consumer news namibia march 2011

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NEWSCONSUMERY O U R V O I C E

MARCH 2011FREE

w w w . c o n s u m e r n e w s n a m i b i a . c o mISSN: 2026-710X

Dr. LeeCaveatEmptor

Small Claims Court turns 10

NEWSCONSUMERY O U R V O I C E

VivaNamibia

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In March, come and celebrate 21 years of Independence with 21 products at glorious low prices!

At Pick n Pay you will find a great variety of the freshest food at best value for money, available at all 17

stores nationwide.

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Editor’s Note

CONSUMERNEWS

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. ~Bill Gates

Wow! It’s March already! It’s amazing how busyness can compress an hour into five minutes isn’t it? All-in-all, it’s a good thing because there is much to be achieved and time waits for no man (sic). If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now. The Consumer News team realised that 10 years ago (yes, it’s our 10th year anniversary this month) when the first magazine was published. Our passion to be the voice of the consumer has yielded fruitful relationships with relevant authorities; answers to a concerned consumer; and has made suppliers of goods and services more aware of consumers’ rights. This month, the Law Society of Namibia campaigns with us to have a Small Claims Court established in Namibia. Small Claims Courts are a means of allowing access to justice for all. Turn to page five to see what we’re on about. Another issue that we avidly investigated is the way certain suppliers of certain goods and services use adverts to play on people’s self-esteem by claiming to be able to enlarge this or tighten that. We can’t stop them from advertising, but we can surely underscore the validity of their claims. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, depending on how you look at it), we did not get to test the product, but we spoke to certain powers that be to confirm that those adverts are, in fact, illegal...turn to page 6; you might want a refund. Lastly, we would like to extend our sincerest appreciation to you, our readers. It goes without saying, you deserve the congratulatory messages!

Viki

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The Team

PublisherConsumer News

Printed byJohn Meinert Printing

Design & LayoutShapwa HashaliE-mail: [email protected]

EditorVictoria KangombeE-mail: [email protected]: 081 236 0803

Business Development ManagerJacques NiemanE-mail: [email protected]: 081 203 7180

Advertising Sales ExecutiveTabeth NyahashaE-mail: [email protected]: 081 409 3448

Consumer NewsPO Box 96366Windhoek, NamibiaTel/Fax: +264 61 228 196

[email protected]

Contributers

The Law Society of Namibia (LSN) is a self-regulating body created in terms of the Legal Practitioners Act (1995) which serves the profession and the public by promoting justice, protecting the independence of the judiciary and upholding the Rule of Law. You can contact the LSN on +264 61 230263/088

Wheely Bin Express is a wholly Namibian-owned company that pro-vides cleaning services; landscaping, gardening and garden design ser-vices; jet washing of interlocks, stones and tiles; as well as removal of garden and construction refuse. Wheely Bin Express can be contacted on +264 81 411 2941

Kaarina Nairenge is 4th year Public Relations and Industrial Psychol-ogy student at the University of Namibia. Kaarina works as a journalist for the Consumer News magazine.

Tendai Karonga is a recent MA graduate in Media Enterprise with Bir-mingham City University (UK). She is an independent media profes-sional that she adores all things African and fashion, and loves a little bit of everything.

Martin Mwinga works for First Capital Namibia, a specialised finan-cial services company he founded in 2009. He believes that individuals can excel at managing their financial affairs and strives to provide free educational content and tools to empower individuals to make informed financial decisions. You can contact Martin on +264 (61) 401 326

Roland Roeis holds a Diploma in Chemical Engineering (Belgium). He has worked with Rand Water Board, the CSIR–NIWR (SWA) and finally with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry-Department of Wa-ter Affairs, until his retirement in 2006. His career in the field of water got him involved in, among others, analysis, pollution control, research and legislation (Water Quality Standards & Guidelines).

Alexander Forbes is a leading provider of financial, risk and insur-ance and multi-manager investment solutions internationally. Alexan-der Forbes’ customers include small, medium and large organisations, specialist groups and individuals. Alexander Forbes can be contacted on +264 61 270 4300

Rob Parker holds a B.A in Political Science from St. Mary’s University in Halifax. He is a consumer rights advocate and journalist for Consumer News.

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contentsFeature

Advocating for Justice for all

By The Law Society of Namibia

Editorial

Advetile Dysfunction

By Rob Parker

Street vendors, an eye sore?

By Anna Kangombe

Are you over-insured?

By Martin Mwinga

Protect our health

By Milton Louw

Beauty: Hidden lies of chemicals

By Roland Roeis

The till doesn’t lie

By Tendai Karonga

Power options for Namibia

By Kaarina Nairenge

Sports

English footbal, a grafty trade

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Letters to the editor, with the writer’s name should be emailed to [email protected] may be edited for reasons of space and clarity

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Dear Editor

Atmosphere, installers of wardrobes, cupboards and such, installed cupboards in our new home in December 2010. By the time we moved in on 20 December, they were already closed for the holidays. I unpacked some of my best crockery, including some treasured teapots, on to the shelves and they just collapsed. I immediately called the developer who came to confirm that it really happened and I also took pictures of the damage. When Atmosphere re-opened, the developer tried to speak to Atmosphere about it and the manager/owner said: “Tell her to sue us”, turned his back and walked away. I called them up personally and explained what happened and was told that it’s not their fault if the shelves were not strong enough. They sent some workers to come and re-enforce the shelves and they are much sturdier now. I was charged for cutlery inserts which I have still not received after repeated requests for them. The hob which they installed moves around on the counter and nothing has been done about it. One of the shoe cupboards does not open or close properly. I have called and emailed them with these faults and still no word from them.

I would like to warn other consumers about the bad workmanship and customer relations of this company.

YoursRuby Christians

World Consumer Rights Day

Consumer News unites with all consumers to celebrate World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) on the 15 March. This is an annual occasion that marks a memorable day for consumers within the international consumer movement. This is our month to promote all the basic rights of consumers and demand that all these rights are respected.

As a consumer you have: • The right to satisfaction of basic needs. To have access to basic, essential goods and services: adequate food, clothing, shelter, health care, education, public utilities, water and sanitation.• The right to safety. To be protected against products, production processes and services which are hazardous to health or life.• The right to be informed. To be given the facts needed to make an informed choice, and to be protected against dishonest or misleading advertising and labelling.• The right to be heard - To have consumer interests represented in the making and execution of government policy, and in the development of products and services.

For Consumer Rights Day this year, we at Consumer News would like to recognise some of those people who work hard in Namibia for the recognition of our rights as consumers. These people sacrifice their time effort and resources to make Namibia a better country for us all and we salute them.Milton Louw from The Namibia Consumer Protection Group ([email protected])Michael Gawaseb from the Namibia Consumer Trust (+264 61 402 498)Bob Ziekonoppasser Namibia Consumer Lobby(+264 64 461 461)

Kaarina Nairenge

Dear Editor

What a pity I do not get hold of your magazine more often. I seldom shop (my wife considers me incompetent in this field). So popping in at a tourism outlet in Karibib I saw several older editions, as well as the most recent one, of your magazine laid out for interested visitors to take with. I am now slowly reading through them as I find time. I fell in love with your November 2010 issue; your choice of topics and information are of direct relevance to the public at large, and your excellent quality and mastery of language are superb.

Well done!Roland

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f e a t u r e

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The United Nations Development Programme asserts that: “Access to justice is a basic human right, as well as an indispensable means of combating poverty and preventing and resolving conflict... the poor and other vulnerable groups may be victimised by corrupt or indifferent officials, without having a reasonable chance to seek legal remedies for mistreatment. Moreover, it is important to understand that access to justice means much more than improving an individual’s access to courts or guaranteeing legal representation. It is about ensuring that legal and judicial outcomes are just and equitable and that systems work in practice for the poor and disadvantaged as well.”

http://europeandcis.undp.org/governance/hrj/show/D8C74305-F203-1EE9-B8B6C3C07F451806

It is no secret that not all of us can afford legal representation, and many a times, courts would usher away someone who wants to sue another (let’s call this person the defendant) for what is considered a small amount – say about N$3000 –, or a matter too trivial for the court to handle. This implies that practically justice is not available to all. To allow access to the masses, perhaps it is time we considered the notion of Small Claims Courts for Namibia as a means of settling what are considered minor civil disputes in a speedy, affordable and simple manner. The following countries currently employ Small Claims Courts: the United States, Australia, England and Wales, South Africa and Canada. In a Small Claims Court, you may sue someone for claims that will simply become too expensive to pursue in the ordinary civil courts. These cases may include suing for monies owed to you (usually a small amount); for bad workmanship; for damage to your property; for damage to your vehicle as a result of a motor vehicle accident; faulty goods or goods ordered and paid for but not supplied; disputes between landlords and tenants; among others. Procedures in Small Claims Courts are simpler than in civil courts. For that reason, persons usually can file and present their cases relatively quickly and inexpensively. Legal representation is not allowed although you may obtain prior advice from a legal practitioner at your own costs. Legal assistants, usually final year law students and clerks of the Small Claims Courts will assist you free of charge. Who may institute a claim? Anyone, except juristic persons such as Companies, Close Corporations and Associations. Persons under 18 must obviously be assisted by a parent or legal guardian. Against whom may you claim? Except for the State, you may institute a claim against anyone, including Companies, Close Corporations and Associations. Municipalities and Regional Councils are, however, also excluded. This probably conjures up scenes of Judge Judy in your mind doesn’t it? Well, that is exactly what it is. It is advised that you try and settle a claim before taking court action because you are likely to be penalised if you don’t. If for instance you take your laptop to an IT technician for fixing and you find that you are still encountering the same problem when you get home, there is no point in applying to the court immediately for compensation if you haven’t contacted the technician about the problem. You can only use the court if you cannot get the problem solved by negotiation. You will therefore be expected to make your claim in writing, giving the other person a reasonable time to reply; a month is usually a good enough time.

