Geingob ropes Masisi into SACU stand-off

When they last met to discuss a joint industrialisation bid last April, member states of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), opted for diplomacy and spoke of regional unity for investment, rather than the restless elephant in the room.

Last week, at a year-end media briefing in Windhoek, Namibian president, Hage Geingob, lifted the lid on the long-simmering issue of industrial imbalance in the region and pointed accusing fingers at South Africa. The 82-year-old political veteran who retires in just over a year is well-known for shooting from the hip, earning a reputation for blunt frankness in his remarks.