Transcript
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    CONSUMERNEWS

    Y O U R V O I C E

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

    JULY 2010

    HIV/Aids, anti-viral

    drug claim

    We investigate the

    truth

    PrivateInstitutions

    Do we get what

    we pay for?

    RasSheehama

    Consumer News

    chats to renowned

    local artist

    ViraKil

    FREE

    w w w . c o n s u m e r n e w s n a m i b i a . c o m

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    Fire

    Mon - Friday: 08h00 - 19h00 / Sat: 08h00 - 18h00 / Sun: 09h00 - 15h00 / Public Holidays: 09h00 - 15h00

    and winebetter and betterthis wintertime

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    The journey of perpetualimprovement

    Looking ahead and remaining focused on ones goal and vision is impera-

    tive for growth and success. This is indeed apt if we are to look at the

    world in which we live. A quick trip down memory lane will reveal how

    important it is to remain focused. Consumer News has had its fair share of

    ups and downs, but we have maintained a constant presence during a time

    when many Namibian magazines were coming and going.

    Returning to the importance of having a vision, it was during the timesof uncertainty that Consumer News made a conscious decision to move

    ahead with its growth strategy. This is being kick-started with the re-

    branding of the

    magazine - giving it a fresh and exciting new look coupled with punchy

    editorial, relevant to you familys lifestyle.

    As is said, a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. To this

    end, and to ensure we retain our readership, we proudly bring you the end

    result you hold in your hands.

    Advertising is the rst budget item to be cut in a recession. Thankfully we

    had a good response in this issue and we are condent that this publica -

    tion will grow from strength to strength. I would like to thank all our ad-

    vertisers as well as the Consumer News Team for their continual support,whom without, this process would not be possible.

    I am optimistic about the future. We undertake to bring you a good read

    every month, packed with compelling and relevant articles.

    Forward ever, backwards never.

    Editors Note

    Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed

    citizens can change the world. Indeed, its the only thing

    that ever has

    Margaret Mead (1901-1978) US Anthropologist, Author

    CONSUMERNEWS

    Our mission is to create a platform for you, the Namibian consumer, who

    strives to see improvement in the value of goods and services and are

    savvy enough to spot misleading advertising and poor quality products

    and services. You deserve more, and together we have power in numbers,

    so we welcome your contributions, feedback, acknowledgements and

    your voice on products and services that need our investigation.

    Contact us for your free copy.

    You deserve more ...

    The Team

    Publisher

    Consumer News

    Printed by

    John Meinert Printing

    Design & Layout

    element creations

    Traolach OMaolain

    Email: [email protected]

    Assistant Design

    Elisha Chambara

    E-mail: [email protected]

    Cell: 081 377 4344

    The Editor

    Salome Nzuma

    E-mail: [email protected]

    Cell: 081 352 3723

    Journalists

    Tendai K

    E-mail: [email protected]

    Marla Chaneta

    E-mail: [email protected]

    Raymond Isaacs

    E-mail: [email protected]

    Business Development Manager

    Jacques Nieman

    E-mail: [email protected]

    Cell: 081 203 7180

    PhotographyNorman Skrywer

    Email: [email protected]

    Cell: 081 430 4003

    Leitago Narib

    E-mail: [email protected]

    Cell: 081 363 2712

    Consumer News

    PO Box 96366Windhoek, Namibia

    Tel/Fax: +264 61 228 196

    Enquiries

    [email protected]

    CN 01

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    contentsFeature

    ViraKil

    We investigate bogus claims of miracle HIV drug

    Comparison Shopping

    We compare cell phone prices

    Editorial

    NCPG (Namibia Consumer Protection Group)

    Private institutions Is it money well spent

    NCSI (Namibia Consumer Service Institute)

    We pay for more than just the trolley of goods

    Day of the African Child

    China & U.S.A tale of two powers

    100 Namibians

    Newspaper poll

    Team Namibia Member Section

    Bokomo Namibia

    Entertainment

    Ras Sheehama

    A Namibian master of music

    International

    IMF (International Monetary Fund)

    Strangers will never send you money

    Sports

    Rugby

    Success for Namibias National Team

    table of

    04

    10

    030812

    1618

    20

    22

    26

    27sms CN and your

    comment to

    CN1111

    If you would like to

    comment on any of

    our articles, pleasesee below.

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    ?Are our Educational Institutions simply ripping us off?? Isthe price of education a realistic reflection of what we get formoney? Are universities (and private institutes) in Namibia init for the education or the money.Above is a consumer who feels otherwise about private

    institutions in Namibia after an unpleasant experience with one

    of them.

    Private Institutions of Learning

    Our constitution states:

    (4) All persons shall have the right, at their own expense, to

    establish and to maintain private schools, or colleges or other

    institutions of tertiary education:

    provided that:

    a. such schools, colleges or institutions of tertiary education

    are registered with a Government department in accordance

    with any law authorising and regulating such registration;

    b. the standards maintained by such schools, colleges or

    institutions of tertiary education are not inferior to the

    standards maintained in comparable schools, colleges or

    institutions of tertiary education funded by the State;

    Tertiary education schools are mushrooming all over the

    country. They provide everything from art classes, computer

    literacy to business skills. The problem is that the standards are

    not up to par and most students receive a qualification which

    is not worth the paper it is printed on. Let us look at a typical

    example and call it the Tertiary Education Academy.