You should of course let them know that you will take court action if they fail to reply within the given time. You are advised to sort out your claim by using mediation if the other party agrees. This is where a neutral third party – a mediator – helps both parties to reach a mutually-agreeable solution to a problem. Sometimes, even if you start a claim, the court might refer your case to a mediator. Do keep in mind that winning in Small Claims Court does not automatically guarantee payment or compensation for damages done to you. It may of course be relatively easy in the case of a dispute against an insured party. In the case of an uncooperative defendant, the judgement may be collected through wage garnishment – when the court orders that a given amount be taken directly from the defendant’s salary to meet certain financial obligations. Alternatively you may, with your Small Claims Court order to hand, also approach a Magistrate’s Court to issue a Warrant of Execution. A Small Claims Court will typically have a maximum monetary limit to the amount of judgments it can award. In South Africa the limit has been set at R12 000.00. By suing in a Small Claims Court, you, the plaintiff, are surrendering any right to claim more than the court can award. In some states (in the case of the USA) people tend to seek to reduce the amount of damages claimed in order to fit a trial into a court that would otherwise not have jurisdiction (a concept known as “court shopping”). This is strictly forbidden. In the case where you are the defendant, you must, within at least 14 days after receiving the notice of a claim, acknowledge the claim as valid (or invalid). The plaintiff should of course have furnished the court with the amount of the claim, the disputed property, plus any filing fees and expenses paid. If you as the defendant pay, or otherwise satisfy the claim, you must provide the court with proof of the payment. You may ask for a hearing and/or assert a counterclaim against you. If you request a hearing, the clerk will notify the plaintiff by mail of the time and place set for the hearing. Either party may of course request a postponement if the trial date is not convenient. The request must be in writing and received by the court at least seven days before the hearing. If either party does not appear in court at the time set for the hearing, the case will be dismissed. If the court has a mandatory arbitration programme, the clerk will inform you about the arbitration rules and fees. As with all things there is good news and bad news. The bad news about Small Claims Courts is that their rulings cannot be appealed, even when bad in law. You may, however, launch a High Court review application on either the grounds of jurisdiction or on the unlikely grounds of bias, malice or corruption on the part of the presiding Commissioner. Should you for any reason not feel happy with the outcome of a Small Claims Court action, you are entitled to transfer the matter to any Magistrate’s Court. One should, however, keep in mind that you are then again entering the civil court sphere which will mean a costly suit to claim your damages. Despite the short comings, many other countries have long recognised the strong links between establishing democratic governance, reducing poverty and securing human rights and justice for all and Namibia jumped on that bandwagon ages ago. Perhaps it is time we stop philosophising and ‘Just do it’ (as the Nike slogan states); let us advocate for justice for all, let us advocate for Small Claims Courts in Namibia.

Access to justiceSmall Claims CourtsBy: The Namibian Law Society

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I am freakishly well-endowed. I just want to state this at the outset so there is no confusion. It was curiosity, rather than need, that sparked my interest in penis enlargement. Rocky, Rhino Horn, Virgin Sticks and Penis Enlargement Pumps…One cannot help but notice the full-page colour advertisements that appear in our newspapers weekly. A full-page advertisement in a daily or weekly paper is an expensive buy and one might conclude that these spots are working due to their reoccurrence. This points us to the idea that a lot of people are buying these products: the penis pump, performance enhancements, cures for impotence, re-virginating sticks, vagina tightening creams...you name them. But what are they selling?I would think that a powder being marketed as a cure

A penny for your confidence?

for erectile dysfunction is a medicine. People are being sold a cure for a specific medical problem; so yes, it is in fact a medicine. The problem is that these companies are operating within a grey area of the law to advertise medicines in newspapers in Namibia. There are existing regulations for the use of homeopathic, herbal and traditional medicines, among others, under the category Complementary Medicines. According to Johannes Gaeseb from the Namibian Medical Regulatory Council (NMRC), there is however no category under which these products qualify as medicines. For a company to make a medicinal claim, according to the NMRC, they must convince the Council of the veracity of their claims: this includes clinical trials by qualified independent physicians. If there are no tests and no trials, then what proof is offered to a discerning public? The Council, by the way, does not accept anecdotal claims as evidence. The Council is busy drafting guidelines prohibiting offers for cures for impotence and other ailments of a similar nature. This will reduce some of the misleading advertisements which play on people’s insecurities but offers them nothing but a placebo. These new rules should be out by the middle of the year. As things stand now, the Council is in a difficult position; unless the Council makes specific provisions, these companies operate in a grey area of the law. If a consumer is harmed by one of these products, their only recourse would be a civil suit against the producer and/or vendor of the product. The newspaper, or advertising vehicle, would also likely be named as a respondent. I went ahead and phoned the number given on the advertisement and spoke to a representative and asked her some of these questions. I was told that Dr. Lee products “Have been registered with the Namibia Medicines Council”. I asked them if their medications had undergone clinical trials and was told that they had, but when I asked for details the phone went dead. I tried a few more times and got through again. I was asked to give my phone number and was told that somebody would call me back. I offered to email them my questions and promised to give them time to respond. I sent my questions but have, at this stage, not heard back.When I called to confirm their claim that the products are registered with the Council, I was told, definitively, that no such product is registered, nor have they been shown any clinical trials. Perhaps the good people at Dr. Lee are confused. Maybe they are lying? In any case, I am not trusting them with The Family Jewels. Besides, I am freakishly well-endowed.

e d i t o r i a l

By: Rob Parker

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e d i t o r i a l

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While the Private sector is the engine for economic growth in any given place, the public sector also plays an important role in creating an enabling environment for private sector growth which should ideally lead to more jobs being created, increased wealth in the economy and improved living conditions. With unemployment rates soaring above 50% in Namibia, the public sector, particularly the municipalities and town councils, should perhaps hail, instead of jailing, street vendors because by definition, street vendors are part of the active private sector. It is a simple business principle: a real entrepreneur finds a market, identifies the need of that market and serves that need. Perhaps the Local Authorities, and maybe rightfully so, are not very entrepreneurial in their planning; which is why they first find a venue, develop that venue, and expect entrepreneurs to leave their respective markets and come to operate from that designated area. Where is the business sense in that? What market will they be serving from such a location? Unlike in our country where we treat street vendors as criminals, in many other African countries, they are treated as business people and a large part of population live off that very important economic activity. In Tanzania for example, you find well developed supply chains in this sector and the economy is self sustaining. The fresh produce in the streets are not viewed as a sore eye but the opposite. Similar supply chains will not develop in Namibia because common sense tells us that, for it to move effectively, you do not push a chain, you pull it.

In other words, you do not push products in the market, you find the market and you pull the products into the market; the very local market for local products that our municipalities are busy destroying slowly. And then we talk about a market economy in Namibia, who does the market economy serve if it leaves out local entrepreneurs? It is true that, most of us make up that very market that street vendors serve. Regional and international travellers often look for local products when they come to a particular country and these products are not in the big well-lit aisles of the supermarkets; they are with the people on the streets. Street vendors are providing a very important service in the economy and instead of planning for them, municipalities should plan with them. The ongoing events of the police forcefully removing these entrepreneurs from their entrepreneurially chosen locations and confiscating their products are testimony to the fact that there is a mismatch in the economic planning of our towns. Why then, if street vendors are such a sore eye does the economic principle of “the market” continue keeping them in business? Or perhaps the sore eye for street vendors does not lie in the eyes of the beholder because both locals and visitors are vying for products provided by the street vendors in their strategically chosen locations. This sore eye might perhaps lie between the lines of misinformed policies and bylaws of our public sector which, by implication are detached from the reality of our country, especially in the time where we are talking of increased urban poverty and unemployment.

Street Vendors in Namibia:a sore eye to whom?

By: Anna Kangombe

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Insurance (life, study, etc.) is not a simple product, and buying insurance doesn’t make sense for everyone, especially for those who have reached the breakeven point of asset accumulation or whose investments or assets are enough to take care of their dependents’ needs after their death. However, most people have a tendency to buy unnecessary or useless insurance policies, and in the process waste their money subsidising others in the insurance schemes; they than resort to borrowing in order to supplement their budgets. If you have no dependents, and you have enough assets to cover your debts and the cost of dying, then insurance is an unnecessary expense for you. Even if you do have dependents, but you have enough investments or assets to provide for them after your death, then you do not need insurance policies such as study or life insurance policies. A personal cash flow analysis is usually

necessary to determine the true type and amount of insurance cover that must be purchased. Otherwise you will keep on buying insurance policies sold to you by sales insurance agents. The cost of insurance could reach a point where the monthly premiums you pay to insurance companies could bankrupt you and push you deeper in the valley of debts. This article will briefly examine and explore some of the insurance policies you can do without.

