why did the Fund pay more than invoiced to NUST, IUM and UNAM?

It was observed that the Fund processed payments to 7 bank accounts of different Missions/Embassies for purposes of student fund payments, upon enquiry the Fund gave assurance that no payments were made through any of the 7 Missions/ Embassy accounts for the year under review.
However, when scrutinizing the - 378 - journals file it was observed that a payment instruction amounting to EUR8 369.67 was sent to the bank in favor of the Embassy in Cuba for stipends on 21 May 2019.

How do you explain these amounts?

What were they intended for?


_________________ Question 146 (2021-09-28) Mr. Martin (PDM) asked the Minister of Sport, Youth and National Service: This year, the Namibian Government through the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service entered into an agreement with the Government of Venezuela, in which the Government of Venezuela has committed itself to offer scholarships to Namibian students to pursue qualifications at Venezuelan universities in various disciplines.
While we welcome any scholarship opportunities offered to Namibian students by any Government across the globe, one is tempted to ask whether the Venezuelan Government is in any position to be offering scholarships to students from any country.

It is known to all of us that Venezuela is going through one of the worst economic crises in contemporary economic history since the death of Hugo Chavez, and the subsequent collapse in oil prices in 2014.

Today, one Venezuelan Bolivar equals U$0.00000000000239386.
Furthermore, violent crime is completely through the roof in Venezuela.

In 2020 alone, 16, 506 murders representing 60.3 violent deaths per 100 000 people were reported in the country according to the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC).

OSAC further reports that there has been persistent civil unrest in the country every year since the economic downturn.

In the latest numbers released in 2019, it was reported that there were an astonishing 16, 739 protests across the country.
This grave situation in the country has resulted in the mass emigration of Venezuelan nationals to neighbouring countries in the Caribbean, North America, South America and Europe.

As of 2021, the United Nations Refugee Agency indicates that more than 5 million Venezuelans have now fled the country.

Hence, this has now become the largest displacement crisis in the world.
Therefore, Minister, it is glaringly clear that the Government of Venezuela is in no position to be offering scholarship opportunities to students from any country in the world.

We submit that there are insufficient conditions in the country that would facilitate safe and conducive learning for international students.

I thus ask the Minister: 1.

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Did the Namibian Government, through the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service, consider these unfolding circumstances in Venezuela before entering into these agreements with the Government of Venezuela?

Is the Minister confident, despite the economic situation in Venezuela, that the Government of Venezuela will be able to consistently fulfill its obligations towards the Namibian students who will be recipients of these scholarships?
Does the Minister accept that the prevailing economic and social conditions in Venezuela are not able to facilitate conducive learning for students, much less students coming from foreign countries?
_________________ - 379 - Question 149 (2021-09-29) Mr. Smit (PDM) asked the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform: It was reported in the media that Namibia had to import foot-and-mouth disease vaccine costing N$7 million from Botswana after an outbreak of this highly contagious disease was detected recently in Zambezi.

It was found that the disease was caused by a new variant of the virus.

Now a second new virus has been found in the same region.
Namibia has its own veterinary laboratory, and a veterinary school situated at the Neudamm campus of UNAM.

I therefore put the following questions: 1.

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Can the Minister brief this august House on the reasons why Namibia’s veterinary laboratory has not been expanded and upgraded to the necessary level of security to enable it to produce its own vaccines?

Surely, if Botswana can do it, so can we?


Such a progressive upgrade would provide employment for Namibian scientists, microbiologists and biochemists so why do we continue to be dependent on Botswana and South Africa to control animal diseases when animal husbandry brings in important income for our country?
With all the talk about removing the cordon fence, will the Minister agree with me that before such a move can be considered, Namibia would need to upgrade and expand its veterinary services and laboratory to be able to provide disease control services in the northern areas?

Is it true that the veterinary services have been neglected to such an extent that it often has to appeal to the Agricultural Union for financial support?
Why is the Veterinarian Head Office in Windhoek still incomplete after two years?

_________________ Question 150 (2021-09-29) Mr. Smit (PDM) asked the Minister of Justice: On 24 September the Namibian reported that the Prosecutor General, Martha Imalwa stated that Mr Armas Amukwiyu would not be prosecuted in the Fishrot Scandal because, in her opinion, “he had explained himself”.
However, according to the newspaper report, her explanation of this statement was that “there are people who benefited (from Fishrot) but they did not play a role in the commission of a predicate offence.” Since there is documented evidence that Mr Amukwiya received N$5,2 million from Fishcor’s N$15 million, channelled through Swapo’s lawyer Sisa Namandje in December 2015, I thus ask: 1.

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Can the Minister inform this august House why this money has not been recovered from Mr Amukwiya?
Can you please explain what is a “predicate offence” and how does it affect Mr Amukwiya?

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Since Mr Amukwiya is now a State witness, does this mean he has been cleared of any guilt regarding the receipt and utilisation of the N$5,2 million to the benefit of himself and Swapo?

Is it normal practice to allow state witnesses who are guilty to get off scot free in exchange for testifying in a case?
If this is so, surely it encourages all criminals to confess so that they may walk free to continue their corruption and theft?

Does the PG have the right to make such deals with someone who is clearly involved in corruption?

_________________ Question 151 (2021-09-29) Mr. Kauandenge (NUDO) asked the Minister of Information and Communication Technology: Subsequent to the NBC protracted Industrial Action taken few months ago, has the situation come back to normal or not?
What meganisms has the line Minister put in place to make sure that a similar situation does not repeat itself simply because the employees concerns are ignored by Management?

