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Decided that since I've got a thread started about Botswana, I should start one about Namibia as well. Would happily do one for every southern African countries if I had a personal contact on the ground I could cross-check info with. Sadly my friend in RSA/KZN passed away in Jan 2019. Anyway....

Here is what I am aware of currently.

As of the time I'm typing this out, the entire country is on a "stay at home" lockdown order. There are a handful of small private markets open in Windhoek and each town/village has some sort of store open to obtain basic food and supplies.

This past week, the President announced the lockdown would be lifted on 4 May, but no specific details like is that for only internal citizens/residents and businesses or if that means boarders too. He has a scheduled meeting with his Cabinet tomorrow (Thursday) and is expected to announce further guidance sometime thereafter.

My friends daughter work for the main Namibian news organization and she's agreed to send me info as it comes out.

Would welcome any Namibian PH's/Outfitters that actually reside IN Namibia to offer up insights as well.

Anyone else who might have friends in other countries could reach out to them and start a similar thread as well and just change the country name. I'm pretty sure there are a bunch of people on here who either have hunts planned/booked that are nervous about if it's going to happen or not and a few that are waiting for countries and flights to open and maybe pick up some seriously discounted short notice late season deals.

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Here is the official statement from the President. Sorry I had to cut and paste it. Tried to attach the original *.pdf file but the file size is too big.

Bottom Line Is: They are loosening INTERANAL controls in stages starting on 4 May and progressing to 30 Jun. However, he doesn't say the country will be back "open" for international traveler entry automatically after 30 Jun.

REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA
THE PRESIDENCY
STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT
DR. HAGE G. GEINGOB AT A MEDIA BRIEFING ON THE PARTIAL LIFTING OF
THE LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS

APRIL 30, 2020
WINDHOEK

Fellow Namibians,

Following the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our country, I declared a State of Emergency on 17 March 2020. Government took bold and decisive measures to contain further spread of the Coronavirus. Since 28 March 2020, our country has been on Lockdown, which started with the partial lockdown ofErongo and Khomas Regions, including the local authority areas of Okahandja and Rehoboth, which Lockdown was extended countrywide from 18 April 2020. The cases recorded in Namibia have all been classified as sporadic. The incidence curve flattened at 16 cases, with 8 recoveries. I wish the 8 remaining people a speedy recovery. We are thankful that there have been no community transmissions to this end and zero deaths recorded in Namibia so far.

I have indicated that the health of Namibians remains our greatest priority. Our prompt action to close all points of entry and issue comprehensive restrictions on the movement of people, has therefore helped to contain the spread of disease. While we recognize that these extraordinary measures have caused great disruptions to our daily lives, they were necessary and effective. I therefore urge
all Namibians to continue to comply with the Regulations.Although the number of cases has remained static for 25 days, this does not mean that the current Measures must be lifted completely and suddenly.

Today Cabinet met to review the status of COVID-19 in Namibia and deliberated on how to reopen the economy, without reversing the gains made. The countrywide lockdown will lapse at midnight on Monday the 4th May 2020. Based on our experience, available data and gauging our level of national preparedness, there is merit to relax some of the restrictions. As we prepare to gradually reopen locial and economic activities, a balance must be found between protecting life, mental health and livelihoods.

The State of Emergency declared on 17 March 2020 will remain in force for a period of 6 months and may be extended, subject to the changing country situation. In conformity with global guidelines on the national response to COVID-19, Namibia has adopted 4 stages of restrictions.

STAGE 1 is the current situation of a countrywide lockdown for a period of 38
days, from 28 March until midnight, 04 May 2020.

STAGE 2 will be a gradual re-opening under Strict Precautions, from Tuesday 05
May 2020 to 2nd June 2020.

STAGE 3 will see more Moderate Precautions and could come into effect from the
2nd of June 2020 to 30 June 2020.

The final STAGE 4 from 30 June 2020 will introduce a New Normal and could last
until the end of the State of Emergency.

Each Stage of restriction will have an average observance period of two incubation periods, which is 28 days. With the end of STAGE 1 at midnight on the 04th of May 2020.

I wish to announce that STAGE 2 will come into force for 28 days from 05 May 2020 to 01June 2020. During STAGE 2 the following measures will apply to all Namibians:

1. All members of the public are required to wear facemasks in public spaces. Government will assist vulnerable persons to acquire masks.

2. People will be permitted to travel domestically between regions and within towns and cities, without restriction.

3. Our borders will remain closed for non-Namibians but returning Namibians will be permitted to re-enter the country, subject to screening at points of entry and supervised quarantine for 14 days.

