Day: May 18, 2023

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Cameroonian-born Samuel Fosso wins 2023 Deutsche Borde Photography Foundation Award

Samuel Fosso 60, a contemporary artist who photographs himself in the style of leading historical figures including Martin Luther King and Angela Davis, has won the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize 2023, the BBC has reported.

The Cameroonian-born Nigerian photographer Samuel Fosso was awarded the $37,000 prize at the Photographers’ Gallery in London.

Samuel Fossi now described as “a man of 1,000 faces”, has since 1970 specialized in self-portraiture and performative photography and his works currently appear in most renowned galleries across the world.

Speaking to the BBC after bagging the prestigious prize Samuel reacted saying;

“Winning this prestigious prize, recognized as one of the most important in the field of photography, means that my work is recognized by the artistic community.

This recognition is very important to me. I feel a lot of joy and pride.” he stated

The Director of the Deutsche Borse Photography Foundation, Anne-Marie Beckmann, said Fosso’s retrospective opened up new perspectives, allowing many more people to discover his work for the first time.

“Through the retrospective, we were able to see his work differently and gain a much deeper understanding of the relevance of his practice today,” she said.

The jury also acknowledged the work of the other shortlisted artists, Bieke Depoorter, Arthur Jafa, and Frida Orupabo, who received £5,000 each, the Guardian reported.

The exhibition showcasing all four artists is currently ongoing at the Photographers’ Gallery until June 11th, 2023.

Samuel Fosso was raised in Nigeria and later fled the Biafran war as a young boy, in 1972 and was taken in by an uncle in Bangui in the Central African Republic.

In 1975, at the age of 13, reports revealed he opened his Studio Photo Nationale to take commercial portrait photographs. He also made self-portraits to fill the unused parts of his photographic films. His work includes using self-portraits adopting a series of personas, often commenting on the history of Africa.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

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SARPCCO chairperson confident in solutions against organised crime

Southern Africa Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) Chairperson, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo is impressed with the recommendations put forward during the SADC Multi-Stakeholder Regional Conference on Transnational Organised Crime.

Among the strategies and recommendations resolved is the enhancement of inter-agency cooperation at national and government levels and effective implementation of regional and international strategic instruments to combat transnational organised crime.

Shikongo at the closing ceremony of the conference at Swakopmund on Wednesday said the region cannot afford to continue playing second to criminal syndicates; hence, the collective goal to decimate these criminal enterprises and syndicates perpetuating illicit activities in southern Africa.

“This conference has laid the foundation of how crimes such as financial crimes, corruption, trafficking in illicit drugs, infrastructure crimes, trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, trafficking of illicit small arms and light weapons as well as explosives, are negatively impacting the region. It is significant that you were able to identify challenges confronting law enforcement agencies as well as the steps necessary for the region to effectively combat these serious crimes,” he expressed.

The chairperson called on the region to strengthen the high level of cooperation exhibited throughout the multi-stakeholder conference while at the same time enhancing information sharing and undertaking joint operations.

“Let us not forget that we are operating in a modern terrain where criminal syndicates just like law enforcement agencies, are equally exploiting and harnessing contemporary tools including artificial intelligence to broaden their illicit activities,” Shikongo urged.

Erongo Governor Neville Andre Itope concurred with Shikongo’s sentiments, saying globalisation, digitisation and other advances in technology are further changing the nature of illicit markets and the modus operandi of transnational organised crime, recently including the emerging use of cryptocurrencies that make illicit financial flows harder to trace.

The first-ever three-day conference was attended by Chiefs of Police from SADC countries and different law enforcement agencies including anti-corruption and immigration amongst others, to enhance regional frameworks and efforts to prevent and combat transnational organised crimes.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

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The municipality’s rates and taxes will increase by three per cent.

Residents of Otjiwarongo should expect to pay more for their monthly municipal bills, effective, 01 July 2023.

The municipality’s rates and taxes will increase by three per cent, solid waste by seven per cent, water tariff by eight per cent, sewage services by six per cent and two per cent for cemetery services.

This was announced at a special council meeting held yesterday afternoon by the chairperson of the management committee Godhard Hoko, when he tabled the municipality’s N.dollars 183.1 million capital and expenditure budget for the 2023/2024 financial year.

At the same meeting, the Otjiwarongo deputy mayor, Julienda Kampungu said she was in full support of the budget as it solely focus on the needs of the inhabitants as the municipality ensures that its solid economic base is created.

Kampungu said out of N.dollars 183.1 million tabled N.dollars 37.3 million if for capital projects while N.dollars 145.8 million is for operations and expenditures including the maintenance of existing infrastructure.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

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Vandalism of electricity poles affecting water supply at Outjo

Residents of Outjo face a water interruption due to vandalism of a wooden electricity pole which was cut down, and now affecting power supply to the town’s two water pumps.

Outjo Municipality on Wednesday afternoon in a media statement issued to Nampa indicated to the residents that the normal water supply will only start once the electricity is restored to the two water pumps.

The Outjo Municipality supplies water to its residents directly from its underground water reservoirs.

