Blog – Page 68 – Windhoek Observer

16 Jul

PSC dreams a unified desk for SADC

National NewsSalmaan Jacobs

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Public Service Commission chairperson Salmaan Jacobs has proposed that Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states formalise cooperation in staff exchange and secondment programmes. Jacobs made the proposal during the annual general meeting of the SADC Public Service Commissions (PSCs) Forum, currently underway in Windhoek. He stated that the regional body could support and implement these programmes using collective bargaining standards. He stated that formal agreements between public service commissions were necessary to transform regional commitments into practical actions and protocols for public administration. Jacobs also highlighted the importance of digital platforms for regular engagement. He said digital…

16 Jul

Youth celebrate skills progress

National NewsWorld Youth Skills Day

Allexer Namundjebo Young people across Namibia marked World Youth Skills Day on Tuesday, celebrating ten years since the global initiative was launched to promote skills development for employment, entrepreneurship, and decent work. This year’s theme, “Youth Empowerment Through AI and Digital Skills”, focused on preparing the next generation for a world shaped by artificial intelligence and digital transformation. Palms For Life Fund, a key player in skills development for marginalised communities, used the occasion to highlight its work with San youth. Over the past four years, the organisation has helped train more than 1,300 young people through community-based centres and…

16 Jul

People before projects

OpinionsPeople before projects

Hileni Amadhila No matter how groundbreaking your strategy is or how bulletproof your execution plan may seem, if you ignore the human factor, your stakeholders, your project is already halfway to failure. Stakeholder management is often treated as a checklist: identify them, inform them, involve them, influence them. But when we reduce people to processes, we lose the very thing that makes them buy in, trust. People don’t just support plans. They support people who value them, listen to them, and show up consistently. At the heart of effective stakeholder management is empathy. It’s understanding that a board member, a…

16 Jul

Survey warns of certification and safety gaps in oil sector

Observer Money

Allexer Namundjembo A new Industrial Baseline Survey (IBS) says Namibia is not yet ready for large-scale oil and gas production because it lacks key technical certifications, strong health-and-safety systems and reliable compliance checks. The findings were shared in virtual session hosted by the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI). The meeting, open to both NCCI members and non-members, centred on the nation's readiness for the upstream oil and gas sector. The IBS was launched in December 2024 and officially endorsed by the government. It was commissioned by NCCI and conducted by Deloitte Namibia, with contributions from the Ministry of…

16 Jul

Airlink doubles Walvis flights

Observer MoneyAirlink

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Airlink has introduced a second daily flight between Johannesburg and Walvis Bay, boosting air connectivity between Namibia’s west coast and South Africa’s economic hub. The additional service began on 4 July. Namibia Airports Company (NAC) chief executive officer Bisey /Uirab, speaking on behalf of Air Connect Namibia, said the added frequency supports Walvis Bay’s position as a key trade, investment, and tourism centre in Southern Africa. “This new Airlink expansion offers travellers improved air access to Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. It is a strategic link that reinforces Walvis Bay's role as a Southern African trade, investment and tourism…

16 Jul

NFA commends U20 women’s team for youth games performance

Featured, Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Namibia Football Association (NFA) has congratulated the under-20 girls' national football team for for finishing fourth at the recently concluded USC Region 5 Youth Games. NFA interim secretary general Cassius Moetie said on Tuesday that te teams performance inthe 10-nation tournament is a commendable achievement for the youth team. “The young Brave Gladiators displayed exceptional determination and skill throughout the competition, demonstrating significant progress and potential for Namibian women's football,” he said. Namibia lost 1-0 to South Africa and again Los 1-0 to Botswana in the third-place playoff. Moetie said the players showed talent, resilience, and fighting…

14 Jul

Fuelgate: Elindi blames Namcor for faulty asset valuation

Main

Justicia Shipena Businessman Peter Elindi told the Windhoek Magistrates’ Court on Monday that he should not be blamed for the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor)’s internal asset valuation, which the state claims was flawed. “It’s not my problem if they did a bad job,” Peter said in his evidence-in-chief with his lawyer, Sisa Namandje. Elindi was testifying in his bail application in the ongoing N$480 million Namcor corruption and bribery case. He distanced himself from a valuation conducted by Namcor’s engineering and technical department, which the state has labelled a “sham”. Namandje referred to court documents alleging that the…

14 Jul

Weddings off limit in pension purse

National News

Justicia Shipena Members of the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) will not be allowed to use their pension savings to pay for weddings. GIPF chief executive officer Martin Inkumbi confirmed this during a press conference on the pension-backed home loan scheme (PBHLS), held on Monday. He said pension savings may also not be used for business ventures or any other non-housing-related expenses. “A member can access that money to finance their wedding; it is not allowed, and we unfortunately will not be able to allow the member to access money for that purpose, nor for other purposes, even including businesses,…

14 Jul

Parliament to subpoena defiant institutions

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Public and private institutions that ignore parliamentary invitations will be subpoenaed. The chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee on natural resources, Tobie Aupindi, warned on Monday. Speaking at the opening of a capacity-building workshop with stakeholders in Swakopmund, Aupindi said the committee's engagements are a constitutional obligation, not a formality or courtesy. “Some institutions think they are doing the committee a favour by attending. No, you are not. Some even send junior staff without executive powers or decision-making authority. That must stop," he said. The committee oversees all matters related to the country's natural resources. It comprises 24…

14 Jul

Top court quashes High Court order in Oniipa land fight

National News

Justicia Shipena The Supreme Court has overturned a High Court ruling that ordered retired school principal and Oniipa resident Matheus Nuuyuni to remove fences he had put up on several plots of land in Oniipa. The court ruled that the Oniipa Town Council failed to prove it had possession of the disputed erven, which is required for a spoliation order. Nuuyuni, who held customary land rights before Oniipa was proclaimed a township, was compensated N$50,280.04 and given erven 115, 116, and 132 as part of a negotiated agreement with the Council. Later, he fenced off additional plots, 114, 117, 118,…