Observer Money – Page 186 – Windhoek Observer

11 Jun

Pupkewitz to retrench

ObserverObserver MoneyPupkewitz Group, Pupkewitz Holdings

Staff Writer Pupkewitz Group plans to retrench part of its workforce as part of an on-going restructuring of the company. Although details remain sketchy as to how many employees will be affected by the group’s decision, a voluntary retrenchment offer has been put on the table for all employees of the diversified group to take up. “All employees of the Pupkewitz Group have been offered a voluntary separation package with a redundancy process to follow by the end of June. We believe that this decision will allow us to serve the greater good by securing the jobs of the vast…

11 Jun

City Police splashes millions on bakkies

ObserverObserver MoneyCity Police, Road Fund Administration (RFA)

Andrew Kathindi The Windhoek City Police has splashed N$13 million on the acquisition of new vehicles at time when government has advocated for spending cuts, while residents have complained of poor service delivery by the municipality. City Police Chief, Abraham Kanime confirmed the acquisition of the vehicles which were purchased from funds availed by the Road Fund Administration (RFA). “Even as we’re talking, we are still trying to see whether we can get money to buy more. We need mobility for us to deal with high road accidents. The vehicles that we are talking about are just for road safety.…

10 Jun

Full fees unfair – Kandjii-Murangi

ObserverObserver MoneyDr Itah Kandjii-Murangi, Minister of Higher Education, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), Training and Innovation, University of Namibia (UNAM)

Andrew Kathindi Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi has said although educational institutions may be within their rights to charge full fees, from a moral point of view, it is unfair. “It's quite a very tricky situation for them and very difficult as well. If you speak from the moral side of things, it’s not fair to ask someone who has not been on your campus, who has not received any teaching, for full fees for the whole term. The best that these institutions could do is to work out the amount of teaching that was…

10 Jun

Police threaten lockdown extension because of alcohol

ObserverObserver MoneyJoseph Shikongo, Khomas Regional Commander of the Namibian Police

Andrew Kathindi Khomas Regional Commander of the Namibian Police, Joseph Shikongo has warned that reckless behavior as a result of irresponsible alcohol consumption could cause of the rest of the country to revert Stage 1 lockdown regulations. At midnight 01 June, Walvis Bay was forced to revert to stage 1 lockdown regulations while the rest of the country progressed to stage 3. The president’s announcement attributed this action to increased COVID-19 cases in the harbor town. On Monday, June 8th, President Hage Geingob placed the entire Erongo region under lockdown. He took this action after official concluded that residents of…

09 Jun

Dundee invests N$5 million in COVID-19 fight

ObserverObserver MoneyDundee Precious Metals Tsumeb

Staff Writer Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb has reaffirmed its support to the Tsumeb community by making a N$5 million investment to the Tsumeb District hospital to improve COVID-19 preparedness . The donation follows the declaration of a State of Emergency over the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Tuesday, 17 March 2020 by His Excellency Dr. Hage G Geingob President of the Republic of Namibia in support of the Mining Industry’s efforts to partner with the government’s initiative to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The upgrades will improve the preparedness levels of the hospital should the COVID-19 virus be detected in Tsumeb…

09 Jun

NSFAF owed N$2.8 billion

ObserverObserver MoneyNSFAF

Andrew Kathindi The Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) said that it is still owed N$2.8 billion in loan repayments from past beneficiaries. This announcement comes as NSFAF has allocated a budget of N$244 million for the purchase of mobile devices and laptops. These devices are needed for vulnerable students to have access to e-learning. “There is a data integrity project we are running that is in entering its final stage. So far, the data indicated by the records is that N$2.8 billion is outstanding from former recipients. That tells you that there is a lot of funds that need…

09 Jun

Erongo region placed under lockdown again

ObserverObserver MoneyErongo, president Hage Geingob, Walvis Bay

Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob has placed the entire Erongo region back under Stage 1 of the state of emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes a complete lockdown. This action comes as a result of Walvis Bay residents not adhering to health and safety isolation measures for that city’s restrictions. The move is aimed at curbing the spread of the virus from the coastal region. The Coast has continued to record positive cases. “Stage 1 restrictions will be extended to the entire Erongo Region, for a period of 14 days, effective from midnight tonight, 8 June 2020 until…

09 Jun

Creditor fears ground Air Namibia

ObserverObserver MoneyAir Namibia, president Hage Geingob

Staff Writer Air Namibia has ceased all its international repatriation missions amid fears its aircrafts could be attached by creditors following President Hage Geingob’s announcement that he wants to liquidate the airline. According to insiders, the airline’s board is said to have met over the weekend where it was agreed that it would avoid international flights amid concerns that its creditors could attempt to attach its aircrafts as part of efforts to recover funds owed, following the President’s announcement on Thursday during his State of the Nation Address. "Air Namibia must be liquidated; we have a serious problem with Air…

06 Jun

Don’t worry about my age – Kanime

ObserverObserver MoneyAbraham Kanime, City Police Chief

Andrew Kathindi City Police chief, Abraham Kanime, who, this week, started his duties under a new three-year contract, informed Windhoek Observer that his age should not be an issue as he is not the only public servant above the retirement threshold. Kanime, who already turned 60, last month, resumed his duties following a much-publicized conflict between himself and City of Windhoek Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Robert Kahimise, over the renewal of his contract. The age of retirement for public servants in Namibia is 60. “You want to say I'm the only person who is in a government service, or in…

06 Jun

Churches eye govt bailout

ObserverObserver MoneyAssociation of Charismatic and Pentecostal Churches of Namibia, Covid-19, Social Security Commission (SSC)

… lament cap on church attendance numbers Andrew Kathindi Churches are crying for their share of the N$700 million COVID-19 related stimulus package announced by the Social Security Commission (SSC) and the Ministry of Finance in April. Secretary-General of the Council of Churches of Namibia (CCN), Ludwig Beukes, said he is disappointed that no provisions were made for the church despite the fact that the church employs around 5,000-10,000 people countrywide that depend on the income that has been lost in the last few months since churches closed their doors on 17 March. “It’s a whole thing about how state…