Observer Money – Page 185 – Windhoek Observer

25 Sep

Govt gazettes new regulations

ObserverObserver MoneyHealth Minister Kalumbi Shangula

Andrew Kathindi New regulations that will guide how Namibians will live under the new normal have finally been gazetted, following the lapse of the state of emergency, last week. Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula will now be empowered under Section 29 of the Public and Environmental Act to implement regulations which were initially set to come into effect on the 18th of September. “The drafting of the Regulations took longer than anticipated due to the nature and number of legal issues that requires thorough consideration,” Attorney General, Festus Bandeka told Windhoek Observer. The new regulations came into operation at midnight on…

24 Sep

Father arrested for raping daughter …as rape cases spike

ObserverObserver MoneyCity Police, Khomasdal, Windhoek

Helena Johannes A Windhoek man was arrested on Tuesday for repeatedly raping his now 16-year-old daughter since she was 11 years old. Rape cases or the reporting of rape cases are on the rise in Namibia. According to the City Police the female victim, during the five year period, has had two abortions due to the abuse at the hands of her biological father. The arrest comes after the victim’s mother found out the rape and opened a case, resulting in the father’s arrest. In another incident, a 13-year-old was raped by her aunt’s husband in Khomasdal on Tuesday. According…

24 Sep

Finance ministry extends tax registration deadline

ObserverObserver MoneyIntegrated Tax Administrative System (ITAS), Ministry spokesperson, Tax Returns (ETX template/excel sheer), Tonateni Shidhudhu

Helena Johannes The Ministry of Finance has extended the submission deadline for annual individual income tax returns from 30 September to 1 March 2021. Ministry spokesperson, Tonateni Shidhudhu said the extension was being done in order to “allow more time to employers who did not submit their employees Tax Returns (ETX template/excel sheer) on the Integrated Tax Administration System portal,” adding that the extension only applies to the filing of returns, not for the payment of tax which is still due by 30 September. This comes after the finance ministry only managed to register 24 percent out of its 90…

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.…