National News

Ester Mbathera  The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) has agreed to reallocate fishing quotas from Iyaloo Women Investment, Merlus Comerins, Hangana, and Novanam to Blue Chromis Fishing (Pty) Ltd following demands by a group of former Namsov and Icelandic subsidiary, Heinaste Fishing employees.  The fishermen, currently employed under the Government Employment Redress Programme (GERP), petitioned Fisheries Minister Derek Klazen in Windhoek on Monday. In the petition, they demand better salaries and improved working conditions. The fishermen who petitioned the ministry through the Mining, Metal, Maritime, and Construction Union (MMMC), general secretary Joseph ||Garoëb proposed that the quota be…

Allexer Namundjembo The Namibia Water Corporation Ltd. (NamWater) is grappling with a mounting financial crisis as its outstanding debt surged to N$2.4 billion in February 2025, a 16% increase from the N$2.1 billion recorded in June 2024. This growing debt threatens the long-term sustainability of the country’s water supply, particularly as municipalities and local authorities contribute the largest portion of the debt. Lot Ndamanomhata, NamWater's Head of Public Relations and Corporate Communications, confirmed that the debt burden is distributed across various consumer categories, with local authorities owing the largest share. Ndamanomhata said as of February 2025, local authorities have accumulated…

Niël Terblanché The Namibian Police in Walvis Bay has confirmed that a burglary where more than N$400 000 were stolen, occurred at the Kuisebmond cash hall of the Walvis Bay Municipality over the weekend. Chief Inspector Ileni Shapumba, the head of the community affairs division of the Namibian Police in the Erongo region, said detectives are investigating a case of housebreaking and theft after the burglary was reported by municipal employees on Monday morning. “The incident was reported at the Kuisebmond Police Station on Monday morning. It was reported that more than N$400 000 were stolen during the weekend following…

Niël Terblanché The Namibia School of Diplomatic Studies (NSDS), established through a partnership between the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation and the University of Namibia, is aimed at strengthening Namibia’s diplomatic capabilities. The school took the country a step closer to strengthening its diplomatic corps with the graduation of the first cohort of students on Monday. Peya Mushelenga, the minister of international relations and cooperation, during the graduation ceremony reiterated the importance of diplomacy in advancing the country’s foreign policy and international standing. “Diplomatic academies have played a crucial role in shaping global diplomatic practice for over two centuries,…

Niël Terblanché TransNamib, state-owned rail operator, in a decisive move to reinforce ethical business practices, introduced a dedicated Whistleblower Line, aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance within the organisation. Announcing the initiative on Monday, TransNamib’s chief executive officer, Desmond van Jaarsveld, said the new platform would provide employees, customers, and stakeholders with a secure and confidential avenue to report unethical conduct, fraud, corruption, or misconduct. “The Whistleblower Line is an independent and anonymous reporting channel that allows individuals to share concerns without fear of retaliation. TransNamib encourages all stakeholders to use this platform responsibly to help maintain the…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Natural Resources has recommended increasing Agribank’s funding scheme for resettled farmers to at least N$1 million. This recommendation follows a study by the committee, conducted between May and August 2023, which highlighted the financial challenges faced by resettled farmers.  The committee’s report, released last week, found that many resettled farmers struggle to run their farms productively due to insufficient start-up capital. The committee also recommended that the resettlement policy consider issuing farmers with title deeds, which could be used as collateral to access loans from financial institutions. Currently, resettled farmers do not…

Allexer Namundjembo  Supreme Court judge Shafimana Ueitele was granted a land tax exemption by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform on the basis that he falls within the category of a former disadvantaged person as articulated under Article 23 of the Constitution. This explanation was given by the agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein in parliament last week when he was responding to questions posed to him by Popular Democratic Movement parliamentarian, Hidipo Hamata. “Secondly, it is justified as the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic, or educational imbalances in Namibian society arising out of past…