    Tertiary Education Academy (TEA)

    The owner TEA is a businessman without any qualification

    in education, after all, the Academy is a business and wasstarted to make a profit. None of the staff members, including

    the Principal, has any professional training or recognised

    educational qualification. The lecturers at the Academy are

    also not qualified teachers.

    TEA offers the following courses:

    Typing skills

    Bookkeeping

    Computer Literacy Microsoft Office

    PC Engineering A+ and N+

    Software Programming

    The Academy also offers Diplomas in Tourism, Public

    Relations, Business, Finance and Personnel Administration.

    The Academy is a very profitable business and the owner is

    planning on offering further diploma courses.

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

    not aware that the lecturers are not professionally qualified.

    Furthermore, imagine the students dismay when they find

    out that none of these courses are recognised by the Namibian

    Qualifications Authority. Even worse, the diploma courses are

    not worth more than a Grade 12 qualification, according to theUniversities.

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

    academies, let us examine their role in our country.

    More and more students are completing their schooling and not

    finding place at the University or Polytechnic. Their parents

    or care-givers cannot afford the study fees in other countries,

    so these students have to look for employment. Having no

    marketable skill, they often do not find employment and

    become one of the many unemployed.

    The private tertiary education institutes offer the students an

    opportunity to gather knowledge about business and prepare

    them for gainful employment.

    So what can we do?

    We need to have a body that actively encourages that the

    standards maintained by such schools, colleges or institutions

    of tertiary education are not inferior to the standards maintained

    in comparable schools, colleges or institutions of tertiary

    education funded by the State. The NQA must publicise the

    names of those that are registered and these institutions must

    meet the required standards. Furthermore, the NQA must be

    given teeth to close down those who do not meet nor comply

    with the standards set within a period of time.

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

    valid qualification, request a copy of the NQA accreditation of

    the course. The accreditation letter should include the name of

    the course, the duration and most importantly the NQA level

    that it meets.

    Sound advice is to ask the institution to provide you with

    business customers who book their staff for training. Contact

    the companies Human Resources Department and find out

    their opinion on the quality of training provided.

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

    Protection Group but provides these submissions in hispersonal capacity. Mr. Louw is presently a part-time lecturer

    at the Polytechnic of Namibia.

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    a powerful herbal tonic

    developed specifically to assist

    HIV/AIDS patients. Virakil

    halts the reproduction of the

    virus, is a powerful immune

    stimulant, cleans the liver and

    improves skin complexion

    f e a t u r e

    ViraKil

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    Miracle HIV drug underscrutiny

    The AIDS pandemic is prevalent in Namibia andthe official HIV/AIDS rate is recorded among

    the highest in the world. AIDS is currently the

    leading cause of death in the country. People from

    diverse religious backgrounds and cultures have

    flooded the market with lucky charms, magic potions

    and even special rituals that are claimed to prevent

    and even cure the virus. In addition to the charms

    and potions are also proclaimed herbal cures such as

    Virodene.

    A little over five years after the Virodene scandal, Virakil

    has surfaced. Produced in South Africa by Dr. Rui, Virakil is

    distributed in Namibia by Longlife Health. The product is onsale for N$165 with a free delivery service, as the product is

    not stocked in any licensed pharmacy.

    Information on the bottle reads a powerful herbal tonic

    developed specifically to assist HIV/AIDS patients. Virakil

    halts the reproduction of the virus, is a powerful immune

    stimulant, cleans the liver and improves skin complexion. Yet,

    when asked to provide the evidence to these claims, Maria, the

    contact offered in the advertisements placed in the Informant,

    could only give Consumer News anecdotal responses. She

    told stories of nameless patients that had been bed-ridden for

    weeks who, after taking the tonic, regained their strength. Yet,

    backing down after further questioning, she stated that the bestperson to speak to would be Richard Kobia, current manager

    of Longlife Health. When asked if she had medical training,

    Maria replied that she had trained as a nurse. When pressed for

    further details Maria said her training was from the University

    of Cape Town in South Africa and was only a two week course.

    Attempts to verify this, we found that UCT does not offer such

    courses, they only offer full-time programs.

    Richard Kobia, who also has no medical training, fully

    supported Marias claims. He said that, despite his lack of

    training, his wife was trained at a holistic wellness center in

    Cape Town which he could not name. We are doing this to

    help people. We are spiritual and just want to see people better.

    Despite the lack of evidence, Maria and Richard continued

    to defend Virakil and its medicinal values. Maria went on

    to say that it has been tried and tested by the Medical

    Regulatory Council of Namibia. These claims were however

    debunked by Mr. Rite, a pharmacist working in the Medicine

    Registration department at the Ministry of Health and Social

    Services. According to Mr. Rite there is no regulating body for

    complimentary medicines, a category in which Virakil falls,

    as such medical testing labs have not been equipped with the

    technology required to test these medicines, stated Mr. Ritewhen asked to comment. He further added that Virakil was a

    scam by people trying to get rich quick, and commented that

    approved and legal medicines are not advertised in newspapers

    but in books and package inserts.

