Blog – Page 31 – Windhoek Observer

23 Jan

More young Namibians turning to funeral cover

Observer Money

Staff Writer For many young Namibians, building a career now comes with heavy family responsibilities. Many support parents nearing retirement, younger siblings still in school, and extended family members with ongoing health needs. This often places them in the role of primary breadwinner, even as they work toward financial independence. According to Geoffrey Namaseb, sales manager at Standard Insurance Brokers Namibia, this reality is more common than many expect. “Many young professionals are the backbone of their families,” he says. “Yet few have the savings needed to absorb sudden financial shocks, particularly the unexpected passing of a loved one –…

22 Jan

The age of radical clarity

Opinions

Hileni Amadhila We live in a time when attention is thin and scepticism is thick. People do not want more messages; they want meaning they can trust. Radical clarity is the answer. It is not dumbing down. It is choosing words that meet people where they are and move them somewhere better. Clarity begins with intent. If you cannot say why this message matters in one sentence, you are not ready to send it. Cut the jargon, cut the small print, and say what is true and useful. Honesty is faster than trying to spin a story. When something goes…

22 Jan

Traditional leaders are, remain the original and genuine leaders!

Opinions

Kae Matundu Tjiparuro MORE than anything, it looks like traditional leaders in the Namibian political and governance sphere and dispensation, or the Namibian democratic dispensation as you would have it, whatever and however the democratic dispensation may denote and be defined as, are just symbolic and a matter of convenience. In simple terms it means traditional leaders within the said configurations, again however they may be defined and perceived, let alone constructed, due to the lack of the definition of their meaningful essence, are, for better or worse, mere loose-hanging fruits and free riders. That this is the case and…

22 Jan

A new chapter of dispossession? The Khoi-San question in post-colonial Namibia

Opinions

Niklaas Jacobus Dawson Thirty-four years after independence, Namibia continues to speak of liberation, decolonisation, and the unfinished business of land reform. Yet for many indigenous Khoi-San descendants, the earliest inhabitants of the country—the promise of inclusion remains elusive. A community once displaced under German colonialism and South African apartheid now faces a quieter and less acknowledged form of exclusion within the post-colonial republic. While the liberation struggle narrative rightly condemns the injustices of foreign rule, it has unintentionally obscured a parallel Indigenous history. This history did not begin in 1884, nor in 1960, nor even in 1990. It begins centuries…

22 Jan

Liberation struggle veteran Kanana Hishoono’s passing: Remembering his humility, service and the continuing legacy of Africa’s liberation veterans

Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara) The passing of liberation struggle veteran Kanana Hishoono is a moment of deep reflection and collective remembrance as the nation prepares to bid him farewell at his second memorial service that will be held on Friday the 23rd of January, ahead of his burial on Saturday the 24th at the Eenhana Memorial Shrine. This solemn period is not only about mourning a respected elder of the struggle but also about reflecting on the values that defined his life and the broader meaning of liberation itself. Indeed, Africa’s liberation veterans occupy a…

22 Jan

Windhoek CEO faces pressure over Swapo Think Tank role

Main, National News

Allexer Namundjembo Community and political leaders have questioned the appointment of the City of Windhoek chief executive officer Moses Matyayi to Swapo's Think Tank. Matyayi has been appointed to serve in the housing, sanitation, and social development portfolio. Windhoek-based activist Shaun Gariseb said it is inappropriate for a senior municipal official to serve in a party structure. He said residents expect the head of the municipality to be apolitical and politically neutral. “He is now actively getting involved. He must resign from the City of Windhoek because he is conflicted. There are reports demanded that will have major consequences, like…

22 Jan

NaCC overstepped its powers in medicine pricing investigation

National News

Justicia Shipena The Supreme Court has ruled that the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) acted outside the law when it allowed its secretary to start and run an investigation into alleged price-fixing in the pharmaceutical sector. On Wednesday, the court dismissed NaCC’s appeal against an earlier High Court decision and found that the commission unlawfully delegated its investigative powers when it launched a probe into a long-standing 50% medicine mark-up applied by pharmacies linked to the Pharmaceutical Society of Namibia (PSN). Deputy chief justice Petrus Damaseb said the Competition Act makes it clear that only the commission itself has the authority…

22 Jan

Court finds Northcote School and ex-board chair defamed each other

National News

Justicia Shipena The High Court has ordered Northcote Private School and its former board chairperson, Benedict Mulife, to each pay N$10 000 in damages after finding that they defamed each other. The judgement was delivered on Monday by High Court judge David Munsu in a defamation case that arose from disputes at the Ondangwa-based private school in mid-2022. Northcote Private School filed the lawsuit in May 2023, accusing Mulife of damaging its reputation through false allegations contained in a petition and through claims allegedly shared with the media and on WhatsApp. Mulife denied the allegations and filed a counterclaim, arguing…

22 Jan

Over 50 Japanese companies invest in Namibia

National News

Renthia Kaimbi Namibia is now home to about 54 Japanese companies. Minister of international relations and trade Selma Ashipala-Musavyi revealed this during high-level talks in Tokyo, Japan. She said their presence reflects the growing economic ties between Namibia and Japan. Ashipala-Musavyi met Japan’s foreign minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, on Wednesday. The two discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations, deepen economic cooperation, and support Namibia’s industrialisation drive. The talks focused on aligning Japanese investment with Namibia’s current national priorities under the leadership of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. "The presence of around 54 Japanese companies in Namibia is a clear testament to the country’s…

22 Jan

Hardap to get more school hostels

National News

Justicia Shipena The government plans to build more school hostels in the Hardap region to improve access to education for learners from remote communities. Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture minister Sanet Steenkamp said hostel development is a priority to address long distances to schools, learner dropouts and growing pressure on rural education systems. She spoke on Tuesday at the inauguration of the Namaqua Kalahari Children’s Hope Hostel in Gochas. She described the facility as a model for future education infrastructure in sparsely populated regions. “The vastness of the region and the spreading of communities into small villages place…