National News

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security dismissed allegations made by political activist Michael Amushelelo, who recently criticized the conduct of a ministry staff member for using a mobile phone while on duty. In a widely circulated social media post, Amushelelo implied that the employee's brief use of their phone demonstrated a lack of professionalism. Etienne Maritz, the ministry’s executive director, in a statement on Wednesday, refuted this portrayal, calling it a misleading and unfair attack on the integrity of its workforce. Maritz clarified that the use of mobile phones by its staff is often a…

Niël Terblanché The Public Service Commission (PSC) of Namibia recently took part in the 6th General Assembly of the Association of African Public Service Commissions (AAPSCOMS), held from 6 to 8 November 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. Hosted by Kenya’s Public Service Commission, the conference brought together over 100 international delegates from 10 African nations, along with 200 local Kenyan delegates representing ministries, state departments, and independent offices. This year’s theme, “Driving Public Service Delivery Transformation through Innovation and Technology,” set the stage for a dialogue on reshaping public administration across Africa. Namibia’s delegation was led by PSC Chairperson Salmaan Jacobs…

Niël Terblanché The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) hosted a well-attended stakeholder engagement session in Walvis Bay where 72 participants discussed the draft Customs Bond Management Policy. According to a statement issued by NamRa, the session on Tuesday was aimed at gathering feedback and refining the draft policy, which is an important step toward establishing clear guidelines and safeguards within Namibia’s customs industry. The Customs Bond Management Policy, currently in development, seeks to formalise the requirements for surety bond amounts under the Customs and Excise Act of 1998. This new policy aims to ensure that bonds are set at reasonable amounts,…

Martin Endjala The Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) recently opened new roadside wellness clinics to support health and safety in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Angola, and Zambia. The clinics are along the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (WBSLDC) in DRC (Kasumbalesa Border Post) and Zambia (Kasumbalesa Border Post), as well as in DRC (Lufu Border Post) and Angola (Luvo Border Post). According to the company, the expansion of the health infrastructure aims to improve access to essential health services for truck drivers, cross-border traders, and local communities who rely on these vital trade routes. This was done with funding…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Not all uniformed members of the Namibia Defense Force (NDF), the Namibian Police Force, the Namibian Correctional Service, and seagoing personnel will cast their votes countrywide on special voting day,13 November. Uniformed personnel and Namibian citizens who may find themselves outside the country on 27 November are set to cast their vote today. The spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Colonel Peter Shilumbu said the only NDF members who will be casting their votes are those, who are expected to work at polling stations on 27 November. He added that the rest are expected to…

Niël Terblanché The recent dismissal of New Era Publication Corporation’s (NEPC) managing editor, Johnathan Beukes, has sparked widespread public debate on press freedom and government transparency in Namibia. Amid public outcry, the ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) has issued a statement clarifying its role in NEPC’s internal affairs while also stressing that it is committed to press freedom despite allegations of political interference. In a statement released on Tuesday, the MICT addressed concerns over its involvement in NEPC’s internal matters for llowing what MICT term “the dismissal” of Beukes. The ministry stressed that, as a shareholder, its engagement…

Allexer Namundjembo The United Democratic Front (UDF) has distanced itself from Chief Justus ǁGaroëb endorsement. Chief ǁGaroëb who is the founder of the UDF, made an announcement at the 47th annual Damara Festival held at Okombahe settlement over the weekend. In his speech, ǁGaroëb commended the women of Namibia for maintaining the dignity and pride of their communities. “When women demonstrate resilience, it’s time they’re given the opportunity to lead. At the late Chief’s funeral, Vice President Nandi-Ndaitwah put her campaign on hold to stand by us the entire day. Witnessing her courage, I believe she deserves a chance to…

Allexer Namundjembo The LPM Youth Command Element’s Khomas Regional Commander, Junia Kaindjee has accused the National Youth Council’s Executive Director Sharonice Busch of ignoring their funding request. Kaindjee has said that the Element submitted a request to the NYC on the 10th of last month, and the NYC acknowledged the receipt of the request on the 11th, but they did not receive any feedback. “We have not received substantive feedback from the director's office. Our request was for the National Youth Council to assist us with transport and refreshments for our Youth Empowerment Conference on the 17th of last month,…

Niël Terblanché In preparation for the Presidential and National Assembly elections in two weeks and the special voting set to take place today, the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced restricted airspace within the Windhoek Flight Information Region (FYWF) on election-related dates. According to Toska Sem, the executive director of the NCAA, the decision aims to ensure heightened safety and security during this critical period, as detailed in the Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) No. 69/2024. Sem stated that the NCAA’s directive, issued under Part 71 of the Namibian Civil Aviation Regulations, will temporarily ban all remotely piloted aircraft systems…