“As a consequence of the current power failure affecting the operations of our two water pumps, residents are requested to conserve water until the matter is resolved,” said the statement.

It added that efforts are underway to repair the damage and restore the electricity supply to the pumps.

On Thursday morning several residents told this news agency that the lowly water situation is slowly “turning ugly” at the town, and thus called on the municipality to speed up the repair process.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

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IG calls on community cooperation in busting criminals

Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo has called on the support of members of the community in Erongo to help fight and alleviate crime.

Shikongo during a recent meeting with the region’s business community held in Walvis Bay stressed that members of the force cannot fight crime without the assistance of community members who are on the ground and equipped with the relevant information to assist in the apprehension of criminals.

The IG was responding to concerns raised by some business people on the alleged sale and use of drugs at a Walvis Bay residence, which is well known by the community members.

“In order for the police to get this kind of information, we need intelligent sources of information. The fact that this drug house is known by everybody, it is just a matter of coming up with a strategy by the regional commander to put an end to this, even if it means getting assistance from the head office.”

The IG expressed concern with people who are harbouring drug dealers and users, but do not question or report the situation to the relevant authorities.

“The problem with community members is that they are complaining about drug users and the sale of it within the community, but these drugs are being used or sold by our children and family members and we do not do anything about it.

Parents or relatives need to pay more attention on the behaviours and mannerisms of people living in their homes and question when they notice something odd, such as having too much money,” he expressed.

The IG explained that Namibia was only known as a drug transit, however now it is becoming a consumer through the transnational organised crimes currently on the increase.

“Meaning most of the drugs that come into the country comes from different nations, through our borders, so we need to strengthen efforts in order to find the main source and once we catch them, we need to ensure that a stiffer punishment is given to these drug lords,” Shikongo urged.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

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Namibian coaches feeling snubbed by Athletics Namibia

Namibia’s athletics coaches feel their exclusion by Athletics Namibia (AN) from its ‘Developing Namibian Diamonds Training Camp’ is a slap in the face for all their hard work.

World Athletics through its Grant For Growth (GFG) is funding AN’s Developing Namibian Diamonds Training Camp slated for 22 to 26 May 2023 at The Dome in Swakopmund.

Four South African coaches, Khotso Mokoena, Shaun Bownes, Jacques van Rensburg and Paul Gorries have been invited to facilitate the five-day training.

In an interview with Nampa on Tuesday, NUST Welwitschias coach Letu Hamhola said AN overlooking Namibian coaches is an insult and should be condemned.

“Athletics Namibia is undermining Namibian coaches. I don’t see why athletes should attend such an insulting camp. Our athletes are identified for this programme, and as a coach, I have no clue what the objective of this course is and what the athletes will be doing during this period of events,” he said.

He added that it’s not new to him being excluded from private events, but AN is a national institution, and therefore it’s their objective to invest in their own.

“We have one of the best coaches in the country, such as Robert Kaxuxwena who has produced Olympians, and Henk Botha, whose athlete won a medal at the Olympics. AN is saying Namibians are not good enough,” Hamhola said, adding that as coaches, they are in the business of outperforming South Africa, and their athletes have done it, therefore he doesn’t understand why AN did not invite local coaches who can share knowledge with their South African counterparts.

Hamhola, who coaches the current 200m champion Hatago Murere and Paralympians Ananias Shikongo and Johannes Nambala, stated that he is a Level 5 athletics coach and is concerned that AN never consulted local coaches, and he is not aware of what criteria were used to select athletes.

Meanwhile, Henk Botha told this agency that the way the training camp is being done is not correct, and it’s not the first time such an issue has happened.

“As coaches we were never consulted, and with all due respect, our athletes have been outperforming the track and field athletes in South Africa. I don’t understand why [AN] will then bring coaches from South Africa to train our athletes without consulting any of us,” he said.

He added that the money used for the foreign coaches could have been used to buy equipment.

“Namibian coaches are doing this job as a passion. It would have been good if they got something from AN after working day in and out for free,” Botha said.

Robert Kaxuxwena, the coach of Helalia Johannes and 5000m national champion and record holder Daniel Paulus, said he doesn’t have a problem with foreign coaches being called to coach Namibian athletes, as long as the chosen athletes go with their coaches to this training camp.

“It’s important to gain experience from other coaches as a coach. Therefore, local coaches must be part of the camp,” Kaxuxwena said.

AN president Erwin Naimhwaka told Nampa on Wednesday that the idea of the camp and the invited coaches from South Africa should not be viewed as an assessment of the competency of local coaches.

“The previous project under the GFG included coaches where learning and knowledge exchange took place. The good feedback from the participants contributed to AN proposing this training camp,” he said.

Naimhwaka added that the camp is part of a process, and AN will continue with these processes as part of its development activities.

“We will expose the invited athletes to assessments that can assist with their training and development and an opportunity to learn from former international athletes making up the team of the invited coaches. The focus of the activity this time is on athletes and not coaches,” he said.

Naimhwaka said he is convinced the invited athletes will appreciate the training camp as it has the potential to have a long-lasting positive impact on their careers.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency