Opinions

I understand that government cannot simply wish away the realities of international markets. Namibia imports virtually all of its petroleum products, and we therefore remain exposed to movements in international oil prices, shipping costs, geopolitical tensions and the exchange rate. But I also understand something else: when the operating environment becomes exceptionally difficult, government has a responsibility to create breathing space for the economy. That is why the decision by South Africa to temporarily reduce its fuel levy deserves serious consideration in Namibia. South Africa is not pretending that it can control the international price of oil. It is recognising that…

Kae Matundu - Tjiparuro The lamentations of Namibia’s President, Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, over the burden placed on a privileged few to provide handouts to the many reflect only a fraction of the country’s deeper socioeconomic problems. Speaking at a fundraising event for the One Economy Foundation, the President appeared concerned that only a few people are expected to extend a helping hand to the many Namibians who continually stretch out their hands for assistance. Her remarks suggest a situation in which the privileged few, presumably considered hardworking and deserving of their incomes, are expected to help sustain the masses…

Lazarus Kwedhi (Public Policy Analyst) What the political ruling elite avoids telling the public is not rocket science. It is a simple but fundamental question: what does it cost to live? They avoid it because to answer it honestly would indict their own rule. The ruling elite does not feel the cost of living because they never buy their own bread. They never use private vehicles to understand the price of petrol and diesel, and never pay taxi fare. Their children do not attend public schools, they do not go to public hospitals and clinics to see the quality of…

Malcolm Kambanzera  Organisations keep trying to regulate problems they refuse to confront There is a particular kind of email that usually arrives after something goes wrong in an organisation: “Management has noted with concern…” What follows is normally a reminder of an existing policy, a new procedure, another approval requirement or, if the incident was serious enough, a committee tasked with reviewing the policy. And the interesting part? Everyone receiving the email usually knows exactly who caused the problem. Yet instead of dealing with that person, we regulate everybody. An employee repeatedly arrives late. Send an attendance circular to the…

From resilience to value creation Awie Thompson Agriculture has always required a long-term view. A farmer makes decisions today that may only bear fruit months or even years later. A herd takes time to rebuild, infrastructure takes time to deliver a return, and the effects of a good or difficult season extend well beyond the farm gate. I learnt this first-hand during the seven years I spent in primary agriculture, farming cattle and crops and gaining experience in agro-processing. Today, working with agricultural businesses from a financial perspective, I see the same principle from a different angle: the businesses that…

Vincent Shimutwikeni and Sabrina Jacobs On a Friday morning in Windhoek, you may find employees in running shoes and corporate T-shirts preparing for a company walkathon. Some organisations have gone further, organising running clubs, entering corporate teams into marathons and even taking wellness activities to Swakopmund. There is nothing wrong with this. It is encouraging to see employers investing in the physical health and wellbeing of their people. But it raises an interesting question: How much are we investing in their financial wellbeing? We spend considerable time talking about physical wellness, mental health, medical aid, nutrition and exercise. Yet one…

Lazarus Kwedhi and Sem Billy David The moment you see a whole President with full executive powers reduced to an agent of the Yambuka Housing Scheme, it symbolizes flaws, cracks and fault lines in the Namibian governance system directly from the State House. Recently President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah officially handed over two fabricated-material houses in Windhoek's informal settlements of Kilimanjaro and 8ste Laan. On the surface, it appears to be the President's effort toward solving the housing crisis. In reality, it is political deception to cool the anger and frustration of the masses in informal settlements who have been victims of…

As a Namibian entrepreneur, I welcome President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s determination to deliver 50 000 houses by 2030. More importantly, I welcome the manner in which she is approaching at least one part of the challenge: she is testing an idea rather than dismissing it. The President personally financed two houses built by Yambuka Housing to establish whether a two-bedroom house, with basic amenities, could genuinely be constructed for N$200 000 and within a remarkably short period. That is a refreshing approach to public leadership. Too often in Namibia, we debate solutions in conference rooms, produce policy documents, launch programmes and…

Is, and can, a growing middle class be the answer to Namibia's entrenched socio-economic ills, highlighted by inequalities and poverty, which seem to have been growing exponentially since independence, thereby retarding the desired socio-economic progress? A socio-economic progress that could be considered meaningful, in the least in starting to address the deficits of colonialism in terms of advancement among especially the majority of the indigenous people, the political and ideological masses, and workers. Yours Truly Ideologically is posing this question, prompted by indeed the genuine concern of the President expressed at the One Economy Foundation's recent fundraiser. Certainly the appropriate…

“Every year, universities train young people in policing and criminal justice, and thousands more apply to join NamPol. Yet the specialised posts open to graduates remain very few”. Mandume Gabriel      Every year, institutions such as NUST and STADIO send out young men and women trained in criminal justice, police science, legal studies and cyber security.  Many have one wish: to serve the public through the police. But when they look at the Namibian Police Force (NamPol) adverts, the door for them is very narrow. This is not an attack on the police. It is a call to reform a vital…