Windhoek Observer – Page 148 – Windhoek Observer

24 Jun

Man arrested for allowing a minor to smoke hookah

National News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The 28-year-old Doctor Mbeheva was arrested on Tuesday for giving his minor daughter a hookah pipe, also known as a hubbly bubbly, to smoke. The incident took place on Saturday, 14 June 2025, at an unknown time at a residence in Otjomuise’s 8ste de Laan, Windhoek. The Namibian Police’s spokesperson, Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, confirmed the arrest and said Mbeheva unlawfully and intentionally induced the child to use a tobacco product or another harmful substance. He was arrested for violating Section 230(1)(b) of the Child Care and Protection Act, 2015 (Act No. 3 of 2015), and Section 18(1)…

24 Jun

Audit finds gold mines in breach of license rules

National News

Justicia Shipena Six exclusive prospecting licences (EPLs) held by gold mining companies exceeded the legal seven-year renewal limit without ministerial approval. This is one of several violations uncovered by a government audit released by the Office of the Auditor General. The audit reviewed the licenses and operations of QKR Namibia, Navachab Gold Mine, B2Gold Namibia, and Osino Gold Exploration and Mining. It assessed their compliance with mineral licensing laws between the 2020/2021 and 2022/2023 financial years. Auditor general Junias Kandjeke said some companies failed to reduce their exploration areas during renewal as required. The audit also found weak enforcement of…

24 Jun

Skrywer accuses Sankwasa of bullying opposition-led councils

National News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Landless People’s Movement (LPM) councillor Ivan Skrywer says opposition-led councils will not be forced to implement Swapo’s manifesto or its ideologies. Skrywer, who serves on the City of Windhoek council, was addressing the media on Tuesday when he made this remark. He was responding to a meeting held last week by urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa, which the LPM described as intimidation under the guise of consultation. During that meeting, Sankwasa criticised opposition councillors for taking key decisions without ministry approval. He warned them against working independently, saying he would enforce the law if necessary. Sankwasa…

24 Jun

Cholera response intensifies as new case emerges in Opuwo

National News

Niël Terblanché The ministry of health and social services has confirmed a new suspected cholera case in Opuwo’s Orokapare location. The patient, a 13-year-old boy, was admitted on 20 June with acute watery diarrhoea and severe abdominal pain. According to the ministry, he had no known contact with previous cholera cases and was discharged on Sunday in stable condition. Health officials visited his household on Monday and found all family members in good health. The ongoing recording of new cases has renewed focus on the outbreak in the Kunene region, which has already claimed one life and infected several others.…

24 Jun

MoHSS charts new course to strengthen medicine supply

National News

Niël Terblanché The ministry of health and social services convened its annual National Pharmaceutical Services Forum for 2025, focusing on better governance at regional levels and improving procurement systems to increase access to essential medicines across Namibia. The forum, hosted by the directorate of pharmaceutical services and the national medicines policy coordination division, was officially opened by the ministry’s executive director, Penda Ithindi, on behalf of health minister Esperance Luvindao. Ithindi said the forum comes at a time when there is renewed pressure to deliver the ministry’s core mandate more visibly. He said the pharmaceutical sector and its value chains…

24 Jun

PhD-level graduates forced to guard prisoners

National News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi says unemployed graduates with master’s and PhD qualifications are now forced to apply for jobs in the police force, correctional service, and defence force. Swartbooi made these remarks on Tuesday during a press conference, where he addressed what he called poor decisions by the current administration over the past few months. He criticised prime minister Elijah Ngurare for saying the government is addressing youth unemployment by recruiting young people for law enforcement agencies. A few weeks ago, Ngurare announced that 4,310 young people were being recruited across all 14 regions for…

24 Jun

Japan donates 131 books to the Unam library

National News

Lydia Sageus The University of Namibia (Unam) library has received 131 books through the Read Japan Project, an initiative of the Nippon Foundation facilitated by the Embassy of Japan in Namibia. The official handover ceremony took place recently at Unam in Windhoek. Speaking at the event, the Unam pro-vice chancellor for academic affairs, Frednard Gideon, described libraries as “fundamental to human development and the advancement of society.” He thanked the Japanese delegation and Ambassador Shinichi Asazuma for their continued support of Namibian education. “Your presence here reflects the enduring partnership and mutual respect between our two nations. This event celebrates…

24 Jun

High travel costs cut DACH tourist arrivals

Observer Money

Justicia Shipena The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) attributes the decline in tourist arrivals from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland to increased travel costs. This includes airfare and visa fees, which discourage long-haul travel. The DACH region, which is made up of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, traditionally represents Namibia’s largest middle-market segment. HAN also pointed to global political uncertainty and geopolitical tensions as key factors weighing on international travel sentiment, particularly from European markets. This comes as the latest hospitality report by Simonis Storm shows that the country's national occupancy rate slightly decreased from 54.94% in April to 54.90% in May. …

24 Jun

BoN urges MPs to tackle investment scams

Observer Money

Justicia Shipena The governor of the Bank of Namibia (BoN), Johannes !Gawaxab, says many Namibians continue to fall victim to investment scams. Despite ongoing financial literacy efforts by the central bank, he said Namibians often fall victim to scams commonly known as Ponzi schemes. !Gawaxab made the remarks while briefing the parliamentary standing committee on economy and industry, public administration and planning on Tuesday. During the meeting, he urged lawmakers to educate their constituents about the risks of illegal investment schemes. The BoN has previously warned about investment scams. In October of last year, BoN issued an alert in which…

24 Jun

Hochobeb to drive risk strategy at Letshego

Featured, Observer Money

Staff Writer Letshego Holdings Namibia has appointed Kgomotso Hochobeb as its new head of internal audit. Hochobeb brings nearly 20 years of experience in auditing, risk management, and forensics. In her new role, she will lead Letshego Namibia’s internal audit function, advising on the company’s control environment and risk management practices. She will also develop auditing strategies and implement audit programs to strengthen internal oversight. “It has always been one of my milestones to contribute to the success of a commercial bank, specifically Letshego Namibia, an organisation renowned for its commitment to innovation,” said Hochobeb. She began her career at…