National News

Stefanus Nashama Bernadus Swartbooi, the president of the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) claims the government's intervention to avail N$365 million to subsidise electricity consumers for the 2024–2025 financial year is a short-term election gimmick. He said this during the party press conference in Windhoek on Wednesday. “While the government's intervention to avail N$365 million to subsidise electricity consumers for the 2024–2025 financial year, effectively cancelling the increment for 2024 and 2025, provides temporary relief, concerns remain about the future. The Electricity Control Board (ECB) has projected further increases in electricity tariffs for the subsequent years, with significant hikes expected from…

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform convened a week-long workshop bringing together management from all 14 regions to review the major activities and performance of the first quarter of the current financial year. The ministry’s Executive Director, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, outlined key accomplishments and challenges, emphasising the ministry's commitment to improving service delivery and sustainable development. Water supply and sanitation initiatives Nghituwamata highlighted progress in providing rural water supply and sanitation. She detailed the construction of 12 new earth dams for water harvesting across four regions: Ohangwena (5), Oshana (4), Kavango West (2), and Hardap (1). Additionally,…

Stefanus Nashama Lay lawyer and community activist, August Maletzky has accused police officers of racially profiling crime suspects when making arrests. He made these allegations during a community meeting between the police and the Swakopmund police last week. “The hands of police officers itch when it comes to arresting non-white Namibians when they commit crimes just because white is right, black is wrong. Drugs are moved from where white people are to the DRC,” Maletzky stressed. According to Maletzky, the crime rates in the DRC location would naturally be high due to the large number of people living there. “When…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja City police have issued warnings to Yango drivers, highlighting their lack of proper transport permits as a violation of municipal regulations. Several drivers have reported that when they can't produce the necessary permits, police pull them over and threaten to issue tickets. Yango is an international app-based ride-hailing service that already operates in many countries across Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, including Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Senegal, Zambia, Angola, Congo Brazzaville, the DRC, Mozambique, and Algeria. Imene Nicodemus, a Yango driver, shared his experience, explaining the difficulties drivers face. "The problem with police officers is…

Niël Terblanché Four men have been convicted for the 2016 robbery and murder of Hans Jörg Möller, or Captain Hans, as he was fondly referred to, bringing closure to a case that has gripped the Namibian community for eight years. High Court Judge Dinnah Usiku delivered the verdict on Monday, finding Panduleni Gotlieb, David Tashiya, David Shekundja, and Elly Hinaivali guilty on multiple charges, including murder, attempted murder, housebreaking with intent to rob, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and possession of a firearm and ammunition without a license. Captain Möller, a well-known businessman in Walvis Bay, was fatally shot in his…

Martin Endjala The Walvis Bay community requested that three local authority councillors stay out of discussions and meetings regarding Redforce Debt Management (Redforce). On Tuesday, the residents during a mass protest action presented a petition in which they aired their grievances against the management of the municipality and Redforce. They said they do not trust Richard Hoaeb, the management committee chairperson, and two committee members, Olivia Andrews and Buddy Bramwell. “We demand that they recuse themselves from discussions and meetings relating to Redorce until this matter is concluded in a satisfactory manner. We have no confidence in the three councillors,”…

Niël Terblanché The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Derek Klazen, has criticised the demands of former fishermen as unrealistic, citing their refusal to accept jobs other than sea-going positions while demanding higher wages and benefits. Klazen made these remarks in response to questions from the Popular Democratic Movement’s (PDM) Mike Venaani during a parliamentary session focused on the challenges, sustainability efforts, and future plans for Namibia's fishing industry. Klazen stressed that the ministry launched a socio-economic relief programme in 2020 to support former fishermen who lost their jobs due to retrenchments, strikes, or misconduct. The minister, however, expressed concern…

Niël Terblanché The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has stressed the importance of timely voter registration for the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly Elections scheduled for the end of November. Peter Shaama, the Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer at the ECN, last week, announced that there will be no extension window beyond 1 August for voters to register while also urging all eligible Namibians to take immediate action. He indicated that since the commencement of the General Registration of Voters (GRV) on 3 June, a total of 676 390 Namibians have registered as voters. This includes registrations both within the…