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Niël Terblanché Construction work on a new water treatment plant for Rundu began with a groundbreaking ceremony held on Monday. The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein, officiated at the ceremony. He stressed the importance of the project for Rundu, Namibia’s second-largest local authority with a population of approximately 118,000. “As one of the fastest-growing towns in Namibia, Rundu has faced increasing strain on its water supply, a challenge this new project aims to address comprehensively,” the minister said. Three weeks ago frustrated residents of Ndama's Sun City and Long to Long settlements threatened a community uprising…

Niël Terblanché Last Friday, Namibians from all walks of life gathered at Walvis Bay to celebrate the life and legacy of the late Nathaniel Maxuilili, a towering figure in the country's struggle for independence. The event was held in commemoration of his death 25 years ago. Maxuilili died on 23 June 1999 in a vehicle accident when an ambulance that was transporting him to the airport to be airlifted to Windhoek was involved in a head-on collision with a truck near Dune 7. Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, while speaking at the event in Walvis Bay, praised Maxuilili as a fearless…

Niël Terblanché To address the alarming rise in crime in the Mondesa area, the regional management of the Namibian Police in the Erongo Region will hold a crucial public meeting at the Multi-Purpose Centre of Swakopmund on Thursday. This meeting comes after a disturbing pattern of brutal murders, with at least one occurring each weekend over the past month, prompting concern among residents and law enforcement. The latest incident occurred early on Sunday morning, according to Chief Inspector Ileni Shapumba, the head of the community affairs sub-division in the region. The incident involved a violent altercation at the Strong Bar…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The deputy secretary general of the Swapo Party, Uahekua Herunga has admitted that the ruling party has failed to fulfil its promises made during the 2019 election campaigns. Herunga said this during an interview with the Windhoek Observer on the sidelines of the media briefing in Windhoek where Vipuakuje Muharukua announced that he is switching to Swapo from the Popular Democratic Movement on Tuesday. ‘’I am a believer in a success story, but obviously, it will not be 100 percent. The Swapo-led government has hugely succeeded, but that does not mean there are no challenges or shortcomings within…

Niël Terblanché The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, has called on unemployed graduates, particularly in engineering and technical fields, to establish production factories. During a site visit to a tin and lithium mine near Uis in the Erongo Region last week, Uutoni stressed the critical need for Namibia to shift from merely exporting raw materials to industrialising its economy. He said that this transition is a key strategy to create jobs and lift thousands of Namibians out of poverty. “We cannot continue exporting our raw materials without adding value. We must move towards industrialization to create more…

Stefanus Nashama The Swapo Secretary General's office has extended an invitation to national soccer player, Peter Shalulile to receive blessings and prayers for joining the party. Shalulile joined Swapo over the weekend. On Tuesday, the party's secretary general, Sophia Shaningwa, said she was waiting for Shalulile to visit her office to bless him so that he could do more for the country. “I am waiting for him to show up to my office to bless him with prayers so that he performs more for Namibia,” she said. Shaningwa also refuted allegations from opposition parties that Swapo pays celebrities to join…

Martin Endjala Mines and Energy Minister, Tom Alweendo says the mining industry remains the bedrock of Namibia’s economy, contributing about N$6.4 billion in royalties and taxes in 2023, compared to N$4.2 billion in 2022. These statistics, he said, indicate that the mining industry remains the bedrock of the economy. Alweendo was speaking at the launch of the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) Rӧssing Uranium 2023 Sustainability and Performance Report at the Windhoek Country Club Resort and Casino on Tuesday evening. “The good performance of Rössing Uranium is not success in isolation, but it is rather a part of a bigger…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Residents of Grootfontein have expressed their frustration over the continued poor state of the town's roads and inconsistent waste collection services. Community members, particularly those residing in the Omulunga township, where the tarred road links to Sam Nujoma Road in town, have voiced their concerns about the numerous potholes that have plagued the area for months. "The roads have been like this for a long time, and every time they say they will fix it, the repairs only last for a few months. After three months, the roads are bad again," said local taxi driver Tjihorua Kazetjindire. The…

Martin Endjala The Governor of the Omaheke region, Pijoo Nganate has urged community members to put aside their emotions and personal opinions regarding the Stampriet aquifer transboundary system. This call came during a high-level meeting held in Mariental on Monday on the possible impact of uranium mining in the Stampriet transboundary aquifer system. Th e meeting took place amid growing concerns from residents in Leonardville and Stampriet. “This issue involves destitute and vulnerable people. When the issue of mining came to our ears, we were all very excited. We said maybe this was the end of our miserable lives. But…

Ester Mbathera An interim report on the controversial appointment of RedForce Debt Management Company as the exclusive debt collector for the Municipality of Walvis Bay has revealed severe procedural and financial irregularities. The report compiled by the municipality’s representative, Advocate Richard Metcalfe, seen by the Windhoek Observer, revealed that there appear to be various criminal offences arising from this preliminary investigation. Metcalfe suggested that the criminal offence be transferred to the authorities for prosecution after further investigation. “At this juncture, it is also already clear that the general manager for finance and manager for revenue and credit control will face…