    Richard informed the Consumer News that ViraKil was also for

    sale at a health shop located in the Eros Shopping Centre, but

    when inquiries were made at this location, the staff reported

    that they have never stocked ViraKil, nor have they ever heard

    of the product.

    Herbal medicines suppliers, Natures Way, located in Town

    Square, stated that by no means would they stock or sell theproduct. Even Vitamin C, like a glass of orange juice, is

    considered an immune stimulant, Saima Haufiku, the head

    sales lady commented. She added that herbal medicines were

    diverse in their function even when the contents were limited.

    Vira-kil lists as contents; African Helichrysum, African

    By Marla Chaneta

    This is a

    scan of the

    VIRAKIL

    Tonic advert

    printed in

    the April

    15-21

    edition

    of the

    Informant.

    > >

    CN 05

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    Cucumis, Arborescens, Mathema, Water

    and Alcohol. None of these ingredients

    listed have any known retro-viral

    properties whatsoever.

    Research done by Consumer News

    magazine turned up a product called

    Pride Africa from the website:

    africanbotanicals.com which has the

    exact same ingredient list in the same

    order, in the same 50ml bottle. Even the

    marketing is the same. The site states

    that Prides priority is in halting thereproduction of the virus using the

    almost exact same wording except that

    they do not claim outright that they can

    halt the reproduction of the virus as

    Virakil does. Consumer News suspects

    that Virakil is just a re-packaged version

    of Pride Africa and that Longlife Health

    is not creating or manufacturing this

    product themselves, but are rather just

    re-naming it to be sold in Namibia.

    With nothing but a gmail address and

    with no manufacturer listed on the

    bottle, all anyone really knows is that

    this is actually just a vitamin supplement

    stored in a small bottle. To give credit

    to the producers of Virakil, they do not

    instruct people to stop taking their ARVs

    but suggest Virakil as a complementary

    medicine. So while Virakil will not cure

    you, in the opinion of Consumer News,

    they are also not going to kill you, they

    are just interested in your money.

    There are grave concerns about holes in

    the regulatory framework that make it

    legal to peddle clearly bogus medications

    as supplements or replacements to

    desperate people. How can consumers be

    left so exposed to the predations of both

    foreign and local fly-by-night operations

    - people who lie or obfuscate when

    asked for proof, who fabricate medical

    credentials? This crime is perpetuated

    by those who are so greedy that they

    will sacrifice the health of others for

    their own monetary benefit. The real

    crime is that those who are supposed to

    protect the people, the government and

    regulatory authorities, seem to have beenasleep at the switch and have allowed a

    situation to develop where hucksters and

    charlatans can roam free amongst the

    people - advertise openly in the media

    and fleece them at will. Consumer News

    is very concerned that minor operators

    such as Richard and Maria are simply the

    tip of the iceberg and, rather than trying

    to bust every small-time hustler that

    comes across the border, Namibia needs

    to create effective laws that give these

    con-artists no room to operate, thereby

    creating a populace savvy enough to

    know a scam from a cure.

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    POLICING YOUR BRAND

    QUALITY DESIGN, ADVERTISING AND MARKETING AT AFFORDABLE PRICES

    advert is ing / publ icat ions / corporate identity / brand creat ion

    or whatever i t is you need !

    elementcreat ions

    info@elementcreat ions.com.na

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    We Pay For More Than Just

    The Trolley of Goods!W

    e are being robbed of the true value of the

    products/services we purchase. The price

    includes the actual product/service PLUS

    excellent customer service (both during and after the

    sale). Not only in a perfect world, but it has to be an

    entitlement in this world of ours too! Wouldnt you

    agree?

    As customers, we are very much a part of the productionprocess, where we actually own the experience of the sale too,

    not just the product once weve paid.

    At the very least, all personnel must learn to SMILE! Everyone

    else involved with customers too. This followed by the keenest

    sense of professionalism, incorporating improvement in

    attitude in helping customers and more appropriate work ethic;

    eradicating attitudes of indifference from service providers

    completely.

    Excellent customer service should not come as an additional

    expense, as the value of ones hard-earned money is diminished

    when were denied the very best in service. Then to top it all,

    one suffers emotionally too. It is about time that we stand up

    for our rights, by admitting the problemengaging in dialogue

    about itstanding up against it when were unhappy about it

    INSISTING on an improvement! Organisations need to know

    how their customers feel about their service offering, and then

    have their people adequately and continuously trained!

    Our countrys service problem will not be fixed overnight, or

    through a once-off action either. A lot of continuous training

    is going to be required as we have to change the very nature

    of many of our front-line people. And this will be a tedious

    process, but we HAVE to, for our sakes as consumers in the longrun, as well as for the sake of our blood pressure in the short

    term. Our managers and supervisors have to start interacting

    with the customer too, showing front-line staff how it is done-

    with a smile, confidence and a positive, helpful attitude. This

    will serve as a good start in helping to shape the environment

    and get us on the right track to positively changing our service

    culture.

