Air Namibia – Windhoek Observer

13 Jan

SPYL condemns selling of Air Namibia planes

ObserverNational NewsAir Namibia, Ephraim Nekongo, SPYL condemns selling of Air Namibia planes, WestAir

Staff Writer The SWAPO Party Youth League condemns the selling of Air Namibia planes to Wings Aviation which includes WestAir. SPYL Secretary Ephraim Nekongo said the liqudation of the national airline was made to pave a way for a private airline “SPYL is saddened to learn that the planes that belonged to our now liquidated national airline; Air Namibia, are now being sold to WestAir. We have always maintained that the liquidation of Air Namibia was a concocted move to pave a way for a private airline, at the expense of our National Airline. “Like the nation at large as…

09 Nov

Air Namibia employees severance pay still unpaid

ObserverObserver MoneyAir Namibia

Eba Kandovazu ABOUT 636 former staff members of the liquidated national airline, Air Namibia, have approached the Labour court in an attempt to compel the liquidators to pay their severance packages, amounting to N$105 million. The former employees only received their 12-month salaries, totaling about N$278 million. The matter will be heard on 17 November. It is reported that Air Namibia's liquidation account does not have enough money to pay the parastatal's former employees. State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister, Leon Jooste, today says the liquidators are still selling Air Namibia assets, to make available the severance packages as well as…

06 May

Air Namibia’s liquidator finalised … as creditors gun for N$895m

ObserverObserver MoneyAir Namibia, Bruni & Mclaren, Challenge Air, Namibia Airports Company (NAC), Paragon Investment Holdings

Andrew Kathindi Bruni & Mclaren were appointed final liquidator of Air Namibia at a meeting held at the Masters of the High Court on Wednesday morning. The serial liquidators were previously appointed on a provisional basis. This was the first meeting between Air Namibia and creditors after the airline’s liquidation was finalised last month by Acting High Court Judge, Kobus Miller, after the Namibia Airports Company (NAC), who are Air Namibia’s biggest creditor, had filed an application. The purpose of Wednesday’s meeting was to consider the statement of affairs (a legal document listing the assets and liabilities of the Airline…

12 Mar

Air Namibia workers to get lump sum payment

ObserverObserver MoneyAir Namibia, Finance minister, Iipumpu Shiimi

Andrew Kathindi Air Namibia employees are set to receive a lump sum payment for their promised one year salary which government had committed to pay after the airline was placed under liquidation, Public Enterprises Minister, Leon Jooste, has confirmed. Air Namibia employees were informed by Bruni & Mclaren, the appointed liquidators of Air Namibia, that their last salaries will be paid at the end of March, and that any other amounts which they feel they may be entitled to should be submitted as claims to the liquidators. “The Air Namibia employees will receive their full severance packages from the liquidators.…

23 Feb

No new national airline on the horizon

ObserverObserver MoneyAir Namibia, Leon Jooste, National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), Public Enterprises minister

Andrew Kathindi Public Enterprises Minister, Leon Jooste, has ruled out the establishment of another airline after the liquidation of Air Namibia. The pronouncement by the minister comes after a mass demonstration led by National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), which called for the reversal of Cabinet’s decision on the airline, and for the immediate removal of the State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) minister ended in failure after government reiterated its stance on the closure of Air Namibia. Jooste told Windhoek Observer, “At the moment, the answer is no. So of course, strategically in our normal planning, that's where the Director of…

20 Feb

The Time Traveler: Air Namibia, and building things that last

ObserverUncategorisedAir Namibia, building things that last

Hugh Ellis Everyone who came back from exile has different memories of the trip home. One that stands out for me is my first sight of the Air Namibia (then still Namib Air) airplane, with its distinctive logo, through the window of Frankfurt Airport. I was only 12 years old then, but it was the first time I remember feeling a sense of national pride. Air Namibia’s forthcoming liquidation hurts. It hurts hard. For 600 employees who will now lose their jobs, this hurt is doubtless far, far worse. I am truly sad that Air Namibia, at least for a…

19 Feb

Government stands firm on Air Namibia liquidation

ObserverObserver MoneyAir Namibia, Finance minister, Government, Iipumbi Shiimi

Andrew Kathindi The Government is not backing down from its decision to voluntarily liquidate Air Namibia, after Finance Minister, Iipumbi Shiimi, yesterday (Thursday) defended government’s stance on the matter. “At this stage, the country’s economy can no longer afford to perpetually provide financial support to Air Namibia at the expense of supporting economic growth and critical social services. It is, therefore, with that consideration that government took a decision to file for the voluntary liquidation of Air Namibia,” said the Finance minister. This comes as Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa was also quoted by the local media saying government will not…

16 Feb

Changing gears over Air Namibia

ObserverUncategorisedAir Namibia, Covid-19, Namibia

CHAMWE KAIRA The liquidation of Air Namibia is a sad episode in post-independence Namibia. The national flag carrier is gone, jobs have been lost and the ripple effects will be felt across the economic and social fabric of the country for a long time. The country is already facing a depressing period with the COVID 19 pandemic and the economic recession, the Air Namibia shutdown adds to the misery. The loss of jobs at the airline adds to unemployment figures caused by companies shutting down due to the pandemic and recession. Employment figures released by the Ministry of Labour, Industrial…

13 Feb

Turkish Onurair almost saved Air Namibia

ObserverUncategorisedAir Namibia, Leon Jooste, Turkish Onurair

Andrew Kathindi Public Enterprises Minister, Leon Jooste, revealed that Air Namibia was almost taken over by Turkish airliner, Onurair, prior to Cabinet approving voluntary liquidation. Jooste said government sent invitations to airliners to try and save the national flag carrier, however nothing transpired. “We were asked to write to all airlines currently operating to Namibia and those that we know are intending to come including this company. No formal response or request for further engagements were received from any of them,” Jooste told Windhoek Observer. Onurair had shown interest in taking over the beleaguered Namibian airliner. According to documents from…

12 Feb

Jooste calls Sisa’s bluff

ObserverObserver MoneyAir Namibia, Challenge Air, Public Enterprises minister Leon Jooste, Sisa Namandje, TransNamib

Andrew Kathindi Public Enterprises Minister, Leon Jooste, has dismissed threats by Challenge Air representative, Lawyer Sisa Namandje, to seize assets of state-owned TransNamib, if government proceeds with the voluntary liquidation of Air Namibia. According to Namandje the Arbitration Awards made on 6 August, 2008 and 4 August, 2011 in Europe, were jointly against Air Namibia and TransNamib. Air Namibia was incorporated into TransNamib up until the late 1990s, which was around the time when the airline entered into the lease agreement with Challenge Air. “I saw the letter that was circulated today. We discussed this with TransNamib some time ago…