I will further ask the Minister: 1.

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I am informed that the employees who went on strike were deducted money simply because they participated in the strike from May and that there are other employees who haven’t received any salaries since May.
There are allegations that third parties are not paid by NBC Management while the employees are deducted every month.

Where is this money going to then?

Government is giving money to NBC for salaries every month, so if some employees are not paid, to whom does this money goes to then?
_________________ Question 152 (2021-09-29) Mr. Kavekotora (RDP) asked the Minister of Mines and Energy: Minister, it is common knowledge that the Petroleum Directorate of your Ministry is one of the directorate that handles strategic resources of our country.

Business in this sector is normally conducted in US currency especially the upstream Oil & Gas sector.

It is indeed a lucrative industry for Namibians to participate.
However, if such sectors are not managed with a sound legislative framework that ensures transparency at all times, that could well lead to the Petroleum Directorate being a breeding ground for corruption.

I am sure the Minister is aware of Legislation and Bills, such as the Namibian Investment Promotion Act, New Equitable Economic Empowerment Bill, and NDP’s, and Harambee’s.

The fundamental objectives of all these is among others to promote local participation in various resource sectors.
- 381 - Thus I ask: 1.

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What is your Ministry actively doing to ensure that Namibians are participating and are given a fair chance to participate in resource sectors under your control?

Your Ministry’s bias in favor of foreign entities culminated in costly high court cases.

Can you share information with the nation of cases against your Ministry currently in court emanating from a quest to participate in the countries resource sector?
Technical and financial capacity seems to be the main reason leading to the refusal of applications from local entities.

Can you share with the nation your definition for technical and financial capacity when it comes to petroleum exploration license application?

In the same vein share with the nation the technical and financial capacity demonstrate by all those issued with petroleum exploration licenses.
Is there any legislation that gives exemptions, special and/or preferential treatment to SOE’s such as NAMCOR?

How many Petroleum Exploration Licenses were awarded to Namcor from inception to date?

Could the Minister share with this House details as to what technical and financial capacity Namcor has for its upstream Oil & Gas portfolio?

I have it on good terms that Block 2614B was recently awarded to Namcor.

Can you confirm this and inform the House when this Block was awarded?
_________________ Question 153 (2021-09-29) Mr. Mbundu (RP) asked the Minister of Public Enterprises: Namibia is known as a semi-dry region where access to water makes a big difference between life and death.

However, do we pride ourselves as Namibians with perennial rivers in the southern border as north-eastern areas of our country?
One for these givers of life is the the Okavango river situated in Rundu, where as I speak now is in a water crisis with its residents unable to access water supply from the Town Council.

This is not a Rundu problem only but perhaps a national one where most Town Councils are forced with closing the taps on the residents who elected them in the recently concluded Local Government and Regional Council elections because of the pressure theses Councils receive from Namwater to pay up or close taps.
Which brings me to wonder whether this power struggle between the Councils and our parastatals only came to exist now that Namibians have entrusted their votes to opposition parties throughout most Councils, or has it always been that Namwater and other parastatals would threaten to disconnect services if debts are not honoured by Swapo led Councils in the past.
Honorable Speaker, Honorable Members, it will be regrettable and wrong if we are to sit here in this august House and see how our people are deprived of an essential resource such as water, just because of unpaid municipal debts to Namwater; while we enjoy these luxuries without - 382 - any worry.
Furthermore, must it be noted that all Government Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals have one primary mandate: and that is to serve the Namibian taxpayers in the most dignified and effective way as possible since they are beneficiaries of the National budgets which comes from all taxpayers.

We are aware that these institutions need to generate revenues to sustain itself but in these times of COVID-19 where we talk about personal hygiene, we can not afford to operate as business as usual.
It is with this in mind that I put the following forward for the Minister’s response.

Thus, I ask: 1.

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As we are in a pandemic where access to water is a necessity to fighting COVID- 19, is the Directive relating to Regional Councils and Local Authority Councils: State of Emergency -Covid-19 Regulations, published under Proclamation No.

9 of 28 March 2020 also applicable to Namwater and Nampower as essential service providers to all Councils countrywide?
If not, what is the role of the the Ministry of Public Enterprises to provide alternative solutions to these Local Authority Councils with regards to subsidizing the costs of free portable water, without placing these Councils in extreme debt with Namwater?

Was your Ministry involved in the recommendation and execution of the aforesaid directive to instruct Namwater to suspend billing the Town Councils for usage of water, just as it was expected of Town Councils to suspend billing?
Has your Minstry and Mr Abraham Nehemia, the Namwater CEO; alongside the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development formally engaged the Town Councils on effective methods on recovering the debts, without exposing the residents to harsh debt collection methods?
_________________ Question 154 (2021-09-30) Mr. Smit (PDM) asked the Minister of Finance: In April 2020, Government gave a directive to Regional Councils and Local Authorities instructing them to ensure that all residents who were in water arrears, and those who had no access to portable water, be provided with access to water.

Understandably, Government gave this directive to mitigate the effects of the novel corona virus, and in particular for the poor.
Now Minister, the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Hon.

Calle Schlettwein, yesterday informed this august House that NamWater now sits with over N$500 million in unpaid water bills from Local Authorities, largely due to the directive that was given by Government in April 2020 due to Covid-19.

Hence, one is tempted to interrogate whether Government did thorough planning before this directive was given out.
One is further tempted to interrogate as to how and where the numerous Covid relief packages that Government acquired were spent.

These includes the N$8,l billion economic relief and stimulus package that was announced by Government in April 2020, and the N$4 billion provided by the IMF in April 2021.

