Windhoek Observer

12023 Posts
Mining sector ends Q3 on an optimistic note

Mining sector ends Q3 on an optimistic note

Chamwe Kaira Namibia’s mining sector showed mixed but steady performance in September as global economic conditions remained fragile. This is according to the Chamber of Mines of Namibia’s monthly mining update for September. Despite trade disruptions and higher tariffs, uranium and gold continued to drive growth and sustain export earnings, confirming the sector’s importance to the national economy. “While the global outlook remains uncertain, Namibia’s mining industry continues to show resilience,” said Veston Malango, chief executive officer of the Chamber of Mines.  “Strong uranium and gold performance, coupled with investor confidence in our critical-mineral potential, positions Namibia well for long-term…
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Standard Bank, RMB fund upgrade at Walvis Bay port

Standard Bank, RMB fund upgrade at Walvis Bay port

Staff Writer Standard Bank Namibia and RMB Namibia, in partnership with Terminal Investment Namibia (TIN), will fund a N$2.1 billion project to modernise the Port of Walvis Bay. The investment will help transform the port into a leading African transshipment hub. The collaboration supports TIN’s capital expenditure programme, which aims to upgrade terminal operations, increase capacity, and strengthen Namibia’s role as a key gateway for regional trade.  The project follows Namport’s decision to grant TIN a 25-year concession to operate and maintain the container terminal at Walvis Bay. Standard Bank Namibia and RMB Namibia structured and arranged the external funding…
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Acacia-Composites signs deal with Zimbabwean firm

Acacia-Composites signs deal with Zimbabwean firm

Staff Writer Acacia-Composites Manufacturing, Africa’s only producer of Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) decking, cladding and battens, has signed a distribution agreement with Halsted Builders Express Zimbabwe, the leading construction and building supply company in Zimbabwe. The partnership follows an introduction to Acacia-Composites Manufacturing’s products at WoodEX for Africa in Johannesburg earlier this year.  During a visit to the Windhoek manufacturing plant, Halsted chief executive officer Stuart Knight was impressed by the quality of Acacia’s products. As a result, the two companies agreed to bring Acacia’s WPC decking to the Zimbabwean market.  The order of high-performance decking marks a key step…
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Nissan X-TRAIL celebrates 25 years

Nissan X-TRAIL celebrates 25 years

Staff Writer The Nissan X-TRAIL is celebrating 25 years since its launch, marking a milestone for one of the world’s most popular SUVs. Introduced in 2000, the first-generation X-TRAIL (T30: 2000–2007) pioneered a new motoring category. It combined comfort, performance, and practicality in a 4WD vehicle, breaking the perception that such cars were heavy on fuel. The T30 featured a spacious interior designed for outdoor and sports use, a large cargo area, washable luggage boards, and water-repellent seats.  In 2003, a model update improved driver comfort with a pop-up steering wheel that tilted up to 45 degrees. The “Hyper Roof…
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Global residency firm to host investment roadshow in Windhoek

Global residency firm to host investment roadshow in Windhoek

Staff Writer Orience’s Southern Africa team will host roadshows in Namibia and Zambia later this month to promote new international investment opportunities. The firm, known globally for offering residency and citizenship through investment, will hold its Windhoek roadshows from 17 to 19 November and in Lusaka, Zambia, from 19 to 21 November. Lisa Bathurst, Orience’s Southern Africa manager, said the sessions will help potential investors assess whether the Italian opportunity suits their financial and personal goals. “Potential investors must attend the roadshows to see whether the Italian opportunity would be a good fit for the investors and their families in…
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Only 19% of youth want to start a business …majority prefer government jobs over business

Only 19% of youth want to start a business …majority prefer government jobs over business

Justicia Shipena Only 19% of Namibians aged 18 to 35 would choose to start their own business if given the opportunity. This makes the country’s youth the least entrepreneurial in Africa.  This is according to the latest Afrobarometer survey covering 38 African nations. The data stands in sharp contrast to Namibia’s youth population, which makes up 2.1 million of the country’s three million people, according to the 2023 Housing and Population Census by the Namibia Statistics Agency.  Despite their numbers, the survey shows that most young Namibians prefer the government as their employer. The survey asked the youth about their…
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Magistrates push back on Immanuel’s return-to-work directive

Magistrates push back on Immanuel’s return-to-work directive

Renthia Kaimbi Magistrates have defied a return-to-work directive issued by justice and labour relations minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel.  Immanuel, on Sunday, in a letter to Magistrates’ Commission chairperson Boas Uusiku, acknowledged the frustrations of magistrates over the delayed housing and vehicle allowances but maintained that the nationwide strike had no legal basis.  He then instructed all magistrates to return to their duty stations and resume work, warning that failure to comply would lead to serious consequences. Despite his [Immanuel's] order, magistrates have continued their 'go-slow' industrial action, bringing civil trials, criminal proceedings and bail applications to a halt.  The magistrates…
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Green schemes spend 35% of revenue on electricity

Green schemes spend 35% of revenue on electricity

Renthia Kaimbi Electricity costs take up about 35% of the total revenue of Namibia’s green scheme projects.  The executive director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, revealed this during a national workshop on green schemes in Rundu on Monday.  She said each project spends close to N$1 million per month on electricity. “Each green scheme project spends close to N$1 million per month on electricity alone, representing roughly 35% of its total revenue, a burden that severely impacts profitability and long-term operational viability,” she said. Nghituwamata said high power tariffs have become a major…
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IPC proposes independent commission to oversee SOEs 

IPC proposes independent commission to oversee SOEs 

Justicia Shipena The official opposition party wants to create an independent Public Enterprises Governance Commission (PEGC) to stop politics from interfering with how state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are run under the new Public Enterprises Governance Amendment (PEGA) Bill. The leader of the official opposition in parliament, Immanuel Nashinge, said the bill risks recentralizing power and undermining professional governance.  “The Bill, presented as reform, in reality takes power away from professionals and places it back into political hands,” he said during the parliamentary debate last week.  Nashinge said SOEs have collapsed under the weight of political interference, with the same individuals being…
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Unpaid winnings stir trouble for Okahandja’s BetZilla

Unpaid winnings stir trouble for Okahandja’s BetZilla

Allexer Namundjembo An Aviator player has accused BetZilla, a betting company based in Okahandja, of failing to pay out his winnings of N$1 040. Kudumo Sikongo said he played the game Aviator and, after winning, tried to request his payout but was sent from one contact number to another before his calls were blocked.  “I won at BetZilla, and after calling them, they blocked my number,” he told the Windhoek Observer on Monday. He said he reported the matter to the Okahandja Police Station.  "I was told they knew where the office was and would go there, but I haven't…
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