Observer Money – Page 204 – Windhoek Observer

18 Jun

Lack of land hamstrings NHE

ObserverObserver MoneyNational Housing Enterprise (NHE), NHE, Public Private Partnership (PPP)

Andrew Kathindi The National Housing Enterprise (NHE) says the lack of land has been a hindrance in delivering on its mandate. Speaking to Windhoek Observer, NHE corporate communications manager, Eric Libongani, said the NHE has no special access and has to compete for land just like private developers, in a country where the scarcity of viable land for housing development is a challenge. “We do not want to look like we are pointing fingers but I think what is critical, we need to realize that the institution that is given the sole mandate on behalf of government to construct houses…

18 Jun

Fishcor boss speaks out

ObserverObserver MoneyFishcor, Paulus Ngalangi

..as Case 33 poses a conundrum for police Andrew Kathindi Fishcor General Manager for Finance Paulus Ngalangi on Wednesday spoke out over his links and involvement with a Covid-19 positive South African suspect arrested by the police in Windhoek’s City Centre over the weekend. Ngalangi whose term ended as Fishcor’s Acting boss in May, said he had transported the suspected who is now in police custody “as a favor” to an unidentified friend and enlisted the services of a police officer, who has been arrested. “I was asked by a friend to collect a gentleman who was stuck with transport…

17 Jun

Gender ministry rejects abortion rights

ObserverObserver MoneyMinistry of Gender Equality, Namibia, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare has stated it does not support recent calls to legalize abortion in Namibia. This declaration was made amid increased calls after an online petition by psychological counsellor, Beauty Boois calling for the legalizing of abortion in the country, garnered over 4,000 signatures. Currently, abortion is illegal in Namibia except under specific conditions involving a pregnancy due to proven rape or incest according to the Abortion and Sterilisation Act of South Africa of (1975), which Namibia inherited at independence in 1990. This remnant law from the apartheid days has…

17 Jun

Katutura family tested after case 32 contact

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Katutura, Walvis Bay

…. as NCS expects more quarantine subjects Staff Writer A Katutura family has been tested for Covid-19 by Health ministry officials after it came into contact with case 32 when she travelled from her Walvis Bay base to Windhoek prior to her testing positive for the virus. The development comes after it emerged that permit holders from the Erongo have been able to leave the region without being tested for Covid-19 since stage 1 lockdown was imposed by government. Information gathered by the Windhoek Observer shows that health officials conducted the tests on Monday in Katutura Central , a development…

16 Jun

Dundee donates to Grootfontein Municipality

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb, Grootfontein Municipality

Staff Writer Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb has extended its support to the Otjozondjupa Region, Grootfontein community by donating personal protective equipment (PPE) to the value of N$30,500.00. The donation was handed over to the Grootfontein Municipality Chief Executive Officer, Kisco Sinvula, at the Grootfontein Municipality head office. Sinvula thanked Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb for the support provided, with the aim to defeat the global pandemic COVID-19. The donated PPE will serve as safety gear for the health care practitioners at the Grootfontein Community Isolation Center and as a preventative measure to curb the further transmission of COVID-19. The delivered PPE…

16 Jun

Fishing rights awarded

ObserverObserver MoneyMinistry of Fisheries

Staff writer The Ministry of Fisheries has awarded 104 fishing rights for various species. Information gleaned by the Windhoek Observer shows that, 30 of the rights were awarded for hake, 30 for horse mackerel, five for monk, five red crab, and five for rock lobster among other species. Various successful applicants have been contacted by the Ministry since Friday to accept their rights. This comes as over 5,000 applications were submitted by various entities to be considered for fishing rights in 2018. The full list of the successful applicants is expected to be published soon. Already the government has entered…

16 Jun

Suspended Okahandja CEO to be reinstated

ObserverObserver MoneyMartha Mutilifa, Okahandja municipality

Staff Writer Suspended Okahandja municipality CEO Martha Mutilifa is set to be reinstated to her position six months after her suspension by the now suspended council. Mutilifa was suspended in December last year with full pay by the council management committee amid allegations of corruption, fraud, abuse of funds and insubordination. “We are going to reinstate her because she is currently on suspension with full pay and it’s the logical thing to do. We cannot pay someone to stay at home, yet she can also contribute to the betterment of the town,” Ministry of Urban and Rural Development official appointed…

16 Jun

Erongo permit holders not tested

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Erongo, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Andrew Kathindi It has emerged that permit holders from Erongo have been able to leave the region without being tested for COVID-19 since stage 1 lockdown was re-imposed by government. This comes as the Erongo region, Walvis Bay in particular, has in the past month, emerged as an epicenter for COVID-19 cases in the country. Erongo Health Director in the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), Anna Jonas confirmed the development to the Windhoek Observer. “This is something that needs high level intervention. But for now, what we are trying to do is to make sure that we have…

13 Jun

Namibia faces essential drugs shortage

ObserverObserver Money

Andrew Kathindi Namibian pharmacies have accused South Africa of hoarding essential medicines, a move which has negatively impacted their availability to Namibian patients. On 27 March, following the declaration of the state of national disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa, South African Minister of Trade and industry, Ebrahim Patel introduced new export control measures on essential goods such as alcohol-based hand sanitizers, face-masks, gas masks, other breathing appliances, hydroxychloroquine, antisera and other blood fractions, vaccines for human medicine and medicaments. “I understand why the decision was made; it was to ensure that they don’t run short. And if we were talking…

13 Jun

Dos Santos bank stake up for sale

ObserverObserver MoneyAngola

Staff Writer Angola's former first daughter Isabel dos Santos indirect stake in Bank BIC Namibia Limited is up for sale with other shareholders in the bank reportedly to keen to acquire the shares. Dos Santos who currently stands accused of theft, corruption and money laundering by Angolan authorities, is reported to be a majority shareholder in the banking concern, with a 42.5 percent shareholding. “We can confirm, however, that the shares currently held indirectly by Ms dos Santos are still for sale but how this is done is a matter for shareholders to decide,” Bank Bic said in response to…