These amounts to more than N$12 billion that the Government spent on Covid relief.
It is then dumfounding - 383 - as why the Government failed to prioritise the provision of water to residents of local authorities as per its own directives.

I thus ask: 1.

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Can the Minister explain to this august House as to why Government failed to prioritise the provision of water to residents of local authorities as part of its Covid relief packages?

Does the Government have any plans in place to assist these local authorities to settle the N$500 million unpaid water debt owed to Nam Water?
Lastly, can the Minister give a comprehensive breakdown of how and where the Covid relief packages were spent?

_________________ Question 155 (2021-10-06) Mr. Seibeb (LPM) asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation: You refused to provide an adequate commensurate with an international relations minister in the world when I asked you few simple questions.
I wish to remind you that Article 41 Ministerial Accountability underlines “All Ministers shall be accountable individually for the administration of their own Ministries and collectively for the administration of the work of the Cabinet, both to the President and to Parliament.” Should you continue to refuse to provide answers, just inform us so we take concomitant action!
As the LPM, and rightly as Internationalist, we have observed that there is increase onslaught against the indigenous peoples in international politics.

The living space for the indigenous people is squeezed every day.
ON THE FORCED EVICTION OF ZIMBABWEAN INDGIENOUS PEOPLE FROM THEIR LAND Mr. Emmerson Mnangagwa, The President of Zimbabwe plan to evict 12 000 members of the Shangani indigenous minority from their ancestral land in Zimbabwe to purportedly make way for an alfalfa production (animal feed production), for a commercial interest of one person, despite a March 6, 2021 court order to halt the move, using his so-called special presidential powers.
The Zimbabwean President and by implication Zimbabwean authorities are specifically threatening to remove Chilonga people from their homes without offering them any alternative accommodation.

The people are anxious and such forced evictions drive people into poverty and destroy livelihoods.
The following question suffices; Could the Minister find out from your counterpart or from the Zimbabwean High Commissioner in Namibia on this critical matter and provide a thorough feedback to Parliament as we witness similar actions being committed by Namibian powerful state elite in capture of land and land grabbing of the Hai//om San people?
- 384 - ON THE GENOCIDE COMMITTED BY CHINA AGAINST THE UYRGHUYRS IN XINJIANG For far too long, we have been quiet as a nation against the ongoing acts of genocide, committed by the Chinese government against Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China.

The irresponsible utterances by the Chinese President Xi Jinping set in motion the effort to destroy Uighurs as a group when he launched the “People’s War on Terror” in Xinjiang in 2014.
The Report entitled, ‘THE UYGHUR GENOCIDE: An Examination of China’s Breaches of the 1948 genocide Convention, March 2021’ by the Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy, summarised the genocidal acts as: killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the group’s physical destruction in whole or in part, imposing measures intended to prevent births and forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Therefore the following questions: 1.

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Why have we not expressed ourselves in one way or the other, either to support China in its denial that there is no genocide, or in condemning China of a genocide that they are trying to hide?

Have we as a country, decided to abdicate from our international duty by having signed the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide?

Does our silence therefore condone a possible genocide in China?
Has Namibia abandoned its values and convictions as a nation, that just thirty one years ago, emerged from the clutches of apartheid colonialism, in maintaining silence against China’s human rights abuses?

Have you summoned the Ambassador of China in Namibia, or our Ambassador in Beijing to discuss this genocide with a hope to take concrete action?

Is money or concessional loans more important for Namibia then human lives?
Will Namibia sponsor a motion in UN Security Council to denounce China and impose sanctions against this country?

If China continues with the same degree of genocidal agenda, will Namibia boycott the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic games?

ON THE GENOCIDE OF THE RUHINGA PEOPLE IN MYANMAR Myanmar, it is widely reported, has engaged in a broad and sustained genocide of the Rohingya people, under the leadership of the so-called Aung San Suu Kyi, the democracy activist, who is herself now under house arrest.
This genocide has forced millions of Rohingya to flee from the motherland in seeking refuge in other neighbouring countries, destitute, and reduced to tent dwellers for more many years now.

Discriminatory policies of Myanmar’s government since the late 1970s have compelled hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingya to flee their homes in the predominantly Buddhist country.

Most have crossed by land into Bangladesh, while others have taken to the sea to reach Indonesia, - 385 - Malaysia, and Thailand.
The Myanmar government has effectively institutionalized discrimination against the ethnic group through restrictions on marriage, family planning, employment, education, religious choice, and freedom of movement.

The United Nations has said that those forces showed “genocidal intent,” and international pressure on the country’s elected leaders to end the repression continues to rise.

Hence the following questions; 1.

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Why have we not, as a country expressed ourselves in one way or the other, to condemn the military junta in Myanmar?

Does our silence condone the genocide that happened in Myanmar?

Has Namibia taken any loans from Myanmar?

Any bilateral relations?

Namibia has not made any statement at the United Nations, African Union level, or even sponsored a motion on sanctions?

Why the silence?
Why the silence?

_________________ Question 156 (2021-10-06) Ms. Van den Heever (PDM) asked the Minister of Public Enterprises: Last week, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform and the Ministry of Public Enterprises availed N$9 million to Agribusdev in order to save the company from South African company Kynoch, which threatened to attach 3000 tonnes of maize over unpaid debts owed by Agribusdev to the company.

This is money that was earmarked for other critical Agribusdev projects.
Minister, I have over the years given numerous interventions in this august House on the state of Agribusdev.

