National News

Allexer Namundjembo Ride-hailing operator Yango says it is working with Namibian authorities to address regulatory concerns over the legality of its e-hailing services. The company made the remarks during a media engagement with independent fleet partners in Windhoek on Friday.  The session focused on compliance with public passenger transport permit requirements set by the Ministry of Works and Transport. Yango’s head of public policy for Africa, Zanyiwe Asare, said the company supports efforts to regulate the sector.  “We have heard the concerns raised regarding public passenger permits. We want to be clear; Yango supports the formalisation of the e-hailing sector,”…

Patience Makwele  A government-backed livestock project in the Erongo region is showing early results, with farmers increasing their herds within months of receiving support. More than 1 000 goats were handed over on Monday under Phase II of the Hope Farm Project at Farm Daweb.  The project is a joint initiative between the government and Swakop Uranium and has so far benefited 48 farmers, including 22 women, through organised cooperatives. Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform minister Inge Zaamwani said the project is beginning to show results.  “The progress we are seeing within just one production cycle is a clear…

Patience Makwele  Namibia is rolling out a digital system to improve birth registration and close gaps that have left some citizens without formal records. The reforms focus on expanding electronic birth and death notification systems to ensure every birth is recorded in real time and linked to civil registration. Health and social services minister Esperance Luvindao said the move marks a shift in how services are delivered.  “This is about ensuring that every Namibian is seen, counted, and able to access the services they are entitled to,” she said at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) learning…

Allexer Namundjembo Lawyer Kadhila Amoomo says civilians are allowed to assist people injured in road accidents and that doing so is lawful. Amoomo said assisting victims is lawful. He said section 78 of the Road Transportation Act 22 of 1999 requires drivers involved in an accident to render assistance to injured people. “This thing of stating that you can’t assist is a terrible lie that continues to cost us lives. You will stand there waiting for an ambulance for two hours because you fear the law while you could drive to the hospital,” Amoomo said while responding to questions from…

Justicia Shipena  The Namibia Airports Company (NAC) says it is treating a reported cyber threat with urgency after a ransomware group claimed it accessed and stole company data. In a statement shared on social media over the weekend, NAC said it is aware of claims by the INC Ransomware Group that it exfiltrated about 500 GB of data from its systems on 6 March 2026.  The group plans to publish it on the dark web. “NAC takes this incident seriously and reiterates its commitment to transparency and will provide further updates as and when credible evidence emerges,” the company said.…

Staff Writer  The Windhoek High Court is set to rule today on finance minister Ericah Shafudah’s appeal over the lawsuit by microlender Entrepo Finance over the government’s payroll deduction system (PDMS). The ruling will be made at 09h00.  PDMS allows civil servants to repay loans directly from their salaries. This comes as, on 28 August 2025, the Ministry of Finance issued a directive to end discretionary payroll deductions on the system from 30 November.  The ministry at that time said only existing loans would continue, while statutory deductions such as tax and pension contributions would remain. Entrepo challenged the decision…

Patience Makwele Economic analyst Albert Matengu says Namibia’s small domestic market and high production costs continue to limit competitiveness.  He said this is making it difficult to build a strong production-based economy. “Industrialisation is not an event; it’s a process. You need energy, logistics, skills and access to markets. Without that ecosystem, value addition remains aspirational," he said on Sunday in reflection of talks from Independence Day celebrations countrywide.  He said Namibia has long identified value addition as a priority, but progress has been slow due to structural constraints. He added that regional integration and export-focused strategies will be key.…

Patience Makwele  As Namibia marks 36 years of independence, many citizens say political freedom has not yet brought economic opportunity. “We are free, but not economically free,” said Maria Nghipandulwa, a 47-year-old unemployed graduate and mother of three. The country celebrates independence on Saturday, just over a year after President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took office. She became Namibia's first female head of state in March 2025. Since then, her administration has introduced reforms aimed at improving governance and managing public finances. Nandi-Ndaitwah cut cabinet from 21 ministries to 14.  More women were appointed to senior roles, including Lucia Witbooi as vice…