National News

Tsumeb community demands improved services

Tsumeb community demands improved services

Obrein Simasiku Residents of Tsumeb took to the streets this week to show their displeasure with poor services, saying the services are incomparable to the value of the money they pay in rates and taxes. They in addition called for the whole local authority council be dissolved, reasoning it has failed to address the needs and interests of the people. “As residents we are not happy with the municipality, as the local authority has failed in present and future to implement developmental projects with potential to uplift the town, instead it is turning into a ghost and lifeless town,” read…
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Namibia committed to end child labour

Namibia committed to end child labour

Staff Writer Namibia was represented at the Fifth Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour that ended today in Durban, South Africa by the Deputy Minister of Labour, Hafeni Ndemula. This is the first such conference to be held in Africa. The Namibian delegation contributed to the conference deliberations for urgent action to combat the rising numbers of child labour on the African continent and the world at large. In a statement issued today in relation to the conference, the Ministry of Labour says that Namibia has recorded a total of 10 child labour cases between 2015 and 2021, four…
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Undetected child labour in Namibia

Undetected child labour in Namibia

Tujoromajo Kasuto A new type of child labour is emerging in Windhoek, where children are forced to do manual work such as domestic work, selling eggs, fruits and airtime vouchers on the streets among other things for very little payment. The Windhoek Observer last year interviewed a number of children who work as street vendors mainly in Windhoek for bosses, who accommodate them under deplorable conditions and literally keep them as their slaves. Many of these children have been lured from their families, mostly in Angola under false pretences and are subjected to child labour by these bosses who sometimes…
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Tourism sector drives sluggish economy

Tourism sector drives sluggish economy

Tujoromajo Kasuto The tourism sector is the light in a dark tunnel for Namibian economy, with new data indicating that the recovery from the lockdown-induced depression is strengthening and may not necessarily lose momentum over the upcoming winter season, thanks to reduced risks from border closures. According to the Hospitality Association of Namibia, Chief Executive Officer Gitta Paetzold, the industry is convinced that the current tourist recovery trend will continue, since there is considerable interest in and demand for Namibia from the worldwide travel trade. Simonis Storm Research Firm Economist, Theo Klein in last month’s Hospitality report notes that the…
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Swapo Politburo split over constitutional amendments

Swapo Politburo split over constitutional amendments

The Swapo Party President and Vice President were pitted against each other in the Politburo meeting over whether the controversial ‘Helmut Amendments’ should be endorsed or be relooked.Hage Geingob and Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwa were in opposing territory as they Politburo differed over the amendments. Ndaitwah, who seem to be favoured by the amendments, argued that the amendments should not be up for any discussions and should just be endorsed. Geingob on the other hand pushed for them to be subjected to a review. The Swapo Party Central Committee meeting this weekend will now have the enviable task to decisively deal with…
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British murder suspect in Nam survives UK fraud allegations

British murder suspect in Nam survives UK fraud allegations

British billionaire, who is currently awaiting murder trial in Namibia, Harvey Boulter, has been exonerated Court of fraud allegations in Cayman Islands Grant Court. Boulter was being sued by liquidators of medical technology company, Enigma Diagnostics for the disappearance of N$1.3 billion of investors’ money. In Namibia the billionaire is charged with murder after he allegedly shot and killed his farm manager at his farm new Grootfontein. The liquidators of Enigma Diagnostics of which Boulter was a shareholder and company secretary alleged that he used the company’s money for his own benefit, including a payment to a British super car…
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Call for fake goods probe at China shops<br>…Allegations of tax evasion, money laundering also demanded

Call for fake goods probe at China shops
…Allegations of tax evasion, money laundering also demanded

Obrein Simasiku/Hertta-Maria Amutenja Tension and emotions flared high as hundreds of people occupied some streets in the capital protesting against alleged sexual exploitation of Namibian workers by the Chinese bosses, money laundering and tax evasion, kidnapping and unfair labour practices as well.These demands were listed in various petitions handed over to a Chinese business tycoon, NamRA, Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security and the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development.The demonstrations, attracted participants from all over the country who joined the masses in solidarity with those who were arrested during Friday’s demonstration at China Town and those…
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CEO divides Swapo council in Grootfontein

Obrein Simasiku Dust refuses to settle in Grootfontein, as another faction in support of the town mayor, Talitha Garises, has come to her defence.The group says the mayor should be left alone to focus on her works to address problems at the beleaguered council.“Hands off the Mayor, as she is trying her level best to clean Grootfontein once and for all. She needs to be accorded all the blessings, our inputs and support as well as good working relationship from her fellow Councilors and rest of the Municipality staff to carry out her mandate in the best interest of our…
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China Town saga bail application postponed

China Town saga bail application postponed

Obrein Simasiku The fight for bail in the China Town protest rages on in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court with defence lawyers set to make final submissions tomorrow afternoon.The matter was postponed today following cross examinations of both accused and the state witness, who happens to be the police investigator, warrant officer Nakanyala, who is objecting to the granting of bail,The matter involves Namibia Economic Freedom Fighter (NEFF) commissar for economic development Michael Amushelelo, who was arrested on Friday morning after handing himself over to the Police, while his co-accused Affirmative Repositioning Movement (AR) activist Dimbulukeni Nauyoma was apprehended hours later…
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Relentless NEFF mobilises another mass protest<br>…..Police warns against lawlessness

Relentless NEFF mobilises another mass protest
…..Police warns against lawlessness

Obrein Simasiku The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) is organising yet another mass protest on Wednesday in solidarity and to demand the release of its arrested commissar for economic development Michael Amushelelo as well his co-accused Affirmative Repositioning activist, Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, who are fighting for bail in the Katutura Magistrate’s court.The police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga has however reminded the public against lawlessness when undertaking such demonstrations, saying “some people do these things deliberately to provoke the situation, which is not supposed to be the case as we ought to be law abiding citizens.”Ndeitunga said the police were notified of…
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