During this time, the state of the institution mandated with managing our 11 Green Schemes across the country has gone from bad to worse, and there is now a clear gross erosion of the simple tenets of good public administration and effective governance.
This latest last ditch rescue from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform and the Ministry of Public Enterprises is one more nail in the coffin in the inevitable failure of the turbulent stint of this public enterprise.

In the midst of this confusion, taxpayers continue to bear the brunt of the total collapse in good governance at the company.

I thus ask the Minister 1.

2.

3.

In June 2021, the Executive Director in the Ministry of Agriculture.
Water and Land Reform, informed employees of Agribusdev that the company will be dissolved.

Can the Minister provide this august House with a comprehensive update on how far this has gone, or whether Government has decided to adopt other alternatives to remedy the situation at the company?

If the answer to Question 1 is the latter, what are these interventions that Government has explored within the last six months?
Finally Minister, I posed a question to you in February of this year, in which I enquired on the findings of the forensic audit investigation into the conduct of the late Agribusdev Managing Director, Mr. Petrus Uugwanga.

I never got a response to this query.

Hence, can the Minister kindly provide this august - 386 - House with a report on the findings of the forensic audit investigation against the late Mr. Petrus Uugwanga?
_________________ Question 157 (2021-10-07) Mr. Smit (PDM) asked the Minister of Education, Arts and Culture: Thirty one years after independence, there are still many Government schools and hostels especially in the north, west and south of Namibia that are in a shocking state of disrepair.

Children as young as seven are living with older children in huts made of sticks and mud, with no adult supervision, no ablution facilities and no eating facilities.
School buildings are in a state of collapse and have no proper toilets or running water and electricity.

I thus ask: 1.

2.

Can the Minister explain to this august House when action will be taken to upgrade these education facilities to proper standards?

Will the Minister agree with me that this Government and her Ministry have failed the young people of Namibia by not applying the correct priorities regarding how to spend the education budget?
_________________ Question 158 (2021-10-07) Mr. Smit (PDM) asked the Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation: It is widely accepted that Namibia’s tourism sector has been decimated by the rules put in place regarding Covid-19 by some foreign countries and in particular the fact that the United Kingdom has placed Namibia on its so-called Red List.
This listing makes it almost impossible for British tourists to visit Namibia, despite the fact that the number of Covid cases has dropped drastically over the past month.

Visitors to Namibia returning to the UK are expected to quarantine for a week at a designated hotel at a cost to themselves of about N$46 000 per person.

Namibians may not enter the UK.

The UK is expected to take South Africa off this Red List this week after President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke to Prime Minister Boris Johnson last weekend.
I thus ask 1.

2.

3.

What have you done to persuade the UK to also remove Namibia from its Red List?

If anything, when can Namibia expect to start seeing British tourists again?

If nothing has been done, why is this and when will the Hon Minister do something about this important matter?
_________________ - 387 - Question 160 (2021-10-07) Mr. Smit (PDM) asked the Minister of Urban and Rural Development: Recent media reports have made it clear that there is much to be desired in the way that many towns in Namibia are being run.

There have been reports of local authority salaries not being paid in Rundu and Henties Bay, Grootfontein Councillors being involved in corrupt activities and infrastructure such as roads and services such as water supply and garbage removal being neglected.
We all watched with dismay recently when Rundu citizens had to resort to scooping water from the crocodile and hippo infested Kavango River for more than a week because the Council was unable to pay its water bill.

I thus ask: 1.

2.

3.

Can the Minister explain to this august House when action will be taken to discipline the Councils that are failing to provide the services and maintenance they are being paid for?
What will be done to recoup the money owed to the Council by the inhabitants of Rundu and elsewhere who fail to pay their municipal accounts?

Does the Minister agree with me that since people cannot survive without clean water, and the Local Council cannot provide free services, the money must be found to install pre paid water and electricity meters at all premises in Rundu and other towns where people neglect to pay their bills?
_________________ Question 161 (2021-10-07) Ms. Dienda (PDM) asked the Minister of Information, Communication and Technology: Employees of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) downed tools earlier this year.

Their plight among others, was an increase in their salary, update of aging and outdated broadcast and transmission equipment, a financial audit by an external and independent company and the permanent employment of all contract employees.

Minister.
Minister.

I am fully aware that the employees of the NBC, through their bargaining body, the Namibian Public Workers Union (NAPWU), signed an agreement and undertook the industrial action knowing that the ‘No work, no pay’ rule would be applied.

After the strike was called off by NAPWU, the board and management of the NBC immediately enacted the ‘no work, no pay’ clause.

Subsequently at the end of May, all those who took part in the strike did not get a salary.
Though the employees’ salaries were zero, the NBC announced that further deductions would still be made, and that these deductions would be affected over a period of five months (October being the last month) .

Minister, employees were not consulted nor informed on how these deductions were calculated, and some have raised errors with the company’s HR department, yet no rectifications have been made.

Hence, the bosses continue to bulldoze unfair deductions on the salaries of these hardworking employees.
I thus ask the Minister 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

- 388 - How were these calculations made?

How can an employee be deducted N$17 000 for two weeks and NS21 000 for the remaining two weeks?

(Taking into cognisance of the fact that the N$21 000 is divided into five months) Thirdly, are these deductions within the legal framework which stipulates that no more than two thirds of an employee’s salary should be deducted?
How many employees have raised concerns with NBC’s HR department about calculations that were done wrong?

And how many such errors have been corrected?

Furthermore Minister, the broadcaster’s top bosses awarded themselves fat bonuses while journalists in the newsroom have had to share computers to write stories.