Accidental Death Insurance Policies: If you have debts that outweigh your assets, then you likely will need insurance to ensure that your dependents are looked after if something happens to you. You must however avoid narrowly focused policies such as accidental death insurance. An accidental death insurance policy covers you in case of a death that is not related to disease or old age. However, chances are your existing life insurance

Are you over-insured?Cancel useless insurance policies

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By: Martin Mwinga

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HAVE YOUR SAY ON

MICROLENDING

We want to hear from you, contact us:0800 290 5000 P.O. Box 21250, Windhoek or SMS to 3030*

or Email: consumer@nam sa.com.na*normal SMS charges apply

The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (NAMFISA) is responsible for the registration and supervision of Micro-lenders in Namibia. NAMFISA’s powers in this regard stem from the administration of the Usury Act No. 73 of 1968 and Exemption Notices 189 and 196 as published in Government Gazette No. 3266 of 25 August 2004.

Have you been unfairly treated by a Micro-lender?Should you have a dispute with a Micro-lender on the loan amount, the interest rate charged, the period of the loan or allegations of unfair treatment, the first port of call would be the Micro-lender. You should attempt to speak to the person in charge of the micro-lending office or to the owner of the business with a view of solving the matter.

If you are still not satisfied with the outcome after taking it up with the Micro-lender concerned, the matter can be escalated to NAMFISA for further investigation. It is however important for you to first approach the Micro-lender before referring the matter to NAMFISA, as it was often found in the past that an issue could have been resolved with the Micro-lender without NAMFISA’s involvement.

It is important to note that NAMFISA has a dedicated Complaints Department which investigates complaints and mediates on disputes between industry players and consumers or borrowers.

IMPORTANT: NAMFISA strongly discourages members of the public from engaging the services of unregis-tered micro-lenders.

What to do:

• Make sure that the micro-lender is registered with NAMFISA. Kindly feel free to contact NAMFISA with the details of the person/institution to verify their registration status.• NEVER sign blank documents or documents you do not understand.• Do not sign Acknowledgement of Debt forms or Consent to Judgement forms before you have defaulted on your repayment. • Have all the terms and conditions of the loan explained to you in a language that you understand. • NEVER insist on a loan that you cannot afford to repay. • If you cannot repay your loan as per the agreement, immediately contact the micro-lender and make alternative arrangements to repay your loan.

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policy will cover you in most of those events anyway. Basic life and disability insurance covers a person no matter how they die or become disabled. Before you buy a policy, you need to check the insurance contract carefully as it could be costly. I can give an example of one unfortunate Namibian family. Let’s call the breadwinner Mr Z. Mr Z was a government employee who died by natural death in 2000. He was the only breadwinner of a family of five children and a housewife. He bought a life insurance policy from a local insurance company and pledged this policy against his home loan. After his death, the insurance company refused to own-up to its obligations because the life insurance policy stipulated that the insured must die by accident and not natural causes for the insurance to pay. The family tried all avenues, including the Ombudsman, to force the insurance company to own-up to its obligation, but all their efforts failed and their house was put on auction and sold; the proceeds from the sale of the house was used to settle the debts of the deceased’s estates, which only consisted of a mortgage loan and fees for the lawyers. The deceased life insurance cover was N$650 000, the outstanding mortgage loan was N$190 000 and the value of the house at the time of his death was N$450 000. So had he taken the right life insurance policy, he would have left his family a net worth of close to N$1 million. After the house was repossessed and sold on auction, the widow and her five children had no income and home in Windhoek and had to relocate back to the village. Yes, the insurance broker or salesman might appear friendly to you and entice you to buy his insurance policy, but some of them will be really mean to your family after your death as this family can testify. Study Insurance Policy: If you do a proper cash flow analysis and take the right life insurance policy, then a study insurance coverage may be optional or not needed at all. Besides, there are many other ways of saving for your child’s education. I have never taken a study policy before therefore, for each child I have, I have invested in property which is financed through the bank and monthly instalments on the houses are paid by tenants. If I die before there is enough equity value on my properties, my life insurance policy pay-out will take care of the children’s educational needs. Seven years ago I assisted a single mother, who was in a financial mess, to restructure her finances and get her out of debts. This exercise ended up in

her cancelling four study policies, two life insurance policies and one funeral policy. The single mother was earning a net monthly salary of N$12 500 and was paying a monthly amount of N$3900 in insurance premiums or 31% of her monthly salary. After the re-structuring exercise we brought down her total monthly insurance premium to N$2145 or 17% of her total monthly salary, a savings of N$1755. Instead of study policies, my advice to the single mother was to start buying properties for investment purpose. After seven years since our major restructuring of her finances, the single mother has accumulated four residential properties including the one she resides in and based on the latest valuations she can receive a net income of N$1.4 million if she sales the three houses currently on rent. Her first born is going to university this year and will need N$35 000 for her education in 2011. Because this single mother’s child did very well in her grade 12, she received a bursary and therefore does not need to sale any of her properties. Remember all these properties were 100% financed by the bank, and the monthly rentals covered the instalments. With the savings she made after cancelling the policies, she opened an investment account and started a saving plan to close an income shortfall she may face after her retirement.

Car Insurance: While it is important to insure your car, the money you spend on car insurance could be enough to guarantee you a decent retirement as the following example demonstrates. Mr Y retired at the end of 2010, and over the past 23 years he possessed four cars, an average of one car every six years. Over the past 23 years he spent more than N$282 000 (N$1021 monthly premium) on car insurance alone, but never received a single cent from insurance companies because for all the 23 years he was never involved in a car accident. The one time he submitted a claim for a car break in, the insurance company refused to pay, he was accused of negligence. If he had invested the N$282 000 in a combination of shares and bonds over the same period, he would have received by end of 2010, an amount of N$2.5 million at an average return of 15%. For all the past 23 years, this man has been subsidising reckless drivers and enriching the insurance company. There you have it folks, so before purchasing unnecessary insurance, consider buying only what you need and upping your savings; you will not regret it.

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Areyouoverinsured?

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o p i n i o n

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On 16 February, I read the following about Namibia’s beef:

“....it was discovered during a routine EU visit that MeatCo treats its animals with the prohibited substance, Phenylbutazone; medication that is said to be used to ease joint pain and for certain lung ailments in certain animals. It is also said that it could cause cancer in humans. Knoth said.” MeatCo’s CEO, Kobus du Plessis, yesterday said that the substance is not illegal in Namibia: “It’s a Schedule 3 medication that one is allowed to use if prescribed by a veterinarian. The point is that the substance is still widely used.”...He admitted though that: “of course some of the meat may have made their way into European households already”. “Phenylbutazone is a potent pain reliever, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory used mostly in dogs and horses. In the horse, it is used commonly for lameness resulting from soft-tissue injury, muscle soreness, bone and joint problems, and laminitis. Phenylbutazone may be given intravenously or orally; pain relief and fever reduction usually starts within one to two hours.”http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ProductSafetyInformation/ucm186621.htm It gets one to repeatedly shake one’s head and incessantly say ‘whoa’ doesn’t it? The CEO of MeatCo has no problem with a substance that could cause cancer because it is not illegal in Namibia? As a consumer who loves our meat and is always bragging about it wherever I travel in the world, I had to suddenly hesitate. So many people are telling me not to smoke as it could cause cancer, and now I was promoting the eating of a Namibian product that could cause cancer. Ouch. The Namibia Consumer Protection Group (NCPG) was founded in November 2009 to enforce, amongst others, “The right to be protected against the marketing of goods or the provision of services that are hazardous to health and life.” We would like to know: is the management of MeatCo not concerned about the health of the Namibian consumers? Clearly it would only become an issue when the EU stops these imports. I now appreciate, more than ever, the quote: “...consumer protection can only truly exist in the First World, industrialised, or developed nations due to the fiscal resources necessary to properly execute legal protection of consumer interests.” I sincerely hope that MeatCo corrects the problem to enable it to continue to export to Europe. This is an important part of our economy. I also hope, that MeatCo remembers that we too are consumers even though we do not have the legislative powers YET.

Beauty, the hidden lie of chemicals

Protect our health

MeatCo’s response:

“We were not aware that the medication is banned in the EU as it is legal in Namibia and widely used in other countries such as South Africa. It was an honest oversight and we take full responsibility for this.

All products that emanated from treated animals were successfully traced and isolated – all affected products have thus been recalled. We also would like to add that withdrawal periods, as per law, were adhered to; and products will be extensively tested to confirm that there are no residues of the medication present in it.

We value the reader’s comment but we are definitely not insensitive to the consumers of our product as they are a critical link in our value chain.”

