Hosea Kutako International Airport

19 Aug

Paragon Aviation Services: 1 year on

ObserverNational NewsDesmond Amunyela, Hosea Kutako International Airport

An exclusive interview with Desmond Amunyela, Executive Director, Business Development. Paragon Aviation’s executive director, Desmond Amunyela (DA), shared insights on the company’s first year managing ground handling services at Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA), which began on 19 August 2023. In an interview with the Windhoek Observer’s (WO) Hertta-Maria Amutenja, he described the journey as both challenging and successful, highlighting significant improvements in service quality, including on-time performance. Amunyela emphasised Paragon’s commitment to supporting Namibia’s aviation infrastructure, including plans for a technical centre and training facility. WO: Can you tell us a bit about Paragon’s journey and what led it to…

28 Aug

Menzies labelled white supremacists

ObserverMainHosea Kutako International Airport, Menzies Aviation Namibia, Menzies labelled white supremacists

Niël Terblanché Menzies Aviation Namibia, a British-founded company’s refusal to vacate the premises of the Namibia Airports Company at the Hosea Kutako International Airport speaks volumes about their desperation to maintain their grip on power. George Kambala, the Acting spokesperson of the Affirmative Repositioning movement, said the drama surrounding the ground handling service saga of the past year is a stark reminder that Namibians have yet to truly dismantle the chains of colonialism, as white monopoly capital continues to flex its muscle and resist transformation. “The arrogance displayed by Menzies Aviation Namibia is not merely a matter of business competition;…

22 Aug

Rising Against Giants: The Essential Disruption in Namibia’s Business Landscape

ObserverFeatured, OpinionsHosea Kutako International Airport, Menzies, Paragon Aviation, Rising Against Giants: The Essential Disruption in Namibia's Business Landscape

Nrupesh Soni, Facilit8 Namibia The unfolding saga at Hosea Kutako International Airport is more than a mere corporate dispute—it encapsulates a broader issue that reverberates throughout Namibia and indeed, the wider African continent. The tension between Paragon Aviation, a local entity, and Menzies, an international behemoth, over the airport's ground handling tender , goes beyond a mere contractual disagreement. Instead, it sheds light on the uphill battle local businesses face when striving to navigate the labyrinth of corporate colonialism. A persistent, if paradoxical, sentiment exists in parts of Africa, including Namibia: the belief that local firms, by virtue of their…

10 Aug

Menzies makes a mockery of Namibian law

ObserverMainHosea Kutako International Airport, Menzies makes a mockery of Namibian law, Paragon Investment Holdings., Sisa Namandje

Niël Terblanché Despite the fact that the Namibian High Court and Supreme Court dismissed a total of five applications by Menzies Aviation to continue providing ground handling services at the Hosea Kutako International Airport, the British-owned company appears determined to defy all court orders and extend their illegal occupation of the airport premises. By defying all court orders to vacate the premises of the Namibia Airports Company and acting as if it is above all the laws of Namibia. Menzies has caused millions of dollars in damages to Paragon Investment Holdings. Sisa Namandje, Paragon’s legal representative, during a media briefing…

13 Jun

High Court reserves judgment on Menzies HKIA exit

ObserverNational NewsHigh Court reserves judgment on Menzies HKIA exit, Hosea Kutako International Airport

Martin Endjala High Court Judge Shafimana Ueitele will on Thursday morning deliver judgment in a matter in which Menzies Aviation wants the court to grant them permission to vacate the Hosea Kutako International Airport in 30 days, as opposed to a Supreme Court ruling that said the company should leave the premises immediately. Menzies Aviation Legal Representative Advocate Raymond Heathcote argued that if they are made to evacuate the airport with immediate effect as per the Supreme Court order, operations tomorrow at the airport are going to be “a disaster.” Menzies was given until yesterday to exit, until their recent…

15 Oct

Namibia opens more borders

ObserverObserver MoneyFrans Kapofi, Home Affairs minister, Hosea Kutako International Airport

Clifton Movirongo Namibia has opened four more entry/exit points in the country as it moves to relax its COVID-19 border restrictions in a bid to revive the tourism industry and ease cross-border trade conditions. The move by the Home Affairs ministry comes as Hosea Kutako International Airport was designated as the sole entry/exit point in the country under the tourism revival initiative. “Tourists and travellers can now enter and depart the country by land and sea through the reopened borders, subject to applicable health regulations. The provisions have only been made for Ariamsvlei, Katima Mulilo, and the Noordoewer border posts…