Observer Money – Page 166 – Windhoek Observer

24 Sep

Redforce, Keetmans deal spills into court …as council claims shoddy work

ObserverObserver MoneyKeetmashoop municipal council, Redforce Debt Management

Andrew Kathindi Keetmanshoop Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Desmond Basson stands accused of having single handedly awarded a debt collection tender to Redforce Debt Management in 2017. The City Council has claimed this was done without approval. This comes as Basson is currently threatened with a disciplinary hearing by the council on charges of gross negligence and non-compliance with the Local Authority Act in another matter. The revelation comes as Redforce Debt Management has taken the southern town council to court demanding the payments of N$1.6 million, N$1.8 million and 20 percent interest on each payment. According to court documents in…

23 Sep

Bureaucracy derails Rent Control Board

ObserverObserver MoneyMinistry of Urban and Rural Development (MURD)

Clifton Movirongo Five years on, government has yet to operationalise the Rent Control Board, as the process is still unresolved. This comes amid revelations that the process of transitioning the rent board from the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade (MIT) to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development (MURD) is still to be concluded. Even though the process of the rent board has taken half a decade, the government claims to be committed to it. “We are in the process with the MIT, they are putting all the logistics together and that is not finalised yet,” said urban and rural…

23 Sep

Law Society appeals Sisa judgement …as divisions rock LSN

ObserverObserver MoneyJudge Herman Oosthuizen, Law Society of Namibia (LSN), Sisa Namandje, Supreme Court

Andrew Kathindi Lawyer Sisa Namandje’s victory at the High Court last month could be short lived after the Law Society of Namibia (LSN) lodged an appeal to the Supreme Court. This comes after Judge Herman Oosthuizen, last month dismissed with costs the LSN’s application to probe the financial records of Namandje over his alleged involvement in the Fishrot saga. Uno Katjipuka, who represented the LSN in the court case confirmed the development to Windhoek Observer. “We filed a notice of appeal to the Supreme Court on 15 September,” she said. The appeal comes amid calls for conflicted LSN councilors to…

22 Sep

Health ministry advises northerners

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Health Ministry Executive Director Ben Nangombe, Robert Mugabe Clinic

Andrew Kathindi As COVID-19 cases in the northern parts of the country continue to rise, there is increased concern from residents. The health ministry has warned northerners not rush to swabbing sites to get tested for the pandemic. This comes after the state’s Robert Mugabe Clinic, where COVID-19 testing was predominantly collected in Windhoek, was overwhelmed. This presented a public health concern as long queues and little social distancing was observed. “People in the north should not flock to swabbing places. Our team will be the one that does the swabbing so the community should be advised by the health…

22 Sep

Security cluster operations make a come-back

ObserverObserver MoneyCity Police Chief Abraham Kanime, Windhoek

Helena Johannes Security cluster operations will return to Windhoek amid outrage over a spate of gruesome crimes reported over the past few days. City Police Chief Abraham Kanime said the police unit had engaged with other stakeholders such as the Namibian police and the Namibia Defense Force to ensure that safety and security procedures are a priority in and around Windhoek. “We met on Saturday to re-check our strategy on how we are going to enforce the operation,” he said. This comes as there has been a significant increase in serious crimes in the area. In the latest incident, an…

18 Sep

Shivute officially appointed NamRa boss

ObserverObserver MoneyNamibia Revenue Agency (NamRA), president Hage Geingob, Sam Shivute

Staff Writer Sam Shivute has officially been appointed as the inaugural Commissioner of the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) with effect from the 28th of September after cabinet chaired by President Hage Geingob approved his appointment. The development has resulted in Shivute resigning from the Bank of Namibia, where has held various positions since he joined in 2003 and with a farewell event was held in his honor on Wednesday. As head of NamRa, Shivute reports directly to Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi and the NamRA board of directors. Shuvute and Shiimi are former collogues at the central bank where the Finance…

18 Sep

Fishcor resolves to change ‘tainted’ name

ObserverObserver MoneyFishcor

Andrew Kathindi The newly appointed Fishcor Board has resolved to change the company’s name as it continues to be used at the forefront of the Fishrot scandal. Fishcor was allegedly used to illegally funnel millions out of the fishing industry. These actions were done by its accused former board chairman and CEO, James Hatuikulipi and Mike Nghipunya in a web that is believed to be wide-reaching. Hatuikulipi, Nghipunya along with several others known as the Fishrot seven, including former Fisheries Minister Bernard Esau and former Justice Minister, Sackey Shanghala, are currently in prison while awaiting trial on various related charges.…

18 Sep

Finance ministry struggles with ITAS registration

ObserverObserver MoneyMinistry of Finance

Helena Johannes The Ministry of Finance has only managed to register 24 percent out of its 90 percent target of registered tax payers for its Integrated Tax Administrative System (ITAS), Windhoek Observer can reveal. According to the Ministry only 98,959 out of 369,509 taxpayers have registered through ITAS. Demographically the registrations are: Windhoek (27 percent), Walvis Bay 23,490 out of 103,998 (23 percent), Oshakati 17,199 out of 102,524 (17 percent), Otjiwarongo 12,031 out of 55,794 (22 percent), Keetmanshoop 11,319 out of 49,870 (23 percent), Katima Mulilo 4,037 out of 12,971 (31 percent) and Rundu 3,980 out of 28,491 (14 percent).…

18 Sep

69 apply for NSFAF tender

ObserverObserver Money

Helena Johannes Nearly 70 companies have applied for a tender to provide students with laptops valued at N$6,000 per unit, Namibia Students Financial Aid Fund (NSFAF) acting CEO Kennedy Kandume announced on Thursday. The Ministry of Higher Education according to fund, will pay 50 percent of the total amount for each laptop while students will be required to pay the other 50 percent which is equivalent to N$3000. “NSFAF received 69 applications to carry on the tender of student laptops. The laptop will come with a 10GB connectivity device which costs N$690,” Kandume said. He added that students will also…

18 Sep

Venaani hits back at SWAPO over Zim motion

ObserverObserver MoneyMcHenry Venaani, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), SWAPO, Zimbabwe

Clifton Movirongo Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani has hit back at the ruling party’s decision to vote down a parliamentary motion tabled by his party on the current “crisis” in Zimbabwe, even before the motion was motivated. “To us, it is a greatest act of cowardice and in a gross disregard of the plight of the people of Zimbabwe. While I do respect and abide to the majoritarian rule tenet that applies to constitutional democracies such as ours, we also do not condone majoritarian rule that defies logic,” Venaani said. The PDM leader hints that instability in Zimbabwe…