    Do watch this space. We will be evaluating various service

    providers on your behalf over the coming months, and feeding

    the findings back to you, the consumer. Feel free to call or

    e-mail or even sms me about anything. I would like to be

    needs-oriented in the articles of future issues, so do share with

    me your views and ideas.

    e d i t o r i a l

    Creating Opportunity, Changing the

    Face of Customer Service

    Jon Allen

    By Jon Allen

    Contact:

    Jon Allen

    t: +264 61 400 910

    f: +264 61 400 912

    c: +264 81 448 6032e: [email protected]

    8 CN

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    c o m p a r i s o n s h o p p i n g

    54

    1

    3

    2

    STORE CUSTOMER

    SERVICE

    SAMSUNG

    CORBY

    NOKIA 2700 NOKIA 3500 Samsung B7330Omnia Pro

    Sony Ericsson

    W595

    GPRS, EDGE, Blue-

    tooth, USB 2.0, MP3 &

    other music player op-

    tions, 2 megapixels, 27pre-installed widgets,

    Internal Memory: 50

    MB, External Memory:

    up to 8GB, FM radio,

    One-nger zoom,

    Internet, email, 1000

    phonebook entries

    Micro USB connector,

    3.5mm stereo head-

    phone plug, microSD

    memory card slotwith hot swap, 32

    MB internal dynamic

    memory (incl. Pre-

    loaded content), 2 GB

    2000 phonebook

    entries, microSD

    memory up to 2GB,

    Bluetooth, mini USBslot, 2 megapixels,

    GPRS, MP3, 8.5 MB

    fash memory

    1000 phonebook

    entries, 3.2 megapixels,

    Phone memory 70 MB,

    external memory up to16 GB, Bluetooth, m

    radio, MP3 preloaded

    games, WiFi, WAP,

    USB 2.0, SMS, MMS,

    email, Windows Mo-

    bile 6.1

    Walkman player & pro-

    grams like Shake con-

    trol, TrackID, PlayNow,

    SenseMe & more,Expandable memory up

    to 8GB, 3G, Bluetooth,

    USP, 3.2 megapixels,

    web browser, WiFi and

    others

    MTC TOWN

    SQUARE N$ 1899.00 N$ 949.00 N$ 1749.00

    LEOWERNHIL

    N$ 1599.00 N$ 900.00 N$ 2999.00

    SUPATRONIX

    WERNHIL N$ 1150.00 N$ 1295.00 N$ 2150.00

    PUPKEWITZCITY CENTRE

    N$ 1850.00 N$ 1442.00

    G3 ELECTRONICS

    TOWN SQUARE N$ 1100.00 N$ 1900.00

    CELL-U-LINK

    CITY CENTRE N$ 1654.00 N$ 1053.00 N$ 1318.00 N$ 3387.00 N$ 1990.00

    CELL PHONE COST COMPARISON

    54321

    0 CN

    GOOD

    MEDIOCRE

    BAD

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    As we celebrate the Day of the African Child

    this year, we deem it right to make it known

    the developments around the protection of

    children with regards to the marketing of products

    to children. Marketing and advertising tricks are

    well received by children. They are less able than

    adults to fully understand the purpose of advertising

    to persuade and to ultimately sell a product.

    Marketers also target children and teenagers because of themoney they have to spend, influence they have over their

    parents spending pester power; money they will spend as

    adults brand loyalty. Children are so vulnerable and this

    vulnerability is being exploited by marketers at the expense of

    childrens health and the African child - the Namibian is not

    an exception.

    Consumers International welcomes new international

    recommendations on food marketing to children. A new set of

    international recommendations calling on governments to take

    action on the marketing of food to children were agreed at the

    World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva on May 20, 2010.

    The World Health Organizations (WHO) recommendations

    call on governments to develop policies to reduce the impact

    of junk food marketing on children. The recommendations are

    particularly strong in calling for governments to ban all junk

    food marketing in areas where children are gathered, such as in

    schools and playgrounds.

    Food marketing to children was recognised by the WHO as a

    contributing factor to rising levels of obesity and overweight

    in 2005, but the new recommendations make it clear that

    governments have a responsibility to ensure effective action

    is being taken. In recent years several food companies have

    responded to these concerns with their own commitments.

    A number of surveys have, however, suggested that these are

    having a limited impact.

    The new recommendations call on governments to set clear

    definitions for the key components of policy which could

    help to tighten the loopholes that exist in some companiespolicies. The recommendations also call for monitoring and

    enforcement mechanisms and sanctions to be introduced.

    Consumers International (CI) has been campaigning for an

    international code on the marketing of food to children since

    2007. CIs recommendations for an international code call for

    governments to ban the marketing of food high in fat, sugar and

    salt to all children up to the age of 16. The ban should cover

    all forms of marketing including broadcast, print, internet and

    point-of-sale as well as packaging.

    Marketers of fast foods know that the most effective campaigns

    are those that target children. They are trusting and have little

    basis to distinguish the true from the false. A young child is

    unable to distinguish between the real world and the fantasy

    world of television advertising. Children are gullible and trust

    what they hear. Child-centred fast food marketing campaigns

    are little more than the ruthless exploitation of a vulnerable

    market. These marketing campaigns primary objective is to

    e d i t o r i a l

    DAYof the African ChildBy Salome Nzuma

    2 CN

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    get the children to nag their parents into submission. Children

    become the surrogate marketers of fast food restaurants.

