National News

Patience Makwele Teachers in the Omusati region say they are tired of teaching in makeshift “shacks” (classrooms), with some schools still struggling with basic sanitation, administrative space and facilities needed for practical subjects. The concerns were raised during an African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) validation workshop in the region on Tuesday, where several teachers and other participants described school infrastructure challenges that they say continue to affect teaching and learning. “We are tired of shacks,” one participant said. Another teacher described the reality behind the formal appearance of educators attending the workshop, saying: “As I’m wearing a suit, I was…

Patience Makwele Namibia’s sharp decline in maternal deaths nationally is being undermined by persistent regional disparities, with the Omaheke and Zambezi regions recording maternal mortality ratios significantly above the national average. Deputy minister of health and social services Suzan Ndjaleka made the disclosure on Monday during the launch of a national training programme aimed at strengthening health workers’ response to postpartum haemorrhage and other obstetric emergencies. Ndjaleka said Namibia’s maternal mortality ratio had fallen from more than 450 deaths per 100 000 live births in 2000 to 139, representing substantial progress over two decades. However, she warned that the national…

Sostenus Wilherm A N$97.2 million debt dispute between The Spar Group Limited and businessman Herman Nekomba has shifted to his insolvent estate, with the High Court ordering that his trustees take over his role in the litigation. The High Court on Tuesday ordered that Nekomba be removed from the proceedings in his personal capacity and replaced by the trustees of his insolvent estate, William de Villiers Schickerling and Ian Robert McLaren. The court further ordered that Omuthiya Classic Investments CC, trading as Omuthiya Build It, be represented by Schickerling and McLaren in their capacities as liquidators of the company. The…

Sostenus Wilherm Namibia’s commitment to good governance is facing a reality check, with stakeholders in the Omusati Region urged to critically assess the country’s progress in implementing governance reforms rather than simply celebrating achievements. Omusati governor Immanuel Shikongo has called for an open assessment of Namibia’s implementation of recommendations under the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), particularly those addressing youth unemployment, housing, land delivery, rural electrification and decentralisation. Shikongo made the call on Tuesday in Outapi during a workshop to validate a progress report on the implementation of recommendations contained in Namibia’s Country Review Report. “We are gathered here today…

Renthia Kaimbi A cross-border investigation into alleged illegal coal mining in South Africa has resulted in the freezing of N$49.4 million in Namibian bank accounts. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the case demonstrates the growing importance of cooperation between South African and Namibian authorities in tracking suspected proceeds of crime. The Namibian High Court on 31 August 2026 confirmed the preservation of N$49 440 985.96 linked to South African businessman Jacobus Hosea Jordaan, his wife Elza Jordaan, Welgevonde Farming (Pty) Ltd and the Namka Trust. The judgment, delivered by High Court judge Lotta Ambunda, confirmed a provisional preservation order…

Patience Makwele Seven Indian employees of Brilliant Star Diamonds have approached the High Court of Namibia challenging their detention after an immigration operation at the company’s Prosperita premises on September 2. The workers and their employer are seeking their immediate release and an order reviewing and setting aside detention notices issued under section 42(2)(b) of the Immigration Control Act. The detention notices, seen by the Windhoek Observer, state that the seven were ordered to be held at the Windhoek Police Station on grounds that they were prohibited or illegal immigrants. The notices were issued by immigration officer Immanuel Mweshihange on…

Patience Makwele Prime minister Elijah Ngurare has warned that Namibia’s public-service recruitment system risks being undermined by tribalism, favouritism and corruption, alleging that some jobs are decided before interview panels meet. Speaking at the Government Human Resource Conference in Windhoek on Monday, Ngurare said he had received reports of applicants paying panel members for positions, while some government offices had become dominated by people from the same linguistic group. “Some parents have to pay livestock to panelists before a position is given,” he said. “Explain to me this magic. How is it that some divisions, some departments, some directorates, will…

Sostenus Wilherm Namibia is heading into a potentially punishing 2026/27 rainfall season, with the Namibia Meteorological Service warning of widespread below-normal rainfall and temperatures reaching up to 3°C above average, raising fresh concerns for agriculture, livestock, water resources and disaster management. The warning is being driven largely by an intensifying El Niño, which meteorologists say could create conditions similar to the severe 2015/16 season. “Together, El Niño and a positive IOD will weaken the Angola Low and strengthen the Botswana High, cutting off Namibia’s moisture the way it did in 2015/2016,” the Namibia Meteorological Service states. According to the forecast,…