When last did the Minister visit the newsroom to see the conditions under which NBC employees are working?
Minister, one of the demands of the striking workers was the upgrade of dilapidating equipment at the public broadcaster.

Has the Ministry done an audit on the current equipment of the NBC, and how much will the upgrading of equipment cost?

Finally Minister, the NBC plans to introduce a 24hour news channel.

However, the broadcaster has always maintained that it is underfunded.

Can the Minister share with the House a detailed and comprehensive outline of cost implications that such a plan may have.
In short, how is the broadcaster planning to roll out such a production?

_________________ Question 162 (2021-10-07) Mr. Tjeundo (PDM) asked the Minister of Industrialisation and Trade: Namibia presents a classic case of an African “enclave economy”.

The expansion of education was not accompanied by structural economic changes leading to a mismatch between skills and the labour market.

Past interventions (TIPEEG, EPZ etc.)


did not result in economic and structural transformation, and blind faith in foreign investment did not pay off.

The current austerity/ structural adjustment offer no hope.

I thus ask the Minister 1.

2.

3.

How far is your Ministry with regard to building social infrastructure while utilizing local materials and skills in the labour market?

What strategies does your Ministry have in place to kick start revival of the local economy?
What is currently up for public/country benefit/(in public domain) with regard to the nurturing of local value addition, value chains and renewable energy ?

- 389 - _________________ Question 163 (2021-10-07) Mr. Tjeundo (PDM) asked the Minister of Urban and Rural Development: Your office is well aware of the fact that the residents occupying the lodge units at Samora Machel Constituency are faced with continuous challenges of being evicted from these lodge units by the National Housing Enterprise (NHE).
These are lodges on which their parents, grandparents and uncles were resettled in the late 1980’s by the South African apartheid administration from the Katuiufa compound (Okomboni), and it is the only home they have known for their entire life.
After the NHE took over ownership of the mandate of the South African apartheid administration state-owned housing property company Nasboukor, the NHE, without knowledge of the occupants of the lodges, started selling the lodge units to individuals, which has now resulted in the continuous evictions that the residents are subjected to.
The residents of the lodge units have written numerous letters and had countless engagement with various offices, including the NHE, the Vice-President, the Attorney- General and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, but yet no consensus has been reached on the issue.

There seems to be no political will from those in influential offices to resolve this stalemate.

Hence, the occupants of these lodge units continue to live in fear of being evicted from the only dwellings they call home.
I thus ask the Minister 1.

2.

3.

What interventions has the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, in conjunction with all other parties involved in this matter, employed to reach a common consensus with the occupants of this lodge units and resolve this stalemate?

Did the NHE have unilateral powers to sell these lodge units inherited from Nasboukor to other individuals without prior consent of the current occupants of the units?
Furthermore, did the NHE consider the adverse effects that such an action would have on the occupants of the lodge units?

_________________ Question 164 (2021-10-12) Mr. Smit (PDM) asked the Minister in the Presidency: It has been reported in the media that Namibia has sent 19 people from various Ministries to the Dubai Expo for a period of six months.

This is reported to cost the Government a whopping N$20 million dollars.

I thus ask: 1.
I thus ask: 1.

Can the Minister please inform this august House why these civil servants must spend 6 months at the taxpayers’ expense in one of the most expensive places in the world?

- 390 - 2.

3.

4.

5.

What does the Government hope to gain from the investment?

Surely the civil servants can sell Namibia to the Middle East much more effectively by simply visiting the countries that are likely to invest in Namibia instead of spending six months away from their jobs?
What evidence is there that this glorified holiday will benefit Namibia with Ministries like Agriculture and Water and Land Reform, International Relations, Information and Communication, the NBC and Mines and Energy participating in the Expo?

Will the Minister assure this august House that this extended visit to the Expo will not turn into another “Kora investment” and leave Namibia with nothing to show for its investment of N$20 million?
_________________ Question 165 (2021-10-12) Mr. Smit (PDM) asked the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform: I was pleasantly surprised to read in the media that you have spoken out against the reckless drilling of more than 1000 test wells in the Stampriet Aquifer in the vicinity of Leonardville by the Russian government company Rosatom.
It is common knowledge among the farming community around Leonardville that Rosatom is prospecting for uranium in the aquifer and that fears have been raised by experts like Dr Roy Miller that this prospecting that has been going on since 2011 could contaminate the entire aquifer that stretches into Botswana and South Africa.

I therefore put the following questions: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Minister, can you guarantee this august House and the people of Namibia that this testing will be stopped forthwith?
Will you guarantee this august House and the people of Namibia that Rosatom will not be allowed to erect the pilot scheme they are planning to apply for?

Can the Minister inform this august House why permission was given to Rosatom in 2011 to drill test boreholes in a sensitive water restriction area?
Can the Minister Inform this august House to what extent Government control has been exercised over the sealing of these test boreholes since 2011 and whether there is any guarantee that all 1000 boreholes have been properly cemented to prevent leakage as required?

Will the Minister undertake to give this august House a brief overview of exactly what Rosatom has been doing and how it endangers the aquifer that provides drinking water to a vast area of the arid eastern part of Namibia?
_________________ Question 166 (2021-10-12) Mr. Vries (PDM) asked the Minister of Public Enterprises: - 391 - We have been informed in early 2019 by technicians of the Mobile Telecommunications (Pty) Ltd (MTC) that they were busy constructing an eighty (80) meter tower on Farm Ubombo near Koes.

In February 2020, after Nampower has completed delivering electricity to the site of the tower, everything has come to an abrupt standstill.
The farming community and even residents of Koes are going through great difficulty to access the cellular phone network in and around Koes.

