Blog – Page 5 – Windhoek Observer

26 Jun

Survey shows majority aware of Sanlam transition to SanlamAllianz

Observer Money

Staff Writer SanlamAllianz has disclosed that more than 80% of those surveyed have indicated that they were aware of the transition from Sanlam to SanlamAllianz, while more than 70% expressed satisfaction with the products and services offered by the company. One year ago, Sanlam and Allianz united under the SanlamAllianz banner, marking the beginning of a bold new chapter for Namibia and bringing together more than 240 years of combined financial expertise. This week SanlamAllianz celebrated its first anniversary. Reflecting on the milestone, SanlamAllianz Group chief executive officer, Tertius Stears, said the anniversary is about far more than a successful…

26 Jun

Nedbank funds Tharisa’s underground mining with N$750m loan

Observer Money

Staff Writer Tharisa, the mining, metals, and innovation company dual-listed on the Johannesburg and London stock exchanges, has announced that it has secured a new N$750 million (USD45.5 million) asset revolving finance facility from Nedbank Limited. The company is based in North West, South Africa. The facility incorporates an accordion enabling Tharisa to increase the facility to N$1.25 billion (US$75.8 million). The facility ensures that Tharisa's underground fleet, comprising the specialised equipment necessary to support safe, efficient, and high-capacity underground extraction, is fully funded. On 31 March 2026 Tharisa initiated the first underground blast on the Apollo portal marking the…

26 Jun

IATA outlines priorities to strengthen aviation supply chain

Observer Money

Staff Writer Supply chain failures were a focal point at IATA’s recent Annual General Meeting. “The aircraft order backlog is over 18,000. And the average fleet age has reached a record 15.2 years. Moreover, being short over 5,000 more fuel-efficient replacement aircraft that airlines had counted on, means missed efficiency gains, not to mention higher lease rates and increased maintenance costs. In total, supply chain failures cost airlines at least $11 billion in 2025. Today’s higher fuel prices will only make that worse,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general in his report on the Air Transport Industry. “Alongside aircraft delivery…

26 Jun

Joint Declaration would have been shredded to pieces if NNN had dared to present it in Ghana!

Opinions

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s speech at the High-Level Conference on Transatlantic Slavery and Restorative Justice in Ghana is most revealing – especially her referencing of it as “remarks.” Yet in the local media, this induced screaming headlines. “Genocide: NNN demands justice, not revenge,” led one local English daily. “NNN Takes Namibia Reparations Fight To Global Stage,” another headline begged for the coveted attention of readers, including the descendants. But do these headlines strike any reassuring chord with them? Not at all, if the sentiments of some of them towards her Ghana escapade are anything to go by. It…

26 Jun

Namibia, Starlink, and the new battle for digital sovereignty in Africa

Observer Money

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) When connectivity meets sovereignty CRAN reaffirmed its decision to reject Starlink’s licence application, finding that the company did not satisfy Namibia’s statutory ownership requirements. The regulator dismissed all appeals and requests for reconsideration, citing procedural shortcomings, the absence of new evidence, and failure to meet prescribed deadlines. It emphasized that technological innovation must operate within the framework of the law and concluded that no legal grounds existed to reverse its original ruling. Several African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and Mozambique, have authorized Starlink’s operations in pursuit of greater digital…

25 Jun

NATAU retracts allegations and apologises to Paragon Investments

Uncategorised

The Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (NATAU) has issued an apology to Paragon Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd and formally withdrawn allegations it previously made against the company. In a statement dated 23 June 2026, NATAU acknowledged that its earlier claims were factually incorrect and misleading. The union said the matter had since been resolved through mediation facilitated by the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), adding that the dispute was settled amicably in the spirit of constructive labour relations. However, in its earlier position before the apology, NATAU had accused the company of deliberately delaying union recognition and undermining…

25 Jun

Namibia’s Best Brands: Building a Brand-Led Economy for the Future

Editorial

among the most powerful instruments of national reputation. For many people around the world, their first impression of a country comes not from a government policy or a tourism brochure, but from a product, service or company they encounter in the marketplace. When Windhoek Beer appears on shelves abroad, it carries the Namibian story with it. When MTC receives recognition for innovation and excellence, it enhances perceptions of Namibia’s technological capabilities. When local businesses expand into regional markets, they become ambassadors for the country’s values, professionalism and entrepreneurial spirit. In this regard, brands become strategic national assets. The emergence of…

25 Jun

OBSERVER COASTAL | Erongo education stakeholders confront decline in academic performance

Featured, Uncategorised

Renthia Kaimbi Education stakeholders from across the Erongo Region have gathered in Swakopmund last week for a high-level conference to confront the region's declining academic performance and chart a strategic path toward reclaiming its status as a beacon of educational excellence. The Erongo Regional Education Conference 2026, held at the Swakopmund Hotel & Entertainment Centre under the themeIntrospection of the Declining State of Education in Erongo Region: A Strategic Framework to Enhance Educational Performance, has brought together regional councillors, school principals, teachers, community leaders, and officials from the education ministry to diagnose the root causes of underperformance and agree on…

25 Jun

OBSERVER COASTAL | Over 170 unemployed youth to receive free learner’s training in Lüderitz

Featured, Uncategorised

Renthia Kaimbi More than 170 unemployed young people in Lüderitz are set to benefit from a free Learner's Licence Preparation Initiative launched by the Hilaria Driving Academy. The programme, spearheaded by Hilaria Erastus and Kaunapawa Nikodemus, was created to tackle a critical barrier to employment, which is the lack of a driver's or learner's licence, which is often a mandatory requirement for job seekers in the region. By removing the financial burden of preparatory classes, the organisers aim to level the playing field and open doors to economic participation for the town's youth. The official launch of the initiative is…

25 Jun

OBSERVER COASTAL | Okapale fishermen remain jobless for five months amid GERP allocation dispute

Featured, Uncategorised

Renthia Kaimbi A group of 111 fishermen officially allocated to Merlus Cormorant Fishing Company under the Government Employment Redress Programme (GERP) are demanding urgent government intervention, claiming they have been left without employment, contracts, or salaries for five months. The Okapare Fishermen Association has raised serious concerns over the treatment of workers assigned to Merlus Cormorant, alleging that representatives from the company informed the group earlier this month that only 40 positions were currently available, leaving the future of the remaining workers uncertain. The fishermen are calling for transparency regarding quota allocations and employment arrangements, and have expressed dismay at…