Observer

5952 Posts
Nedbank hosts budget dialogue

Nedbank hosts budget dialogue

Niël Terblanché Nedbank Namibia played host to the business community of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay where it facilitated a crucial discussion on the implications of the recently tabled 2024/2025 national budget. This forum provided an essential platform for dissecting the budget’s impact on the socio-economic landscape of Namibia. The event was marked by the insightful opening remarks of Nedbank Namibia’s Managing Director, Martha Murorua, who emphasized the bank’s dedication to aligning its operations with the national budget’s socio-economic objectives. Murorua stressed the transformative potential of every dollar lent, highlighting the bank’s collaborative approach with clients to identify and seize commercial…
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Venaani engages unemployed fishermen

Venaani engages unemployed fishermen

Stefanus Nashama McHenry Venaani of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), last week, met with the retrenched fishermen who live in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. His journey was to inform the fishermen of the progress of his queries to both the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and President Nangolo Mbumba, during the State of the Nation Address. During the State of the National Address, last week, Venaani questioned the efficiency of the Government Redress Employment Program. Speaking to the fishermen, the leader of the official opposition called on all fishermen to be sent back to the sea, as per their…
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Suspension saved Karasburg from going into the dustbin – Swapo councillors

Suspension saved Karasburg from going into the dustbin – Swapo councillors

Martin Endjala One of the suspended Swapo Councillors of the Karasburg Town Council, Elia Hauwanga says the decision undertaken by the Urban and Rural Development Minister Erastus Uutoni, to suspend the entire council, has saved the town from going into the dustbin. Hauwanga told the Windhoek Observer yesterday that both the Swapo party and the Independent Patriot for Change (IPC) view the suspension executed by the Minister as per the Government Gazette Notice under Section 92(9) Act no 23 of 1992 of the Local Authority, as the right decision. “This has been long coming. We anticipated it to happen. Following…
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Alweendo’s decision to cancel Fuel Retail License ruled unlawful by court

Alweendo’s decision to cancel Fuel Retail License ruled unlawful by court

Hertta-Maria Amutenja In a landmark judgment delivered by High Court Judge Eileen Rakow, the decision by the Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo, to cancel a fuel retail license has been declared unlawful and contrary to the provisions of Article 18 of the Namibian Constitution. The ruling, following a review application brought by Gochas Lewende Hawe Agente CC against the Minister of Mines and Energy, highlights the limitations of Alweendo’s authority and the legal grounds upon which the fuel retail license was revoked. The license was revoked on 15 March 2022. Judge Rakow said the powers of the Minister…
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Crumbling infrastructure endangers detainees

Crumbling infrastructure endangers detainees

Niël Terblanché A recent fact-finding mission by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs to Walvis Bay has shed light on the grim reality faced by trial awaiting prisoners in the Namibian Police holding cells. The committee's visit, aimed at assessing infrastructure and conditions within the justice system, has uncovered a situation that calls for urgent governmental intervention. During their visit, the committee discovered that detainees, including mentally ill individuals and juveniles, are subjected to appalling conditions. Overcrowding has become a significant issue, with some detainees forced to sleep on the floor without mattresses. The revelation that juveniles…
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Fishing rights owned by 90 percent of Namibians

Fishing rights owned by 90 percent of Namibians

Martin Endjala President Nangolo Mbumba, during the State of the Nation Address (SONA), revealed that to date, 90 percent of fishing rights are owned by Namibians and that the sector employs an estimated 18,000 Namibians. He said the promotion of Namibianisation in the fisheries sector is progressing well. Additionally, the government has successfully implemented the employment redressing programme which employs 2,367 people. Mbumba emphasised that the move is a sustainable job opportunity initiative, addressing the challenges of joblessness experienced by former fishermen since 2015. With regard to job creation to secure livelihoods, the government facilitated the placement of 1,350 job…
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Namibia launches Central Securities Depository to boost stock market efficiency

Namibia launches Central Securities Depository to boost stock market efficiency

Niël Terblanché In a significant development for Namibia's financial market, the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) has announced the approval of the Central Securities Depository (CSD). According to Victoria Raimond, spokesperson of Namfisa, the approval of a CSD is set to revolutionize stock trading in the country. She added that the establishment of the CSD aims to provide a centralized platform for the holding, safekeeping, and settlement of securities such as shares, bonds, and other financial instruments in electronic form, thereby enhancing market efficiency and liquidity. Owned jointly by the Bank of Namibia and the Namibia Stock Exchange, the…
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CRAN wins Supreme Court challenge on regulatory levies

CRAN wins Supreme Court challenge on regulatory levies

Martin Endjala The Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has won a constitutional challenge filed by Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) against the amendment of Section 23 of the Communications Act, in the Supreme Court concerning the collection of levies. After appealing the High Court judgment of 22 August 2022, the Supreme Court heard the appeal on the 14th of April 2023. The Supreme Court of Namibia delivered a judgment in CRAN’s favour on 13 March 2024. MTC’s application was based on the grounds that Section 23 as amended, which allows CRAN to collect regulatory levies was unconstitutional as the amended…
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MTC launches 5G trial

MTC launches 5G trial

Martin Endjala Namibia, through Mobile Telecommunication Limited (MTC) in collaboration with Huawei Technology, has today officially launched its first-ever fifth-generation (5G) trial intended to test the technology’s capabilities before commercialising it, with a set date yet to be announced. This follows the lifting of the moratorium on 5G by the government and the successful allocation of 5G spectrum by the Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) to telecommunication players in Namibia. The plan was halted a few years ago due to conspiracy theories that 5G causes radiation-related illness and COVID-19. This prompted the cabinet to temporarily prohibit it for further…
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MIT and MWT warn against bogus international bidding scheme

MIT and MWT warn against bogus international bidding scheme

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade (MIT) and the Ministry of Works and Transport (MWT) have issued a stern caution to the public regarding a fraudulent bid invitation circulating in the public domain. Under the guise of legitimate government initiatives, this fraudulent scheme has been soliciting funds from both local and international investors, posing significant risks to unsuspecting individuals and organisations. The deceptive bid invitation, purportedly under the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 15 of 2015, falsely claims to invite international bidders for the construction of substantial developmental projects. These projects include the construction of 2,500 and…
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