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FORMER PRESIDENT CALLS ON EXPERTS TO END ENERGY PROBLEMS SUN-WISE

SADC: SOLAR ENERGY/DAILY NEWS/20/6/18 SABANews 1

One of the world’s largest solar power plants is in India (Pic. China News)

DAR ES SALAAM – Former President BENJAMIN MKAPA of TANZANIA says experts and institutions across Sub-SAHARAN AFRICA should work out plans to expand the use of solar to generate reliable and affordable power.

He says the sub-region is gifted with abundant sunlight which, if well utilised, can speed up electricity generation, boost the industrial economy and increase youth employment.

The DAILY NEWS says Mr MKAPA has addressed delegates to the launch of the Solar Photovoltaic Guide Book written by renewable energy expert GODWIN MSIGWA in DAR ES SALAAM.

He says Sub-SAHARAN AFRICA is consuming just a single gigawatt out of the 400 megawatts generated around the world.

However, Mr MKAPA says the fact is contrary to the actual situation in the region because most of its countries are still facing electricity problems despite being a sun-belt region.

He says EUROPE, CHINA, the UNITED STATES, JAPAN and INDIA have other major sources of power, but they are also generating solar power.

GERMANY has already connected more than 40 gigawatts to its national grid, while CHINA has more than 70 gigawatts; which shows solar technology is growing and becoming a reliable source of electricity.

Mr MKAPA says his country, TANZANIA, needs to set up strategic plans to boost solar machinery, and the State has to oversee the implementation of the scheme via institutions like the Science and Technology Commission.

The government should seek collaboration with other development partners and experts from public and private sectors.

However, Mr MKAPA says solar energy technology is ONE of the renewable energy technologies use in the country, but it has been fetching a poor market – especially in rural areas.

He says the sector is further facing a problem of experts who can install the solar systems at required standards, which has left the burden on semi-skilled technicians.

The former Head of State says the new the book will help people learning to become engineers in solar energy to get proper guidance that will help them to improve their work.

The EU Development Cooperation Head of Delegation to TANZANIA, JOSE CORREIA, says energy development plays a key role in the national drive for industrialisation in TANZANIA.

He says his group has had a long-term support to the local energy sector, mainly promoting rural energy access and power generation from renewables such as hydropower and solar.

The author of the guide says the manual will be available free to colleges under the TANZANIA Vocational Education and Training Authority, as well as public and private libraries and others./Sabanews/cam

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BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLAPSES, KILLS 10 AND INJURES EIGHT OTHERS

ZAMBIA: DISASTER/LUSAKA TIMES/20/6/18 SABANews 1
 
Officials ferry the dead from Black Mountain (Pic. zambiawatchdog.com)

KITWE – At least 10 people have been killed after a mound of waste material from refined copper ore collapsed in the WUSAKILA Township in the SECOND largest ZAMBIAN city of KITWE.

 
The LUSAKA TIMES says another EIGHT people have been injured following the collapse of the heap, infamously known in the area as the BLACK MOUNTAIN.
 
It says COPPERBELT Province Permanent Secretary BRIGHT NUNDWE has since halted mining operations at the mountain until further notice.
 
Mr NUNDWE, who has joined the Police as well as the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit at the scene to check on rescue operations, says the accident took place this (WEDNESDAY) morning.
 
He also says TWO of the injured EIGHT persons are in critical conditions, and the other SIX have are admitted at KITWE Teaching Hospital with multiple injuries.
 
The TIMES says the mountain allegedly collapsed due to machinery that was excavating on top while people were picking stones below.
 
It quotes COPPERBELT Police Commissioner CHARITY KATANGA as saying the number of victims may rise, as rescue operations will continue just to ensure no one remains trapped under the slag.
 
Meanwhile, police have had to intervene as news of the collapsed heap of copper waste spread in the nearby WUSAKILA Township and caused commotion and panic among residents.
 
The TIMES says PEREZ CHRISTIAN Church in NDOLA has called on the government and other institutions in the country to put up urgent safety measures at the controversial black mountain.
 
It quotes PEREZ APOSTOLIC Leader ALICK KAPANDULA as saying the Ministry of Mines should re-exam the safety of the mountain, and study the currently threatening situation.
 
Controversy has always surrounded the copper waste heap due to persistent fighting between members of the public and NKANA ALLOY Company, which owns it.
 
Former Mines Minister CHRISTOPHER YALUMA last year had to order a suspension of exploration works at the infamous black mountain to allow the authorities to help solve the discord.
 
ONE researcher says services provided by mining firms varied over the years, from minimal at the beginning in the 1920s to a period of plenty up to the late 1970s when they slowly decline due to depressed world copper prices.
 
