National News

Martin Endjala Elijah Mukobonda, the Chief Information Officer at the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade (MIT), has recently declared that the ministry will embark on public consultations for three significant legislative and policy documents. These include the Special Economic Zone Bill (SEZ), the National Informal Economy, the Startups and Entrepreneurship Development Policy (NIESED), the Namibia Investment Promotion and Facilitation Regulations, and the National Cooling Strategy. The move comes as Namibia transitions from the Export Processing Zones (EPZ) to the SEZ, following the former's lack of success. "The EPZ did not generate the expected tax revenue for the Treasury and nearly…

Niël Terblanche To combat poverty and hunger, the Mayor of Swakopmund, Dina Namubes, announced during the first Town Council meeting of 2024 that the town is setting ambitious goals to eradicate poverty and achieve zero hunger. According to Namubes, these goals align with the National Sustainable Development Goals, signifying a proactive approach towards addressing critical issues affecting the local community. Namubes stressed the need for reflection on past progress and challenges, highlighting the unique opportunities and persistent obstacles facing Swakopmund. "I am confident that with your unwavering dedication and the collaborative spirit that defines this Council, we will continue to…

Martin Endjala As part of its executive team restructuring, First National Bank of Namibia (FNB) has announced the appointment of Nangula Kauluma, as Chief Executive Officer for FNB Retail Banking and Sepo Haihambo, as Chief Executive Officer of FNB Commercial Banking. According to the bank, the restructuring is the first for the Namibian market which is aligned to the trend in banking globally, hence the announced closer by the bank to-market restructuring of its Executive Team. FirstRand Namibia Group CEO, Conrad Dempsey, congratulated Kauluma and Haihambo on their new roles, saying that they are excited about the focused potential of…

Martin Endjala Swakop Uranium's social responsibility foundation last week donated N$100,000 towards the construction of the Nossobville Primary School's hall in Gobabis, showcasing its commitment to education and childhood development. The N$100, 000 to the Nossobville school is aimed at the school's hall renovation project. After the school took the initiative to renovate the hall through parent and community members' monthly monetary contributions. Swakop Uranium then decided to come on board to support the commendable efforts of the community to complete the project for the benefit of all. At the handover ceremony held at the school in Gobabis, Percy McCallum,…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja A 22-year-old Namibian woman named Claudia Kambanza died in the city of Hull in England, United Kingdom after sustaining fatal stab wounds. The incident, which occurred in the early hours of 26 January 2024, has led to a murder investigation, with a 28-year-old Namibian man, Mateus Johannes, now in custody and facing charges of murder. According to Humberside Police, officers were called to Hinderwell Street around 03h00 after reports emerged that a woman had been stabbed. Despite efforts by medical professionals, Kambanza succumbed to her injuries shortly after being taken to the hospital. The police have revealed that…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Commissioner-General Raphael Tuhafeni Hamunyela recently oversaw the launch of the Community Service Orders (CSO) program at the Karasburg Magistrates’ Court and Ariamsvlei Periodical Court. This initiative marks a significant step in justice reform. A review of data from the 2020/2021 to 2022/2023 financial years revealed that 62 offenders breached their release conditions over the past three years. Of these, 33 individuals (53 percent) committed new offences, leading to 31 rearrests, while tewo remain at large. The remaining 29 individuals (47%) violated their conditions due to repeated absenteeism, resulting in 20 rearrests and 9 still at large. Hamunyela emphasized…