Day: June 30, 2024

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Harders Cup makes a return


WINDHOEK: The fourth edition of the Harders Cup will be held this September, with organisers announcing that over 20 teams will be competing for top honours at this year’s championship.

The Lderitz-based football tournament, which commenced in 2017, has expanded into a regional competition, with 20 teams from the ||Kharas Region set to compete for top honours.

The date for the fourth edition of the Harders Cup is set for Friday, 20 September to Sunday, 22 September 2024. In 2020 the competition took a hiatus due to COVID-19 and a lack of sponsorship.

A statement availed to Nampa on Saturday by Harders Cup’s executive chairperson and founder Tim Ekandjo said this year’s event will be hosted at a total of N.dollars 1.7 million.

‘The gala dinner raised an amount of N.dollars 320 000 in pledges with its founder Tim Ekandjo and Debmarine each pledging N.dollars 100 000 followed by Seaflower and Namdeb with N.dollars 50 000 each and the Lderitz Mayoral Fund and Naftal Trading each at N.dollars 10 000,’ read the
statement.

It further stated that the prize monies have been doubled making it the third biggest event in Namibia with N.dollars 420 000 in prize monies.

‘The winner will receive N.dollars 200 000, silver medallist N.dollars 100 000, bronze N.dollars 50 000 and fourth place N.dollars 30 000 while the Top Goal Scorer and Player of the Tournament will each receive N.dollars 20 000,’ it said.

Ekandjo said each team competing in the tournament will receive a new kit.

‘The Harders Cup will also give one deserving student a bursary every year. As usual, the event will conclude with the much-anticipated Harders Music Bash which will see over 10 artists on stage,’ he said.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

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Welwitschias get a rugby lesson from Blue Bulls


The national senior men’s rugby team, the Welwitchias were on Saturday thumped 8-90 against the South African outfit, the Blue Bulls at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek.

In their first outing for the year, the Welwitschias took on the Vodacom Blue Bulls in a match that served as preparation for their test match against Portugal on 13 July and the Africa Cup that will be held in Uganda at the end of July.

The Namibian team, predominantly composed of local-based players, received one of their toughest rugby lessons as the visitors rampaged over them.

In what turned out to be a one-sided affair the Blue Bulls ran in seven tries in the first half compared to their opponents who just managed to get on the scoreboard through a spot kick.

The first-half score was 3-47.

The Blue Bulls continued to dominate in the second half, running in seven more tries while the home team only managed to score one try, through Alcino Izaacs, but they missed the conversion.

With their upcoming fixtures in July, the Welwitsc
hias will have to go back to the drawing board and relook at their strategies, after conceding so many tries in their first match of the year. Their previous heaviest defeat was against France in September 2023, where they lost 0-92 during their group stage match at the 2023 World Cup in France.

Vodacom Blue Bulls try scorers are Devon Williams, Jaco van der Walt, Boeta Chamberlain (two tries), Corne Beets (two tries), Francois Klopper, Sergeal Petersen, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Stravino Jacobs (two tries), Henry Immelman and Juann Else.

The Bulls were also awarded a penalty try while Jaco van der Walt took all the successful conversions and two of the conversions were taken by Chamberlain which he missed.

In an interview with Nampa after the match Welwitschias captain Prince !Gaoseb said they had a tough encounter on the day but it’s good preparation for the team ahead of their international friendly with Portugal.

‘The level of rugby on the day was completely different as we were outplayed but the match was a go
od experience for the boys and we are now looking forward to our game against Portugal where we will look at all our mistakes from here and try to improve on them,’ he said.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

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Olufuko showcases diversity: Kandjii-Murangi


OUTAPI: Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation Itah Kandjii-Murangi said the Olufuko Annual Festival serves as a platform to showcase the diversity and beauty of the Namibian cultural heritage.

Kandjii-Murangi made the remarks whilst addressing the audience during the official opening of the festival at Outapi on Saturday.

