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Thousands risk darkness as prepaid electricity meters upgrade deadline looms

Thousands risk darkness as prepaid electricity meters upgrade deadline looms

Niël Terblanché Thousands of electricity consumers risk being left in the dark unless they update their prepaid meters in time for the 24 November deadline for the Token Identifier (TID) rollover. The TID rollover resets prepaid electricity meters to accept new credit tokens. Failure to update the meters before this Sunday will result in electricity distributors’ inability to process payments, leaving households and businesses without power. The looming challenge stems from the nature of the technology underpinning prepaid meters, which rely on a 20-digit token identifier to validate and process credit tokens. The identifier mechanism operates on a 31-year cycle…
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‘I don’t respond to lies’ – Itula

‘I don’t respond to lies’ – Itula

Stefanus Nashama Panduleni Itula, the leader of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), said he has no time to waste responding to fabrications and unsubstantiated allegations. He shared this information with the Windhoek Observer on Thursday. “I don't respond to lies, fabrications, and unsubstantiated allegations,” said Itula. This statement follows accusations made by former and founding IPC member Josua “Ketu 2000” Mwetupunga. Mwetupunga claimed that Itula threatened to block his phone number while he was attempting to advise the party leadership regarding the processes for the national conference where parliamentary representatives were elected. Mwetupunga, who resigned from IPC on Wednesday,…
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Huawei donation set to boost digital education in Namibia

Huawei donation set to boost digital education in Namibia

Niël Terblanché Namibia’s journey towards integrating technology into education received a major boost with Huawei Technologies Namibia donating classroom digital equipment to President Nangolo Mbumba at State House worth N$900 000 on Thursday. The equipment will benefit two high schools - Oshigambo High School in the Oshikoto region and Dr Alpho Mauno Mbamba School in the Kavango East region. The donation aims to address the acute need for IT teaching aids in these regions, which have long struggled with limited access to technological resources. President Nangolo Mbumba hailed the donation as a substantial step toward transforming Namibia’s education system. Drawing…
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U.S.A. delivers lifesaving emergency food aid to Namibia

U.S.A. delivers lifesaving emergency food aid to Namibia

Niël Terblanché In the face of the worst drought to hit Southern Africa in decades, the government of the United States of America, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has provided 14 tons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to Namibia. This vital nutritional aid, distributed in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Services and UNICEF, aims to address the alarming malnutrition rates among children under five years old, exacerbated by the ongoing food insecurity crisis. According to a statement issued by the US Embassy in Namibia, the country is currently in the grip of a…
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Anyone’s vote may be crucial for the beginning of the end of an era!

Anyone’s vote may be crucial for the beginning of the end of an era!

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Many voters may think that next Wednesday, 27 November, which is voting day, is crucial. It cannot be because it is and can neither be the beginning nor the end of anything. As voting is not a matter of just casting one’s vote on any given day, month, and year, like on 27th November, 2024. For many voters, especially those who have not been blindly loyal to any political party and/or formation, particularly those who take their votes seriously, have already pledged them to any political party or formation, receiving nothing but empty promises in return. However, even…
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Namibia2Go redefines travel with new facility at HKIA

Namibia2Go redefines travel with new facility at HKIA

Niël Terblanché Gondwana Collection Namibia has unveiled its state-of-the-art Namibia2Go car rental facility at Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA), setting a new benchmark in car rental services and redefining travel experiences in Namibia. The grand opening of the facility on Wednesday is a new milestone in Gondwana’s journey to deliver not just a service, but an unparalleled travel experience for both local and international visitors. Gys Joubert, the managing director of Gondwana Collection Namibia, said at the vent that the Namibia2Go facility is not just another car rental hub; it embodies Gondwana’s commitment to innovation, excellence, and Namibian hospitality. “At…
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No Soldier Coerced to Vote – Defence ED

No Soldier Coerced to Vote – Defence ED

Martin Endjala The Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MODVA) has denied allegations that soldiers were coerced to vote for a particular political party during the special voting day held on 13 November. Responding to claims made by Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda, MODVA executive director Wilhelmine Shivute on Wednesday refuted the accusations, emphasizing that soldiers exercise their civil rights independently. “The soldiers participate in an election to exercise their civil rights and are not in any way mobilized or coerced to vote for a particular political party or movement,” Shivute explained. Amupanda alleged that senior military officials pressured soldiers…
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Insult driven politics; the logic of name-calling, insults, threats, accusations, conspiracy theories, incitement and violence

Insult driven politics; the logic of name-calling, insults, threats, accusations, conspiracy theories, incitement and violence

Paul T. Shipale Namibia Media Trust director, Zoé Titus, says the increase of misinformation and disinformation during elections are tactics aimed at eroding trust, creating confusion and influencing voter behaviour. This should not be a surprise as we come closer to election day to hear different stories about contesting presidential candidates and political opponents fabricating lies, distributing fake news and artificial intelligence (AI) pictures to tarnish the integrity of their opponents instead of engaging in mature political campaigns and comply with the code of conduct signed with ECN rather than engaging in name-calling, especially during the last stretch to the…
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UPM calls for amendment to public transport regulation

UPM calls for amendment to public transport regulation

Martin Endjala The United People’s Movement (UPM) president, Jan van Wyk, has called for amendments to legislation regulating Namibia's public transport sector, citing concerns over illegal operators. He said many public transport operators evade taxes, reducing the sector’s contribution to the economy. Van Wyk was responding to questions sent to him by the Windhoek Observer, on the current status quo of public transport in the country and how to address it. “We have realised that the industry has been flooded with illegal operators, which makes it difficult to regulate the industry, especially between local authority boundaries. Therefore, the UPM’s position…
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Governor and municipality clash over Walvis Bay’s 30th reintegration celebrations

Governor and municipality clash over Walvis Bay’s 30th reintegration celebrations

Niël Terblanché The much-anticipated 30-year, or Pearl Celebrations, of the Walvis Bay enclave’s reintegration into Namibia, have been unexpectedly postponed, triggering a war of words between the Office of the Governor of the Erongo Region and the Municipality of Walvis Bay. Initially scheduled for Thursday, the celebrations have been rescheduled to 7 February 2025 due to what Governor Neville Andre described as a "political witch-hunt" and "flimsy, politically motivated undertones." Andre, in a public notice, expressed disappointment over the Walvis Bay Municipality’s rejection of his office’s request to use municipal facilities for the historic event. “This decision has come as…
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