    Parents are placed under immense pressure by their children

    to relent. Children believe that their parents are unfair to sayno. Parents, often feeling guilty that their demanding careers

    do not allow them to spend more time with their children, give

    in. Few are fully aware of the harmful nature of these foods.

    The negative effects of child-centred marketing campaigns are

    more serious than is often acknowledged. Parents that succumb

    to the pressure face the risk of subjecting their children to long-

    term obesity, ill health and fast food addiction.

    What child is able to resist the free toy that is awarded for

    every kiddies meal? The facilities at the fast food restaurants

    for children and the low prices of the childrens menu make the

    fast food restaurant into an appealing place to bring the family.

    Fast food has become the order of the day for many childrenin todays society. Many School tuck shops have changed their

    menus to serve junk food rather than more traditional fare.

    Burgers, fried chicken and pizzas have taken over. These are

    foods that are high in fats, salt and sugar. Children are unaware

    of what goes into the junk food they so readily consume.

    All they know is that these foods taste good and leave them

    craving for more.

    Marketing campaigns do not mention the MSG, preservatives,

    colorants, high fat and sugar content that contribute to the lookand taste of these foods. They do not mention the health risks of

    obesity and allergies that have become closely associated with

    these foods. Fast food addiction begins at a young age. Glossy

    advertising makes these foods seem much more attractive to

    young children than dull home-cooked meals.

    A fast food culture is developing in many countries around the

    world. This culture is fed by skilful marketing with children

    as the primary target. Huge numbers of children are beginning

    their journey through life, facing obesity and poor health as a

    result of poor eating habits. The reason for this massive spend

    is that it works. Children are susceptible to advertising to

    the extent that they are able to bring their parents, aunts anduncles to the fast food restaurants. Marketing works. Adults

    have more skills to discriminate between reality and television

    fantasy. Yet much advertising is targeted at adults. If adults are

    susceptible, then how much more so are children? Lets protect

    our future, our Namibian children.

    Photograph:LeitagoNarib

    CN 13

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    The U.S. and

    China are the two

    most important

    bi-lateral actors in

    Africa today.

    e d i t o r i a l

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    &CHINA U.S.A tale of two powers

    O

    ne power is in ascendance, another in

    decline. We look at how this dynamic plays

    out in Africa. There is a perception in the

    world that America has lost the plot. A vanishing

    middle class, an exported manufacturing base, wild

    casino capitalism on Wall Street, an increasingly

    schizophrenic population and is fighting two

    simultaneous unwinnable conflicts.

    Then there is China with its hideously large surplus of foreign

    currency to invest and a booming economy. This nation is

    seemingly on the rise and unlike the U.S., appears to have a

    coherent long-term strategy.

    When it comes to energy, Uncle Sam, despite speculation to thecontrary, is still clearly the dominant player in Africa and when

    one breaks down the numbers truly, it seems like no contest.

    The Americans hold the lions share of exploration contracts

    including the big players- Angola, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea

    and Gabon.

    The U.S. and China are the two most important bi-lateral actors

    in Africa today. While the U.S. holds more influence in most

    of the 53 African nations, China has surpassed the U.S. in a

    number of states and has growing influence in many of the

    others.

    Africa is important to these powers in many ofthe same ways:As a source for natural resources and mineral wealth as well

    as crucial African support in international forums such as the

    United Nations or Trade Organizations.

    There are also differences in the way which the two giants

    engage the continent. American manufacturing firms see Africa

    as full of risk and uncertainty and their corporations tend to be

    dismissive of Africa as a potential market.

    China has a long-term vision for the continent besides a source

    of natural resources and it sees the continent as an emerging

    and exiting new market full of potential. Chinese firms, unlikethe U.S., often have explicit state backing and the government

    and corporations often work in lockstep, while America firms

    are tied to short-term goals and quarterly profits and, while the

    government will support them on occasion they are not a team.

    The U.S. administration and oil companies for example often

    find themselves seeking wildly different goals. In Iraq, the neo-

    cons, led by Mr. Bush and abetted by Wolfowitz and Cheneyet al, wanted to use Iraq to break OPEC. They felt OPEC was

    artificially inflating the price of oil (which it is) and harming

    the U.S. This plan was immensely distasteful to the oil majors

    who want the OPEC-mandated high prices to keep profits at

    their grotesque current levels. They used the State Department

    to fight the White Houses invasion plans tooth and nail-

    resulting in the White House outing CIA agent Valerie Plame.

    It would not happen this way in China.

    Nor do Chinese firms have to deal with messy democracy, public

    opinion or human rights councils or watchdog groups. There

    are not Chinese-based organisations on the ground in foreign

    countries monitoring the behaviour of their corporations suchas Disneywatch, democracy watch or Nikewatch.

    Americas approach to business in the region has also hindered

    their progress. The U.S., and/or agencies where they wield

    tremendous influence such as the World Bank or IMF, come

    to African leaders with long tedious moralising lectures on

    human rights, which in itself may not be a bad thing. When

    the moralist, however, is occupying two nations and dropping

    depleted uranium and cluster bombs on civilian populations,

    one tends to view their human rights talk as blatant hypocrisy.