Kind regards,Ebben KalondoSenior Manager: Corporate Communications

By: Milton Louw

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Beauty, the hidden lie of chemicals

Beauty: the hidden lie of chemicals

By: Roland M Roeis

The article Beauty, the promise of chemicals, in the November 2010 issue of Consumer News, which examined some of the hidden chemicals and compounds in make-up and cosmetics, was based on a Canadian source and, by necessity, contained terminology and statements that may be somewhat difficult to follow. The Consumer News team asked me to share with the readers some points worthwhile to know and understand on the topic of EDCs and related matters. I will endeavour to do so. These contributions are not intended to create fear; Consumer News and I merely intend to inform, so that you can take your own informed decisions, if you feel or observe that some EDCs affect or may affect your personal quality of life or that of people in your care. The compound in cosmetics and in so many other commodities on the market has an ugly, scientific name: endocrine disruptive compounds. Translated, it means compounds that destroy the function of ductless glands in our bodies. I once read a more appropriate German name which translated to ‘organic compounds with hormonal effects’. That is part of what these chemicals can do. I first encountered the term ‘endocrine disrupter compounds’ in literature* that I read to pass the time whilst waiting for train and plane connections in Europe. In the course of my work with the Namibian government, about one to two years later, I encountered the term again whilst perusing stacks of articles and book references. To my surprise, I found that EDCs are ubiquitous, potentially even in our drinking- and natural water resources as well as in our wastewater…

What are organic compounds? In chemistry, compounds are composed of elements; if you took science at school, you may remember that we find them listed in the Periodic Table of Elements. Organic compounds are made up mainly of the elements: carbon and hydrogen. All other compounds that are not based on carbon-hydrogen structures are termed inorganic compounds. The reference to ‘organic’ derives from the fact that these compounds are associated with biological life forms, their food, their metabolism, and decay products. Today’s industry has succeeded to artificially produce or synthesise many so-called organic compounds – their relation to ‘life forms’ is by name only. Inorganic compounds do occur in living organisms too, but fulfil a specific role within that life form (e.g. salt in tears, brain fluid, blood, and so forth).

What are endocrine glands?These are glands that secrete hormones (organic compounds) directly into the bloodstream. Endocrine glands produce hormones that in turn play an essential role in the physiological functions in the body’s tissues, nerves and organs. The major endocrine glands are pineal gland, pituitary glands, thyroid glands, thymus gland, adrenal glands, and sexual glands. Apart from their physiological functions like growth control, metabolism, emotional development (mood control), brain rhythms (sleep/awake), sexual function and development, and intellectual development. They are also linked to the immune system in that hormones can act as immune system regulators. The immune system functions as our protection against diseases of all kinds, including cancer.

How do EDCs disrupt the hormonal system?Several reactions between the EDCs and the hormonal system are possible and they range from damaging to destructive, to simply blocking off hormonal functions. We could compare hormones with messengers, carrying a message for a nerve or organ to perform in a specific way or to stop working. In order to function (or deliver their message), hormones dock into receptors on the receiving organ or nerve – similar to the way a key fits a specific lock and none other. Certain chemical compounds have the same or a similar configuration and should ‘dock on’ at very specific receptors that are in fact intended to receive ‘instructions’ from specific hormones. The receptor is then effectively blocked. We observe a similar process in how taste buds on the tongue distinguish between tastes and cells in the nose to discern smells. The receptors can be over-stimulated and we stop smelling or tasting anything. Where a receptor is blocked by a chemical compound that is not a true hormone, either no signal, or a wrong signal is passed onto an organ within the body. This leads to a serious disturbance in the general household of an organ, the brain, or even nerves. Furthermore such a disturbance, if big enough or lasting long enough, will lead to a disease, a wrong development of an organ or a breakdown of normal protection mechanisms in the body. These may come in the form of cancers, deformations, disturbances in the normal functioning of organs, procreative organs, sexual orientation, the personality or emotional make-up of a person, etc. We are of the opinion that the notion or term EDC or endocrine disrupter compound should become a household term.

e d i t o r i a l

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The secret that is driving us to success lies with our determination to ‘Flying the Namibian Spirit’ to the world. Our history is marked with an illustrious past but our future is shaped with big dreams.

At 21, Air Namibia dreams is to see Namibian travel scene changing with the rest of the world. Our aim is to grow from within border and mushroom to the rest of Africa, Europe and beyond. It is with this spirit that the airline has embarked on introducing the upgraded services for our domestic market that is expanding with increasing demand. We are offering our domestic travellers a travel experience that is fast, more comfortable and affordable.

We invite the public to taste our travel experience on our introductory fares for selected domestic route.

We provide personalised range of services for all domestic flights. It is important for you to familiarize yourself with all services available at the point of reservation to see how we can make your travel experience enjoyable.

Air Namibia shares the excitement by announcing the upgraded services through the introduction of the Embraer ERJ 135 to our growing family. The first of the 3 Embraer ERJ 135 was introduced in February, with expectation of the second jet arrival in April and June.

The first two ERJ’s will service the current route with our base at Eros, with the following schedules.

• Eros – Walvis Bay • Eros – Ondangwa• Windhoek – Maun – Victoria Fall • Eros – Rundu - Katima Mulilo

The performance capacity of the ERJ’s are of high standard enabling them to serve smaller cities without forcing a connection; allowing us to augment existing services as well as establish new routes never before served nonstop. For us this means that we can introduce new routes, such as, flights to Rundu as soon as April, and selected regional routes.

The ERJ 135 is equipped with the ability to fly “above the weather,” ensuring a quieter smoother and faster, ride. The higher interior ceilings and wider aisles gives you a larger seating capacity that accommodates 37 passengers and still leaves you room to feel comfortable, while allowing you to work or relax.

Our aim as Air Namibia is to take this journey with you and go the extra mile to bring you great services. We invite you to experience our domestic service UPgrade

A taste of the

Namibian Spirit in the Skies

Embraer ERJ 135 Routes >>

Rundu

ErosThe spirit embodies a distinct approach to celebration of life that is unique to the land of the brave. Evoking the sights, sounds and fragrances of Namibian people, it captures the passion and natural warmth of the people shining through their attitude to life and the way they interact with others.

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e d i t o r i a l

15

It is Friday. Randomly you enter a clothing store. You peruse the different tops, dresses and accessories oohing and aahing as you go. You decide to purchase a lovely, multi-coloured bracelet. You hold your breath and look at the price: N$ 39.99. What?! You look again and notice that N$ 39.99 is the former price, now it is going for N$ 19.99. Phew! You take it to the till and as you hand over a twenty dollar note, the cashier tells you the item was marked down-to N$ 9.99! You almost throw your hands up in triumph, and why not? It is the perfect beginning to the weekend. Funnily enough, this happens quite often but so does the reverse.

The till does not lieHow many times has the same scenario unfolded only instead of being told that the price has gone down, to your dismay you hear it is at full price? What do you do? Understandably most people, after queuing for so long do one of two things: A.) if they can afford it, buy the item at whatever price it is. Or B.) whether they have the money or not decide the hassle of the situation is not worth it and neither is the item. A small percentage of people will argue with the cashier just to vent their frustration: “I have waited this long only for you to tell me that this is the wrong price? That is not my problem! All I know is I am following the price that is shown.” Which never goes very far because the cashier will invariably say: “Sorry mam, someone must have put the wrong label by mistake. The till is showing the full price of N$ 39.99.” Or even something clever like: “The till doesn’t lie.” Most people, having gotten this far, will take a deep breath and do either option A or option B as detailed above. A very small percentage of people will ask for the manager.

Now it gets interesting. Depending on the impression you make, how angry you are and what kind of person the manager on duty is, the outcome can swing either way. This tends to work with older customers of a dignified bearing because when they say ‘don’t you know who I am! I will shut down this whole shop!’ it is believable. You can even see the manager’s job flash before their eyes as they imagine having to explain to head office why Mr/Mrs. XXX (fill in the gap)’s wife/husband was not properly attended to, and how they failed to recognise them.

A legal course of action?Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a law or legal recourse in this situation. This is mainly due to the fact that if the till rings up the price as lower than the price shown on the shelf, the manager would never claim that their business was on the verge of collapse, and neither would we refuse to pay lower! Once again it would be the prerogative of the manager, after all, as Olivia Allen, from the Namibia Customer Service Institute, advises: “it would be better for business if the manager may decide to charge the lower price anyway.” For all the customer service complaints out there, hearing of a shop where such an occurrence would happen shows great customer care and good will.

A cloud through every silver liningAs you walk out of the shop pleased with your twice-discounted purchase, you think about how you will return to this your new favourite clothing store because of the wonderful sales they always seem to have. And yet...from NS39.99 to N$ 9.99, you cannot help but wonder how much it really cost to make the bracelet. After all, it says made in China.

