National News

Niël Terblanché Windhoek faces a formidable water challenge and residents are urged to adopt frugal water use amidst a dire drought that threatens the central region's water supply. With the city's population on the rise, the pressure on water resources has intensified, leading to a sharp increase in consumption noted between February 19 and 26. Lydia Amutenya, the Public Relations Officer at the City of Windhoek said the situation has prompted urgent measures from both the local and national government to ensure sustainability and secure the future water supply for the capital and surrounding areas. Amutenya stated that there is…

Martin Endjala Uranium exports for January 2024 stood at N$3.8 billion, which is the highest value ever recorded Uranium prices it is expected to boom given its increased global demand. According to a Namibia Statistics Agency report, uranium was Namibia’s largest exported commodity in January 2024, accounting for 31.7 percent of the total export of goods, and was predominantly destined for China and Canada. Precious stones (diamonds) came second on the list accounting for 13.0 percent of the total exports of which 1.4 percent were re-exports, mainly destined for Botswana. Economist and Independent Bank Researcher Josef Sheehama, said the strong…

Martin Endjala A fuel shortage reported at Namibia’s premier tourist attraction, the Etosha National Park, has been resolved and both the service stations at Halali and Terrace Bay are back to full operational capacity Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) Spokesperson Nelson Ashipala, has confirmed that the crisis occurred and said the state-owned company only became aware of the issue when customers took to social media platforms to complain about the unacceptable lack of fuel. “It is such a disappointment, such a farce. Get your house in order NWR and you are the main attraction in Namibia and you simply don’t care.…

Martin Endjala The National Training Authority (NTA), has yesterday announced the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Erick Fundua Nenghwanya with effect from 1 April 2024. Nenghwanya will serve in the position for five years. His appointment comes after a protracted recruitment process was undertaken by the board with the assistance of an independent recruitment agency. Commenting on the appointment, NTA Board Chairperson, Jerome Mutumba, expressed confidence in Nenghwanya’s ability and relevant time-tested experience to render stewardship at a time when the board and shareholders approved the NTA’s five-year Integrated Strategic Business Plan, which comes into effect from…

Martin Endjala Mobile Telecommunication Limited (MTC), on Tuesday launched the Electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) solution for its customers who travel internationally. MTC is the first to bring an exciting innovative service to Namibia. For now, the MTC eSIM technology solution will only be available as a data-only service, offering data-centric connectivity enabling online browsing, WhatsApp and other Application calls, and any other data-driven usage to its outbound customers, for example, customers travelling outside the country. MTC’s Acting Chief Commercial Officer Elton Katangolo explained that when people travel the world, without eSIM, they are required to buy a second physical…

Stefanus Nashama The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration Safety and Security, has announced the extension of the study permit application period for foreign students. Executive Director at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Etienne Maritz, announced the extension in a statement, last week in which he stated that the deadline for submitting study permit applications for foreign students has been extended to Friday, 8 March 2024. The extension has been granted to provide students with another opportunity to submit their applications and ensure that all necessary paperwork is completed on time, he stated. At the same time,…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe To address one of its main challenges, the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) has added 18 more vehicles to its fleet to meet specimen transportation needs. The company announced last week that the addition of new vehicles is a significant milestone for its laboratories across the country, and it represents the ongoing commitment to invest in resources that will enable the organisation to deliver exceptional care to patients and healthcare partners in both the public and private industries. The acquisition of new cars will also reduce waiting times and increase efficiency by ensuring samples are picked up from…

Niël Terblanché At a campaign rally in Divundu, Kavango East, McHenry Venaani, the President of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), outlined a vision for transforming the agricultural landscape of the two Kavango regions into a thriving hub of prosperity for Namibia. Addressing supporters over the past weekend, Venaani stressed the untapped potential of the two regions and committed to allocating at least ten percent of the national budget to agriculture should PDM win the upcoming presidential and national elections in November. The PDM's ambitious plan for the country’s agricultural sector promises to create a plethora of job opportunities for the…