Omasa #6 | APRIL 2025

Employee profiles

24 HOURS,

401KM

A DASH ACROSS THE WORLD’S OLDEST DESERT

erner Ewald, MD of BMRN, doesn’t know about slow. He and his ‘fatbike team’ once again

participated in the Nedbank Desert Dash, the world’s longest single-stage mountain bike race.

They finished 35th out of 114 teams. They were also the only team to do the race on fatbikes. While

fatbikes are heavier and harder to pedal than mountain bikes, they are great for soft, unstable terrain

such as sand. Well done to Werner, Mark de Wet, Divan Mostert and Dr Jasper Lochner for their

competitive placing.

SEARCHING FOR OMAJOVA

very year Namibians go in search of

Omajova, edible mushrooms that only reveal

themselves between January and March. They

also grow only on termite hills and when Namibia

has received good rains. It is an annual tradition

for Werner Ewald and his family to search for

Omajova.

This year Werner missed his family trip as he

was accompanying investors on their visit to the

Etango Uranium Project.

But he was determined to find this wild delicacy.

Together with colleagues Gavin Chamberlain

and Emma Culver they set out on a four-hour

drive during which they found … nothing.

Ten metres before the turnoff to their next

destination a giant termite hill covered with

Omajova presented itself!

A FRIEND FROM DOWN

UNDER

Emma Culver, Bannerman Energy’s Investor

Relations and Communications Manager,

recently travelled to South Africa and Namibia.

She had a great time catching up with her

colleagues.

...with Jamie Peterson, PA to CEO Gavin Chamberlain.

...with Andrea Leech, graphic designer.

...with Vera and Mike Leech, retired Board member.

Werner Ewald, Emma Culver and Gavin

Chamberlain with the elusive Omajova they

found after a four-hour search.

Three of the four-man team competing in the Desert Dash on fatbikes are (from left) Divan Mostert, Werner

Ewald and Mark de Wet.