By: Nguriye Katusuva
Some ‘Order With Me’ SME operators have lashed out at the Namibia Revenue Agency
(NamRa) about its activities, including questioning the agency for confiscating their products.
This emerged as the revenue collection agency held an engagement meeting at the Nampower
convention centre in Windhoek on Tuesday with various SME importers and clearing agencies to
address issues of mutual concern.
SME operator Jessica Doases says that at times she orders branded products which get
confiscated, but that her fellow importers get the same products cleared.
“On what basis are these cleared?” Doases wanted to know.
She argued that detained products or goods cause problems especially when they are being
victimised by clients and seen as scammer due to a lack of communication between clearing
agents and NamRa.
Another operator Nesto Jeremia Shindinge said the clearing process takes long and as a result
they lose customers. He said some clients end up opening cases against them which makes them
feel victimised. He further charged that when goods are detained, letters are never sent or when
goods go missing.
SME operator John Panduleni shared his painful experience of ordering 45 soccer t-shirts which
were confiscated and he had to refund his clients. He said in 2018 he ordered 40 suits and ended
up refunding clients after paying for the shipping of products he never received.
“When we do business there is a reason for that,” Panduleni said, adding that the system is
victimising the operators.
He said he has a child who underwent hearing surgery that cost about N$750,000 in addition to
flight tickets, hotel accommodation and consulting fees, and that his SME was his only source of
income.
Other frustrated importers included activists Michael Amushelelo and Dimbulukeni Nauyoma.
Amushelelo argued that if Chinese nationals sell fake products to Namibians why should the
Namibian system find it difficult for Namibians to sell the same products? He added that the law
should apply to all equally without discrimination.
Nauyoma caled for detained goods to be given to orphanages or other social development
projects if products are to be disposed of.
Amushelelo and Nauyom were jailed for months after leading protests against NamRa’s decision
to confiscate the products of Namibian SME operators.

NamRa commissioner Sam Shivute said products or goods of importers are only detained after
clearing processes are done or a physical examination is taken in the presence of their agents.
“This is a process done to verify all goods. Some goods require permits and detention notices are
then sent to agents to report to their clients,” Shivute said.
He blamed some clearing agencies for theft, while acknowledging processing delays due to a
shortage of employees.
“The company is in the process of recruiting more employees for the future avoidance of slow
service delivery.”
Last year a number of employees from the finance ministry were seconded to NamRa.
At the same event, clearing agent Nico Oberholzer commended the direction NamRa was
heading as the right one. “The agency should look for positive criticism, especially with
communications engagement such as emails and actions,” he said.
Izan Engelbrecht, the business development manager at FP du Toit transport group complained
that they struggle to engage with NamRa, and that this paints a bad picture for clients.
Namibian ambassador to China Elia Kaiyamo advised that importers should verify their
customers abroad before ordering things, and that they should stop ordering products from
companies or individuals who are not cleared by their government or clearing institutions.