Windhoek Observer – Page 7 – Windhoek Observer

12 Feb

OBSERVER COASTAL | Cool Cats Namibia marks 10 marks of rescuing cats

National News

Renthia Kaimbi Ten years ago, Cool Cats Namibia started as a simple Facebook page sharing photos of shelter cats in the hope that someone would adopt them. Founder Barbara Wayrauch said the page began with no office, no staff and no budget. “Many cats found loving forever homes through Cool Cats because suddenly, people could see and fall in love with them online,” Wayrauch told Observer Coastal. “At that time, almost no rescue or adoption organisation in Namibia was using social media. Today most do.” As more people shared posts, cats that had waited months for homes began to be…

12 Feb

OBSERVER COASTAL | Erongo police seize drugs worth 900k in four days

National News

Renthia Kaimbi Nearly N$900 000 worth of narcotics were seized in three separate police operations carried out in Walvis Bay over four days. The first operation took place on Saturday afternoon after police received information that drugs were buried in the yard of a house on Theo Ben Gurirab Street. The property was believed to be used as a base by a suspected dealer. When officers arrived, they found a 30-year-old man digging in the yard. Police said the suspect dropped two small ziplock bags of crack cocaine when he saw them. A body search led to the discovery of…

12 Feb

OBSERVER COASTAL | Aunt, niece perish in Walvis Bay shack fire

National News

Renthia Kaimbi A 20-year-old woman and her two-year-old niece died in a shack fire in the Tutaleni informal settlement in Walvis Bay early Wednesday morning. The fire broke out around 03h00 in Kilimanjaro Street in Kuisebmond. Beauty Guidao-oas and Gloria Guibes were inside the shack when it caught fire. According to the Namibian Police in the Erongo Region, neighbours woke up to the sound of screaming from a nearby structure. When they went outside, they found a shack already on fire with someone trapped inside. Residents tried to break through the hardboard walls to rescue the victims. The flames were…

12 Feb

Oil officials’ N$20k fine a slap on the wrist …opposition MPs gang up to reject oil bill

Main, National News

Justicia Shipena A proposed fine of up to N$20 000 for officials who breach conflict of interest rules in the petroleum sector is too low for an industry worth billions, Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) member of parliament Nelson Kalangula has told the National Assembly. Debating the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill on Wednesday, Kalangula said the penalty does not match the scale of the oil industry. The bill bars senior officials in the Upstream Petroleum Unit from holding financial interests in licence-holding companies, with penalties of up to N$20 000 or imprisonment of up to five years for…

12 Feb

Another shack fire, another funeral, another promise unkept

Editorial

At 03h00 on Tuesday morning in Kuisebmond’s Kilimanjaro Street, neighbours were awakened by screams. Not by thunder. Not by celebration. Not by alarm sirens. By screams. By the time they ran outside, a hardboard shack was already engulfed in flames. Inside, trapped, were 20-year-old Beauty Guidao-Oas and her two-year-old niece, Gloria Guibes. Neighbours tried to break into the structure. They tried to save them. The fire was too fierce. It spread rapidly, consuming six shacks and affecting fourteen people. By sunrise, two lives were gone. Another shack fire. Another funeral. Another police statement confirming bodies transported to the mortuary and…

12 Feb

NAC revenue grows by 6%

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The Namibia Airports Company Limited (NAC) recorded revenue growth of 6% in the 2024/25 financial year as passenger volumes continued to recover. For the year ended 31 March 2025, NAC’s revenue increased by 6% to N$540 million. The company said the growth was driven by improved passenger numbers and a return to normal operations after the Covid-19 pandemic. Aeronautical revenue also increased by 6%, supported by route development initiatives and stronger relationships with strategic partners. NAC chief executive officer Bisey /Uirab said the results show the company’s ability to respond to market needs while preparing for future growth. …

12 Feb

Andrada Mining partners with EIB on Uis lithium study

Observer Money

Staff Writer Andrada Mining Limited has signed a cooperation agreement with the European Investment Bank to advance the feasibility study for the Uis Lithium Expansion Project in Namibia. The agreement was concluded through Andrada’s wholly owned subsidiary, Uis Tin Mining Company (Proprietary) Limited. It will provide technical and project development support to move the lithium project to a bankable feasibility level. The support will come through the EU-funded Critical Raw Materials Technical Assistance Facility under the EU–OACPS framework. Consulting services worth up to €2 million, about N$37.9 million, will be provided as a non-dilutive grant. The agreement carries no repayment…

12 Feb

Nuclear power ambitions offer a path to energy independence

Observer Money

Nhika Vassallo and Magano Erkana Namibia, the world’s third-largest uranium producer, contributes approximately 10% of global uranium output, which is no small feat for a ‘small’ nation. Namibia is currently able to produce about 60% of its energy demand locally while importing the shortfall from neighbouring nations. This dependency, coupled with rising energy demands, underscores the need for energy diversification. With hydropower, solar, and wind dominating its current energy mix, nuclear power offers a promising solution to achieve energy security, reduce carbon emissions, and support economic growth aligned with Namibia’s Vision 2030. Historical ambitions and policy development Namibia’s nuclear energy…

12 Feb

Airport revenue and passenger numbers rise

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Passenger traffic at Namibia’s airports exceeded one million for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, reaching 1,055,641 in the 2024/25 financial year. According to the Namibia Airports Company Limited’s (NAC) 2024/25 Annual Report, this marks a 23% increase from the 854 808 passengers recorded in 2023/24. Flight movements rose by 8% to 46 994, compared to 43,505 in the previous year. This figure remains below the pre-pandemic peak of 60,288 movements recorded in 2019, which NAC attributes to the exit of several regional carriers. Aeronautical revenue increased to N$346.2 million in 2024/25 from N$326.2 million in 2023/24. …

12 Feb

Kulani Energy acquires critical assets from Optipower

Observer Money

Staff Writer Kulani Energy has acquired key assets from Optipower, a former division of Murray & Roberts Limited, which is currently in business rescue. The deal was concluded at the end of January 2026 through Kulani Energy’s subsidiary, OptiProjects. The subsidiary focuses on power transmission and distribution, as well as renewable energy infrastructure. Kulani Energy is a wholly Black women-owned engineering and energy infrastructure company. The acquisition strengthens its engineering, procurement and construction capacity to support grid expansion in South Africa. The transaction was completed while Murray & Roberts was in business rescue. Kulani said this preserved skills and capability…