According to Kandjii-Murangi, the festival reminds Namibians of the rich tapestry of traditions, customs and norms that make up the unique Namibian house.

She indicated that as the world is increasingly marked by globalisation and rapid change, the preservation and safeguarding of the cultural identity becomes more important than ever.

‘Our traditions are not mere relics of the past but living expression that continue to shape our present and guide our future,’ she said.

She added that the festival is a testament to their commitment of honouring and celebrating their cultural heritage.

Kandjii-Murangi called on Namibians to recommit themselves to upholding the values th
at define them as a people.

On his part, Founding President Sam Nujoma in a speech read on his behalf said this annual event also embodies the essence of traditions and serves as a testament to the legacy passed down through generations.

Nujoma stated that there is no doubt that culture is the lifeblood of a vibrant society and it helps maintain continuity between generations.

‘Indeed, Olufuko Cultural Festival is an old tradition when older women teach young girls, who have to be virgins in order to participate, about how they should act as grown up women,’ he said.

Nujoma said nowadays however, this has become an opportunity to teach school girls about their culture. As part of this, Olufuko promotes celibacy until marriage and teaches the girls respect for their bodies.

He emphasised that the Olufuko Cultural Festival is a melting pot of diverse cultures, languages and customs, and provides a platform for all Namibians to come together, embracing their diverse cultures and celebrating their shared val
ues, thus fostering unity and understanding among communities.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

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Ohangwena II Aquifer to serve northern areas


Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Calle Schlettwein said the Ohangwena II Aquifer can supply significant amounts of water to areas in the northern part of Namibia.

Schlettwein made the remarks during the ground breaking for the Ohangwena II Wellfield Water Supply Schemes here on Saturday, saying Government through NamWater thus initiated the Ohangwena II Wellfield Project.

According to Schlettwein, the Ohangwena ll Aquifer project will be undertaken at a cost of N.dollars 250 million, which was availed by the government through the African Development Bank’s Namibia Water Sector Support Programme.

Schlettwein said the AfDB availed a loan of about N.dollars 1.8 billion which is being utilised for projects such as the Ohangwena II Aquifer, the Oshakati new purification plant, Rundu’s new purification plant and many other related projects that are being implemented by the ministry.

He indicated that these funds do not cover all costs and Government added a further N.dollars 1.5 billion to ensure
successful completion of the projects.

‘This project will bring about reliable access to safe drinking water for the areas between Omafo-Eenhana and Omakango-Onambutu-Eenhana, aligning with the government’s infrastructural development goals to foster socio-economic growth for the country and the project beneficiaries,’ he added.

He explained that the project aims to add the Ohangwena Aquifer as the second primary source of the northern water supply system and enhance the water supply infrastructure, improving their ability to match the growing demand.

‘NamWater is tackling water scarcity in the eastern areas of Eenhana and portions of the Oshikoto Region,’ he said.

He added that the Ohangwena Climate Resilient Water Supply Project seeks to establish numerous smaller decentralised systems for abstraction, treatment and distribution across the project area, along with the construction of the Omundaungilo-Omutsegwonime Bulk Pipeline project.

He noted that this component adds a third primary source, namely t
he Tsumeb Karst Aquifer to the integrated water supply system.

Further, Schlettwein said the Oshakati Purification Plant and the Kunene River has been the only primary source of fresh water from which they were supplying bulk potable water to several schemes in the Central Northern Water Supply Area (CNWSA).

This single source approach reached its full supply capacity and now is in need to be augmented as existing schemes like the Omafo-Eenhana and Omakango-Onambutu schemes face immense pressure to meet rising water demands.

‘During peak water-use periods, Eenhana town cannot any longer be supplied with sufficient water due to several rural water supply branch lines, water points, and numerous private off-takes between Omafo and Eenhana,’ he said.

Schlettwein noted that the government remains committed to making water supply a reality for everyone, despite limited resources.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency