Minister says affirmative action is only for Namibians

The Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Immanuel Ngatjizeko, says affirmative action was designed to only benefit previously disadvantaged Namibians.

The Minister said this in response to questions by Monitor Action Group MP Jurie Viljoen in the National Assembly. Viljoen wanted to know whether “designated groups” include non-Namibian citizens, citing the Affirmative Action Law of 1998 that says preference should be given to “designated groups”.”Affirmative Action was designed to rectify the position of disadvantaged Namibian employees because of apartheid discriminatory policies that denied them equal employment opportunities before the Independence of Namibia,” Ngatjizeko responded.”The apartheid policies left a legacy of disparities in terms of the distribution of jobs, incomes and occupations in Namibia,” he stressed.Affirmative action was designed for Namibian citizens who were the only victims of apartheid policies, and who happened to be black, female or persons with disabilities.- Nampa Fuel to come down * The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) is expected to announce a fuel price decrease at 00h01 on Wednesday, 15 October 2008.According to a media statement from Mines and Energy Minister Erkki Nghimtina, in September the market experienced a strengthened average exchange rate of the rand to the US dollar, coupled with the sharp decline in crude oil prices from over US$110 to below US$88 per barrel.Nghimtina further said in the statement that although still near historical highs, the price of crude oil in world markets is down sharply from a record US$147 per barrel in early July 2008, primarily due to declining global demand for crude oil because of the recession in the US and Europe.- NampaViljoen wanted to know whether “designated groups” include non-Namibian citizens, citing the Affirmative Action Law of 1998 that says preference should be given to “designated groups”.”Affirmative Action was designed to rectify the position of disadvantaged Namibian employees because of apartheid discriminatory policies that denied them equal employment opportunities before the Independence of Namibia,” Ngatjizeko responded.”The apartheid policies left a legacy of disparities in terms of the distribution of jobs, incomes and occupations in Namibia,” he stressed.Affirmative action was designed for Namibian citizens who were the only victims of apartheid policies, and who happened to be black, female or persons with disabilities.- Nampa Fuel to come down * The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) is expected to announce a fuel price decrease at 00h01 on Wednesday, 15 October 2008.According to a media statement from Mines and Energy Minister Erkki Nghimtina, in September the market experienced a strengthened average exchange rate of the rand to the US dollar, coupled with the sharp decline in crude oil prices from over US$110 to below US$88 per barrel.Nghimtina further said in the statement that although still near historical highs, the price of crude oil in world markets is down sharply from a record US$147 per barrel in early July 2008, primarily due to declining global demand for crude oil because of the recession in the US and Europe.- Nampa