National News

Patience Makwele Health officials in Kavango West have warned the public against dismissing people experiencing mental health difficulties by telling them to “just pray about it”, saying stigma and fear of judgement can discourage people from seeking professional help. Social worker Veronika Lourens said people struggling with their mental health needed to be heard without judgement instead of having their experiences dismissed as overthinking or a lack of faith. “One way we can help these people is by listening. And when we are listening, we should listen without judging,” Lourens said. She said some people were afraid of how their…

Sostenus Wilherm Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani has challenged mines and energy minister Modestus Amutse to explain what has happened to diamonds worth hundreds of millions of dollars stolen during a robbery at the Namibia Diamond Trading Company (Namdia). He questioned whether the diamonds have entered international markets. Venaani raised the concern during an oral question in the National Assembly on Wednesday, demanding an update on the investigation into the January 2025 robbery, in which diamonds valued at approximately N$314 million were stolen from Namdia’s premises. “Are you really telling people that our diamonds have not been seen…

Sostenus Wilherm Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) shadow minister of defence and veterans affairs Aloisius Kangulu has called on the defence ministry to explain N$860 000 reportedly spent on subsistence and travel (S&T) allowances. He raised concerns about transparency, financial accountability and the management of public funds. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Kangulu said the reported expenditure raised serious questions about how public resources were being managed, particularly by a ministry that receives billions of dollars from the national budget. “The Namibian people deserve to know how their taxes are spent, particularly by ministries receiving billions of dollars from…

Patience Makwele Education minister Sanet Steenkamp has called for closer cooperation between universities and industry to help turn student research into businesses, practical solutions and employment opportunities. Speaking at the 2026 National Student Research Symposium in Windhoek on Wednesday, Steenkamp said Namibia needed graduates who could create jobs, rather than depend solely on existing employment opportunities. “Our institutions of higher learning must continue to produce graduates who are equipped for employment, but also capable of creating employment,” she said. The symposium, held under the theme “Harnessing AI to Catalyze Transformative Research: Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators”, brought together students,…

Patience Makwele  The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been urged to intensify its efforts to prevent and combat corruption in Erongo, where bribery was pointed out as the most commonly reported offence as dozens of cases remain unresolved. ACC director-general Bryan Eiseb warned that corruption could undermine Namibia’s hopes of benefiting from its emerging oil and gas sector, saying public resources meant to improve people’s lives must not be diverted for personal gain. “We all speak about oil and gas. We all speak about the potential of what it holds for us as a developing country. But I believe that corruption…

Sostenus Wilherm Grove Mall of Namibia has approached the High Court seeking N$699 156.80 in unpaid rent and charges from Epitychia Trading CC and businessman Henry Carl Smit, while also seeking to terminate the lease and evict the tenant from its premises. A case plan order issued by Judge Hannelie Prinsloo on 13 October 2026 sets deadlines for the parties to address the mall’s intended application for summary judgment and outlines the next steps in the dispute. According to the court order, Grove Mall must engage the defendants by 26 October 2026 in an attempt to resolve the summary judgment…

Patience Makwele  The City of Windhoek has pledged to accelerate informal settlement upgrading across the capital as part of its efforts to protect vulnerable communities from flooding, house fires and other disaster risks. Councillor Matheus Shoongo and chairperson of the council’s public health, safety and security advisory committee, reaffirmed the commitment during the commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction in Otjomuise on Tuesday. “As Council, we reaffirm our administrative pledge to operationalize every commitment outlined in the City of Windhoek Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2030 and to accelerate resilient informal settlement upgrading across Windhoek,”…