On Monday this week partner companies in South Africa’s second fixed line
operator (SNO) signed a multiple shareholder’s agreement to set up the long-awaited SNO in South Africa, according to Norman Tjombe of Telecom Namibia. CommuniTel was awarded a 12.5% stake in the SNO. CommuniTel’s shareholders Telecom Namibia, Mkhonto We Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) of South Africa, Premier Contracts Agency LLC (PCA), and Gateway Communications. Telecom Namibia is one of the most successful telecommunications operators in the SADC region and is the incumbent fixed line operator in Namibia. "Telecom Namibia’s expertise in a wide variety of telecommunication services, as well as its experience in dealing with the unique Southern African market environment shall add considerable value to the SNO", Tjombe said.

The launch of the SNO is another major milestone in the liberalisation of the South African Communications Industry. The Second National Operator will hold a Public Switched Telecommunication Service (PSTS) licence. The business launch for the SNO is expected to take place within six to nine months from award of the licence.The shareholders are India’s Tata/VSNL, represented by Tata Africa Holdings. It is the investment arm of the Tata Group in South Africa with operations in 8 African countries.

Other shareholders are Transnet and Transtel, Eskom, Nexus and Two.
Transnet is the custodian of port, rail and pipeline infrastructure in South
Africa. Transtel is the telecommunications division of Transnet. Transtel is a full-service private telecommunications operator - the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Eskom Holdings generates, transmits and distributes electricity. Its 24 power stations have a total nominal capacity of 42,011 megawatts, making Eskom the largest power utility in Africa. The Eskom Telecommunications department of Eskom

Enterprises, was originally created to consolidate the telecommunication business of Eskom, including the Private Telecommunications Network, which has been the exclusive provider of telecommunications services to Eskom since inception.

The ongoing plight of Namibia’s fishing industry has caused Cabinet to adjust its relief measures from April this year. During its last meeting Cabinet resolved that 50% of the uncaught quota fees owed by the fishing industry for the fishing seasons 2001/2002 to 2003/2004 be waived and that 50% be kept as credit for quota fees for future fishing seasons for those who have already paid their quota fees. Twenty percent of the outstanding quota fees for the fishing seasons 2001/2002 to 2003/2004 will be waived and kept as credit for future fishing seasons for those companies that have already paid. The fishing industry is currently facing financial and operational difficulties because of unfavourable exchange rates, flat markets, increasing local costs and ongoing labour relation problems. For most sectors in the industry, but especially the hake sector, costs have exceeded income between 2002 and 2004. The fishing industry approached the Government earlier this year with a list of possible relief measures to provide short-term financial assistance to the industry.

President Hifikepunye Pohamba will be guest of honour at the first ever harvest and sale of fresh water fish at a government aquaculture project at Omahenene near Onavivi in the Omusati Region next week on Wednesday, 25 August. The ministry of fisheries embarked on several inland fish projects in the northern regions last year with mainly the popular tilapia species.

The minister of fisheries and marine resources already attended the harvesting and selling of mainly tilapia freshwater fish at Nkurenkuru, Karovo near Mukwe and Mpungi aquaculture fish farms in the Okavango Region this week. Today, Friday, Iyambo will launch the harvesting and selling of farmed fish at Shipapo wa Mbambangandu Fish Farm also in the Okavango region. Namibian authorities and representatives from the private sector will also attend the symposium of the Aquaculture Association of Southern Africa in Grahamstown from 12 to 16 September.