The till doesn’t lieBy: Tendai Karonga

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e d i t o r i a l

Over the past three years, Namibia has been running heads-off doing research on which energy source could be suitable for Namibia to produce sufficient energy for the whole country. In May 2008, a group of Finnish experts, on a mission to carry out a feasibility study on various energy sources, suggested that the burning of wood to produce electricity would be the best option for Namibia. According to the Namibian, “60 000 tonnes of wood a year would [have to] be harvested from an area approximately 8 600 hectares in size.” However, due to bush encroachment, this would not be a good option for our country because we depend on agriculture; cutting and burning of such amount of wood every year will therefore lead to desertification. Currently, we get our electricity from NamPower and their main sources of power are the thermal coal-fired

Power optionsfor Namibia

Van Eck Power Station outside Windhoek, the hydroelectric plant at the Ruacana Falls in the Kunene Region, and the standby diesel-driven Paratus Power Station at Walvis Bay. In 2010, the price of electricity in the country increased by 35%. Is there something that the government can do to relieve the rapid increase in rates of electricity? Perhaps a look at the varying energy source options available to us: Nuclear power originates from the splitting of uranium atoms in a process called fission. At the power plant, the fission process is used to generate heat for producing steam, which is used by a turbine to generate electricity. Nuclear power produces around 11% of the world’s energy needs, and produces huge amounts of energy from small amounts of fuel without the pollution that you would get from burning fossil fuels. Due to this, nuclear power has been one of the greatest way of providing electricity in many developed countries. However nuclear power poses specific demands on national infrastructures that have to be satisfied by any country to achieve success in its introduction as well as its safe and reliable use. These demands include nuclear power’s technical complexity, the required high level of investment, and strict safety requirements. Nuclear power is said to be one of the energy sources that contributes to the country’s economy in different ways.

> >

By: Kaarina Nairenge

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•Extensive scientific basis for the cycle •Produce a high amount of energy•Create jobs

•Wind is available and free•Generation and mainte-nance cost is reasonable compared to nuclear.•Wind is a renewable resource •Safe, does not produce any toxic waste harmful to hu-man or vegetation

•Sunlight is free and available•Safe and cheap to manage

•Requires larger capital cost for safety reasons and nuclear waste storage system •Releases toxic wastes that are harmful for human health

•Limited to windy areas•Need many tower to produce enough energy•High climate demands•The wind turbines may effect endangered birds

•High climate demands (more sunlight more energy produced)•Current technology requires large amounts of land for small amounts of energy generation

Source Advantage Disadvantage

Nuclear

Wind

Solar

However, massive nuclear waste is produced during this process and it is very dangerous to human health. It is said to cause cancer, birth defects and lead to genetic damage. It therefore requires resolution of the long-term high level waste storage in any county. It must be sealed and buried for years to allow the radioactivity to die away. If these toxic wastes are not properly sealed, they can contaminate the soil and vegetation. Nuclear power is said to be reliable, but a lot of money has to be spent on safety; if anything goes wrong, a nuclear accident can be a major disaster.

Wind energy is another option available to produce energy and is efficiently employed in many countries such as France, Spain, Germany and India. 5% of India’s Electricity is being supplied by wind energy generation. Like any other source of energy, wind energy generation has advantages and disadvantages. The best places to build wind farms in Namibia are at the coast, in the deserts and mountainous areas. Wind is free, available and does not need fuel. It is a renewable resource and can therefore not be depleted, unlike uranium In addition, wind power is safe; it does not release any form of toxic waste. Unfortunately, the wind is not always predictable; it is highly climate dependant, thus energy is only produced when there’s availability of wind.

Below is a breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages of the energy sources outlined above.

Solar energy, which is free, safe and available and is obviously the best and safest bet for Namibia. Namibia is a sun-rich country and has seven to eight months of sunshine every year. By using solar cells – also called photovoltaic or photoelectric cells – we can convert light directly into electricity.

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s p o r t

19

When the real Ronaldo quit football, an EPL fan said the Brazilian legend could never rank among the best because he had never played in England. Now why would any sane person come up with such an absurd remark? A bloke that probably believes the WWE is a global sport. The reason why Ronaldo, or Zidane and Romario, before him ignored the EPL is obvious; it would have stifled their flair. Just because the British media overhypes its league and its players, it does not mean that they play good football. Let’s face it, the EPL has money...and that’s about it. Anyone who truly loves football would choose to watch Sporting Gijon play Levante or Sampdoria against Bari. If necessary, even a match between FC Koln and Mainz than the much obsessed-about Manchester Derby. And, for the record, Wayne Rooney is not the best player in the EPL either. He is at least three times below the levels of Carlos Tevez, Dimitar Berbatov and four five notches behind Fernando Torres. Olympique Marseille Sporting Director, Jose Anigo, made a valid footballing point before his team’s goalless UEFA Champions League in the last 16 first-leg draw with Manchester United. He said: “In essence, it is the financial aspect of the game that dominates in England, not the sports project.” He than went on to state: “The French players (based in the EPL) are used to touching the ball, but now they just see it fly over their heads for 90 minutes.” As you can imagine, Anigo’s opinion of the self-proclaimed best league in the world didn’t go down too well with astute EPL followers and this columnist is less likely to be much popular with them either. Namibian’s have been exposed to the English premiership for so long that it clouds their judgement. Until recently, most EPL followers only watched matches involving the so-called traditional top four

(i.e. Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool) anyway. However they have, to their credit, of late broadened their limited scope to include Tottenham Hotspurs and Man City. If the EPL is such a great league, why would the average EPL diehard enthusiast choose to ignore a hardworking Stoke City play a stubborn Wigan Athletic? The EPL is the best marketed football competition, but that does not make it the best league to play football in. The German Bundesliga, which is incredibly under-rated, has very good matches. In fact most teams in that league have adopted an offensive approach to the game which has made the usually dull matches more of a spectacle. Yes, the EPL has had the most teams in the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League in recent seasons, but that does not compensate for their lack of skill. As a matter of fact Spanish and Italian clubs have won and appeared

in the final stages of European competitions more than English clubs have overall. In addition, Arsenal fans would most likely enjoy watching their team play Barcelona every week. Spurs fans will equally welcome a match against AC Milan over Liverpool or Manchester United. Imagine the EPL without Arsenal and Tottenham – 90 minutes of sprinting, lots of aimless crosses and the occasional wonder strike. All graft and no flair from August to May. That should be painful. Look at it this way: football is like dancing; a game in La Liga is like a beautiful woman dancing graciously. Whereas in the EPL, it is like a fat chick who keeps stepping on your toes! So in essence the EPL lowers the significance of talent and is over-reliant on physicality. Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is not a good example of football.

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English football, a grafty tradeBy: Staff Reporter

By: Anna Kangombe

CN

A geyser accounts for up to 40% of your electricity bill.•Ensure that your thermostat is set to no more than 55 •Degrees Celsius.Wrapping your geyser in an insulating blanket can cut •power consumption by half.

Electric heaters that •are controlled by thermostats are more energyefficient.Oilfilledheatersare•the safest.Only heat rooms that •are occupied.

Use a pressure cooker when preparing •food that normally takes a long time to cook.Consider buying a stove with a •convection oven.The size of the pot to match the size •of the stove plate.Usecookingutensilswithflatbottoms•and tight coversDo not use grill compartment to make •toastDon’t use a stove to light a cigarette.•Never use the stove or hot plate as •heaters.

Defrost food before cooking in microwave.•Only use a microwave to cook small to medium quantities of food•Compare cooking times on packaging and use the method that •takes the least time and power.

Only boil the amount of •water that you needKeep your kettle’s •element clean of chlorine build up by boiling vinegar.

It is a fact that a front •loading washing machine uses less water and power than top loaders.Use warm and cold water •settingsOnly use the machine to •do full loads of washing.

Don’t open fridge doors unnecessarily•Ensure that door seals are intact•Switch off the fridge when it is •empty or when going on holidayLet hot food cool down before •placing it in the refrigeratorDefrost the fridge regularly •Leave space between items on •shelves, this allows cool air to circulate more easily.

Run it only when it •is fullTurn it off before •the drying cycle starts and dry dishes manually.Connect the •machine to the cold water supplyMake sure that •allthefiltersstayclean.

Why pay for hot water not being used?

Why pay for heating rooms that are not occupied?

Why pay for boiling a full kettle of water if you only need a cup?

Why pay for full cycle when washing only 2 items?

GEySER

HEATER

ELECTRIC STOvE

MICROWAvE

KETTLE

AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE

fRIDGE

DISHWASHER

for more information please visit our website at www.nampower.com.na

Don't Waste a Watt!!

CN

A geyser accounts for up to 40% of your electricity bill.•Ensure that your thermostat is set to no more than 55 •Degrees Celsius.Wrapping your geyser in an insulating blanket can cut •power consumption by half.

Electric heaters that •are controlled by thermostats are more energyefficient.Oilfilledheatersare•the safest.Only heat rooms that •are occupied.

Use a pressure cooker when preparing •food that normally takes a long time to cook.Consider buying a stove with a •convection oven.The size of the pot to match the size •of the stove plate.Usecookingutensilswithflatbottoms•and tight coversDo not use grill compartment to make •toastDon’t use a stove to light a cigarette.•Never use the stove or hot plate as •heaters.

Defrost food before cooking in microwave.•Only use a microwave to cook small to medium quantities of food•Compare cooking times on packaging and use the method that •takes the least time and power.

Only boil the amount of •water that you needKeep your kettle’s •element clean of chlorine build up by boiling vinegar.