4. Businesses and productive activities, unless prohibited will be permitted to reopen, subject to responsible personal and organizational conduct and in compliance with the prescribed Health & Hygiene Guidelines.

5. In addition to fulfilling the established protocols, the following businesses will be allowed to resume, subject to specified conditions:
o Shopping Malls and Retail Outlets.
o Restaurants to continue operating on a take-away basis asbefore. Buying and selling of alcohol is prohibited.
o Kapana traders may only operate for takeaway and private consumption.
o Beauty, Hair Dressers & Barbers subject to proper personal protective equipment.
o Laundromats and Tailors: subject to proper personal protective equipment.

6. The following activities are deemed to be high-risk under the circumstances and will not be permitted to resume activity during STAGE 2. These are:
a. Theatres and cinemas;
b. Gyms and exercise centres;
c. Contact sports and sporting events;
d. Gambling houses and nightclubs;
e. Liquor outlets, Bars and Shebeens;
f. Entertainment events and concerts;
g. Seminars, Conferences, Workshops and Summits.

7. The buying and selling of alcohol remains prohibited throughout the country.

8. The progression from one Stage to another will be informed by developments on the cases and the details of Stages may change. As such, before we move into a subsequent Stage, review will be undertaken to enable Government to agree on what activities will be allowed.

9. The Stage 3 and Stage 4 in terms of timelines are indicative and intended to assist with business planning. The actual duration of each stage may be reduced or extended, subject to monitoring reports and the changing situation in the country. The tentative ctivities for Stages 3 and 4 are available in a document.

In conclusion, This were immensely difficult few weeks for all of us. These extraordinary measures have disrupted our lives. The fight against COVID-19 will not be a sprint. It will be a marathon that will demand our collective endurance. We must therefore summon the courage to wage an enduring battle and prevail against this invisible enemy. I commend the perseverance of Namibians from all walks of life and thank you for your cooperation.

Thank You.

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Thanks for the update

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Just received a color coded summary chart of the opening up stages.
It's attached below.

Attached Images
Namibia Color Coded Covid Stages.jpeg (62.4 KB, 541 downloads)
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Does one dare ask what INTER-ANAL is?

Regardless, I'm glad I'm not going to Namibia this year.


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laugh laugh
Other than a type-o...it's what the Chinese did the the world!!! laugh laugh

And with that explanation....I think I'll leave it stand as originally typed!!! laugh grin

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grin


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Well, there is a little bit of good news in the right direction. Namibian newspaper Air Namibia's GM for Commercial Services had announced Air Namibia will resume INTERNAL domestic flights starting 6 May.

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Not being Debbi Downer here, but I'll never step foot on an Air Namibia flight ever again. They're maybe 1% better than nothing at all.


It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
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I have to agree and it's a damn shame to (not about agreeing with you JG grin) about the airline.

We've flown on them a total of five times. We did the long haul flights twice from Frankfurt direct to Windhoek the first two years they opened the route. Very good service and very good flights etc. Only reason we stopped going that route is the third year and for a couple of years after, the CITY of Frankfurt required transit permit for firearms. Only did it for two years, I think, and then the German Federal govt shut that requirement down telling the City they had no jurisdiction over the federal airport. Shortly after that, Air Namibia had raised it's airfares two where they weren't competitive anymore AND added an extra fee for carrying firearms on top of that and we just found other routes.

Since then we've used their regional flights three times - twice from Windhoek to Vic Falls and back. Tickets were not the cheapest, but only other way was routing back to J'berg and into Vic Falls each way and killed an entire day, whereas via Air Namibia it was a little more than a 1hr flight direct. Flights were all on time, the service was fine, no issues.

The last time we used Air Namibia was this past Aug 2019 from Windhoek to Gaborone Botswana and back. Their financial problems were worsening and problems with CNX'd flights on short to no notice was occurring more and more frequently but again, they were the only carrier with direct flights between and I didn't want to have to deal with SAA or their subsidiaries and the SAPS BS in J'berg both ways. I did however plan our return to Windhoek a full day before our return flt on KLM back to Amsterdam and home on Delta. Good thing too. Day before our return, I got an email that our flight back had been CNX's with NO alternatives provided. Gerhard got on the phone and it took a couple of hours to sort out our return that ended up taking us back thru J'berg on SAA, four hour layover and then J'berg to Windhoek on Air Namibia. Our luggage and rifles would be checked all the way thru so no screwing around with SAPS.

Long story short, we made the fights to Windhoek, but none of our checked luggage or rifle cases did. Lots of phone calls and the lost baggage guy in Windhoek was able to locate everything in J'berg and without out all the sleepless night details, our luggage and rifle cases did arrive in Windhoek 2hrs before our KLM flight departed. I know one of the NAMPOL Sgts at the airport and tracked her down and she helped expedite clearing our rifles in and right back out again and we did make our flight. I resolved at that point that it will be a VERY longtime, if ever, that I fly Air Namibia again.