    The U.S. also likes to add demands such as devaluing the

    currency, deregulation, privatization and reduced spending on

    social programs. How one can speak of human rights and force

    poor countries to slash their health care costs is a story for

    another time.

    China has no such qualms. China gives the money and stays out

    of the politics, at least overtly. This makes their assistance an

    obvious choice for many African leaders.

    China has penetrated into villages and rural areas, run retail

    outlets, and are to be found at all levels of commerce. The

    Americans only have influence at the top level but this is where

    the big decisions are made and, while China is more visible

    on the ground until there is a truly global shift in power, the

    Yankees will remain the major power in Africa and beyond.

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    1 0 0 N a m i b i a n s

    A good newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talkingto itself. Arthur Miller 1961

    10 Reasons for Reading a Newspaper

    1. My newspaper has never crashed, gone down, or flashed

    animated ads at me.2. Anywhere I travel, my newspaper goes with me. I dont

    need a laptop or a wireless connection or PDA.3. I can read my newspaper while standing, eating, while

    riding a bus, but not while driving my car, which is just aswell since I should be paying attention to the road.

    4. If I read a story I like, I can tear it out and save it, and nothave to pay to read it 30 days later.

    5. I dont have to sign in or customise, register or rememberpasswords to read my newspaper. And I often enjoyarticles in my newspaper on topics I wouldnt normallythink Id be interested in.

    6. My newspaper has high-resolution pictures and type onlarge pages that load almost instantly, making it easy to

    browse and enjoy.7. My newspaper is cheap, disposable and easy to replace. Ifits lost or stolen, its no big deal.

    8. My newspaper is not made of unrecyclable toxic materials.9. If my newspaper makes a mistake, the correction is posted

    with an explanation. Its not sneakily applied to theoriginal story after Ive read it.

    10. I can read my newspaper sitting outside on a nice sunnyday, even if a breeze is blowing, because I know how tofold a newspaper.

    11.

    12.

    100We askedNamibians

    What is your

    favourite localnewspaper?

    The Namibian 60%

    Die Republikein 21%

    The New Era 4%

    Informant 9%

    The Namibian Sun 6%8 CN

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    asta is one of the staple foods in Namibia. With an increase in the demand for pasta products in the country, Bokomo Namibia

    credits its recent upsurge in growth to streamlining operations and boosting production power by erecting a pasta manufacturing

    Pplant at their site in Brakwater, located just outside Windhoek. The plantwas officially opened in February by His Excellency President HifikepunyePohamba, but had commenced operations last year in October. BokomoNamibia is also in the process of expanding its pasta operations with a secondplant from Italy.

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

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

    The management of Bokomo Namibia reported that the demand for milling

    capacity has increased so much that the Board of Directors of Bokomo

    Namibia has approved the purchase and installation of a new wheat flour millfrom Switzerland - another plant investment that will grow the country's

    manufacturing industry and help ease unemployment.

    Pasta Perfecto A Delicious discovery everyday

    Bokomo Namibia, starting operations at the plant last year in October,

    launched its first locally-manufactured pasta brand to the Namibianconsumer. Pasta Perfecto, a brand which seeks to share the heart and flavour of Namibia's own locally-produced pasta comes in two

    variants, Pasta Perfecto macaroni and the Pasta Perfecto elbow macaroni. "With this state-of-the-art technology and controlling the entirepasta-production line, starting with its essential ingredients, and following a quality-oriented philosophy, what better production plantcould there possibly be where the pasta factory is completely integrated to give out a proudly Namibian product?" Natasja Pieterse,

    Marketing Manager, Bokomo Namibia said.

    "Pasta Perfecto is not just 'another pasta,' this durum-enriched pasta is the quintessence of proudly Namibian artistry, offering sublimequality at a reasonable price", she added. The brand comes in 500g, 1kg and 2,5kg packages. Bokomo's intriguing pasta, new to the

    Namibian market, has and will continue to impress any dinner table and make a statement about the one and only "Made in Namibia".

    Innovative solutionsProudly NamibiaBokomo Namibia

    Proud to be Namibian!

    Pasta plant opened by His ExcellencyPresident Hifikepunye Pohamba

    t e a m n a m i b i a m e m b e r s s e c t i o n

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    e n t e r t a i n m e n t

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    Top Namibian Rasta singer Ras Sheehama was born in 1966 in Onakayale

    village in Northern Namibia. The political pro-SWAPO stance o his ather

    orced him into exile in 1979 to Angola and Zambia at the age o thirteen. It

    was here that he taught himsel to play music. At iteen, he elt a calling tothe Rastaarian way o lie and his love or reggae began. He developed his

    musical talent in Nigeria and returned to Namibia in 1990 to witness the irst

    ree elections in his home country - he brought huge experiences to Namibia.

    RAS SHEEHAMA - A LOCAL ICON

    Getting eerie with Ras Sheehama

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

    CN: If you were a betting man, which team would youpick?RS: Brazil, I think they have the players and if you havethe guns you have the guns.

