National News

Martin Endjala & Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN)'s decision to maintain radio silence amid a crisis of their own making has compounded fears of a sham election. Since Tuesday, the ECN has been unresponsive to questions from political parties and the media about logistics around the elections. On Thursday, opposition political parties, led by Christine !Aochamus, the national secretary general of the Independent Patriots of Change (IPC), held a media conference at the ECN headquarters to express their frustration with the ECN's silence regarding the issues on the ground. “Why is ECN not speaking to us? Why…

Martin Endjala The Namibia Competition Commission (NACC) has fined Choppies Supermarket Namibia Pty Ltd N$2.2 million for implementing a merger without its approval. According to an investigation by NaCC, Choppies entered into a settlement agreement with Johannes Jacobus De Jager trading as Grootfontein Supermarket and Grootfontein Bottle Store a transaction amounting to a merger without the prior approval. Choppies and Grootfontein Supermarket and Grootfontein Bottle Store entered into a memorandum of agreement on 12 May 2022 and 19 May 2022. Dina //Gowases, the NaCC corporate communications practitioner, confirmed this on Thursday in a statement. “The merger falls within the prescribed…

Niël Terblanché The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) on Thursday announced the disbursement of over N$118 million in tax refunds. According to Martin Inkumbi, the chief executive officer of the fund, the payments at the end of this month aim to benefit 24 173 qualifying annuitants, including pensioners, spousal and child beneficiaries. Inkumbi stated that the refunds are the result of recalculations based on revised tax tables. He added that these recalculations compare the tax members paid throughout the year with what they would owe under the updated structure. “The difference has enabled refunds ranging from less than N$1 to…

Niél Terblanché Deep Yellow Limited, through its subsidiary Reptile Mineral Resources and Exploration (RMR), has upgraded the internet connectivity at the Ganab Station in an effort to advance conservation efforts in the Namib-Naukluft National Park (NNNP). According to RMR, the initiative is a demonstration of the company's commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development in Namibia. The N$53,338.90 investment which was handed over on Tuesday, involved installing a fibre optic Speedlink over a 63-kilometre stretch, elevating internet speeds to 25MB/s - 12 times faster than the previous satellite-based system. According to RMR, the enhancement facilitates seamless video communication and significantly…

The festive season promises a significant boost to Namibia’s hospitality sector, with domestic and SADC visitors expected to drive demand, particularly in the northern and coastal regions, which remain key holiday destinations. This anticipated surge presents an opportunity to enhance economic performance through targeted promotional campaigns and service improvements in these high-traffic areas. NWR ’s initiatives, such as the Namleisure card and upcoming Black Friday specials, are well-aligned with the need to foster domestic and regional tourism. By addressing affordability and accessibility, these efforts are likely to stimulate greater interest in exploring Namibia’s diverse landscapes and cultural offerings. South African…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja, Allexer Namundjebo, Martin Endjala Namibians across the country faced long waits and numerous challenges on election day for the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections. Amid the heat, logistical issues at polling stations, power outages, and frustrations among voters created a tense atmosphere that hindered the smooth running of the process. People started lining up at polling stations as early as 04:00 on Wednesday, hoping to be among the first to cast their vote. Many of them were unprepared for the delays and chaos that plagued election day. The voting process in the Oshikoto Region, specifically at Omuthiya,…

Hertta-maria Amutenja, Martin Endjala, Allexer Namundjembo The 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections were overshadowed by logistical issues, including ballot paper shortages and operational delays at various polling stations. Polling stations such as Omeya Golf Estate, Mix Settlement, Finkenstein, Brakwater Shopping Centre, and Centaurus High School in the Khomas Region, as well as Omudaungilo Constituency in the Ohangwena Region, reported running out of ballot papers by 15h00. These challenges have frustrated voters and prompted calls for urgent action from political stakeholders and civil society. The Independent Patriots for Change’s (IPC) leader, Panduleni Itula, has accused the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN)…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The High Court has ordered the former Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) chairperson for Swakopmund, Milton Augumeb, to retract defamatory statements he made about the leadership of the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN). On 25 November, the court also instructed Augumeb, who had claimed that the union's leadership was in crisis and that the national executive committee (NEC) was involved in the misappropriation of funds, to issue a public apology. Augumeb was also ordered to unconditionally retract the said defamatory statement. In addition, he must issue a public apology for the aforementioned defamatory statements within 14 days. Augumeb…