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Locust outbreak in Zambezi threatens food security 

Locust outbreak in Zambezi threatens food security 

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Land Reform (MAFWLR) has reported a locust outbreak in the Zambezi region, with swarms currently in the hopper and fledgling stages. The ministry’s executive director, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, said in a statement that the outbreak began in early February 2025, following substantial rainfall in the area. She indicated that affected locations include Ibbu near the Chobe River, Sachona, Lubuta, Singalamwe, Omega, Chinchimane, Kanono, Batabaja, Muyako, Ngala, Mahundu, and Seke. “The presence of green vegetation over large areas in the north-eastern, north-central regions, and to some extent in neighbouring Zambia, Botswana, and Angola,…
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Under-resourced regions excelled at the Newspaper Cup

Under-resourced regions excelled at the Newspaper Cup

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Kunene Region was crowned champions of the 2025 Nedbank Newspaper Cup after defeating Kavango West 2-0 in the football final, marking a historic first win for the team. The victory, achieved on home soil, was guided by head coach Tuerikondjera Kasaona, who made history as the first woman to coach a men’s team to a tournament win. Kasaona also serves as assistant coach of the Debmarine Premier League side Blue Waters. “This win means a lot to the people of Kunene. It’s even more special that we did it at home in front of our supporters who have…
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SADC PF to draft model law on prison oversight

SADC PF to draft model law on prison oversight

Moses Magadza The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) will host a joint session of its Standing Committees in Johannesburg from 23 to 25 April to begin developing a regional model law on prison oversight. SADC PF secretary general Boemo Sekgoma said the session marks a milestone in strengthening human rights and parliamentary oversight of detention conditions across the region.  The meeting will bring together five key standing committees of the Forum to collaborate on content and direction for the proposed model law. “These discussions will focus on promoting democratic oversight and ensuring accountability in line with constitutional…
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Khomas soccer coach denies favouritism in selection of Newspaper Cup squad

Khomas soccer coach denies favouritism in selection of Newspaper Cup squad

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Khomas regional football coach, Risto Shikomba, has refuted claims of favouritism in selecting the team that competed in the 2025 Nedbank Newspaper Cup held in Outjo, Kunene Region. Shikomba addressed growing public criticism after the team failed to win a single match at the tournament. Some social media users accuse the technical team of favouring players from specific areas while overlooking talent from informal settlements. Speaking to the Windhoek Observer, Shikomba said the final squad was assembled through open, constituency-based trials and was not influenced by bias or favouritism. “The process began with the first phase of trials…
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MEFT outlaws drones in Etosha 

MEFT outlaws drones in Etosha 

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has announced a complete ban on drones within Etosha National Park, citing escalating security concerns linked to rhino poaching. Colgar Sikopo, the ministry’s deputy executive director of Natural Resource Management, stated that while drones were previously permitted under strict conditions, the increasing misuse by visitors has necessitated a stricter approach. “Many visitors have been entering the park and using drones with no such permission. This situation created some security risks and a disturbance to other visitors to the park,” Sikopo explained. He added that drones can be exploited by poachers to…
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NFA mourns referees killed in car crash

NFA mourns referees killed in car crash

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Namibia Football Association (NFA) is mourning the death of two match officials, Helmut Andreas and Hans Petrus, who died in a car accident on Friday while en route to Windhoek to officiate at Premier League matches. NFA Director of Marketing and Communications, Isack Hamata, confirmed the tragic loss and described it as a significant blow to refereeing development in Namibia. Andreas, aged 55 and widely known in football circles as "Germany", was a seasoned referee with a long-standing commitment to the game. He held former FIFA accreditation and served as a local referee instructor, assessor, and chairperson…
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Economist cautions against SACU, which holds Namibia’s fate

Economist cautions against SACU, which holds Namibia’s fate

Ester Mbathera  With the Namibian dollar pegged to the South African rand, the country finds itself caught in the eye of the storm as the trade dispute between the United States and South Africa intensifies. At the same time, with 40% of its public budget reliant on the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) revenue pool, Namibia has every reason to be concerned. These are the sentiments of economist Dr. Omu Kakujaha-Matundu, who warned that any shift in SACU's tariff structures could deal a severe blow to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's dream of job creation and economic growth. He cautioned that Lesotho,…
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Bucks Buccaneers appoints Kanalelo as head coach after sudden shake-up

Bucks Buccaneers appoints Kanalelo as head coach after sudden shake-up

Erasmus Shalihaxwe In an unusual series of events, Bucks Buccaneers Football Club has made swift changes to its technical team within just three days. In a statement issued on 5 April, the club announced that Head Coach Nicholas Woody Jacobs and Striker Coach Geoffrey Roman had been relieved of their duties with immediate effect. Following their departure, the club said Bertus Bock would step in as interim head coach, assisted by former national team player Rudi Louw. However, just three days later, on 8 April 2025, the club issued a follow-up statement announcing the appointment of Ronny Kanalelo as the…
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Zambezi police officer arrested for aiding inmates to escape

Zambezi police officer arrested for aiding inmates to escape

Allexer Namundjembo A police officer stationed at the Goma Police Station in the Zambezi region was arrested on Saturday for opening a holding cell, which led to the escape of five trial awaiting prisoners.  The Zambezi Regional Police Commander, Commissioner Andreas Shilelo, confirmed the incident, revealing that two Namibians and three Zambians were among the escapees. Shilelo said the officer acted alone and failed to inform fellow officers before opening the holding cell. “The inmates did not use force to escape. They simply fled after the cell was opened,” he said. By Monday, four of the five escapees were re-arrested.…
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Luvindao calls for action on maternal deaths

Luvindao calls for action on maternal deaths

Niël Terblanché At the World Health Day commemoration in Katima Mulilo on Monday, the minister of health and social services, Dr Esperance Luvindao, addressed the pressing issue of maternal mortality in Namibia. She described many causes of maternal deaths as preventable tragedies that require urgent action. “Improved antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, exclusive breastfeeding, and better nutrition could further reduce these fatalities,” Luvindao said while stressing the necessity of people taking more time to care for and help each other. She also expressed concern that only 49% of mothers in Namibia practise exclusive breastfeeding, a factor contributing to child stunting.…
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