The Government through the Bank of Namibia has stopped the use of cheques as a form of payment to creditors and we have been reduced to make payments through swipe facilities provided by service providers.

This method of payment has proven to be more frustrating than not having the cash to pay for goods and services.

1.

2.
1.

2.

What progress has MTC made to complete the construction of the mentioned tower?

When can the residents of Koes and adjacent farming community expect to access reliable network services?

_________________ Question 167 (2021-10-13) Mr. Kavekotora (RDP) asked the Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs: The Ministry of Veteran’s Affairs was established way back in 2007 but one hears veterans complaining about non-payments and or discriminatory practices in the registrations process.

Thus I ask: 1.
Thus I ask: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

What is the official figure of registered veterans from inception to date?

What is the official number of children of veterans and in what way have these children benefited in accordance with the veterans act?

Out of the officially registered veterans, how many benefited from the N$ 50,000 once off payments and the N$ 200.000 meant for project funding?
If there are veterans who qualify for these funds, but have not received these benefits to date, what are the justifications and when can they expect to benefit from these funds?

What benefits if any accrued to veterans since the establishment of the Veterans Associations?

I am reliably informed that abattoirs, a security company, Fishing quotas and brick making projects were established for the sole benefits of veterans.
Can the Minister please quantify the benefits accrued to veterans as a result of these interventions?

I am informed that 600 applications for project funding were approved since 2011 but have not been funded yet.

What is the justification?

8.

Can the Minister make the register of Veterans available to PAC for further - 392 - scrutiny?

9.
9.

On August 16, 2021, Dr Albert Kawana MP, in his capacity as SWAPO Secretary for Legal Affairs wrote a letter to Sophia Shaningwa, SWAPO Secretary General, regarding a meeting with ex-plan combatants.

In that letter Hon Kawana plea that all veterans who are still members of the SWAPO party must establish a single organization representing them and the new organization should consist of only SWAPO party members.
In which way is this practice not discriminatory and could this not lead to preferential treatment of ex combatants who are still SWAPO party members to the detriments of others who are not SWAPO members.

_________________ Question 168 (2021-10-13) Mr. Muharukua (PDM) asked the Prime Minister: Much is made by Government about lifestyle audits of public officials, possibly to identify unexplained wealth of those who are entrusted with public resources.
One such group are the Directors and Commissioners in the Ministry of Mines and Energy and its SOE’s.

These groups are custodians of lucrative National Resources from which all Namibian must benefit; similarly these depict lavish personal lifestyles that, on the naked eye, could not be explained by mere monthly salaries.

Therefore: 1.

2.

Is Government committed to the use lifestyle audits as a measure to curb corruption from our public offices?
Is Government prepared to do lifestyle audits on the commissioners and directors in the Ministry of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, and leaders of all SOE’s that are currently, and formerly were, under the auspices of that Ministry?

3.

If yes, when should the public expect these audits to commence?

_________________ Question 169 (2021-10-14) Mr. Muharukua (PDM) asked the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform: 1.

2.

3.
2.

3.

Is it correct that on 16 March 2018, the High Court reviewed and set aside the corrupt and / or illegal awarding of Portion A of Farm Karaam No.

152, Hardap Region, by your predecessor, Minister Utoni Nujoma?

Can you elaborate further on what actually occurred in the awarding of this farm to a person not being the one whom the warding was legally ought to have gone to?
Can you confirm that, in the same Court Order, the High Court ordered that the said Nuyoma must deal with the awarding of that farm “in accordance with the law”, in which duty he clearly failed.

4.

Is it correct that one Josia Tjirovi was recommended to the Minister for awarding - 393 - of the said farm, and arbitrarily removed by the said Nuyoma?

5.

6.
5.

6.

What does your Ministry understand the meaning of the phrase, deal with the allocation of the farm in accordance with the law; would I be correct to state that the Court actually meant Nuyoma ought to have revoked his award and followed the initial recommendation?

Has your Ministry dealt with this awarding of this farm per the law as directed; what is the status of the occupation and leasehold of that farm at present?
_________________ Question 170 (2021-10-14) Mr. Muharukua (PDM) asked the Minister of Mines and Energy: 1.

Does Namcor have a budget to execute its work program for all the Petroleum Exploration Licenses that are issued to it to date?

a.

If so, what is the budget provision in respect of each Petroleum Exploration License; and what has been spent on each license thus far?

date (Kindly specify the exact amounts for each license)?

2.
2.

Would Minister, agree with me that the Standard Business Model in Upstream Oil & Gas Sector in simple terms for any applicant is: a.

Applicant acquires a Petroleum Exploration License through whatever licensing regime the Host Country, whether closed bidding, open bidding etc.).

In many instances, the license holder then may ramp up the value of the license, and make it attractive to potential investors who have resources for the exploration to occur.

(A Process called Farming In or Farming Down).


However, farming out straight away is also doable to mitigate cost, and to share risk sharing.

Thus the following further questions: 3.

Has there been foreign or Namibian (whether private or public companies) that went straight into a farm out process, after acquiring an exploration license?

a. b.

If so kindly list the name of such companies.


Further, has such farming out processes proven to be a success in attracting the requisite investments to benefit exploration efforts and the economy at large?

4.

From your Ministry’s website a trend is notable from the 100 or so plus Petroleum Exploration licenses issued, that local Namibian ownership of licenses are 5%, 10% by Namcor, and 85% by International player in the industry.

Hence the following questions: a. b.

What informs this notable quotas?


