National News

Niël Terblanché The northern regions are grappling with the annual "efundja" floods, which have already claimed two lives and are causing increasing anxiety among local farmers. Heavy rains across southern Africa, particularly in Angola, have led to a surge of floodwaters flowing southward into Namibia's Cuvelai River basin, exacerbating the situation. Over the weekend, the Namibian Police reported two drowning incidents linked to standing water in low-lying areas. On Thursday morning, the body of 38-year-old Tuli Christoph Christoph was discovered floating in a waterlogged area near Omuthitu-wenghete village in the Outapi Constituency. He had last been seen alive by his…

Ester Mbathera  Former cabinet minister Tom Alweendo, who did not return to the new executive, has thanked the nation for the support he received. Alweendo, who served as Minister of Mines and Energy, said his time in public office has ended, but his commitment to Namibia remains strong. “Our nation is rich in potential, and it is up to all of us—wherever we find ourselves—to do what is required to unlock it. Let us continue to work with integrity, vision, and determination to build the Namibia we all aspire to see. Thank you once again for your support. The journey…

Erasmus Shalihaxwwe President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states to continue honouring the men and women who sacrificed their lives in the fight against apartheid and for the freedom and peace the region enjoys today. Southern Africa Liberation Day is observed on 23 March each year to mark the end of one of the fiercest conventional battles at Cuito Cuanavale in Angola’s Cuando Cubango Province. The battle marked a turning point for Angola and laid the foundation for peace and development, placing the country at the centre of the SADC integration agenda. “As the…

Allexer Namundjembo Outgoing Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) chief whip and deputy leader, Kalimbo Iipumbu has called for an extension from five to ten years of the service terms for members of parliament. He made this call during a media interview at Parliament on Tuesday. “I really have to make it clear that the term of five years was really challenging for the outgoing MPs to implement necessary policies. You should remember that as a member of parliament, immediately after two years, the time you were trying to associate yourself with others and trying to come up with proposals and…

Niël Terblanché Heavy rains have caused flooding, water shortages, and sewerage problems in coastal towns, leaving residents struggling to stay dry while municipal services work to manage the disruptions. In Walvis Bay, a power outage affected the water pumps in the Kuiseb River basin, which supplies most of the town’s water. NamWater spokesperson Lot Ndamanomhata confirmed that the outage originated in the ErongoRED network, disrupting the ability to refill reservoirs. “All NamWater’s boreholes are currently without power. The water supply will be limited until electricity is restored,” he said. He assured residents that once power is restored, all affected boreholes…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  Due to increased pressure from the government, the Deutsche Höhere Privatschule (DHPS) has decided to close on Thursday as per the recommendation of the Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture. The education ministry recommended that schools in Windhoek should close due to expected traffic disruptions ahead of Independence Day celebrations. After initially announcing that the school will remain open for teaching the management of the school in a statement to parents, said that its priority remains the education and well-being of its learners. “Under the current circumstances, a meaningful teaching offer is not possible. This decision affects all…

Niël Terblanché The Namibian government has officially received a donation of 1 360 metric tonnes of rice from China as part of efforts to support the country’s nationwide drought relief programme for 2024/25. The handover ceremony, held in Windhoek on Wednesday, is seen as a continued partnership between the two nations in addressing food insecurity. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa, acknowledged the donation, stating that it was made possible following a bilateral meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba during the 2024 China-Africa Cooperation Forum Summit. He expressed Namibia’s gratitude,…

Niël Terblanché The government has reaffirmed its commitment to nationwide connectivity with an investment of N$145 million into the Universal Service Fund (USF). The minister of information and communication technology, Emma Theofelus, announced the funding at the launch of the USF by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) on Wednesday. She said the fund is aimed at bridging the digital divide by supporting the expansion of network infrastructure in underserved areas, ensuring that the nation has access to reliable communication services. Theofelus said the investment would be used to construct network towers and deploy digital infrastructure to achieve full…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe A parliamentary investigation has found that Uranium One Group, a mining company exploring uranium in the area of Leonardville in the Omaheke region, drilled 70 exploration boreholes without the required permits. The company also drilled seven boreholes for hydrogeological studies without authorisation, violating the Water Resources Act 11, 2013. A report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources, Economics, and Public Administration revealed that the company failed to follow permit conditions. According to the report, the boreholes were not properly cased off and grouted, raising concerns about groundwater contamination. “The two committees managed to hear the presentation…

Moses Magadza  A Zimbabwean youth leader representing the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) has called on African Union (AU) Member States to urgently ratify the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) to achieve lasting change and ensure the safety and empowerment of women and girls across Africa. Speaking at a side event during the ongoing 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York on Monday, councillor Chioniso Michelle Murinda acknowledged the role of AWLN in nurturing young female leaders across the continent. “Since 2017, AWLN has been a transformative platform…