It is a fact that a front •loading washing machine uses less water and power than top loaders.Use warm and cold water •settingsOnly use the machine to •do full loads of washing.

Don’t open fridge doors unnecessarily•Ensure that door seals are intact•Switch off the fridge when it is •empty or when going on holidayLet hot food cool down before •placing it in the refrigeratorDefrost the fridge regularly •Leave space between items on •shelves, this allows cool air to circulate more easily.

Run it only when it •is fullTurn it off before •the drying cycle starts and dry dishes manually.Connect the •machine to the cold water supplyMake sure that •allthefiltersstayclean.

Why pay for hot water not being used?

Why pay for heating rooms that are not occupied?

Why pay for boiling a full kettle of water if you only need a cup?

Why pay for full cycle when washing only 2 items?

GEySER

HEATER

ELECTRIC STOvE

MICROWAvE

KETTLE

AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE

fRIDGE

DISHWASHER

for more information please visit our website at www.nampower.com.na

Don't Waste a Watt!!

Freezers that are iced up use substantially more • power, so keeping freezers frost free will save you power and money.Not overstocking your freezer means that cold air • circulates easier and less power is required to keep temperature constant.

Use a thermostastically controlled iron that switches itself • off when the correct temperature is reached.Switch an iron off once it has reached the correct • temperature and complete the ironing on stored energy.Use distilled water in steam irons• Iron low temperature fabrics first to reduce warm-up time•

Tumble dryers are great • appliances, but consume vast amounts of energy.Use correct temperature • setting to minimise electricity use.Removing excess water before • putting clothes into the tumble dryer saves time and power.Best of all, use sunny days to • dry clothes outdoors.

( Toasters, electric grills, slow cookers, electric pots/pans)

Clean and inspect filters regularly • Set your air conditioner to recirculate cool air instead • of drawing in warm outside air.Protect outdoor cooling units from the sun.•

Standby-button • consumes en-ergy.Switch off the • power button.

Only recharge your cellphone battery when it is com-• pletely drainedNever leave your cellphone charging overnight• When your cellphone is fully charged, unplug the char-• ger.

Replace conventional bulbs with Compact Fluorescent • Light (CFL) bulbs where possible.CFL bulbs give the same light while using a fifth of the • power and last 10 times longer.Always switch off lights when you leave a room.•

They use less • electricity than a stove

Why pay for cooling/heating rooms that are not occupied?

Why pay for 24 hours usage?

FREEZER

IRON

TUMBLE DRYER

SMALL APPLIANCES

AIR-CONDITIONER

TV/DVD/STEREO/COMPUTERS

CELLPHONE

LIGHTBULBS

For more information please visit our website at www.nampower.com.na

CN22CN

Dear Editor,

Below follows a series of events which I’d like to air as I feel the public needs to know about the complete lack of customer service and inherent disregard for business ethics. In fact, I feel the public is being deceived and being made to pay for a product which they are not receiving.

Background:I’ve recently moved into a new house which required a significant amount of landscaping. Part of the landscaping involves the placement of an estimated 280 square meters of lawn. I specifically requested instant/roll-on lawn from my landscaper as I required grass cover for a special event. He is not a supplier of the product but proceeded to procure the product from Mr Piet Hough of Roll on Lawn (situated in Brakwater, just north of Windhoek).

The End Product:The lawn is supposed to be a neat and complete mat of lawn which is skimmed off a field of lawn. It merely requires placement and rolling out (preceded by ground preparation and followed with watering and rolling). What I received was a mixture of some decent rolls but the majority were strands of grass held together with soil. Needless to say, the end result was that I was short of about 55 square meters of grass (gaping hole in the lawn can be seen on attached photo). This is after we tried to salvage every small little patch we could out of the heap of rubbish. Customer Service and Resolution:

What makes this worse it that you have pay him in advance, and in full, so one has no leverage with regards to withholding payment. Mr Hough is also the only grower of this product so he knows he can offer a sub-standard service/product and won’t suffer any significant consequence. My landscaper kindly requested Mr Hough to visit the site to witness in person the poor product he supplied. Mr Hough declined to visit the site stating his people know what they’re doing. Since I’m the end “user” of the product I proceeded to phone Mr Hough. His phone was off and I left a message requesting him to visit my house. Shortly after this he phoned my landscaper and with a barrage of expletives asked him: “Why are you making your customer’s problems mine?”

Mr Hough fails to grasp that my landscaper is merely the installer of his product which was not up to scratch from the start. He also fails to recognise that I am in fact his client since I’m the one who uses and paid for the product. Mr Hough then said to my landscaper he will refund him for the 55 square meters of lawn but will not supply him with the lawn. This does not resolve the problem as can be noted by the gaping hole in my lawn. To date, no confirmation of this refund has been received.We tried to phone his foreman (only known to me as Jacques) to ask if he wants to visit the site. He also refused to discuss the matter with me stating: “You are not my client”. I asked what action I shall take to which he responded: “Do what you want”. I tried later that night to get hold of Mr Hough again, but again was only able to leave a message. Mr Hough never returned a call or attempted to contact me.

Concern:I, as an end user, feel that the product, service, and manner in which Roll on Lawn undertakes business is greatly in contravention of any consumer rights and ethics. Upon further enquiry I found that this seems to be a general practice of Mr Hough and I am not alone in suffering at the hands of his poor product and service. My landscaper can confirm that on several occasions the same happened to other clients of his. Not once did Mr Hough attend the site to view his poor product or try to resolve the matter amicably. Every time the client just has to pay for more grass.My personal view is that I paid for Fillet steak and received minced meat. If I knew that half of what I will receive will be strands of grass I would’ve sown seeds or plant seedlings from the start. I’ve been waiting since 17th January for the delivery of grass. Admittedly the heavy rains prevented the grass from being cut but the fact of the matter is seedlings would’ve nearly covered by now with a lot less cost or hassle (had I known what I know now).I would really like someone to investigate his business handlings in further detail and make known to the whole of Namibia that this man and his business should be avoided at all cost. Regards,Pewer Fourie

Consumer Complaint

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Law Society of NamibiaWe are dealing with a contractual relationship. The nature of the relationship depends on the exact terms and conditions of any written documents or an oral agreement that arose explicitly or impliedly.From the facts provided, we cannot determine whether the landscaper was the agent of Mr Fourie in ordering the lawn from Mr Hough or whether Mr Fourie contracted with the land-scaper to provide the lawn. This is important as only the actual contracting parties are liable to one another.Mr Fourie bought “roll on” lawn. If the product supplied differs materially from that supplied, the contract can be cancelled. In that case, money paid can be recovered. Mr Fourie also has the option to enforce the agreement, claiming that the correct lawn be provided. If this is not possible, objectively, a court will not order compliance. In both scenarios Mr Fourie can also claim damages for any damage suffered. The nature and extent of damages claimable will depend on the details. It must be kept in mind that, unfortunately, annoyance and irritation do not constitute damage claimable in law.

Every month we pose a question sent in by a reader to our panel of experts. Send questions to [email protected] or fax to (061) 228 196

responses

Wheely Bin XpressWe have also experienced issues of this nature with some lawn suppliers. As a result, we ended up losing a lot of money because we had to refund our clients as the lawn will just not develop. It is of course good to hear that you can have your lawn within in a day or so, but as per our experience, it is always best to do thorough research on the supplier, and the varying methods of lawn installation before you purchase your lawn. Yes it takes time but in the long-term it will be time well spent.Also, some landscapers, or their employees, fail to comply with lawn laying instructions; this plays a big role in the survival of the lawn. In the case of the end-user not following certain instructions – such as watering methods – the landscaper cannot be held liable.

CN 23

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An observation has been made, and a conclusion was reached thereafter, that many initiates into the job market seem to have ultra-high expectations from their jobs and desire to shape the job to fit their lives rather than adapting their lives to the jobs. Of course, this is an observation made by bosses that have managed companies or departments for quite some time. Many of these initiates conclude that managers are people who seem to have lost touch of reality somewhere along the ledges of the ladder or are really just from a generation that they are glad to not be from. Now there is no denying that either party’s argument is valid; many individuals who have at least over 30 years’ management experience seem to be having a difficult time understanding, and consequently managing, this generation of initiates. These initiates, equally, are a breed that has grown up with leaders that say one thing but do another. They are thus disconnected at a relational level. This has led to them fervently seeking for some sort of ‘authentic communities’ with leaders that walk the talk. For the said manager, that equates to someone who wants to be parented in the workplace. However, from a bird’s eye view, it is just a matter of both parties understanding each others’ expectations. For this issue, we look at the initiate’s expectations and perhaps briefly offer solutions to each.

1. Poor communication A substantial percentage of management problems are of course people problems, and these stem primarily from poor communication. Part of the problem is attributed to poor listening skills; many people are poor listeners, even in everyday life. They tend to be distracted by thought while seemingly listening to another person. That is if arrogance and ignorance are not rearing their heads.

Listening skills play an important role in the overall communication process; communication is, subsequently, the skill that leads to signing that million-dollar deal. What can be done to improve your listening skills?

• Eliminatedistractions• Knowyourblindspots–assumptionsand prejudices• Beanactivelistener.Paraphraseandask questions.

