National News

Martin Endjala National Council member, Paulus Mbangu has called on investors in the table grape industry to ensure their workers are provided with decent accommodation, emphasising the potential reputational risks of poor labour practices. Speaking to the Windhoek Observer over the weekend, Mbangu raised concerns about the living conditions of workers living in the informal settlement at Aussenkehr. He highlighted last year’s devastating fire which destroyed 72 reed houses, as an example of the dangers posed by inadequate housing. “No customer wants to associate themselves with a business with bad news or bad labour practices,” he said. Mbangu’s comments follow…

Niël Terblanché The fallout from Namibia’s 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections continues to deepen, with legal battles underway to contest or defend the integrity of the process. At the centre of the controversy are challenges led by the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) and the Landless People’s Movement (LPM). LPM President Bernadus Swartbooi has filed a notice of motion to the Electoral Court in which he requests to join the IPC’s leader, Panduleni Itula’s legal challenge to the election results. Swartbooi is alleging that the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) and President Nangolo Mbumba acted unlawfully in extending the…

Niël Terblanché Learners, teachers, and families across Namibia waiting for the results of the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) and Advanced Subsidiary (NSSCAS) Levels will be able to access it next Tuesday (14 January). The executive director of the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp, last week said the announcement is the conclusion of the examination cycle. Steenkamp also expressed satisfaction over the good progress made with marking and data processing. According to Steenkamp, the results will be accessible through multiple platforms, including the ministry’s website, SMS services, and print media. She urged candidates to have their…

Allexer Namundjembo In a proclamation issued in the Government Gazette dated October 15, President Nangolo Mbumba exercised his powers to recognise the removal of the Uukwangali traditional leader, or "Hompa." “Under the powers vested in me by section 8 (4) of the traditional Authoritative Act, 2000 (Act. No. 25 of 2000), I recognised the removal from office of the person in respect of whom the particulars are set out in the schedule, as chief of the traditional community as per the High Court judgement” the proclamation reads. Hompa Eugen Siwombe Kudumo, who served the Uukwangali Traditional Authority (UTA), was removed…

Ester Mbathera Namibia’s marine resources face increasing challenges, as the 2024 Horse Mackerel and Small Pelagic Survey revealed an 8% decline in horse mackerel biomass, a fragile recovery for sardines, and operational setbacks worsened by environmental anomalies. The survey, conducted between 25 March and 22 April along the northern Benguela ecosystem, assessed species abundance, biomass, and distribution to guide sustainable fishing practices for the 2025 season. The findings were presented last Wednesday during the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) held in Walvis Bay. The Ocean Panel brought together representatives from 19 nations as a coalition of…

Stefanus Nashama The Namibian Police confirmed that a list of arrest warrants and traffic ticket fines, which recently circulated on social media, was shared maliciously by officials in the Oshikoto Region. Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi addressed the matter on Wednesday. She clarified the police were aware of the circulating report and assured the public that it was not an official release. “Certainly, the Namibian Police is aware of the circulating report through social media platforms which was unfortunately maliciously shared and circulated by officials from the Oshikoto Region,” Shikwambi stated. She said the list was not the intended course of…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Namibian service station owners have expressed concerns about the financial strain posed by the new minimum wage legislation, set to take effect on 1 January 2025, warning that widespread retrenchments are imminent unless urgent action is taken. Fuel and Franchise Association of Namibia (FAFA) chairperson Deklen Viviers said service station owners have approached the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) to review the profit margin structure. "We had two meetings with the ministry on this matter, and we provided them with data from the service stations we represent," Viviers said. "The feedback was that they will not be…

Swapo’s extraordinary congressreversal comes with ambiguity-analyst Swapo’s extraordinary congressreversal comes with ambiguity-analyst Swapo’s extraordinary congressreversal comes with ambiguity-analyst Stefanus Nashama Political analyst Sakaria Johannes has noted ambiguity in Swapo’s plans for its upcoming extraordinary congress and leadership transition. This follows Swapo’s announcement on Thursday of a revised timeline for electing a new party president, reversing an earlier decision to hold the congress in April 2025. The new date is set for 28 February to 2 March 2025. “They understand that April is a long way off, and they do not want to swear in the president-elect before electing the party…

Martin Endjala Tsumeb has been plagued by persistent power outages over the past few days, sparking frustration among residents, farmers, and businesses. However, attempts to get answers from the Central North Regional Electricity Distributor (CENORED) have yielded no response. Walter Carelse, manager of Goal Maize factory, expressed his concerns in an interview with the Windhoek Observer on Tuesday. According to Carelse, the outages, which began last week, have severely disrupted operations. “The power has been on and off for the past few days. On Saturday, it was off the entire day and only came back the next day, and then…

Allexer Namundjebo The Namibia Local Business Association (NALOBA) has accused NamWater of sidelining local companies in awarding a N$263.7 million water pipeline tender. In a press release, NALOBA spokesperson Marius Nangolo criticised the decision to award the tender to a Chinese firm, saying it undermines efforts to localise the economy. “The decision not only undermines efforts to localise our economy, but it also poses a serious threat to job creation and the retention of capital within our country,” Nangolo said. He further warned of the adverse effects of such decisions, explaining that diverting opportunities abroad results in capital outflows that…