    CN: Who is your favorite artist to collaborate with?RS: Gal Level. I do already have a song with them. Theyare very easygoing. I am not just saying that becausethey are ladies (laughs). They are very easy going.

    CN: If you could collaborate with anybody, who would itbe?

    RS: Luciano, a Jamaican artist.

    CN: Whose music inspires you?RS: Bob Marley and Peter Tosh

    CN: There has been a lot of speculation around thedeath of Peter Tosh. Some say it was political, otherssay that he got involved with the wrong people. What isyour take?RS: I think it was a political thing. The wrong people?If it was just the wrong people, why is everybody silent?They caught the guy who shot him, so they should haveall of the info, No we would know by now. The Rastaswould know- by the back door or the front door, wewould know. No, it was a political thing otherwise wewould know what happened.

    CN: Your court case for possession of marijuana is wellknown. Do you think if the court case was held today theoutcome would be any different?RS: No, all governments are the same. All over. Theyjust want to control. No government will make it legal.Even in Jamaica, you have 10,000 Rastas smoking... to

    put them all in jail is difficult. A lot of people smoke buthide it. In Namibia it will never be legal even though a

    lot of people are smoking it, but even if they may smoke,they hide it so all those people do not make a politicalimpact. They hide. Nobody will ever come out andsupport it. It is just easier to talk.

    CN: Do you think attitudes toward smoking dagga havebecome more tolerant since that time?RS: It is more tolerant now. It is not the same as it was15 years ago; People know the word weed now, it isnot just called marijuana. The courts are becomingmore tolerant. People who used to get jail time are nowgetting off with a warning.

    CN: Some people will say it is a drug, just like cocaine orheroin; what would you say to that?RS: Ok, yes, they are all drugs, but there are lightdrugs and there are heavy drugs. Cocaine can make

    you hallucinate. Cocaine is very addictive. There is noaddiction to marijuana.

    CN: What do you have to say about Jackson Kaujeua?You are often paired with him as the two icons ofNamibian music. He spent months in state hospitalbefore his death.RS: It is really a shame. You are talking about a bigman. A big guy like that! You are talking about the historyof Namibian music here. If I was a rich man, he wouldnot have died. Somebody somehow should have donesomething. Why wasnt he taken from state hospital to aprivate clinic? Why didnt anybody ask what he needs toget better? Nobody has really done anything. He shouldnot have died. I listen now to the politicians speeches,talking and talking, but they should have helped him

    when he was alive. I am not afraid to say it. Why shouldI be? The truth is the truth and they are people just likeme, so why should I be afraid to say it?

    CN: It seems tragic that some people only becomeinterested in an artist after they have passed. Their workis now sought after. Why is that?

    > >

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

    he passes and everyone says oh, I am so sorry

    but sorry is too late, they should have helped him

    when alive. It should be an issue when artists are

    living. Ask: How is this person living? What car is

    he driving? Does he have food to eat? Politicians

    should look at artists now.

    CN: You are known for using a live band. What is

    your take on young artists using playback during

    performances?

    RS: It is a shame because it is so popular now. I

    see it as daylight robbery. You can put a playback

    with your music, instruments and sing along, I

    even do that sometimes, but my playback does

    not have a voice, I sing. If you have the song

    and you just mime the lyrics. Outside the country

    nobody will stand for that. Namibia does not have

    a strong musical background. Some people going

    to shows just want to dance, just like the beat

    so you can get away with it, but it limits you- you

    need to be able to showcase your voice, it will be

    a shame.

    CN: What advice would you give an up and

    coming young artist in Namibia?

    RS: I would say do it real, use your own voice.

    Dont mime, even a child can do that- switch

    off the mic and pretend to be singing? No, real

    musicians make their own songs. Originality

    and dedication- if you are doing music do the

    real thing. Go back to your roots- Like Jackson

    Kaujeua Thats what he did. My Reggae, Ok

    reggae is Jamaican but my reggae has African

    elements, like I use Oshiwambo melodies in my

    music.

    CN: You are known for the quality and potency ofyour lyrics, what inspires you when you write a

    song?

    RS: I travelled; I left Namibia when I was thirteen.

    I have seen war, poverty and politics. Inspiration

    comes from the people and the situation at the

    time. Movement of the people is what inspires me.

    I think I was born a songwriter, but it is the people

    that give me inspiration.

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

    not a musician, what would you be doing?

    RS: Something artistic, I would not be a politician

    or a minister. I am an artistic person.

    CN: Has Barack Obama lived up to your

    expectations?

    RS: Yes. A Black man as president of the United

    States. That is something. Look, laws are written

    by a lot of people. He has to do things gradually,

    change things slowly, he has the House (of

    Representatives) to address, they all have to

    agree. It is difficult. So far so good for Obama.

    The world needed change, America needed a

    change.

    CN: Are you a vegetarian?

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

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

    RS: It is not easy to sustain that diet. Namibia is

    a dry land, you cannot just grow your fruits and

    vegetables, and it is all coming from South Africa.

    It is not easy, like if we all had backyard gardens it

    would be different. It is expensive; even I want to

    order a salad out it will be fifty dollars.