Managing born-frees• Beanempathiclistener.Listenforcontext rules within the message• Facethespeakerandkeepaneyecontact, except, of course where it would it is a cultural taboo• Listentoideas/conceptsandnotjustwords• Don’tinterruptthespeaker• Givefeedback• Payattentiontowhatisnotsaid

Equally, when you as a manager are communicating, do it in such a way that the message is delivered and heard in a clear concise manner. A book entitled “The Psychology of Memory” states that you retain only 10 percent of what you hear, 72 hours after hearing it. So when delivering your message, be sure to know your objective so you can be clear, specific and concise. Check for understanding by asking questions and listening to the feedback. Listen for the intended meaning. Eliminate obvious distractions. Acknowledge your personal hidden assumptions and prejudices. Actively listen by asking probing questions. Listen with empathy for the “heart and soul” of what the other person is saying.

2. Fear of changeFear of change, or ambiguity of the unknown, as many Change Management professionals would say, is elusive as it is not a once-off occurrence; initiates don’t just flood into your company... The greatest obstacle to any change is the “fear of change” itself.

Whether one likes it or not, change will happen; it’s one of the few things in life that is guaranteed. Rather than going through life being afraid of it, why not make it is easy and turn this perspective around and see how change can positively impact you? Consider this way of thinking:

• IfIchange,Iwillencounternewsituations• IfIchangethenIwillbeallowingmyselfto explore• Thefearofchangeinfringesonmyrightsto learn• ChangemeansI’mbeingactiveasopposedto passive and submissive 3. Managing teams effectively Assess the strengths and weaknesses of each team

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member and delegate work accordingly based on the skill and interest level of each person. As earlier mentioned, give clear instructions as to what is expected out of each team member and follow through as required instead of micromanaging. A clear understanding of the requirements encourages the employee to live up to your expectation, to feel accountable for results and solve issues proactively. When a team member does a good job with a task or project, let them know. This is one of the easiest morale builders for a team. It can also be an effective way to build team unity and loyalty. Take responsibility for the team and acknowledge their efforts in meetings. A boss that sticks up for his or her team creates loyalty and motivates the team members to go the extra mile for the boss. 4. Sound time management principlesCEOs, in particular, have always struggled to fit 24 hours into a 12-hour day. It simply doesn’t work. We don’t manage time. We manage our choices and actions. To be successful in today’s business environment thus requires using creative principles of time management at work. This will not only help you do your job more effectively, but practicing these time management principles will also help lower your stress levels. To lower your stress levels, and to guarantee more time to enjoy, you will have to decide what you

are willing to stop doing or do differently. Consider the barriers to making those difficult choices? Next try surveying how much time you have. Make a list of your projects and prioritise their importance; everything has to have a deadline. Take your most important project and break it down into tasks.Decidewhichtaskscanbedelegatedtoothers.Even if you think that you will be able to complete all of the tasks better than anyone else on your team, it is important to try to delegate. Make sure to keep a record of your due dates, who you delegated other tasks to and the due dates of the delegated tasks.

References1. Corporate Leadership: Avoid the fatal flaws of management, http://www.biztimes.com/news/2008/3/21/corporate-leadership-avoid-the-fatal-flaws-of-management , retrieved on16 February 20112. How to Overcome the Five Fatal Flaws of Management http://www.boyens.com/article_files/How_to_Overcome_the_Five_Fatal_Flaws_of_Management.pdf, retrieved on 16 February 20113. Principles of time management, http://www.discover-time-management.com/principles-of-time-management.html, retrieved on 16 February 2011

To lower your stress levels and to guarantee more time to enjoy, you will have to decide what you are willing to stop doing or do differently.

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BW. Tell us about yourself...where were you born, where did you school? LM. I was born on 11 August 1987 in a little town called Lubango in Angola. Two years later my mother and I relo-cated to Ovamboland for another two years. I grew up and started my schooling in Sweden Stockholm. We came back to Namibia were I completed my primary schooling at Emma Hoogenhout and matriculated at Windhoek High School. I am currently a final-year Marketing student majoring in Tourism at the Polytechnic of Namibia. I am also employed full-time at a tourism firm in Windhoek. Luise is approach-able and enjoys the simple things in life. BW. Tell us about Fashion and Art Flea Market; fill us in on how you came up with the idea? LM. The brain child behind the Fashion and art flea market was actually Ms. Niita Emvula, who is currently working in the UK. The flea market stems from participants who are in-vited to explore an eccentric world of local fashion styles and art trends that appeals greatly to bargain hunters and those who enjoy original places to stroll around for classic antiques like: furniture, local designs, clothes, books, jewellery, toys, old tools, shoes and many more. The monthly event is work-ing to connect local up-and-coming entrepreneurs to the community in a cost effective way to create awareness of an active sub-cultural community. Namibia offers an unavoid-able wealth of antiques, the fashion and arts market has thus far managed to group individuals who have similar aspira-tions and a platform to showcase their goods/services. The Windhoek Fashion and Arts flea market takes place ev-ery first Saturday of the month at the Zenso Lounge Terrace from 8:00 am to 17:00 pm. Stalls are charged at N$ 50.00 for the whole day. BW. What challenges have you faced since materialising this concept? LM. We have to admit that the going has been tough. The general public has taken a while to comprehend the concept and therefore the number of ‘feet’ coming to the market has discouraged usual participants. The concept is relatively new to Namibia, we have also come to realise that not a lot of people know where Zenso Lounge is. It is Town Square Park-ing by the way. However, through adequate marketing we are eliminating these concerns slowly. BW. What highlights can you share with us; what has been your greatest achievement to date regarding the flea market? LM.Gettingitofftheground,offeringstallownersandup-and-coming entrepreneurs a platform to showcase their

products/services (which, we have come to learn, has re-sulted in quiet a number of participants to becoming self-employed) has been our greatest accomplishment. BW. If I’m not mistaken, the City of Windhoek used to host a flea market years ago, what would you say led to it losing its popu-larity? LM. They gave up too soon. Before we started this initiative, we already knew that it would take some time to get people to warm up to the concept; you have to drive and attract the market consistently, although we are a business, we weren’t in any rush to make a profit on the spot but rather to build ourselves as a brand first. BW. Many young people have innovative ideas such as yours but fail to get them off the ground, what advise would you give them in this regard? LM. Before you start have a business plan for guidance, one should provisionally prepare for anything. You can always revert back to your business plan and see where you went wrong or where you can improve. And remember that Pa-tience is a virtue, get rich quick schemes don’t last. BW. Lastly, please share with us your life philosophy LM. Love always begins with you and loving yourself, only you can edify how people should treat you. I believe that positive thinking and having positive people around you leads to positive innovation.

LUISE T. MWANAYANGAPOFASHION AND ART FLEA MARKET COORDINATOR

We would like to believe that business people are made before they are born. For that reason, every month, we will speak to different entrepreneurs to share in their experiences and to get their com-ments on the entrepreneurship journey. This month, we speak to Luise Mwanay-angapo, Coordinator of the Fashion and Art Flea Market.

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In this issue, we take a look at the difference between savings and investments. It has come to our attention that many people use the terms interchangeably and therefore seem to miss the many wonderful perks offered by either principles of growing your money. We have also realised that those that do know the difference are intimidated by the term ‘risk’, which is often associated with both the practices of investing, and (but rarely really) savings. Before all else, we understand why many people are reluctant to invest; it should however be stated that nothing is without risk. It is just a matter of being well informed on the type of saving/investment options there are, the risks involved, the returns on each, and how liquid various financial assets are (that is, how quickly and easily you may convert your investment to cash). We want to believe that many of us adhere to the financial rule (to financial freedom) of saving or investing at least 10% of our earnings monthly. There are of course disagreements on what constitutes savings as it is apparently synonymous to investing. Some say it is simply putting away a certain amount of your income in a financial intermediary such as a bank or an insurance company, others believe that paying off a mortgage bond is saving because you are indirectly putting away money for acquisition of a fixed asset, while majority think that buying stocks is

the only thing that comes close to investing. Either way, saving is a good practice; it allows you to increase the amount of fixed capital available to you in future. Cash savings, as they are often referred to, are monies put aside for a short-term goal or in case of emergency. Choosing this as a means of achieving some sort of financial freedom comes with perks such as earning interest and a guarantee that your money will be intact and accessible when it is needed. Investing, equally, is an attempt at making your money grow. However, this happens over a longer time as compared to the savings option. You can make your money grow by allowing it to compound. With this option, you purchase an asset that will generate a “safe” and acceptable return over time. These ‘assets’ range from rare wines, jewellery, to mutual funds, real estate, and stocks, just to name a few. Savings is, therefore, accumulating your money, while investing is, as Robert Kiyosaki would put it: “making your money work for you”. This means using your money to earn you more money. Of course you earn a plausible reward for putting away your money: with savings, you earn a fixed amount of interest, and with investments like mutual funds or stocks, your money has the potential to grow even twofold depending on certain uncertain market behaviours and the package you choose to invest through.

Mantra: Achieve Financial Freedom...

