Observer Money – Page 163 – Windhoek Observer

06 Oct

Ramatex property still under litigation

ObserverObserver MoneyCity of Windhoek, Ramatex

Helena Johannes After 12 years since the closure of Ramatex Textile Namibia by the Malaysian Ramatex Textile and Garment Factory, the property is still under legal dispute, City of Windhoek Property Manager Sheridan Simpson has revealed. “The sale of Ramatex is still pending before Court,” she said. The liquidators of Ramatex Textile Namibia and the Municipal Council of Windhoek have been involved in litigation since 2009 after the company was placed under provisional liquidation on 8 May 2008, and the newly appointed liquidators informed the City of Windhoek the next day that they elected to continue with the lease although…

06 Oct

NSFAF distributes connectivity devices for online learning

ObserverObserver MoneyMinistry of Higher Education, Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund, NSFAF

Helena Johannes The Ministry of Higher Education in collaboration with the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) has spent nearly N$2.3 million for the installation of ICT infrastructure as part of the laptop and data connectivity devices initiative at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), NSFAF acting Chief Executive Officer Kennedy Kandume said. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, October 5, 2020 held at NUST, Kandume said the government in partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education will eventually spend N$19.3 million for the laptop initiative and data installation at higher education institutions and the distribution of…

06 Oct

Auditor General dismisses Vilho’s claims

ObserverObserver MoneyAuditor General, Junias Kandjeke, Minister of Defense, Peter Vilho

Andrew Kathindi The Auditor General, Junias Kandjeke, has said that the adverse report his office gave the Defense Ministry is not solely based on the competence of the auditor, but on the findings of the auditor based on information provided by the auditee. This comes after the Minister of Defense, Peter Vilho, last week in parliament said that he was unimpressed with the quality of auditors sent by Kandjeke to inspect the military’s books. “Let me state it categorically clear, that the audit opinion is not solely based on the competence of the auditor, but on the findings oThe Auditor…

03 Oct

Namibia records decline in HIV/AIDS cases

ObserverObserver MoneyMinistry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Helena Johannes The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) says Namibia has made great strides on the issue of containing and preventing the transmission of HIV/AIDS in the country. According the National HIV Prevention Coordinator from the Health ministry, Lylie Ndeikemona, Namibia has since 2002 recorded a significant decreased in infection rates. “The transmission of HIV/AIDS from mother-to-child has also decreased from 13.4 percent in 2002 to only 3.4 percent in 2020, which clearly shows a massive decrease on transmission of this decease,” she said. Ndeikemona said the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP) has significantly contributed to the decline…

03 Oct

Gender Minister proposes ‘Prison Island’ for sexual offenders … Justice ministry moves to pass Combating of Rape Act

ObserverObserver Moneyminister of gender equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare Doreen Sioka

Clifton Movirongo The Minister of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare Doreen Sioka, has proposed that a “prison island” be build where sexual offenders can be housed, as she also suggests depriving offenders of any ‘contact with their family members’. Sioka’s statement comes amid a countrywide surge in rape cases involving minor children and women, human trafficking and Gender Based Violence (GBV). “On the issue of rape, a lot of people are calling for surgical castration of men and that is something I cannot support even if it is happening in other countries. That is very inhumane and I…

30 Sep

SWAPO mum on youth election participation

ObserverObserver MoneyAffirmative Repositioning (AR), Swapo Party

Helena Johannes The ruling Swapo party remains mum on its position regarding youth participation for the upcoming regional council and local authority elections slated for the 25th of November 2020. This comes as the ruling party has been heavily criticized over its policy of fielding older candidates in previous elections at the expense of the youth. Currently the party has been attacked over its decision to field 62 year old Aram Martin, a former Councilor and Member of Parliament as its preferred candidate to run as councilor of Oshakati West in the Oshana region. The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader Job…

30 Sep

Air Namibia employees call for Mberirua’s axing

ObserverObserver MoneyAir Namibia

Andrew Kathindi and Helena Johannes Air Namibia employees are calling for the immediate removal of interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Theo Mberirua after their salaries were officially cut last week. This comes after the national airliner previously announced that it will cut, by 50 percent, salaries of all employees who have been unable to report for work due to a grounded fleet, incompliance with state of emergency regulations. Despite Air Namibia’s flight schedule resumption after the state of emergency lapsed, Ndapewa Amupanda, Chairperson of the Shop Stewards’ Committee at Air Namibia confirmed to the Windhoek Observer that a company memo…

29 Sep

FirstRand Namibia HOPE Fund hands over 25 ICU patient monitors

ObserverObserver MoneyFirst Rand Namibia HOPE fund, Minister of Health and Social Services Kalumbi Shangula

Staff Writer The First Rand Namibia HOPE fund handed over 25 ICU patient monitors worth N$2.4 million to the Ministry of Health and Social Services last week as part of efforts to assist medical staff to respond better and quicker to the medical needs and treatment of their patients. Minister of Health and Social Services Kalumbi Shangula expressed his sincere appreciation towards FNB who made the generous contribution through the FirstRand H.O.P.E. fund. “I appreciate FNB’s commitment to meet government halfway to ensure the speedy recovery of COVID-19 patients.” Bronwen Chase, FirstRand H.O.P.E. Fund Team Leader said that the Group…

29 Sep

DRC, Malawi to chair regional Model Laws Committee

ObserverObserver MoneyMalawi, Namibia, Regional Parliamentary Model Laws Oversight Committee (RPMLOC), Windhoek

Moses Magadza WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Malawi were last week elected chair and vice chair, respectively, of the recently-constituted Regional Parliamentary Model Laws Oversight Committee (RPMLOC) of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. This happened as the regional inter-parliamentary body acted towards ensuring that the region’s citizens benefit meaningfully from development of regional soft laws, which are arguably immensely persuasive. Model laws are typically developed in line with international human rights law and international best practice. The RPMLOC held its virtual meeting on Friday and unanimously elected DRC lawmaker Andre Leon Tumba as its chair for…

29 Sep

PSEMAS audit still on-going

ObserverObserver MoneyMinistry of Finance, Public Service Employee Medical Aid Scheme (PSEMAS)

Staff Writer The Ministry of Finance says the audit process of the Public Service Employee Medical Aid Scheme (PSEMAS) launched last year is still on-going, with 75 percent of the main members and 95 percent of dependents having been verified as part of measures to reduce fraud and abuse of the government employee’s medical fund. The member audit comes as media reports attributed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revealed the medical aid fund has been losing close to a billion dollars annually to fraud, abuse, waste and collusion. “During the first phase of the verification 95 percent of dependents…