Winter time (Namibia)

Time in Africa
    UTC−01:00 Cape Verde Time
    UTC±00:00 Greenwich Mean Time
    UTC±00:00
UTC+01:00		 Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time+1
    UTC+01:00 West Africa Time /
Central European Time
    UTC+01:00
UTC+02:00		 West Africa Time
West Africa Summer Time
    UTC+02:00 Central Africa Time /
South African Standard Time /
Eastern European Time
    UTC+03:00 East Africa Time
    UTC+04:00 Mauritius Time / Seychelles Time
Light colors indicate where standard time is observed all year; dark colors indicate where daylight savings is observed.

Note: The islands of Cape Verde are to the west of the African mainland.

Winter time is the practice of setting clocks back during winter months by one hour, observed in Namibia since 1994. As one of only two countries in the world to implement winter time instead of daylight saving time, Namibian Standard Time is UTC+02:00 (Central Africa Time) in summer, and UTC+01:00 (West Africa Time) in winter. There are current discussions to abolish winter time.

In the Zambezi Region in the far north-east of Namibia clocks are not changed and remain on Central Africa Time all year round.

Winter time

Namibia is one of only two countries in the world to observe winter time. Ireland adjusts clocks in Winter since 1971[1][2] while Czechoslovakia abolished the practice in 1946.[3] In a regular daylight saving time scheme, the "normal" time is observed in the winter, and clocks are turned forward during the summer. In winter time, normal time is observed in the summer, and clocks are turned back by one hour in the winter. In timekeeping, then, it is equivalent to daylight saving time, differing only in which season is considered the regular time. However, the purpose is not to utilise additional hours of daylight in the evening, but to prevent children from walking to school in darkness in the morning, to decrease the risk of injuries and assaults.[4]

In Namibia, winter time begins on the first Sunday in April at 03:00, and lasts until the first Sunday in September, 02:00 hours.[4]

If expressed as summer times, these would be equivalent to West Africa Summer Time and West Africa Standard Time, however Namibia is the only state in Africa to use the combination of UTC+1 and UTC+2. Central European Time also uses UTC+1 and UTC+2, but the northern seasons are opposite to the southern hemisphere. When Namibia Winter Time is in effect (UTC+1, from April to August), much of Europe is on Central European Summer Time (which runs from April to October, UTC+2).

History

Upon Namibian independence the country used a single time zone, keeping time regulation as previously prescribed by the occupying nation, South Africa. Triggered by fears for school children walking to school before sunrise, discussions in the National Assembly started in 1992,[4] and on 10 November 1993 the Namibian Time Bill (#39 of 1993) was proposed. This bill defines the Namibian Standard Time.[5]

Since 1994, winter time starts on the first Sunday in April at 02:00 hours and lasts until the first Sunday in September, 02:00 hours. The Namibian Standard Time is UTC+02:00 (derived from South African Standard Time) in summer, and UTC+01:00 (equivalent to West Africa Time) in winter. The Zambezi Region in the far north-east of Namibia is excluded from changing time and remains at UTC+2 all year round,[6] so that during winter time, Namibia spans two time zones.[4]

Criticism

In the 2010s repeated calls from businesses and private individuals were made to abolish winter time, citing incompatibilities with South Africa, Namibia's main trading partner, as well as a "loss of productivity".[4]

This resulted in an official investigation by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration. During the polls, 97% of the 3,507 questioned people were in favour of the +2 difference to Greenwich Mean Time, and about 88% wanted to abolish winter time. After the Cabinet was likewise against changing clocks in fall and spring, minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana proposed a new bill to that effect in February 2017.[7] The Home Affairs ministry stated that winter time would proceed in 2017, as discussions were still ongoing.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Standard Time (Amendment) Act, 1971
  2. ↑ Standard Time Act, 1968
  3. ↑ Kušová, Tereza (14 April 2011). "Letní čas vymyslel Angličan, zaveden byl ve Švédsku, Rusko ho ruší a Česko se několik desetiletí přizpůsobuje" (in Czech). Novinky.cz. To byla jediná doba, kdy byl u nás zaveden zimní čas, je to nejspíš i světový unikát, poté se měnil už pouze v ten letní.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "GRN evaluates winter time change". New Era. 24 March 2016. p. 1.
  5. ↑ Dierks, Klaus. "Chronology of Namibian History, 136". klausdierks.com. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  6. ↑ Immanuel, Shinovene (23 February 2017). "Time change divides lawmakers". The Namibian. p. 1.
  7. ↑ Konstantinus, Esme (23 February 2017). "Namibia’s winter time might be repealed". New Era. p. 1.
  8. ↑ Shapwanale, Ndapewoshali (2017-03-30). "Time change continues". The Namibian.
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