Windhoek Observer – Page 5 – Windhoek Observer

05 Feb

Foschini reports slow sales growth in third quarter

Observer Money

Staff Reporter The Foschini Group Limited has reported modest sales growth for the third quarter of its 2026 financial year, as tough consumer conditions in South Africa continued to limit discretionary spending. In a trading update covering the nine months from 1 April 2025 to 27 December 2025, including the 13 weeks to 27 December 2025, the Group said trading conditions remained difficult despite easing inflation and recent interest rate cuts. The company noted that the third quarter of the prior year benefited from the introduction of South Africa’s two-pot retirement system, which supported consumer spending at the time. Sales…

05 Feb

Southern Sun plans to buy 50% stake in Sandton properties

Observer Money

Staff Writer Southern Sun Limited has announced a proposed transaction to acquire a 50% undivided share in a portfolio of hospitality and leisure properties in Sandton that it currently operates under long-term lease and management agreements. The assets, known as the Sandton Consortium Properties, include Sandton Towers, Garden Court, Sandton City, the Sandton Convention Center and Virgin Active Sandton. The properties are located on Erf 596, Sandown Extension 38, in Gauteng. Virgin Active Sandton is leased to the Virgin Active Group. The Sandton Sun hotel is not part of the transaction and will remain under its current ownership, with Southern…

05 Feb

New law bars officials from oil stakes

Main, National News

Justicia Shipena and Allexer Namundjembo Senior officials who will run the upstream petroleum sector will now be required to declare their assets and business interests under amendments to the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act tabled in Parliament this week. The Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill requires the director general and deputy director general of the newly created Upstream Petroleum Unit to submit statements of their assets, liabilities and business interests to the President shortly after appointment and whenever required. This includes any interests linked to petroleum activities. The draft bill aims to enhance transparency and minimise conflicts of interest. …

04 Feb

Opposition wary as President pushes oil law changes

National News

Renthia Kaimbi President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on the National Assembly to urgently consider proposed amendments to laws governing the country’s natural resources. Nandi-Ndaitwah said legislation related to natural resources must be treated with urgency, especially proposals that seek to ensure that the country’s wealth benefits many Namibians and not only a few. “The wealth generated in this country should benefit many of our people, not just a few,” she told parliamentarians as she officially opened the third session of the eighth Parliament yesterday. She said Parliament must ensure that Namibia’s natural resources are used responsibly and sustainably. She stressed…

04 Feb

Technology seen as answer to cancer care gaps

National News

Justicia Shipena Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) chief executive officer Rolf Hansen says technology and innovative service models must be used to close gaps in cancer care where human capacity is limited. Hansen made the remarks as Namibia joins the rest of the world today to mark World Cancer Day under the theme “United by Unique”. He said access to early screening and diagnosis remains difficult, especially in remote and rural areas, where patients often travel long distances to Windhoek for specialist care. He said technology can help reduce these barriers and shorten delays in treatment. “We acknowledge that receiving…

04 Feb

Walu Fishing has no legal right to quota – MAFWLR

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform (MAFWLR) says Walu Fishing Company (Pty) Ltd has no legal right to any fishing quota. On Monday, the ministry issued a statement responding to claims made in a social media video. It clarified that the company does not hold fishing rights under the Marine Resources Act and is therefore not legally entitled to receive any fishing quota. The ministry explained that Walu Fishing only participated in the Government Employment Redress Programme during the 2024 and 2025 fishing seasons under a special arrangement aimed at protecting jobs in the horse…

04 Feb

Windhoek residents urged to waterproof documents

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The City of Windhoek has urged residents to prepare emergency kits and keep important documents in waterproof containers. The municipality also advised residents to know how to safely switch off electricity and gas supplies if evacuation becomes necessary. This follows a storm over the weekend in which the city said it recorded damages in the Khomasdal area. The municipality reported two weather-related incidents after a storm hit the capital on Saturday evening, 31 January 2026. The storm occurred between 21h00 and 22h00 and the incidents were recorded by the Emergency Operations Centre. On Sunday morning, the Emergency Operations…

04 Feb

Malaria cases climb to 8 760 in one month

National News

Justicia Shipena Namibia has recorded 8 760 confirmed malaria cases in the first four weeks of the year. This is a sharp rise from 5 229 cases reported during the same period last year, representing an increase of 68%. She said 604 malaria-related hospital admissions and 11 deaths have been recorded so far. Health and social services minister Dr Esperance Luvindao announced this on Monday. She said the Ministry of Health and Social Services has identified 20 health districts that have exceeded the malaria epidemic threshold. These include Andara, Nyangana, Kamagoro, Nkurenkuru, Eenhana, Ongela, Okongo, Grootfontein, Katima Mulilo, Rundu, Tsumeb,…

04 Feb

Parliament at a crossroads: choose law-making over theatre

Editorial, Featured

The official opening of the third session of the eighth Parliament by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah signals more than the start of a new legislative calendar. It represents a moment of reckoning for Namibia’s Legislature, a chance to reset, to refocus, and to recommit itself to the serious business of governance. The President’s address was firm but measured, and its underlying message was unmistakable: Namibians are watching Parliament closely, and they expect results, not spectacle. Her call for members of Parliament to strengthen their role in advancing inclusive development and participatory democracy was timely. Across the country, citizens are grappling with…

04 Feb

Namibia: Reimagining national identity beyond structural dependencies

Featured

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) “If tomorrow South Africa were to close its commercial borders, how many days would Namibia last?” The question is uncomfortable but necessary. It starkly exposes the structural fragility of an economy that, despite political and institutional stability, remains deeply dependent on external factors to ensure its basic functioning. Namibia is often presented as an African success story in terms of governance. However, this narrative overlooks an essential reality: the national economy remains poorly diversified, vulnerable to external shocks, and excessively anchored in asymmetric relationships inherited from the colonial past. A…