How does was the determination done to arrive are the current 5% of - 394 - the local stakes in these licenses.

c. What measure do you have in place to ensure that officials in the Mines and Energy Ministry do not actually have a hand in deciding which Namibian local companies must partner with, and thereby own licenses by their proxies?

5.
5.

May the Minister kindly provide a list of all the local companies that have shareholding in companies to which petroleum licenses have been issues?

a.

Who are the natural persons that own such local companies?

6.
6.

Finally, officials in your Ministry inform that Government has Petroleum Agreements in place with Oil & Gas companies, in terms whereof there are requirements relating to: a. b. c. Companies having Bank Guarantee in place Companies paying annual area license fees Companies paying Petrofund contributions 6.1 May you provide this august House with a list of companies that are not in compliance with the above requirements and / or any other as stipulated in the said agreement with government?
6.2 Which of these companies are in default, but with waivers?

_________________ Question 171 (2021-10-14) Mr. Smit (PDM) asked the Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation: The Social Security Act, 1994 (the “SSA”) that commenced on 15 January 1995 was meant to enable the provision of social security benefits by means of the Maternity Leave, Sick Leave and Death Benefit Fund (the MSD Fund), the National Pension Fund (NPF) and the National Medical Benefit Fund (NMBF).
The SSA essentially regulates the provision of these benefits, sick leave benefits and death benefits through the MSD Fund and also the provision of funding for the conducting of training schemes and employment schemes for the benefit of socio- economically disadvantaged persons who are unemployed as well as the granting of bursaries, loans and other forms of financial aid to students enrolled at any technical or academic institution of higher education through the Development Fund.
Currently, only two of the Funds established by the SSA are operational, namely: the MSD Fund and Development Fund.

After 27 years, the legal framework of the Social Security Commission and the Funds established by the SSA need to be urgently reviewed and modernized.

Namibia is a member of the International Labour Organization (“ILO”) and is bound to - 395 - its international Conventions and Recommendations.
The provision of Social Security is covered under ILO Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No.

102) which establishes worldwide agreed minimum standards for social security under nine (9) branches, namely: (i) medical care, (ii) sickness benefit, (iii) unemployment benefit, (iv) old age benefit, (v) employment injury benefit, (vi) family benefit, (vii) maternity benefit, (viii) invalidity benefit, and (x) survivors benefit.
Presently, Namibia only meets two of the nine ILO convention 102 minimum standards (sickness benefit and employment injury benefit), partially meets five (medical care, old age benefit, maternity benefit, invalidity benefit and survivors benefit) and does not meet two (unemployment benefit and family benefit).

The first Harambee Prosperity Plan highlighted the need for a National Pension Fund to be established.
Huge amounts of funds were invested in research for the establishment of this Fund since 2006, and to date nothing has come of it, with funds still being channelled to consultants through the ILO for its establishment despite the advancements from a Namibian dominated consultancy team which worked with the Social Security Commission from 2016 to 2018, whose work was declared inept by Advocate Vicki ya Toivo, Special Advisor to the Minister of Labour.
This National Pension Fund is meant to benefit those people who do not have retirement benefits in order to prevent destitution in old age.

Furthermore, with the advent of the Coronavirus which saw multitudes of people lose their jobs, an unemployment insurance fund is urgently needed to provide benefits to those who become unemployed.
Stakeholder consultations have already taken place in June 2019 on the review of the legal framework of the Social Security Commission with the proposed Bill now with the Minister of Labour for over a year for onward approval and adoption by Parliament.

I now ask: 1.

2.

3.

4.

ILO Convention 183 recommends the extension of maternity leave benefits from 12 to 14 week.

When will the hon Minister table this for adoption in Parliament?
The ceiling for maternity leave benefits has remained at N$ 13,000 for many years.

When will the Minister improve these benefits, including sick leave, death and retirement benefits?

When will the Minister take the necessary steps to implement the outstanding two, namely unemployment benefits and family benefits?

Can the Minister inform this august House how many jobs were lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic and what interventions there are to deal with this precarious situation?

5.
5.

When will the proposed National Pension Fund be introduced?

- 396 - _________________ Question 172 (2021-10-20) Mr. Iijambo (SWANU) asked the Minister of Urban and Rural Development: A classical case in point is the fast collapsing Municipality of Grootfontein.
The filth and flies ridden Grootfontein Municipality is most probably among the top municipalities ran by incompetent councillors and managers and if drafting measures are not put in place to reverse its fast deteriorating fortunes, a lot of our people will be adversely affected.

There are about 84 residents of Grootfontein who for more than 15 years have been illegally employed as independent contractors at a salary of N$650.00 per month.

Who can live on N$650,00 per month in this country?
How can Swapo allow such abuse of our people for so long in independent Namibia?

The Grootfontein Municipality simply entered into what they call a contract between themselves as a client and these people as independent contractors just to avoid paying these people the correct salaries and benefits in terms of their salary grades and scales.
If these employees were employed as general laborers their salaries plus benefits would have been around N$ 9000, 00 per month and it would have been difficult to just dismiss them at will.

Can the Minister explain why he continues to allow so much lawlessness to prevail under his watch?
In terms of the Labour Act, Act 11 of 2007 as amended, Section 128 A provides: “For purposes of this Act or any other employment law, until the contrary is proved, an individual who works for or renders services to any other person is presumed to be an employee of that person regardless of the form of the contract or the designation of the individual, if any of the following factors is present, a. b. c. d. e. f g. The manner in which the individual works is subject to the control or direction of that other person, The individual’s hours of work are subject to the control or direction of that other person, In the case of an individual who works for an organisation, the individual’s work forms an integral part of the organization, The individual has worked for that other person for an average of at least 20 hours per month over the past three months, The individual is economically dependent on that person for whom he or she works or renders services, The individual is provided with tools of trade or work equipment by that other person, The individual only works for or renders devices to that other person.
“ All the above legal requirements are met by these employees and yet under your political leadership the Grootfontein Municipality has a contract which runs contrary to these legal stipulations.

