Page 2 – Windhoek Observer

10 Jun

Bank Windhoek welcomes President at Goreangab Mall

Observer Money

Staff Writer Bank Windhoek welcomed President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to its Goreangab Mall Digital Banking Hub during the official opening of the mall in Windhoek last week. The President engaged with customers and staff members. She was accompanied by Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare and Khomas Governor Sam Nujoma, while Bank Windhoek managing director, James Chapman was present to receive and welcome her at the branch. The visit formed part of the official inauguration of Goreangab Mall, which Nandi-Ndaitwah described as a symbol of economic transformation, inclusion and growing investment in historically underserved communities. The new mall brings a wide range of…

10 Jun

MTC set to expand retail footprint

Observer Money

Staff Writer Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) is set to open a new and its first retail outlet in Okongo, bringing the total to 40 stores countrywide. Okongo, one of the fastest-growing towns in the Ohangwena Region, is currently served only through MTC’s periodic outreach programme. As a result, many residents have been forced to travel nearly 100 kilometres to Eenhana to access essential MTC services. However, according to MTC, this will soon become a thing of the past, as plans to establish the town’s first-ever MTC Mobile Home have been completed, with the opening scheduled for August 2026. MTC corporate…

10 Jun

OL closes the Hartlief Shop & Bistro in Windhoek’s northern industry

Observer Money

Staff Writer The OL Group has announced the permanent closure of the Hartlief Shop & Bistro in Windhoek's northern industrial Area, effective 15 July. This decision follows a comprehensive review of Hartlief's operations over the past twelve months, undertaken to ensure the business remains competitive, financially responsible and focused on its core meat processing and distribution capabilities. The review confirmed that the Shop & Bistro operates outside Hartlief's core competency and has not achieved the financial sustainability required to support the broader business strategy. Despite the dedication of the team and sustained efforts to improve performance, closing the Shop &…

10 Jun

What South Africa’s conference of the left reveals about a deeper political crisis

Opinions

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) The recent Conference of the Left in South Africa should not be viewed merely as another ideological gathering within the country’s crowded political landscape. Rather, it represents a symptom of a deeper structural transition unfolding across Southern Africa, one in which the historical legitimacy of liberation movements is steadily weakening while no new political paradigm has yet emerged with sufficient credibility to replace it. Call it “the interregnum of morbid symptoms" following a famous quote by Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci in his Prison Notebooks when he said “The crisis consists…

10 Jun

Your cover should feel like confidence

Opinions

Johannes Hesekiel For most people, short-term insurance is something they only think about when life goes wrong. A burst geyser, a stolen cell phone, a car accident, a break in, or a sudden storm that damages a home. In those moments, emotions run high. Clients are stressed, frustrated or confused, and they want one thing more than anything else. They want reassurance. They want to know that someone is on their side. The truth is that insurance is not only about claims or premiums. At its core, it is a safety net that gives people confidence to live their lives…

09 Jun

ACC summons tender official in ‘health rot’ probe

Main, National News

Renthia Kaimbi The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has issued a formal summons to a member of the ministry of health and social services’ Bid Evaluation Committee, compelling the official to appear for questioning over allegations of widespread procurement manipulation, systemic supply chain fraud, and the theft of pharmaceutical medicines from state warehouses. The summons, seen by the Windhoek Observer, demands that the committee member appear before ACC investigator Frans Ndjai on 18 August 2026 at the commission’s headquarters in Windhoek, where they will be questioned under oath and required to produce a range of sensitive internal documents. The identity of the…

09 Jun

Kalangula slams speed humps on B1 as ‘reactive and short-sighted’

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) Member of Parliament Nelson Kalangula has criticised the installation of speed humps along the B1 Western Bypass, calling the move reactive and short-sighted after vehicle collisions were reported on the new structures this past weekend. Responding to questions from the Windhoek Observer on Monday, Kalangula said the chaos on the roads in recent days is a clear indicator that the current administration's approach to road safety is flawed. He acknowledged that the high number of pedestrian fatalities between the Independence Avenue interchange near Katutura Hospital and Lafrenz, as well as on the A1…

09 Jun

Sesfontein councillor pushes for tarred roads

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Sesfontein Constituency Councillor Bernadus //Hoeb is calling for urgent action on road infrastructure, saying the tarred road from Sesfontein to Opuwo is long overdue and should be completed during his term. Speaking to the Windhoek Observer last Tuesday, //Hoeb said the regional council has a procedure to address roads, but he is yet to see a master plan for Kunene. “The specific road from Sesfontein to Opuwo was supposed to be tarred long back in 2016 to 2018. During the budget under the tenure of the late President Hage Geingob, there was a budget cut, and the funds…

09 Jun

Namibian cancer cases set to surge 84% by 2045

National News

Patience Makwele Health Minister Dr Esperance Luvindao has warned that Namibia could face an 84% increase in cancer cases by 2045, as health experts raised concerns over delayed diagnoses, limited rural screening services and growing barriers to treatment. Speaking at the opening of the World Health Organization (WHO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) imPACT Review Mission in Windhoek on Monday, Luvindao described cancer as one of Namibia's most pressing public health threats. According to figures presented by the minister, Namibia recorded approximately 2,200 new cancer cases in 2018. Four years later, that…

09 Jun

‘AI should serve workers, not replace them’ – Immanuel

National News

Renthia Kaimbi Minister of justice and labour relations, Fillemon Wise Immanuel, has said that artificial intelligence can be harnessed for decent work without job losses, provided governments choose retraining over retrenchment. Speaking at the 114th International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday, Immanuel offered an example of how the Social Security Commission had recently introduced digital tools to improve service delivery and accountability. Although the transition directly affected 65 positions, no worker lost their job. “Instead, retraining and upskilling were prioritised, demonstrating our commitment to a human-centred transition,” Immanuel said. Addressing delegates during debates on a report harnessing AI…