They really screwed up when they tried to open the long haul flights to Frankfurt on their own. They should have just partnered with Lufthansa for daily service and gave them a sweet deal on landing fees and fuel and just concentrated on domestic and regional flights. They would have saved a lot of money partnering than what they spend and ultimately lost trying to run with the big dogs.

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Good stuff m3taco. About 3 years ago now I talked my buddy into bringing his son with us over to Namibia for a plains game hunt. Everything went well on our flights into WH on Air Namibia, and we had a great hunt in which his son killed a bomber 58" kudu bull. On our return, we made it to the WH airport 2.5 hours early, and stood in a short line at the check-in desk. Keep in mind that we had our tickets for over 5 months, complete with seat assignments on every leg of our flights. Once we reached the desk, the lady informed us that the flight was full and that we weren't getting on that plane and would have to wait for the next flight to J'Burg which left about 2 hours after the one we were confirmed on. We informed her that we had had our ticets confirmed for 4 months and that we intended to get on that plane, in our assigned seats. She basically said "go screw yourself" and that we were most definitely no getting on that plane. We didn't. To make a long story short, we barely, and I mean barely made the connection in J'Burg, literally running OJ Simpson style through the airport to make the gate in time. Upon return home, my buddy's rifle didn't arrive home for more than 3 weeks. Air Namibia flat our sucks.


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That’s interesting. In 2007 we flew air Namib from Frankfurt to WH and back. They were the best flying experiences we’ve had from desk agent to the jets to the service en route including all domestic flights.

They must have caught the attitude,

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George - agree. The first few years we flew them, they were excellent. I think the long haul between WDH and FRA is what financially killed them. PLUS the fact that they opened up the airport to other foreign flagged carriers (competition). I really believe it they would have skipped the that long haul route and just partnered with Lufthansa for the long haul and just stuck to domestic and regional they would have been fine. Instead they just became a constant drain on the govt for bailouts. Employees got pissed off because they didn't feel they were being paid enough and it just all started the decline into ruin.

They had entered into leases with a US based company for the three Airbus they were using on the long hauls. They started running into financial with those maybe 4-5 years ago. Started having to CNX flights from FRA because they could pay their landing fees and fuel bills. The scheduled maintenance was contracted out over in J'berg. Got to where they couldn't pay the maintenance bills and the company would release the aircraft. Just became very poorly managed over the years as more and more of the experienced management where replaced due to......well, you can figure that one out.

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We flew Air Namib in 2009

Calgary - London - Windhoek; two days before we left the Windhoek route was announced as being canceled 4 days after we arrived in Windhoek. Our first thing we did in Namibia was to go to the offices of Air Windhoek and sort out our return flights to Windhoek-Frankfurt-London-Calgary.

We had booked first class on Air Namib as at that time it was inexpensive and a massive improvement in comfort. On our flight home we were amazed at how people started crowding the gate as boarding time approached, there was no announcement for boarding row x, they just opened the gates and the stampede began. I thought "WTF everyone has seats what's the rush?"

We were the last people to board the plan, to find a couple sitting in our seats. When we explained that they were in our seats they sat there and held their carry on bags to their chests. Before things escalated an Air Namib staffer came up and checked tickets and the "intruders" were removed.

The flight was over-booked and it appears that Air Namibia used "festival seating" in coach, first in place had the seat. There was about a dozen people removed from the plane.

It was truly weird and convinced me back then that one might want to reconsider using Air Namib.

Thanks for all the background on Air Namib M3T

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The only southern African airlines I trust anymore are Air Botswana and Airlink.

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An amazing adventure to venture in, I love adventure especially pertaining hunting one.


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Just pulled this from a Namibia newspaper and dated today.

Namibia eases Covid-19 restrictions
29 May 2020 12:54 PM
ALL 14 regions of the country will on Monday migrate to stage 3 of the lockdown exit strategy for the next 28 days – except for Walvis Bay, which will go back to stage 1 until 8 June.

President Hage Geingob announced this yesterday during a media briefing at State House.

The complete lockdown of Walvis Bay is effective immediately following two concurrent Covid-19 cases in the town.

The observance period will be monitored weekly and may be extended.

This is because case number 21 and 22, both from Walvis Bay, have been in contact with over 100 people between them. The extent of secondary contacts remains unknown.

Case number 21 is a truck driver (43) who had allegedly contravened quarantine regulations and visited various businesses.