Can you explain why and what you intend to do to clean up this mess?

In the case of Grootfontein there cannot be any justification to employ these people on a fixed term contract and where such justification does not exist.

Section 128 C provides that such employees be presumed as indefinitey employed.
Swanu of Namibia demands that these people be given permanent employment without any delay and that the monies which they were supposed to have been paid in salaries for more than 15 years be paid - 397 - to them as compensation.

Minister, we await your response and swift action.

We must also before we step off this point state that strong consideration be given to the deliberately created artificial need to outsource local authority functions.
Again here the Grootfontein Municipality despite being mismanaged has set to outsource its key functions.

We must stop the outsourcing of our Town Councils services to private individuals or companies so that we can build in-house capacities to render municipal services.

The example the City of Windhoek solid waste management department is one other case in point.

These outsourced functions enrich managers of municipalities together with their politician friends at the expense of our communities.
The labour hire at the Grootfontein Municipality is no different to Swanla under the apartheid colonial labor administration.

It must stop immediately!

_________________ Question 173 (2021-10-21) Mr. Iijambo (SWANU) asked the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform: There is no sufficient water supply in the rural areas, especially in the reservations, formally destined for various black ethnic groups.
Both human beings and their domestic animals are subjected to prolonged dry periods and spells which can be alleviated by various mitigating factors.

Municipalities that are drowning in Namwater debts must be mandated to drill and or rehabilitate boreholes and raise their reliance on such boreholes to at least 50% of their total water consumption.

This will promote affordable access to water as well as better Namwater debt management.

The scenario warrant the following questions: 1.

2.
2.

Could the Ministry excavate earth dams in various homelands for life sustenance?

Has the Ministry considered other alleviatory measures to avoid loss of life due to lack of water, as a basic right?
_________________ Question 174 (2021-10-21) Mr. Seibeb (LPM) asked the Minister of Urban and Rural Development: I understand that it is your new unwritten policy to frustrate and ensure that the regional councils and local authorities governed by ethical political parties such as LPM and NUDO in Gobabis Municipality fail.

It has emerged that you are sitting on submissions of documents for land that you ought to approve for the development of Gobabis Truck Port months ago.
You are simply refusing to act because the Town Council is under NUDO and LPM administration.

The project investment is worth N$380 million.

The envisage Gobabis Truck Port will offer over 100 and 500 direct and indirect employment opportunities to Gobabis residents and nearby communities, both skilled and unskilled.

This project will ensure that Gobabis becomes a second logistics hub for Namibia and - 398 - SADC and will accelerate development to the cattle country.

Questions: 1.

2.
Questions: 1.

2.

When will you sign the submitted documents for the approval of land to be made available so the project can kick-start?
Why do you have a scorched earth policy like it was the case of Al Bashir in Sudan against South Sudan and SPLM to eliminate and frustrate alternative parties governed regions like Hardap and //Kharas regions and local authorities because reports are emanating that you are now targeting Rehoboth and Keetmanshoop and have instructed your staff members and Cabinet that they should only work through unelected Governors and ignore Regional Council Chairpersons and Mayors?
_________________ Question 175 (2021-10-21) Mr. Seibeb (LPM) asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation: Contrary to the misinformation you offered to this Parliament last week Thursday, 14 October 2021 on the situation in eSwatini, there is a latest development ongoing, which you conveniently omitted.
There are revelations in eSwatini that King Mswathi III and Prime Minister have enlisted services of the soldiers from the Equatorial Guinea, and that these soldiers are allegedly using live ammunition to shoot at civilians.

It was reported this morning on SABC NEWS that 9 civilians have been shot and that the hospital even confirmed such a report.
It is now reported that in his capacity as chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation that President Cyril Ramaphosa has dispatched an envoy, former Minister Jeff Radebe and Hon.

Candith Mashego-Dlamini, the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation to meet the last absolute monarch in Africa.
Even the Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres said he was following the developments in the Kingdom with “increasing concern” and reiterated his call for stakeholders to refrain from violence and address their differences through inclusive and meaningful dialogue.

Questions: 1.

2.

3.

The key question from the point of view of resolving conflicts, once an armed conflict has occurred is, what is the point of departure for the settlement?
Shall the parties involved (The King, Government, security forces, pro- democracy movements) in a settlement use new status quo created by actions of one party or shall they demand a return to status quo ante bellum before negotiations can be considered?

Can you confirm, or reject allegations of how Equatorial Guinea soldiers, and by implication government got entangled in this supposedly SADC affair?

4.
4.

There are serious threats of allegations that school learners who are involved - 399 - in the protests against the King would be denied scholarships.

This is a very serious allegation made by school learners themselves, student unions and civils society movements.

Can you contact your counterpart there and give us a full written report on this?

This is human rights violation.

5.

6.

Has Namibian President considered sending an envoy to eSwatini to ascertain facts for us on the ground?
Or are you merely relying on reports from the so- called SADC Troika?

Will MIRCO engage eSwatini Foreign Affairs Minister on the release of pro- democracy activists from prison and call for the release of the two Members of Parliament, who are innocently persecuted?

_________________