President Hifikepunye Pohamba launched One Africa Television’s long awaited

signals to Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Outjo. At the same time, he also pushed the button to start the station’s transmission to Intelsat 906, providing satellite reach to the rest of Namibia and the entire Sub-Saharan continent. The inaugural coastal signals and live broadcast from the Windhoek station were viewed by the mayors of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay in their respective towns and confirmed by them in telephone calls to President Pohamba.

Established in Windhoek in September 2003 to fill the gap left by the closure of Television Africa. The free TV channel broadcasts a popular mix of international news and entertainment and local content free of charge to a rapidly growing number of viewers in possession of ‘yellow’ antennas in Windhoek, Rehoboth, Okahandja and Outjo. The station broadcasts around the clock each day. The channel is 100% Namibian-owned and entirely independent. It generates its income from advertising. Further expansion of the terrestrial broadcast to households using antennas will be determined by profitability and economic feasibility. According to Paul van Schalkwyk, founder of One Africa Television, director and member of the board, the satellite broadcast through an N$500 000 earth-link station to Intelsat 906 enables Namibians with DVB decoders and C-Band satellite dishes, to tune into the broadcast as well.

Lodges and guest farms would benefit particularly from this signal as it gave them an additional channel for their guest rooms and for their own entertainment.

"The signal is free, and is not charged according to the number of sets or rooms," Van Schalkwyk said.

Standard Bank handed over a diesel engine to the value of N$ 13,000 for training and practical purposes to the motor mechanics section of the Okakarara Vocational Training centre last week. The mayor of Okakarara, Tjatjitirane Kandukira, as well as Regional Councillor Vetaruhe Kandorozu, various traditional chiefs and local businesspersons, joined the MD of Standard Bank, Theo Mberirua.

Mberirua said that there was a need to train people to think like entrepreneurs and the earlier this training begins, the better. "We firmly believe that training of young entrepreneurs can provide a solution for unemployment in Namibia. Fortunately entrepreneurship is a skill that can be developed but only if the opportunity for training is provided", he added. With the help of the engine, youngsters will be able to learn through hands on practical training how it functions and this experience will serve them well once they start looking for work or even consider self-employment. The VTC at Okakarara was already established before Namibia’s independence.