Blog – Page 10 – Windhoek Observer

09 Oct

Diamond prices decline due to US tariffs and De Beers sale

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Diamond prices fell across several categories in September as US tariffs and the ongoing sale of De Beers created uncertainty in the market, according to the RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI). Prices dropped sharply for round polished stones under one carat, while larger diamonds showed mixed results, a trend that has persisted for months. Long fancy shapes remained popular, particularly in sizes of two carats and above. At Hong Kong’s Jewellery & Gem World show, trading reflected the divide between small and large stones, with stronger demand for the larger, elongated diamonds. Independent jewellers in the United States reported…

09 Oct

Inflation increases slightly to 3.5%

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Namibia’s annual inflation rate rose slightly to 3.5% in September 2025, up from 3.4% recorded in September 2024. On a monthly basis, inflation remained unchanged at 0.0%, the same rate as in the previous month. Zonal data showed that Zone 1, which includes Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, and Zambezi, recorded the highest annual inflation rate at 3.8%. Zone 3, covering ||Kharas, Erongo, Hardap, and Omaheke regions followed at 3.4%, while Zone 2, representing the Khomas region, registered the lowest rate at 3.2%. The statistician general and chief executive officer of the Namibia…

09 Oct

Canal+ tightens grip on MultiChoice with stake rising to 76.5%

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira French media group Canal+ has strengthened its control over MultiChoice Group Limited, increasing its shareholding in the South African pay-TV operator to 76.52%. MultiChoice said Canal+ formally notified the company that it had acquired an additional interest, bringing its holding to 72.46% of ordinary shares in issue. The increase follows Canal+'s ongoing mandatory offer to remaining shareholders, which attracted acceptances for 17.95 million shares. Once these are settled, Canal+'s stake will rise to 76.52%. The development marks a new stage in Canal+'s gradual takeover of MultiChoice, which began early this year as part of its plan to expand…

09 Oct

Choppies Enterprises announces final dividend

Observer Money

Staff Writer Choppies Enterprises has confirmed the finalisation of its dividend for the financial year ending 30 June 2025. Shareholders on the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) and Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) will receive the payout following the company’s earlier announcement on 22 September 2025. A gross final dividend of 0.6 thebe per share has been declared for shareholders on the BSE. After Botswana’s 10% withholding tax, the net amount will be 0.54 thebe per share. For JSE shareholders, the dividend will be paid in South African Rand at an exchange rate of BWP 1 = ZAR 1.20150 as of 7…

09 Oct

State Street boosts stake in Deep Yellow

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira US-based State Street Corporation and its subsidiaries have increased their shareholding in uranium developer Deep Yellow Limited, which is developing the Tumas project in Namibia’s Erongo Region. The change was revealed in a filing with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). The filing outlines transactions involving State Street Bank and Trust Company, State Street Global Advisors, and related entities. The adjustments stem from securities lending, borrowing activities, and rebalancing of managed investment portfolios. Following the transactions, State Street and its associated entities now hold about 8.36% of Deep Yellow’s issued share capital, up from 7.36% reported in May 2025.…

09 Oct

McDermott, Petrofund to promote training in oil sector

Observer Money

Staff Writer McDermott and the Petroleum Training and Education Fund (Petrofund) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on academic and industrial training initiatives in Namibia’s upstream oil and gas sector. The partnership will align with international standards to give Namibian students, job seekers, and service providers access to training, mentorship, and employment opportunities. It aims to build technical skills in engineering, fabrication, operations, and project management to prepare the local workforce for roles in the country’s growing offshore energy industry. “This MoU furthers our commitment to developing local content and building a sustainable oil and gas workforce…

09 Oct

De Beers launches Desert Diamonds

Observer Money

Staff Writer De Beers Group has launched Desert Diamonds, its first new “beacon” in more than a decade, supported by the company’s largest marketing investment in over ten years. A De Beers beacon is a celebration of natural diamonds presented through a jewellery concept that unites the industry around a central idea and inspires category-wide marketing efforts. First unveiled at the JCK Las Vegas Show earlier this year, Desert Diamonds draws inspiration from desert landscapes where many natural diamonds are found. The collection celebrates a range of colours from warm whites to champagne tones and amber hues. It uses this…

09 Oct

Has the Namibian revolution been betrayed, or is it being betrayed?

Opinions

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro "We urgently need revolutions in all the independent African countries where the anti-colonial revolutions have not yet evolved into national democratic revolutions." They need the second phase of the African Revolution. They need national democratic revolutions.” Writes African ideologue from Botswana, the late Dr Goabonang Kenneth Shololo Koma, in his 1994 pamphlet titled The Second Phase of the African Revolution Has Now Begun. Which he was to follow up with another in which he was to propound and expound the agenda for the Second Phase of the African Revolution. It would be interesting to know if such a…

09 Oct

A call to support the spirit of the Sahel, honouring Thomas Sankara

Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Date that lives in memory October 15th, or, for some, the dawn of the 16th, remains etched in Africa's collective conscience. It marks not merely a death, but the silencing of a revolutionary heartbeat: Thomas Sankara, the man who dared to reimagine what Africa could be. For me, this date carries a personal echo. I once had the rare honour of meeting Sankara – young, bold, and radiant with conviction. I placed a scarf around his neck not as a mere ceremonial gesture, but as a symbolic act of allegiance…

09 Oct

The allegations Nust couldn’t bury …Naomab placed on precautionary suspension

Main

Justicia Shipena The Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) has appointed an external firm to carry out a forensic investigation into allegations of mismanagement by its vice chancellor, Erold Naomab — allegations the university had previously denied existed. Nust Interim Council chairperson Leake Hangala said on Wednesday the decision was made to ensure an independent and transparent process following claims implicating the university’s top leadership. “The council has resolved to initiate a forensic investigation to independently and impartially examine the allegations. This step underscores our commitment to accountability, ethical leadership, and good governance,” Hangala said. The move comes after…