Regional newspaper not on sale in Zimbabwe

A NEWSPAPER that is jointly produced by the governments of Namibia and Zimbabwe has not been for sale in Zimbabwe for several weeks, a member of the opposition party alleged.

Ben Ulenga of the main opposition party Congress of Democrats (CoD) asked the Information Minister in the National Assembly on Thursday if it was true that the weekly paper Southern Times had not been seen in bookshops and newspaper stands in that country for “several months.” “If this is true, what might be the reasons?” Ulenga asked Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.”In which countries in southern Africa is this newspaper sold and what are the total amounts of sales in those countries?” Ulenga further requested the Minister to provide figures of profits or losses made since the inception of the joint venture a few years ago.The Namibian office of the Southern Times is situated in Windhoek on the premises of New Era, a wholly owned state newspaper.Southern Times is partly printed in Harare, Zimbabwe, the copies for Namibia are however printed in Windhoek.Deputy Editor Peter Mietzner was totally surprised, when approached for comment late Thursday.”We are unaware of this allegation.To my knowledge, copies of the weekly editions of Southern Times are available as usual in Zimbabwe,” he told The Namibian.”If this is true, what might be the reasons?” Ulenga asked Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.”In which countries in southern Africa is this newspaper sold and what are the total amounts of sales in those countries?” Ulenga further requested the Minister to provide figures of profits or losses made since the inception of the joint venture a few years ago.The Namibian office of the Southern Times is situated in Windhoek on the premises of New Era, a wholly owned state newspaper.Southern Times is partly printed in Harare, Zimbabwe, the copies for Namibia are however printed in Windhoek.Deputy Editor Peter Mietzner was totally surprised, when approached for comment late Thursday.”We are unaware of this allegation.To my knowledge, copies of the weekly editions of Southern Times are available as usual in Zimbabwe,” he told The Namibian.