Blog – Page 693 – Windhoek Observer

21 May

SPYL livid over sodomy law reforms

ObserverObserver MoneyGovernment, SPYL, Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL)

Andrew Kathindi The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) has hit out at plans by Government to undo a law that has made sodomy in the country illegal, calling the practice satanic. “We would like to express our dissatisfactions on the prioritising of motions / bills in the National Assembly (Parliament). SPYL is sickened by the discussion of homosexual(sic) in the August house which supersedes as matters of urgency,” Ephraim Nekongo, SPYL Secretary said. Nekongo’s comments come as Justice Minister, Yvonne Dausab, on Monday 17 May received a submission from the Law Reform and Development Commission (LRDC), which included a report…

20 May

Brand Africa to unveil helpful admired brands

ObserverUncategorisedBrand Africa, Lazarus Jacobs, Paragon Investment Holdings, TBWA Paragon, Thebe Ikalafeng

Staff Writer Brand Africa is set to unveil the 2021 Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands – and the brands admired for having been helpful during the pandemic in Namibia and Southern Africa on Africa Day, 25 May 2021. The 2021 Brand Africa: Africa’s Best Brands announcement, will be hosted by Brand Africa founder and Chairman, Thebe Ikalafeng and Lazarus Jacobs, who is the Executive Director of Paragon Investment Holdings. The announcement will be held virtually in partnership with TBWA Paragon in Namibia on 25 May 2021 at 13h15 SAST. The results will once again be published as the cover…

20 May

Construction sector performance down 11.8% in 2020

ObserverUncategorisedCovid-19, FirstRand Namibia, FirstRand Namibia Economist Ruusa Nandago

Staff writer The country’s construction sector contracted by 11.8 percent during 2020 as activity in this sector declined severely owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, FirstRand Namibia Economist Ruusa Nandago has said. According to the Nandango, the construction sector contracted by 11.8 percent during 2020 as activity in this sector declined severely owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. “The decline was mainly reflected in reduced expenditure by the government on civil engineering works. This was a result of the redirection of funds from the development budget towards Covid-19 related expenditure. Several private sector projects were also delayed during this period owing to…

20 May

BOOK REVIEW: Call for lawyers to sanitize their profession

ObserverObserver MoneyJustice Professor Oagile Bethuel Key Dingake

Moses Magadza As stories of the shenanigans of some lawyers all over the world continue to feature in the media with monotonous regularity and threaten to put their profession into disrepute, Lawyers, a book by a widely acclaimed legal expert, has come out to discuss ethical obligations of lawyers and say what ought to be the standard. The author, Justice Professor Oagile Bethuel Key Dingake, is a former Judge of the High Court of Botswana, a Justice of the Residual Special Court of Sierra Leone, former Judge of the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea and now with the Court…

20 May

We don’t want to be used – Nandi-Ndaitwah

ObserverObserver MoneyNetumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Security Council, UN Charter, United Nations

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri It has emerged that Namibia abstained its vote against or for the responsibility to protect and prevent genocide, war crimes ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity at the United Nations General Assembly Hall on Monday to avoid being used by other countries, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (MIRCO), Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has revealed. The Minister hit back amid criticism of the decision, arguing that the rationale behind the decision by the Namibian delegation to abstain from the vote on the draft resolution on Monday, was not due to indifference to crimes against humanity, including genocide. “It is due…

20 May

LPM dragged to court

ObserverObserver MoneyDaniel Gariseb, Landless People Movement (LPM), Mariental town, Rogetta Haak

Tujoromajo Kasuto The Landless People Movement (LPM) is being dragged before the High Court by two former Mariental town councillors, Daniel Gariseb and Rogetta Haak. The former councillors through their legal representative, Richard Metcalfe, filed for a review application at the High Court on 30 April. The application seeks to rescind their recall and annul the appointments of Frensis Franciska Gawases and Andy Boois as new councillors of the Mariental municipality. The application furthermore directs the opposition party to reinstate the former councillors and to do all things required to effect such reinstatement within ten days of the court order.…

20 May

Ministry mum on COVID-19 death liability

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has dodged questions on who would be liable if the COVID-19 vaccine administered is found to have caused the death of a 62-year-old un-identified man. This comes after Ministry of Health Executive Director, Ben Nangombe, was quoted in the media last month saying private companies will be liable for any harm arising from the vaccines. “That’s a legal question. And when you have an issue that deals with liability, the legal principles will be applied and a determination will be made through a legal process to indicate how that liability…

19 May

Still no answers on sunken vessel

ObserverObserver MoneyHangana Seafood Company, Ministry of Works and Transport, Ohlthaver & List (O & L) Group

Rose-Mary Haufiku A year on, the Ministry of Works and Transport is still to provide answers as to what caused the sinking of a Hangana Seafood Company’s fishing trawler, Resplendent in the Atlantic Ocean. The trawler, which had a 27 all Namibian crew, with 26 rescued, sank last February, leaving one crew member Captain Gordon Carlo lost at sea. The captain’s remains still have not been found, with Hangana Seafood Company’s owner, Ohlthaver & List (O & L) Group having suspended the search, including ruling out efforts to acquire a remotely operated underwater vehicle. Public Relation Officer in Ministry of…

19 May

Ministry not backing down on court challenge

ObserverObserver MoneyEtienne Maritz, Executive Director of Home Affairs, Immigration, Minister of Home Affairs, Safety and Security

Staff Writer The Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security says it’s not backing down from legal challenges currently before courts after it issued travel documents to twin daughters of same sex couple Phillip, Guillermo Delgado. Executive Director of Home Affairs, Etienne Maritz, was quick to point out that, “the issued travel certificates do not confer Namibian citizenship on the twins and the issuance must not be construed to be a concession on the Minister's part that the twins are Namibian citizens.” The travel documents were issued after an applications for emergency travel certificates were received at the Namibian…

19 May

Public service wage bill to cost N$29 billion this year

ObserverObserver MoneyGovernment, Iipumbu Shiimi, Minister of Finance

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri It has emerged that Namibia will fork out a total of N$29 billion for salaries and benefits for its civil service this year, which translates into about N$2.4 billion monthly. According to the Minister of Finance, Iipumbu Shiimi, “annually we spend N$29 billion and if you divide that by 12 it would roughly be N$2,4 billion to N$2,5 billion monthly, same goes for last year. It’s more or less the same.” This revelation has raised concern whether Government could afford it considering its precarious financial position, with the minister maintaining that Government will still continue to honour bonuses,…