National News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The City of Windhoek (CoW) has denied claims that its involvement in Groot Aub is counterproductive because the city remains dedicated to ensuring the development of the settlement by providing all the basic services to the community. The city said this in a statement issued on Wednesday while responding to an article by a local daily that highlighted issues raised by local farmers in the Groot Aub vicinity, which is part of Windhoek's rural areas. CoW public relations officer Lydia Amutenya said a socio-economic survey conducted by the Khomas Regional Council in 2009, and a follow-up survey by…

Niël Terblanché A strategic alignment with BRICS could be a vital step in Namibia’s aspirations to contribute to a multipolar global economy, particularly in sustainable and green energy sectors. During a working visit to South Africa on Tuesday, President Nangolo Mbumba engaged in discussions with President Cyril Ramaphosa on the potential advantages Namibia could harness from the BRICS bloc, with South Africa being a founding member. The talks, held in Cape Town, reiterated Namibia’s close economic relationship with South Africa, focusing on enhanced trade, energy collaboration, and new investments stemming from BRICS developments. The leaders explored the outcomes of the…

Allexer Namundjembo The Institute for Public Policy Research Research (IPPR) associate Frederico Links has said the ECN should provide clarity on the costs of the contract for ballot paper printing. At the IPPR procurement tracker unveiling on Tuesday, Links said the cost escalation from what had been estimated to the eventual costs that will be paid is questionable. He said ECN, in a statement issued on 18 October, denied allegations of corruption regarding the award of the tender to South African printing company Ren-Form CC. He said the ECN said the total cost of the contract is N$6.2 million, which…

Stefanus Nashama The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) says the release of the main 2023 population and housing census report was never influenced by external sources. The NSA stated that the report would be released in accordance with the laws governing the release of official statistics. Alex Shimuafeni, Namibia’s statistician-general, announced this in Windhoek on Tuesday. The NSA is expected to launch the main report on Wednesday, 30 October. Shimuafeni said the dissemination of such information is impartial and all stakeholders will receive information at the same time. “The NSA would like to inform the nation that this dissemination of tomorrow…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The High Court has ruled against the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader, Job Amupanda’s request for protection from legal costs in his case challenging the constitutionality of the Veterinary Cordon Fence, commonly known as the Red Line. High court judge Ueitele ordered Amupanda to cover the legal costs of the opposing parties for pre-trial applications in the ongoing case, which is scheduled for trial from 20 January to 31 January 2025. The judgement, issued this week, clarified that Amupanda would not face an adverse cost order in the trial itself, regardless of the outcome. However, he must pay for…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted President Nangolo Mbumba in Cape Town on Tuesday. The two heads of state engaged in bilateral discussions aimed at deepening relations and addressing issues of national concern for both nations. The Namibian Presidency announced that the visit is expected to focus on Namibia’s national interests and provide a platform for further collaboration. The working visit comes on the heels of a recent diplomatic engagement, with South Africa’s minister Ronald Lamola, who attended the South Africa-Namibia Bi-National Commission in Swakopmund earlier this month. “This visit underlines our commitment to strengthening regional partnerships,” said…