Observer – Page 754 – Windhoek Observer

01 Jul

UN advisor forecast 14,000 cases for Namibia

ObserverObserver MoneyAlladji Osseni, Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula, UNAIDS Senior Strategic Information Adviser

...as 80 cases are recorded in one day Andrew Kathindi A United Nations official has warned that rising Covid-19 cases could reach 700 for the Erongo region alone and 14,000 countrywide if things continue as they are. This comes as Namibia recorded its highest number of positive COVID-19 cases in a single day with 80 new cases announced on Wednesday by Health minister Kalumbi Shangula. Currently, Walvis Bay has seen the highest number of cases, however, in recent days; cases have begun to pop up in Oshana, Zambezi, Hardap and //Karas, some without an identified contact case. “Data shows with…

01 Jul

Govt strikes deal with NovaNam

ObserverObserver MoneyAlbert Kawana, Fisheries Minister

Staff Writer Government on Tuesday evening struck a deal with NovaNam Fishing Company, where it agreed to allocate additional quota to the Luderitz based company, allowing 1,800 of its permanent workers who had been sent on forced leave to return to work. Fisheries minister, Albert Kawana confirmed the development but was tightlipped on the details of the agreement. “We have allocated them an additional quota and the workers should be able to return to work,” he told the Windhoek Observer. NovaNam Managing Director, Edwin Kamatoto could not be reached by the newspaper for comment and calls made to his mobile…

01 Jul

The informal sector is critical to the economy

ObserverNational Newscity counsellors, economy, informal sector, informal vendors, MPs

The regulatory pursuit of informal vendors, traders, and service providers will not formalize the economy but destroy it. The informal sector is as valuable to the Namibian economy as any other commercial sector. Rather than criminalizing the informal economy, why not help it earn more income? For now, the state earns revenues in the informal sector from VAT on sales of raw materials or bulk products. Let them form their own chamber of commerce and dialogue with decision-makers about the services they need and how to pay for them. Please read the February 25, 2011 article, Support ‘meme kapanas’. In…

01 Jul

MTC unveils N$101,7m sponsorships

ObserverObserver MoneyMTC, MTC Windhoek Fashion Week, Netball

Staff Writer MTC on Tuesday unveiled sponsorships totalling N$101,700,000 to 14 different beneficiaries, across 7 different sports codes which includes Soccer, Horse Racing, Boxing, Rugby, Hockey, Netball and the Youth Games over a 3 year period. In boxing, MTC chose to maintain its relationship with the MTC Nestor Sunshine and Salute Boxing Academies by giving them an N$1 million dollar per annum, an increase from N$1,750,000 to N$2,750,000. MTC Kilimanjaro Boxing received an increase of N$100,000 per annum from N$400,000 to N$500,000. In football, MTC will continue its relationship with the annual Dr Hage Geingob Cup, giving the event an…

01 Jul

Retrenchments could spell trouble for CoW

ObserverObserver MoneyCity of Windhoek, Covid-19, Samuel Mutonga

Andrew Kathindi City of Windhoek (CoW) has warned that the city could be headed for trouble if retrenchments continue. The City’s Acting Strategic Executive for Finance and Customer Services, Samuel Mutonga said although CoW would be minimally affected by recent job loses as the majority of those losing jobs come from the informal settlements – a low contributor to the City’s revenues —but if the trend is extended to Windhoek’s middle and upper class, the development could spell trouble for the municipality. This comes after numerous companies around the country have been notifying their employees on their intentions to slash…

01 Jul

NovaNam sends 1,800 employees home

ObserverObserver MoneyLüderitz, NovaNam Fishing Company, Walvis Bay

Staff Writer NovaNam Fishing Company has sent home 1,800 permanent workers on forced leave attributing the move to government’s decision to halve its fishing quota. Although the Windhoek Observer could not confirm the fishing company’s previous allocation, sources said the company had notified workers on Monday that they should stop reporting for work until it concludes negotiations with government over the slashing of its allocation. “Nobody knows when we’re coming back; they said they need to talk to government. That is why when they told us to go home; they didn’t put up a due date when we can resume…

30 Jun

Passing the buck on paying for COVID

ObserverNational NewsCOVID, lockdown

All sectors of society and the economy seem to selfishly nurse the expectation that someone else will foot their part of the pandemic bill. They don’t get it that ALL of us will feel the pain one way or another. Schools are forcing cash-strapped parents to pay full tuition and fees from March through June. And yet, there were no face-to-face courses offered during that time. Parents are demanding to not pay for classes not given. Private schools are using their usual punish-the-kids extortion tactic to force parents to comply. They don’t want to eat any of the losses involved…

30 Jun

Old Mutual donates Covid19 equipment

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Old Mutual

Andrew Kathindi As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the country at an alarming rate, last week, Old Mutual handed over devices to the Ministry of Health and Social Services worth over N$900 000. In a bid to continue supporting the fight against COVID-19, Old Mutual donated 35 Dell laptops and 37 Samsung tablets procured at a total cost of N$ 998 030.46 to capacitate the Ministry’s surveillance system capability based on the identified and prioritised needs at national, regional and district level during and after COVID-19. “These laptops are each installed with Office Home software, Antivirus, a mouse and…

30 Jun

CNNC, workers clash at Rössing

ObserverObserver MoneyChina National Nuclear Corporation Rössing Uranium (CNNC), Mine Workers Union of Namibia (MUN), Rio Tinto

Staff Writer The Mine Workers Union of Namibia (MUN) has threatened to take legal action against China National Nuclear Corporation Rössing Uranium (CNNC), the owners of Rössing Uranium if it does not reverse or engage with the union on its decision to withdraw benefits previously afforded to the company employees over the past 32 years. CNNC through its subsidiary China National Uranium Corporation Limited acquired Rio Tinto's 69 percent majority stake in Rössing Uranium for about N$1,5 billion in July last year. In its letter, written by lawyers Metcalfe Beukes Attorneys on its behalf, the union accused the miner of…

30 Jun

First Lady weighs into abortion debate

ObserverObserver MoneyDaisry Mathias, Esther Muinjangue, First Lady, Monica Geingos

Andrew Kathindi First Lady, Monica Geingos has added her distinguished voice to the abortion debate as the topic prepares to re-enter Parliament on Thursday. Parliament is set to resume debate the contentious issue after the matter was tabled by Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Esther Muinjangue. Geingos, responding to a debate on social media said, “Sexual activity, whether by choice or coercion, without the use of effective contraceptives is the “root cause” of unintended pregnancy. The decision to remain pregnant, or not, is about reproductive autonomy. Saying that women seek abortion ‘for fun’ is gaslighting.” She said the…