National News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani, has urged Deputy Prime Minister and International Relations Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and the Minister of Sport, Youth, and National Service to transcend political posturing and genuinely commit to fostering sports growth. Venaani’s plea comes amidst the national senior men's football team, the Brave Warriors’ historic performance at the 2023 African Cup of Nations tournament where they managed to progress beyond the group stage for the first time in the country’s history. This is despite the team having to play home games away from home due to substandard stadiums in Namibia which…

Niël Terblanché Residents from some of the poorest neighbourhoods of Okahandja are expressing deep frustration and disappointment over the persistent issues of poor service delivery in their town. Their grievances, which encompass intermittent water supply, inadequate land delivery, lack of proper sanitation, and unaddressed health hazards, remain unresolved despite repeated appeals to local authorities. During a recent community meeting, the residents' concerns were compounded by the absence of Okahandja Mayor Beatrice Kotungondo. Although the mayor had indicated in a letter to community leaders that she intends to reschedule the meeting and address these issues, the residents have yet to find…

Martin Endjala The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has announced the appointment of Dr Meshack Tjirongo, Eliaser Nekwaya and Peter Kruger as non-executive members of its Board of Directors and the re-appointment of Ehrenfried Meroro as a non-executive board member. These appointments are in line with Section 9 of the Bank of Namibia Act (2020), effective from 1 February 2024. The governor of the central bank, Johannes !Gawaxab, who also serves as the Chairperson of the Board, described the appointments as instrumental in enhancing the Bank's policies, internal controls, risk management and advancing the achievement of its strategic objectives. “As the…

Martin Endjala The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA) in Namibia has expressed grave concern over the recent spike in road accidents, leading to the loss of 16 lives and numerous injuries last week. "It is alarming that Namibia lost 16 lives and witnessed 89 injuries in just the past week due to road traffic crashes," stated Rosalia Martins-Hausiku, the Fund's Chief Executive Officer. She revealed that from January 1 to 28, 2024, there were a total of 158 crashes, resulting in 335 injuries and 29 fatalities. As the country transitions out of the festive period, Martins-Hausiku urges drivers to maintain…

Niël Terblanché In urgent response to the escalating cholera outbreak across Southern Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) held an extraordinary virtual council meeting. Health ministers from member states, including Angola’s Foreign Minister, Ambassador Tete Antonio, convened to discuss a coordinated regional approach to combat the spread of the disease. Ambassador Antonio emphasized the urgent need for collective action among SADC countries. The recent outbreak, affecting Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has been identified as a significant barrier to the SADC’s integration and development goals. Antonio highlighted the interconnected nature of…