Case number 22 is a fisherman (63) who had gone to the Democratic Republic of Congo. He too came in contact with various people, including at a local Walvis Bay hospital.

The president said the Ministry of Health and Social Services will identify, trace and test those who have come into contact with the two confirmed cases.

Health minister Kalumbi Shangula said Walvis Bay is a major destination for travellers from high-risk countries.

He said stage 1 regulations will include the closure of schools and higher education institutions, the prohibition of public gatherings of more than 10 people, the banning of travelling without a permit as well as the sale of alcohol, and the restriction of movement.

Moreover, only critical service providers will be allowed to operate.

“This approach is consistent with the national Covid-19 exit strategy, which provides for localised responses to contain and suppress the spread of Covid-19 in our country,” he said.

Minister of Justice Yvonne Dausab confirmed the coastal town will have to adhere to stage 1 lockdown regulations effective immediately.

She said the state of emergency remains intact and is valid.

Attorney general Festus Mbandeka urged transport companies to ensure their truck drivers adhere to quarantine regulations.

He said the owners of the companies would also be held liable for the lack of compliance by truck drivers.

PERMITS

Mbandeka said those people who need to travel from Walvis Bay would need to acquire permits from authorised officers.

The country has endured stage 1 of the Covid-19 lockdown, which lasted 38 days, followed by stage 2, which expires on Monday, 1 June, at midnight.

Geingob said Cabinet met on Tuesday, evaluated data and assessed the country’s readiness to respond to the global pandemic.

He said Namibia’s health is first priority, while praising Namibians and healthcare workers, among others, for adhering to the regulations thus far.

“I was aware that the lockdown is not easy to endure, as they infringe on our rights as human beings, but I am glad to note that as Namibians, we have adopted a selfless approach and understood that to win the war against this invisible enemy, we need to make sacrifices that go far and beyond the norm,” the president said.

Shangula said stage 3 involves the relaxation of some regulations, such as gatherings of not more than 50 people being allowed.

Social distancing will be enforced at 1,5 metres, while masks are still required when in public spaces, he said.

Shangula said businesses are required to keep a register of customers to assist with contact tracing.

ON EDUCATION

Shangula said early childhood development centres, primary and secondary schools, as well as vocational training will resume a face-to-face medium of instruction, with the daily screening of students.

The minister said the school feeding programme will continue.

According to Shangula, Grade 11 and 12 pupils wiil go back to school on 3 June until the end of the year.

Vocational training classes will start on 8 June until 18 December, and pre-primary centres will commence on 22 June, he said.

Grades 7 and 9 will start their schooling on 6 July, while those in Grades 4 to 8, as well as Grade 10 will return to schools on 20 July.

BORDERS AND BUSINESSES

Namibia’s points of entry will remain closed and the restriction of cross-border movement remains in place, with the exception of the transportation of goods, Shangula said.

The ministry has put measures in place to avoid the spread of Covid-19 when it comes to truck drivers, he said.

Shangula said not all businesses will be allowed to resume activities in full.

“Restaurants, cafés and kapana traders may reopen for sit-down dining, but the number of those allowed inside must be restricted per square metre. Restaurants may open for pre-booked customers and no walk-in clients are permitted,” he said.

Food buffets may be handled by staff only and there should be no sharing of pens in completing customer registers.

ALCOHOL BAN LIFTED

Shangula said alcohol may only be sold between 12h00 and 18h00 except on Sundays, while buying and selling is only permitted for takeaways.

Consuming alcohol is only allowed at home and not in public.

He said only holders of valid liquor licences will be permitted to sell alcohol.

“Night clubs, gambling houses and casinos are high risk and will not be permitted to resume activity during stage 3,” he said.

Shangula warned that those violating the regulations will suffer fines because they are punishable offences.

[​IMG]



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I have not kept up with this thread... But we just had our hunt cancelled. Wow.... Crushed. .


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See where it looks like the Erongo region has been put back on lock-down.


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Still kind of in a holding pattern. As of yesterday (16 Jun) the govt reported two more active cases that brings their TOTAL cases to a whopping 34 and ZERO deaths. Now...that is if you can believe ANY "numbers" being reported by ANY country. They did move the Walvis Bay area back one step.

Here is something a bit ironic - On 11 June, the govt reported that over 11,000 people had malaria and 34 have died from it in the past three months.

I think they will be making an announcement the last week of this month about maybe opening up the boarders MAYBE a little bit to at least neighboring countries and MAYBE certain off continent countries.

As I understand the situation in J'berg at the airport, CURRENTLY IF you are just transiting the airport and remaining in the secure area you are not subject to the 14-day RSA quarantine. The big question will be what airline(s) will be shuttling between J'berg and Windhoek when the boarder finally does open.

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