National News – Page 352 – Windhoek Observer

28 Feb

Taxi union pushes for N$26 per trip despite backlash

ObserverFeatured, National NewsMinistry of Mines and Energy, Taxi union pushes for N$26 per trip despite backlash, Werner Januarie

Steve Nashama The Namibia Transport and Taxi Union(NTTU) says it will not be discouraged by public opinions on its intention to increase taxi fare by 100 percent, which would mean N$26 per trip. The union’s President, Werner Januarie says the increment is more than justified, since they put in the request about three years ago. The current taxi fare stands at N$13. The union’s request follows an announcement made by the Ministry of Mines and Energy about the increase of petrol prices. Diesel prices remain unchanged, the ministry said. Januarie said It has been about two to three years since…

28 Feb

Labour Minister wants SSC workers to improve performance

ObserverNational NewsLabour Minister wants SSC workers to improve performance, Utoni Nujoma, “Promotion of the Welfare of the People”

Martin Endjala The Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation Utoni Nujoma has appealed to the Social Security Commission (SSC) employees to embrace their duties and deliver services to the masses as mandated in a timely manner. He said this during the SSC 28th-anniversary celebration last week under the theme “We are because of others’’, where he said that social security is both a human right and a socioeconomic necessity, that the right to social security is recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and many other international instruments. “I, therefore, appeal to each of you to execute…

28 Feb

SA greylisting a wake up call for Namibia

ObserverFeatured, National NewsFinancial Action Task Force (FATF), local Economist Theo Klein, SA greylisting a wake up call for Namibia

Martin Endjala The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Director Graham Hopwood has cautioned the Namibian government to use South Africa’s greylisting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as a warning to relook its anti-money laundering systems, to align it with international laws and international standards. The FATF is the global money laundering and terrorist financial watchdog. “Namibia also has to meet the same standards in terms of tackling anti-money laundering,while introducing effective systems and if we don’t we will also be grey-listed by the FATF”, said Hopwood in an interview. He added that this is a warning sign…

28 Feb

Is Windhoek officially a dysfunctional city?

ObserverNational NewsErastus Uutoni., Is Windhoek officially a dysfunctional city?, Robert Kahimis

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The City of Windhoek(CoW) Council has yet again failed to elect two additional members to the Management Committee, at a special meeting that was scheduled to take place this evening. The meeting has since been postponed to 2 March 2023, a day before the deadline set by Minister of Rural and Urban Development, Erastus Uutoni. The city has been labeled dysfunctional due to internal disputes, ranging from the City’s three-year absence of a substantive Chief Executive Officer and disagreements between Council members. Since the resignation of Robert Kahimise as Chief Executive officer at the end of October 2020,…

28 Feb

NALOBA lauds DBN’s interest-free recovery loans

ObserverNational NewsNALOBA lauds DBN’s interest-free recovery loans, Peter Amadhila

Martin Endjala The Namibia Local Business Association (NALOBA) Vice President, Peter Amadhila commended the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) and the German Development Bank’s (KfW) initiative to introduce a 12-months free interest loan for businesses in the county. “As an association of native businessmen and women in Namibia, NALOBA would like to applaud the greatest initiatives taken by the Development Bank of Namibia and KfW to give recovery loans six percent interest-free on the first 12 months”, Amadhila said during an interview with the Windhoek Observer. He says this demonstrates the bank’s trust in the Namibian business community and a…

28 Feb

NHE Employees Strike Continues

ObserverNational NewsNHE Employees Strike Continues

Steve Nashama The National Housing Enterprises employees’ strike continued today, although workers say they still have not received a response from management.Tuafi Shafombabi in the telephonic interview with Windhoek Observer said nothing has changed yet, the company still evokes a no-work no-pay principle during the strike, in terms of section 76 (1) of the Labour, Act No. 11 of 2007.In a press release on the matter by NHE last week Tuesday, Shafomabi indicated that the company has contingency plans in place, however it is without a doubt that the industrial action will negatively impact their operations and disrupt the normal…

28 Feb

45-year-old man arrested for raping a minor

ObserverNational News45-year-old man arrested for raping a minor

Martin Endjala The Police have arrested a 45-year-old man for allegedly raping an 11-year-old female minor at Iindangungu village in Ondangwa, Oshana region. The incident was confirmed by NAMPOL Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, who said that on 24 February 2023, at about 02:00, they arrested the suspect, who is a neighbour to the victim. Allegations are that he entered the minor’s room while she was sleeping, went straight to the victim’s bed and raped the victim. It is alleged that the victim woke up and went to report to the parents and when the parents came into the room, they…

28 Feb

NUNW condemns assault on employees by Rundu boss

ObserverNational NewsNUNW condemns assault on employees by Rundu boss

Steve Nashama The National Union of Namibian Workers Secretary General Job Muniaro has condemned the assault of employees at a service station in Rundu, by their boss, reportedly in exchange for loans.Although the employees in the now viral video say the assaults are done in a humorous fashion and a joke among the workers and their boss, Muniaro says it is tantamount to corporal punishment, which he says in unlawful in Namibia.The employees are reportedly assaulted with sticks on their bottoms. Meanwhile, another video in circulation depicts the employer, Micke du Preez on the receiving end, as he too gets…

25 Feb

NHE employees down tools, strike continues

ObserverNational NewsMatheus Haakuria, NHE employees down tools, strike continues

Steve Nashama Following the countrywide strike of the National Housing Enterprise’ employees today, the employees downed tools, and said they will continue with the strike after getting no response from management. Secretary General of the Public Service Union of Namibia, Matheus Haakuria, in a telephonic interview with Windhoek Observer said the NHE is a highly dysfunctional organization after failing to address the matter. “If the company says no but the union says yes, the strike is going on,” he added. Employees are demanding a seven percent increment. This morning at the poorly attended strike, this publication caught up with some…

25 Feb

Amushelelo Defiant

ObserverNational NewsAmushelelo Defiant, City of Windhoek cleaners, NHE

Steve Nashama Namibia Economic Freedom Fighter member, Michael Amushelelo, said he will join the striking employees of the National Housing Enterprise on Monday, as they demand for salary increases. This is despite the court granting him bail earlier this week, with strict conditions, including that he is not arrested on similar charges. He was last arrested after he joined striking City of Windhoek cleaners, who demanded better wages and that they be made permanent employees. They further demanded that they be granted the same benefits that permanent employees currently receive. The employees of NHE who embarked on a strike today…