Blog – Page 34 – Windhoek Observer

10 Mar

Workplace burnout: The silent weakening of productivity and morale

Opinions

Victoria Shekutamba Burnout is often described as a personal struggle and portrayed as an employee feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope with workplace demands. However, burnout is not merely an individual issue. It is an organisational risk with significant long-term consequences for performance, morale, and institutional sustainability. In many workplaces across Namibia, burnout does not always present obvious symptoms. Employees continue to report for duty, meet deadlines, and attend meetings. On the surface, operations appear stable and functional. Yet beneath this apparent stability, energy levels may be declining, engagement may be weakening, and cognitive sharpness may be gradually diminishing. It…

10 Mar

War is the sport of the great empires, diplomacy is the talk show of small states

Opinions

Lazarus Kwedhi As conventional wisdom dictates, “oshilongo mpa oosa, mpa ondigolo” and “gumwe otati sa, gumwe otati kalako", meaning that one part of the country is mourning while another part is celebrating. One person wants you dead while another wants you alive. In light of this conventional wisdom, the USA–Israel coordinated military strike against the Islamic Republic of Iran that reportedly killed Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with other national and military leaders has ignited mixed feelings among Iranians, in Middle Eastern countries, and around the world at large. Anti-Islamic Republic government supporters are seen supporting the USA–Israel…

09 Mar

Paragon eyes strategic stake in Rössing Uranium: A milestone for Namibian investment

Main, National News

Staff Writer Paragon Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd has formally expressed interest in acquiring the 10.2% equity stake in Rössing Uranium Limited currently held by the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC), a move analysts say marks a significant milestone for the company and for Namibia’s growing role in strategic mineral ownership. The IDC, one of the founding shareholders of Rössing Uranium since the 1970s, recently issued a call for expressions of interest (EOI) from potential buyers for its 10.2% equity stake. According to the IDC, the sale is part of its normal investment cycle, having reached its investment horizon…

09 Mar

Sanlam new business value falls after Namibia sale

National News

Chamwe Kaira Sanlam Limited has reported a decrease in Value of New Business (VNB) for the year ended 31 December, partly linked to the disposal of its Namibia operations to SanlamAllianz in 2024. The company said the decline was largely driven by a shift in product mix in South Africa, where clients continued to favour market-linked or living annuities instead of life annuities. “This was compounded by development costs associated with establishing new distribution channels in India as well as by the cessation of the Capitec partnership and disposal of the Namibia operations to SanlamAllianz in 2024,” the company said.…

09 Mar

Katti warns Namibians may miss Rössing stake opportunity

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Businessman Knowledge Katti says Namibians risk missing an opportunity to gain local ownership in the Rössing Uranium Mine. In January, reports emerged that one of the shareholders of Rössing uranium, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of South Africa, is selling its 10.2% stake in the mine. The IDC was among Rössing’s founding shareholders in the 1970s, when Rio Tinto was the main shareholder. IDC said it had reached the end of its investment horizon and intended to dispose of its 10.2% stake because the holding period for the investment had expired. Katti raised the concern on Friday in…

09 Mar

Leaders call for action on women’s rights

National News

Justicia Shipena President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says progress toward gender equality requires action and commitment from society. Nandi-Ndaitwah was among many leaders who, on International Women’s Day yesterday, called for stronger action to protect the rights of women and girls. “Progress does not happen by chance. It requires action, determination and the collective will of societies to ensure that women and girls are given the dignity, opportunity and space to contribute fully to the development of our world,” she said during the commemoration of International Women’s Day at Hosea Kutako International Airport on Sunday. The global event was observed under the…

09 Mar

Programme launched to tackle food insecurity in Oshikoto

National News

Allexer Namundjebo A two-year emergency food support programme aimed at addressing food insecurity among vulnerable households was launched last week at Ondera Farm in the Oshikoto region. The programme is implemented through a partnership between the government, Chevron and the non-profit organisation Palms for Life Fund. The launch ceremony took place on Friday and was officiated by the governor of Oshikoto, Sacky Kathindi, on behalf of vice president Lucia Witbooi. Regional and traditional leaders and community members attended the event. The programme will provide nutritious food assistance to about 3 150 households, including highly vulnerable individuals, pregnant and breastfeeding women…

09 Mar

TURNING POINT | Memory, nationhood and the architecture of identity

Opinions

In the quiet spaces where history lives, museums, archives, monuments, and preserved building, a nation converses with its past. These sites are not merely repositories of objects or relics; they are instruments through which societies narrate their collective story, negotiate identity, and transmit values across generations. The recent notice of motion in the National Assembly by George Kambala, calling for the Old State House to be converted into a museum in honour of Namibia’s founding president Sam Nujoma, therefore touches on an issue that extends well beyond architecture or administrative use of a building. It goes to the heart of how Namibia…

09 Mar

Dialogue must move Namibia from courtesy to concrete action

Editorial, Featured

In a political age increasingly defined by polarisation, spectacle and hardened ideological lines, the decision by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to engage the leadership of opposition parties is a gesture that deserves recognition and encouragement. Democracy does not thrive merely through elections; it flourishes through constant conversation between those who govern and those who challenge power. Since assuming office in March 2025, Nandi-Ndaitwah has initiated consultations with leaders of political parties represented in the National Assembly, including the official opposition, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), led by Panduleni Itula. She has also met representatives from the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM)…

09 Mar

Oryx interim results lifted by Platz am Meer income

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Platz am Meer in Swakopmund made its first earnings contribution to Oryx Properties in the group’s interim results for the six months ended 31 December 2025. Oryx acquired the shopping centre on 30 June 2025. The company said the results were supported by disciplined capital management and the first-time contribution from Platz am Meer. The group increased its interim distribution by 11.4% to 58.50 cents per linked unit. Net rental income grew by 16.8%. The interest cover ratio remained at 2.2 times. Over the 12 months to 31 December 2025, Oryx recorded a total annualised return of 13.1%.…