Namibia produces 631 584 rough diamonds in Q1

Namibia produces 631 584 rough diamonds in Q1

CHAMWE KAIRA  Namibia produced 631 584 carats of rough diamonds in the first quarter ended 31 March 2025, Anglo American, which owns De Beers, said. De Beers jointly owns several diamond production and processing companies with the Namibian government. Production figures indicated that Debmarine Namibia produced 461 395 carats, while Namdeb (land operations) produced 170 189 carats. Namibia produced 584 000 rough diamonds in the fourth quarter of 2024. Rough diamond production in the third quarter of 2024 was 456 000 carats, while in the second quarter of 2024 it was 561 000 carats and 633 000 carats in the…
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PDM seeks clarity on state’s policy for offices of ex-presidents

PDM seeks clarity on state’s policy for offices of ex-presidents

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  The death of Founding President Sam Nujoma has sparked renewed questions over the long-term use of state-funded offices allocated to former heads of state. The Popular Democratic Movement’s (PDM) leader, McHenry Venaani, on Wednesday submitted a series of questions to Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare, seeking clarification on the future use and policy governing these facilities. The office used by Nujoma since his retirement in 2005 is located in Klein Windhoek suburb at the corner of  Schweringsburg Street and Robert Mugabe Avenue.  With both Nujoma and Geingob now deceased, Venaani questioned whether the government plans to revisit policies on…
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Land reform, corruption, jobs top SONA wish list

Land reform, corruption, jobs top SONA wish list

Allexer Namundjembo As President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah prepares to deliver her first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament today, opposition political leaders are calling for a clear plan to address unemployment, land reform, corruption, and the rising cost of living.. Nandi-Ndaitwah’s maiden SONA comes at a time when many citizens are struggling to make ends meet, and opposition parties have made it clear that vague promises will not be enough. Political parties, especially those in opposition, are calling on the president to provide concrete strategies on key national issues, including food security, land reform, governance, education, and economic recovery.…
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Brave Warriors, Gladiators get fresh look

Brave Warriors, Gladiators get fresh look

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Brave Warriors and Brave Gladiators will now take to the field with a renewed sense of identity following the unveiling of brand-new kits for both national teams. The kits were sourced from local manufacturer 90 Minutes and unveiled at the Namibia Football Association’s (NFA) headquarters in Windhoek on Wednesday. The sponsorship, valued at around N$495 000, was mobilised by Tim Ekandjo, Isack Hamata, John Doeseb, and Amos Shiyuka. It includes full playing kits, training gear, stepping-out outfits, and sneakers for all players and technical staff. Ekandjo said the initiative was inspired by a request from the late…
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CoW to resettle 644 households in Mix Resettlement formalisation project

CoW to resettle 644 households in Mix Resettlement formalisation project

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  The City of Windhoek plans to relocate 644 households from the Mixed informal settlement to pave the way for formalisation efforts in a project estimated to cost over N$251 million. The decision was discussed during a quarterly meeting of the Council Advisory Committee on the Formalisation of Informal Settlements and Integration of Groot Aub held on 22 April. The new layout plan for the Mix informal settlement accommodates only 830 of the 1 474 households counted in March.  This necessitates the relocation of nearly half of the community, either within the settlement or to alternative locations. The chairperson…
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Shafudah defends budget priorities amid debt and development concerns

Shafudah defends budget priorities amid debt and development concerns

Niël Terblanché Finance minister, Erica Shafudah has defended the structure and priorities of the national budget for the 2025/26 financial year during her official response to parliamentary debate, acknowledging economic constraints on Wednesday. The minister assured Members of Parliament that the government is balancing development goals with fiscal responsibility. Responding during the second reading of the Appropriation Bill, Shafudah said the budget had been crafted under careful consideration of both global uncertainties and Namibia’s domestic challenges, including unemployment, poverty, housing and inequality. “We cannot do everything at the same time,” she told MPs while calling for a unified approach to…
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Swakopmund beaches temporarily closed for maintenance work

Swakopmund beaches temporarily closed for maintenance work

Niël Terblanché The Municipal Council of Swakopmund announced the temporary closure of two popular beaches to allow urgent maintenance and coastal protection works while colder weather prevails. The municipality’s spokesperson, Linda Mupupa, said the beach closures form part of broader coastal management efforts to address increasing erosion caused by high seas and wave action. She said access to the affected beaches north of the Jetty along Molenweg in the Central Business District, as well as the general beach area near the public parking at Mile 4, will be restricted until at least 30 May. “At the CBD beach north of…
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Kauangenge resigns ahead of NUDO executive meeting

Kauangenge resigns ahead of NUDO executive meeting

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Political analyst Sackaria Johannes believes the resignation of the National Unity Democratic Organisation’s (NUDO) secretary general, Joseph Kauandenge, is closely tied to the party’s disappointing performance in the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections. Kauandenge announced his resignation on Wednesday ahead of the party’s national executive committee meeting that will be held on Saturday in Windhoek. “It has become a norm in Namibian politics now that once individual interests are no longer served, then they jump to something else or to another party. But it is difficult to tell at this point what led to Kauandenge’s resignation until…
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Pipe burst disrupts Windhoek’s water supply

Pipe burst disrupts Windhoek’s water supply

Niël Terblanché Windhoek’s bulk water supply was severely disrupted on Wednesday following a pipe burst on the main transfer line between Von Bach Booster 2 and the Windhoek Terminal Reservoir. In a public notice issued by the Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater), the state’s water utility confirmed that repair teams had already been dispatched to the site to initiate emergency repair operations. By sunset yesterday, the team working on replacing the damaged pipe segments was well on their way to restoring the capital city’s water supply. The affected supply line is critical to the delivery of water to the City of…
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Mothers of children with cancer appeal for support

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  A group of mothers staying at CHICA House in Windhoek have called for increased support as they care for their children undergoing cancer treatment at health facilities in the capital. CHICA, which stands for Children with Cancer, is a facility operated by the Cancer Association of Namibia.  It provides temporary accommodation for mothers and children who travel from outside Windhoek for medical appointments. The house, which opened in April 2017, can host up to seven mothers and their children at a time. While the shelter provides relief, mothers staying there say the emotional and financial toll remains heavy.…
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