Blog – Page 859 – Windhoek Observer

10 Jun

Full fees unfair – Kandjii-Murangi

ObserverObserver MoneyDr Itah Kandjii-Murangi, Minister of Higher Education, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), Training and Innovation, University of Namibia (UNAM)

Andrew Kathindi Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi has said although educational institutions may be within their rights to charge full fees, from a moral point of view, it is unfair. “It's quite a very tricky situation for them and very difficult as well. If you speak from the moral side of things, it’s not fair to ask someone who has not been on your campus, who has not received any teaching, for full fees for the whole term. The best that these institutions could do is to work out the amount of teaching that was…

10 Jun

Police threaten lockdown extension because of alcohol

ObserverObserver MoneyJoseph Shikongo, Khomas Regional Commander of the Namibian Police

Andrew Kathindi Khomas Regional Commander of the Namibian Police, Joseph Shikongo has warned that reckless behavior as a result of irresponsible alcohol consumption could cause of the rest of the country to revert Stage 1 lockdown regulations. At midnight 01 June, Walvis Bay was forced to revert to stage 1 lockdown regulations while the rest of the country progressed to stage 3. The president’s announcement attributed this action to increased COVID-19 cases in the harbor town. On Monday, June 8th, President Hage Geingob placed the entire Erongo region under lockdown. He took this action after official concluded that residents of…

10 Jun

First quarter house prices tumble

ObserverUncategorisedFNB, FNB House Price Index, Frans Uusiku

Staff Writer The FNB House Price Index has posted a contraction of 5.9 percent year on year ( y/y) at the end of March 2020 compared to a contraction of 1.5 percent recorded over the same period of 2019. “This brought the average national house price to a 5-year record low of N$1 038 577 as at March 2020” Although overall house prices in the central and coastal regions have remained buoyant, registering growth of 8.2m percent y/y and 7.2 percent y/y over the first quarter respectively, this was overshadowed by steep contractions of 18.7 percent y/y and 13.6 percent…

09 Jun

Dundee invests N$5 million in COVID-19 fight

ObserverObserver MoneyDundee Precious Metals Tsumeb

Staff Writer Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb has reaffirmed its support to the Tsumeb community by making a N$5 million investment to the Tsumeb District hospital to improve COVID-19 preparedness . The donation follows the declaration of a State of Emergency over the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Tuesday, 17 March 2020 by His Excellency Dr. Hage G Geingob President of the Republic of Namibia in support of the Mining Industry’s efforts to partner with the government’s initiative to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The upgrades will improve the preparedness levels of the hospital should the COVID-19 virus be detected in Tsumeb…

09 Jun

A hangman’s noose ≠ ‘do not litter’

ObserverNational NewsHenties Bay

…public brands of Namibia, must reflect who we are now Forget about what was really meant by two men enjoying white privilege during apartheid in Namibia, by their construction of a hangman’s noose in Henties Bay in 1978. The convoluted context offered as the supposed reason which the gallows was erected 42 years ago is irrelevant to the 2020 perception of it. A small gallows on a public beach in Namibia is no longer perceived as an ‘innocent joke’ or a ‘harmless gesture.’ Only those who never face the possibility of extrajudicial torture or murder at the hands of angry…

09 Jun

NSFAF owed N$2.8 billion

ObserverObserver MoneyNSFAF

Andrew Kathindi The Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) said that it is still owed N$2.8 billion in loan repayments from past beneficiaries. This announcement comes as NSFAF has allocated a budget of N$244 million for the purchase of mobile devices and laptops. These devices are needed for vulnerable students to have access to e-learning. “There is a data integrity project we are running that is in entering its final stage. So far, the data indicated by the records is that N$2.8 billion is outstanding from former recipients. That tells you that there is a lot of funds that need…

09 Jun

Erongo region placed under lockdown again

ObserverObserver MoneyErongo, president Hage Geingob, Walvis Bay

Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob has placed the entire Erongo region back under Stage 1 of the state of emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes a complete lockdown. This action comes as a result of Walvis Bay residents not adhering to health and safety isolation measures for that city’s restrictions. The move is aimed at curbing the spread of the virus from the coastal region. The Coast has continued to record positive cases. “Stage 1 restrictions will be extended to the entire Erongo Region, for a period of 14 days, effective from midnight tonight, 8 June 2020 until…

09 Jun

Creditor fears ground Air Namibia

ObserverObserver MoneyAir Namibia, president Hage Geingob

Staff Writer Air Namibia has ceased all its international repatriation missions amid fears its aircrafts could be attached by creditors following President Hage Geingob’s announcement that he wants to liquidate the airline. According to insiders, the airline’s board is said to have met over the weekend where it was agreed that it would avoid international flights amid concerns that its creditors could attempt to attach its aircrafts as part of efforts to recover funds owed, following the President’s announcement on Thursday during his State of the Nation Address. "Air Namibia must be liquidated; we have a serious problem with Air…

06 Jun

Ripe for surveillance abuse – Unpacking Namibia’s SIM card registration limbo

ObserverUncategorised2009 Communications Act, Namibia Central Intelligence Service (NCIS), Namibian, SIM card registration

Frederico Links Namibia is one of the last hold-outs on the African continent when it comes to mandatory SIM card registration, but indications are the country is now moving to officially operationalise such a system, even as the relevant sections of the enabling law remain in contention and state actors appear to be exploiting the partial legal vacuum. After more than a decade of foot-dragging, Namibian authorities now appear set on formally operationalising a mandatory SIM card registration regulatory mechanism, despite a legal quandary existing. The dilemma is that Part 6 (Interception of Telecommunications) of chapter five of Namibia’s Communications…

06 Jun

Big Ben: Adapt or die

ObserverUncategorisedBig Ben

…keep the music flowing when times are tough Jackie Wilson Asheeke With the state of emergency restrictions, those producing songs that soothe our souls, make our feet move or hips sway are on lockdown. There is no doubt that musicians are challenged during this pandemic. That said, one of Namibia’s premier artists and musical performers, Big Ben, has not been idle during lockdown; brotha’man has been on the move. During Stage 1 and State 2 of the lockdown and pandemic response phase Ben held two live online performances. Check out his Facebook page and find out how you can get…