Category: General

The supreme ruler of the Bamendjou kingdom in the West region of Cameroon, has personally debunked claims that he is dead.

Unverified information alleging his demise was circulated on Saturday, April 22.

Fon Sokoudjou Jean Rameau, one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Cameroon, came out to clarify public opinion, saying “I am a true king in the Bamelike tradition. When my day will come, it will come like that of a true Bamelike king. It will not come haphazardly. I will not go without saying goodbye” the king declared.

“If anyone is in a hurry, let he or she go ahead, my days are still long. As for now, despite what some people might be wishing, I think it’s not yet my time. I’m doing very well” he told Balafon radio.

It is also indicated that during his absence, he was in Belgium for medical checks. No further details have been given about his health situation.

This comes three months after the monarch celebrated 70 years on the throne. He is presently 83, and was enthroned at the age of 13.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform said it has received an additional list of over 160 schools that require water, especially in the Kavango East, Zambezi, Omusati, Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Kavango West and Kunene regions.

Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein, said this in a statement read on his behalf at the event recognizing the Open Defecation Free Status of sections of the Samora Machel and Moses //Garoeb constituencies in Windhoek on Saturday.

“My ministry has been mandated to provide access to portable water to rural communities and resettlement farmers and contribute towards the provision of improved sanitation services to all beneficiaries of its programmes and projects,” Schlettwein is quoted as saying.

He said with regard to sanitation coordination, the country is not doing so well, thus, the ministry has embarked on practical efforts aimed at scaling up construction of sanitation facilities countrywide.

Schlettwein explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry collaborated with the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture to connect over 200 schools to water sources across the country.

However, the ministry recently received an additional list of over 160 schools that require water.

“The ministry has begun to address this request. Through the Namibia Water Sector Support Program, we will construct sanitation facilities at 56 schools, 15 clinics across the country and public places respectively,” he noted.

The key targets for 2023 are,the establishment of a reliable early warning system, commencement of the bidding process for Oshakati Treatment Plant, Ohangwena Wellfield, Ruacana South Water Supply Scheme (WSS), Katima-Kongola WSS, and Iitapa – Okeeholongo WSS, he said.

Other key targets include the drilling of boreholes for crocodile prone villages along the rivers, finalization of negotiations with Angola on the commissioning of Caluegue pumpstation, the finalisation of negotiations with South Africa on the Orange River and the desire by Namibia to construct a dam at Vioolsdrift.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

A 37-year-old man died instantly on Saturday afternoon when the pick up truck he was driving allegedly overturned on the gravel road between Otjiwarongo and Osire Refugee Resettlement Camp in the Otjozondjupa Region.

Namibian Police Force (NamPol) Unit Commander for Community Affairs in the region, Inspector Maureen Mbeha, in an interview with Nampa on Sunday said the deceased was alone in the vehicle while traveling from the direction of Otjiwarongo to Osire.

Preliminary police investigations indicate that he might have lost control over the vehicle, causing it to overturn several times, said Mbeha.

‘The deceased was ejected from the vehicle and died on the spot,’ Mbeha said.

She explained that the accident occurred between 17h00 and 18h00 on Saturday afternoon at approximately 15 kilometres south of Osire.

The deceased is yet to be identified.

Police investigations continue.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Seychelles will soon have its first harvest of mangrove honey, which is being produced by bees in the mangrove forest surrounding the Constance Ephelia Resort in Port Launay on the west of the main island of Mahe.

Mangrove honey is a unique and delicious type of honey produced in tropical climates. It is made from the nectar of mangrove trees found near the coastlines of South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and now in Seychelles.

In Seychelles, this is a new concept and was brought to the island nation by the sustainability coordinator at Constance Ephelia Resort, Hilary Albert, as part of her project in a training programme held by the hotel.

“It was through a development programme that, after some research, I learned about mangrove honey, and since at this hotel we have a large wetland area, which contains all seven types of mangrove, I felt it would be a good idea to try it out here,” Albert told SNA.

As part of her job, Albert regularly takes visitors on tour around the hotel, including in the mangrove area.

At the moment, only two bee colonies have been placed in the mangrove area. (Constance Ephelia Resort) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

“I noticed that after one year on, I was still only showing clients the mangrove and with mangrove honey, I will now have something more to talk to them about,” she added.

This sort of honey is produced by mangrove trees that thrive in saltwater conditions, and the flavour of their honey is well-known. The coastal environment gives mangrove honey a slightly salty flavour. It is also a strong-flavoured, viscous, light-brown honey that has been compared to butterscotch or licorice.

“Aside from producing honey, the bees are also very effective pollinators and so they will also help this wetland to become more dense as well,” said Albert.

Some of the best mangrove honey in the world is produced in Mexico and Florida, which have coastal areas with extensive mangrove forests.

Beekeepers must set up their hives close to mangrove trees in order to generate honey. The bees will go to the mangroves and gather nectar from the flowers, bringing it back to the hive where it will be converted to honey.

Albert explained that she had never done any sort of beekeeping before taking on this project.

She had to learn through other experienced local beekeepers and sat for an online course to become a certified beekeeper as well.

Albert explained that she had never done any sort of beekeeping before taking on this project. (Constance Ephelia Resort) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

At the moment, only two bee colonies have been placed in the mangrove area, but Albert says that more will be added in the future as she continues to monitor the progress of the current ones.

The Port Launay wetlands cover an area of 120.6 hectares on the western coast of Mahe, and have the highest-diversity mangrove areas in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean.

It is also the biggest mangrove site in the Indian Ocean and the first site in Seychelles to be designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.

“The hotel management has been very helpful towards my project, where they have financed my equipment and supported me throughout this journey,” added Albert, who only joined Constance Ephelia in 2021.

Clients staying at Constance Ephelia will be able to taste the mangrove honey in a few weeks’ time, with Albert saying that they will be giving the honey to clients as part of the souvenir of their stay at the hotel.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

The High Courts in both Pretoria and Johannesburg will this week hold ceremonial sittings to commemorate the centenary of the Women Legal Practice Act of 1923.

“Prior to the Act the courts had ruled, in Schlesin v Incorporated Law Society 1909 TS 363 and Incorporated Law Society v Wookey 1912 AD 623 that women were not included as ‘persons’ who could be admitted to legal practice,” the Office of the Chief Justice said on Sunday.

The Act expressly opened the door to women by decreeing that: ‘Women shall be entitled to be admitted to practice and to be enrolled as advocates, attorneys, notaries public or conveyancers in any province of the Union subject to the same terms and conditions as apply to men …’.

“It did not take long for women to take active steps to become legal practitioners. The first woman to be admitted as an advocate in South Africa was Irene Geffin in 1923. The first woman attorney was Constance Mary Hall, in 1926. For historic apartheid reasons, it took longer for Black women to join the ranks, with Desiree Finca being enrolled as the first Black woman attorney in 1967,” the Office of the Chief Justice said.

For this historic celebratory occasion, Finca, together with direct descendants of Geffin and of Wookey, will attend the sittings as special guests.

Tuesday’s occasion is hosted in collaboration with the South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges and the 100 more Campaign.

The ceremonial sittings will bring together women from legal practice, legal institutions, and the Judiciary to honour these pioneering women, to reflect on the journey of women in the legal profession and to reaffirm the commitment as a collective to promote the constitutional rights of equality and human dignity.

Source: South African Government News Agency