National News – Page 314

25 Sep

Namibia set to boost economy with online tourist visa offer

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Niël Terblanché In an ambitious stride to revitalise the national economy, Namibia has initiated online tourist visa applications, a move set to lure more international tourists to its captivating landscapes and culturally rich destinations. The service became operational last Friday and represents the country’s broader endeavour to embrace digitalisation and enhance e-governance. Albert Kawana, the Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, spoke with optimism at the launch in Windhoek about the potential of the tourism sector to be a linchpin for economic resurgence. “I have no doubt that with the launch of the online tourist visa application, our…

25 Sep

Everyone in Namibia must remember where they were on Reference Night

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Niël Terblanché Every citizen and temporary inhabitant of Namibia should mark their calendar where they slept last night - Census Reference Night – because it forms an integral part of the Population and Housing Census. Alex Shimuafeni, the Statistician General of the Namibian Statistics Agency (NSA) stressed the importance of Census Reference Night because of the comprehensive nature of the census. “Every person within the borders of Namibia during the midnight of September 24, 2023, known as Census Reference Night (CRN), will be counted, irrespective of nationality, age, or social status,” he said. This inclusion ranges from newborn babies to…

25 Sep

Pastor allegedly refuses to pay employees who harvested grass for him

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Hertta-Maria Amutenja Nelson Daniel Haihambo, a pastor at House of Grace Ministry in Windhoek, is allegedly refusing to pay employees whom he recruited to harvest grass for his company, Grace City Investment, around Windhoek. Sarafina Andupula, one of the employees, stated she, along with approximately 50 others, was recruited at Havana informal settlement to harvest grass in July this year. However, after the work was complete, Haihambo reportedly ceased communication, not responding to text messages or answering his phone. “He came to our neighbourhood and recruited us to cut grass at Ramatex, promising to pay us N$2000 each at the…

25 Sep

Namibia seeks to end statelessness for social progress

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Stefanus Nashama Albert Kawana, the Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security, expressed that while Namibia is grappling with the issues of statelessness and undocumented citizens, the Ministry is devising and implementing new strategies to address statelessness to foster social progress. He conveyed these remarks at the commemoration of International Identity Day and the launch of the Online Tourist Visa Application in Windhoek last week. Kawana disclosed that the Ministry is in the process of drafting bills with the objective of preventing statelessness and regularizing the status of specified categories of stateless and undocumented persons. “I sincerely hope these…

25 Sep

Two Namibian long-distance trucks burn in Botswana after crash

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Erasmus Shalihaxwe Two Namibian registered long-distance trucks are confirmed to have burnt down in a road accident last week Friday at Bere on the Trans Kalahari Corridor (TKC) in Botswana. The accident involved five trucks and resulted in two drivers dead and one hospitalized. Ankwetse Odirile Hunda, the Trans Kalahari Corridor Marketing and Communications Officer, announced over the weekend that they are in constant communication with authorities in Botswana. The authorities have confirmed that the other two trucks are Botswana-registered. Unfortunately, the fifth truck burnt to ashes, and its registration and the identity of the driver are yet to be…

25 Sep

Walvis Bay comes into FlyNamibia’s focus

info_e12wt4csNational NewsWalvis Bay comes into FlyNamibia’s focus

Niël Terblanché FlyNamibia, the country’s only private airline, has marked yet another milestone with the inauguration of a new air route, connecting the integral ports of Walvis Bay and Windhoek in Namibia to Cape Town, South Africa. In an official statement, Andre Compion, the Managing Director of FlyNamibia, unveiled the airline’s innovative approach to establishing this route as a strategic link, thereby facilitating enriched travel options and contributing to regional growth and development. “We are excited to introduce this new route, underscoring FlyNamibia’s commitment to expanding our network and enhancing travel options for our passengers,” Compion said. The strategic schedule…

22 Sep

Namibia’s economy grew by 3.7 percent in the second quarter

info_e12wt4csNational Newsreflecting a slowdown compared to the remarkable 8.5 percent growth recorded in the same quarter of 2022., The Namibian economy showed a growth of 3.7 percent during the second quarter of 2023

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Namibian economy showed a growth of 3.7 percent during the second quarter of 2023, reflecting a slowdown compared to the remarkable 8.5 percent growth recorded in the same quarter of 2022. Namibia’s nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter of 2023 was N$58.6 billion, displaying an increase of N$7.3 billion compared to the same period in 2022. This is according to Alex Shimuafeni, Statistician-General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), who presented the economic performance report for the second quarter of 2023 this week. He, however, indicated that the real…

22 Sep

Swartbooi concerned about certain aspects of the fishing industry

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Stefanus Nashama The leader of the Landless People’s Movement (LPM), Bernadus Swartbooi, has expressed deep concern about the Namibian fishing industry which he feels has been under constant attack and in crisis because of illegal fishing by foreign vessels due to poor governmental policy implementation. He was speaking at a media engagement in Windhoek this week where he discussed several issues surrounding the Namibian Fishing Industry, accountability structures in Namibia and the Southern Africa Development Community observer mission to the recent Zimbabwean elections. According to Swartbooi, six to seven foreign fishing trawlers sailing under the Angolan flag are harvesting close…

22 Sep

NAMSIP boosted by 168 brand new tractors

info_e12wt4csNational NewsMusheko, NAMSIP boosted by 168 brand new tractors

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform (MAWLR) has acquired 168 of the 350 tractors expected under the Namibia Agricultural Mechanization and Seed Improvement Project (NAMSIP). The ministry’s spokesperson, Jona Musheko says the initiative is set to empower small-scale farmers and bolster agricultural productivity across the nation. In addition to the tractors, the ministry has also launched a tender for the design and construction of the proposed seed processing plants. “The Seed Processing Plants will be built in the Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Oshikoto and Omusati regions once the designs are complete,” he said. He said…

22 Sep

Genocide and apartheid still pose a risk to restorative justice

info_e12wt4csNational NewsGenocide and apartheid still pose a risk to restorative justice

Stefanus Nashama Panduleni Itula, the Leader of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), says the genocide of both the Ovaherero and Nama people and the torturous years of apartheid are foundational pains that still reverberate in Namibian society. Itula yesterday said that the comparison of this foundational trauma risks undermining the quest for restorative justice for both. According to Itula, the evils of genocide and apartheid each scarred the national psyche in unique ways. He added that the comparison sets the stage for structural inequalities the country still grapples with. Itula echoed the sentiments of McHenry Venaani, the leader of…