Main – Page 5 – Windhoek Observer

29 Sep

Top Score instant porridge removed from shelves following the death of three children

ObserverMainNamib Mills

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Namib Mills has temporarily withdrawn all Top Score Instant Porridge from the market following the deaths of three children in Mdantsane township, Buffalo City, South Africa. The children, aged 4, 18 months and 17 months, passed away on Sunday, with two of them from the same household. NamibMills’ senior brand manager, Marné Bouwer, expressed deep regret following the incident. “We are deeply saddened by the reports circulating that three children have passed away. There is currently no evidence linking our product to this incident, but we are taking the matter very seriously,” she said. Bouwer said the company…

27 Sep

Gold refinery out of reach for Namibia

ObserverMainHeye Daun

CHAMWE KAIRA There is little hope that Namibia will be able to refine gold locally in the near future. This is despite increasing gold production and the development of a third gold mine. The outgoing CEO of Osino Resources, Heye Daun, explained that Namibia and South Africa have similar regulations around gold and that gold refining and all gold production in Namibia go to the Rand Refinery in Johannesburg. “We had this discussion before. A refinery in Namibia is not economically viable. Refineries are very expensive. They require big orders of big magnitude,” said Daun. Rand Refinery was established by…

25 Sep

Three NDF recruits died during training

ObserverMainFrans Kapofi, Osona Training Base in Okahandja

Stefanus Nashama Three recruits of the 17th intake died during the Namibian Defence Force's basic training. The minister of defence and veterans affairs, Frans Kapofi, made this revelation during the official graduation ceremony of the 17th intake at the Osona Training Base in Okahandja on Wednesday. “It is also unfortunate and regrettable that three recruits passed away during the course of their training,” he said. The three deceased recruits are all from Hardap Region. Two died during training while the other was stabbed to death in Windhoek while on a break. According to NDF spokesperson, Colonel Petrus Shilumbu, some candidates…

24 Sep

Costs of office expansion for fisheries ministry surges

ObserverMainAugust Twenty-Six Construction, Uaripi Katjiukua, Zhong Mei Engineering Group JV Joevanni (Pty) LTD

Ester Mbathera The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) has requested authorisation from the Procurement Policy Unit in the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises (MFPE) to increase the contract price for its new head office project from N$3.7 million to N$11.4 million. The project, currently 95% complete, faced increased costs due to unanticipated additional works, including the alteration and renovation of the 4th floor, installation of furniture, and completion of electrical and mechanical systems. Work stalled on the project because the previous contractor, Zhong Mei Engineering Group JV Joevanni (Pty) LTD, abandoned the site. This led to MFRM…

23 Sep

Deaf demand sign language recognition

ObserverMainInternational Week of the Deaf, Martin Tjivera, Namibian National Association of the Deaf

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Namibian National Association of the Deaf (NNAD) is calling on the government to recognise Namibian Sign Language as an official national language, emphasising its importance for the inclusion and empowerment of the Deaf community. The call coincided with the celebration of the International Week of the Deaf and International Day of Sign Language, which began on Monday, with the theme, 'Sign up for Sign Language Rights.' The NNAD founder, Martin Tjivera, stressed that official recognition would ensure access to essential services for deaf people. "We urge the Namibian government to recognise Namibian Sign Language as one of…

22 Sep

‘I have never taken up membership with AR’ – Ipinge

ObserverFeatured, MainKnowledge Ipinge, Laina Shapange

Ester Mbathera Former Affirmative Repositioning movement (AR) activist, Knowledge Ipinge who defected to Swapo on Saturday, says he never took up membership with the movement since its transition to a political party. “I have never taken up membership with the AR,” he said. Ipinge told the Windhoek Observer on Sunday that the leadership of the Swapo party's vice president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, which he described as rooted in pragmatism, integrity, accountability, meritocracy, and inclusivity, significantly influenced his decision to rejoin Swwapo. “I refuse to participate in any discussion that attempts to create a narrative of bad blood between myself, AR, and…

19 Sep

Cabinet backs Geingob’s vision to remove red line

ObserverMainAfrican Continental Free Trade Area, construction of new veterinary cordon fences (Red Line)

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The minister of agriculture, water, and land reform, Calle Schlettwein, has submitted the proposal to gradually remove the red line. Introduced in 1897, the 1250 km veterinary cordon fence separates the northern communal farms from the commercial farming areas. Its gradual removal was announced by the deputy minister of information, communication and technology, Modestus Amutse, on Thursday. Amutse also announced that Cabinet has approved the construction of new veterinary cordon fences (Red Line) and gates to create new disease-free zones. ‘’Cabinet directed the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform to undertake the following interventions: carrying out a…

18 Sep

Water wars in Eengodi Constituency

ObserverMainEengodi Constituency in the Oshikoto

Martin Endjala The Eengodi Constituency in the Oshikoto region is grappling with a water crisis due to a lack of boreholes. Residents are forced to drink water with high salinity from wells. According to Iita Sinsikus, a resident of Oshana-Shomupanda village, the constituency has had to deal with this water crisis for several years. This is despite the recently announced borehole drilling program currently being carried out by the Ministry of Water, Agriculture, and Land Reform in various regions. He told the Windhoek Observer on Wednesday that despite their concerns, the water crisis remains unaddressed. “As we speak, we have…

17 Sep

‘I invested a lot in Swapo’ Martin Shalli

ObserverMain

Stefanus Nashama The former chief of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF), retired General Martin Shalli, has defended his active participation in politics because it does not violate any laws. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with me participating in politics,” he said in an interview with the Windhoek Observer on Tuesday. The public often view former high-ranking soldiers such as generals as influential because of their military background. Many believe that the generals hold significant knowledge of the country's inner workings, which could have unpredicted consequences if injected into the political sphere. “I went into exile to fight for this country…

16 Sep

Amushelelo arrest ignite debate over Unam’s political ban

ObserverMainKauna Shikwambi, Landless People’s Movement, Ndumba Kamwanyah

Stefanus Nashama The Namibian Police briefly detained Michael Amushelelo, a member of the Landless People's Movement (LPM), after his arrest at Unam’s main campus in Windhoek on Monday. He was released a few hours later. Amushelelo and a group of LPM Youth Command members were protesting the university's ban on political activities on campus. The youth demanded a discussion on the matter with the university’s management, which resulted in the arrest. Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah suggested that the police could have handled the situation better instead of making an arrest. “As a security apparatus, the police should be careful that…