Books published by University of Namibia

In a country like Namibia, where few academics often have to cover a subject in all its aspects, the scope of research necessarily has to be wide. In the case of the one honoured with this Festschrift, Hans-Volker Joachim Gretschel, these areas cover the German language and literature, comparative literature, translation, as well as didactics and lexicography. In this book, with contributions in German and English, his colleagues, friends and companions address all of these issues. Nonetheless this is not a random potpourri but one united by the relevance for the development of Namibia. The reader can look forward to noteworthy articles showing the way for German and German Studies in Southern Africa.

In 1963 Mukwahepo left her home in Namibia and followed her fiance across the border into Angola. They survived hunger and war and eventually made their way to Tanzania. There, Mukwahepo became the first woman to undergo military training with SWAPO. For nine years she was the only woman in SWAPO's Kongwa camp. She was then thrust into a more traditional women's role - taking care of children in the SWAPO camps in Zambia and Angola. At Independence, Mukwahepo returned to Namibia with five children. One by one their parents came to reclaim them, until she was left alone. Already in her fifties, and with little education, Mukwahepo could not get employment. She survived on handouts until the Government introduced a pension and other benefits for veterans. Through a series of interviews, Ellen Ndeshi Namhila recorded and translated Mukwahepo's remarkable story. This book preserves the oral history of not only the 'dominant male voice' among the colonised people of Namibia, but brings to light the hidden voice, the untold and forgotten story of an ordinary woman and the outstanding role she played during the struggle.

Labour Law in Namibia is the first comprehensive and scholarly text to analyse labour law in the country, the Labour Act of 2007, and how it affects the common law principles of employment relations. Concise and extensively researched, it examines the Labour Act in detail in 16 chapters that include the employment relationship; duties of employers and employees; unfair dismissal and other disciplinary actions; the settlement of industrial disputes; and collective bargaining. Over 500 relevant cases are cited, including court rulings in other countries, and comparative references to the labour laws of other Commonwealth countries, notably South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and the United Kingdom, making it a reference and comparative source book for common law countries in the SADC region and beyond. Written by an authority in the field of labour law, this is a unique reference guide for key players in labour relations, including teachers and students of law, legal researchers and practitioners, human resource and industrial relations practitioners, employers and employer's organisations, employees and trade unions, public servants and public policy advisors, and the academic community internationally. In clear and uncomplicated English, the book is accessible to professional and lay people. A comprehensive list of contents, tables of cases and statues, bibliography and index, assist the reader.

Understanding Policy Domains, their Salient Forces, and Organisational Challenges examines the complexity of policy making processes within the context of human action arising from culture, life necessities, and politics. It provides an understanding of human, environmental and institutional behaviour, and identifies the policy factors that underline the success or failure of governments and institutions. This book provides policy-makers, practitioners and other researchers in the field with a clear understanding of the process of policy-making and who is responsible for what. It sets the tone for academics and policy practitioners to confront the problems and challenges that countries face as they seek to improve governance and service delivery. The author provokes debate on the cause and effect of past, present and future human actions, bringing into play the issues of honesty, transparency and political will. He promotes policy as a way towards achieving social harmony in the human struggle for survival. User-friendly for both students and lecturers, as well as for researchers, government and NGO policy 'gurus', Understanding Policy Domains, their Salient Forces, and Organisational Challenges is also valuable for political parties whose members are often unaware of this important aspect of government responsibility.