    I travelled; I left

    Namibia when I was

    thirteen. I have seen

    war, poverty and

    politics.

    e n t e r t a i n m e n t c o n t .

    4 CN

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    i n t e r n a t i o n a l

    STRANGERS WILL

    NEVER SEND YOU

    MONEYConsumer News examines your spam mail

    6 CN

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    Despite the financial troubles and a lawsuit that hangs

    over the Namibia Rugby Union (NRU), the national team

    proved that they can instead do an outstanding job on

    the field, which in essence put the current problems

    within the sport at bay, at least for now.

    The Namibians, as first-timer at the competition, started

    their campaign on a high note when they surprisingly

    ousted the hosts Romania 22-17, followed by another

    incredible performance when they pipped Scotland A via

    a close 23-20 victory.

    A few days ahead of the tournament, no one thought

    that the Namibian side will make it past the first round,

    but the men coached by Johan Diergaardt and with

    the industrious flanker Jacques Burger serving as the

    skipper, the Welwitschias managed to cause some

    unexpected damage onto their opponents.

    Scotland A were also former champions of the

    competition, but their reputation at the event was dented

    by the Namibians who ran in tries which were mostly

    created from their formidable pack of forwards.

    Having made their debut last year, Scotland A went

    into the tournament with a 100% winning record. With

    r u g b y

    The Namibian rugby team lited its image out o the continued controversy that

    hogs the union when they put in a antastic display at the recently-concluded

    IRB Nations Cup held in Bucharest, Romania.

    NAMIBIAN RUGBY

    > >

    By Staff Reporter

    CONSUMERNEWS

    Y O U R V O I C E

    We would love to have your feedback on the

    features we cover, our new look and also tell us

    what topics you would like us to investigate.

    Please send us your comments to:

    [email protected]

    CN 27

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    an average of 24 years and 10 months the Scots werethe second youngest team after the Jaguars (Argentina),nearly a year younger on average. There were fourplayers uncapped at A level in the starting line-up - AlexBlair, Jack Cuthbert, Colin Shaw and Steven Turnbull- and a further three in Chris Fusaro, Fraser McKenzieand Bryan Rennie on the bench. Namibia went in withthe tried-and-tested and some of the players who stoodout in that match included players such as Jacky Bock,

    the two De La Harpe brothers, Sergio and Darryl, whilePiet van Zyl, Llewellyn Winkler and the speedy full-backChrysander Botha were also in the mix.

    Most of the Namibian players also competed in theVodacom Cup in which they played matches against SouthAfrican Provinces, matches which gave them a valuableexperience and a sense of urgency in their play. From thestart, both Burger and scrumhalf, Jantjies thought thatNamibia had a good chance of winning the tournament,but for different reasons, the two men are the main cogs inthe Namibian engine. Burger, a battle-hardened Saracenopen-side leading from the front and the slick and elusiveJantjies orchestrating the Namibian back division, the sidemanaged to put in epic performances in their openingmatches, giving them a shot for the final. For Burger, who

    is now only 27 years of age, there had never been anydoubt that Namibia had entered the tournament in order towin it.

    In one of the interviews at the event on whether hethought Namibia would make it that far, he said: This iswhy we play. Otherwise we would not be here. However,once we won the first match we knew that we could win it.There is the difference between wanting it and knowing itand this is what happened after the match against

    Romania, the first time we beat them, Burger said.

    Thats what gave us the strength to withstand

    the waves of Scottish attacks in the last couple of

    minutes, when they kept coming at us time and

    again. It was incredibly difficult but our belief and

    a bit of luck saw us through. Every time the game

    stopped I gathered the guys around me. I wanted

    to see their eyes, to understand whether they had

    inside them that desire to go the extra mile.

    I do not see myself as your archetypal captain. I

    would rather do things than talk. I like to lead from

    the front and set the standard through my work ethic.

    You can have all the talent in the world but if you

    dont work hard enough you will never get what you

    want. This is where the difference is made, basicallywanting it a bit more than your opponent. When

    we pray before the game we never pray to win. We

    thank God for giving us the talent and pray that we

    will leave the field unscathed at the end.

    The Namibian team was due to play against Georgia

    in their next match which was scheduled for June 20,

    while Italy A was due to play Romania in the second

    match, with Argentinas Jaguars having a date with

    Scotland A.

    The winner of the tournament had to be determined

    on points, with 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, while

    4 or more tries can translate into a point. If a team

    loses by 7 points or less, they also get a point for

    that.

    By the time of writing this report, the champion had

    to be crowned on June 20, the day that all six teams

    competed.

    Italy A are the only team to have played in every IRB

    Nations Cup tournament. They finished second in

    2006 and in 2009, fifth in 2007 and fourth in 2008.

    They are also the top points scorers overall with 251.

    The Jaguars of Argentina won the tournament

    in 2006 and finished second in 2007 behind the

    Emerging Springboks. They are also the top try

    scorers.

    The Georgians finished third in 2007 and second in

    2008 behind emerging South Africa.

    Source material and photos from IRB.com

    r u g b y c o n t .

    I wanted tosee their eyes,to understand

    whether they hadinside them thatdesire to go theextra mile.

    28 CN

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