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NamPower commissions N$394m substation

NamPower commissions N$394m substation

Staff Writer  NamPower has commissioned and energised its new indoor 132/66/33 kV Sekelduin substation east of Swakopmund.  The project cost N$394 million and is the first fully digital substation on the African continent. The substation is fed from the Kuiseb Substation, about 35 km southeast of Sekelduin, through two parallel 132 kV overhead power lines.  This setup improves network robustness and reduces the risk of a single failure affecting coastal nodes. NamPower said the new infrastructure adds to its transmission network, unlocks coastal load growth, strengthens reliability, and prepares the Erongo region grid for the future.  The digital design uses…
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Construction output projected at N$4.3 billion

Construction output projected at N$4.3 billion

Chamwe Kaira Oryx Properties expects the construction sector to expand, supported by mining-related and public infrastructure projects.  “Against this backdrop, the property sector is poised for gradual recovery, buoyed by improved affordability,” the company said in its results for the year ended. Oryx projected that the Namibian economy will grow by 3.5% in 2025, moderating from 3.7% in 2024, before recovering to 3.9% in 2026.  “This outlook reflects headwinds in primary industries, particularly agriculture and mining, while tertiary sectors such as wholesale, retail, and transport are expected to remain resilient drivers of growth,” the company said. Simonis Storm Securities projected…
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Finance ministry engages regions on procurement changes

Finance ministry engages regions on procurement changes

Chamwe Kaira The Ministry of Finance is conducting regional consultations on the Public Procurement Act until 4 October.  The ministry is inviting the public to review and provide feedback on proposed amendments contained in the Public Procurement Amendment Bill, 2025. The bill seeks to amend the Public Procurement Act of 2015, which regulates the procurement of goods, works, and services; the letting or hiring of assets; the granting of rights; and the disposal of assets by public entities.  It also establishes the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, the Procurement Policy Unit, and the Central Procurement Board of Namibia, defining their powers…
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Barloworld Limited revenue declines

Barloworld Limited revenue declines

Staff Writer Barloworld Limited’s group revenue fell by 10%, dropping from N$37.4 billion to N$33.6 billion for the eleven months ended 31 August 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Barloworld Equipment, a subsidiary of Barloworld, operates in Namibia, Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.  In Namibia, the company distributes and supports Caterpillar and other heavy machinery for mining, construction, and related industries. Its operations in Windhoek, Walvis Bay, and Swakopmund offer marine power solutions, industrial and electric power ratings, oil and gas sustainability, and…
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Goreangab Mall: a timely investment in jobs, growth and confidence

Windhoek’s western corridor is on the cusp of a transformation. With construction of the Goreangab Mall officially underway, developer Safland has once again demonstrated that visionary private investment can be a powerful partner to public ambition. The project, which is set to bring a modern shopping and services complex to one of the city’s fastest-growing suburbs, deserves recognition, not only for the bricks and mortar that will soon rise, but for the long-term economic ripple it promises to create. A strategic location Goreangab is more than a residential neighbourhood; it is a symbol of the city’s rapid urban expansion. Once…
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OBSERVER DAILY | A Statue on Robben Island Is Not Enough: Toivo Ya Toivo Deserves More

As the Namibian nation commemorates the legendary Andimba Toivo Ya Toivo, a life-size statue of him will be unveiled on Robben Island in South Africa. This tribute is part of the historic Robben Island Prisoners Reunion, a key event celebrating the sacrifices of those who fought for the liberation of Namibia and South Africa. While this is a significant symbolic gesture, it raises a critical question: Is this enough for a leader whose legacy helped shape the very foundations of an independent Namibia? Andimba Toivo Ya Toivo deserves more than just a statue on a distant island; he deserves recognition…
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Political, human and civil rights meaningless without socio-economic rights, justice!

Political, human and civil rights meaningless without socio-economic rights, justice!

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Are human rights and economic rights, the latter entailing socio-economic justice, mutually inclusive and/or exclusive? Yours Truly Ideologically cannot but pose this pertinent question in view of the fact that the two are usually treated and projected as not interlinked, interdependent and intertwined. Just as much as economic emancipation is and has been treated as more a byproduct of civil and political rights instead of being a focus of agitation and/or advocacy in itself. Going back to the days of national resistance and subsequently the liberation struggle. When emphasis was on freedom and independence, while the return of…
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Windhoek councillors caught in travel ‘game’

Windhoek councillors caught in travel ‘game’

Shelleygan Petersen Eight City of Windhoek councillors were blocked from attending the Southern African Inter Municipality Sports Association (SAIMA) games in Lesotho after minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa disapproved their travel. The councillors had already departed when the message arrived, costing the municipality N$80 000 for the trip.  They were invited to the games in Maseru from 21 to 26 September 2025 under the Lesotho Local Authorities Sports Association. Sankwasa sent a circular on Friday to all mayors, local authority councils, and chief executive officers.  It stated that requests to attend the SAIMA games were disapproved.  “Your…
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OBSERVER COASTAL | Erongo governor urges use of census data to tackle unemployment

OBSERVER COASTAL | Erongo governor urges use of census data to tackle unemployment

Renthia Kaimbi The governor of the Erongo region, Natalia /Goagoses, has called on all sectors to use the newly released census data to address the region’s 32% unemployment rate and to speed up development in line with the national agenda. She made the call on Tuesday at the launch of the 2023 Census Report and the Erongo Regional Profile at the Swakopmund Multi-Purpose Centre. The event brought together local authorities, traditional leaders, and business representatives. The census puts  Erongo’s population at 240 206.  /Goagoses said the figures are more than just numbers, describing the data as a "factual snapshot of…
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OBSERVER COASTAL | Seibeb’s allies warn dethroning him could destabilise clan

OBSERVER COASTAL | Seibeb’s allies warn dethroning him could destabilise clan

Renthia Kaimbi A conflict within the Dâure Daman Traditional Authority has escalated into a stalemate, dividing a concerned community group and supporters of its chief, Zacharias Seibeb.  The dispute centres on allegations of financial mismanagement, legitimacy, and claims of procedural flaws at the ministerial level. This followed after the government began the process to remove Seibeb as leader of the traditional authority.  The process has been initiated by Urban and Rural Development minister James Sankwasa, who informed Seibeb of the decision in a letter dated 22 September 2025. The deputy chairperson of the Dâure Daman Community Concerned Group, Cornelia Atjiwara,…
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