Windhoek Observer

Ester Mbathera Swapo presidential candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is advocating for broader economic participation through targeted support for SMEs and industrial strategies to create sustainable jobs. Nandi-Ndaitwah made the call at the public discussion event of the party’s manifesto in Windhoek on Monday. “The days of relying on one or two key sectors must be behind us. Through targeted support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and focused industrial strategies, we can create sustainable jobs and ensure that wealth is spread across our society rather than being concentrated in the hands of just a few,” she said. According to her, the…

Allexer Namundjembo Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi was unable to present the mid-year budget review on Monday because not enough members of parliament attended to form a quorum. The mid-term budget review serves as an opportunity for the government to reassess its initial allocations that were made at the start of the year. Shiimi said that while the budget allocations will remain as they were initially set, resources will be focused on ministries facing urgent needs. Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Loide Kasingo, adjourned the session. “The rule says we need to be 49 to proceed with house activities. Unfortunately,…

Allexer Namundjembo The National Council Standing Committee on Public Accounts has revealed that the financial situation of the Opuwo Town Council is in disarray. Peter Kazongominja, the committee chairperson, said the council’s financial records are not reconciling and that there is a lack of staff in the finance department to prepare the council’s statements. “If it is a matter of capacity, we need to find ways to provide training for those working in the finance department. They need a solution; the accounting officer cannot answer the queries as she was recently hired and still needs more time to familiarise herself…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja A Toyota Fortuner owned by a nurse, Mathilde Kadhikwa from northern Namibia is scheduled to be sold on auction on 21 November in Tsumeb. This follows a Windhoek High Court ruling requiring Kadhikwa to cover the legal costs of Shapwa Tangeni Kanyama and his wife, Beata. Judge Beatrix de Jager recently ordered Kadhikwa to cover the Kanyamas’ wasted legal costs on the scale of one instructing and one instructed legal practitioner, leading to the attachment of her assets. The Toyota Fortuner, one of the attached assets, will be held in storage until the auction. “In terms of the…

Niël Terblanché A gang of armed robbers killed a security guard and wounded another during a cash-in-transit robbery at the Platz Am Meer shopping mall in Swakopmund on Monday. Eyewitnesses on the ground level of the centre’s parking structure said a group of four or five men suddenly appeared as if out of nowhere at the cash-in-transit van while the security officers were busy loading boxes filled with money into it. A bystander said that all the robbers were armed with pistols or revolvers and that they were threatening to shoot the security guards. Some of the robbers held the…

Niël Terblanché The Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (Natau) is set to lead peaceful, nationwide demonstrations in protest against the reappointment of TransNamib’s Executive for Human Capital, Webster Gonzo today. According to a statement by Natau’s acting general secretary Narina Pollmann last week, the demonstrations will be in response to growing discontent among TransNamib employees who have raised concerns over Gonzo’s management practices and alleged disregard for company policy. “The dissatisfaction stems from the decision made by the TransNamib board to reappoint Gonzo, despite repeated appeals from employees,” she said. Pollmann said workers feel their concerns have been ignored.…

Niël Terblanché With an increasing number of foreign students choosing Namibia as their educational destination, the timely acquisition of study permits is essential for ensuring a smooth transition into the country’s academic institutions. In this regard, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security has announced the official opening of the application period for study permits for the 2025 academic year. In a statement, the executive director of the home affairs ministry, Etienne Martiz, said that foreign students who wish to pursue their education in Namibia are required to secure these permits to enrol in local educational institutions. “This…

Niël Terblanché Amid a rising wave of cholera cases across southern Africa, which has claimed hundreds of lives, the Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein, opened a workshop on water treatment in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The workshop, aimed at addressing water quality, brings together delegates from SADC countries and East African nations. The event, hosted by NamWater, focuses on the importance of proficiency in water testing and the collaborative efforts needed to maintain water safety amid increasing regional challenges. The cholera outbreak, which has already caused significant loss of life, highlights the urgent need…

Niël Terblanché As the school year draws to a close, Namibia has received a timely boost to its educational infrastructure through a generous donation from the Chinese government. The Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Ester Anna Nghipondoka, officially received newly constructed educational facilities for two rural schools in Kavango West: Satotwa Combined School and Simanya Combined School. She said the Chinese government’s gift, delivered through the Agency for International Economic Cooperation, will help address the growing need for learner accommodation and improve the overall learning environment in these remote areas. “The donation includes crucial infrastructure such as classrooms, administration…