iPad launch: Tech-savvy Namibia 1, South Africa 0

Apple’s iPad has just been launched in Nambia. For a once-off payment of N$1 999, and an additional N$400 per month, you can walk the streets of Windhoek with a (dust-protected) iPad under your arm.

South Africans have been clamouring for the iPad for some time now, but have been told to be patient as we are low down on Apple’s priority list of countries that absolutely have to get the iPad. But it seems that Namibia, with a population of 2.8-million, has beaten us to the punch.

ITWeb reports that MTC’s Chief Human Capital and Corporate Communications Officer, Tim Ekandjo, says: “we are extremely excited to announce that we will be the first and only mobile operator in Namibia to have gone to such great lengths to stay ahead of modern trends solely to provide superior products and services to our customers.”

The receptionist at MTC who answered my call was astonished to discover that the iPad was still not available over-the-counter in South Africa. “At least we’re ahead in something,” he chuckled.

But there is a silver lining to this cloud. If the mythical iPad is being sold in Namibia, surely it can’t be too far away from reaching South African stores.

Wikipedia estimates that the population of Namibia is 2.8-million