The withdrawal of welfare provision from the mid-1990s has radically changed the well-being of ZAMBIANS and the character of their urban areas, resulting in towns becoming like villages./Sabanews/cam
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ELECTION CAMPAIGNS HOT UP AMID CALLS FOR PEACE

ZIMBABWE: CAMPAIGNS/THE HERALD/20/6/18 SABANews 1

ZANU PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa (Pic. The Herald)

HARARE – People of ZIMBABWE are for the FIRST time since independence in 1980 enjoying unequalled peace, just a few weeks before the most contested general elections in the country.

THE HERALD says President EMMERSON MNANGAGWA has also called on all political parties and candidates to continue preaching peace and unity among the people.

He has released an audio message on different media platforms, including his ED Has My Vote Facebook page, saying he is happy with the tranquillity in the country so far.

The Head of State says the contest for votes in the forthcoming polls on 30 JULY should be on ideas and not physical clashes between and among candidates.

He says while the country could be facing a few challenges, there are already glaring signs of change since his new administration took over the reins of power last NOVEMBER.

President MNANGAGWA says ROME was not built in ONE day, but the foundation for a better ZIMBABWE has already been laid; and it is there for everyone to see.

He emphasises ZIMBABWEANS should all be united and work to develop their country, because no one else but themselves can develop their nation.

However, the opposition MDC ALLIANCE is singing a different song about the situation ahead of the national ballots, with its leader, NELSON CHAMISA, threatening unrest if he does not win.

MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa (Pic. The Herald)

He has accused the Electoral Commission of colluding with the ruling ZANU PF to rig the votes, saying he will mobilise people to block President MNANGAGWA from taking office if his demands are not met.

Nevertheless, the ZANU PF Leader has avoided any verbal confrontation with his opponents, calling on his party members and the security forces to do the same.

On the other hand, the rest of the (21) opposition presidential candidates have also remained non-violent despite the preaching of Mr CHAMISA.

This will be the FIRST time in the history of independent ZIMBABWE for the country to hold general elections without much political violence both in the urban and rural areas./Sabanews/cam

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AGENCY WORRIES OVER LOW EXPORT RATES

NAMIBIA: TRADE/NBC/20/6/18 SABANews 1

Reduced export rates worry State

WINDHOEK – The NAMIBIA Statistics Agency has blamed the rising national trade deficit on low exports.

The organisation says the difference between the monetary value of exports and imports has risen by 71 percent during the FIRST QUARTER of this year.

The trade shortfall stands at EIGHT-COMMA-FOUR-BILLION NAMIBIA dollars, compared to FOUR-COMMA-EIGHT-BILLION dollars at the same time in 2017.

The agency says NAMIBIA exported goods worth 18-COMMA-EIGHT-BILLION dollars against imports worth 27-COMMA-TWO BILLION dollars in the FIRST FOUR months.

NAMIBIA’s leading export market has been CHINA for copper cathodes, ores and concentrates; which brought in THREE-COMMA-FIVE-BILLION NAMIBIA dollars.

SOUTH AFRICA has bought diamonds, live animals and fish worth THREE-COMMA-FOUR BILLION dollars, while BELGIUM bought copper cathodes worth TWO-COMMA-FOUR-BILLION dollars.

More than 35 percent of the total value of goods exported were destined for the EUROPEAN UNION, making it the country’s largest export destination in the period under review.

The SOUTHERN AFRICAN CUSTOMS UNION, BRAZIL, RUSSIA, INDIA and CHINA occupied the SECOND and THIRD positions, accounting for 29-COMMA-FIVE percent and 20-COMMA-ONE percent of all exports.

Meanwhile, the Industrialization, Trade and SME Development Ministry says piracy and counterfeiting are increasing in the SADC country.

Theft of intellectual property now rampant (Pic. Agencies)

Permanent Secretary GABRIEL SINIMBO says the situation is a stumbling block, despite progress in research, innovation and technology to advance Intellectual Property awareness.

He says theft of Intellectual Property causes the owners to lose money and it impacts negatively on economic transformation, industrialization, job creation and innovation.

Mr SINIMBO also says the authorities therefore, are planning to introduce a new law prohibiting and punishing copyright infringers soon.

He says the Ministry has certified 37 patents from 64 submissions, a poor intake when compared to issued copyrights and registered trademarks.

The Business Intellectual Property Authority has awarded copyrights to 190 of the 204 businesses that had applied for them; and Mr SINIMBO advises different artists to register their Intellectual Properties.

Despite the rising levels of Intellectual Property infringements, the Authority has registered 924 trademarks out of THREE-THOUSAND-AND-38 applications countrywide.

The NAMIBIA Industrialization, Trade and SME Development has revealed the situation at a TWO-day-long awareness conference held with the AFRICA Regional Intellectual Property Organization in the capital, WINDHOEK./Sabanews/cam