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Ester Mbathera A customer received N$100 000 airtime fraudulently from an employee of the national telecommunications operator, the Telecom leaked document reveals. The company's internal risk audit, which examined the top 100 transactions, revealed these findings. The national telecommunications operation was hacked of 493 000 documents valued at N$5,4 billion (U$300 million). The head of internal audit and risk management, Kgomotso Hochobeb, made Telecom chief executive officer (CEO) Stanley Shanapinda aware of these fraudulent discrepancies. The N$100 000 airtime transaction could not be explained when it was picked up. “A balance of N$100 000.00 was credited to a customer’s account…

Ester Mbathera Xinfeng Investments is facing criminal investigations after being caught red-handed mining illegally in the Uis area of the Erongo region, on 16 November. The mines ministry has also ordered the company, which recently commissioned its N$600 million processing plant, to cease all operations at EPL 8397. Residents and conservancies in the Uis area protested against Xinfeng’s alleged illegal mining. The EPL in question, located at Ringmen Investment (Pty) Ltd, was granted to Orange River Exploration and Mining CC for the exploration of dimension stones, base and rare metals, industrial minerals, and precious metals. Orange River is a joint…

NIËL TERBLANCHÉ Calls to hold Telecom leadership accountable are mounting after the recent cyber attack on the company’s data infrastructure. Many citizens took to social media calling for the CEO to bear ultimate responsibility for ensuring the safety of customer data and the board for its fiduciary duty to ensure the organization is managing risks effectively. “The management and board must be held accountable for the way they dealt with this disaster, which by their own admission happened three weeks ago and they did not even bother notifying the affected customers,” said Namene Kalili a business development and management innovation…

Niël Terblanché The absence of a robust Data Protection Act and more stringent regulatory oversight by Namibia’s Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) is partly to blame for the massive cyber terrorist attack on the country’s key telecommunications provider and other government institutions almost three weeks ago. Paul Rowley of My Digital Bridge Foundation, whose mission is to enrich the lives of marginalized communities through equitable access to technology, said a comprehensive data protection act in Namibia could have significantly reduced the damage caused by the attack. He explained that the Act could have established clear guidelines and obligations for…

Niël Terblanché and Ester Mbathera The minister of health and social service Kalumbi Shangula feels uncertain about the future after his sensitive information was leaked on the dark web. “Nobody can feel safe because you don't know what they (hackers) can do with the information. There are many ways that they can use the information. It's just terrible,” he said. Shangula whose ministry was also targeted said the IT officials are attending to the matter. The cyberattack that resulted in one of the largest known data security incidents in Namibian history is suspected to have been orchestrated by the ransomware…

Hertta-Maria Amutenya and Ester Mbathera The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has confirmed that an investigation into allegations surrounding a N$50 million lithium mining deal involving the Chinese company, Xinfeng Investments is ongoing. ACC Commissioner Paulus Noa, on Thursday, told the Windhoek Observer that while the investigation is underway, details of the case cannot be disclosed. “There is an investigation into the matter." Unfortunately, we are unable to share the finer details,” Noa said. The case involves allegations that Xinfeng Investments paid a N$50 million bribe to secure access to a sought-after lithium mining concession previously held by Karlowa Mining Enterprises. An…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja When the rest of the country went out to participate in the National Assembly and Presidential elections on 27 November, the employees of Olivia’s Kitchen in Windhoek were told to report for duty. This is despite the day being declared a public holiday. “Dear Team, as election day approaches, we want to remind everyone of the importance of participating in the democratic process. Voting is not only a civic duty but also an opportunity to make your voice heard. If you plan to vote tomorrow and it might affect your work schedule, please let your manager know as…

Martin Endjala The chief executive officer of August 26 Holdings, Ndajoina Shalumbu, has been suspended. On Friday, Board chairperson Brigadier General Fillimon Shafashike confirmed this to the Windhoek Observer. “I confirm that the CEO has been suspended in line with our governance processes,” said Shafashike. Shalumbu was suspended with immediate effect and Fanuel Haikuti is the appointed interim CEO. “This is a precautionary measure and does not imply any finding of misconduct or guilt. During this suspension, he remains entitled to all contractual benefits,” said Shafashike. The alleged fabrication of a quote for N$8 million in spare car parts for…

Ester Mbathera The dissolution process of Namibia Post and Telecom Holdings (NPTH) has commenced. The entity is expected to cease operations on 31 December. It is not clear why the company is ceasing operation when it has reported achieved a group revenue of N$5.3 billion with a consolidated net profit of N$1 billion for the 2022/23 financial year. This dismantling of the company follows the enactment of the Post and Telecommunications Companies Establishment Amendment Act of 2020, which came into force on 19 August. This process was initiated following a Cabinet decision in July 2014. The Dismantling Act (Act No.…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have condemned any form of electoral manipulation, including extending voting days from Wednesday to Saturday due to logistical challenges in the just-ended presidential and national assembly election in Namibia. “The will of the people must be respected, and no amount of manipulation should be allowed to undermine their voice,” reads a statement issued by Julius Malema’s party on Tuesday. The EFF has pledged to monitor developments and support efforts to address irregularities, calling for transparency, fairness, and true democracy in Namibia. It has expressed concern over the Electoral Commission of Namibia's (ECN)…