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By: Erika Reissner, MarketingAlexander Forbes Group Namibia (Pty) Ltd

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With reference to the statement on risks involved above, let’s take a brief look at the risks involved in both these options of growing your money.

Risk in Saving and InvestingEver heard the saying: “No pain, no gain”? Well, you must remember that along with the potential for extraordinary gain, there is also the potential for loss; of course these two go hand in hand. You can lose money investing in stocks just as you can through the safest savings instrument as it carries unseen risks. Either way, try to understand the relationship between risk and reward when composing your personal investment philosophy. Most savings instruments trade security for return; this implies that even if they are safe, they pay very little returns. When you consider for instance inflation and taxes, many so-called safe savings instruments return almost nothing, and some can actually lose ground. Consider an instrument that earns you 5% interest for instance. It is important to note here that, contrary to popular belief, the 5% is calculated at an annual rate and not monthly. If you invest N$1000 in January for instance, you will have N$1600 in your savings accountbyDecember.Thisimplies that you earn about N$600 per annum. This is calculated as follows:

Most people think of investment risk in one way: “How likely am I to lose money?” Unlike bank savings, however, stocks and bonds, over the long-term, do offer enough returns to outpace inflation, but they may also decline in value from time to time. There are some risks you have some control over and others that you can only guard against. However, other risks are inherent to investing; you will therefore have no control over these risks. Most of these risks affect the market or the economy and require investors to adjust portfolios or ride out the storm. Below is a list of the types of risks that investors face. We will outline and cover the strategies, where appropriate, for dealing with the problems caused by these risks through follow-up articles.

(5% × 12 months) × N$1000

Not all the risks may be present at one time, in any single investment; many a times, the various kinds of risks are interlinked. Investment in a company that faces high business risk for instance automatically has a higher liquidity risk than a similar investment in other companies with a lesser degree of business risk. If the thought of losing money makes your stomach knot up, stick to savings instruments. However, the goal is to find a way to ensure that your money is safe from risk and readily available for immediate use while at the same time positioned to offset the eroding effects of inflation. It is important, therefore, to carefully assess the existence of each kind of risk, and its intensity in whichever investment opportunity you may consider. However, do not let the presence of risk feed your reluctance to invest. Select a savings option that accomplishes both of these objectives and is also easy to set up and manage. Please remember that there is always some risk or the other in every investment option; no risk, no gain. Polish your skills in managing your investments; it is just a matter of achieving the right balance between risks and returns. Where risk is high, returns can also be expected to be high. Some things to consider when saving/investing: the amount of money that you’re going to put into your savings account; the amount of time that you have before the funds are needed; and how important to you convenience of the funds is. Just as it is important to consider the risks involved in investing, it is also important to consider the risks of not saving. There are quiet a number of risks in not saving adequately for your future needs and goals. Too many people for example think that Social Security payments will be sufficient for their financial security after retirement. Think again; consider the likelihood of Social Security benefits not providing adequate money for a post-retirement lifestyle. Also, keep in mind that your life expectancy might outpace your savings. Consider those risks that you have no control over such as the possibility of a major unexpected life or economic event and the impact of inflation on your savings. Financial independence is the freedom to stop working anytime you want and still be able to live the lifestyle you desire. To achieve financial freedom, consider passive income; the interest of your saving account is a kind of passive income. You do not need to work to earn it. To achieve financial freedom, your passive income should be greater than or equal to your expenses. In the next issue, we take a look at risks involved in investing. In the meantime, meditate on achieving financial freedom; you will not regret it.

• Economic risks

• Business risk

• Default risk

• Inflation risk

• Market value risk

• Liquidity risk

• Political risk

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• Economic risks

• Business risk

• Default risk

• Inflation risk

• Market value risk

• Liquidity risk

• Political risk

Erika Reissner: [email protected] / Tel: (061) 293 7002

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Ever wondered why people who work in the same building would all catch the flu, or start showing a range of symptoms of some illness or the other at the same time? Even if it’s not winter when the flu is at least more likely to strike...? Ever heardofthetermSickBuildingSyndrome(SBS)–sometimesreferredtoasBuildingRelatedIllness(BRI)–? Well if you haven’t, no worries; we are here to en-lighten you. SBS is a combination of ailments which are most commonly associated to poor indoor air quality of an individual’s place of work. It is used to describe situations in which occupants of a given building experience heightened health and other discomforts that are associated to the times they spent in a building. As yet, no single cause has been identified; most experts believe that SBS may be the result of a combination of different factors. Causes are often pinned to flaws in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The problem has also been linked to when a building is op-erated or maintained in a manner that is inconsistent with its original design, and/or to prescribed operating procedures. Some building occupants would for instance parti-tion a room so as to create cubicles. In doing so, and some-times without consideration to building regulations, these occupants block off certain air circulation systems (for the lack of a better term) and so cause an imbalance in indoor air movement within their office space. Other causes have been attributed to contaminants produced by off-gassing (the release of a gas that was dis-solved, trapped, frozen, or absorbed into some material within the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system). Also, some types of building materials have been suspected to cause SBS. Volatile organic compounds (VOC); moulds; ozone produced by photocopiers and printers; psychological fac-tors such as stress or poor staff morale; poor lighting that causesglareorflickeronvisualdisplayunits(VDUs);lightin-dustrial chemicals used within the office; low humidity due to lack of adequate fresh-air intake/air filtration; airborne pollutants such as dust, carpet fibres or fungal spores; and

Building Related Illnessespoor standards of cleanliness in the working environment have also been linked to SBS. Generaltirednessismostoftenthemostcommonsymptom; it usually starts within a few hours of arriving at work, and improves within minutes of leaving the building. Sometimes one would find occupants of a given building complaining about a week-long headache or about a combi-nation of eye-nose-throat discomfort. Sometimes one would discover that a substantial number of occupants of that building are experiencing a dry cough; dry or itchy skin; diz-ziness and nausea; difficulty in concentrating; fatigue; and sensitivity to odours. These are all symptoms of SBS. It is important to note that complaints may result from other causes; these may include job-related stress or dissatisfaction, and other psychosocial factors. Nevertheless, studies show that symptoms may be caused and/or exacer-bated by indoor air quality problems. If you think that your working environment is mak-ing you ill, talk to your colleagues to see whether they are having similar symptoms. Raise the issue with your health and safety representative, as well as your employer to rectify it. It is, after all, your employer’s duty to ensure the health of the employees.

Symptoms are often dealt with by boosting the overall turnover rate of fresh air exchange with the out-side air. Recent times have seen an increasing number of business owners opting for green building design. The goal of this option is to avoid most of the SBS problem sources; to minimise the ongoing use of VOC cleaning compounds; and to eliminate conditions that encourage allergenic and potentially-deadly mould growth.

The problem can also be treated by: educating both employers and employees about the problem and how to recognise it; addressing relevant psychosocial issues such as high job demands and low support; removing of the pollu-tion source if possible; improving building ventilation; dis-couraging smoking; and also by increasing the number of live plants in buildings. It is of course in the company’s best interest that SBS are recognised and treated. This is because the company is likely to lose profits due to absenteeism because of rectifi-able issues such as SBS. In the next issue, we will take a look at the means of rectifying issues related to SBS. In the mean-time, monitor your and your employees’ health and examine the possible causes. It is, after all, also to the benefit of the company’s profits.

References1.Clean Air Plants & Sick Building Syndrome. (21 February 2011). Re-trieved from http://www.oxford.net/~steve/sick.htm2.NHS. Sick Building Syndrome. (21 February 2011). Retrieved from. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Sick-building-syndrome/Pages/In-troduction.aspx 3.Indoor Air Quality. Indoor Air Facts No. 4 (revised) Sick Building Syndrome. (21 February 2011). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/sbs.html

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32052 Premiumistaion.indd 1 7/30/10 10:41:09 AM

If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right. If you woke up this morning with a strange feeling that the Consumer News team couldn’t get any better, well...push that feeling aside; we’re awesome and it’s thanks to you, our avid readers. With that said, we’re delighted to present to you our newest addition to the publication; the Business Watch. It is general knowledge that not all entrepreneurs have a Business Degree; through the Business Watch, and with ourcontributors, we are aiming to play the role of business educator. The publication will therefore serve as the ‘go-to’ media when entrepreneurs and business-minded people are faced with a business-related dilemma or want to enlighten themselves on issues relating to the business arena. The supplement is obviously still in its infant stages and will look bigger and better as the year progresses, and as you offer your assistance in the form of criticism, comments and suggestions. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy reading through the Business Watch. We will be looking forward to receiving comments and suggestions from you. Together we can identify and rectify problem areas on the journey to entrepreneurship; it is after all teamwork that leads to business success.

Viki

EDITOR’SNOTE

Bus

ines

s Wat

chCONTENT

Managing born-frees 24Featuring...Luise Mwanayangapo 27

Mantra: Achieve financial freedom 28Building Related Illnesses 31

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WatchBusinessI d e n t i f y i n g O p p o r t u n i t y

EDITION

01 In the business world, everyone is paid in two coins: cash and experience. Taketheexperiencefirst;thecashwillcomelater.~HaroldGeneen

savings vsinvestments

managingrookies

consumer news namibia march 2011

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