Windhoek Observer – Page 665 – Windhoek Observer

06 Oct

MAWLR warns against illegal land deals

National News

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) issued an urgent notice, alerting Namibians against partaking in unauthorized land sales, particularly on designated resettlement farms. The appeal comes after a series of reported illicit land allocations, sales, and occupations on specific farms in the Oshikoto Region. Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, the Executive Director of the ministry said they have identified the farms involved in these illicit dealings as Chudib-Nuut No. 1137, Urwald Farm No. 1150, and Tsintsabis No. 881. She indicated that all the farms are located approximately 62 kilometres north of Tsumeb along the Tsumeb-Katwiti road and have…

06 Oct

Trust fund misses 100 percent sanitation goal

National NewsTrust fund misses 100 percent sanitation goal

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Trust Fund for Regional Development and Equity Provision has not met its ambitious 100 percent target for delivering basic sanitation and municipal services in the towns of Helao Nafidi and Divindu. This was highlighted in Auditor General Junias Kandjeke’s report for the financial years ending March 31, 2021, and 2022, which was presented to Parliament last month. Overseen by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, the Trust Fund offers financial support to local authority councils to implement development initiatives. Kandjeke noted that the shortfall emerged from a procurement procedure that began but was subsequently cancelled. “The…

06 Oct

Education Ministry to regulate entry requirements for teaching profession

MainEducation Ministry to regulate entry requirements for teaching profession

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture is drafting an Act of Parliament intended to elevate the status of teaching in Namibia. This Act will set the professional prerequisites for entry into the teaching profession and outline the standards to which all teachers must adhere. During the World Teachers’ Day celebrations in Outapi, themed “The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage,” Education Minister Anna Nghipondoka announced this initiative. She also shed more light on the numerous challenges confronting the teaching sector while stressing the need for decisive action.…

05 Oct

Electricity generation up 33.8%

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Good rains have seen Namibia generating more local electricity in the past year. Local generation of electricity rose substantially on an annual basis largely due to higher water inflow into the Ruacana hydro-power plant. The local generation of electricity increased substantially by 33.8% annually during the second quarter of 2023. Bank of Namibia data attributed the increase partly due to improved water inflow into the Ruacana hydro-power plant during the 2022/23 rain season, resulting in a decline in imports of electricity by 12.1%. The units of electricity consumed increased by 17.1% during the second quarter, reflecting increased demand,…

05 Oct

Namdia’s properties loss N$8m in value

Observer Money

Namib Desert Diamonds (Pty) Ltd (Namdia) has disclosed that its two properties in Windhoek were revaluated by an independent property valuator, resulting in a fair value loss of N$5.5 million for Erf 336, Klein Windhoek, and a fair value loss of N$2.5 million for Erf 337, Klein Windhoek. In terms of the revaluation of remainder of Erf No. 336 Klein Windhoek, Namdia said in the current period, this property had a market value of N$30.1 million as determined on 5 April 2023 by an independent property valuator, Ngonyofi Property Investments CC, resulting in a fair value loss of N$5,495,000 in…

05 Oct

Diamond production reached 617 780 carats in Q2

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Diamonds production rose on a yearly basis by 8.8% to 617 780 carats during the second quarter of 2023, Bank of Namibia data revealed. The rise was attributed to more carats mined onshore owing to ongoing expansion of the mining area at the land operations as well as more carats mined offshore ascribed to additional output from the Benguela Gem, operated by Debmarine Namibia. The central bank said production of uranium rose on a yearly and quarterly basis during the second quarter, predominantly ascribed to base effects resulting from fewer water supply interruptions experienced during the quarter. Uranium…

05 Oct

Poultry industry braces for tough times

Observer Money

This week Rene Werner, chairman of Poultry Producer Association (PPA) talks about the current bird flu outbreak in South Africa and its possible impact on Namibia since Namibia has banned imports from its southern neighbor. South Africa is currently experiencing an outbreak of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in commercial poultry. Werner pointed out that although closure of the border is not a new thing, the current closure is bad for South Africa because it has affected production farms, breeders and hatcheries, which could result in a longer recovery time for South Africa. Since 2017, when South Africa had…

05 Oct

Nictus hit N$1 billion turnover target

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Nictus Namibia achieved the N$1 billion turnover in the year ended 30 June, a long-standing goal for the group and was last achieved in our 2014 financial year. Nictus said despite the recession that ensued, compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, the company said it was grateful to have reached this target once again. Profit for the year was N$41 million compared to N$42 the previous year. Revenue stood at N$927 million compared to N$862 million the previous year. The Namibia Stock Exchange listed Nictus Namibia is the holding company of a group of companies, which retail motor vehicles,…

05 Oct

Exports to Mozambique worth N$4.1 billion

Observer Money

Namibia exported goods worth N$4.1 billion to Mozambique in the period 2015 to 2022, statistics by Namibia Statistics Agency revealed this week. The figures also revealed that on the demand side, goods amounting to N$1.7 billion over the same period were sourced from Mozambique. The export basket to Mozambique comprised mainly of fish, medicaments (including veterinary) and motor vehicles for the transport of goods whereas the import basket comprised of special commodities not classified according to kind, ‘electrical machinery and apparatus’ and milk. The Agency said in August 2023, Namibia exported goods worth N$4.5 billion to the whole of Africa…

05 Oct

Namdia exposed to credit, liquidity, market risks

Observer Money

Namib Desert Diamonds (Pty) Ltd (Namdia) has emphasized that its strategy of both procuring diamonds in US dollars from its suppliers and selling diamonds in US dollars to its customers serves as a natural safeguard against currency risk. The company operates with three bank accounts denominated in US dollars, exclusively for diamond trading purposes. In contrast, Namdia settles all its operational and tax expenses in Namibian dollars. This duality in currency exposure arises because the majority of the company's income is earned in US dollars, but it faces foreign currency risk when converting funds from its US dollar accounts into…