Blog – Page 275 – News Stand

27 Jun

Langer Heinrich Mine provides production guidance

info_e12wt4csObserver Money

CHAMWE KAIRA Paladin Energy Ltd has provided the 2025 financial year guidance for the Langer Heinrich Mine (LHM), in the Erongo Region. The LHM re-commenced commercial production on 30 March 2024, following successful completion of the Restart Project. Production ramp-up and product inventory build-up are underway, ahead of the first customer shipment expected in July 2024, the company said. The LHM will be in operational ramp up during the 2025 financial year, with ore feed to the plant sourced from previously mined stockpiled ore. Production levels are expected to be higher in the second half of the year, the company…

27 Jun

Rough diamond sales reach US$315m

info_e12wt4csObserver Money

CHAMWE KAIRA Anglo American plc this week announced the value of rough diamond sales (global sightholder sales and auctions) for De Beers’ fifth sales cycle of 2024, amounted to US$315 million. Al Cook, CEO of De Beers, said: “The northern summer is generally a quieter period for rough diamond sales, and this was reflected in our cycle five sales. The recent annual JCK jewellery show in Las Vegas confirmed a resurgence in retailers’ interest in natural diamonds in the United States but ongoing economic growth challenges in China mean we continue to expect a protracted U-shaped recovery in demand.” Cook…

27 Jun

MUN secures wage deal

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The Mine Workers Union of Namibia (MUN) and Gezhouba Mining Services (Pty) Ltd concluded a three-year wage agreement.The parties agreed to a wage increase of between 6% for the employees in the grades C-1/C2 and 7% for the job grades A-3/B2 respectively until December 2026.The parties also agreed to a 30-minute payable shift allowance for all employees in the bargaining unit.Amongst the other benefits agreed to between the parties, is the continuous training and skills development of employees in the bargaining unit. Report: Niël Terblanché

27 Jun

AR’s transition has the potential to alter political landscape

info_e12wt4csMain

Political scientists and analysts say the transition of Affirmative Repositioning (AR) from a social justice movement to a fully-fledged political party has the potential to alter the dynamics of the political landscape. Ndumba Kamwanyah, a political analyst, says the AR needs to mature beyond its previous tactics. "The maturity of AR means moving past the issues of insult and dependence on cult personality. They must be prepared to speak to all Namibians, not just young people. The young people alone will not make them win the elections," Kamwanya asserts. He stresses that AR needs to learn from its past mistakes,…

27 Jun

THE MUHARUKUA OKWAGALUKA SAGA

info_e12wt4csOpinions

Professor Joseph Diescho (Shakawewe: 26.06.24) Namibia's political leadership landscape is becoming a theatre of absurdity. There is something very unfortunate, weird and downright distasteful about Vipuakuje Ivan Muharukua's return to Swapo's leadership saga. The whole event that played out in Katutura on 25 June 2024 bespeaks a politics of dishonor, a politics without principles, a politics of personal greed and hubris, a politics that has no regard for other people's intelligence, a politics of Me, Myself and I, and a politics of banality. To have political ambition is one thing, but unfounded arrogance with no rectitude base and no followers…

27 Jun

Muharukua is a Man Without Any Sense of Integrity and Cannot Be Trusted

info_e12wt4csOpinions

Stephanus Pombili I have seen SWAPO Party members celebrating the return of Muharukua. Muharukua, who was a member of DTA (now known as PDM), has returned to the SWAPO Party. To me, I would call Muharukua a “man without a sense of integrity and can not be trusted.” Muharukua once said, “Only DTA now ‘Baptised’ PDM can govern Namibia,” but the sudden return of Muharukua to the SWAPO Party with instant Nandi-Ndaitwa praise singing is something one must worry about. Once a man who chanted in parliament that the SWAPO Party was corrupt is now our praise singer, the man…

26 Jun

Good times ahead for Namibia

info_e12wt4csNational News

Martin Endjala Veston Malango, the chief executive officer of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia believes good times are ahead for the country, given the resurging uranium market. According to Malango, the uranium market largely determines Namibia's mining sector's future. He made this statement on Wednesday at the announcement of the 2024 Mining Expo and Conference, set for August 7 and 8 at the Windhoek Showgrounds. “Langer Heinrich Mining is now back in operation. We are now talking about three uranium mines in operation. Rössing and Husab and now the restart of production at Langer Heinrich last year in November…

26 Jun

NBL and union seal new wage agreement

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) and the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (NAFAU) have successfully concluded a wage agreement. The agreement, effective from 1 July 2024, includes a 2.5% wage increase for all bargaining unit employees from July to December 2024 and a 6% increase from January to December 2025. NAFAU’s Regional Coordinator, Lister Tawana, stressed that collective bargaining is a cornerstone of trade unionism, highlighting the importance of addressing economic challenges, particularly housing, through such agreements. He described the deal as a win-win situation for both parties, encouraging NAFAU members to enhance productivity. Peter Simons, the Managing…

26 Jun

Namibian youth urged to embrace voter registration

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché During his visit to Namibia, Dr. Kevin Casas-Zamora, the secretary general of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), stressed the importance of voter registration to the country's youth. Casas-Zamora reminded young people that registering to vote is a crucial step in ensuring their voices are heard and in choosing their leaders. Casas-Zamora visited various registration points in Windhoek, noting that the process took about five to six minutes per individual. He applauded those who had already registered, stating they should be proud of their participation in Namibia's democratic process. While speaking at the "Global…

26 Jun

Pensioners’ municipal debt not written off yet

info_e12wt4csNational News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The City of Windhoek’s (CoW) debt relief initiative for pensioners has not yet resulted in the promised debt write-off. Shaun Gariseb, an activist representing the Katutura Residents Committee (KRC), criticised the implementation of the programme. "They asked the pensioners to apply for debt write-offs, which they started to do in March. They wrote off the debts and people got into the same debt again. In some instances, they reconnected the water, creating the same problem all over and putting people into the same debt again," said Gariseb. Gariseb pointed out that the CoW set conditions requiring residents to…